Amy Powis's Blog, page 5

Escapril 2021

So last year, I decided to post all of my Escapril poem on my blog after wanting to do so in the previous year. This year, I will be doing the same so feel free to check back on this post or follow me on Instagram to see me post (hopefully) every day! 

Day One: Ego 

Sometimes I find myself in the clouds.
Like a balloon,
Unbridled, untouchable, unreachable.
Slowly,
Floating,
Drifting.
Being pulled into space.
Going up, up, up.

But something happens.
Maybe a miracle,
Maybe a sign,
Maybe something more simple.
The air goes out.
I go down, down, down.
Until I look around.
See who's there.

Once again
I am still.
I am here.
I am rooted to the solid ground,

Book Review: This Train is Being Held by Ismée Williams

 * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: This Train Is Being HeldAuthor: Ismée WilliamsPublisher: Amulet/Abram & Chronicle 
Source: From Publisher/Netgalley

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads | Storygraph)

Book Summary:
When private school student Isabelle Warren first meets Dominican-American Alex Rosario on the downtown 1 train, she remembers his green eyes and his gentlemanly behavior. He remembers her untroubled happiness, something he feels all rich kids must possess. That, and her long dancer legs. Over the course of multiple subway encounters spanning the next three years, Isabelle learns of Alex’s struggle with his father, who is hell-bent on Alex being a contender for the major leagues, despite Alex’s desire to go to college and become a poet. Alex learns about Isabelle’s unstable mother, a woman with a prejudice against Latino men. But fate—and the 1 train—throw them together when Isabelle needs Alex most. Heartfelt and evocative, this romantic drama will appeal to readers of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen.
Book Review:
I was really excited to read This Train is Being Held as let's face it the cover is really pretty but I got a story that I liked a lot.

To start, I have a slight criticism which is that the book was a little slow and I do feel like it takes a little whole to get into. I do still like a slow read though and found the way the book is formatted to keep me engaged.

I do like the whole concept of wanting them to meet and the collection if smallet meet cutes throughout the story. Seeing two characters slowly fall for each other and come from different backgrounds was interesting to read about and I really enjoyed it.

The both liked each other and seeing them get closer and go through difficulties still be in a relationship was realistic to read about. I also think that the write some conversations around race and whiteness in comparison to being Latinx that were important and I learnt more from the story.

The plot does pick up at the end and was tense and exciting. I was genuinely afraid for the characters which is a credit to the great writing of the author.

Compared to the beginning section of the book this is a big difference. It is this that definitely makes the story better and made me enjoy the characters and the book even more.

Of course a main part of the book is the romance and Ismée William's goes a great job at developing the romance between the two characters. I loved both Isabelle and Alex and their romance as well as their characters individual. Both were great to read about and I also loved the family relationships in the story to.

Basically I highly recommend This Train is Being Held and it was one of my favourite books of last year. I can't wait to read more from Ismée Williams in the future.
The Verdict:
This Train Is Being Held is an important and heartbreaking read that will leave you hanging until the word. 
Have you read This Train Is Being Held? Do you want to? Let me know in the comments!

Moving On & Being Comfortable

So as of three weeks ago, I officially have a Masters degree. In ten days, I will no longer be a university student.

For the first time in my life, I am no longer a student in an education setting. To put it mildly I already to find my feet in the big wide world.

A lot of this has made me really anxious and even though we are in the middle of a pandemic, I want to move on really badly even though I know that it is scary.

And I think this is why.

Because I am really out of practice.

Being in the same job for two almost three years means that CVs, interviews and job applications are but distant memories. And this makes me really apprehensive.

As someone with anxiety, the rejection and the sense of being viewed only by my accomplishments means that fear is getting the best of me.

To put it lightly: I'm being comfortable.

And I hate it.

Because even though I have said it to myself as a reassurance. It is now come to the point that it is the opposite.

This wouldn't have happened if I didn't have some pressure. Which in some situations is a bad thing. But I think that I need it.

Currently I know that I am not happy in my current job. I am just liking the comfortable nature of it.

But while this is happening I am not trying to do all the things that matter to me and my dreams. The things that I put off until after graduation.

I know I need to move on and stop being comfortable. So I think the pressure is good because I need to have new priorities.

And I can make myself into someone I want to be rather than the person I am now.

Book Review: Dry by Neal and Jarrod Shusterman

 * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: DryAuthor: Neal & Jarrod Shusterman Publisher: Walker
Source: Publisher

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads | Storygraph)

Book Summary:
Everyone's going to remember where they were when the taps ran dry.

The drought—or the tap-out, as everyone calls it - has been going on for a while. Life has become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t take long showers, don't panic. But now there is no water left at all.

Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation and violence. When her parents go missing, she and her younger brother must team up with an unlikely group in search of water. Each of them will need to make impossible choices to survive. 
Book Review:

I have always been a massive fan of Neal Shusterman since I read her Unwind series so I always try to keep up with the new releases. When teaming with Jarrod, Dry is an enjoyable and thrilling read that will have you reaching for your next sip.

One of the things that people will say is that it made them really thirsty and this is definitely true. I was reading about a lack of water and even though I didn't really drink straight water when I read the book, I really was craving a drink.

It's weird to think about it now but I thought it was really weird to see people panic buying at the beginning of that book. Seeing what people did in the pandemic though I should not have been surprised by the whole thing.

With their parents being missing, I did enjoy the teenagers going round and trying to find things about themselves. I thought that both authors had a way where all the characters acted differently which was interesting to read about.

Both voices do blend well and you can not tell that it is written by two different people. There voices do blend well together and I enjoyed that. The writing was also really cinematic and I really did have some visual idea of what the settings looked like.
I just really enjoyed the book and will continue to support Neal Shusterman's work in the future!
The Verdict:
Dry is another hit by Neal Shusterman and his son, just make sure that you have water at the ready. 

Have you read Dry? If so, what did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!

Book Review: Last Bus To Everland by Sophie Cameron

 * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: Last Bus To EverlandAuthor: Sophie Cameron Publisher: My Kinda Book 
Source: Netgalley

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads | Storygraph)

Book Summary:
EVERLAND: AN ADDICTIVE MAGICAL PLACE WHERE YOU DO YOU.

Brody has had enough of real life. Enough of the bullies on his block, of being second best to his genius brother, and of not fitting in at school or at home. Until he meets Nico. Colourful, confident and flamboyant, Nico takes Brody to Everland, a diverse magical place. A place where he can be himself, where there are no rules, time doesn't pass, and the party never ends. You could lose yourself there forever...
Book Review:

Having loved Out Of The Blue by Sophie Cameron, I was super excited to read her newest book. Even though it took me a little longer than anticipated, I had a lovely time in the world of Everland and will continue to read Sophie Cameron's work in the future. 
Even though the book does have moments that are touching and you can get the warm feeling from many scenes from the book, these are often contrasted with Brody's home life. I think that the balance is well done and that both times, in Everland and home, are given their time to develop. That being said, Sophie Cameron touches on the reality for so many teenagers in the book. 
The stress of zero-hour contracts, feeling inadequate compared to a sibling, the feeling of being lost altogether and mental illness, agoraphobia is tackled in the book. While I cannot speak to my own experiences of the book, I do think that their inclusion was important and will help a lot of people and readers.
The book was also really diverse, Brody is gay and so is his brother as well as Everland being a point for a lot of different people globally. All these characters add to the story and give it more weight.
I really did like Everland and while at the beginning, I did think that they were going to stay at Everland for good, I liked the idea that they could come and go as it was more powerful as a story device. I also liked the world that was created and how it could act as this safe space for the characters. I'm sure there are a lot of people who want an Everland in real life and as an escape too. 
The characters were really great and I think that Sophie Cameron does a good job making them feel real. I loved Brody as the centre protagonist and seeing his progress throughout the novel was well-developed. I also really liked Nico and saw him as an equal for Brody but also for opposing what he wants. The book also gives us parents who do their best but are trying for their children which is often uncommon in YA. 
One of the main reasons why I picked this up now was because last year if the pandemic had not happened I wanted to go to Scotland. I loved reading about it, especially Edinburgh and hopefully, I will get to visit when the pandemic is over. 
Even though the last twenty per cent does offer a scary turn in the story, I think that this adds to the pacing of the story and adds more weight to the situation and to Brody. I don't know how to explain it but I still felt safe in the book and that nothing too bad was going to happen. This is a credit to Sophie Cameron's writing obviously. I also found it really fast-paced as I really wanted to know what happened to my faves.
I really loved the ending as it was so emotional and adds so much to the overall arc of the story. I also was just solely attached to the characters and I feel like all of them got the ending they deserved and needed. Brody especially, I loved that for him. The character development tho. 
As you can tell, I really loved Last Bus To Everland and highly recommend that reads this book if you feel like you just don't fit in.

The Verdict:
Last Bus To Everland is a book that captures the magic of escape but also finding out where you truly fit in. 
Have you read Last Bus To Everland? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments below. 

Book Review: With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo

  * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: With The Fire On HighAuthor: Elizabeth AcevedoPublisher: Hot Key Books 
Source: Readers First

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads | Storygraph)

Book Summary:
Ever since she got pregnant, seventeen-year-old Emoni's life has been about making the tough decisions - doing what has to be done for her young daughter and her grandmother. Keeping her head down at school, trying not to get caught up with new boy Malachi. The one place she can let everything go is in the kitchen, where she has magical hands - whipping up extraordinary food beloved by everyone.

Emoni wants to be a chef more than anything, but she knows it's pointless to pursue the impossible. There are rules she has to play by. And yet, once she starts cooking, and gets that fire on high, she sees that her drive to feed will feed her soul and dreams too. And anything is possible. 
Book Review:
I have read both of Elizabeth Acevedo's novels before I got to With The Fire On High and although I did not love them, I found that they both hit on topics that I enjoyed and were important. With The Fire On High was different, however, and I did really love it and it was one of my favourites of the year. 
I must say that in comparison to the other two books, I may have gone in with lower expectations because I always dislike when a book deals with a teenager pregnancy. Although not normally a fan of the trope, I think that Elizabeth Acevedo handles the topic really well as well as the struggles that come with it. There was also something about a fictional baby, Emma who was really cute that I really cared about. All of the characters came off the page so well. 
The cast of characters was one of the best parts of the novel for me as they all had great personalities and all had hopes and dreams that were expanded on. Emoni was a strong and powerful character who would do nothing but protect Emma and also her dreams. I also loved her Buela although I was scared about her health throughout the book, the support that she gave to Emoni was wonderful and nice to see. 
Elizabeth Acevedo is obviously a great writer and seeing her go from verse to prose was something that I think really translated well. Her prose is so lyrical and I was hooked on her writing. Due to the heavy nature of food in the story, I think that this is so great too in describing the food and having my mouth water. Only if I can actually eat it!
I just think that the overall vibe was up to my street and I did just love the settings and scenes at large. Obviously, I can't wait to see what Elizabeth Acevedo does next as I will definitely be in line!
The Verdict:
With The Fire On High is a lyrical and captivating story about fighting for family and the things in life that really matter. 
Have you read With The Fire On High? If so, what did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!

Disfigured and Disability: My Story

So I don't really mention it online but I have a disability. 

Due to complications at birth, I developed a type of cerebral palsy called left-sided hemiplegia, which is a weakness that affects the left side of my body, especially my left hand. I don't have it severely and my condition is a lot better than some people. 

Because of this, I don't really mention that much. For much of my life, I have tried to hide my disability because I always compared myself to others. A lot of the time, I didn't identify with the label. My condition and I have a complicated relationship. 

That is until I read Disfigured by Amanda Leduc. 

OK. I'm not going to say that this book changed my life and the way that I explored my own disability but it illustrated so much of what I felt in my brain. 

I have grown up not really having someone to look to up in terms of my disability. No one I knew had the same condition as me until I was 17 and one of my sister's friend had it. This is strange because it affects 1 in 1000 people. But when I started reading Disfigured something clicked.  

I was listening and reading to something that connected wholeheartedly to me and I saw what it meant to be represented. 

I was on the verge of tears. 

No me and Amanda didn't share the same experience. As I have mentioned mine was based around birth. We don't really know truly how it happened but I did not have a cyst and I did not have surgeries throughout my childhood. 

I did, however, relate to the fact that one of my legs is shorter than the others, the unequal hips and the chronic pain, I often have pain in both my hips and my knees. It's a fun time. 

The thing was that I had no idea that this was a symptom of my disability. To me this was normal and I thought that I was kind of alone. To see someone go through the same situation as I was refreshing. 

I think this does prove how much ableism goes on in society and my family. No one including my family knows about my condition. We go on. I have to live with consistent comments about how I can improve my hand, if only if I do exercises that I was given when I was ten. 

I have to live with the fact that my Nan had a similar thing that happened when an operation went wrong and she managed to cure it.

As a result, I must too. 

The truth is that I don't want it to happen to me because my disability is me and without it, I wouldn't know what to do. I know that this was wrong. I grew up thinking that this just happened to me but it doesn't. 

It happens to every disabled person. 

Coming from Britain, known for its stiff upper lip, for the longest time I don't think that I thought people saw me as disabled. In primary school, I remember being accepted by my peers. Similarly in Secondary school, I don't remember being picked on for my disability. 

Yes, I always got picked last for sports teams, I was also fat at school and my coordination (which is affected by my condition) makes me and sports a nightmare. I was also shy and anxious and saw this all the time rather than my disability. 

I didn't see myself as having a disability. 

Compared to the representation that I saw on TV, when there was some, they were always users in a wheelchair or were restricted by their condition. I, on the other hand, was free to be me. I didn't need assistance getting dressed and was also one of the smartest in the room in comparison to my peers. 

I didn't see myself at a disadvantage. 

When I saw other disabled people, it made me feel uncomfortable knowing that I could be viewed in a similar light as them. I looked away. I felt ashamed of doing it but I didn't know what else to do. 

As a disabled person, I was being ableist.

I know that ableism is a problem and even though I am so much better than I was. Being ableist is something that I have to acknowledge every day. 

Disfigured covers this as a central argument. Fairytales often portray the negatives about having a disability and the only way to be happy is if this is overcome. 

When the Olympics came to London in 2012, my Dad managed to get tickets for the Paralympics Games. As it was so close to home, I was bombarded with small comments about how I could do that if I wanted to. Throw away the fact that I had no interest in sports and P.E. teachers didn't understand at all my condition. 

I could overcome my condition. I could be great. I could be an acceptable disabled person. 

Once I reach 16, the way that my disability was treated by others became apparent. One of the earliest things was when I was doing NCS, a facilitator say that he had never felt someone with such a clicky wrist. (Often my joints click and they don't hurt.) When applying for jobs, I always stated that I would have a disability, sometimes I would get an interview, sometimes I wouldn't. Other times, I got interviews, they told me that I would be fine. 

I would see a rejection email shortly after. 

Even when in a job, I know that I am treated differently from my peers. If someone else does a job, they get shouted at for being too slow. 

I don't. 

People use my disability as an excuse, "it's fine, you have a reason to be slow." Even though, I take longer because I am doing the job properly and cleaning up everyone else's mistakes. 

Even then, no one tells me off when I do something wrong. 

My disability is questioned, even though I am happy to do something. If I do something differently I get asked about it. 

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind that people ask but I know they do so when it's weird.

Sometimes people don't mention it at all and you know, they know. They just don't mention it. When they do mention it, they skate around the subject. Scared that I will be offended or that they have said something wrong. 

I know all of this takes place in life because we are surrounded by a multitude of ableist ideas that are just a foundation on how we view disabled people. Through books, films and fairytales, these are always exacerbated and not questioned. 

I do have hope though. 

Having seen the limit in representation and for the longest time, being scared of writing about someone like me. 

Because I didn't see someone like me. 

With the growth of TikTok and disabled creators being themselves, seeing books like Disfigured and the growth of the spoonie movement (which I do relate to as I do get pain and extreme tiredness after work), I believe that ableism can be challenged. 

One day at a time. 

One piece of positive representation at a time. 

See you soon, 

Amy

Book Review: Keeper Of The Dawn by Dianna Gunn

 * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: Keeper Of The Dawn Author: Diana GunnPublisher: Book Smugglers PublishingSource: From Publisher

(Goodreads | Storygraph)

Book Summary:
All Lai has ever wanted is to become a priestess, like her mother and grandmother before her, in service to their beloved goddess. That’s before the unthinkable happens, and Lai fails the trials she has trained for her entire life. She makes the only choice she believes she can: she runs away.

From her isolated desert homeland, Lai rides north to the colder, stranger kingdom of Alanum—a land where magic, and female warriors, are not commonplace.

Here, she hears tales about a mountain city of women guardians and steel forgers, worshipping goddesses who sound very similar to Lai's own. Determined to learn more about these women, these Keepers of the Dawn, Lai travels onward to find their temple. She is determined to make up for her past failure and will do whatever it takes to join their sacred order.

Falling in love with another initiate was not part of the plan.

Keeper of the Dawn is a tale of new beginnings, second chances, and the endurance of hope. 
Book Review:
I have had Keeper of The Dawn on my TBR for years but I had never been in the mood for it. When I was looking for a shorter read, I finally thought it was the right time to read it. I was really disappointed though as the book did not live up to my expectations.

One of the major problems that I had with the book was the writing. I did convert the file to my kindle so I think that this might be why I had problems. The writing was minimal, so I did find that I was skimming a lot. The draw to the story was not there at all. 

This in itself is the problem though as I found that I was getting distracted a lot throughout and the writing was not holding my attention. The writing itself was very descriptive and it did seem very list-like, almost simple. With some more editing, it could have been a lot better than it was in reality. This could have worked in the book's favour as it could have transformed the story into something less familiar. 

I found that the writing did not build the world as much as I would have liked. It did seem quite generic and I have read a lot of fantasy stories with a similar premise. I also did not live where the story as a whole progressed.

I did not have a character that I connected to. Lai did have some moments but I did not care for her story a lot of the time. I also didn't connect with the romance in the story and I think this has to be a central part of the story. 

Overall I found the story inconsistent. There were some bits and characters that I liked, but these were rare, and I wanted to love them more.
The Verdict:
Keeper Of The Dawn is an interesting story that is sometimes engaging but is a read that will easily be read. 
Have you read Keeper Of The Dawn? Let me know in the comments below. 

Book Review: The Sky Weaver by Kristen Ciccarelli

  * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: The Sky WeaverAuthor: Kristen Ciccarelli Publisher: Gollancz 
Source: From Netgalley

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads | Storygraph)

Book Summary:
Lavish, romantic and magical, The Sky Weaver is a new standalone story set in the world of The Last Namsara - one that fans of Leigh Bardugo, Holly Black and Laini Taylor will flock to. . .

At the end of one world, they're always lying to another.

Safire, a soldier, knows her role in this world is to serve the King of Firgaard-helping to maintain the peace in her oft-troubled nation.

Eris, a deadly pirate, has no such conviction. Known as The Death Dancer for her ability to evade even the most determined of pursuers, she possesses a superhuman ability to move between worlds.

When one can roam from dimension to dimension, can one ever be home? Can love and loyalty truly exist?

Then Safire and Eris-sworn enemies-find themselves on a common mission: to find Asha, the last Namsara.

From the port city of Darmoor to the fabled faraway Sky Isles, their search and their stories become threaded ever more tightly together as they discover the uncertain fate they're hurtling towards may just be a shared one. In this world, and the next.
Book Review:

I had been on the blog tours for the first two books and whilst the same didn't happen with The Sky Weaver, I was still really interested in finishing the series. It did take me a couple of years but it was well worth the wait for a fast-paced and engaging read.

I had picked up the story before and for reasons, I ended up putting it down in favour of other books. I think this was ultimately a good decision as I was really in the mood for it when I read the rest of it. This obviously paid off as it increased my enjoyment.

One of the elements that I loved was the pirate part as I was really in the mood for this type of story. Also, I did like the cast and crew that was introduced. It also gave the story a chance to grow the relationship between the two main characters and the sapphic elements which are vital later.

The two main characters of Safire and Eris are well developed and I loved seeing their relationship developthroughoutf the book. They both have their own interesting relationships and it was nice and intriguing to see this evolve throughout. This was also a great way to expand the existing universe and to increase world-building. 

One of the best parts of the story was the end as it was great to see all the different aspects come together. I could not have predicted what happened and I actually really liked how it ended.

This is a credit to her writing as I did found it exciting and I just wanted to know what happened.

I don't really want to spoil anything but the ending was also quite surprising and I didn't think that what happened was going to happen. I was speeding through the last ten per cent which is a credit to her writing and the tension that was happening. I did appreciate it and seeing other fantasy books do the same will be a change.

I am actually quite sad that the story is over so I will definitely be picking up the next book that Kristen Ciccarelli releases!

The Verdict:

The Sky Weaver is a great ending to the series that had me racing to find out what happened next. 

Have you read any books in this series? If so, did you like it? Let me know in the comments below. 

Book Review: Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

 * I am reviewing this book which I was gifted for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *

Title: FlawedAuthor: Cecelia Ahern Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: From Netgalley

(Bookshop UK| Hive| Goodreads | Storygraph)

Book Summary:

The stunning YA debut from internationally bestselling author Cecelia Ahern.

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.

In this stunning novel, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society in which perfection is paramount and mistakes are punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

Book Review:

My Mum has always been a massive fan of the author Cecelia Ahern, and when she released Flawed I was interested. I had also read Where The Rainbow Ends which I also enjoyed. Although I left it a lot longer to read, I did really like Flawed and it took me by surprise for some reason.

I have to admit that I didn't think I would like this one. I was excited about reading it but after I had a lengthy dystopian phase when I was 14, I have always been a bit picky about the future books that I read. Even though I was apprehensive I think this worked for the better as my expectations were lower so I got a lot more from the story.

One of the things that I enjoyed was the world building. Even though I don't believe that anyone would ever put an F on someone, obviously casting people from society is a theme that is explored in the book and it is done well.

These stories normally go two ways, ever it is a regressed state or everything is better but I think it is very rare for these worlds to still have phones and mentions text messages. I thought this was an interesting choice and I actually liked its inclusion.

With the world building, I actually loved the writing for Flawed. There were two scenes in the book that made me feel so deeply uncomfortable that I was blown away by Cecelia Ahern's writing ability. One of these is a sexual assault scene so please consider this a trigger warning.

With the first person point of view, it made me feel for Celestine so much and I wanted to give her so much care. I also think that the characters are well fleshed out and seeing some of the reveals that happened were exciting.

Flawed is also really fast-paced and addictive read. I was racing towards the end and finished it mostly all in one day, which is a credit again to the writing.

I was really drawn to Celestine as a character as we read about her navigating the world of Flawed. The character development is really great and I think that all the side characters are really well developed too. Although one of the problems I had was with the love triangle as I am not a massive fan of those.

Flawed does leave on a bit of a cliffhanger and as it is a duology, I hope I can get to the next book soon as I do want to know what happens.

The Verdict:

Flawed is a good addition to the dystopia genre which will have you racing to the end to find out what happens. 

Have you read Flawed? Do you want to? Let me know in the comments.