Although Ms. deVos’ first novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, has been on my TBR since before it released, I haven’t yet had an opportunity to read it. SoAlthough Ms. deVos’ first novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, has been on my TBR since before it released, I haven’t yet had an opportunity to read it. So when I had the opportunity to join this blog tour for her second novel, Day Zero, I jumped at the chance to finally check out her writing. I wasn’t expecting to be absolutely blown away by this book, but I definitely was!
It has been a while since I’ve read a thriller that I wanted to race through so quickly it felt like my Kindle was on fire, but Day Zero was all that and more. This story is so propulsive, it’s simply a master class in writing a story that literally *forces* the reader to keep going. It’s like watching a movie where you really have to get up to get a snack or use the bathroom but can’t find a good point at which to press the pause button! There’s almost no breathing room while you’re reading, and I love that so much.
In addition to just being an incredible, fast-paced story, I have to admit that the premise is also absolutely terrifying. I don’t know if it would officially be classified like this, but I’d call this like near-future thriller, something like 20 years from now. The implications for just how quickly America can devolve into an autocratic dystopian nightmare are terrifying and, well, let’s just say especially relevant to current events. There is, in addition to a thrilling story, some biting social commentary in this book. I wrote down several quotes that felt particularly applicable to the current state of America, at least from my perspective. I’d love to chat with other readers to see if others feel the same way!
Basically, I love this book and highly recommend it to *everyone*. If you love stories about conspiracies, thrillers, dystopians, kick-butt girls, propulsive narratives, etc, PICK THIS UP! I am now on pins and needles until I can get my hands on Day One to see how this story concludes.
Rating: 5 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
I loved Ms. Barnes’s The Fixer series, so last year when Little White Lies came out, I knew right away that I wanted to read it. I instantly fell inI loved Ms. Barnes’s The Fixer series, so last year when Little White Lies came out, I knew right away that I wanted to read it. I instantly fell in love with Sawyer and the whole gang, even as eccentric and prickly and outwardly stuck-up as they each were. I was sucked in to the machinations of Sawyer, Sadie-Grace, Lily, and Campbell, and instantly drawn to Nick and Boone (I’m still iffy on Walker!). The society into which Sawyer finds herself thrust is daunting and rigid and so out of her comfort zone, and yet she manages to fit herself in to a hole that seems to have been just waiting for her to fill it. The girls go through a lot, and they *certainly* put others through a lot, but they come out (no pun intended) the other side stronger for it all.
In Deadly Little Scandals, the whole gang is back and discovering more mysteries and scandals (naturally!) that threaten to rock their collective world. They’ve gotten through their debutante year and find themselves facing young adulthood with varying degrees of trepidation; some are ready for college; others, like Sawyer, aren’t sure they want to go to college; some are in love and others have fallen out of love. Sawyer now knows who her father is, but hasn’t told anyone, and hasn’t really faced the face head-on herself; her relationship with her mother is more strained than ever, to say the least. And to top it all off, the girls are recruited to join a secret all-girl society, The White Gloves, which introduces us to some new characters and a host of new mysteries to uncover.
Ms. Barnes can write one heck of a twisted mystery, which I first discovered in The Fixer series and which brought me to the Debutantes series. Just like Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals has twists and turns and complications galore, many of which I didn’t see coming (and after you’ve been reading as voraciously and as long as I have, it’s always a plus when an author can surprise me!). However, I think the best thing about this particular series of hers is the focus on family -- how screwed up and complex it can be, and yet how important it is to our lives. Since this series is set in the South, I feel a kinship with Sawyer and I recognize certain aspects of the white Southern family dynamics at play here (though I was most decidedly *not* part of a “society” family and did not have a debutante year!). Combined with the twisty mystery and the feminist secret society, Sawyer’s and the other girls’s struggles with their families and discovering what “family” means to each of them make this a book I highly recommend. After everything they’ve faced already, I don’t know what could possibly happen to Sawyer and the gang next, but I hope that we’ll get to see more of them in the future!
Rating: 4 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
I have been a fan of Jennifer’s since the moment I was blessed with an early e-copy of Nameless way back in 2015 (oh my…has it really been thatI have been a fan of Jennifer’s since the moment I was blessed with an early e-copy of Nameless way back in 2015 (oh my…has it really been that long?!). I have now read Nameless three times, Clanless twice, and Fearless once, and I am a forever fan. I don’t think I even looked at the book summary when the notice for this blog tour came across my email – I merely saw the name Jennifer Jenkins and I jumped!
So, unlike Jennifer’s previous books, To Kill a Curse is actually an adult book, not YA. However, it’s not *adult* adult; it’s a clean fantasy romance that is a sweet, slow burn. I really enjoyed the concept of Fina’s curse and her quest to kill it, and I loved both Fina and Antonio. The way Jennifer told the story was third person but mostly from Fina’s POV, so she interspersed short journal entries from Antonio between some of the chapters. I felt this was key to getting to know what was really going on in Antonio’s head, because he’s definitely a mysterious character. Learning about him in these little dribbles of information is a great experience for the reader, because he’s extremely tight-lipped otherwise! Fina is such a sympathetic character and my heart really went out to her the whole time.
Overall, I really enjoyed this fantasy adventure romance. The characters are great, the adventure is grand (there’s pirates!), and the romance is sweet. I love Jennifer’s writing, and I look forward to more adventures on the Lingering Sea!...more
Note: Actual rating is 3.5 stars, but I always round up on sites that don't allow half stars.
I was excited to read Glow of the Fireflies because itNote: Actual rating is 3.5 stars, but I always round up on sites that don't allow half stars.
I was excited to read Glow of the Fireflies because it sounded so different from what I am used to reading. I adore fantasy, yes, but this book has more of a magical realism feeling than what we traditionally think of as fantasy, similar Sarah Addison Allen’s books, for example. I have only read a few of this type of book before, and I really enjoyed Ms. Duga’s take on it! While reading, I kept getting vibes similar to The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee -- yes, the place and mythology are very different, but both have that girl-fighting-mythological-spirits thing going.
Briony is the star here, of course, and together with Alder she must work together to free her mother from the ethereal plane, a world parallel to our own in which nature spirits dwell. I enjoyed getting to know Briony and following on her journey to find out what really happened in the fire that gave her amnesia and led to her mother leaving. But I have to say, Briony’s best friend Izzie is my favorite character. She is just full of life, loyal to the end, and seriously the kind of best friend I would have loved to have had growing up. She is adorable, and I love the friendship between her and Briony. Briony displays tons of bravery throughout her journey, and I think she is a great role model, especially for younger girls who may be reading. Also, while this is YA, I think it’s perfectly appropriate for middle grade readers, too, which can be hard to find in YA books.
Overall, I really enjoyed this magical realism story of nature spirits and different planes of existence. It was in some ways a call to action, too, for all of us to get more involved in protecting this beautiful earth we have been given. Let’s all be as brave as Briony in trying to save our world!
Rating: 3.5 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of his book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
City of Beasts is one of those books that I wanted to read the second I finished with the synopsis. A near-future post-apocalypse world where womenCity of Beasts is one of those books that I wanted to read the second I finished with the synopsis. A near-future post-apocalypse world where women are fees, men are beasts, and never the twain shall meet? Um, yes, please!! Well, I am so glad the synopsis hooked me, because I loved this book so much! I seriously want to sit down and re-read it now that I’m writing this review, because it’s just that good (and also I read a PDF copy where I couldn’t highlight anything and now my page-flag-adoring (and possibly abusing) self *really* wants to get into the physical copy and mark some of the awesome lines that I remember!).
Set in Buffalo and nearby Grand Island, New York, separated by a river with a lone bridge, City of Beasts introduces us to Glori and her community of fees. It is a community in which she has almost always felt safe and secure, even though she has been trained in like five different fighting techniques, can bench press her own weight, and is basically a complete BAMF. Glori has never been to the city of beasts, has never even met a beast, in fact -- except for her 5-year-old brother Two-Five (aka Twofer), who has been hidden away from virtually all the other fees on Grand Island since his birth. When the worst happens and a group of beasts invade Grand Island, killing a number of matriarchs and kidnapping Twofer, Glori and her best friend Su do the unthinkable and head across the bridge to get him back. Thus begins our adventure and Glori’s introduction to the world of beasts.
I absolutely love this exploration of how things might be different if women and men were raised separately. Would societal expectations and gender norms be obliterated? Would a community of women be peaceful, loving, and orderly, with communal living and shared resources, and would a community of men devolve into factions fighting one another in an environment of chaos? There is so much meat within these pages, so much to think about and chew on as you follow Glori and Su on their quest to recover Twofer. The beasts they meet are indeed terrifying, but there are also some who defy every expectation and stereotype Glori and Su have. All of the characters are complex and feel so alive, from Glori, Su, Grand Mati, Liyan, and the fee mercenaries to Sway, Comma, Reason, Rage, and the rest of the beasts we meet. (If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would have to be Comma. Dear, sweet Comma!) There are also quite a few surprises that await Glori, Su, Sway, and the rest, surprises that truthfully I usually did not see coming -- and I love it when a book actually smacks me in the face with a shocking twist!
I don’t want to give away any of what awaits you upon reading City of Beasts, so I’ll stop here, but ultimately what you need to know is this: from the plot to the setting to the characters to all of the underlying philosophical questions, I love absolutely everything about this book. I will be recommending City of Beasts to every single person I know who enjoys YA books, and even some who aren’t typical YA readers but whom I know would appreciate Ms. Wang’s vision as much as I do. I can’t wait to share this book with them, and I hope that you will also take the first opportunity to snatch this one up -- and let me know what you think of it when you do!
Rating: 5 luminous stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
I absolutely loved book 1 of this series, SEVENTH BORN, and fell in love with Seraphina Dovetail and the mysterious, grumpy, and gorgeous ProfessorI absolutely loved book 1 of this series, SEVENTH BORN, and fell in love with Seraphina Dovetail and the mysterious, grumpy, and gorgeous Professor Nikolai Barrington, so I was thrilled to get my hands on the next portion of their adventure, MIRROR BOUND. The story continues exploring the budding relationship between Sera and Barrington that we saw in SEVENTH BORN, as well as showing Sera's progress from former student of the Witchling Academy to prospective member of the School of Continuing Magic so she can become an inspector for the Aetherium. At the same time, as with book 1, there is a mystery contained within MIRROR BOUND that is solved within these pages. I love that aspect of this series -- that we get a complete story within each book, while also getting the continuing story of Sera and Barrington's lives. The mystery here is inventive and magical, and it was quite fun to watch Sera and Barrington work out how to solve it. Of course it was also great to watch them get closer, and the chemistry between them sizzles on the page.
I love this series so much, and I can't wait to see what's next for Sera and Barrington! I have a feeling that book 3 will focus on Sera's attempt to find her family, and I can't wait to read more about that. These are fantastic books for lovers of gothic settings, historical mystery, and paranormal romance. I highly recommend MIRROR BOUND and it's predecessor, SEVENTH BORN, and hope you will pick them up! ...more
Color Me In is such a wonderful #ownvoices debut novel -- not only is it beautifully written, it is also an important story with lessons that are moreColor Me In is such a wonderful #ownvoices debut novel -- not only is it beautifully written, it is also an important story with lessons that are more important than ever in today’s world. Although it is a work of fiction, it hews closely to the author’s lived experience, which you can feel shining through on each page. You often hear authors speak of the book(s) of their heart, and it certainly feels this is that book for Ms. Díaz.
Nevaeh feels like she just doesn’t fully fit in anywhere -- not with her mother’s Caribbean-American, Black Baptist family and not with her Jewish father and grandmother, Bubby. Nor does she feel fully at home in either her grandfather’s Harlem neighborhood or her incredibly white, affluent private school in a ritzy section of New York City. She finds herself challenged on all sides: by her Black cousins, twins Jordan and Janae; by her former friend turned enemy and racist tormentor, Abby; and by her own secular Jewish father, who has decided to force her to have a (very) belated bat mitzvah, despite historically telling her, “It’s not about being Jewish.... It’s about being a Levitz.” No matter what she does, she cannot seem to be comfortable in her own skin in any of these places or with any of these people. And to top it off, the one person she has always been able to count on to truly see her for who she is, her best friend Stevie, seems to be pulling away from her.
Nevaeh’s story is one of a struggle to figure out her identity and just where she fits in the world. Her cousins seem to think she’s not Black enough, and that she clearly doesn’t understand the privilege she gains from being able to pass as white. She definitely doesn’t feel Jewish enough to have a bat mitzvah, as she has been completely disconnected from the religious Jewish experience her entire life. She feels like she stands out like a sore thumb at the Baptist church where her grandfather is a pastor. On top of all of this, her mother seems disinterested in everything since separating from her father and having to move with Nevaeh back to her father’s Harlem home, where Nevaeh’s aunt and uncle and cousins also live. What on earth can she do to finally become comfortable in her own skin?
Nevaeh’s journey to figure out the answer to that question is fraught with difficulty, but it is also utterly sweet and satisfying. While we all undertake a journey to find out who we are, Nevaeh’s unique circumstance of multiple ethnic, racial, and religious identities to navigate makes hers especially difficult. While at first she wants to cower away, ultimately she faces the hardships, the pain, the awareness of her own privilege as compared to her family, and all the rest head on. Nevaeh writes to deal with all of the questions she has, although she never shows her writing to anyone; however, we are privy to her private thoughts, and this is my favorite aspect of the book. The poems she writes are stunning, thoughtful, and beautiful in and of themselves, on top of the rest of the story. She grows into a confident, strong young woman who has really done the hard work of examining both her hardships and her privilege.
Color Me In is an incredible contemporary debut that is so timely, one that teaches all of us important lessons. I thank Ms. Díaz for baring her soul and sharing her own life story with us through Nevaeh, and I hope any young person who is struggling to fit in or to be comfortable with who they are will pick this up. There is so much beauty and heart to this story, and I highly recommend it.
Rating: 4 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
I absolutely love fantasy of all kinds, and the offerings in YA fantasy have been utterly phenomenal the past 5 or 6 years that I’ve been readingI absolutely love fantasy of all kinds, and the offerings in YA fantasy have been utterly phenomenal the past 5 or 6 years that I’ve been reading them. Naturally, I immediately added Crown of Coral and Pearl to my TBR list when I first heard about it, and then jumped at the chance to be part of this blog tour. This is one of those books that I expected to like going in, but was not prepared for how quickly I was sucked in and just how much I loved it!
I was hooked into this story from pretty much the first words, and I mean that honestly. It’s not uncommon for me to have to read a few chapters to warm up to a story, especially from a new-to-me author, but that was not the case here at all! I started reading it before bed one night and before I knew it, it was 2 hours later and I was almost 70% done! I just could not stop reading, so immersed was I in the world that Ms. Rutherford created. The world-building is excellent, and I could picture Varenia and Ilara, Old Castle and New Castle, and the Port Market in my head perfectly. The characters are all vibrant and feel so real, especially, of course, Nor and Zadie. These twin sisters are a force to be reckoned with! Brothers Talin and Ceren are as different as Nor and Zadie are alike, and this contrast between the two pairs of siblings is fascinating. There are twists and turns galore here, too, including a rather shocking ending--though I have a feeling things may not have truly ended how we think they did, and I now cannot wait for the sequel to hit my hands! Seriously, there is just so much amazingness (is that a word?) to this story and I am so ready to dive back in (no pun intended) to the world with which Ms. Rutherford has gifted us. I refuse to give any spoilers to this amazing story, so I want to stop before I say too much, but I promise that if you like fantasy--especially involving strong young women, dashing princes, daring adventures, and plot twists galore--you will love Crown of Coral and Pearl! Please do let me know how you like it once you pick it up yourself!
Rating: 5 stars for this brilliant debut!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review....more
I love a good thriller, and I have been reading and enjoying a lot of books with presidential/political families lately, so T-Minus was a great mix ofI love a good thriller, and I have been reading and enjoying a lot of books with presidential/political families lately, so T-Minus was a great mix of the two for me. It’s definitely like the YA version of a David Baldacci or Vince Flynn book, so if those appeal to you, I think this will as well.
Sophie is the daughter of the first female President of the United States (POTUS). Early on the morning of her birthday, she is awakened to the news that a terrorist cell has threatened to blow up multiple unknown locations in protest of her mother’s administration. The protocol is to separate the members of the family for safety, so Sophie is facing being alone on her seventeenth birthday. Before she is whisked away by her secret service detail, her father tells her that her mother believes there is someone from the terrorist cell on the inside and that she should trust no one. From there the story takes off, with Sophie working furiously to identify and stop the threat.
There are definitely some twists and shocking moments in the story that I hadn’t expected, and it’s always a plus for me when an author can surprise me. I didn’t fall in love with the characters, but I definitely liked them all. I appreciated the fact that the villains and heroes alike were complex, none being all bad or all good and thus one-dimensional. Sophie was forced to reckon with aspects of her parents’ past that she hadn’t known about, something which we all face on some level as we grow up. She is faced with incredibly difficult situations but, due to her unique training and being the daughter of the POTUS, she maintains a level head and a strength I’m not sure I’d possess in her situation.
T-Minus is a fast-paced, exciting political thriller from Ms. Greenland that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone who is a fan of the genre. You’ll find yourself racing through to see what happens next!
Rating: 4 stars
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
I absolutely loved book 1 of this series, SEVENTH BORN, and fell in love with Seraphina Dovetail and the mysterious, grumpy, and gorgeous ProfessorI absolutely loved book 1 of this series, SEVENTH BORN, and fell in love with Seraphina Dovetail and the mysterious, grumpy, and gorgeous Professor Nikolai Barrington, so I was thrilled to get my hands on the next portion of their adventure, MIRROR BOUND. The story continues exploring the budding relationship between Sera and Barrington that we saw in SEVENTH BORN, as well as showing Sera's progress from former student of the Witchling Academy to prospective member of the School of Continuing Magic so she can become an inspector for the Aetherium. At the same time, as with book 1, there is a mystery contained within MIRROR BOUND that is solved within these pages. I love that aspect of this series -- that we get a complete story within each book, while also getting the continuing story of Sera and Barrington's lives. The mystery here is inventive and magical, and it was quite fun to watch Sera and Barrington work out how to solve it. Of course it was also great to watch them get closer, and the chemistry between them sizzles on the page.
I love this series so much, and I can't wait to see what's next for Sera and Barrington! I have a feeling that book 3 will focus on Sera's attempt to find her family, and I can't wait to read more about that. These are fantastic books for lovers of gothic settings, historical mystery, and paranormal romance. I highly recommend MIRROR BOUND and it's predecessor, SEVENTH BORN, and hope you will pick them up!...more
Although I have yet to read Jackaby or the other books in the YA series by William Ritter, I have heard so much about how wonderful his writing andAlthough I have yet to read Jackaby or the other books in the YA series by William Ritter, I have heard so much about how wonderful his writing and stories are that I was excited to be an early reader of his middle grade debut. The Oddmire, Book One: Changeling was an absolutely delightful, charming story told much in the style of old-fashioned fairy tales. The banter among the characters was so much fun to read; I especially loved the exchanges between the goblin, Kull, and the twins’ mother, Annie. The twins were such sweet little boys - despite being rather mischievous! - and it was obvious how much they loved each other, despite knowing that they were not actually biological twins and that one of them is in fact a goblin changeling. This tale has so many great lessons for young readers, from the importance of family and love to the oppressive weight of loneliness and, above all, to the power of redemption. I highly recommend this book to any lover of fantasy, fairy tales, and stories with delightful creatures like goblins, witches, fairies, and new creations of the author’s own imagining.
Thanks so much to Brittani Hilles and Algonquin Young Readers for letting me be an early reader of this delightful story and take part in this blog tour!
Rating: 5 twinkling stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review....more
I had so much fun reading this fiercely feminist novel about female friendships, family relationships, and the unique challenges faced by women inI had so much fun reading this fiercely feminist novel about female friendships, family relationships, and the unique challenges faced by women in tech (as well as in business--and life!--generally). Maddie, Delia, and Lucy are thrown together as roommates and teammates for a prestigious summer startup incubator in Silicon Valley. Although each is a tech whiz, the three girls couldn’t be more different, and at the start of the program there is no shortage of rubbing each other the wrong way. Over the course of their five weeks working and living together, however, the challenges they face serve to bring them closer together. Each of the three learns important lessons about the issues they can expect to face if they follow their dreams of careers in the tech sector along with valuable insight into themselves, their personalities, and their personal relationships.
I love the fact that Ms. Goldstein included so many actual facts and figures about women in tech, which are seamlessly woven into the story so as to be a natural part. The book focuses on real-world challenges faced by girls and women in tech (and STEM, business, and life generally), and I appreciate that Ms. Goldstein provides statistical backup to the wealth of anecdotal evidence (examples of which are also in the book) about these issues. Each of the girls faces their own unique challenges in this regard, and together they become a formidable team wanting to shake up the “frat boys’ club” that is Silicon Valley. I believe all girls can learn valuable lessons in reading this book, even those that are not into tech or looking to enter STEM careers; there are a host of insights that will click with girls of all stripes, who I can pretty much guarantee have all faced one or more of the challenges we see in Screen Queens.
I also want to point out that, although there is some (adorable) romance in Screen Queens, romantic relationships are not at all the focus of the novel. Instead, Maddie, Delia, and Lucy are more consumed with navigating friendship with each other and figuring out how to have good relationships with their families. Female friendships and family relationships are explored in depth, each of which brings its own personal and unique challenges to our three heroines. While I love romance as much as the next reader, it’s refreshing to read a YA contemporary that is so focused on other types of relationships that are equally as important as romantic ones, if not more so.
Overall, I love this fierce, feminist look at women in tech, and I highly recommend it to all types of readers, especially girls. Even if you are not interested in tech or STEM yourself, there is so much to learn and love within these pages. I hope you’ll pick up a copy and discover it for yourself!
Rating: 5 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
I danced ballet with a passion from the age of two until I was ten, and I wanted so badly to be a professional dancer. Unfortunately, I got hurtI danced ballet with a passion from the age of two until I was ten, and I wanted so badly to be a professional dancer. Unfortunately, I got hurt playing softball and have been plagued with chronic pain ever since, so that dream never came true. But I still love watching ballet and reading books about ballet, so I knew I wanted to get my hands on Bright Burning Stars as soon as I heard about it. Now, you don’t have to love ballet to pick up this book, but if you do love ballet, you have to pick up this book!
Although I wanted so badly to be a dancer, I know now that I don’t think I would’ve made it anyway. Reading about the experiences of Marine and Kate at the Paris Opera Ballet School only reinforced that realization! The dedication of all the students to their craft is impressive. At the same time--especially since, at the end of seven long years of fairly brutal training, only one boy and one girl will receive a spot in the corps--the situation kind of makes relationships of any kind difficult. Marine and Kate have managed to remain thick as thieves--”Moon Sisters”--from the moment they arrived at the school until their final year. However, the seventh year at school finds their friendship strained, due to Kate’s tendency to lose herself in romantic relationships, Marine’s overwhelming desire to lose more and more weight, and the pressure of competing with one another as the judges’ final decision approaches.
If you’re a fan of contemporary novels that examine friendship, first love, dedication to a goal, and what happens when the goal you’ve worked so hard toward may remain out of reach, I hope you’ll pick up Bright Burning Stars! If you love ballet, well, that’s just the cherry on top.
Rating: 3.5 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
I love absolutely every. single. thing. about this book:
-our main character, Amber; -Dean; -Amber’s incredible relationship with her parents, who areI love absolutely every. single. thing. about this book:
-our main character, Amber; -Dean; -Amber’s incredible relationship with her parents, who are some of the most amazing parent characters I’ve seen in YA; -Dean’s relationship with his siblings, especially his younger sister, Tessa; -Amber’s best friends, Hannah and Jake; -Dean; -all the white-hat hacking and coding talk; -Amber’s issues with trust and Dean’s overwhelming desire to be the one she can finally trust; -the sex-positive discussions and beautiful portrayal, in YA-appropriate fashion, of one’s first time having sex; -Dean; -the honest and unflinching look at relationship abuse and issues of consent; -the pitch-perfect teen voice in the questions sent in to Amber’s Ask Me Anything site; -and, oh, did I mention...DEAN?!
Seriously, this book is close to perfection, and I highly recommend it to any fan of YA contemporaries. I think it’s obvious from my bullet points above that there is frank discussion of sex, sexual abuse/trauma, LGBTQ relationships, and more here, that may require a warning for some readers (either due to age or potential triggers), but I have to say I find this book so refreshing and honest and, frankly, educational that I would not hesitate to give it to a teen reader. Love, love, love Ask Me Anything by Molly E. Lee and cannot recommend it highly enough!
Rating: 5 heartfelt stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review....more
We Were Beautiful by Heather Hepler is a gorgeous contemporary novel, full of heart and emotion. We meet our main character, Mia, as her father takesWe Were Beautiful by Heather Hepler is a gorgeous contemporary novel, full of heart and emotion. We meet our main character, Mia, as her father takes her to the train station to go stay in New York City with the maternal grandmother she’s never met. We learn that Mia was in a car accident, one resulting in disfiguring scars on half of her face; that her mother left sometime thereafter; that her father can’t seem to look at her; and that her beloved older sister, Rachel, died in the same accident. But Mia can’t remember what happened that evening, except for the fact that she was driving the car -- a fact for which she cannot forgive herself.
I love all of the characters in this book. Seriously, ALL of them! From Mia’s prickly, stickler-for-manners grandmother; to her new boss, Nonna, and the entire (huge) Brunelli family; to the new group of friends she meets in Fig, Sebastian, Sarah and Cooper -- all of the characters are imbued with life and personality. Each of them also plays a vital role in helping Mia come to terms with the accident that resulted in the scars to her face and the loss of her sister, as well as helping her redefine what family truly means.
I absolutely love this book, a searing exploration of ableism, trauma and recovery, grief and the grieving process, and the importance of friends and family. There are so many emotions I went through while reading this book, from crying for Mia’s loss to having butterflies with Cooper to wishing Fig were my friend and the Brunelli family my own. This book is truly a delight and will even be, for some, a life-changing read. I encourage everyone to pick it up, treasure it, and take your time getting to know these incredible characters.
Rating: 5 beautiful stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review....more
When Brittani Hilles of Algonquin Young Readers first told me about the forthcoming In the Neighborhood of True, I knew immediately that I wanted toWhen Brittani Hilles of Algonquin Young Readers first told me about the forthcoming In the Neighborhood of True, I knew immediately that I wanted to read it as soon as I could. I’m so glad she was kind enough to let me read an early copy, because I cannot say enough wonderful things about this book! Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and has been since I was a teenager. I typically read historical fiction set long ago, particularly during the Elizabethan and Victorian periods. However, I’ve been reading some more recent historical fiction lately, and I especially like reading about the era in which so many Americans fought for civil rights. In the Neighborhood of True, set in Atlanta in 1959, is a wonderful example of what can be so special about books set during this time, especially when they are based on true events, as this one is. It might seem like an obvious thing to say, but there is so much we can -- and should -- learn from history, and Ruth’s experiences in True teach us so much.
The characters in True, from Ruth to Davis to Alice and Nattie to Max to Fontaine and Mr. Hank to the “pastel posse,” are full and complex and jump off the pages. Some will find their way into your hearts, while others will frustrate you and others you will feel palpable contempt for. Being a Southern girl myself, I keenly felt the atmosphere in which Ruth suddenly finds herself, even though I was her age 3 decades after the events of this story. (The more things change, the more they stay the same....) The sense of time and place is evocative and exquisite, from the way the characters speak (in both Southern-isms and 1950s-isms) to the descriptions of magnolias and sweet tea and taking nips of SoCo. At the same time, there is a keen sense of timelessness to the heart of the story, which is fundamentally about discrimination and hate and othering -- aspects of our lives which sadly have not faded all that much with the passage of the past 60 years.
After a hate crime rips through Atlanta, Ruth must decide if “passing” is worth it, if she is willing to maintain the lie (or, at least, lack of truth) that has sustained her new friendships, or if she will out herself as Jewish and possibly lose the sense of community and belonging she has found. Without giving too much away, I have to say that my favorite scene, in a book rife with incredible moments, is Ruth’s final conversation with Davis. The realization she comes to is one that I hope we can all take to heart, even when it is not “our people” who are being targeted and hurt. It’s hard to explain without spoilers, so let me just say that I hope everyone will read this book. Author Rachel Lynn Solomon perfectly captured my own feelings when she said of In the Neighborhood of True, “...I will hold it in my heart for a long time.” That is precisely what I plan to do as well.
Rating: 5 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review....more
I’ve been excited for Tarnished Are the Stars for months now. It’s totally my jam, in my lane, and all those cliche expressions! I love sci-fi andI’ve been excited for Tarnished Are the Stars for months now. It’s totally my jam, in my lane, and all those cliche expressions! I love sci-fi and fantasy (this is kind of a mash-up of both), I love reading books with diverse characters, and I am always down for supporting a debut author, so Tarnished Are the Stars met all my needs! Within these pages you’ll find intrigue, courtly politics, strained family dynamics, cycles of abuse, young adult characters figuring out their sexuality and their places in society, and more.
We have Anna, a headstrong, confident, daring girl who lives outside the tech-free Settlement but smuggles tech in to citizens. Anna lives with her grandfather, Thatcher, a crotchety old surgeon who takes care of all of the Tarnished living outside the Settlement. There’s the Commissioner, who banned all tech from the Settlement and rules both the town and his son with an iron fist. There’s his son, Nathaniel, who has one striking difference from all other citizens of the Settlement that makes him an outcast in a society which he should be the heir to ruling. There’s the Queen, living on the Tower, the spaceship that holds what’s left of humanity, who is responsible for sending down the group that terraformed Earth Adjacent and created the Settlement. And finally, we have Eliza, who is Nathaniel’s betrothed and also the Queen’s Eyes – a spy and assassin who lives to serve her queen. The interactions of these characters create a situation where everything comes to a head and the future of the human race will be decided.
I love both Anna and Eliza, but I think my favorite character of all is Nathaniel. He is beaten down, both literally and figuratively, and doesn’t have much of a sense of who he is. He is bereft, has no friends, and knows next to nothing about his own history. How did he end up with a TICCER in his chest when his own father banned all tech from the Settlement and imprisoned anyone who defied him? He starts to figure out some answers to this question when he meets Anna. And when his fiancee, Eliza, is sent down to Earth Adjacent by the Queen, he begins to figure out more about his sexuality, namely, why he’s never felt “the sweeping desire to fall in love or kiss or sit shoulder to shoulder with someone he’d just met.” (p. 77 of ARC) While Anna helps him understand the machine that keeps his heart ticking, Eliza gives him the vocabulary to express what his heart actually feels (or doesn’t feel, as the case may be). I actually felt like I could imagine Nathaniel gradually becoming taller throughout the story, as in my mind he went from a stooped, downtrodden figure hanging his head at all times to slowly rising to meet the challenges the world has thrown at him. He is a wonderful character.
I could go on and on, but suffice it to say there is much to love in this book. Watching Anna, Eliza, and Nathaniel each break free from certain chains that bind them and discover their independence is highly satisfying, and I rooted for all of them the whole time. Ms. Thor is forthright with issues of sexuality, disability, and abuse, but also handles them with sensitivity. I found myself lingering on her language, too, as her beautiful writing drew me in and kept me from just flying through the story (in a good way!). Overall, I highly recommend Tarnished Are the Stars for any fan of science fiction/fantasy mashups, steampunk, strong characters, explorations of sexuality, and political intrigue. You’ll find all of that and more within these pages!
Rating: 4 bright stars!
**Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going in to this read, but it was a delightful surprise! I love gothic novels, and this definitely has that feel. AI wasn’t quite sure what to expect going in to this read, but it was a delightful surprise! I love gothic novels, and this definitely has that feel. A girl falls through the bottom of her grave into a place the other “residents” call Under, where no one remembers their time before and each resident receives their name from the item they had with them when they fell--Doll, Ribbon, Spoon, Tintype, Handkerchief, Journal, the enigmatic Smoke, and more. Key feels a connection to each of them that she cannot explain, but she sets out on a quest to regain her memories, a quest that the others believe to be a fool’s errand or even a deadly mistake.
I love the way Ms. Sutton let the story play out through scenes in Under, snippets of memories that begin to return to Key, and even forays into the world of the living. This is a delightful story of witchcraft, curses, first love, and what it means to truly live, even if that living takes place in the land of the dead. I definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoys gothic, historical, and/or paranormal romance tinged with mystery!
Rating: 4 stars
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review....more
As soon as I saw the blog tour announcement for Courting Darkness, I jumped at the chance to take part. I had been wanting and intending to read theAs soon as I saw the blog tour announcement for Courting Darkness, I jumped at the chance to take part. I had been wanting and intending to read the His Fair Assassin series since the first book, Grave Mercy, released in 2012, but I hadn’t yet done so. I knew this book was in the His Fair Assassin universe, so I figured it was the perfect time to binge read the series…and I’m so glad I finally did! Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and has been for as long as I’ve been reading, and these books were like a balm to my soul, filling a need I didn’t even realize I had within me. It’s been a while since I’ve read good medieval historical fiction, and the HFA series was like coming home after a long time away!
While the original HFA books each featured one initiate of the convent of Saint Mortain, Courting Darkness is told from two perspectives: those of Lady Sybella, from Dark Triumph, and a new character, Genevieve. I really enjoy stories told from multiple points of view, and this book was no different. The sections alternating between the two characters are short and always leave you wanting more, compelling you to read “just a little bit further” to find out what happens next. The girls’ stories are independent from one another while at the same time slowly converging, and I felt myself growing more anxious as the pages flew past.
While I love each of the original trio of assassins, Sybella was absolutely my favorite (although I will admit that Balthazaar was my favorite romantic interest!), and I was so happy to hear more from her. I had no idea when I read Dark Triumph just how personal Sybella’s story was to Ms. LaFevers, but I do know that Sybella just felt so special to me. Reading the author’s note at the beginning of Courting Darkness helped me see that she is also special to Ms. LaFevers, and that Sybella had much more of her own story to tell. It’s fun to meet yet another of the convent’s initiates, one who hadn’t been at the convent during the formative years of Ismae, Sybella, and Annith. Genevieve’s training (or lack thereof), and her relationship to Mortain, are so different from our original trio, and it was fascinating to know, as the reader, things about her gifts that she didn’t yet know. And of course, Ms. LaFevers has written yet another delicious romantic lead in Maraud! I still heart Balthazaar, but Maraud is definitely swoon-worthy :)
Even though this book is about 500 pages, I flew through it (as I did with the first three) and was absolutely not ready for it to end. I am now lamenting having to wait a year for part two of this duology! I am so glad that Ms. LaFevers went back to the world of His Fair Assassin to bring us more of the convent of Saint Mortain, badass proto-feminist assassins, delectable love interests, and incredible female friendships. I cannot get enough of this series and will, without a doubt, read as many more books in the HFA world as Ms. LaFevers is willing and able to write. I hope she continues beyond the conclusion to this duology – but for now I am content to wait (not so) patiently for the next part of Genevieve and Sybella’s adventures. I wish I could give this 1000 stars, but since I cannot, I hope I have at least conveyed just how highly I recommend Courting Darkness and the entire HFA series. Grab ALL of these!
Rating: 5 brilliant stars!
**Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book....more
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