"Soon," whispered the Phoenix in her sleep. "Soon you will call on me for my power and when the time comes, you will not be able to resist. Soon you w"Soon," whispered the Phoenix in her sleep. "Soon you will call on me for my power and when the time comes, you will not be able to resist. Soon you will ignore the warnings of the Woman and the Gatekeeper and fall into my fiery embrace.
I can make you great. I can make you a legend."
...
This is the best book I've read this year. This is one of the greatest books I've ever read in my life.
I was aware of the hype surrounding The Poppy War, and oh, was it deserved. How is this a debut?! Where has Rebecca Kuang been all my life?
The Poppy War is a masterpiece of epic military fantasy, taking inspiration from modern Chinese history: specifically, the Sino-Japanese Wars and The Rape of Nanking. Our main character Rin, who is a war orphan from the Rooster Province, aces the Keju test: an empire-wide entrance exam that gives young people from across Nikara a chance of education at prestigious universities. Because of Rin's perfect score, she is accepted with full scholarship to Sinegard, the most elite military school in the Nikara Empire. However, being a dark-skinned peasant girl puts her at a disadvantage to her wealthy, lighter-skinned classmates, and Rin soon finds out that she has to carve a place for herself amid intense competition.
All the while, Rin discovers a terrifyingly dangerous power within her. In this world, Shamans ingest hallucinogenic drugs, ascend to the realm of the gods, and offer themselves to all-powerful beings as vessels. Godlike power is wrought through pain, and Rin will soon become aware of the sacrifices she must make for it.
But that's not all The Poppy War is about. There's so much more.
How could I even possibly begin?
There are rare instances when a book takes a piece of me with it when I turn the final page. I physically felt The Poppy War tear a part of my soul out from my body and fold it between the words and the pages. It was devastating, and so worth it.
Because that's what The Poppy War is. Devastating, and so worth it.
Rin is one of the most fascinating, multilayered protagonists I've ever read from. I love her, and she terrifies me. I want the world for her, and she makes me so angry. She's so easy to root for, so sympathetic and badass. Rin works herself to the bone to achieve success and gain a place for herself at Sinegard, and it was so gratifying to see her underdog story unfurl into such an unforgiving, powerful tale.
Kuang allows her characters to grow and change, to make mistakes and feel unrelenting rage. Characters I thought I would hate became my absolute favorites. I'm looking at you, Nezha, you wonderful, beautiful man. I ADORE THEE.
Kitay was lovely, and a great friend for Rin. Their relationship is heartbreakingly innocent and full of so much love, it brought me to tears. The Bizarre Children, an elite squad of mercenaries that serve as assassins for the Empress, are all great. Qara, Chaghan, Unegen, Ramsa, Baji, Suni, and Enki. They were all awesome.
Altan is a character that I sympathize with intensely, but I also hate him. He is a horrifying, devastating example of the horrible consequences of war. It's devastating to think of the character, the person he could've been if fate hadn't dealt him such a terrible hand. It's horrifying to think of what humanity is truly capable of, and Altan is a heartbreaking example of this.
Because The Poppy War isn't just a delightful underdog story set in a military school, with danger and secrets and adorable, opium-smoking mentors. This is an epic, mind-bending, horrifying fantasy story that dragged me through the merciless hell of war.
I will never fully recover from this book.
Rebecca Kuang has explicitly stated on her blog that this book is incredibly graphic. There are a ton of trigger warnings that readers need to be aware of before diving into this book, and I'll list them all (these are all stated by the author): TW for self-harm, suicide, violent rape, sexual assault, murder, massacres, brutalization, mutilation, torture, substance abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, relationship abuse, human experimentation, chemical warfare, and genocide.
That being said, this book is so important. I've never felt such visceral emotion from a book in my entire life. The violence and terror of war is expertly written by Kuang, to the point where I had to put the book down and sob for a good five minutes. The action scenes were sprawling and exciting, but throughout all of the fighting and magic, there's a consistent underlying sense of fear.
The violence was never gratuitous. Every single sentence of The Poppy War served a purpose. I was terrified for everyone because I cared so much, and I was torn apart by the deep, all-consuming pain felt by so many of the characters.
Speer, an island nation off the coast of Nikara, was completely wiped out in a mass-genocide in the First Poppy War. The few remaining survivors of Speer carry the weight of their people's suffering with them; it was a devastating, tangible pain that Kuang captured masterfully. What would you do, if everything you've ever loved was torn away from you and burned to ash?
Vengeance is a terrifying thing.
Chapter 21 is explicitly inspired by The Rape of Nanking, and I mean it when I say that it is so hard to read. I'm not kidding. I thought I was going to be sick at one point. But you know what? Everyone should read it if they're able, because this event really happened. History wants to forget, but Rebecca Kuang reminds us that suffering like this shouldn't be relegated to the backs of our memories. When we forget, history tends to repeat itself in horrifying ways.
I don't know if I can accurately convey how completely destroyed I feel from The Poppy War. The ending...the ending.
It was ruinous, and completely and utterly evil. It was everything that I could've ever hoped for, and it killed me.
I can't say anything else about this book. I'm still raw from the suffering this book put me through, but again: so worth it. Everyone should read this book, and I mean EVERYONE. I love The Poppy War with every inch of my broken heart, and it's one of the most epic, important, and human books I've ever read.
Please read this. Please. If I recommend one book from this year, it's this one.
...
"War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains."...more
This was a lot of fun, and it was great seeing our characters again. My favorite stories were definitely T.J.'s and Mallory's!This was a lot of fun, and it was great seeing our characters again. My favorite stories were definitely T.J.'s and Mallory's!...more
"If you can read this, you've got magic in your blood. Only another godborn would be able to see the words on these last few pages. Which is why I 3.5
"If you can read this, you've got magic in your blood. Only another godborn would be able to see the words on these last few pages. Which is why I took the risk to write down the whole truth. I was hoping to find you. Hoping I could trust you with the secret. If you wait long enough, your destiny will come knocking. Take it from me - someday, when you least expect it, the magic will call to you."
...
The Storm Runner is yet another addition to Rick Riordan's new imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, with this book centering around Mayan mythology. (yes please!) In this first installment to a new middle grade series, we follow Zane Obispo, a 13 year old latino boy who walks with a cane. He and his dog Rosie love to explore the dormant volcano right outside of Zane's backyard, but when Zane witnesses an incomprehensibly strange event that makes him cross paths with a mysterious girl named Brooks, things get even weirder. Apparently, Zane's lineage is entirely godly, and intertwined with a prophecy that could lead to the end of the world.
I feel like I'm in the minority here.
Sure, there's a lot to love about The Storm Runner. There's disabled rep, latin american culture, mayan mythology, and some really lovable characters. Also, there's a lot of hot chocolate too.
So...why didn't I love this book then?
Well, I can't deny that J.C. Cervantes is a talented writer. She brought Zane's voice to life, and I did enjoy his character. However, I can't deny that this book majorly suffers from uneven pacing. The first half of this book dragged. Like, really dragged. I almost considered DNFing this at one point, and I don't often do that. Thank the gods my interest piqued halfway through this book and I decided to finish it.
The greatest strength of The Storm Runner is it's world and mythology. I loved reading about the Mayan gods, and the myths and legends surrounding them. Truly, I'm so pleased with what Rick's new imprint has brought to the realm of children's books. There's great diversity, amazing cultural representation with own-voices storytelling, and exciting adventure plots.
It's a shame, though, that I wasn't particularly attached to Zane or Brooks. Brooks, for sure, didn't really feel developed in this book. What was her character, exactly? I mean, she's fine, but I didn't feel anything for her.
I had fun with this book, and I understand why a lot of people really love it. But the pacing, and Zane's sometimes grating voice hindered my enjoyment of this story. Will I read the sequel? I'm not sure. The synopsis will really have to pique my interest in order for me to pick it up....more
“The spider does not spin its web in a heartbeat, nor does the albatross fly across oceans with a few flaps of its wings. Many would consider what 3.5
“The spider does not spin its web in a heartbeat, nor does the albatross fly across oceans with a few flaps of its wings. Many would consider what they do impossible, and yet, they still complete their tasks without fail, because they simply...start.”
...
I think it's accurate to compare the reading experience of Shadow of the Fox to watching a really good anime. I enjoyed this quite a bit.
Shadow of the Fox follows our main character Yumeko, a half-human, half-kitsune fox creature with a penchant for mischief. Raised by monks in the Silent Winds Temple, Yumeko's whole life is upended when her home is attacked by a horde of demons. With her family dead, and the demon army fresh on her heels, Yumeko is tasked with taking a piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers to safety.
But when she's intercepted by a Samurai from the Shadow Clan, Kage Tatsumi, who's also looking for a piece of the scroll, Yumeko agrees to take him to it in exchange for protection. The only thing is that he doesn't know she has a piece of the ancient scroll, and her deception could ultimately tear the two apart. For the one who possesses the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers will be granted a wish by the Kami Dragon.
Sounds cool, right?
I really do mean it when I say that this book plays out like a really awesome anime. The writing and imagery were beautiful, and I had no problem visualizing the creatures and magic in this book. Julie Kagawa definitely succeeded in that respect.
However, it is very apparent that this book is a foundation for the rest of the series. It wasn't until half way through that Shadow of the Fox really started to pick up, and we were definitely left with more questions than answers by the end. Was the ending of this book awesome and completely epic? Yes. Would I have liked for the pacing to be as consistent for the rest of the book? Also yes.
I can't deny my enjoyment of Shadow of the Fox, though. I just had so much fun reading about Yumeko and Tatsumi's adventures. While it took me a hot second to really connect with our main characters, they endeared me by the end. I specifically admire Yumeko and her resolute morality in this first installment. She comes off as naive and playful (her kitsune magic is so cute), but I really loved Yumeko's heart. It was refreshing, especially since this genre is ridden with knife-wielding, emotionally stunted female badasses.
Tatsumi was also an enjoyable character. I was afraid he'd be a dry piece of toast at first, but I was continuously drawn into his inner turmoil and moral struggles. I won't get into details for fear of spoilers, but Tatsumi's relationship with his identity, and the rest of his clan, was heartbreaking, and very intriguing. Also, can we just take a moment to revel in the fact that there's next to no romance in here? THANK THE GODS.
Shadow of the Fox is definitely a journey book, though. Tatsumi and Yumeko continuously make pit-stops from place to place throughout the story, and pick up stragglers along the way. The plot was very episodic in format, which I personally had no problem with. If that doesn't sound like you're thing though, I'd maybe stay clear.
Like I said, I wasn't too keen on the characters in the first half of this installment, but by the end, I was very on board with their motivations. I'm specifically very excited to see more of our side-characters in the next book. It's gonna be great.
Also, the world of Iwagato is so well-realized. Like I said, Kagawa makes it easy to visualize the magic and gorgeous landscape. Particularly, the use of japanese mythology in Shadow of the Fox was so interesting, and I can't wait to learn more about the world in the next book. I was surprised, actually, by how much I was anticipating Soul of the Sword by the end of this first installment.
Is this book high-caliber fantasy fiction? No. But is it really enjoyable and full of lush magic and mythology? Yes, yes it is.
Who knows? Maybe this series will become a new favorite. All I can say is that I'm excited to see where it goes.
...
“It is very hard to be human, little fox. Even the humans themselves don’t do a great job of it.”...more
“It's theology. Were you expecting sex, drugs, and rock and roll?"
"One out of the three would be nice.”
...
I had heard great things about Heretics Anon“It's theology. Were you expecting sex, drugs, and rock and roll?"
"One out of the three would be nice.”
...
I had heard great things about Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry, and I'm glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised. What a delightful, clever book this was!
Our main character, Michael, and his family move around a lot because of his dad's job. And in their latest move, Michael is enrolled in a strict catholic high school, St. Clare's, for the semester. This is a problem, because, well...he's an atheist.
Convinced that he'll be an outcast forevermore, Michael is surprised when a girl named Lucy stands up to one of their teachers in theology class. He's even more surprised that Lucy is not only feminist, but wants to become a priest. Soon, Michael's newfound friendship with Lucy introduces him to a secret club called Heretics Anonymous, where Avi is allowed to be gay and Jewish, Eden can take part in paganism, and Max can wear whatever he wants.
Soon, the group realize that taking a stand against St. Clare's norms would mean turning the club from a secret society to rebels intent on exposing the hypocrisies of the school.
I just...had so much fun with this book.
I feel that I connected with this book in more ways than one. For starters, I grew up in a very religious part of the United States. Christianity was shoved down my throat from people like my friends, neighbors, and everyone else in my town. I was thankful that my parents weren't very religious themselves, but it was a constant in my life all the same. And because of that, I struggled with my spiritual beliefs in the past.
Katie Henry very accurately captures the complexities and problems of organized religion, while also being entirely respectful to those with faith and those without. She did this wonderfully with Lucy's character, who I'll talk about in a second. The nuances of faith, and the comfort that comes with it, were all accurately portrayed here, and I really appreciated it.
Putting my own religious beliefs (or lack thereof) aside, this book was also freaking hilarious. That's mostly due to Michael and his first person narration. This boy had a mouth, and I really loved him. Did he say stupid shit? Yep. But did he make me laugh every other page? You betcha. His dry wit and cynical personality were both relatable and charming.
“Don't forget," he reminds us, "God invented sex. Like everything else on this earth, it's one of His creations."
Yeah, well, then so is genocide. And mosquitoes. And tangled headphone cords.
Even though Michael thinks he knows all there is to know about tolerance and religion, he still has a lot to learn. Watching his growth was cathartic for me in ways that are hard to explain. It's just...nice to read a book centered around tolerance and acceptance. Michael's friendships with Lucy and the rest of the characters certainly added to the heart of this book.
Avi, Eden and Max were all wonderful. I would've liked to have seen more of them, but I appreciated how diverse this cast of characters was. Avi is Jewish and gay, Max is Korean-American, and Lucy is Colombian-American. And out of all the side-characters, Lucy was definitely my favorite.
She was a badass feminist with a heart of gold, and I loved how her faith in God brought her strength. She's everything good about the Christian faith: she's kind, loving, and believes that everyone deserves to be treated equally. She also wants change, specifically within the Church, and if anyone could do it, Lucy certainly could. I really loved her.
This whole group of friends had a great dynamic, and I loved the friendships in here.
The family elements were also surprisingly touching. Michael has a strained relationship with his father, which comes to a head later on in the book. It really hit close to home for me. I personally, don't have the kind of relationship Michael has with his dad, but I understood Michael's parents. I understood Michael's frustrations, and his father's own misunderstandings. It was well done, and one of my favorite aspects of this book.
Heretics Anonymous was hilarious, charming, diverse, and incredibly important. I only wish this book were longer. To me, the last third of this book was a little rushed, but I appreciated it nonetheless. I'm not one for contemporary, but I'm glad I gave Katie Henry's debut a chance.
The Queen of Sorrow is the final book in The Queens of Renthia series, and I can say with confidence that this is “I'm allowed to have new dreams.”
...
The Queen of Sorrow is the final book in The Queens of Renthia series, and I can say with confidence that this is one of my favorite series of all time.
I'm continuously baffled as to why these books aren't talked about as often as other popular fantasy series. The Queens of Renthia has everything you could ever want: beautfiully written action, a female-driven plot full of politics and suspense, compelling world-building, and characters you can't help but adore.
I can't reveal much about what this book is about for fear of spoiling the other two installments. However, I can say that The Queen of Sorrow is a tense, political fantasy driven by the conflict between two incredibly powerful Queens. It was riveting.
I've said this before in my previous reviews and I'll say it again. I love these characters. And I love that Sarah Beth Durst writes about all types of women. Daleina is a formidable, intelligent, moral leader who inspires me so much. Naelin is a badass woodswoman turned warrior who is the mother of two children (and she's AMAZING). Jastra is a sociopathic genius with incredibly grey morality.
And our main antagonist, Merecot, is fascinating. What an incredible woman to go up against Daleina. The push and pull of these two was magnetic.
We also get to see more and more of Renthia in this installment, which was a joy to read. Learning more about the history of this world and why nature spirits harbor ill-will towards humanity was interesting, and even emotional at times.
The Queen of Sorrow was a great conclusion to a series that I adore. While I didn't love this installment as much as the last two, this book was still a treat to read. I'm so ready for Durst's standalone set in Renthia that's coming out in 2019.
I urge everyone who wants to read a unique, lovely fantasy story to pick this series up. I adore it....more
“You and your sister are very dear to each other. To show your regard, you give each other lovely bouquets of lies.”
...
The Darkest Part of the Forest“You and your sister are very dear to each other. To show your regard, you give each other lovely bouquets of lies.”
...
The Darkest Part of the Forest is a book I've been meaning to read ever since I finished The Cruel Prince back in January, and I'm happy to say that I really liked this.
Hazel and Ben are brother and sister, and they live in Fairfold, a sleepy town deeply entwined with the Folk. Fae, brownies, trolls, and many other paranormal creatures call Fairfold home, and the town's main tourist attraction is a horned Fae prince sleeping in a glass coffin deep in the woods. He's been there for centuries, and Hazel and Ben grew up pretending they were his protectors in the forest. Now that they're in high school, the siblings have grown to move on from their childhood dreams and stories.
That is, until the horned boy wakes up.
I swear, Holly Black is the Faerie Queen. I wouldn't be surprised if she were a Fae in disguise, drenching her books in faerie fruit to bewitch us all. I've truly fallen under her spell.
The Darkest Part of the Forest is a strange, whimsical story, deeply rooted in the lives of our two main characters, Hazel and Ben. Hazel wants to protect her brother Ben from the dangerous secrets of her past, and Ben is a hopeless romantic with an otherworldly gift for music. Both were wonderfully crafted characters. I really cared for their sibling relationship, and I was yearning throughout the entire story for them to just talk. I needed them to be happy and I felt that their dynamic was complex and interesting.
The complexities of Hazel and Ben's relationship partly stemmed from how they were raised: they grew up in an unconventional household with parents that weren't great with communication. This, paired with the dark, dangerous magic lurking in the forests of Fairfold, threaten to tear apart the deep love Hazel and Ben have for one another. It was riveting.
To my surprise, there was also a mystery gracing the pages of this lovely book. I didn't predict any of the twists, and I was so happy with how the mystery unfolded. It beautifully personified Hazel's inner conflict and character growth.
Just...the atmosphere of this book. Wow.The Darkest Part of the Forest is a perfect fall read. You can feel the nature magic, see the deep shadows of the forest, taste the pine and dew and smell the heady scent of wildflowers. I was completely consumed by this book from page one. I am so in love with Holly Black's world of Faerie. It's dangerous, dark, and full of tantalizing magic.
The romances in this book were also great: for one, Ben and Severin? Fucking adorable. I cry, because the Fae prince doesn't get the girl in this book: he gets the boy, and boy was I pleased. I also thought Hazel and Jack were cute, and I appreciated the fact that the romantic subplots were minimally sprinkled in among the mystery and dark Fae magic.
Haunting, strange, and wholly satisfying, The Darkest Part of the Forest offered an enchanting reading experience, and has solidified Holly Black as a new favorite author for me. Dear reader, you will be pleased.
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"Come now, my child, if we were planning to harm you, do you think we'd be lurking here beside the path in the very darkest part of the forest?"...more
"So we can rob Mattrax?" Will said just to be sure.
Firkin laughed again, loud in the small sty. "Maybe," he said. "I don't know. But we can try, Will."So we can rob Mattrax?" Will said just to be sure.
Firkin laughed again, loud in the small sty. "Maybe," he said. "I don't know. But we can try, Will. Anything could end up happening. Maybe we could even rob them all. I've learned about all of them, Will. Matrix, and Dathrax, and Kithrax, and the whole cursed lot of them. I can tell you about them all. We can make plans for them all. You can make plans. And then..." He smiled, reached for his flask again. "Beautiful chaos."
...
I'm just going to cut right to the chase. This book is insane. Hilarious chaos filled to the brim with bloody violence, Fool's Gold has an overabundance of characters that are too incompetent for their own good.
And to be quite honest, I kind of loved them for it.
In this first book of The Dragon Lords trilogy, we follow five main characters: Will is a farm boy with a huge vendetta against his village's dragon overlord, Mattrax. Lette and her lizard-man BFF Balur are former mercenaries in search of a more peaceful life. Quirk is a thaumatobiologist, and her dream is to study the dragons that only seem to inhabit the Kondorra Valley, Will's home. And then we have Firkin, a crazy old drunk who is literally the spitting image of Fiddleford McGucket from Gravity Falls (except a lot dirtier).
It's not easy to live in a world ruled by dragons. Their rule is absolute, and the taxes are extremely high. All have their own motivations, but our group of bold misfits have a plan: to get rich. And to do that, they plan to steal back the wealth taken by their dragon overlords.
No one said they were smart.
Jon Hollins has a distinct voice that I'm looking forward to reading more from. His style is distinctly charming, which contrasts hysterically with the intense blood and gore. There's a lot of violence in the form of sword fights and epic battles, and it was really cool. Hollins writes action really well.
A lot of the bloodshed is a result of Lette and Balur. Damn, I loved them.Especially Balur. Imagine if Groot were a lot more violent and ill-tempered, and maybe had a better vocabulary. Yep, that's Balur. He's an Anelsian, and his kind live in tribes in the desert that are ultimately war-focused.
Lette is a human woman who's...not the best person. She kills for money and has no qualms with taking lives, but what I liked about her was that she was trying to turn over a new leaf. Her whole arc consists of her growing to become a better person. There are some stumbles along the way, but she was a great character nonetheless.
Her and Balur's bromance was my life. They're my little murderous BROTP and I LOVE THEM.
I also thought Quirk was a fascinating character. She was kind of a prickly pear, and I honestly would've liked to have seen her warm up to the other characters a little more. But her backstory was so cool. No spoilers, but she's also trying to make a new life for herself, and I appreciated how Lette and Quirk bonded over their shared journeys.
Will was my least favorite character out of the five. I liked him, but I found him to be a little insufferable in the second act of the story. I quickly warmed up to him in the final act, but I couldn't help but feel that he was kind of a weasel. Sure, he's our every-man character thrust into adventure, but he was inconsistent at some points in the story which made it hard for me to connect with him.
The fantasy world that Hollins has crafted is fascinating. The Kondorra Valley specifically feels like a parody of every other medieval european style fantasy setting, which I thought was great. It was very tongue-in-cheek, and rightfully so. Bloody Dragons rule over the entire valley, and they literally shit on the villagers as they fly over. Gross, but pretty hilarious too.
Each act felt like a contained story, but all are connected into the larger, over-arching narrative. I definitely preferred the first and final acts; the second act was a little weak, and it could've been cut down to make the story flow more smoothly. Nonetheless, I really liked the construction of Fools Gold. The plot was an exciting romp full of hilarity and hijinks.
And the epic battle at the end? Bloody fantastic. Balur is such a badass, and there were some surprises that I did not see coming.
If you're looking for a fun fantasy book with hilarious characters, I definitely recommend this. Surprisingly, this story also had some emotionally powerful moments that I wasn't expecting. Fool's Gold is full of themes surrounding oppression, violence, trauma, and friendship. I really enjoyed it.
I'll definitely be continuing on. Based on the synopsis of False Idols, I can't wait to see what these idiots get themselves into next....more
“As it fades, I see the truth - in plain sight, yet hidden all along. We are all children of blood and bone. All instruments of vengeance and virtu4.5
“As it fades, I see the truth - in plain sight, yet hidden all along. We are all children of blood and bone. All instruments of vengeance and virtue. This truth holds me close, rocking me like a child in a mother's arms. It binds me in its love as death swallows me in its grasp.”
...
The hype is real, people.Children of Blood and Bone was fantastic!
With an own voices author, rich west-African mythology, kickass female characters, and heart-pounding action, what's not to love about this book? I was so pleased by this debut.
In Children of Blood and Bone, we follow Zélie, a young woman who remembers when magic was alive. She also remembers the day it was taken: her mother and the rest of the maji were killed in a genocide that many in Orïsha refer to as "the raid," and magic died with them. Eleven years later, diviners (maji without their magic) are persecuted and seen as the "subordinate race" to kosidán, non-magic folk. Orïsha is ruled by King Saran, a ruthless ruler responsible for the death of magic, and diviners have little hope of avenging their people.
Fate takes a turn when Zélie, her older brother Tzain, and the kosidán princess Amari are chosen by the gods to restore magic to the land once more. To do that, they must journey to a sacred temple and collect three ancient artifacts to perform a ritual that will bring magic back to the land. All the while, they're being hunted by Amari's older brother, the crown prince Inan.
Sound's pretty awesome, right?
It was. Oh man, was this book a thrill ride. Be prepared to hit the ground running from page one, and only come up for air once you finish. I have to admit, the fast-paced nature of the plot kind of threw me off when I first started Children of Blood and Bone, but I became invested in the story and our characters very quickly. Both were so great.
What a fantastic lead character Zélie was. She's flawed, powerful, vulnerable, and fiercely loyal. She made mistakes, but I always understood where she was coming from. Her and her brother Tzain suffered a deeply tragic loss when they were children: her mother was murdered in the raid like so many others, and her deep-seeded grief is so very palpable in this book. Her anger, her thirst for vengeance, was so vivid and achingly real.
I related to Tzain and his relationship with Zélie a lot. Being the older sibling is hard. Tzain is constantly cleaning up his little sister's messes, defending her when she gets in trouble, and taking the fall for her mistakes. He's a great older brother, and I loved how much he loved Zélie. Sure, he was an overbearing control-freak sometimes, but being an older sibling does that to you.
I loved the sibling relationships in this book. Tzain and Zélie. Amari and Inan. They were nuanced and done really well here.
My favorite character has to be Amari. What a queen. I wasn't sure if I was going to like her at the beginning of this book, but she grew on me. I loved her growth, and seeing her come into her own and become the badass queen she was meant to be was amazing. The Lioness, indeed. She was a shining light for me in this first book.
And what a breath of fresh air this book was! Orïsha is a rich, intricate fantasy world inspired by Yoruba religion and West-African mythology, and I was so taken by the magic and the different clans. Tomi's writing beautifully conveyed deep emotion, the source of it being Zélie's loss and the deep pain felt by the diviners at the hands of the kosidán.
I will never experience the pain and prejudice that those in the Black community endure, but Tomi's book was a vivid window into the lives of many people of color in America. Here's a quote from an interview that really captures the heart of Children of Blood and Bone:
"I wanted to write a story about black people, and I wanted to write a story about the black experience, and the black experience has a lot to do with black pain and that has a lot to do with white people."
How fantastic is it that we have black characters riding on gigantic lions, with magic pumping through their blood, being the heroes of their stories? I'm so happy this book exists. I need more fantasy books like this, with rich (non-western) mythology and people of color kicking ass.
I have but a few complaints from Children of Blood and Bone, and they both center around Inan. I wanted to love him. I really did. Apparently Tomi loves Avatar: The Last Airbender and Inan is basically inspired by Zuko?? YES PLEASE.
But I didn't love him. I actually really disliked him. I understood his motivations: he was brought up in a toxic environment full of hatred and violence, and that'll scar a person for sure. However, his motivations flip flopped way too often and way too quickly in this book. It was frustrating, and on top of that, the romance between him and Zélie was dripping with insta-love.
I do feel that Zélie and Inan have good chemistry, but I would've liked to have seen their relationship given time to develop. It happened way too quickly for my tastes. I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance as much as the next person, but it has to make sense. I would've loved it more if it was given more time to grow.
There is a very interesting side character introduced during the latter half of this book that I adored. Roen was freaking amazing. A mercenary with a snarky attitude and dark, devilish good looks? YES PLEASE. I honestly wouldn't be mad if Zélie dumped Inan and got with Roen.
The ending to this book was epic. I was blown away, and completely shaken by this nail-biting finale. I even cried a little bit. It was emotional, thrilling, and so so evil. Waiting for the next book is going to be torture.
I really loved Children of Blood and Bone. It was everything I could've ever wanted from an epic fantasy story, and I can't wait to see what Tomi does with Children of Virtue and Vengeance.
I have no doubt it'll be fantastic. What a heart-pounding, well-written, emotional debut! I can't wait for more....more
The Prince and the Dressmaker is a graphic novel I've had my eye on since before it was released, and the premise "I'm a prince who likes dresses."
...
The Prince and the Dressmaker is a graphic novel I've had my eye on since before it was released, and the premise intrigued me.
In this story, we follow Sebastian: by day, he's the crown prince of Belgium, destined to marry a princess and carry on his family's legacy. But by night, he's Lady Crystallia, the hottest fashion icon in Paris.
Sebastian hires Frances, a young girl with incredible talent, to be his seamstress. She's his best friend and the only one who knows his secret, but Frances has big dreams. She wants to make a name for herself in the fashion world, but how long can Frances ignore her dreams to help her friend?
I absolutely adored this.
To start, the art style is beautiful. The colors are vibrant and fun, and the character designs were perfect. Jen Wang really brought 19th century Paris to life, and I was completely sucked in.
I'm in love with the characters. Sebastian and Frances are so freakin' adorable, and the dresses?? BEAUTIFUL.
The fact that this graphic novel exists makes me so happy. It wonderfully explores gender norms, and I love how our characters are coming to know themselves and accept who they are. I teared up towards the end.
It's joyous and heartwarming and oh so important. Sure, is the ending completely realistic? No, not really. But do I give a shit? NOPE, BECAUSE IT WAS LOVELY.
I just...need more!! *cries*
If you're looking for a graphic novel with a wonderful message and delightful characters, please pick this up. I loved this so much, and I think so many of you will too....more
“I don’t actually care if you break my heart, Sebastian. I went into this knowing it could happen and I gave it to you anyway. But I don’t want you to“I don’t actually care if you break my heart, Sebastian. I went into this knowing it could happen and I gave it to you anyway. But I don’t want you to break your own. You have so much space in your heart for your church, but does it have space for you?”
...
Well, if there's any consolation, I have so much space in my heart for this book.
In this story, we're following Tanner, a bisexual teen who's been back in the closet ever since he and his family moved to Provo, Utah. It's senior year for Tanner and his best friend Autumn, and they decided to enroll in a fiction writing class together: basically, the goal of the class is to write an entire novel in a semester. And Tanner has no idea what he wants to write.
Things get even more difficult when Tanner meets and starts to fall for Sebastian, the class' TA. Because...Sebastian is devoutly Mormon.
Autoboyography resonated with me for so many reasons. For one, the bi rep in here was fantastic. I felt so connected with Tanner and his feelings toward his own identity, and I really appreciate how supportive his family was. There needs to be more loving families like this in YA.
Also, I can't talk about this lovely story without discussing the religious elements. Tanner lives in Provo, Utah, a predominantly Mormon area with conservative values. It would've been so easy for Christina Lauren to completely trash on Christianity and the Mormon faith in this book; Tanner and Sebastian have to keep their budding love for each other a secret because of the Church. If Sebastian's family found out that he was dating a boy, they would disown him. I can't imagine how horrible that would be.
But Lauren doesn't just showcase the intolerance of such a faith; she shows the positive elements too. Sebastian's community is kind and values service to those in need. His family cares about him deeply, and Sebastian finds strength and happiness with his connection to God. His journey towards accepting himself in this book was heartbreaking, and incredibly cathartic.
I'm so happy Autoboyography exists. It handles its discussion of sexuality and faith so respectively, and lines like this made me want to tear up:
“A God worthy of your eternal love wouldn’t judge you for who you love while you’re here.”
*sniffles* I love these boys so much.
Oh, and the romance? SO GOOD. It's sweet and soft, but also really addicting. Tanner and Sebastian have some serious chemistry, and even though their relationship could be seen as a bit insta-lovey, I loved it. My heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. The romance also had just the right amount of angst to make me want to curl up in a ball, so there's that.
My only problem with this book stems from Tanner's friendship with Autumn. For the most part, I thought their relationship was well done. I always appreciate well-developed, platonic relationships in YA, and these two clearly cared for one another. However, there's a scene in this book that felt...really off. I have no idea why Christina Lauren thought it was a good idea, and if you've read it you'll know what I'm talking about. It honestly made me uncomfortable.
Overall, I thought Autoboyography was a wonderful story. The representation was solid, the themes were spot-on, and the romance made my heart flutter. The ending also had me clutching my chest in happiness. My heart is SO FULL.
If you're looking for a sweet, heartbreaking story, look no further!...more
Even though The ABC Murders was entertaining, I was slightly underwhelmed.
It's strange, since Murder on the Orient Express impressed me so much. I hadEven though The ABC Murders was entertaining, I was slightly underwhelmed.
It's strange, since Murder on the Orient Express impressed me so much. I had a blast reading it last year, and I knew immediately after finishing that I wasn't done with Hercule Poirot's mysteries.
Sadly, this book was only just alright to me. The mystery was intriguing, but I found the overall reveal to be slightly underwhelming. It was...sort of predictable? Poirot's charm was one of the aspects of this book that really kept me reading.
For one, I wasn't a huge fan of the main perspective of the story. The reader was no longer in Hercule Poirot's mind; instead, we're following one of his associates. I didn't really care for him. He's alright, but the absence of Poirot was definitely disappointing.
I had fun reading this, but other than that, it wasn't really the mind blowing mystery I was looking for....more
"She had dug through the mountain to reach her heart's desire, and found the mountain had a heart after all: the beating pulse required of all those w"She had dug through the mountain to reach her heart's desire, and found the mountain had a heart after all: the beating pulse required of all those who would not stop, would not accept what the world offered, would not bow."
...
This series is perfection.
I am a complete and utter mess over Bright We Burn, because it is genuinely one of the greatest conclusions I've ever read.
Kiersten White has done something incredible with The Conqueror's Saga. She's crafted a story that's sprawling, emotionally profound, and completely epic. It's hard for me to put into words the amount of love I have for this book and this series, but I'm going to try.
Bright We Burn takes place several months after the events of Now I Rise. Lada, Radu, and Mehmed are all players in a game that only one can win; Radu is haunted by the siege of Constantinople and the friends he was forced to betray, Mehmed is determined to expand his empire and bring home the woman he loves, and Lada will not rest until Wallachia is autonomous from Ottoman rule. Radu knows that his sister's indomitable will could result in all their worlds burning, and Lada is willing to destroy everything that came before to win her country's freedom.
The fact that this series exists is a blessing. A gender-bent story of Vlad the Impaler? Fifteenth century history filled with betrayal, political intrigue, and war? Amazing queer representation?! Thank you, Kiersten White. Thank you for these beautiful books.
I could sing long, earnest ballads about each of the characters and how much I adore them, but I'll just say this:
I've never connected with Lada more than in this book. She commits unspeakable atrocities in the name of Wallachia, and I'm still in shock from a specific thing she did. Lada went there. She's not a hero or a good person; she does terrible things, and the fascinating thing about Lada's character is that I understood where she was coming from. The rampant misogyny present in this era of history forced her to lengths that she was convinced were right, and I understood. Lada is a woman, and because of this, she can never stop fighting for her right to rule. Not for one second, because the world will tear her down if she does.
"For the first time in a long time, she felt like a girl. It terrified her. Because there was nothing in the world more vulnerable to be than a girl."
I adore Lada. She's one of my favorite characters of all time, and I will never stop loving her.
Radu is my adopted son, if you didn't know. The growth that he's experienced throughout this series is astounding, and the ways in which he came into his own in Bright We Burn made me so proud. Throughout this series, Radu has struggled with his purpose and identity. Is he Radu Bey, a powerful general in the Ottoman Empire? Radu the Handsome, best friend to the Sultan? Or Radu Dracul, brother of the Dragon and the lesser Dracul?
His path towards self-acceptance and healing was beautiful in this book, and it filled my heart with so much warmth. I'm still so attached to Radu and Lada's sibling relationship. It's messy and complicated, and even though both love each other, their goals are entirely different. Their separation in book two pained me, so witnessing their dynamic once again was so satisfying, and incredibly emotional. I absolutely loved it.
Every single side character brought something to this story: Nazira, Fatima, and Cyprian are my beautiful gay babies and I would do anything for them. I'm tearing up just thinking about how lovely they all are, and Radu and Cyprian? My God, I love their relationship. IT'S ADORABLE AND THEY'RE MY FAVORITE.
I was worried going into Bright We Burn that the length of it was too short; this book is noticeably smaller than the rest of the series, but I should've never been worried. This conclusion was expertly plotted.
There were so many shocking twists and turns in this book, so many emotionally charged moments between the characters that had me on edge. White knows how to perfectly write political intrigue and intense negotiations between characters. I could honestly say that I never saw any of the plot points of this book coming. People die, and the tension in this book was a palpable thing. I was completely sucked into Bright We Burn from the very beginning.
This conclusion was so satisfying, with just the right amount of bittersweet moments. I can't convey how much I absolutely adored this book without sounding like a blubbering mess, so I'll just say this:
The Conqueror's Saga is one of my favorite series of all time, and I can't recommend them enough. These books are masterpieces of historical fiction, with wonderfully complex characters, rich history, and epic scope.
And they're hella queer. What more could you ever want??
I LOVE THIS SERIES. And I love this book. Amen.
...
"And she would be there, in the center, curled around her own land. Wallachia would survive. It always survived. But with her there, and everything around them descended into deadly disorder, Wallachia would finally thrive.
After all, fire and blood and death were nothing to a country led by a dragon."...more
“This brings us to the real start of our story: northern England, 1834, and the aforementioned penniless, orphaned girl. And a writer. And a boy wi2.5
“This brings us to the real start of our story: northern England, 1834, and the aforementioned penniless, orphaned girl. And a writer. And a boy with a vendetta.
Let’s start with the girl.
Her name was Jane.”
...
Reader, I wanted to love this book. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I absolutely lovedMy Lady Jane, and Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, so I had no doubt I'd love this.
Sadly, I was mistaken.
One of my favorite things about the Lady Janies' previous book was how fun it was. I laughed like a crazy person, and was delighted by the characters and the adorable romance. I know its unfair to compare My Plain Jane to its predecessor, but I couldn't ignore how bland this book was in comparison.
Like I said before, Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books, and it's a classic tale for a reason. I'm open to reinterpretations of famous stories like this, but the purpose of retellings are to add something to the existing story. This book didn't do that. If anything, My Plain Jane wasn't a proper representation of what Jane Eyre really is.
For starters: Jane is not boy crazy. I don't mean to be a hardass, but that's not who she is. Jane doesn't want a man to take her away from her troubles; she desires freedom, choice, and acceptance, something she was denied all her life because she was "poor and plain" (and a girl). The fact that our Jane in this book mooned after boys made me roll my eyes.
A surprising addition to Jane's story that I actually enjoyed was the character of Charlotte Bronte. Her and Alexander Blackwood, an eccentric ghost hunter, were the bright spots of this book. In fact, the ghost hunting portions of this story were really entertaining. It went really well with the gothic setting, and added some much needed charm to the story.
I also liked what the Lady Janies did with Bertha's character. Bertha Mason, Rochester's "crazy" wife he locked away in his attic, is certainly a questionable product of the Victorian era's misunderstanding of mental illness (especially toward women). So I was happy to see her character given more agency in this story. It was refreshing.
But you know what wasn't refreshing? Mr. Rochester's character. Dear Lord, who thought it was a good idea to make him...so not Rochester? This is my angry 18 year old self coming forth, but I don't care. I did not appreciate his role as a creepy antagonist in this story. I CAN'T. I LOVE JANE AND ROCHESTER SO MUCH.
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I was surprised about how much I liked Charlotte and Alexander together. They were super cute, and I really connected with their arcs. It was a shame, however, that I didn't care about Jane, or Rochester, or anything connecting with the original classic.
This book was just...dull. Enjoyable at times, but dull. Nothing of importance happened until about halfway through the story, and even though I read this book really quickly, the pacing felt off. I didn't appreciate how Jane treated Charlotte a good majority of the time, either. Jane acted selfishly in this book, which was completely out of character for her. The plot points were predictable, and even though I appreciated the ending, I'm just...so disappointed by this book.
*sighs*
I think I'm just going to reread My Lady Jane and call it a day....more
We are the choices we make. And have to make. We aren’t anything else.
...
It's been over a month since I've finished this book, and I'm still thinking We are the choices we make. And have to make. We aren’t anything else.
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It's been over a month since I've finished this book, and I'm still thinking about it.
The Ask and the Answer is a masterpiece. I really liked the first book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, but the second book in the Chaos Walking trilogy floored me.
We follow Todd and Viola immediately after the events of the first book: Todd is captured by the Mayor in Haven (now known as New Prentisstown), and Viola is recovering from her gushot wound in the house of healing. Mayor Prentiss has declared himself President of New World, and now rules over its capital. Shrouded in secrets and filled with unspeakable horrors, Todd must navigate the dangers of New Prentisstown to ensure Viola's safety.
And then one day, the bombs begin to explode.
I remember reading The Knife of Never Letting Go last year, and it shocked me with its dark and mature themes. Going into this book, I didn't think it could get any worse.
I was wrong.
This book...it ruined me. It dragged me under and consumed my life from page 1. I finished this behemoth of a story in 24 hours because I simply couldn't put it down. I was captivated by not only the characters, but the deep, incredibly difficult emotional turmoil they had to suffer through.
I liked the characters in the first book, but man. Todd and Viola are my babies and I will protect them with everything I have. I love how different and alike they both are. Todd is loyal, kind, quick to anger, and incredibly stubborn. Viola is sharp, level-headed, passionate, and fearless. I adore them both. There friendship and love for one another puts me to tears! I LOVE THEM SO DAMN MUCH.
Ahem. Sorry.
The things these two went through in this book. HOLY SHIT. Patrick Ness put them through hell. He made them experience horrors that no child should never have to witness. Things like war, death, torture, genocide, terrorism, and systematic oppression. I was continuously floored by Ness and his abilities in characterization. Our characters face some serious moral dilemmas.
There aren't merely good guys and bad guys in war. There are only those who survive, and those who do not.
I couldn't breathe throughout a majority of this book. I was constantly worrying about Todd and Viola, wondering how the fuck they'd survive this hellhole of a city. Mayor Prentiss was a terrifying villain, and the ways in which he manipulated Todd were horrifying and incredibly telling. The best types of antagonists are the ones with a clear viewpoint; dark and twisted they may be, you understand where they're coming from.
This isn't just an epic science fiction adventure story. The Ask and the Answer is so much more. It's a masterpiece. It's a timely story about a boy and a girl in a cruel, prejudiced, war-torn world that isn't too different from our own. I saw glimpses of our Earth's dark history in this story, and glimmers of devastating truth.
I want to put this book in everyone's hands. It's devastating, heart-pounding, honest, and unputdownable. Ness has a gift for writing that very few possess. In simple yet sophisticated prose, Ness conveys truths that are inescapable, and incredibly important.
If Monsters of Men is anywhere near as good as this book, I will be satisfied. For now, I'm going to sit in a darkened room and curl up in a fetal position. Because THIS BOOK.
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"“It's not that you should never love something so much that it can control you. It's that you need to love something that much so you can never be controlled. It's not a weakness. It's your best strength.”...more
“And the most terrifying question of all may be just how much horror the human mind can stand and still maintain a wakeful, staring, unrelenting sanit“And the most terrifying question of all may be just how much horror the human mind can stand and still maintain a wakeful, staring, unrelenting sanity.”
...
Pet Sematary is a book that I've wanted to read for years. I remember watching the 1989 film adaption as a kid, and laughing at the absurdity of such a story (if you've read the book or saw the film, you'll know). I was a chicken, and still am, so I was sure that such a book wouldn't scare me.
My mother is a big Stephen King fan, and read this book when she was my age. She told me that she had to keep the lights on in her room at night for three days because Pet Sematary freaked her out so badly.
Still, I was sure that I could handle it. I mean, you've seen a horror movie, you've read a scary book, and you've seen it all. That's what I thought, anyway.
Dr. Louis Creed, his wife Rachel, and their two young children move to Ludlow, Maine for Louis' new job, and their new home is right next to the highway. Semi trucks drive too fast on these roads, and as a result, a lot of the town's pets have been claimed by it. Consequently, the children of Ludlow bury their beloved pets in the Pet Sematary, located in the Woods behind the Creed's new home. Louis, who was warned by his neighbor Judd to stay away from the land beyond the Pet Sematary, soon finds that the Woods hold a darkness that could tear his family apart.
Sounds pretty standard, right?
I picked this book up knowing the twist at the end. I knew what was coming, and for some strange, inevitable reason, I think that's what unsettled me the most about this book. It was terrible knowing the horrible fate of this family, and feeling helpless and afraid as they slowly dug themselves human-sized graves.
Horror is subjective. What scares me might not scare you, but as I've consumed more and more horror stories over the past couple of years from all forms of media, I've come to realize that...well, humans are entirely scary on their own. Sure, demons and ghostly entities are frightening in their own right, but what really wedges itself into the dark corners of my psyche are stories that touch close to home.
What is more terrifying than a family unraveling, disintegrating, to the point of madness? It's even more terrible when the author writes in such a way that makes you care.
I liked Louis and his family. Sure, Louis and Rachel are inevitably flawed people, but the love and care they have for each other and their kids felt achingly real. King delves deep into the mind of Louis, slowly but surely allowing the reader to see his greatest hopes, greatest fears, and his most glaring vulnerabilities. The characters were written with a nuance that I appreciated.
I will admit, the story took a hot second for me to become fully in tune with Louis and King's narrative voice. But, I can't deny that his writing was really well done. Yes, King has a trademark style for being a little two wordy or descriptive sometimes, but I thought it fit the tone of Pet Sematary really well. When I was reading this book, I was in the story.
Truly, the terror starts to creep up on you. It sits in the back of your mind for a good portion of this book, waiting to slink forward from the shadows and clutch you in its claws. The build-up was entirely deserved, and expertly crafted. Strange enough, I was sometimes creeped out and unsettled by even the most mundane parts of this book. There's a part where Louis stands over his son's crib, and is hit with a horrifying premonition that his boy's life may be in danger. I get chills just thinking about it. Foreshadowing is a useful tool to build dread, and suspense.
Here's just a taste of King's writing:
"The wind pushed and pulled its fingers through his hair, and for a moment the old, childlike fear of the dark rushed through him, making him feel weak and small and terrorized. Was he really going into the woods with this corpse in his arms, passing under the trees where the wind walked, from darkness into darkness? And alone this time?"
*shudders* And then...the last 100 pages of this book happened.
Let me tell you a story.
Last semester was...challenging for me. I was constantly busy, trying to juggle my studies, a social life, and my scientific research all while trying to read at least a book a week. I was stressed, so yeah, I was already a little strung out. It was a clear night in November, and I was in a car on my way to Knoxville for a science conference. Curled up in the backseat of my labmate's sedan, I read a good portion of Pet Sematary by flashlight. I was so enthralled with the book that I was convinced that I needed to devour the last quarter of the book that night.
I was the only girl in my whole lab, so I had to get a separate hotel room from the rest of the guys. And it was in a hotel across the street.
So I was alone.
My hotel room was big and comfy, and on that windy November night, all alone in a unfamiliar hotel room in a strange city, I finished this book.
I didn't sleep.
I'm not exaggerating. I was so horrified, so disturbed by the ending of this book, that I couldn't bring myself to fall asleep. The air conditioner's hum sounded like the ballad to my own demise. The cracked door of the bathroom held a darkness that I was sure would drag me to my death. I clutched the covers of my bed, and only closed my eyes once I could see the faint rays of dawn start to peek through my curtains. I maybe slept two, three hours max that night. I was a mess.
And if that isn't a testament to how fucked up this book is, than I don't know what is.Pet Sematary was one hell of an introduction to Stephen King, and I'm excited (and a little terrified) to read more.
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“The soil of a man’s heart is stonier; a man grows what he can and tends it.”...more
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