Category: Reviews

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mini reviews Wrap Up

August Wrap Up

Here is a bit of a delayed wrap up. August once again proved to be a not so great for reading month, but I did like what I read.


Wrap Up
Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi: 3 stars
Fable by Adrienne Young: 4.5 stars*

continuing:
Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)

Mini Reviews

Beasts Made of Night: I liked this one, but didn’t love it. Taj grew on me and the world was interesting, but the book was quite a bit different than I expected. I will be continuing the series and am curious as to how it will resolve.
Fable: I really enjoyed this one. I found it almost impossible to put down and loved the vivid descriptions. Full Review

*I recieved an uncorrected proof of Fable from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Reviews

Review: The Silvered Serpents

I received an uncorrected eARC from Wednesday Books via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed The Silver Serpents by Roshani Chokshi.

I really liked The Gilded Wolves when I read it last year. I loved the characters. I thought the magic system was interesting (even if I didn’t fully understand it) and enjoyed the plot. So I had high hopes for The Silvered Serpents and it did not disappoint.

The Silvered Serpents is a wonderful sequel. It is a bit darker then The Gilded Wolves and the characters are haunted by the aftermath of the previous installment. The mystery they are trying to uncover is at its core quite dark, but despite the darker themes and elements there is humor throughout to balance it.

I just adore Roshani Chokshi’s writing style. The descriptions were so vivid. I appreciated there weren’t any major info dumps from the previous book, just what you needed to jog your memory. I usually reread previous books, but was unable to do so and didn’t feel lost. Even without reading the recap on the author’s website I would have been fine.

The only complaint I have was some of the content was repetitive. I’m not sure if it was because it was a lot of information to remember, or an attempt to convey a character’s thought process, but there were a couple instances where I found myself skimming. Note: This may have been changed in the final version. This didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the book though.

I loved revisiting these characters and this world and can’t wait for the third book!

If you enjoy books with found families and cool magic systems you should check out this series.

Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

The Silvered Serpents: 4 stars

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Reviews

Review: Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers

I received an eARC from Andrews McMeel Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers by Jessica Roux is absolutely stunning. Every illustration is gorgeous.

For some reason I expected this book to be a bit different, perhaps a bit more detailed, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

 The descriptions are interesting, especially the pairing suggestions to help convey something more specific. I really liked the bouquet section and found that the index being organized by meaning extremely useful.

If you’re interested in the language of flowers this would be a great place to start. 

Thank you so much Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy!

Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers: 4 stars

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Reviews

Review: Fable

I received an uncorrected eARC from Wednesday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Fable by Adrienne Young. This was the first book I read by this author and was pleasantly surprised. Fable lived up to and dare I say surpassed the hype.

The characters were extremely likeable and well written. The descriptions were lush and vivid. It was almost impossible to put down.

I can’t wait for Namesake’s release (March 2021) and will definitely be reading more of Adrienne Young’s books.

Fable is a great choice for those who enjoy books with strong heroines, found families, and/or are fans of Pirates of the Caribbean.

Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

Fable: 4.5 stars

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mini reviews Wrap Up

July Wrap Up

It definitely feels like summer here. All I want to do is curl up with a good book and a cold glass of lemonade with the AC blasting.

Do you have a beverage you just crave when it’s hot out? Or one you have to have while you’re reading?

July definitely didn’t go to plan, but that’s okay I still got some reading in.

Wrap Up

Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang: 3.5 stars*
The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night: 4 stars*
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson: 4.5 stars/audio 5 stars

Continuing:
Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

*These books were review copies provided to me at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

Mini Reviews

Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang: While I’m still not sure how I feel about this one. I did enjoy reading it. It was hard to put down. Though an adult book, it felt more like a YA novel.
Full Review here.

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow by D.E. Night: This book is what a sequel should be. Stakes are raised. The world building is expanded. And it is just such a fun read, despite some dragging in the beginning.
Full Review here.


The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson: The audio for this one is out-freaking-standing. The world building is just…well it’s Sanderson… awesome. It is very long, but well paced, and while I don’t love flashbacks and some past events are constantly hinted at, everything comes together quite well. The Stormlight Archive definitely deserves the hype. If you haven’t loved Sanderson’s other works this one is still worth a read.
Full Review to come.

Thoughts so far:

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi : Onyebuchi’s writing just pulls you in and doesn’t let go. Putting this one down has been a struggle. Though I’m not sure how I feel about the characters or the book itself; it is proving to be very different than expected (why do I have expectations anymore?) I like it. I almost didn’t pick this one up due to some mixed reviews. So, I would say give this one a shot if you’re still debating reading it or not.
Prediction: 3 or 4 star read.

What were you’re favorite July reads? What are you looking forward to reading in August?

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Beat the Backlist 2020 Reviews

Review: The Girl with the Whispering Shadow

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series. I received a review copy of the first book and enjoyed it. (My review can be found here.) This review does NOT contain spoilers, however the synopsis does contain spoilers for book one, so I will not be posting it, but you can check it out here on GoodReads.

I received a copy of The Girl with the Whispering Shadow from Stories Untold Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

D.E. Night created something fun and magical in The Crowns of Croswald. The Girl with the Whispering Shadow is a fantastic sequel that adds to that magic.

While this book does feel a bit different, it is still just as enchanting as the first.


The world building is expanded and readers get a deeper peek into the world of scrivenists. And as with the first book, I never quite knew what to expect and was excited to see what new creature, spell, or potion was waiting to be discovered on the next page. (There are times when I suspect D.E. Night’s imagination is in fact limitless.)

It is an absolute delight to follow Ivy’s story and uncover more of the secrets of her past and Croswald.

D.E. Night’s writing is still just as vivid and it’s hard not to imagine yourself alongside Ivy and her friends. Another aspect that made me enjoy this sequel even more was that D.E. Night gives you the information you need when you need it without completely retelling you what happened in the first book. This is something people who don’t reread, marathon read series, and/or read series as they are released can truly appreciate. (I know I did.)

I did have some issues with the pacing and occasionally got lost in the world building, but I was still able to enjoy the story. I actually think I enjoyed this one more than the first and am excited to see what happens next in Ivy’s story.

So, if you’re looking for a magical escape I recommend checking out this series! The third installment, The Words of the Wandering is available now too.

Thank you so much Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for the review copy!

The Girl with the Whispering Shadow: 4 stars

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Reviews

Review: Opium and Absinthe

I received an uncorrected egalley of Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang in exchange for an honest review from the publisher via NetGalley.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed Opium and Absinthe. At first I wasn’t very invested in the story or sure where it was going, but for some reason I had trouble putting the book down. Tillie is a very determined and inquisitive protagonist. While I never could quite decide how I felt about her it was hard not to root for Tillie on her quest for answers and justice for her sister.

Intertwining Dracula’s publication with the story was a fun and interesting addition. The mystery is well constructed and while I wasn’t sure how some plot aspects had a purpose at the time, it all tied together.

I will be picking up more of Lydia Kang’s books in the future.

This book may be a great choice for fans of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series as well as The Alienist TV series (I can’t speak to the books as I have yet to read them.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the review copy.

Opium and Absinthe: 3.5 stars

Have you read Opium and Absinthe yet? What did you think?

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Reviews

Review: Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows

I received a copy of Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows by J.M. Bergman from Book Publicity services in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember that magic is real.

Seven years have passed, and Thomas hasn’t forgotten. He hasn’t forgotten the blue of his dad’s eyes either, or the tickle of beard on his cheek as they hugged goodbye. Last moments with a parent are memorable, even if you don’t know that’s what you’re having at the time.

Now, with his 13th birthday rapidly approaching, Thomas’s search for magic is about to take a radical and unexpected turn. At an out-of-the-way shop filled with dusty leather books, a strange little man with gold-flecked eyes offers him an ancient text called The Book of Sorrows. The price is high and the rules are strict, but there’s no way Thomas can resist the chance to look inside.

With the mysterious book guiding the way, a strange new world is revealed – a world in which Thomas has a name and destiny far more extraordinary than he ever imagined. But time is short. As Thomas uncovers his secret family history, enemies emerge, threatening to end his rise to power and destroy everything he holds dear.

I was very grateful to receive a review copy of this book as I really liked the premise. Magic, a mysterious book, and the promise of adventure are things I absolutely love in the books I read. Not to mention I’ve been trying to read more middle grade books. Unfortunately I don’t think I was the right reader for this book.

One of the risks of reading Middle Grade as an adult is sometimes you are just “too old” to enjoy and immerse yourself in the story. That being said I am not sure that younger me wouldn’t have had some of the same issues I did with the story.

There were lots of slice of life moments that just didn’t feel necessary.  The book starts off so slow and there were places that just dragged causing me to want to put the book down and not pick it up multiple times.   It took me months to read this. This book had everything and I’m not sure it helped the story as some characters and situations felt predictable and stereotypical. And the final confrontation was a bit too “comic book villain” for my taste.

That being said. Thomas is a good kid. He has a good relationship with his mom as well as several other adults. The story of The Book of Sorrows and its history was really interesting and I would have loved to read more, though switching between what was written in the book to summaries was a bit jarring for me. I wish it had been one or the other.

While I’m interested to see how the story resolves I don’t plan on continuing the series.

I had a really hard time rating this one, but ultimately went with two stars.

This middle grade fantasy may be a good fit for younger readers (8-12), especially those who have an interest in science, and it is recommended for fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

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Reviews

Review: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

So, earlier this year Dutton granted every wish for a copy of Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door on Net Galley and I was able to receive an e-ARC of the book.

I enjoyed Sager’s Final Girls so I jumped at the chance to read Lock Every Door.

I am embarrassed to say that I somehow managed not to publish my review anywhere other than Net Galley and only realized this error today. So, we’re doing a #flashbackfridaybookreview while I try to figure out where my mind went.

If you’re looking for a spooky thriller for October Lock Every Door may be the book for you!

If you enjoy thrillers then you NEED to pick up this book.

I really enjoyed Lock Every Door by Riley Sager. After a few chapters I didn’t want to put it down. About a quarter of the way through it wasn’t an option.

Jules is a likable protagonist who you want to root for. The cast of characters is intriguing. The fact Jules isn’t really supposed to interact with them led me to want to know more about them. And the Bartholomew’s creepy history was interesting and I was always hoping to hear more.

There are little clues through out the book, but even if you see them for what they are there’s enough going on that keeps you guessing. You won’t feel cheated if you solve the mystery before it reaches its conclusion.

This is one of those novels where you can’t help but wonder who you can trust and won’t be able to put down.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lock Every Door: 4 stars

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mini reviews TBR Wrap Up

December Recap

I hope everyone had an amazing holiday season!

I can’t believe December is over! I mean where did 2018 go?

I met my reading goal for the year of 50 books a few months ago so I knew I didn’t have to stress over it, but there were so many books I still wanted to read and finish.

December is my catch-all month so I tried finishing as many books as I could that I started and abandoned earlier in the year. I also tried to sneak in a few holiday/festive reads.

December TBR

Books to Read:
The Afterlife of Holly Chase* by Cynthia Hand
My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories* edited by Stephanie Perkins
Vengeful by V.E. Schwab
Books to Finish Before Year’s End:
A Court of Wings and Ruin (audiobook) by Sarah J Maas
The Hobbit (audiobook reread)*  by J.R.R. Tolkien
City of Bones (audiobook reread) by Cassandra Clare
Mistborn (audiobook) by Brandon Sanderson
Escaping from Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
Kingdom of Ruins (kindle)* by D.C. Marino
Ready Player One (audiobook)* by Ernest Cline

*These books were priority reads

December Wrap Up

December definitely didn’t go as I planned, but not a lot of things have the last few months. I didn’t get all of those books finished, not even the priority reads, but I did at least get some reading done.

Books Read in December:

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (audiobook reread): 2.5 stars
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (audiobook reread): 3 stars
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (audiobook): 3 stars
Gravity Falls: Lost Legends by Alex Hirsch: 4 stars
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand: 4 stars
The Hobbit (audiobook reread): 2 stars

Mini Reviews

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare: Oh boy…I didn’t like this one this time around. I really enjoyed the series when I first read it, but this time…I mean just yeah…I didn’t enjoy the writing style and disliked most of the main characters.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare: I didn’t struggle as much with this one, maybe it was the narrator, maybe it was the Clave drama, I’m not sure, but I still wasn’t a big fan of the characters, and I mean it’s kind of hard to enjoy this series when you don’t like Clary or Jace, and I really don’t like Jace. I could tolerate him my first read through, but this time I found his character to be quite problematic.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: I finally finished!!! First of all, Will Wheaton deserves 5 stars (okay all the stars) for his performance. He did an amazing job and really brought the story to life. I had a really hard time rating this one since his narration had a lot of impact on my motivation to keep listening. I got bored with the plot a little before the halfway point, but then couldn’t pick it back up because I saw the movie with my family—which was quite different in places. So I needed some time to separate the two. I did like the story, but I wouldn’t have had a problem with putting this one on my DNF list. I think overall the read was worth it, but at some point the 80’s references became too much and the plot just got boring for me.

Gravity Falls: Lost Legends by Alex Hirsch: I absolutely love Gravity Falls. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a cartoon show that was aired on Disney and Disney XD. At times it would be too silly and immature for me, but overall I enjoy it immensely (and just don’t rewatch those episodes). So, after it ended I had to get this book. If you’ve seen the show this book is basically the episodes “Bottomless Pit!” and “Little Gift Shop of Horrors” in comic form. It was such a fun return to Gravity Falls and truly captured the heart and soul of the show.

The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand: I really enjoyed this one. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go because Holly’s not exactly likable at first, but it was such a great read. Were some things predictable? Yes, but there was a great cast of characters and once the plot got moving I didn’t want to put it down.  If you’re thinking about a holiday read for next year I definitely recommend it.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: I have a confession. I’ve tried to read this book about seven times in the last five years never finishing it. I read it once back in middle school (“for fun”) and even then didn’t really enjoy it…though now, having just finished it, I’m not 100% sure I actually did finish it back then. I didn’t enjoy it. I just didn’t connect with the characters, and it didn’t hold my attention. Honestly, I’m really bummed. I mean it’s a book that’s so loved and it just wasn’t for me. I’m glad I did finish it though and can knock it off my bucket list. I am still going to give The Lord of the Rings trilogy a try.

 

Summary

So December was pretty much a month of unpopular opinions for me. I didn’t exactly end the year on high note in terms of ratings either, but that’s okay. There are so many awesome reads to look forward to in 2019!

What was your favorite read of December?