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amandasbookreview's Reviews (966)
I picked up Sea Witch by Sarah Henning because I have a weakness for fairytale retellings. This isn’t a fairytale retelling it is more of an origin story. Anna, Evie, and Nik are children and the best of friends. They are inseparable. Until one fateful day, Anna drowns. Despite the fact that Evie is a fisherman’s daughter she is still best friends with the Prince Nik. They grow up together and know each other better than anyone else. One day, Nik has a near-drowning experience and is saved by a young woman who looks just like Anna. Evie becomes close friends with her and soon discovers her secret and is determined to do anything for her, even use her powers that she keeps hidden…
“My heart is not mine to give because it is already yours.”
SEA WITCH
I am all for a villain origin story, especially since this interpretation is based on Hans Christian Anderson’s version of The Little Mermaid. I absolutely loved Sarah Henning’s writing. She incorporates so much history and intricate sea details. Plus there are the added witchcraft details. The tale takes place in Denmark and has so much Danish history–including the witch hunts.
I did enjoy the female main characters Annemette and Evie. Mostly, Evie. She is loyal to a fault. She does everything for her friends. I did feel sorry for her. She devotes herself to Annemette even though she shouldn’t trust her. This is because Annamette reminds her of Anna. This broke my heart. I know what it is like to lose a friend. I was not a fan of Evie’s love interest. To put it simply, he was an egotistical ass. Prince Nik was adorable and I loved his relationship with Evie.
The ending is predictable but that is a given because it is an origin story. There are some issues with slow pacing but overall I enjoyed this story! Plus the narrator, Billie Fulford-Brown does a fantastic job. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
“My heart is not mine to give because it is already yours.”
SEA WITCH
I am all for a villain origin story, especially since this interpretation is based on Hans Christian Anderson’s version of The Little Mermaid. I absolutely loved Sarah Henning’s writing. She incorporates so much history and intricate sea details. Plus there are the added witchcraft details. The tale takes place in Denmark and has so much Danish history–including the witch hunts.
I did enjoy the female main characters Annemette and Evie. Mostly, Evie. She is loyal to a fault. She does everything for her friends. I did feel sorry for her. She devotes herself to Annemette even though she shouldn’t trust her. This is because Annamette reminds her of Anna. This broke my heart. I know what it is like to lose a friend. I was not a fan of Evie’s love interest. To put it simply, he was an egotistical ass. Prince Nik was adorable and I loved his relationship with Evie.
The ending is predictable but that is a given because it is an origin story. There are some issues with slow pacing but overall I enjoyed this story! Plus the narrator, Billie Fulford-Brown does a fantastic job. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
There is a reason why Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates is a National Book Award Winner. Well, more than one reason. This book is a letter. A letter to Coates’s fifteen-year-old son. It talks about his experience as a Black man in America. It explains his concerns to his son. It questions the ideals of America and the path going forward. He discusses his life growing up, attending Howard University, and meeting his son’s mother. There is anger, fear, and love.
“America believes itself exceptional, the greatest and noblest nation ever to exist, a lone champion standing between the white city of democracy and the terrorists, despots, barbarians, and other enemies of civilization. One cannot, at once, claim to be superhuman and then plead mortal error. I propose to take our countrymen’s claims of American exceptionalism seriously, which is to say I propose subjecting our country to an exceptional moral standard. This is difficult because there exists, all around us, an apparatus urging us to accept American innocence at face value and not to inquire too much.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
This book is not meant for me. It is not a book written for white people. This book is extremely personal. It felt as if I was reading a diary entry that was meant for his son to read and his son alone. It is raw and deeply emotional. However, it is eye-opening. For this reason, I think that this book should be required reading in high school. I can tell you it would be so beneficial if we discussed truths with our youths. I can never know the experience of Black men and Black women. I would like to stand by them and support them when they need it and I believe this book can change the way some see the “American experience.”
“And you know now, if you did not know before, that the police departments of your country have been endowed with the authority to destroy your body. It does not matter if the destruction is the result of an unfortunate overreaction. It does not matter if it originates in misunderstanding. It does not matter if the destruction springs from a foolish policy.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
I had waited a long time to write this review so I could really give myself time to think about his words. Then by the time I sat down to write this, I picked up the book to read again. It is truly an emotional read. It is all about experience. It doesn’t provide answers, just experience. I can see this book being a classic. One that we will talk about, our children will talk about, and our grandchildren, and so on… I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. And if you have not read it yet, now is the time.
“America believes itself exceptional, the greatest and noblest nation ever to exist, a lone champion standing between the white city of democracy and the terrorists, despots, barbarians, and other enemies of civilization. One cannot, at once, claim to be superhuman and then plead mortal error. I propose to take our countrymen’s claims of American exceptionalism seriously, which is to say I propose subjecting our country to an exceptional moral standard. This is difficult because there exists, all around us, an apparatus urging us to accept American innocence at face value and not to inquire too much.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
This book is not meant for me. It is not a book written for white people. This book is extremely personal. It felt as if I was reading a diary entry that was meant for his son to read and his son alone. It is raw and deeply emotional. However, it is eye-opening. For this reason, I think that this book should be required reading in high school. I can tell you it would be so beneficial if we discussed truths with our youths. I can never know the experience of Black men and Black women. I would like to stand by them and support them when they need it and I believe this book can change the way some see the “American experience.”
“And you know now, if you did not know before, that the police departments of your country have been endowed with the authority to destroy your body. It does not matter if the destruction is the result of an unfortunate overreaction. It does not matter if it originates in misunderstanding. It does not matter if the destruction springs from a foolish policy.”
BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME
I had waited a long time to write this review so I could really give myself time to think about his words. Then by the time I sat down to write this, I picked up the book to read again. It is truly an emotional read. It is all about experience. It doesn’t provide answers, just experience. I can see this book being a classic. One that we will talk about, our children will talk about, and our grandchildren, and so on… I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. And if you have not read it yet, now is the time.
The Witch of Willow Hall is the third book that I have read by Hester Fox. I could not wait to give into all the gothic wonder! The Montrose Family has had to flee from Boston due to a scandal regarding Lydia’s older sister, Catherine. They go to the country to start anew, away from gossip. Catherine is a flirt and quite selfish. Lydia prefers the company of books and her younger sister, Emeline. Willow Hall was meant to be a summer home but now it is their home and Lydia senses something is wrong. There is a dark history surrounding the house and there is a power that Lydia has that has been dormant. But now she will need that power to save the ones she loves.
“Read the book, and add what you learn from your own trials. Never stop learning. A lifetime is not long enough to gather up all the knowledge of our kind. That is why we pass it down.”
THE WITCH OF WILLOW HALL
I have become a huge fan of Hester Fox’s works. This gothic historical fiction with a little paranormal intertwined. One of my favorite aspects of the story is how the history of Salem is woven in. The witchcraft feels like it just enhances the story, it isn’t the sole focus. The characters are absolutely beautiful. Lydia is one after my own heart. I can relate to her. She loves deeply and can easily get lost in a book. She also doesn’t realize the power that lies inside her. Then there is Emeline…sweet Emeline. Oh, she is precious with her dreams of mermaids and fantasy around every corner. Catherine is evil and difficult. But I enjoyed how the story shows the different dynamics of sisterly relationships.
The book can also be a tease. There are some great plot twists. For instance, the scandal! I thought I knew what it was but boy it is a doozie! Hester Fox really went there. I won’t spoil it but this book is anything but predictable. I can’t believe that this is a debut novel. Hester Fox has become an instant buy author for me. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Triggers Warnings: death, pregnancy loss, depression, suicide
“Read the book, and add what you learn from your own trials. Never stop learning. A lifetime is not long enough to gather up all the knowledge of our kind. That is why we pass it down.”
THE WITCH OF WILLOW HALL
I have become a huge fan of Hester Fox’s works. This gothic historical fiction with a little paranormal intertwined. One of my favorite aspects of the story is how the history of Salem is woven in. The witchcraft feels like it just enhances the story, it isn’t the sole focus. The characters are absolutely beautiful. Lydia is one after my own heart. I can relate to her. She loves deeply and can easily get lost in a book. She also doesn’t realize the power that lies inside her. Then there is Emeline…sweet Emeline. Oh, she is precious with her dreams of mermaids and fantasy around every corner. Catherine is evil and difficult. But I enjoyed how the story shows the different dynamics of sisterly relationships.
The book can also be a tease. There are some great plot twists. For instance, the scandal! I thought I knew what it was but boy it is a doozie! Hester Fox really went there. I won’t spoil it but this book is anything but predictable. I can’t believe that this is a debut novel. Hester Fox has become an instant buy author for me. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Triggers Warnings: death, pregnancy loss, depression, suicide
The last chapters of The Two Towers!
https://amandasbookreviewsite.wordpress.com/2020/10/27/tolkien-tuesday-the-two-towers-ch-19-21/
https://amandasbookreviewsite.wordpress.com/2020/10/27/tolkien-tuesday-the-two-towers-ch-19-21/
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia has been all over Bookstagram and I could not wait to get my hands on it! First of all, just look at that cover! It. Is. Stunning. Noemi is a charming socialite who dreams of furthering her education. Her father is willing to send her to the school of her choice as long as she checks on her cousin. They have received an eerie letter from Catalina that doesn’t sound quite like her. She is a newlywed and things don’t sound like they are going well and Noemi’s father wants to avoid any possible scandal. So Noemi heads to High Place out in the Mexican countryside. The manor is a dark place with an even darker family residing inside. Catalina’s husband, while handsome, doesn’t seem slightly concerned about his wife. Catalina’s mother-in-law is grim and proper. Then there is the patriarch of the family, who takes an interest in Noemi. There is something wrong with this family and something wrong with this house and Noemi will stop at nothing to find out what…
“It was the house that disfigured the land.”
MEXICAN GOTHIC
Woah. There is so much going on in this book that it will be impossible to address them all. But this book is definitely creepy. I got a whole lot of Lovecraftian vibes. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is spectacular with her descriptions. It is so vivid. The book has a slow start but the book went there! I did not think it would get that dark, but damn. It is more than Lovecraftian. It includes racism and eugenics which really up the horror aspect in this book.
My absolute favorite part of this book is Noemi. She is the star and I love her stubbornness and perseverance in trying to discover what is happening in the house. She is absolutely brilliant. She does not let anyone walk over her including Catalina’s wretched mother-in-law. I am just saying, Catalina really lost in the mother-in-law dealing.
The narrator, Frankie Corzo did an AMAZING job. She nails the suspenseful moments, the characters, and the accents. I cannot wait for the Hulu series to try to capture the fantastic gothic vibes! I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!
“It was the house that disfigured the land.”
MEXICAN GOTHIC
Woah. There is so much going on in this book that it will be impossible to address them all. But this book is definitely creepy. I got a whole lot of Lovecraftian vibes. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is spectacular with her descriptions. It is so vivid. The book has a slow start but the book went there! I did not think it would get that dark, but damn. It is more than Lovecraftian. It includes racism and eugenics which really up the horror aspect in this book.
My absolute favorite part of this book is Noemi. She is the star and I love her stubbornness and perseverance in trying to discover what is happening in the house. She is absolutely brilliant. She does not let anyone walk over her including Catalina’s wretched mother-in-law. I am just saying, Catalina really lost in the mother-in-law dealing.
The narrator, Frankie Corzo did an AMAZING job. She nails the suspenseful moments, the characters, and the accents. I cannot wait for the Hulu series to try to capture the fantastic gothic vibes! I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you, Paula Brackston, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book!
IT’S HERE! IT IS FINALLY HERE! The wait for The Garden of Promises and Lies by Paula Brackston is over and I couldn’t be happier! This is the 3rd book in the Found Things series. So if you haven’t read the first two books, I highly suggest it. We pick back up with Xanthe and her mother Flora, who run a little shop of antiques. Unique items have been “singing” to Xanthe since she was a child. In the previous books, she discovers she is a Spinner, which means she can travel through time. Xanthe should be enjoying her life with her mother, friends, and Liam. But the arrival of Benedict Fairfax in her own time period does not bode well. In the meantime, an Edwardian wedding dress sings to her at an estate sale. Somehow, it is linked to Benedict Fairfax and she will need to travel back to set things right. This time, she won’t be alone in her travels…
Is it weird that I cried when I began this book? Not sobbing or sad tears but just little happy tears of joy of reading about some of my favorite characters. I have missed them!–Especially since the last book ended on a little cliffhanger. It was well worth the wait. Benedict Fairfax is back and not playing nice, did he ever though? This time he targets Xanthe’s friends and family. I love her courage in the face of fear and danger. She would willingly sacrifice to save the world. This book dives more into her relationships in her time. Mainly her mother and Liam. She hasn’t told them of her gifts and expects that they will think she has lost her mind. She is torn between telling them and keeping it a secret and lying to them when she travels.
This time Xanthe travels to the Regency period and once again, I love the attention to the historical detail in the story. Her mission always depends on her being able to navigate these details which are very delicate. It is not as easy as one would think.
This book does end on a MASSIVE cliffhanger and be prepared for the bittersweetness of it. It is a fantastic end that will leave you wanting more and the next book IMMEDIATELY. So the wait begins again. But this magical series is worth the wait. Do not miss out on this book! It is available on December 15th! This book gets 5 magical stars!
IT’S HERE! IT IS FINALLY HERE! The wait for The Garden of Promises and Lies by Paula Brackston is over and I couldn’t be happier! This is the 3rd book in the Found Things series. So if you haven’t read the first two books, I highly suggest it. We pick back up with Xanthe and her mother Flora, who run a little shop of antiques. Unique items have been “singing” to Xanthe since she was a child. In the previous books, she discovers she is a Spinner, which means she can travel through time. Xanthe should be enjoying her life with her mother, friends, and Liam. But the arrival of Benedict Fairfax in her own time period does not bode well. In the meantime, an Edwardian wedding dress sings to her at an estate sale. Somehow, it is linked to Benedict Fairfax and she will need to travel back to set things right. This time, she won’t be alone in her travels…
Is it weird that I cried when I began this book? Not sobbing or sad tears but just little happy tears of joy of reading about some of my favorite characters. I have missed them!–Especially since the last book ended on a little cliffhanger. It was well worth the wait. Benedict Fairfax is back and not playing nice, did he ever though? This time he targets Xanthe’s friends and family. I love her courage in the face of fear and danger. She would willingly sacrifice to save the world. This book dives more into her relationships in her time. Mainly her mother and Liam. She hasn’t told them of her gifts and expects that they will think she has lost her mind. She is torn between telling them and keeping it a secret and lying to them when she travels.
This time Xanthe travels to the Regency period and once again, I love the attention to the historical detail in the story. Her mission always depends on her being able to navigate these details which are very delicate. It is not as easy as one would think.
This book does end on a MASSIVE cliffhanger and be prepared for the bittersweetness of it. It is a fantastic end that will leave you wanting more and the next book IMMEDIATELY. So the wait begins again. But this magical series is worth the wait. Do not miss out on this book! It is available on December 15th! This book gets 5 magical stars!
The Deep by Rivers Solomon with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathon Snipes is something so magical and quite unique. It is based on the song, The Deep by Clipping which was nominated for a Hugo Award. Think of The Little Mermaid, but something more emotional and raw. Yetu is a young mermaid. She holds the memories of her people. Every. Single. Emotion. She is what her people call, “This Historian.” The memories of her people are difficult and traumatic. They are descendants of those pregnant enslaved women who were thrown overboard during the slave trade. These memories are sometimes more than she can bear, so she flees to the surface and learns even more about her people.
““We must each be where we belong.” “What is belonging?” we ask. She says, “Where loneliness ends.”
THE DEEP
This is a beautiful novella. This read felt like it was over too quickly. I would have loved a full novel. The language, the history, the people—they had so much depth and it was over so fast. I can see how many would think that the pacing is slow in this book. But the development is everything. Yetu is bestowed with pain and trauma, so that is all we know about her. When she flees and learns more about the beginnings of her people, we start to see her shine and grow.
I don’t want to say much more because that may give away the ending and some spoilers. But I would also suggest listening to the song as well. Both together are just something magical, emotional, and unique.
Do I really need to comment on Daveed Diggs as a narrator? Because I think we all know that he is amazing and should just narrate every book that ever existed for all time. But I digress. This book gets 5 out of 5 stars.
““We must each be where we belong.” “What is belonging?” we ask. She says, “Where loneliness ends.”
THE DEEP
This is a beautiful novella. This read felt like it was over too quickly. I would have loved a full novel. The language, the history, the people—they had so much depth and it was over so fast. I can see how many would think that the pacing is slow in this book. But the development is everything. Yetu is bestowed with pain and trauma, so that is all we know about her. When she flees and learns more about the beginnings of her people, we start to see her shine and grow.
I don’t want to say much more because that may give away the ending and some spoilers. But I would also suggest listening to the song as well. Both together are just something magical, emotional, and unique.
Do I really need to comment on Daveed Diggs as a narrator? Because I think we all know that he is amazing and should just narrate every book that ever existed for all time. But I digress. This book gets 5 out of 5 stars.
"Fall into the time of King John, the Crusades, and chivalrous knights in this wonderfully complex historical romance!"
Check out my full review at InD'Tale Magazine:
http://magazine.indtale.com/magazine/2020/november/viewer/desktop/#page/66
Check out my full review at InD'Tale Magazine:
http://magazine.indtale.com/magazine/2020/november/viewer/desktop/#page/66
"This historical romance gives a whole new meaning to the word LONGING."
Check out my full review at InD'Tale Magazine:
http://magazine.indtale.com/magazine/2020/november/viewer/desktop/#page/64
Check out my full review at InD'Tale Magazine:
http://magazine.indtale.com/magazine/2020/november/viewer/desktop/#page/64
Thank you Craig DiLouie, NetGalley, and Redhook Books for the opportunity to read this book!
The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie is a horror novel mixed with religious cultism. Beth, David, and Deacon are reunited at a funeral for their friend Emily. However, the reason for their friendship remains secretive. They are the survivors of a religious cult when they were children. They all suffer from PTSD and memories that have yet to fully be uncovered. At their reunion, they begin to reveal what they do know. And what they know is that they need to go back to Red Peak to get answers.
This book had me at horror and cult. I thought it would be more of the psychological effects that the cult had on the survivors. It wasn’t. It is more about the characters taking a really long time to decide to go back to Red Peak and then with a supernatural twist at the end. The book ultimately follows two timelines, the past, and the present. I found the past way more fascinating as it showed the days in the cult and how it ultimately devolves. It is horrific. There are moments of mutilation that are pretty descriptive. However, the present storyline added absolutely nothing to the story. It dragged on and on.
Then it all came to a point where the author made it seem like cults aren’t that bad. It was bizarre. Then that ending. Ugh. Instead of answers, they get a supernatural twist that just left me like…that’s it? So unfortunately this book was not a win for me. It also may not have been the greatest choice of a read during the 2020 election. I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.
If this sounds like something you might be interested in, it releases November 17th.
The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie is a horror novel mixed with religious cultism. Beth, David, and Deacon are reunited at a funeral for their friend Emily. However, the reason for their friendship remains secretive. They are the survivors of a religious cult when they were children. They all suffer from PTSD and memories that have yet to fully be uncovered. At their reunion, they begin to reveal what they do know. And what they know is that they need to go back to Red Peak to get answers.
This book had me at horror and cult. I thought it would be more of the psychological effects that the cult had on the survivors. It wasn’t. It is more about the characters taking a really long time to decide to go back to Red Peak and then with a supernatural twist at the end. The book ultimately follows two timelines, the past, and the present. I found the past way more fascinating as it showed the days in the cult and how it ultimately devolves. It is horrific. There are moments of mutilation that are pretty descriptive. However, the present storyline added absolutely nothing to the story. It dragged on and on.
Then it all came to a point where the author made it seem like cults aren’t that bad. It was bizarre. Then that ending. Ugh. Instead of answers, they get a supernatural twist that just left me like…that’s it? So unfortunately this book was not a win for me. It also may not have been the greatest choice of a read during the 2020 election. I rate this book 2 out of 5 stars.
If this sounds like something you might be interested in, it releases November 17th.