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ariellesbookreviews's reviews
149 reviews
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Adventures of Amina Al Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty was a charming, high-seas adventure with mystical beings, complex characters, loving friendships, and motherhood. Chakraborty intended to write a story showing women's lives do not end once they start a family and that it can be the beginning of new adventures.
The first half of the book felt relatively slow. The story is presented similarly to that of a reunion special of a popular TV show that has been off the air for 15 years. The only problem, you never watched the original show. The characters have a deep and complex history with each other that the reader must untangle as Amina gets the band back together. While the characters have established emotional ties to each other, it took time for this reader to develop those same connections. Once that connection was made and all the usual suspects had been reintroduced, the plot picked up, and I started to really enjoy the novel.
I really like Raksh as a character. I thought he was funny and intriguing, and hope to see more of him in the next book. Overall, I rate the book 4 stars and am excited to see what Charkraborkty brings us next.
The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian
3.0
The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian was a lot different than I thought it would be. I wouldn't say the book was bad, but I don't think it lived up to its true potential. Marian and Rob weren't very intriguing characters despite having interesting backgrounds; they just fell flat. Readers should read the Queer Principles of Kitt Webb because the storyline seems very interconnected. The summary made the book seem like it was going be to very funny and have a lot of high jinks, and I did not get that from the storyline. Nothing about the book made me want to read more.
Her Good Side by Rebekah Weatherspoon
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Penguin Teen for gifting me an ARC of Her Good Side in exchange for a review.
I adored this book! The relationship between Bethany and Jacob was cute and brought a smile to my face. Both characters experience character growth and learn about themselves, their relationship, and each other. They weren't afraid to have difficult or uncomfortable conversations with each other and built a friendship leading up to their real dating.
Rebekah Weatherspoon's portrayal of the Greene family was very authentic and heartwarming. Bethany's parents clearly love their daughter, but that doesn't mean they always make the best parenting decisions or know what she wants. Weatherspoon wrote a great book about body positivity and being happy and fat. She included a diverse cast of characters, including several ethnicity and queer identities.
This book brought me so much joy, and I can't wait to read it again! I look forward to reading more books by Weatherspoon in the YA genre!
I adored this book! The relationship between Bethany and Jacob was cute and brought a smile to my face. Both characters experience character growth and learn about themselves, their relationship, and each other. They weren't afraid to have difficult or uncomfortable conversations with each other and built a friendship leading up to their real dating.
Rebekah Weatherspoon's portrayal of the Greene family was very authentic and heartwarming. Bethany's parents clearly love their daughter, but that doesn't mean they always make the best parenting decisions or know what she wants. Weatherspoon wrote a great book about body positivity and being happy and fat. She included a diverse cast of characters, including several ethnicity and queer identities.
This book brought me so much joy, and I can't wait to read it again! I look forward to reading more books by Weatherspoon in the YA genre!
Summer's Snow by Carly H. Mannon
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Summer Snow by Carly M. Hannon helped me escape a six-month reading slump. I enjoyed the novel and liked the ingenuity of a Snow White/Sleeping Beauty retelling between two sisters. I originally read the story on Kindle Unlimited, but I liked it enough to purchase a physical copy. I look forward to learning more about Misha in the novel's sequel, as Summer Snow focused primarily on Nic and her storyline. Overall, I thought it met the criteria of a classic adult fantasy novel and would recommend it to others.
Contractual Obligations by Elle Rivers
5.0
Contractual Obligation by Elle Rivers helped get me out of a six-month reading slump, and I enjoyed it. I thought the storyline was compelling, and while there were silly aspects to the story, it kept me entertained. I would definitely check out other books written by Elle Rivers.
Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan
4.25
Tan focuses on deep family ties, loyal friendships, and complex romantic relationships in Heart of the Sun Warrior. This book focuses on Xingyin dealing with the fallout of saving her mother, her relationship with Liwei and Wenzhi, and freeing the celestial kingdom from a new threat. The Emperor and Emperess feel threatened by Xingyin's power and loyal friends, allowing an insider to threaten the balance of the Celestial Kingdom. A portion of this book does feel redundant, and Daughter of the Sun Goddes could have been a stand-alone novel, but by the end of the novel, Tan leaves the reader satisfied with the duology.
The romance in this book is slow. Liwei and Xingyin's relationship is boring and feels immature, but Tan's acknowledgment of changing romantic feelings and the deep-seated love brings the reader to a satisfying conclusion with Xingyin's relationship. Xingyin experiences a lot of growth in this book, both emotionally and mentally, and continues to learn from past mistakes. Tan created an action-packed duology with fun characters and a world worth exploring in future books.
Foxglove by Adalyn Grace
1.5
Foxglove was a no for me. Personally, I didn't enjoy Belladonna by Adalyn Grace and was hesitant to read Foxglove. While Grace did improve the flow of the storyline, and it didn't feel as clunky as its precursor, the romance between Sigma and Death was still weird and predatory. Ironically, Grace acknowledges the gross aspect of young girls marrying old men; however, it goes over her head when applying the situation to her main character. There are three separate relationships in Foxglove where 19-year-olds are in relationships with old men, and by the end of the book, it feels gross and repetitive.
Outside of the romance aspect, the storyline for Foxglove has many of the same elements as Belladonna. The books seem unoriginal when looking at them side by side: a mysterious new character in town, suspicious poisoning, hidden illnesses, sneaking around Thorn Grove, and entering society. Grace has essentially repackaged the first book but added the additional POV of Sigma's cousin, Blythe, in order to prepare for book 3.
I definitely won't be returning to the series. I had high hopes for this series but have continually been disappointed.
Outside of the romance aspect, the storyline for Foxglove has many of the same elements as Belladonna. The books seem unoriginal when looking at them side by side: a mysterious new character in town, suspicious poisoning, hidden illnesses, sneaking around Thorn Grove, and entering society. Grace has essentially repackaged the first book but added the additional POV of Sigma's cousin, Blythe, in order to prepare for book 3.
I definitely won't be returning to the series. I had high hopes for this series but have continually been disappointed.
When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Thank you to Annick Press for gifting me an ARC of When It All Syncs Up in exchange for a review.
When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw is the beautiful story of Aisha's relationship with dance and the ballet community, as well as dealing with different types of trauma as a teenager. Ameyaw creates a story cast of characters who handle adversity differently but persevere together. Ameyaw writes a cute and strong romantic relationship between Aisha and Ollie, who work together to overcome barriers in their relationship and deal with their separate traumas.
The story itself was pretty fast-paced, and Ameyaw did not go into heavy detail about one character's trauma (sexual), which I think is a good starting point for YA novels. I identified with Aisha's struggle in the ballet community as someone who grew up dancing and loved ballet; I never looked like my counterparts.
When It All Syncs Up is one of my top books of the year, and the book's cover is absolutely gorgeous.
When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw is the beautiful story of Aisha's relationship with dance and the ballet community, as well as dealing with different types of trauma as a teenager. Ameyaw creates a story cast of characters who handle adversity differently but persevere together. Ameyaw writes a cute and strong romantic relationship between Aisha and Ollie, who work together to overcome barriers in their relationship and deal with their separate traumas.
The story itself was pretty fast-paced, and Ameyaw did not go into heavy detail about one character's trauma (sexual), which I think is a good starting point for YA novels. I identified with Aisha's struggle in the ballet community as someone who grew up dancing and loved ballet; I never looked like my counterparts.
When It All Syncs Up is one of my top books of the year, and the book's cover is absolutely gorgeous.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder
Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade
3.0
Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade is my least favorite out of the three Spoiler Alert books. Ship Wrecked doesn't have the same vibe as the others, and I did not find Maria endearing. While the fat representation of these books is great, the storyline and characters of this book fell flat for me. Part of the charm of the first two books is the found family aspect of Gods of the Gate cast, and since Maria and Peter are isolated from filming with the rest of the cast, the found family feature is missing. I'm glad I finished the series, but this was a disappointing note to end on.