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2491 reviews
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Disclaimer: I bought this book for book club. Yay reading buddies! All opinions are my own.
Book: Magic Bites
Author: Ilona Andrews
Book Series: Kate Daniels Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: Urban Fantasy readers, fantasy, paranormal, romance, vampires, shape-shifters, adult readers, magic
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: May 27, 2007
Publisher: Ace
Pages: 260
Recommended Age: 18+ (language, police brutality, death, violence, gore, dead parents, racist term, sexual content, religion, incest, sexual assault)
Explanation of CWs: There is a lot of cursing in this book. There are mentions of police brutality. There is a lot of violence, death, blood gore, and mention of dead parents. There is a racist term in this book due to the age of the book (g****). There is some sexual content mentioned in this book. There is some mentions of the Christian religion. There is one mention of incest and sexual assault.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: Bad Blood
Synopsis: Ilona Andrews invites you to experience the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring the intriguing fantasy world of mercenary Kate Daniels… When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake. Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles. The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way…
Review: I thought this book was so inventive and really well done. The book takes place after this magic apocalypse and our MC is a woman who was just informed of their quasi-adoptive father's death in the line of duty against magical beings. Her journey to find out what happened takes her to far reaching areas of Atlanta and we're along for that journey. I loved that the author took a lot of care and attention to name a lot of places in Atlanta that the magical beings now inhabit and I loved the feel of the story. I thought the world building was well done and the pacing on point.
The only issue I really had with the book is that I felt like the ending battle scene and the scenes after that went rather quickly. It was a lot of set-up for a very quick 10 page ending. However, I can't wait for the next one.
Verdict: It was good! I liked it a lot.
Book: Magic Bites
Author: Ilona Andrews
Book Series: Kate Daniels Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: Urban Fantasy readers, fantasy, paranormal, romance, vampires, shape-shifters, adult readers, magic
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: May 27, 2007
Publisher: Ace
Pages: 260
Recommended Age: 18+ (language, police brutality, death, violence, gore, dead parents, racist term, sexual content, religion, incest, sexual assault)
Explanation of CWs: There is a lot of cursing in this book. There are mentions of police brutality. There is a lot of violence, death, blood gore, and mention of dead parents. There is a racist term in this book due to the age of the book (g****). There is some sexual content mentioned in this book. There is some mentions of the Christian religion. There is one mention of incest and sexual assault.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: Bad Blood
Synopsis: Ilona Andrews invites you to experience the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring the intriguing fantasy world of mercenary Kate Daniels… When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake. Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles. The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way…
Review: I thought this book was so inventive and really well done. The book takes place after this magic apocalypse and our MC is a woman who was just informed of their quasi-adoptive father's death in the line of duty against magical beings. Her journey to find out what happened takes her to far reaching areas of Atlanta and we're along for that journey. I loved that the author took a lot of care and attention to name a lot of places in Atlanta that the magical beings now inhabit and I loved the feel of the story. I thought the world building was well done and the pacing on point.
The only issue I really had with the book is that I felt like the ending battle scene and the scenes after that went rather quickly. It was a lot of set-up for a very quick 10 page ending. However, I can't wait for the next one.
Verdict: It was good! I liked it a lot.
Us in Ruins by Rachel Moore
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Disclaimer: I bought this book cause of a TikTok Video. Yay book community! All opinions are my own.
Book: Us in Ruins
Author: Rachel Moore
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Bisexual side character
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, romantasy, romance, fantasy, historical fiction, Roman mythology, rom-com
Genre: YA Romantasy
Publication Date: September 3, 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 368
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, alcohol consumption, romance, neglectful parenting, parental abandonment)
Explanation of CWs: There is some violence shown in the book. There is one scene of alcohol consumption. There is a slight romance in the book and there are mentions of neglectful parenting and parental abandonment.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: Paris
Synopsis: The mythical Vase of Venus Aurelia hasn’t been seen since 1932, but Margot Rhodes is determined to change that. Drawn by the vase’s supposed magical properties, Margot embarks on her school’s archaeological trip to Pompeii. Sure, it’s her first time holding a shovel, but she’s got something no one else does: lost teenage explorer Van Keane’s journal. Poring over the poetic entries that serve as a map to the vase’s missing shards, Margot finds herself falling in love with the boy who wrote it a century ago. She’s shocked when her search leads her to a statue that looks exactly like Van, and then the statue comes to life. Catapulted into the present, Van is nothing like the wordsmith Margot imagined. He’s all sharp edges, intent on retrieving the relic for all the wrong reasons. But it takes two to survive Venus’s death-defying challenges, and, together, Margot and Van must excavate the treasure—and their buried pasts—before their story ends in ruins.
With a blend of humor, magic, and love, Rachel Moore crafts another stand-alone adventure rom-com full of double- and triple-crosses, hilarious shenanigans, and frustration-fueled banter, where the best treasure is true love
Review: Overall, this is a really cool book. The book focuses on Margot and her pursuit over an ancient vase based on a diary of late-explorer Van Keane while she's on a school sponsored trip for archeology (a subject she's definitely not taking in school and her paper was nearly just fanfic involving Van Keane). Her faith in the power of this vase is proven when she not only finds one of the shards, but when she finds the statue of Van Keane himself. Her faith is further proven when Van Keane comes back to life, his pursuit of the vase still his top priority. The book was a nice archaeology journey with lots of twists and turns. The book was very Indiana Jones feeling and I really liked the limited time aspect of the book as well.
However, I did feel like some parts of the book were a bit too detailed world building wise? Like sometimes it felt like I was reading a history book instead of a romantasy. The book was also a bit too fast in places, especially during jumps between adventures to get shards of the vase. I feel like that could have been slowed down some as well.
Verdict: It was a fun read! I liked it!
Book: Us in Ruins
Author: Rachel Moore
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Bisexual side character
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, romantasy, romance, fantasy, historical fiction, Roman mythology, rom-com
Genre: YA Romantasy
Publication Date: September 3, 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 368
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, alcohol consumption, romance, neglectful parenting, parental abandonment)
Explanation of CWs: There is some violence shown in the book. There is one scene of alcohol consumption. There is a slight romance in the book and there are mentions of neglectful parenting and parental abandonment.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: Paris
Synopsis: The mythical Vase of Venus Aurelia hasn’t been seen since 1932, but Margot Rhodes is determined to change that. Drawn by the vase’s supposed magical properties, Margot embarks on her school’s archaeological trip to Pompeii. Sure, it’s her first time holding a shovel, but she’s got something no one else does: lost teenage explorer Van Keane’s journal. Poring over the poetic entries that serve as a map to the vase’s missing shards, Margot finds herself falling in love with the boy who wrote it a century ago. She’s shocked when her search leads her to a statue that looks exactly like Van, and then the statue comes to life. Catapulted into the present, Van is nothing like the wordsmith Margot imagined. He’s all sharp edges, intent on retrieving the relic for all the wrong reasons. But it takes two to survive Venus’s death-defying challenges, and, together, Margot and Van must excavate the treasure—and their buried pasts—before their story ends in ruins.
With a blend of humor, magic, and love, Rachel Moore crafts another stand-alone adventure rom-com full of double- and triple-crosses, hilarious shenanigans, and frustration-fueled banter, where the best treasure is true love
Review: Overall, this is a really cool book. The book focuses on Margot and her pursuit over an ancient vase based on a diary of late-explorer Van Keane while she's on a school sponsored trip for archeology (a subject she's definitely not taking in school and her paper was nearly just fanfic involving Van Keane). Her faith in the power of this vase is proven when she not only finds one of the shards, but when she finds the statue of Van Keane himself. Her faith is further proven when Van Keane comes back to life, his pursuit of the vase still his top priority. The book was a nice archaeology journey with lots of twists and turns. The book was very Indiana Jones feeling and I really liked the limited time aspect of the book as well.
However, I did feel like some parts of the book were a bit too detailed world building wise? Like sometimes it felt like I was reading a history book instead of a romantasy. The book was also a bit too fast in places, especially during jumps between adventures to get shards of the vase. I feel like that could have been slowed down some as well.
Verdict: It was a fun read! I liked it!
Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Mask of the Deer Woman
Author: Laurie L. Dove
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Indigenous Author, Indigenous MC and characters
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: mystery readers, thriller readers, Indigenous story readers, horror readers
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 18+ (alcohol, drug use, alcoholism, animal violence, animal death, language, racism, child death, rape, violence, death, murder)
Explanation of CWs: Alcohol and alcoholism are mentioned and shown in this book. There is some drug use mentioned. There are scenes detailing animal violence and death. There is cursing in this book. There are scenes of racism and violence. There is a child death mentioned along with other deaths mentioned and shown. Rape is mentioned. Murder is mentioned and investigated.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: No Body, No Crime
Synopsis: To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself. At rock bottom following her daughter’s murder, ex-Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation that raised him, but they need a new tribal marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home. In the last decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some dead, others just… gone. Now, local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save. Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her. What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.
Review: I loved this thriller/mystery book. The story is about a down and out detective, who's basically put on this case as the new Tribal Marshall to a reservation that she's not been back to in a long time, to placate the mother of a missing young college student. What Starr uncovers through her research though is much larger and shows a much bigger problem than what she and others originally thought. I loved that it actually discussed the multiple issues that Indigenous persons in America are currently facing, the biggest being the epidemic of missing and murdered women and the second being the issue of companies and governments wanting to abuse and steal Native land to drill on or put pipelines on or other things. I thought the premise and story were well written and it's a very important story that puts missing Indigenous women at the forefront of it with an Indigenous woman as the MC. The book was action packed, mysterious, and it kept my attention throughout it.
The only issues I had with the book were that I didn't like all the smaller plot points, the basic filler pieces. I was also left wanting more from this story. I really hope this becomes a series because I'd love to see Starr return to a book and solve another mystery.
Verdict: I loved it a lot! Definitely picking up a copy.
Book: Mask of the Deer Woman
Author: Laurie L. Dove
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Indigenous Author, Indigenous MC and characters
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: mystery readers, thriller readers, Indigenous story readers, horror readers
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 18+ (alcohol, drug use, alcoholism, animal violence, animal death, language, racism, child death, rape, violence, death, murder)
Explanation of CWs: Alcohol and alcoholism are mentioned and shown in this book. There is some drug use mentioned. There are scenes detailing animal violence and death. There is cursing in this book. There are scenes of racism and violence. There is a child death mentioned along with other deaths mentioned and shown. Rape is mentioned. Murder is mentioned and investigated.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: No Body, No Crime
Synopsis: To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself. At rock bottom following her daughter’s murder, ex-Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation that raised him, but they need a new tribal marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home. In the last decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some dead, others just… gone. Now, local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save. Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her. What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.
Review: I loved this thriller/mystery book. The story is about a down and out detective, who's basically put on this case as the new Tribal Marshall to a reservation that she's not been back to in a long time, to placate the mother of a missing young college student. What Starr uncovers through her research though is much larger and shows a much bigger problem than what she and others originally thought. I loved that it actually discussed the multiple issues that Indigenous persons in America are currently facing, the biggest being the epidemic of missing and murdered women and the second being the issue of companies and governments wanting to abuse and steal Native land to drill on or put pipelines on or other things. I thought the premise and story were well written and it's a very important story that puts missing Indigenous women at the forefront of it with an Indigenous woman as the MC. The book was action packed, mysterious, and it kept my attention throughout it.
The only issues I had with the book were that I didn't like all the smaller plot points, the basic filler pieces. I was also left wanting more from this story. I really hope this becomes a series because I'd love to see Starr return to a book and solve another mystery.
Verdict: I loved it a lot! Definitely picking up a copy.
The Getaway List by Emma Lord
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Getaway List
Author: Emma Lord
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Puerto Rican character, MLM romance between side characters, queer characters mentioned
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, friends to lovers, "one day in NYC" but with a spin, coming of age
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: January 23, 2024
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 314
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, romance, sex discussion, running away, borderline child neglect/abandonment/abuse, bullying, alcohol consumption)
Explanation of CWs: There is some slight cursing in the book. There is very slight romance and mentions of sex as a topic of conversation. There is a run-away scene and there is some discussion of the MCs' parents and some of the issues brought up (one mom never being there because she travels for work and another pressuring/forcing one of the MCs into many and various activities) might border on neglect/abandonment (depending on state laws) and slightly abusive. There is also some bullying mentioned and some alcohol consumption shown.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: Never Grow Up
Synopsis: The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.
Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.
Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.
Review: Overall, I thought it was a good book. The book centers on Riley, who's been in a little bit of trouble with her best friend before he moved away (Tom), and so for the past couple of years her mom's been pressuring her and bouncing her between multiple activities and jobs, anything to keep her busy. She tries, but she's obviously burnt out and decides, after a particularly heinous fight with her mom, to go visit Tom up in NYC. The majority of the book takes place in NYC and focuses on her and Tom completing this "getaway" list that they started writing years ago when Tom first moved away. As the duo completes each task it becomes that much harder for Riley to want to return home, but for Tom it becomes that much easier to want to move away from the city that's done nothing for him since his mom's basically dropped him off to go chase her director dreams elsewhere. I thought the book was a fun spin on the "one day in NYC" trope and I loved seeing the romance between Riley and Tom grow.
However, I felt like the pacing was very random. It bounced between fast and slow a lot and the plot felt evasive in multiple sections. The book started out so strong, but then it just lost all steam about 25% into it until about 90% in. I feel like this book could have been much shorter to keep that steam, as the pair completed the list before the end of the book, but that it had to be elongated to make it the minimum page count for a YA book. It's really frustrating to me because I like this trope of running away to NYC to discover yourself, I find it very poetic, but I didn't feel like this book really captured that magic particularly well.
Verdict: It was ok, not a reread for me but it might be a great read for you!
Book: The Getaway List
Author: Emma Lord
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Puerto Rican character, MLM romance between side characters, queer characters mentioned
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, friends to lovers, "one day in NYC" but with a spin, coming of age
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: January 23, 2024
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 314
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, romance, sex discussion, running away, borderline child neglect/abandonment/abuse, bullying, alcohol consumption)
Explanation of CWs: There is some slight cursing in the book. There is very slight romance and mentions of sex as a topic of conversation. There is a run-away scene and there is some discussion of the MCs' parents and some of the issues brought up (one mom never being there because she travels for work and another pressuring/forcing one of the MCs into many and various activities) might border on neglect/abandonment (depending on state laws) and slightly abusive. There is also some bullying mentioned and some alcohol consumption shown.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: Never Grow Up
Synopsis: The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.
Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.
Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.
Review: Overall, I thought it was a good book. The book centers on Riley, who's been in a little bit of trouble with her best friend before he moved away (Tom), and so for the past couple of years her mom's been pressuring her and bouncing her between multiple activities and jobs, anything to keep her busy. She tries, but she's obviously burnt out and decides, after a particularly heinous fight with her mom, to go visit Tom up in NYC. The majority of the book takes place in NYC and focuses on her and Tom completing this "getaway" list that they started writing years ago when Tom first moved away. As the duo completes each task it becomes that much harder for Riley to want to return home, but for Tom it becomes that much easier to want to move away from the city that's done nothing for him since his mom's basically dropped him off to go chase her director dreams elsewhere. I thought the book was a fun spin on the "one day in NYC" trope and I loved seeing the romance between Riley and Tom grow.
However, I felt like the pacing was very random. It bounced between fast and slow a lot and the plot felt evasive in multiple sections. The book started out so strong, but then it just lost all steam about 25% into it until about 90% in. I feel like this book could have been much shorter to keep that steam, as the pair completed the list before the end of the book, but that it had to be elongated to make it the minimum page count for a YA book. It's really frustrating to me because I like this trope of running away to NYC to discover yourself, I find it very poetic, but I didn't feel like this book really captured that magic particularly well.
Verdict: It was ok, not a reread for me but it might be a great read for you!
The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book from my local library. Go check out a book today! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Beauty of Your Face
Author: Sahar Mustafah
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Palestinian American MC and characters, Palestinian characters,
Recommended For...: Contemporary readers, fiction, religion
Publication Date: April 7, 2020
Genre: Contemporary
Age Relevance: 16+ (abuse (emotional and physical), attempted suicide, racism, islamaphobia, gun violence, violence, alcoholism mentioned, school shooting, anxiety attacks, religion (Islam), alt-right propaganda)
Explanation of Above: There are showings and mentions of emotional and physical abuse, gun violence, and violence in general. A school shooting is involved in the prominent plot of the book. There is an attempted suicide detailed. Racism and especially islamaphobia is mentioned and shown. There are anxiety attacks on page. The Islamic religion is proudly shown throughout the book and the book does focus some on the wrestling faith of the MC’s religion. There are mentions of alt-right propaganda that leads to the school shooting in the book as well.
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company
Pages: 312
Synopsis: A Palestinian American woman wrestles with faith, loss, and identity before coming face-to-face with a school shooter in this searing debut. A uniquely American story told in powerful, evocative prose, The Beauty of Your Face navigates a country growing ever more divided. Afaf Rahman, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, is the principal of Nurrideen School for Girls, a Muslim school in the Chicago suburbs. One morning, a shooter—radicalized by the online alt-right—attacks the school. As Afaf listens to his terrifying progress, we are swept back through her memories: the bigotry she faced as a child, her mother’s dreams of returning to Palestine, and the devastating disappearance of her older sister that tore her family apart. Still, there is the sweetness of the music from her father’s oud, and the hope and community Afaf finally finds in Islam. The Beauty of Your Face is a profound and poignant exploration of one woman’s life in a nation at odds with its ideals.
Review: I absolutely loved this book. I thought it was a very powerful story about the resilience of the MC (and in turn many people in the MC’s shoes) in the face of very hard things a child and person in general shouldn’t have to go through, such as a school shooting and bigotry. The book did well to bring in discussion about immigration and xenophobia, as well as general racism and Islamaphobia. The book also discussed mental-health struggles, grief, and addiction that are all intermingled in the pain of moving to America from their old home. The book kind of had a back and forth manner, going between the MC’s life of when her family were fresh in America and when she’s at the school shooting. It did kind of feel like two different stories in one book, but I liked how the author blended them into this tale. I really thought this book was very well written and well done in general.
The only thing I would say that I didn’t like about the book is the way the book was wrote. I’m not a big prose person, so it was a bit of a challenge for me to overcome, but I did like the book regardless.
Verdict: I highly recommend it.
Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini
Verdict: It was intriguing, but I think it could have been better.
slow-paced
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this e-book and early audiobook copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Fractal Noise
Author: Christopher Paolini
Book Series: Fractalverse Book 0
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Adult readers, sci-fi, space
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Genre: Sci-Fi
Age Relevance: 18+ (grief, child death, death, colonization, Christianity, violence, animal attack, slight romance)
Explanation of Above: There are scenes and discussions about grief, child death, and death in general. An animal attack is mentioned. There are discussions about colonization in the name of religion and Christianity is vaguely mentioned. There are also scenes of violence and slight romance.
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 286
Synopsis: July 25th, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly. On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII:a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide. Its curve not of nature, but design. Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why. But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space. For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe. Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last. And the ghosts of their past follow.
Review: Overall, I thought this was a pretty good book. I thought the book did ok in setting the stage for To Sleep in a Sea of Stars and I was intrigued throughout the journey about how the two books would connect. I liked the world building and the character development. I also liked all of the discussions about the harms of colonization and if the crew should even be doing this in the first place. It was an interesting read that kept me coming back time and time again.
Book: Fractal Noise
Author: Christopher Paolini
Book Series: Fractalverse Book 0
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Adult readers, sci-fi, space
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Genre: Sci-Fi
Age Relevance: 18+ (grief, child death, death, colonization, Christianity, violence, animal attack, slight romance)
Explanation of Above: There are scenes and discussions about grief, child death, and death in general. An animal attack is mentioned. There are discussions about colonization in the name of religion and Christianity is vaguely mentioned. There are also scenes of violence and slight romance.
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 286
Synopsis: July 25th, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly. On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII:a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide. Its curve not of nature, but design. Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why. But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space. For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe. Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last. And the ghosts of their past follow.
Review: Overall, I thought this was a pretty good book. I thought the book did ok in setting the stage for To Sleep in a Sea of Stars and I was intrigued throughout the journey about how the two books would connect. I liked the world building and the character development. I also liked all of the discussions about the harms of colonization and if the crew should even be doing this in the first place. It was an interesting read that kept me coming back time and time again.
However, I would honestly say that the book was much slower and not as interesting as the main book in this series. The pacing was painfully slow and by the end of the book I was questioning myself on why this book was entirely necessary.
Verdict: It was intriguing, but I think it could have been better.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
However, I did think that there were some issues with the book. I thought the pacing was a bit off in places and I would have liked to see issues that are found in the real world be brought into the book. I think that it would have done good to analyze those within the context of this world, but that's just me.
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this as an arc from the publisher and then got my own finished copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Fourth Wing
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Book Series: The Empyrean
Rating: 4/5
Spice Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Main Character with Ehlers Danlos, Sapphic Side Character, Bisexual Side Character, POC Characters, Deaf Side Character
Recommended For...: Adult books, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy, Dragons, Academy, New Adult, High Fantasy
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Genre: Adult Romantasy
Age Relevance: 18+ (language, death, gore, violence, sexual content, sibling death, romance, drug reference)
Explanation of Above: There is cursing in this book. There is death and blood gore throughout the book. There are mentions of a sibling death. There is at least one drug reference. There is sexual content, including detailed sex scenes, and romance.
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Pages: 517
Synopsis: Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders. But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them. With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant. She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise. Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Review: I thought that this was such a fun book to read. I really liked that the main focus of the book at the beginning was getting to know the world and deep diving into this academy. I really liked all of the world building and how it seemed kind of straightforward, but a little weird, like this was maybe a writer's plot point that was lost. But then at the end of the book it becomes something more and you're like “Oh okay maybe my suspicions were correct”. I also liked the romance aspect of the book. I thought it was a really good enemies to lovers, she fell first he fell harder kind of twist on the trope. And for the most part I thought that it was just really fun. It didn't feel like I was reading a heavy romance book, but it felt more like I was reading a really good adventure with a lot of romance that was in it coincidentally.
However, I did think that there were some issues with the book. I thought the pacing was a bit off in places and I would have liked to see issues that are found in the real world be brought into the book. I think that it would have done good to analyze those within the context of this world, but that's just me.
Verdict: Overall I think if you're looking for something that's fun with some romance then this might be your book, but I wouldn't ignore those who have a lot of issues with where the world building comes from.
How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine
5.0
Disclaimer: I picked this one up at my local library. Support your libraries! All opinions are my own.
Book: How to Survive Your Murder
Author: Danielle Valentine
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Biracial character
Recommended For...: YA readers, Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Murder Mystery, Flash Sideways, Time Travel
Publication Date: August 30, 2022
Genre: YA Horror
Age Relevance: 16+ (gore, body horror, underage alcohol consumption, alcoholism, affair, language, romance, underage/potentially illegal relationship)
Explanation of Above: The book focuses on a lot of murders, so there is a lot of blood gore and some body horror. Underage alcohol consumption is mentioned and alcoholism in an adult is also mentioned. An affair is mentioned. There is some cursing. There is a slight romance. There is a point where an underage and possibly illegal relationship between an older adult male and at least one younger female in high school is mentioned and that becomes a plot point. This is not shown in a good context, but I’m not sure of the legality of this relationship and the book doesn’t mention it as well.
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 299
Synopsis: Alice Lawrence is the sole witness in her sister’s murder trial. And in the year since Claire’s death, Alice’s life has completely fallen apart. Her parents have gotten divorced, she’s moved into an apartment that smells like bologna, and she is being forced to face her sister’s killer and a courtroom full of people who doubt what she saw in the corn maze a year prior. Claire was an all-American girl, beautiful and bubbly, and a theater star. Alice was a nerd who dreamed of becoming a forensic pathologist and would rather stay at home to watch her favorite horror movies than party. Despite their differences, they were bonded by sisterhood and were each other’s best friends. Until Claire was taken away from her. On the first day of the murder trial, as Alice prepares to give her testimony, she is knocked out by a Sidney Prescott look-alike in the courthouse bathroom. When she wakes up, it is Halloween night a year earlier, the same day Claire was murdered. Alice has until midnight to save her sister and find the real killer before he claims another victim.
Review: I saw a review on this book that basically said "wtf was that ending?" and I have to agree cause WHAT THE F??? And in a good way! This book was such a good rollercoaster ride. It has the markings of any good horror film and I loved the Flash Sideways premise. The book kept me on the edge of my seat and while I had already clocked the murderer early on in the read, thanks ADHD pattern recognition, I was still so shocked when it was revealed. I absolutely love this book, the world building, the characters, and just everything about it. I want a sequel where Alice goes toe to toe to be Final Girl-ing it against the two baddies of this story again.
My only complaint is that the beginning does drag a little bit but I loved it regardless.
My only complaint is that the beginning does drag a little bit but I loved it regardless.
Verdict: Such an underrated Halloween book! Definitely pick this one up for your spooky reads!
Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
medium-paced
4.0
Disclaimer: I picked this book up from my local library! Support your libraries! All opinions are my own.
Book: Don’t Read the Comments
Author: Eric Smith
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: POC main characters, Queer characters
Recommended For...: YA readers, Contemporary, Romance, Gaming, Streaming, Realistic Fiction
Publication Date: January 28, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Age Relevance: 14+ (poverty, language, doxxing, sexual content, micro aggressive comments, assault, sexual assault, affair, WoW)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions and showings of poverty. There is some cursing in the book. The book focuses on a main character who is doxxed. Along with the doxxing, there are micro aggressive comments made to both main characters and assault is mentioned. There is slight sexual content in what a man says unwarranted to female main and side characters. Sexual assault is briefly mentioned less than a handful of times, nothing is explicit said or mentioned in both instances. Cheating/affair is mentioned, nothing is shown. World of Warcraft (WoW), which has been, since the publication of this book, outted as having a hostile work environment that fostered toxic behavior towards female employees, was mentioned in a positive light once in the book.
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 368
Synopsis: Divya Sharma is a queen. Or she is when she’s playing Reclaim the Sun, the year’s hottest online game. Divya—better known as popular streaming gamer D1V—regularly leads her #AngstArmada on quests through the game’s vast and gorgeous virtual universe. But for Divya, this is more than just a game. Out in the real world, she’s trading her rising-star status for sponsorships to help her struggling single mom pay the rent. Gaming is basically Aaron Jericho’s entire life. Much to his mother’s frustration, Aaron has zero interest in becoming a doctor like her, and spends his free time writing games for a local developer. At least he can escape into Reclaim the Sun—and with a trillion worlds to explore, disappearing should be easy. But to his surprise, he somehow ends up on the same remote planet as celebrity gamer D1V. At home, Divya and Aaron grapple with their problems alone, but in the game, they have each other to face infinite new worlds…and the growing legion of trolls populating them. Soon the virtual harassment seeps into reality when a group called the Vox Populi begin launching real-world doxxing campaigns, threatening Aaron’s dreams and Divya’s actual life. The online trolls think they can drive her out of the game, but everything and everyone Divya cares about is on the line… And she isn’t going down without a fight.
Review: I really liked this book overall. I thought that the book did really good to convey the issues that a lot of female gamers, especially those who have their own platforms in the game of community, experience online and offline. There is a history in the gaming community of targeting female, BIPOC, and/or queer members in the community. Even those who just play games and don't have any content online relating to gaming are often targets of harassment by majority white men (but some women, BIPOC, and/or queer persons as well) who believe that they are superior to those they target. In that respect, I thought that the world building and the character development was really well done in this book. The romance was also super cute and I was really rooting for them at the end. And while I don't think that the book showed a good way to get over online and offline harassment, because in the real world police are not that forthcoming with their help especially to those who have been sexually assaulted or hate-crimed against, I did like that there was at least some solution to this issue in the book.
However, I would have liked to see a more realistic solution to this for those younger people who are reading the book and might be experiencing the same thing in real life. I thought that it was just tied up a little bit too neatly at the end and that the reference to WoW was a bit out of left field given what they have had occur at their company. The book came out before the walk-off due to sexual harassment within the company; however, I would like to see future editions of this book cut that reference out completely and replace it with something else. In short, I did like this book quite a lot but I would like to see another version maybe with these same characters but in dealing with the issues that they face in this book without the help of police.
However, I would have liked to see a more realistic solution to this for those younger people who are reading the book and might be experiencing the same thing in real life. I thought that it was just tied up a little bit too neatly at the end and that the reference to WoW was a bit out of left field given what they have had occur at their company. The book came out before the walk-off due to sexual harassment within the company; however, I would like to see future editions of this book cut that reference out completely and replace it with something else. In short, I did like this book quite a lot but I would like to see another version maybe with these same characters but in dealing with the issues that they face in this book without the help of police.
Verdict: It was good, I just wish that the solutions in this book were something that real persons could rely upon to help them with any similar predicaments they face online, especially in the gaming community.
Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
4.5
Disclaimer: I got this copy from the library. Support your local libraries! All opinions are my own.
Book: Practice Makes Perfect
Author: Sarah Adams
Book Series: When in Rome 2
Rating: 4.5/5
Spice Rating: 1/5
Diversity: MC with Social Anxiety, gay couple background characters
Recommended For...: Adult Readers, Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Closed Door Romance, Fade to Black Romance, New Adult
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Relevance: 17+ (alcohol consumption, sexual content, romance, language, grief, sickness, parental death, emotional abuse)
Explanation of Above: There are scenes showing alcohol consumption. Romance and very slight sexual content is shown. The book is fade to black romance. There is some slight cursing. There are scenes showing grief and discussing parental death that happened offscreen. There are scenes showing sickness and mentioning vomit. Emotional abuse by parents is detailed in a scene.
Publisher: Dell
Pages: 335
Synopsis: Annie Walker is on a quest to find her perfect match—someone who complements her happy, quiet life running the local flower shop in Rome, Kentucky. But finding her dream man may be harder than Annie imagined. Everyone knows everyone in her hometown, and the dating prospects are getting fewer by the day. After she overhears her latest date say she is “so unbelievably boring,” Annie starts to think the problem might be her. Is it too late to become flirtatious and fun like the leading ladies in her favorite romance movies? Maybe she only needs a little practice . . . and Annie has the perfect person in mind to be her tutor: Will Griffin.
Will—the sexy, tattooed, and absolutely gorgeous bodyguard—is temporarily back in Rome, providing security for Amelia Rose as excitement builds for her upcoming marriage to Noah Walker, Annie’s brother. He has one personal objective while on the job: stay away from Annie Walker and any other possible attachments to this sleepy town. But no sooner than he gets settled, Will finds himself tasked with helping Annie find the love of her life by becoming the next leading lady of Rome, Kentucky. Will wants no part in changing the sweet and lovely Annie. He knows for a fact that some stuffy, straitlaced guy won’t make her happy, but he doesn’t have the heart to say no.
Amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational” tutoring lessons, Annie discovers there are more layers to Will’s usual stoic attitude. As the lines of their friendship become dangerously blurred, Annie reconsiders her dream guy. Maybe her love life doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be real.
Review: I thought overall that this was a very cute book, especially if you were looking for a romance book that doesn't have a lot of heavy sex scenes or really any sex scenes in it. This book focuses on Annie who is the sister of Noah from the previous book When in Rome. And it also focuses on her love interest, Will, who works with Amelia, also from the last book. The book is a fade-to-black romance book which means that you won't get any graphic detail about sexual content and anything that is in the book potentially is very slightly mentioned. I thought the book was really engaging and I really liked it, moreso over When in Rome. I really connected with Annie as I also have social anxiety and I just thought that their love was super cute and romantic. I thought that the writing style had dramatically improved since the previous book and the world building was so much more in depth in this book.
The only thing I can really fault the book on was that I thought that it could use a little more at the end. It just kind of went that they got together (spoiler alert, but this is the romance book lol). And then it was over. I just wanted like a little bit more at the end and I wanted maybe some of the middle fluff cut out.
The only thing I can really fault the book on was that I thought that it could use a little more at the end. It just kind of went that they got together (spoiler alert, but this is the romance book lol). And then it was over. I just wanted like a little bit more at the end and I wanted maybe some of the middle fluff cut out.
Verdict: Overall I really liked it.