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popthebutterfly's reviews
2495 reviews
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
5.0
Rating: 5/5
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, suicide trigger warning)
Pages: 435
Author Website
Amazon Link
Disclaimer: None, I bought my own copy!
Synopsis: Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.
Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.
Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.
Meet the book that made me run out and buy a robe and sickle. I am now a Scythe (in my mind) and I will glean without bias and malice. Seriously though this book was written so intelligently. The characters were amazing and well developed. The plot and pacing were awesome. I can’t recommend this book enough if you love dystopians. I can’t think of anything else to describe how amazing this book was and how beautiful it fits into the dystopian world along side of classics like The Hunger Games and Divergent.
However, I do have to say that the book does have some big ex machina moments that made some of the more unbelievable moments in the book solvable out of the blue. However, if you don’t mind these types of things then this book is an enjoyable read.
Verdict: Glean without malice and bias. Also go read this amazing book.
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, suicide trigger warning)
Pages: 435
Author Website
Amazon Link
Disclaimer: None, I bought my own copy!
Synopsis: Two teens must learn the “art of killing” in this Printz Honor–winning book, the first in a chilling new series from Neal Shusterman, author of the New York Times bestselling Unwind dystology.
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery: humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now Scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.
Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.
Scythe is the first novel of a thrilling new series by National Book Award–winning author Neal Shusterman in which Citra and Rowan learn that a perfect world comes only with a heavy price.
Meet the book that made me run out and buy a robe and sickle. I am now a Scythe (in my mind) and I will glean without bias and malice. Seriously though this book was written so intelligently. The characters were amazing and well developed. The plot and pacing were awesome. I can’t recommend this book enough if you love dystopians. I can’t think of anything else to describe how amazing this book was and how beautiful it fits into the dystopian world along side of classics like The Hunger Games and Divergent.
However, I do have to say that the book does have some big ex machina moments that made some of the more unbelievable moments in the book solvable out of the blue. However, if you don’t mind these types of things then this book is an enjoyable read.
Verdict: Glean without malice and bias. Also go read this amazing book.
The Shade of the Moon by Susan Beth Pfeffer
3.0
Rating: 3/5
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, gore, violence, death, trigger warnings for suicide and infant death)
Pages: 288
Author Website
Amazon Link
Disclaimer: None! This is my copy of this book!
Synopsis: It's been more than two years since Jon Evans and his family left Pennsylvania, hoping to find a safe place to live, yet Jon remains haunted by the deaths of those he loved. His prowess on a soccer field has guaranteed him a home in a well-protected enclave. But Jon is painfully aware that a missed goal, a careless word, even falling in love, can put his life and the lives of his mother, his sister Miranda, and her husband, Alex, in jeopardy. Can Jon risk doing what is right in a world gone so terribly wrong?
This is it! It’s the final book in the Life As We Knew It Series and I have feelings! Not a lot of them, but enough! Going into this book you’ll notice the voice is of Jon, Miranda’s younger brother, and it’s written in the same diary format but from third person like how Alex’s book was. The world was excellently well developed. The story plot and pacing are pretty well done and the writing is really well done in terms of making the book sound like it’s from Jon’s point of view.
However, there are some problems with this book. The characters are just thrown into this world without rhyme or reason, some characters were disposed of for little or no reason whatsoever. There were unnecessary plot twists that didn’t need to be in there. The previous main characters disappeared at the end of the book and nothing was really solved in the book. In essence, this wasn’t a satisfying ending for me and I’m slightly disappointed in this book.
Verdict: Read the ending, but don’t expect anything spectacular.
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, gore, violence, death, trigger warnings for suicide and infant death)
Pages: 288
Author Website
Amazon Link
Disclaimer: None! This is my copy of this book!
Synopsis: It's been more than two years since Jon Evans and his family left Pennsylvania, hoping to find a safe place to live, yet Jon remains haunted by the deaths of those he loved. His prowess on a soccer field has guaranteed him a home in a well-protected enclave. But Jon is painfully aware that a missed goal, a careless word, even falling in love, can put his life and the lives of his mother, his sister Miranda, and her husband, Alex, in jeopardy. Can Jon risk doing what is right in a world gone so terribly wrong?
This is it! It’s the final book in the Life As We Knew It Series and I have feelings! Not a lot of them, but enough! Going into this book you’ll notice the voice is of Jon, Miranda’s younger brother, and it’s written in the same diary format but from third person like how Alex’s book was. The world was excellently well developed. The story plot and pacing are pretty well done and the writing is really well done in terms of making the book sound like it’s from Jon’s point of view.
However, there are some problems with this book. The characters are just thrown into this world without rhyme or reason, some characters were disposed of for little or no reason whatsoever. There were unnecessary plot twists that didn’t need to be in there. The previous main characters disappeared at the end of the book and nothing was really solved in the book. In essence, this wasn’t a satisfying ending for me and I’m slightly disappointed in this book.
Verdict: Read the ending, but don’t expect anything spectacular.
Thornhill by Pam Smy
4.0
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery/Horror
Recommended Age: 14+ (death, psychological horror, trigger warnings for suicide)
Pages: 544
Author Website
Amazon Link
Disclaimer: I received this book through KidLitExchange! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: 1982: Mary is a lonely orphan at the Thornhill Institute For Children at the very moment that it's shutting its doors. When her few friends are all adopted or re-homed and she’s left to face a volatile bully alone, her revenge will have a lasting effect on the bully, on Mary, and on Thornhill itself.
2017: Ella has just moved to a new town where she knows no one. From her room on the top floor of her new home, she has a perfect view of the dilapidated, abandoned Thornhill Institute across the way, where she glimpses a girl in the window. Determined to befriend the girl and solidify the link between them, Ella resolves to unravel Thornhill's shadowy past.
Told in alternating, interwoven plotlines―Mary’s through intimate diary entries and Ella’s in bold, striking art―Pam Smy’s Thornhillis a haunting exploration of human connection, filled with suspense.
This is probably the most unique book I’ve read in my life. The book is told in duel POV. The present day is told entirely in picture format, the 1982 written version in diary format. I think this format works amazingly well for the book and I was able to connect to both of the girls. The writing was amazing, the plot was intriguing and the pacing was excellent. The world building for both time periods was also detailed and impressive as they were both done in different ways.
However, I do fear that some of the subject material in the book might be a little bit too mature for middle grade kids. The book deals with a lot of heavy topics and while I found it amazing, I do want to caution parents to make sure your child is emotionally mature enough for some of the warnings I listed above.
Verdict: Amazingly unique and dark. Perfect for the young horror fans.
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery/Horror
Recommended Age: 14+ (death, psychological horror, trigger warnings for suicide)
Pages: 544
Author Website
Amazon Link
Disclaimer: I received this book through KidLitExchange! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: 1982: Mary is a lonely orphan at the Thornhill Institute For Children at the very moment that it's shutting its doors. When her few friends are all adopted or re-homed and she’s left to face a volatile bully alone, her revenge will have a lasting effect on the bully, on Mary, and on Thornhill itself.
2017: Ella has just moved to a new town where she knows no one. From her room on the top floor of her new home, she has a perfect view of the dilapidated, abandoned Thornhill Institute across the way, where she glimpses a girl in the window. Determined to befriend the girl and solidify the link between them, Ella resolves to unravel Thornhill's shadowy past.
Told in alternating, interwoven plotlines―Mary’s through intimate diary entries and Ella’s in bold, striking art―Pam Smy’s Thornhillis a haunting exploration of human connection, filled with suspense.
This is probably the most unique book I’ve read in my life. The book is told in duel POV. The present day is told entirely in picture format, the 1982 written version in diary format. I think this format works amazingly well for the book and I was able to connect to both of the girls. The writing was amazing, the plot was intriguing and the pacing was excellent. The world building for both time periods was also detailed and impressive as they were both done in different ways.
However, I do fear that some of the subject material in the book might be a little bit too mature for middle grade kids. The book deals with a lot of heavy topics and while I found it amazing, I do want to caution parents to make sure your child is emotionally mature enough for some of the warnings I listed above.
Verdict: Amazingly unique and dark. Perfect for the young horror fans.
Love Like Sky by Leslie C. Youngblood
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from KidLitExchange and Disney Hyperion. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Genre: MG Contemporary
Recommended Age: 10+ (love, illness, and blended families)
Pages: 304
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Disney-Hyperion has bought debut author Leslie C. Youngblood's middle-grade novel Love Like Sky, as well as a sequel. Love Like Sky follows Georgie as she tries to find her place in her “blended-up” family, with both her parents remarried and a new teenage stepsister she'll do anything to win over. When a devastating illness strikes her stepsister, Georgie will do whatever it takes to make her better and bring her family together. Publication of the first book is scheduled for fall 2018.
While divorce and blended families are something of the norm in real life, in literature it’s still so obscure. I love how this book was so bold in making this the focal point of the novel. This will be sure to help kids who find themselves in similar situations. I also loved the character development and I thought the plot and writing was very well done as well.
However I thought that it lulled in some parts and that the pacing wasn’t very fluid throughout the novel. This didn’t hamper the reading experience overall for me, but it was a little jarring.
Verdict: Heart-wrenching book that will tear your soul out and stomp on it! Enjoy!
Rating: 4/5
Genre: MG Contemporary
Recommended Age: 10+ (love, illness, and blended families)
Pages: 304
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Disney-Hyperion has bought debut author Leslie C. Youngblood's middle-grade novel Love Like Sky, as well as a sequel. Love Like Sky follows Georgie as she tries to find her place in her “blended-up” family, with both her parents remarried and a new teenage stepsister she'll do anything to win over. When a devastating illness strikes her stepsister, Georgie will do whatever it takes to make her better and bring her family together. Publication of the first book is scheduled for fall 2018.
While divorce and blended families are something of the norm in real life, in literature it’s still so obscure. I love how this book was so bold in making this the focal point of the novel. This will be sure to help kids who find themselves in similar situations. I also loved the character development and I thought the plot and writing was very well done as well.
However I thought that it lulled in some parts and that the pacing wasn’t very fluid throughout the novel. This didn’t hamper the reading experience overall for me, but it was a little jarring.
Verdict: Heart-wrenching book that will tear your soul out and stomp on it! Enjoy!
A Room Away From the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this book for free through KidLitExchange. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (depictions/mentions of suicide, abuse, assault, dark humor)
Pages: 304
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Bina has never forgotten the time she and her mother ran away from home. Her mother promised they would hitchhike to the city to escape Bina’s cruel father and start over. But before they could even leave town, Bina had a new stepfather and two new stepsisters, and a humming sense of betrayal pulling apart the bond with her mother—a bond Bina thought was unbreakable.
Eight years later, after too many lies and with trouble on her heels, Bina finds herself on the side of the road again, the city of her dreams calling for her. She has an old suitcase, a fresh black eye, and a room waiting for her at Catherine House, a young women’s residence in Greenwich Village with a tragic history, a vow of confidentiality, and dark, magical secrets. There, Bina is drawn to her enigmatic downstairs neighbor Monet, a girl who is equal parts intriguing and dangerous. As Bina’s lease begins to run out, and nightmare and memory get tangled, she will be forced to face the terrible truth of why she’s come to Catherine House and what it will take for her to leave...
I was totally entranced again by the cover. It has purple on it! Anyways, now that I got that out of my system I have to say besides the cover the synopsis drew me in immediately. It sounds haunting and that’s my type of genre. Overall, I thought the book was pretty good. It had some really dark tones and the character development was amazing.
However, I just felt really disconnected with the book. I couldn’t keep up with what was happening at all and I found myself confused a lot while reading this. The pacing was just kind of everywhere and there really wasn’t any world building. I find myself really disliking books that don’t explain the magic or the backstory of the book and I found that to be the problem in this book. It’s one thing to leave a character in the dark, but I as a reader want to know what’s going on.
Verdict: Dark and haunting, perfect for slumber parties!
Rating: 3/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (depictions/mentions of suicide, abuse, assault, dark humor)
Pages: 304
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Bina has never forgotten the time she and her mother ran away from home. Her mother promised they would hitchhike to the city to escape Bina’s cruel father and start over. But before they could even leave town, Bina had a new stepfather and two new stepsisters, and a humming sense of betrayal pulling apart the bond with her mother—a bond Bina thought was unbreakable.
Eight years later, after too many lies and with trouble on her heels, Bina finds herself on the side of the road again, the city of her dreams calling for her. She has an old suitcase, a fresh black eye, and a room waiting for her at Catherine House, a young women’s residence in Greenwich Village with a tragic history, a vow of confidentiality, and dark, magical secrets. There, Bina is drawn to her enigmatic downstairs neighbor Monet, a girl who is equal parts intriguing and dangerous. As Bina’s lease begins to run out, and nightmare and memory get tangled, she will be forced to face the terrible truth of why she’s come to Catherine House and what it will take for her to leave...
I was totally entranced again by the cover. It has purple on it! Anyways, now that I got that out of my system I have to say besides the cover the synopsis drew me in immediately. It sounds haunting and that’s my type of genre. Overall, I thought the book was pretty good. It had some really dark tones and the character development was amazing.
However, I just felt really disconnected with the book. I couldn’t keep up with what was happening at all and I found myself confused a lot while reading this. The pacing was just kind of everywhere and there really wasn’t any world building. I find myself really disliking books that don’t explain the magic or the backstory of the book and I found that to be the problem in this book. It’s one thing to leave a character in the dark, but I as a reader want to know what’s going on.
Verdict: Dark and haunting, perfect for slumber parties!
The Heart of Aleppo: A Story of the Syrian Civil War by Ammar Habib
4.0
Disclaimer: I got this book on Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: July 26th, 2018
Genre: Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, some mature themes)
Pages: 252
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: After standing for over 7,000 years, Aleppo's ruin came overnight.
Separated from his family during the night the rebels attacked the city, thirteen-year-old Zaid Kadir is lost in the middle of a war zone. Alongside his friends, he is forced to survive the dangers of a civil war he does not even fully understand. Zaid witnesses the destruction of the brutal Syrian Civil War as it grows more deadly by the day and rips his city apart. However, as he braves this destruction, as he desperately tries to survive this catastrophe, he discovers something. Zaid realizes that it is in the darkest hours when humanity's spirit of hope burns brightest.
For the most part I thought this book was beautifully well written and I thought the message behind the book was really powerful and present throughout the book. I felt that the world building was really well done as well and that overall the plot was really well developed and entertaining.
However, I do feel like this book exhausted me? Like it felt too dramatic at times and I feel like I’ve run a marathon with how emotional this book was.
Verdict: Emotional to a fault?
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: July 26th, 2018
Genre: Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, some mature themes)
Pages: 252
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: After standing for over 7,000 years, Aleppo's ruin came overnight.
Separated from his family during the night the rebels attacked the city, thirteen-year-old Zaid Kadir is lost in the middle of a war zone. Alongside his friends, he is forced to survive the dangers of a civil war he does not even fully understand. Zaid witnesses the destruction of the brutal Syrian Civil War as it grows more deadly by the day and rips his city apart. However, as he braves this destruction, as he desperately tries to survive this catastrophe, he discovers something. Zaid realizes that it is in the darkest hours when humanity's spirit of hope burns brightest.
For the most part I thought this book was beautifully well written and I thought the message behind the book was really powerful and present throughout the book. I felt that the world building was really well done as well and that overall the plot was really well developed and entertaining.
However, I do feel like this book exhausted me? Like it felt too dramatic at times and I feel like I’ve run a marathon with how emotional this book was.
Verdict: Emotional to a fault?
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
5.0
Disclaimer: I bought this book on my own! Yay!
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: February 28th, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 13+ (violence, police brutality, mention of drugs, gun violence, rioting, the feeling that we’re not doing enough for kids, the anger of seeing an innocent cut down by someone who’s supposed to be protecting people not killing people, unfair and unjust death, racial profiling, racist attitudes and racism, acceptance, love, and oh my god just read this book ASAP)
Pages: 438
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: "What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?"
Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed.
Holy shit what can I say about this book that hasn’t been said? From page one I knew that I would love this book and I’ve been purposely avoiding reviews so as to not taint my opinion of it. But for the THUG-athon hosted by @ninetieslibrary I had to read it (also because the movie is coming out on October 19th) and I just instantly fell in love. Starr is a character that you feel like could and would be your best friend. She has such honesty in how she speaks and she’s so realistic. At times when I was sobbing in this book I just wanted to hold Starr. I loved how diverse the characters were and how developed each of them were. The writing was powerful and you can tell Angie Thomas has a wonderful gift with words.
The only thing I wish the book had in it was more of a conclusion, but it was realistic in how the book ended. Things weren’t perfect, but they were okay for the time and that’s how life is.
Verdict: Go. Read. This. Book. Today.
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: February 28th, 2017
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 13+ (violence, police brutality, mention of drugs, gun violence, rioting, the feeling that we’re not doing enough for kids, the anger of seeing an innocent cut down by someone who’s supposed to be protecting people not killing people, unfair and unjust death, racial profiling, racist attitudes and racism, acceptance, love, and oh my god just read this book ASAP)
Pages: 438
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: "What's the point of having a voice if you're gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn't be?"
Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed.
Holy shit what can I say about this book that hasn’t been said? From page one I knew that I would love this book and I’ve been purposely avoiding reviews so as to not taint my opinion of it. But for the THUG-athon hosted by @ninetieslibrary I had to read it (also because the movie is coming out on October 19th) and I just instantly fell in love. Starr is a character that you feel like could and would be your best friend. She has such honesty in how she speaks and she’s so realistic. At times when I was sobbing in this book I just wanted to hold Starr. I loved how diverse the characters were and how developed each of them were. The writing was powerful and you can tell Angie Thomas has a wonderful gift with words.
The only thing I wish the book had in it was more of a conclusion, but it was realistic in how the book ended. Things weren’t perfect, but they were okay for the time and that’s how life is.
Verdict: Go. Read. This. Book. Today.
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
5.0
Disclaimer: I got this book on my own! Yay!
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 14+ (mentions of sex, mature scenes, violence, gore, death, suicide, attempted suicide, cyberbullying, mentions of drugs, a slightly abusive relationship, and mentions of school shootings)
Pages: 361
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?
Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.
From the first page I was hooked and really intrigued by this story. I felt that this might be an easily predictable book, but it kept me guessing from page one to page 361. Karen McManus not only has a talent for writing, but also a talent for thrilling and unguessable mysteries. The voice that she uses with each of the kids are unique and compelling as well. This book also perfectly captures the trials and tribulations of high school and adolescence and it doesn’t shy away from tough topics. Other than that, the characters are well developed and the pacing is spot on.
However, I do feel like we could have got more backstories from the suspects families and we could have had a more conclusive resolution with Cooper and Addy. But the open-ended ending feels that the author left room for there to be more books set in this universe, so maybe we’ll get a resolution one day.
Verdict: A thriller that will scare you this Halloween season!
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: May 30th, 2017
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 14+ (mentions of sex, mature scenes, violence, gore, death, suicide, attempted suicide, cyberbullying, mentions of drugs, a slightly abusive relationship, and mentions of school shootings)
Pages: 361
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.
Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.
Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.
Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.
Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.
And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?
Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.
From the first page I was hooked and really intrigued by this story. I felt that this might be an easily predictable book, but it kept me guessing from page one to page 361. Karen McManus not only has a talent for writing, but also a talent for thrilling and unguessable mysteries. The voice that she uses with each of the kids are unique and compelling as well. This book also perfectly captures the trials and tribulations of high school and adolescence and it doesn’t shy away from tough topics. Other than that, the characters are well developed and the pacing is spot on.
However, I do feel like we could have got more backstories from the suspects families and we could have had a more conclusive resolution with Cooper and Addy. But the open-ended ending feels that the author left room for there to be more books set in this universe, so maybe we’ll get a resolution one day.
Verdict: A thriller that will scare you this Halloween season!
The Halves of Us by Sydney Paige Richardson
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Rockstar Tours and The Parliament House. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 9th, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (mature scenes, slight gore, violence, curses, evillllll)
Pages: 377
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Twin Sisters: one destined to rule, one cursed to destroy.
Some say blood is thicker than water. But for twin sisters, Adie and Aura, their connection runs even deeper than blood.
After investigating a surprise attack carried out by dark souls controlled by the Wicked Willow, an evil residing in a neighboring region, Aura uncovers a family secret: she is the fulfillment of a curse placed upon her family centuries ago.
While Aura is destined to destroy their planet, Thindoral, Adie is fated to follow in their mother’s footsteps and become Ruler, but even Adie’s path comes with revelations. Dangerous premonitions plague her dreams, all depicting Thindoral’s demise at the hand of her sister.
As darkness takes control of her mind, Aura must determine whether defying fate and time is the choice that will seal her destruction, or if self-sacrifice will save all she holds dear. Meanwhile, Adie is faced with an impossible decision: save her sister, or protect their world?
I felt like this was a very solid and intriguing book. The plot was intriguing and the world building was amazing. I felt like the characters were pretty well developed and they had interesting backstories. I feel that I’m a sucker for sibling stories with curses and this book doesn’t disappoint in that department.
However, I do feel that this book had something missing. The writing didn’t let the reader see the events, but rather just showed us everything that was happening, and the book’s pacing was lacking. It was jarring and uneven in pace. I didn’t like the insta love in this book and for all of its good, I felt that the book could have been better in these areas.
Verdict: Good solid read for the most part.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 9th, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (mature scenes, slight gore, violence, curses, evillllll)
Pages: 377
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Twin Sisters: one destined to rule, one cursed to destroy.
Some say blood is thicker than water. But for twin sisters, Adie and Aura, their connection runs even deeper than blood.
After investigating a surprise attack carried out by dark souls controlled by the Wicked Willow, an evil residing in a neighboring region, Aura uncovers a family secret: she is the fulfillment of a curse placed upon her family centuries ago.
While Aura is destined to destroy their planet, Thindoral, Adie is fated to follow in their mother’s footsteps and become Ruler, but even Adie’s path comes with revelations. Dangerous premonitions plague her dreams, all depicting Thindoral’s demise at the hand of her sister.
As darkness takes control of her mind, Aura must determine whether defying fate and time is the choice that will seal her destruction, or if self-sacrifice will save all she holds dear. Meanwhile, Adie is faced with an impossible decision: save her sister, or protect their world?
I felt like this was a very solid and intriguing book. The plot was intriguing and the world building was amazing. I felt like the characters were pretty well developed and they had interesting backstories. I feel that I’m a sucker for sibling stories with curses and this book doesn’t disappoint in that department.
However, I do feel that this book had something missing. The writing didn’t let the reader see the events, but rather just showed us everything that was happening, and the book’s pacing was lacking. It was jarring and uneven in pace. I didn’t like the insta love in this book and for all of its good, I felt that the book could have been better in these areas.
Verdict: Good solid read for the most part.
Gazelle in the Shadows by Michelle Peach, Janet Wylie
3.0
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Book Publicity Services and the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3.5/5
Publication Date: April 26th, 2018
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: 15+ (suspense, violence, slight gore, kidnappings)
Pages: 327
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: In the mid 90s, Elizabeth Booth is a young British college student studying Arabic at Durham University. With some travel and work already under her belt, she excels at her studies and is sent to Damascus to immerse herself in the language. Taken aback by the generosity and kindness of the people there, she easy slips into a life in the ancient city. She has friends, her studies, and even a handsome boyfriend. But things aren't always what they seem. Soon, in a world where mistrust and disloyalty are commonplace, Elizabeth finds herself navigating a web of lies, betrayals, and even murder involving MI6, deadly terrorist factions, and the shadowy Syrian secret police.
I feel like this book is really well written and you can tell that the author has a knack for painting beautiful pictures. The way she writes the locations makes me want to go visit them and you can see she really has a love for this land. I felt for the most part this book was intriguing.
However, the way the book is wrote is really confusing. We have an opening scene from one point in time and then we go back in time to a different time. The book is very unevenly paced and the time jumps are weird. The first 200sih pages are really slow and methodical while the rest of the book is super fast paced and leaves you breathless. I felt that the relationship between the daughter and the father was concerning. The father was said to have called the girl a slut for kissing her love interest and it’s never really addressed again and at the end she pretty much longs for him. Nothing was really resolved in that regard and I felt uneasy about their relationship. I also felt uneasy about the whole family dynamic and I felt that was why the character is so naïve, but I also feel that she maybe shouldn’t have been that naïve in so many different areas. The book also didn’t feel that resolved at the end.
Verdict: A decent book with beautiful descriptions.
Rating: 3.5/5
Publication Date: April 26th, 2018
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: 15+ (suspense, violence, slight gore, kidnappings)
Pages: 327
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: In the mid 90s, Elizabeth Booth is a young British college student studying Arabic at Durham University. With some travel and work already under her belt, she excels at her studies and is sent to Damascus to immerse herself in the language. Taken aback by the generosity and kindness of the people there, she easy slips into a life in the ancient city. She has friends, her studies, and even a handsome boyfriend. But things aren't always what they seem. Soon, in a world where mistrust and disloyalty are commonplace, Elizabeth finds herself navigating a web of lies, betrayals, and even murder involving MI6, deadly terrorist factions, and the shadowy Syrian secret police.
I feel like this book is really well written and you can tell that the author has a knack for painting beautiful pictures. The way she writes the locations makes me want to go visit them and you can see she really has a love for this land. I felt for the most part this book was intriguing.
However, the way the book is wrote is really confusing. We have an opening scene from one point in time and then we go back in time to a different time. The book is very unevenly paced and the time jumps are weird. The first 200sih pages are really slow and methodical while the rest of the book is super fast paced and leaves you breathless. I felt that the relationship between the daughter and the father was concerning. The father was said to have called the girl a slut for kissing her love interest and it’s never really addressed again and at the end she pretty much longs for him. Nothing was really resolved in that regard and I felt uneasy about their relationship. I also felt uneasy about the whole family dynamic and I felt that was why the character is so naïve, but I also feel that she maybe shouldn’t have been that naïve in so many different areas. The book also didn’t feel that resolved at the end.
Verdict: A decent book with beautiful descriptions.