sydneysbooknook's reviews
216 reviews

The Faithless: Magic of the Lost, Book 2 by C.L. Clark

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.5

The Faithless is a perfect follow up to The Unbroken. It expands upon the events of the previous novel and takes them from Qazal to the heart of Balladaire, where somehow, the stakes become unimaginably higher. Tourraine and Luca's relationship is on unsteady feet as they both deal with the often conflicting needs of their nations. As we move to Balladaire, we see new players emerge in the conflict between Qazal and Balladaire, and even Balladaire and its own people. I can't wait to see what the third book holds!

The Unbroken by C.L. Clark

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense 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? Yes

4.0

The Unbroken follows two distinct POVs. One is Tourraine, a conscript in the Balladrian army, taken from her home of Qazal when she was a child, but now finds herself there once again as part of the oppressive army. The other is Princess Luca, the princess of Balladaire, who also finds herself in Qazal to help smoothe relations between the local people and the oppressive Balladrians. The two women's paths cross, their fates, and the fates of Qazal and Balladaire become irrevocably intertwined.

Presented as an epic fantasy, C.L. Clark writes an incredibly poignant commentary on the effects of colonialism. We get to see the perspectives of both the colonizer and the colonized, adding extra depth and complexity to the story.

Two Dark Moons by Avi Silver

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad tense 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? Yes

3.5

Two Dark Moons may be one of the most interesting books I have ever read, even if it may not be one of the best. In our current society, gender is usually assigned to a baby depending on its sex. In this novel, gender is assigned based on what moon (our equivalent of a month) the child is born under. This concept is incredibly intriguing and allows for an examination of gender and its place as a societal construction.

As for the book itself, it wasn't really my cup of tea. I didn't find it particularly well written, but I did like reading of the relationship between the main character Sohmeng, who is allosexual and aromantic, and Hei, who is agender. Avi Silver does an exceptional job of challenging both gender and sexual norms in the novel.

Olivia by Dorothy Strachey, André Aciman

emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 Olivia by Dorothea Strachey is a richly indulgent novel. It’s focus is very internal, focusing on the thoughts and feelings of the titular character as she discovers her awakening sexuality at a boarding school in England. More of a character study than a novel with much plot or action, I greatly enjoyed Strachey’s prose and the inner workings of Olivia’s mind. 

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

I loved everything about The Justice of Kings. The characters were all extremely well-written, with Helena being an exceptionally well-rounded narrator, able to question things around her, while still filled with flaws. Sir Konrad was also very interesting to read about. As a paragon of justice, he holds the world around him to high standards, but when his views are challanged, he must reassess what he knows and believes in.

What I found the most engaging was the way that this novel made me reassess my own beliefs, much like Sir Konrad. The overarching theme throughout the novel constantly questions the meaning of justice, who gets to pursue it, and why, and I found myself examining my stance on the subject.

The Justice of Kings is everything I look for when reading epic fantasy, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre!

Literacy Is Liberation: Working Toward Justice Through Culturally Relevant Teaching by Kimberly N Parker

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

 

Dr. Parker’s book is a bit different from what I normally review, but it is one of the most important books that I have ever read, especially in my preparation to be a secondary education teacher. The book discusses the fundamental idea that culturally relevant teaching should be the basis of all classrooms. It is our job as educators (or in my case, future educators), to create a classroom community where each individual respects each other’s culture and background that they bring into the space. It is the teacher’s job to take into account the cultures of each student and incorporate it into the curriculum so each student feels seen and valued. These ideas are most important for Black and POC students, who have historically been hurt and discriminated against within the education system. Literacy is Liberation is necessary for every educator to read in order to create a classroom environment where every student is treated with the respect that they deserve.

I also had the honor of speaking with Dr. Parker when she visited my class over Zoom to discuss her book. I want to end this with a quote that she says that, while it doesn’t necessarily relate to her book, is something I took to heart: “Do the things that light you up.” Becoming a teacher is something that lights me up and brings me joy, and I hope that everyone reading this also has something that makes them feel this way!

Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

 As much as I loved Ninth House, Hell Bent takes everything Bardugo wrote in the first novel and expands it to the next level. The stakes are higher, the antagonists are scarier, and the tensions are tense-er (if you will). Alex Stern is an admirable protagonist. Of course she has her flaws, but she works through and with them to help her friends at all costs. Turner and Dawes are excellent side characters (with Dawes being my favorite, as we’re almost the same person) that add so much life and flavor to the story. Once again, Leigh Bardugo writes another standout book, only second to the Six of Crows duology for me! 

The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? Yes

4.25

Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective tense medium-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? Yes

3.0

As the final entry of the Children of Time Trilogy, Children of Memory serves as the culmination of everything Tchaikovsky has worked so hard to build upon. What I loved about this book were the new perspectives added. Miranda added a depth of humanity to the novel, while Liff added childlike innocence and naivete that brought the story to a more personal level. All the different levels of the story also increased my interest. I was constantly surprised by the twists and turns that the story kept taking. At the same time, though, at times I felt incredibly confused by what was going on, by what was real or not real. I know most of it was intentional, but at points parts of the story felt too confusing to a point where I wanted to stop reading.

Overall though, I felt that as a conclusion, Children of Memory was very fitting and served as both extremely thought-provoking (moreso than its predecessors) and relevant to our current society.

Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet by Barbara Dee

emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I've heard great things about Barbara Dee's middle grade novels, so I'm so glad I read Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet. The novel follows seventh-grader Haven Jacobs as she experiences climate anxiety, which manifests in not only physical stress symptoms, but mental ones as well. Determined to make people care about the environment and its well-being as much as she does, Haven embarks on a plan to save the river located behind her school, which has become polluted in recent years. Haven is smart, empathetic, and admirable in her efforts to bring her town together to help the river, and the novel brings much-needed light to the small-scale (but not less important) effects of global warming and climate change with its focus on environmental activism. Haven Jacobs is a must-read for anyone who felt unheard in middle school and for those who wish to enact change in the world!