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thekhw's reviews
86 reviews
How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine
4.0
I read How to Survive Your Murder over the course of a weekend as I bounced between layover flights during my first solo international trip. Surprisingly, this was the first thriller I read this year and it definitely reminded me why I enjoyed reading thrillers so much.
This book follows a high school student who witnesses the murder of her sister on Halloween night. Flash forward a year later and she is set to testify against the man who did it. However, she is granted the ability to go back in time to try to establish a new timeline where her sister lives.
All I have to say is….some things are better left as they are. The plot twist in the end was quite interesting.
This book follows a high school student who witnesses the murder of her sister on Halloween night. Flash forward a year later and she is set to testify against the man who did it. However, she is granted the ability to go back in time to try to establish a new timeline where her sister lives.
All I have to say is….some things are better left as they are. The plot twist in the end was quite interesting.
The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna
5.0
I read the Gilded Ones sometime last year. This story follows Deka, a 16 year old anticipating the blood ceremony where she will find out if she will become a member of her community. If her blood runs red, she will be accepted. However, her blood runs gold and…she knows that will face horrific consequences because gold is the color of “impurity.”
Deka grows up and has to contend with living in a deeply patriarchal society that abuses and undervalues its women and girls. However, girls like Deka are recruited to serve in a special army to protect their empire from the “death shrieks,” monsters accused of trying to empire out. During this journey, Deka learns more about herself, including the fact that she’s an anomaly that holds more power than the girls surrounding her.
This was a really great story and I enjoyed the writing. It touches on some pretty deep issues like racism, xenophobia, misogyny, trauma, etc. However, there are also heartfelt moments that touch on sisterhood, alliances, self discovery, etc. The author also does well to go into detail to really paint a visual of the story.
The plot twist in the end was….something and it made me look forward to reading Book 2, The Merciless Ones.
Deka grows up and has to contend with living in a deeply patriarchal society that abuses and undervalues its women and girls. However, girls like Deka are recruited to serve in a special army to protect their empire from the “death shrieks,” monsters accused of trying to empire out. During this journey, Deka learns more about herself, including the fact that she’s an anomaly that holds more power than the girls surrounding her.
This was a really great story and I enjoyed the writing. It touches on some pretty deep issues like racism, xenophobia, misogyny, trauma, etc. However, there are also heartfelt moments that touch on sisterhood, alliances, self discovery, etc. The author also does well to go into detail to really paint a visual of the story.
The plot twist in the end was….something and it made me look forward to reading Book 2, The Merciless Ones.
The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna
5.0
In the Gilded Ones book, we learned that Deka, the 16 year old protagonist, was recruited to serve in a special army after her blood ran gold and she was deemed to be “impure.” Deka also learned that she possessed powers that the other girls around her did not.
After being tasked with destroying the “death shrieks” for good, Deka comes to realize that she had been lied to and that the death shrieks were not who she was told they were. She also learned that the Gilded Ones, four Goddesses that have painted to be evil, were in need of her help.
The Merciless Ones book immediately picks up where the first book ended and there is a lot of action as Deka tries to right her wrongs and free an entire empire from the patriarchal rule it suffered under.
However, in a plot twist…Deka learns that the Goddesses she had been defending and working for were also not who they claimed to be and she is left to make some difficult decisions, with her trusted group of friends in tow.
Book 2 was just as amazing and I can’t wait for book 3.
After being tasked with destroying the “death shrieks” for good, Deka comes to realize that she had been lied to and that the death shrieks were not who she was told they were. She also learned that the Gilded Ones, four Goddesses that have painted to be evil, were in need of her help.
The Merciless Ones book immediately picks up where the first book ended and there is a lot of action as Deka tries to right her wrongs and free an entire empire from the patriarchal rule it suffered under.
However, in a plot twist…Deka learns that the Goddesses she had been defending and working for were also not who they claimed to be and she is left to make some difficult decisions, with her trusted group of friends in tow.
Book 2 was just as amazing and I can’t wait for book 3.