 3 stars
Cool concept, really loved the death lord angle. Annoyed as heck by the main character to the point where I wanted to skim…so, a mixed bag of thoughts here. Concept: ★★★★ Main character: ★ 1/2 Pacing: ★★★ Enjoyment: ★★★ Violeta Graceling and her brother, Arien, live in a wooded world filled with a mysterious blight. They live off of the long-suffering "goodness" of their adoptive mother, who works for the local villager as a painter for the village's important religious icons. It's a light versus the darkness, goodness versus shadow demons type of religion... and to Violeta and Arien's horror, every night Arien wakes to shadows coating his body. Violeta knows that if Arien could just wish the shadows away, they could be safe. Harsh control is the only answer to Arien's issue...right? (Oh dear) One day in the village, Arien is caught with his shadows by the visiting lord from the nearby Lakesedge estate: Rowan Sylvanan. Rowan Sylvanan might be close to Violeta's age, but he's already a nightmare story that parents warn their children about at night. He killed his whole family, they say. He's filled with evil, they say. Rowan takes one look at Arien and his shadows and makes the decision to take Arien home with him. And because Violeta is fiercely protective of her brother, Rowan begrudgingly takes her too. But neither the estate nor Rowan are what they seem, and Violeta's going to have to face certain truths whether she's ready for them or not... Sometimes, it's not really the book's fault or the reader's fault when the reading experience is "meh." Sometimes it's just....the main character. And for Lakesedge, my issues all circle around one thing: Violeta herself. I thought this world was cool. I loved the gothic atmosphere, the mystique of the estate, the dark shadow magic at the core of the story. I thought the ending in particular was spectacular. But.... I can't give this more than 3 stars, because for the first half of the book (and frankly, ok, the rest of the book too) I couldn't stand Violeta. When you have a first-person narration with only one POV, a lot of the story rests on that one main character and whether the reader can get behind them and their actions. And I just could not do it. Violeta was stubborn to the point of dumbness, prejudiced to the point of fear mongering, and at the end of the day she was also... weirdly reactionary to her own story? (Except for the very, very end where my complaint turns into a spoiler: (view spoiler)) I'm not sure if all of that stands up outside of my own personal opinions, but that was how I felt. Oh well. Another case of "it's not you, book, it's me!"
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 4.5 stars
Excellent atmosphere, loved the fresh take on a very different—and minimally inspired—Jane Eyre retelling. Loved the magic component, the haunted house, the Ethiopian-meets-gothic vibes… ahhh so good. Concept: ★★★★ Writing: ★★★★★ Atmosphere: ★★★★★ Pacing: ★★★★ First disclaimer: I have not read Jane Eyre. Second disclaimer: I did not go into this book wanting, or requiring, a faithful interpretation of Jane Eyre. Andromeda, or "Andi," is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. With a rough upbringing behind her, current poverty around her, and a very uncertain future ahead, Andi is out of options and in need of steady employment. So when an offer for a house cleansing comes her way riddled with warnings, she's too desperate to refuse. Andi arrives at Thorne Manor in the middle of the African desert with desperation and everything to gain. She needs to eradicate this manifestation at whatever the cost—she has nothing left to lose. But Thorn Manor, with its English colonialist design and history forced into the African landscape, is nothing like Andi's expectations. It's dark and freezing cold in the middle of the desert. It's filled with weird, misplaced furniture and false illusions. There's a sense of foreboding that Andi has never experienced despite all of her prior cleansings. And, to top it all off, the host of the manor is not at all like her expectations. Andi has a job to do. And as the servants keep disappearing (or worse) and the house creeps closer toward Andi with every breath, the stakes are too high to leave. Now add in a romance, a ghost story, and a claustrophobic atmosphere on par with Mexican Gothic, and you have a STORY. Don't let your guard down... Again, with my disclaimers at the beginning of this review aside, I thought this was a fantastic story. I read it over the course of one evening—and basically one sitting, if you don't count tea breaks! Within These Wicked Walls had truly fantastic writing. Most times for young adult fiction/fantasy, I am attached to the characters, plot, or world building more than I'm attached to the actual words and their structure themselves. But for this one, the writing itself stood out to me. I loved the sense of place conveyed through the sentence descriptions, Andi's presence on the page, and the great sense of dialogue and scene transitions. This sounds like I'm reviewing an academic paper or something (boring, I know) but I really wanted to call it out here. GREAT writing. I also thought that entire plot (romance, relationships, pacing, and all) was just.... chef's kiss. Really nice. I have no complaints besides a few spots that felt slowly paced. Why is it so hard to talk intelligently in reviews when you love something??? Sigh. Please take my badly-constructed word on this: this story is fantastic, it's atmospheric, and it's a fresh take on a very old concept with some much needed non-Western influences. I could see myself rereading this one every autumn. Pick this one up, gothic/ghost fans! Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.  4 stars
So I DNF'd this book years ago, but I guess I'm a different reader now, or maybe I just missed the magic the first time—because now it's a new favorite. Sometimes, second chances are worth it... Concept: ★★★★★ Plot/Pacing: ★★★★ Main character: ★★ Enjoyment: ★★★★ Scarlett and her sister, Donatella, live on an isle under the controlling rule of their abusive father. Scarlett believes in happy endings. Donatella...doesn't so much. So when their grandmother tells them tale after tale of the mysterious Legend, the man behind the magic of the realm's mystical Caraval game, Scarlett's the one who writes to Legend year after year. If Legend would only invite them to participate in Caraval, then Scarlett and Donatella could win the game and be granted the grand prize... one wish. No restrictions. For two girls with a very bleak future, winning Legend's elusive wish is one of their last shots at happiness. So when Scarlett's letter finally arrives with invitations, Scarlett and Donatella can't believe it. It's all about to begin, now. And remember, it's only a game.... (Right?) Filled with lush descriptions, fantastical and transportive scenes, and enough twists and turns to actually surprise this jaded YA reader more than once, Caraval was more than worth the read! My thoughts: Alright, so like I said from the beginning, this was a second-chance read for me. In 2018ish, I tried to pick this up and actually DNF'd it a few times within the first few chapters. I just couldn't get into it, the main character bothered me (I have a personal taste issue with really naively-written older teen characters), and I just. didn't. vibe. But then, this author came out with a spin-off series in this universe in 2021 called Once Upon a Broken Heart. And I totally loved it. It made me curious enough to give Caraval another shot—again—and see if anything good lay beyond the opening part of the book. Spoiler: a LOT of good things exist beyond the weak opener. So if you're like me, maybe give this one another shot.  5 stars
An empowering collection of stories centered on, created by, and honing in on women and nonbinary folks from all walks of life and backgrounds who have made a difference for women throughout the world. I loved this collection for its message, of course, but also for its diversity in artist renderings', stories, and sense of joyful empowerment. Concept: ★★★★★ Art styles: ★★★★★ Enjoyment: ★★★★★ Wonderful Women of the World is a new spin on an old form of female sharing and empowerment. When Wonder Woman came onto the comic book scene, there was a feature created by trailblazer Alice Marble from the years 1943 to 1954. It featured this very concept--short biographies and art highlighting real women and real stories, and how they were currently changing the world. Now it's 2021, our nonbinary friends have a seat at the table, and we're learning about the voices that changing the shape of our world today in meaningful ways. I absolutely loved this collection. There are some famous faces in here--Beyonce, Serena Williams, Malala Yousafzai, and Ruth Bader Ginsberg, to name a few—but the women and nonbinaries behind the curtain are also famous trailblazers in their own right. This collection is edited by the lovely Laurie Halse Anderson herself, and features art and stories from a large group of content creators. Some of my already-favorited authors included Melissa Marr (my Fae queen!), Marieke Nijkamp, and Kami Garcia. A powerful collection of diverse art, stories, and voices. Recommended for all! Many thanks to DC Comics for my copy in exchange for an honest review.  5 stars
Another adventure with Skunk and Badger?? We are blessed. This one took everything I loved about the first adventure and made it bigger and better. I love this adorable series. Characters: ★★★★★ Writing style: ★★★★★ Plot/Pacing: ★★★★★ This is the second adventure with Skunk and Badger. If you're new to the series, check out this one first! As a grown woman with no kids, I guess I'm an odd age demographic for this series, but let me tell you something: I absolutely loved this book. When people say "oh, this is perfect for ALL AGES!" sometimes what they mean is, it's perfect for kids but not dumb for adults to sit through. Well, Skunk and Badger's adventures in Egg Marks the Spot are truly for all ages. I loved this story and had no issues with it as an adult. The perfect, relaxing read to enjoy with a cozy cup of tea. In Egg Marks the Spot, Badger and Skunk are doing just fine as roommates in Aunt Lula's brownstone. Skunk's latest obsession is obtaining the book review portion of the "New Yak Times" (I love the references, guys, I LOVE them) and Badger is doing Important Rock Work in his rock room. But then, Skunk finds out that his previous neighbor, G. Hedgehog, is back in town and wants to steal his pages of the "New Yak Times Book Review" from him to "resume their previous arrangement." Skunk cannot stand for this - he must leave town for the week to get his mind off of this tragedy. So Skunk proposes a camping trip with Badger. Badger is all for this plan, as he loves exploring and looking for more rocks for Rock Science. In fact, it will give Badger the ability to look for a replacement agate for his collection. Several years ago, his precious agate was taken by his cousin, Fisher, never to be returned! So with Skunk avoiding G. Hedgehog and Badger avoiding thoughts of his stealing cousin, they set off into the woods. With some chickens, of course. (See the first book to get the low-down on the chickens.) But there's something special in the woods this time... and Badger and Skunk are not going to believe it! There, that's it. I'm not going to tell you anymore. Read it for yourself and love it! I know I did. Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for my copy in exchange for an honest review.  3.5 stars
This really worked for me, mainly because I’ve already ready the books it’s based on, but still. If you're ALSO obsessed with this era of history, then check this out! Another book to add to the canon of fiction and nonfiction centered on Chicago, the World’s Fair, and H.H. Holmes. Plot: ★★★★ Pacing: ★★★★ Characters: ★★★ Enjoyment: ★★★ 1890s Chicago. The World's Fair. All the glitz and glamour in the world focused on the Windy City...and yet something darker lurks the in streets beneath. Women are disappearing. They're never seen again. And too many signs point to the Castle, a new hotel built near the grounds of the Fair. Zuretta's sister, Ruby, left their small Utah town to escape to the wilds of Chicago to find a better life. When Ruby's weekly letters stop arriving, Zuretta knows something has happened. She goes to Chicago to investigate. Once in the city, Zuretta realizes that Ruby is not the only girl lost in Chicago...not by a long shot. And the men of the police force and the famous Pinkerton detective agency have bigger fish to fry than helping one country bumpkin find her naïve sister. When all signs point to the Castle hotel, Zuretta decides that she needs to infiltrate it from within. She becomes the Castle's new maid, under the watchful eye of the young owner... Henry Holmes. The Castle's winding, nonsensical architecture entraps Zuretta while the screams in the walls haunt her nights. What's going on at the Castle, and just who, exactly, is behind it all? Zuretta's going to find out—and hopefully escape with her life. Ok so right off the bat, this is another one of those books that I think is either going to really, REALLY work for people... or be a huge miss. It's a huge YES from me, but I think a lot of my enjoyment came from knowing way more about this story's real-life historical roots. If you've already read Erik Larson's Devil in the White City, then you're extremely primed to like this one too as The Perfect Place to Die is a "perfect" (couldn't resist that pun) young adult fictional companion to that story. However, if you've NOT read any of the supporting works (Devil in the White City, fictional renditions like Kerri Maniscalco's Capturing the Devil, etc.) then you're left with the main plot itself, which does have some quirks/weaknesses as it attempts to follow the historical accuracies. It's not the most dramatic of stories, and it's also not the most complex—but again, it's because it's following the historical blueprint. An interesting one for sure. I enjoyed the read and will definitely recommend it to the right audience. Many thanks to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.  3.5 stars
Becket's back with her "Beautiful Alerts" and charming life in the country with this latest installment focused on pets...as well as a poignant message on expectations. Characters: ★★★★ Plot/Pacing: ★★★ Enjoyment: ★★★ 1/2 All Pets Allowed is the second book in the Blackberry Farm series, but in good middle grade fashion it's a easy entry point for new readers looking for an adventure. Having just read the first book, The Becket List, in preparation for this read I found this second book to be a charming upgrade from the first novel—with lots of continued goodness as well as fresh looks at some of the characters and plot. Becket is a treat to follow. Her enthusiasm and near-eternal positivity are honestly surprising to me as a jaded, pessimistic adult—but that's not Becket's problem, that's on me! I loved being reminded of the optimism and resilience of children. It's an amazing thing. Overall, I really enjoyed Becket's second journey with her twin brother, Nicolas, and their adventures and unexpected speed bumps on the road toward pet ownership and facing expectations. As Becket would say, a "Beautiful Alert" for this beautiful story! Thank you so much to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.  4 stars
Fantastic setup for a series!! Wish the first half had been less boring. Poisons, mythology, secrets, creaky old mansions, and more—OH MY. Concept: ★★★★ Characters: ★★★★ Pacing: ★★ Last third of the book: ★★★★★ Briseis has a strange skill. A gift, maybe. Some might call it a curse. Growing up adopted in Brooklyn, Briseis and her two moms discover that she can grow any plant. She can rebirth a plant from its withered ashes. The plants also want to... be close to Briseis. In fact, whenever a plant is near her it literally moves to be closer. As you can imagine, this is a problem in the nonmagical world of our current times, and especially in the concrete jungle of New York City where every plant is noticeable. One day, Briseis and her moms receive a strange visitor claiming to be a solicitor from the small rural New York community of Rhinebeck. Briseis' birth mother, Selene, and Selene's sister, Circe, lived in an old mansion in the community and both have died recently. Briseis is the sole inheritor. So her family moves to Rhinebeck. Now surrounded by the ghosts of her birth family, a gothic mansion filled with secrets, and a mysterious garden on the property with a locked gate, Briseis is about to discover the true meaning of her abilities and just what, exactly, they're meant for. Cue the dramatic, suspenseful music! I thought This Poison Heart was awesome. Well, for for the first half, not so much. I was bored silly. In order to give this large plot its proper setup—and to get Briseis from Brooklyn to Rhinebeck and more—we had to take a lot of time to build up the suspense and get to know all the players involved. While this totally makes sense, it made for an extremely boring opening read and made me slip into the assumption that this novel was going to be just like other YA traditional novels. It is NOT like your run-of-the-mill adventure. You just have to get past that part to realize it. Once the plot kicks off, this was awesome. I couldn't stop reading it, and I loved what the author brought into play for the next book. This series (duology? more?) is going to play with a lot of myths, magics, and more—and I can't WAIT!  4 stars
Starts off simple and slow, but once you fall into this story it is one word—mesmerizing. Writing: ★★★★ Plot/Pacing: ★★★ and ★★★★, depending on how far you are in the book Enjoyment: ★★★★ 1/2 So first off, for those who miss clear clues like me, this is the first book in a duology! It is not a standalone novel. Six Crimson Cranes is a beautiful, mesmerizing, and classic YA retelling tale that involves all the best elements of the genre and a few unique twists. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. When her stepmother, also possessing magic, discovers Shiori's secret, she curses Shiori and her six brothers. Shiori's brothers turn into cranes, and Shiori herself is cursed with silence and her identity is hidden by a covering on her head. They are then magically flung from the palace and separated. Once a princess, now a mute and unidentifiable girl in the rural countryside, Shiori is stuck and in need of a plan. She has to defeat her evil stepmother, break the curses on herself and her brothers, and save her kingdom from the outside forces who want to overthrow the land. It's a tall to-do list, that's for sure. But Shiori's endurance and sense of self are strong, and she knows she can do this. Armed with her sentient paper crane, Kiki, and a will to live, Shiori sets off on the adventure of a lifetime. (Shhh, I won't talk about it anymore. Go read it!) My thoughts: What? Amy loved a retelling? No way. Yes, way. I did. I thought this was a beautiful novel with quite a lot going for it. Six Crimson Cranes starts off extremely simple. In fact, for the first section of the plot I thought to myself, "oh boy, I don't think this will be a favorite. It's too classic." But I was wrong. Once you get into the plot itself, Lim's talent for detail, emotion, and simplistic—yet elegant—plot shines through. I was entranced by Shiori's struggle and coming of age moments. This reminded me of the best kinds of retellings, the old-school classic movies, the works. I also loved several things that are serious spoilers. Not going to touch on those in this review, but I'll say that this isn't as basic as you might assume, and just because the template is reminiscent of other fairytales does NOT mean that Lim takes us through the motions. There are some very cool and unique flips here. Blog | Instagram Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.  4.5 stars
This was a fantastic collection with very few duds for me. All taking place from sunset to sunrise... what a fun concept that left the authors with a LOT of wiggle room. (Also, isn't that deranged smile of mine the look of someone who has been "up all night" reading this?? Because that's what happened. For anthologies, I love to do a short breakdown for each story with individual star ratings. They're listed below! My top favorites were the stories by Kayla Whaley, Marieke Nijkamp, Tiffany D. Jackson, Julian Winters, and Kathleen Glasgow. Also, as a note, I am in love with the diversity in topics, sexuality, gender, race, physical abilities, wealth, and more in this collection. This truly felt like a representation for teens anywhere in the country. (All stories were USA based.) Never Have I Ever - Karen M McManus (4 stars) A classic game, an overnight party with band nerds...when one dare ends up with the group discovering their neighbor has been murdered, what's next? Like Before - Maureen Goo (3.5 stars) Three high school girls have fallen apart, and one third of their triangle is desperate to bring then back together. If she can just make them relive their memories, then everything will work out, right? RIGHT? Old Rifts and Snowdrifts - Kayla Whaley (5 stars) A wheelchair-bound teen and her ex-best friend are caught in his mom's florist shop during a dangerous snowstorm—it's time to unpack what led to their issues, and if there's something they can do about it. Con Nights, Parallel Hearts - Marieke Nijkamp (5 stars) The first, but not the last, story that made me tear up. One night, three friends are camping out before a convention. One of them wants to share their childhood trauma... and we see three parallel versions of that situation. Kiss the Boy - Amanda Joy (2.5 stars) A personal dud for me, but then I'm not a teen and my days of fretting over kissing boys and high school drama are behind me. A cute story amongst some harder-hitting ones. Creature Capture - Laura Silverman (3 stars) An overnight adventure featuring a Pokemon Go lookalike game, one girl who's convinced she's too weird to be a friend, and a very on-the-nose message about realizing that sometimes it's up to you to play the first move. Shark Bait - Tiffany D. Jackson (5 stars) Jackson's readers will know this story was always going to be a deep cut—and of course it was. A Black teen escaping reality at Martha's Vineyard with her boyfriend who can pass for white. A late-night accident. What now? A Place to Start - Nina LaCour (4 stars) Two new stepsiblings are left alone in their new, combined household while their moms go off to their honeymoon. Will they break down the walls, metaphorically or physically, before the morning? When You Bring a Dog to Prom - Anna Meriano (4.5 stars) Very cute post-prom situation that shows the blended and ever-complicated dramas of teens today. With some angst with a happy ending thrown in for some fun. This one made me tear up in a happy way. Missing - Kathleen Glasgow (4.5 stars) Even though this collection's concept was about stories taking place at night, for some reason I was surprised to see a horror story in here. I shouldn't have been! This creepy asylum adventure was chilling, seriously sad, and completely absorbing. What About Your Friends - Brandy Colbert (4 stars) An all-night dance marathon at a college takes a turn when our main character discovers one of her old best friends—who she ghosted the year before—is on the opposing team. Will emotions dance themselves out too? Under Our Masks - Julian Winters (5 stars) A cute and adorable geek story about a teen boy superhero and his crush, who is determined to stake out said superhero one night. Is it time for romance, or the truth about his identity? (Fans of TJ Klune's The Extraordinaries will LOVE this one.) The Ghost of Goon Creek - Francesca Zappia (3.5 stars) A loner "ghost hunter" girl ends up taking a group of teens out to a haunted spot one night. She thinks they're humoring her for weird reasons, when really they just want to get to know her. Cute, but a bit of let down after the earlier spooky story if I'm honest. Thank you to Algonquin for Young Readers for my copy in exchange for an honest review. |
Amy Imogene ReadsJust someone looking for her own door into Wonderland. Archives
April 2022
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All reviews posted are my own and do not reflect the opinions of any other individual or entity. When applicable, reviewed titles sent to me by the publisher are noted at the bottom of each review.
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