"'Nightmares hunt like beasts of prey, vanquished in the light of day.'"

I think that beginning readers of YA fantasy would enjoy Beasts of Prey a lot more than I did.
Don't get me wrong, it was a decent book. The plot was fast-paced and there were plenty of plot twists. I loved the focus on fantasy "monsters" and I thought the atmosphere was cool. However, the plot wasn't particularly nuanced. I called one of the plot twists from chapter one, and another major twist from the moment a particular character was mentioned.
I liked Ekon's POV more than Koffi's just because I found her to be a bit annoying at times, but she was tolerable. I also liked the way that Ekon's OCD (I believe it has been confirmed that he has OCD and anxiety) was portrayed in his obsession with counting.
It was also great to read my cousin's annotations for the first time. They definitely made the book more enjoyable.
Overall, it was a good book but it wasn't my favorite.
Rating: 3.75/5

Don't let the innocent cover fool you; this book is about zombies and slavery.

Revelation is the first book in the new Poppet Cycle series, and it has some of the most unique dystopian world-building I've seen. The working class was defeated after an attempted revolution, and to prevent another rebellion, workers were replaced with reanimated corpses. Ellie is the heiress to the company that produces these "poppets," and so she sees no harm in the treatment of these robotic zombie-type creatures.
This book is much more thought-provoking than I expected. Court case briefings between each chapter really paint the world as horrific and there are certain scenes that reminded me a lot of Neal Shusterman's Unwind in that they made me sick to my stomach.
The world itself carried the book for me. The middle felt a bit slow and I didn't particularly love any of the characters, but the concepts present in the story kept me hooked.
If you're looking for a new kind of zombie story or a dystopian world that borders on horror, this book is for you.

3.5/5
Thanks to Netgalley for the free e-ARC!

"The rules are in place to control our emotions. Because if they control our emotions, they control our actions. And if they control our actions, they own us completely."

To say I was impressed by this book would be an understatement.
Nightshade Academy is if like R. F. Kuang's The Poppy War took place in a dystopian world. Twenty students are selected to take part in an intense military training program, but only five will make it through.
I thought the pacing was great and the plot was amazing. I found it hard to put down the book, especially after the 50% mark. It's full of twists and turns, most of which I did not predict ahead of time.
The characters were awesome as well. I loved the main trio the most. Yahshi reminded me a bit of generic YA boys from the early 2000s dystopian era at first, but he quickly distinguished himself with his curiosity and bravery. Vell was super cool and she reminded me a bit of Venka from the The Poppy War, but much nicer. Similarly, Pinto reminded me of Kitay but more anxious. The portrayal of their relationships as a whole was super realistic and I found myself caring deeply for each of them.
I also just found out that not only does the author have super cool official fanart (Pinto's character design is adorable), but there is a podcast where each character is voiced by a different actor and there are even sound effects! I listened to the first five minutes of the first episode, and in the future, I'd like to listen to the whole thing.
If you wanted more time at Sinegard during The Poppy War or if you're looking for a unique dystopian that plays on the lies the government hides from us, this series is not one you want to miss.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC.
4.5/5
(also...that ending????)

The nostalgia was strong with this one.

I'm going to be honest, this was sort of a bittersweet read for me. It wasn't my favorite PJO book by a long shot with low stakes and typical plot points. However, it brings back the original trio for yet another adventure.
I'd forgotten how much I missed Percy's humor, Annabeth's wit, and Grover's easygoing nature. While the crew of the Argo II remains my favorite group in the Riordanverse, the original trio is an easy runner-up.
It was a short and easy read, but as I mentioned above, there was something still ... off about it.
Riordan really just can't give Percy a break. From PJO to HoO to ToA and now the Chalice of the Gods set of books, Percy has been saving the world nonstop. As much as I love the world of Percy Jackson, can we please give Percy a break? I would love to see demigods from other cabins, especially with the events of HoO setting up for some cool new characters.
I still really enjoyed the book and I think it was a nice addition to the series, I just think Percy needs a break.
4.25/5 stars
Link to Libby Annotations

Dear Shakespeare,
You're really going to give me an adorable couple in the form of Antonio and Sebastian and then not let them get together????!!!

I really, really liked the concept for Twelfth Night at first. However, I think the fact that it was a comedy and not a tragedy was what really dragged it down for me.
The play focuses on the most convoluted love triangle I think I've ever seen before. The romance itself isn't horrible, it's the secondhand embarrassment I experienced every other chapter and the lack of other plot that ruined it for me.
I think this play had potential and I really liked the characters, but the plot was boring and I didn't find the humor funny (which I suppose is to be expected when it's 400 years old).
And the ending? First of all, let me make this clear: Antonio and Sebastian had more chemistry than all of the other characters combined and I refuse to believe that they're not soulmates. That being said, I think that a nice sapphic romance between Viola and Olivia would've been great. Instead, we get the least satisfying ending EVER.

Spoiler

Is Antonio alive? We'll never know, which makes me mad cause he was my favorite character by a long shot.

Cool idea, but it would've been better if it didn't try to be funny and actually had a plot.

2.5/5 stars

"Escapism was the pill we all swallowed to survive the uncertain times."

This was my first metaphysical fantasy and I think that it might personally not be my cup of tea.
I liked the beginning of the book and the creation of the dystopian world. I found Maya's existence in the dystopian world to be very relatable, and there was a fair amount of action.
But once she reached the utopian world, the action slowed to what felt almost like a standstill. I struggled to relate to Maya after that, and I didn't really like Björn either.
I think the author achieved the message she was trying to send and I'm sure that this book is great...if you're part of its intended audience.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free e-ARC!

3/5 stars

This is one of those books that you just have to read for yourself to understand why it's so great.

I've read Dark Rise twice now, and I am embarrassed to admit that I called more of the plot twists the first time around than the second (so I guess it's a good thing I reread it before the sequel releases).
I will admit that the middle can be a bit slow at times, but the ending is 110% worth it. Everything I want to say about the book would spoil it, so I won't say much.
Will and Violet are great main characters; Will is empathetic and sweet while Violet is strong and loyal. Cyprian grew on me, although I still don't really like Katherine. James is...well, James is James and while he's not my favorite, I can see book two easily changing that opinion.
What really hit home for me with this book though were the vibes. The plot was good, but it wasn't crazy and the characters were great but none of them really stood out as amazing. But the concepts? For some reason, I am a sucker for books where the characters fall victim to their predetermined fates and this story is no different. The idea of unavoidable prophecies and cycles of history repeating themselves are some of my favorite tropes. The excitement I have for book two is immeasurable.
Dark Rise is a great read for anyone looking for a dark fantasy with tons of plot twists and what I anticipate to be a wonderfully done slowburn enemies-to-lovers. (Please just read it I need to talk about it with someone.)
4.5/5
Link to Libby Annotations

Look, am I proud of the fact that this is the third book I've finished within a 24-hour period? Not particularly, but that's not the point.
In my defense, The Secret of the Ravens might be my new favorite graphic novel.
The artwork is freaking awesome and I love it so much. The story itself had me on the edge of my seat and I didn't want to put it down. This is only the first part of a series and I want book two desperately (even though this book just came out today).
Seb and Elliot are absolutely adorable and I would die for them. I love Liza too, and I really hope that she gets to shine in the next part. The characters are all surprisingly complex for the length of the story and I am so excited to see how they continue to grow.
Needless to say, this is probably going to be my newest obsession and I am not ashamed to admit that one of my new favorite series is a middle-grade graphic novel.
4.75/5

When I saw that She Who Rides the Storm was compared to There Will Come a Darkness, it immediately moved to the top of my TBR and less than a day later my hold was ready from the e-book library.
I'm honestly still not sure how I feel about this book. On one hand, it was a bit of a slog to get through. Some of the chapters in the e-book version I had were 68 pages long. Parts of it were relatively fast-paced while others I had to force myself to continue reading. But then I got to the end...
I did call one of the plot twists for ironic reasons (

Spoiler

I made a highlight saying that it was nice that Mateo's dad actually cared about him and then realized there was probably a reason for that

), but the other one I was completely blindsided by and I still can't believe it.
I think the main issue I had with the book was that it was advertised as a "heist" novel, so I had very high expectations going into it. However, the heist itself was a very small percentage of the novel...like, there was never a "big heist."
The characters themselves were probably my favorite part of the book. I liked the backstories because they were very intricate and all tied together in unexpected ways. I will say that my opinions on the POVs shifted throughout the book, but Anwei's was probably my least favorite, followed by Lia. I liked Knox a lot at first, but he was steadily replaced by Mateo by the end of the book (because apparently, I have a type in favorite book characters ... sarcastic sad boys).
While She Who Rides the Storm isn't exactly the grand heist novel that I expected, it still packs a punch with crazy plot twists and really intriguing worldbuilding. YA fantasy readers looking for a gateway into adult fantasy should check out this duology.
3.75/5

"As long as you are part of a Community, you are safe. As long as you are never an Outcast, you are safe. As long as you never try to change things, you are safe. Just never challenge the way that things are, and you are safe."

Community 215 is a fast-paced YA dystopia where the world has been divided into Giver-esque "communities" that are devoted to a long list of rules meant to control them. Personally, I found it to be a bit lackluster compared to the long list of other dystopian books I've read.
I think my main issue with the book was the characters. None of them were really fleshed out, even the two main POV characters. Brooks was a bit more dynamic, but he almost instantly fell in love with Rhea and he was a very generic "rebel" character. Rhea, on the other hand, was one of the most brainwashed characters I have ever seen. It wasn't until about 85% of the way through the book that she finally realized her community wasn't as perfect as it seemed...despite the fact that Brooks had been telling her that from chapter one.
The world-building is a bit vague, with characters citing obscure "wars" fought for "unknown reasons" in the past as reasons for the existence of the communities. The plot, while fast-paced, is relatively generic, borrowing concepts from The Maze Runner and The Giver, to name a few.
That being said, Community 215 is still a decent read, especially for those looking for a short book to test out the dystopian genre. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC.
3.5/5