I wasn't particularly a fan of the art in this one; Peter Parker just looks incredibly young? I mean, I don't think he's supposed to be old, but he looks too young here. There are also other Green Goblin story lines that are stronger, so I had a bit of a difficult time getting into this one. Probably still worth checking out the others in this series, though!

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Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!

An alternate history of the Civil War, Ireland imagines what would have happened if the dead started walking in the middle of the war. Filled with plenty of adventure and supplemented by racial commentary, you'll be desperate for book two!

I think one of my favorite aspects of the book was Katherine and her struggles with passing. She has an excellent conversation with Jane towards the end of the novel, and she isn't afraid to look great while taking down zombies.

Not only does Ireland create a fantastic adventure story that’s difficult to put down, but she also creates social commentary that makes you think. In this history, people are insisting that fighting against the dead makes everyone equal, but as Jane finds out, this definitely isn’t the case. There’s still a social hierarchy based on skin color, as seen between Jane and Katherine. A very thought-provoking read.

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I will forever be grateful for this series, and it still stands up after many, many re-reads. 💜

Adolescents are randomly taken to another world for 3 minutes and 4 seconds, where they rarely come back alive. In order to survive, and save the future of Ireland, teens are sent to survival colleges where they learn about the Sidhe, the creatures that take them. Nessa is determined to survive her Calling--but does she have what it takes?

At first, the characters and the world-building felt a bit off to me, but as I got into the story and the world that O'Guilin created, I couldn't put the book down. This is a relatively short read, filled with lots of weird and creepy things. Quite honestly, it reminded me of the Gone series by Michael Grant a bit, with the twisted things that happen to these teens.

There isn't necessarily a cliff hanger ending here, but I'm intrigued to see what the next book holds! By the end, I was invested in the characters, and I want to see how they fare in the future.

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The author provided me a free copy to review, and what a short, action-packed read it was! . Actually, almost too short. Clocking in at only 19 pages, you just get a small snippet of the story that Zanbaka created. It could be expanded into a full length novel with no problem.

The concept here is original and intriguing. In particular, there are a lot of complex connections between the characters, making the story all the more engaging. From the beginning, I wanted to know who the characters were and how they were related to each other. However, the characters sometimes get lost in the background action; despite this, they’re still able to shine through by the end.

Partly because the story is so short, I had a little difficulty getting into the world that Zanbaka created. We’re dropped right into the middle of the action, which is usually okay, but I still felt a bit confused at the end of the story. The answer to this is simple: expand into a full length novel! I’d definitely read it.

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Original review posted at Between the Shelves!

This is a collection of speculative science fiction stories. They’re all connected by the idea of what-if, full of action, adventure, and intrigue. In fact, you’ll enter worlds where science fuses with mythology and the line between moral and immoral is constantly blurred.

Sayal’s collection features 6 stories: Nark-astra, The Hell Weapon, Death by Crowd, Genie, Time Crawlers, Eclipse, and The Cave. Mythology. As you read, you’ll see that mystery connects each story, taking readers on a cosmic adventure.

Varun Sayal sent me a copy in exchange for my review. Since I don’t review a lot of short story collections, I jumped at the chance! Although this is slightly outside of my usual reads, Sayal’s stories were thought-provoking. Altogether, the stories create an analysis of humanity that will leave you thinking long after you’re finished. A lot happens in a small space.

Furthermore, Sayal also looks at the idea of parallel universes, which have always fascinated me. Maybe that’s why I love Spider-Verse so much. All of these people and ideas can exist at the same time, and maybe there are portals to branch into these different worlds. Like I said: what-if!

Within these stories, you’ll get almost everything you could dream of in a sci-fi story. Though a few stories get a bit confusing because of the length, you’ll be amazed at the creativity put into each story. My favorite was probably “Time Crawlers.” I won’t get much into it as to not spoil it, but this is definitely one you won’t want to miss.

A mix of emotions with thought-provoking themes, we’ll definitely see more great things from Varun Sayal in the future!
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An interesting collection of short stories. Full review to come tomorrow!

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I still don't know about the art in this one; it feels like everyone looks so young? The story was mediocre, as I didn't feel like a lot really happened. In the realm of Spider-Man, definitely not my favorite.

The writing in this feels like someone is just telling you a story, with all the jumping around and such. Amy's voice definitely shines through, and the book overall is funny and uplifting. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Jade's journey to find her own voice is so inspirational in this book. It reminded me a bit of The Hate U Give but instead focused on how these opportunities that students of color are given aren't necessarily tailored to them; they're more tailored to the image that those creating the opportunities have.

I also enjoyed that this wasn't set in New York. I feel like these kinds of stories are quite often set in New York, and setting them in a different place can make them more relatable. Everything about the way that Jade moves through her life, from confronting her teachers about their racial bias to working through racial bias with her friend Sam, feels realistic and authentic and this is a book that everyone should read.

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