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Read this and more reviews at between-the-shelves.com!
This is the YA Book club pick for October at Barnes and Noble, which is officially next week! I'm running the discussion at my store and I'm actually really excited to talk about this book. There's a lot to talk about! Though the story was a bit slow moving at the beginning, it really picked up by the end of the book. I didn't want to put it down for about the last half of the book.
Okay, I have to get it off my chest. There was one thing that rubbed me the wrong way about this book: the language. Since it's set in historical France (I think), I wanted the way the characters talked to reflect that. It didn't necessarily feel like that too me? I get that using that language would maybe alienate the characters, but I wanted it feel a little more authentic.
Other than that, the characters were definitely the driving force in this. I absolutely adored Reid and Lou; they're both so complex, and their relationship plays out wonderfully on the page. The classic enemies to lovers. As they learn more about each other, they start to care for each other. Seriously, one of my favorite tropes in books.
I seriously enjoyed the magic system that Mahurin created as well. It felt unique and different, with different witch clans using different styles of magic. It was imaginative and definitely something that I would love to read more about.
All in all, this witchy novel is the perfect read for October as the weather gets chilly outside. Pick it up and come discuss it at Barnes and Noble with other YA fans!
4/5 stars
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Though it has a bit of a slow beginning, I was captured by the characters in the end. The story itself definitely picks up pace about halfway through, and there are plot twists! One that I didn't necessarily see coming, either. Will hopefully prompt a lot of discussion at the YA Book Club at work!
This is the YA Book club pick for October at Barnes and Noble, which is officially next week! I'm running the discussion at my store and I'm actually really excited to talk about this book. There's a lot to talk about! Though the story was a bit slow moving at the beginning, it really picked up by the end of the book. I didn't want to put it down for about the last half of the book.
Okay, I have to get it off my chest. There was one thing that rubbed me the wrong way about this book: the language. Since it's set in historical France (I think), I wanted the way the characters talked to reflect that. It didn't necessarily feel like that too me? I get that using that language would maybe alienate the characters, but I wanted it feel a little more authentic.
Other than that, the characters were definitely the driving force in this. I absolutely adored Reid and Lou; they're both so complex, and their relationship plays out wonderfully on the page. The classic enemies to lovers. As they learn more about each other, they start to care for each other. Seriously, one of my favorite tropes in books.
I seriously enjoyed the magic system that Mahurin created as well. It felt unique and different, with different witch clans using different styles of magic. It was imaginative and definitely something that I would love to read more about.
All in all, this witchy novel is the perfect read for October as the weather gets chilly outside. Pick it up and come discuss it at Barnes and Noble with other YA fans!
4/5 stars
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Though it has a bit of a slow beginning, I was captured by the characters in the end. The story itself definitely picks up pace about halfway through, and there are plot twists! One that I didn't necessarily see coming, either. Will hopefully prompt a lot of discussion at the YA Book Club at work!
Read this and more reviews at between-the-shelves.com!
Thanks to NetGalley and Soho Teen for sending me a copy of this to review! Let’s start with the cover: isn’t it gorgeous? It’s a bit reminiscent of We Are Okay by Nina LaCour, I think. Similar subject matter, too! Well, sort of similar. There isn’t a conversion camp in that one.
At first, I was really excited to read this book. After all, it’s in my wheel house, and I’d been hearing good things about it. Plus, it’s loosely based on the Greek Orpheus myth, which is intriguing! Though, I admittedly don’t know much about it. Maybe a bit of context would have helped me to connect to the story a bit more, as I felt a bit lost for a good part of the book.
This is an overall short read, but there are good moments to it. Rebele-Henry writes some beautiful sentences. In fact, I highlight a few of them while I was reading because they stood out to me. However, I didn’t feel like I learned enough about Raya. Even though she’s the narrator, her personality didn’t shine. Her actions from the second half of the book didn’t necessarily fit with the first half of the book. By the end, I wished she was a more concrete character, which would have made the book easier for me to get lost in.
Despite that, this is an important topic to explore in YA because there are a lot of these conversion camps that still exist. Which is absolutely heartbreaking. Fair warning, there is a lot of homophobia present in this book. It’s important to show, but it’s also difficult to read at times.
All in all, there are a lot of small moments in this book that are good, and it shines a light on an important topic. I just wish the characters were a bit stronger.
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Giving this one 2.5 stars. There was potential here, but most of the characters fell flat to me. More to come in a review tomorrow!
Thanks to NetGalley and Soho Teen for sending me a copy of this to review! Let’s start with the cover: isn’t it gorgeous? It’s a bit reminiscent of We Are Okay by Nina LaCour, I think. Similar subject matter, too! Well, sort of similar. There isn’t a conversion camp in that one.
At first, I was really excited to read this book. After all, it’s in my wheel house, and I’d been hearing good things about it. Plus, it’s loosely based on the Greek Orpheus myth, which is intriguing! Though, I admittedly don’t know much about it. Maybe a bit of context would have helped me to connect to the story a bit more, as I felt a bit lost for a good part of the book.
This is an overall short read, but there are good moments to it. Rebele-Henry writes some beautiful sentences. In fact, I highlight a few of them while I was reading because they stood out to me. However, I didn’t feel like I learned enough about Raya. Even though she’s the narrator, her personality didn’t shine. Her actions from the second half of the book didn’t necessarily fit with the first half of the book. By the end, I wished she was a more concrete character, which would have made the book easier for me to get lost in.
Despite that, this is an important topic to explore in YA because there are a lot of these conversion camps that still exist. Which is absolutely heartbreaking. Fair warning, there is a lot of homophobia present in this book. It’s important to show, but it’s also difficult to read at times.
All in all, there are a lot of small moments in this book that are good, and it shines a light on an important topic. I just wish the characters were a bit stronger.
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Giving this one 2.5 stars. There was potential here, but most of the characters fell flat to me. More to come in a review tomorrow!
Overall, I think the surprises that happen in this book aren't necessarily surprises as they're easy to see coming, especially if you've seen the show. I enjoyed getting more of Aunt Lydia's backstory, and I'm curious to see if it gets included in the show too! Will make for great discussion Wednesday, I think.
Read more at between-the-shelves.com!
I received an ARC of this book at Book Con, and I’m so glad I did! Honestly, I needed a day to process this before writing a review, because oh my goodness. There’s so much here to process! I don’t want to go too much into it to avoid spoilers, but there’s a major twist here that you (likely) won’t see coming. And it absolutely changes the entire book.
At the beginning, I struggled getting into this because it was incredibly slow moving. The first half was really slow moving, actually. It was very atmosphere and Faring spends a lot of time building up the atmosphere surrounding this school, but I wanted something more to happen. Now, I’m wondering if I re-read it that I’ll catch more hints toward the ending. This is definitely a book that lends itself to a re-read, even if you know what’s coming.
Though I found the plot lagging, the characters were compelling (even if I didn’t always know what was going on). Mavi and Yesi especially helped to build the world as well, pulling us into this really odd school. I also really enjoyed that this was based in Pantagonian myth instead of something European. It made the story all the more compelling.
The creepy, haunting nature of this book makes it the perfect fall release. Keep it in mind when building your October TBRs because it will be out just in time!
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I received an ARC of this book at Book Con, and I’m so glad I did! Honestly, I needed a day to process this before writing a review, because oh my goodness. There’s so much here to process! I don’t want to go too much into it to avoid spoilers, but there’s a major twist here that you (likely) won’t see coming. And it absolutely changes the entire book.
At the beginning, I struggled getting into this because it was incredibly slow moving. The first half was really slow moving, actually. It was very atmosphere and Faring spends a lot of time building up the atmosphere surrounding this school, but I wanted something more to happen. Now, I’m wondering if I re-read it that I’ll catch more hints toward the ending. This is definitely a book that lends itself to a re-read, even if you know what’s coming.
Though I found the plot lagging, the characters were compelling (even if I didn’t always know what was going on). Mavi and Yesi especially helped to build the world as well, pulling us into this really odd school. I also really enjoyed that this was based in Pantagonian myth instead of something European. It made the story all the more compelling.
The creepy, haunting nature of this book makes it the perfect fall release. Keep it in mind when building your October TBRs because it will be out just in time!
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Finally finished it! A lot happens very quickly at the end there, with twists and turns that make you keep second guessing what's actually going on. Which I really enjoyed because it meant that the plot wasn't too straightforward.
I felt a little lost in the middle, but that might be because I listened to another audiobook in-between. Listening to this series all at once might clear some things up for me, so it might be something I go and revisit.
All in all, great characters, a twisty story, and an interesting new world.
4.5/5 stars
I felt a little lost in the middle, but that might be because I listened to another audiobook in-between. Listening to this series all at once might clear some things up for me, so it might be something I go and revisit.
All in all, great characters, a twisty story, and an interesting new world.
4.5/5 stars
Originally posted at between-the-shelves.com!
I received an ARC of this in a giveaway. At first, I was so excited about it! A witchy mystery, set in a boarding school. Basically, sounds perfect for October. However, despite my excitement for the book, it sadly didn't live up to my expectations. Honestly, it felt like there was too much going on to really follow the basic plot of the book.
Let me start with the positive: the characters in this, despite being horrible, are well-rounded and interesting. They're just not people you would generally like if you met them in real life. The strengths in Lowe's writing fall in the character; she created a cast of people that draw you in the story at the beginning. You're intrigued as to what they'll do next.
However, despite the strengths in character, the rest of the story fell flat. The plot was all over the place. To me, the middle of the book wasn't necessary. There were also long periods where professors would lecture that made me lose interest in the story. Once in a while, they're okay, but I failed to see how they connected to the story about the girls. Much of this could have been cut out to make way for a more interesting plot line.
Alos, I couldn't tell where this book was set. They referred to "the States" a couple of times, but nothing about their language or the description of the setting gave me a sense of where they were in the world. Canada? The UK? I still don't know.
All in all, this was a book that had a lot of potential that fell flat for me. Which is so sad, because a lot of other people liked it! It just wasn't for me.
2/5 stars
I received an ARC of this in a giveaway. At first, I was so excited about it! A witchy mystery, set in a boarding school. Basically, sounds perfect for October. However, despite my excitement for the book, it sadly didn't live up to my expectations. Honestly, it felt like there was too much going on to really follow the basic plot of the book.
Let me start with the positive: the characters in this, despite being horrible, are well-rounded and interesting. They're just not people you would generally like if you met them in real life. The strengths in Lowe's writing fall in the character; she created a cast of people that draw you in the story at the beginning. You're intrigued as to what they'll do next.
However, despite the strengths in character, the rest of the story fell flat. The plot was all over the place. To me, the middle of the book wasn't necessary. There were also long periods where professors would lecture that made me lose interest in the story. Once in a while, they're okay, but I failed to see how they connected to the story about the girls. Much of this could have been cut out to make way for a more interesting plot line.
Alos, I couldn't tell where this book was set. They referred to "the States" a couple of times, but nothing about their language or the description of the setting gave me a sense of where they were in the world. Canada? The UK? I still don't know.
All in all, this was a book that had a lot of potential that fell flat for me. Which is so sad, because a lot of other people liked it! It just wasn't for me.
2/5 stars
Starting the House of M series, which means a little background first! For me, the last issue in this collection was the most compelling, and makes a good prologue for what's to come!
My introduction to Shirley Jackson's writing, and it did not disappoint! Stayed up late last night because I just couldn't put it down. I needed to know what happened next! Haunting, disturbing, Jackson's prose just keeps you thinking. There's a lot you'd be able to catch in a re-read too--plus the characters are equally compelling. Fantastic all around!
Read my full review at between-the-shelves.com!
There's so much emotion in this book about a girl trying to cope with life after a house fire leaves her life in tragedy. Not only does it depict her struggles in a very real way, it also makes you think about the way we treat survivors of tragedies such as this. A great debut!
There's so much emotion in this book about a girl trying to cope with life after a house fire leaves her life in tragedy. Not only does it depict her struggles in a very real way, it also makes you think about the way we treat survivors of tragedies such as this. A great debut!
Review originally posted at between-the-shelves.com!
Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for sending me an early copy of this book to review! Adam Silvera is one of my favorite YA authors, and I had such high hopes for this book. What I expected: a fantasy woven with strong, diverse characters, a unique world, and an emotional ride. Sadly, the book overall fell a bit flat for me.
Honestly, Silvera's other books are categorized as contemporary, but they always have a sci-fi aspect to them. Some element in society that's futuristic, different than our own world. So, I figured this would be similar! For me, Silvera is known for creating authentic, well-rounded characters who work their way into their heart. Unfortunately, this book didn't have it for me. Emil, one of the main characters, was probably the most fleshed out to me. His chapters were the strongest, and the ones that kept me reading.
However, the other characters in the book kind of fell flat. Ness was interesting, but we didn't get his point of view nearly enough. I wanted to know more about him--maybe we'll get more in a second book? Brighton was mostly defined by his need and desire for fame, making his chapters difficult for me to read. Like, I get it. But your want is blinding you.
The world building also fell a bit flat for me. Usually, I can do okay being dropped into a fantasy world as long as there are details included throughout that orient me in the world. That wasn't the case here. I still can't really tell who are the bad guys and who are the good. And what happened in the Blackout? How does it factor in to what's currently happening? All I can say is that a lot of these questions better be answered in the second book. Because nothing really wraps up in this book, so there better be a second one.
All in all, a bit of a disappointment for me. Personally, I feel like Silvera should just stick to writing his contemporary, surrealist fiction. That's what I love him for!
Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperTeen for sending me an early copy of this book to review! Adam Silvera is one of my favorite YA authors, and I had such high hopes for this book. What I expected: a fantasy woven with strong, diverse characters, a unique world, and an emotional ride. Sadly, the book overall fell a bit flat for me.
Honestly, Silvera's other books are categorized as contemporary, but they always have a sci-fi aspect to them. Some element in society that's futuristic, different than our own world. So, I figured this would be similar! For me, Silvera is known for creating authentic, well-rounded characters who work their way into their heart. Unfortunately, this book didn't have it for me. Emil, one of the main characters, was probably the most fleshed out to me. His chapters were the strongest, and the ones that kept me reading.
However, the other characters in the book kind of fell flat. Ness was interesting, but we didn't get his point of view nearly enough. I wanted to know more about him--maybe we'll get more in a second book? Brighton was mostly defined by his need and desire for fame, making his chapters difficult for me to read. Like, I get it. But your want is blinding you.
The world building also fell a bit flat for me. Usually, I can do okay being dropped into a fantasy world as long as there are details included throughout that orient me in the world. That wasn't the case here. I still can't really tell who are the bad guys and who are the good. And what happened in the Blackout? How does it factor in to what's currently happening? All I can say is that a lot of these questions better be answered in the second book. Because nothing really wraps up in this book, so there better be a second one.
All in all, a bit of a disappointment for me. Personally, I feel like Silvera should just stick to writing his contemporary, surrealist fiction. That's what I love him for!