A sweet, heartwarming middle grade read all about what it's like to navigate big changes in your life. There are so many great things about this book, from conversations about body positivity to figuring out what to do when one of your parents comes out as gay. Plus, learning how to navigate changing friendships as you get older. Murphy perfectly captures what it's like to be 13.

I'm torn about this one because it's unclear how it connects to the main House of M storyline, but also there are in things here I don't think Peter would do? The guilt and other aspects of the story fit in with his character, but not the way he treated certain people. Good art, though! Not the worst House of M story, but perhaps the most confusing.

This book was gorgeous and not at all what I was expecting! It becomes a sort of surrealist quest as you go on, a tale of embracing your weirdness and enjoying the moments along the journey. And did I mention it was gorgeous? Because it was. Another book I probably need to own at some point.

Interesting insight into the witness protection program and a fast paced mystery that'll keep you turning the pages. There were just a few things that I felt were difficult to follow and the pacing at the end was a bit odd. But a great listen!

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

Trigger warnings: drug/alcohol abuse, violence, torture, suicidal thoughts, slut shaming, attempted sexual assault, family issues, loss of a friend

Like Maas's other books, the world-building in this book was phenomenal. Instead of info-dumping all the information at the beginning, we get small details throughout that help orient us to this new world. And what an expansive world it is! I will say a list of characters will be so helpful when the final book is published. There were none in the ARC, and I kept wishing I could go back and look at a list.

Bryce and Hunt are probably my favorite Maas couple. Throughout the book, Bryce pokes fun at Hunt for being kind of a jerk, and Hunt gives it right back. Bryce isn't perfectly flawless; she acknowledges her flaws and works through them. It's not love at first sight for both of them, either. Since this is classified as adult, I thought this would be steamier than her other books, but it wasn't! There were some moments, but it wasn't overpowering.

Despite everything I loved about this book, I do think it could have been shorter. It clocks in at about 800 pages, which isn't surprising for an SJ Maas book. A lot of the events are important to the overall story, but there were moments that could have been cut. Especially if this is going to be a series. What more could possibly happen?? I know the answer is yes, there's just a lot that went down in this book.

Anyway, that was my main complaint, outside of the excessive use of "male." Which made sense in the context of the world, but it was still kind of annoying. 

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Really 4.5 stars. This is amazing and might be my favorite book from SJ Maas. More to come in a full review later this week!

This is one of those books I think you would notice something different in each time you read it. There are so many layers to this narrative, though difficult to follow at first, that touch on many important issues and topics. It's a book you have to pay attention to, and a book that makes you think. This surrealist narrative style isn't necessarily for everyone, but it is definitely worth the read.

This is mostly how I remember it, though I forgot a lot of the specific events that happen. The Jace/Clary thing is still weird, Simon is still my favorite. I think Clare is one of those that gets better with time? At least, that's what I remember.

I'm going to be honest, I don't understand the Jude/Cardan thing. They just don't seem like a match to me! So far, I just feel okay about this series, though I'm often left wondering about Jude's motivations. I will say I do like the way the world is constructed because it's easy to slip into and Black's descriptions are gorgeous. But I just can't connect to any of the characters.

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

A prequel to Demons of Time by Varun Sayal, the author sent me a copy in exchange for my review. After having read the rest of the series, I enjoyed getting background information on this expansive world Sayal has created. The story itself isn’t necessary to understand the rest of the series, but a great expansion nonetheless.

Across all the Sayal books that I’ve read, what I most enjoy about his writing is his ability to create worlds. The world and the fast-paced plot work together to pull you in. In fact, you almost don’t want to put the book down! Sayal knows how to suck you in and keep you reading. Not only is the plot well-thought out, but the characters are compelling as well. As we all know, compelling characters are the way to keep me reading.

All in all, a successful prequel that expands the world that Sayal already created.

Stay tuned for a full review tomorrow!

Really 3.5 stars. I think this is my favorite of the three books because we actually got more character development from Cardan, and the stakes felt like they were much higher. I'm still not sure I ship Jude/Cardan, though. Their relationship just felt weird to me the entire time.