This took me a bit to get into, but once I settled into the writing style and the voice of Min, the main character, the story really took off for me. I think part of it was some of the events are difficult to piece together in the beginning, but it's part of the plot device to suck you into the story. You do eventually get the whole picture and it's easier to follow along with the story once that happens.

There's a lot examined in this story, from Min's journey struggling with her grief to figuring out where she wants to go in life. There is such a great cast of characters, who all feel fully fleshed out and relatable to some teens. Padilla includes a wide variety of characters as well, weaving a sort of intricate story set in this little town.

All in all, if you're looking for a thought-provoking book that deals with grief and life and generally just surviving, I'd recommend this one! It's a quick read, and one that will leave you thinking when you're done with it.

Being sent to boarding school is a dream come true for Adele. She’s always felt like she was in the background. Her father’s manor never really felt like home to her, especially after having to leave their original home. Boarding school in London seems like the perfect place for a fresh start.

But Adele can’t escape the shadows when she’s in London. Adele realizes that a lot of the men looking for favors from her friends don’t have the best of intentions. After a particularly violent assault, she teams up with another woman to extract revenge. Adele is determined to save her friends from a dark fate. But will she have the courage to save herself?

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of Reader, I Murdered Him by Betsy Cornwell to review! I knew from the title that this would have some hints towards Jane Eyre; I didn’t realize how much it was going to be inspired by it! Told from Rochester’s adopted daughter’s eyes, we also get a glimpse into what happened after Jane Eyre. Since it’s one of my favorite classics, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Not only do the events align with the classic, the overall tone and voice also mimics Jane Eyre. We all know that Rochester was…not the greatest man, and this book just really confirms it. So often throughout the book, Adele mentions how much of a prison marriage was for women at the time. I loved that she got to work outside those confines, as a sort of vigilante. It’s such a great twist on the classic we all know.

And the characters! Adele has a strong voice from the get go; and she isn’t afriad to tell it like it is. The group of friends she makes at the boarding school were also well fleshed out; we get to see how society is affecting all of them differently. And the romance! Adele pairs up with a girl to get justice, and they fall in love. Honestly, it’s beautiful.

The only reason this isn’t getting five stars is that I do wish there was a bit more vigilantism. It’s pitched as a large part of the book, but it doesn’t really come in until later in the narrative. Expanding that would have pushed it over the edge for me.

All in all, if you love interesting twists on classics, you’ll love this book!
-----
Oh, I really enjoyed this! Didn't realize it was actually going to be so connected to Jane Eyre, but I loved that. Stay tuned for a full review to come next week!

This is definitely one of my favorite YA fantasy series at the moment, and I'm psyched for the next book to come out next week! Off to start my re-read of Bloodmarked.
-----
This was a re-read for me, to get ready for the sequel coming out this fall. Which I now can't wait to read! I wanted the story completely fresh in my mind before I read the follow up. I am just blown away by Deonn's way of weaving a fantastical world with so much detail, ground in a variety of myths and cultures. It works so well, and I can't wait to read everything she writes.
-----
Okay I loved this! I had a feeling I was going to, but now it's just affirmed. While at times, there is a lot of information thrown at you, it doesn't take away from the main core of the story. Plus, the voice is fantastic. I loved Bree and the way she takes on the world; it made the story even more exciting.

There are conspiracy theories, magic, King Arthur, and discussions about identity and family history. I loved it and can't wait until the next one.

A fine entry in the Spider-Man comics backlist! There were some interesting villans included in this one, so it might not be my favorite. But we get to see Peter Parker propose; it was fun to read that. Slowly but surely making my way through all of these older issues; I will get there eventually!

 Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's for an advanced copy of Where the Lost Ones Go by Akemi Dawn Bowman to review! I don't know how she gets so lucky, but Bowman always has the best covers. They are all absolutely breathtaking, including this one!

This isn't Bowman's first middle grade, but it's the first middle grade of hers that I've read. And I'm not surprised that I loved it! Bowman nails the voice in this, authentically communicating Eliot's feelings and her struggles with grief. It could be a great jumping off point to discuss death and grief with kids or tweens. You can feel how much Eliot is hurting and trying to figure out how to move forward from that hurt. I do wish some sort of therapy would have been represented, because that could have been such a positive thing. I get why it wasn't, plotwise, but including would have given the book that extra edge.

We also get some twists on the classic ghost story for middle grade. While some of the plot twists were easy for me to spot, they might not be as easy for kids reading it. Bowman plays with your expectations throughout the book, and it really makes the entire story engaging. It made me want to see what Bowman was going to do next!

All in all, if you're looking for a new middle grade to jump into that might deal with some difficult topics, I would recommend this! 
-------

Such a lovely middle grade about grief, about learning to move on, about new beginnings. Stay tuned for a full review to come!

Okay, but why are more people not talking about this trilogy? I feel like it can be so difficult to pace YA fantasy trilogies, but Rosaria Munda did an excellent job with this one. All three books felt so important and contributed to the overall story. It doesn't suffer from second book syndrome, and ends with an explosive third book you'll have a hard time putting down!

I think part of what makes this series so great is the integration of well-rounded characters to an intricate, detailed fantastical world. Yes, there were things that I forgot from the first book to this one, but it didn't matter. I was still just as engrossed in the story. Annie and Lee are still my favorite points of view, but we get some additional ones from the second book that really help round out the complete story that's happening.

This series is also unique in that it starts off in the aftermath of a revolution, with a soceity trying to figure out how to move forward. Of course, you run the danger of barging in and taking control when the new government is just being built; someone you didn't want in control in the first place. There is such an interesting discussion of power and government and who gets a say in the control of that government. I think I would re-read the series again just for that.

All in all, if you love dragons, you love great characers, and you love intricate world building, you should definitely pick this series up! You won't be disappointed.

The night before Death-Cast goes live, everyone wonders if it can actually predict death. And how it predicts death. For Orion, death has alwasy been on his mind. He’s lived with a serious heart condition all his life, so he signed up for Death-Cast so he knows when the end is coming.

Meanwhile, Valentino is ready for his life to start. On his first day in New York, he only registered for Death-Cast because of his sister’s recent near death experience. When Valentino and Orion happen to meet at Death-Cast’s opening party, it’s an instant connection. However, when the first round of calls come out, one of them receives a call and one of them doesn’t.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for an advanced copy of The First to Die at the End to review! I can vividly remember reading They Both Die at the End. I was intrigued to see the origin of Death-Cast. Of course, I knew that it was going to get emotional by the end. It’s Adam Silvera!

If you enjoyed the format of the story in They Both Die at the End, you’ll definitely enjoy this prequel. Silvera has a knack for writing characters that you’re bound to fall in love with in a short period of time. I also enjoyed all of the character connections in this. It’s like an intricate web, and it made the book even more enjoyable for me.

While I enjoyed the story and the characters, it did feel like the story lagged a bit in the middle. There were just aspects of it that felt repetitive; they didn’t feel like they were moving the plot or character development forward. For the most part, though, I was invested. There’s just something about this kind of story, where you sort of know what the ending is going to be, so it’s all about the journey there. And that little sliver of hope that maybe you’ll be wrong.

If you haven’t read They Both Die at the End yet, I’d say you could probably safely read this one first. There are just some character cameos that might not be as meaningful if you don’t read They Both Die at the End first.

All in all, I think this is a strong prequel, and I would be interested in reading more Death-Cast stories for sure!
----
Oof that got super emotional by the end (no surprises there). I think it lags a little in the middle, so I'm not 100% on my rating yet, but stay tuned for a full review to come!

"You deserve to exist. If you didn't deserve to exist, then you wouldn't exist. You don't need to feel bad for living, beloved child."

How in the world are more people not talking about this book. Like, we know that Kacen Callender can write (see King and the Dragonflies or Felix Ever After), but this was just so beautiful and lyrical and has the potential for making so many kids feel seen. There are so many gut punch lines (like the one at the beginning of this review) that I kind of want to go buy my own copy just to highlight it.

Anyway, the premise of this book is Moon is a Black, nonbinary child who is severly depressed. Each night, they travel to a spirit realm, where they wish they could stay forever. Honestly, Moon is a child you're just going to want to give a hug to. They are based on Callender's own childhood, and everything about their portayal just feels so accurate and real.

There's such an emotional depth to this book as well. You can feel Moon's struggle with depression practically dripping off the page. Even if you're not someone who has struggled in the same way, Callender puts words to it in only the way that they can.

All in all, if you want a book that is going to hit you right in the heart, pick this one up. You won't regret it.

This was giving me all the [book:Stalking Jack the Ripper|40727470] vibes and I am here for it for spooky season. There are some graphic descriptions of bodies/illness, so be wary of that before jumping in. But the narrator of the audiobook was absolutely fantastic; her Scottish accent just made the book even more immersive for me.

In addition to the main story of Hazel wanting to be a doctor, there's a sort of mystery storyline underneath it as well. There are a few fantastical elements introduced, and that adds to the sort of gothic nature of the book. I loved the relationship between Hazel and Jack, and the way they unravel what's really going on in Edinburgh at the time. While some of the plot elements were a bit predictable, the characters and the relationships definitely made up for it. I'm definitely interested in reading the sequel when it comes out!

It's 1931 in Shanghai, and Rosalind Lang is trying to make up for her past. No longer able to age or sleep due to an experiment that saved her four years ago, she's now an assassin for her country. She uses her newfound skills to make up for her traitorous past. Now, she's known as code name: Fortune.

When the Japanese Imperial Army starts to invade, Rosalind's mission changes. Now, she must infiltrate a foreign society to see who is committing mysterious murders happening in Shanghai. However, as a part of her new mission, she must post as a wife of Nationalist spy Orion Hong. As the two attempt to work together, Orion is also determined to find out about Rosalind's past. A past she wants to stay buried.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of Foul Lady Fortune to review! This is a spinoff series of Gong's duology from last year, These Violent Delights. If you enjoyed Gong's writing in that series, you'll definitely love diving into this new one.

While you don't have to have read These Violent Delights to understand what's going on in this book, there are spoilers included. Just a heads up! It also makes some of the other character cameos more satisfying. In general, I think it adds more to the story if you already know what went on up until this point. But I digress!

This is pitched as a retelling of As You Like It, so if you're into those Shakesepare retellings, Gong does some of the best. For this one, she definitely adds that historical thriller intrigue. A spy and an assassin working together? Sounds like another series I'm a fan of (Spy X Family, if you're curious!). But this one definitely isn't as lighthearted.

I will say, Gong takes a while to get going in any of her novels. The starts are pretty slow, but once the action picks up, it picks up. It was hard to put the book down for the second half of the book. You'll definitely be hooked!

All in all, if you like historical retellings of classics with unique spins, definitely pick this one up when it comes out!
-----
A slow start, like Chloe Gong's other books, but once it picks up, it's hard to put down! Stay tuned for a full review to come next week.