I've been a fan of this series for years and it mostly holds up as an adult reading. This installment is definitely more of a young adult read than a middle grade novel due to some inclusion of sexuality and it does feel a bit like an outlier after my reread of the first three books in the series. Still, it was fun to have a story with the twins and I enjoyed that time travel continues to take a part.

This book is really good at taking on some difficult topics. There are discussions on good and evil, peer pressure, misogyny, some mild feminism, and (of course) sexual attraction. Things are pretty well handled, especially when you consider the fact that this book was written in the 1980s.

I enjoyed the setting and the retelling of an early Noah & the Ark story. I'm not very religious, but I still had fun with the fact that L'Engle took these rather well known characters and known moral story and used them to further tell moral tales. Very clever and still very entertaining.

There is a bit of deus ex machina, but I let that mostly slide since this is a younger style book. Would it have been better without the convenience? Yes. But it was still a good read regardless.

L'Engle continues to be one of my favorite writers even after oh so many years. I'm looking forward to finishing the quintet soon.

4.5 stars.

A female-centered retelling of the Perseus myth focusing on three separate but converging tales. The story begins with his mother, Danae, followed by Medusa, and culminating in the story of his wife, Andromeda. An interesting story that flips the old myth on its head, re-envisioning the mythological hero as instead a violent, gaslighting abuser. It removes the magical and mystical elements from the historical style tale and instead explores the potential "truth" behind the stories.

The writing in this book is beautiful and Heywood does a fantastic job of creating her characters. There was a lot of strong emotion tied to each of the sections of the story and I loved the deft way in which she managed to instill messages of feminism, autonomy, and misogyny. The underlying current of the book carried home the lesson that history is written by the victors...in most cases by white men...and as a result we aren't always necessarily given the truth in the history we have learned. Yes, this is a retelling of a myth, but all tales have some basis in fact and it's good to consider how this tale may have come into being.

Key takeaway: perspective matters. It is always good to question what the story is from the opposite point of view. Humans are not great at admitting their faults and, historically, writers have tended to want their characters (or themselves/their side in cases of nonfiction) to be seen as faultless, valiant, and in the right. Heywood's imagination in this case created a LOT of moments where I really paused to consider how the tale's core truths would be altered based on who was the teller and which characters wished to be seen in the best light. An intriguing read.

4.5 stars.

Magical and dark modern fairytale. I loved the world that Wilkinson created in this novel and I am so happy to know that this is only the first in a series. There is so much interwoven into this story. There is a great journey of self-discovery amidst the fantastical world, perfect for lovers of an Alice in Wonderland style tale. The characters are fun and flawed and the world is creepy and wonderfully weird. The storytelling is excellent and though there is a lot wrapped up in this story the pacing stays on point and kept propelling me deeper and deeper into a world that I couldn't get enough of. Excellent female protagonist, some great inclusion, and a bit of a disorienting feeling to the narrative. I really enjoyed the experience of this one and look forward to the sequel!

4.5 stars.

Epic fantasy always intimidates me, so I just kept putting this one off. Okay, okay...it was worth the hype. Super descriptive and packed with action there is a lot of creativity in this novel. It's still not super up my alley, but I will admit that I did quite enjoy it. And yes...I will be reading the next in the trilogy. Are you happy? All of you high fantasy nerds have got me hooked.

4.5 stars. This book punched me square in the gut. An incredibly raw exploration of marriage and separation that felt incredibly lived in. There were so many moments that I could identify with and that really made me sit and contemplate my own life and relationships. The entire journey is incredibly emotional without feeling sappy and it strips the idea of long-term relationships down to their bare bones. It focuses on how we have to allow the relationship to grow and change as we do and gives so many little moments of pause and I really appreciated how honest it felt. Definitely a different approach to a relationship novel and it worked incredibly well.

3.5. This little book of short stories has some undoubtedly gorgeous writing. It is a hodgepodge of fantastical whimsy with some excellent emotional exploration into the human situation. However, like most collections, there were some stories that had much more effective execution than others. Some bits felt a little rushed and underdeveloped while others left me truly wishing there was more. Nagamatsu is a gifted writer and I appreciated the exploration of Japanese folk stories and mythology.

4.5 stars. I avoided reading this book for a long time and I can now vouch that this decision was a mistake. Though often controversial for a couple of scenes contained within it, this book is incredibly impactful and should be required reading. There is a lot to be examined here. The story was heart-breaking and reads completely like a memoir. It feels incredibly tangible, with intense relationships, human imperfections, and so much emotional mileage. The cultural angle is also incredibly wonderful, providing a lot of background for me that I previously hadn't fully understood both in a political and societal extent. An incredibly good and important read.

This wasn't one of those biographies that lets you feel like you could really understand and walk through a person's life. Instead, it felt heavily biased and not that well-written. Were there moments that shed light on the person Anthony Bourdain really was behind the TV persona?...maybe. But things didn't have an overall genuine feel. It felt more like a money grab and somewhat hastily put together. There also seemed to be a lot of bitterness toward Asia Argento. Whether or not her relationship with Tony was troubled was beside the point. The heavy-handedness toward portraying her as a villain was just too much. There was a lot of focus on the bad and the downfall rather than a picture of Anthony's life as a whole. I much prefer reading the words that Tony himself wrote, even if they don't show everything. They still feel more real than this narrative did.

**Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review...I NEVER lie about books.**

At first, I was worried. The prose is very blunt and can be a little graphic. But once I got past my own awkwardness, this book turned out to be pretty great. It was fun, quippy, and an easy read. I loved Ellie. She was just the right amount of neurotic. I identified with her in certain ways and laughed at her mishaps. This book was definitely entertaining. I liken it to a more grown up version of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. I liked it quite a bit.

See my full review at Erratic Project Junkie