[third read, August 2020]

I marathoned this book in preparation for Igniting Darkness, which as of yesterday is finally out in the world. I love these characters so much!!!! I could write more, but the portions of my review from my previous two times reading about sum up my feelings. I also really, really want to read the next book, so that’s what I’m going to do now. So help me, I don’t think I’m ready.

[second read, January 2019]

I’m a mess of emotions. I love this book with all of my heart and it comes out NEXT MONTH. I’M SO EXCITED FOR IT TO BE OUT IN THE WORLD. Next time I read it, I’ll be reading the finished copy. Wow.

That aside, I haven’t got anything new to say. I absolutely adore Sybella and Beast, and Genevieve is a really interesting, layered new character. The plot was slower but thick with intrigue and drama and romance, so of course I loved it.

ALSO I can finally say that the sequel comes out NEXT YEAR and I’m both excited and sad. What am I going to shriek about when this is said and done???

(For coherency, read my original review.)

[first read, August 2018]

CW: slut-shaming [challenged], body shaming/humiliation, violence, death, sex, mention of sexual assault and rape, death in childbirth

[E-arc provided by Netgalley. This doesn’t affect my opinion or the content of my review.]

I present to you, my favorite book of 2018. I know it’s only August, but I highly, highly doubt I’ll read a better book in the coming months. In addition to being the next installment in my absolute favorite series and world of all time, it’s also a genuinely fantastic novel.

In the HFA trilogy, I grew extremely attached to all three protagonists and their love interests. A story focused on Sybella and Beast wasn’t what I had in mind, but I was thrilled nonetheless. In truth, I loved seeing all of my favorites once more; Ismae and Duval were only present in the first third while Annith and Balthazaar were only in correspondence, but they still made me oh so happy. I’m still waiting for Ismae and Duval to get married, just saying.

512 pages isn’t a large book, in my opinion, but it was still more than enough to explore the darker, deeper parts of Sybella, Beast, and their relationship. They’ve completely stolen my heart now, and they should also get married. Nearly half of my Kindle highlights were quotes and scenes involving the two of them.

The other half was mostly Genevieve’s wit and/or banter, with a few exceptions for predictions and other (mostly pointless) thoughts. I was excited to meet her and she didn’t disappoint. She was ruthless but not heartless, and a really interesting character.

Anne is such an underrated character and I love her. She’s only fourteen, but she’s powerful, wise, cunning when need be, and still a fun, sweet girl.

Many relationships are emphasized throughout the story, in various ways: Sybella and her younger sisters, Anne and her older brother, Sybella and Beast. I loved them all for different reasons. Each one motivated respective characters without overpowering anyone or anything else.

The pacing isn’t incredibly fast, but the story more than makes up for it. I guessed a few things and was shocked by others. Each of the 95 chapters introduced a new element or increased the stakes or brought on more questions. It never felt too long or too drawn out. Sybella and Genevieve both have important missions, personal goals, and the stakes are almost constantly high. The end wasn’t necessarily a cliffhanger, but it made me eager for the next one regardless. I was hooked from beginning to end.

One thing I think this book did really well, as the previous trilogy did, was manage to blend history and fantasy. The story takes place in medieval France and follows real royalty and real conflict, but with fictional and modified characters, a compressed timeline, and other fantasy elements; there’s even a religious system that’s being replaced by Christianity, and that aspect is present but not overpowering. It’s all fascinating.

I don’t know how well this review actually explained my thoughts, but know that I absolutely ADORED this novel from start to finish. HFA is my favorite series of all time (pretend to be surprised) and this was a brilliant, thrilling next chapter. It was well worth the wait, and I think it’ll appeal to returning HFA fans and newcomers alike when it comes out on February 5.

Now to wait until 2020 for the next book in the duology. (Please let me get an arc, please give me information, please, I need DETAILS.)

(I’m proud of how coherent this review is, to be honest. To end, obligatory screaming: READ THIS BOOK PLEASE. OH MY HEART. JOIN ME IN MY EMOTIONS.)

I truly don’t know how to explain how much I loved this book, or how much it and the ones that came before it mean to me. This was my most anticipated release of 2020 and it didn’t disappoint. It met and went far beyond my expectations, even though I never knew what to expect. I felt so many different emotions—happiness, terror, frustration, amusement. I was stressed basically the entire time I read. LaFevers took this in so many surprising directions and made it all work. I adore this world and these characters, and the final pages made everything else absolutely worthwhile. Of course I’d love more—I’d read another 500 pages about these characters and their lives, loves, and shenanigans—but this was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

It’s late enough at night to be called early in the morning, depending on how you look at things, so I don’t think I can write anything else right now. Maybe I will soon, or maybe that will wait until my inevitable reread, whenever that may be. But for now.......

RUTTING FIGS I LOVED IT. (This book also gave me new ways to swear without using any known swear words, so that’s a bonus. :))

CW: blood, violence, gore, war, death, captivity, discussions of sexual assault & child loss

• bisexual side character in a sapphic relationship

I lowkey forgot this was on my TBR until I saw my friend Erika bought a copy, and I was like ”Oh, that’s a pretty book.” Then I checked Libby and put it on hold, made it fit into one of my readathon TBRs for the month, and here I am.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s pitched as Project Runway meets Mulan, which a) is so unique and b) fits the story perfectly. But the story is also so much more than either of those comparisons, full of intricate world-building, richly-imagined mythology, some freshly-spun fantasy tropes, and phenomenal, complex characters.

Prior to this, I’d read only one book from Lim—Reflection, a Twisted Tales book. That was amazing, but honestly? It was nothing compared to this. Lim writes a great retelling, but when left to her own devices, she comes up with brilliant things, like this book. It was a perfect blend of action and whimsy, with romance and banter on the side.

As for Maia and Edan? I love them SO MUCH, I can’t handle it. They meet in Part One, when Maia is still disguised as a boy, and helps her before and after the mess of her identity coming to light. Come Part Two, they’re companions off on a journey to gather the supplies for Maia’s impossible task—create three dresses: one sewn from the laughter of the sun, one embroidered from the tears of the moon, and one painted from the blood of the stars. (I might have slightly messed up the wording, but anyway.) First, I want to say that the entire book is as magical as that one line, and I love every bit of it. Second, I won’t spoil anything, but while they’re alone, Edan teases Maia and she gets fed up and then there’s kissing and so help me, I’m in love with another fictional couple. Their dynamic is brilliant.

If I’m being honest, I was intrigued from the very beginning. Just a couple of chapters in, I was hooked. The more I read, the more I loved every bit of it. Even when nothing was happening, I was eager to keep reading. I flew through this in seven hours and I regret nothing.

Well, I regret one thing, and that’s that I don’t have the sequel on hand. So many events in Part Three had me worried for one reason or another, and the last few chapters? AWFUL. I mean, they were just as brilliant as the rest of the book, but they took the story in a completely unexpected direction. They hurt my heart. The sequel is likely going to go in an entirely different direction than this one, and I look forward to it, but it’s almost definitely going to hurt just as much. Maybe more. I NEED IT IN MY LIFE ANYWAY.

So, yeah. Don’t be ridiculous like I was and ignore this book. I loved Spin the Dawn more than I expected to, and I recommend it to everyone.

Representation:
• Entirely Asian/POC cast

CW: blood, violence, discussion of war, death of family members, grief

Of the three books by Menon I’ve read, this one is definitely the best. I’d even go so far as to say that it’s one of my favorite YA contemporaries, alongside I Wish You All The Best, This Is What It Feels Like, and Felix Ever After. There’s Something About Sweetie is a fun, heartwarming story, and there are so many things to love about it.

Sweetie and Ashish are not only greatly written and realistic teenagers, but well-developed, lovable protagonists. I also really liked their respective squads; both characters had loyal friend groups made up of unique, equally well-developed characters. From what I’ve seen of Pinky, I think I’ll like her book when I read it.

As for the romance? I loved it so much! Sweetie and Ashish are an unlikely couple, despite both being amazing athletes, but they’ve got brilliant chemistry. They’re adorable and funny and absolutely perfect for each other. I lost count of how many times I smiled whilst reading their scenes together, or became the physical embodiment of that one emoji everyone uses for things they love. The soft face? The “I’m emotional” face? I’m not sure what it’s called, but whatever.

Another thing I really liked was the lighthearted humor. There’s plenty of jokes and puns that I admired whilst rolling my eyes, the way you (or at least, I) do with most puns. They’re bad, but they’re also great. And that doesn’t even include the top tier banter our lovely couple exchanges. Menon does it all so well.

Menon also does an excellent job incorporating important discussions into her fluffy stories, in a way that makes them feel completely natural. The central discussion in this novel is about Sweetie being fat. She’s not trying to lose weight and she’s completely comfortable how she is. Her struggle lies in getting other people to understand that “fat” isn’t a bad word, nor is it bad to be fat. There’s a lot of talk about body image and societal expectations, balanced out with plenty of body positivity. It was so refreshing to see, and I’d love to read more books featuring characters with similar mindsets.

There’s more depth to the discussion when it shifts specifically to body image in the Indian community, and how it affects Sweetie’s relationship with her mother. However, I won’t attempt to discuss that, as it isn’t my place to do so as a thin, white woman.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical going into this. When I reread When Dimple Met Rishi a couple of years ago, I lowered my rating. I wasn’t a fan of From Twinkle, With Love. I was worried that, as much as I wanted to like Menon’s work, it just wasn’t for me. But There’s Something About Sweetie saved the day, defied all of my expectations, and made a permanent place for itself in my heart. It also single-handedly renewed my interest in Menon’s other books. I look forward to reading them, and recommending this book to everyone.

Representation:
• Sweetie is Indian & fat
• Ashish is Indian
• Kayla is Black
• Elijah & Oliver are Black & queer & in a relationship (for most of the novel)
• Several Indian side characters

CW: fatphobia/body-shaming (challenged on-page)

I’m always looking for a good thriller—one that keeps me guessing till the end, that doesn’t have any excessively grotesque content, but does have interesting characters and a story for me to care about. Far From You gave me all of that, and I loved it.

The best word to describe the characters and the dynamics among them would be messy. In my opinion, that can go really well or really awful; Sharpe pulled it off. Sophie is a great, complex protagonist who’s not only recovering from the second near-fatal accident in her life, but struggling with recovery from her drug addiction, grieving her best friend’s death, and trying to figure out who’s responsible for said best friend’s murder. She’s neither good nor bad, and I really liked her.

I also really liked Mina and her older brother Trev. They had a sweet bond and were both friends with Sophie, which was quite nice to see. Even Adam and Kyle ended up being decent, and I was skeptical that it would be true.

One interesting thing, in my opinion, is that even with numerous timelines, there’s no romance. Sure, Sophie and Mina date people, but nothing long-term. Sophie is bisexual and Mina is a lesbian, and both terms are used on-page. Granted, they’re valid whether or not terms are specifically used, but I do like seeing them nonetheless. Of course, me being me, I thought they would absolutely end up together in a loving relationship cut short by Mina’s tragic death, so dramatic and emotional. I did get drama, but of a different variety: the girls like each other, but Mina isn’t out due to fear of repercussions in their small religious town. There’s some tension between them because of this, all the way up to Mina’s aforementioned death. This isn’t what I expected or hoped for, but props to Sharpe for not only making it work, but making it good.

The story takes place over multiple timelines, though I listened to the audiobook and didn’t take notes, so I’m not sure exactly how many. There’s present day, and two or three others at various points in Sophie’s life. The switch between them was always smooth and evident, done in a way that didn’t confuse me. Sometimes the way a chapter ended in one timeline made sure I kept reading, eager enough to find out what came next that I pushed through chapters in other timelines.

As for the actual plot, I was intrigued almost immediately. Sophie is coming home after three months of rehab for her drug addiction, grieving Mina, and desperate to prove the blame put on her for their whereabouts that night was done so erroneously. Whilst trying to figure out what happened to Mina, another mystery comes to light, making this a double mystery. This could’ve gone so wrong, but it didn’t. Sharpe balanced both mysteries incredibly well, managing to connect them in surprising ways. By the time I was 40% through the book, I was absolutely hooked. I said to myself yesterday, ”Oh, yeah, I’ll finish this tomorrow at some point.” Nope. I unintentionally marathoned the last couple of hours of this before bed, getting more tired as time passed but staying awake because I needed to know what happened.

And those last couple of plot twists? Holy crap. 10/10, did not see coming, completely worth staying up until 3 a.m. to discover. I can’t say more because of spoilers, but wow. W O W.

Lastly, I want to bring up the audiobook itself. The author narrates it, something I’ve only seen a couple of times when the book in question isn’t a memoir. Sharpe didn’t just write a brilliant story; she told one, too. No monotones here. The narration emphasized every emotion in the story without being excessive, and it definitely made my reading experience more enjoyable.

I think I’ve covered all my bases. Far From You is a phenomenal thriller with a lot more to it than is immediately evident, and I loved it. I hope to buy my own copy soon, and highly recommend it to everyone that can handle the content.

Representation:
• Disabled bisexual protagonist with chronic pain and a limp in one leg

CW: drug use/addiction, gun violence, death/murder, grief, PTSD, blood, car accidents

Love From A to Z is a good book. The protagonists are complex, and their story is furthered by equally well-rounded side characters. It was interesting to read a story set in Qatar, as that was a first for me. The familial and platonic dynamics are brilliant and emotional in all the right ways. There are so many important, relevant themes woven into the narrative, and it’s all told through diary entries. Very unique.

The problem? As much as I liked Zayneb and Adam, I was bored. I just wasn’t invested in the story. It seemed really slow. Maybe it’s my fault for picking this up right after reading a thriller. Maybe I would’ve loved it had I read it next week or next month. I don’t know.

At the beginning of the book, it says, ”This is a love story. You’ve been warned.” And while that’s true, this is a love story, said love took longer than I expected to develop. By the time it happened, the story was nearly over. And while the little epilogue was satisfying, it didn’t feel like enough to properly wrap everything up.

I definitely think this is a me problem, not a book problem. I wish I’d enjoyed this more. I’m not sure if I’ll read more from Ali in the future, personally, but I recommend this novel to all who can handle the content.

Representation:
• Zayneb & Adam are Muslim, as are some side characters & family members
• Zayneb is Pakistani & West Indian
• Adam is Chinese-Canadian & has multiple sclerosis
• multiple side characters of color

CW: Islamophobia, death of family members (one prior to story, both off-page), grief, discussion of war