This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, which you can also read on bookstacked: https://bookstacked.com/reviews/book-reviews/wonder-woman-tempest-tossed-review-laurie-halse-anderson/

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed modernises Diana’s backstory in order to adapt it to our own troubled times–thus making it more both more relatable and more poignant its readers.

Laurie Halse Anderson doesn’t pull any punches in this iteration of Wonder Woman’s origin story, as the reader is thrust into the thick of the Greek refugee crisis a mere 40 pages in. Meanwhile, Leila del Duca’s brings the harsh conditions to life through her vibrant illustrations of both the environment and Diana’s expressions. Her outrage, disgust, and restlessness come through loud and clear.

The plot is well structured and well written. Despite the multitude of themes addressed in it, I enjoyed the fast pace. There is a good balance between the action packed sequences and the filler scenes that bring information on both Diana’s inner thoughts, as well as the backstory of the secondary characters. I especially liked Diana’s scenes with Henke, and how her relationship develops with Raissa.
However, there were a lot of big themes this book tackled, maybe even too many. Weaving the refugee crisis into Diana’s backstory was incredibly poignant, but there is little time dedicated to it before Diana is whisked off to the USA by Steve and Dr. Trevor. Similarly, the story skirts over teenage activism and its consequences, the impact of gentrification, homelessness and even the subject of human trafficking in order to fit it all in. Of course they all exist simultaneously in our own reality, but gathering them in a single origin story diminishes their impact on the reader.

My favourite aspect of this graphic novel was, by far, the characters. Diana is such a well rounded character; she really stood out. She’s dynamic, emotional, naïve and so, so caring, but she still remains a teenager. This also extends to Raissa, who’s maturity and level-headedness are balanced by her reactions when she’s surprised or embarrassed in front of her friends. As for the secondary characters, Henke, Steve and Trevor all shine through; their kindness towards Diana and people in general is absolutely heartwarming. Each brings a specific quality to the story that allows Diana to understand and empathise with this new world.

Finally, a few more words on the art. Leila del Duca’s art style is gorgeous. Themyscyra is lush and vibrant. The Amazons are diverse in both size and skin tone but their style stays true to their Ancient Greek origins. My favourite example of this was Diana, who has a prominent nose and unruly, curly black hair: typical Mediterranean features. 'Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed' brings every location to life: the refugee camp conveys the people’s stark reality, and Queens has an unpolished feeling that brings forth the less palatable aspects of New York City without being overwhelming.

'Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed' by Laurie Halse Anderson and Leila del Duca modernised Diana’s character. A 16yo Diana is already relatable to a younger audience, but everything she faces make this book a moving take on this iconic superhero.

The Order of Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho delivers a heartwarming story of a found family set in the backdrop of a wuxia fantasy. When Guet Imm joins a band of bandits that dropped by her shop, neither she nor I expected a tale of spirituality and friendship to come of it.

I went into this book thinking it was an action packed fantasy, however I was pleasantly surprised to find that it's much more character driven and introspective as the majority of the book focuses on the band's journey and how Guet Imm fits into the group, as a cook at first and then as a healer. She also becomes instrumental in their business dealings as time goes on.
But all this pales in comparison with the relationship she develops with Tet Sang. What starts out as him considering her little better than a pest, develops into a deep friendship with admiration from both sides after the adventures they go through and their similar pasts.

One last thing worth mentioning is the exploration into gender identity this book goes into. As a cisgender woman, I don't feel comfortable questioning how well or not it was done, but I found it to be enlightening. Especially considering how central it was to one of the main characters.

My one issue with the book with the writing style. I found it quite complicated to get through, and as such the book took me longer than it should have.

All in all, I enjoyed The Order of Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho. It was a fun read with some unexpectedly thought provoking topics.

This review is also available on Bookstacked: https://bookstacked.com/reviews/book-reviews/midnight-sun-review-stephenie-meyer/

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

There are few surprises in Midnight Sun in terms of plot so, to avoid spoilers, I’m going to dive right into the other aspects of the book that stood out to me.

The writing is excellent. Stephenie Meyer brings Forks to life once again — this time through inhuman eyes that linger on details such as the smell of the forest, the cracks in the high school ceiling and which birds are in the immediate vicinity. However, the descriptions of scenery aren’t overbearing because they’re confined to small paragraphs here and there within a scene.

There is a small hiccup, however. Everything preceding the meadow scene is fleshed out in minute detail over the course of weeks/months, but then the time frame takes a sharp turn. The book’s conflict, rising action and climax all happen within five days, making them feel rushed and the book unbalanced. While this does fit the story, as the audience has similar experiences to the main characters, I would’ve loved more action or a drawn out chase.

One thing I noticed is that a lot of the book relies heavily on knowledge of Twilight. Edward’s narration often goes off on a tangent in scenes between him and Bella, so as not to make the book too repetitive. Meyer also weaves the Cullens’ personal history into the narrative in this manner. Small backstories pop up through the book to give more insights into the characters.

Getting to know more of the Cullen family gave me a more rounded view of the characters as a whole, especially the relationships. Meyer writes each couple differently, which adds dimensionality to the characters. On Bella’s side, the contrast between what Charlie and Renée said and thought changed my view of them. Charlie is a great father, if a little emotionally stunted, but Renée is a mess. Twilight paints her as a flighty but loving mother, whereas Midnight Sun shows just how much this impacted Bella growing up. All in all, the secondary characters make for an even more interesting bunch.

As for the main characters, Edward is especially well written. Half of the book is monologues of a self-loathing but still arrogant teenager — yet I never felt the urge to put the book down. As it progresses, he even starts sounding more and more like a teenager the closer he gets to Bella. Her character was also enjoyable. While Edward emphasizes her youth a lot, it was a delight to read her character development as she progressively comes out of her shell. Compared to the original, she’s happier and a lot more teenage-y.

However, I do have a few complaints on the characterisation. First, Edward’s behaviour and inner monologue. The first third or so of the book, he oscillates between arrogance towards other humans, and self hatred. These two emotions intensify the closer he gets to Bella, to the point that people in Bella’s entourage begin to feel like the villains, specifically Jessica and Mike. Given the age difference, this was ridiculous and unnecessary.

The second issue I had was how Rosalie was portrayed. There has long been criticism on this in the Twilight Saga, and Midnight Sun only reinforces that. Through Edward’s POV, she’s constantly obsessed with her looks and being admired. She’s criticised for this behaviour from the beginning, and is later compared to Bella and her humbleness, where the underlying misogyny becomes the most obnoxious.

A note on the Native American aspects within the book. The werewolves don’t come into play until the second book, but Midnight Sun does delve into it. Despite being heavily criticised for the warped legends she’s presented, Stephenie Meyer makes no attempt to rectify or even tweak them to address the issue. They remain vampire-triggered shape-shifters.

All in all, I enjoyed this book far more than I thought. It was a fun read and offers a deep dive into a series that dominated my teenage years. As an adult, the problematic aspects of the book stand out in stark contrast, but it was a nice bit of nostalgia in this otherwise crazy year.

Actual rating: 3.5
I enjoyed Havenfall. The writing flows, the characters are fun, and the plot, while fast paced, is still really engaging. There were many moments were the story took unexpected turns and, while there was a lot going on at the same time in a short amount of time, it was never cumbersome or too much. The world is great; the different realms and magic? Absolutely fascinating and I would love for Holland to dive into it further in the sequels.

My issues with this book stem from the main character being 16 but acting and being treated as if she were older. If she didn't periodically remind me of her age, I would've forgotten it early on. The second issue I had was the foreshadowing of the plot. Holland goes heavy on it, so much so that it's hard to be surprised when a certain element is revealed.

An example: In the first few chapters there is an insistance on the locked door and how well it's sealed etc. So, obviously, that door unlocks and kickstarts the plot.
Another example is Terran. The name was very on the nose so it was obvious from the beginning that he, and by extension Taya, weren't human.

All in all, a good book. I'm excited for the sequel to come out.

'Unravel the Dusk' is a good book and a decent ending to the series. While it had some outstanding moments, they were lost under the weight of all the different subplots coming together. Like the first book, I believe this one should have been split into two in order to delve deeper into the action.

This review can also be found on Bookstacked: https://bookstacked.com/reviews/book-reviews/the-sea-of-the-dead-review-amy-kuivalainen/

Actual rating: 3.5 stars
"The Sea of the Dead" by Amy Kuivalainen picks up a few weeks after "The Immortal City" left off, but this time in Israel. The story begins once Penelope takes off with the other Atlanteans and her friend Caroline.

Kuivalainen's cast of characters continues to be entertaining. This book allows the Atlanteans to come together as a family since there are more scenes of them interacting beyond the needs of the plot.
Penelope remains headstrong but she does take a few steps back to evaluate her actions and come up with a plan that involves the others. Meanwhile, Alexis is less reserved as his drive to protect Penelope increases. As such, I find they balance each other out well as a couple.

There are a couple of things with the characters that I wasn't a fan of. The first was Tim's whole character. When Tim is described by others, he's always an excellent archaeologist who follows the rules, and who's passion for his subject is borderline obsessive. However, this isn't what comes through in practice. Rather he's reckless and little better than a treasure hunter who's been handed an academic pass.
The second was how Penelope's pre-existing friendships were handled. Within a few weeks, Penelope's oldest friends become irrelevant in her story. Surrounding herself with just the Atlanteans isolates her character and leaves her with little outside support.

The world continues to be fascinating, though. Kuivalainen weaves the Atlanteans through our history, through flashbacks, stories and historical items that show up throughout the text. She gives the group a solid backstory without it being info-dumped onto the reader.

In terms of plot, "The Sea of the Dead" is fast paced, with plenty of action as well as quieter moments. It's never overwhelming and I enjoyed my reading of it. I was especially surprised by one of the plot twists. I didn't see it coming but, in retrospect, it fits into the story very well. However, the plot structure lacks certain elements that would allow the book to stand on its own. "The Sea of the Dead" constantly builds towards big moments without having one overarching climax so it felt like the book was cut short. Even though this is the middle book in a trilogy, I believe it could have had its own big final scene, the way the first book did.

Overall, I enjoyed Amy Kuivalainen's "The Sea of the Dead". Despite its flaws, it's a good sequel as well as a good set up for the final book.

This review can also be found here: https://bookstacked.com/reviews/book-reviews/the-sword-of-seven-sins-review-emily-colin/

"Sword of Seven Sins" throws the reader into the thick of it when it opens up with a 10-year-old Eva heading an execution.

Despite the constant brainwashing, Eva’s grown up to be wary of the way her society suppresses individuality, and this comes out in small actions that culminate in her breaking away from the Bellators. The scenes we get of her growing up help solidify her character in present time. The same can be said for Ari, as his experiences have fostered his rebellious spirit.

The way these two came together was fitting. Ari’s been interested in Eva since he first saw her, while the thought of attraction doesn’t even cross Eva’s mind until he takes the first step. Specifically, the first real moment they share together shapes how the rest of the romance develops. The fact that Ari comforts Eva during that scene, combined with the fact that it’s something forbidden, really lays the groundwork for their feelings to take off without falling into a badly executed insta-love trope.

From there, their relationship develops at lightning speed both because they’re teenagers and because they discover new, forbidden, sensations. I especially liked their first duel once the romance took off: it was a trope very well executed.

The world-building is equally well-done. Emily Colin immerses the reader into a bleak society that’s outlawed everything that marks our individuality. The Commonwealth allows for no ties, even familial ones. Children are created in a lab, raised together without knowing whether they have family, and are discouraged from forming friendships. The Commonwealth demands allegiance to the system above all. This lack comes through in the almost mechanical way the protagonists think of others, but more particularly when they meet the rebels who reject this lifestyle.

Another aspect of the world I liked was the specific consequences that led to the collapse and restructuring of society. Rather than detailing increasingly destructive scenarios, Colin picks out individual events that led to these specific rules forming.

Overall the writing is good. Colin’s prose is easy to read, if a little bleak to reflect her world. The dual POV allows readers to explore Eva and Ari in depth, while the varying chapter length enhances the novel’s suspense.

I found the pacing was uneven at times. Specifically, the introduction of the rebels felt rushed. Some events happen too fast, while others take place too late to have a lasting impact. The pace does even out once Ari and Eva meet the rebels, with the momentum building alongside the plot.

"Sword of Seven Sins" by Emily Colin offers a new take on the dystopian genre. Her characters push the plot forward, while her writing immerses the reader in a rigid world on the brink of change.

The Midnight Bargain is set in a country where women are prized for their magic ability, yet that very magic is kept from them.

Beatrice has wanted to do proper magic her entire life, but as she turns 18, her family's financial fate rests entirely on her ability to find a husband. Desperate to find a way out, she teams up with Ysbeta Lavan, Bargaining Season's most eligible woman, in order to get both of them out of their predicament.
What starts out as a grudging friendship, turns into a deep bond between the two women. The progress of their friendship was lovely to read. They're both head strong so there's a lot of give and take, but it just makes them stronger, especially once they come together.
Ysbeta is especially headstrong, having come from a family with a powerful matriarch, and a country that allows women more freedom, which makes her especially desperate to get out of being married and collared. This makes her character rather unlikable in the first half of the book, a welcome surprise in a YA novel.
Beatrice, on the other hand, starts out with a singular quest in her mind but slowly becomes more and more torn as she falls in love. Even in a freer country and more allowing husband, she would still be subject to his whims.
That brings us to the main theme of the books: its gender politics. The Midnight Bargain delves into what it means to be beholden to a partner, and how that feels. Beatrice doesn't start out with a desire to free all women from their collars, just herself, but she grows into the idea the more she learns about the effects of the marital collar.

The romance is beautiful. I loved how it developed, and I particularly loved how messy it was on an emotional level. Unlike many other YA stories, the outside forces at work to stop this union pale in comparison to the main characters' own convictions. I won't say any more on that to avoid spoilers.

The Midnight Bargain is a fantastic book. It pulled me in with the magic and kept me there by entwining that with gender politics that resonate even in our world. Its engaging plot and wonderful characters only serve to elevate the book further. I would recommend this without reservation.

I've been anticipating "The Silvered Serpents" since I finished "The Gilded Wolves" and I was not disappointed.
Chokshi delves into the gang's backstory more in this sequel, making the characters drive the story forward. But she doesn't overlook the plot. The two elements play off each other in a manner that pulled me in, so much so that I read the book in about a day.
Would definitely recommend this book if you're read the first, but brace yourself: it's full of angst.

'From Fire and Shadows' by J. F. Baptista begins with a tragedy.

In a world where the majority has some sort of magical ability, Theodora was the odd one out until one day when her power overtakes her, resulting in a fire. After that, she is whisked away to a new life amongst her people, where she learns more about her origins, and the strange magic she possesses. Along the way, she forms a connection with Kai, and they find themselves linked without ever having met.

As a protagonist, Theodora was a delight to read. She's introduced at the tender age of six, and her curiosity for her new world is infused in the writing. She's playful and trusting, launches herself into new projects and friendships head first, which lends her chapters a lightness rarely seen with older main characters.
Kai, on the other hand, is fully grown when he's introduced, and quite cynical. His chapters balance Theodora's out in the beginning, and then go on to compliment them as she grows.

The book takes place over a decade or so, with the main characters only meeting at the very end. The audience experiences those years mostly through Theodora's perspective, as Kai's chapters are shorter and more action focused. However, keeping up with this was slightly confusing, as the time jumps happen suddenly, sometimes mid chapter. Kai's first chapters were especially confusing, as the events that lead to the first time jump are rather rushed.

The world was fascinating, with the world-building done rather well. Baptista uses modified versions of Gaelic terms for many of the central pillars of the world, so I had to continuously check the included glossary, but it does get easier as it goes on. I look forward to reading more of it, especially the history as only bits and pieces of that are included.

Overall, I enjoyed J. F. Baptista's 'From Fire and Shadows' and look forward to reading the sequel!