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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from OwlCrate and Scholastic from BookCon as part of an arc drop. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 5/5
Genre: MG/YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 12+ (ghosts, death, scary moments, slight violence)
Pages: 272
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.
When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.
Another book that wowed me. I am a lover of ghosts and all things paranormal. And, don’t laugh at me, but I actually believe in ghosts. So this book was right up my alley in regards to that. But going into it I was worried that the book would be really dumbed down because this book appeals more to the middle grade genre, but I was mistaken. This book is phenomenal and probably ranks up there with This Savage Song for me. While the characters were younger than my normal reading characters, they had a maturity about them that made the book very enjoyable for me personally. The book was well thoughtout and researched. The book had a campfire feel to it but it wasn’t too scary for younger readers in my opinion. The characters were all very well developed for the genre and the plot and pacing were superb.
The only downside I had to this was that I felt the book ended too early. I really want to continue my adventures with Cassidy and Jacob and I hope that Schwab writes another book for this series.
Verdict: Basically, this is another Schwab book – fantastic and must-read material.
Rating: 5/5
Genre: MG/YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 12+ (ghosts, death, scary moments, slight violence)
Pages: 272
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.
When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.
Another book that wowed me. I am a lover of ghosts and all things paranormal. And, don’t laugh at me, but I actually believe in ghosts. So this book was right up my alley in regards to that. But going into it I was worried that the book would be really dumbed down because this book appeals more to the middle grade genre, but I was mistaken. This book is phenomenal and probably ranks up there with This Savage Song for me. While the characters were younger than my normal reading characters, they had a maturity about them that made the book very enjoyable for me personally. The book was well thoughtout and researched. The book had a campfire feel to it but it wasn’t too scary for younger readers in my opinion. The characters were all very well developed for the genre and the plot and pacing were superb.
The only downside I had to this was that I felt the book ended too early. I really want to continue my adventures with Cassidy and Jacob and I hope that Schwab writes another book for this series.
Verdict: Basically, this is another Schwab book – fantastic and must-read material.
Disclaimer: None, I bought this on my own.
Rating: 5/5 (33.5 on my challenge scale)
Publication Date: March 27th, 2018
Genre: YA Retelling Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (depictions of a Hell, violence, gore, war, demons, afterlife)
Pages: 408
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld?
When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. But King Yama, the ruler of Diyu, is not willing to give Shang up easily. With the help of Shang's great lion guardian ShiShi, Mulan must traverse Diyu to find Shang's spirit, face harrowing obstacles, and leave by sunrise--or become King Yama's prisoner forever. Moreover, Mulan is still disguised as the soldier called Ping, wrestling with the decision to reveal her true identity to her closest friend. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it's too late? Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will she lose him--and be lost in the Underworld--forever?
After the disappointment of Flame in the Mist, I was slightly hesitant to start this book. I was scared that my favorite “princess” would be turned into a dull blob of a girl who’s only interested in sex. But that wasn’t the case at all. This Mulan was MY Mulan. She was fierce and strong and independent. She had fears and worries and concerns. She made tough decisions and sometimes those were the wrong ones. She fought a battle between herself and her reflection that rang as true to me as it did when I was 7 years old watching Mulan for the first time. I loved this book! The characters were very true to their Disney counterparts, I could see this actually happening in a Disney movie, the characters were very well developed and intriguing. The plot was interesting and it evolved well with the story. The pacing was phenomenal and in short this is a binge-worthy book.
The only complaint I had was that I wish we had more of an ending. I would have liked to see how the Emperor accepted her and if Shan-Yu survived this death like he did the one in the original film. I would have liked to see how it differed in this universe, but I also like how it ended because it did leave room for a possible sequel (one can only dream).
Verdict: This is the Mulan you grew up with.
Rating: 5/5 (33.5 on my challenge scale)
Publication Date: March 27th, 2018
Genre: YA Retelling Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (depictions of a Hell, violence, gore, war, demons, afterlife)
Pages: 408
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld?
When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. But King Yama, the ruler of Diyu, is not willing to give Shang up easily. With the help of Shang's great lion guardian ShiShi, Mulan must traverse Diyu to find Shang's spirit, face harrowing obstacles, and leave by sunrise--or become King Yama's prisoner forever. Moreover, Mulan is still disguised as the soldier called Ping, wrestling with the decision to reveal her true identity to her closest friend. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it's too late? Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will she lose him--and be lost in the Underworld--forever?
After the disappointment of Flame in the Mist, I was slightly hesitant to start this book. I was scared that my favorite “princess” would be turned into a dull blob of a girl who’s only interested in sex. But that wasn’t the case at all. This Mulan was MY Mulan. She was fierce and strong and independent. She had fears and worries and concerns. She made tough decisions and sometimes those were the wrong ones. She fought a battle between herself and her reflection that rang as true to me as it did when I was 7 years old watching Mulan for the first time. I loved this book! The characters were very true to their Disney counterparts, I could see this actually happening in a Disney movie, the characters were very well developed and intriguing. The plot was interesting and it evolved well with the story. The pacing was phenomenal and in short this is a binge-worthy book.
The only complaint I had was that I wish we had more of an ending. I would have liked to see how the Emperor accepted her and if Shan-Yu survived this death like he did the one in the original film. I would have liked to see how it differed in this universe, but I also like how it ended because it did leave room for a possible sequel (one can only dream).
Verdict: This is the Mulan you grew up with.
Disclaimer: I bought this book on my own! Yay me!
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: July 10, 2018
Genre: YA Paranormal
Recommended Age: 13+ (slight violence, some campy moments, some cheesy and slightly adult jokes, witchcraft, virgins, and black flame candles)
Pages: 521
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this electrifying two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens.
Shortly after moving from California to Salem, Massachusetts, Max Dennison finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from the afterlife. Max, his sister, and his new friends (human and otherwise) must find a way to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan and remaining on earth to torment Salem for all eternity.
Twenty-five years later, Max and Allison's seventeen-year-old daughter, Poppy, finds herself face-to-face with the Sanderson sisters in all their sinister glory. When Halloween celebrations don't quite go as planned, it's a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches' latest death-defying scheme.
If you were anywhere in the 90s or if you watch any TV during the Halloween season, then you know the story of the Sanderson Sisters from Salem Massachusetts. They’re famous and they’re one of the most quotable shows ever. So when I heard about this book which would feature the original story and then a new story (with a movie to follow) I was super skeptical that it would be any good. But damn I was wrong. It added so much to the original story that made it feel like the movie literally came from a book and the sequel was super good as well. The characters were developed and came to life, the sequel didn’t feel too campy, and the plot kept me interested in both stories until the end. There’s also excellent LGBT+/POC representation in this book.
The only complaint I would say about this book is that it does leave the reader on a huge cliffhanger and the book does have a lot going on in it. I think maybe it could have been even more expanded out and spaced out, but that’s a personal preference of mine because I want to read more.
Verdict: If you love Halloween you’ll love this book.
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: July 10, 2018
Genre: YA Paranormal
Recommended Age: 13+ (slight violence, some campy moments, some cheesy and slightly adult jokes, witchcraft, virgins, and black flame candles)
Pages: 521
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Hocus Pocus is beloved by Halloween enthusiasts all over the world. Diving once more into the world of witches, this electrifying two-part young adult novel, released on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the 1993 film, marks a new era of Hocus Pocus. Fans will be spellbound by a fresh retelling of the original film, followed by the all-new sequel that continues the story with the next generation of Salem teens.
Shortly after moving from California to Salem, Massachusetts, Max Dennison finds himself in hot water when he accidentally releases a coven of witches, the Sanderson sisters, from the afterlife. Max, his sister, and his new friends (human and otherwise) must find a way to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan and remaining on earth to torment Salem for all eternity.
Twenty-five years later, Max and Allison's seventeen-year-old daughter, Poppy, finds herself face-to-face with the Sanderson sisters in all their sinister glory. When Halloween celebrations don't quite go as planned, it's a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches' latest death-defying scheme.
If you were anywhere in the 90s or if you watch any TV during the Halloween season, then you know the story of the Sanderson Sisters from Salem Massachusetts. They’re famous and they’re one of the most quotable shows ever. So when I heard about this book which would feature the original story and then a new story (with a movie to follow) I was super skeptical that it would be any good. But damn I was wrong. It added so much to the original story that made it feel like the movie literally came from a book and the sequel was super good as well. The characters were developed and came to life, the sequel didn’t feel too campy, and the plot kept me interested in both stories until the end. There’s also excellent LGBT+/POC representation in this book.
The only complaint I would say about this book is that it does leave the reader on a huge cliffhanger and the book does have a lot going on in it. I think maybe it could have been even more expanded out and spaced out, but that’s a personal preference of mine because I want to read more.
Verdict: If you love Halloween you’ll love this book.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Delacorte Press and Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 23, 2018
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 14+ (arson, violence, lots of fire, mystery)
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Jenny didn't want to move to the creepy, possibly haunted town with her dad. But the cops are on to her, and the only way she can protect herself is by moving as far away from her hometown as possible and staying out of trouble.
But even after she moves, Jenny still gets the itch. The itch to light a match and then watch it burn.
It's something she hasn't been able to stop, ever since an accident years ago. Now, in a new town, Jenny has the strange feeling that someone is watching her every move. Will her arsonist ways be exposed? Or is the burning truth deep inside her a greater danger?
For the most part this book had a really engrossing plot. The plot was so intriguing that I couldn’t put the book down! I felt that the book had some really interesting characters and I liked how developed they were and I liked how the book turned out. It was a really good mystery with some twists I didn’t see coming and it certainly kept me on my toes!
However, I did feel that the book was really hard to get into and it can be offputting for some readers. I think that the main difficulty of the book is that it’s really slow paced and stuff is draw out unnecessarily long in my opinion. I felt that the this book didn’t have a lot of reread potential as well and the book didn’t make sense for in my opinion for some of the things that occurred in this novel.
Verdict: Twisty windy mystery galore!
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 23, 2018
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 14+ (arson, violence, lots of fire, mystery)
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Jenny didn't want to move to the creepy, possibly haunted town with her dad. But the cops are on to her, and the only way she can protect herself is by moving as far away from her hometown as possible and staying out of trouble.
But even after she moves, Jenny still gets the itch. The itch to light a match and then watch it burn.
It's something she hasn't been able to stop, ever since an accident years ago. Now, in a new town, Jenny has the strange feeling that someone is watching her every move. Will her arsonist ways be exposed? Or is the burning truth deep inside her a greater danger?
For the most part this book had a really engrossing plot. The plot was so intriguing that I couldn’t put the book down! I felt that the book had some really interesting characters and I liked how developed they were and I liked how the book turned out. It was a really good mystery with some twists I didn’t see coming and it certainly kept me on my toes!
However, I did feel that the book was really hard to get into and it can be offputting for some readers. I think that the main difficulty of the book is that it’s really slow paced and stuff is draw out unnecessarily long in my opinion. I felt that the this book didn’t have a lot of reread potential as well and the book didn’t make sense for in my opinion for some of the things that occurred in this novel.
Verdict: Twisty windy mystery galore!
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Disney Books/Hyperion and Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (PTSD, homelessness, inner monologues, pain)
Pages: 288
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Joel Higgins has 901 unsent text messages saved on his phone.
Ever since the thing that happened, there are certain people he hasn't been able to talk to in person. Sure, he shows up at school, does his mandatory volunteer hours at the soup kitchen, and spends pretty much every moment thinking about Eli, the most amazing girl in the world. But that doesn't mean he's keeping it together, or even that he has any friends.
So instead of hanging out with people in real life, he drafts text messages. But he never presses send.
As dismal as sophomore year was for Joel, he doesn't see how junior year will be any better. For starters, Eli doesn't know how he feels about her, his best friend Andy's gone, and he basically bombed the SATs. But as Joel spends more time at the soup kitchen with Eli and Benj, the new kid whose mouth seems to be unconnected to his brain, he forms bonds with the people they serve there-including a veteran they call Rooster-and begins to understand that the world is bigger than his own pain.
So in the beginning of this book I didn’t feel like this book was going to be that good of a book, but as I read on the book became better. The book, while wrote in a weird fashion, works well for the main character’s thought process. I think that the thought pattern of the main character is fairly realistic to one that suffers from PTSD/anxiety. I also felt that the author did really well with discussing socially relevant issues that are otherwise hard to discuss. I think that the book has excellent reread potential.
However, the book is so weirdly written that readers might not make it to the point where things start to click. The book is very long winded in places and the pacing is all over the place. The book also seems to suffer from the Stephen King syndrome of droning on and on about random events or things. I think the book is very interesting and definitely a reread book for me, but it’s just really hard to get into overall.
Verdict: Beautiful book with reread potential.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (PTSD, homelessness, inner monologues, pain)
Pages: 288
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Joel Higgins has 901 unsent text messages saved on his phone.
Ever since the thing that happened, there are certain people he hasn't been able to talk to in person. Sure, he shows up at school, does his mandatory volunteer hours at the soup kitchen, and spends pretty much every moment thinking about Eli, the most amazing girl in the world. But that doesn't mean he's keeping it together, or even that he has any friends.
So instead of hanging out with people in real life, he drafts text messages. But he never presses send.
As dismal as sophomore year was for Joel, he doesn't see how junior year will be any better. For starters, Eli doesn't know how he feels about her, his best friend Andy's gone, and he basically bombed the SATs. But as Joel spends more time at the soup kitchen with Eli and Benj, the new kid whose mouth seems to be unconnected to his brain, he forms bonds with the people they serve there-including a veteran they call Rooster-and begins to understand that the world is bigger than his own pain.
So in the beginning of this book I didn’t feel like this book was going to be that good of a book, but as I read on the book became better. The book, while wrote in a weird fashion, works well for the main character’s thought process. I think that the thought pattern of the main character is fairly realistic to one that suffers from PTSD/anxiety. I also felt that the author did really well with discussing socially relevant issues that are otherwise hard to discuss. I think that the book has excellent reread potential.
However, the book is so weirdly written that readers might not make it to the point where things start to click. The book is very long winded in places and the pacing is all over the place. The book also seems to suffer from the Stephen King syndrome of droning on and on about random events or things. I think the book is very interesting and definitely a reread book for me, but it’s just really hard to get into overall.
Verdict: Beautiful book with reread potential.
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Disclaimer: I bought this book on my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Action
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, zombies, adult scenes, and the worst thing ever… preppers)
Pages: 218
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Prepping was his way of life.
Lincoln realizes it’s every man for himself when the big cities are swarming with the military and the law disappears in the tiny town of Dessarillo, Texas, causing chaos to erupt. People Lincoln’s known for years were attacking their friends and family with their minds set on eating them limb by limb. He’d been prepared for this exact moment, waiting for disaster to strike so he could take a front row seat to society’s self destruction.
As an outcast, he learned to rely on no one. Until he unexpectedly finds his life in the hands of his neighbor, Wyatt, the man proving to be trustworthy. Together they try to carve out a safe place while people are turning into flesh eating monsters, decaying from the inside out, and destroying humanity one bite at a time.
I want to start this review by saying this book is completely adult, but if you enjoy them or have permission from your parents to read adult material then this book might be the one for you. I liked the almost realistic descriptions of this world and the characters were intriguing. Kendra definitely has a talent for writing and this book was the best I’ve read from her.
However, I will say that the book could have used more developed characters and events. I think that the book was a bit rushed and Lincoln was definitely underdeveloped. It was funny as well, but some of the jokes felt too forced and, since I know that she intended for the book to be written more masculine, I felt that making Lincoln so “sexy” kinda negated that for me. Again, there are some adult scenes in there as well and some needless romance, but that’s just my opinion.
Verdict: The most realistic zombie book you’ll ever read.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Action
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, zombies, adult scenes, and the worst thing ever… preppers)
Pages: 218
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Prepping was his way of life.
Lincoln realizes it’s every man for himself when the big cities are swarming with the military and the law disappears in the tiny town of Dessarillo, Texas, causing chaos to erupt. People Lincoln’s known for years were attacking their friends and family with their minds set on eating them limb by limb. He’d been prepared for this exact moment, waiting for disaster to strike so he could take a front row seat to society’s self destruction.
As an outcast, he learned to rely on no one. Until he unexpectedly finds his life in the hands of his neighbor, Wyatt, the man proving to be trustworthy. Together they try to carve out a safe place while people are turning into flesh eating monsters, decaying from the inside out, and destroying humanity one bite at a time.
I want to start this review by saying this book is completely adult, but if you enjoy them or have permission from your parents to read adult material then this book might be the one for you. I liked the almost realistic descriptions of this world and the characters were intriguing. Kendra definitely has a talent for writing and this book was the best I’ve read from her.
However, I will say that the book could have used more developed characters and events. I think that the book was a bit rushed and Lincoln was definitely underdeveloped. It was funny as well, but some of the jokes felt too forced and, since I know that she intended for the book to be written more masculine, I felt that making Lincoln so “sexy” kinda negated that for me. Again, there are some adult scenes in there as well and some needless romance, but that’s just my opinion.
Verdict: The most realistic zombie book you’ll ever read.
Disclaimer: I received this book from KidLitExchange. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: November 13th, 2018
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (survivor’s guilt, tragedy, regret, grief, mature scenes, romance) (trigger warning for rape and murder)
Pages: 416
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: I was one of five. The five girls Kyle texted that day. The girls it could have been. Only Jamie--beautiful, saintly Jamie--was kind enough to respond. And it got her killed.
On the eve of Kyle's sentencing a year after Jamie's death, all the other "chosen ones" are coping in various ways. But our tenacious narrator is full of anger, stuck somewhere between the horrifying past and the unknown future as she tries to piece together why she gets to live, while Jamie is dead.
Now she finds herself drawn to Charlie, Jamie's boyfriend--knowing all the while that their relationship will always be haunted by what-ifs and why-nots. Is hope possible in the face of such violence? Is forgiveness? How do you go on living when you know it could have been you instead?
I felt this story was okay. The characters were interesting and the plot was developed. The premise behind this book is really intriguing as well and I think it’s worth a read if you’re interested.
However, I feel that the book was really really confusing. I got lost in the world constantly and I feel that the writing style didn’t help my confusion. The book really frustrated me and at the end I just skimmed over a lot of this book.
Verdict: It’s worth the read if you can get through the text.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: November 13th, 2018
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (survivor’s guilt, tragedy, regret, grief, mature scenes, romance) (trigger warning for rape and murder)
Pages: 416
Author Website
Amazon Link
Synopsis: I was one of five. The five girls Kyle texted that day. The girls it could have been. Only Jamie--beautiful, saintly Jamie--was kind enough to respond. And it got her killed.
On the eve of Kyle's sentencing a year after Jamie's death, all the other "chosen ones" are coping in various ways. But our tenacious narrator is full of anger, stuck somewhere between the horrifying past and the unknown future as she tries to piece together why she gets to live, while Jamie is dead.
Now she finds herself drawn to Charlie, Jamie's boyfriend--knowing all the while that their relationship will always be haunted by what-ifs and why-nots. Is hope possible in the face of such violence? Is forgiveness? How do you go on living when you know it could have been you instead?
I felt this story was okay. The characters were interesting and the plot was developed. The premise behind this book is really intriguing as well and I think it’s worth a read if you’re interested.
However, I feel that the book was really really confusing. I got lost in the world constantly and I feel that the writing style didn’t help my confusion. The book really frustrated me and at the end I just skimmed over a lot of this book.
Verdict: It’s worth the read if you can get through the text.
Disclaimer: None. I bought this book on my own!
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: June 7th, 2016
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, gore, racism allegories, flashbacks of horrible unspeakable acts, and music)
Pages: 469
Amazon Link
Synopsis: There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.
Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.
Review: This is a reread for me and not really much has changed from my original review. I feel that this book is gritty and amazing. It explores racism, especially within the Jim Crow era, in a way that you wouldn’t initially realize, and it has some of the best quotes. I feel that the book is written well. The characters are developed and the story is plotted well.
However, I did realize in my reread that there are significant plot holes and that this book isn’t really memorable. Going back into this book I didn’t really remember everything that happened and even after my second reread I am struggling to remember every twist and turn August and Kate make.
Verdict: I good book for English class, but maybe not the best for entertainment.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: June 7th, 2016
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, gore, racism allegories, flashbacks of horrible unspeakable acts, and music)
Pages: 469
Amazon Link
Synopsis: There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.
Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.
Review: This is a reread for me and not really much has changed from my original review. I feel that this book is gritty and amazing. It explores racism, especially within the Jim Crow era, in a way that you wouldn’t initially realize, and it has some of the best quotes. I feel that the book is written well. The characters are developed and the story is plotted well.
However, I did realize in my reread that there are significant plot holes and that this book isn’t really memorable. Going back into this book I didn’t really remember everything that happened and even after my second reread I am struggling to remember every twist and turn August and Kate make.
Verdict: I good book for English class, but maybe not the best for entertainment.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: May 17th, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (some violence and paranormal activity)
Pages: 368
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius who uses the gift of deduction and reason to solve the most vexing of crimes.
Warlock Holmes, however, is an idiot. A good man, perhaps; a font of arcane power, certainly. But he’s brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart flatmate. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety… and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.
An imaginative, irreverent and addictive reimagining of the world’s favourite detective, Warlock Holmes retains the charm, tone and feel of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle while finally giving the flat at 221b Baker Street what it’s been missing for all these years: an alchemy table.
Reimagining six stories, this riotous mash-up is a glorious new take on the ever-popular Sherlock Holmes myth, featuring the vampire Inspector Vladislav Lestrade, the ogre Inspector Torg Grogsson, and Dr. Watson, the true detective at 221b. And Sherlock. A warlock.
Review: I’m not a Sherlock fan.
*looks around at all the Sherlock memorabilia I have*
*remembers the disappoint I have from not getting to go see 221B Baker Street*
*sees Sherlock doesn’t have a new season on Netflix yet*
Okay, who am I kidding? I love Sherlock and John! They’re one of the best literary duos ever written and the books translate so well into movies and even modern movies with twists. The retelling books are wonderful as well and this book is no exception. It’s a parody retelling of Sherlock in which our favorite detective maybe isn’t the brightest crayon in the box. The dynamic between Watson and Holmes is brilliant and the way the author writes these retold characters as monsters is pretty spot on from their original characters. I really enjoyed the books. They were funny and smart. The plots were well thought out and the characters were fairly well developed.
I feel that the book’s writing style was a little hard for me to read (but it was wrote in that Victorian speech and I have issues reading that sometimes). I also feel that the book had some corny moments and some predictable bits. And sometimes the solutions to the “mysteries” were a bit out there.
Verdict: Definitely reading Book 2.
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: May 17th, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (some violence and paranormal activity)
Pages: 368
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius who uses the gift of deduction and reason to solve the most vexing of crimes.
Warlock Holmes, however, is an idiot. A good man, perhaps; a font of arcane power, certainly. But he’s brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart flatmate. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety… and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.
An imaginative, irreverent and addictive reimagining of the world’s favourite detective, Warlock Holmes retains the charm, tone and feel of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle while finally giving the flat at 221b Baker Street what it’s been missing for all these years: an alchemy table.
Reimagining six stories, this riotous mash-up is a glorious new take on the ever-popular Sherlock Holmes myth, featuring the vampire Inspector Vladislav Lestrade, the ogre Inspector Torg Grogsson, and Dr. Watson, the true detective at 221b. And Sherlock. A warlock.
Review: I’m not a Sherlock fan.
*looks around at all the Sherlock memorabilia I have*
*remembers the disappoint I have from not getting to go see 221B Baker Street*
*sees Sherlock doesn’t have a new season on Netflix yet*
Okay, who am I kidding? I love Sherlock and John! They’re one of the best literary duos ever written and the books translate so well into movies and even modern movies with twists. The retelling books are wonderful as well and this book is no exception. It’s a parody retelling of Sherlock in which our favorite detective maybe isn’t the brightest crayon in the box. The dynamic between Watson and Holmes is brilliant and the way the author writes these retold characters as monsters is pretty spot on from their original characters. I really enjoyed the books. They were funny and smart. The plots were well thought out and the characters were fairly well developed.
I feel that the book’s writing style was a little hard for me to read (but it was wrote in that Victorian speech and I have issues reading that sometimes). I also feel that the book had some corny moments and some predictable bits. And sometimes the solutions to the “mysteries” were a bit out there.
Verdict: Definitely reading Book 2.
Disclaimer: I bought my own copy of this book. Yay me!
Rating: 4.5/5
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, swamp, lies, alligators)
Pages: 327
Amazon Link
Synopsis: It's an oppressively hot and sticky morning in June when Sterling and her brother, Phin, have an argument that compels him to run into the town swamp—the one that strikes fear in all the residents of Sticks, Louisiana. Phin doesn't return. Instead, a girl named Lenora May climbs out, and now Sterling is the only person in Sticks who remembers her brother ever existed.
Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp's done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance—and loner boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her.
Review: I like mythological retellings, especially those that I don’t hear about a lot. But there’s something comforting from reading something that you’ve heard about before. Being a Southern girl who’s lived in Tennessee the majority of her life and now living in Georgia, I haven’t been around a lot of swamps. That doesn’t stop the stories and the cautionary tales from coming. I’ve always been taught that those swamps are filled with evil and mystery, forces that I couldn’t combat. Stay clear from them or die, they would say. So when I read this book, I felt like I was getting another cautionary tale from my mamaw about the swamp. This book is really well written and I loved the fact that it presented some American mythology in it. I felt that the writing was well done and the characters were well developed. I also liked that the main character didn’t have to rely on her love interest to help her. The power was within her to do what she wanted all along.
In the end, I thought this book needed to explain the magic a bit more and some things happened that were a bit weird considering that fact. I also felt that we should have had more backstory with the siblings and more of an afterwards with what happened at the end.
Verdict: An amazing book that will revive your fear of the dark swamps.
Rating: 4.5/5
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, swamp, lies, alligators)
Pages: 327
Amazon Link
Synopsis: It's an oppressively hot and sticky morning in June when Sterling and her brother, Phin, have an argument that compels him to run into the town swamp—the one that strikes fear in all the residents of Sticks, Louisiana. Phin doesn't return. Instead, a girl named Lenora May climbs out, and now Sterling is the only person in Sticks who remembers her brother ever existed.
Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp's done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance—and loner boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her.
Review: I like mythological retellings, especially those that I don’t hear about a lot. But there’s something comforting from reading something that you’ve heard about before. Being a Southern girl who’s lived in Tennessee the majority of her life and now living in Georgia, I haven’t been around a lot of swamps. That doesn’t stop the stories and the cautionary tales from coming. I’ve always been taught that those swamps are filled with evil and mystery, forces that I couldn’t combat. Stay clear from them or die, they would say. So when I read this book, I felt like I was getting another cautionary tale from my mamaw about the swamp. This book is really well written and I loved the fact that it presented some American mythology in it. I felt that the writing was well done and the characters were well developed. I also liked that the main character didn’t have to rely on her love interest to help her. The power was within her to do what she wanted all along.
In the end, I thought this book needed to explain the magic a bit more and some things happened that were a bit weird considering that fact. I also felt that we should have had more backstory with the siblings and more of an afterwards with what happened at the end.
Verdict: An amazing book that will revive your fear of the dark swamps.