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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Glow Book 1, Potency
Author: Aubrey Hadley
Book Series: Glow Book 1
Rating: 1/5
Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Ruby & Topaz Publishing
Pages: 420
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The Sleeping Syndrome has returned after a six-month hiatus. This time, it’s popped up in New York, and it’s wiped out an entire homeless shelter. The same night of the outbreak — thousands of miles away — Harper, a seventeen-year-old girl, finds herself face-to-face with a glowing figure in the desert outskirts of her neighborhood.
As the world goes on high-alert from the Syndrome, Harper is kidnapped and taken to the Base of Ki, a massive dome with a sheening white city and fantastic technology … built by beings from another solar system.
There, she must form cross-species alliances to save her friends, family, and the human race before she loses all chance of returning to Earth.
Review: I had to DNF this one. These books is a good example of show and not tell, which is something you shouldn’t do in writing. There was so much that was not going on, that was just being told to me, and not being shown to me. The book was also very boring after Harper got picked up by the aliens and all of my willingness to read it left my body. The book was horribly slow paced and the characters didn’t make sense after awhile. It had a LOT of promise, so idk what happened after the first 100 pages, but I didn’t make it much longer than that. Also, I thought this book already came out but now it’s saying June 16, 2020 so maybe it’ll get better.
Verdict: Not recommend. Needs to be re-editted.
Book: Glow Book 1, Potency
Author: Aubrey Hadley
Book Series: Glow Book 1
Rating: 1/5
Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Ruby & Topaz Publishing
Pages: 420
Amazon Link
Synopsis: The Sleeping Syndrome has returned after a six-month hiatus. This time, it’s popped up in New York, and it’s wiped out an entire homeless shelter. The same night of the outbreak — thousands of miles away — Harper, a seventeen-year-old girl, finds herself face-to-face with a glowing figure in the desert outskirts of her neighborhood.
As the world goes on high-alert from the Syndrome, Harper is kidnapped and taken to the Base of Ki, a massive dome with a sheening white city and fantastic technology … built by beings from another solar system.
There, she must form cross-species alliances to save her friends, family, and the human race before she loses all chance of returning to Earth.
Review: I had to DNF this one. These books is a good example of show and not tell, which is something you shouldn’t do in writing. There was so much that was not going on, that was just being told to me, and not being shown to me. The book was also very boring after Harper got picked up by the aliens and all of my willingness to read it left my body. The book was horribly slow paced and the characters didn’t make sense after awhile. It had a LOT of promise, so idk what happened after the first 100 pages, but I didn’t make it much longer than that. Also, I thought this book already came out but now it’s saying June 16, 2020 so maybe it’ll get better.
Verdict: Not recommend. Needs to be re-editted.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own!
Book: The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter
Author: Aaron Reynolds
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: April 28, 2020
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 12+ (animal deaths, rude comments/attitude to others)
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 224
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Rex Dexter is itching to have a dog. He was practically born to have one. His name is Rex, for crying out loud. It's a dog's name. Any pooch is preferable, but a chocolate Labrador is the pinnacle. The best of the best. The dream of all dreams.
When Rex's B-Day for Me-Day finally arrives, his parents surprise him with a box. A box with holes. A box with holes and adorable scratchy noises coming from inside. Could it be? Yes! It has to be! A . . . a . . .
Chicken?
Pet poultry?
How clucky.
One hour and fourteen minutes later, the chicken is dead (by a steamroller), Rex is cursed (by the Grim Reaper), and wild animals are haunting Rex's room (hounding him for answers). Even his best friend Darvish is not going to believe this, and that kid believes everything.
Rex's uninvited ghostly guests are a chatty, messy bunch. And they need Rex to solve their mysterious deadly departures from the Middling Falls Zoo before it happens again.
But how?
New York Times best-selling author Aaron Reynolds delivers a wickedly funny debut title in The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter series.
Review: So, I liked the book ok. It had great writing, the mystery was well done, and the message about taking care of animals is great! I also liked the pacing of the book.
However, I have a big issue with the book. I thought that the book wasn’t very well suited for younger children. The main character makes many mean spirited comments about friends and family and others. The main character also doesn’t apologize for them. I thought this was an attempt at humor, but you can be funny without being rude and that rudeness shouldn’t be taught to young children. The book also had a lot of older references that young children probably won’t get.
Verdict: It was ok, but can’t recommend to young kids.
Book: The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter
Author: Aaron Reynolds
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: April 28, 2020
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 12+ (animal deaths, rude comments/attitude to others)
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 224
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Rex Dexter is itching to have a dog. He was practically born to have one. His name is Rex, for crying out loud. It's a dog's name. Any pooch is preferable, but a chocolate Labrador is the pinnacle. The best of the best. The dream of all dreams.
When Rex's B-Day for Me-Day finally arrives, his parents surprise him with a box. A box with holes. A box with holes and adorable scratchy noises coming from inside. Could it be? Yes! It has to be! A . . . a . . .
Chicken?
Pet poultry?
How clucky.
One hour and fourteen minutes later, the chicken is dead (by a steamroller), Rex is cursed (by the Grim Reaper), and wild animals are haunting Rex's room (hounding him for answers). Even his best friend Darvish is not going to believe this, and that kid believes everything.
Rex's uninvited ghostly guests are a chatty, messy bunch. And they need Rex to solve their mysterious deadly departures from the Middling Falls Zoo before it happens again.
But how?
New York Times best-selling author Aaron Reynolds delivers a wickedly funny debut title in The Incredibly Dead Pets of Rex Dexter series.
Review: So, I liked the book ok. It had great writing, the mystery was well done, and the message about taking care of animals is great! I also liked the pacing of the book.
However, I have a big issue with the book. I thought that the book wasn’t very well suited for younger children. The main character makes many mean spirited comments about friends and family and others. The main character also doesn’t apologize for them. I thought this was an attempt at humor, but you can be funny without being rude and that rudeness shouldn’t be taught to young children. The book also had a lot of older references that young children probably won’t get.
Verdict: It was ok, but can’t recommend to young kids.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: When Death is Calling
Author: Henry Taba
Book Series: Whisper of Demon Book 2
Rating: 2.5/5
Publication Date: May 2019
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (demons, violence, slight gore, some romance)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 268
Amazon Link
Synopsis: He found his love.
But a demon is whispering to him.
He must redeem what he loved.
Westcliffe Patel, an orphan from a small town—Sagepond, has spent half of his life wandering alone. He thought, to prevent someone from leaving him, he should never have invited them into his life from the start. However, things changed—he found his love. Just when he thought life might get better, a whisper haunted him. To prevent his lover from becoming the next victim, he killed the demon. Soon, he realizes the target mark used by the demon to mark its prey was never erased, or maybe the demon never died. In his desperation to unveil the truth, he must deal with his past and his own insecurities
Review: Overall, I thought this book was ok. It had good writing and the world building was fantastic. I also loved the fast pacing and felt that the plot was intriguing.
However, the author never mentioned to me that this is the second in a series and it became hugely noticeable by the first 10 pages this is a sequel. I don’t appreciate the author not being forthcoming with that information and I urge that any future readers for the author to read the first book or ask for a copy of the first book before reading this one. Also, probably because I haven’t read the first book, the characters didn’t seem very well developed.
Verdict: It was good, but definitely need the first book for context.
Book: When Death is Calling
Author: Henry Taba
Book Series: Whisper of Demon Book 2
Rating: 2.5/5
Publication Date: May 2019
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (demons, violence, slight gore, some romance)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 268
Amazon Link
Synopsis: He found his love.
But a demon is whispering to him.
He must redeem what he loved.
Westcliffe Patel, an orphan from a small town—Sagepond, has spent half of his life wandering alone. He thought, to prevent someone from leaving him, he should never have invited them into his life from the start. However, things changed—he found his love. Just when he thought life might get better, a whisper haunted him. To prevent his lover from becoming the next victim, he killed the demon. Soon, he realizes the target mark used by the demon to mark its prey was never erased, or maybe the demon never died. In his desperation to unveil the truth, he must deal with his past and his own insecurities
Review: Overall, I thought this book was ok. It had good writing and the world building was fantastic. I also loved the fast pacing and felt that the plot was intriguing.
However, the author never mentioned to me that this is the second in a series and it became hugely noticeable by the first 10 pages this is a sequel. I don’t appreciate the author not being forthcoming with that information and I urge that any future readers for the author to read the first book or ask for a copy of the first book before reading this one. Also, probably because I haven’t read the first book, the characters didn’t seem very well developed.
Verdict: It was good, but definitely need the first book for context.
Disclaimer: I bought this book before I was put on the tour for the second book. Thanks! All opinions are my own!
Book: Sleight
Author: Jennifer Sommersby
Book Series: AVRA-K Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: April 24, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (death, violence, some romance)
Publisher: Sky Pony
Pages: 432
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Delia smiles at the shadow only she sees—
Something slams into her. The lyra whirls like a half-dollar spinning on its edge.
My mother is thrown backward.
And she falls.
Growing up in the Cinzio Traveling Players Company, Genevieve Flannery is accustomed to a life most teenagers could never imagine: daily workouts of extravagant acrobatics; an extended family of clowns; wild animals for pets; and her mother, Delia, whose mind has always been tortured by visions—but whose love Geni never questions. In a world of performers who astonish and amaze on a daily basis, Delia’s ghostly hallucinations never seemed all that strange . . . until the evening Geni and her mother are performing an aerial routine they’ve done hundreds of times, and Delia falls to her death.
That night, a dark curtain in Geni’s life opens. Everything has changed.
Still reeling from the tragedy, the Cinzio Traveling Players are also adjusting to the circus’s new owner: a generous, mysterious man whose connection to the circus—Geni suspects—has a dark and dangerous history. And suddenly Geni is stumbling into a new reality of her own, her life interrupted daily by the terrors only Delia used to be able to see.
As the visions around her grow stronger, Geni isn’t sure who she can trust. Even worse, she’s starting to question whether she can trust her own mind.
Review: I really enjoyed this book! It was cute and magical! The book was full of magical moments and the book was also well written. The main characters were well developed and I loved the mythology and culture used in this book!
The only issue I had with this book was that the book was a bit slower than what I would have liked and the twists weren’t that unpredictable in my opinion.
Verdict: Definitely recommend!
Book: Sleight
Author: Jennifer Sommersby
Book Series: AVRA-K Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: April 24, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (death, violence, some romance)
Publisher: Sky Pony
Pages: 432
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Delia smiles at the shadow only she sees—
Something slams into her. The lyra whirls like a half-dollar spinning on its edge.
My mother is thrown backward.
And she falls.
Growing up in the Cinzio Traveling Players Company, Genevieve Flannery is accustomed to a life most teenagers could never imagine: daily workouts of extravagant acrobatics; an extended family of clowns; wild animals for pets; and her mother, Delia, whose mind has always been tortured by visions—but whose love Geni never questions. In a world of performers who astonish and amaze on a daily basis, Delia’s ghostly hallucinations never seemed all that strange . . . until the evening Geni and her mother are performing an aerial routine they’ve done hundreds of times, and Delia falls to her death.
That night, a dark curtain in Geni’s life opens. Everything has changed.
Still reeling from the tragedy, the Cinzio Traveling Players are also adjusting to the circus’s new owner: a generous, mysterious man whose connection to the circus—Geni suspects—has a dark and dangerous history. And suddenly Geni is stumbling into a new reality of her own, her life interrupted daily by the terrors only Delia used to be able to see.
As the visions around her grow stronger, Geni isn’t sure who she can trust. Even worse, she’s starting to question whether she can trust her own mind.
Review: I really enjoyed this book! It was cute and magical! The book was full of magical moments and the book was also well written. The main characters were well developed and I loved the mythology and culture used in this book!
The only issue I had with this book was that the book was a bit slower than what I would have liked and the twists weren’t that unpredictable in my opinion.
Verdict: Definitely recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Scheme
Author: Jennifer Sommersby
Book Series: AVRA-K Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: April 7, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (some romance, death, violence)
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Pages: 432
Amazon Link
Synopsis: From Cirque Magnifique to Tanrilar Sirk,
From Europe to the sands of Babylon ...
Continue the adventure with Genevieve, Henry, and Baby in the sequel to SLEIGHT.
Review: I thought this book did well to build on the first book. It further developed our main characters, the world building greatly expanded, and the book did well to introduce new characters and settings. I continued to love the writing and the plot was intriguing and fun!
However, the pacing was still slower than what I would like it to be and I felt that the book became more character centric than about the main issue at hand.
Verdict: I recommend this series!
Book: Scheme
Author: Jennifer Sommersby
Book Series: AVRA-K Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: April 7, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (some romance, death, violence)
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Pages: 432
Amazon Link
Synopsis: From Cirque Magnifique to Tanrilar Sirk,
From Europe to the sands of Babylon ...
Continue the adventure with Genevieve, Henry, and Baby in the sequel to SLEIGHT.
Review: I thought this book did well to build on the first book. It further developed our main characters, the world building greatly expanded, and the book did well to introduce new characters and settings. I continued to love the writing and the plot was intriguing and fun!
However, the pacing was still slower than what I would like it to be and I felt that the book became more character centric than about the main issue at hand.
Verdict: I recommend this series!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Spliced
Author: Jon McGoran
Book Series: Spliced Book Series
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: September 29, 2017
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (science! Gene splicing, death, slight violence and gore)
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 400
Amazon Link
Synopsis: In this gripping sci-fi thriller, genetically altered teens fight for survival in a near-future society that is redefining what it means to be human.
Sixteen-year-old Jimi knows people change, but nothing could prepare her for what’s about to happen to her best friend, Del. Del is obsessed with becoming a chimera (ki-mir-a): a person who pays back-alley geneticists, known as ""genies,"" to illegally splice animal genes into their own. The resulting physical changes have scared lawmakers into drafting legislation declaring chimeras officially nonpersons—so when Del goes missing, Jimi is desperate to find him before he alters himself forever.
As she tries to save him, Jimi must face down unscrupulous people and risk her own life—all while knowing that if getting spliced is the choice Del has made, it means he’s leaving her behind forever.
Review: I thought this was a well done book. The writing is very well done, the plot twists were a bit of a shock, and the book was very well paced. The characters were well developed and the world building was fairly good. Overall, I really enjoyed the story!
However, I felt like there was a lot of unexplained things going on that made it hard to follow along for most of the book. The book kind of drops you off in the middle of the action and it takes a bit to get up to speed.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: Spliced
Author: Jon McGoran
Book Series: Spliced Book Series
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: September 29, 2017
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (science! Gene splicing, death, slight violence and gore)
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 400
Amazon Link
Synopsis: In this gripping sci-fi thriller, genetically altered teens fight for survival in a near-future society that is redefining what it means to be human.
Sixteen-year-old Jimi knows people change, but nothing could prepare her for what’s about to happen to her best friend, Del. Del is obsessed with becoming a chimera (ki-mir-a): a person who pays back-alley geneticists, known as ""genies,"" to illegally splice animal genes into their own. The resulting physical changes have scared lawmakers into drafting legislation declaring chimeras officially nonpersons—so when Del goes missing, Jimi is desperate to find him before he alters himself forever.
As she tries to save him, Jimi must face down unscrupulous people and risk her own life—all while knowing that if getting spliced is the choice Del has made, it means he’s leaving her behind forever.
Review: I thought this was a well done book. The writing is very well done, the plot twists were a bit of a shock, and the book was very well paced. The characters were well developed and the world building was fairly good. Overall, I really enjoyed the story!
However, I felt like there was a lot of unexplained things going on that made it hard to follow along for most of the book. The book kind of drops you off in the middle of the action and it takes a bit to get up to speed.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I bought this book! Support your authors! All opinions are my own.
Book: Splintered
Author: Jon McGoran
Book Series: Spliced Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: May 14, 2019
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, genes, science!)
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: All Jimi wants is pick up the pieces of her life and move on. She never intended to uncover a conspiracy, or become a hero for chimera rights-- she just wanted to protect her best friend, Del. But now she's a public figure, and she can't quite shake the spotlight. . . or her suspicion that she's being followed.
Still, when a strange chimera shows up, half-dead with nothing but an odd hospital bracelet to identify him, of course Jimi tries to help. But everything goes wrong-- and her friend Dr. Guzman is arrested for murder. Desperate to prove his innocence, Jimi does some digging, and discovers that the sick chimera came from a hospital owned by Howard Wells. . . . The businessman who pioneered the Genetic Heritage Act, which sought to label all chimeras as inhuman, and undeserving of basic rights. Has he really had a change of heart?
Teaming up with her chimera friends Rex and Claudia, Jimi sets out to investigate Wells' hospital-- but discovers the seemingly-charitable endeavor is hiding an extensive, dark secret. To save lives and shut down a criminal operation, Jimi and her friends will have to risk everything-- and incur the wrath of Howard Wells himself.
Action-packed and haunting, this sequel to Spliced digs deeper into a gritty, near-future world in which lawless science is a rich man's game-- and Jimi and her friends are unwilling players.
Review: I thought this book did well to pick up where the first book dropped off. The plot was still very intriguing and very encompassing. The world was still very well developed and amazingly well imagined and scary how realistic it could get. The book also did well to not have that second book syndrome, it’s not filler and it has intriguing and well done points.
However, the characters are a bit different in this one. I’m not connecting with them like I did in the first one and I’m not sure why that is. The book is also still a bit hard to get into at first.
Verdict: A well done sci-fi series!
Book: Splintered
Author: Jon McGoran
Book Series: Spliced Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: May 14, 2019
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, genes, science!)
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: All Jimi wants is pick up the pieces of her life and move on. She never intended to uncover a conspiracy, or become a hero for chimera rights-- she just wanted to protect her best friend, Del. But now she's a public figure, and she can't quite shake the spotlight. . . or her suspicion that she's being followed.
Still, when a strange chimera shows up, half-dead with nothing but an odd hospital bracelet to identify him, of course Jimi tries to help. But everything goes wrong-- and her friend Dr. Guzman is arrested for murder. Desperate to prove his innocence, Jimi does some digging, and discovers that the sick chimera came from a hospital owned by Howard Wells. . . . The businessman who pioneered the Genetic Heritage Act, which sought to label all chimeras as inhuman, and undeserving of basic rights. Has he really had a change of heart?
Teaming up with her chimera friends Rex and Claudia, Jimi sets out to investigate Wells' hospital-- but discovers the seemingly-charitable endeavor is hiding an extensive, dark secret. To save lives and shut down a criminal operation, Jimi and her friends will have to risk everything-- and incur the wrath of Howard Wells himself.
Action-packed and haunting, this sequel to Spliced digs deeper into a gritty, near-future world in which lawless science is a rich man's game-- and Jimi and her friends are unwilling players.
Review: I thought this book did well to pick up where the first book dropped off. The plot was still very intriguing and very encompassing. The world was still very well developed and amazingly well imagined and scary how realistic it could get. The book also did well to not have that second book syndrome, it’s not filler and it has intriguing and well done points.
However, the characters are a bit different in this one. I’m not connecting with them like I did in the first one and I’m not sure why that is. The book is also still a bit hard to get into at first.
Verdict: A well done sci-fi series!
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author.
Book: Blue Bottle Tree
Author: Beaird Glover
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Publication Date: October 6, 2017
Genre: Paranormal?
Recommended Age: can’t recommend but definitely 18+
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 310
Amazon Link
Synopsis: There’s no such thing as Voodoo. At least, that’s what most of the Baptists in Bellin tell themselves. But Seven LaVey knows better. In a small rural town just outside of Nashville, Voodoo conjures and curses simmer and seethe under the noses of the many who will never know. Seventeen-year-old Seven romanticizes about the meaning of life while held captive as a zombie under the shell of a kiddie pool. He's counting on the strength - and maybe even love - of a certain redheaded clarinet player to save him. But will she? Filled with betrayal and revenge, two families struggle with a curse that stretches back to Queen of the Voodoos Marie Laveau in this contemporary Southern Gothic adventure. Prepare for a wildly original twist on the paranormal.
Review: I had to DNF this book. It had a lot of dark stuff in it I didn’t agree with, like physical abuse, BDSM (which is a no for me), and then there was animal violence (also a HUGE no for me). I also felt like the book heavily focused on sex and that there was no story line in this at all.
Verdict: Not for me.
Book: Blue Bottle Tree
Author: Beaird Glover
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Publication Date: October 6, 2017
Genre: Paranormal?
Recommended Age: can’t recommend but definitely 18+
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 310
Amazon Link
Synopsis: There’s no such thing as Voodoo. At least, that’s what most of the Baptists in Bellin tell themselves. But Seven LaVey knows better. In a small rural town just outside of Nashville, Voodoo conjures and curses simmer and seethe under the noses of the many who will never know. Seventeen-year-old Seven romanticizes about the meaning of life while held captive as a zombie under the shell of a kiddie pool. He's counting on the strength - and maybe even love - of a certain redheaded clarinet player to save him. But will she? Filled with betrayal and revenge, two families struggle with a curse that stretches back to Queen of the Voodoos Marie Laveau in this contemporary Southern Gothic adventure. Prepare for a wildly original twist on the paranormal.
Review: I had to DNF this book. It had a lot of dark stuff in it I didn’t agree with, like physical abuse, BDSM (which is a no for me), and then there was animal violence (also a HUGE no for me). I also felt like the book heavily focused on sex and that there was no story line in this at all.
Verdict: Not for me.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Silence of the Bones
Author: June Hur
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Korean characters!
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: April 21, 2020
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, death, slight romance)
Synopsis: I have a mouth, but I mustn't speak;
Ears, but I mustn't hear;
Eyes, but I mustn't see.
1800, Joseon (Korea). Homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol is living out the ancient curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Indentured to the police bureau, she’s been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.
As they delve deeper into the dead woman's secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.
But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.
June Hur's elegant and haunting debut The Silence of Bones is a bloody tale perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Renée Ahdieh
Review: Oh my God this book was so good! I loved the historical aspect of it and the mystery blended so well together with it! The characters were very well developed, the plot was intriguing from start to finish, and the pacing was very well done!
My only issue is that the mix between English and Korean made it a bit hard of a read until you got the gist of what was being said.
Verdict: A well done and suspenseful novel!
Book: Silence of the Bones
Author: June Hur
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Korean characters!
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: April 21, 2020
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, death, slight romance)
Synopsis: I have a mouth, but I mustn't speak;
Ears, but I mustn't hear;
Eyes, but I mustn't see.
1800, Joseon (Korea). Homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol is living out the ancient curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Indentured to the police bureau, she’s been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.
As they delve deeper into the dead woman's secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.
But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.
June Hur's elegant and haunting debut The Silence of Bones is a bloody tale perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Renée Ahdieh
Review: Oh my God this book was so good! I loved the historical aspect of it and the mystery blended so well together with it! The characters were very well developed, the plot was intriguing from start to finish, and the pacing was very well done!
My only issue is that the mix between English and Korean made it a bit hard of a read until you got the gist of what was being said.
Verdict: A well done and suspenseful novel!
Edit: my 2 star does not reflect my views on this author as a person. This author is a very sweet and kind person but unfortunately me and her book just didn't vibe together. Shame on the people who are one star-ing her book because she spoke up on Twitter about how she, an author effected by what ML did, felt.
Disclaimer: I bought this book. Support your authors!
Book: Wicked As You Wish
Author: Rin Chupeco
Book Series: A Hundred Names for Magic Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Diversity: Filipino main character and LGBT side character
Publication Date: March 3, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 432
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Many years ago, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left desolate and encased in ice when the evil Snow Queen waged war on the powerful country. Its former citizens are now refugees in a world mostly devoid of magic. Which is why the crown prince and his protectors are stuck in…Arizona.
Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Avalon royal family, is in hiding in a town so boring, magic doesn’t even work there. Few know his secret identity, but his friend Tala is one of them. Tala doesn’t mind—she has secrets of her own. Namely, that she’s a spellbreaker, someone who negates magic.
Then hope for their abandoned homeland reignites when a famous creature of legend, and Avalon’s most powerful weapon, the Firebird, appears for the first time in decades. Alex and Tala unite with a ragtag group of new friends to journey back to Avalon for a showdown that will change the world as they know it.
Review: I had to DNF this book unfortunately. The book is so confusing. The world building is non existent and there are many different things happening at once. The pacing is lightening speed and it feels more like bad fan fiction then a book. It’s not all the way bad but damn it needed a few more rounds of revision and it needed to be cut in half and slowed way down.
Verdict: Not for me, but maybe it’s for you.
Disclaimer: I bought this book. Support your authors!
Book: Wicked As You Wish
Author: Rin Chupeco
Book Series: A Hundred Names for Magic Book 1
Rating: 2/5
Diversity: Filipino main character and LGBT side character
Publication Date: March 3, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 432
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Many years ago, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left desolate and encased in ice when the evil Snow Queen waged war on the powerful country. Its former citizens are now refugees in a world mostly devoid of magic. Which is why the crown prince and his protectors are stuck in…Arizona.
Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Avalon royal family, is in hiding in a town so boring, magic doesn’t even work there. Few know his secret identity, but his friend Tala is one of them. Tala doesn’t mind—she has secrets of her own. Namely, that she’s a spellbreaker, someone who negates magic.
Then hope for their abandoned homeland reignites when a famous creature of legend, and Avalon’s most powerful weapon, the Firebird, appears for the first time in decades. Alex and Tala unite with a ragtag group of new friends to journey back to Avalon for a showdown that will change the world as they know it.
Review: I had to DNF this book unfortunately. The book is so confusing. The world building is non existent and there are many different things happening at once. The pacing is lightening speed and it feels more like bad fan fiction then a book. It’s not all the way bad but damn it needed a few more rounds of revision and it needed to be cut in half and slowed way down.
Verdict: Not for me, but maybe it’s for you.