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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Night Owls and Summer Skies
Author: Rebecca Sullivan
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5 (because I can’t rate it 0/5)
Diversity: Lesbian main character and side characters, but not well done
Recommended For...: I can’t recommend this, it’s extremely problematic
Publication Date: June 30, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Pages: 288
Synopsis: You have to step off the trail to find your path....
When her mother unceremoniously dumps her at Camp Mapplewood for the summer, Emma Lane’s hopes of repairing their fractured relationship are gone with the wind. Now she’s stuck in the wilderness facing her worst fears. Trees? Terrifying. Spiders? Even worse. And don’t even get Emma started on how she feels about camp activities. But Emma’s got a plan, and she will do anything in her power to get kicked out of camp, from sleeping in to playing practical jokes on her fellow campers. Yet when Emma draws the attention of her illusive and attractive camp counselor Vivian Black, she has to come to terms with the fact that how her summer starts isn’t necessarily how it might end. Will Vivian be the key to unlocking Emma’s fears once and for all?
Review: I had to DNF this read at 40% in. The book wasn’t for me at all. The book’s main character is really unlikeable. She calls herself gay instead of lesbian (which is ok, but it kind of gives off the vibe that being a lesbian isn’t good), she had anxiety and depression but doesn’t show the reader these issues and it isn’t wrote in the story well, and the whole relationship between Emma (our main character) and Vivian really upsets me. Vivian is older than Emma and there’s a power difference with Vivian being a counselor, and then Vivian does some things like kissing Emma and allowing Emma to sleep in her sleeping bag. Honestly, this is akin to professor/student relationships and shouldn’t be tolerated either. I don’t like the “bully is actually interested in the main character” trope because it sets a precedent that violence in a relationship in any form is ok and that’s not ok. Lauren didn’t have anything wrong with her per se but she is a bully and she sexually harasses Emma and Vivian and it’s not a good thing and doesn’t deserve good ending. I think it would have been better if Lauren was given some therapy or was shown to have remorse in the book but it doesn’t come off that way and doesn’t happen. Aside from these problematic issues, the book is also not well written and has some extremely harmful elements to it for people who identify as LGBT+.
Verdict: Not recommending.
Book: Night Owls and Summer Skies
Author: Rebecca Sullivan
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5 (because I can’t rate it 0/5)
Diversity: Lesbian main character and side characters, but not well done
Recommended For...: I can’t recommend this, it’s extremely problematic
Publication Date: June 30, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, dnf-ed
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Pages: 288
Synopsis: You have to step off the trail to find your path....
When her mother unceremoniously dumps her at Camp Mapplewood for the summer, Emma Lane’s hopes of repairing their fractured relationship are gone with the wind. Now she’s stuck in the wilderness facing her worst fears. Trees? Terrifying. Spiders? Even worse. And don’t even get Emma started on how she feels about camp activities. But Emma’s got a plan, and she will do anything in her power to get kicked out of camp, from sleeping in to playing practical jokes on her fellow campers. Yet when Emma draws the attention of her illusive and attractive camp counselor Vivian Black, she has to come to terms with the fact that how her summer starts isn’t necessarily how it might end. Will Vivian be the key to unlocking Emma’s fears once and for all?
Review: I had to DNF this read at 40% in. The book wasn’t for me at all. The book’s main character is really unlikeable. She calls herself gay instead of lesbian (which is ok, but it kind of gives off the vibe that being a lesbian isn’t good), she had anxiety and depression but doesn’t show the reader these issues and it isn’t wrote in the story well, and the whole relationship between Emma (our main character) and Vivian really upsets me. Vivian is older than Emma and there’s a power difference with Vivian being a counselor, and then Vivian does some things like kissing Emma and allowing Emma to sleep in her sleeping bag. Honestly, this is akin to professor/student relationships and shouldn’t be tolerated either. I don’t like the “bully is actually interested in the main character” trope because it sets a precedent that violence in a relationship in any form is ok and that’s not ok. Lauren didn’t have anything wrong with her per se but she is a bully and she sexually harasses Emma and Vivian and it’s not a good thing and doesn’t deserve good ending. I think it would have been better if Lauren was given some therapy or was shown to have remorse in the book but it doesn’t come off that way and doesn’t happen. Aside from these problematic issues, the book is also not well written and has some extremely harmful elements to it for people who identify as LGBT+.
Verdict: Not recommending.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the tour company. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Killer Coin
Author: Elka Ray
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Asian American character
Recommended For...: mystery lovers
Publication Date: November 17, 2020
Genre: Mystery
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, death, mystery)
Publisher: Seventh Street Books
Pages: 216
Synopsis: cozy;interracial;romance;mystery;female protagonist;asian-american;international;crime;murder;high finance
Review: Overall, I thought this was a well done mystery. The book has well done characters and they’re very easy to connect with. The world building is amazing and I loved how the author wrote the scenery. It was almost like viewing the book through foggy filters to give off that mystery vibe. The plot is also interesting and kept my attention throughout the book.
However, the ending and solution were predictable for me, I guessed it by midway through. The book is also a bit too fast paced for my liking and I think if the author slow down the book and expanded it with more background info the book would be amazing. I also think the blurb needs work.
Verdict: A well done mystery.
Book: Killer Coin
Author: Elka Ray
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Asian American character
Recommended For...: mystery lovers
Publication Date: November 17, 2020
Genre: Mystery
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, death, mystery)
Publisher: Seventh Street Books
Pages: 216
Synopsis: cozy;interracial;romance;mystery;female protagonist;asian-american;international;crime;murder;high finance
Review: Overall, I thought this was a well done mystery. The book has well done characters and they’re very easy to connect with. The world building is amazing and I loved how the author wrote the scenery. It was almost like viewing the book through foggy filters to give off that mystery vibe. The plot is also interesting and kept my attention throughout the book.
However, the ending and solution were predictable for me, I guessed it by midway through. The book is also a bit too fast paced for my liking and I think if the author slow down the book and expanded it with more background info the book would be amazing. I also think the blurb needs work.
Verdict: A well done mystery.
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Lightest Object in the Univese
Author: Kimi Eisele
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, post apocalyptic, sci-fi
Publication Date: July 9, 2020
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (apocalypse, death, slight violence and gore, some language)
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages: 325
Synopsis: After a global economic collapse and failure of the electrical grid, amid escalating chaos, Carson, a high school teacher of history who sees history bearing out its lessons all around him, heads west on foot toward Beatrix, a woman he met and fell hard for during a chance visit to his school. Working his way along a cross-country railroad line, he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those who believe they’ll be delivered from hardship if they can find their way to the evangelical preacher Jonathan Blue, who is broadcasting on all the airwaves countrywide. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Beatrix and her neighbors turn to one another for food, water, and solace, and begin to construct the kind of cooperative community that suggests the end could, in fact, be a promising beginning.
But between Beatrix and Carson lie 3,000 miles. With no internet or phone or postal service, can they find their way back to each other, and what will be left of their world when they do? The answers may lie with fifteen-year-old Rosie Santos, who travels reluctantly with her grandmother to Jonathan Blue, finding her voice and making choices that could ultimately decide the fate of the cross-country lovers.
Review: I really liked this book! It was so well done and it was probably one of the more realistic dystopian/post apocalyptic novels I’ve read in awhile. The characters were well done, the world building was absolutely amazing, and the book actually had a bright side. I loved seeing the country as the character traveled it and the plot kept me hooked from beginning to end.
However, I did think that the pacing was extremely slow in the beginning and can be redone, but besides that it was great!
Verdict: Loved this one!
Book: The Lightest Object in the Univese
Author: Kimi Eisele
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, post apocalyptic, sci-fi
Publication Date: July 9, 2020
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (apocalypse, death, slight violence and gore, some language)
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages: 325
Synopsis: After a global economic collapse and failure of the electrical grid, amid escalating chaos, Carson, a high school teacher of history who sees history bearing out its lessons all around him, heads west on foot toward Beatrix, a woman he met and fell hard for during a chance visit to his school. Working his way along a cross-country railroad line, he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those who believe they’ll be delivered from hardship if they can find their way to the evangelical preacher Jonathan Blue, who is broadcasting on all the airwaves countrywide. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Beatrix and her neighbors turn to one another for food, water, and solace, and begin to construct the kind of cooperative community that suggests the end could, in fact, be a promising beginning.
But between Beatrix and Carson lie 3,000 miles. With no internet or phone or postal service, can they find their way back to each other, and what will be left of their world when they do? The answers may lie with fifteen-year-old Rosie Santos, who travels reluctantly with her grandmother to Jonathan Blue, finding her voice and making choices that could ultimately decide the fate of the cross-country lovers.
Review: I really liked this book! It was so well done and it was probably one of the more realistic dystopian/post apocalyptic novels I’ve read in awhile. The characters were well done, the world building was absolutely amazing, and the book actually had a bright side. I loved seeing the country as the character traveled it and the plot kept me hooked from beginning to end.
However, I did think that the pacing was extremely slow in the beginning and can be redone, but besides that it was great!
Verdict: Loved this one!
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the tour company. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Moonlit Dreams/Moonlit Nightmares
Author: Laura Seeber
Book Series: Short Stories
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: horror fans, short story lovers
Publication Date: April 19, 2020
Genre: Horror Short Stories
Recommended Age: 15+ (horror elements, some language, some death, some gore, some violence)
Publisher: Antimony and Elder Lace Press
Pages: 232
Synopsis: In this book, you’ll find a collection of thirteen individual stories. All of them written by master storytellers, with a very simple theme: the moon. The moon has always affects us on an almost instinctual level, and that effect, either subtle or profound is explored in these pages. We hope, that you, dear reader will enjoy these stories as much as we enjoyed compiling them.
Review: Overall, I thought this was well done. I generally liked all of the short stories aside from pacing issues and some editing issues in various stories. I thought the stories were compelling and I loved the connection each had to the moon.
However, I did think that the book needs a little more editing and faster pacing on a few of the stories, but overall I thought this was a fun horror read!
Verdict: It was a good short story collection.
Book: Moonlit Dreams/Moonlit Nightmares
Author: Laura Seeber
Book Series: Short Stories
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: horror fans, short story lovers
Publication Date: April 19, 2020
Genre: Horror Short Stories
Recommended Age: 15+ (horror elements, some language, some death, some gore, some violence)
Publisher: Antimony and Elder Lace Press
Pages: 232
Synopsis: In this book, you’ll find a collection of thirteen individual stories. All of them written by master storytellers, with a very simple theme: the moon. The moon has always affects us on an almost instinctual level, and that effect, either subtle or profound is explored in these pages. We hope, that you, dear reader will enjoy these stories as much as we enjoyed compiling them.
Review: Overall, I thought this was well done. I generally liked all of the short stories aside from pacing issues and some editing issues in various stories. I thought the stories were compelling and I loved the connection each had to the moon.
However, I did think that the book needs a little more editing and faster pacing on a few of the stories, but overall I thought this was a fun horror read!
Verdict: It was a good short story collection.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Crowns of Croswald
Author: D.E. Night
Book Series: The Crowns of Croswald Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: magic lovers, HP lovers
Publication Date: July 21, 2017
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Stories Untold Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.
Review: I had to DNF this read. This book is heavily *HEAVILY* inspired by Harry Potter and there are a lot of HP elements in it and because of the current climate with JK Rowling I’m not feeling very magical lately. The book also feels like there’s too much in it and it doesn’t have an easy reading feel to it. I will come back to this book in the future, but for now I can’t read it.
Verdict: It’s a great book, but not for me at the moment.
Book: The Crowns of Croswald
Author: D.E. Night
Book Series: The Crowns of Croswald Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: magic lovers, HP lovers
Publication Date: July 21, 2017
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Stories Untold Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…
For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.
Review: I had to DNF this read. This book is heavily *HEAVILY* inspired by Harry Potter and there are a lot of HP elements in it and because of the current climate with JK Rowling I’m not feeling very magical lately. The book also feels like there’s too much in it and it doesn’t have an easy reading feel to it. I will come back to this book in the future, but for now I can’t read it.
Verdict: It’s a great book, but not for me at the moment.
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher for MLC Book Tours! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Crow Rider
Author: Kalyn Josephson
Book Series: The Storm Crow Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: fantasy, bird lovers, epic fantasy
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (mental health, death, gore, violence)
Publisher: Sourcefire Books
Pages: 368
Synopsis: Princess Thia, her allies, and her crow, Res, are planning a rebellion to defeat Queen Razel and Illucia once and for all. Thia must convince the neighboring kingdoms to come to her aid, and Res’s show of strength is the only thing that can help her.
But so many obstacles stand in her way. Res excels at his training, until he loses control of his magic, harming Thia in the process. She is also pursued by Prince Ericen, heir to the Illucian throne and the one person she can’t trust but can’t seem to stay away from.
As the rebel group prepares for war, Res’s magic grows more unstable. Thia has to decide if she can rely on herself and their bond enough to lead the rebellion and become the crow rider she was meant to be.
Review: Overall, I really liked this book! I thought the characters were very well developed for the most part and the book had a lot of action in it that kept me glued to my seat. The book did well to discuss PTSD and trauma as well!
However, I did think that the book needed more world building and needed to be slowed down pacing wise. The book is fast paced and excitable, but I would like to spend more time in the worlds a bit more. The author could have easily wrote 100 more pages with descriptions of the worlds and I would have loved it. The book also had a bit of a love triangle which… meh… You also have to read these books back to back for the full effect. The book immediately picks up after the events in book 1 and so it’s hard to orient yourself if you don’t remember everything from book 1.
Verdict: An epic fantasy! Definitely recommend.
Book: The Crow Rider
Author: Kalyn Josephson
Book Series: The Storm Crow Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: fantasy, bird lovers, epic fantasy
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (mental health, death, gore, violence)
Publisher: Sourcefire Books
Pages: 368
Synopsis: Princess Thia, her allies, and her crow, Res, are planning a rebellion to defeat Queen Razel and Illucia once and for all. Thia must convince the neighboring kingdoms to come to her aid, and Res’s show of strength is the only thing that can help her.
But so many obstacles stand in her way. Res excels at his training, until he loses control of his magic, harming Thia in the process. She is also pursued by Prince Ericen, heir to the Illucian throne and the one person she can’t trust but can’t seem to stay away from.
As the rebel group prepares for war, Res’s magic grows more unstable. Thia has to decide if she can rely on herself and their bond enough to lead the rebellion and become the crow rider she was meant to be.
Review: Overall, I really liked this book! I thought the characters were very well developed for the most part and the book had a lot of action in it that kept me glued to my seat. The book did well to discuss PTSD and trauma as well!
However, I did think that the book needed more world building and needed to be slowed down pacing wise. The book is fast paced and excitable, but I would like to spend more time in the worlds a bit more. The author could have easily wrote 100 more pages with descriptions of the worlds and I would have loved it. The book also had a bit of a love triangle which… meh… You also have to read these books back to back for the full effect. The book immediately picks up after the events in book 1 and so it’s hard to orient yourself if you don’t remember everything from book 1.
Verdict: An epic fantasy! Definitely recommend.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Ever Cursed
Author: Corey Ann Haydu
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: trans side character!
Recommended For...: witches, twisted fairytales, feminism
Publication Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, TW rape allegories and mentions, TW eating disorder allegory, TW creepy comments made by men on at least one barely legal girl)
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 304
Synopsis: The Princesses of Ever are beloved by the kingdom and their father, the King. They are cherished, admired.
Cursed.
Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one essential thing—the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box.
But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell—Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought—as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom…and family.
Told through the eyes of Reagan and Jane—the witch and the bewitched—this insightful twist of a fairy tale explores power in a patriarchal kingdom not unlike our own.
Review: Overall, I thought this was a pretty good book. The book did well to describe the trauma and the mental health of the characters. I really liked Alice, who was a trans character, and I liked how the story was a twist on modern fairytales to show their ugliness that we rarely talk about. I thought the book also did well on the feminist side of the story too.
However, there were some issues I had with the book. I didn’t like all the similarities to eating disorders as I didn’t see a trigger warning. The book didn’t really discuss it but alluded to it through one of the main characters and I could see where it could be upsetting for some people. There were also a lot of rape allegories without a trigger warning and the book was generally hard to get into. The book didn’t do well describing the world building and the characters weren’t that well developed in my opinion. You’re also thrown into the story and it takes a bit to orient yourself in it.
Verdict: It was good, but I wanted it to be a bit more fleshed out and I would like to see some trigger warnings in the final version.
Book: Ever Cursed
Author: Corey Ann Haydu
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: trans side character!
Recommended For...: witches, twisted fairytales, feminism
Publication Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, TW rape allegories and mentions, TW eating disorder allegory, TW creepy comments made by men on at least one barely legal girl)
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 304
Synopsis: The Princesses of Ever are beloved by the kingdom and their father, the King. They are cherished, admired.
Cursed.
Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one essential thing—the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box.
But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell—Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought—as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom…and family.
Told through the eyes of Reagan and Jane—the witch and the bewitched—this insightful twist of a fairy tale explores power in a patriarchal kingdom not unlike our own.
Review: Overall, I thought this was a pretty good book. The book did well to describe the trauma and the mental health of the characters. I really liked Alice, who was a trans character, and I liked how the story was a twist on modern fairytales to show their ugliness that we rarely talk about. I thought the book also did well on the feminist side of the story too.
However, there were some issues I had with the book. I didn’t like all the similarities to eating disorders as I didn’t see a trigger warning. The book didn’t really discuss it but alluded to it through one of the main characters and I could see where it could be upsetting for some people. There were also a lot of rape allegories without a trigger warning and the book was generally hard to get into. The book didn’t do well describing the world building and the characters weren’t that well developed in my opinion. You’re also thrown into the story and it takes a bit to orient yourself in it.
Verdict: It was good, but I wanted it to be a bit more fleshed out and I would like to see some trigger warnings in the final version.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Summer I Drowned
Author: Taylor Hale
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended For...: thrill seekers
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Genre: YA Thriller
Recommended Age: 15+ (mental health, almost drowning, violence)
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Five years after almost drowning, Olivia Cathart returns home to Caldwell Beach determined to face her fears and take some risks―not just by swimming, but by opening her heart. Hoping to rekindle her friendships, she’s excited about a carefree summer with her best friends Keely and Miles. But life in the sleepy town has changed, and no one and nothing is as it seems.
When a series of startling crimes threaten Olivia’s fragile state, she is plunged into a terrifying game of cat and mouse. Her only solace from the chaos is West, Miles’s disowned and ruggedly handsome brother, but even he can’t answer the question on everyone’s minds―is Olivia really in danger or is it simply all in her head?
Review: Overall, this is a pretty good book. The book has a good plot for most of the book and the book does well world building wise and character development wise.
However, there are a lot of problems with this book. The book needs another round of editing in my opinion because there were a lot of adjectives and clunky writing. The book was also not written the best. The book is really hard to get into and is even harder to stay into. It takes a lot of focus to make it through this book and honestly, my interest in the story dropped off at about 70% through. Also, I have a quip about some of the mental health aspects of the book. In short, the author needs to research hallucinations and mental health more to make it more realistic instead of a barely passable lie.
Verdict: It was good, just needs more work.
Book: The Summer I Drowned
Author: Taylor Hale
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended For...: thrill seekers
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Genre: YA Thriller
Recommended Age: 15+ (mental health, almost drowning, violence)
Publisher: Wattpad Books
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Five years after almost drowning, Olivia Cathart returns home to Caldwell Beach determined to face her fears and take some risks―not just by swimming, but by opening her heart. Hoping to rekindle her friendships, she’s excited about a carefree summer with her best friends Keely and Miles. But life in the sleepy town has changed, and no one and nothing is as it seems.
When a series of startling crimes threaten Olivia’s fragile state, she is plunged into a terrifying game of cat and mouse. Her only solace from the chaos is West, Miles’s disowned and ruggedly handsome brother, but even he can’t answer the question on everyone’s minds―is Olivia really in danger or is it simply all in her head?
Review: Overall, this is a pretty good book. The book has a good plot for most of the book and the book does well world building wise and character development wise.
However, there are a lot of problems with this book. The book needs another round of editing in my opinion because there were a lot of adjectives and clunky writing. The book was also not written the best. The book is really hard to get into and is even harder to stay into. It takes a lot of focus to make it through this book and honestly, my interest in the story dropped off at about 70% through. Also, I have a quip about some of the mental health aspects of the book. In short, the author needs to research hallucinations and mental health more to make it more realistic instead of a barely passable lie.
Verdict: It was good, just needs more work.
Disclaimer: I received an e-arc copy of this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Mayhem
Author: Estelle Laure
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: Classic 80s fans, magic lovers
Publication Date: July 14, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, kidnapping, drug abuse TW, domestic violence TW)
Synopsis: It's 1987 and unfortunately it's not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy's constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem's own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren't like everyone else. But when May's stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem's questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good. But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.
Review: Overall this was a good book. The book had a great story line and the plot kept me intrigued until the end. The book also had very strong developed characters and world building.
However I did feel like maybe the author relied too much on her research material for this book. The book heavily relied on The Lost Boys and The Craft (never seen, so I'm just using what my husband pointed out and what I could read on Wikipedia). The book is also incredibly slow in the beginning with it picking up in the last 40% of it.
Verdict: It was good, just too slow in the beginning.
Book: Mayhem
Author: Estelle Laure
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: Classic 80s fans, magic lovers
Publication Date: July 14, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, kidnapping, drug abuse TW, domestic violence TW)
Synopsis: It's 1987 and unfortunately it's not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy's constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem's own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren't like everyone else. But when May's stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem's questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good. But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost.
Review: Overall this was a good book. The book had a great story line and the plot kept me intrigued until the end. The book also had very strong developed characters and world building.
However I did feel like maybe the author relied too much on her research material for this book. The book heavily relied on The Lost Boys and The Craft (never seen, so I'm just using what my husband pointed out and what I could read on Wikipedia). The book is also incredibly slow in the beginning with it picking up in the last 40% of it.
Verdict: It was good, just too slow in the beginning.
Disclaimer: I bought my own copy of this book! Support your authors!
Book: Mayfly
Author: Jeff Sweat
Book Series: Mayfly Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, science fiction
Publication Date: May 8, 2018
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (pregnancy, sex, rape mentions TW, violence, death)
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 356
Synopsis: Jemma has spent her life scavenging tools and supplies for her tribe in the their small enclave outside what used to be a big city. Now she’s a teen, and old enough to become a Mama. Making babies is how her people survive—in Jemma’s world, life ends at age seventeen.
Survival has eclipsed love ever since the Parents died of a mysterious plague. But Jemma’s connection to a boy named Apple is stronger than her duty as a Mama. Forced to leave, Jemma and Apple are joined in exile by a mysterious boy who claims to know what is causing them to die. The world is crumbling around them, and their time is running out. Is this truly the End?
Review: I really liked this book! I loved the dystopian vibes and I thought the world building was well done, if a bit too graphic? The character development was also well done and I liked the world the author created. While I read dystopian novels, sometimes I think if this would be possible. This one seems a bit too far for our society, but it was still an interesting Children of the Corn vibe book.
However, I did think the pacing was a bit too slow for me in several spots, but it did pick up once the action did. The book also had a lot of tropes that are common in dystopians, so if you’re not into that then this might not be a good book for you. The book also had an opportunity to really talk about how in real life young women are not able to get sterilized by their own volition on their own until they give birth to a child or two and if their husband agrees, to relate the events of the book to real life birth control matters we have in this world. I wish we had some commentary about that, but I know a lot of authors do not like to do that in their books.
Verdict: A well done dystopian!
Book: Mayfly
Author: Jeff Sweat
Book Series: Mayfly Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, science fiction
Publication Date: May 8, 2018
Genre: YA Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (pregnancy, sex, rape mentions TW, violence, death)
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 356
Synopsis: Jemma has spent her life scavenging tools and supplies for her tribe in the their small enclave outside what used to be a big city. Now she’s a teen, and old enough to become a Mama. Making babies is how her people survive—in Jemma’s world, life ends at age seventeen.
Survival has eclipsed love ever since the Parents died of a mysterious plague. But Jemma’s connection to a boy named Apple is stronger than her duty as a Mama. Forced to leave, Jemma and Apple are joined in exile by a mysterious boy who claims to know what is causing them to die. The world is crumbling around them, and their time is running out. Is this truly the End?
Review: I really liked this book! I loved the dystopian vibes and I thought the world building was well done, if a bit too graphic? The character development was also well done and I liked the world the author created. While I read dystopian novels, sometimes I think if this would be possible. This one seems a bit too far for our society, but it was still an interesting Children of the Corn vibe book.
However, I did think the pacing was a bit too slow for me in several spots, but it did pick up once the action did. The book also had a lot of tropes that are common in dystopians, so if you’re not into that then this might not be a good book for you. The book also had an opportunity to really talk about how in real life young women are not able to get sterilized by their own volition on their own until they give birth to a child or two and if their husband agrees, to relate the events of the book to real life birth control matters we have in this world. I wish we had some commentary about that, but I know a lot of authors do not like to do that in their books.
Verdict: A well done dystopian!