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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received a finished hardback of this book from the publisher for Turn The Pages tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Book Series: Standalone??
Diversity: Half Asian MC and characters
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Mg, fantasy, story in a story
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 10+ (death, slight gore and violence, some scary moments).
Synopsis: Nothing ever happens in Filomena Jefferson-Cho’s sleepy little suburban town of North Pasadena. The sun shines every day, the grass is always a perfect green, and while her progressive school swears there’s no such thing as bullying, she still feels bummed out. But one day, when Filomena is walking home on her own, something strange happens.
Filomena is being followed by Jack Stalker, one of the heroes in the Thirteenth Fairy, a series of books she loves about a brave girl and her ragtag group of friends who save their world from an evil enchantress. She must be dreaming, or still reading a book. But Jack is insistent—he’s real, the stories are real, and Filomena must come with him at once!
Soon, Filomena is thrust into the world of evil fairies and beautiful princesses, sorcerers and slayers, where an evil queen drives her ruthless armies to destroy what is left of the Fairy tribes. To save herself and the kingdom of Westphalia, Filomena must find the truth behind the fairytales and set the world back to rights before the cycle of sleep and destruction begins once more.
Review: For the most part the book was pretty good. I thought the character building was excellent and the world building was very well done. The book has a inkheart feel to it and I think children and adults or anyone who likes reading middle grade books would really enjoy this.
feeling complaints I had were that the book was really fast paced and it took a bit for me to get into the story because of how fast paced it was. it felt like the author wanted to get to the point of the story more than she did want to explain what was going on in the book but once we got to the point of the story then things started to be more explained.
Verdict: I recommend it for any inkheart fans or anyone who just likes fantasy books.
Book: Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Book Series: Standalone??
Diversity: Half Asian MC and characters
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Mg, fantasy, story in a story
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Pages: 336
Recommended Age: 10+ (death, slight gore and violence, some scary moments).
Synopsis: Nothing ever happens in Filomena Jefferson-Cho’s sleepy little suburban town of North Pasadena. The sun shines every day, the grass is always a perfect green, and while her progressive school swears there’s no such thing as bullying, she still feels bummed out. But one day, when Filomena is walking home on her own, something strange happens.
Filomena is being followed by Jack Stalker, one of the heroes in the Thirteenth Fairy, a series of books she loves about a brave girl and her ragtag group of friends who save their world from an evil enchantress. She must be dreaming, or still reading a book. But Jack is insistent—he’s real, the stories are real, and Filomena must come with him at once!
Soon, Filomena is thrust into the world of evil fairies and beautiful princesses, sorcerers and slayers, where an evil queen drives her ruthless armies to destroy what is left of the Fairy tribes. To save herself and the kingdom of Westphalia, Filomena must find the truth behind the fairytales and set the world back to rights before the cycle of sleep and destruction begins once more.
Review: For the most part the book was pretty good. I thought the character building was excellent and the world building was very well done. The book has a inkheart feel to it and I think children and adults or anyone who likes reading middle grade books would really enjoy this.
feeling complaints I had were that the book was really fast paced and it took a bit for me to get into the story because of how fast paced it was. it felt like the author wanted to get to the point of the story more than she did want to explain what was going on in the book but once we got to the point of the story then things started to be more explained.
Verdict: I recommend it for any inkheart fans or anyone who just likes fantasy books.
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Bitterwine Oath
Author: Hannah West
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Fantasy, paranormal, ya
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (abuse, lynching, animal death and gore, molestation)
Synopsis: San Solano, Texas, is a quaint town known for its charm, hospitality, and history of murder. Twice now, twelve men have been brutally killed, and no one knows who did it. A shadowy witch? A copycat killer? Or a man-hating murderess?
Eighteen-year-old Natalie Colter is sure that the rumors about her great-great-grandmother's cult of wronged women are just gossip, but that doesn't stop the true-crime writers and dark tourism bloggers from capitalizing on the town's reputation. It's an urban legend that's hard to ignore, and it gets harder when Nat learns that the sisterhood is real. And magical. And they want her to join.
The more Nat learns of the Wardens' supernatural history, the more she wonders about the real culprits behind the town's ritualistic murders. Are the Wardens protecting San Solano from even darker forces? There are shadows in the woods, bones on the outskirts of town, and questions Nat needs answered.
But everything becomes more urgent when people start getting marked as new victims--including Levi Langford, the boy whose kiss haunted Nat for a year. With Levi in danger, doing nothing would be harder than fighting back.
Nat knows that no one is safe. Can she and the sisterhood stop the true evil from claiming their town?
Review: Overall, I liked the concept and storyline of this book. the plot was really interesting and the character development was the author strong point. The book is also fast paced and can be read in when sitting if the reader has a couple hours to kill.
However the book doesn't have a strong beginning and it takes a while for the reader to get into the book. I also thought the story was clunky and unorganized and that the world building was pretty bad. the book has potential to be really good and I hope that it is cleaned up in the finalized version but it has some work to do.
Verdict: It's good just needs work.
Book: The Bitterwine Oath
Author: Hannah West
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Fantasy, paranormal, ya
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (abuse, lynching, animal death and gore, molestation)
Synopsis: San Solano, Texas, is a quaint town known for its charm, hospitality, and history of murder. Twice now, twelve men have been brutally killed, and no one knows who did it. A shadowy witch? A copycat killer? Or a man-hating murderess?
Eighteen-year-old Natalie Colter is sure that the rumors about her great-great-grandmother's cult of wronged women are just gossip, but that doesn't stop the true-crime writers and dark tourism bloggers from capitalizing on the town's reputation. It's an urban legend that's hard to ignore, and it gets harder when Nat learns that the sisterhood is real. And magical. And they want her to join.
The more Nat learns of the Wardens' supernatural history, the more she wonders about the real culprits behind the town's ritualistic murders. Are the Wardens protecting San Solano from even darker forces? There are shadows in the woods, bones on the outskirts of town, and questions Nat needs answered.
But everything becomes more urgent when people start getting marked as new victims--including Levi Langford, the boy whose kiss haunted Nat for a year. With Levi in danger, doing nothing would be harder than fighting back.
Nat knows that no one is safe. Can she and the sisterhood stop the true evil from claiming their town?
Review: Overall, I liked the concept and storyline of this book. the plot was really interesting and the character development was the author strong point. The book is also fast paced and can be read in when sitting if the reader has a couple hours to kill.
However the book doesn't have a strong beginning and it takes a while for the reader to get into the book. I also thought the story was clunky and unorganized and that the world building was pretty bad. the book has potential to be really good and I hope that it is cleaned up in the finalized version but it has some work to do.
Verdict: It's good just needs work.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for tour with Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Cousins
Author: Karen M. McManus
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: half Japanese main character
Recommended For...: mystery lovers, ya readers
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 16+ (murder, death, gore, violence, fire, language, romance)
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 337
Synopsis: Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised... and curious.
Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family's past is.
The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.
Review: I really liked this book! I have been a huge fan of Karen McManus for a long time, but this book was one of my faves (of course, I say that all the time). I loved the character development and intricate details of this book. I loved the world building and the romance was cute and not rushed. The book also has great re-readability!
The only things that I think I didn’t like is that the pacing was a bit slow in places, but the atmosphere made it worth the wait. I also didn’t enjoy the ending as much. As realistic as it was, I wished for a resolute ending. I wanted one where all parties were held accountable for their misdoings, but as much as I would like, sometimes people get away with murder.
Verdict: Highly recommend for mystery lovers!
Book: The Cousins
Author: Karen M. McManus
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: half Japanese main character
Recommended For...: mystery lovers, ya readers
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Genre: YA Mystery
Recommended Age: 16+ (murder, death, gore, violence, fire, language, romance)
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 337
Synopsis: Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they've never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they're surprised... and curious.
Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother's good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it's immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family's past is.
The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn't over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.
Review: I really liked this book! I have been a huge fan of Karen McManus for a long time, but this book was one of my faves (of course, I say that all the time). I loved the character development and intricate details of this book. I loved the world building and the romance was cute and not rushed. The book also has great re-readability!
The only things that I think I didn’t like is that the pacing was a bit slow in places, but the atmosphere made it worth the wait. I also didn’t enjoy the ending as much. As realistic as it was, I wished for a resolute ending. I wanted one where all parties were held accountable for their misdoings, but as much as I would like, sometimes people get away with murder.
Verdict: Highly recommend for mystery lovers!
Disclaimer: I received the e-arc from the publisher and then bought my own copy! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: These Violence Delights
Author: Chloe Gong
Book Series: These Violence Delights Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Asian ownvoice main characters
Recommended For...: ownvoice readers, ya readers, fantasy lovers, classic retelling lovers
Publication Date: November 17, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, death, romance, monsters)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 464
Synopsis: The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.
But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.
Review: I really loved this book! The book had me hooked from page 1 and I read the whole thing within a couple of hours. The book is fast paced and a whirlwind from start to finish. The romance was amazingly well done and I love stories where the couple already has dating history. The character development was well done and the world building was amazing as well. I also really liked the story and how it evolved from a Romeo and Juliet retelling to a monster book!
The only issue I really had was that the monster wasn’t well utilized in the book in my opinion. I liked how it was concepted and how it sounded, but I didn’t see much of it in the book until the end and then it became a bit more complex that had me bewildered.
Verdict: I loved it! Highly recommend!
Book: These Violence Delights
Author: Chloe Gong
Book Series: These Violence Delights Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Asian ownvoice main characters
Recommended For...: ownvoice readers, ya readers, fantasy lovers, classic retelling lovers
Publication Date: November 17, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, death, romance, monsters)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 464
Synopsis: The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.
But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.
Review: I really loved this book! The book had me hooked from page 1 and I read the whole thing within a couple of hours. The book is fast paced and a whirlwind from start to finish. The romance was amazingly well done and I love stories where the couple already has dating history. The character development was well done and the world building was amazing as well. I also really liked the story and how it evolved from a Romeo and Juliet retelling to a monster book!
The only issue I really had was that the monster wasn’t well utilized in the book in my opinion. I liked how it was concepted and how it sounded, but I didn’t see much of it in the book until the end and then it became a bit more complex that had me bewildered.
Verdict: I loved it! Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Queen of Empire
Author: H.R. Moore
Book Series: The Relic Trilogy
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: romance lovers, fantasy lovers
Publication Date: August 17, 2013
Genre: Romance Fantasy
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, sexual content, slight violence and gore)
Publisher: Harriet Moore
Pages: 358
Synopsis: A fantasy romance trilogy perfect for fans of Crescent City.
Anita has never been ordinary, she’s been special her entire life; not only can she see the energy of others, a rare skill, but she’s won every Body challenge she’s ever entered. So when the powerful, good looking Descendants, Marcus and Alexander, mysteriously arrive in Empire, her difference attracts and keeps their attention.
Once in Empire, the sudden death of ruling Body Descendant, Christiana, sets in motion a number of events; a quest for the treacherous Austin to find the girl Christiana had been looking for; a challenge where Anita stands out more vibrantly than ever before; a perilous dip in the world’s energy; and a dangerous belief among the people that they will never truly be free.
Powerful factions soon form within the ruling elite and when a trusted friend and mentor reaches out to ask for Anita’s help, she has to make a choice; help her friend and betray the one she loves, or do nothing and watch the people starve.
Review: For the most part this book was really interesting. I loved the aspect of the book and the pacing was really well done for a romance heavy book. The world building was also fairly well detailed and I loved how the book was not all about the romance, but had a lot of heavy fantasy moments in it as well.
The only issue I really had was the character development. I felt like the development of the main character was a little dependent on the romance and that there could have been more character development.
Verdict: Recommend if you’re looking for some fantasy in your romance!
Disclaimer: I received this audiobook from netgalley and the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Instant Karma
Author: Marissa Meyer
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: Karma is in Indian derived concept, but wielded by white characters
Recommended For...: contemporary lovers, people who like bad books
Publication Date: November 3, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, triggering amounts of HP)
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 400
Synopsis: Chronic overachiever Prudence Barnett is always quick to cast judgment on the lazy, rude, and arrogant residents of her coastal town. Her dreams of karmic justice are fulfilled when, after a night out with her friends, she wakes up with the sudden ability to cast instant karma on those around her. Pru giddily makes use of the power, punishing everyone from public vandals to karaoke hecklers, but there is one person on whom her powers consistently backfire: Quint Erickson, her slacker of a lab partner and all-around mortal enemy. Soon, Pru begins to uncover truths about Quint, her peers, and even herself that reveal how thin the line is between virtue and vanity, generosity and greed . . . love and hate.
Review: For all the good that the narrator did, this book absolutely sucked. First of all, I saw the comments calling out the book for cultural appropriation and I want to note that their opinions are valid and yes, this book takes a very white character and gives her an Indian power and then takes the concept and twists it into what it’s not. It’s not pretty and that’s not cool of the author to do. Why is it 2020 and we’re giving white characters god like powers that people of another culture invented? Just because it’s Marissa Meyer doesn’t mean that she gets a pass. Anyways, overall I hated the book. The book reads like it should be a villain origin story except we’re supposed to believe that Prudence is a good character. The main character (Prudence) even sucks if you look at this from a villain’s perspective. She’s annoying, overbearing, and very much a young Karen in training. If you work in retail, you’ll despise Prudence and even in the end she doesn’t have that many redeeming moments. She’s still so hard to relate to and I just want to punch her one good time in the left eye. The book took a holier than thou approach when discussing veganism and that wasn’t really checked. The book had too many subplots for a contemporary read. The book is also incredibly boring. I went to court at one point and left the audiobook running for an hour. When I returned, the book was almost exactly where I left off. There was less than 5% progress from the characters while I progressed 7% in the audiobook. I’m also faulting the author on the many Harry Potter references. JK Rowling has been problematic for decades with her homophobia, transphobia, racism, and sexism and authors are still putting triggering amounts of HP in their works, even going so far as to name a prominent animal character after an HP character? Yea, that’s a no for me. The narrator tried and I fell in love with her voice, but other than that, I hated listening to this book.
Verdict: It sucks and is full of problematic content. It’s a swerve for me.
Book: Instant Karma
Author: Marissa Meyer
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: Karma is in Indian derived concept, but wielded by white characters
Recommended For...: contemporary lovers, people who like bad books
Publication Date: November 3, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, triggering amounts of HP)
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 400
Synopsis: Chronic overachiever Prudence Barnett is always quick to cast judgment on the lazy, rude, and arrogant residents of her coastal town. Her dreams of karmic justice are fulfilled when, after a night out with her friends, she wakes up with the sudden ability to cast instant karma on those around her. Pru giddily makes use of the power, punishing everyone from public vandals to karaoke hecklers, but there is one person on whom her powers consistently backfire: Quint Erickson, her slacker of a lab partner and all-around mortal enemy. Soon, Pru begins to uncover truths about Quint, her peers, and even herself that reveal how thin the line is between virtue and vanity, generosity and greed . . . love and hate.
Review: For all the good that the narrator did, this book absolutely sucked. First of all, I saw the comments calling out the book for cultural appropriation and I want to note that their opinions are valid and yes, this book takes a very white character and gives her an Indian power and then takes the concept and twists it into what it’s not. It’s not pretty and that’s not cool of the author to do. Why is it 2020 and we’re giving white characters god like powers that people of another culture invented? Just because it’s Marissa Meyer doesn’t mean that she gets a pass. Anyways, overall I hated the book. The book reads like it should be a villain origin story except we’re supposed to believe that Prudence is a good character. The main character (Prudence) even sucks if you look at this from a villain’s perspective. She’s annoying, overbearing, and very much a young Karen in training. If you work in retail, you’ll despise Prudence and even in the end she doesn’t have that many redeeming moments. She’s still so hard to relate to and I just want to punch her one good time in the left eye. The book took a holier than thou approach when discussing veganism and that wasn’t really checked. The book had too many subplots for a contemporary read. The book is also incredibly boring. I went to court at one point and left the audiobook running for an hour. When I returned, the book was almost exactly where I left off. There was less than 5% progress from the characters while I progressed 7% in the audiobook. I’m also faulting the author on the many Harry Potter references. JK Rowling has been problematic for decades with her homophobia, transphobia, racism, and sexism and authors are still putting triggering amounts of HP in their works, even going so far as to name a prominent animal character after an HP character? Yea, that’s a no for me. The narrator tried and I fell in love with her voice, but other than that, I hated listening to this book.
Verdict: It sucks and is full of problematic content. It’s a swerve for me.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Orange Hues and Midnight Blues
Author: Urvisha Vinit
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: poetry fans
Publication Date: May 23, 2020
Genre: Poetry
Recommended Age: 16+ (some depressing feelings)
Publisher: Indie Published
Synopsis: Orange Hues and Midnight Blues is a debut collection of poetry. It tries to draw the emotions of those happy orange hues of hope, dreams, love, and peace. The one you would feel looking at a lovely sun kissed sky and wonder about the beauty of life.
And as you stare at it, the sun vanishes and the blues take over, taking you to the times when the heart fills up with a feeling of self-doubt, soul feels lost and the fear of what tomorrow holds creeps in. The midnight blues get darker with thoughts about the past and dreams that couldn't be.
But amidst these hues and blues, there is an essence of life, the feeling of being and rejoicing in every moment.
Review: For the most part I really liked the flow the book and the book did well to uplift my mood. The poems possess an almost calming nature and do well to lull you into a secret strength to keep on going.
My only downside was that while I did like how many poems there were in the novel, it was a bit too long for my liking.
Verdict: Recommend if you like poetry!
Book: Orange Hues and Midnight Blues
Author: Urvisha Vinit
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: poetry fans
Publication Date: May 23, 2020
Genre: Poetry
Recommended Age: 16+ (some depressing feelings)
Publisher: Indie Published
Synopsis: Orange Hues and Midnight Blues is a debut collection of poetry. It tries to draw the emotions of those happy orange hues of hope, dreams, love, and peace. The one you would feel looking at a lovely sun kissed sky and wonder about the beauty of life.
And as you stare at it, the sun vanishes and the blues take over, taking you to the times when the heart fills up with a feeling of self-doubt, soul feels lost and the fear of what tomorrow holds creeps in. The midnight blues get darker with thoughts about the past and dreams that couldn't be.
But amidst these hues and blues, there is an essence of life, the feeling of being and rejoicing in every moment.
Review: For the most part I really liked the flow the book and the book did well to uplift my mood. The poems possess an almost calming nature and do well to lull you into a secret strength to keep on going.
My only downside was that while I did like how many poems there were in the novel, it was a bit too long for my liking.
Verdict: Recommend if you like poetry!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Watchers
Author: Craig Priestley
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: sci-fi fans, thriller lovers
Publication Date: January 25, 2020
Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 298
Synopsis: "They're listening."
Those are the irreversible words that tear Charlie Taylor's world apart.
Struggling through everyday life in London, Charlie loses his job, his friends, and more than he could ever imagine. The only thing that keeps him from spiralling completely is his inexplicable infatuation with the barmaid.
While Charlie fights tooth and nail to survive, so does the world around him. Humanity deteriorates at a rapid rate, with criminal acts rising worldwide. The police find themselves stretched, the government clueless, but Charlie's eyes are open.
Carrying the burden on his shoulders, not only must Charlie fight his own personal demons, but now he must also find the strength to stop everyone from theirs.
Review: I had to DNF this book at 30% through. The book seems to be really good and I want to try it again in the future, but the book is really slow and I don’t know if I’ll have the adequate time to devote to this book for review purposes right now. The book also wasn’t developing the characters as well as I would have liked and I had a general sense of confusion while reading the book.
Verdict: it seems good, but not for me right now.
Book: Watchers
Author: Craig Priestley
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: sci-fi fans, thriller lovers
Publication Date: January 25, 2020
Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 298
Synopsis: "They're listening."
Those are the irreversible words that tear Charlie Taylor's world apart.
Struggling through everyday life in London, Charlie loses his job, his friends, and more than he could ever imagine. The only thing that keeps him from spiralling completely is his inexplicable infatuation with the barmaid.
While Charlie fights tooth and nail to survive, so does the world around him. Humanity deteriorates at a rapid rate, with criminal acts rising worldwide. The police find themselves stretched, the government clueless, but Charlie's eyes are open.
Carrying the burden on his shoulders, not only must Charlie fight his own personal demons, but now he must also find the strength to stop everyone from theirs.
Review: I had to DNF this book at 30% through. The book seems to be really good and I want to try it again in the future, but the book is really slow and I don’t know if I’ll have the adequate time to devote to this book for review purposes right now. The book also wasn’t developing the characters as well as I would have liked and I had a general sense of confusion while reading the book.
Verdict: it seems good, but not for me right now.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Everywhere You Don’t Belong
Author: Gabriel Bump
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black American main characters and focused stories
Recommended For...: contemporary lovers, ya readers, cultural reads
Publication Date: February 4, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (slight violence, injustice, trauma, childhood violence, racism, slight romance)
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages: 264
Synopsis: In this alternately witty and heartbreaking debut novel, Gabriel Bump gives us an unforgettable protagonist, Claude McKay Love. Claude isn’t dangerous or brilliant—he’s an average kid coping with abandonment, violence, riots, failed love, and societal pressures as he steers his way past the signposts of youth: childhood friendships, basketball tryouts, first love, first heartbreak, picking a college, moving away from home.
Claude just wants a place where he can fit. As a young black man born on the South Side of Chicago, he is raised by his civil rights–era grandmother, who tries to shape him into a principled actor for change; yet when riots consume his neighborhood, he hesitates to take sides, unwilling to let race define his life. He decides to escape Chicago for another place, to go to college, to find a new identity, to leave the pressure cooker of his hometown behind. But as he discovers, he cannot; there is no safe haven for a young black man in this time and place called America.
Percolating with fierceness and originality, attuned to the ironies inherent in our twenty-first-century landscape, Everywhere You Don’t Belong marks the arrival of a brilliant young talent.
Review: I really liked this book! I thought the book did well to make a story and make it so engaging that I lost myself in the book. The character development is amazing, the world building was amazing and the writing was masterful! The book does well to show the trials and tribulations that most Black Americans face today, including injustice and generational pain through racism. The book also opens in such a lyrical and beautiful fashion. The book, for the second half of it, then centers on a person who is experiencing another sort of trauma. The book is beautiful from start to finish and you will cry.
The only thing that I didn’t really like about the book was that sometimes the pacing was a bit slow.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: Everywhere You Don’t Belong
Author: Gabriel Bump
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black American main characters and focused stories
Recommended For...: contemporary lovers, ya readers, cultural reads
Publication Date: February 4, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 16+ (slight violence, injustice, trauma, childhood violence, racism, slight romance)
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages: 264
Synopsis: In this alternately witty and heartbreaking debut novel, Gabriel Bump gives us an unforgettable protagonist, Claude McKay Love. Claude isn’t dangerous or brilliant—he’s an average kid coping with abandonment, violence, riots, failed love, and societal pressures as he steers his way past the signposts of youth: childhood friendships, basketball tryouts, first love, first heartbreak, picking a college, moving away from home.
Claude just wants a place where he can fit. As a young black man born on the South Side of Chicago, he is raised by his civil rights–era grandmother, who tries to shape him into a principled actor for change; yet when riots consume his neighborhood, he hesitates to take sides, unwilling to let race define his life. He decides to escape Chicago for another place, to go to college, to find a new identity, to leave the pressure cooker of his hometown behind. But as he discovers, he cannot; there is no safe haven for a young black man in this time and place called America.
Percolating with fierceness and originality, attuned to the ironies inherent in our twenty-first-century landscape, Everywhere You Don’t Belong marks the arrival of a brilliant young talent.
Review: I really liked this book! I thought the book did well to make a story and make it so engaging that I lost myself in the book. The character development is amazing, the world building was amazing and the writing was masterful! The book does well to show the trials and tribulations that most Black Americans face today, including injustice and generational pain through racism. The book also opens in such a lyrical and beautiful fashion. The book, for the second half of it, then centers on a person who is experiencing another sort of trauma. The book is beautiful from start to finish and you will cry.
The only thing that I didn’t really like about the book was that sometimes the pacing was a bit slow.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this book and earc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Fortunate Ones
Author: Ed Tarkington
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: Historical fiction fans
Publication Date: January 5, 2021
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, romance, law breaking behavior)
Synopsis: When Charlie Boykin was young, he thought his life with his single mother on the working-class side of Nashville was perfectly fine. But when his mother arranges for him to be admitted as a scholarship student to an elite private school, he is suddenly introduced to what the world can feel like to someone cushioned by money. That world, he discovers, is an almost irresistible place where one can bend—and break—rules and still end up untarnished. As he gets drawn into a friendship with a charismatic upperclassman, Archer Creigh, and an affluent family that treats him like an adopted son, Charlie quickly adapts to life in the upper echelons of Nashville society. Under their charming and alcohol-soaked spell, how can he not relax and enjoy it all—the lack of anxiety over money, the easy summers spent poolside at perfectly appointed mansions, the lavish parties, the freedom to make mistakes knowing that everything can be glossed over or fixed?
But over time, Charlie is increasingly pulled into covering for Archer’s constant deceits and his casual bigotry. At what point will the attraction of wealth and prestige wear off enough for Charlie to take a stand—and will he?
The Fortunate Ones is an immersive, elegantly written story that conveys both the seductiveness of this world and the corruption of the people who see their ascent to the top as their birthright.
Review: Overall, I really liked this book. I really liked the story and was captivated from start to finish. The book was well done, the character development was amazing, and the book did well to not drone on about the politics.
However, I did feel like the book did need some work for the world building. I also felt like there were moments where the pacing did slow down a lot.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: The Fortunate Ones
Author: Ed Tarkington
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: Historical fiction fans
Publication Date: January 5, 2021
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, romance, law breaking behavior)
Synopsis: When Charlie Boykin was young, he thought his life with his single mother on the working-class side of Nashville was perfectly fine. But when his mother arranges for him to be admitted as a scholarship student to an elite private school, he is suddenly introduced to what the world can feel like to someone cushioned by money. That world, he discovers, is an almost irresistible place where one can bend—and break—rules and still end up untarnished. As he gets drawn into a friendship with a charismatic upperclassman, Archer Creigh, and an affluent family that treats him like an adopted son, Charlie quickly adapts to life in the upper echelons of Nashville society. Under their charming and alcohol-soaked spell, how can he not relax and enjoy it all—the lack of anxiety over money, the easy summers spent poolside at perfectly appointed mansions, the lavish parties, the freedom to make mistakes knowing that everything can be glossed over or fixed?
But over time, Charlie is increasingly pulled into covering for Archer’s constant deceits and his casual bigotry. At what point will the attraction of wealth and prestige wear off enough for Charlie to take a stand—and will he?
The Fortunate Ones is an immersive, elegantly written story that conveys both the seductiveness of this world and the corruption of the people who see their ascent to the top as their birthright.
Review: Overall, I really liked this book. I really liked the story and was captivated from start to finish. The book was well done, the character development was amazing, and the book did well to not drone on about the politics.
However, I did feel like the book did need some work for the world building. I also felt like there were moments where the pacing did slow down a lot.
Verdict: It was good!