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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the finished book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Flight
Author: Vanessa Harbour
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Roma character, Jewish characters
Recommended For...: middle grade, historical fiction, horse stories
Publication Date: August 1, 2018
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 13+ (Violence, Gore, Animal violence and killing, Starvation, Racism, Nazi imagery, Scary moments)
Publisher: Firefly Press LTD
Pages: 256
Synopsis: Austria 1945. After losing his family, Jakob shelters with Herr Engel in a rural stable, where they hide the precious Lipizzanner stallions they know Hitler wants to steal. When a German officer comes looking for Jakob and finds the horses, Jakob and his guardian know they must get the stallions to safety, but the only way is straight through Nazi territory. Joined by Kizzy, an orphan Roma girl, the three must guide the horses across the perilous Austrian mountains. Will they reach safety? What will be waiting for them on the other side?
Review: For the most part I enjoyed the book. It had some decent character development and the world building was marvelous. I also enjoyed the plot and it kept me hooked from beginning to end. The book is also equal parts horrifying and terrifying, and it blends together well to show and give off the feel of what the Jewish, Roma, LGBT+, etc. people felt those days.
However, the first 10 pages of the book nearly broke me as an animal lover and honestly there should be some trigger warnings in there. The first pages see the violent death of a horse and it gutted me to read that. I also felt the pacing was a bit too fast.
Verdict: It was good, but surprisingly gorey.
Book: Flight
Author: Vanessa Harbour
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Roma character, Jewish characters
Recommended For...: middle grade, historical fiction, horse stories
Publication Date: August 1, 2018
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 13+ (Violence, Gore, Animal violence and killing, Starvation, Racism, Nazi imagery, Scary moments)
Publisher: Firefly Press LTD
Pages: 256
Synopsis: Austria 1945. After losing his family, Jakob shelters with Herr Engel in a rural stable, where they hide the precious Lipizzanner stallions they know Hitler wants to steal. When a German officer comes looking for Jakob and finds the horses, Jakob and his guardian know they must get the stallions to safety, but the only way is straight through Nazi territory. Joined by Kizzy, an orphan Roma girl, the three must guide the horses across the perilous Austrian mountains. Will they reach safety? What will be waiting for them on the other side?
Review: For the most part I enjoyed the book. It had some decent character development and the world building was marvelous. I also enjoyed the plot and it kept me hooked from beginning to end. The book is also equal parts horrifying and terrifying, and it blends together well to show and give off the feel of what the Jewish, Roma, LGBT+, etc. people felt those days.
However, the first 10 pages of the book nearly broke me as an animal lover and honestly there should be some trigger warnings in there. The first pages see the violent death of a horse and it gutted me to read that. I also felt the pacing was a bit too fast.
Verdict: It was good, but surprisingly gorey.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Descendants of Power: A Dystopian Sci-Fi Novel
Author: P.N. Shafa
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, sci-fi
Publication Date: February 4, 2021
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 18+ (language, violence, gore)
Publisher: Native Humanoid Press
Pages: 339
Synopsis: When the 1% flees a climate-ravaged Earth for a luxury Martian colony, will the survivors left behind build a new utopia or collapse into post-apocalyptic chaos?
Earth has devolved into corporate feudalism. The mega corporation NewOrigin promises a quick escape from an Earth made uninhabitable by global warming, and a fresh start on their new Martian colony.
But when a whistleblower reveals that the colony has the capacity to hold only a tiny fraction of the Earth’s population, the ultra elite stampede for a standing spot near the bathroom on the last shuttle to Mars.
There is Liam and his daughter Jemima, distant relatives of the CEO of NewOrigin, who battle against Earth’s remaining billionaires in a race to the Skylift shuttle minutes before its last launch.
Then there is Finbar, an establishment loyalist working at one of the largest social media networks on Earth. If she just keeps her head down and ignores the rioters outside, her contract promises her a golden ticket to Mars.
But does the new colony really offer salvation? NewOrigin’s rule becomes increasingly authoritarian in the struggle to control an overflowing population. Florentine, the once tech-billionaire, finds himself a member of the overstuffed colony’s burgeoning underclass.
In a world of only the powerful, who will dominate, who will revolt, and who will be left when the dust clears?
Earth and Mars evolve in parallel over the next one hundred years. One society runs from its mistakes, while the other must meet them head on.
When Tsunami, the great granddaughter of the once mighty NewOrigin CEO, flees Mars to beg political asylum on Earth, old resentments must be confronted in a planetary-wide, precedent-setting immigration hearing.
Descendants of Power is darkly comedic science fiction at its best, merging rising fears of climate apocalypse with dreams of Martian colonization, and the question: can we outrun our own human nature?
Review: For the most part I thought this was a good book. The book had some great world building and I enjoyed the story. The book had some good writing as well and I thought that the book did well with pacing for the most part.
However, I do think that the characters were as developed as they could have been. I also felt like the overall story, while good, was too big for one book. The book felt a little overwhelming to me and I was very confused for some parts.
Verdict: It’s good, just a lot going on.
Book: Descendants of Power: A Dystopian Sci-Fi Novel
Author: P.N. Shafa
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, sci-fi
Publication Date: February 4, 2021
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 18+ (language, violence, gore)
Publisher: Native Humanoid Press
Pages: 339
Synopsis: When the 1% flees a climate-ravaged Earth for a luxury Martian colony, will the survivors left behind build a new utopia or collapse into post-apocalyptic chaos?
Earth has devolved into corporate feudalism. The mega corporation NewOrigin promises a quick escape from an Earth made uninhabitable by global warming, and a fresh start on their new Martian colony.
But when a whistleblower reveals that the colony has the capacity to hold only a tiny fraction of the Earth’s population, the ultra elite stampede for a standing spot near the bathroom on the last shuttle to Mars.
There is Liam and his daughter Jemima, distant relatives of the CEO of NewOrigin, who battle against Earth’s remaining billionaires in a race to the Skylift shuttle minutes before its last launch.
Then there is Finbar, an establishment loyalist working at one of the largest social media networks on Earth. If she just keeps her head down and ignores the rioters outside, her contract promises her a golden ticket to Mars.
But does the new colony really offer salvation? NewOrigin’s rule becomes increasingly authoritarian in the struggle to control an overflowing population. Florentine, the once tech-billionaire, finds himself a member of the overstuffed colony’s burgeoning underclass.
In a world of only the powerful, who will dominate, who will revolt, and who will be left when the dust clears?
Earth and Mars evolve in parallel over the next one hundred years. One society runs from its mistakes, while the other must meet them head on.
When Tsunami, the great granddaughter of the once mighty NewOrigin CEO, flees Mars to beg political asylum on Earth, old resentments must be confronted in a planetary-wide, precedent-setting immigration hearing.
Descendants of Power is darkly comedic science fiction at its best, merging rising fears of climate apocalypse with dreams of Martian colonization, and the question: can we outrun our own human nature?
Review: For the most part I thought this was a good book. The book had some great world building and I enjoyed the story. The book had some good writing as well and I thought that the book did well with pacing for the most part.
However, I do think that the characters were as developed as they could have been. I also felt like the overall story, while good, was too big for one book. The book felt a little overwhelming to me and I was very confused for some parts.
Verdict: It’s good, just a lot going on.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Leonora in the Morning Light
Author: Michaela Carter
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction fans
Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Pages: 416
Synopsis: 1940. A train carrying exiled German prisoners from a labor camp arrives in southern France. Within moments, word spreads that Nazi capture is imminent, and the men flee for the woods, desperate to disappear across the Spanish border. One stays behind, determined to ride the train until he reaches home, to find a woman he refers to simply as “her.”
1937. Leonora Carrington is a twenty-year-old British socialite and painter dreaming of independence when she meets Max Ernst, an older, married artist whose work has captivated Europe. She follows him to Paris, into the vibrant revolutionary world of studios and cafes where rising visionaries of the Surrealist movement like Andre Breton, Pablo Picasso, Lee Miller, Man Ray, and Salvador Dali are challenging conventional approaches to art and life. Inspired by their freedom, Leonora begins to experiment with her own work, translating vivid stories of her youth onto canvas and gaining recognition under her own name. It is a bright and glorious age of enlightenment—until the shadow of war looms over Europe and headlines emerge denouncing Max and his circle as “degenerates,” leading to his arrest and imprisonment. Left along as occupation spreads throughout the countryside, Leonora battles terrifying circumstances to survive, reawakening past demons that threaten to consume her.
As Leonora and Max embark on remarkable journeys together and apart, the full story of their tumultuous and passionate love affair unfolds, spanning time and borders as they seek to reunite and reclaim their creative power in a world shattered by war. When their paths cross with Peggy Guggenheim, an art collector and socialite working to help artists escape to America, nothing will be the same.
Review: I had to DNF this read at 30%. I will try this book again in the future, but the way that the story is told is very confusing and off-putting to me. It’s hard to tell what’s truth and what’s a hallucination.
Verdict: It’s ok, just confusing.
Book: Leonora in the Morning Light
Author: Michaela Carter
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction fans
Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: Can’t recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Pages: 416
Synopsis: 1940. A train carrying exiled German prisoners from a labor camp arrives in southern France. Within moments, word spreads that Nazi capture is imminent, and the men flee for the woods, desperate to disappear across the Spanish border. One stays behind, determined to ride the train until he reaches home, to find a woman he refers to simply as “her.”
1937. Leonora Carrington is a twenty-year-old British socialite and painter dreaming of independence when she meets Max Ernst, an older, married artist whose work has captivated Europe. She follows him to Paris, into the vibrant revolutionary world of studios and cafes where rising visionaries of the Surrealist movement like Andre Breton, Pablo Picasso, Lee Miller, Man Ray, and Salvador Dali are challenging conventional approaches to art and life. Inspired by their freedom, Leonora begins to experiment with her own work, translating vivid stories of her youth onto canvas and gaining recognition under her own name. It is a bright and glorious age of enlightenment—until the shadow of war looms over Europe and headlines emerge denouncing Max and his circle as “degenerates,” leading to his arrest and imprisonment. Left along as occupation spreads throughout the countryside, Leonora battles terrifying circumstances to survive, reawakening past demons that threaten to consume her.
As Leonora and Max embark on remarkable journeys together and apart, the full story of their tumultuous and passionate love affair unfolds, spanning time and borders as they seek to reunite and reclaim their creative power in a world shattered by war. When their paths cross with Peggy Guggenheim, an art collector and socialite working to help artists escape to America, nothing will be the same.
Review: I had to DNF this read at 30%. I will try this book again in the future, but the way that the story is told is very confusing and off-putting to me. It’s hard to tell what’s truth and what’s a hallucination.
Verdict: It’s ok, just confusing.
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Of Lords and Commoners
Author: Lynne Hill-Clark
Book Series: Lords and Commoners Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: romance, paranormal, vampires
Publication Date: June 21, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, gore, romance, slight sexual content)
Publisher: Hill, Clark, and Associates
Pages: 442
Synopsis: The only future Vallachia could have imagined, as well as her wonderfully simple life disappears when she finds herself in a struggle to figure out the rules of a strange new world.
She longs for her old life and the one she truly loves remains out of reach, as she embarks on an inconceivable journey.
Vallachia quickly finds herself on the wrong side of a brewing battle for vampire domination. Not knowing who to trust could have fatal consequences … for millions of people.
Review: Overall, I liked the story. I felt like the characters were well developed and the world building was well detailed. I really liked how the book flowed and how smooth it was going between chapters. The storyline also kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
However, I did feel like the pacing was a bit slow in spots and that I felt like the interactions between some characters were a bit stiff.
Verdict: It was great!
Book: Of Lords and Commoners
Author: Lynne Hill-Clark
Book Series: Lords and Commoners Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: romance, paranormal, vampires
Publication Date: June 21, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, gore, romance, slight sexual content)
Publisher: Hill, Clark, and Associates
Pages: 442
Synopsis: The only future Vallachia could have imagined, as well as her wonderfully simple life disappears when she finds herself in a struggle to figure out the rules of a strange new world.
She longs for her old life and the one she truly loves remains out of reach, as she embarks on an inconceivable journey.
Vallachia quickly finds herself on the wrong side of a brewing battle for vampire domination. Not knowing who to trust could have fatal consequences … for millions of people.
Review: Overall, I liked the story. I felt like the characters were well developed and the world building was well detailed. I really liked how the book flowed and how smooth it was going between chapters. The storyline also kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
However, I did feel like the pacing was a bit slow in spots and that I felt like the interactions between some characters were a bit stiff.
Verdict: It was great!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Discovery of a Queen
Author: Elizabeth Brown
Book Series: Resurrection of Queens Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: romance lovers, paranormal fans
Publication Date: January 1, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 17+ (romance, violence, gore)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 328
Synopsis: My sisters have been in a magical slumber for centuries, my mother, the last great battle Queen is dead, leaving me to face the world alone. I’m the last of my kind. A Queen, not entirely shifter and not entirely witch but a perfect blend of both. I’ve been living in hiding for over two hundred years, avoiding ties with the supernatural community, specifically the Council and the Alpha of all alphas, like the plague. That is, until I find myself challenging for alpha of the New England pack in front of both the shifter and witch communities. Now, I’m the leader of both. Fuck, I’m the leader of both. I’ve put myself square in the Council’s sight, my time in hiding forcibly over.
But the Council is the least of my problems, Malick, the oldest Arch-Demon to walk the earth, is still alive despite my mother's best efforts. His legion growing in number by the day. I may want to keep myself and my new community away from the legion, but I know that the only way we’ll ever be safe is to kill him.
Countless Queens have tried. All of them failing even with their alpha dragon mates and supernatural communities.
I’m going to have to work with the Alpha, Caleb, a sufficiently powerful alpha dragon, and the Council if I want to end Malick and wipe out his legion for good. Unfortunately, Caleb also happens to be my mate, as in soulmate, together forever, never to be parted, partners in crime. I know that he won’t let me go after we’ve finished wiping Malick from the face of the earth. But I refuse to be subject to the Council’s control, I need to find a way to wake my sisters because what’s coming for us is far worse than Malick and there are no guarantees there will be any survivors.
Review: I really liked this one! It was full of super action packed moments and the characters were well developed and connected well with each other. I liked the pacing and the book flowed so well. The story also hooked me in immediately.
The only issue I had with the book is that the world building could have been better.
Verdict: It was great!
Book: Discovery of a Queen
Author: Elizabeth Brown
Book Series: Resurrection of Queens Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: romance lovers, paranormal fans
Publication Date: January 1, 2021
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 17+ (romance, violence, gore)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 328
Synopsis: My sisters have been in a magical slumber for centuries, my mother, the last great battle Queen is dead, leaving me to face the world alone. I’m the last of my kind. A Queen, not entirely shifter and not entirely witch but a perfect blend of both. I’ve been living in hiding for over two hundred years, avoiding ties with the supernatural community, specifically the Council and the Alpha of all alphas, like the plague. That is, until I find myself challenging for alpha of the New England pack in front of both the shifter and witch communities. Now, I’m the leader of both. Fuck, I’m the leader of both. I’ve put myself square in the Council’s sight, my time in hiding forcibly over.
But the Council is the least of my problems, Malick, the oldest Arch-Demon to walk the earth, is still alive despite my mother's best efforts. His legion growing in number by the day. I may want to keep myself and my new community away from the legion, but I know that the only way we’ll ever be safe is to kill him.
Countless Queens have tried. All of them failing even with their alpha dragon mates and supernatural communities.
I’m going to have to work with the Alpha, Caleb, a sufficiently powerful alpha dragon, and the Council if I want to end Malick and wipe out his legion for good. Unfortunately, Caleb also happens to be my mate, as in soulmate, together forever, never to be parted, partners in crime. I know that he won’t let me go after we’ve finished wiping Malick from the face of the earth. But I refuse to be subject to the Council’s control, I need to find a way to wake my sisters because what’s coming for us is far worse than Malick and there are no guarantees there will be any survivors.
Review: I really liked this one! It was full of super action packed moments and the characters were well developed and connected well with each other. I liked the pacing and the book flowed so well. The story also hooked me in immediately.
The only issue I had with the book is that the world building could have been better.
Verdict: It was great!
Disclaimer: I received this early audiobook from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Ashfall Legacy
Author: Pittacus Lore
Book Series: Ashfall.Legacy Book 1
Rating: 1/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, sci-fi lovers
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Publication Date: August 17, 2021
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 432
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, slight romance, drug use, animal violence jokes, language)
Synopsis: We have waited generations for you…
Syd Chambers knows that there’s life on other planets because he’s descended from it. His father was from a distant world called Denza, and has been missing—presumed dead—for years.
When Syd discovers a device his father left behind that shows not only that he’s alive, but where he is, Syd must set out on a mission of his own. But along the way, he discovers a deadly, unbearable secret that could destroy Denza, Earth, and the universe.
Review: I didn't think that there would be a book that would rival the hatred that I had when I read Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, but this one is a close second. The book was so tropy and so horribly written that I became enraged when I read it at work and I had to stop reading it at work. The book is your standards early 2000s young adult in which are young protagonists finds out that they have some extraordinary ability but they view themselves as too obsolete to have ever possessed it. The book had the classic Chosen One trope and it even went a little bit into the love triangle trope. Besides the tropiness of the book, the character development was non-existent and most of the characters didn't make sense whatsoever. For example, we have the mother figure who is the classic mother character of most YA books in which she does everything that she can to protect her child. But then as soon as her missing husband is mentioned, she completely abandons her child and set some up to be some sort of bait to get her husband back. I don't know if that plays into the later books but that is so aggravating to have such a complete 180 from a character development standpoint. The world building was also non-existent and the book is so slow paced. I honestly could have summed up this book within three paragraphs maybe but it was expanded to probably 300 plus pages. And, from a Sci-Fi standpoint, the way that the author crafted these aliens was way too OP. the aliens can do all of these things and aren't affected by anything on Earth and yada yada yada, she didn't give hardly any weaknesses from what I saw for these aliens in the book. Finally, the main character reminded me of every single dickheaded boy that I had to interact with in high school. he had this air about him that he didn't give a s*** about anything that didn't affect him, and he treated others as just tools for his own success. I don't honestly remember a part of the book in which the character got interested in any of the side characters' lives, and I know that this is kind of going to that classic YA book trope but we left that behind in 2013. In sum, I hate this book.
Verdict: It's bad for me, try for you?
Book: Ashfall Legacy
Author: Pittacus Lore
Book Series: Ashfall.Legacy Book 1
Rating: 1/5
Recommended For...: ya readers, sci-fi lovers
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Publication Date: August 17, 2021
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 432
Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, gore, slight romance, drug use, animal violence jokes, language)
Synopsis: We have waited generations for you…
Syd Chambers knows that there’s life on other planets because he’s descended from it. His father was from a distant world called Denza, and has been missing—presumed dead—for years.
When Syd discovers a device his father left behind that shows not only that he’s alive, but where he is, Syd must set out on a mission of his own. But along the way, he discovers a deadly, unbearable secret that could destroy Denza, Earth, and the universe.
Review: I didn't think that there would be a book that would rival the hatred that I had when I read Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, but this one is a close second. The book was so tropy and so horribly written that I became enraged when I read it at work and I had to stop reading it at work. The book is your standards early 2000s young adult in which are young protagonists finds out that they have some extraordinary ability but they view themselves as too obsolete to have ever possessed it. The book had the classic Chosen One trope and it even went a little bit into the love triangle trope. Besides the tropiness of the book, the character development was non-existent and most of the characters didn't make sense whatsoever. For example, we have the mother figure who is the classic mother character of most YA books in which she does everything that she can to protect her child. But then as soon as her missing husband is mentioned, she completely abandons her child and set some up to be some sort of bait to get her husband back. I don't know if that plays into the later books but that is so aggravating to have such a complete 180 from a character development standpoint. The world building was also non-existent and the book is so slow paced. I honestly could have summed up this book within three paragraphs maybe but it was expanded to probably 300 plus pages. And, from a Sci-Fi standpoint, the way that the author crafted these aliens was way too OP. the aliens can do all of these things and aren't affected by anything on Earth and yada yada yada, she didn't give hardly any weaknesses from what I saw for these aliens in the book. Finally, the main character reminded me of every single dickheaded boy that I had to interact with in high school. he had this air about him that he didn't give a s*** about anything that didn't affect him, and he treated others as just tools for his own success. I don't honestly remember a part of the book in which the character got interested in any of the side characters' lives, and I know that this is kind of going to that classic YA book trope but we left that behind in 2013. In sum, I hate this book.
Verdict: It's bad for me, try for you?
Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Kids on the March
Author: Michael Young
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Activists and every young reader
Genre: Non- Fiction
Publication Date: March 23, 2021
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 10+ (slight violence mentioned, racism, sexism)
Synopsis: From the March on Washington to March for Our Lives to Black Lives Matter, the powerful stories of kid-led protest in America.
Kids have always been activists. They have even launched movements. Long before they could vote, kids have spoken up, walked out, gone on strike, and marched for racial justice, climate protection, gun control, world peace, and more.
Kids on the March tells the stories of these protests, from the March of the Mill Children, who walked out of factories in 1903 for a shorter work week, to 1951’s Strike for a Better School, which helped build the case for Brown v. Board of Education, to the twenty-first century’s most iconic movements, including March for Our Lives, the Climate Strike, and the recent Black Lives Matter protests reshaping our nation.
Powerfully told and inspiring, Kids on the March shows how standing up, speaking out, and marching for what you believe in can advance the causes of justice, and that no one is too small or too young to make a difference.
Review: I really like this book and it's premise. I think that in today's world we should be teaching our children about speaking up for what they believe in and getting them involved in activism and politics early on. the issues that we debate in Congress are issues that will affect them when they are older, so why don't they have a voice? I also think that children, as cliche as it is, are the future and they need to be heard first and foremost. I also like the books commentary on racism and sexism and things that we have improved on and things that we still need to improve on. The book shows our progress, but also reminds us that we still have so far to go.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: Kids on the March
Author: Michael Young
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Activists and every young reader
Genre: Non- Fiction
Publication Date: March 23, 2021
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 10+ (slight violence mentioned, racism, sexism)
Synopsis: From the March on Washington to March for Our Lives to Black Lives Matter, the powerful stories of kid-led protest in America.
Kids have always been activists. They have even launched movements. Long before they could vote, kids have spoken up, walked out, gone on strike, and marched for racial justice, climate protection, gun control, world peace, and more.
Kids on the March tells the stories of these protests, from the March of the Mill Children, who walked out of factories in 1903 for a shorter work week, to 1951’s Strike for a Better School, which helped build the case for Brown v. Board of Education, to the twenty-first century’s most iconic movements, including March for Our Lives, the Climate Strike, and the recent Black Lives Matter protests reshaping our nation.
Powerfully told and inspiring, Kids on the March shows how standing up, speaking out, and marching for what you believe in can advance the causes of justice, and that no one is too small or too young to make a difference.
Review: I really like this book and it's premise. I think that in today's world we should be teaching our children about speaking up for what they believe in and getting them involved in activism and politics early on. the issues that we debate in Congress are issues that will affect them when they are older, so why don't they have a voice? I also think that children, as cliche as it is, are the future and they need to be heard first and foremost. I also like the books commentary on racism and sexism and things that we have improved on and things that we still need to improve on. The book shows our progress, but also reminds us that we still have so far to go.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author, thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Hive
Author: Jeremiah Ukponrefe
Book Series: The Arcane Volumes Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: dystopian fans, sci-fi lovers
Publication Date: March 3, 2021
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: Can't recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Punching Sideways Publishing
Pages: 275
Synopsis: The Collective military has spent its years destroying the last remnants of The Hive, an alien force which devastated the old world, bringing forth the apocalypse , and ushering a new age of warring factions.Alexander King is a Collective soldier who during a mission monitoring the outskirts of Zone 6, discovers evidence that The Hive's presence is stronger than commonly believed. With his new information it becomes vital that the Collective acts fast, for if they don't the world will be brought to it knees again in a second wave of destruction that will end humanity forever.Astonishing, complex, and character driven. Hive is the first in The Arcane Chronicles which will leave you begging for more.
Review: I had to DNF this book at 45%. The book is interesting, but I didn't connect with the story and it wasn't holding my attention.
Verdict: It's good, just not for me.
Book: Hive
Author: Jeremiah Ukponrefe
Book Series: The Arcane Volumes Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: dystopian fans, sci-fi lovers
Publication Date: March 3, 2021
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: Can't recommend, DNF-ed
Publisher: Punching Sideways Publishing
Pages: 275
Synopsis: The Collective military has spent its years destroying the last remnants of The Hive, an alien force which devastated the old world, bringing forth the apocalypse , and ushering a new age of warring factions.Alexander King is a Collective soldier who during a mission monitoring the outskirts of Zone 6, discovers evidence that The Hive's presence is stronger than commonly believed. With his new information it becomes vital that the Collective acts fast, for if they don't the world will be brought to it knees again in a second wave of destruction that will end humanity forever.Astonishing, complex, and character driven. Hive is the first in The Arcane Chronicles which will leave you begging for more.
Review: I had to DNF this book at 45%. The book is interesting, but I didn't connect with the story and it wasn't holding my attention.
Verdict: It's good, just not for me.
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Gatekeeper of Pericael
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Book Series: Standalone so far
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: children's book readers, MG lovers, fantasy readers
Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 10+ (some scary moments)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 158
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Porter would much rather spend his weekends playing soccer than channeling spirits in the parallel universe of Pericael. Unfortunately for him, Porter's family has guarded the gate between Earth and monster-filled Pericael for generations, so he's not getting out of Gatekeeper lessons anytime soon.
But some after-school activities are more dangerous than others.
When a soul thief threatens the gate, Porter reluctantly comes to its defense... and gets thrown deep into Pericael's dangerous jungle wilderness. With the help of two fierce native girls, Porter must learn to embrace the creepy spirits and find his way back to the gate. But the soul thief is racing for the gate too, and if he gets there first, Porter won't have a home to go back to.
Review: I really enjoyed this book! I loved the magic system and the story hooked me in instantly. I loved the character development and I felt like the world building was really well done. The book was also well paced and had a great flow.
The only thing I didn't like about the book is that the story didn't set itself apart from any other I had read previously and the characters didn't connect to me.
Verdict: It was good, but not unique.
Book: The Gatekeeper of Pericael
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Book Series: Standalone so far
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: children's book readers, MG lovers, fantasy readers
Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 10+ (some scary moments)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 158
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Porter would much rather spend his weekends playing soccer than channeling spirits in the parallel universe of Pericael. Unfortunately for him, Porter's family has guarded the gate between Earth and monster-filled Pericael for generations, so he's not getting out of Gatekeeper lessons anytime soon.
But some after-school activities are more dangerous than others.
When a soul thief threatens the gate, Porter reluctantly comes to its defense... and gets thrown deep into Pericael's dangerous jungle wilderness. With the help of two fierce native girls, Porter must learn to embrace the creepy spirits and find his way back to the gate. But the soul thief is racing for the gate too, and if he gets there first, Porter won't have a home to go back to.
Review: I really enjoyed this book! I loved the magic system and the story hooked me in instantly. I loved the character development and I felt like the world building was really well done. The book was also well paced and had a great flow.
The only thing I didn't like about the book is that the story didn't set itself apart from any other I had read previously and the characters didn't connect to me.
Verdict: It was good, but not unique.
Disclaimer: I received the e-arc and arc of this from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Astrid Sees All
Author: Natalie Standiford
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: women's literature fans, contemporary readers
Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Genre: Women's Fiction
Recommended Age: 18+ (sex, drugs, romance, alcohol, slight gore)
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 272
Synopsis: New York, 1984: Twenty-two-year-old Phoebe Hayes is a young woman in search of excitement and adventure. But the recent death of her father has so devastated her that her mother wants her to remain home in Baltimore to recover. Phoebe wants to return to New York, not only to chase the glamorous life she so desperately craves but also to confront Ivan, the older man who painfully wronged her.
With her best friend Carmen, she escapes to the East Village, disappearing into an underworld haunted by artists, It Girls, and lost souls trying to party their pain away. Carmen juggles her junkie-poet boyfriend and a sexy painter while, as Astrid the Star Girl, Phoebe tells fortunes in a nightclub and plots her revenge on Ivan.
When the intoxicating brew of sex, drugs, and self-destruction leads Phoebe to betray her friend, Carmen disappears, and Phoebe begins an unstoppable descent into darkness. She may have a chance to save herself—and Carmen, if she can find her—but to do it she must face what’s hiding in the shadows she’s been running from—within her heart and in the dangerous midnight streets.
A love letter to gritty 1980s New York City, Astrid Sees All is an irresistible, original novel about female friendship, sex and romance, and what it’s like to be a young woman searching for an identity.
Review: For the most part this was a great read. The story is compelling and it draws you in immediately. The characters do as well and the interactions between each other is well written. The world building is great too and I really liked how the story flowed.
However, I did feel like there were a lot of topics that could have used some trigger warnings at the beginning of the read. The book was also slow and it felt too slow in a lot of areas. The book, at the end, had a feeling of incompleteness and I felt like there should have been more.
Verdict: It was good, but I needed more.
Book: Astrid Sees All
Author: Natalie Standiford
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: women's literature fans, contemporary readers
Publication Date: April 6, 2021
Genre: Women's Fiction
Recommended Age: 18+ (sex, drugs, romance, alcohol, slight gore)
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 272
Synopsis: New York, 1984: Twenty-two-year-old Phoebe Hayes is a young woman in search of excitement and adventure. But the recent death of her father has so devastated her that her mother wants her to remain home in Baltimore to recover. Phoebe wants to return to New York, not only to chase the glamorous life she so desperately craves but also to confront Ivan, the older man who painfully wronged her.
With her best friend Carmen, she escapes to the East Village, disappearing into an underworld haunted by artists, It Girls, and lost souls trying to party their pain away. Carmen juggles her junkie-poet boyfriend and a sexy painter while, as Astrid the Star Girl, Phoebe tells fortunes in a nightclub and plots her revenge on Ivan.
When the intoxicating brew of sex, drugs, and self-destruction leads Phoebe to betray her friend, Carmen disappears, and Phoebe begins an unstoppable descent into darkness. She may have a chance to save herself—and Carmen, if she can find her—but to do it she must face what’s hiding in the shadows she’s been running from—within her heart and in the dangerous midnight streets.
A love letter to gritty 1980s New York City, Astrid Sees All is an irresistible, original novel about female friendship, sex and romance, and what it’s like to be a young woman searching for an identity.
Review: For the most part this was a great read. The story is compelling and it draws you in immediately. The characters do as well and the interactions between each other is well written. The world building is great too and I really liked how the story flowed.
However, I did feel like there were a lot of topics that could have used some trigger warnings at the beginning of the read. The book was also slow and it felt too slow in a lot of areas. The book, at the end, had a feeling of incompleteness and I felt like there should have been more.
Verdict: It was good, but I needed more.