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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Lies Lies Lies
Author: Adele Parks
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: thrill seekers
Publication Date: September 5, 2019
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: 18+ (alcoholism, sexual abuse TW, animal death and abuse TW)
Publisher: HQ
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Daisy and Simon's marriage is great, isn't it? After years together, the arrival of longed-for daughter Millie sealed everything in place. A happy little family of three. And so what if Simon drinks a bit too much sometimes - Daisy's used to it, she knows he's letting off steam. Until one night at a party things spiral horribly out of control. And that happy little family of three will never be the same again.
Review: This book was ok. The book had a lot of good character development and the book had a great atmosphere around it.
However, this book was really slow paced and really hard to get into. The book was confusing and the twist was… impossible? The book also felt like it used the shock factor of the sexual abuse and the kitten death instead of spending the time to build the suspense.
Verdict: It wasn’t that good for me, but it might be for you!
Book: Lies Lies Lies
Author: Adele Parks
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: thrill seekers
Publication Date: September 5, 2019
Genre: Thriller
Recommended Age: 18+ (alcoholism, sexual abuse TW, animal death and abuse TW)
Publisher: HQ
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Daisy and Simon's marriage is great, isn't it? After years together, the arrival of longed-for daughter Millie sealed everything in place. A happy little family of three. And so what if Simon drinks a bit too much sometimes - Daisy's used to it, she knows he's letting off steam. Until one night at a party things spiral horribly out of control. And that happy little family of three will never be the same again.
Review: This book was ok. The book had a lot of good character development and the book had a great atmosphere around it.
However, this book was really slow paced and really hard to get into. The book was confusing and the twist was… impossible? The book also felt like it used the shock factor of the sexual abuse and the kitten death instead of spending the time to build the suspense.
Verdict: It wasn’t that good for me, but it might be for you!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: I Kissed Alice
Author: Anna Birch and Victoria Ying (illustrator)
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Lesbian/bi main characters (not sure exactly how they define themselves). f/f romance
Recommended For...: romance, contemporary, mixed media, LGBT, f/f romance
Publication Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (slight sexual content, language)
Publisher: Macmillan/Imprint
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Rhodes and Iliana couldn't be more different, but that's not why they hate each other.
Hyper-gifted artist Rhodes has always excelled at Alabama’s Conservatory of the Arts despite a secret bout of creator's block, while transfer student Iliana tries to outshine everyone with her intense, competitive work ethic. Since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, the competition between them is fierce.
They both escape the pressure on a fanfic site where they are unknowingly collaborating on a graphic novel. And despite being worst enemies in real life, their anonymous online identities I-Kissed-Alice and Curious-in-Cheshire are starting to like each other...a lot. When the truth comes out, will they destroy each other's future?
Review: Oh. My. Bi. Heart. I loved this book so much! I immediately fell in love with the story and I loved the duel POVs. It was both exciting and cringy as the girls stumbled through their love story. The voices were very distinct and the writing well done. The book also mentioned periods… which WIN FOR PERIOD NORMALCY! The book is also in a mixed media format, showing the girls text messages and their comic they write and illustrate.
The only complaint I had was the confusing beginning. The book kind of throws you into the girls feud and you have to wade through it, kinda like their stuck-in-the-middle best friend.
Verdict: Definitely recommend!
Book: I Kissed Alice
Author: Anna Birch and Victoria Ying (illustrator)
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Lesbian/bi main characters (not sure exactly how they define themselves). f/f romance
Recommended For...: romance, contemporary, mixed media, LGBT, f/f romance
Publication Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 15+ (slight sexual content, language)
Publisher: Macmillan/Imprint
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Rhodes and Iliana couldn't be more different, but that's not why they hate each other.
Hyper-gifted artist Rhodes has always excelled at Alabama’s Conservatory of the Arts despite a secret bout of creator's block, while transfer student Iliana tries to outshine everyone with her intense, competitive work ethic. Since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, the competition between them is fierce.
They both escape the pressure on a fanfic site where they are unknowingly collaborating on a graphic novel. And despite being worst enemies in real life, their anonymous online identities I-Kissed-Alice and Curious-in-Cheshire are starting to like each other...a lot. When the truth comes out, will they destroy each other's future?
Review: Oh. My. Bi. Heart. I loved this book so much! I immediately fell in love with the story and I loved the duel POVs. It was both exciting and cringy as the girls stumbled through their love story. The voices were very distinct and the writing well done. The book also mentioned periods… which WIN FOR PERIOD NORMALCY! The book is also in a mixed media format, showing the girls text messages and their comic they write and illustrate.
The only complaint I had was the confusing beginning. The book kind of throws you into the girls feud and you have to wade through it, kinda like their stuck-in-the-middle best friend.
Verdict: Definitely recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Faithless Hawk
Author: Margaret Owen
Book Series: The Merciful Crow Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: fantasy, bird themes, war
Publication Date: August 18, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, death, violence, gore)
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Pages: 400
Synopsis: As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfill his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana's merciless bid for the throne.
With the witch queen using the deadly plague to unite the nation of Sabor against Crows—and add numbers to her monstrous army—Fie and her band are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague. However, they’re all running out of time before the Crows starve in exile and Sabor is lost forever.
A desperate Fie calls on old allies to help take Rhusana down from within her own walls. But inside the royal palace, the only difference between a conqueror and a thief is an army. To survive, Fie must unravel not only Rhusana’s plot, but ancient secrets of the Crows—secrets that could save her people, or set the world ablaze.
Review: For the most part this book was pretty good. It helped clear up a lot of the confusion I had with the first book and the writing was much better and clearer. The characters continued to be fully developed and overall I really liked this one.
However, I did feel like the pacing was a bit too slow in this one and the plot wasn’t that interesting. In the beginning it was pretty interesting, but the plot slowed down midway and then came to a head at the end.
Verdict: It was pretty good!
Book: The Faithless Hawk
Author: Margaret Owen
Book Series: The Merciful Crow Book 2
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: fantasy, bird themes, war
Publication Date: August 18, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, death, violence, gore)
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Pages: 400
Synopsis: As the new chieftain of the Crows, Fie knows better than to expect a royal to keep his word. Still she’s hopeful that Prince Jasimir will fulfill his oath to protect her fellow Crows. But then black smoke fills the sky, signaling the death of King Surimir and the beginning of Queen Rhusana's merciless bid for the throne.
With the witch queen using the deadly plague to unite the nation of Sabor against Crows—and add numbers to her monstrous army—Fie and her band are forced to go into hiding, leaving the country to be ravaged by the plague. However, they’re all running out of time before the Crows starve in exile and Sabor is lost forever.
A desperate Fie calls on old allies to help take Rhusana down from within her own walls. But inside the royal palace, the only difference between a conqueror and a thief is an army. To survive, Fie must unravel not only Rhusana’s plot, but ancient secrets of the Crows—secrets that could save her people, or set the world ablaze.
Review: For the most part this book was pretty good. It helped clear up a lot of the confusion I had with the first book and the writing was much better and clearer. The characters continued to be fully developed and overall I really liked this one.
However, I did feel like the pacing was a bit too slow in this one and the plot wasn’t that interesting. In the beginning it was pretty interesting, but the plot slowed down midway and then came to a head at the end.
Verdict: It was pretty good!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: This Is My America
Author: Kim Johnson
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: BIPOC main character and side characters
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: BIPOC books, ownvoice novels, social justice books
Publication Date: July 28, 2020
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Pages: 416
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, violence, police brutality TW, slight gore)
Synopsis: Every week, seventeen-year-old Tracy Beaumont writes letters to Innocence X, asking the organization to help her father, an innocent Black man on death row. After seven years, Tracy is running out of time—her dad has only 267 days left. Then the unthinkable happens. The police arrive in the night, and Tracy’s older brother, Jamal, goes from being a bright, promising track star to a “thug” on the run, accused of killing a white girl. Determined to save her brother, Tracy investigates what really happened between Jamal and Angela down at the Pike. But will Tracy and her family survive the uncovering of the skeletons of their Texas town’s racist history that still haunt the present?
Fans of Nic Stone and Jason Reynolds won’t want to miss this provocative and gripping debut.
Review: This book was so fantastic! There’s a lot of components that are amazing about this book and I think that this should be taught in schools. The book did well to breakdown racism and how White people, across all mediums, do racist things subconsciously and intentionally. There was a news segment in which the main character broke down how the segment was racist in how it portrayed her brother. The news segment used a photo that made the brother look like a criminal rather than what news media uses for White people, which is usually a family photo or graduation photo, even if the White person did an unspeakable act and they don’t contest their guilt. The book also showed the bias reporting of media, showing that while Jackson Ridges was murdered by police when he resisted arrest, the news reported it as just that he died, implying he died by means other than police brutality. The book also showed trial bias and presented facts that Black Americans do not get a fair trial the majority of the time. The book showed her father being sentenced by an all-white jury, which should not have happened but unfortunately does, and shows how the court will unfavorably treat Black people in terms of the amount of evidence needed to be presented to concluded that a person is guilty. The book also had very accurate facts about prison systems, especially about private or for-profit prison systems and how they operate. Many prison systems have staff that will retaliate against an inmate’s family for things the inmate has done or the things that the family has spoken out about. The book was not only factual, but also gut wrenching. The scenes with police brutality, especially when Tracy, our main character, has a gun pointed at her when she is in an area the police are investigating, and with the racist actions of the towns people are devastating and hard to read, but are very important to read about. The author doesn’t shy away from the hard truths of what being Black in America really means in this book. This is a hard read, but a worthy read and should be taught in schools.
If I had to point out an issue, I’d say that, while not an issue, I would like to see the aftermath of what happens when an inmate is released from confinement and I would have liked to see how the family planned to sue the county for retribution from the grievance caused to them.
Verdict: A must read.
Book: This Is My America
Author: Kim Johnson
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: BIPOC main character and side characters
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: BIPOC books, ownvoice novels, social justice books
Publication Date: July 28, 2020
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Pages: 416
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, violence, police brutality TW, slight gore)
Synopsis: Every week, seventeen-year-old Tracy Beaumont writes letters to Innocence X, asking the organization to help her father, an innocent Black man on death row. After seven years, Tracy is running out of time—her dad has only 267 days left. Then the unthinkable happens. The police arrive in the night, and Tracy’s older brother, Jamal, goes from being a bright, promising track star to a “thug” on the run, accused of killing a white girl. Determined to save her brother, Tracy investigates what really happened between Jamal and Angela down at the Pike. But will Tracy and her family survive the uncovering of the skeletons of their Texas town’s racist history that still haunt the present?
Fans of Nic Stone and Jason Reynolds won’t want to miss this provocative and gripping debut.
Review: This book was so fantastic! There’s a lot of components that are amazing about this book and I think that this should be taught in schools. The book did well to breakdown racism and how White people, across all mediums, do racist things subconsciously and intentionally. There was a news segment in which the main character broke down how the segment was racist in how it portrayed her brother. The news segment used a photo that made the brother look like a criminal rather than what news media uses for White people, which is usually a family photo or graduation photo, even if the White person did an unspeakable act and they don’t contest their guilt. The book also showed the bias reporting of media, showing that while Jackson Ridges was murdered by police when he resisted arrest, the news reported it as just that he died, implying he died by means other than police brutality. The book also showed trial bias and presented facts that Black Americans do not get a fair trial the majority of the time. The book showed her father being sentenced by an all-white jury, which should not have happened but unfortunately does, and shows how the court will unfavorably treat Black people in terms of the amount of evidence needed to be presented to concluded that a person is guilty. The book also had very accurate facts about prison systems, especially about private or for-profit prison systems and how they operate. Many prison systems have staff that will retaliate against an inmate’s family for things the inmate has done or the things that the family has spoken out about. The book was not only factual, but also gut wrenching. The scenes with police brutality, especially when Tracy, our main character, has a gun pointed at her when she is in an area the police are investigating, and with the racist actions of the towns people are devastating and hard to read, but are very important to read about. The author doesn’t shy away from the hard truths of what being Black in America really means in this book. This is a hard read, but a worthy read and should be taught in schools.
If I had to point out an issue, I’d say that, while not an issue, I would like to see the aftermath of what happens when an inmate is released from confinement and I would have liked to see how the family planned to sue the county for retribution from the grievance caused to them.
Verdict: A must read.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Lobizona
Author: Romina Garber
Book Series: Wolves of No World Book 1
Diversity: Argentina characters, lesbian couple
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Werewolves, witches, other planets, Argentinian characters And lore
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 400
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, drugging, drugs mentioned, rape mention)
Synopsis: Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.
Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered.
Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past--a mysterious "Z" emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.
As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal. . . .it's her entire existence.
Review: Overall, I thought the book was amazing. I loved the mythology and lore of Lobizones and Brujas (werewolves and witches basically). I liked how the author intermingled issues of ICE into this story and also sexism. The book had a well done story arc and plot and I loved the world building. Other things of note are that the book addresses sexism and homophobia and the menstrual cycle is important to the storyline.
However, I did think the pacing was a bit too fast for me and I think the book had a lot of characters that weren't fully developed.
Verdict: Recommended read! I can't wait for the next one!!
Book: Lobizona
Author: Romina Garber
Book Series: Wolves of No World Book 1
Diversity: Argentina characters, lesbian couple
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Werewolves, witches, other planets, Argentinian characters And lore
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 400
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, drugging, drugs mentioned, rape mention)
Synopsis: Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.
Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered.
Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past--a mysterious "Z" emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.
As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal. . . .it's her entire existence.
Review: Overall, I thought the book was amazing. I loved the mythology and lore of Lobizones and Brujas (werewolves and witches basically). I liked how the author intermingled issues of ICE into this story and also sexism. The book had a well done story arc and plot and I loved the world building. Other things of note are that the book addresses sexism and homophobia and the menstrual cycle is important to the storyline.
However, I did think the pacing was a bit too fast for me and I think the book had a lot of characters that weren't fully developed.
Verdict: Recommended read! I can't wait for the next one!!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Ignite the Sun
Author: Hanna Howard
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: fantasy, chosen ones
Publication Date: August 18, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (slight violence and gore, romance)
Publisher: Blink
Pages: 352
Synopsis: Sixteen year-old Siria Nightingale has never seen the sun. The light is dangerous, according to Queen Iyzabel, an evil witch who has shrouded the kingdom in shadow.
Siria has always hated the darkness and revels in the stories of the light-filled old days that she hears from her best friend and his grandfather. Besides them, nobody else understands her fascination with the sun, especially not her strict and demanding parents. Siria's need to please them is greater even than her fear of the dark. So she heads to the royal city--the very center of the darkness--for a chance at a place in Queen Iyzabel's court.
But what Siria discovers at the Choosing Ball sends her on a quest toward the last vestiges of the sun with a ragtag group of rebels who could help her bring back the Light ... or doom the kingdom to shadow forever.
Review: Overall, I really liked the book. The plot was intriguing and the book engaged me from beginning to end. The book was paced right and I really liked the world building that was done as well. The book is definitely rememberable and worth the read.
However, I did have a problem with the characters. There were a lot of problems for me. Some weren’t detailed enough, the romance felt forced, some characters did some things that were questionable and the constant questioning from our main character was really annoying to be honest. I think it would have been better if the author took time to develop the characters and have them grow.
Verdict: Worth the read!
Book: Ignite the Sun
Author: Hanna Howard
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: fantasy, chosen ones
Publication Date: August 18, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (slight violence and gore, romance)
Publisher: Blink
Pages: 352
Synopsis: Sixteen year-old Siria Nightingale has never seen the sun. The light is dangerous, according to Queen Iyzabel, an evil witch who has shrouded the kingdom in shadow.
Siria has always hated the darkness and revels in the stories of the light-filled old days that she hears from her best friend and his grandfather. Besides them, nobody else understands her fascination with the sun, especially not her strict and demanding parents. Siria's need to please them is greater even than her fear of the dark. So she heads to the royal city--the very center of the darkness--for a chance at a place in Queen Iyzabel's court.
But what Siria discovers at the Choosing Ball sends her on a quest toward the last vestiges of the sun with a ragtag group of rebels who could help her bring back the Light ... or doom the kingdom to shadow forever.
Review: Overall, I really liked the book. The plot was intriguing and the book engaged me from beginning to end. The book was paced right and I really liked the world building that was done as well. The book is definitely rememberable and worth the read.
However, I did have a problem with the characters. There were a lot of problems for me. Some weren’t detailed enough, the romance felt forced, some characters did some things that were questionable and the constant questioning from our main character was really annoying to be honest. I think it would have been better if the author took time to develop the characters and have them grow.
Verdict: Worth the read!
Disclaimer: I bought this book based on my friend @aparanormalromance recommendation!
Book: Amid Stars and Darkness
Author: Channi Lynn Feener
Book Series: The Xenith Trilogy
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Sci-fi, alien human romance, political intrigue
Publication Date: July 18, 2017
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Pages: 357
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, bombing TW, language, kidnapping TW, slight violence and gore)
Synopsis: Delaney’s entire world is thrown into chaos after she is mistaken for Lissa Olena, an alien princess hiding out on Earth in order to escape an arranged marriage.
Kidnapped by the princess’s head bodyguard, Ruckus, and imprisoned in an alien palace, Delaney is forced to impersonate the princess until Olena can be found. If she fails, it will lead to an alien war and the eventual enslavement of the entire human race.
No pressure or anything.
Factor in Trystan, the princess’s terrifying betrothed who is intent on unraveling all her secrets, and her own growing feelings for Ruckus, and Delaney is in way over her head.
Review: I really loved this book! It was such a cool sci-fi romance and I instantly fell in love with the writing. The book did well with the character development and the world building. The book also was very well paced.
If I had to say a downside of this novel it would be that the book was a bit weird with the different time skips, but overall I really enjoyed it!
Verdict: Definitely recommend!
Book: Amid Stars and Darkness
Author: Channi Lynn Feener
Book Series: The Xenith Trilogy
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Sci-fi, alien human romance, political intrigue
Publication Date: July 18, 2017
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Pages: 357
Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content, bombing TW, language, kidnapping TW, slight violence and gore)
Synopsis: Delaney’s entire world is thrown into chaos after she is mistaken for Lissa Olena, an alien princess hiding out on Earth in order to escape an arranged marriage.
Kidnapped by the princess’s head bodyguard, Ruckus, and imprisoned in an alien palace, Delaney is forced to impersonate the princess until Olena can be found. If she fails, it will lead to an alien war and the eventual enslavement of the entire human race.
No pressure or anything.
Factor in Trystan, the princess’s terrifying betrothed who is intent on unraveling all her secrets, and her own growing feelings for Ruckus, and Delaney is in way over her head.
Review: I really loved this book! It was such a cool sci-fi romance and I instantly fell in love with the writing. The book did well with the character development and the world building. The book also was very well paced.
If I had to say a downside of this novel it would be that the book was a bit weird with the different time skips, but overall I really enjoyed it!
Verdict: Definitely recommend!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Day Lincoln Lost
Author: Charles Rosenberg
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Historical fiction, Lincoln fans
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Pages: 432
Recommended Age: 15+ (politics, slavery TW, slight violence)
Synopsis: An inventive historical thriller that reimagines the tumultuous presidential election of 1860, capturing the people desperately trying to hold the nation together—and those trying to crack it apart.
Abby Kelley Foster arrived in Springfield, Illinois, with the fate of the nation on her mind. Her fame as an abolitionist speaker had spread west and she knew that her first speech in the city would make headlines. One of the residents reading those headlines would be none other than the likely next president of the United States.
Abraham Lincoln, lawyer and presidential candidate, knew his chances of winning were good. All he had to do was stay above the fray of the slavery debate and appear the voice of reason until the people cast their votes. The last thing he needed was a fiery abolitionist appearing in town. When her speech sparks violence, leading to her arrest and a high-profile trial, he suspects that his political rivals have conspired against him.
President James Buchanan is one such rival. As his term ends and his political power crumbles, he gathers his advisers at the White House to make one last move that might derail Lincoln’s campaign, steal the election and throw America into chaos.
A fascinating historical novel and fast-paced political thriller of a nation on the cusp of civil war, The Day Lincoln Lost offers an unexpected window into one of the most consequential elections in our country’s history.
Review: For the most part this book was ok. I liked the character dynamic between Lincoln and Lucy and I liked the character development. The book also had well done world building.
However, this was a really weird book. The book was kinda disjointed in the writing and the book had some confusing plot points. I also felt very uneasy with how Lucy was wrote and I'd love to read a Black reviewer's perspective on her. The book is also not historically accurate which is my problem with historical fiction books. If you're going to write historical fiction books please try to be accurate.
Verdict: It was good, just not what I expected.
Book: The Day Lincoln Lost
Author: Charles Rosenberg
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Historical fiction, Lincoln fans
Publication Date: August 4, 2020
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Pages: 432
Recommended Age: 15+ (politics, slavery TW, slight violence)
Synopsis: An inventive historical thriller that reimagines the tumultuous presidential election of 1860, capturing the people desperately trying to hold the nation together—and those trying to crack it apart.
Abby Kelley Foster arrived in Springfield, Illinois, with the fate of the nation on her mind. Her fame as an abolitionist speaker had spread west and she knew that her first speech in the city would make headlines. One of the residents reading those headlines would be none other than the likely next president of the United States.
Abraham Lincoln, lawyer and presidential candidate, knew his chances of winning were good. All he had to do was stay above the fray of the slavery debate and appear the voice of reason until the people cast their votes. The last thing he needed was a fiery abolitionist appearing in town. When her speech sparks violence, leading to her arrest and a high-profile trial, he suspects that his political rivals have conspired against him.
President James Buchanan is one such rival. As his term ends and his political power crumbles, he gathers his advisers at the White House to make one last move that might derail Lincoln’s campaign, steal the election and throw America into chaos.
A fascinating historical novel and fast-paced political thriller of a nation on the cusp of civil war, The Day Lincoln Lost offers an unexpected window into one of the most consequential elections in our country’s history.
Review: For the most part this book was ok. I liked the character dynamic between Lincoln and Lucy and I liked the character development. The book also had well done world building.
However, this was a really weird book. The book was kinda disjointed in the writing and the book had some confusing plot points. I also felt very uneasy with how Lucy was wrote and I'd love to read a Black reviewer's perspective on her. The book is also not historically accurate which is my problem with historical fiction books. If you're going to write historical fiction books please try to be accurate.
Verdict: It was good, just not what I expected.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: This Little Light
Author: Lori Lansens
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, feminist, cults, like The Handmaid’s Tale
Publication Date: January 1, 2019
Genre: YA Dystopian/Feminist
Recommended Age: 16+ (rape TW, sexual content, sexism, violence, gore)
Publisher: Random House Canada
Pages: 257
Synopsis: Taking place over 48 hours in the year 2023, this is the story of Rory Ann Miller, on the run with her best friend because they are accused of bombing their posh Californian high school during an American Virtue Ball. There's a bounty on their heads, and a social media storm of trolls flying around them, not to mention a posse of law enforcement, attack helicopters and drones trying to track them down. Rory's mom, a social activist and lawyer, has been arrested and implicated in her daughter's "crimes" whereas her dad (who betrayed his wife and daughter in a nasty divorce) is cooperating with the authorities. The story exists in a universe of gated communities, born-again Christians, Probationary Citizens (once known as "Dreamers"), re-criminalized abortion and birth control, teenage virginity oaths and something called the Red Market, which is either a Conservative bogey-man created to further polarize the "base" or a criminal network making money from selling unwanted babies to whomever wants them and fetal tissue to cosmetics and drug companies.
Rory is cynical and scared, furious and scathing, betrayed and looking for something or someone to trust. What she has to say about the dads and bosses and politicians lining up to keep women in their place, and about the ways women collaborate in their own undermining, is fierce, and funny, and sad, and true.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. I liked the dystopian vibes and I liked how the book took inspiration from The Handmaid’s Tale. The book did well to talk about feminism, sexism, cults, and rape culture. The book was written well for the most part and the book kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
However, the book rambles on and on so much. It suffers a little from what I dubbed Stephen King syndrome (where you get stuck on a topic for a few pages). The book is very hard to make your way through it when the “rambles” happen and while it’s a great book with an interesting story, I wish that the rambles had been edited down a bit. It distracts from the rest of the story in my opinion, BUT it is very true to the voice of the character.
Verdict: It’s a good book, just a bit rambly.
Book: This Little Light
Author: Lori Lansens
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: dystopian, feminist, cults, like The Handmaid’s Tale
Publication Date: January 1, 2019
Genre: YA Dystopian/Feminist
Recommended Age: 16+ (rape TW, sexual content, sexism, violence, gore)
Publisher: Random House Canada
Pages: 257
Synopsis: Taking place over 48 hours in the year 2023, this is the story of Rory Ann Miller, on the run with her best friend because they are accused of bombing their posh Californian high school during an American Virtue Ball. There's a bounty on their heads, and a social media storm of trolls flying around them, not to mention a posse of law enforcement, attack helicopters and drones trying to track them down. Rory's mom, a social activist and lawyer, has been arrested and implicated in her daughter's "crimes" whereas her dad (who betrayed his wife and daughter in a nasty divorce) is cooperating with the authorities. The story exists in a universe of gated communities, born-again Christians, Probationary Citizens (once known as "Dreamers"), re-criminalized abortion and birth control, teenage virginity oaths and something called the Red Market, which is either a Conservative bogey-man created to further polarize the "base" or a criminal network making money from selling unwanted babies to whomever wants them and fetal tissue to cosmetics and drug companies.
Rory is cynical and scared, furious and scathing, betrayed and looking for something or someone to trust. What she has to say about the dads and bosses and politicians lining up to keep women in their place, and about the ways women collaborate in their own undermining, is fierce, and funny, and sad, and true.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. I liked the dystopian vibes and I liked how the book took inspiration from The Handmaid’s Tale. The book did well to talk about feminism, sexism, cults, and rape culture. The book was written well for the most part and the book kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
However, the book rambles on and on so much. It suffers a little from what I dubbed Stephen King syndrome (where you get stuck on a topic for a few pages). The book is very hard to make your way through it when the “rambles” happen and while it’s a great book with an interesting story, I wish that the rambles had been edited down a bit. It distracts from the rest of the story in my opinion, BUT it is very true to the voice of the character.
Verdict: It’s a good book, just a bit rambly.
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author for Turn the Pages Book Tours! Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Story of Babushka
Author: Catherine Flores, Ana Beatriz Marques (illustrator)
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: children’s book, beginning chapter books, fantasy
Publication Date: July 29, 2020
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Recommended Age: 5+ (self worth discussed)
Publisher: ACL Creative Studio
Pages: 120
Synopsis: Babushka wants to find out the meaning of life so she sends her bodies out of the forest and into the world to search for answers. But there is a hurdle to overcome before all of the bodies can reunite and return to the forest.
WHAT IS A BABUSHKA?
The Babushka doll, also known as a "Matryoshka" or "Russian Nesting Doll", is a traditional Russian toy first made over 100 years ago. The doll has come to symbolize Russian folk culture, as well as the complex and beautiful layers of women. This is the story of one very special doll, with five bodies that together make the Babushka: There was the outermost body, Antonia. She was pure beauty and everyone who saw her raved about her good looks. Beneath that body of beauty hid the second body, Loretta, who was richly adorned. She wore gold ornaments, and her robe was decorated with many different gems that glittered like the ocean on a sunny day. Hidden within the rich body was Paula the body that held all the talents. Whatever Paula did, she was sure to succeed. She knew how to work and always did so with joy and determination. Under the shell of the talented body was Viola, the body of wisdom. Viola knew a lot about the world and learned very quickly. She was always full of brilliant ideas and had clever solutions for every problem. The last body, the innermost and smallest of all, was Mary, the embodiment of love. Mary had a compassionate heart and was very helpful. She had the special ability to dry tears and mend broken hearts. All these bodies together formed the beautiful Babushka.
Review: Overall I thought this was a cute and amazing tale. I loved how the book is presented as a hybrid of a chapter book and a picture book. The book does well to represent self worth and how there are different parts of everyone that make up a whole person! The book also talks about friendship, love, money, and appearance. The story was engaging and had a great life message for young and old children.
Verdict: Recommended for youngsters!
Book: The Story of Babushka
Author: Catherine Flores, Ana Beatriz Marques (illustrator)
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: children’s book, beginning chapter books, fantasy
Publication Date: July 29, 2020
Genre: Children’s Fantasy
Recommended Age: 5+ (self worth discussed)
Publisher: ACL Creative Studio
Pages: 120
Synopsis: Babushka wants to find out the meaning of life so she sends her bodies out of the forest and into the world to search for answers. But there is a hurdle to overcome before all of the bodies can reunite and return to the forest.
WHAT IS A BABUSHKA?
The Babushka doll, also known as a "Matryoshka" or "Russian Nesting Doll", is a traditional Russian toy first made over 100 years ago. The doll has come to symbolize Russian folk culture, as well as the complex and beautiful layers of women. This is the story of one very special doll, with five bodies that together make the Babushka: There was the outermost body, Antonia. She was pure beauty and everyone who saw her raved about her good looks. Beneath that body of beauty hid the second body, Loretta, who was richly adorned. She wore gold ornaments, and her robe was decorated with many different gems that glittered like the ocean on a sunny day. Hidden within the rich body was Paula the body that held all the talents. Whatever Paula did, she was sure to succeed. She knew how to work and always did so with joy and determination. Under the shell of the talented body was Viola, the body of wisdom. Viola knew a lot about the world and learned very quickly. She was always full of brilliant ideas and had clever solutions for every problem. The last body, the innermost and smallest of all, was Mary, the embodiment of love. Mary had a compassionate heart and was very helpful. She had the special ability to dry tears and mend broken hearts. All these bodies together formed the beautiful Babushka.
Review: Overall I thought this was a cute and amazing tale. I loved how the book is presented as a hybrid of a chapter book and a picture book. The book does well to represent self worth and how there are different parts of everyone that make up a whole person! The book also talks about friendship, love, money, and appearance. The story was engaging and had a great life message for young and old children.
Verdict: Recommended for youngsters!