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popthebutterfly
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Princess Electric
Author: Derek Silver
Book Series: The Rememberist Saga Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Fantasy lovers
Publication Date: February 20, 2021
Publisher: Fusionpunk Press
Pages: 378
Recommended Age: 16+ (Dementia like semblance, Slight violence, Slight gore, Gaslighting)
Synopsis: Violet wants nothing more than to forget how she put her sister in the hospital. When she discovers that her sister’s amnesia is caused by otherworldly creatures stealing memories, Violet is propelled into Dementia, an alternate world of lost moments and forgotten dreams.
It is there that Violet meets the Rememberists, a rag-tag crew of memory freedom fighters led by Declan and Cheshire, brothers who try to recruit Violet into their cause. Yet their shadowy demeanors make Violet question their motivations, even when she discovers that they can help her sister. But if Violet doesn’t start trusting someone soon, she’ll never be able to save her sister’s memories—or herself.
THE PRINCESS ELECTRIC is the first book in The Rememberist Saga, a young adult urban fantasy series set in an alternate world of lost memories, where the most precious commodity is the ability to remember, and the pain of forgetting is a tortured silence that lasts forever.
Review: This book was pretty good. I really enjoyed the plot of the book and the concept of it. I thought that the concept was pretty unique. I also liked how the world was developed and the book kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
However, I did have a lot of questions about the book. I think that the book touches on a lot of sensitive topics, the most obvious being dementia and Alzheimer's like elements in the book. The book is and can be a hard read for people that have loved ones that are suffering from those diseases. and while I have not had any one personally in my life that has been affected by those diseases I can see where it might be hurtful to read this if you do, so I would suggest cautioning yourself before reading this book if you do have that criteria. I also thought that the pacing was really slow in a lot of the parts of the book and I didn't think that the characters were developed that well in my opinion. The characters don't have that many distinguishing features in my opinion and they're just kind of flat on the page.
Verdict: It was good for the most part
Book: The Princess Electric
Author: Derek Silver
Book Series: The Rememberist Saga Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Fantasy lovers
Publication Date: February 20, 2021
Publisher: Fusionpunk Press
Pages: 378
Recommended Age: 16+ (Dementia like semblance, Slight violence, Slight gore, Gaslighting)
Synopsis: Violet wants nothing more than to forget how she put her sister in the hospital. When she discovers that her sister’s amnesia is caused by otherworldly creatures stealing memories, Violet is propelled into Dementia, an alternate world of lost moments and forgotten dreams.
It is there that Violet meets the Rememberists, a rag-tag crew of memory freedom fighters led by Declan and Cheshire, brothers who try to recruit Violet into their cause. Yet their shadowy demeanors make Violet question their motivations, even when she discovers that they can help her sister. But if Violet doesn’t start trusting someone soon, she’ll never be able to save her sister’s memories—or herself.
THE PRINCESS ELECTRIC is the first book in The Rememberist Saga, a young adult urban fantasy series set in an alternate world of lost memories, where the most precious commodity is the ability to remember, and the pain of forgetting is a tortured silence that lasts forever.
Review: This book was pretty good. I really enjoyed the plot of the book and the concept of it. I thought that the concept was pretty unique. I also liked how the world was developed and the book kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
However, I did have a lot of questions about the book. I think that the book touches on a lot of sensitive topics, the most obvious being dementia and Alzheimer's like elements in the book. The book is and can be a hard read for people that have loved ones that are suffering from those diseases. and while I have not had any one personally in my life that has been affected by those diseases I can see where it might be hurtful to read this if you do, so I would suggest cautioning yourself before reading this book if you do have that criteria. I also thought that the pacing was really slow in a lot of the parts of the book and I didn't think that the characters were developed that well in my opinion. The characters don't have that many distinguishing features in my opinion and they're just kind of flat on the page.
Verdict: It was good for the most part
Disclaimer: I received this book from NineTales publishing. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: February 14, 2019
Genre: New Adult Romance
Recommended Age: 16+ (trigger warning for attempted rape! Romance, love, self discovery, alligators, and accidents)
Publisher: NineTales Publishing
Pages: 328
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Olivia Jefferson has always been a good little automaton. At least, that’s what her best friend Angela had always told her. She was a dutiful daughter, straight A student, and a devoted friend.
But when Angela dies at seventeen of terminal brain cancer, Olivia’s automaton life gets turned upside down.
She made a promise that she would finish Angela’s bucket list for her.
But number one is to go on the scariest ride at the County Fair, The Hurricane, and number two is to go on a Grand Adventure. Both seem impossible. So when a pretty, blue eyed carnie boy offers her a place on the carnival for the summer, she couldn’t possibly go, right?
Deciding to abandon her well planned future, Olivia follows the carnival along the bottom States, from Florida to LA. What she learns as she works her way through Angela’s bucket list will make her reexamine her dreams, her beliefs and make her really question: Who is Olivia
Review: This book is a very quick read! The book is adorable and the story is unlike any other. I really felt for the characters and, while there was some play on the legal aspects, I felt that the book was very realistic. The book characters were all very well developed and the plot was interesting. The writing was also very well done and this book is not as much a romance but a self discovery book.
My only huge complaint is that the book has a massive attempted rape scene and this can be very triggering for some people. The scene comes out of nowhere and without warning. It shook me a little when I read it. I think that this can be issue if there’s no trigger warning to warn people ahead of time.
Verdict: A great book!
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: February 14, 2019
Genre: New Adult Romance
Recommended Age: 16+ (trigger warning for attempted rape! Romance, love, self discovery, alligators, and accidents)
Publisher: NineTales Publishing
Pages: 328
Amazon Link
Synopsis: Olivia Jefferson has always been a good little automaton. At least, that’s what her best friend Angela had always told her. She was a dutiful daughter, straight A student, and a devoted friend.
But when Angela dies at seventeen of terminal brain cancer, Olivia’s automaton life gets turned upside down.
She made a promise that she would finish Angela’s bucket list for her.
But number one is to go on the scariest ride at the County Fair, The Hurricane, and number two is to go on a Grand Adventure. Both seem impossible. So when a pretty, blue eyed carnie boy offers her a place on the carnival for the summer, she couldn’t possibly go, right?
Deciding to abandon her well planned future, Olivia follows the carnival along the bottom States, from Florida to LA. What she learns as she works her way through Angela’s bucket list will make her reexamine her dreams, her beliefs and make her really question: Who is Olivia
Review: This book is a very quick read! The book is adorable and the story is unlike any other. I really felt for the characters and, while there was some play on the legal aspects, I felt that the book was very realistic. The book characters were all very well developed and the plot was interesting. The writing was also very well done and this book is not as much a romance but a self discovery book.
My only huge complaint is that the book has a massive attempted rape scene and this can be very triggering for some people. The scene comes out of nowhere and without warning. It shook me a little when I read it. I think that this can be issue if there’s no trigger warning to warn people ahead of time.
Verdict: A great book!
Disclaimer: I received these books from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Grunge & Grace
Author: Amy Venezia
Book Series: The Grace Jackson Trilogy
Rating: 2/5
Recommended For...: paranormal fans, suspense lovers
Publication Date: March 4, 2018
Genre: Paranormal
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Vision Books
Pages: 114
Synopsis: Kyle Kent is a beloved musician who dies believing that he killed himself. Grace Jackson is a woman who communicates with the dead. When Kyle and Grace find each other through the realms of existence, they each discover more than they ever thought possible...what they had always believed to be impossible. Did Kyle Kent kill himself? Will Grace get to the truth about what happened to him? Will Kyle manage to remember the last moments of his death? Grunge and Grace chronicles the journey of these two souls as they weave their way through the dimensions of time and space. Defying the odds and those who fight to keep the truth from being revealed, they find themselves forging an eternal alliance to bring light into the darkness of their realities.
Review: Had to DNF this series. The book sounds really good, but it just isn’t for me. It was weirdly written and I just didn’t vibe with the story.
Verdict: It sounds great, but not for me.
Book: Grunge & Grace
Author: Amy Venezia
Book Series: The Grace Jackson Trilogy
Rating: 2/5
Recommended For...: paranormal fans, suspense lovers
Publication Date: March 4, 2018
Genre: Paranormal
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Vision Books
Pages: 114
Synopsis: Kyle Kent is a beloved musician who dies believing that he killed himself. Grace Jackson is a woman who communicates with the dead. When Kyle and Grace find each other through the realms of existence, they each discover more than they ever thought possible...what they had always believed to be impossible. Did Kyle Kent kill himself? Will Grace get to the truth about what happened to him? Will Kyle manage to remember the last moments of his death? Grunge and Grace chronicles the journey of these two souls as they weave their way through the dimensions of time and space. Defying the odds and those who fight to keep the truth from being revealed, they find themselves forging an eternal alliance to bring light into the darkness of their realities.
Review: Had to DNF this series. The book sounds really good, but it just isn’t for me. It was weirdly written and I just didn’t vibe with the story.
Verdict: It sounds great, but not for me.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Fall of the Cities: Uprooting the Orchard
Author: Vance Huxley
Book Series: Fall of the Cities Book 4
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: dystopian lovers
Publication Date: October 25, 2020
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: 17+ (language, gore, violence)
Publisher: Entrada Publishing
Pages: 518
Synopsis: Orchard Close survived Caddi's invasion, and smashed the General's army, but was the price too high? The Riot Squad are dead or wounded, the Army is watching from the bypass, and the attacking gangs were beaten but not annihilated. This time they don't even have a leader, because Soldier Boy will be out of action for months.
At least the attackers left behind plenty of weapons, providing the Army don't take them, and one person is ruthless enough to use them all. Without telling even 'Arold, the Killer Queen uses illegal weaponry to recruit, then launches a true Blitzkrieg across the battered city. With their enemies occupied, the Orchard Close survivors try to come to terms with the deaths, the destruction, and a growing conviction they can never win, that the government and scroats will keep coming.
The Cabal is distracted because the Reivers spring their own May Day surprise party. The Bruce is aiming high this time, he wants to buy Scotland from the Cabal and the first payment is in blood. As brave men and women launch their attacks or make their last stands, the foreign mercenaries and Specials find that their own families are vulnerable, and even the Royal Navy gets a wake-up call. While they are occupied, Bruce strikes for the real prize, a way to bring the Cabal to the negotiating table.
Throughout the summer, as Harold heals, he begins to plan the evacuation of Orchard Close. The gangs are finished, but when the Army withdraws from the bypass their replacements, Mart guards, will have machine guns aiming right into the heart of Orchard Close. Even as he tries to keep his plans secret, a rumour begins to grow, about an operation called Silent Running. It spreads and grows, helped by a song, until even the surrounding gangs believe it; Soldier Boy is leaving to set up a secret base. When the government finally comes for the Cities, there'll be a haven for those who escape and a strike force poised to disrupt the assault. By the time the convoy is ready, even the Cabal knows about the breakout, but with all the rumours Harold hopes that even his resident government spy is confused.
Review: I really like this book. I really like to genre and I thought that way that the author wrote this book was very well done. I also felt like the author did very well regarding character development and world building. The plot of the bus also hooks you in very early it doesn't let you go until the very end.
The only issue I really had with the book was that the pacing of the book can be pretty slow compared to what I am normally used to. It’s also a hard book to get into as the book is in the middle of a series and it’s hard to figure out where in the series this book falls as it’s not easily listed on Goodreads.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: Fall of the Cities: Uprooting the Orchard
Author: Vance Huxley
Book Series: Fall of the Cities Book 4
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: dystopian lovers
Publication Date: October 25, 2020
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: 17+ (language, gore, violence)
Publisher: Entrada Publishing
Pages: 518
Synopsis: Orchard Close survived Caddi's invasion, and smashed the General's army, but was the price too high? The Riot Squad are dead or wounded, the Army is watching from the bypass, and the attacking gangs were beaten but not annihilated. This time they don't even have a leader, because Soldier Boy will be out of action for months.
At least the attackers left behind plenty of weapons, providing the Army don't take them, and one person is ruthless enough to use them all. Without telling even 'Arold, the Killer Queen uses illegal weaponry to recruit, then launches a true Blitzkrieg across the battered city. With their enemies occupied, the Orchard Close survivors try to come to terms with the deaths, the destruction, and a growing conviction they can never win, that the government and scroats will keep coming.
The Cabal is distracted because the Reivers spring their own May Day surprise party. The Bruce is aiming high this time, he wants to buy Scotland from the Cabal and the first payment is in blood. As brave men and women launch their attacks or make their last stands, the foreign mercenaries and Specials find that their own families are vulnerable, and even the Royal Navy gets a wake-up call. While they are occupied, Bruce strikes for the real prize, a way to bring the Cabal to the negotiating table.
Throughout the summer, as Harold heals, he begins to plan the evacuation of Orchard Close. The gangs are finished, but when the Army withdraws from the bypass their replacements, Mart guards, will have machine guns aiming right into the heart of Orchard Close. Even as he tries to keep his plans secret, a rumour begins to grow, about an operation called Silent Running. It spreads and grows, helped by a song, until even the surrounding gangs believe it; Soldier Boy is leaving to set up a secret base. When the government finally comes for the Cities, there'll be a haven for those who escape and a strike force poised to disrupt the assault. By the time the convoy is ready, even the Cabal knows about the breakout, but with all the rumours Harold hopes that even his resident government spy is confused.
Review: I really like this book. I really like to genre and I thought that way that the author wrote this book was very well done. I also felt like the author did very well regarding character development and world building. The plot of the bus also hooks you in very early it doesn't let you go until the very end.
The only issue I really had with the book was that the pacing of the book can be pretty slow compared to what I am normally used to. It’s also a hard book to get into as the book is in the middle of a series and it’s hard to figure out where in the series this book falls as it’s not easily listed on Goodreads.
Verdict: It was good!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Snow Dust and Boneshine
Author: Grendolyn Peach Soleil
Book Series: The Chronicles of Granny Witch (Book 1)
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Romance, Paranormal
Publication Date: December 31, 2020
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, sexual content, grief)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 218
Synopsis: Once upon a winter’s night, a lost cowboy finds himself in Purgatory Bend. Patrick Doolin is plagued by a wound that won’t heal, but winter is the season of miracles. As Patrick wanders through Wyoming, he meets Fawna, the mysterious granny witch, who channels the folk magic of her ancestors.
With nowhere to go and a secret Patrick doesn’t yet understand, he seeks shelter with Fawna in the snowswept prairie. Forbidden to fall in love, they form an eternal bond in the dreamscape, but when the bluebirds sing of summer and threaten their empire of dreams, they are faced with an impossible decision. Will Patrick stay in the land of the living, or will he cross over the prairie?
Summer is the season of surprises, and Fawna’s childhood sweetheart, Dezi Ketchum, longs to win her heart too. When winter melts across the gold-slick prairie, Fawna searches for answers under the rose moon. Caught between fire and water and flesh and fantasy, she follows her heart and ventures into uncharted territory.
Review: I was really surprised about how much I did like this book I thought that I wouldn't like it that much, but I'm glad I was wrong. The book is wonderfully well written and has amazing world building. I also felt like the book and well to kind of hug the reader instead of just attack it like a normal book about witches does.
Only thing that really slowed me down when reading this book was the pacing period the pacing was pretty slow and I kept getting a bit distracted while reading it.
Verdict: It was sweet!
Book: Snow Dust and Boneshine
Author: Grendolyn Peach Soleil
Book Series: The Chronicles of Granny Witch (Book 1)
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Romance, Paranormal
Publication Date: December 31, 2020
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, sexual content, grief)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 218
Synopsis: Once upon a winter’s night, a lost cowboy finds himself in Purgatory Bend. Patrick Doolin is plagued by a wound that won’t heal, but winter is the season of miracles. As Patrick wanders through Wyoming, he meets Fawna, the mysterious granny witch, who channels the folk magic of her ancestors.
With nowhere to go and a secret Patrick doesn’t yet understand, he seeks shelter with Fawna in the snowswept prairie. Forbidden to fall in love, they form an eternal bond in the dreamscape, but when the bluebirds sing of summer and threaten their empire of dreams, they are faced with an impossible decision. Will Patrick stay in the land of the living, or will he cross over the prairie?
Summer is the season of surprises, and Fawna’s childhood sweetheart, Dezi Ketchum, longs to win her heart too. When winter melts across the gold-slick prairie, Fawna searches for answers under the rose moon. Caught between fire and water and flesh and fantasy, she follows her heart and ventures into uncharted territory.
Review: I was really surprised about how much I did like this book I thought that I wouldn't like it that much, but I'm glad I was wrong. The book is wonderfully well written and has amazing world building. I also felt like the book and well to kind of hug the reader instead of just attack it like a normal book about witches does.
Only thing that really slowed me down when reading this book was the pacing period the pacing was pretty slow and I kept getting a bit distracted while reading it.
Verdict: It was sweet!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Mermaids Melt at Dawn: A Collection of Kindred Yarns
Author: Grendolyn Peach Soleil
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: mermaid lovers, fantasy, historical fiction
Publication Date: July 19, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, slight violence)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 75
Synopsis: Faraway, on the edge of a sapphire sea, there’s a fabled island where Cajun folklore meets Greek mythology, where the bayou meets the sea, and where humans meet mermaids.
On the surface, The Mermaids Melt at Dawn appears innocent enough, but the swamp hags and sea witches of old remind us that appearances can be deceiving. Filled with fascinating characters, a touch of romance, some wicked twists, and a dash of magic, The Mermaids Melt at Dawn is a captivating voyage for fans of historical fiction, fairy tales, and mythology.
From the Louisiana swamps to the wild waters of Barbiche Island, Rok Lejeune embarks on a nautical adventure to the mystic island of mermaids, but Rok is not the only creature with a story to tell. Barbiche Island is home to a pair of warring mermaid sisters, power-hungry Poseidon, petulant gods, and other mysterious monsters. The mermaids of Barbiche Island sing of love, survival, and betrayal, but will they answer the burning question? Why do the mermaids melt at dawn?
Review: That's what was pretty good. I felt like there was a lot of good character development and that the world building was very well done. The book overall is pretty well written.
However, I do feel like that the book has some issues. There is more than one there in the back and that we came really confusing from me because of the amount of pages after we're in this book. I also didn't expect this to be an adult book, but I also don't read blurbs so maybe that was my fault. I also felt like painting was a little bit too fast and that maybe the story needs more written to be fully flushed out.
Verdict: It was ok!
Book: The Mermaids Melt at Dawn: A Collection of Kindred Yarns
Author: Grendolyn Peach Soleil
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: mermaid lovers, fantasy, historical fiction
Publication Date: July 19, 2020
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 18+ (romance, slight violence)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 75
Synopsis: Faraway, on the edge of a sapphire sea, there’s a fabled island where Cajun folklore meets Greek mythology, where the bayou meets the sea, and where humans meet mermaids.
On the surface, The Mermaids Melt at Dawn appears innocent enough, but the swamp hags and sea witches of old remind us that appearances can be deceiving. Filled with fascinating characters, a touch of romance, some wicked twists, and a dash of magic, The Mermaids Melt at Dawn is a captivating voyage for fans of historical fiction, fairy tales, and mythology.
From the Louisiana swamps to the wild waters of Barbiche Island, Rok Lejeune embarks on a nautical adventure to the mystic island of mermaids, but Rok is not the only creature with a story to tell. Barbiche Island is home to a pair of warring mermaid sisters, power-hungry Poseidon, petulant gods, and other mysterious monsters. The mermaids of Barbiche Island sing of love, survival, and betrayal, but will they answer the burning question? Why do the mermaids melt at dawn?
Review: That's what was pretty good. I felt like there was a lot of good character development and that the world building was very well done. The book overall is pretty well written.
However, I do feel like that the book has some issues. There is more than one there in the back and that we came really confusing from me because of the amount of pages after we're in this book. I also didn't expect this to be an adult book, but I also don't read blurbs so maybe that was my fault. I also felt like painting was a little bit too fast and that maybe the story needs more written to be fully flushed out.
Verdict: It was ok!
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Devil Whispered
Author: Shawn Starkweather
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi
Publication Date: February 1, 2021
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 200ish? I can’t find the Amazon page
Synopsis: Ex special-forces commander Jacobi Slate is drawn into a downward spiraling vortex of fear and doubt while investigating a brutal murder that's been committed by an old friend. As evidence mounts that someone else might be pulling strings from the shadows, Jacobi struggles to understand a developing connection to his own past, which is quickly catching up to him.
Near-future cyberpunk collides with gritty detective noir in this fast-paced thriller that shines a light on both the vast shortcomings and the noble heroics of the human condition. To unravel the mystery, Jacobi will pull on every thread while chasing leads from the squalor of the most dangerous streets to the high-tech towers of the wealthy elite on his quest to understand a truth he might not be ready to face.
Review: I had to dnf this book. I really liked the premise of the book as it sounds really good, but I just couldn't get into it. I also felt like the writing was a bit weird, but maybe that is because I couldn't fully get into it.
Verdict: It’s good, but not for me.
Book: The Devil Whispered
Author: Shawn Starkweather
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: Cyberpunk, Sci-Fi
Publication Date: February 1, 2021
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 200ish? I can’t find the Amazon page
Synopsis: Ex special-forces commander Jacobi Slate is drawn into a downward spiraling vortex of fear and doubt while investigating a brutal murder that's been committed by an old friend. As evidence mounts that someone else might be pulling strings from the shadows, Jacobi struggles to understand a developing connection to his own past, which is quickly catching up to him.
Near-future cyberpunk collides with gritty detective noir in this fast-paced thriller that shines a light on both the vast shortcomings and the noble heroics of the human condition. To unravel the mystery, Jacobi will pull on every thread while chasing leads from the squalor of the most dangerous streets to the high-tech towers of the wealthy elite on his quest to understand a truth he might not be ready to face.
Review: I had to dnf this book. I really liked the premise of the book as it sounds really good, but I just couldn't get into it. I also felt like the writing was a bit weird, but maybe that is because I couldn't fully get into it.
Verdict: It’s good, but not for me.
Disclaimer: I received this ebook from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Subversive
Author: Colleen Cowley
Book Series: Clandestine Magic Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: dystopian
Publication Date: September 27, 2020
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, feminism, misogyny)
Publisher: Slender Sky Books
Pages: 444
Synopsis: In an America controlled by wizards and 100 years behind on women’s rights, Beatrix Harper counts herself among the resistance—the Women’s League for the Prohibition of Magic. Then Peter Blackwell, the only wizard her town has ever produced, unexpectedly returns home and presses her into service as his assistant.
Beatrix fears he wants to undermine the League. His real purpose is far more dangerous for them both.
Review: I really like this book. I felt like the premise of it and the plot was super interesting and very well done. I felt like the character development was also very well done and the world building was simply marvelous.
The only real issue I had with the book was to pacing. I felt like the pacing was eventually slow for this kind of book in certain places but for the most part I really did enjoy this book.
Verdict: I really liked this one!
Book: Subversive
Author: Colleen Cowley
Book Series: Clandestine Magic Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: dystopian
Publication Date: September 27, 2020
Genre: Dystopian
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, feminism, misogyny)
Publisher: Slender Sky Books
Pages: 444
Synopsis: In an America controlled by wizards and 100 years behind on women’s rights, Beatrix Harper counts herself among the resistance—the Women’s League for the Prohibition of Magic. Then Peter Blackwell, the only wizard her town has ever produced, unexpectedly returns home and presses her into service as his assistant.
Beatrix fears he wants to undermine the League. His real purpose is far more dangerous for them both.
Review: I really like this book. I felt like the premise of it and the plot was super interesting and very well done. I felt like the character development was also very well done and the world building was simply marvelous.
The only real issue I had with the book was to pacing. I felt like the pacing was eventually slow for this kind of book in certain places but for the most part I really did enjoy this book.
Verdict: I really liked this one!
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 audiobook from netgalley and the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Burn Our Bodies Down
Author: Rory Power
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: lesbian main character
Recommended For...: horror fans, young adult lovers
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Genre: YA Horror
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, gaslighting, slight romance/sexual content, gore, violence, death)
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 352
Synopsis: Ever since Margot was born, it’s been just her and her mother. No answers to Margot’s questions about what came before. No history to hold on to. No relative to speak of. Just the two of them, stuck in their run-down apartment, struggling to get along.
But that’s not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And she just found the key she needs to get it: A photograph, pointing her to a town called Phalene. Pointing her home. Only, when Margot gets there, it’s not what she bargained for.
Margot’s mother left for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what’s still there?
The only thing Margot knows for sure is there’s poison in their family tree, and their roots are dug so deeply into Phalene that now that she’s there, she might never escape.
Review: This was literally the worst book I read in 2020. The book was horribly paced and the build up to the book took 80% to get to. There was no horror moments, the subplot was too on-the-nose, and the book spent too much time on useless dialogue than on making a creepy atmosphere. The conclusion was lackluster and I literally begged people for the ending to avoid listening to this book anymore. The author should have focused her time in creating the atmosphere and in creating moments that show the true twist at the end instead of it all coming out at the last 20% of the book. I will say that the narrator did great with the book and did great to try to create the missing creepy atmosphere, but she couldn’t carry the weight of the book that the author dumped on her.
Verdict: It needed a lot of work.
Book: Burn Our Bodies Down
Author: Rory Power
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 1/5
Diversity: lesbian main character
Recommended For...: horror fans, young adult lovers
Publication Date: July 7, 2020
Genre: YA Horror
Recommended Age: 16+ (language, gaslighting, slight romance/sexual content, gore, violence, death)
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 352
Synopsis: Ever since Margot was born, it’s been just her and her mother. No answers to Margot’s questions about what came before. No history to hold on to. No relative to speak of. Just the two of them, stuck in their run-down apartment, struggling to get along.
But that’s not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And she just found the key she needs to get it: A photograph, pointing her to a town called Phalene. Pointing her home. Only, when Margot gets there, it’s not what she bargained for.
Margot’s mother left for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what’s still there?
The only thing Margot knows for sure is there’s poison in their family tree, and their roots are dug so deeply into Phalene that now that she’s there, she might never escape.
Review: This was literally the worst book I read in 2020. The book was horribly paced and the build up to the book took 80% to get to. There was no horror moments, the subplot was too on-the-nose, and the book spent too much time on useless dialogue than on making a creepy atmosphere. The conclusion was lackluster and I literally begged people for the ending to avoid listening to this book anymore. The author should have focused her time in creating the atmosphere and in creating moments that show the true twist at the end instead of it all coming out at the last 20% of the book. I will say that the narrator did great with the book and did great to try to create the missing creepy atmosphere, but she couldn’t carry the weight of the book that the author dumped on her.
Verdict: It needed a lot of work.