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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Islands of Iros
Author: L.M. Bracklow
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, fantasy, pirates, magic
Publication Date: January 24, 2023
Genre: MG Fantasy
Age Relevance: 10+ (violence, bullying, parental death, murder, threats, starvation, terrorism, sibling death, racism, scary moments, war)
Explanation of Above: There are a couple of scenes with some weapon (sword) and physical violence. Bullying is shown, murder is mentioned very vaguely, and war is briefly mentioned. Parental death is mentioned and a sibling death is briefly shown in an act of terrorism. There is also some other death mentioned. There are some threats made and starvation is shown and mentioned. There are some slight references to racism and there are some scary moments.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 266
Synopsis: Three close friends—Luke, fearless, optimistic, outgoing; Damien, steadfast, self-contained, loyal; and Kaori, smart, strong-minded, determined—journey across the sea with the Crimson Raiders, their island’s fearless champions, to find the sorcerer’s finger, rumored to bestow unimaginable power on the one who consumes it—enough power to vanquish their island’s enemies. This fast-paced, engaging story mixes vicious pirates, seductive sirens, gruesome monsters and so much more as it weaves magic, mayhem, and adventure into a tale of deep friendship told with great style and good humor.
Review: For the most part I really enjoyed this book! I loved the story and I thought it was very compelling. The book did well to bring in some more scary adult moments to a middle grade novel and in an age-appropriate manner. The book was a fun pirate filled adventure and it had some great character development and world building. I especially loved the friendship between the three main characters within this multi-POV book, it gave a very HP-like feel to it which would make this a good replacement rec for those needing HP magic but not any of the problematic HP issues. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.
The only issue I had with the book is that it felt a bit rushed in the ending and it got a bit wonky in pacing in a couple of places.
Verdict: It was great! I loved it!
Book: The Islands of Iros
Author: L.M. Bracklow
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, fantasy, pirates, magic
Publication Date: January 24, 2023
Genre: MG Fantasy
Age Relevance: 10+ (violence, bullying, parental death, murder, threats, starvation, terrorism, sibling death, racism, scary moments, war)
Explanation of Above: There are a couple of scenes with some weapon (sword) and physical violence. Bullying is shown, murder is mentioned very vaguely, and war is briefly mentioned. Parental death is mentioned and a sibling death is briefly shown in an act of terrorism. There is also some other death mentioned. There are some threats made and starvation is shown and mentioned. There are some slight references to racism and there are some scary moments.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 266
Synopsis: Three close friends—Luke, fearless, optimistic, outgoing; Damien, steadfast, self-contained, loyal; and Kaori, smart, strong-minded, determined—journey across the sea with the Crimson Raiders, their island’s fearless champions, to find the sorcerer’s finger, rumored to bestow unimaginable power on the one who consumes it—enough power to vanquish their island’s enemies. This fast-paced, engaging story mixes vicious pirates, seductive sirens, gruesome monsters and so much more as it weaves magic, mayhem, and adventure into a tale of deep friendship told with great style and good humor.
Review: For the most part I really enjoyed this book! I loved the story and I thought it was very compelling. The book did well to bring in some more scary adult moments to a middle grade novel and in an age-appropriate manner. The book was a fun pirate filled adventure and it had some great character development and world building. I especially loved the friendship between the three main characters within this multi-POV book, it gave a very HP-like feel to it which would make this a good replacement rec for those needing HP magic but not any of the problematic HP issues. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.
The only issue I had with the book is that it felt a bit rushed in the ending and it got a bit wonky in pacing in a couple of places.
Verdict: It was great! I loved it!
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Cookie Monsters
Author: Erika J. Kendrick
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC, Black characters, POC characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, girl scouts, competition, grief, death, anxiety attacks
Publication Date: January 17, 2023
Genre: MG Contemporary
Age Relevance: 10+ (parental death, cancer, grief, religion, religious trauma, bullying, racism, anxiety attacks, vomit gore)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of parental death having just happened due to cancer and grief is shown throughout the book with our MC but also other characters. There are a couple of passages regarding the Christian religion and religious trauma, specifically the MC of our story is constantly asking in those passages why God took her mother away and what she did to upset God. There are some scenes with some bullying. There is one scene showing some racism in the book, specifically in which our MC is trying to go door-to-door to ask people to purchase cookies and one of the neighbors threatens to call the cops on her. There are a couple of anxiety attacks shown in the book. There is vomiting mentioned once in the book.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Brooklyn Ace is ready to take the Valentine World Scouts by storm and build her own cookie empire. She nearly won the top cookie selling spot last year and is determined to make her mom—who recently passed away—proud by coming in first this time around. With her fabulous best friends by her side, Brooklyn knows she’ll become Santa Monica’s District Cookie Queen. The crown is practically in the bag.
Then Piper Parker arrives.
Piper has a rich dad, a fancy hotel, and a drive to steal the cookie crown right off Brooklyn’s head. Before long, most of the seventh grade is under Piper’s spell. But Brooklyn is in it to win the biggest cookie war the school has ever seen. With the help of her cookie squad, her rockstar grandmother, her super cool therapist, and a lot of self-love and inner growth, maybe—just maybe—Brooklyn can end up a winner after all.
Review: I really liked this read! The book revolves around a girl scout-like competition at a school and our main character’s desire to beat the new student who is swiftly becoming a top cookie seller, all in the name of her late mother whose passion was to help our MC with this cookie competition in years past. The book is a tear jerker and full of great moments where anxiety, religious trauma, and grief are shown and explained. I loved that the book included a therapist character because, unfortunately, therapy is not always an option for everyone, even young children. The book did so well to explain methods of coping and how to handle great anxious moments. I also really liked that the book had a girl scout plot to it. I loved my scout days and this became an instant fave for that fact alone. The book also included period talk a little bit, which I also really loved and love seeing more and more in middle grade novels. The book did excellent with the character development of most characters and the world building was good as well.
The only issue I had with the book is that it felt a little too rushed at the end for me and there were some moments that the pacing was a bit too fast in my opinion. And while I loved that the character writing was a little ambiguous in regards to the characters ethnicities, I was so confused by which girl on the cover was the main character for a little bit. There is one scene where the therapist character compliments our MC on her rainbow shoes, which the blonde character on the cover has… but the MC is described as looking at the rainbow hair inserts and having cornrows, so I know the MC is the girl with the pastel rainbow hair on the cover. Some of the details made me a little confused. I know you shouldn’t completely rely on the cover, but I think that was a little oversight on the cover designers part OR I misread some passages.
Verdict: It was so good! Highly recommend!
Book: Cookie Monsters
Author: Erika J. Kendrick
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC, Black characters, POC characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary, girl scouts, competition, grief, death, anxiety attacks
Publication Date: January 17, 2023
Genre: MG Contemporary
Age Relevance: 10+ (parental death, cancer, grief, religion, religious trauma, bullying, racism, anxiety attacks, vomit gore)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of parental death having just happened due to cancer and grief is shown throughout the book with our MC but also other characters. There are a couple of passages regarding the Christian religion and religious trauma, specifically the MC of our story is constantly asking in those passages why God took her mother away and what she did to upset God. There are some scenes with some bullying. There is one scene showing some racism in the book, specifically in which our MC is trying to go door-to-door to ask people to purchase cookies and one of the neighbors threatens to call the cops on her. There are a couple of anxiety attacks shown in the book. There is vomiting mentioned once in the book.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Brooklyn Ace is ready to take the Valentine World Scouts by storm and build her own cookie empire. She nearly won the top cookie selling spot last year and is determined to make her mom—who recently passed away—proud by coming in first this time around. With her fabulous best friends by her side, Brooklyn knows she’ll become Santa Monica’s District Cookie Queen. The crown is practically in the bag.
Then Piper Parker arrives.
Piper has a rich dad, a fancy hotel, and a drive to steal the cookie crown right off Brooklyn’s head. Before long, most of the seventh grade is under Piper’s spell. But Brooklyn is in it to win the biggest cookie war the school has ever seen. With the help of her cookie squad, her rockstar grandmother, her super cool therapist, and a lot of self-love and inner growth, maybe—just maybe—Brooklyn can end up a winner after all.
Review: I really liked this read! The book revolves around a girl scout-like competition at a school and our main character’s desire to beat the new student who is swiftly becoming a top cookie seller, all in the name of her late mother whose passion was to help our MC with this cookie competition in years past. The book is a tear jerker and full of great moments where anxiety, religious trauma, and grief are shown and explained. I loved that the book included a therapist character because, unfortunately, therapy is not always an option for everyone, even young children. The book did so well to explain methods of coping and how to handle great anxious moments. I also really liked that the book had a girl scout plot to it. I loved my scout days and this became an instant fave for that fact alone. The book also included period talk a little bit, which I also really loved and love seeing more and more in middle grade novels. The book did excellent with the character development of most characters and the world building was good as well.
The only issue I had with the book is that it felt a little too rushed at the end for me and there were some moments that the pacing was a bit too fast in my opinion. And while I loved that the character writing was a little ambiguous in regards to the characters ethnicities, I was so confused by which girl on the cover was the main character for a little bit. There is one scene where the therapist character compliments our MC on her rainbow shoes, which the blonde character on the cover has… but the MC is described as looking at the rainbow hair inserts and having cornrows, so I know the MC is the girl with the pastel rainbow hair on the cover. Some of the details made me a little confused. I know you shouldn’t completely rely on the cover, but I think that was a little oversight on the cover designers part OR I misread some passages.
Verdict: It was so good! Highly recommend!
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Disclaimer: I received this e-book and finished copy from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Mirror of Ice
Author: Jennifer San Filippo
Book Series: The Winterlight Quartet Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: fantasy, Narnia-like, winter, possibly for middle-young adult readers?
Publication Date: October 30, 2022
Genre: Fantasy
Age Relevance: 12+ (alcohol consumption, running away, divorce, drowning, scary moments)
Explanation of Above: There is one mention of adult alcohol consumption. Running away is shown and mentioned. Divorce is mentioned. There is a drowning that almost happens before the MC saves herself. There are some scary moments in this book.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 93
Synopsis: Clara doesn’t mind that her Christmas is going to be a disaster. Really. She’s happy to spend the biggest holiday of the year with her weirdo, reclusive uncle in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, instead of living it up with her rich parents.
But the season is turned upside-down when Clara falls through ice into another world: a place called Winterlight, full of fierce elves, haunted forests, and an abominable snowman. Clara just wants to find a way home from this freezing-cold nightmare, but Winterlight might have other plans for her.
Review: For the most part I liked this book. The book was about this girl who, having some difficulties at home, runs away and falls through ice to wind up in a magical land. It was very Narnia like and I liked the magical winter vibes of it all, however the book isn’t all show and sprinkles as Narnia was. The book also had a Frozen vibe to it and it’s a great winter fantasy read. The character development was good and the world building was good as well. The book is super short, which would be great for beginning independent readers as well although the book isn’t specifically defined as for younger readers, but there are some scary moments to just be advised.
However, the book is super fast paced, which is great for younger readers but I had a little issue with it. The book is also very short and I feel like that contributed to the pacing, but also my inability to connect with the characters fully.
Verdict: It was great!
Book: Mirror of Ice
Author: Jennifer San Filippo
Book Series: The Winterlight Quartet Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: fantasy, Narnia-like, winter, possibly for middle-young adult readers?
Publication Date: October 30, 2022
Genre: Fantasy
Age Relevance: 12+ (alcohol consumption, running away, divorce, drowning, scary moments)
Explanation of Above: There is one mention of adult alcohol consumption. Running away is shown and mentioned. Divorce is mentioned. There is a drowning that almost happens before the MC saves herself. There are some scary moments in this book.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 93
Synopsis: Clara doesn’t mind that her Christmas is going to be a disaster. Really. She’s happy to spend the biggest holiday of the year with her weirdo, reclusive uncle in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, instead of living it up with her rich parents.
But the season is turned upside-down when Clara falls through ice into another world: a place called Winterlight, full of fierce elves, haunted forests, and an abominable snowman. Clara just wants to find a way home from this freezing-cold nightmare, but Winterlight might have other plans for her.
Review: For the most part I liked this book. The book was about this girl who, having some difficulties at home, runs away and falls through ice to wind up in a magical land. It was very Narnia like and I liked the magical winter vibes of it all, however the book isn’t all show and sprinkles as Narnia was. The book also had a Frozen vibe to it and it’s a great winter fantasy read. The character development was good and the world building was good as well. The book is super short, which would be great for beginning independent readers as well although the book isn’t specifically defined as for younger readers, but there are some scary moments to just be advised.
However, the book is super fast paced, which is great for younger readers but I had a little issue with it. The book is also very short and I feel like that contributed to the pacing, but also my inability to connect with the characters fully.
Verdict: It was great!
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Tale of Two Princes
Author: Eric Geron
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Gay MC, Queer (mostly identified as gay, but also as queer) MC, Gay characters, MM romances, Black non-binary gender-nonconforming character, Queer characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, alternate reality Canada, queer, LGBT, romance, retellings, Gay, MM romance
Publication Date: January 10, 2023
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Age Relevance: 14+ (cancer, parental death, homophobia, death, anxiety attack, animal slaughter)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of cancer and parental death. Homophobia is shown and mentioned throughout the book. Death is discussed and talked about. There are a couple of scenes where an anxiety attack is shown. There is a mention of animal slaughter with cows once in the book.
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 448
Synopsis: Edward Dinnissen, Crown Prince of Canada, loves getting the royal treatment at his exclusive Manhattan private school and living in a fancy mansion on Park Avenue. But despite living a royal life of luxury, Edward is unsure how to tell his parents, his expectant country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay.
Billy Boone couldn’t be happier: he loves small-town life and his family’s Montana ranch, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. But this out-and-proud cowboy is finally admitting to himself that he feels destined for more . . .
When Edward and Billy meet by chance in New York City and discover that they are long-lost twins, their lives are forever changed. Will the twin princes—“twinces”— be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations together? Or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal disaster?
Review: This was a cute book and I loved the alternate reality of it. The book, which follows two twin princes as they navigate suddenly finding each other and handling the passing of the monarchy from one twin to another, takes place dually in Canada (where the monarchy reigns) and America. I liked the story, it reminded me a little of the Prince and the Pauper, but also had a lot of Princess Diary and Sister Sister vibes to it. The book had a great feel to it and it flowed pretty well. The character development was great as was the world building.
However, I had a couple of issues with the book. I thought that the character of Pax was a bit too stereotyped in a few places, but I’m not an ownvoice reviewer in that aspect so please refer to ownvoice reviewers about their thoughts on the character. I also absolutely hated everyone in this book except for Billy (and Pax mostly). Every character rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn’t help but feel for Billy the most, even though he was blamed the most. It infuriated me to say the least and I don’t know if it was my personal feelings on the matter or the book’s writing that caused me to feel like this.
Verdict: It was good!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Wrong Kind of Weird
Author: James Ramos
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Black MC, Black characters, Character with anxiety, Lesbian character, Queer character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, romance, anime, Pride and Prejudice, contemporary
Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Genre: YA Romance
Age Relevance: 16+ (sexual content, cursing, romance, underage alcohol consumption, drug use)
Explanation of Above: The book talks openly about sex and has some scenes with some sexual content in it. There is cursing and romance in the book. There are a couple of scenes with underage alcohol consumption and one scene of drug use (marijuana).
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Cameron Carson has a secret. A secret with the power to break apart his friend group.
Cameron Carson, member of the Geeks and Nerds United (GANU) club, has been secretly hooking up with student council president, cheerleader, theater enthusiast, and all-around queen bee Karla Ortega since the summer. The one problem—what was meant to be a summer fling between coffee shop coworkers has now evolved into a clandestine senior-year entanglement, where Karla isn’t intending on blending their friend groups anytime soon, or at all.
Enter Mackenzie Briggs, who isn’t afraid to be herself or wear her heart on her sleeve. When Cameron finds himself unexpectedly bonding with Mackenzie and repeatedly snubbed in public by Karla, he starts to wonder who he can truly consider a friend and who might have the potential to become more…
Review: For the most part I loved that the book. The book talked openly about sex and talked about it from a male perspective. The book did well to discuss the topic openly and on a young adult level. The book featured a back and forth narrative and had a slight Pride and Prejudice backdrop. The book was very well written, engaging, and had great character development.
The only issues I had with the book is that there were a lot of references to different animes and other pop culture moments at the beginning and it was a bit overwhelming. The back and forth narrative aren’t distinctly defined, so it takes a minute to reorient yourself when you’re moved through the time periods. I also thought that the world building of the book could have been better developed.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: The Wrong Kind of Weird
Author: James Ramos
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Black MC, Black characters, Character with anxiety, Lesbian character, Queer character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, romance, anime, Pride and Prejudice, contemporary
Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Genre: YA Romance
Age Relevance: 16+ (sexual content, cursing, romance, underage alcohol consumption, drug use)
Explanation of Above: The book talks openly about sex and has some scenes with some sexual content in it. There is cursing and romance in the book. There are a couple of scenes with underage alcohol consumption and one scene of drug use (marijuana).
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Cameron Carson has a secret. A secret with the power to break apart his friend group.
Cameron Carson, member of the Geeks and Nerds United (GANU) club, has been secretly hooking up with student council president, cheerleader, theater enthusiast, and all-around queen bee Karla Ortega since the summer. The one problem—what was meant to be a summer fling between coffee shop coworkers has now evolved into a clandestine senior-year entanglement, where Karla isn’t intending on blending their friend groups anytime soon, or at all.
Enter Mackenzie Briggs, who isn’t afraid to be herself or wear her heart on her sleeve. When Cameron finds himself unexpectedly bonding with Mackenzie and repeatedly snubbed in public by Karla, he starts to wonder who he can truly consider a friend and who might have the potential to become more…
Review: For the most part I loved that the book. The book talked openly about sex and talked about it from a male perspective. The book did well to discuss the topic openly and on a young adult level. The book featured a back and forth narrative and had a slight Pride and Prejudice backdrop. The book was very well written, engaging, and had great character development.
The only issues I had with the book is that there were a lot of references to different animes and other pop culture moments at the beginning and it was a bit overwhelming. The back and forth narrative aren’t distinctly defined, so it takes a minute to reorient yourself when you’re moved through the time periods. I also thought that the world building of the book could have been better developed.
Verdict: It was good!
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Unseelie
Author: Ivelisse Housman
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: Autistic Coded MC with speech impediment and is a twin
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, high fantasy, fae, autistic characters, twin characters, speech impediment characters
Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 12+ (violence, death, child killing, gore, romance, cursing, abelsim)
Explanation of Above: There is some knife violence, some physical violence, and death and child killings are mentioned. Abelism is mentioned vaguely in a few places of the text. There is some slight blood gore. There is some slight romance but nothing more than light kisses. There is very slight cursing, I believe only a handful of instances in the book.
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 432
Synopsis: Iselia “Seelie” Graygrove looks just like her twin, Isolde… but as an autistic changeling trying to navigate her unpredictable magic, Seelie finds it more difficult to fit in with the humans around her. When Seelie and Isolde are caught up in a heist gone wrong and make some unexpected allies, they find themselves unraveling a larger mystery that has its roots in the history of humans and fae alike.
Both sisters soon discover that the secrets of the faeries may be more valuable than any pile of gold and jewels. But can Seelie harness her magic in time to protect her sister, and herself?
Review: I thought this book was pretty well done. The book involves fae and a lot of fun high fantasy elements, but with amazing magic that is very well developed and described. I liked the world building as well and I thought the character development was great. The book had great commentary on abelism with autistic people, especially in how a lot of people imply they would want a dead child with autism than one with. There are some passages about loving children as they come despite what they bring with them or what occurs to them, which I think is something a lot of would-be parents and even current parents need to think upon. The book is also very “chosen one”-like and would be perfect for those seeking that trope, especially ones that ring true to early 00s chosen one stories.
The only issues I had with the book is that in the beginning it had a very Book 2 type of feel to it and it was a little difficult to get into.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend.
Book: Unseelie
Author: Ivelisse Housman
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: Autistic Coded MC with speech impediment and is a twin
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, high fantasy, fae, autistic characters, twin characters, speech impediment characters
Publication Date: January 3, 2023
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 12+ (violence, death, child killing, gore, romance, cursing, abelsim)
Explanation of Above: There is some knife violence, some physical violence, and death and child killings are mentioned. Abelism is mentioned vaguely in a few places of the text. There is some slight blood gore. There is some slight romance but nothing more than light kisses. There is very slight cursing, I believe only a handful of instances in the book.
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 432
Synopsis: Iselia “Seelie” Graygrove looks just like her twin, Isolde… but as an autistic changeling trying to navigate her unpredictable magic, Seelie finds it more difficult to fit in with the humans around her. When Seelie and Isolde are caught up in a heist gone wrong and make some unexpected allies, they find themselves unraveling a larger mystery that has its roots in the history of humans and fae alike.
Both sisters soon discover that the secrets of the faeries may be more valuable than any pile of gold and jewels. But can Seelie harness her magic in time to protect her sister, and herself?
Review: I thought this book was pretty well done. The book involves fae and a lot of fun high fantasy elements, but with amazing magic that is very well developed and described. I liked the world building as well and I thought the character development was great. The book had great commentary on abelism with autistic people, especially in how a lot of people imply they would want a dead child with autism than one with. There are some passages about loving children as they come despite what they bring with them or what occurs to them, which I think is something a lot of would-be parents and even current parents need to think upon. The book is also very “chosen one”-like and would be perfect for those seeking that trope, especially ones that ring true to early 00s chosen one stories.
The only issues I had with the book is that in the beginning it had a very Book 2 type of feel to it and it was a little difficult to get into.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Futureland: Battle for the Park
Author: H.D. Hunter, Khadijah Khatib
Book Series: Futureland Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC and characters, Hispanic character, Character in foster care
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, sci-fi, attacking robots, westworld
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Genre: MG Sci-Fi
Age Relevance: 10+ (bullying, grief, slight violence, some scary moments)
Explanation of Above: There are very short scenes involving some bullying towards the MC. There is some grief shown on page. There is some very slight violence against robots and there are some scary moments.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Welcome to the most spectacular theme park in the world.
Everyone wants a ticket to Futureland, where you can literally live out your wildest dreams. Want to step inside your favorite video game? Go pro in a sports arena? Perform at a real live concert? Grab your ticket and come right in.
Yet with all its attractions, Futureland has always just been home to Cam Walker, the son of the park's famous creators. And when Futureland arrives at its latest stop, Atlanta, Cam is thrilled for what promises to be the biggest opening ever. . . .
But things aren't quite right with the Atlanta opening. Park attractions are glitching. Kids go missing. And when his parents are blamed, Cam must find the missing kids and whoever's trying to take down his family . . . before it's too late.
Review: I loved this book so much! It was a fun Westworld-feel book and would be perfect for beginning sci-fi readers or older ones. I loved the concept of a park ran mostly by AI and I loved the world building that went into the book. The character development was superb and the writing was very well done. The book is also a mixed media format read, with comic portions and emails and such. The book is just a fun read and I’m intrigued to see what happens to the characters as the saga continues.
The only issue I had with the book is that I felt like the beginning was a bit rushed and it felt like I was being dropped into the middle of a saga instead of the start of one.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
Book: Futureland: Battle for the Park
Author: H.D. Hunter, Khadijah Khatib
Book Series: Futureland Book 1
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC and characters, Hispanic character, Character in foster care
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, sci-fi, attacking robots, westworld
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
Genre: MG Sci-Fi
Age Relevance: 10+ (bullying, grief, slight violence, some scary moments)
Explanation of Above: There are very short scenes involving some bullying towards the MC. There is some grief shown on page. There is some very slight violence against robots and there are some scary moments.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Welcome to the most spectacular theme park in the world.
Everyone wants a ticket to Futureland, where you can literally live out your wildest dreams. Want to step inside your favorite video game? Go pro in a sports arena? Perform at a real live concert? Grab your ticket and come right in.
Yet with all its attractions, Futureland has always just been home to Cam Walker, the son of the park's famous creators. And when Futureland arrives at its latest stop, Atlanta, Cam is thrilled for what promises to be the biggest opening ever. . . .
But things aren't quite right with the Atlanta opening. Park attractions are glitching. Kids go missing. And when his parents are blamed, Cam must find the missing kids and whoever's trying to take down his family . . . before it's too late.
Review: I loved this book so much! It was a fun Westworld-feel book and would be perfect for beginning sci-fi readers or older ones. I loved the concept of a park ran mostly by AI and I loved the world building that went into the book. The character development was superb and the writing was very well done. The book is also a mixed media format read, with comic portions and emails and such. The book is just a fun read and I’m intrigued to see what happens to the characters as the saga continues.
The only issue I had with the book is that I felt like the beginning was a bit rushed and it felt like I was being dropped into the middle of a saga instead of the start of one.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the authors. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Last Contender
Author: Liv Savell and Sterling D’Este
Book Series: Song of the Lost Book 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Sapphic couple, polyamory relationship, transgender, bisexual
Recommended For: fantasy, epic fantasy, queer, Game of Thrones like, Robin Hobb like
Publication Date: November 30, 2022
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Age Relevance: 17+ (Religion mentioned Romance Sexual content Death Slavery Colonialism Gore blood vomit Animal attack (dog bites and attacks human) Animal violence (hitting dog) Grief Pregnancy Forced birth Violence weapons Rape mentioned Language slight Sickness)
Explanation of Above: There is religion mentioned throughout the book, but it’s more of a mythology kind of religion and there is religious persecution mentioned and shown. There is some small romance and sexual content. Death and gore is shown in graphic detail sometimes with blood and vomit. There are themes and showings of slavery, colonialism, and grief. There are animal attacks with dog bites and attacks on humans and animal violence at the dogs from humans and some mentioned other animal death and violence. Pregnancy is mentioned and slight shown. There are mentions of forced birth. There is a lot of violence in this book, a lot with weapons, and rape is mentioned as well. There is some cursing and slight sickness mentioned and shown.
Publisher: L&S Fables
Pages: 775
Synopsis: What would you pay for freedom? Your body? Wynn is a carpenter in a small town in Northern Rhosan, but after he is torn from his family by ruthless Victors, he'll have to learn to survive beneath their rule. When he is forced to hunt with the silent, stoic Dyfan, the two men forge a bond that might be enough to shelter them from a life of violence and cruelty. Your people? Basia and Danae are the children of nobles in the elegant, educated Phecean Confederacy. When Basia starts to discover just how horrifying the lives of slaves in her country are, she’s faced with a terrible choice: does she step up to reshape her home at the risk of losing her closest friend, or does she keep quiet and let nothing change? Dealing with the difficulties of her budding gender identity would be hard enough without the lives of millions on her shoulders. Your mind? Deep in the Tundra’s frozen heart, the daughter of a medicine woman learns to make poison. The dreams it gives her are full of blood, war, and terrible purpose, but when Iniabi’s village is raided by foreign soldiers, it’s all she can do to stay alive. Iniabi will have to use all the Tundra has taught her as destiny pulls her across the continent, but when it comes to the fate of her people, it’s not enough just to survive.
Review: I really liked this book for the most part. This book is very Game of Thrones/Robin Hobb feeling and if you’re a fan of that vibe than you’re gonna love this one! This book had great character arcs and I loved how the stories are a bit interconnected and that the motives of each character (whether on the good or bad team) make the lines blurred for the reader. The character development is absolutely amazing and it definitely shows as the author’s strong suit. The book is a wonderful beginning to an epic series.
The only issues I had with the book is that I wished for a bit more world building to help me imagine the areas. I also had a little bit of issue with the Multi POV and the way the stories were presented. There is something in the book that is going to happen and the reader is constantly seeing snippets of historical events set years before said event. However, each chapter is different in how far back we are in history and that method can leave the reader a bit confused. There are a couple of instances where there are POV switches mid chapter as well and that is also a little confusing. There is also a whole cast of characters, which can be daunting for readers at first if they’re not prepared.
Verdict: It was good! I can’t wait for more!
Book: The Last Contender
Author: Liv Savell and Sterling D’Este
Book Series: Song of the Lost Book 1
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Sapphic couple, polyamory relationship, transgender, bisexual
Recommended For: fantasy, epic fantasy, queer, Game of Thrones like, Robin Hobb like
Publication Date: November 30, 2022
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Age Relevance: 17+ (Religion mentioned Romance Sexual content Death Slavery Colonialism Gore blood vomit Animal attack (dog bites and attacks human) Animal violence (hitting dog) Grief Pregnancy Forced birth Violence weapons Rape mentioned Language slight Sickness)
Explanation of Above: There is religion mentioned throughout the book, but it’s more of a mythology kind of religion and there is religious persecution mentioned and shown. There is some small romance and sexual content. Death and gore is shown in graphic detail sometimes with blood and vomit. There are themes and showings of slavery, colonialism, and grief. There are animal attacks with dog bites and attacks on humans and animal violence at the dogs from humans and some mentioned other animal death and violence. Pregnancy is mentioned and slight shown. There are mentions of forced birth. There is a lot of violence in this book, a lot with weapons, and rape is mentioned as well. There is some cursing and slight sickness mentioned and shown.
Publisher: L&S Fables
Pages: 775
Synopsis: What would you pay for freedom? Your body? Wynn is a carpenter in a small town in Northern Rhosan, but after he is torn from his family by ruthless Victors, he'll have to learn to survive beneath their rule. When he is forced to hunt with the silent, stoic Dyfan, the two men forge a bond that might be enough to shelter them from a life of violence and cruelty. Your people? Basia and Danae are the children of nobles in the elegant, educated Phecean Confederacy. When Basia starts to discover just how horrifying the lives of slaves in her country are, she’s faced with a terrible choice: does she step up to reshape her home at the risk of losing her closest friend, or does she keep quiet and let nothing change? Dealing with the difficulties of her budding gender identity would be hard enough without the lives of millions on her shoulders. Your mind? Deep in the Tundra’s frozen heart, the daughter of a medicine woman learns to make poison. The dreams it gives her are full of blood, war, and terrible purpose, but when Iniabi’s village is raided by foreign soldiers, it’s all she can do to stay alive. Iniabi will have to use all the Tundra has taught her as destiny pulls her across the continent, but when it comes to the fate of her people, it’s not enough just to survive.
Review: I really liked this book for the most part. This book is very Game of Thrones/Robin Hobb feeling and if you’re a fan of that vibe than you’re gonna love this one! This book had great character arcs and I loved how the stories are a bit interconnected and that the motives of each character (whether on the good or bad team) make the lines blurred for the reader. The character development is absolutely amazing and it definitely shows as the author’s strong suit. The book is a wonderful beginning to an epic series.
The only issues I had with the book is that I wished for a bit more world building to help me imagine the areas. I also had a little bit of issue with the Multi POV and the way the stories were presented. There is something in the book that is going to happen and the reader is constantly seeing snippets of historical events set years before said event. However, each chapter is different in how far back we are in history and that method can leave the reader a bit confused. There are a couple of instances where there are POV switches mid chapter as well and that is also a little confusing. There is also a whole cast of characters, which can be daunting for readers at first if they’re not prepared.
Verdict: It was good! I can’t wait for more!
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I purchased the finished copy of this book. Support your authors! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Toll
Author: Neal Shusterman
Book Series: Arc of a Scythe Book 3
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC, Gender Fluid character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, dystopian, sci-fi, morality
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Genre: YA Dystopian Sci-Fi
Age Relevance: 16+ (violence, death, gore, cursing, suicide, racism, sexual content, animal violence, kidnapping, prejudice)
Explanation of Above: There is some physical and weapons violence and a lot of gore. There are suicides shown in the book and mentioned. There is some slight sexual content mentioned. There is animal violence with shark attacks. There is death (of course). There is some slight cursing and racism and prejudice shown and mentioned. There is a kidnapping scene.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 625
Synopsis: It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.
In this pulse-pounding conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.
Review: I really liked the conclusion to this series! I thought it was a great and conclusive ending, although I still wished for more at the end. The book did well to tie up everything, but also to continue the mystery of it. I am still in awe of Neal’s power as an author, writing new characters even in this last book but fully fleshing them out within a couple of chapters. The book had well developed characters all around and the world building was amazing too. The book also did well to not solve the issue, which leaves it open-ended for people to discuss in length with each other.
The only issue I had with the book is that there are so many characters to remember and it got super confusing for me by the end.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
Book: The Toll
Author: Neal Shusterman
Book Series: Arc of a Scythe Book 3
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Black MC, Gender Fluid character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, dystopian, sci-fi, morality
Publication Date: November 5, 2019
Genre: YA Dystopian Sci-Fi
Age Relevance: 16+ (violence, death, gore, cursing, suicide, racism, sexual content, animal violence, kidnapping, prejudice)
Explanation of Above: There is some physical and weapons violence and a lot of gore. There are suicides shown in the book and mentioned. There is some slight sexual content mentioned. There is animal violence with shark attacks. There is death (of course). There is some slight cursing and racism and prejudice shown and mentioned. There is a kidnapping scene.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 625
Synopsis: It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.
In this pulse-pounding conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.
Review: I really liked the conclusion to this series! I thought it was a great and conclusive ending, although I still wished for more at the end. The book did well to tie up everything, but also to continue the mystery of it. I am still in awe of Neal’s power as an author, writing new characters even in this last book but fully fleshing them out within a couple of chapters. The book had well developed characters all around and the world building was amazing too. The book also did well to not solve the issue, which leaves it open-ended for people to discuss in length with each other.
The only issue I had with the book is that there are so many characters to remember and it got super confusing for me by the end.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Kalyna the Soothsayer
Author: Elijah Kinch Spector
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Queer MCs, disabled character, POC characters, chronic illness character
Recommended For...: adult readers, high fantasy, LGBT, espionage, fantasy
Publication Date: October 4, 2022
Genre: High Fantasy
Age Relevance: 16+ (alcohol consumption, child abuse and other abuse (physical, emotional, verbal), animal death, gore (blood), kidnapping, classism, racism, sexism, colorism, abelism, illness, parental death, death, grief, violence , torture, gun violence, drowning, drug usage, grief, homelessness, slavery, infertility, misogyny, queermisia, war)
Explanation of Above: There is some alcohol consumption shown and mentioned in this book. There is child abuse and regular abuse shown in this book, with physical, emotional, and verbal being showcased, There is animal death mentioned. There is some blood gore, violence, gun violence, death, and torture mentioned and shown in the book. There are scenes of kidnapping and slavery in the book. There are scenes and mentions of classism, racism, sexism, misogyny, colorism, abelism, and queermisia in the book. There is some illness mentioned. There is parental death shown. There is a drowning scene. There is a drugging shown. There are scenes of grief. There are mentions of homelessness and infertility. There is also an ongoing war with military violence shown.
Publisher: Erewhon
Pages: 464
Synopsis: Kalyna’s family has had the Gift for generations: the ability to see and predict the future. For decades, they have traveled around the four connected kingdoms of the Tetrarchia—one country with four monarchs—selling their services as soothsayers. The Gift is their calling and what defines them. Every child of their family has the Gift.
Except Kalyna. Born without the Gift, for years, she’s supported her father—who is losing sight of reality under the weight of his confused visions of the future—and her cruel grandmother on the strength of her wits, using informants and trickery to fake prophecies and scrounge a living. But it’s getting harder every year.
And poverty turns to danger when, on the strength of her reputation, Kalyna is “hired” (kidnapped, she would call it) by Lenz, the spymaster to the prince of Rotfelsen. Lenz wants Kalyna to use her talent for prophecy to uncover threats against Rotfelsen’s king, and he’s willing to hold her family hostage against her good behavior. But Rotfelsenisch politics are devious; the King’s enemies abound; and Kalyna’s skills for investigation and deception are tested to the limit. Worse, the conspiracy she begins to uncover points to a threat not only to the King of Rotfelsen but to all four monarchs of the Tetrarchia, when they meet for their annual governing “Council of Barbarians.” A Council that happens to fall at precisely the same time that Kalyna’s father has prophesied the catastrophic downfall of the Tetrarchia.
Kalyna is determined to protect her family (even Grandmother!), and her newfound friends—and to save the Tetrarchia too. But as she is drawn deeper into palace intrigue, she’s not sure if her manipulations are helping prevent the Tetrarchia’s destruction—or if her lies will bring it about.
Review: For the most part I thought the book was well done! I loved the journey and I thought Kalyna was wonderfully well written as a con artist character. I really like characters like that and it reminded me a lot of Kaz in a weird way? Anyways I thought the book did well to be a fun read, but one that tackled a lot of serious issues. I never see this book floating around in LGBT squares and I think the commentary on queermisia alone makes it worthy of being discussed. The world building was also well done and the character development was good.
However, I felt like the last half of the book fell extremely flat and it was a bit let down. The beginning is so strong and I was disappointed that the momentum didn’t carry through to the second half of the book.
Verdict: It was good! Highly recommend!
Book: Kalyna the Soothsayer
Author: Elijah Kinch Spector
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Queer MCs, disabled character, POC characters, chronic illness character
Recommended For...: adult readers, high fantasy, LGBT, espionage, fantasy
Publication Date: October 4, 2022
Genre: High Fantasy
Age Relevance: 16+ (alcohol consumption, child abuse and other abuse (physical, emotional, verbal), animal death, gore (blood), kidnapping, classism, racism, sexism, colorism, abelism, illness, parental death, death, grief, violence , torture, gun violence, drowning, drug usage, grief, homelessness, slavery, infertility, misogyny, queermisia, war)
Explanation of Above: There is some alcohol consumption shown and mentioned in this book. There is child abuse and regular abuse shown in this book, with physical, emotional, and verbal being showcased, There is animal death mentioned. There is some blood gore, violence, gun violence, death, and torture mentioned and shown in the book. There are scenes of kidnapping and slavery in the book. There are scenes and mentions of classism, racism, sexism, misogyny, colorism, abelism, and queermisia in the book. There is some illness mentioned. There is parental death shown. There is a drowning scene. There is a drugging shown. There are scenes of grief. There are mentions of homelessness and infertility. There is also an ongoing war with military violence shown.
Publisher: Erewhon
Pages: 464
Synopsis: Kalyna’s family has had the Gift for generations: the ability to see and predict the future. For decades, they have traveled around the four connected kingdoms of the Tetrarchia—one country with four monarchs—selling their services as soothsayers. The Gift is their calling and what defines them. Every child of their family has the Gift.
Except Kalyna. Born without the Gift, for years, she’s supported her father—who is losing sight of reality under the weight of his confused visions of the future—and her cruel grandmother on the strength of her wits, using informants and trickery to fake prophecies and scrounge a living. But it’s getting harder every year.
And poverty turns to danger when, on the strength of her reputation, Kalyna is “hired” (kidnapped, she would call it) by Lenz, the spymaster to the prince of Rotfelsen. Lenz wants Kalyna to use her talent for prophecy to uncover threats against Rotfelsen’s king, and he’s willing to hold her family hostage against her good behavior. But Rotfelsenisch politics are devious; the King’s enemies abound; and Kalyna’s skills for investigation and deception are tested to the limit. Worse, the conspiracy she begins to uncover points to a threat not only to the King of Rotfelsen but to all four monarchs of the Tetrarchia, when they meet for their annual governing “Council of Barbarians.” A Council that happens to fall at precisely the same time that Kalyna’s father has prophesied the catastrophic downfall of the Tetrarchia.
Kalyna is determined to protect her family (even Grandmother!), and her newfound friends—and to save the Tetrarchia too. But as she is drawn deeper into palace intrigue, she’s not sure if her manipulations are helping prevent the Tetrarchia’s destruction—or if her lies will bring it about.
Review: For the most part I thought the book was well done! I loved the journey and I thought Kalyna was wonderfully well written as a con artist character. I really like characters like that and it reminded me a lot of Kaz in a weird way? Anyways I thought the book did well to be a fun read, but one that tackled a lot of serious issues. I never see this book floating around in LGBT squares and I think the commentary on queermisia alone makes it worthy of being discussed. The world building was also well done and the character development was good.
However, I felt like the last half of the book fell extremely flat and it was a bit let down. The beginning is so strong and I was disappointed that the momentum didn’t carry through to the second half of the book.
Verdict: It was good! Highly recommend!