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2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
emotional
medium-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author for tour. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Ragged Valley
Author: Joanne Clague
Book Series: The Sheffield Saga Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction, romance, “clean romance”
Publication Date: June 2, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction Romance
Age Relevance: 13+ (romance, flood, death, grief, religion)
Explanation of Above: There is romance in this book, but nothing beyond small moments together. This would be described as a “clean romance”. There is a flood that happens and there is some death and grief mentioned in the book. There is also some religion mentioned in the book.
Publisher: Canelo Saga
Pages: 300
Synopsis: Determined not to waste his life toiling for his cruel brother, Silas, the second son of a farmer, arrives in town to seek his fortune. Harriet has reconciled herself to a life no better than domestic service for her austere uncle. And John Gunson, Chief Engineer at the Sheffield Waterworks Company, has just completed his crowning glory – the Dale Dyke dam.
But one stormy night, the unthinkable happens. The dam bursts. A wall of water is unleashed, destroying everything in its path.
The aftershocks of the flood reach far beyond that night, with consequences that could never have been foreseen. Fatefully brought together, Silas and Harriet must now contend with their families as new love blooms. Meanwhile, Gunson faces not only an angry community but also a court of inquest looking for a scapegoat.
Can any good come from the disaster, and will justice be served for those who lost everything?
Review: For the most part the book was pretty good. I thought that the book, while starting off confusingly, was fairly good. The character development was ok and the world building was great. I liked that the book was an inspired tale from the 1864 Dale Dyke Dam flood and I thought it did good to keep a good pacing. The book also did well with the romance in my opinion.
However, I thought that the book was a bit confusing. I didn’t understand that it was a historical fiction romance tale until after I read the synopsis and it took a bit for me to get into the book. I thought there were some pretty cheesy and weird moments in it, especially with the characters developments. The book was also multi POV and I didn’t think that the characters voices were distinct enough in my opinion.
Verdict: It was ok!
Book: The Ragged Valley
Author: Joanne Clague
Book Series: The Sheffield Saga Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction, romance, “clean romance”
Publication Date: June 2, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction Romance
Age Relevance: 13+ (romance, flood, death, grief, religion)
Explanation of Above: There is romance in this book, but nothing beyond small moments together. This would be described as a “clean romance”. There is a flood that happens and there is some death and grief mentioned in the book. There is also some religion mentioned in the book.
Publisher: Canelo Saga
Pages: 300
Synopsis: Determined not to waste his life toiling for his cruel brother, Silas, the second son of a farmer, arrives in town to seek his fortune. Harriet has reconciled herself to a life no better than domestic service for her austere uncle. And John Gunson, Chief Engineer at the Sheffield Waterworks Company, has just completed his crowning glory – the Dale Dyke dam.
But one stormy night, the unthinkable happens. The dam bursts. A wall of water is unleashed, destroying everything in its path.
The aftershocks of the flood reach far beyond that night, with consequences that could never have been foreseen. Fatefully brought together, Silas and Harriet must now contend with their families as new love blooms. Meanwhile, Gunson faces not only an angry community but also a court of inquest looking for a scapegoat.
Can any good come from the disaster, and will justice be served for those who lost everything?
Review: For the most part the book was pretty good. I thought that the book, while starting off confusingly, was fairly good. The character development was ok and the world building was great. I liked that the book was an inspired tale from the 1864 Dale Dyke Dam flood and I thought it did good to keep a good pacing. The book also did well with the romance in my opinion.
However, I thought that the book was a bit confusing. I didn’t understand that it was a historical fiction romance tale until after I read the synopsis and it took a bit for me to get into the book. I thought there were some pretty cheesy and weird moments in it, especially with the characters developments. The book was also multi POV and I didn’t think that the characters voices were distinct enough in my opinion.
Verdict: It was ok!
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: Game of Strength and Storm
Author: Rachel Menard
Book Series: The Labors of Gen Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: POC MC, Queer MC, Queer character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, LGBT, fantasy, retelling, Hercules, Greek Mythology
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Age Relevance: 13+ (Gore, Violence, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Forced imprisonment, Alcohol consumption, Parental Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Slavery, Romance)
Explanation of Above: There is some gore and violence in this book, including vomit and blood, and murder and death as well. There is animal death and some animal cruelty mentioned and shown in the book. Some emotional abuse is shown in the book and there is sexism as well. There are scenes of forced imprisonment, kidnapping, and slavery. There is some alcohol consumption. There is parental death mentioned. There is also some light romance.
Publisher: Flux Books
Pages: 394
Synopsis: Victory is the only option.
Once a year, the Olympian Empresses grant the wishes of ten people selected by a lottery—for a price. Seventeen-year-old Gen, a former circus performer, wants the freedom of her father, who was sentenced to life in prison for murders she knows he didn’t commit. Castor plans to carry the island Arcadia into the future in place of her brother, Pollux, but only after the Empresses force a change in her island’s archaic laws that requires a male heir.
To get what they want, Gen and Castor must race to complete the better half of ten nearly impossible labors. They have to catch the fastest ship in the sea, slay the immortal Hydra, defeat a gangster called the Boar, and capture the flesh-eating Mares, among other deadly tasks.
Gen has her magic, her ability to speak to animals, her inhuman strength—and the help of Pollux, who’s been secretly pining for her for years. But Castor has her own gifts: the power of the storms, along with endless coin. Only one can win. The other walks away with nothing—if she walks away at all.
Review: For the most part I liked the book. I thought it was an interesting gender-bent Hercules tale and I actually loved that the author went with the 12 Labors story cause that one is rarely told from what I see of Hercules retellings. The book had great pacing and the plot immediately grabs your attention when you start the book. I thought the book had great character development and the world building was great as well.
However, the book is multi-POV and I didn’t think that the book did good enough to distinguish their voices as I got a little confused here and there. I also thought that the romance could have been a little bit better, but that’s just a personal preference.
Verdict: I liked it!
Book: Game of Strength and Storm
Author: Rachel Menard
Book Series: The Labors of Gen Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: POC MC, Queer MC, Queer character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, LGBT, fantasy, retelling, Hercules, Greek Mythology
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Retelling
Age Relevance: 13+ (Gore, Violence, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Forced imprisonment, Alcohol consumption, Parental Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Slavery, Romance)
Explanation of Above: There is some gore and violence in this book, including vomit and blood, and murder and death as well. There is animal death and some animal cruelty mentioned and shown in the book. Some emotional abuse is shown in the book and there is sexism as well. There are scenes of forced imprisonment, kidnapping, and slavery. There is some alcohol consumption. There is parental death mentioned. There is also some light romance.
Publisher: Flux Books
Pages: 394
Synopsis: Victory is the only option.
Once a year, the Olympian Empresses grant the wishes of ten people selected by a lottery—for a price. Seventeen-year-old Gen, a former circus performer, wants the freedom of her father, who was sentenced to life in prison for murders she knows he didn’t commit. Castor plans to carry the island Arcadia into the future in place of her brother, Pollux, but only after the Empresses force a change in her island’s archaic laws that requires a male heir.
To get what they want, Gen and Castor must race to complete the better half of ten nearly impossible labors. They have to catch the fastest ship in the sea, slay the immortal Hydra, defeat a gangster called the Boar, and capture the flesh-eating Mares, among other deadly tasks.
Gen has her magic, her ability to speak to animals, her inhuman strength—and the help of Pollux, who’s been secretly pining for her for years. But Castor has her own gifts: the power of the storms, along with endless coin. Only one can win. The other walks away with nothing—if she walks away at all.
Review: For the most part I liked the book. I thought it was an interesting gender-bent Hercules tale and I actually loved that the author went with the 12 Labors story cause that one is rarely told from what I see of Hercules retellings. The book had great pacing and the plot immediately grabs your attention when you start the book. I thought the book had great character development and the world building was great as well.
However, the book is multi-POV and I didn’t think that the book did good enough to distinguish their voices as I got a little confused here and there. I also thought that the romance could have been a little bit better, but that’s just a personal preference.
Verdict: I liked it!
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-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 and arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Hell Followed With Us
Author: Andrew Joseph While
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Trans MC, Black Trans character, Trans character using neo pronouns (xe/xim), Muslim character mentioned, Autistic achillean character, Jewish character mentioned
Recommended For...: young adult readers, LGBT, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, science fiction, horror
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic
Age Relevance: 16+ (Grief, Religion, Violence, Gore, Child abuse, Religious Trauma, Sexual assault, Cursing, Deadnaming, homophobia, transphobia, Cult, Sickness, Parental Death, Death, Misgendering, Body Horror, Christian terrorism, Domestic violence, Self-harm, and attempted suicide)
Explanation of Above: There is a theme of grief in the book, along with death and parental death mentioned. Violence and gore are prevalent in the book and there’s some use of body horror in the book. Religion is a constant theme in the book, including religious trauma and Christian Terrorism and cults. Child abuse and domestic violence are shown in the book and the MC has a lot of flashbacks that are painful. There is a vague mention of sexual assault in regards to someone a “girl” shouldn’t hang around. There is a moderate amount of cursing in the book. There is some homophobic tendencies by some characters and some transphobia shown in the book, including deadnaming and misgendering. Sickness is mentioned and shown in the book. There is also a scene of self-harm and an attempted suicide via proxy another character in the book.
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Pages: 398
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.
But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.
Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own.
Review: For the most part I thought the book was pretty good. The storyline is great and it’s a perfect combination of escaping a cult book and post-apocalyptic reads. The book’s premise is amazing and I loved the ragtag group we became a part of. The character development was good and writing overall was good as well.
However, I was so confused by the book. The world building wasn’t there and I didn’t like that it didn’t explain much of what went wrong in the past. The book throws you into a scene that makes the book feel like it’s a Book 2 rather than a standalone read. The synopsis is required reading to understand some of the beginning of the book in order to get the gist of what’s going on. And for the longest time in the book I thought the MC and others were real angels because of the way they’re written and not written in the text. Looking back that was probably the beginning of my issues reading the book. I do plan to reread this book in the future, but hopefully when the US is not trying to become overrun with Christian Nationalism as it is in this book.
Verdict: It’s good, but hopefully some of the roughness of it is fixed up in the final version.
Book: Hell Followed With Us
Author: Andrew Joseph While
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Trans MC, Black Trans character, Trans character using neo pronouns (xe/xim), Muslim character mentioned, Autistic achillean character, Jewish character mentioned
Recommended For...: young adult readers, LGBT, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, science fiction, horror
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Dystopian Post-Apocalyptic
Age Relevance: 16+ (Grief, Religion, Violence, Gore, Child abuse, Religious Trauma, Sexual assault, Cursing, Deadnaming, homophobia, transphobia, Cult, Sickness, Parental Death, Death, Misgendering, Body Horror, Christian terrorism, Domestic violence, Self-harm, and attempted suicide)
Explanation of Above: There is a theme of grief in the book, along with death and parental death mentioned. Violence and gore are prevalent in the book and there’s some use of body horror in the book. Religion is a constant theme in the book, including religious trauma and Christian Terrorism and cults. Child abuse and domestic violence are shown in the book and the MC has a lot of flashbacks that are painful. There is a vague mention of sexual assault in regards to someone a “girl” shouldn’t hang around. There is a moderate amount of cursing in the book. There is some homophobic tendencies by some characters and some transphobia shown in the book, including deadnaming and misgendering. Sickness is mentioned and shown in the book. There is also a scene of self-harm and an attempted suicide via proxy another character in the book.
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Pages: 398
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old trans boy Benji is on the run from the cult that raised him—the fundamentalist sect that unleashed Armageddon and decimated the world’s population. Desperately, he searches for a place where the cult can’t get their hands on him, or more importantly, on the bioweapon they infected him with.
But when cornered by monsters born from the destruction, Benji is rescued by a group of teens from the local Acheson LGBTQ+ Center, affectionately known as the ALC. The ALC’s leader, Nick, is gorgeous, autistic, and a deadly shot, and he knows Benji’s darkest secret: the cult’s bioweapon is mutating him into a monster deadly enough to wipe humanity from the earth once and for all.
Still, Nick offers Benji shelter among his ragtag group of queer teens, as long as Benji can control the monster and use its power to defend the ALC. Eager to belong, Benji accepts Nick’s terms…until he discovers the ALC’s mysterious leader has a hidden agenda, and more than a few secrets of his own.
Review: For the most part I thought the book was pretty good. The storyline is great and it’s a perfect combination of escaping a cult book and post-apocalyptic reads. The book’s premise is amazing and I loved the ragtag group we became a part of. The character development was good and writing overall was good as well.
However, I was so confused by the book. The world building wasn’t there and I didn’t like that it didn’t explain much of what went wrong in the past. The book throws you into a scene that makes the book feel like it’s a Book 2 rather than a standalone read. The synopsis is required reading to understand some of the beginning of the book in order to get the gist of what’s going on. And for the longest time in the book I thought the MC and others were real angels because of the way they’re written and not written in the text. Looking back that was probably the beginning of my issues reading the book. I do plan to reread this book in the future, but hopefully when the US is not trying to become overrun with Christian Nationalism as it is in this book.
Verdict: It’s good, but hopefully some of the roughness of it is fixed up in the final version.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Never Coming Home
Author: Kate Williams
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Queer Character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, thriller, mystery, abandoned, island vacation
Publication Date: June 21, 2022
Genre: YA Thriller Mystery
Age Relevance: 13+ (homophobia comments, gore, violence, death, suicide, drugs, cursing, racism, attempted animal murder)
Explanation of Above: There are some small and brief homophobic comments said in a flashback scene. There is some gore, including vomit and blood, death and murder, and violence, including allergy attacks and stabbings. There is suicide briefly mentioned in the book and vaguely shown. There is some drug abuse and drug use mentioned briefly in the book. There is some cursing in the book. Flashbacks including some racism are mentioned and one scene of an attempted animal murder is shown, but the dog is not harmed.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Everyone knows Unknown Island—it’s the world’s most exclusive destination. Think white sand beaches, turquoise seas, and luxury accommodations. Plus, it’s invite only, no one over twenty-one allowed, and it’s absolutely free. Who wouldn’t want to go?
After launching with a showstopping viral marketing campaign, the whole world is watching as the mysterious resort opens its doors to the First Ten, the ten elite influencers specifically chosen to be the first to experience everything Unknown Island has to offer. You know them. There’s the gamer, the beauty blogger, the rich girl, the superstar, the junior politician, the environmentalist, the DJ, the CEO, the chef, and the athlete.
What they don’t know is that they weren’t invited to Unknown Island for their following—they were invited for their secrets. Everyone is hiding a deadly one, and it looks like someone’s decided it’s payback time. Unknown Island isn’t a vacation, it’s a trap. And it’s beginning to look like the First Ten—no matter how influential—are never coming home.
Review: For the most part I enjoyed this read a lot! The book gave me creepypasta/Abandoned by Disney vibes combined with Clue vibes and I liked how all of the characters were not totally likeable at all. The characters ranged in their likability, which makes it hard to figure out the true murderer cause they’re all suspicious. I liked the character development of each character and I liked how it changed POVs often. I also liked the world building and thought it was a very creepy and atmospheric read.
However, I did think that the format of the book was a bit confusing to get into. The book follows 8 POVs and it makes it hard to keep them straight in the beginning. The POV also changes mid chapter, which is also confusing. The plot took a bit to get off the ground as well.
Verdict: I loved it! Definitely recommend.
Book: Never Coming Home
Author: Kate Williams
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Queer Character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, thriller, mystery, abandoned, island vacation
Publication Date: June 21, 2022
Genre: YA Thriller Mystery
Age Relevance: 13+ (homophobia comments, gore, violence, death, suicide, drugs, cursing, racism, attempted animal murder)
Explanation of Above: There are some small and brief homophobic comments said in a flashback scene. There is some gore, including vomit and blood, death and murder, and violence, including allergy attacks and stabbings. There is suicide briefly mentioned in the book and vaguely shown. There is some drug abuse and drug use mentioned briefly in the book. There is some cursing in the book. Flashbacks including some racism are mentioned and one scene of an attempted animal murder is shown, but the dog is not harmed.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Everyone knows Unknown Island—it’s the world’s most exclusive destination. Think white sand beaches, turquoise seas, and luxury accommodations. Plus, it’s invite only, no one over twenty-one allowed, and it’s absolutely free. Who wouldn’t want to go?
After launching with a showstopping viral marketing campaign, the whole world is watching as the mysterious resort opens its doors to the First Ten, the ten elite influencers specifically chosen to be the first to experience everything Unknown Island has to offer. You know them. There’s the gamer, the beauty blogger, the rich girl, the superstar, the junior politician, the environmentalist, the DJ, the CEO, the chef, and the athlete.
What they don’t know is that they weren’t invited to Unknown Island for their following—they were invited for their secrets. Everyone is hiding a deadly one, and it looks like someone’s decided it’s payback time. Unknown Island isn’t a vacation, it’s a trap. And it’s beginning to look like the First Ten—no matter how influential—are never coming home.
Review: For the most part I enjoyed this read a lot! The book gave me creepypasta/Abandoned by Disney vibes combined with Clue vibes and I liked how all of the characters were not totally likeable at all. The characters ranged in their likability, which makes it hard to figure out the true murderer cause they’re all suspicious. I liked the character development of each character and I liked how it changed POVs often. I also liked the world building and thought it was a very creepy and atmospheric read.
However, I did think that the format of the book was a bit confusing to get into. The book follows 8 POVs and it makes it hard to keep them straight in the beginning. The POV also changes mid chapter, which is also confusing. The plot took a bit to get off the ground as well.
Verdict: I loved it! Definitely recommend.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Before Takeoff
Author: Adi Alsaid
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Latinx MC, French Thai Switz character, Black characters, Buddhist character, Asian character, Latinx queen character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, thriller, romance, contemporary, magical realism
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Thriller Romance
Age Relevance: 15+ (cursing, terrorism, deportation, cancer, racism, sexual content, panic attack, religion, HP content, romance, death)
Explanation of Above: There is some cursing in the book. There are mentions of terrorism, deportation, cancer, and racism. There is some sexual content and romance mentioned in the book and some slightly shown. There is a panic attack shown in the book. There is religion that is mentioned very briefly in the book. There is death shown in the book. There is one HP mention in the book.
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 336
Synopsis: James and Michelle find themselves in the Atlanta airport on a layover. They couldn't be more different, but seemingly interminable delays draw them both to a mysterious flashing green light--and each other.
Where James is passive, Michelle is anything but. And she quickly discovers that the flashing green light is actually... a button. Which she presses. Which may or may not unwittingly break the rules of the universe--at least as those rules apply to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta.
Before they can figure up from down, strange, impossible things start happening: snowstorms form inside the B terminal; jungles sprout up in the C terminal; and earthquakes split the ground apart in between. And no matter how hard they try, it seems no one can find a way in or out of the airport. James and Michelle team up to find their families and either escape the airport, or put an end to its chaos--before it's too late.
Where James is passive, Michelle is anything but. And she quickly discovers that the flashing green light is actually... a button. Which she presses. Which may or may not unwittingly break the rules of the universe--at least as those rules apply to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta.
Before they can figure up from down, strange, impossible things start happening: snowstorms form inside the B terminal; jungles sprout up in the C terminal; and earthquakes split the ground apart in between. And no matter how hard they try, it seems no one can find a way in or out of the airport. James and Michelle team up to find their families and either escape the airport, or put an end to its chaos--before it's too late.
Review: Overall, this book was interesting. The book is set in the Atlanta airport and if there wasn’t COVID in the air I’d go there and read this book to experience everything firsthand. The book is an interesting case study on how people would handle unexpected or cataclysmic events. The world building was good and the story keeps you on your toes for sure. I’d say that I liked the premise of the book and what it was wanting to offer to me.
However, I had a lot of negatives about this book. The book is weirdly told and it’s very clearly not very well plotted. The character descriptions are lazy, it took me until the near the end of the book that the MC was Latinx, and not well formed. There is a part in the book where a queer character, of unknown age but is clearly older because they work for TSA, is crushing on a freshly 18 year old girl and it gives all the ick vibes but also gives the impression that the queer character is acting that way because they’re queer, which is a no go during Pride month. The only reason I’m not 1 starring this book is because I feel like that was an oversight considering the overall writing of the book. The writing is just bad and this book is not a fun read. I also hated the HP reference in this book and, since this is 2022 and the HP author’s transphobic nature is widely known, there is no excuse for it and a point has been deducted from the book’s rating overall.
Verdict: It’s good, but there’s so many issues that I think a few more rough drafts and rounds of editing could solve.
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Murder for the Modern Girl
Author: Kendall Kulper
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, fantasy, thriller, paranormal
Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Genre: YA Historical Fiction Fantasy
Age Relevance: 15+ (murder, alcohol consumption, domestic violence, child abuse, death, gore, violence, language, child sexual assault, suicide, romance)
Explanation of Above: There is murder, death, violence, and gore shown in the book. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book. Domestic violence, child sexual assault, and child abuse are vaguely mentioned in the read. There is a couple of curse words in the book. There are mentions of suicide. There is some romance.
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 464
Synopsis: A ravishing young mind reader stalks the streets at night in kitten heels, prowling for men to murder.
A soft-spoken genius toils away in the city morgue, desperate to unearth the science behind his gift for shapeshifting.
It’s a match made in 1928 Chicago, where gangsters run City Hall, jazz fills the air, and every good girl’s purse conceals a flask.
Until now, eighteen-year-old Ruby’s penchant for poison has been a secret. No one knows that she uses her mind-reading abilities to target men who prey on vulnerable women, men who escape the clutches of Chicago “justice.” When she meets a brilliant boy working at the morgue, his knack for forensic detail threatens to uncover her dark hobby. Even more unfortunately: sharp, independent Ruby has fallen in love with him.
Review: For this most part this book was ok. It had a lot of interesting moments and you could say this is a darker, more villain version of Stalking Jack the Ripper. The book had some good character development and the overall story was somewhat interesting. The book was a fun twist on the late 1920s and had some interesting fantasy moments.
However, this book was not for me. The book overall was confusing and feel really rushed and unedited. The book had a lot of interesting things happening all at once, but there was a lack of context. The pacing was fast, but also super slow in a few parts and at certain parts of the book you can completely skip whole segments of conversation and not need any of it for context as to what’s happening in the next chapter. It’s also told in multi-POV and I think the story would have been much better in a single POV narrative. The book does require you to read the synopsis before you can even attempt to read the book, which I found very disheartening and unnecessary. I actually had to reread segments of this book because I only found out the female MC is a mind reader from the synopsis. I feel like, overall, the book was trying to do too much with its story and make it more complex than it needed to be.
Verdict: It’s ok, but not for me.
Book: Murder for the Modern Girl
Author: Kendall Kulper
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, fantasy, thriller, paranormal
Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Genre: YA Historical Fiction Fantasy
Age Relevance: 15+ (murder, alcohol consumption, domestic violence, child abuse, death, gore, violence, language, child sexual assault, suicide, romance)
Explanation of Above: There is murder, death, violence, and gore shown in the book. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book. Domestic violence, child sexual assault, and child abuse are vaguely mentioned in the read. There is a couple of curse words in the book. There are mentions of suicide. There is some romance.
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 464
Synopsis: A ravishing young mind reader stalks the streets at night in kitten heels, prowling for men to murder.
A soft-spoken genius toils away in the city morgue, desperate to unearth the science behind his gift for shapeshifting.
It’s a match made in 1928 Chicago, where gangsters run City Hall, jazz fills the air, and every good girl’s purse conceals a flask.
Until now, eighteen-year-old Ruby’s penchant for poison has been a secret. No one knows that she uses her mind-reading abilities to target men who prey on vulnerable women, men who escape the clutches of Chicago “justice.” When she meets a brilliant boy working at the morgue, his knack for forensic detail threatens to uncover her dark hobby. Even more unfortunately: sharp, independent Ruby has fallen in love with him.
Review: For this most part this book was ok. It had a lot of interesting moments and you could say this is a darker, more villain version of Stalking Jack the Ripper. The book had some good character development and the overall story was somewhat interesting. The book was a fun twist on the late 1920s and had some interesting fantasy moments.
However, this book was not for me. The book overall was confusing and feel really rushed and unedited. The book had a lot of interesting things happening all at once, but there was a lack of context. The pacing was fast, but also super slow in a few parts and at certain parts of the book you can completely skip whole segments of conversation and not need any of it for context as to what’s happening in the next chapter. It’s also told in multi-POV and I think the story would have been much better in a single POV narrative. The book does require you to read the synopsis before you can even attempt to read the book, which I found very disheartening and unnecessary. I actually had to reread segments of this book because I only found out the female MC is a mind reader from the synopsis. I feel like, overall, the book was trying to do too much with its story and make it more complex than it needed to be.
Verdict: It’s ok, but not for me.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
This will be the 4th chance Alexa Donne gets to wow me (like she has with every other books she's released) and I can't WAIT to read this book because I know it'll be a hit for me!! I already feel the fear street vibes and I can't hold my excitement!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Pretty Dead Queens
Author: Alexa Donne
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Filipino American Lesbian character, Lesbian character, Filipino American character, Indigenous character, Bisexual characters, Achillean romance between two side characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, mystery, thriller, prom, unsolved murders
Publication Date: October 7, 2022
Genre: YA Mystery Thriller
Age Relevance: 15+ (death, cancer, grief, animal death, animal gore, language, drugs, gore, classism, racism, homophobia, murder, child abuse, sexual content, sexual assault of a minor, violence)
Explanation of Above: There is death and murder shown in the book and mentioned. There are mentions of cancer and grief is shown in the book. There is two animal deaths (rabbit and dog) and animal gore (rabbit) mentioned in the book. There is some cursing in the book. Drugs are mentioned briefly in the book. There is some violence with knives and gore with blood. There is classism, racism, and homophobia shown and mentioned in the book. Child abuse is mentioned and sexual assault of a minor is vaguely mentioned in the book (there is an adult character in the book who is having a relationship with a child under 18 but nothing explicit is shown). There is also some sexual content mentioned and one fade to black sex scene.
Publisher: Crown
Pages: 336
Synopsis: After the death of her mom (screw cancer), seventeen-year-old Cecelia Ellis goes to live with her estranged grandmother, a celebrated author whose Victorian mansion is as creepy as the murder mysteries she writes. On the surface, life is utterly ordinary in the California coastal town . . . until the homecoming queen is murdered. And she’s not Seaview’s first pretty dead queen.
With a copycat killer on the loose, Cecelia throws herself into the investigation, determined to crack the case like the heroines in her grandmother’s books. But the more Cecelia digs into the town’s secrets, the more she worries that her own mystery might not have a storybook ending.
Review: For the most part I really loved this book! The book was a great thriller mystery novel about past murders and a current killer. There’s a lot of twist and turns and it’ll keep you guessing on the whodunit for the longest time. It definitely has a Karen McManus feel to it and one of my newer favorite mystery books. I loved all of the funny pop culture moments as well. The character development was well done and the world building was great. I loved the writing and I had 2/3 overall guesses come true, which surprised me as I’m usually able to accurately guess the end of mystery books.
The only issue I had with the book is that I feel like the planting evidence on a Filipino character should have been called out a bit more for what it was and condemned more. I also feel like the book had some confusing moments that could be cleared up a little bit.
Verdict: I loved this one!
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Pretty Dead Queens
Author: Alexa Donne
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Filipino American Lesbian character, Lesbian character, Filipino American character, Indigenous character, Bisexual characters, Achillean romance between two side characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, mystery, thriller, prom, unsolved murders
Publication Date: October 7, 2022
Genre: YA Mystery Thriller
Age Relevance: 15+ (death, cancer, grief, animal death, animal gore, language, drugs, gore, classism, racism, homophobia, murder, child abuse, sexual content, sexual assault of a minor, violence)
Explanation of Above: There is death and murder shown in the book and mentioned. There are mentions of cancer and grief is shown in the book. There is two animal deaths (rabbit and dog) and animal gore (rabbit) mentioned in the book. There is some cursing in the book. Drugs are mentioned briefly in the book. There is some violence with knives and gore with blood. There is classism, racism, and homophobia shown and mentioned in the book. Child abuse is mentioned and sexual assault of a minor is vaguely mentioned in the book (there is an adult character in the book who is having a relationship with a child under 18 but nothing explicit is shown). There is also some sexual content mentioned and one fade to black sex scene.
Publisher: Crown
Pages: 336
Synopsis: After the death of her mom (screw cancer), seventeen-year-old Cecelia Ellis goes to live with her estranged grandmother, a celebrated author whose Victorian mansion is as creepy as the murder mysteries she writes. On the surface, life is utterly ordinary in the California coastal town . . . until the homecoming queen is murdered. And she’s not Seaview’s first pretty dead queen.
With a copycat killer on the loose, Cecelia throws herself into the investigation, determined to crack the case like the heroines in her grandmother’s books. But the more Cecelia digs into the town’s secrets, the more she worries that her own mystery might not have a storybook ending.
Review: For the most part I really loved this book! The book was a great thriller mystery novel about past murders and a current killer. There’s a lot of twist and turns and it’ll keep you guessing on the whodunit for the longest time. It definitely has a Karen McManus feel to it and one of my newer favorite mystery books. I loved all of the funny pop culture moments as well. The character development was well done and the world building was great. I loved the writing and I had 2/3 overall guesses come true, which surprised me as I’m usually able to accurately guess the end of mystery books.
The only issue I had with the book is that I feel like the planting evidence on a Filipino character should have been called out a bit more for what it was and condemned more. I also feel like the book had some confusing moments that could be cleared up a little bit.
Verdict: I loved this one!
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: I Want To Be A Vase
Author: Julio Torres, Julian Glander
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: This book can be read as an analogy for trans rights and thus the characters can be trans!
Recommended For...: children’s readers, picture book, LGBT
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 0+ (a little rudeness)
Explanation of Above: There is a rude vacuum who says some unkind things to other household appliances.
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 48
Synopsis: Shapes. You’ve heard of them. You might have even interacted with a few. But do you really know them? From plucky Plunger, who wishes to defy his shape and become a beautiful vase, to other household objects with dreams of a life beyond their predestined roles, I Want to Be a Vase takes readers on an essential and visually stunning journey through the lives and intimate dramas of often-overlooked household appliances.
Review: I really liked this picture book! The artwork looks computer animated and I loved how colorful it was. The book focuses on inanimate objects and how they don’t feel like who they were made to be, but they feel like other objects. It’s their journey to being accepted by some of the ruder members of the household and understanding themselves. The book can be read as an analogy for trans rights, which is how I’m reading it, but the most important message that you can take away from the book is to just be accepting to others as they view themselves. It’s not for you to police how others define themselves.
Verdict: It’s such a great book! I highly recommend this one!
Book: I Want To Be A Vase
Author: Julio Torres, Julian Glander
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: This book can be read as an analogy for trans rights and thus the characters can be trans!
Recommended For...: children’s readers, picture book, LGBT
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Age Relevance: 0+ (a little rudeness)
Explanation of Above: There is a rude vacuum who says some unkind things to other household appliances.
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 48
Synopsis: Shapes. You’ve heard of them. You might have even interacted with a few. But do you really know them? From plucky Plunger, who wishes to defy his shape and become a beautiful vase, to other household objects with dreams of a life beyond their predestined roles, I Want to Be a Vase takes readers on an essential and visually stunning journey through the lives and intimate dramas of often-overlooked household appliances.
Review: I really liked this picture book! The artwork looks computer animated and I loved how colorful it was. The book focuses on inanimate objects and how they don’t feel like who they were made to be, but they feel like other objects. It’s their journey to being accepted by some of the ruder members of the household and understanding themselves. The book can be read as an analogy for trans rights, which is how I’m reading it, but the most important message that you can take away from the book is to just be accepting to others as they view themselves. It’s not for you to police how others define themselves.
Verdict: It’s such a great book! I highly recommend this one!
dark
emotional
inspiring
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 arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Slip
Author: Marika McCoola, Aatmaja Pandya
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: Sapphic person of color MC, Sapphic person of color character, people of color characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, graphic novel, LGBT, art, pottery, ceramist, mental health, comics, magical realism
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Graphic Novel
Age Relevance: 15+ (attempted suicide, self harm, mental health, language, anger, property destruction, gore)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of attempted suicide and vague mentions of self-harm. Mental Health is discussed, as well as anger about the situation. There is some small cursing in the book. There is some property destruction shown. There is a little bit of gore shown as well.
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 208
Synopsis: Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on herself right now?
But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic opportunities she’s been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat, comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her creatures in the kiln, something unreal happens: they come to life. And they’re taking a stand: if Jade won’t confront her problems, her problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them all—if Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she leaving Phoebe behind?
Review: I really liked this book! It did well to talk about mental health from the viewpoint of those affected by loved ones who are going through mental health crises. You really feel for the MC as she struggles to deal with the anger and heartache about her friend’s health and her inability to make it 100% better for her friend. The book is a summer camp book, revolving around an art retreat for the summer, so it’s perfect for the summertime reads. The book is a quick read as well with beautiful illustrations and I love how the use of color was in this book. The color red in particular was used to symbolize high stress or big emotional moments for our MC and it helped the reader feel how the MC was feeling during those times. The MC is also a ceramist, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen in an art themed book before.
The only issue I had with the book is that I felt like it was a bit too fast paced, especially the romance aspect of it. I would love to see a more expanded version of this story come to play.
Verdict: It was so good!
Book: Slip
Author: Marika McCoola, Aatmaja Pandya
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: Sapphic person of color MC, Sapphic person of color character, people of color characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, graphic novel, LGBT, art, pottery, ceramist, mental health, comics, magical realism
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA Graphic Novel
Age Relevance: 15+ (attempted suicide, self harm, mental health, language, anger, property destruction, gore)
Explanation of Above: There are mentions of attempted suicide and vague mentions of self-harm. Mental Health is discussed, as well as anger about the situation. There is some small cursing in the book. There is some property destruction shown. There is a little bit of gore shown as well.
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 208
Synopsis: Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on herself right now?
But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic opportunities she’s been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat, comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her creatures in the kiln, something unreal happens: they come to life. And they’re taking a stand: if Jade won’t confront her problems, her problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them all—if Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she leaving Phoebe behind?
Review: I really liked this book! It did well to talk about mental health from the viewpoint of those affected by loved ones who are going through mental health crises. You really feel for the MC as she struggles to deal with the anger and heartache about her friend’s health and her inability to make it 100% better for her friend. The book is a summer camp book, revolving around an art retreat for the summer, so it’s perfect for the summertime reads. The book is a quick read as well with beautiful illustrations and I love how the use of color was in this book. The color red in particular was used to symbolize high stress or big emotional moments for our MC and it helped the reader feel how the MC was feeling during those times. The MC is also a ceramist, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen in an art themed book before.
The only issue I had with the book is that I felt like it was a bit too fast paced, especially the romance aspect of it. I would love to see a more expanded version of this story come to play.
Verdict: It was so good!
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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: Out of the Blue
Author: Jason June
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Gay Plus Size MC, Nonbinary MC, Gay character, Bisexual Hispanic character, Indian Bisexual character, Sapphic characters, Nonbinary person of color character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, mermaids, romance, LGBT, contemporary
Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Age Relevance: 15+ (sexual content, language, romance, gore, cheating, violence, depression, death, grief)
Explanation of Above: There is some sexual content in this book. There is sex mentioned and implied. Nothing is graphically shown, but there is lead-up before the fade to black and in one scene there’s flowery language about it. There is a few curse words in the book. There is a lot of romance in this book. There is some gore involving vomit and blood in the book and one scene where a fist fight breaks out for violence. Depression is briefly mentioned a couple of times in the book. There is a very brief death scene and grief scene. There is cheating shown and mentioned in the book.
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Crest is not excited to be on their Journey: the monthlong sojourn on land all teen merfolk must undergo. The rules are simple: Help a human within one moon cycle and return to Pacifica to become an Elder--or fail and remain stuck on land forever. Crest is eager to get their Journey over and done with: after all, humans are disgusting. They've pollluted the planet so much that there's a floating island of trash that's literally the size of a country.
In Los Angeles with a human body and a new name, Crest meets Sean, a human lifeguard whose boyfriend has recently dumped him. Crest agrees to help Sean make his ex jealous and win him back. But as the two spend more time together and Crest's pespective on humans begins to change, they'll soon be torn between two worlds. And fake dating just might lead to real feelings...
Review: Okay this was an incredibly cute read! I loved this mix of mermaid fantasy but they’re kinda operating as fairy godmothers to gather intel and living a month away from their colony ala Rumspringa like the Amish. The book is a bit of a grumpy/sunshine romance in the beginning, but is very much a fake dating romance. The book does well to make the mermaid fantasy spin fresh and new and I loved all of the queer-ness of this book! The characters are well developed and the romance was so sweet. I loved the world building as well and I read this book in one sitting.
The only issue I had with the book is that it was a bit slower paced in the middle than I would have liked to see it. I also thought that the book was a bit too quick with the epilogue, so I’m hoping for a loose sequel in the future for the two MCs, but also to encounter other fantasy elements in the world together.
Verdict: It was a well done read. Highly recommend!
Book: Out of the Blue
Author: Jason June
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Gay Plus Size MC, Nonbinary MC, Gay character, Bisexual Hispanic character, Indian Bisexual character, Sapphic characters, Nonbinary person of color character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, mermaids, romance, LGBT, contemporary
Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Age Relevance: 15+ (sexual content, language, romance, gore, cheating, violence, depression, death, grief)
Explanation of Above: There is some sexual content in this book. There is sex mentioned and implied. Nothing is graphically shown, but there is lead-up before the fade to black and in one scene there’s flowery language about it. There is a few curse words in the book. There is a lot of romance in this book. There is some gore involving vomit and blood in the book and one scene where a fist fight breaks out for violence. Depression is briefly mentioned a couple of times in the book. There is a very brief death scene and grief scene. There is cheating shown and mentioned in the book.
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Crest is not excited to be on their Journey: the monthlong sojourn on land all teen merfolk must undergo. The rules are simple: Help a human within one moon cycle and return to Pacifica to become an Elder--or fail and remain stuck on land forever. Crest is eager to get their Journey over and done with: after all, humans are disgusting. They've pollluted the planet so much that there's a floating island of trash that's literally the size of a country.
In Los Angeles with a human body and a new name, Crest meets Sean, a human lifeguard whose boyfriend has recently dumped him. Crest agrees to help Sean make his ex jealous and win him back. But as the two spend more time together and Crest's pespective on humans begins to change, they'll soon be torn between two worlds. And fake dating just might lead to real feelings...
Review: Okay this was an incredibly cute read! I loved this mix of mermaid fantasy but they’re kinda operating as fairy godmothers to gather intel and living a month away from their colony ala Rumspringa like the Amish. The book is a bit of a grumpy/sunshine romance in the beginning, but is very much a fake dating romance. The book does well to make the mermaid fantasy spin fresh and new and I loved all of the queer-ness of this book! The characters are well developed and the romance was so sweet. I loved the world building as well and I read this book in one sitting.
The only issue I had with the book is that it was a bit slower paced in the middle than I would have liked to see it. I also thought that the book was a bit too quick with the epilogue, so I’m hoping for a loose sequel in the future for the two MCs, but also to encounter other fantasy elements in the world together.
Verdict: It was a well done read. Highly recommend!