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popthebutterfly
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The School Dance Show
Author: Genna Rowbotham
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: children, beginning readers, contemporary
Publication Date: October 25, 2021
Genre: Children’s Contemporary
Recommended Age: 5+ (violence)
Explanation of CWs: Slight violence due to MC pushing another child.
Publisher: Adventure Scape Press
Pages: 46
Synopsis: A short story about friendship, forgiveness and the courage to shine – perfect for young children who love to dance!
Best friends, Libby and Mia both want to be the star of the school dance show – but there is only one place.
Who will it be?
And will it destroy their close friendship?
As disastrous events unfold, and the big day finally arrives for the year 4 performance, will either of the girls get their wish?
Review: For the most part I liked this book. It was a sweet little tale about how when you work together and when you are honest with your feelings then you can accomplishment so much more. The book was wonderfully written and had some cute illustrations. The message was also pretty well done and it would be a good book for a child to be read to or a good beginning book.
The only issue I had with the book is that I wish that the main character got more of a punishment from pushing the child down. It kind of gave an air of that she could get away with it and was rewarded for it in the end. I think that it was great the child was talked to about the issue and why she pushed the other child, but it just bugged me a little.
Verdict: It’s a good book!
Book: The School Dance Show
Author: Genna Rowbotham
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: children, beginning readers, contemporary
Publication Date: October 25, 2021
Genre: Children’s Contemporary
Recommended Age: 5+ (violence)
Explanation of CWs: Slight violence due to MC pushing another child.
Publisher: Adventure Scape Press
Pages: 46
Synopsis: A short story about friendship, forgiveness and the courage to shine – perfect for young children who love to dance!
Best friends, Libby and Mia both want to be the star of the school dance show – but there is only one place.
Who will it be?
And will it destroy their close friendship?
As disastrous events unfold, and the big day finally arrives for the year 4 performance, will either of the girls get their wish?
Review: For the most part I liked this book. It was a sweet little tale about how when you work together and when you are honest with your feelings then you can accomplishment so much more. The book was wonderfully written and had some cute illustrations. The message was also pretty well done and it would be a good book for a child to be read to or a good beginning book.
The only issue I had with the book is that I wish that the main character got more of a punishment from pushing the child down. It kind of gave an air of that she could get away with it and was rewarded for it in the end. I think that it was great the child was talked to about the issue and why she pushed the other child, but it just bugged me a little.
Verdict: It’s a good book!
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Falling for the Underdog
Author: Casey Griffin
Book Series: A Rescue Dog Romance Book 2
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: mystery, romance, dog lovers
Publication Date: September 21, 2021
Genre: Mystery Romance
Spice: 2/5
Recommended Age: 18+ (animal disappearance, animal death, sexual content, language, miscarriage, sexual harassment)
Explanation of CWs: The book revolves around animal disappearance/kidnappings. The book mentions one animal death in passing. There is sexual content in this book. There is slight language in this book. Miscarriage and a traumatic pregnancy are mentioned and slightly shown. There is also sexual harassment shown throughout the novel.
Publisher: Charming Frog Publishing
Pages: 372
Synopsis: She dreams of Prince Charming. He’s seriously rough around the edges. Can they collar a dognapper and steal each other’s hearts?
Addison Turner has her entire fairytale life planned out. But just as the dachshund lover is about to hit it big with her doggie grooming and fashion line, thieves snatch her valuable four-legged clients right from under her nose. And to her disgust, the only one who knows the show scene enough to help is the infuriatingly hot bartender who turns her down cold.
Cocktail-slinger extraordinaire Felix Vaughn longs to open his own bar. So when he gets a gig at a high-society tail-wagging event, he thinks his gravy train has arrived and isn’t about to involve himself with a suspected thief. But when more pooches get pinched and he’s fingered for the crime, he reluctantly teams up with the fluffy prima donna to find the pups and split the reward.
With her reputation on the line, Addison doggedly follows the clues, afraid she’s falling for a mutt. And as their chemistry reaches a boiling point, Felix reveals exactly how much of his heart he stands to lose…
Will they both end up in the doghouse, or will their love win Best in Show?
Review: I really loved this book! The book had a great story revolving around a dog groomer and a dog show. The romance was sweet after awhile. And I loved the mystery element of the book. The characters are well developed, the pacing was fast but fit the book well, and the mystery was well written and kept me guessing until the end.
The only thing that I didn’t like so much in the book is that I didn’t like the sexual harassment between the love interest and our MC. It was cringey and it triggered me a bit.
Verdict: It was great!
Book: Falling for the Underdog
Author: Casey Griffin
Book Series: A Rescue Dog Romance Book 2
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: mystery, romance, dog lovers
Publication Date: September 21, 2021
Genre: Mystery Romance
Spice: 2/5
Recommended Age: 18+ (animal disappearance, animal death, sexual content, language, miscarriage, sexual harassment)
Explanation of CWs: The book revolves around animal disappearance/kidnappings. The book mentions one animal death in passing. There is sexual content in this book. There is slight language in this book. Miscarriage and a traumatic pregnancy are mentioned and slightly shown. There is also sexual harassment shown throughout the novel.
Publisher: Charming Frog Publishing
Pages: 372
Synopsis: She dreams of Prince Charming. He’s seriously rough around the edges. Can they collar a dognapper and steal each other’s hearts?
Addison Turner has her entire fairytale life planned out. But just as the dachshund lover is about to hit it big with her doggie grooming and fashion line, thieves snatch her valuable four-legged clients right from under her nose. And to her disgust, the only one who knows the show scene enough to help is the infuriatingly hot bartender who turns her down cold.
Cocktail-slinger extraordinaire Felix Vaughn longs to open his own bar. So when he gets a gig at a high-society tail-wagging event, he thinks his gravy train has arrived and isn’t about to involve himself with a suspected thief. But when more pooches get pinched and he’s fingered for the crime, he reluctantly teams up with the fluffy prima donna to find the pups and split the reward.
With her reputation on the line, Addison doggedly follows the clues, afraid she’s falling for a mutt. And as their chemistry reaches a boiling point, Felix reveals exactly how much of his heart he stands to lose…
Will they both end up in the doghouse, or will their love win Best in Show?
Review: I really loved this book! The book had a great story revolving around a dog groomer and a dog show. The romance was sweet after awhile. And I loved the mystery element of the book. The characters are well developed, the pacing was fast but fit the book well, and the mystery was well written and kept me guessing until the end.
The only thing that I didn’t like so much in the book is that I didn’t like the sexual harassment between the love interest and our MC. It was cringey and it triggered me a bit.
Verdict: It was great!
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Crushing
Author: Sophie Burrows
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: romance, graphic novel, sequential art
Publication Date: January 11, 2021
Genre: Graphic Novel Romance
Recommended Age: 14+ (romance, some sexual content)
Explanation of CWs: The book is about love and finding someone. There is some small sexual content, but not a lot (throwaway jokes mostly).
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 160
Synopsis: She’s lonely and searching for connection. He’s lonely and afraid to reach out.
Life in the big city means being surrounded by connections—making them, missing them, and longing for them. But is finding someone else really the answer to their problems?
Crushing, the stunning debut graphic novel from Sophie Burrows, is a story told in silence; a story without words but bursting with meaning; a story about loneliness and love.
Achingly beautiful, quietly defiant, and full of subtle wit and wisdom, Crushing is a unique meditation on the human condition in the twenty-first century, and a timely examination of young adult life in an age of isolation.
Review: I absolutely loved this book so much! It’s a cute introverted love story about two people who are down on their luck in different ways and who are slowly trying to find love. The story is almost completely told without words and the illustrations are so beautiful and translate the story well. The character development is amazing as is the world building. The book is gorgeous inside and out and I’d love to see a second story of these lovable characters.
The only issue I had is that I wish that some of the stuff was a bit more explained, like their backstories.
Verdict: It’s amazing and it’s going to forever be on my graphic reads shelf. Highly recommend!
Book: Crushing
Author: Sophie Burrows
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: romance, graphic novel, sequential art
Publication Date: January 11, 2021
Genre: Graphic Novel Romance
Recommended Age: 14+ (romance, some sexual content)
Explanation of CWs: The book is about love and finding someone. There is some small sexual content, but not a lot (throwaway jokes mostly).
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Pages: 160
Synopsis: She’s lonely and searching for connection. He’s lonely and afraid to reach out.
Life in the big city means being surrounded by connections—making them, missing them, and longing for them. But is finding someone else really the answer to their problems?
Crushing, the stunning debut graphic novel from Sophie Burrows, is a story told in silence; a story without words but bursting with meaning; a story about loneliness and love.
Achingly beautiful, quietly defiant, and full of subtle wit and wisdom, Crushing is a unique meditation on the human condition in the twenty-first century, and a timely examination of young adult life in an age of isolation.
Review: I absolutely loved this book so much! It’s a cute introverted love story about two people who are down on their luck in different ways and who are slowly trying to find love. The story is almost completely told without words and the illustrations are so beautiful and translate the story well. The character development is amazing as is the world building. The book is gorgeous inside and out and I’d love to see a second story of these lovable characters.
The only issue I had is that I wish that some of the stuff was a bit more explained, like their backstories.
Verdict: It’s amazing and it’s going to forever be on my graphic reads shelf. Highly recommend!
adventurous
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:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Chloe’s Super Secret Underwater Adventure
Author: Tian En
Book Series: The Super Secret Book Series
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Singaporean MC and characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, fantasy, superheroes, action/adventure
Publication Date: December 13, 2021
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 13+ (mentioned animal abuse, mentioned animal violence, mentioned animal death)
Explanation of CWs: The book briefly mentions animal abuse, violence, and death.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 31
Synopsis: Chloe never expected a fishing trip to turn into the biggest adventure of her life! Together with the superhero Koolara, they embark on an underwater mission to capture a killer monster before it destroys all life in the ocean... but are they already too late?
Review: This was such a fun read! I love the Super Secret Book and I loved seeing a character return for this mini book. The book was fun and fast read. The character development was good. The world building was good. And it’s just a fun read.
The only issue is that the length is super short and I really wanted more. I’d also love to see Chloe in Diamond City.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
Book: Chloe’s Super Secret Underwater Adventure
Author: Tian En
Book Series: The Super Secret Book Series
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Singaporean MC and characters
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, fantasy, superheroes, action/adventure
Publication Date: December 13, 2021
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 13+ (mentioned animal abuse, mentioned animal violence, mentioned animal death)
Explanation of CWs: The book briefly mentions animal abuse, violence, and death.
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 31
Synopsis: Chloe never expected a fishing trip to turn into the biggest adventure of her life! Together with the superhero Koolara, they embark on an underwater mission to capture a killer monster before it destroys all life in the ocean... but are they already too late?
Review: This was such a fun read! I love the Super Secret Book and I loved seeing a character return for this mini book. The book was fun and fast read. The character development was good. The world building was good. And it’s just a fun read.
The only issue is that the length is super short and I really wanted more. I’d also love to see Chloe in Diamond City.
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Branded
Author: Joseph T. Humphrey
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Diversity: MC in Foster Care and Orphaned
Recommended For...: young adult readers, urban fantasy, fantasy, monsters
Publication Date: November 16, 2021
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (bullying, abelism on mental health, drugs mentioned, violence, gore slight, parent death)
Explanation of CWs: There is bullying shown in this book. There are some comments made about mental health that are abelist. Drugs are mentioned. There is violence, including gun violence, and slight gore. There is also parent death mentioned and shown.
Publisher: Intrepid Pen Publishing LLC
Pages: 494
Synopsis: Henry Murphy’s parents never told him he was from another realm. They couldn’t, because they have become as unaware as Henry. Everything was forgotten—memories siphoned away by the dark force that stalked them. For the last seventeen years, Henry has been living a lie.
All those years of hiding have been compromised. Henry’s parents fled as refugees after stealing the location of the furnace—a source of power that would have allowed the Nekura uncontested rule over all life. But with their memories silenced, the Nekura have closed in on them unnoticed.
The first warning was the screaming girl. After she broke into Henry’s high school classroom and screamed for him to run, she was hauled away and disappeared. The only friend Henry finds to help him is Charley, a strong-willed orphan girl with a fractured past.
Henry is thrust into a reality he never knew existed and must fight against sinister creatures he cannot touch for reasons he doesn’t understand. What he doesn’t know can still hurt him, and it is hunting him down. Their only hope is the Light—a legendary force that bestows intangible power for those connected to it. Henry must uncover the shrouded memory of his family’s past and race to find the furnace before the Nekura tear his family apart and destroy both worlds in the process. Henry will learn the heartache of the forgotten, the joy of the reclaimed, strength beyond himself, and the unbreakable ties that bind family together.
Review: I thought this was an ok book. The book did good with multiple POVs and the character development was well done. The book had an intriguing plot that kept me going throughout the book and I felt that the book had a decent story.
However, the book feels a bit underdeveloped. I think there’s some good stuff in the book, but the book is fast paced and confusing. The pacing doesn’t help the reader get used to the elements in the book and the writing doesn’t develop the world building or the magic system beyond a couple of plot points. I got severely lost in the book and it felt like nothing was well explained.
Verdict: It was ok.
Book: Branded
Author: Joseph T. Humphrey
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 2/5
Diversity: MC in Foster Care and Orphaned
Recommended For...: young adult readers, urban fantasy, fantasy, monsters
Publication Date: November 16, 2021
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Recommended Age: 14+ (bullying, abelism on mental health, drugs mentioned, violence, gore slight, parent death)
Explanation of CWs: There is bullying shown in this book. There are some comments made about mental health that are abelist. Drugs are mentioned. There is violence, including gun violence, and slight gore. There is also parent death mentioned and shown.
Publisher: Intrepid Pen Publishing LLC
Pages: 494
Synopsis: Henry Murphy’s parents never told him he was from another realm. They couldn’t, because they have become as unaware as Henry. Everything was forgotten—memories siphoned away by the dark force that stalked them. For the last seventeen years, Henry has been living a lie.
All those years of hiding have been compromised. Henry’s parents fled as refugees after stealing the location of the furnace—a source of power that would have allowed the Nekura uncontested rule over all life. But with their memories silenced, the Nekura have closed in on them unnoticed.
The first warning was the screaming girl. After she broke into Henry’s high school classroom and screamed for him to run, she was hauled away and disappeared. The only friend Henry finds to help him is Charley, a strong-willed orphan girl with a fractured past.
Henry is thrust into a reality he never knew existed and must fight against sinister creatures he cannot touch for reasons he doesn’t understand. What he doesn’t know can still hurt him, and it is hunting him down. Their only hope is the Light—a legendary force that bestows intangible power for those connected to it. Henry must uncover the shrouded memory of his family’s past and race to find the furnace before the Nekura tear his family apart and destroy both worlds in the process. Henry will learn the heartache of the forgotten, the joy of the reclaimed, strength beyond himself, and the unbreakable ties that bind family together.
Review: I thought this was an ok book. The book did good with multiple POVs and the character development was well done. The book had an intriguing plot that kept me going throughout the book and I felt that the book had a decent story.
However, the book feels a bit underdeveloped. I think there’s some good stuff in the book, but the book is fast paced and confusing. The pacing doesn’t help the reader get used to the elements in the book and the writing doesn’t develop the world building or the magic system beyond a couple of plot points. I got severely lost in the book and it felt like nothing was well explained.
Verdict: It was ok.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-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 arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Kindred
Author: Alechia Dow
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Ff romance mentioned, Pan BIPOC inspired MC, Black plus size ace MC, Gay character, Mm romance mentioned, Māori side character
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, sci-fi, romance
Genre: YA sci-fi romance
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 394
Recommended Age: 16+ (Anxiety, Underage Alcohol consumption, Weight, Disordered Eating, Religion, Violence, Gore, Death, Parent death, Pandemic, Police brutality, Racism, School shootings, Language, Romance, Grief, Sexual content, Skin lightening)
Explanation of CWs: Anxiety is shown slightly in the book. Within the context of US laws, there is underage alcohol consumption shown. Weight and disordered eating are discussed at length. Religion is mentioned sporadically throughout the book. Violence and gore and death are shown in the book. Parent death is mentioned in the book. The pandemic, police brutality, and school shootings get mentioned one or twice in the book. Racism and skin lightening are shown and mentioned in the book. Grief is shown and discussed in the book. There are a couple of instances of cursing. There is a friends to lovers romance and some sexual content.
Synopsis: To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person would be seen and heard, no matter how rich or poor…
Joy Abara knows her place. A commoner from the lowly planet Hali, she lives a simple life—apart from the notoriety that being Kindred to the nobility’s most infamous playboy brings.
Duke Felix Hamdi has a plan. He will exasperate his noble family to the point that they agree to let him choose his own future and finally meet his Kindred face-to-face.
Then the royal family is assassinated, putting Felix next in line for the throne…and accused of the murders. Someone will stop at nothing until he’s dead, which means they’ll target Joy, too. Meeting in person for the first time as they steal a spacecraft and flee amid chaos might not be ideal…and neither is crash-landing on the strange backward planet called Earth. But hiding might just be the perfect way to discover the true strength of the Kindred bond and expose a scandal—and a love—that may decide the future of a galaxy.
Review: For the most part I enjoyed the book. It was a sweet friends to lovers romance sci-fi book and I loved that this book and Dow's other book contained Easter eggs of a possible 3rd story with the alien traveling band. The character development was well done and the world building was good. The book was also well plotted.
However, there were some issues with the book. The back and forth time period was a bit disjointing and it didn't add much to the story for me. I think telling keys parts of the past could have been done better than flashbacks of random time periods. The structure of the book is not well done and it's easy to get confused in the text. The book is also weirdly paced. It's fast in some parts but slow the rest of the book.
Verdict: It's good!
Book: The Kindred
Author: Alechia Dow
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Ff romance mentioned, Pan BIPOC inspired MC, Black plus size ace MC, Gay character, Mm romance mentioned, Māori side character
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, sci-fi, romance
Genre: YA sci-fi romance
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 394
Recommended Age: 16+ (Anxiety, Underage Alcohol consumption, Weight, Disordered Eating, Religion, Violence, Gore, Death, Parent death, Pandemic, Police brutality, Racism, School shootings, Language, Romance, Grief, Sexual content, Skin lightening)
Explanation of CWs: Anxiety is shown slightly in the book. Within the context of US laws, there is underage alcohol consumption shown. Weight and disordered eating are discussed at length. Religion is mentioned sporadically throughout the book. Violence and gore and death are shown in the book. Parent death is mentioned in the book. The pandemic, police brutality, and school shootings get mentioned one or twice in the book. Racism and skin lightening are shown and mentioned in the book. Grief is shown and discussed in the book. There are a couple of instances of cursing. There is a friends to lovers romance and some sexual content.
Synopsis: To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person would be seen and heard, no matter how rich or poor…
Joy Abara knows her place. A commoner from the lowly planet Hali, she lives a simple life—apart from the notoriety that being Kindred to the nobility’s most infamous playboy brings.
Duke Felix Hamdi has a plan. He will exasperate his noble family to the point that they agree to let him choose his own future and finally meet his Kindred face-to-face.
Then the royal family is assassinated, putting Felix next in line for the throne…and accused of the murders. Someone will stop at nothing until he’s dead, which means they’ll target Joy, too. Meeting in person for the first time as they steal a spacecraft and flee amid chaos might not be ideal…and neither is crash-landing on the strange backward planet called Earth. But hiding might just be the perfect way to discover the true strength of the Kindred bond and expose a scandal—and a love—that may decide the future of a galaxy.
Review: For the most part I enjoyed the book. It was a sweet friends to lovers romance sci-fi book and I loved that this book and Dow's other book contained Easter eggs of a possible 3rd story with the alien traveling band. The character development was well done and the world building was good. The book was also well plotted.
However, there were some issues with the book. The back and forth time period was a bit disjointing and it didn't add much to the story for me. I think telling keys parts of the past could have been done better than flashbacks of random time periods. The structure of the book is not well done and it's easy to get confused in the text. The book is also weirdly paced. It's fast in some parts but slow the rest of the book.
Verdict: It's good!
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Chosen One
Author: Echo Brown
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Black female main character, Black side characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, magical realism/realistic fiction
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 17+ (religion, language, racism, underage alcohol consumption, alcoholism mentioned, PTSD, HP reference, drugs mentioned, self esteem issues, rape mentioned, sexual content, generational trauma, slavery mentioned, child molestation, near death drowning experience)
Explanation of CWs: Religion is heavily present in the book. There is some cursing in the book. There is racism shown in the book. There is underage alcohol consumption shown and alcoholism mentioned. PTSD is shown in the book. There is one HP reference. Drugs are mentioned. There are self esteem issues shown and lots of generational trauma. Slavery is mentioned as apart of the generational trauma. There is some sexual content and rape is mentioned, as well as child molestation. There is also a near death drowning experience shown.
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Pages: 336
Synopsis: There are many watchers and they are always white. That’s the first thing Echo notices as she settles into Dartmouth College. Despite graduating high school in Cleveland as valedictorian, Echo immediately struggles to keep up in demanding classes. Dartmouth made many promises it couldn't keep. The campus is not a rainbow-colored utopia where education lifts every voice. Nor is it a paradise of ideas, an incubator of inclusivity, or even an exciting dating scene. But it might be a portal to different dimensions of time and space—only accessible if Echo accepts her calling as a Chosen One and takes charge of her future by healing her past. This remarkable challenge demands vulnerability, humility, and the conviction to ask for help without sacrificing self-worth.
In mesmerizing personal narrative and magical realism, Echo Brown confronts mental illness, grief, racism, love, friendship, ambition, self-worth, and belonging as they steer the fates of first-generation college students on Dartmouth’s campus. The Chosen One is an unforgettable coming-of-age story that bravely unpacks the double-edged college transition—as both catalyst for old wounds and a fresh start.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. The book was humanizing and so real, especially since it was somewhat a personal narrative from the author. The book had good world building and it was a very realistic look at what college looks like, especially to first generation students. The book normalized periods as well, which I thought was a great plus to it.
However, the book is very fast paced and it speeds through a bunch of the issues that could have made the book a bit more interesting. The book is confusing and it’s really easy to get lost in it. The book also leans a lot on religion. The book also lacks in character development and by the end I still felt like I didn’t know who Echo was. I also feel like this is the type of book you need to read the synopsis to in order to figure out what’s going on in the read, which I don’t like. Finally, the book contains an HP reference in a fairly positive light, which I found very unfortunate given the author of the HP series and her hate against multiple people.
Verdict: It’s good, just some issues that I think could be ironed out.
Book: The Chosen One
Author: Echo Brown
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3/5
Diversity: Black female main character, Black side characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, magical realism/realistic fiction
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 17+ (religion, language, racism, underage alcohol consumption, alcoholism mentioned, PTSD, HP reference, drugs mentioned, self esteem issues, rape mentioned, sexual content, generational trauma, slavery mentioned, child molestation, near death drowning experience)
Explanation of CWs: Religion is heavily present in the book. There is some cursing in the book. There is racism shown in the book. There is underage alcohol consumption shown and alcoholism mentioned. PTSD is shown in the book. There is one HP reference. Drugs are mentioned. There are self esteem issues shown and lots of generational trauma. Slavery is mentioned as apart of the generational trauma. There is some sexual content and rape is mentioned, as well as child molestation. There is also a near death drowning experience shown.
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Pages: 336
Synopsis: There are many watchers and they are always white. That’s the first thing Echo notices as she settles into Dartmouth College. Despite graduating high school in Cleveland as valedictorian, Echo immediately struggles to keep up in demanding classes. Dartmouth made many promises it couldn't keep. The campus is not a rainbow-colored utopia where education lifts every voice. Nor is it a paradise of ideas, an incubator of inclusivity, or even an exciting dating scene. But it might be a portal to different dimensions of time and space—only accessible if Echo accepts her calling as a Chosen One and takes charge of her future by healing her past. This remarkable challenge demands vulnerability, humility, and the conviction to ask for help without sacrificing self-worth.
In mesmerizing personal narrative and magical realism, Echo Brown confronts mental illness, grief, racism, love, friendship, ambition, self-worth, and belonging as they steer the fates of first-generation college students on Dartmouth’s campus. The Chosen One is an unforgettable coming-of-age story that bravely unpacks the double-edged college transition—as both catalyst for old wounds and a fresh start.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. The book was humanizing and so real, especially since it was somewhat a personal narrative from the author. The book had good world building and it was a very realistic look at what college looks like, especially to first generation students. The book normalized periods as well, which I thought was a great plus to it.
However, the book is very fast paced and it speeds through a bunch of the issues that could have made the book a bit more interesting. The book is confusing and it’s really easy to get lost in it. The book also leans a lot on religion. The book also lacks in character development and by the end I still felt like I didn’t know who Echo was. I also feel like this is the type of book you need to read the synopsis to in order to figure out what’s going on in the read, which I don’t like. Finally, the book contains an HP reference in a fairly positive light, which I found very unfortunate given the author of the HP series and her hate against multiple people.
Verdict: It’s good, just some issues that I think could be ironed out.
dark
emotional
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 bought this book to buddy read with my friend Rachael! Check out her twitch streams (chaelcodes) and support your authors. All opinions are my own.
Book: Only Ashes Remain
Author: Rebecca Schaeffer
Book Series: Market of Monsters Book 2
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: Latinx Iranian Heritage Main Character, Thai side character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, urban fantasy, horror, thriller, paranormal, supernatural
Publication Date: September 3, 2019
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy Horror
Recommended Age: 17+ (kidnapping mentioned, torture, gore, violence, parent death mentioned, grief, racism, language, abusive parent, PTSD, police brutality mentioned, rape mentioned, narcissist parent figure, prejudice, some romance)
Explanation of CWs: Some events of the previous book are mentioned including the main character’s kidnapping and torture. There are also mentioned of police brutality, parental death, and rape, but those are not shown. There is a lot of torture, gore, and violence in this book. Grief is a heavy topic of the book, as is prejudice and racism. There are curse words in the book. There are abusive/narcissist parental figures in the book. PTSD is shown in the book. There is also some romance shown in this book.
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 432
Synopsis: After escaping her kidnappers and destroying the black market where she was held captive, all Nita wants is to find a way to live her life without looking over her shoulder. But with a video of her ability to self-heal all over the dark web, Nita knows she’s still a prime target on the black market.
There’s only one way to keep herself safe.
Nita must make herself so feared that no one would ever dare come after her again. And the best way to start building her reputation? Take her revenge on the person who sold Nita to her kidnappers. But doing that is harder than Nita thought it would be, even with Kovit by her side. Now caught in a game of kill or be killed, Nita will do whatever it takes to win.
There’s only one way to keep herself safe.
Nita must make herself so feared that no one would ever dare come after her again. And the best way to start building her reputation? Take her revenge on the person who sold Nita to her kidnappers. But doing that is harder than Nita thought it would be, even with Kovit by her side. Now caught in a game of kill or be killed, Nita will do whatever it takes to win.
Review: I really loved this book! Picking up from where the last book left off, even though it had been over a year since I had read the first one. The book was well plotted and it stood it’s own in the series. The book had well developed characters and the plot was well done. The writing is absolutely fantastic and this is probably one of my favorite authors now.
The only issue I really had with the book is that the main character was wrote a bit differently than in the first book, but that’s because of the trauma she had faced. I was fine with her growth, but others might not be.
Verdict: Loved it! Highly recommend this series.
dark
emotional
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-book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: You’ll Be The Death of Me
Author: Karen M. McManus
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Puerto Rican main character, Queer characters mentioned
Recommended For...: young adult readers, mystery, thriller
Publication Date: November 30, 2021
Genre: YA Mystery Thriller
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, death, parental death mentioned, language, drugs, drug use mentioned, underage alcohol consumption, underage relationship with teacher/child grooming, and romance)
Explanation of CWs: There is violence and death and it’s central to the plot, as is drugs and drug usage. Most of the drugs mentioned are pills. There is a parental death mentioned briefly. There are some curse words in the book. There is scenes that show underage alcohol consumption. There are scenes that show an underage relationship with a teacher (senior in high school) and show the child being groomed. The relationship isn’t neatly resolved as well. There are some small romance scenes shown.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Ivy, Mateo, and Cal used to be close. Now all they have in common is Carlton High and the beginning of a very bad day.
Type A Ivy lost a student council election to the class clown, and now she has to face the school, humiliated. Heartthrob Mateo is burned out--he's been working two jobs since his family's business failed. And outsider Cal just got stood up.... again.
So when Cal pulls into campus late for class and runs into Ivy and Mateo, it seems like the perfect opportunity to turn a bad day around. They'll ditch and go into the city. Just the three of them, like old times. Except they've barely left the parking lot before they run out of things to say...
Until they spot another Carlton High student skipping school--and follow him to the scene of his own murder. In one chance move, their day turns from dull to deadly. And it's about to get worse.
It turns out Ivy, Mateo, and Cal still have some things in common. They all have a connection to the dead kid. And they're all hiding something.
Now they're all wondering--could it be that their chance reconnection wasn't by chance after all?
Review: I really liked this book for the most part! I thought that it was well plotted and it kept me guessing until the end. The book did well to develop the characters and I liked the use of the multiple POVs. It’s a fairly standard Karen McManus book, so if you liked the other ones then you’ll like this one as well. It follows the same formula layout and is entertaining til the end.
The only issue I had with the book is that the ending was fairly swift and confusing. The book didn’t resolve a few plot points as neatly as it could have, including the inappropriate relationship (read: child grooming).The ending was a bit messier than I would have liked it to be and didn’t feel as complete as the other books of hers did.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: You’ll Be The Death of Me
Author: Karen M. McManus
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Puerto Rican main character, Queer characters mentioned
Recommended For...: young adult readers, mystery, thriller
Publication Date: November 30, 2021
Genre: YA Mystery Thriller
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, death, parental death mentioned, language, drugs, drug use mentioned, underage alcohol consumption, underage relationship with teacher/child grooming, and romance)
Explanation of CWs: There is violence and death and it’s central to the plot, as is drugs and drug usage. Most of the drugs mentioned are pills. There is a parental death mentioned briefly. There are some curse words in the book. There is scenes that show underage alcohol consumption. There are scenes that show an underage relationship with a teacher (senior in high school) and show the child being groomed. The relationship isn’t neatly resolved as well. There are some small romance scenes shown.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Ivy, Mateo, and Cal used to be close. Now all they have in common is Carlton High and the beginning of a very bad day.
Type A Ivy lost a student council election to the class clown, and now she has to face the school, humiliated. Heartthrob Mateo is burned out--he's been working two jobs since his family's business failed. And outsider Cal just got stood up.... again.
So when Cal pulls into campus late for class and runs into Ivy and Mateo, it seems like the perfect opportunity to turn a bad day around. They'll ditch and go into the city. Just the three of them, like old times. Except they've barely left the parking lot before they run out of things to say...
Until they spot another Carlton High student skipping school--and follow him to the scene of his own murder. In one chance move, their day turns from dull to deadly. And it's about to get worse.
It turns out Ivy, Mateo, and Cal still have some things in common. They all have a connection to the dead kid. And they're all hiding something.
Now they're all wondering--could it be that their chance reconnection wasn't by chance after all?
Review: I really liked this book for the most part! I thought that it was well plotted and it kept me guessing until the end. The book did well to develop the characters and I liked the use of the multiple POVs. It’s a fairly standard Karen McManus book, so if you liked the other ones then you’ll like this one as well. It follows the same formula layout and is entertaining til the end.
The only issue I had with the book is that the ending was fairly swift and confusing. The book didn’t resolve a few plot points as neatly as it could have, including the inappropriate relationship (read: child grooming).The ending was a bit messier than I would have liked it to be and didn’t feel as complete as the other books of hers did.
Verdict: It was good!
adventurous
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 book from the Once Upon A Book Box Club May box and I purchased the box. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Luck of the Titanic
Author: Stacey Lee
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: Chinese/British protagonist, Chinese/British side character, Chinese side characters, Lesbian side character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, Titanic
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 15+ (racism, alcoholism, parent death, attempted sexual assault, violence, death)
Explanation of CWs: There is racism in this book towards Chinese people. Alcoholism is mentioned. There is parent death mentioned frequently and death shown in the book. There is an attempted sexual assault shown. There is some violence.
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 361
Synopsis: Valora Luck has two things: a ticket for the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner in the world, and a dream of leaving England behind and making a life for herself as a circus performer in New York. Much to her surprise, though, she's turned away at the gangway; apparently, Chinese people aren't allowed into America.
But Val has to get on that ship. Her twin brother, Jamie, who has spent two long years at sea, is on board, as is an influential circus owner. Thankfully, there's not much a trained acrobat like Val can't overcome when she puts her mind to it.
As a stowaway, Val should keep her head down and stay out of sight. But the clock is ticking and she has just seven days as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic to find Jamie, audition for the circus owner, and convince him to help get them both into America.
Then one night, the unthinkable happens, and suddenly Val's dreams of a new life are crushed under the weight of the only thing that matters: survival.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I love anything involving the Titanic, it was a special interest of mine when I was younger, and I loved how this book was written. The book showed what the Titanic life must have been like for 3rd class passengers and 1st class. It was also unapologetic in showing some of the worse parts of the Titanic for the Chinese passengers. A lot of people idolize how the trip on the Titanic must have been, but it wasn’t all roses for most people. I loved how well developed the characters were and I loved how well the world building was developed. The book was also well plotted and the pacing was even.
The only issue I really had with the book is that the ending was kind of sudden and I would have liked the book more if the sinking was expanded out some more and if it wasn’t so chaotic (however, the chaotic nature of the sinking fits well with… well the sinking).
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!
Book: Luck of the Titanic
Author: Stacey Lee
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4.5/5
Diversity: Chinese/British protagonist, Chinese/British side character, Chinese side characters, Lesbian side character
Recommended For...: young adult readers, historical fiction, Titanic
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 15+ (racism, alcoholism, parent death, attempted sexual assault, violence, death)
Explanation of CWs: There is racism in this book towards Chinese people. Alcoholism is mentioned. There is parent death mentioned frequently and death shown in the book. There is an attempted sexual assault shown. There is some violence.
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 361
Synopsis: Valora Luck has two things: a ticket for the biggest and most luxurious ocean liner in the world, and a dream of leaving England behind and making a life for herself as a circus performer in New York. Much to her surprise, though, she's turned away at the gangway; apparently, Chinese people aren't allowed into America.
But Val has to get on that ship. Her twin brother, Jamie, who has spent two long years at sea, is on board, as is an influential circus owner. Thankfully, there's not much a trained acrobat like Val can't overcome when she puts her mind to it.
As a stowaway, Val should keep her head down and stay out of sight. But the clock is ticking and she has just seven days as the ship makes its way across the Atlantic to find Jamie, audition for the circus owner, and convince him to help get them both into America.
Then one night, the unthinkable happens, and suddenly Val's dreams of a new life are crushed under the weight of the only thing that matters: survival.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I love anything involving the Titanic, it was a special interest of mine when I was younger, and I loved how this book was written. The book showed what the Titanic life must have been like for 3rd class passengers and 1st class. It was also unapologetic in showing some of the worse parts of the Titanic for the Chinese passengers. A lot of people idolize how the trip on the Titanic must have been, but it wasn’t all roses for most people. I loved how well developed the characters were and I loved how well the world building was developed. The book was also well plotted and the pacing was even.
The only issue I really had with the book is that the ending was kind of sudden and I would have liked the book more if the sinking was expanded out some more and if it wasn’t so chaotic (however, the chaotic nature of the sinking fits well with… well the sinking).
Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!