You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
2.51k reviews by:
popthebutterfly
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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:
No
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Lost Legends
Author: Cait Marie
Book Series: The Nihryst Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: Young adult readers, new adult readers, fantasy, sea-faring, pirates
Genre: NA Fantasy
Publication Date: March 18, 2020
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 358
Recommended Age: 14+ (Parent death, Grief, Violence, Sexual innuendo, Attempted sexual assualt, Romance, Sexual content, Abuse, Plague)
Explanation of CWs: There is parental death which is a key point in the book and sometimes the grief that the main characters hold for that is mentioned. There is some violence and a couple of instances of attempted sexual assault shown on page. There are only a couple of sexual innuendos and the romance level of this book is very mild. There is some sexual content, but for the most part it is fade to black. There is also one shown event of abuse between a father and daughter and a plague is central to the storyline.
Synopsis: A plague. A prophecy. A centuries-long curse.
All her life, Princess Adalina heard tales of the legendary, immortal warriors known as the Nihryst. Cursed and bound to a deck of tarot cards by her ancestors, the Nihryst were stranded on a remote island nearly a century and a half earlier.
Her brother, Prince Shane, is destined to rule the kingdom of Detmarya. Though preparing for this role has encompassed his entire life, control of the kingdom may come sooner than expected due to their father’s sporadic behavior.
Discovering the king's plan to set a war in motion with a mass assassination, Ada unwittingly joins a crew of pirates in search of the only beings powerful enough to stop him: the Nihryst. Meanwhile, Shane and a group of underground rebels make a haunting discovery of a plague infecting the streets of Detmarya.
With a looming deadline to save multiple kingdoms and thousands of innocent lives, both royal siblings join quests worthy of Ada’s beloved fairy tales.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I am always up for a good pirate seafaring book mixed with princesses and stuff like that so this book was totally up my alley. I like the story behind it a lot and the prophecy and I thought the use of the prophecy trope was really well done. I also really like the character development and the world building.
However, I really felt like the book was really fast-paced. That worked well for me for the most part but it really quickens the plot and I can see where it will not work well for a lot of people. I think that the writing should have been slowed down a little bit and more time taken to look at the surroundings and I think more dialogue between the characters could have helped as well. There's also a large amount of characters in this book and at a certain point they all kind of blend together a little bit, which made it a little bit confusing for me to put it down and then come back to it.
Verdict: I loved it!
Book: The Lost Legends
Author: Cait Marie
Book Series: The Nihryst Book 1
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: Young adult readers, new adult readers, fantasy, sea-faring, pirates
Genre: NA Fantasy
Publication Date: March 18, 2020
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 358
Recommended Age: 14+ (Parent death, Grief, Violence, Sexual innuendo, Attempted sexual assualt, Romance, Sexual content, Abuse, Plague)
Explanation of CWs: There is parental death which is a key point in the book and sometimes the grief that the main characters hold for that is mentioned. There is some violence and a couple of instances of attempted sexual assault shown on page. There are only a couple of sexual innuendos and the romance level of this book is very mild. There is some sexual content, but for the most part it is fade to black. There is also one shown event of abuse between a father and daughter and a plague is central to the storyline.
Synopsis: A plague. A prophecy. A centuries-long curse.
All her life, Princess Adalina heard tales of the legendary, immortal warriors known as the Nihryst. Cursed and bound to a deck of tarot cards by her ancestors, the Nihryst were stranded on a remote island nearly a century and a half earlier.
Her brother, Prince Shane, is destined to rule the kingdom of Detmarya. Though preparing for this role has encompassed his entire life, control of the kingdom may come sooner than expected due to their father’s sporadic behavior.
Discovering the king's plan to set a war in motion with a mass assassination, Ada unwittingly joins a crew of pirates in search of the only beings powerful enough to stop him: the Nihryst. Meanwhile, Shane and a group of underground rebels make a haunting discovery of a plague infecting the streets of Detmarya.
With a looming deadline to save multiple kingdoms and thousands of innocent lives, both royal siblings join quests worthy of Ada’s beloved fairy tales.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. I am always up for a good pirate seafaring book mixed with princesses and stuff like that so this book was totally up my alley. I like the story behind it a lot and the prophecy and I thought the use of the prophecy trope was really well done. I also really like the character development and the world building.
However, I really felt like the book was really fast-paced. That worked well for me for the most part but it really quickens the plot and I can see where it will not work well for a lot of people. I think that the writing should have been slowed down a little bit and more time taken to look at the surroundings and I think more dialogue between the characters could have helped as well. There's also a large amount of characters in this book and at a certain point they all kind of blend together a little bit, which made it a little bit confusing for me to put it down and then come back to it.
Verdict: I loved it!
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: I Know Your Secret
Author: Daphne Benedis-Grab
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Adopted MC from Kazakhstanian who is orphaned and lives with her grandparents
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Middle Grade readers, thriller, mystery, single day books
Genre: MG Thriller Mystery
Publication Date: December 7, 2021
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 226
Recommended Age: 12+ (Covid, Parentification, Anger issues, Power imbalance relationship, Misogyny, Violence, Racism, Depression, Anxiety, Blackmailing)
Explanation of CWs: Covid is mentioned throughout the book and is apart of the book and character's history. Parentification shown in the book. Power Imbalance relationship between a 7th grader and a sophomore in high school mentioned. Misogyny, Violence, Racism, Depression, and Anxiety mentioned. Blackmail is a key component to the plot of this book.
Synopsis: The email arrives Sunday night: Do exactly what I say, when I say it, or I will reveal your secret.
On Monday morning, seventh graders Owen, Gemma, Ally, and Todd, who have nothing in common and barely know each other, must work together and follow the instructions of an anonymous blackmailer. None of them want to go along with the blackmailer's instructions, but each of them have a secret they must protect at all costs.
Set during a single day of school, the students race against the clock to complete a disquieting set of tasks, with fast-paced chapters detailing each moment of the day interspersed with a later interview-style recording made by the quartet.
I Know Your Secret is an exploration of why we conceal the truth, how far we'll go to keep it hidden, and the power of being honest.
Review: Overall I like the book a lot. I really like the mystery part of it and how the book kept you guessing from person to person on who is blackmailing these kids. I thought that the World building was pretty well done and that the character development was pretty good for two of the main characters. I also felt that the pacing was very on point and I liked the back and forth between what was going on and the recordings that they made.
However, there was a couple things I didn't like about this book. I felt like Gemma and Owen weren't well developed unlike Ally and Todd. I also felt like the book was a bit muddled at the end and the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, there's no real consensus on what happened to the kids in the aftermath. The book just kind of ends and it's very disappointing considering that the reader was on this journey with these kids for so long.
Verdict: It was good except for that cliffhanger.
Book: I Know Your Secret
Author: Daphne Benedis-Grab
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Adopted MC from Kazakhstanian who is orphaned and lives with her grandparents
Rating: 4/5
Recommended For...: Middle Grade readers, thriller, mystery, single day books
Genre: MG Thriller Mystery
Publication Date: December 7, 2021
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 226
Recommended Age: 12+ (Covid, Parentification, Anger issues, Power imbalance relationship, Misogyny, Violence, Racism, Depression, Anxiety, Blackmailing)
Explanation of CWs: Covid is mentioned throughout the book and is apart of the book and character's history. Parentification shown in the book. Power Imbalance relationship between a 7th grader and a sophomore in high school mentioned. Misogyny, Violence, Racism, Depression, and Anxiety mentioned. Blackmail is a key component to the plot of this book.
Synopsis: The email arrives Sunday night: Do exactly what I say, when I say it, or I will reveal your secret.
On Monday morning, seventh graders Owen, Gemma, Ally, and Todd, who have nothing in common and barely know each other, must work together and follow the instructions of an anonymous blackmailer. None of them want to go along with the blackmailer's instructions, but each of them have a secret they must protect at all costs.
Set during a single day of school, the students race against the clock to complete a disquieting set of tasks, with fast-paced chapters detailing each moment of the day interspersed with a later interview-style recording made by the quartet.
I Know Your Secret is an exploration of why we conceal the truth, how far we'll go to keep it hidden, and the power of being honest.
Review: Overall I like the book a lot. I really like the mystery part of it and how the book kept you guessing from person to person on who is blackmailing these kids. I thought that the World building was pretty well done and that the character development was pretty good for two of the main characters. I also felt that the pacing was very on point and I liked the back and forth between what was going on and the recordings that they made.
However, there was a couple things I didn't like about this book. I felt like Gemma and Owen weren't well developed unlike Ally and Todd. I also felt like the book was a bit muddled at the end and the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, there's no real consensus on what happened to the kids in the aftermath. The book just kind of ends and it's very disappointing considering that the reader was on this journey with these kids for so long.
Verdict: It was good except for that cliffhanger.
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Year I Stopped Trying
Author: Katie Heaney
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: F/f romance, Lesbian MC
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, LGBTQIA+
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: November 16, 2021
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 256
Recommended Age: 14+ (masturbation discussed, sexual content, romance, coming out, slight language)
Explanation of CWs: Masturbation and sexual content is discussed. There is a sapphic romance. Coming out is shown and there is some curse words.
Synopsis: Mary is having an existential crisis. She's a good student, she never gets in trouble, and she is searching for the meaning of life. She always thought she'd find it in a perfect score on the SATs. But by junior year, Mary isn't so sure anymore.
The first time, it's an accident. She forgets to do a history assignment. She even crosses history essay off in her pristine planner. And then: Nothing happens. She doesn't burst into flames, the world doesn't end, the teacher doesn't even pull her aside after class.
So she asks herself: Why am I trying so hard? What if I stop?
With her signature wit and heaps of dark humor, Katie Heaney delivers a stunning YA novel the sprints full-force into the big questions our teen years beg--and adeptly unravels their web.
Review: I really liked this book. It read like a Judy Blume book and it was so sweet. The book not only goes into mental health and how hard school is on teens, but also goes into discourse over society's pressure to be perfect in school, do everything you're told to do, turn in every assignment, and even into compulsory heterosexuality. The book makes a lot of good points about school, some of which I wished more kids knew. When I was in my sophomore year I discovered that I could get away with 1-3 missing assignments and still have an A in the class, which was a small relief for me during high school to be able to know if I had an off day I could just skip the homework. A lot of teachers overpressure kids to do everything in classes, for example extra credit even if they're earning above 100%, and I hope that kids read books like this and realize that it's ok to take time you need. Personally I believe that kids should have mental health days/PTO like days from school like how you get when you're an adult at most jobs. I also loved the sex positive nature of the book and how the main character questions their sexuality in a relatable way. The character development was amazing as well.
The only issues I had with the book is that the world didn't feel that well developed and I felt like the plot kind of died a bit in the end of the book. It was just drug out and didn't move like the rest of the book did.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: The Year I Stopped Trying
Author: Katie Heaney
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: F/f romance, Lesbian MC
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, LGBTQIA+
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication Date: November 16, 2021
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages: 256
Recommended Age: 14+ (masturbation discussed, sexual content, romance, coming out, slight language)
Explanation of CWs: Masturbation and sexual content is discussed. There is a sapphic romance. Coming out is shown and there is some curse words.
Synopsis: Mary is having an existential crisis. She's a good student, she never gets in trouble, and she is searching for the meaning of life. She always thought she'd find it in a perfect score on the SATs. But by junior year, Mary isn't so sure anymore.
The first time, it's an accident. She forgets to do a history assignment. She even crosses history essay off in her pristine planner. And then: Nothing happens. She doesn't burst into flames, the world doesn't end, the teacher doesn't even pull her aside after class.
So she asks herself: Why am I trying so hard? What if I stop?
With her signature wit and heaps of dark humor, Katie Heaney delivers a stunning YA novel the sprints full-force into the big questions our teen years beg--and adeptly unravels their web.
Review: I really liked this book. It read like a Judy Blume book and it was so sweet. The book not only goes into mental health and how hard school is on teens, but also goes into discourse over society's pressure to be perfect in school, do everything you're told to do, turn in every assignment, and even into compulsory heterosexuality. The book makes a lot of good points about school, some of which I wished more kids knew. When I was in my sophomore year I discovered that I could get away with 1-3 missing assignments and still have an A in the class, which was a small relief for me during high school to be able to know if I had an off day I could just skip the homework. A lot of teachers overpressure kids to do everything in classes, for example extra credit even if they're earning above 100%, and I hope that kids read books like this and realize that it's ok to take time you need. Personally I believe that kids should have mental health days/PTO like days from school like how you get when you're an adult at most jobs. I also loved the sex positive nature of the book and how the main character questions their sexuality in a relatable way. The character development was amazing as well.
The only issues I had with the book is that the world didn't feel that well developed and I felt like the plot kind of died a bit in the end of the book. It was just drug out and didn't move like the rest of the book did.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
medium-paced
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Passport
Author: Sophia Glock
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Bisexual mc
Latinx side characters
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Young adult readers, biography, graphic novel
Genre: YA Biography Graphic Novel
Publication Date: November 30, 2021
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (Sexual harassment, Rape mentioned, Being Outed, Kidnapping mentioned, Bullying, Drug use mentioned, Death mentioned, Gore mentioned, Suicide
mentioned, Sex mentioned, Alcohol consumption by minors, Language, Romance, Child abuse mentioned, Pedophilia hinted at, Sexual assualt)
Explanation of CWs: There is sexual harassment and sexual assault in the book. Rape and kidnapping are mentioned, with rape and/or consent being discussed about 3 times. There are two instances of the main character being outed. Bullying is shown. Drug use is mentioned a handful of times. Death is mentioned and a dead body is shown in a casket at a funeral. Gore is mentioned and suicide is discussed. Sex is mentioned and alcohol consumption is shown. While the age of consent is 18 where the MC is, I don't believe she herself is 18. There are a couple of curse words. Child abuse is mentioned and there is one instance where a character says a bartender caters to her because he likes little girls and both are very young, if not minor, children. There is also some romance scenes shown.
Synopsis: Young Sophia has lived in so many different countries, she can barely keep count. Stationed now with her family in Central America because of her parents' work, Sophia feels displaced as an American living abroad, when she has hardly spent any of her life in America.
Everything changes when she reads a letter she was never meant to see and uncovers her parents' secret. They are not who they say they are. They are working for the CIA. As Sophia tries to make sense of this news, and the web of lies surrounding her, she begins to question everything. The impact that this has on Sophia's emerging sense of self and understanding of the world makes for a page-turning exploration of lies and double lives.
In the hands of this extraordinary graphic storyteller, this astonishing true story bursts to life.
Review: I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I didn't expect the graphic novel to go where it went, but it was a really fun read that focused a lot on the teenage trials and tribulations outside of having parents that are spies LOL. I also appreciate that the book talked about colonization and poverty in Central America. I also liked that the book touched on activism and consent. The character development was really well done and I absolutely love the illustrations. I also thought The world building was fairly well done and the story is well written.
My only issue with the book is that from the synopsis it sounds like the story is going to go one way I e with our main character finding out that her parents are spiced and having to deal with that, but that was barely a blip on this teenagers radar in the book. The book mainly focused on this teenage girl figuring out life and her parents being spies was in a side to it. I really hope that there is a sequel because I really enjoyed the story overall, but I would like to see more of an emphasis on having to maintain the secret in living this lifestyle.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: Passport
Author: Sophia Glock
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Bisexual mc
Latinx side characters
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Young adult readers, biography, graphic novel
Genre: YA Biography Graphic Novel
Publication Date: November 30, 2021
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Recommended Age: 16+ (Sexual harassment, Rape mentioned, Being Outed, Kidnapping mentioned, Bullying, Drug use mentioned, Death mentioned, Gore mentioned, Suicide
mentioned, Sex mentioned, Alcohol consumption by minors, Language, Romance, Child abuse mentioned, Pedophilia hinted at, Sexual assualt)
Explanation of CWs: There is sexual harassment and sexual assault in the book. Rape and kidnapping are mentioned, with rape and/or consent being discussed about 3 times. There are two instances of the main character being outed. Bullying is shown. Drug use is mentioned a handful of times. Death is mentioned and a dead body is shown in a casket at a funeral. Gore is mentioned and suicide is discussed. Sex is mentioned and alcohol consumption is shown. While the age of consent is 18 where the MC is, I don't believe she herself is 18. There are a couple of curse words. Child abuse is mentioned and there is one instance where a character says a bartender caters to her because he likes little girls and both are very young, if not minor, children. There is also some romance scenes shown.
Synopsis: Young Sophia has lived in so many different countries, she can barely keep count. Stationed now with her family in Central America because of her parents' work, Sophia feels displaced as an American living abroad, when she has hardly spent any of her life in America.
Everything changes when she reads a letter she was never meant to see and uncovers her parents' secret. They are not who they say they are. They are working for the CIA. As Sophia tries to make sense of this news, and the web of lies surrounding her, she begins to question everything. The impact that this has on Sophia's emerging sense of self and understanding of the world makes for a page-turning exploration of lies and double lives.
In the hands of this extraordinary graphic storyteller, this astonishing true story bursts to life.
Review: I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I didn't expect the graphic novel to go where it went, but it was a really fun read that focused a lot on the teenage trials and tribulations outside of having parents that are spies LOL. I also appreciate that the book talked about colonization and poverty in Central America. I also liked that the book touched on activism and consent. The character development was really well done and I absolutely love the illustrations. I also thought The world building was fairly well done and the story is well written.
My only issue with the book is that from the synopsis it sounds like the story is going to go one way I e with our main character finding out that her parents are spiced and having to deal with that, but that was barely a blip on this teenagers radar in the book. The book mainly focused on this teenage girl figuring out life and her parents being spies was in a side to it. I really hope that there is a sequel because I really enjoyed the story overall, but I would like to see more of an emphasis on having to maintain the secret in living this lifestyle.
Verdict: Highly recommend!
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Art of Running Away
Author: Sabrina Kleckner
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: 1 Japanese British character, m/m romance, queer characters (no specific mention of where they fall in the LGBTQIA+), non-binary side character, enby/f romance
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, LGBTQIA and allies, contemporary
Publication Date: November 16, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 10+ (running away, homophobia, slight language)
Explanation of CWs: Mentions of homophobia. There is one curse word in the book. Running away is shown and mentioned.
Publisher: Jolly Fish Press
Pages: 257
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Maisie is an artist. When she’s in front of her sketchbook or apprenticing at Glenna’s Portraits, the family-run art shop her grandmother started, the world makes sense. She doesn’t think about Calum, her brother who mysteriously left home and cut ties with her family six years ago, or her parents’ insistence that she “broaden her horizons” and try something new—something that isn’t art.
But when Glenna’s Portraits falls on hard times, Maisie’s plan to take over the shop when she’s older and become a lifelong artist starts to crumble. In desperation to make things right, Maisie runs away to London to reconnect with her adult brother, hoping he might be the key to saving the shop. But as Maisie learns about her family’s past from Calum, she starts to rethink everything she’s ever known. Maisie must decide not only if saving her family’s art shop is worth it, but if she can forgive her parents for the mistakes they've made.
Review: I thought this was a well done book! I loved the story and how well written it was. I loved the messaged about how to be a good ally (one I think a lot of people need to read). I also loved how the author kept the book modern and showed how different 6 years is. Today it feels like it’s much more accepting to be out, but when I was in school and even a few short years ago it was not like this. I also loved the character development and the world building.
The only issue I really had with the book is that there were some events that I felt like a middle grade aged child wouldn’t know, like how to hop countries without being caught.
Verdict: It was great!
Book: The Art of Running Away
Author: Sabrina Kleckner
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: 1 Japanese British character, m/m romance, queer characters (no specific mention of where they fall in the LGBTQIA+), non-binary side character, enby/f romance
Recommended For...: middle grade readers, LGBTQIA and allies, contemporary
Publication Date: November 16, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary
Recommended Age: 10+ (running away, homophobia, slight language)
Explanation of CWs: Mentions of homophobia. There is one curse word in the book. Running away is shown and mentioned.
Publisher: Jolly Fish Press
Pages: 257
Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Maisie is an artist. When she’s in front of her sketchbook or apprenticing at Glenna’s Portraits, the family-run art shop her grandmother started, the world makes sense. She doesn’t think about Calum, her brother who mysteriously left home and cut ties with her family six years ago, or her parents’ insistence that she “broaden her horizons” and try something new—something that isn’t art.
But when Glenna’s Portraits falls on hard times, Maisie’s plan to take over the shop when she’s older and become a lifelong artist starts to crumble. In desperation to make things right, Maisie runs away to London to reconnect with her adult brother, hoping he might be the key to saving the shop. But as Maisie learns about her family’s past from Calum, she starts to rethink everything she’s ever known. Maisie must decide not only if saving her family’s art shop is worth it, but if she can forgive her parents for the mistakes they've made.
Review: I thought this was a well done book! I loved the story and how well written it was. I loved the messaged about how to be a good ally (one I think a lot of people need to read). I also loved how the author kept the book modern and showed how different 6 years is. Today it feels like it’s much more accepting to be out, but when I was in school and even a few short years ago it was not like this. I also loved the character development and the world building.
The only issue I really had with the book is that there were some events that I felt like a middle grade aged child wouldn’t know, like how to hop countries without being caught.
Verdict: It was great!
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
Disclaimer: I received this e-book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: A Measure of Serenity
Author: Bryan K. Prosek
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Nuerodivergent MC
Recommended For...: young adult readers, dystopian, sci-fi, alternate world
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Dystopian
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, gore, war, language)
Explanation of CWs: There is some violence and slight gore. There are also some graphic depictions of war. There is also slight cursing.
Publisher: CamCat Books
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Eighteen-year-old Serenity Ashdown has a brilliant mind: she counts, calculates, and analyzes everything, even when she doesn’t want to. Her memory is also far beyond photographic, surpassing her physicist father’s abilities. But her world was otherwise normal right up until dimension-hopping enemies forced her into a parallel reality. The feds she meets on the other side claim to want to help her go home. All she has to do is use her memory to reconstruct the right sequence of codes. But it’s soon clear they want something more: a gateway for invasion, because this version of Earth is dying.
Serenity can’t risk returning home with a deadly force behind her, but the feds aren’t about to let her escape. Then she learns that the “other Serenity,” her alter-ego in this dimension, was a resistance leader recently betrayed and killed. She has a chance to assume her alter-ego’s identity and use her unique ability to lead the resistance in their fight against the tyrannical super-government that is poised to invade her universe. Serenity has no idea how to be someone she’s not, but she has to try—or she may not even have a home to return to.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. The premise of it is amazing and it reminded me a lot of Down World, which is fine with me because I like alternate/parallel universe reads. The book had amazingly well done character development and the world building was out of the world (hehe). The book was also well plotted and I loved how well the dystopian world was done.
The only issues I really had with the book is that the narration style is a bit weird and takes a second to get into it. The book is also predictable and the story dips a bit in the middle.
Verdict: It was good!
Book: A Measure of Serenity
Author: Bryan K. Prosek
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Nuerodivergent MC
Recommended For...: young adult readers, dystopian, sci-fi, alternate world
Publication Date: July 20, 2021
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Dystopian
Recommended Age: 14+ (violence, gore, war, language)
Explanation of CWs: There is some violence and slight gore. There are also some graphic depictions of war. There is also slight cursing.
Publisher: CamCat Books
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Eighteen-year-old Serenity Ashdown has a brilliant mind: she counts, calculates, and analyzes everything, even when she doesn’t want to. Her memory is also far beyond photographic, surpassing her physicist father’s abilities. But her world was otherwise normal right up until dimension-hopping enemies forced her into a parallel reality. The feds she meets on the other side claim to want to help her go home. All she has to do is use her memory to reconstruct the right sequence of codes. But it’s soon clear they want something more: a gateway for invasion, because this version of Earth is dying.
Serenity can’t risk returning home with a deadly force behind her, but the feds aren’t about to let her escape. Then she learns that the “other Serenity,” her alter-ego in this dimension, was a resistance leader recently betrayed and killed. She has a chance to assume her alter-ego’s identity and use her unique ability to lead the resistance in their fight against the tyrannical super-government that is poised to invade her universe. Serenity has no idea how to be someone she’s not, but she has to try—or she may not even have a home to return to.
Review: For the most part I really liked this book. The premise of it is amazing and it reminded me a lot of Down World, which is fine with me because I like alternate/parallel universe reads. The book had amazingly well done character development and the world building was out of the world (hehe). The book was also well plotted and I loved how well the dystopian world was done.
The only issues I really had with the book is that the narration style is a bit weird and takes a second to get into it. The book is also predictable and the story dips a bit in the middle.
Verdict: It was good!
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
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: Sway With Me
Author: Syed M. Masood
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Desi Anxiety rep MC who lives with great grandpa and is previously homeschooled. Blended family is shown in a main side character. Most of the main characters in the book are Desi.
Recommended For...: young adult readers, romance, contemporary, dance, alternative and blended family
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (Sexual innuendos, Language, Arranged marriage, Sexual content, Child abuse, Religion, Religious abuse)
Explanation of CWs: There are sexual innuendos throughout the book. There is some cursing in the book. Arranged marriage is discussed and is a preferred choice by the MC. Slight sexual content is mentioned in the book. Child abuse is discussed and mentioned. A variety of different religions including Muslim, Christianity, etc. is mentioned several times. There is also allusions to religious abuse.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Arsalan has learned everything he knows from Nana, his 100-year-old great-grandfather. This includes the fact that when Nana dies, Arsalan will be completely alone in the world, except for his estranged and abusive father. So he turns to Beenish, the step-daughter of a prominent matchmaker, to find him a future life partner. Beenish’s request in return? That Arsalan help her ruin her older sister’s wedding with a spectacular dance she’s been forbidden to perform.
Despite knowing as little about dancing as he does about girls, Arsalan wades into Beenish’s chaotic world to discover friends and family he never expected. And though Arsalan’s old-school manners and Beenish’s take-no-prisoners attitude clash every minute, they find themselves getting closer and closer—literally. All that’s left to realize is that the thing they both really want is each other, if only they can get in step.
Review: For the most part I liked the book. I thought it was an okay read, the characters were well developed and I really liked Beans. I thought the world building was well done as well and the pacing was on point. I also liked the storyline and I really felt for our MC.
However, there were some issues I had with the book. The book contains a lot of literature references, a ton of them to older books, and a lot of them went over my head and I would assume some of them would go over a lot of younger readers’ heads as well. However, there was a very awkward self insert of the author’s first book and how much a main side character liked it and it really put me off of this book at that point considering I had some issues with that other book as well. The MC, however much I liked him, felt really stiff and I don’t see him as one that is really likeable until about the last 1/3 of the book. Finally, but most important, I also saw that there was a lot of shame and hostility towards the Muslim religion. There was some towards Christianity, but I noticed it a lot more towards Muslim. It read like there was some shame in the Muslim religion and, when I read some of the ownvoice reviewers on Goodreads, they had similar sentiments and it’s a huge concern of theirs regarding this book. I’m not advocating that this book is necessarily bad, but I do think that ownvoice reviewers should be heard on this issue especially considering this book is marketed towards them.
Verdict: It was ok.
Book: Sway With Me
Author: Syed M. Masood
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Diversity: Desi Anxiety rep MC who lives with great grandpa and is previously homeschooled. Blended family is shown in a main side character. Most of the main characters in the book are Desi.
Recommended For...: young adult readers, romance, contemporary, dance, alternative and blended family
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Recommended Age: 15+ (Sexual innuendos, Language, Arranged marriage, Sexual content, Child abuse, Religion, Religious abuse)
Explanation of CWs: There are sexual innuendos throughout the book. There is some cursing in the book. Arranged marriage is discussed and is a preferred choice by the MC. Slight sexual content is mentioned in the book. Child abuse is discussed and mentioned. A variety of different religions including Muslim, Christianity, etc. is mentioned several times. There is also allusions to religious abuse.
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 320
Synopsis: Arsalan has learned everything he knows from Nana, his 100-year-old great-grandfather. This includes the fact that when Nana dies, Arsalan will be completely alone in the world, except for his estranged and abusive father. So he turns to Beenish, the step-daughter of a prominent matchmaker, to find him a future life partner. Beenish’s request in return? That Arsalan help her ruin her older sister’s wedding with a spectacular dance she’s been forbidden to perform.
Despite knowing as little about dancing as he does about girls, Arsalan wades into Beenish’s chaotic world to discover friends and family he never expected. And though Arsalan’s old-school manners and Beenish’s take-no-prisoners attitude clash every minute, they find themselves getting closer and closer—literally. All that’s left to realize is that the thing they both really want is each other, if only they can get in step.
Review: For the most part I liked the book. I thought it was an okay read, the characters were well developed and I really liked Beans. I thought the world building was well done as well and the pacing was on point. I also liked the storyline and I really felt for our MC.
However, there were some issues I had with the book. The book contains a lot of literature references, a ton of them to older books, and a lot of them went over my head and I would assume some of them would go over a lot of younger readers’ heads as well. However, there was a very awkward self insert of the author’s first book and how much a main side character liked it and it really put me off of this book at that point considering I had some issues with that other book as well. The MC, however much I liked him, felt really stiff and I don’t see him as one that is really likeable until about the last 1/3 of the book. Finally, but most important, I also saw that there was a lot of shame and hostility towards the Muslim religion. There was some towards Christianity, but I noticed it a lot more towards Muslim. It read like there was some shame in the Muslim religion and, when I read some of the ownvoice reviewers on Goodreads, they had similar sentiments and it’s a huge concern of theirs regarding this book. I’m not advocating that this book is necessarily bad, but I do think that ownvoice reviewers should be heard on this issue especially considering this book is marketed towards them.
Verdict: It was ok.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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:
Complicated
Disclaimer: I received this finished copy and an e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Himiwari House
Author: Harmony Becker
Book Series: Standalone for now
Diversity: Half Japanese MC
Japanese side characters
Korean MC
Singaporean MC
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Young adult readers, contemporary, romance, graphic novel
Genre: YA Contemporary Graphic Novel
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Publisher: First Second
Pages: 374
Recommended Age: 13+ (Underage consumption of alcohol, Parental abandonment, Language, Romance, Sexual content)
Explanation of CWs: Implied and very little sexual content shown. Parental abandonment shown and mentioned. Alcohol usage shown by at least one minor (in USA terms, Nao is 18) and some alcohol consumption is shown by adults. There is some romance in this book, it's a misunderstanding trope.
Synopsis: Living in a new country is no walk in the park―Nao, Hyejung, and Tina can all attest to that. The three of them became fast friends through living together in the Himawari House in Tokyo and attending the same Japanese cram school. Nao came to Japan to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, while Hyejung and Tina came to find freedom and their own paths. Though each of them has her own motivations and challanges, they all deal with language barriers, being a fish out of water, self discovery, love, and family.
Review: This was such a gorgeous and amazing read! I fell in love instantly with the characters and I loved how well developed they were. I also loved how authentic their words were and while Western media has long made fun of people who have accents and mispronounce words occasionally, I felt like this gave people learning new languages and/or those who aren't native speakers to a language a safe space to be in. I also loved the conversations the book had about cultural assimilation and fitting into a culture that you're from, but haven't been apart of or had any contact with in awhile. The book was also gorgeously illustrated and I'm dying for more stories of this world.
My only tiny issue with the book is that I was a little lost in the beginning but it works very well for this book as we're just as lost as Naochan. It also felt a little weird with most of the different chapters being time skips and some not.
Verdict: It was amazing and I highly recommend it.
Book: Himiwari House
Author: Harmony Becker
Book Series: Standalone for now
Diversity: Half Japanese MC
Japanese side characters
Korean MC
Singaporean MC
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: Young adult readers, contemporary, romance, graphic novel
Genre: YA Contemporary Graphic Novel
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Publisher: First Second
Pages: 374
Recommended Age: 13+ (Underage consumption of alcohol, Parental abandonment, Language, Romance, Sexual content)
Explanation of CWs: Implied and very little sexual content shown. Parental abandonment shown and mentioned. Alcohol usage shown by at least one minor (in USA terms, Nao is 18) and some alcohol consumption is shown by adults. There is some romance in this book, it's a misunderstanding trope.
Synopsis: Living in a new country is no walk in the park―Nao, Hyejung, and Tina can all attest to that. The three of them became fast friends through living together in the Himawari House in Tokyo and attending the same Japanese cram school. Nao came to Japan to reconnect with her Japanese heritage, while Hyejung and Tina came to find freedom and their own paths. Though each of them has her own motivations and challanges, they all deal with language barriers, being a fish out of water, self discovery, love, and family.
Review: This was such a gorgeous and amazing read! I fell in love instantly with the characters and I loved how well developed they were. I also loved how authentic their words were and while Western media has long made fun of people who have accents and mispronounce words occasionally, I felt like this gave people learning new languages and/or those who aren't native speakers to a language a safe space to be in. I also loved the conversations the book had about cultural assimilation and fitting into a culture that you're from, but haven't been apart of or had any contact with in awhile. The book was also gorgeously illustrated and I'm dying for more stories of this world.
My only tiny issue with the book is that I was a little lost in the beginning but it works very well for this book as we're just as lost as Naochan. It also felt a little weird with most of the different chapters being time skips and some not.
Verdict: It was amazing and I highly recommend it.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
Disclaimer: I bought this finished copy but I did originally have an e-arc of it and this is my first reread. Thanks! Support your authors! All opinions are my own.
Book: Skin of the Sea
Author: Natasha Bowen
Book Series: Skin of the Sea Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Black MC and characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, mythology, mermaids, fantasy, slight Little Mermaid references
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
Age Relevance: 15+ (violence, death, gore, slavery, suicide, animal death)
Explanation of Above: There is violence mentioned and shown as well as death. There is some gore involving blood shown. Slavery is mentioned and shown in the book and there is a theme of the mermaids being created from people who were thrown overboard slavery ships and it plays an important plot point in the story. There is an attempted suicide shown in the book. There is animal death with a cow mentioned.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 303
Synopsis: Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata--a mermaid--collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.
But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi goes against an ancient decree and does the unthinkable--she saves his life. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy the gods.
To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There's the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail . . .
Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she fails, she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.
Review: I loved this book so much! I love the magical-ness of this book and how action packed it is for being so short. The pacing doesn’t feel weird and I love how original of a mermaid tale it is but that it keeps some of the callbacks to Hans Christian Anderson’s Little Mermaid tale. The book includes CWs in the front of it which I very much appreciate. The character development and the world building was also well done and I loved the magic system in this one.
The only issue I had with the book is that the flowery language of it kinda messed with my head. I wished it didn’t have as much fluff and was a bit more straight forward, but it was good regardless.
Verdict: It’s so good! Highly recommend!
**Previous Review:
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Skin of the Sea
Author: Natasha Brown
Book Series: Skin of the Sea Book 1
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Black MC and side characters
Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, mythology
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, enslavement, death, suicide TW)
Explanation of CWs: There is violence and gore in this book. The book talks a lot about Black people being enslaved and shows the act. There is lots of death and the main character’s role centers around death. There is a suicide attempt shown.
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 336
Synopsis: A way to survive.
A way to serve.
A way to save.
Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata--a mermaid--collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.
But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable--she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it.
To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But something is amiss. There's the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . .
Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn't, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.
A way to serve.
A way to save.
Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata--a mermaid--collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.
But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable--she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it.
To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But something is amiss. There's the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . .
Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn't, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.
Review: I really liked this book overall. The book is very lyrical and so well written. It’s the type of book you can get lost in, as it has amazing world building and character development. The book is also full of culture and mythology and history and they all blend together in this beautiful work. I also love that the author put a content warning at the beginning of the book.
However, I did feel like the book was slow paced and that there was a lot of time spent going to places in the book rather than actions at the places. The book has a lot of travel and travel sequences and if you’re here for the journey of a story, then this is a great book for you. However, if you’re looking for the action, this one is a little lacking. I also sometimes had issues following along to what was going on because the words were too poetic that I felt drowned by them.
Verdict: It’s a great book, just a little not for me.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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 Reckless Kind
Author: Carly Heath
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: HOH Asexual MC, Disabled MC with depression, Anxiety side character, m/m romance, queerplatonic triad
Recommended For...: young adult readers, LGBTQIA+, historical fiction
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 15+ (forced marriage, classism, homophobia, child abuse TW, violence, slight gore, suicidal ideation, parent death, grief, sexual content, romance)
Explanation of CWs: An MC is in a forced arraignment with another and is almost married off to them. There is classism that is discussed and shown, as well as homophobia. Child abuse is shown. There is some violence and slight gore. There is suicidal ideation at one moment. Parent death is shown in the book. The book is sex-positive. There is some romance.
Publisher: Soho Teen
Pages: 336
Synopsis: It's Norway 1904, and Asta Hedstrom doesn't want to marry her odious betrothed, Nils—even though a domestic future is all her mother believes she's suited for, on account of her single-sided deafness, unconventional appearance, and even stranger notions. Asta would rather spend her life performing in the village theater with her friends and fellow outcasts: her best friend Gunnar Fuglestad and his secret boyfriend, wealthy Erlend Fournier.
But the situation takes a dire turn when Nils lashes out in jealousy—gravely injuring Gunnar. Shunning marriage for good, Asta moves with Gunnar and Erlend to their secluded cabin above town. With few ties left with their families, they have one shot at gaining enough kroner to secure their way of life: win the village's annual horse race.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. I loved the message of found family and I absolutely loved all of the diversity in the book. The book was well written and had amazingly well done character development. I loved the world building and the plot kept me reading the book.
However, the book is slow in a lot of parts and it’s hard to read sometimes with the author’s use of old-fashioned words and phrases. It can be read as poetic, but it just made me stumble in my reading.
Verdict: It’s ok, love the rep and want more of it, but it was a struggle to read.
Book: The Reckless Kind
Author: Carly Heath
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: HOH Asexual MC, Disabled MC with depression, Anxiety side character, m/m romance, queerplatonic triad
Recommended For...: young adult readers, LGBTQIA+, historical fiction
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 15+ (forced marriage, classism, homophobia, child abuse TW, violence, slight gore, suicidal ideation, parent death, grief, sexual content, romance)
Explanation of CWs: An MC is in a forced arraignment with another and is almost married off to them. There is classism that is discussed and shown, as well as homophobia. Child abuse is shown. There is some violence and slight gore. There is suicidal ideation at one moment. Parent death is shown in the book. The book is sex-positive. There is some romance.
Publisher: Soho Teen
Pages: 336
Synopsis: It's Norway 1904, and Asta Hedstrom doesn't want to marry her odious betrothed, Nils—even though a domestic future is all her mother believes she's suited for, on account of her single-sided deafness, unconventional appearance, and even stranger notions. Asta would rather spend her life performing in the village theater with her friends and fellow outcasts: her best friend Gunnar Fuglestad and his secret boyfriend, wealthy Erlend Fournier.
But the situation takes a dire turn when Nils lashes out in jealousy—gravely injuring Gunnar. Shunning marriage for good, Asta moves with Gunnar and Erlend to their secluded cabin above town. With few ties left with their families, they have one shot at gaining enough kroner to secure their way of life: win the village's annual horse race.
Review: For the most part this was a good book. I loved the message of found family and I absolutely loved all of the diversity in the book. The book was well written and had amazingly well done character development. I loved the world building and the plot kept me reading the book.
However, the book is slow in a lot of parts and it’s hard to read sometimes with the author’s use of old-fashioned words and phrases. It can be read as poetic, but it just made me stumble in my reading.
Verdict: It’s ok, love the rep and want more of it, but it was a struggle to read.