Review: The Death Cure (#3) by James Dashner

On October 7, 2021October 4, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

The trials are over. WICKED is planning to restore the survivors’ memories and complete the final cure for the Flare.
But Thomas has already remembered more than they think. And he knows WICKED can’t be trusted.
The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine. Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

It’s been almost ten years since this book came out and I finally finished this book and the original trilogy! It’s taken me long enough.

I have to say, this series has been gradually getting worse with each book if I’m honest. I actually liked the first one a lot more than I expected, The Scorch Trials was a little bit of a disappointment, and this one was definitely my least favourite one.

Minho looked at Thomas, a serious expression on his face. “If I don’t see you on the other side,”

I just felt like the author didn’t know where to go with this book. Having read other reviews, there is definitely a lot more that could have been done and a lot of other places this book could have gone. In reality, I could have summed up this book in a couple of sentences. It felt a little all over the place and I never felt much connection to the characters. Considering how emotional this book should have been, I just kind of didn’t….care, or really relate to the characters at all.

However, I must say this was once again super easy to read and the writing was compelling enough for me to get through this in just a couple of days. Each one of these books has only taken me a couple of days to get through each time and I’m so glad I’ve finally finished the first three. I will be reading one of the prequels, The Kill Order because I own it, but I won’t be picking up The Fever Code I don’t think!

he said in a sappy voice, “remember that I love you.

Overall, this one was okay and I wouldn’t say I disliked it as such, but it was definitely the one I’ve been least impressed with while making my way through this series.

★★★
3 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/thebooksareverywhere

Review | Of Curses and Kisses (#1) by Sandhya Menon

On October 5, 2021October 2, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Will the princess save the beast?
For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?
His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…
As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.

I’m so glad I finally picked this up after having it on my TBR for a long time. Thank you to the Magical readathon for needing a book set in a school, as it made me finally be drawn to this one on my shelves! I read this one in a couple of days and I enjoyed it so much. It was such a fun ride and so entertaining.

This one really had Romeo and Juliet vibes and I couldn’t help but be drawn into the drama. We follow a Princess who wants to get revenge on a Lord and decides to try and break his heart, which initially I was a little worried about as I thought this would make me dislike the main character. However, I actually found them both more and more likable as the book went on and couldn’t help but falling for them.

Love? Does love make you feel ill, like you’re being tossed about on a stormy sea?

The plot was a little predictable at times but did leave me guessing and wanting to constantly read on. Even though some of the chapters felt quite long, I still only took a couple of days to read this as I felt like I was constantly being left on a cliffhanger. The writing was also so easy to digest and so easy to get through – I’ve only read a short story from Sandhya Menon before and I already knew I would love the writing.

I loved the mixture of fantasy and contemporary, and it’s something I’ve found out recently that I really love in books. The contemporary feeling made it so easy to read, but the fantasy idea gave a lot more depth to the story and made the plot slightly more unpredictable. It also kind of felt like a classic fairytale, which I actually really enjoyed.

Does it steal your sleep and make you feel like your insides are on fire?

Although this one was a little cliche and predictable at times, I still really enjoyed reading it and it felt a little like a guilty pleasure! I think I might pick up the others in the series at some point.

★★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: This Poison Heart (#1) by Kalynn Bayron

On October 3, 2021October 4, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch.
When Briseis’s aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined–it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri’s unique family lineage.
When strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, asking for tinctures and elixirs, Bri learns she has a surprising talent for creating them. One of the visitors is Marie, a mysterious young woman who Bri befriends, only to find that Marie is keeping dark secrets about the history of the estate and its surrounding community. There is more to Bri’s sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it . . . until a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family.

I love that this is a retelling of The Secret Garden, and it was done so damn well. I read Cinderella is Dead by the same author earlier this year and I really enjoyed it, and I knew I wanted to pick this one up. Trust me, it didn’t disappoint! This was such a clever and modern twist on the original story, and I loved the way it reflected the original book while bringing something so fresh and interesting.

Briseis was such a great main character and I loved her a lot. She spends this book struggling with her own power, learning about herself and those around her. She also has an amazing support network in her parents, and I loved their sapphic relationship! It was so wholesome and felt so real, and I just fell in love with their family dynamic.

The people we love are never really gone from us,” Mom said. “Try to remember that. I know it’s hard.

The house itself felt like a true reflection of the manor in The Secret Garden and I could picture it so well. It was perfectly creepy but also beautiful, and I loved how it bought out Briseis’ power. I loved how visual Bayron’s writing was, and it made picturing the entire story so easy. I chose this book for my bookoplathon TBR for the prompt gods/myths/legends, as it was steeped in Greek mythology, but in a way I found so much more accessible than some other books I’ve read recently

The plot was so compelling and I honestly found it hard to put this book down. It was so easy to read and the plot was changing all the time. Especially towards the end, we had so many unpredictable plot twists that made it so hard to stop reading!

It feels like the whole world should just stop spinnin’, but it doesn’t. And we’ve gotta find a way to pick up the pieces.

Overall, I really loved this book and I feel like it’s one I will remember for a while to come. If you’re a fan of The Secret Garden but want something with a twist, this is perfect!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Stacking the Shelves #57

On October 2, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Stacking the ShelvesLeave a comment

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!

Hi all! I’ve bought a lot of books in the past week and also had some very exciting preorders come through. Let’s see what I picked up.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Meet the Wild Ones: girls who have been hurt, abandoned, and betrayed all their lives. It all began with Paheli, who was once betrayed by her mother and sold to a man in exchange for a favor. When Paheli escapes, she runs headlong into a boy with stars in his eyes. This boy, as battered as she is, tosses Paheli a box of stars before disappearing.
With the stars, Paheli gains access to the Between, a place of pure magic and mystery. Now, Paheli collects girls like herself and these Wild Ones use their magic to travel the world, helping the hopeless and saving others from the fates they suffered.
Then Paheli and the Wild Ones learn that the boy who gave them the stars, Taraana, is in danger. He’s on the run from powerful forces within the world of magic. But if Taraana is no longer safe and free, neither are the Wild Ones. And that…is a fate the Wild Ones refuse to accept. Ever again.

In my trip to London last weekend, I spotted this gorgeous cover and became intrigued by the synopsis too. I couldn’t resist!

Goodreads | Waterstones

Henri “Halti” Haltiwanger can charm just about anyone. He is a star debater and popular student at the prestigious FATE academy, the dutiful first-generation Haitian son, and the trusted dog walker for his wealthy New York City neighbors. But his easy smiles mask a burning ambition to attend his dream college, Columbia University.
There is only one person who seems immune to Henri’s charms: his “intense” classmate and neighbor Corinne Troy. When she uncovers Henri’s less-than-honest dog-walking scheme, she blackmails him into helping her change her image at school. Henri agrees, seeing a potential upside for himself.
Soon what started as a mutual hustle turns into something more surprising than either of them ever bargained for. . . .

This one has been on my want-to-buy list for so long, so I had to pick it up when I saw it!

Goodreads | Waterstones

Don’t you just love the smell of old books in the morning?
Madeline Moore does. Books & Moore, the musty bookstore her family has owned for generations, is where she feels most herself. Nothing is going to stop her from coming back after college to take over the store from her beloved aunt.
Nothing, that is—until a chain bookstore called Prologue opens across the street and threatens to shut them down.
Madeline sets out to demolish the competition, but Jasper, the guy who works over at Prologue, seems intent on ruining her life. Not only is he taking her customers, he has the unbelievable audacity to be… extremely cute.
But that doesn’t matter. Jasper is the enemy and he will be destroyed. After all—all’s fair in love and (book) wars.

This one sounds so good and I’ve been seeing it around for a while. I can’t wait to read it!

Goodreads | Waterstones

My Fairyloot edition of Gods and Monsters finally came through this week and I was am so excited to have this series complete. I’m hoping to pick it up soon!

Goodreads | Waterstones

Goodreads | Waterstones

I also finally picked up the other two books in this series in anticipation for a readalong of these books I’m hosting with Alex on YouTube this month! Here’s our announcement video if you’re interested.

Goodreads | Waterstones

For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes more erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.
In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It’s wild and volatile, and the price of her magic―losing the ones she loves―is too high, despite the need to control the increasingly dangerous weather.
In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she’s the only one who can make a difference.
In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she’s terrified Sang will be the next one she loses.
In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty and the people she loves… before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

I’ve been hearing mixed things about this one but I have actually given into the hype and picked up a second hand copy of this as it sounds really interesting.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Evangeline Fox was raised in her beloved father’s curiosity shop, where she grew up on legends about immortals, like the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him rarely end well.
But when Evangeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she becomes desperate enough to offer the Prince of Hearts whatever he wants in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. The prince only asks for three kisses. But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’s pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…

Two of my copies of Once Upon a Broken Heart came through this week! They’re both so beautiful.

I was also lucky enough to receive a proof of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue which I recently traded for and I am so happy to have! I was also sent a stunning proof of Twin Crowns by Harper, which I am so excited for. Thank you Harper!

Which books did you buy or receive this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

ARC Review: Once Upon a Broken Heart (#1) by Stephanie Garber

On September 26, 2021September 25, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Pre-order on Waterstones

Thank you so much to Hodder for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Caraval remains to be one of my favourite books, but sadly Legendary and Finale didn’t quite meet my the same 5 star rating. Which meant I was all the more curious when it came to Once Upon a Broken Heart. Would it have the same magic as Caraval did the first time I read it, or would it feel lacking like the rest of the series?

I have to say, this one didn’t let me down. Following a new point of view of Evangeline worked really well, and this one felt so different to the world of Caraval. Even though the world did feel familiar, it only made the whole reading experience reminiscent of being wrapped in a warm blanket. Stephanie Garber has used the story of the fates from Finale and expanded on a completely different side of it, which felt so clever and I really enjoyed reading it.

I really liked Evangeline as a main character and it was interesting to see a different relationship between two sisters, much like Scarlett and Donatella in the Caraval trilogy. We definitely glimpse some of the magic I felt with the original books, and it shone through in the location and my personal favourite parts – the animals and food. I always feel like food makes me feel so grounded in a story, and this one was no different.

I felt so enveloped in this story and struggled to put it down. Stephanie Garber has a knack of keeping the reader completely on their toes, and I read this over 2 days because it was so easy to read and absorbing! I’m so excited to be part of this new story and it definitely didn’t disappoint.

Just a note to say although this story is a brand new series, I would recommend reading Caraval first. You certainly don’t have to and there is only minor spoilers for the original trilogy, but I would still say you’ll get more enjoyment out of the book by reading it after the Caraval trilogy.

★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Stacking the Shelves #56

On September 25, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Stacking the Shelves2 Comments

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga where we share books we’ve bought or received this week. Find out more and join in here!

It’s been a couple of weeks since I last posted a book haul, but I’ve bought and received even more than I thought I had – oops.

Bought

Goodreads | Waterstones

Julia has followed her mum and dad to live on a remote island for the summer – her dad, for work; her mother, on a determined mission to find the elusive Greenland shark. But when her mother’s obsession threatens to submerge them all, Julia finds herself on an adventure with dark depths and a lighthouse full of hope…

I couldn’t help but pick this one up as soon as it came out – this husband and wife team have created such a beautiful book and I managed to grab a signed edition!

Goodreads | Waterstones

He expected nothing. But they gave him everything . . .
Linus Baker leads a quiet life. At forty, he has a tiny house with a devious cat and his beloved records for company. And at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he’s spent many dull years monitoring their orphanages.
Then one day, Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management and given a highly classified assignment. He must travel to an orphanage where six dangerous children reside, including the Antichrist. There, Linus must somehow determine if they could bring on the end of days. But their guardian, charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, will do anything to protect his wards. As Arthur and Linus grow ever closer, Linus must choose between duty and his dreams.

I also bought the beautiful Waterstones exclusive paperback of my favourite book of the year so far. It has yellow sprayed edges and I love it!

Goodreads | Waterstones

Piranesi’s house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house.
There is one other person in the house—a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.

I also picked this one up because of wanting this beautiful edition with purple sprayed edges – I’ve been meaning to pick this up for a while and I couldn’t resist.

Goodreads | Waterstones

In the world of Divergent, society is divided into five factions – Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful) and Erudite (the intelligent). Every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. Beatrice Prior must choose between staying with her family and being who she really is. Her choice shocks everyone – including herself.
During the initiation that follows, Tris and her fellow initiates undergo extreme tests with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them, Tris must determine who her friends really are – and whether she can trust the man who both threatens and protects her.
Because Tris has a deadly secret. And as growing conflict threatens to unravel their seemingly perfect society, this secret might save those she loves … or it might destroy her.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Goodreads | Waterstones

I’ve been meaning to pick up and swap out my editions of Divergent with these 10th anniversary copies since their release, and I finally did it with some money on my Waterstones card as a treat to myself.

Goodreads | Waterstones

After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives—and eventually her own.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Goodreads | Waterstones

I also picked up this beautiful graphic novel series as the hardbacks are slowly going out of print and I wanted a matching hardback set. I’m hoping to get to them in autumn sometime!

Goodreads

A Maiden…
Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.
A Duty…
The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.
A Kingdom…
Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

My beautiful Fairyloot set of From Blood and Ash also arrived and I love it. I haven’t read these yet but I hope I love them.

Gifted

Goodreads | Waterstones

Sold by her mother. Enslaved in Pompeii’s brothel. Determined to survive. Her name is Amara. Welcome to the Wolf Den…
Amara was once a beloved daughter, until her father’s death plunged her family into penury. Now she is a slave in Pompeii’s infamous brothel, owned by a man she despises. Sharp, clever and resourceful, Amara is forced to hide her talents. For as a she-wolf, her only value lies in the desire she can stir in others.
But Amara’s spirit is far from broken.
By day, she walks the streets with her fellow she-wolves, finding comfort in the laughter and dreams they share. For the streets of Pompeii are alive with opportunity. Out here, even the lowest slave can secure a reversal in fortune. Amara has learnt that everything in this city has its price. But how much is her freedom going to cost her?

I finally picked up a copy of this one as it was sent to the bookshop I work at by the publisher. One of my colleagues absolutely adores this book and it’s definitely convinced me to pick it up.

Goodreads | Waterstones

Hannah Ashton wakes up to silence. The entire city around her is empty, except for one other person: Leo Sterling. Leo might be hottest boy ever (and not just because he’s the only one left), but he’s also too charming, too selfish, and too devastating for his own good, let alone Hannah’s.
Stuck with only each other, they explore a world with no parents, no friends, and no school and realize that they can be themselves instead of playing the parts everyone expects of them. Hannah doesn’t have to be just an overachieving, music-box-perfect ballerina, and Leo can be more than a slacker, 80s-glam-metal-obsessed guitarist. Leo is a burst of honesty and fun that draws Hannah out, and Hannah’s got Leo thinking about someone other than himself for the first time.
Together, they search for answers amid crushing isolation, but while their empty world may appear harmless . . . it’s not. Because nothing is quite as it seems, and if Hannah and Leo don’t figure out what’s going on, they might just be torn apart forever.

Scholastic sent me a copy of this one after I requested it – thank you!

Goodreads | Waterstones

Aspiring actor August Greene just landed a coveted spot at the prestigious School of Performing Arts in New York. There’s only one problem: His conservative parents won’t accept that he’s transgender. And to stay with his aunt in the city, August must promise them he won’t transition.
August is convinced he can play the part his parents want while acting cool and confident in the company of his talented new friends.
But who is August when the lights go down? And where will he turn when the roles start hitting a little too close to home?

And I had another beautiful gift in the form of this one from Harper. I’ve read some great books from Harper so far this year and I’m excited for this one too!

Goodreads | Waterstones

There’s nothing Marietta Stelle loves more than ballet, but after Christmas, her dreams will be over as she is obligated to take her place in Edwardian society. While she is chafing against such suffocating traditions, a mysterious man purchases the neighbouring townhouse. Dr Drosselmeier is a charming but calculating figure who wins over the rest of the Stelle family with his enchanting toys and wondrous mechanisms.
When Drosselmeier constructs an elaborate set for Marietta’s final ballet performance, she discovers it carries a magic all of its own. On the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, she is transported to a snowy forest, where she encounters danger at every turn: ice giants, shadow goblins and the shrieking mist all lurk amidst the firs and frozen waterfalls and ice cliffs. After being rescued by the butterscotch-eyed captain of the king’s guard, she is escorted to the frozen sugar palace. At once, Marietta is enchanted by this glittering world of glamorous gowns, gingerbread houses, miniature reindeer and the most delicious confectionary.
But all is not as it seems and Marietta is soon trapped in the sumptuous palace by the sadistic King Gelum, who claims her as his own. She is confined to a gilded prison with his other pets; Dellara, whose words are as sharp as her teeth, and Pirlipata, a princess from another land. Marietta must forge an alliance with the two women to carve a way free from this sugar-coated but treacherous world and back home to follow her dreams. Yet in a hedonistic world brimming with rebellion and a forbidden romance that risks everything, such a path will never be easy.

This one is definitely on the list of one’s I’m most looking forward to in 2021 as I heard so much about it late 2020 when the hardback proofs were released – it’s a nutcracker retelling and I feel very lucky to have received a proof of it.

Which books did you buy or receive this week?

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Jay’s Gay Agenda (#1) by Jason June

On September 24, 2021September 23, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review3 Comments

Goodreads | Waterstones

There’s one thing Jay Collier knows for sure—he’s a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all this friends can’t stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience—his Gay Agenda.
Then, against all odds, Jay’s family moves to Seattle and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he’s found where he truly belongs, where he can flirt with Very Sexy Boys and search for love. But as Jay begins crossing items off his list, he’ll soon be torn between his heart and his hormones, his old friends and his new ones…because after all, life and love don’t always go according to plan.

Do you ever just want to….throw a book against a wall? Because that is exactly how I felt with this one, over and over again. It’s not often I rate a book lower than 3 stars. I either know what to avoid, or I can find some good in it. Sometimes I slip up though, and want to try a book that could go either way. And there is just not enough good in this book for me to actually say I liked it.

Jay is one of the most self-centered and annoying characters I have ever come across in fiction. He repeatedly lies (or at best, emits the truth) to everyone around him without realising it is only going to end badly. He cheats (honestly one of the worst tropes I personally could ever read about), but with the softest, most vulnerable and kind hearted boy ever, which just made it so much worse.

My whole body wanted him, my entire soul too, and it hit me that an item on the Gay Agenda always should have been to find Albert.

I understand that the aim of this book was to write a coming-of-age novel about a gay teen who has never been around other queer people. I get that it was trying to be sex-positive and open about finding yourself and making a lot of mistakes in the process, but it really backfired in my opinion. There was a lot of diversity, including a gender queer side character, but I also found an issue early on in the book that made me uncomfortable from then on.

The gender queer side character, Max, has a conversation with Jay about pronouns. Max says, I quote, ‘I’m an open book, so none of the pronouns really feel one hundred percent right. But you can address your Gay Guide as he/him or she/her. My body is male, my energy is feminine, and I’m down for paying tribute to both.’. So we’ve addressed that Max uses multiple pronouns, but for the rest of the book, Max is only referred to as he/him. By the narrator (Jay), and by other characters. What was the point of having a character using multiple pronouns and having a conversation about it if they’re never going to be used?

After noticing this, I looked into the author, who also uses he/him and she/her pronouns. So this feels like something that should have been celebrated rather than ignored, and makes me worry if it was changed further down the line in editing or proofreading. If anyone else has read this I would really appreciate a comment letting me know if you think this is an issue too/picked up on it! I have had a lot of conversations with others about this while reading, and I would love to hear any other viewpoint.

To find the guy who could set my spirit and sexuality on fire all at the same time.

This book wasn’t all bad, and did have some interesting conversations about stereotypes and sexuality. I also loved some of the side characters, and these two redeeming qualities are the only reason why my rating is two stars rather than one.

★★
2 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender

On September 23, 2021September 20, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review3 Comments

Goodreads | Waterstones

Caroline Murphy is a Hurricane Child.
Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and 12-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She’s hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit only she can see won’t stop following her, and — worst of all — Caroline’s mother left home one day and never came back.
But when a new student named Kalinda arrives, Caroline’s luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, becomes Caroline’s first and only friend — and the person for whom Caroline has begun to develop a crush.
Now, Caroline must find the strength to confront her feelings for Kalinda, brave the spirit stalking her through the islands, and face the reason her mother abandoned her. Together, Caroline and Kalinda must set out in a hurricane to find Caroline’s missing mother — before Caroline loses her forever.

I absolutely loved Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender, so when I found that they also write middle grade I knew I wanted to pick one up. I’ve heard such good things about their other middle grade book King of the Dragonflies and this one was really enjoyable too!

Clocking in at just over 200 pages, this one was a super easy read and I flew threw it. With this one being a middle grade as well, I found it very easy to read – but don’t be fooled. This book does include some very important and deep topics, especially for a middle grade read.

The idea of not being alone — of having someone who sees me, same way I see the things that no one else can see, makes me feel like I’m real.

We follow Caroline, a 12 year old girl who was born in a hurricane. She lives in the small island of St Thomas, and her mother has disappeared. I really like how this book didn’t shy away from difficult topics and introduced them as part of the main plot. There are going to be so many children out there going through similar things to Caroline, and I think it’s so important we don’t keep stories from them, because it may make them feel less alone to see characters having similar experiences to them.

This book also included some discussions of sexuality, which I really loved. I feel like we definitely don’t see enough of these discussions in middle grade yet again, but it was portrayed in a really innocent way and I feel like it will be really accessible and relatable for young teens and tweens. We also see some discussions of sexuality in relation to religion, which I really liked.

Like I deserve to exist on this planet alongside everyone else. That I get to be here because there’s someone else who wants me here too.

Overall, this was a super enjoyable read and I loved how it didn’t shy away from the discussions it had. This book is quite short so I didn’t feel a really strong connection to the characters, but I did enjoy it a lot.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

On September 21, 2021September 18, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

During an eventful season at Bath, young, naive Catherine Morland experiences the joys of fashionable society for the first time. She is delighted with her new acquaintances: flirtatious Isabella, who shares Catherine’s love of Gothic romance and horror, and sophisticated Henry and Eleanor Tilney, who invite her to their father’s mysterious house, Northanger Abbey. There, her imagination influenced by novels of sensation and intrigue, Catherine imagines terrible crimes committed by General Tilney. With its broad comedy and irrepressible heroine, this is the most youthful and and optimistic of Jane Austen’s works.

I may have quite possibly found my favourite Jane Austen novel so far! This one is a super short read and I think would be perfect for those looking to read Austen for the first time – I also loved the audiobook so much that I may re-read Persuasion on audio soon (the only Austen book I have so far just read in physical format and not audio!).

I feel like this is one of Austen’s quirkier novels, and it is full of literary satire and Gothic scenes. And let me tell you, I adored these Gothic scenes. I love Victorian literature for the dark and spooky feelings that Northanger Abbey brings. The abbey itself was such a perfect location to set up the Gothic elements of this book, and I definitely feel like that was my favourite part of the story!

The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel,

I also feel like this one is the most accessible Austen book I’ve picked up so far, and I really enjoyed the plot, which was easy to follow yet entertaining. I really liked Catherine as a main character, who was young and naive but genuinely just so kind to all those who surround her. I really felt for her, which I think is one of the reasons why I liked this one so much – she just made me soften.

I also loved the setting of this book, from Bath to the abbey itself. Every time I read an Austen book, I want to visit Somerset/Bath. Having visited Bath, I feel like she manages to capture it so well between these pages, and I can vividly picture these characters frolicking around the English countryside.

must be intolerably stupid.

Something that I find all Austen books do well is pure wit, and this is probably the funniest and most absurd so far. I found it so entertaining, and I’m so glad I decided to read these on audio throughout autumn.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Defy the Night (#1) by Brigid Kemmerer

On September 19, 2021September 17, 2021 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

Goodreads | Waterstones

In a kingdom where sickness stalks the streets and only the richest can afford a cure, King Harristan and his brother Prince Corrick are forced to rule with an iron fist.
Tessa Cade is a masked outlaw marked for death, but she likes it that way. Together with the mysterious, handsome Weston, she robs from the rich to help the poor, distributing food and medicine to those who need it most.
As it becomes clear that the only way to save her people is to assassinate the King, Tessa must face a deadly mission that will take her to the dark heart of the kingdom . and force her to work with the very people she intended to destroy.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It’s been a while since I read A Curse So Dark and Lonely but I really enjoyed it when I read it and I was so excited to hear about this new release. I’ve also read a couple of Brigid Kemmerer’s contemporary books in recent years and really liked them, and this one didn’t disappoint!

This story takes place during a plague, which I was a little worried about but felt disconnected enough from the real world for me to still enjoy it. I started this book expecting it to be quite a typical YA fantasy and for it to be predictable, but I was very pleasantly surprised early on in the book. The plot quickly surprised me and I knew I would find this more of an emotional rollercoaster than I expected.

I really liked the characters and I found the multiple POV between the Prince and Tessa so interesting. Both of them have their own issues and troubles from each side of the class divide, and I could empathise with them so much. I really appreciated how this book didn’t shy away from talking about the pressures of royalty and the impact on mental health being in the royal family can have.

The plot was very fast paced and entertaining, and the writing was so easy to read. I really enjoyed the writing style and I found this one hard to put down. I feel like Brigid Kemmerer does an amazing job at writing accessible fantasy as her writing style feels very similar to contemporaries and she crosses between the two. Reading this has definitely made me excited to continue with the A Curse So Dark and Lonely trilogy!

Overall, there was a lot to love about this book and I found it such an entertaining read. If you’re looking for an easy to read fantasy with a fiery romance, great characters and a plot that will keep you guessing, look no further!

★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

	Jaylen Devil on Review: Hooky by Miriam Bonast…
	Piper Laksari-Minenc… on Review: The Language of Thorns…
	Beth Jones on Review: Disney Tim Burton…
	Sheri Dye on Review: Disney Tim Burton…
	Robin on Review: Life and Death: Twilig…