House of Salt and Sorrows

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

This book will be published on August 6, 2019. I read the advance reader's copy. There will undoubtedly be differences between the version I read and the published edition.

When I first read the summary for this book, not going to lie, I heavily rolled my eyes thinking it would be another retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Much to my delight, it was and was not.

An amazon summary, "Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last--the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge--and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that her sister's deaths were no accidents. The girls have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who--or what--are they really dancing with?
When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family--before it claims her next. House of Salt and Sorrows is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Get ready to be swept away." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Annaleigh is one sister of 12, and four of her sisters have died in the past few years, under different circumstances. The town believes their family is cursed, and it's only a matter of time before the rest of the sisters fall victim to the curse. Their mother died giving birth to the last sister, and their father remarried. The younger sisters adore the step mother as they're the only mother they really remember or know, but the older sisters remember their mother and have contempt for their stepmother. Camilla and Annaleigh are very close in age, but Camilla has had it with being in mourning for their sisters for so long (according to their customs they have to mourn for a year after each death). She worries about never finding a husband and inheriting the house of Highmoor without any suitors.

The girls are reunited with a childhood friend, Farley who tells them of a mysterious tale of a way gods are able to travel far distances through hidden doors. The sisters go on a quest to find the hidden door, as they find it, they're brought into a world that offers balls with handsome gentlemen.

Annaleigh has reservations. She suspects that her sisters were actually murdered, but she can't find enough clues to prove it. As the sisters go dancing every night, they become more exhausted and wear out their shoes.

That's enough summary.

So, from what I've described the mythology sounds a lot like the original story. However, there is a lot more that plays into it. The world building sets up a lot of different rituals and customs within their world surrounding their gods, which means unique festivals, and a reverence for the sea. The gods are also real, so there's a significance to the pride and respect they show to their customs.

I really liked Annaleigh a lot. She felt very realistic, and she fought within her means to start solving the mystery of their alleged curse. How the mystery itself unfolded was fascinating, as it felt like an exploration of not only the sisters, but the dancing, the island, and the lore of the world itself.

The details of the world were really rich too, and the story was really just well woven. There seem to be a lot of side details that came together and formed a more coherent story.

So, they used the baseline of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but turned it into so, SO much more. With also sinister elements to it. It felt like reading an old fairy tale where terrible things happened and served as a warning rather than a story of entertainment. It was good.

I really, really liked it.

Happy reading!

The Waking Forest

The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees

This is a very deceptive story. It's like a story within a story, only to be within another story.

...yeah, so here's the amazon summary without all the random praise/reviews, "The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She's desperate to know more--until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.

To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.
The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea's and the Witch's paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Rhea lives in our Earth. Like, is home schooled, has four sisters, loving parents, and kind of hallucinates a lot. She frequently sees grotesque things that aren't truly there, and she's always had a dream where she walks to the top of the stairs but never manages to open the door. Until one night, she does open the door and finds darkness waiting for her.

Meanwhile, there's a witch in the woods who grants wishes to dreaming children. The children come to her in their sleep, and she plucks a petal from the flower of her heart in exchange for something from the child to grant their wish. She often receives bruises, cuts, scraps, etc; as her payment. One day there are two children who approach, one asks to live in her world, while the other asks her what is her wish.

Rhea tries to sleep in the attic to see if she can dream about what's behind the door of her dreams, but it greeted only by a talking darkness. He tells her she already knows who he is, but what if they play a game where if she guesses his real name, she wins?

...and then a series of more bizarre events start to happen. That's enough summary.

So, this book is actually pretty clever with how the layers of three different stories (no I didn't mention the third story in the summary since I feel like it'd be a spoiler for REASONS) unfold and play into each other.

That being said, a lot of the middle bits were kind of confusing as we were stuck with a narrator who didn't quite know what was going on but was desperate to figure it out.

A lot of the world building was good, but I wish there had been more world building in the third story, the true story if you will, ...well because reasons (no spoilers!). It just seemed to have the most importance on the story, and I wish it had fully committed to telling that aspect of the story. I know we get to see that aspect in different ways all along, but if there had been more, I would have appreciated it.

Going back to Rhea's sisters; I felt like they weren't characterized nearly as well as Rhea. There was lots of telling and some showing, but all of their personalities felt a bit forced.

All in all, it was a bit of a confusing book, but if you can muddle through the end, then there is some kind of reward, I'm just not sure how to feel about it.

Happy reading!

York: The Clockwork Ghost

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York: The Clockwork Ghost by Laura Ruby

This is the sequel to York: The Shadow Cipher which I reviewed HERE. If you don't want anything spoiled about the first book, then don't read this review. It's going to get real.

An amazon summary, "It was only a few weeks ago that the Biedermann twins, Tess and Theo, along with their friend Jaime Cruz, followed the secrets of the Morningstarrs’ cipher further than anyone had in its century-and a-half history—and destroyed their beloved home in the process.

But the Old York Cipher still isn’t solved. The demolition of 354 W. 73rd Street only revealed the next clue in the greatest mystery of the modern world, and if Tess, Theo, and Jaime want to discover what lies at the end of the puzzle laid into the buildings of New York by its brilliant, enigmatic architects, they will need to press on.

But doing so could prove even more dangerous than they know. It is clear that the Morningstarr twins marshaled all the strange technology they had spent their lives creating in the construction of the Cipher, and that technology has its own plans for those who pursue it.

It's also clear that Tess, Theo, and Jaime are not the only ones on the trail of the treasure. As enemies both known and unknown close in on them from all sides and the very foundations of the city seem to crumble around them, they will have to ask themselves how far they will go to change the unchangeable—and whether the price of knowing the secrets of the Morningstarrs is one they are willing to pay." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

At the end of the last book, Tess, Theo, and Jaime watched as they solved another clue to the cipher, their apartment building collapsed that they've been fighting to save the entire time. ...which also revealed another clue to the cipher.

Now, Jaime is living in a new apartment building across town, while Tess and Theo are staying with their Aunt. They're still on the hunt for more cipher clues to solve the cipher, but they keep running into more twists and turns that reveal more and more about the history of the Morningstarrs...and also the mystery.

It's also very curious how the Morningstarr machines seem to have a mind of their own. They seem to be working towards some bigger picture, but what that bigger picture is, no one knows.

Someone else more sinister is also trying to find the cipher, and they do not have the kids best interests at heart.

That's enough summary.

This is book 2 of 3. As such, I think it did a lot to evolve the mystery of the Morningstarrs more to the point where I'm still intrigued enough to read book 3, satisfied with a few of the answers I have now, but I still want to know the riddle of the Morningstarrs themselves. There were more inventions, more enemies, and more adventures; everything I was hoping from a sequel and it delivered.

I really liked how each of the kids show their own strengths. Jaime with his sketching and piecing together some of the clues, Tess and Theo also figuring out pieces of the cipher, and also kind of wondering if they're doing the right thing along the way. I also like how the kids are wary of the technology, they kind of sense something bigger is going on as well, but also have no idea what (much like us).

There's also the danger from some of the adults trying to figure out what the kids know. However, they're given kind of an odd spotlight so it's hard to speculate about their ultimate goals too, especially with why the chimeras are involved. We're given just enough clues to be curious and know it's important, but not enough to know why it's important or how it fits into the story.

Even though this is providing more clues to the cipher's answers, it just makes me look forward to book 3 even more to see how it all comes together in the end. I suspect when book 3 comes out, I'll need to reread books 1 & 2 to pick up all the details in book 3. I'm looking forward to it.

Happy reading!

The Boy and Girl Who Broke The World

The Boy and Girl Who Broke The World by Amy Reed

This book will be published on July 9, 2019. I read the advanced reading copy, and undoubtedly there will be some differences between what I read and the published edition.

That being said; do you ever read one of those books where there's a lot of grander symbolism going on and you're really not sure how you're supposed to interpret it. Then you think about it more, and you know that in the back of your mind whatever you interpret is like what you want to interpret and kind of a reflection of your mind works? But, on the other hand I still want to know what the author's true intentions are. ....yeah, so this is definitely one of those books. I also have a lot of questions of if the narrators are reliable, what's actually happening versus what's in their head?

Alright, here's an amazon summary so we can leap into it, but without all the advance praise stuff, "Billy Sloat and Lydia Lemon don’t have much in common, unless you count growing up on the same (wrong) side of the tracks, the lack of a mother, and a persistent loneliness that has inspired creative coping mechanisms.

When the lives of these two loners are thrust together, Lydia’s cynicism is met with Billy’s sincere optimism, and both begin to question their own outlook on life. On top of that, weird happenings including an impossible tornado and an all-consuming fog are cropping up around them—maybe even because of them. And as the two grow closer and confront bigger truths about their pasts, they must also deal with such inconveniences as a narcissistic rock star, a war between unicorns and dragons, and eventually, of course, the apocalypse. 
With a unique mix of raw emotion, humor, and heart, the surreal plotline pulls readers through an epic exploration of how caring for others makes us vulnerable—and how utterly pointless life would be if we didn’t." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

There are two narrators to this story; Billy and Lydia. They are from rival towns, that through a series of lower census, the two rival high schools are merged into one school. There's tons of in-fighting between the two rivals, but Billy and Lydia have never particularly cared for their school rivalry. They meet one morning and Billy's belligerent positive attitude starts to wear down Lydia's frosty exterior and they begin to forge a friendship of sorts.

The world is also an alternate Earth of sorts with a few big details changed, but everything else seems to work the same way as our Earth.  Instead of having a democracy, there's a monarchy. The King is kind of a bumbling fool, and seems to be a caricature of Donald Trump in many ways. They also place a HUGE emphasis on celebrities, like Billy's Uncle, who is super famous and suddenly disappeared. Only to reappear in Billy's house where he lives with his grandmother, in a house that is falling apart, and full of random things from the thrift store because his grandmother is also a hoarder.

Lydia lives with her stepfather who has a mild obsession with dragons versus unicorns. The book series that's based in the two rival towns, and he owns a bar that is kind of run down. But, basically both Lydia's and Billy's mothers are gone. Lydia has her stepfather for a parent, and Billy has his grandmother for a parent/guardian kind of figure.

That's enough summary.

Alright, so there's four main plot lines from what I can distinguish. There's the political aspect with the King/Uncle, there's Lydia and Billy both struggling to come to terms with what happened to their parents (lumping their friendship into this), there's the town rivalry itself (which I'm lumping the dragons versus unicorns things into), and there's the supernatural phenomena of the weather in the town itself. ....so how do all of these things play together?

Well, confusingly.

Everything takes place surrounding Billy and Lydia's friendship, and they're able to talk about things going on around the town, or witness a news report about it. I also kind of love their friendship and the portrayal of the give and take at different points throughout their lives depending on what's happening. They support each other, even though sometimes it's a little reluctant. It feels very authentic, especially in regards to their shifting world.

I did find Billy's characterization to be a little extreme. Billy had a relentless positive attitude, and it seemed like the book put him through his paces in an effort to break his positive attitude. He also kind of blundered around a lot of his relationships, trying his best to make everyone happy. He also accepted a lot of bad things in his life without protest, but he was also kind of raised by a television therapist of some sort. It's still unclear to me if they were actually a therapist, or if they were a knitter, or exactly what it was because Billy would only think about the things they said. Whenever the TV was on though, Billy would only remark about what they were physically doing, and then kind of extrapolate what they would be telling him from there knowing his situation. So, something else seemed to be going on with Billy mentally.

Lydia on the other hand, is super abrasive and comes across as mean. BUT, she cares for Billy almost a little too easily at first. It seems like she wants to care about people, she is just used to everyone being mean or belittling to her. So she hides her true passions, her true motivations; which is she really wants to pursue dance. BUT THEN, Lydia also has some odd psychosis going on. She hallucinates a little girl that seems to be her younger self for much of the book. She has conversations with her, she watches the different things the little girl does, but there are a few scenes where it seems like the little girl she's hallucinating also has control over some aspects of reality. Throwing objects, that kind of thing. So, it's a little confusing of how much the little girl is in Lydia's head and how much of her is actually real.

I don't really think I need to talk about the political aspect much as it seems to be a mockery coupled with the harsh reality of how a deranged monarch can ruin a country so easily. ...just read the book if you want to know more about it.

The town rivalry is kind of a background noise to the story. Billy and Lydia note it a few times, but rarely interact with that level of conflict. The political and town rivalry plot points have a lot in common, but ultimately, it seemed like they both played into the tone of the town and the environment that Lydia and Billy are raised in. There's not a lot of sunshine or good vibes going around town by any stretch of the imagination.

The supernatural phenomena seem to be a representation of the emotionally struggles of both Billy and Lydia. The symbolism crops up as a big emotionally moment happens in Billy and Lydia's lives. I would say that it reflects more of Billy's emotional state than Lydia's? But they're also portrayed in a lot of emotional tandem despite being in different situations.

But also, I kind of loathe Billy's uncle. I know we're supposed to dislike him on some level, but I found his whole character arc to be very trying.

....I'm also still not quite sure what I read. I'm not sure what the takeaway from this book is. So if you read it, and have a conclusion you'd like to share, feel free to leave a comment.

Happy reading!

Thornfruit

Thornfruit by Felicia Davin

I don't know why I was compelled to read this book. Honestly no idea. I was just drawn to it somehow. I don't know. ...but I didn't finish reading it. Let's discuss why!

An amazon summary, "There were two secrets in Varenx House, and Alizhan was one of them.

Alizhan can’t see faces, but she can read minds. Her mysterious ability leaves her unable to touch or be touched without excruciating pain. Rescued from abandonment and raised by the wealthy and beautiful Iriyat ha-Varensi, Alizhan has grown up in isolation, using her gift to steal secrets from Iriyat’s rivals, the ruling class of Laalvur. But Iriyat keeps secrets of her own.

When Alizhan discovers that she isn’t the only one of her kind, and that a deadly plot threatens everyone like her, there’s only one person she can trust.

Ev liked having a secret. None of the other girls in the village had a thief-friend.

Evreyet Umarsad—“Ev” to her parents and her one friend—longs to be the kind of hero she reads about in books. But the rest of the world feels impossibly far away from her life on a farm outside Laalvur. Ev will never lay eyes on the underground city of Adappyr, the stars of the Nightward Coast, or the venomous medusas that glow in the dark depths of the sea.

At least on her weekly trip to the market, Ev gets to see her thief—the strange young woman who slips by her cart and playfully steals a handful of thornfruit. When the thief needs help, Ev doesn’t hesitate. Together, they uncover a conspiracy that draws them all over Laalvur and beyond.

Thornfruit is book one of The Gardener's Hand." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Alright, so, Ev goes to the market for the first time with her father, and she comes across a girl who looks starving, scared, and desperate. She passes the girl a thornfruit (some kind of spiky fruit thing), but the girl is being chased by guards. She watches as the girl scales a nearly impossible cliff, then leaps off into the water... but Ev doesn't see her surface and wonders what happens to the girl ever since.

Years later, Alizhan is a mind reader who works for Iriyat, one of the powerful houses of the world. The only one whose mind she can't read is Iriyat, and she cannot touch anyone else besides Iriyat without being in terrible pain. Alizhan has a hard time grasping the intricacies of human relationships, and Iriyat sends her off to investigate different people at her large parties.

However, Alizhan is sent to spy on Mar, whom has someone in Iriyat's house who claims they can read minds, and that Iriyat has a secret awful orphanage full of other children who can read minds, and he has to steal a book Iriyat had been reading for too long to prove all his claims are true. Alizhan rushes off to find the thief, only to discover that she can't read his mind. He ends up knocking her out to make his escape.

It spins off into an adventure....that I didn't finish reading.

I got to page 198 out of 341 and called it quits. So, why?

I took a lot of issue with the formatting of the book. The book leaped from the past, to the present, to remembering the past, to other person's past? There was a lot of leaping around, and the different narrators didn't feel different enough from each other, so half the time I forgot whose perspective I was reading from.

They also had two major religions going on throughout the book, which were completely unique to the book, which is fine.... but I had a really hard time figuring out how they were even relevant to the plot...like at all. Honestly, you could have just had a library instead and it would have served the minimal purpose the two different religions did. But I didn't finish it, so maybe they came back into play later in some mysteriously significant way. Which is fine, but as they were presented, it was only breadcrumbs of information in a way that was really hard to connect.

I also was really confused with what was trying to be presented about Ev's gender identity and sexuality. I mean, it was confusing in her narration, but maybe that was intentional to show how confusing that journey can be? But it was also frustrating, because Ev wouldn't even really let herself think about it without really explaining why.

THEN. There was Alizhan. I get that she's perplexed by people and their interactions, emotions, etc... but she almost took on this ethereal quality of sorts. She didn't really feel like a person since she seemed to lack some basic elements of humanity... then she was such an emphasized character, but it's like why. WHY. She was not interesting because I couldn't connect to her at all and she wasn't explained in a way that was understandable either.

....so I gave up.

Happy reading?

Astro City

Astro City Comic Book Series by Kurt Busiek (Author) and Brent Anderson (Illustrator)

Hello, I know you missed my terrible camera skills.

This is a special edition blog post. I love the Astro City comic book series. Today, the final volume, Aftermaths was published. I read it immediately (thank you amazon prime for same day release date delivery, holllllaaaaaa), and definitely cried over a few of the precious moments presented.

Now, to the past!

I first read Tarnished Angel back when I was in middle school. It was the first time I had ever read about someone with super powers trying to live a normal life. It changed a lot of things for me. I had only ever read comics like Batman, Superman, Justice League, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Wonder Woman, Hulk, Hercules, etc. before. Basically only DC or Marvel, and even then, only superheroes. But, this book took someone who was extraordinary and kind of made them into a regular person. Mind blowing. So, of course I had to immediately track down all the other comic books that were currently out at the time.

...then, as an adult when I had a minute amount of disposable income... I promptly started collecting the series and eagerly awaiting the next book. My love for this series only grew over time as each story showed different aspects of humanity whether it be hero, villain, civilian, or well, someone who just happens to have powers.

I haven't come across another book series that portrays different aspects of humanity so well, while also leaving the conclusions a bit open ended and thought provoking.

The artwork is also gorgeous which certainly helps, but I think the stories would still come across well if the artwork was less good.

So, if you're looking for a comic book with a bit more heart, I'd really recommend reading any of the Astro City books. Here's the amazon link to the first book: Astro City: Life in the Big City (which looks like it's free to read through Kindle unlimited, so that's neat).

Happy reading!

The Thing About Jellyfish

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Relatively recently, I reviewed THE NEXT GREAT PAULIE FINK, and wanted to track down their other book. No regrets.

An amazon summary, without all the extra praise and award stuff, "Everyone says that it was an accident... that sometimes things "just happen". But Suzy won't believe it. Ever. After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Suzy grew up with her best friend, Franny, and before summer ends, Suzy finds out that Franny drowned.

Unwilling to accept this, she looks for the truth, and lands on jellyfish. She becomes a little obsessive about proving that Franny died from a jellyfish sting rather than drowning.

However, in the interim, Suzy has kind of withdrawn from life. She used to tell her friends and family about things she learned, but now, with Franny being gone, Suzy doesn't say much of anything.

There are a couple people at school, like her science teacher, Mrs. Turton, and her lab partner, Justin. They accept her silence and treat her nicely regardless.

Suzy's quest to prove the jellyfish are ultimately responsible for Franny's death starts to lead her on a quest of sorts, and a lot about jellyfish.

That's enough summary. 

This book was a good depiction of the grieving process. It felt very authentic, and heart wrenching at the right moments. The characterization was so thoughtful, and Suzy felt like the quintessential nerdy kid, who doesn't understand their peers, and doesn't quite fit the mainstream either.

I also loved how peaceful her friendship with Mrs. Turton and Justin were. There were very minimal expectations from them, and they just let her be to heal while remaining present.

I do with we had gotten to see more about her brother and his boyfriend, and maybe a bit more about her Dad, but the story was really about Suzy grieving for Franny. So it makes sense we didn't see them as much.

It's also a bit of a tear jerker, so....I would recommend not reading it in public places unless you're cool with crying in front of strangers. I was on a plane, so there was like two witnesses. It's fine. We bonded over it.

Happy reading!

Sorcery of Thorns

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

This book will be published on June 4, 2019. I read the advance reaader's copy, so there will undoubtedly be some differences between the version I read, and the published edition.

BUT FOR REAL, this book features libraries, and magical books, and sorts of wonderful things. It's something that I wish I could have written, freaking fantastic.

An amazon summary without all of the pre-review things, "All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Elisabeth was raised in one of the great libraries; the great libraries house grimoires which come in different power levels...and can also turn into monsters if they're not properly cared for. Sorcerers come to the libraries to read grimoires to improve their magic...which is how Elisabeth meets Nathaniel, heir to the Thorn house. Elisabeth has always been taught sorcery is evil, and wants to become a warden, someone who protects the grimoires and library.

One night, Elisabeth wakes up and senses something amiss within the library. She heads out of her room only to find the Director's sword (lead person in charge of the library) lying in something, some ink. Elisabeth embarks with the Director's sword to fight off a Malefict, a grimoire who has transformed into a Malefict, and is making it's way towards town. Elisabeth fights it off... but it's also placed her under high speculation if she is the one who killed the Director.

Nathaniel Thorn meets Elisabeth again, but to escort her for questioning.

That's enough summary. Because I don't want to ruin anything.

So I loved, loved this book. I loved how fierce Elisabeth is, how she is courageous, how she looks to solve problems, and just her. She's pretty freaking great.

Nathaniel comes across as a bit of playboy, moody person, but as the story progresses, he becomes so much more. It's pretty fantastic.

The world building is also phenomenal, the tone is consistent and adventurous. I also love how intricate the plot unfolded, and there were so many elements of surprise or things I couldn't predict, it was just a fun, fun book to read. There's also demons, DEMONS! Explained in a way that makes sense, and integrates very well into the world structure.

As with most books that I love, I get pretty tongue tied trying to tell everyone else how good it is. Overwhelmed with enthusiasm if you well. I'm pretty excited to see what this author writes next, and I'm going to go find her An Enchantment of Ravens book.

Happy reading!

Pride

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

This book was published on September 18, 2018. I read the advance reader's edition and there will undoubtedly be differences between the version I read and the published version.

Also, this book markets itself as a Pride & Prejudice remix. I always struggle with books taking other elements from a book and then making it themselves. Sometimes it turns out well, other times it doesn't. Similar situation to the retelling of fairy tales and such.

An amazon summary, "Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable.

When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.

But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.

In a timely update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, critically acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant reimagining of this beloved classic." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Zuri loves her neighborhood. The good, the bad, and everyone in between. She loves how the sound of her neighborhood may sound like a bunch of noise, but it's playing it's own song...including sirens.

Zuri has a very firm idea of what her neighborhood is, and who belongs there.

So when the Darcy family moves in across the street, after remodeling the mansion that had sat abandoned for a while, Zuri was pretty sure they didn't belong in her neighborhood, and she wasn't going to trust them.

Her older sister Janae is home from college for the summer, and ends up becoming interested in the older Darcy brother, Ainsley. Which, Zuri scoffs at with concern as she knows her sister's heart will only end up broken.

...Zuri may also be distracted by a boy, Warren, who attends the same school as Darius (the younger Darcy brother) but also grew up in her neighborhood. Zuri starts to chill with Warren, but makes it absolutely clear they are not dating.

That's enough summary.

First, I'm going to talk about this book disregarding all similarities to Pride & Prejudice.

I really liked the writing of this book. I thought a lot of the tone was consistent, the world building was on point and really helped to set every scene, and the cultural aspect felt very, very authentic. I also really liked the stories of the secondary characters as told by Zuri as she gave them her own flair.

However. I thought Zuri seemed temperamental. Like, it felt like she expected things to be a certain way because it was her neighborhood, but when it suddenly wasn't, it was like a mixed bag of reactions. Like some minor things were okay if they weren't like her neighborhood, but the bigger things, like oh man, watch out, Zuri doesn't like it. However, she also never really seemed like an angry character to me in those moments. There were definitely other times where she was plenty mad and for very legitimate reasons. But in those moments when her neighborhood stopped feeling like her neighborhood for a beat, she just seemed to be upset and grieving.

Otherwise, I did think there were some pitfalls to the story. So let's switch over to the comparisons to Pride & Prejudice.

All the key characters are present in Pride as they were in Pride & Prejudice. There were a few notable differences, including the modernization, but they were so many similarities, that I knew how the story was going to play out before I got to the end. It was simultaneously frustrating and comforting. Like visiting with an old friend and discovering that they made some poor decisions, but not in a devastating way.

I think the story telling really got hindered by trying to be like Pride & Prejudice. I think that if the author hadn't tried to reimagine the story, they could have wound up with their very own, very original story and voice. They were already with Zuri, and I would have loved to have more basement scenes with the landlord (which sounds weird out of context but they were very interesting and spiritual and such). The landlord was a character that was notably not in Pride & Prejudice and I thought they were FAR more interesting than any of Zuri's sisters.

So all in all, I did like the book, but I just wish it had been it's own story.

Happy reading!