Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki (Author) and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell (Illustrator)

This book features a cast with LGBTQIA characters, and some other sensitive topics. If you don't want to read about it, I advise you not to read this blog post or this book. I will say they don't show anything 'graphic' (haha, because it's a graphic novel! ...haha, I'm so funny :D), but they do talk about the sensitive subject matter.

Here's an amazon summary to give you a better idea if you're game for this book, "Laura Dean, the most popular girl in high school, was Frederica Riley's dream girl: charming, confident, and SO cute. There's just one problem: Laura Dean is maybe not the greatest girlfriend.

Reeling from her latest break up, Freddy's best friend, Doodle, introduces her to the Seek-Her, a mysterious medium, who leaves Freddy some cryptic parting words: break up with her. But Laura Dean keeps coming back, and as their relationship spirals further out of her control, Freddy has to wonder if it's really Laura Dean that's the problem. Maybe it's Freddy, who is rapidly losing her friends, including Doodle, who needs her now more than ever.

Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnists like Anna Vice to help her through being a teenager in love." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Freddy loves Laura Dean. They've been going out in an on again, off again, kind of relationship for a bit, and the story opens up with Freddy and Laura being off again. Freddy saw Laura with another girl at their school dance, and kind of stormed off; trying to deal with her feelings for Laura. 

Doodle, Freddy's best friend, supports her during these troubled times, and Freddy begins to explore other things about life in the misery of her heartbreak. But when Laura Dean comes back around, Freddy drops Doodle like a hot potato to be with Laura again, despite everything they talked about and what Freddy knows about Laura Dean.

Where does that leave Doodle? Where does that leave Buddy & Eric (her other friends)?

That's enough summary.

I really enjoyed this book. There were a lot of different themes showcased including love, friendship, bullying, sex (again, nothing showed), and even some of the consequences of sex.

What I found the most interesting was the display of figuring out how to respect yourself, and figuring out your own boundaries. I think this would be a great read for anyone in high school trying to navigate their love life in the midst of everything else (like holding a job and such too). 

It dabbles in the perils of modern day high school without getting bogged down by social media. Doodle and Freddy share a compassion for a different kind of hobby, which is also neat to see in a book.

I adored it. It was good, and was a really fulfilling read, especially for a graphic novel.

Happy reading!

Tunnel of Bones

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab

This book will be published on September 3, 2019, but I read an uncorrected proof (advanced reader's copy). Undoubtedly, there will be some changes between the version I read and the published version.

This is the sequel to City of Ghosts, which I reviewed HERE. If you don't want anything spoiled for City of Ghosts, I'd recommend not reading this book review.

Who's up for another spooky ghost story that's very much like the first one but even MORE is revealed about the odd ghost world and Cass's abilities? HMMMMM??? I know in my last review, I said I probably wouldn't read the sequel, but I did anyways. So here we are. ... :D

An amazon summary, "Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual.

She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass's parents are filming their TV show about the world's most haunted cities. Sure, it's fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there's true ghostly danger lurking beneathParis, in the creepy underground Catacombs.
When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter -- and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger.
And if Cass fails, the force she's unleashed could haunt the city forever." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

After Cass nearly dies, and her parents are NOT aware of her extra abilities, Cass leaves Ireland for London. She's picked up a few tricks from Lara (who first told her about being an inbetweener) and she's more prepared to tackle the ghosts of London. Jacob is pretty reluctant. Although, something seems to be going on with Jacob. In the last book, he was able to slowly try to start manipulating the real world. Lara warned Cass about Jacob becoming stronger and how ghosts do not belong in their world, but Cass refuses to believe that Jacob could become a danger to anyone.

Cass is exploring the haunted parts of London with her parents, armed with her mirror to send any ghosts on that she comes across. Except, she comes across a young boy ghost with red eyes. She tries to remind him of who he is, but he looks up at her with confusion and she leaves the veil confused. After a few texts with Lara, it turns out she's woken a poltergeist, who will wreak mischief, menace, and mayhem. Something more dangerous than the Raven in the last book as the poltergeist already has one foot in their world.

Cass has to save London from this poltergeist before people get seriously hurt.

That's enough summary.

This book was pretty fun. I liked it better than the first book since it felt like Cass had more confidence in herself and what she was supposed to do. I also liked how Cass had to do more detective work, and struggled even with the guidance of Lara.

I also thought what was going on with Jacob was interesting, but I 'm curious to see where it goes from there. I know there's going to be a third book, but I'm also curious if this series has a planned end. Right now, it seems a bit formulaic, and could kind of go one forever (or for too long really).

I wish Lara had been more in the story, and I wish there had been a bit more of the parents too. We got enough of them in the first book, but I think we could have used more in the second book. I also found their family moments, more, authentic in feeling. They were cute!

...so really, if this book had a couple more paragraphs in a few spots, I think it would have felt a bit more fully formed and realized. It was still better than the first book though.

So yeah, I'll read the third book most likely, but unless there seems like they're working towards a more over arching point, I might have to call it quits after that.

Happy reading!

Small Town Hearts

Small Town Hearts by Lillie Vale

I freaking loved this book. It's a summer beach book for sure, but it definitely wiggled it's way into my bitter reading heart. Sometimes, you just need a good, yet unique romance to just shake off other book blues.

An amazon summary, "Fresh out of high school, Babe Vogel should be thrilled to have the whole summer at her fingertips. She loves living in her lighthouse home in the sleepy Maine beach town of Oar’s Rest and being a barista at the Busy Bean, but she’s totally freaking out about how her life will change when her two best friends go to college in the fall. And when a reckless kiss causes all three of them to break up, she may lose them a lot sooner. On top of that, her ex-girlfriend is back in town, bringing with her a slew of memories, both good and bad.

And then there’s Levi Keller, the cute artist who’s spending all his free time at the coffee shop where she works. Levi’s from out of town, and even though Babe knows better than to fall for a tourist who will leave when summer ends, she can’t stop herself from wanting to know him. Can Babe keep her distance, or will she break the one rule she’s always had - to never fall for a summer boy?" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Babe has just graduated from high school, loves to bake, works at the local cafe as manager, and has been looking forward to the perfect summer before her best friends (Penny and Chad) go off to college, and Babe stays in Oar's Rest, Maine.

...that is, until Babe's best friends break up. Penny didn't do a great job of breaking up with Chad, so she sends Babe off to clarify and settle things with Chad. Except, when Babe talks to Chad, Chad gets the brilliant idea to kiss Babe. Which isn't great.

Then, Elodie is back in town; Babe's ex-girlfriend who broke up with her when she went off to college in California, the other side of the United States. Babe was heart broken when Elodie left; they were secret girlfriends. Elodie wasn't out yet, but Babe had come out as bisexual a bit ago.

THEN, there's the new renter. Babe lives in a lighthouse, and her mom rents out their house since she travels for work and lives elsewhere. So they rent out their actual house during the summer. Babe manages the renters, and it turns out Levi Keller is the renter. He's a cute "summer boy" as the locals call them, and Babe has always sworn off summer boys. But, Levi may be an exception, there's something different about him.

With the impending sense of everything changing when Babe wanted to have one last perfect summer, what's Babe to do? ....bake. As in baking things in an oven, that wasn't a marijuana joke.

That's enough summary.

So for one, let's ignore that Babe is barely an adult, already a manager of the local cafe, already managing renter's for her mom's house, already living alone in a lighthouse, and already thinking about her future. It just seems like a LOT for someone so young, and she handles it all with ease and a deep sense of calm. Maybe that's just how Maine people work? Also, her friend Penny lives by herself on a house boat. So, maybe it's just a Maine thing. I don't know.

All of that aside, I LOVED the characterization of Oar's Rest, Maine. I hope it's a real place that people can visit because it sounds so lovely. The town also took on it's own character as such a strong community, and I loved reading about a small ocean town on the coast of Maine. It was all kind of dream-y feeling and romantic a lot.

Penny was obnoxious as all get out. I did not understand how Babe and Penny were friends. Babe kind of gets into it, but it seems like one of those things of opposites attract? But, Babe seemed crazy more mature than Penny, so I really feel like Penny should have been more infuriating to Babe? Also, Chad was just kind of there. He was more fully fleshed out in memories more so than actual interactions. So that was kind of meh.

Levi and Babe's relationship felt very natural, but also fun. It felt authentically new and not just Babe falling head over heels for someone. She went in with eyes wide open.

Whatever. The real point is, I loved the book. It was a great read, I wish I had been sitting on the beach while I was reading it (I live in Michigan and it has been raining, a LOT), but it was still pleasant to read even not on the beach.

Happy reading!

Tarnished are the Stars

Tarnished are the Stars by Rosiee Thor

This book will be published on October 15, 2019. I read an uncorrected proof or, advanced reader's copy and undoubtedly there will be differences between the version I read and the published edition.

With all the being said...

This is a bit of an odd mix of storylines. It deals with expectations from parents, the trials of terraforming a planet, and kind of finding your place in the world. Plus, the tyranny of government preventing people from saving their own lives with medical technology.

An amazon summary, "A secret beats inside Anna Thatcher's chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog -- donning the moniker Technician -- to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner's tyrannical laws.

Nathaniel Fremont, the Commissioner's son, has never had to fear the law. Determined to earn his father's respect, Nathaniel sets out to capture the Technician. But the more he learns about the outlaw, the more he questions whether his father's elusive affection is worth chasing at all.
Their game of cat and mouse takes an abrupt turn when Eliza, a skilled assassin and spy, arrives. Her mission is to learn the Commissioner's secrets at any cost -- even if it means betraying her own heart.
When these uneasy allies discover the most dangerous secret of all, they must work together despite their differences and put an end to a deadly epidemic -- before the Commissioner ends them first." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Anna is the Technician. She helps people who need medical technology to live, something that has been outlawed in the Settlement. The Settlement is part of the planet which has been partially terraformed to host humans. The rest of humanity is up in the tower, where elegance and the Queen reign supreme. Eliza is the Queen's eyes; she's a skilled spy who ferrets out secrets of the people of the tower for the Queen. She's been writing letters to Nathaniel, the Commissioner's son, who she's engaged to. She's leaving the tower to go to the Settlement by the Queen's command to watch the Commissioner. Nathaniel desperately wants to make his father proud. He has an illegal clockwork heart that his father orchestrated for him when he was a baby, and his mother died when he was very young. His father has never really approved of Nathaniel, so Nathaniel is determined to find the Technician to make his father proud. The Technician is the most wanted criminal in the Settlement since they act in direct defiance of the Commissioner's law. Technology has been outlawed in the Settlement as it's been determined to be the cause of the first Earth's ruin. The Queen, and the Commissioner, are determined to not let the new planet fall victim to technology again.

Anna, the Technician, also lives in a small city hidden inside the cliffs away from the Settlement. She lives in a small city of people who need illegal tech to survive... but why do the residents of her small city fall prey to some disease where the residents of the Settlement seem fine (except for Nathaniel)?

That's enough summary.

So this book leapt through a lot of hoops in a short amount of time. As I said in the beginning, expectations from parents, trials of terraforming a planet, and finding your place in the world. Plus, the tyranny of government preventing people from saving their own lives with medical technology.

So what I really should have said, is figuring out why some people are sick over others, and how sexuality plays into the definition of self. Also, defying parents to do good for people in general.
....I've said enough.

The world building was good but also lacking. All of the concepts were there but they were poorly illustrated at times. I'm still not sure why the Settlement was behind walls since there didn't seem to be anything dangerous on the planet besides other humans.

The storylines were intertwined and periodically forgotten until it was relevant again to prove the point of something else. However, I liked the characterization of Anna and Eliza. I did not like the characterization of Nathaniel. I thought Nathaniel really lacked convictions even when he seemed to have them. Anna and Eliza knew themselves through and through; even when they had moments of doubt, they pulled through with their confidence.

I don't know, it was a decent book, but it's not something I'd read again. I feel like only one storyline was adequately played through and resolved. Everything else just kind of seemed to be shrugged and fell into place. Eh.

Happy reading!

The Hummingbird Dagger

The Hummingbird Dagger by Cindy Anstey

This is the third book I've read by Cindy Anstey. They exist within the same world, but you definitely don't need to read any of the previous books to understand this one. If you do read the other books (I think there are four others? I've read two; SUITORS AND SABOTAGE and CAROLS AND CHAOS) then I think you just get to see more stories like these. ...so yeah, just read books. They're pretty great.

An amazon summary, "1833. A near-fatal carriage accident has deposited an unconscious young woman on the doorstep of Hardwick Manor and into the care of young Lord James Ellerby. But when she finally awakens, it is with no memory of who she is or where she came from.

Beth, as she calls herself, has no identity; the only clue to her circumstances is a recurring nightmare of a hummingbird, blood dripping from its steel beak.

With the help of James and his sister, Caroline, Beth tries to solve the mystery of her own identity and the appalling events that brought her to their door. But nothing could prepare her for the escalating dangers that threaten her and the Ellerby clan. From the hazardous cliffs of Dorset to the hostile streets of London, Beth will fight to reclaim her past, hunted by a secretive foe with murderous intentions.

Fans of Cindy Anstey's previous novels won't want to miss The Hummingbird Dagger, a dark and twisty new offering that blends romance, danger and mystery." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Young Lord James Ellerby's younger brother takes a ride out and ends up crashing another carriage off the road, carrying a young woman of character. They whisk the woman to the manor to recover from the trauma of the accident (she fell into the ditch), and send for a doctor. When the young woman wakes up, she has amnesia and simply can't remember anything about herself. She has all the manners of a woman of good breeding, but not a clue as to who she is. She seems a bit attached to the name Beth, so they decide to call her Beth until her memories return.

James and his sister Caroline, quickly take her into the fold and treat her as family. James finds Beth to be quite charming and unlike anyone he's ever met (amnesia included). He endeavors to try and find her proper family while also jostling a political obligation to vote on legal pirating (and to abolish it). His younger brother is always snooping about for trouble it seems, so James has a bit on his plate at the moment. Caroline is quite brilliant and makes for a very good companion to Beth in the midst of her memory loss. She guides her through some of the social pleasantries while being a steadfast friend.

The most puzzling and disturbing thing are Beth's nightmares. She dreams of a hummingbird with blood dripping down it's beak, and wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. It's a recurring nightmare, and Beth is worried about what it may mean about her past.

That's enough summary.

This book took a lot longer to read than the other books. It felt much more drawn out, and always had an edge of menace to it rather than the more light hearted romps I've come accustomed to expect.

However, I did still enjoy it.

I wish there had been more of Caroline, but hopefully she'll get her own book in the near future. I also didn't really care for the Ellerby brother's relationship, but it also made since as their father had just died and James was becoming accustomed to being the head of the household without his mother beside him to guide him (she essentially went on vacation).

I also wish there had been more....frippery? Yeah, I'm going with frippery. It seemed to draw out the amnesia aspect for too long, and didn't give enough spotlight to frippery.

If you like books along these lines, you'll like this.

Happy reading!

Squad

Squad by Mariah MacCarthy

I like to branch out and read books that are outside of what I normally read. This is one of those books. There was some interesting results.

An amazon summary, "Jenna Watson is a cheerleader. And she wants you to know it’s not some Hollywood crap: they are not every guy’s fantasy. They are not the “mean girls” of Marsen High School. They’re literally just human females trying to live their lives and do a perfect toe touch. And their team is at the top of their game. They’re a family.

But all that changes when Jenna’s best friend stops talking to her. Suddenly, she’s not getting invited out with the rest of the squad. She’s always a step behind. And she has no idea why.

While grappling with post-cheer life, Jenna explores things she never allowed herself to like, including LARPing (live action role playing) and a relationship with a trans guy that feels a lot like love.

When Jenna loses the sport and the friends she’s always loved, she has to ask herself: What else is left?" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Jenna is a cheerleader who has been best friends with Raejean since forever, until one day they just seem to be not. Jenna tries not to worry, but she's terrified, and she's trying not to come across as clingy, and relives the trauma of when Raejean calls Jenna a ditz in front of her crush, Jenna dumped water on Raejean's head. She reasons this wasn't a crazy big deal since they had just been swimming, so everyone is kind of damp, but it marks the day that Raejean started to create some distance between herself and Jenna. Or so Jenna thinks.

Jenna kind of goes into a spiral, and she begins to resent Raejean for abandoning her, and devises a way to get back at her.

That's enough summary.

I found this book very problematic. Jenna tries to paint weed, alcohol, and the cult-ish like culture of cheerleaders are all very normal high school experiences. She also seems to constantly be down on herself or think she's stupid when she also points out how much she tries at school to get As and Bs.

I also found the depiction of Jenna's mental health to be extra problematic since at no point did she seek help, or was help found her. It all seemed to just be rolled into this weird lull of this is a normal high school experience. 

There's also a moment where Jenna decides to go on a date with a transman, which would be really cool, if Jenna hadn't been one hundred percent okay with it when she had problems with everything else. It really felt posturing. It really felt like a presentation of a different situation, which would have been great if it hadn't been piled on top of everything else.

Jenna also had issues with her mother (which gets an arc), issues with her father, issues with her brother (which she kind of comes to terms with), she is also a writer, just went through a hell of a break up with her best friend, thinking about colleges, she's also dabbling in LARP, she's had alcohol and weed in different scenes (with like zero pondering on this which bothers me a surprising amount), and there's also the arc with the dating of the transman. This book had SO MUCH GOING ON. Which, if you think of it kind of like a depiction of life, that's fine, but everything felt too chaotic that it didn't feel like I could learn anything from it.

This book was a very quick read though, I'll give it that.

But.... there was so much more this book could have been. I want to root for it, but I can't. :\

Happy reading!

Lingering Echoes

Lingering Echoes by Angie Smibert

This is the sequel to Bone's Gift, which I reviewed HERE. If you don't want anything ruined for Bone's Gift, I'd recommend not reading this review.

An amazon summary while decisions may be happening, "Twelve-year-old Bone uses her Gift, which allows her to see the stories in everyday objects, to try to figure out why her best friend, Will Kincaid, suddenly lost his voice at age five. This supernatural historical mystery is the second title in the acclaimed and emotionally resonant Ghosts of Ordinary Objects series.

In a southern Virginia coal-mining town in October 1942, Bone Phillips is learning to control her Gift: Bone can see the history of a significant object when she touches it. When her best friend, Will Kincaid, asks Bone to "read" the history of his daddy's jelly jar--the jelly jar that was buried alongside his father during the mine cave-in that killed him--Bone is afraid. Even before Bone touches it, she can feel that the jar has its own strange power. With her mother dead, her father gone to war, and Aunt Mattie's assault looming over Bone, she can't bear the idea of losing Will too. As Will's obsession with the jelly jar becomes dangerous, Bone struggles to understand the truth behind the jar and save him Featuring a beautiful, compelling voice, this novel weaves a story of mystery, family, and ultimately, love." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Bone has a gift to see memories associated with an object. She's also an avid storyteller, and went through a bit of....struggling with her aunt in the last book and discovering her aunt's relationship with her mother.

Bone has moved back into the boarding house, and her uncle watches over her too. Her uncle is helping her to better understand and use her powers, but Bone is still grappling with what her mother did to save her rather misguided aunt.

But, something is going on with Will. He's kind of obsessed with his father's jelly jar since it can play sounds it's captured back to him... including his father's voice. Bone is afraid to touch it, but Will really wants her to read it. She senses there's something off or wrong about the jar, and doesn't want to touch it. Which, understandably makes Will upset. He thinks that if Bone touches it, she'll be able to see his Father. There's something foreboding about the jar though.

Then there's her classmates who really want to egg her aunt's house for Halloween, and Bone is having a hard time saying no.

That's enough summary.

I think this book wandered a lot without really knowing what they wanted to accomplish. In the end, it kind of got there, but I think it grappled with trying to be a slice of life, trying to train Bone with her powers, trying to have Bone struggle with her friendships, and also Bone's concern about her father. While, this may be an accurate depiction of how life kind of haphazardly throws everything at you at once sometimes, but... for that to come across well in a book, that has to be a delicate balancing act. I don't think the book really gives a proper articulation to the multiple problems presented. It kind of feels like there's a few moments where the book kind of just crosses it's fingers and hope the readers aren't going to notice.

...but that being said, there is going to be a third book, and I'm still going to read the third book. I think some of the issues presented in this book might have a better resolution in the third book. I'm just really, really hoping that Bone's father survives the war.

Happy reading!

Bloom

Bloom by Kevin Panetta (Author), Savanna Ganucheau (Illustrator)

This is a graphic novel, but it's 368 pages long.... and I'm just going review like a regular book. Graphic novels deserve love too!!! Especially when they're such a rich and vital part of my reading tapestry.

An amazon summary, "Now that high school is over, Ari is dying to move to the big city with his ultra-hip band―if he can just persuade his dad to let him quit his job at their struggling family bakery. Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easygoing guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.

Writer Kevin Panetta and artist Savanna Ganucheau concoct a delicious recipe of intricately illustrated baking scenes and blushing young love, in which the choices we make can have terrible consequences, but the people who love us can help us grow." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Ari is in a band and has big plans to move away from his family bakery to make it big in the city! But, he has to find someone to take his place at this family's bakery first... if his Dad will agree to hiring someone else. His friends in the band are mostly good, but there's one that's kind of... assertive in the joking realm. Anyways. After Ari posted a few flyers around town to look for someone, to replace him, they had a few characters show up who weren't exactly what they were looking for.

Hector comes to town in the wake of his nana's death to stay at her place and slowly clear it out over the summer. He loves to bake and when he hears about the position at Ari's family bakery, he applies. He starts working there with Ari to learn the ropes, and the two become fast friends. Love is lurking in the air, but Ari kind of needs to get his head in the game.

That's enough summary.

This was such a cute, fun, romance, and coming of age story all rolled into one fantastic comic/graphic novel thing. So, I kind of adored it.

However, I did get a little annoyed at Ari because of a particular incident in the bakery and his reaction to Hector (read the book to find out). It's authentic to his character, but I was still very super frowny face at it.

The art is gorgeous, and the family and friends elements felt authentic. The town was characterized so well, and a lot of it had the awkward flairs of youth.

It was pretty delightful.

Happy reading!

Shatter City

Shatter City by Scott Westerfeld

This book will be published on September 17, 2019. I read an uncorrected proof, and there will undoubtedly be some differences between the version I read and the published edition.

This is also book 2 in a series, I reviewed the first book Impostors, HERE. If you don't want anything spoiled for book 1, I'd recommend not reading this review.

An amazon summary while you consider your choices, "When the world sees Frey, they think they see her twin sister Rafi. Frey was raised to be Rafi's double, and now she's taken on the role . . . without anyone else knowing. 

Her goal? To destroy the forces that created her.
But with the world watching and a rebellion rising, Frey is forced into a detour. Suddenly she is stranded on her own in Paz, a city where many of the citizens attempt to regulate their emotions through an interface on their arms. Paz is an easy place to get lost . . . and also an easy place to lose yourself. 
As the city comes under a catastrophic attack, Frey must leave the shadows and enter the chaos of warfare - because there is no other way for her to find her missing sister and have her revenge against her murderous father." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Alright. So, Frey and Col are in the thick of Frey's fathers country, surrounded by dust, bomb collars around their necks, and looking for a way out (where they can conveniently kill her father on the way out). They're constantly on guard; Frey trying to pass as Rafi, and Col...just trying not to die. Eventually, Frey finds out that her father is planning something terrible for the city of Paz. She's not sure what, but she knows he uncovered a rustie weapon in Victoria. Her father seems to joke he'll give the city of Paz to her as a wedding present. Shortly afterwards, an opportunity is presented where Frey and Col can escape. Frey wants to go find her sister, who is supposed to be hiding out in Paz, but Col is torn and needs to work with what's left of the Victoria forces to reclaim his country. After being in captivity for so long, Frey starts to rediscover herself bit by bit and become more comfortable with Col again, outside of the spy dust, away from prying eyes. Frey ends up continuing onto Paz to find her sister, while Col seeks to forge a way to get his country back.

That's enough summary.

Alright, so I didn't like this book nearly as much as the first book. It was a very... inner turmoil filled book for Frey. Which normally, would be interesting to read. But, a lot of action and external factors got in the way of Frey's self reflection.

That being said, it was still an okay book. It took me a while to get through due to the events of Paz, but once we're released from Paz, the story takes off again. It brought up so many side stories and started meshing them together with the main story line, so good.

But, that being said, it kind of felt like an action movie turned book. Which normally, I can appreciate, because usually that means there's a bit more plot involved in the book version of an action movie than an actual action movie. But, this felt like a filler book. Like, this really felt like, here's just enough content to keep you interested in the pay off for the third book. Which is pretty frustrating. I expected more from Scott Westerfeld.

But, that being said, the hook worked. I definitely want to read book 3, and I'm very suspicious of Rafi. I just feel like it could have been better.

Happy reading!

An Enchantment of Ravens

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

I previously reviewed SORCERY OF THORNS, which is another book by Margaret Rogerson. An Enchantment of Ravens is their first book, and I loved Sorcery of Thorns so much that I had to read this book.

So. SO GOOD.

An amazon summary, "Isobel is an artistic prodigy with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes—a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious, Rook spirits her away to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime. But something is seriously wrong in his world, and they are attacked from every side. With Isobel and Rook depending on each other for survival, their alliance blossoms into trust, then love—and that love violates the fair folks’ ruthless laws. Now both of their lives are forfeit, unless Isobel can use her skill as an artist to fight the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Isobel paints portraits of the fair folk. She has many fair folk that come to her for their portraits in exchange for enchantments. Fair folk don't pay in money for anything, they pay in enchantments. But, the enchantments can be very tricky to make sure they don't expire or go bad. Isobel has grown up in the village of Whimsy; where the king of the fair folk has made it eternally summer. Isobel has grown up surrounded by fair folk and is very adept at being able to work with them. She's very aware of all their idiosyncrasies and rules for polite behavior. The fair folk can also never lie, which, Isobel can use to her advantage. They are extremely dangerous though and pretty temperamental. The fair folk are also immortal, and are unable to make any sort of craft. Any. So they need the mortals for things and stuff.

So when the prince of the summer court comes calling, Rook, for a portrait. Isobel finds something more mesmerizing about Rook. He's unlike any of the other fair folk she's encountered, and Isobel becomes somewhat entranced by him. She's determined to get the eyes of his portrait just right... and paints mortal emotions into her eyes. The painting is revealed to his court, and well, the court is outraged. Rook comes back to Whimsy to make Isobel pay for her crime, and they start to traverse through the fair folks realms. But something is not right with the fair folk realms, something is not right at all.

That's enough summary.

Alright. So this is a take on the fair folk (fae, fairies, etc.) that I've never encountered before. I loved every moment of it. Isobel was such a great heroine, and she was so clever, and quick witted in ways I didn't anticipate and it was even more of a delight to read.

I also loved reading about the rules and how they were gradually introduced for how to interact with the fair folk. There's also a moment where the fair folk are compelled to return a bow or curtsy, and she ends up curtsying a fair folk across a room, freaking hilarious. 

There were also lots of little oddities sprinkled throughout the world due to the fair folk which only enhanced their otherness and difference from the mortals. There was also the good law to contend with (you have to read the book to find out what that is) which added another level of complexity.

I really liked seeing the dynamic between the mortals and the fair folk, but I also super appreciated how the story unfolded. The pace was well done, the tone was consistent with its foreboding air, and it reminded me a lot of some of the older fairy tales and how they served a message and purpose.

It was just really freaking good. I'm excited to see what this author will do next. I love the world building they create and the characters they build. Fascinating and marvelous to read.

Happy reading!