The Dreadful Tale of Proper Redding

The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken

I've previously read books by Alexandra Bracken... I'm not going to link the blog posts because I don't want to think about the previous books she wrote. ...because reasons.

I was pretty excited about this book after reading the amazon summary, "Prosper is the only unexceptional Redding in his old and storied family history-that is, until he discovers the demon living inside him. Turns out Prosper's great-great-great-great-great-something grandfather made-and then broke-a contract with a malefactor, a demon who exchanges fortune for eternal servitude. And, weirdly enough, eight-hundred-year-old Alastor isn't exactly the forgiving type.

The fiend has reawakened with one purpose--to destroy the family whose success he ensured and who then betrayed him. With only days to break the curse and banish Alastor back to the demon realm, Prosper is playing unwilling host to the fiend, who delights in tormenting him with nasty insults and constant attempts to trick him into a contract. Yeah, Prosper will take his afterlife without a side of eternal servitude, thanks. But with the help of his long-lost uncle, Barnabas, and his daughter, Nell, a witch-in-training, it seems like Prosper has at least a fighting chance of ridding himself of Alastor before the demon escapes and wreaks havoc on his family.
Little does Prosper know, the malefactor's control over his body grows stronger with each passing night and there's a lot Alastor isn't telling his dim-witted (but admittedly strong-willed) human host?" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Prosper Redding has grown up with his twin sister in a town where his family has always done well... but maybe because his ancestor made a deal with a malefactor to give prosperity to his family. Which they didn't know about until they are taken to their grandma's cottage where they go through a ritual which reveals that the malefactor Alastor has taken residence in Prosper. Fearing for his life from the ritual, Prosper escapes. He meets up with his uncle Barnabas, who has been lost from the family kind of, and works to help Prosper. Uncle Barnabas has his daughter Nell, a witch, help with Proper's situation while living in a haunted house.

Prosper now has Alastor hanging out inside of him, and with that, there comes a few oddities. Alastor delivers commentary on Prosper's activities, in ridiculing fashion while also also trying to convince Prosper to make his own deal with Alastor. Prosper, Nell, and Uncle Barnabas continue to search for a way to get rid of Alastor before Alastor becomes too powerful.

That's enough summary.

So something pretty delightful about this book is that it alternates between Alastor and Prosper for who tells the story at what part. For the most part, it is Prosper, but there's also a lot of Alastor in there. There's also tons of humor, and a very thoughtfully constructed world in terms of magic, fiends, and well just everything.

I did like the character growth of Prosper, I liked how the town's attitude and kind of thought process was shaped, and I very much look forward to the sequel, which I truly hope packs the same punch of humor, and kind of grossness as this first book.

Happy reading! 

One Dark Throne

One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

This is the sequel to Three Dark Crowns which I reviewed HERE. This blog post will undoubtedly contain spoilers for Three Dark Crowns, so if you don't want that spoiled, then I would suggest NOT reading this review.

An amazon summary, "The battle for the crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off.

Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

In this enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Times bestselling Three Dark Crowns, Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

The end of Three Dark Crowns showed us a whirlwind of kind of madness. My main takeaways were Katherine went a little crazy after being pushed into the pit of the island by Pietyr but returned fiercer than before, Arsinoe discovered she's actually the poisoner queen which means Katherine is actually the naturalist queen, and Mirabella is kind of going full tilt crazy. The quickening revealed a lot about how the suitors play into this and also the strategies and alliances forming around the queens killing each other.

...that being said, the first chunk of this book centered strongly on the romances...and I kind of didn't care. I was kind of mad that Katherine went from being a wrathful queen hell bent on winning the crown to kind of a simpering nitwit. Instead of concentrating on the crown she was like, NOPE, LET'S GET THE SUITORS LINED UP. I feel like Arsinoe found herself more...but I'm perplexed that she's able to use the small magics easier than before when it went so horribly in the last book? Mirabella just seems lost to me overall. Which really means, in an effort to avoid spoilers, that's all the summary you're getting out of me.

This feels a little weird, but I do feel like I'm rooting for Arsinoe overall (even though her name is the one I'm least sure on how it's pronounced, haha). Mirabella seems too twisted up in herself and internal struggles to really be any sort of effective queen plus her elemental house is a little all over the place off-kilter, especially with some of the practices the priestesses do. Katherine can't really seem to decide what she wants to be and is twisted up in her own poisoner house. I would really like to see the poisoner house be kicked out of the capital. Despite her use of small magic and dabbling in the 'dark arts' if you will (which is what the small magic seems to equate too) I think Arsinoe is the most grounded for the throne. I think her house would also bring the most compassion to how the island is governed and disputes handled. ...really, I'm mostly just down with kicking the poisoners off the throne.

I want to know more about the island and how it interacts with the outside world. I feel like we saw some of that in this book, but not nearly enough. I want more of the side characters, but I REALLY want to see when the queens legitimately go at it. I am getting this sneaking suspicion/dread that these triplets are going to break the cycle or something, and all three will rule the island? But.... I don't see the point to that really. I feel like they would have to go deeper into the lore surrounding the goddess.... but to what end? Not sure if this series is losing it's way, or coyly keeping the path to the final conclusion under careful wraps. All speculation at this point.

I think there's going to be two more books in this series? At this point, I'm ready to pick up book 3. I would like to see some plot threads resolve in book 3 though.

Happy reading!

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Are you up for a historical romp full of humor, wit, adventure, and some roguish behavior?

I'm also pretty sure this book has gotten a ton of well deserved press. So if you haven't heard of it, I'm happy to make your day!

This book does contain themes of feminism, LGBTQIA, race, and serious illnesses. It does have a good sense of humor through out all of these topics without belittling the subject matter.

There's ton of other stuff in the amazon review telling you to read this book, so I only copied the summary bit, "A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s.

Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Monty is about to embark on his grand tour before he takes over the family estate upon his return. His best friend Percy is going on tour with him, but much to Monty's despise, so is a chaperon. And his younger sister, Felicity. Monty has long enjoyed a life of debauchery; this grand tour is supposed to be his last 'hurrah' before settling down. Well, in Monty's eyes. His father, who is financing the trip, is expecting it to be very educational thanks to their chaperon and with the company of Felicity to keep things a little calmer.

As you can imagine, Monty is bound to have an adventure, regardless of chaperon, and they find themselves in one predicament into another. 

Throughout the entire adventure, the story definitely finds it's heart in Monty's and Percy's struggles, as they really begin to understand the life of the one who has been beside them the entire time. It's also a ton of fun to read about high society getting a little mucked up by this fierce friendship.

I don't want to say much more just in case I ruin any aspect of the book, but I found all of the character development, the world building, the pacing of the book, all of it was just wonderful. One of my most recommended books.

Happy reading!

York: The Shadow Cipher

York: The Shadow Cipher  by Laura Ruby

Who's ready for an alternate Earth history full of neat gadgets and a cipher that a couple of very famous inventors left for New York City? Is it EVERYONE? Yay!

An amazon summary without all of the reviews or praise, "It was 1798 when the Morningstarr twins arrived in New York with a vision for a magnificent city: towering skyscrapers, dazzling machines, and winding train lines, all running on technology no one had ever seen before.

Fifty-seven years later, the enigmatic architects disappeared, leaving behind for the people of New York the Old York Cipher—a puzzle laid into the shining city they constructed, at the end of which was promised a treasure beyond all imagining. By the present day, however, the puzzle has never been solved, and the greatest mystery of the modern world is little more than a tourist attraction.

Tess and Theo Biedermann and their friend Jaime Cruz live in a Morningstarr apartment—until a real estate developer announces that the city has agreed to sell him the five remaining Morningstarr buildings. Their likely destruction means the end of a dream long held by the people of New York.

And if Tess, Theo, and Jaime want to save their home, they have to prove that the Old York Cipher is real. Which means they have to solve it." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

The Morningstarr twins were magnificent inventors who made inventions around the city of New York. Notably, they made things like a public transport system that also has little cleaners on it that take care of it. They also built many buildings throughout the city that have elevators that don't just move up and down, but every which way. The Morningstarr twins were also celebrities of a sort, had lavish parties, and met many people through many walks of life.

Tess, Theo, and Jaime live in a Morningstarr building, which is currently being bought by a real estate developer. They hope by solving the cipher, they can save their building. They love their building, they love their community, and they think that by solving the cipher and proving it's real, they can save their building.

That's enough summary.

I loved this book. There was plenty of mystery, there were also all sorts of different inventions, strong themes of family, and such a thrilling adventure.

The world was also full of it's own pockets of mysteries. It's a way more technologically advanced New York City, but they also have their own problems. Like, they have Chimeras; animals that are a combination of more than one animal. Tess has a chimera as a support animal for her mental health, but her chimera is unusual. It's a very large cat, but its unclear what aspects of other animals have been added with the cat. There's a bunch of fun little details like that throughout the story that paints the familiar New York City with a different color. It gives the world an entirely familiar feel, while also giving it more of an alternate world feel.

There's also a cipher society that's been trying to solve the cipher for years, and are FULL of a cast of wonderful, wonderful people. I also learned a crap ton about the different types of puzzles, which was oddly informative and makes me feel like I can take on Escape Rooms better.

I don't really want to talk about the general plot of the book because, it's a mystery book. I feel like any neat cipher clue that I talk about might lead to a reader discovering a clue too soon about the book. The mystery must be preserved!

But, I loved this book. It's very wonderful. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

Happy reading!

Cruel Crown

Cruel Crown by Victoria Averyard

Admittedly, I stumbled upon this book a little later in the whole series game? But....it's fine.

This is a side story to the Red Queen series, so if you don't want any spoilers, don't read this blog. YAY!

I've read and reviewed the first three books, RED QUEEN, GLASS SWORD, and KING'S CAGE. I think you're supposed to read this particular book between Red Queen and Glass Sword because it has a sneak peek for Glass Sword at the end? But.... whatever! Here we are!

To the amazon summary! "The #1 New York Times bestselling series!

Discover the truth of Norta's bloody past in this paperback bind-up of two novella-length prequels to #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series.

Queen Song:

Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary—how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lay ahead for her in royal life.

Steel Scars:

Captain Farley exchanges coded transmissions with the resistance as she travels the land recruiting black market traders, smugglers, and extremists for her first attempt at an attack on the capital. She was raised to be strong, but planting the seeds of rebellion in Norta is a tougher job than expected—until she stumbles upon a connection that may prove to be the key to the entire operation: Mare Barrow.

This paperback bind-up also includes an excerpt of the second book in the Red Queen series, Glass Sword.

And don’t miss War Storm, the thrilling final book in the bestselling Red Queen series!" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

This book is also a two part story, similar to books I've reviewed in the past. So I'm going to break it down to the two stories inside.

Queen's Song

Queen's song is about Cal's mother, Queen Coriane, and the slow descent into madness she experiences from her ordeals with Elara (Maven's mother). I thought it was an interesting read, but I don't think it was very enlightening to the series in general? If I didn't read this book, it wouldn't really impact my knowledge of the series. However, I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH! If you don't read this book, the author doesn't punish you. If you're an inquisitive reader, it does reveal more about the Queen herself, who she was, and what her priorities were. It was kind of nice. I do wonder if this book inspired the author to switch to different narrators in book 3 (and probably book 4). I will say, it was kind of gut wrenching read, similar to Mare's months in captivity and how you see that spiral into chaotic thought.

Steel Scars

I really liked this story. It's about Farley and how she started planting the seeds for the Scarlet Guard to lead the red rebellion in Norta. It showcases a lot more about her relationship with her father, but also gives you a firm grasp of how she views the world around her. I kind of loved it actually. Farley has been a character I've liked a lot throughout the series since she's just been a consistent badass and brings it to you every time (if you will). We also got to see more of Farley's and Shade's relationship before Mare's powers were uncovered, and that was also nice. To know how much they meant to each other before we saw it in the series. Again, I don't think this side story is inherently essential to read to understand the main series, but it also gave me more insight to Farley, Shade, and the Scarlet Guard. I enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed both side stories really, and if you've read the other books and are curious about these story elements, I'd recommend picking up this book. If not, then it really doesn't hurt you at all to not read them.

Happy reading!