ARC Review: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Title: Girls of Paper and Fire
Author: Natasha Ngan
Publication Date: November 6, 2018
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson Books
Pages: 336
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most cruel.

But this year, there's a ninth girl. And instead of paper, she's made of fire.

In this lush fantasy, Lei is a member of the Paper caste, the lowest and most oppressed class in Ikhara. She lives in a remote village with her father, where the decade-old trauma of watching her mother snatched by royal guards still haunts her. Now, the guards are back, and this time it's Lei they're after--the girl whose golden eyes have piqued the king's interest.

Over weeks of training in the opulent but stifling palace, Lei and eight other girls learn the skills and charm that befit being a king's consort. But Lei isn't content to watch her fate consume her. Instead, she does the unthinkable--she falls in love. Her forbidden romance becomes enmeshed with an explosive plot that threatens the very foundation of Ikhara, and Lei, still the wide-eyed country girl at heart, must decide just how far she's willing to go for justice and revenge.

Girls of Paper and Fire was one of my most anticipated reads of the year! I got my copy way back in April and immediately dug in, but I quickly realized that it was not going to work for me. While there are some really interesting aspects of this book, there were just too many issues for it to be really enjoyable.

Lei is the protagonist of this story and she's from the lowest caste in her world, which is unfortunate to her since it makes her easy pickings for the king's Paper Girls. Paper Girls, in case you're wondering, are concubines and this book does not shy away from the sexual aspects.

While I'm open to sexual content when done tastefully (even in YA) I was honestly shocked by the content. There was sexual assault and rape constantly throughout this book. In my original thoughts I compared this to The Handmaid's Tale, but while The Handmaid's Tale had a point to make, I'm not sure what the point is here. Maybe I'm just missing something. In any case, there were no content warnings on the ARC, but maybe there will be on the finished copy. There definitely should.

Lei herself is an interesting character, but I didn't find her to be particularly compelling or interesting. Wren was honestly more interesting and I'd love to have known more about her! Their romance was sweet and one of my favorite parts of the book. I really wish there had been a way to write this story but in a different setting with different circumstances.

The thing I really did appreciate about Girls of Paper and Fire was the mythology and worldbuilding. I don't know much about Malaysian culture, but Natasha Ngan definitely painted a vivid picture! The demon and human races were fascinating in their diversity. The writing was lush and I couldn't help but keep turning pages despite my issues.

I think a lot of people will enjoy this book, especially if they understand what the content is before they start reading. I don't particularly like reading about sexual assault, so that put a huge damper on my enjoyment. I will definitely be giving this author another try based on her world building and writing, though.

Book Review: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Title: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (Montague Siblings #2)
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 450
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Review for book 1

In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, Felicity Montague must use all her womanly wits and wiles to achieve her dreams of becoming a doctor—even if she has to scheme her way across Europe to do it. A must-have for fans of Mackenzi Lee’s extraordinary and Stonewall Honor-winning novel.

A year after an accidentally whirlwind grand tour with her brother Monty, Felicity Montague has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the marriage proposal of a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh and enroll in medical school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.

But then a window of opportunity opens—a doctor she idolizes is marrying an old friend of hers in Germany. Felicity believes if she could meet this man he could change her future, but she has no money of her own to make the trip. Luckily, a mysterious young woman is willing to pay Felicity’s way, so long as she’s allowed to travel with Felicity disguised as her maid.

In spite of her suspicions, Felicity agrees, but once the girl’s true motives are revealed, Felicity becomes part of a perilous quest that leads them from the German countryside to the promenades of Zurich to secrets lurking beneath the Atlantic.

Last year I read The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue and absolutely fell in love! I loved Monty and Percy and their romance together. I loved Felicity and the adventures the trio went on. Every single thing about Gentleman's Guide was amazing and I was over the moon when I found out there would be a second book! I was so thrilled to get my hands on an ARC and immediately dug in... then found myself putting it down until the audiobook was available.

As everything about this book suggests, this time we get to follow Felicity's story. Felicity dreams of being a doctor but finds herself thwarted at every opportunity. Men laugh at her and her friends act as if they're indulging a fantasy. When she's given the chance to meet and possibly work with her favorite doctor, she immediately boards a ship with some questionable people in order to make her dreams come true.

Sadly, Felicity just couldn't quite win me over. She is okay as a character and I appreciated the asexuality rep, but in the end I found her a bit boring. Felicity spent the entire book lamenting how she would never be a doctor, but beyond talking to one group of men and chasing around one other man, not much happened in the way of pursuing that particular dreams. Instead, Lady's Guide is mostly Felicity running around after other people. In a way, this really didn't feel like Felicity's story at all.

The other two main characters in this book are Johanna and Sim and they were both fantastic! This book is really all about girl power and these two really helped drive the point home. All three women have distinct aspirations, but all three go about getting them in different ways. While I loved the feminist tone of the book, it was also a bit exhausting after awhile. Lady's Guide really is just a book about three women doing women things and damn the men. Which is mostly fun, but seems a bit heavy handed.

There were many parts of this I enjoyed, of course! My favorite bits were the ones with Monty and Percy and sadly there weren't many of them. I loved their banter and humor and romance and kind of wish we could have a second book of their adventures together. I also loved the pirate parts when they actually did come up, which didn't happen until nearly the end of the book. I will say that the fantasy elements of this book was weird and didn't really work for me. I'm not sure why it needed to be included and I don't think it added anything.

I thought that Lady's Guide was an okay second book, but frankly it paled in comparison to Gentleman's Guide and that's a shame. The plot dragged a bit and I do wish Felicity had been a bit more engaging, but I loved all the other characters and the piracy! If you enjoyed The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, you'll probably enjoy this one as well.

ARC Review: Unbroken Anthology

Title: Unbroken
Author: Multiple
Publication Date: September 18, 2018
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 320
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

A YA Anthology of short stories featuring disabled teens, written by #OwnVoices disabled authors. The stories reflect a range of genres and disabilities; contributors include bestselling authors Kody Keplinger and Francisco X. Stork, as well as newcomers Fox Benwell, Keah Brown, and more.

It's been a hot minute since I've read an anthology, and a pretty good one at that.  I love the fact that this book involves people with disabilities!  The disabilities include physical, mental, and emotional aspects.

As an added bonus, these stories are also own voices as the authors also have some form of disability as well as their characters.  I do not specifically know if each author's characters are based on their own personal disability or not.

I honestly did not personally connect with too many of these stories as I, myself, do not have any disabilities, but I still think it is crucial to readers like me to be able to read about characters like this.  It really helps put things in perspective and makes us think about how others deal with challenges and day-to-day things with a disability.

While most of these stories are realistic, what I was not expecting was some fantasy and sci-fi thrown into the mix.  I was so confused at first reading one story until I actually realized that it was a fantasy story and not meant to be realistic.  I liked how there was a mix of genres, but it did make some of the stories very abstract and sometimes hard to follow at times.

There was one story that I didn't quite get, but asking a few fellow bloggers I was able to figure out what was going on.  It started out really slow and nothing really seemed to happen, so it confused me a little bit.

Out of all the stories in this book, I think Britt and the Bike God by: Kody Keplinger was probably my favorite.  The main character is partially blind and rides a tandem bike with different members of her biking team, including the really fast and hot Bike God.

All in all, I am very happy that there are more stories out in the world that includes characters like this.  I cannot wait for others to read this and actually feel seen and included, which is such a wonderful feeling.  I almost wish that I could have complete books of all these stories because I want to know more about these characters and to delve deeper into what makes them unique and essentially "them".

ARC Review: A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

Title: A Blade So Black
Author: L.L. McKinney
Publication Date: September 25, 2018
Publisher: Imprint
Pages: 384
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew.

Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally. 

A Blade So Black caught my eye because it was an Alice in Wonderland retelling and I was so excited to dive in! Of course, some of my favorite books of all time are Wonderland retellings, so it also had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations.

This retelling is different than many others in that it's really more urban fantasy than fantasy. Honestly, I feel it would have worked better as an original urban fantasy book than a Wonderland retelling. While I liked the idea of a more badass Alice taking on monsters in Wonderland, I didn't love the way A Blade So Black got there.

Wonderland itself is strange, and not in the great way that it's meant to be. When I read a Wonderland book I want to BE there. I want to see the weird, dreamlike landscapes in my head. A Blade So Black doesn't describe the world in a way that paints an easy picture of Wonderland, and this is a world that needs to be vivid, especially when there are so many portrayals already.

One of my biggest issues with this book, though, is the way the beginning is written. In the first eight pages, Alice sees her first Wonderland creature, then there's a six month time jump during which she has been training with Hatta. We don't see any of this training - we're just told that she's "ready" for Wonderland. There also isn't a really good description of what she's ready for, just vague discussion about weapons and Nightmares. By page thirty Alice has had her first (very rushed) trip to Wonderland followed by another one year time jump. This entire thirty page chunk could have been the first half of the book, but for whatever reason the author decided to jump over all of the training and just get to the part where Alice has to save Hatta. It made the entire intro to the story feel extremely rushed and clunky.

I've seen A Blade So Black compared to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but a huge chunk of Buffy is seeing her grow into a badass. With such a huge chunk of the character growth fast forwarded, it's hard to feel invested. Sadly, I just couldn't get into this book.

Audiobook Review: The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Title: The Upside of Unrequited
Author: Becky Albertalli
Publication Date: April 11, 2017
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 336
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Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

I feel like I am a total black sheep in regards to this book and might get torn apart for this review. But here we go...

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. Maybe hate is too strong a word. I loved so many things about this book, but there were a couple things that completely disappointed me and even upset me a little.

First of all, before you bite my head off, I adored Molly. I saw myself and a lot of teenage girls in her. She struggled a lot with insecurity and fitting in and, to be honest, just about anyone who has been to high school can find something to relate to in her experience. Molly was perfect in her imperfection and her journey was a delight to watch. Reid was amazing as well. I love Reid. Give me more Reid.

The character that all my problems stemmed from was Molly's twin sister, Cassie. Cassie was the biggest jerk in the world and treated Molly like absolute garbage. And acted like she was doing it out of love! Molly has had many crushes over the years and Cassie never missed an opportunity to make fun of her for never acting on these crushes. WHAT IS WRONG WITH NOT TRYING TO MAKE OUT WITH EVERY BOY YOU THINK IS CUTE????? Answer: Absolutely N O T H I N G. It bothered me so much that Cassie repeatedly made Molly feel horrible about herself by making fun of her crushes. If anyone - friend, relative, or total stranger - had spoken to me that way when I was a teen, I would have retreated even farther into my hole of insecurity and I may have never returned.

And let us not forget: In this book, Cassie enters into a relationship with her first girlfriend. So what makes her the expert on what to do with crushes? Just because she made out with a few people before Molly did, suddenly she is the be all and end all in relationships? You better check yourself before you wreck yourself, Cassie.

Speaking of Cassie's new girlfriend, as soon as Mina appears in Cassie's life, she completely ditches Molly. Yup, she has found another way to treat her like a doormat. She is horrible to Molly because she would rather spend time sucking face with Mina. AND THEN, she turns the whole situation around to make Molly feel like she did something wrong and makes her apologize for being jealous of Cassie's relationship. Seriously, Cassie, I'm done with you. Get out of my life.

Another thing that made me soooooooo sadddddddd was a revelation Molly had toward the end of the book. Now, I truly adore and respect Becky Albertalli. She is a wonderful author and human being who has done and continues to do amazing things for the book community and teens in general. But Molly got a boyfriend and then looked in the mirror and finally felt beautiful.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

That scene just broke my heart. I really didn't expect that to be something that happened in a book like this. Dramatic crying emoji.

Speaking of emojis (never thought I'd say that in a review), I have one more note to make about this book, but it applies to a lot of books that are being released lately. As I was reading, I realized that there were A LOT of current cultural references: emojis, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Netflix and chill, etc. This is something we see in a ton of the books that we are reading today. And while these current references make these books super appealing right now in this moment, I think it will also date these books dramatically in the future (and maybe even the near future). Our times are changing faster than we can write about them. These books will appear dated and old-fashioned by next year when the latest social media craze is bound to take over.

Ok, before I get too long-winded, here's my conclusion. I do think this is a good book. It is diverse and important in today's society. Despite my complaints, I do think you should read it. Molly is a true gem and we can all find something to relate to in her. Cassie may be one of my most hated characters of all time, but you need to read this book for Molly, Reid, and Molly's moms (who are also WONDERFUL and I'm sorry I didn't mention them sooner.)

ARC Review: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: The Belles (The Belles #1)
Author: Dhonielle Clayton
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 448
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

It's a fact that I am a sucker for pretty covers, so of course The Belles sucked me right in the second I saw it! It's easily one of the most gorgeous books of the year! Add to that a synopsis that's equally as eye catching, plus a powerful female MC, and I hoped I'd have a new favorite on my hands! I was SO excited to get an advance copy of this book, although I'll admit I was intimidated by the size. Still, I dove in as soon as I was able and am happy to report that I did enjoy it, even if it was a bit bigger than it really needed to be.

Camellia is a Belle, a controller of beauty who helps the people of Orleans become who they want to be (as long as they can afford it). The story begins as she's competing for the position of favorite Belle, the one chosen to live in the palace and work for the royal family and court. At first, she doesn't get everything she wants, but it's only a matter of time before her wish comes true and she's positioned in the royal palace just like her mother before her. Camellia was definitely a strong, powerful woman, although I didn't end up loving her quite as much as I thought I would. She is very good at what she does, but she's also selfish and needlessly indecisive. I do wish more had been explained about why Camellia was so much more powerful than her sisters. Instead, the only thing that we're really told is that she likes to disobey rules and experiment. In nearly 500 pages, I feel like more of Camellia's backstory and more of an explanation about her powers could've been provided.

In the beginning of the book Camellia is with her sister Belles, but they are quickly split up. Although we're told a lot about what a close relationship they all have, not much of that is seen and the majority of interaction between them is negative. I'd hoped to get more of a glimpse into the bond they shared. I did enjoy Camellia's relationships with both Bree and Ivy and found them to be one of the best parts of the book! There was also a hint at a romance or two, but it was not central to the story. It seemed at first that there might be a love triangle brewing, but that didn't really happen, thankfully. I did love Camellia's relationship with Remy, her personal guard.

As I've already hinted at, I do wish there had been more explanation for the Belles themselves and how their powers worked, as well as the society of Orleans and how it functioned. All we really ever saw was the palace and its immediate surroundings and the only things that ever seemed to happen in the world had to do with Belles and beauty. I understand that the author was making a point, but this world most definitely needs to be fleshed out a bit more (which sounds crazy since I'm talking about a nearly 500 page book). There were endless descriptions about people's hair and dresses and the Belle's appointments and goings on. I do wish that most some of this had been left out in favor of more world building. As the story was told, however, it could've easily lost 150 pages and still gotten all the same points across. It was needlessly bloated with descriptions that dragged down the pace for no real reason.

None of this is to say that I didn't enjoy this book, because I did! The concept of The Belles is incredibly unique and, although the story was dragged down in places by too many descriptions, I kept turning the pages because I wanted to know what would happen next and where Camellia would end up. The villain was certainly scary and added a sense of urgency to Camellia's actions, and there was a twist that completely took my breath away!

A word of warning, The Belles does end on a massive cliffhanger. I actually (somehow) didn't realize that this was a series and as the book was coming to an end I was trying to figure out how it could possibly wrap up. It didn't. I hate all cliffhangers, but this one was extremely abrupt and left way too many questions. I guess it did its job though, because I'll definitely be reading the next book to see what happens next.

The Belles definitely had its issues. It was overly long and in dire need of more world building. But it was also incredibly enjoyable with an intriguing concept and its definitely a story that I plan to jump back into when book two comes out a year from now! I'm looking forward to seeing how Camellia copes and honestly I'm just so excited for the romance that I know is inevitable in book two.

Audiobook Review: None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio

Title: None of the Above
Author: I.W. Gregorio
Publication Date: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 328
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A groundbreaking story about a teenage girl who discovers she was born intersex... and what happens when her secret is revealed to the entire school. Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between.

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant?

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She's a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she's madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she's decided that she's ready to take things to the next level with him.

But Kristin's first time isn't the perfect moment she's planned—something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy "parts."

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin's entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self? 

Krissy has it all. She is a track star, the homecoming queen, and she has the most amazing boyfriend and best friends. But one day, what should be a normal trip to the gynecologist changes her life forever. Krissy discovers she is intersex. She has androgen insensitivity syndrome, meaning that she has XY chromosomes, but she has lived her whole life as a female.

I feel that I should note that I am a cisgendered female before I begin this review. I have no experience with what Krissy is going through, so I cannot claim whether her story is accurate or not. However, it is clearly obvious throughout the book that it was written by someone who has also never had these experiences. I.W. Gregorio is a doctor who has worked with numerous intersex teens, so there is a lot of great information present. But the story itself feels forced and like it was trying to fit into a typical contemporary novel mold

Plot-wise, this was a very standard, teen's-life-gets-turned-upside-down-but-then-she-meets-a-boy-and-everything-is-good-again type of story. You could see the ending coming from a mile away. I don't need intrigue in my contemporaries, so this was ok with me. I liked the boy a lot, so I didn't mind too much. I did have a problem with the fact that suddenly everything in Krissy's life was fine again when a boy liked her. That is one of my most hated tropes of all time. That is not the way life works and I hate it when books and movies put that ideal on such a pedestal.

Boring plot development aside, the biggest problem with this book is the repeated use of slurs towards intersex, trans, and really any LGBT people. Krissy has a discussion with her doctor about what intersex really means and what slurs should not be used to describe those with AIS. Yet Krissy immediately starts using those slurs against herself, telling others those slurs and letting them think it is ok to use them, and using those slurs against others with AIS. She is horribly transphobic and repeatedly makes derogatory comments about trans people.

And now for the saddest part. I don't do this often, but I really feel the need to include a trigger warning for this book. Suicide is joked about multiple times throughout the book and sexual assault is used as a plot device for the main character to have an "epiphany" about herself. In addition to the large amount of sexuality-related slurs, this book could be really harmful to someone who is questioning their identity (or really to anyone in general).

It was really sad to see a book that was meant to be enlightening and encouraging go so wrong. Do I think this book is important? Yes. Intersex is not a term we see very often and I definitely think more people should read about it. This valuable information is the only thing that brought up my rating slightly. Can I recommend that people read this book? Maybe. Take my warnings into consideration and read this story with a grain of salt. Learn about intersex and AIS from it, but don't treat it as a comprehensive guide to the intersex experience.

Book Review: The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie

Title: The Abyss Surrounds Us (The Abyss Surrounds Us #1)
Author: Emily Skrutskie
Publication Date: February 8, 2016
Publisher: Flux
Pages: 273
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Cas has fought pirates her entire life. But can she survive living among them?

For Cassandra Leung, bossing around sea monsters is just the family business. She’s been a Reckoner trainer-in-training ever since she could walk, raising the genetically-engineered beasts to defend ships as they cross the pirate-infested NeoPacific. But when the pirate queen Santa Elena swoops in on Cas’s first solo mission and snatches her from the bloodstained decks, Cas’s dream of being a full-time trainer seems dead in the water.

There’s no time to mourn. Waiting for her on the pirate ship is an unhatched Reckoner pup. Santa Elena wants to take back the seas with a monster of her own, and she needs a proper trainer to do it. She orders Cas to raise the pup, make sure he imprints on her ship, and, when the time comes, teach him to fight for the pirates. If Cas fails, her blood will be the next to paint the sea.

Unfortunately, this book ended up being incredibly disappointing for me. I have heard pretty much nothing but rave reviews for this series since it's release almost two years ago, and I wish I could say the same. Ultimately, it all boils down to me wanting more from this book. The story seemed interesting, the world was unique, the characters were intriguing, but I needed so much more.

The Abyss Surrounds Us is set in what appears to be our world at some unknown time in the future. The world has been broken up into much smaller territories in an attempt to better govern the people. And there are these things called Reckoners, which are aquatic beasts of various builds that protect ships from pirate attacks. This sounds pretty cool, right? Well, unfortunately, that is pretty much the only information you get about the world in the entire book. I wanted to know so much more. What led to the division of the world? In the story, Cas meets a man who was alive before the transition, meaning that it is a more recent development. So shouldn't there still be some things getting worked out? You can't decide to divide up the ENTIRE WORLD and have everything working smoothly in just a couple years. Who came up with the idea of the Reckoners? Why was there a demand for Reckoners? How long have Reckoners been around? JUST TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE RECKONERS HOW COULD YOU CREATE SUCH A COOL STORY IDEA AND TELL ME NOTHING ABOUT IT SERIOUSLY WHYYYYYYYYYY.....

Phew, ok, now on to the characters. Again, this is something that needed more development. A pirate crew can always provide a smorgasbord of personalities and back stories, but we got barely any detail on most of the characters. We did learn about the childhood of Swift, the love interest, but by the time it came, I didn't care about her at all. And don't even get me started on Cas' character arc. It made zero sense and her personality changed drastically from one second to the next.

Cas and Swift's relationship didn't make sense at all to me. I liked the idea of them being together and I was excited about that prospect, but the development of the relationship was confusing and WAY under-developed. Cas would always think things like "the Swift I know," "I know she's clever," and "I know she cares for me," and I kept screaming HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS???? We only witnessed them having a few interactions and those were mostly full of insults and fighting. So how in the WORLD could Cas know ANYTHING about Swift? I feel like this was a terrible case of telling rather than showing. The reader was expected to assume that they had interactions "off-screen" that made them start falling for each other. But you can't tell me that Swift was really sweet and caring and only show me her being a complete jerk. I'm never going to believe you. And, this really isn't important to the story at all, but if Cas mentioned Swift's bad haircut ONE MORE TIME, I was going to throw the book across the room. This was a seriously unimportant detail and wasted so much space that could have been used actually DEVELOPING THEIR RELATIONSHIP.

Even though I didn't like the characters involved in the romance, one thing that I did appreciate about this book is that there was a f/f romance that existed without anyone having to point it out. There was no coming out aspect or negative views from the other characters. Cas and Swift being together was perfectly natural, and it was nice to read a book that included LGBT+ aspects, but didn't make them the focus of the story. This was the saving grace of the book for me.

To be completely honest, I don't understand why so many people love this book. It is a fun story, but it is missing so much. It feels like a good first draft that would become a great book if it was developed more. I see so many reviews saying that there is a vivid world and detailed characters, and I just didn't see it. Cas' development as a character made no sense and happened way too fast. The romance happened way too fast. Basically everything in this book happened way too fast.

I already own the second book, so I will probably continue with the series. I am not going to give up on this author based on this one experience. I feel so bad that I really didn't enjoy this book that everyone loves so much. Obviously, I was hoping that I would enjoy it as well. But I truly don't see what everyone finds so amazing about it. As if I haven't said it enough, I just wanted MORE.

Audiobook Review: We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Title: We Are Okay
Author: Nina LaCour
Publication Date: February 14, 2017
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Pages: 256
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You go through life thinking there’s so much you need…

Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart. 

I had heard a lot of people praising We Are Okay, but I still wasn't convinced it was a book I should pick up. Contemporary is something that is very hit or miss with me....usually miss. It takes quite a lot for me to really love a contemporary novel. While I didn't completely love We Are Okay, I did enjoy it and I am glad that I finally picked it up.

This is definitely more of a character-based novel. You will not find much action happening here. The reader is meant to become absorbed in the characters lives - feel their pain, understand their actions, comprehend their motivations. The characters definitely feel human. I saw myself in Marin and felt like I could see myself making the same decisions she did. That being said, however, I didn't find myself really connecting with any of the characters. They were great, real characters, but they were missing that extra something that makes you feel like they don't just exist in the pages of a book.

We Are Okay told a beautiful story that was heartbreaking and real. Unfortunately, Marin's story was a bit too real for me at the time I was reading it. I had just gone through something similar in my life, and I may not have been ready to read this book. (My life had far less twists and turns than the book, but the sadness was there just the same.) I may have been able to appreciate the story a bit more at a different time in my life, but I still enjoyed it.

I can definitely understand why so many people love this book. It may not be one of my new favorites, but I can appreciate that it is a well-written and beautiful story. Contemporary is just incredibly hard for me to get behind, especially when the story is so close to something in my real life. However, if you do like reading contemporary works, I definitely recommend We Are Okay. It is a lovely book with wonderful LGBTQ+ representation (which is always an A+ in my book) that I think a lot of different readers will be able to enjoy.

Audiobook review: Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

Title: Flame in the Mist
Author: Renee Ahdieh 
Publication Date: May 16, 2017
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 393
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The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

Flame In the Mist immediately caught my attention with its gorgeous cover and promises of a Mulan retelling. I read The Wrath and the Dawn a little over a year ago and really enjoyed it (even though I still haven't read the sequel), so I knew I would have to pick this up when I got the chance! Unfortunately, it didn't end up wowing me like I'd hoped it would.

The story begins with Mariko being shipped off to an arranged marriage with the Emperor's son, a marriage that will help her family. On the way to meet her betrothed, however, her convoy is attacked by the Black Clan and no one but Mariko survives. With revenge in mind, Mariko decides to infiltrate their group, which sounds great, but everything really goes downhill from there. I have several feelings about Flame in the Mist, but I'll start with Mariko.

Over and over, even in the synopsis, the reader is told what a genius Mariko is. Throughout the book she invents things, but we're always told about the inventions and never shown. Mariko has an idea and *poof* a throwing star! Several characters comment on how intelligent and cunning Mariko is, but we never see it and I really wish we had been able to. I didn't dislike Mariko necessarily, I just didn't feel like she was anything special.

Okami is the other main character, the love interest. He was by far my favorite character in this book! In Okami's case we were actually able to see the qualities we're told about. I really enjoyed watching him prove Mariko's assumptions wrong. What I didn't like was how the romance came about. Highlight for romance spoilers:

Throughout the entire book, while Okami believes Mariko to be a boy, there are hints that he might feel something for her, but this is never explored. He is nicer to her, but he never acts on or even acknowledges any potential feelings. Then, suddenly, when he discovers that Mariko is indeed a she (because he accidentally touches her boob while saving her from drowning, by the way), they immediately make out. It's an extremely weird way to handle this romance and I feel like it could have been better if Okami's feelings had been explored even a little while Mariko was still in disguise. 

Several secondary characters round out the cast and I really did enjoy most of them! The one I wish had gotten a bit more focus was Mariko's twin. There were a few hints at the relationship between them, but we never got to see any of it.

I thought that (most of) the world building was really well done, at least in my uneducated opinion. Of course, I don't know much about the history of Japan, but I certainly felt like I could picture the forest where the Black Clan hung out. I also really enjoyed the different settings visited, especially the tea house. But there was a major part of the world that was extremely lacking, and that was the magic. What even is it? Random magical things happen and they barely get any acknowledgment. Is magic something that's just accepted in this world? Who has it and who doesn't? Why is absolutely nothing about this magical system brought up in the entire book?

The story was also a bit underwhelming for me. I was expecting a Mulan retelling and this is not that at all. The only similarity between Flame in the Mist and Mulan is that Mariko and Mulan both dressed as men to hide amongst a group of men and kind of learn to fight (kind of). Mariko is not part of an army, there is no war, but I guess she can throw some stars? That being said, the actual story was decent. I feel like if this hadn't been marketed as a Mulan retelling I may have enjoyed it a little more.

Overall, I didn't hate Flame in the Mist, but I wanted a lot more from it. More answers and more fleshed out characters, mostly. I did really like Okami and I enjoyed the world. Unfortunately, there just weren't enough positives to make this a good read and I can't imagine I'll read the sequel, despite it ending on a cliffhanger. I think that if you were to go into this book without any expectations of a retelling and understanding that there will be many unanswered questions, you might have better luck!

Graphic Novel Review: Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

Title: Pashmina
Author: Nidhi Chanani
Publication Date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: First Second
Pages: 176
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? But Pri's mom avoids these questions--the topic of India is permanently closed.

For Pri, her mother's homeland can only exist in her imagination. That is, until she find a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase. When she wraps herself in it, she is transported to a place more vivid and colorful than any guidebook or Bollywood film. But is this the real India? And what is that shadow lurking in the background? To learn the truth, Pri must travel farther than she's ever dared and find the family she never knew.

In this heartwarming graphic novel debut, Nidhi Chanani weaves a tale about the hardship and self-discovery that is born from juggling two cultures and two worlds.

Not too long ago I received mystery package in the mail and inside that package was Pashmina, a beautiful graphic novel about an Indian-American girl who desperately wants to know more about the country her mother is from. I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened it and I will totally admit this is not a book I would usually pick up, but I am so glad Pashmina found its way to my doorstep!

Priyanka is an incredibly relatable main character. She wants to know more about her background, especially why her mother left India, and isn't satisfied with her mom's non-answers. When she finds an old pashmina in an old suitcase, she finally has the chance to learn something of India, but in a totally gorgeous and magical way! I loved following Pri on her journey for answers about her family and herself, both through her magical pashmina and in real life.

The way this book discusses different cultures, religions, and types of families was perfect. Priyanka was forced to face the non-magical elements of her heritage and daily life in India and the author did a great job of encapsulating the emotions Priyanka felt. I also really enjoyed the different relationships Pashmina explores, especially between Pri and her aunt.

Of course, we have to talk about the art! I absolutely judge a book by its cover and I also judge a graphic novel by its art style. There are some I won't touch with a ten foot pole, but Pashmina was absolutely gorgeous! There was a distinct difference between the real world and the magical world of the pashmina and both had their own merits. I loved the way the art made the story come to life.

There were times I found myself a little bored with Pashmina, but overall I thought it was a very well-written coming of age story. This is definitely a book I would buy for my ten-year-old niece. In fact, I just added it to my Christmas shopping list (but don't tell her)! 

Graphic Novel Review: Fresh Romance, Vol. 1

Title: Fresh Romance, Vol. 1
Authors & Illustrators: Sarah Kuhn, Kate Leth, Sarah Vaughn, Marguerite Bennet, Kieron Gillen, Arielle Jovellanos, Sarah Winifred Searle, Sally Jane Thompson, Trungles, Christine Norrie
Publication Date: August 3, 2016
Publisher: Oni Press
Pages: 224
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The critically-acclaimed anthology FRESH ROMANCE is finally available in print! Have you been wondering what the fuss is all about? FRESH ROMANCE is an exciting collection of romance comics from some of comics most talented creators, including Kate Leth, Arielle Jovellanos, Sarah Vaughn, Sarah Winifred Searle, Sarah Kuhn, Marguerite Bennett, and Trungles. From unhappy historical marriages to covert teenage romances, there's something for everyone in FRESH ROMANCE. 

I picked up Fresh Romance in early 2016 and had every intention of reading it. Instead it sat on my shelf for over a year and I am just now getting around to picking it up. I didn't realize when I brought this home that it was an anthology of short graphic novels ranging in genre from paranormal to historical fiction. My main takeaway from this anthology is that the stories are entirely too short. I was interested in most of them, but they were SO short that it was really hard to feel like I'd enjoyed them fully. Something I really did appreciate though was how diverse most of them were. Here are my thoughts on each of the four (five?) stories included:

SCHOOL SPIRIT
This story was cute once I got my bearings. I felt a bit thrown into things, but as I understood what was really going on I really enjoyed the romance and the paranormal elements I totally wasn't expecting. School Spirit is the most diverse out of all of these stories and, while it was hard reading about the reactions to Justine and Malie's relationship, I loved them together! Sadly, this story really had no resolution. School Spirit feels like there SHOULD be something more to it - more volumes - but I can't find them. Overall a sweet story but annoyingly unresolved. (3 stars)

RUINED
Completely switching gears, Ruined is about a woman named Catherine, her mysterious backstory with an unknown lover (I'm assuming this is where she was "ruined"? *cringes*), and her arranged marriage to a man named Andrew. I actually really enjoyed this story a lot, but I wish I could find the rest of it! Ruined ends with "to be continued..." and is titled "Volume One," but it seems like there haven't been any additional volumes published and the author has fallen off the map. (4 stars)

THE RUBY EQUATION
This story was a little too weird and fast for me. It's about a girl named Ruby who is from some other unspecified world and her mission is to make people fall in love in a coffee shop for reasons. This one just really wasn't for me. Ruby was okay, but the speed with which she changed her outlook and the lack of explanation given for anything really just didn't do it. (2 stars)

BEAUTIES
Beauties was another really, really weird story. It's apparently a Beauty and the Beast retelling in which Beauty's father is a prince with two other daughters. The Beast is made the family pet and Beauty falls in love with him for (again) reasons. This story was incredibly short and definitely could have stood to be a bit longer to fill in some (any) details. (2 stars)

FIRST, LAST, AND ALWAYS
Honestly, I don't even know what this is. I tried really hard to understand the point. I mean... at least the art was pretty. (1 star)

While I didn't love every story, this anthology had SO much potential! Unfortunately it seems like it has been abandoned and the one story that ended with "to be continued" will go unresolved. After reading I checked out the website advertised in the back of the book ("Can't wait for more Fresh Romance? Head over to rosypress.com...") only to find that there's absolutely nothing there except a link to an old Kickstarter. Keep in mind, this anthology was published in 2016. I feel fortunate to have gotten a copy for free. If I'd paid for it I would've been pretty irritated.

My rating for Fresh Romance was originally 2.5 stars, but I'm taking off a star because the story that ended on a cliffhanger (the only one I really, really enjoyed) has no next volume and the rest of the stories are so unresolved. I've read quite a few graphic novels over the years and I've never felt quite this irritated over the distinct lack of endings. I definitely can't recommend seeking this one out.

Graphic Novel Mini Review: Afar by Leila del Duca

Title: Afar
Author: Leila del Duca
Illustrator: Kit Seaton
Publication Date: March 29, 2017
Publisher: Image Comics
Pages: 152
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//I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review//

Boetema suddenly develops the ability to astrally project to other worlds, unintentionally possessing the bodies of people light years away.

Inotu, her inquisitive brother with a pension for trouble, finds himself on the run after he’s caught eavesdropping on an illegal business deal between small town business tycoons and their cyborg bodyguard. When Boetema accidentally gets someone hurt while in another girl’s body, the siblings are forced to work together to solve the problems they’ve created on their planet and others.

I don't read many graphic novels, but when I do I'll totally admit I pick them based on art. Afar caught my eye with its beautiful cover and upon flipping through the pages I knew I had to read it! I hadn't actually read the synopsis before I took Afar home (like I said, I choose based on art), so I was a little surprised when I realized it was about a girl who is able to astrally project during sleep. This is such a unique premise!

Boetema is the heroine of this story and, while her astral projection is a big part of the book, it isn't the only major plot point. Boetema's brother lands himself in trouble while their parents are away and they set out to find somewhere new to start over. They decide to set off through the desert in search of a city of riches where they can find work for themselves and live comfortably. Its during this journey that Boetema learns to control her ability.

Afar has a lot of things going for it! The art is obviously gorgeous and I thought the premise was fantastic! I love the creatures and the different worlds Boetema visits! She and her brother are also really great characters with a lot of depth for such a short book. Unfortunately, there are also some downfalls.

One issue with Afar is that it jumps around in an extremely jarring way. On one page it could be daytime in Boetema's world and then on the next page she's somewhere new in a new body with no explanation. There are multiple unexplained time jumps and I just found it somewhat difficult to keep up with what was happening at times.

My main complaint with this book is that it tries to be too much with too few pages. There were multiple conflicts that needed resolving and I didn't feel like they were wrapped up very well. Some questions were left entirely unanswered.

Overall I enjoyed Afar! While it definitely had its high and low points, it was a great story with fantastic, diverse characters and beautiful art. With 50 more pages it could've been great! Although this book didn't make my favorites list, I'd still recommend it to YA graphic novel lovers!

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ARC Review: Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust

Title: Girls Made of Snow and Glass
Author: Melissa Bashardoust
Publication Date: September 5, 2017
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pages: 384
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Frozen meets The Bloody Chamber in this feminist fantasy reimagining of the Snow White fairytale.

At sixteen, Mina's mother is dead, her magician father is vicious, and her silent heart has never beat with love for anyone—has never beat at all, in fact, but she’d always thought that fact normal. She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass. When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king for the first time, Mina forms a plan: win the king’s heart with her beauty, become queen, and finally know love. The only catch is that she’ll have to become a stepmother.

Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen’s image, at her father’s order. But despite being the dead queen made flesh, Lynet would rather be like her fierce and regal stepmother, Mina. She gets her wish when her father makes Lynet queen of the southern territories, displacing Mina. Now Mina is starting to look at Lynet with something like hatred, and Lynet must decide what to do—and who to be—to win back the only mother she’s ever known…or else defeat her once and for all.

Entwining the stories of both Lynet and Mina in the past and present, Girls Made of Snow and Glass traces the relationship of two young women doomed to be rivals from the start. Only one can win all, while the other must lose everything—unless both can find a way to reshape themselves and their story. 

I have very rarely met a retelling I didn't like. Girls Made of Snow and Glass immediately caught my eye when I heard that it was a Snow White retelling. I love that fairytale (even if I don't love the film from the 30's) and I'm always looking for a unique take on it! I'm fairly confident that the Frozen comparison wasn't on the original synopsis I read, but I love that one too so I was excited to dig in!

There are two MCs in this story - Mira and Lynet. It was a little jarring to read this book from both their perspectives. Mira's POV began during her childhood and each time she had a chapter it came closer to merging with the present. Lynet's chapters began in the present and stayed there. While this style did end up working okay, it was hard to get used to at first.

Lynet is approaching her sixteenth birthday when this book begins. She has always been physically compared to her mother and is forever expected to become her, both in demeanor and occupation. As her birthday approaches she learns that her father is about to give her control of the southern territories, a responsibility she really doesn't want. Not only will this assignment force her into a role she's never wanted for herself - it also has the potential to ruin her relationship with her stepmother, Mina.

Mina has spent her life grappling for power in an attempt to make people love her after a lifetime of being told she cannot be loved. Her rise to power is a very interesting and heartbreaking one and made me feel more strongly for Mina than Lynet in the end. I've read other reviews that claim this book doesn't pit the stepmother against the stepdaughter because of looks, but that really isn't true - Mina definitely spends a fair amount of time worrying that Lynet is more beautiful and will be more loved because of it. Although this is the case, Mina doesn't fall into every Snow White trope. This story definitely diverges enough to be very unique among retellings.

I want to take a minute to discuss the romance in this book. If you're interested in Girls Made of Snow and Glass, you're probably aware that it's marketed as F/F Romance. There are two romances in this book and the main one is not between Lynet and Nadia - it's between Mina and her male love interest. Without getting into spoiler territory, the romance between Lynet and Nadia might be the absolute slowest burn I have ever seen and nothing romantic happens until near the end. Let me tell you friends, if you go into this looking for a swoon-worthy lesbian love story, you might be disappointed.

Girls Made of Snow and Glass truly has an incredibly concept to work with. I love the Snow White and Evil Queen characters being so close before things go south. I love the feminist angle of both women working towards what they want instead of what's expected. And I love the idea of Snow White falling for a woman instead of Prince Charming! Unfortunately, this story was just a little bland. It was extremely (ex-treme-ly) slow and even the big, exciting moments kind of meandered across the page. There was no real sense of urgency or danger, even when lives were on the line!

While I did enjoy parts of the world building in this book (mostly Whitespring Castle and its snowy surroundings), it did ultimately leave me wanting more. Characters in this book seem to have Fast Travel skills and we learn next to nothing about Lynet's journey or the South other than people wear different clothes. Something else I really liked was the magical elements, although they weren't very logical, but I won't dig into that here. It was fun and I can totally see why the Frozen comparison is there now.

I really wanted and fully expected to love Girls Made of Snow and Glass! I think there are great ideas here and some parts of the story were great, but this turned out to be just an okay read for me. The characters were fine, the world was fine - everything about this book was just fine. If you love retellings and don't mind books that are on the slower side, you may very well enjoy this one!

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

Title: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings #1) 
Author: Mackenzi Lee 
Publication Date: June 27, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 513
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Review for book 2

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is 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.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he 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 that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores. 

Monty (really named Henry Montague, but never ever call him that), is about to embark on his European Grand Tour with his best friend, Percy, and his sister, Felicity. Only one thing stands in the way of Monty having the best year of his life - he is completely and hopelessly in love with Percy and Percy has no idea. Oh, and Monty's father has decided that he needs to learn to be a respectable citizen and has taken all the drunken debauchery out of his Tour. Now Monty must suffer through a year of acting like a gentleman and keeping his feelings hidden. But there is never a dull moment with Monty, and he manages to find plenty of trouble to get tied up in...and to drag Percy and Felicity into as well.

What a lovely adventure this book turned out to be. It managed to be historically accurate without feeling like a history lesson. Even though the characters were galavanting around 17th-century Europe, they felt so vivd and real - like you could run into them walking down the street in today's world. Monty is a hilariously stubborn teen who refuses to grow up. He is set to inherit his father's lands and title when he returns from his Grand Tour, and he wants absolutely nothing to do with responsibility. Percy has had to deal with multiple social stigmas for his entire life, and just wants everyone to see him as he truly is. Felicity is a woman, and is therefore stuck with all of the restrictions that her gender entails. She sets her sights higher than what society has to offer her, and surprises everyone with her strength and intelligence. The characters were wonderful and lovable despite their flaws. They were so relatable, and everyone can find something of themselves in our trio of characters.

One of the best things about The Gentleman's Guide was that although it was set in the 17th century, it explored topics that were both interesting to learn about from a Victorian perspective, and still incredibly prevalent in today's world. It explored identity, sexuality, race, friendship, responsibility, and the troublesome time between childhood innocence and becoming a respectable adult. No matter what age or time period, these are topics everyone has encountered and can relate to. It brought numerous social issues (of then and now) to light and faced them straight on. It was a powerful book with an important message, which it managed to deliver through adventure and hilarity.

Obviously, I really loved The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue and can't say enough good things about it. It was hilarious, light-hearted, powerful, intense, and meaningful all at the same time. The writing was superb and the story was engaging and amazing. I highly recommend this book, even if you don't like historical fiction. There is something in this book that will appeal to everyone. We can all find ourselves in The Gentleman's Guide and find something to learn from it.

ARC Review: Saint Death by Marcus Sedgwick

Title: Saint Death
Author: Marcus Sedgwick
Publication Date: April 25, 2017
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 240
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 //I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review// 

A propulsive, compelling, and unsparing novel set in the grimly violent world of the human and drug trade on the US-Mexican border.

On the outskirts of Juarez, Arturo scrapes together a living working odd jobs and staying out of sight. But his friend Faustino is in trouble: he's stolen money from the narcos to smuggle his girlfriend and her baby into the US, and needs Arturo's help to get it back. To help his friend, Arturo must face the remorseless world of drug and human traffickers that surrounds him, and contend with a murky past.

Hovering over his story is the unsparing divinity Santa Muerte, Saint Death--and the relentless economic and social inequalities that haunt the border between Mexico and its rich northern neighbor. Crafted with poetry and cinematic pace and narrated with cold fury, Saint Death is a provocative tour de force from three-time Printz Award honoree Marcus Sedgwick.

Arturo is a teen living in Mexico...so close to the U.S. border that he can see America from his home. So close that he could simply walk across the border through a gap in the fence if he gathered up the courage. He has lived his entire life in poverty, watching American businessmen set up factories in Mexico so they can get rich and use cheap labor. In an attempt to help a friend escape to the freedom that America has to offer, Arturo finds himself entangled with the drug cartels and desperately fighting to save his life.

First of all, I ADORE Marcus Sedgwick. I absolutely love his writing style and how he presents his stories. His writing is always very unique and beautiful in a very subtle way. Unfortunately, however, Saint Death did not live up to my expectations. Sedgwick embarked on quite an undertaking with this book, and I think he fell a little short of his goal. I still really enjoyed it, but it is definitely not one of my favorites and I think a lot of people may have trouble enjoying it.

There is actually not much I can tell you about Saint Death that isn't a spoiler, so I can't discuss the plot very much. Something that I did really enjoy about the book was the relevance to our current society and culture. Sedgwick took on the lofty task of discussing immigration issues that we hear debates about daily. There were multiple facts and statistics that were included about things such as drug cartels, immigration, and maquiladoras. I found that totally fascinating, but I don't know if many people will. Most people aren't looking for a sociological exposé when they pick up a YA novel. I am, but I will be the first to admit that I am not the norm.

Another difficulty with Saint Death is the writing style. I say "difficulty" because I don't want to call it a problem or issue; the writing itself is not a problem, but it may cause some readers to avoid the book or have problems connecting with it. The writing is more akin to an adult narrative than a YA novel, which may dissuade some readers. I didn't even realize that it was a YA story until I was almost finished with the book, when I noticed a note about a YA marketing campaign on the back of the ARC. I didn't realize that Arturo was supposed to be a teenager because the age of the characters was mentioned only once toward the end of the book.

If you are looking for a typical YA book, you are probably not going to find what you are looking for with Saint Death. This book is current, important, and beautifully written, but I fear that many people will shy away from it. The characters were difficult to connect to and there was very little action, making the book feel slow and boring at times. If you are interested in current affairs, this is definitely a book that you need to pick up, but if you are looking for something more action-packed, maybe try one of Marcus Sedgwick's other works. It is quite unfortunate that this book missed the mark with its target audience, because it deals with a topic that we could all be more informed about.