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.)

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.

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: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Title: Truthwitch (Witchlands #1)
Author: Susan Dennard
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Publisher: Tor Teen
Pages: 415
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Tracy's Review

On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery,” a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Safi is a Truthwitch, a trait so rare and valuable that she must keep it secret, for fear of being captured and used by those in power. Iseult is a Treadwitch. She can see the threads that bind people together. The two are Threadsisters, sharing a special bond that connects them like no others. When they find themselves in some trouble and a Bloodwitch catches Safi's scent, the girls are split up and must run for their lives. They are finally reunited and find themselves being protected by Prince Merik, a Windwitch, who may have ulterior plans of his own.

It took a long time for me to be able to pick up this book. Honestly, after the extreme hype leading up to its release, I wanted nothing to do with it. I had to wait almost two years for the bad taste in my mouth to go away. I am glad I finally decided to pick it up, though.

In general, there were a lot of things that I enjoyed about this book and some things that I wished were handled differently. I found myself easily getting lost in the story, but when I think back on it, I don't actually know much about the world of Safi and Iseult. The book basically drops you right into the action from the beginning. I didn't have a problem with that, but I found that there was a bit too much focus on the action and not enough on the world building.

I normally find that most female characters annoy me, but I actually really liked both Safi and Iseult. I did find myself sympathizing and connecting with Iseult more, however. I found that Iseult's magic was more interesting to me than Safi's. While Safi's magic is pretty clear cut (she can tell when someone is lying), Iseult's had so many more intricacies and was developed much more. I found her magic fascinating and can't wait to learn more about it.

I also really liked the character of Merik, but I wasn't a fan of the budding romance between him and Safi. The focus of this book was more on the bond between friends instead of romance, which I really appreciated. But, because the focus was not supposed to be on the love story, it made the romance feel jarring and undeveloped. Safi and Merik had no real connections that should make them have feelings for each other, yet they were suddenly madly in love. It didn't make sense at all. It felt like it was shoved in there to please readers who would not have been happy with a book with no romance. It would have been better to have it develop more throughout the series and make readers wait until it felt right.

A note on the audiobook version of Truthwitch: I really do not recommend it. The narrator was pretty awful and the voices were so weird. Safi and Iseult sounded so whiny and the accents sometimes sounded German and sometimes Jamaican. Seriously, invest the time in reading this book in print form because it will be a much better use of your time.

Ultimately, I am glad that I finally picked up Truthwitch because I enjoyed it much more than I expected. Is it on my list of favorite books of all time? No. But I did enjoy getting lost in the story and I will be continuing with the series. I am looking forward to seeing how the series progresses and if any of the points I found disappointing will be developed further in other books.

Audiobook Review: Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

Title: Vengeance Road (Vengeance Road #1)
Author: Erin Bowman
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 327
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Revenge is worth its weight in gold.

When her father is murdered for a journal revealing the location of a hidden gold mine, eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal.

Kate Thompson's father has been murdered. She doesn't know why, but she knows she wants revenge against the man who killed him. When she learns that her father was targeted by the notorious Rose Riders, she realizes she is in much more trouble than she thought. After teaming up with the Colton brothers, who won't seem to let her be, Kate travels across the West tracking down the Rose Riders and getting her revenge. As she comes to terms with everything that has changed in her life, she must learn what vengeance really does to a person...and if it leaves room for love in one's heart.

Finally! This is the first book I've read that I really enjoyed in a loooooooong time. I wish I had read it sooner! This has been sitting on my shelf for over a year, and I'm kicking myself for not picking it up until now.

I wish I could say tons of eloquent things about the writing, the plot, or the character development, but the truth is...I honestly just got completely lost in this story. The audiobook for Vengeance Road is absolutely phenomenal. The narrator does a fantastic job of drawing you right in and making you feel like you are trekking across the Wild West with Kate and the Colton brothers.

While I liked the characters well enough and appreciated that romance wasn't a main focus of the book, the world building was by far my favorite aspect of Vengeance Road. I wouldn't say I am very interested in reading about the Gold Rush Era, but this book completely changed that. The world was painted so vividly that I found myself wanting to learn more about the Wild West. It was exciting to see how different groups of people lived based on the resources they had surrounding them; what people would do for a little bit of extra money for their family to survive; how different cultures managed to coexist (or not) and how their practices and beliefs affected each other.

I highly, highly recommend Vengeance Road if you like action-packed stories. Whether you are interested in the time period or not, you will enjoy this adventure. And if you feel like you have too many books and not enough time to read them, check out the audiobook. It is one of the best I have ever listened to. I can't wait to dive right into Retribution Rails and see what more Erin Bowman has to offer.

Audiobook Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss #1)
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publication Date: December 2, 2010
Publisher: Speak
Pages: 372
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Can Anna find love in the City of Light?

Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she's less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year.

But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he's taken —and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she's waiting for? 

Just when everything in her life seems to be going right, Anna's father decides to ship her off to Paris for her senior year. Thrown into a country that she knows nothing about and separated from her best friend and almost-boyfriend, Anna is absolutely miserable. Luckily, she is taken in by a group of friends shortly after arriving in Paris. The group helps her adjust and shows her all the secrets that Paris holds. But Anna is also struggling with developing feelings for her friend Etienne St. Clair, who is already taken and totally off-limits.

This book has been on my TBR for so long, but I have never had any real desire to pick it up. I am not typically a fan of contemporary novels, and I really need to be wowed by them or I will put them aside. I had heard that Anna and the French Kiss was super cute and fluffy, and that was not something that interested me at all. I finally decided to pick up the audiobook so I wouldn't be wasting too much time if I didn't like it, and I'm glad that I did.

Ultimately, Anna and the French Kiss didn't completely wow me. But, that being said, I still enjoyed it. It was not nearly as cutesy as I had anticipated. The best thing about this book that it was very realistic. The conversations and interactions that the characters had were things that could (and often do) happen to anyone. So many contemporary romances feel so unnatural to me, so it was refreshing to encounter a very realistic story in this book. The romance in Anna was not insta-love at all. The characters developed feelings for each other over time and approached their feelings with a level head. That is often not how romance is handled in YA, so it was like a breath of fresh air to read this story.

Since I was reading this book after the entire trilogy has been published, it was fun to see nods to the future books showing up. The character of Isla (from the third book, Isla and the Happily Ever After) popped up a couple times in Anna. This made me even more excited to read the rest of the books to learn how everything connects. I love it when authors put in the effort to make small connections throughout a series, so I can't wait to see what is coming in the rest of the trilogy.

While I didn't fully love Anna and the French Kiss, I did enjoy the story and I do plan on continuing with the series. I have heard that Anna and Etienne make appearances in the other books in the trilogy, so I am looking forward to seeing how their story continues.

Audiobook Review: Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Title: Enclave (Razorland #1)
Author: Ann Aguirre
Publication Date: April 12, 2011
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 259
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New York City has been decimated by war and plague, and most of civilization has migrated to underground enclaves, where life expectancy is no more than the early 20's. When Deuce turns 15, she takes on her role as a Huntress, and is paired with Fade, a teenage Hunter who lived Topside as a young boy. When she and Fade discover that the neighboring enclave has been decimated by the tunnel monsters--or Freaks--who seem to be growing more organized, the elders refuse to listen to warnings. And when Deuce and Fade are exiled from the enclave, the girl born in darkness must survive in daylight--guided by Fade's long-ago memories--in the ruins of a city whose population has dwindled to a few dangerous gangs.

Ann Aguirre's thrilling young adult novel is the story of two young people in an apocalyptic world--facing dangers, and feelings, unlike any they've ever known.

In the Enclave, living to your teens is a feat in itself. Children aren't even given a name until they reach the age of 15. When Deuce finally has her naming ceremony, she finally gets her wish of becoming a Huntress. She will now be responsible for making sure the people of the Enclave get enough food to survive. She is paired with Fade for her hunting missions, and he is not like any other boy she has ever met. He was born topside, and she is fascinated by the fact that he was able to survive out in the wild. When Deuce and Fade make a discovery while hunting one day, they find themselves questioning the knowledge and authority of the elders who make the decisions for the Enclave. Now they are on their own, trying to survive in the tunnels and topside, and learning what else inhabits this earth with them.

The only thing I really knew about this book going into it was that there were zombies. Everyone always describes Enclave by mentioning the zombies. I don't really care about zombies, so it has taken me a while to finally pick this book up. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of my favorites. I enjoyed the beginning, but it went downhill and there were too many strange plot holes for me to really enjoy it.

At first, I found Enclave really interesting. Our world has been destroyed, and the humans of the future have retreated to a system of tunnels underground. I loved discovering how people had learned to adapt in these tunnels. It was also fascinating to watch Deuce and her friends learning about the past and being awed by the artifacts they found. Unfortunately, this did not last long, because the entire second half of the book was just a bunch of teens wandering around in the wilderness trying to survive, while nothing that exciting happened. The book never really had any climax or action-packed scenes, so the ending fell completely flat.

The plot holes were what really bothered me in the end, however. The synopsis of the book says that Deuce is 15, but it was never actually mentioned in the book. In a society where people rarely live to be 25, it seemed a little odd that they would wait until 15 to give children names and jobs. That means they spent more than half of their lives being nothing but a drain on the society's resources. If they were really in need of workers, you would think children would start earning their keep around 12 or 13. This may sound like I'm really nitpicking here, but this was just one of many aspects of the book that didn't make much sense.

While the idea of the entire human race trying to survive underground seemed really intriguing at first, it eventually felt like not much research had been done to make this world seem plausible. These people were basically surviving on rat meat without any access to fresh air and sunlight. When they did encounter sunlight, all they did was squint their eyes and complain of a small sunburn on their face. After spending their entire life underground, the sun would have done a lot more than cause some mild discomfort.

One more tiny annoying point about this book...There are no zombies! The Freaks (what everyone refers to as zombies) are basically just cannibals that live in the tunnels. They will hunt and kill humans for food. But they are not undead, and their bite will not make someone a Freak. They are just trying to survive. So stop saying this book is about zombies, people!

Ultimately, there were too many problems in Enclave for me to really enjoy it. There was barely any romance to speak of, and the little bit there was seemed weird and didn't make much sense. The world seemed interesting, but the plot eventually became boring and lackluster. There was no climax to keep readers interested, and no cliffhanger to keep them anticipating the sequel. This book called for way too much suspension of disbelief and felt as though it was thrown together without any forethought. Unfortunately, while I was interested at first, I don't think I will be spending my time reading the rest of this series.

PS - Call me immature, but I could not stop thinking about poop every time Deuce's name was mentioned in this book. Seriously, though, some of the names were just ridiculous.

DNF Audiobook Review: Soundless by Richelle Mead

Title: Soundless
Author: Richelle Mead
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 266
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In a village without sound…

For as long as Fei can remember, no one in her village has been able to hear. Rocky terrain and frequent avalanches make it impossible to leave the village, so Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink. Many go hungry. Fei and all the people she loves are plunged into crisis, with nothing to look forward to but darkness and starvation.

One girl hears a call to action…

Until one night, Fei is awoken by a searing noise. Sound becomes her weapon.

She sets out to uncover what’s happened to her and to fight the dangers threatening her village. A handsome miner with a revolutionary spirit accompanies Fei on her quest, bringing with him new risks and the possibility of romance. They embark on a majestic journey from the peak of their jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth will change their lives forever…

And unlocks a power that will save her people. 

Fei lives in a dangerous world. Everyone in her village is deaf, and living on a rocky mountainside prevents them from getting supplies. They rely on a zipline to bring them food and supplies from a nearby village. But when the villagers also begin to lose their sight, they fear they will no longer be able to produce goods to trade for the food they need to survive. One day, Fei is awoken by a sound. Suddenly she is able to hear, and she may now be the only one who can save her village.

Ugh. This book could have been so amazing, but it fell so, so flat. Before its release, Soundless was hailed as a unique standalone novel steeped in Asian culture and mythology. Add in the fact that it is about an entire village of people who have lost the ability to hear (and later see), and you have a novel that sounds absolutely fantastic and inclusive. Well, that is unfortunately not the case. I only listened to about one third of Soundless, but from other reviews I have seen, I feel that my analysis of this book is still accurate.

First of all, with the exception of the character names, there is absolutely no indication of Asian culture in this book. (I believe it is supposed to occur in China, but I am not positive.) Replace the names and this story could have occurred anywhere in the world. This was such a disservice to Asian mythology and culture, which is vibrant, unique, and so interesting. This was a lost opportunity to explore a culture that is not displayed nearly enough in our current young adult literature.

Another disappointment in Soundless was the way that hearing and sight impairment were handled. Firstly, there was no description of how the villagers learned to alter their daily lives to adjust for their hearing and sight. Typically, those with one sense impaired learn to rely more heavily on the other senses, but there was no description of this in the book. The most disheartening thing was that Fei regained her hearing and was therefore able to save the village. Why did she have to get "fixed" to be our heroine? Again, a huge opportunity for inclusivity was lost with this plot line.

In addition to these huge slights, the writing was also poor and the world was undeveloped. The society is divided into three groups - artists, suppliers, and miners. What type of society could possibly survive with only those jobs? There was no explanation of why these social groups were created or how they managed to keep the village running. Also, how did this village get so separated from society? When they started losing their hearing, why didn't they travel down the mountain while it was still safe to get help? Why don't the people at the bottom of the mountain help them? There were so many unanswered questions and so many plot points that didn't make sense.

Typically when an audiobook is short enough, I will listen to the entire book instead of giving up. Soundless was very short, but I just could not continue reading. There were too many problems with this book and it was too boring to push forward. After my experience with this book, it may be a while before I try Richelle Mead again.

Audiobook Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1)
Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: September 9, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 295
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Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come...

I'm going to set up this review a bit differently than most. I'm going to jump right in with the issues I found in The Iron Trial, and save the plot summary for a bit later. I typically try to discuss my positive thoughts first, before going into my negatives, but I have absolutely nothing positive to say about this book. So here we go...

My biggest complaint about The Iron Trial is that it is a complete and total rip-off of the Harry Potter series. But it is also a completely horrible book on its own. Let's discuss its problems outside the realm of Harry Potter first.

Oh my goodness, this book was bad. It was so absolutely boring that listening to it at two times the normal speed was too slow for me. Our main characters literally spend chapters sorting sand into two piles. You read that right. I said chapters. CHAPTERS. Ok, fine, this somehow taught the students an important lesson about their magic. But did it seriously have to last that long? That just tells me that the authors couldn't think of anything more exciting to write, so they just went, "Hey, ten chapters of sand sorting sounds good to me! Gotta get that word count up before the next deadline!" (I don't know if it was actually ten chapters, but it was an absurdly long amount of time that was completely unnecessary and utterly boring.) The characters were also boring and flat. They would occasionally try to make jokes or use witty banter, but they just weren't funny at all. The writing in general was just plain awful.

Ok, now for the good stuff. Let's discuss the similarities between The Iron Trial and Harry Potter. Now before you get all upset and say, "But MC, coming-of-age wizard boarding school stories are all over the place now! Of course there will be some similarities between the books, but that doesn't make them all the same!" - let me tell you something. I ADORE any type of story that is like Harry Potter. I will devour every single "boy goes to magical school, learns to cast spells and fight the bad guys, discovers he is the Chosen One (but couldn't have saved the world without his trusty best friends)" story that you hand me. And I don't care how much they resemble Harry Potter. But if you are going to basically COPY ANOTHER BOOK and call it your own, then we have a problem.

Where do I even start? Our main character Harry Call was just an infant when he found himself at the massacre of numerous wizards mages. He was injured, leaving him with a scar (on his leg.) His mother died protecting him. Because of her sacrifice, Call has grown up and now has the same dark, messy mop of hair as his father. He has been raised outside of the magical world, but everyone in the magical world knows who he is. When he gets chosen to attend the Magisterium, he is partnered with Aaron, an orphaned boy (I see what you did there, Holly and Cassandra. "If we make a DIFFERENT character an orphan, no one will see what we did!" WE SEE YOU.), and Hermione Tamara, a know-it-all girl. The three become the very best of friends and get into all kinds of shenanigans together.

OH, and did I forget to mention the bad guy in this story? Well let me introduce you to Voldemort the Enemy of Death, a mage who went bad. He wanted to conquer death, live forever, and bring the dead back to life. How did he manage to do this? I won't tell you the exact manner because of spoilers, but he basically uses the same tactics as our good old friend, Voldemort. By the way, did you know that in French, Voldemort means "flight from death?" COME ON. Flight from death. Enemy of Death. We see you Holly and Cassandra. WE. SEE. YOU.

I think it is safe to say that I did not like this book one bit. Even discounting the Harry Potter ordeal, the book was completely awful on its own. But the fact that two successful, highly-acclaimed, (supposedly) talented authors got together and couldn't come up with a single original thought is horrendous. I know Cassandra Clare has been involved in plagiarism scandals before, and, to be honest, I haven't paid much attention to them. I don't know any of the details involved. But after reading The Iron Trial, these allegations have a bit more light shed on them. This read like a poorly written fan fiction, but it is even more of a travesty because it was written by two authors who were clearly just trying to get a paycheck and didn't want to put in the effort to come up with their own story. 

This book does not deserve a rating

Audiobook Review: The Secret Horses of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd

Title: The Secret Horses of Briar Hill
Author: Megan Shepherd
Publication Date: October 11, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 220
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There are winged horses that live in the mirrors of Briar Hill hospital. In the mirrors that line its grand hallways, which once belonged to a princess. In those that reflect the elegant rooms, now filled with sick children. It is her secret.

One morning, when Emmaline climbs over the wall of the hospital’s abandoned gardens, she discovers something incredible: a white horse with broken wings has left the mirror-world and entered her own.

Tucked into the garden’s once-gleaming sundial, Emmaline finds a letter from the Horse Lord. He is hiding the wounded white horse, named Foxfire, from a dark and sinister force—a Black Horse who hunts by colorless moonlight. If Emmaline is to keep the Black Horse from finding her new friend, she must collect colorful objects with which to blind him. But where can Emmaline find color when her world is filled with gray?

Emmaline lives in Briar Hill Hospital, a building that once housed a princess and now houses sick children. Emmaline has a secret - there are winged horses that live in the mirrors at Briar Hill, and only Emmaline can see them. While sneaking around the grounds one day, Emmaline stumbles across a beautiful white winged horse with an injured wing. She then receives a letter from the Horse Lord, explaining that the injured horse, Foxfire, is hiding from the mysterious Black Horse. The Horse Lord urges Emmaline to help save Foxfire by gathering as much color as she can to deter the Black Horse. Emmaline then goes on a hunt through the bleak halls of Briar Hill to find color and save Foxfire.

I had never heard of The Secret Horses of Briar Hill, but when I was looking for a quick and easy audiobook, I figured I would give it a try. I am so glad I did. This book was so lovely. It was enchanting, yet heartbreaking, and beautifully written. I have never read any books by Megan Shepherd before, but now I definitely want to give some of her young adult books a try.

Emmaline is our narrator throughout this story, but she is quite an unreliable one. We never really know if the mysterious horses that she sees in the mirrors actually exist, or if what she sees is a coping mechanism to help her deal with her illness. Regardless, going on this adventure with Emmaline is so much fun. Her belief in the horses is so strong and her desire to save Foxfire so real that the reader gets sucked into her quest and roots for her to succeed.

One of my favorite things about this book was the beautiful way that dark themes were handled in something aimed at a younger audience. The children that occupy Briar Hill Hospital are all sick - mostly with tuberculosis - and will most likely all die at a young age. Not only are these children facing their illnesses, but they are also living during the height of World War II. They have all been separated from their families. Some have already lost family members to the war, and some may die before the war is over. These children have to learn how to face their own mortality, while also mourning their family members and trying to understand the scope of what is happening in the world around them. These are all things that no child should ever have to deal with at such a young age. Megan Shepherd does a fantastic job of explaining these themes in ways that young readers can understand and cope with.

While the audiobook was lovely, I appear to have once again missed out on beautiful illustrations in the physical book. I wish I had been able to see the illustrations as I was listening to this story. I think it would have added a layer of whimsy to the story and really enhanced the reading experience. I definitely recommend The Secret Horses of Briar Hill for readers both young and old. I will most certainly be checking out some of Megan Shepherd's other works in the future.

Audiobook Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1)
Author: Jenny Han
Publication Date: April 15, 2014
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 355
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What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Lara Jean has a unique way of getting over the boys that she has loved throughout her life - she writes them a letter to get all her feelings out, then tucks the letters into a hatbox she keeps in her room. Lara Jean's life begins to change when her sister Margot goes off to college, leaving her with the responsibility of taking care of her father and little sister, Kitty. Just as she is trying to deal with these big changes, her letters mysteriously get sent to all the boys she has loved, and she has to deal with the backlash. In an attempt to save face, Lara Jean ends up actually pretending to date one of the boys who received a letter. But everything gets even more complicated when they start developing real feelings for each other - and when Margot's ex-boyfriend expresses his love for Lara Jean as well.

Ok, I am not normally a huge fan of contemporary stories, but I have found a few that I really love. To All the Boys I've Loved Before was definitely NOT one of them. I hated just about everything about this book. It was boring and annoying and went absolutely nowhere. I couldn't get through the audiobook fast enough.

My biggest complaint (which seems to be a common one among those who did not like this book) is how absolutely, frustratingly ANNOYING Lara Jean is. Yes, I know, teenagers can be pretty annoying. Some might say that she is just acting her age. But I have never met a junior in high school that is as immature as Lara Jean. She is scandalized by the fact that someone would cheat on a quiz in high school. She never swears and it is a big deal when she says "shit." And GASP! - when someone DARES to take the last piece of pizza without politely asking if she wants it first...well, we never hear the end of it. The worst thing about her annoying character is that she shows absolutely zero growth throughout the book. She doesn't change or mature at all. She is the same obnoxiously annoying person at the end of the book that she was at the start.

There were also a couple parts of this story that just made no sense and were so annoying I wanted to scream. Lara Jean writes letters to the boys she's loved as a way to deal with her feelings. Fine. But WHY WOULD YOU ADDRESS THE ENVELOPES??? That is just so dumb. There is no need for that, and it's just asking for someone to find them and mail them out. Lara Jean is also absolutely terrified of driving. She gets in a car accident the very first time she has to go out and drive on her own. If she has such a horrible fear of driving, why does her father let her drive her little sister around????? That is so unsafe for everyone! I wanted to reach into the book and shake her and her father!

Ultimately, To All the Boys I've Loved Before ended up being a waste of my time and a source of aggravation for me. I get annoyed every time I think about Lara Jean. I definitely won't be continuing on with the series, and I have already put my copies of the books in my donate pile because I have no interest in keeping them. Apologies if that sounds harsh, but I don't have room in my life or on my shelves for books that make me angry.

Audiobook Review: The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

Title: The Forgetting (The Forgetting #1)
Author: Sharon Cameron
Publication Date: September 13, 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 403
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What isn't written, isn't remembered. Even your crimes.

Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person's memories – of parents, children, love, life, and self – are lost. Unless they have been written.

In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn't written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.

But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.

In the city of Canaan, everyone loses all of their memories every twelve years in a terrifying event called the Forgetting. In order to cope with this phenomenon and return some semblance to their lives, the citizens write everything down and archive all of their books. This way they can remember who they are (and who their family is) when they wake up from the Forgetting. But if they don't write something down, it is lost forever, giving people the perfect opportunity to commit crimes. But Nadia is special. Somehow, she has never forgotten. She remembers the wrongs that were done to her family. Determined to learn more about the Forgetting and how Canaan came to be, Nadia stumbles upon huge secrets and unearths atrocities that no one saw coming.

Ugh. I was really intrigued by this book, and ultimately I was let down. the biggest complaint that readers seem to have about this book is that the pacing is very slow. And that is definitely true. But I have read Sharon Cameron's books before, so I knew what to expect. Despite her writing style, I still loved her other work, so I thought I could find a new love in The Forgetting as well. I was very wrong.

Yes, the pacing is slow, but that didn't bother me very much. One of my biggest issues was with the main character of Nadia. She was SO. ANNOYING. She had an endless train of thought going through her head, but she very rarely spoke aloud. The narrator of the audiobook also read Nadia in such a way that every single thought she had carried a sense of extreme urgency. It was exhausting to listen to. Taking a bath does not require an underlying panic in your voice. Calm down.

I was also majorly disappointed with the plot. First of all, the synopsis of the book makes it sound like there would be tons of action and gore. If you are familiar with Sharon Cameron's writing, you would know that you shouldn't expect that from her books. The tagline of the book is "What isn't written isn't remembered. Even your crimes." It makes it sound like that movie The Purge, where the entire city goes crazy before a Forgetting and commits every crime they can think of. The synopsis goes on to reference the "bloody chaos of the forgetting, a day of no remorse." Wrong. There is ONE crime committed during a Forgetting in this book. It is not a bloody day. Everyone gets into their bed before the Forgetting and they wake up crying because they can't remember anything. Then they read their books and everyone is fine again. No blood. No mass murder. Everyone is sad for a few minutes. Boo hoo.

I also really did not like the twist in the plot. For most of the book, I was noticing a lot of similarities to The Giver, a book which I love. I didn't mind reading a story with similar vibes. But then the twist happened and we find out the history of the Forgetting. It felt like such a cheap shot. There were so many awesome ways this phenomenon could have been explained, but the author took the easy way out. I immediately lost interest in the story after this big reveal, turned my audiobook up to 2x speed, and powered through the rest just so I could finish it.

Another small note on the plot: There were a lot of holes in the storytelling. Characters would reference a conversation that happened earlier and mention things that never actually happened. The timeline was really off during a lot of parts. And the people of Canaan could live to be at least 150 years old and it was never explained. The characters actually SAY it doesn't make any sense, yet it is just brushed over like it's no big deal. WHAT?!?!

Suffice it to say, I was not a fan of The Forgetting. I don't think I will be continuing on with this series because I am just not invested in it. The synopsis for the sequel, The Knowing, looks almost exactly like that of The Forgetting. One girl who never forgets is intrigued by the outside world and wants to learn more about Canaan. Didn't we just go through that with Nadia?

PS - Don't read the synopsis for The Knowing if you don't want to be spoiled for The Forgetting.

Audiobook Review: Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver

Title: Liesl & Po
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publication Date: October 4, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 307
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Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice,until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.

That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable.

Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.

From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places.

Liesl has been locked in the attic by her stepmother ever since her father got sick. Her beloved father passed away three days ago, and Liesl is in mourning when suddenly she notices something moving in the shadows. She is visited by Po and their companion, Bundle, from the Other Side. Meanwhile, Will, an alchemist's apprentice and bungler of all things important, accidentally misplaces a box of very powerful magic. Through mishap after mishap, Liesl and Will have to team up with Po and Bundle to keep the magic from the evil Lady Premiere and bring Liesl's father (and his spirit) to his final resting place.

One of the reasons that I occasionally enjoy reading middle grade novels is that everything is simpler in the innocence of childhood. There are no brooding romances to deal with, and if the world needs saving, it is usually handled with humor and shenanigans. That is exactly what Liesl & Po delivered, but also with some touching lessons about love and loss that people of all ages can appreciate.

The characters in this book were so dynamic and wonderful. Liesl was determined and strong, but also an artist and a dreamer with her head in the clouds. Will was hilariously clumsy and generally bad at everything. Po and Bundle were quirky and cute and made you love them right from the start. I was rooting for everyone to succeed in this book (except for the evil Lady Premiere and Liesl's stepmother, of course).

I am very torn about my suggestion for which medium to choose to read this book. The audiobook was lovely, and was narrated by Jim Dale, the narrator of all the Harry Potter books, and in my opinion, the greatest narrator of all time. He has a fantastic way of giving each character their own personality, and listening to him felt nostalgic and really sucked me into the story. However, I missed out on what are apparently wonderful illustrations in the physical copy. After reading the book, I saw a few of the illustrations, and I wish I had been able to see them while I was reading. It would have added so much more to the story. I am happy I read the audiobook, but I would love to check out the physical copy as well.

Ultimately, Liesl & Po was a wonderful little book that explored the innocence of childhood and what it means to grow up. It dealt with love and loss beautifully, while also maintaining some adventure and humor. I primarily read YA works, but I think a part of my heart will always belong to middle grade. Liesl & Po is a perfect example of why I love these types of stories. There is so much that can be said and learned about the world through the eyes of a child. Sometimes we all get too caught up in growing up and living our adult lives, and we forget to look around and notice the magic surrounding us every day. It's nice to be reminded of the little joys in life, and Liesl & Po did just that.

Audiobook Review: A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis

Title: A Madness So Discreet
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 376
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Grace Mae knows madness.

She keeps it locked away, along with her voice, trapped deep inside a brilliant mind that cannot forget horrific family secrets. Those secrets, along with the bulge in her belly, land her in a Boston insane asylum.

When her voice returns in a burst of violence, Grace is banished to the dark cellars, where her mind is discovered by a visiting doctor who dabbles in the new study of criminal psychology. With her keen eyes and sharp memory, Grace will make the perfect assistant at crime scenes. Escaping from Boston to the safety of an ethical Ohio asylum, Grace finds friendship and hope, hints of a life she should have had. But gruesome nights bring Grace and the doctor into the circle of a killer who stalks young women. Grace, continuing to operate under the cloak of madness, must hunt a murderer while she confronts the demons in her own past.

In this beautifully twisted historical thriller, Mindy McGinnis, acclaimed author of Not a Drop to Drink and In a Handful of Dust, explores the fine line between sanity and insanity, good and evil—and the madness that exists in all of us. 

Grace does not speak. She has locked her voice away since the day she was sent to a Boston insane asylum as a way to hide her during her pregnancy. When her life at the asylum takes a turn for the worse, she is lucky enough to meet a doctor who recognizes her keen mind and astute observation. He helps her escape to a safer asylum where she can serve as his assistant under the cover of darkness. Grace finds a new purpose in her life, and as the family secrets surrounding her initial entry into the asylum are revealed, she finally finds peace.

Oh my goodness, I did not like this book. I started listening to it without knowing anything about the plot, but I don't think reading the synopsis would have made any difference. The synopsis and the cover of the book make it appear pretty awesome, but in reality it is a jumble of random plot lines that don't fit together. There were many aspects of this book that could have been really interesting if they had been developed properly. Unfortunately, they were not and the book really suffered.

There were two main themes or storylines in A Madness So Discreet - a girl with a troubled past and family secrets, and a girl with a secret life of solving crime. Both could be very interesting, but the transitions between them were sloppy and didn't work. It felt like the author had two different ideas and smushed them into one book instead of developing either one as it deserved.

The criminal psychology aspect of the book was really interesting, actually. The descriptions were dark and sometimes even disgusting and disturbing. I wish the entire book had been just about the crime solving, because it would have been so much more interesting and engaging. Unfortunately, it was mashed in between another plot line that didn't fit.

The conclusion of the book also felt misplaced. It didn't have much to do with the majority of the story and seemed to come out of nowhere. After following the crime solving plot line for 90% of the book, it suddenly jumped to Grace's family secrets for the conclusion and the switch was jarring. This switch could potentially have worked if the two narratives had been woven together more seamlessly throughout the novel, but instead there were swift jumps between plot lines.

Ultimately, the only reason I finished this book was so that I could write a comprehensive review. (And because I could listen to it at two times normal speed so it only took a few hours.) This book felt mashed together and unplanned and unfortunately, it has deterred me from picking up other books by this author. It's such a shame that the cover and description for the book are so misleading. This is a case of judging a book by its cover gone wrong, because the inside did not match the outside at all.

Audiobook Review: Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Title: Requiem (Delirium #3) 

Author: Lauren Oliver

Publication Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 392
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Reviews for book 1 & book 2

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.

As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.Requiem is told from the perspectives of both Lena and her friend Hana. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Lena is back in the wilds, now a fully fledged member of the Resistance. As she tries to survive, she is torn between Julian, the boy she loved and saved, and Alex, the boy who loved and saved her. Meanwhile, her former best friend, Hana, has been cured and is preparing for her marriage to the mayor of Portland. As Hana ponders what her life has become without love, she makes some shocking discoveries. Lena and Hana's lives finally collide as they realize that maybe they aren't so different after all.

What a roller coaster this series was. Unfortunately, I am not referring to the plot or the emotions I felt while reading. I absolutely loved the first book, but then the series took a turn for the worse in book two, when the structure of the storytelling was suddenly changed. The structure was altered once again in Requiem, and this constant flip-flopping of storytelling eventually became too much for me.

Book two, Pandemonium, was told completely in Lena's perspective, but following two different timelines - "Then" and "Now." What disappointed me the most about Pandemonium was the "Then" chapters, in which Lena was in the wilds with the members of the resistance. Those chapters were so incredibly boring. Requiem was told on one timeline, but following the dual perspectives of Lena and her best friend, Hana, who we haven't seen since Delirium. Once again, Lena was SO BORING. She spent almost the entire book surviving in the wilds and joining the resistance. I found myself not caring at all about her struggles in the wilderness and her love triangle with Julian and Alex.

Conversely, I really loved Hana's chapters. I found it so interesting to get inside the head of someone who had been cured and see how their life had changed after the procedure. One of my favorite aspects of Delirium was learning about the society and the beliefs surrounding the fear of love as a disease. It was really nice to see this theme popping up again and to learn more about how different members of the society dealt with the cure. I wish there was even more in this series about Hana, because she became infinitely more interesting than Lena and her love triangle.

Ultimately, this series really let me down. I was so interested and excited after reading the first book, but the second book was awful, and Requiem did not offer any kind of redemption for the series. Hana's chapters were wonderful, but it wasn't enough for me to change my rating. I really think that having a different structure for each book was a poor decision and became a detriment to the series. Having dual perspectives for Lena and Hana throughout the whole series would have made the story more interesting and maintained continuity for all three books.

Audiobook Review: The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

Title: The Shadow Queen
Author: C.J. Redwine
Narrator: Khristine Hvam 
Publication Date: February 16, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
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Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

In the land of Ravenspire, the evil sorceress Irina rules while the true heirs to the throne, Lorelai and Leo, have been in hiding for years. Lorelai failed in her attempts to stop Irina when she was younger, and she has been plotting to defeat the queen and save her kingdom. Meanwhile, the land of Eldr has been ravaged by ogres, and Prince Kol suddenly finds himself the unwitting ruler of the kingdom. In a time of desperation, he makes a deal with Irina to save his people. He becomes the queen's huntsman, on a mission to retrieve the heart of the crown princess Lorelai.

I first listened to The Shadow Queen at the end of last year, and I rated it three stars. I thought it was enjoyable, but not really anything special. Well, apparently I was not paying very much attention back then, because I just finished listening to it again, and I loved it!

What I loved most about this story was the way that the retelling was handled. I can be really finicky when reading retellings, but I really enjoyed this one. So many of the original Snow White elements were present in the story - poisonous apples, a magical mirror, a huntsman after the princess' heart. But C.J. Redwine was able to keep these original elements while creating a story that was all her own. The world was so unique and the twist on the original fairy tale was seriously intriguing. I found myself totally engrossed in the story and wanting to know more, more, more.

I also really enjoyed the characters in The Shadow Queen. Lorelei and Kol were dynamic and interesting characters that jumped off the page. I was not entirely convinced by the romance between Lorelai and Kol, however. It seemed a bit like the romance happened out of convenience rather than actual attraction to each other. That being said, though, the romance was more enjoyable for me than most. While I wasn't convinced of their attraction to each other, I loved that Lorelai and Kol didn't let the romance get in the way of their mission. Lorelei's problems were not solved because she met a hunky king. Kol was tormented by his desire to protect Lorelai, but his need to save his people and his homeland was always at the forefront of his mind. I always appreciate stories that seem more realistic (or as realistic as magic and dragons can be) and don't have all the characters' problems solved by love.

Ultimately, I am so glad that I decided to take another listen to The Shadow Queen, because I have found a series and an author that I really enjoy. I can't believe I missed how good this book is the first time around. Now I am really excited to continue with the series and I am so glad that I have the sequel sitting on my shelf so I can pick it up immediately. I definitely recommend this one for people who enjoy reading fairy tale retellings, because it maintained the heart of the original Snow White, while simultaneously creating something completely unique and amazing.