GR: September

Book Review: Once UPOn A River

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“There are stories that may be told aloud, and stories that must be told in whispers, and there are stories that are never told at all.”

On a dark midwinter’s night in an ancient river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place where the regulars tell stories to while away dark hours, when the door bursts open on a grievously wounded stranger with a lifeless body of a child in his arms. A miracle happens as hours later, the girl stirs and returns to life leaving all those around in shock wondering how she came back to life. Those who dwell on the river bank apply all their knowledge to try and solve the mystery of who this young girl is and what happened to her that would leave her for dead only to come back to life hours later. The town is full of questions and that gets deeper as three families arrive claiming that the young girl belongs to them.

I wasn’t sure what to expect but the more I got into the story, the more invested I became with how the story developed. It does cross into different genres of fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and magical realism and I was really impressed with how it was done and how smooth the transition was. If handled wrong, I don’t know that I would’ve enjoyed it as much as I did and the addition of fairy tales was what I loved the most. What was really interesting was how the author intertwined reality and supernatural into the story and I thought it was done really well and it’s something that could’ve gone the opposite if not handled the right way. This is a fine line that I think about often and I think most people do and something that is thrilling for them. This book was magical and fun so I highly recommend it!

book Review

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“If only there were a way to hold a moment in your hands and keep it alive forever.”

Under the moon throne, there have been centuries of suffering at the hands of despotic emperor, and his sons, the three terrors, as they hold the countryside in their hands. They bleed the land and leave the citizens living in fear of their dark powers they inherited from the god god locked under the palace. But, the god cannot be contained forever and with the aid of Jun, a broken guard who is still trying to deal with his grief-stricken past and Keema, an outcast fighting for his future, the god is freed from her prison and flees from her own children, the three terrors who would drag her back down to her prison where she belongs. Now, the three must find a new home for the god and keep her away from harms way and find a way to end the moon throne but the road to freedom is paved with danger wherever they go.

What a thrilling and exciting read! I’m not usually a fan of long books but this one was well worth it and while the plot was very straightforward and something that you see a lot of in fantasy books, the author does a fantastic job with the writing to make it seem like something completely new and unique. Not only do you get a compelling love story but you also get a story that shows how love drives motivations, actions, and serves as a ray of hope. All of the characters were motivated by their scorn or want for love and how the author portrayed that throughout the book was brilliantly done. It was a truly a fantastic and thrilling read and I loved the dynamics between Keema and Jun, it felt very open and real and the two of them do a lot of growing throughout the novel. Highly recommend this one!!

BOOk reVIEW

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“But in a song or a tale, anything is possible.”

A powerful singer and warrior to be, Libohan’s dying to become a part of an elite warrior band on Swan Island and along with her brother, the two have been training to join the band and while vying for a spot in the band. All while that is going on, the find themselves on a mission as the island trains both singers and warriors and the mission is going to require them to find a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has gone mysteriously missing. If the instrument isn’t found for the upcoming coronation, people could revolt as the candidate wouldn’t be accepted and the deeper Libohan goes, the more she realizes that this isn’t an ordinary mission and she is soon forced to make a decision that could end in heartbreak.

As much as i liked the plot as i found it interesting and unique, the lack of well-developed world building and the characters left me feeling very underwhelmed especially with Libohan as I felt like she was a bit of a mary-sue. While she did struggle at times, it felt like she got through things very easy and there wasn’t really any times where I found myself rooting for her. I didn’t feel like i could immerse myself into the world because there still things that were lost on me and I didn’t feel like there was enough development with the characters, they felt a bit one dimensional to me. It sucked because the plot was very interesting but there wasn’t enough development for me and the one plus was the writing so i’m bummed that it didn’t work out for me but I’m sure others will enjoy it.

Book Review

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“The twin gods, Necessity and Chance, walked among the stars. What needed to be, was; what might be, sometimes was.”

The kingdom of Goredd is a world not like any other as humans and dragons live as one but it is not a life of bliss for either races. For the ones who are human and dragon, they walk an uneasy path as any moment as their true identity could be discovered so they must hide their truth and cultivate a life that will keep them safe. One of those is a young woman by the name of Seraphine who is reluctantly drawn into the politics of her world and when tensions finally hit, she must travel to find those like herself for she has a connection to all of them. But, she must be careful on her quest as there are humans who want to harm her and if she’s not too careful, she might not make it to ensure those like her are able to defeat the evil.

While I did like this book, I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one but it was still a good book nonetheless. One of the things I do wish is that it would’ve been a bit shorter because I did feel like things were dragged out a bit much and it could’ve ended a few chapters earlier. But, it was still delightful to see Seraphina and her friends as they try to fight for what is good and end the war between humans and dragons. I was hooked from the beginning just like the first book but some of the things she did seemed a bit out of character and not the Seraphina I read about in the first book who was so brave, loyal, and would do anything for her loved ones. She seemed to find herself in one lie after another and seemed very unbothered by it and the fact that her friends and loved ones were being hurt, that’s not the Seraphina I remember from book one.

While Shadow Scale is beautifully written and Hartman does a very good job with keeping up the suspense and having readers hooked from the first page, I still feel a bit let down but I guess that happens sometimes even though it stinks.



Book Review: The Long WAY TO A SMALL ANGry PLAneT

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“All you can do, Rosemary – all any of us can do – is work to be something positive instead. That is a choice that every sapient must make every day of their life. The universe is what we make of it. It’s up to you to decide what part you will play.”

Not expecting much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer, Rosemary Harper finds herself right at home with a chaotic and crazy life abroad the Wayfarer. The ship has seen better days but it offers a bed, a chance to explore the far off galaxies and most importantly a long distance from her past. Rosemary knows how to keep to herself and finds the crew very different from herself and it’s about to get even dangerous when the crew accepts the job of a lifetime. A job that could mean the end of her life and her crew members if they’re not careful leaving Rosemary in a position that she was trying to get away from. The young woman must learn how to put her trust in others, a team of odd balls that will teach her how to love and trust and that having a family isn’t the worst thing in the world.

There’s nothing that I love more than feel-good science fiction and this book did more than deliver. Glad there are other books in the series because i really enjoyed this one. I love it when there’s a rag tag team of odd balls who are sent on a mission to save the world, it’s so much fun. Along with the feel good vibes, I really loved learning about the world and it felt so real and how it was written really made me love it even more. The writing is what really helped it seem so real and unique so that’s a bonus when you get that in fantasy and sci-fi novels. I loved Rosemary, she was a likable and relatable protagonist and I really felt for her and how she was trying to deal with her past trauma. I think a lot of us are dealing with that right now and it can be very overwhelming to do but I did enjoy her relationships with the other crew members. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reading more of the series!

Book Review

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I may be ruthless but I am not cruel. I think it’s one of the things that Ana likes about me, I do bad things when must but I try to be good.

By day Kiki De Souza and Ana Lezama De Urianza are proper seventeenth century ladies. But when night falls, they trade in their gowns and silk for swords and muskets venturing out into the vibrant, buzzling, crime-ridden streets of Potosi in the Spanish Empire’s Viceroyalty of Peru. They spend their time gambling, crime fighting, and falling desperatly in love with one another. But, on the night Kiki’s engagment to Viceroy’s son is announced, her older brother heir to the family fortune is found murdered. The two embark on a investigation to find what happened to Kiki’s brother and if they’re not too careful, they might find themselves falling into the same trouble as he did.

What a fun retelling of The Three Musketeers with a twist. The majority of the book was very entertaining and faced paced but the one that was missing was the suspense. I didn’t really any danger especially with the villains as you know who they are once they’re mentioned so it was a bit predictable. But, it wasn’t something that really held me back from enjoying the rest of the novel and even though I don’t read YA novels that much anymore, this was a quick and easy read. Though I feel like this could work for older YA and maybe even New Adult cause it does have that kind of feel and I didn’t find anything too cheesy. Ana and Kiki, the two main characters were very fun and i love the banter between the two and although I did like the romance, I think they also work very well by themselves. At first, I found the romance a little rushed because it was very in your face but as time passed on, I started to really enjoy the romance and found it endearing. The chemistry between them sealed the deal for me as I felt that it was very real and even more so that they not only found happiness with each other but themselves. A great read so check it out!!

September Wrap Up

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Wow, I can’t believe September is over!! This month really flew by but I did get some good reads in so I’m excited to share that with you so let’s get started!!

A Lesson In Vengeance by Victoria Lee
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

The Bronzed Beasts by Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy, Historical-Fiction, LGBT
Review: Here

Rating: 3.5/5

Dating Makes Perfect by Pintip Dunn
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune
Genre: Contemporary, LGBT, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 3.5

Fade To White by Tara Ross
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, YA
Review: Here

Rating: 5/5

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Genre: Fantasy, Historical-Fiction, LGBT
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

His & Hers by Alice Feeney
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Music and Mirrors by Candace Robinson
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 5/5

Reality Check by Kirpa Singh
Genre: Contemporary, Mental Health, YA
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Genre: Mental Health, Non-Fiction, Self-Help
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Wendy, Darling by A.C. Wise
Genre: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 3/5

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, Sci-Fi
Review: Here

Rating: 3/5

The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Genre: Fantasy, LGBT, Adult
Review: Here

Rating: 4/5

Reality Check

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The word crazy had never meant more to me than any other word in the English language. It wasn’t a curse, and it wasn’t derogatory in my mind. That was before my diagnosis. Now, the word felt dirty, cruel, and everything I was trying my hardest not to be.

In ten seconds Priya watched her lover, Dimitri get fatally wounded yet while she watched his life slip through her fingers. Except there’s only one thing: Dimitri never existed and was created by Priya in her mind as she has been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia. While Priya is still mourning her loss and coming to terms with her diagnosis, her clinical team decides that she needs to learn how to be a normal teenage to find her footing in reality. They give her a checklist and with the help of her best friend Eli, she is able to discover that being a teenager can be fun and exciting. But as she finds success with checking things off the list, she also struggles with her own mind and being able to live life to the fullest with the good and bad. Will Priya be able to stay grounded in the real world or will she fall back into the one inside her mind?

This book really is a reality check and I was very impressed and glad to see Schizophrenia in YA book handled the way it was. I was a little nervous especially since I think Schizophrenia is misunderstood as a mental illness and sadly not done the way it should be. I found myself learning more about the disorder and that was something that I appreciated the author for including in the book. I think it’s important to provide readers with accurate information about mental disorders as it can help lessen the stigma and create a bigger conversation. But, it was interesting to see it in a YA book and while there is heavy subject matter in the book in addition to mental illness, there are also heartwarming, emotional, and light-hearted moments that help drive the plot. Priya is a very real and relatable character and you find yourself rooting for her to find a peace of mind while coming to terms with her diagnosis. She’s witty, funny, strong, and is passionate about what she wants to do with her life and not be defined by her diagnosis. Singh did a fantastic job as it showed that the things discussed in the book were detailed and thought out to be portrayed in a way that felt raw and very real. I highly recommend this book!

Fade Into White

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“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

On the outside, Thea Fenton’s looks perfect but looks can be deceiving as her life is falling apart and she’s struggling to pick up the pieces. The young girl is wracked with anxiety that no one around her seems to care about or understand so she resorts to self-harm to deflect the pain inside. But, when a local teen commits suicide, Thea’s world completely unravels as her anxiety skyrocket’s and things beginning happening that she can’t explain leaving her trapped in her own chaotic mind. The lines between reality and another world are starting to blur leaving Thea to feel like the world is caving in on her. That is until she meets Khi, a mysterious new boy from a coffee shop that seems to know Thea better than anyone does even herself. She finds herself drawn to him and is able to tell him how she really feels and he listens and tries to help her sort through her own thoughts to make sense of them.

Well this is probably one of the best novels about Mental Health in particular anxiety that is very accurate which made me super happy as it’s hard to find good rep with mental health. Sometimes, I feel like the authors don’t do the research or portray it correctly and it’s more romanticized than it needs to be. As someone who was diagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I found Thea extremely relatable and felt for her as she developed throughout the book with character growth. I felt like the author did a very good job at portraying anxiety and how it differs from feeling anxious and how that anxiety can be so exhausting and draining that you don’t even know how to explain it. It was truly well written and I loved the end result of where Thea ended up on her journey with finally coming to accept who she is. She never thought she would get there and she does and I think it was really well done and I enjoyed the book from beginning to end.