Young Adult

The Saturday Night Ghost CLub

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“Reality never changes. Only our recollections of it do. Whenever a moment passes, we pass along with it into the realm of memory. And in that realm, geometries change. Contours shift, shades lighten, objectivities dissolve. Memory becomes what we need it to be.”

Growing up in Niagara Falls in the 80’s, a seedy but magical haunted place where Jake Baker spends most of his time with his uncle Calvin, an eccentric enthusiast of occult artifacts. The summer that Jake turns twelve, he befriends a pair of new siblings in town and so Calvin decides to innate them into The Saturday Night Ghost Club. But as the summer goes on, what started out as a seemingly lighthearted project may ultimately uncover more than it’s members imagined.

What a cute and heartwarming read from beginning to end!! I really enjoyed this book, found it super cute and enjoyable and felt like the stories were perfect. I wasn’t anticipating enjoying it so much but I literally couldn’t put it down, it was fun and super easy to get through. The writing was probably my favorite aspect of the book as it was beautifully written and captivating. The plot was fun and reminded me of Scooby Doo as the kids in the town investigate mysterious happenings in the town and get in trouble along the way. Secondly, the characters are lovable and I really enjoyed the relationship between Jake and his uncle Calvin. They’re very close and you could feel that with the way the dialogue was written and everyone wants a cool uncle who’s into ghost stories, urban legends, and who also owns an oddities store where you can find so many interesting things. But, if you’re thinking that this is a horror book, you’ll be a little disappointed as it’s very light on the horror but still is very entertaining.

Overall, a very fun and easy read with a heartwarming message.

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!

The Silvered Serpents

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“Then again, the names we are born with can end up meaning so little. The names we give ourselves, well, perhaps that’s the truth of us.”

Severin and his crew might have successfully thwarted the fallen house, one victory that has come at a terrible cost. A cost that haunts them all leaving Severin desperate to make amends, he pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant it’s possessor the power of God. Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into the icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew whether a myth is really a myth at all. As hidden secrets come to light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves but what they may find out will lead them down paths they never expected.

Besides the writing, what really stands out in particular with this book is the diversity and Chokshi really does a good job with fleshing them out and giving them growth from the first book. I struggled to like Lalia in the first one as I wasn’t sold on her narrative but she grew on me as I got to know her more in this book. The characters are all emotionally engaging and have their own struggles and flaws which helps with understanding their motives. Out of all the characters, my favorite is the relatable queen, Zofia who is such an interesting and emotionally intelligent character. This book is where you see a lot of group dynamics develop just as much as the characters and that is always a treat to see. The only thing I hated was the cliffhanger at the end, I remember when I read it for the first time, I threw the book across the room. But, since I reread this closer to the release of the new book, I wasn’t as angry.

I will have a review of the third and final book very soon, stay tuned!

The Gilded Wolves

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“Make yourself a myth and live within it, so that you belong to no one but yourself.”

The Gilded Wolves starts out in 1889 Paris when the city is on the cusp of power and industry and the exposition universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In the city, no one keeps tabs on the dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Severin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission. A mission that will deliver Severin with the prize that he never thought he would able to get: his true inheritance. To make this mission successful, Severin recruits Lalia, Hypnos, Zofia, and Enrique as they embark on a journey that will change the course of their lives and test the bonds of loyalty that they to each other.

Ah rereading this book made me realize how much I love Chokshi’s writing and how much it’s improved. She has a way with words and how her world-building is developed is truly amazing. It makes you feel like you’re actually in the world that she’s created. The premise is what hooked me in as I’m sucker for heist stories just like Six Of Crows, but this is very different than Leigh Bardugo’s band of misfits. What I really loved about the book were the characters especially Zofia and Hypnos as they were unique, interesting, and well written. There was a lot of development with each of the characters so it’s hard to pick a favorite and the dynamics between the group was great with banter, flirtation, and realizing that they have more in common than they first thought. This is truly a delight but I will say that the pacing in the beginning is slow but it does pick up and you find yourself turning the page in anticipation of what will happen next.

I am reviewing the second book next so stay tuned!

Five Feet Apart

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“How long will I live my life afraid of what-ifs?”

Stella Grant loves to be in control except when it comes to her health, she has no control over her lungs that keep her in and out of hospitals for the majority of her life. The only thing Stella needs is to stay away from anything and anyone who may jeopardize her chance to get a lung transplant so she can be free do what she wants. That means staying six feet apart at all costs, no exceptions. Will Newman is exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. The only thing Will is concerned about is getting out of the hospital, he could care less about treatments, transplants, and anything medical related. Once, he turns eighteen he’ll be able to get out and experience the world and start a life of his own. They are exactly what the other needs to stay away from, if they get close to each other they could run the risk of death. But, six feet away doesn’t feel like safety but more like punishment.

I’m a sucker for love stories but this is one love story that I wish I didn’t read. There’s a lot to unpack here so let’s get started. First, let’s talk about the characters which Stella and Will who were one dimensional and stereotyped. Stella is a type A personality who has to be in control of everything and Will is the rebel and the two completely disregard their illness and risk everything over one chance meeting. They were so focused on getting better and staying healthy so they wouldn’t run the risk of something happening.Which is problematic in itself and doesn’t send a very good message to readers in particular those who are living with a life threatening illness. It’s also a dangerous message to send to readers that if you’re not able bodied then you can’t live the life that you want and that is utterly wrong. It’s a message that is portrayed over and over and I wish writers would stop doing it.

Please quit killing off POC/LGBTQ leads just for the sake of the story. It’s so overdone, this book was hot mess in my opinion. There was a lot of aspects that could’ve been handled in a much better way and maybe I would’ve liked it more.

Dating Makes Perfect

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“You want me to say that you’re stunning? That I wish I could take a photo, so that I can look at you all day? That the material is soft and touchable–and as skimpy as it is, it still covers way too much?” His eyes are black and furious and mesmerizing. I couldn’t look away if I tried. “Yeah, I could have said all that. No doubt, that’s what Taran’s going to be thinking. But I didn’t, because I have too much respect for you. Even after everything we’ve been through.”

The Tech Sisters don’t date in high school. Not because they don’t want to, not because they’re not interested but it’s all because their not allowed to do so. In a move that other Asian-Americans know all too well, six months after the oldest Tech sisters go to college and get asked by their parents about not being in a relationship or marriage. The sisters retaliated by saying that they won’t marry for ten years as they need to dating practice and that could take longer depending on other life events. But now things are different, the youngest sister Winnie must practice fake dating until her parents watchful eye. But as we all know, things don’t always go so easily and when Winnie’s parents pick the preferred match for Winnie to date, she could be less than pleased at the thought of dating her worst enemy.

This is probably one of the cutest ya rom-coms that I’ve read in awhile. The premise, plot, characters, atmosphere and writing really made this a fun and interesting story from beginning to end. Before I go into what made this book so wonderful, I did want to point how much I enjoyed learning about the thai experience. As someone who has been accustomed to privilege my entire life, I understand how important it is for #ownvoices and having their stories told so I appreciated learning more about the culture. Not only did I love the characters but the dynamics between especially within the family and between the sisters, it was hard not to feel for them especially with wanting to be respected for who they want to be and the struggle of choosing their own identity and how differing from that can cause conflict within the family. The romance was very cute and I did feel like it was well written and not forced like other romance books that I’ve read. Overall, this is super cute and fun rom-com so be sure to check it out if it sounds like something you want.

The Vanished Birds

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“Take my day, they sang, but give me the night. Feed the hearth and ready the brew, for I am coming home to you.”

The Vanished Birds follows Nia Imani is a woman out of time and place traveling through space and the stars throughout the years as so many things have happened. Her friends and lovers have aged past her and all that she has left is her work. Alone and adrift, Nia finds herself longing for something more and soon she finds herself wrapped up in a new adventure, one of which will change the course of her life and make her question everything she thought she knew.

I would’ve given it a higher rating but there were parts where i felt very confused and not as invested in the story as I wanted it to be. The plot and writing is top notch but I felt other parts of the story and even the characters felt under developed and under utilized. It’s a space opera which is pretty freaking cool and I don’t read enough of those. Normally, you meet the main character in the first chapter but not this story which I think also contributed to my interest level. The first chapter was filled with lots of historical information and felt like more of a prologue than an introduction to the story. Besides the main character, Nia I didn’t have an interest in the others. While i enjoy reading about the main character, I want to invest in other characters in the book as they have interesting stories and when I can’t, I lose interest real quick. The story had great potential but I just didn’t click with it for several reasons. But, I’m sure others will enjoy for different reasons so to each their own.

The Extraordinaries by T.J. Klune

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“Sometimes, the people we want to protect the most might not understand why we do the things we do. But that doesn’t mean they love us any less. Only you can decide where your faith lies.”

Nick Bell, a superhero? Not what he thinks but as the famed writer behind The Extraordinaries, a popular series that has given Bell the praise, adoration, and success that he’s always dreamed about. But, when a chance encounter with Nova City’s famed superhero, Shadow Star and Nick’s biggest crush, he sets on a journey to make himself extraordinary with or without the help of his best friend and possible love of his life, Seth Gray.

I have mixed feelings about this book as I did enjoy the characters, the plot, and the writing, I was a bit surprised at the heavy subject material wasn’t handled with more care as it focused on the police. There were times reading through this book that I felt like it was glorifying the police and others time where I didn’t feel that way. Klune did address it and I give him kudos for that as some people would not only let it slide but get offended over the backlash. Besides this issue, I did enjoy the characters, humor, representation, and plot as it featured a variety of different characters that were all unique in their own way and I loved that he included a character with ADHD. I don’t see many ADHD characters in YA and as someone who was diagnosed with it as a child, I thought he did it very well. But, with the main issue I couldn’t give this book a higher rating so be aware of that when going into this book. That’s all for now!

Book Of The Week: A Lesson In Vengeance

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“Once upon a time I found it so easy to forget the stories about Godwin House and the five Dalloway witches who lived here three hundred years ago, their blood in our dirt, their bones banging from our trees.”

A year after the tragic death of her girlfriend, Felicity Morrow is back at Godwin House trying to make sense of everything that happened. She still resides in the room that is rumored to be haunted by the five Dalloway witches died under mysterious circumstances. Felicity isn’t going to let some ghost story bother her and throws herself into her school work and leaves her dark past behind her or so she thinks. When the charismatic and lively, Ellie Haley arrives on campus for her first year, Felicity finds herself dawn to the eccentric girl who has already amassed a following. Ellie is working on her second novel and wants Felicity’s help with uncovering what happened to the Dalloway sisters. Felicity knows what dangers lurk in the shadows but she can’t help herself feel drawn to Ellie in more ways than one. But, history will reveal itself not only with the Dalloway sisters but within herself.

This is dark academia done right. This is a haunting and dark mystery thriller that will keep you turning the page in anticipation. It will also fill you with doubts about what is really going on and have you second guessing until the end. If you like mystery and suspense thriller, then you should check this out. I was blown away by the writing as Lee was able to craft an haunting yet beautiful atmosphere that made you feel like you were a part of it. The writing along with the characters were the best parts of the book as I felt Felicity, Ellie, and the other girls were well written with unique and interesting personalities. There were a few times I was annoyed by Ellie but I did enjoy her for the most part and I think it was part of her character as a budding novelist who has hundreds of people following her. Plus, she was young so I feel that was very in character although annoying.

I don’t think this should be considered as fantasy but more supernatural thriller, there really isn’t a fantasy element to it. Overall, a very haunting mystery that will keep you guessing from page to page so I would definitely recommend this.