Guest Review: Animus by Antoine Revoy

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Guest Review: Animus by Antoine RevoyAnimus by Antoine Revoy
Published by Macmillan on May 8, 2018
Pages: 224
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-stars

The residents of a quiet Kyoto neighborhood have slowly come to realize that inauspicious, paranormal forces are at play in the most unlikely of places: the local playground.

Two friends, a young girl and boy, resolve to exorcise the evils that inhabit it, including a snaggle-toothed monster.

Beautiful and eerie, ANIMUS weaves an entrancing spell out of childish curiosity, folklore, friendship, and fears that lie deep in the human heart.

Writer/Illustrator Antoine Revoy has a long-held passion for all forms of comics―graphic novels, manga and bandes dessinées―fostered by his childhood living in Paris, France and Tokyo, Japan. Antoine's clients include Der Spiegel and New York Times, and his work has received acclaim by the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, and Spectrum. Antoine currently teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design. He lives in Providence, RI, with his wife, illustrator Kelly Murphy. www.revoy.net.

A message from Meredith: Hey everyone! Today, I have Jessica here with a guest review for Animus by Antoine Revoy

You can find Jessica on Books 4 Jessica and on Twitter!

Without further adieu, here’s Jessica’s review! Enjoy!

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I normally do not get the chance to read many graphic novels. I do enjoy them and wish I had the opportunity to read more, but my access to graphic novels that I want to read vary and I usually end up purchasing other books instead. However, when I am able to read graphic novels I always hop on the chance. I am happy to say that when I received Animus for review I dove right into the book and not only found the story exciting, but the illustrations to be some of the best and most creative illustrations I have ever seen in this genre.

Animus by Antoine Revoy is about a two young children named Hisao and Sayuri living in Japan. One day they come across a playground and a young ghost in a mysterious mask. The ghost, named Toothless, starts to explain the mysteries of the playground and causes one of the local children to disappear. It is up to Hisao and Sayuri to discover Toothless’s secret and how to stop these strange events from occurring.

There are many things that I really liked about Animus. The first being the illustrations. The designs of the playground and the terrible &/or strange things that could happen due to using the equipment were stunning. From monsters coming to life and trying to grab a character to seeing the dreams of a cat…these graphics were nothing less than extremely creative and wondrous. I had an issue regarding the story that I will discuss later, but I have to say that even with that issue the graphics were so interesting to look at that I still was finding myself enjoying the book despite my problems. It is a little difficult to talk about pictures as you need to see them to fully understand the creativity and detail that was put into them. However, I think that if there is any reason to read this book the graphics and design of the illustrations alone should be enough.

The second things I really liked was the creativity of the story. The story & the mysteries of the story were unlike anything I’d ever read before. I especially loved the unique aspects regarding the playground equipment and how each piece of equipment could cause a different thing to happen like going up or down a slide could impact someone’s age or a sandbox causing someone’s worst fears to come to life and try to attack the person in the sandbox. The imagination that was put into this part of the book was spectacular & something that really made me want to keep reading.

Sadly, there were also some pieces of the book that I was not so keen on and that kept me from giving this book a 5-star or even a 4-star rating.

The first negative of mine was the story itself. While I did find a lot of parts of the novel to be interesting and intriguing, the story overall became more & more confusing as I went on. I was confused by how many missing characters there were, connections, to the supernatural aspect and real world part of the book, and more. This only got worse also as I read on. As I said before, the graphics really helped me to keep enjoying the book even as I was confused. However, the fact that I was getting very confused with what was happening and feeling so jumbled is what caused me to not be able to give this book as high of a review as I wanted.

The next thing that I really didn’t like in this book was the ending. I usually say that I can’t give much away about an ending due to spoilers, but in this case I feel I can’t give much away about an ending because I really can’t say with 100% certainty that I know what happened in the end. The book’s ending felt very odd to me and mixed my other concerns about the book all together from the confusion regarding the characters, timeline, events in the story, etc. Now when I am confused about a storyline I feel that it is something that shouldn’t be taken so seriously or that should be seen as something that should make a reader not want to pick up this book. I don’t feel that just because I was confused about a story, doesn’t technically mean that everyone will be. I just wanted to show a concern that I had for that book (that maybe you will have too) and my reasoning for the rating I am giving this book. Which includes both the good and the bad. And in this case it was just a bad point for me, but maybe not for another reader.

Overall, this book had excellent illustrations and an imaginative story. While it does get a little confusing (specially towards the end) I do not think that should technically discourage someone from reading the book, unless that sort of thing really upsets you and you really think my views will match with yours. I do think people should read this book for themselves and see how they feel, but for me I just thought it was good. It wasn’t terrible or amazing, just a decent graphic novel with some good creative elements mixed in.

three-stars

Blog Tour: What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee (Spotlight Post)

 
Hey everyone! I’m excited to be on the blog tour for What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books – May 15, 2018)! Check out the book below and don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

After his dad commits suicide, Will tries to overcome his own misery by secretly helping the people around him in this story made up of one hundred chapters of one hundred words each.

Sixteen-year-old Will spends most of his days the same way: Working at the Dollar Only store, trying to replicate his late father’s famous cornbread recipe, and walking the streets of Los Angeles. Will started walking after his father committed suicide, and three years later he hasn’t stopped. But there are some places Will can’t walk by: The blessings store with the chest of 100 Chinese blessings in the back, the bridge on Fourth Street where his father died, and his childhood friend Playa’s house.

When Will learns Playa was raped at a party—a party he was at, where he saw Playa, and where he believes he could have stopped the worst from happening if he hadn’t left early—it spurs Will to stop being complacent in his own sadness and do some good in the world. He begins to leave small gifts for everyone in his life, from Superman the homeless guy he passes on his way to work, to the Little Butterfly Dude he walks by on the way home, to Playa herself. And it is through those acts of kindness that Will is finally able to push past his own trauma and truly begin to live his life again. Oh, and discover the truth about that cornbread.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Book Depository

Kobo | IndieBound | iBooks

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And now for the giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a copy of What I Leave Behind! Giveawa is US only, runs 5/8-5/22/18! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

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About the Author: 
 
 
Alison McGhee writes novels, picture books, poems, and essays for all ages, including the forthcoming novel Never Coming Back (out in October 2017) and the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller SOMEDAY, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Her work has been translated into more than 20 languages. She lives in Minneapolis, California and Vermont.
 
 
 
 

Website

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Be sure to follow the rest of the blog tour – the schedule can be found here!

Review: Renegades by Marissa Meyer

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Renegades by Marissa MeyerRenegades by Marissa Meyer
Series: Renegades #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on November 7, 2017
Pages: 556
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

From #1 New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer, comes a high-stakes world of adventure, passion, danger, and betrayal.

Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

HOLY WOW WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS WONDERFUL EPIC AMAZING BOOK?!?!?!?!?! This book absolutely just blew my mind!! Like, I’m a HUGE fan of the Lunar Chronicles series, but I’m 98% sure I enjoyed Renegades more than any other Marissa Meyer book I’ve ever read. It was just complete and utter perfection. I loved the writing, the characters, the plot, everything about this book. I have few – if any – complaints, to be honest. So get ready for a gushing review because I’m gonna gush and ramble and I’ll attempt to keep it spoiler free, but no promises.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED Nova. Like, one of my favorite “villains” ever. She was spunky and fierce, and I loved everything about her Anarchist persona, Nightmare. Her powers, her background – even just the name Nightmare and the feelings it evokes. When I pictured her in my head, I pictured Mal from the Descendants movie, purple hair and all. I 1000% loved the idea of the amusement park being Nightmare’s stomping ground/hide-out, even if it actually wasn’t. It just felt very fitting for the character.

I also really loved Adrian. I loved the way he created The Sentinel as a way to prove himself. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I loved him as Sketch. Sketch’s powers are very cool and VERY useful. But I loved that the superhero had a secret identity, haha.

Right off the bat, I loved the idea of Nova and Adrian being potential love interests – very Romeo & Juliet. How much more star-crossed can you get than superhero versus supervillain? I seriously can’t wait to see what happens when their secrets are revealed to each other – it’s gonna be CRAZY!!!

Another fun Disney comparison? The Detonator reminded me of a weird combination of Shego from Kim Possible and Harley Quinn from the Suicide Squad movie. Also, I KNOW we weren’t supposed to like her, but I kind of did. Like, I hated her for some of the crap she pulled, but I was also intrigued by her and wanted to know more about her, her background, etc.

I absolutely loved Hugh (Captain Chromium) and Simon (The Dread Warden). I loved them individually as people AND I loved their superhero personas. I also LOVED them as a couple – they were so cute together! TBH, this book had a LOT of ships and I want ALL of them to sail or I’ll be SUPER upset!!!

I could talk about each character in this book individually because I have something to say about all of them, but I honestly just loved them all. I loved Adrian’s team the most, of course. I was intrigued by the fact that some of the Renegades weren’t actually the good guys – they SHOULD have been villains, but they somehow became “heroes.” It’s going to be very interesting, especially going forward – if there REALLY is a huge “Renegade versus Anarchist” battle brewing, which side will these wayward Renegades be on…?

The ending was effing INSANE for SO many reasons. I may have discussed minor spoilers throughout my review, but I’ll steer clear of major spoilers and just say OMFG WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?!??! But also I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I SERIOUSLY CANNOT wait for book two! I NEED it in my hands NOW!!! I can’t wait to see what happens next. I know I said (above) that I can’t wait to see what happens when Nova’s and Adrian’s secrets are revealed to each other, but I especially can’t wait to see Adrian’s reaction when Nova’s secret is revealed…!!!!!

So… I mean, yeah. This review didn’t do this book justice. I just loved it so much, it’s hard to put it into words. This review was probably a ramble-filled mess and completely unprofessional and maybe didn’t make a lot of sense. But, like, just read the book. That’s the bottom line. It’s SOOOO GOOD!! Seriously.

five-stars

Television Tuesday: The Parallels of Emily Gilmore and Catherine de Medici

Television Tuesday

Television Tuesday is a new feature in which I chat with you about all things television!

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This is a post I’ve been dying to write for some time, going back to when the Gilmore Girls revival was first announced. Now that the revival has come and gone, and Reign has come to an end (the final episode aired Friday, June 16, 2017), I thought it was finally time.

Reign and Gilmore Girls are VERY different shows: Reign is a historical drama based on the life and reign of a young Mary Queen of Scots, while Gilmore Girls is a modern-day dramedy about a mother/daughter duo obsessed with coffee and pop culture references.

One thing these epic shows have in common? They both feature a fierce matriarch.

 
Emily Gilmore and Catherine de Medici might have been born centuries apart, but they have much in common:

They both command the room. When Catherine de Medici speaks, you listen. Unless you want to lose your head. Meanwhile, Emily will stare you down until you shut up and listen – and listen you will.

 
Catherine has her Flying Squad, Emily has the DAR. Catherine’s Flying Squad does her dirty work for her. They seduce powerful men and gather intel/gossip/vital information that Catherine can then use to blackmail others. Though the DAR members don’t seduce powerful men, they’re all MARRIED to powerful men and love a good gossip session during afternoon tea.

They both run their households with an iron fist. On the one hand, you have Emily, who wants things done precisely her way. If a maid puts one toe out of line, it’s grounds for termination. Catherine, on the other hand, uses her power as Queen/Queen Mother to ensure her servants are loyal to her and ONLY her. You don’t double-cross Catherine de Medici and get away with it. With their help, Catherine ensures that she’s ALWAYS the first to know EVERYTHING happening in her domain.

They love their children fiercely, but don’t always know how to show it. Neither woman is great at showing her soft side – emotional displays of affection? Super rare! This means they often come off as being cold-hearted and uncaring, yet both women are incredibly maternal and protective of their brood.

 
On a similar note: meddling is their specialty. Catherine broke Mary and Francis up for fear a prophecy threatening her son would come true, while Emily broke Luke and Lorelei up because she felt her daughter could do better. Again, both women meant well – they just handled their respective situations a bit… rashly.

On a lighter note, they both dress impeccably. They’re always poised and put together – heck, Catherine even dressed in her finest for her own execution!

 

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At the end of the day, Catherine’s castle may overshadow Emily’s mansion, but they both rule with an iron fist, determination and – when necessary – manipulation. And for that, we love to hate them and hate to love them!

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So, what are your thoughts? Do you watch one or both show(s)? If so, do you agree with the above parallels, or have parallels of your own to add? Tell me in the comments! (And, for the record, if you HAVE watched and enjoyed one of these shows, I highly recommend the other! Again, while they’re very different shows, they do have some parallels and they’re both EPIC – amazing plots/stories, amazing characters, etc).

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**Special thanks to my good friend, KM Robinson, for helping with the pictures included in this post! Check out her website, follow her on social media and buy her books!**

Blog Tour: Medium Wave by Rose Zolock (Guest Post)

 
Hey everyone! I’m really excited to be on the blog tour for Medium Wave by Rose Zolock. For my blog tour stop, I have an awesome guest post for you from Rose. First, here’s more about the book!

Becky Moran has built a career claiming to talk to the dead. A successful clairvoyant medium, a Cambridge graduate with her own radio show ‘Medium Wave’ and a team dedicated to crafting the celebrity myth – because Becky Moran is a fake. Until, one night, something supernatural, inexplicable, breaks through live on air as she is broadcasting. Becky Moran discovers the paranormal is real, the dead can indeed speak and she is being pursued relentlessly towards a battle for her very survival.

‘This thing has no defined shape. Whatever energy exists within it, it cannot settle on a shape. The strands of darkness curl out and then wrap back inwards. The bulk of the shadow becomes concave, then bulbous, the height building in on itself but lacking any skeletal structure to wrap itself around. There are no eyes, no clearly defined head shape. It is creating itself from darkness, like a swirl of ebony ink dropped into a vat of putrid water, spreading silently….’

View the Book trailer here.

Goodreads | Amazon UK

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And now for the guest post! Enjoy!!

White Feathers

by Rose Zolock

This is a simple request.

Tell me, when was the last time you saw a white feather?

Some of you will say when you changed the duvet cover or passed a flock of pigeons. I suspect that many of you will say that feather appeared from nowhere, fluttered by your feet and you are one of millions who believe that feather was sent as reassurance from the other side. There is a growing trend to believe white feathers are signals of love and support from the Angels. There are those – perhaps you are one of them – who believe a white feather is a sign from a loved one who has passed over

For me, it’s a ladybird. This red, shiny jewel of a bug always appears when I need reassurance or support. I know it is my friend Patrick who died, from a brain tumour, while he was still only in his fifties. His mother and I held his hand as he died. It was she who told me about the ladybird – how there was one on her skirt the day she found out she was pregnant and then, after Patrick died, how she would see them when she was at her lowest. I remember nodding, hoping she had comfort from it. Until I saw one in November, on my gate post as I left the house one bitterly cold morning heading to an important job. I took it as a sign of encouragement, that it was all going to be fine. It was. I always smile when I see a ladybird.

A third of Britains believe in Angels. Over 70% of Americans say they believe in them, too. These recent statistics also show the belief doesn’t always originate from a conventional religious source, either. It seems as if our desire to take comfort from the idea that we have a Guardian Angel, uniquely our own, there to protect us, is gathering momentum.

In my novel, Medium Wave, I examine the industry of paranormal belief – with a central character, Becky Moran who has built a successful career convincing the public she could hear the dead speak. She was lying. Although, not anymore. Her journey through the supernatural is a chilling one, set against the back drop of the national media and shows how the exploitative circus of superstition and ghosts can persuade even the most rational person there is evidence of life after death, or of greater forces protecting us. You must decide for yourself as to the truth of this.

Browse a book shop or online. Book after book celebrates the Angel culture and the link with the white feather. I have a friend who sends me small, framed pictures of Angels and she believes they are there to protect us. I keep one by my bed.

There are stories of celebrities who are open about the fact they see white feathers as a sign from a loved one who has passed. One father, whose daughter was murdered, told a tabloid newspaper that he saw white feathers in the most impossible of places and knew it was a sign from his child. No one derided this man and his grief – many then had the courage to speak up and tell similar stories. One widow I know said she took down her wedding album after her husband died. She left the pages open and when she returned, a large white feather was lain on the album. This was in their living room with all the windows closed. She knew it was a sign from him.

Black feathers, however, I do not find to be comforting. The thinking there is that they are a warning – to ward off negativity or alert you to trouble. I avoid crows. Black feathers appear in a certain form in Medium Wave. Be very, very careful.

So, I ask you again – when was the last time you saw a white feather?

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About the Author
 
Her Irish grandmother first told Rose about the Banshee when she was just a small child. How the wailing sound of the spirit of the dead and dying could be heard when someone was about to pass.
It was family folklore that the women in the family had ‘the touch’, the ability to see spirits and other dimensions. Rose listened and grew up fascinated by those who claimed to have supernatural or psychic abilities.

Rose does not claim to have those powers. Take her to Venice in February when the mist swirls over the canals, walk by her side along the darkened streets of Greenwich Village in New York City in high summer, listening to a ghost walk tour guide tell the stories of death, murder and the unexplained – Rose would say those stories and our belief in them gives her a power to see into the shadows within our imagination.

As a journalist, Rose takes every opportunity to explore and investigate strange stories, myth and folklore. Living in rural Yorkshire, with a rich library of ghost stories and literary tradition, Rose also has a sceptical and forensic insight into those who peddle the stories which feed our imagination but of which we have yet found no proof. She has listened to the debunkers who argue against those believers who are convinced that sand the dark side exist.

Rose’s mind is open. Is yours?

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Spotlight Post: Crash: The Great Depression and the Fall and Rise of America in the 1930s by Marc Favreau (Giveaway)

Hey everyone! Today, I have an amazing giveaway to share with you! Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, one lucky winner (US only) will receive a copy of Crash: The Great Depression and the Fall and Rise of America in the 1930s by Marc Favreau (April 10, 2018 – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)! First, here’s more about the book:

The true story of how Americans from all walks of life weathered one of the most turbulent periods in our nation’s history–the Great Depression–and emerged triumphant.

Crash tells the story of the Great Depression, from the sweeping fallout of the market collapse to the more personal stories of those caught up in the aftermath. Packed with photographs, primary documents, and firsthand accounts, Crash shines a spotlight on pivotal moments and figures across ethnic, gender, racial, social, and geographic divides, reflecting many different experiences of one of the most turbulent decades in American history.

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Depository | Kobo | IndieBound

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And now for the giveaway! Again, thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, one lucky winner will receive a copy of Crash: The Great Depression and the Fall and Rise of America in the 1930s by Marc Favreau (April 10, 2018 – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)! This giveaway is US only!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

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Book Birthday: Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert

Happy Book Birthday to Kelly Loy Gilbert and Picture Us in the Light!!

Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father’s closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Silicon Valley family, he realizes there’s much more to his family’s past than he ever imagined.

Danny has been an artist for as long as he can remember and it seems his path is set, with a scholarship to RISD and his family’s blessing to pursue the career he’s always dreamed of. Still, contemplating a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, by his side makes Danny feel a panic he can barely put into words. Harry and Danny’s lives are deeply intertwined and as they approach the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook their friend group to its core, Danny can’t stop asking himself if Harry is truly in love with his girlfriend, Regina Chan.

When Danny digs deeper into his parents’ past, he uncovers a secret that disturbs the foundations of his family history and the carefully constructed facade his parents have maintained begins to crumble. With everything he loves in danger of being stripped away, Danny must face the ghosts of the past in order to build a future that belongs to him.

Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo

The Book Depository | IndieBound

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About the Author:
 
 
 
KELLY LOY GILBERT believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and give voice to complex, broken people. She is the author of Conviction, a William C. Morris Award finalist, and lives in the SF Bay Area.
 
 
Visit her on her website or on Twitter.
 
 
 

Review: To Right the Wrongs by Sheryl Scarborough

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: To Right the Wrongs by Sheryl ScarboroughTo Right the Wrongs by Sheryl Scarborough
Series: Erin Blake #2
Published by Tor Teen on February 27, 2018
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Barely three weeks after catching the killer of Erin's mother and their biology teacher, Erin and her crew are back, up to their elbows in forensics projects. But this time it's with the full approval of their parents.

With Uncle Victor at the helm, Erin and her best friends, Spam and Lysa, are prepping a new classroom for CSI summer camp, where they will serve as camp counselors. Meanwhile, Erin's super-hot new boyfriend, Journey, is graduating, just in time for him to take a position as Victor's intern in the new CSI lab on campus. Journey and Victor are going to take another look at the evidence in the murder trial that sent Journey's father to prison. The girls are under strict orders not to meddle with the murder case, but that's easier said than done...

I’m torn between giving this book 3.5 stars or 4 stars. When I finished book one, To Catch a Killer, I REALLY wanted a sequel. I do love that To Right the Wrongs tied up some loose ends, but it also left a few things dangling. It makes me wonder if there will be a book three – and I’m totally okay with that! Despite some hiccups with this book, it was still really enjoyable and the ending had me like WHOA!! But also… totally called it!

I’ve never been a huge fan of Erin. I love the forensic sleuth side of her, but otherwise she’s just.. childish and selfish. I understood her reasoning for her behavior, but that didn’t make it okay. I was disappointed with the way she treated Journey in this book. It felt like their relationship took a backseat to everything else. Part of that was definitely Journey’s fault – he was very distant with Erin, behaving as if he didn’t trust her and he should have. I still 100% shipped them, but I really wanted MORE from them as a couple, and I’m disappointed we didn’t get that MORE.

Also, side-note: I had MAJOR Rob (1-800-WHERE-R-U) vibes from Journey.. Anyone else read those books and notice that? Just me?

I liked Lysa and Spam a LOT more in this book than I did in book one. In book one, they kept oscillating between acting like loyal friends, and acting as if Erin was purposefully leaving them out of things. But in To Right the Wrongs, they worked WITH Erin, and they both definitely had a lot of character growth because of that shift in attitude.

I really didn’t trust ANYONE in this book. Like, it would be faster to list the people I DID trust 100%. But as I got further into the book, I started looking at each suspicious character in a more critical way. And then I was able to narrow down who I thought was TRULY suspicious, and who seemed like they were suspicious just to throw readers off the mark. In the end, my instincts regarding the person I was MOST suspicious about turned out to be correct. And when the big reveal happened, I was just like “I KNEW IT!!!!!!!”

There are several characters I’d like to mention by name, and discuss in greater detail, but that would end up being super spoilery and I’m trying to keep this review to a spoiler minimum. But let’s just say: I despised Blankenship until the end; I didn’t trust Arletta Stone or the coach, and was shocked by the way their stories ended; I loved Lyman, though we were clearly supposed to be suspicious of him; and I was indifferent to Clay but had this weird gut feeling…

Anyway, that’s all on that subject, lest I spoil everything with my vague descriptions.

Overall, this book definitely started out slow. And I honestly enjoyed To Catch a Killer a LOT more. However, To Right the Wrongs was still very intriguing. It kept me on the edge of my seat, trying to guess who the killer was and how things would end. The characters all experienced a lot of character growth, and the book definitely tied up a lot of loose ends. I’m anxious to see if there will be a third book in this series, because I love the forensics and Nancy Drew/Veronica Mars feels. Also, the “90s/00s feels – by that I mean, as stated in my review of To Catch a Killer, “It completely reminded me of a 90s/00s teen novel, and I LOVED IT!”

So if you love books about forensics, Nancy Drew, Veronica Mars, or thrillers in general, I HIGHLY recommend you pick this series up! It’s definitely a wild ride and, slow bits aside, will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

three-half-stars

Bookish Delight #3: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Bookish Delight of the Month (Bookish Delight for short) is a monthly feature in which I’ll spotlight the number one book I’m most anticipating at the beginning of the month it releases. This could be a book I don’t have yet, or have an ARC of already – even a book I’m already reading, because it doesn’t matter whether I have it or not, or have read it or not – this is just all about me spotlighting the book I’m most excited for in a given month.

So, without further adieu, let’s get started!

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The book I’m most highly anticipating in April is… Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young! This books looks so amazing for so many reasons. I’m obsessed with the title and cover, and the plot sounds incredibly intriguing!

Here’s the cover and synopsis:

OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother’s betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

Goodreads

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Also.. Okay, I KNOW this feature is supposed to spotlight ONE book. But I just wanna say that it was REALLY hard to pick which book I wanted to feature this month, and Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian came in at a VERY close second!

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So, what is your most anticipated book of April? Share it in the comments!

Review: Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani ChokshiAru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
Series: Pandava Quartet #1
Published by Rick Riordan Presents on March 27, 2018
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
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four-stars

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she'll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur?

One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru's doorstep to catch her in a lie. They don't believe her claim that the museum's Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. Just a quick light, Aru thinks. Then she can get herself out of this mess and never ever fib again.

But lighting the lamp has dire consequences. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it's up to Aru to save them.

The only way to stop the demon is to find the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers, protagonists of the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, and journey through the Kingdom of Death. But how is one girl in Spider-Man pajamas supposed to do all that?

I’ve been excited for this book ever since I saw it described as “Percy Jackson meets Sailor Moon.” First of all, you guys know I’m a HUGE fan of books with mythology and mythology retellings. And I’ve loved Sailor Moon ever since I was a little girl. Not only do I 100% support these comparisons, but I also had MAJOR Hocus Pocus vibes (lighting the black flame candle = lighting the Lamp of Bharata) and – weirdly – A Wrinkle in Time vibes. I don’t totally get why I had A Wrinkle in Time vibes because I read it in elementary school and remember VERY little about it. But, for whatever reason, it kept coming to mind.

So yeah… Between all those spot-on, epic comparisons and the gorgeous world and mythology, this book definitely did NOT disappoint. Roshani Chokshi’s writing is absolutely gorgeous and lyrical, and her characters are fierce – I was rooting for them right from page one!

I loved Aru and Mini. They were strong, fierce female heroines. They both made mistakes and had some fumbles, but they always got right back up and pushed forward. I love the way their friendship evolved from beginning to end, and can’t wait to see what happens next for them in book two.

Boo reminded me of Zazu from Lion King. I also had major Mulan/Mushu vibes with the whole “I’ll restore my honor!” thing.

I loved the way this book ended, and what it means for the second book. I’m hoping we’ll get some more background info on Aru’s mom, the Sleeper, and the original Pandava Brothers. I’m anxious to see the rest of the reincarnations of the Pandava’s, too. With the Sailor Moon comparison, I can’t wait to see them all together. I’m curious to see the dynamic and how they work together, if they clash, etc… You know, I’ll just admit it: I’m hoping for a Sailor Moon/Sailor Mars dynamic between Aru and one of the other girls, haha. The Moon/Mars dynamic always had me hysterical!

I know my review was a bit babbly and all over the place, but hopefully I got my point across – I LOVED this book! I had a really hard time articulating why, but it was just really fantastic. It comes down to the mythology, the comparisons, the writing, the world, and the characters. It was all just magical and wonderful and I REALLY need book two in my life ASAP!!!

So, overall, if you love books about mythology, I HIGHLY recommend this book. Also, if you’re a Sailor Moon fan, you’ll love the girl power!

Side note: A great side-effect of reading and loving Aru Shah and the End of Time? It FINALLY has me in the mood to re-read The Star-Touched Queen. You see, the first time I read TSTQ, I was going through some very stressful, upsetting Life Stuff. I should have LOVED TSTQ!!! But my Life Slump made it difficult to focus and I couldn’t get into ANY of the books I read during that period in my life. I’ve been meaning to re-read TSTQ for a long time now, with the hope that I’ll enjoy it more now that my Life Slump has eased up. The fact that I loved Aru Shah has me VERY hopeful that I’ll love TSTQ this time around!

four-stars