Lore (Chapter Sampler), By Alexandra Bracken ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Greek Mythology, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 5th, 2021

480 Pages

Synopsis: Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of  ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.

Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away thought of revenge against the man—now a god—responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to finally leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost—and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

What do you get when you combine bestselling YA author Alexandra Bracken with Greek gods? A surefire blockbuster is what I’m thinking, especially after reading this chapter sampler. Lore starts off with a bang and plenty of blood, gore, and even a decapitation. This sampler only includes the first six chapters, but I already love kickass Lore, and loyal and endearing Miles. I can’t wait to find out more about the mysterious Castor because even the one scene with him left quite an impression on me. While the storyline may sound similar to previous books, like Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, let me assure you that this is completely original. The only reason why I deducted 1/2 a star from my rating is because the epilogue had me completely confused as to the beginnings of the Agon. Thankfully, Lore explains everything to Miles, a couple of chapters further in. I don’t usually do chapter samplers, but I couldn’t resist the lure of Lore. It has now become my #1 most anticipated book of 2021!

 

Cut Off, By Adrianne Finlay ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Horror, LGBTQ, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 11th, 2020

384 Pages

Synopsis: Warcross meets Lost in this haunting young adult sci-fi thriller in which teens compete to survive in the wilderness for one million dollars on a new virtual reality show. When something goes horribly wrong and the contestants realize no one is coming to save them, they must question their very reality—and how much of the game is really for show.

Each contestant has their own reasons—and their own secrets—for joining the new virtual reality show CUT/OFF that places a group of teenagers alone in the wilderness. It’s a simple premise: whoever lasts the longest without “tapping out” wins a cash prize. Not only that, new software creates a totally unprecedented television experience, allowing viewers to touch, see, and live everything along with the contestants. But what happens when “tapping out” doesn’t work and no one comes to save you? What happens when the whole world seemingly disappears while you’re stranded in the wild. Four teenagers must confront their greatest fears, their deepest secrets, and one another when they discover they are truly cut off from reality. Sci-fi, mystery, and romance converge in this high-stakes, fast-paced read that will leave you guessing to the very last moment.

While I thought Cut Off was a little slow to start, by the halfway point the pace picked up and there were some interesting plot twists which made me glad I stuck with it. There were a couple of issues that prevented this from being a more enjoyable read. The first was the formatting of the eARC. Some of the sentences were out of order, especially during the interviews with the contestants, which made things hard to follow at times. The other problem were the characters who weren’t what I’d call one-dimensional, but I did think they were somewhat formulaic. I did wind up connecting with River (the loner) and Cam (the sassy beauty), but even though I enjoyed Trip (the brash genius), I wanted to know even more about him, and Lexie (the deceiver) never had any of her backstory revealed. Despite this, I did enjoy the overall story and it kept me questioning what was real and what wasn’t. I definitely will be trying the next book that Adrianne Finlay comes out with.

Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1), by Janella Angeles ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 25th, 2020

464 Pages

Synopsis: In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner in the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost.

The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told.

The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide.

Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

A blend of Phantom of the Opera, Moulin Rouge, Erin Morgernstern’s The Night Circus, and Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige, Where Dreams Descend will definitely appeal to a wide audience of dark fantasy lovers. The plot and world building are the book’s strengths and kept me turning the pages over the three nights it took me to read it, although I do think the storyline could have been edited a little and the narrative tightened. The three main characters, I have more mixed feelings toward. They’re very colorfully written, yet at times come across as extremely immature even for a YA novel. Out of the three, the enigmatic and manipulative Jack was my favorite and I kept picturing Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar in the Lucifer tv series. Despite the issues I had with character development, I very much enjoyed this first book in the Kingdom of Cards duology, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the sequel. Where Dreams Descend is a glittering, magical and enjoyable debut by Janella Angeles who is an exciting new voice in YA fiction.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue, by Fiona Davis ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Dysfuncional Families, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 4th, 2020

368 Pages

Synopsis: In nationally bestselling author Fiona Davis’s latest historical novel, a series of book thefts roil the iconic New York Public Library, leaving two generations of strong-willed women to pick up the pieces.

It’s 1913, and on the surface Laura Lyons couldn’t ask for more out of life—her husband is the superintendent of the New York Public Library, allowing their family to live in an apartment within the grand building, and they are blessed with two children. But headstrong, passionate Laura wants more, and when she takes a leap of faith and applies to the Columbia Journalism School, her world is cracked wide open. As her studies take her all over the city, she finds herself drawn to Greenwich Village’s new bohemia, where she discovers the Heterodoxy Club—a radical, all-female group in which women are encouraged to loudly share their opinions on suffrage, birth control, and women’s rights. Soon Laura finds herself questioning her traditional role as wife and mother. But when valuable books are stolen back at the library, threatening the home and the institution she loves, she’s forced to confront her shifting priorities head on…and may just lose everything in the process.

Eighty years later, in 1993, Sadie Donovan struggles with the legacy of her grandmother, the famous essayist, Laura Lyons, especially after she’s wrangled her dream job as a curator at the New York Public Library. But the job quickly becomes a nightmare when rare manuscripts, notes, and books for the exhibit Sadie’s running begin disappearing from the library’s famous Berg Collection. Determined to save both the exhibit and her career, the typically risk-adverse Sadie teams up with a private security expert to uncover the culprit. However things unexpectedly become personal when the investigation leads Sadie to some unwelcome truths about her own family heritage—truths that shed new light on the biggest tragedy in the library’s history.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue is undoubtedly going to be one of my favorite novels of 2020, thanks to the exceptional storytelling of Fiona Davis. Starting with every library lover’s dream setting of the New York Public Library, and including the time period’s socioeconomic disparities and stirrings of the women’s rights movement, Davis skillfully blends the historical with two fascinating mysteries that are connected, albeit decades apart. More often than not, when reading a book with two timelines, I find myself preferring one over the other, but that wasn’t the case here. I loved both Laura and her granddaughter Sadie, and was equally invested in both of their stories. I don’t want to give too many details away, so let me just say this book is a sumptuous feast for any reader who loves books, libraries, history, wonderful characters, and fascinating mysteries!

Cemetery Boys, by Aiden Thomas ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Latinx Culture, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Swoon Reads for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 1st, 2020

352 Pages

Synopsis: When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julien is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

Cemetery Boys has been a much hyped YA book for the last several months, and after devouring this in less than two days, I’m pleased to say that it’s entirely deserving of all the buzz.

What I loved most about the story, besides the characters, was the total immersion into Latinx culture, and young transgender Yadriel’s struggle to be accepted by his very traditional family. You also see the how transgender youth continue to not be recognized in society, as, for example, Yadriel isn’t even allowed to officially change his name for his yearbook photo.

I also loved the interaction and dialogue between the three main characters. They all are very well developed and come across as teens you’d like to meet in real life. The only criticism I have is that I found the mystery predictable and had already guessed who the villain was going to be in the first few chapters.

In my opinion, Cemetery Boys, from its eye-catching cover, to the highly entertaining story within, is one of the best YA books to come out for this year. I believe it’s going to be a stand-alone, but the characters are so likable, I’d love to see a sequel. With Hollywood’s predilection for adaptations of YA books, I’m going to be shocked if this isn’t scooped up quickly. I’m already drawing up my dream cast.

 

 

 

Peace Talks (Dresden Files #16) by, Jim Butcher ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Chicago, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, Urban Fantasy

Thanks to NetGalley and Ace Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 14th, 2020

352 Pages

Synopsis: When the supernatural nations of the world meet up to negotiate an end to ongoing hostilities, Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, joins the White Council’s security team to make sure the talks remain civil. But can he succeed, when dark political manipulations threaten the very existence of Chicago—and all he holds dear?

So, six years I’ve been waiting. SIX years and three months since the last Harry Dresden book came out. Was it worth the wait? Well, let me just say that “Mr Butcher, if you happen to ever stumble across this review, all is forgiven and you’re back on my Christmas list!”

I know I’ve been nagging some of you (Fraggle!) to try this series, and you’ve been hesitant because it’s now 16 books in and that’s a lot to catch up on. With Peace Talks you can easily jump in without being confused, although I still recommend reading the previous books because they’re that good.

As usual, Harry’s life is complicated, and it’s about to get more so. Juggling his adorable daughter’s safety, his developing romance with Karrin, wheeling double-dealing politics, he needs more than twenty-four hours a day. Adding to that is the new trouble Harry’s brother Thomas has gotten into, and his grandfather’s interference, well, let’s just say life is messy for Chicago’s favorite wizard. The storyline is interesting and it moves very quickly despite there not being a lot of action. Some reviewers have complained about this and the lack of any meaningful resolution at the end, but I’m willing to cut Mr. Butcher some slack as this is the first of a duology within the series, and the second book, Battle Ground is coming out in October.

Overall, Peace Talks is a welcome return to the world of Harry Dresden, and I felt as though I was meeting up with old friends. I’m excitedly awaiting Battle Ground and I can’t wait to see how Harry extricates himself from the multiple jams he’s in.

 

Girl, Serpent, Thorn, by Melissa Bashardoust ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Fairytales, LGBT Relationships, Persian Culture, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 20th, 2020

336 Pages

Synopsis: There was, and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it’s not just a story.

As the day of her twin brother’s wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she’s willing to step outside the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn’t afraid of her, who’s eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.

Soraya thought she knew her place in the world, but when her choices lead to consequences she never imagined, she begins to question who she is and who she is becoming…human or demon. Princess or monster.

When I first heard about Girl, Serpent, Thorn, steeped in Persian culture and featuring a bisexual protagonist, I immediately said “Count me in!” I’m happy to say that for the most part, it’s entirely deserving of the pre-publication hype.

By far, the strength of this tale lies in its exquisite world building. Melissa Bashardoust truly has a beautiful writing style that draws you in with its myriad of descriptive details, yet never overwhelms you. The character development and romance I’m a little more disappointed in. I loved the anti heroine aspects of Soraya, but I found myself wanting her drawn even darker, given what was done to her. I thought the f/f romance between her and Parvaneh sweet, but as I never really connected with Parvaneh, there was something missing. And finally, I loved the story, and I think Bashardoust has created something darkly magical, but at the end I wanted just a little more.

I think my minor disappointment with Girl, Serpent, Thorn could have been assuaged if this had been written as a duology. But honestly, this is more a reflection on how much I loved the story and Soraya. Overall, this is a captivating fairytale that I believe will have wide appeal among fantasy and fairytale enthusiasts. I’m looking forward to seeing what this author comes out with next.

 

 

Surrender Your Sons, by Adam Sass ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Conversion Therapy, Homophobia, Humor, LGBTQ, Physical & Emotional Abuse, Religious Fanaticism, Romance, Suicide, Violence, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Flux for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 15th, 2020

392 Pages

Synopsis: Connor Major’s summer break is turning into a nightmare.

His SAT scores bombed, the old man he delivers meals to died, and when he came out to his religious zealot mother, she had him kidnapped and shipped off to a secluded island. His final destination: Nightlight Ministries, a conversion therapy camp that will be his new home until he “changes.”

But Connor’s troubles are only beginning. At Nightlight everyone has something to hide from the campers to the “converted” staff and the cagey camp director, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. Connor plans to escape and bring the other kidnapped teens with him. But first he’s exposing the camp’s horrible truths for what they are—and taking this place down.

Before I review Adam Sass’s excellent Surrender Your Sons, I have first share my complete and utter revulsion that conversion/reparative therapy is still allowed in the majority of states in this country. As of July 1, 2020, there will be only 20 states banning this reprehensible and THOROUGHLY DEBUNKED practice. The majority (including my state of Alabama), still allow parents to approve this “treatment” for their minor children. The Human Rights Campaign has a lot of information if you want to check it out here:

https://hrc.org/resources/the-lies-and-dangers-of-reparative-therapy

And there’s more at The Trevor Project at:

https://thetrevorproject.org/get-involved/trevor-advocacy/50-bills-50-states/about-conversion-therapy/ and https://thetrevorproject.org/category/advocacy/conversion-therapy/

Surrender Your Sons is a story you should go into as blind as possible so I’m going to go even out of my way not to include any spoilers than I usually do. Adam Sass states in his Author’s Note (which you should definitely read), “I want to acknowledge that you’ll find queer pain in this book. However, it’s not about queer pain. It’s about what queers do with pain. This is what drives the entire novel. The plot itself is dark, issue-driven, yet has moments of levity to lighten things up. There are a few themes that could pose a problem for some readers so here are my trigger warnings: Severe homophobia, physical & emotional abuse, graphic violence, sexual content, and suicide. The characters, beginning with Connor are so well written they seem to jump off the pages, and I feel as though I know them all personally, both the ones I liked and the ones I wanted to strangle with my bare hands. The mystery was interesting and kept me guessing right up until the end, but to be honest, I really kept reading because I became so emotionally invested in Connor and his friends. There are a couple of sections around the middle of the book where things slowed down a bit, and I think this could have been trimmed. Otherwise, Surrender Your Sons is a noteworthy addition to LGBTQ+ fiction that I unhesitatingly recommend for anyone 15 and up. It’s dark and brutal at times and will elicit some strong emotions, but it also leaves you with hope at the end. 

 

Prelude For Lost Souls (Prelude For Lost Souls #1), by Helene Dunbar ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Supernatural, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 4th, 2020

384 Pages

Synopsis: For readers of Nova Ren Suma, Maggie Steifvater, and Maureen Johnson comes a spellbinding tale of choosing your own path, the families we create for ourselves, and facing the ghosts of our pasts.

In the town of St. Hilaire, most make their living by talking to the dead. In the summer the town gates open to tourists seeking answers while all activity is controlled by The Guild, a sinister ruling body that sees everything.

Dec Hampton has lived there his entire life, but ever since his parents died, he’s been done with it. He knows he has to leave before anyone has a chance to stop him.

His best friend Russ won’t be surprised when Dec leaves—but he will be heartbroken. Russ is a good medium, maybe even a great one. He’s made sacrifices for his gift and will do whatever he can to gain entry to The Guild, even embracing dark forces and contacting the most elusive ghost in town.

But when the train of Annie Krylova, the piano prodigy whose music has been Dec’s main source of solace, breaks down outside of town, it sets of an unexpected chain of events. And in St. Hilaire there are no such thing as coincidences.

I was so excited when I saw the gorgeous cover and read the premise of Prelude For Lost Souls. And you know what? It wasn’t bad. However, I wasn’t blown away by it like I thought I would be.

This is a unique, and quite imaginative plot driven story, which I really appreciated. I swear it’s getting more and more difficult to find a book out there that doesn’t contain at least some elements that remind you of a previous one. Rest assured, that’s definitely not the case here. For those of you familiar with Lily Dale, the real hamlet made up of mediums and spiritualists in south western New York, it served as the author’s inspiration. St. Hilaire however is quite a bit darker and has some strong fascist overtones. There is definitely something underhanded going on in terms of The Guild, and there’s not a lot revealed in this first book, so I’m looking forward to what comes next.

The weakest part of the book lies in its characters. Anna and Dec both have what should have been fascinating backstories, but they and the dialogue between them come across as rather flat, which makes it difficult to connect with them. The saving grace though is Dec’s best friend Russ, who also gets his own chapters. I absolutely LOVED him! All the emotions and passion I was looking for in Dec and Anna poured out of Russ’s pages.

The middle of the book slows down a bit before picking up toward the end, which perfectly sets things up for the sequel. All in all, while not perfect, Prelude For Lost Souls, has me hooked, and I’m eagerly looking forward to revisiting St. Hilaire and its secrets.

 

TRUEL1F3 (Lifelike #3), Jay Kristoff ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Children for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 30th, 2020

480 Pages

Synopsis: From the bestselling co-author of The Illuminae Files, comes the thrilling finale in the LIFEL1K3 trilogy—hailed by Marie Lu as “a breathless, action-packed exploration of what humanity really means.”

Best friends have become enemies. Lovers have become strangers. And deciding whose side you’re on could be the difference between life and death. For Eve and Lemon, discovering the truth about themselves—and each other—was too much for their friendship to take. But with the country on the brink of a new world war—this time between the BioMaas swarm at CityHive and Daedalus’s at Megopolis, loyalties will be pushed to the brink, unlikely alliances will form and with them, betrayals. But the threat doesn’t stop there because the lifelikes are determined to access the program that will set every robot free, a task requiring both Eve and Ana, the girl she was created to replace. In the end, violent clashes and heartbreaking choices reveal the true heroes…and they may not be who you think they are.

Without a doubt, Jay Kristoff is one of the most talented YA authors out there, and with TRUEL1F3, he brings his epic LIFEL1K3 trilogy to a spectacular conclusion!

Beginning with a brief and helpful recap of what happened in the two previous books, the action kicks into high gear immediately and despite this being almost 500 pages long, I raced through it in two sittings. Kristoff is known for writing flawed, emotionally tormented characters, and the cast in this trilogy are no different. While Lemon turned out to be my favorite, I found them all to be pretty much unforgettable. My only nitpick is with Eve. After discovering that she’s been lied to her entire life, beginning in the second book she embraced villainy whole heartedly. At the end of LIFEL1K3, she suddenly turns back to the light and all is forgiven. Um. No. Call me vengeful, but when someone turns evil and their actions cause the deaths of innocence, I want to see justice. This is one of the main things that drove me absolutely NUTS about Anakin Skywalker’s backstory in the Star Wars movies. He kills millions of people, including an entire academy of children, and he’s forgiven and goes to Jedi heaven because he saves his son’s life? I don’t think so! Sorry for that digression, but it’s a little like that here. I understand Eve’s anger and feelings of betrayal, but that doesn’t excuse her actions. Yet at the end, apparently everything is hunky dory because she does the right thing and saves Lemon’s life. Argh!

I’m only taking a half point off my rating for that, because the rest of the book is just brilliant! My anger at Eve aside, I’ve grown quite fond of this motley crew of characters and I’m reluctant to say goodbye. I can’t wait to see what Kristoff will come out with next though. One word of caution: these books are extremely dark, and there are several bloody and gruesome scenes, some involving torture, so this may not be for everyone. If your interest is piqued though, I highly recommend this exciting science fiction trilogy with its unique storyline and colorful quirky characters.