Month: October 2018

Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Fallen Heir

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Image result for fallen heir by erin watt

Title: Fallen Heir

Author: Erin Watt

Page Count: 300

Series: The Royals, Book 4

Publishing Date/Publisher: August 28, 2017 by Timeout LLC

Format: eBook

Review: It is hard for me to rate this book, because I LOVED the first three books in the Royals series, but not so much this one.  This book focuses on a different Royal brother than the first three, and I was disappointed with how it turned out.  Easton was perhaps my favorite of the Royal brothers, so I was very much enthused when I found out he would be getting his own book, but the writing of this particular book seemed to take a turn for the worst.  Perhaps this is because the authors have published so many books in such a short amount of time, but this one felt kind of like an add-on, and it didn’t really add anything special to the series.  The way it ended, I assume there will be a Book Five.  I will probably read it, but I am far less excited for it than I was for this one.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

DOUBLE REVIEW: Thief of Cahraman

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Title: Thief of Cahraman

Author: Lucy Tempest

Page Count: 322

Series: Fairytales of Folkshore, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: July 21, 2018 by Folkshore Press

Format: eBook

Review: I have to say, I am a little bit shocked that this book has received such a high overall rating on Goodreads.  I am a big fan of fairytale adaptations, so I am always excited when I see such a highly rated new series in this category.  Unfortunately, this did not live up to my expectations.  I personally felt that the characters were flat and the story predictable.  I always felt that I was several steps ahead, predicting the events that happen chapters before they actually occur.  This was partly because the “reveal” set-up was not subtle, and partly because I have read this story before.  This book was marketed as “The Selection meets Aladdin”, but I did not realize exactly how similar to The Selection this book would be.  This book lost big time originality points with me for this reason, and I have no desire to read the next two books in the trilogy.

On a more positive note, the cover art for this book is gorgeous!

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Review: I actually really enjoyed it, but that could be because I don’t read much fiction anymore, so it’s all new-ish for me. While it was predictable, I thought it was well done and I loved the introduction of the other Disney characters. I thought Adelaide was a well-rounded character and I found her motives to be very believable: when you have nothing and then suddenly have friends that are practically family, you would do whatever you could to protect them. You wouldn’t let them be taken from you without a fight. I’ll be reading the rest of the series when they come out.

This is definitely one of the few times Bekah and I don’t agree when it comes to a book; we’re normally on the same page. I think it comes down to the fact that she’s read more fairytale retellings than I have, but she’s given me a list so I can catch up!

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Historical · Non-fiction

Killers of the Flower Moon

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Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by [Grann, David]

Title: Killers on the Flower Moon

Author: David Grann

Page Count: N/A

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 2017, Doubleday

Format: eReader

Review: I loved this book, I kept recommending it to everyone. David Grann has a very unique way of writing, and it flows so well. The history itself is compelling and tragic at the same time, and Grann does a great job at highlighting the injustice Native Americans faced at the hands of both the government and the general public.

Grann detailed the history of the Osages and how they came to be the richest people in the world, as well as the history of the FBI, excellently. It was very interesting to read about how the FBI started investigating murders- something we associate with them so much today thanks to TV shows like Bones.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in Native American history or their treatment in the early parts of the 1900s.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Non-fiction

The Minimalist Home: A Room-By-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life

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Title: The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life

Author: Joshua Becker

Page Count: 240

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: December 18, 2018 by Waterbrook Press

Format: eBook

Review: Minimalism is all the rage right now.  Whether it be your wardrobe or your home, there are many people who will espouse the principles of a more simplistic lifestyle.  There is a lot of information and research that can attest to the benefits of minimalism (it’s cost-efficient, time-saving, environmentally friendly, etc.), but what I really liked about this book is that it thoroughly addresses the after of decluttering your life.  Other books I have read on this topic take a similar approach to Becker and outline methods to declutter and minimize your possessions room-by-room so that you can focus your time and money on less tangible pursuits such as building a healthier, happier life; however, few address how to realistically maintain this change.  Things have a way of accumulating, despite best intentions, and Becker outlines ways you can continue to live minimally well after the initial purge.

Overall, I found this book very easy to understand and very applicable to minimizing an average household.  There were many personal testimonies and anecdotes interjected throughout the book, but I personally did not find them to be very useful and skipped through most of them.  Others may find these enjoyable to read, but I personally do not need to be convinced that adopting this sort of lifestyle would be to my benefit.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold

Fiction

My Sister, The Serial Killer

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Title: My Sister, The Serial Killer

Author: Oyinkan Braithwaite

Page Count: 240

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: November 20, 2018 by Double Day Books

Format: eBook

Review: This is truly a breakout year for debut Nigerian authors.  First Tomi Adeyemi delivers the first book in a thrilling new YA fantasy series, and now Oyinkan Braithwaite brings to the table a wonderfully crafted family drama.

Despite its dark content, this book was an absolute delight.  I often found myself imagining how I would react in the situations Korede found herself in.  As someone with two younger sisters, I know how strong and complex the sibling bond can be.  To further complicate the relationship, Korede and Ayoola’s bond is forged not only by love (more notably Korede’s), but by shared trauma.  As Ayoola’s lifelong protector, Korede shoulders the burden of saving Ayoola from the consequences of her crimes.  Ayoola herself is an interesting paradox because her exquisite beauty makes her both a victim and a perpetrator of extreme violence.

At times witty, and at times chilling, this book really had me questioning exactly how far I would go to protect the ones I love.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 

All_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_GoldAll_Star_Gold