Lore

December 22, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Lore

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Page Count: 480

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: January 5, 2021 by Disney-Hyperion

Format: eBook

Review: Greek mythology is a theme often requested when I do Reader’s Advisory, so I was thrilled when I read the synopsis for this book on NetGalley. I was even more thrilled when my request was granted, and the book turned out to be just as good as I hoped it would be. This story is not for the faint of heart. It has a very Battle Royale vibe, but with mythical characters. This being the case, the story is action-packed and never boring. The romance in the story does not take center stage, which I am perfectly alright with. It did, however, lend the perfect balance of heartwarming content to counteract the violence. The ending of this book wasn’t entirely unexpected, but there were a couple twists leading up to it kept it fresh and interesting. It wraps up pretty nicely, so I assume this is a standalone, which is great for reader’s who don’t want to commit to a series.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fantasy · Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Malice

December 17, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Malice

Author: Heather Walter

Page Count: 496

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 13, 2021 by Del Ray

Format: eBook

Review: I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that I love a good villain origin story, and this is certainly that. It explores the evolution of the tormented becoming the tormentor as the line between “good” and “evil” blurs into non-existence. The author was very clever in how she twisted various elements of Sleeping Beauty adaptations into her story, and by the end, you could fully empathize with Alyce and her descent into darkness. This is a character who really has nothing left to lose, and it is tragic to watch her become the monster that everyone says she is. It really makes you reflect on the power of love, and how it has the capability to both redeem and destroy. It’s frightening to think that one choice can determine which.

My only real criticism of this book is that although the author did a fantastic job building Alyce’s character, Aurora’s character felt a bit flat. I would have liked to see more character development for her because I think it would have added more dimension to her relationship with Alyce.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Contemporary · Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

The Magic Fish

December 16, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: The Magic Fish

Author: Trung Le Nguyen

Page Count: 256

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: October 13, 2020 by Random House Graphic

Format: eBook

Review: It is rare for me to read a graphic novel, and even more rare for me to review one. In this case, however, I felt a review was entirely necessary because I was so impressed by the creator’s work. Nguyen managed to convey both time and place entirely through the use of color and wardrobe – a feat that allowed him to seamlessly weave together the present, the past, and the fantastical into one cohesive story. Just…wow.

Another thing I rarely do is save quotes from books, but I couldn’t help but screenshot the line, “They’re only stories. They’ll change when they need to.” I don’t know why, but this little epiphany completely blew my mind and changed the way I now look at retellings and adaptions of classic stories. I also think it sums up this graphic novel fairly well. At it’s core, it’s about a family who communicates through stories when they cannot find the words to express something important to one another. I have always believed in the power of stories, and the execution of this message is just played out so beautifully in this format.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fantasy · Fiction · Mystery · Paranormal · Young Adult

Elatsoe

December 9, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Elatsoe

Author: Darcie Little Badger

Performer: Kinsale Hueston

Length: 9 hr, 1 min

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: September 22, 2020 by Dreamscape Media, LLC

Format: eAudiobook

Review: I personally did not find this book to be a thrilling read, however, I will most certainly be recommending it to young readers. Aside from a few curse words scattered here and there, it is actually a pretty “clean” book. It read more like middle grade fiction, despite the fact our amateur sleuth is an older teenager. Because the main protagonist, Elatsoe, is asexual, there is no romantic angle whatsoever. The setting is interesting and would likely appeal to young readers – kind of a re-imagined United States where the paranormal is considered normal. All things considered, I think I probably would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I had read it as a pre-teen.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fantasy · Fiction · Young Adult

Tales From the Hinterland

December 8, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Tales From the Hinterland

Author: Melissa Albert

Page Count: 240

Series: The Hazelwood, Book 2.5

Publishing Date/Publisher: January 12, 2021 by Flatiron Books

Format: eBook

Review: In my glowing review of The Hazel Wood, I mentioned that I hoped for more tales of the Hinterland in the second installment of this series, The Night Country. I was sorely disappointed when this did not happen, but Albert has more than made up for this disappointment by releasing this anthology of dark and fascinating fairy tales. If you were a fan of the first two Hinterland books then this is a must-read. If you have not read the books, but are interested in short stories reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm, then this is a must-read for you as well. If you like stories with happy endings, do not, and I repeat, do NOT pick up this book.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Historical · Young Adult

We Are Not Free

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustme3 Comments

Title: We Are Not Free

Author: Traci Chee

Performers: Scott Keiji Takeda, Dan Woren, Ryan Potter, Ali Fumiko, Sophie Oda, Andrew Kishino, Christopher Naoki Lee, Grace Rolek, Erika Aishii, Brittany Ishibashi, Kurt Sanchez Kanazawa, & Terry Kitagawa

Length: 10 hr, 26 min

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: September 1, 2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Format: eAudiobook

Review: Dare I say it, but in my mind this is a nearly flawless work of historical fiction. It’s been a long time since a book has made me cry (ok, maybe not that long) and this one did me in. It is SO well written, with the many POVs skillfully woven together to create a comprehensive and heartbreaking depiction of life for Japanese-Americans following the bombing at Pearl Harbor in 1941. I don’t think the treatment of Japanese-Americans who were incarcerated during the years following this tragic event is talked about nearly enough. It is one of the most shameful periods in American history and the rippling effects have repercussions that follow us into the present. Chee’s ability to so poignantly capture the betrayal, heartache, courage, love, and resilience demonstrated by the youth of that era is masterful, and if this book does not receive a shower of awards and accolades it will be a damn shame. I am so impressed with the way she created fourteen distinct voices that captured so many different elements of the time period and included so many different settings, all while keeping the many characters tied together. A truly phenomenal piece of work in every respect.

I would also like to note that the audiobook version is very well cast. Kudos to all the performers for bringing this story to life!

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Contemporary · Fiction · Magical Realism · Paranormal · Romance · Science Fiction · Young Adult

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything

November 24, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything

Author: Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Page Count: 432

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: August 20, 2020 by Simon Pulse

Format: eBook

Review: I went into this book without reading the synopsis, so to say that I was blindsided by the science fiction angle would be an understatement. This book has very strong undertones of magical realism for the first half of the book and them BAM!…it hits you with aliens. Admittedly, the concept was clever…aliens abducting illegal aliens. It takes a strong stance on immigration issues, and is a clear reprimand for how immigrants are treated by the United States government.

Although I found this to be an enjoyable read, I feel that the author tackled too many issues with her story line. I can appreciate a good genre crossover – combining magical realism and science fiction was creative – however, the plot became very convoluted for the last half of the book. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if the author had tightened up the plot a bit. In addition to the magical realism elements, extraterrestrials, and social commentary, there is also a romance that plays out between the main character, Sia, and the hot new guy at her school. Through the lens of this relationship the author explores trauma, first love, racism, family dynamics, and abuse. Combined with all the other elements of this story, it’s just a lot. Perhaps if these additional elements had been more subtle, it would have worked, but I felt that taking on so much detracted from the flow of the story.

It is very unclear to me whether this book is meant to be part of a series or a standalone. The author leaves the readers with a cliffhanger, but I cannot find any references to a sequel.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Science Fiction

Dune

November 10, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustme2 Comments

Title: Dune

Author: Frank Herbert

Page Count: 694

Series: Dune Chronicles, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: October 25, 2016 by Penguin Group (first published in June 1965)

Format: Hardcover

Review: Well if Lonesome Dove is my Western genre comparison to A Game of Thrones, Dune is my science fiction comparison. It’s a long epic about shifting allegiances, dynamic power plays, violence, and unexpected deaths. Admittedly this book moved up my TBR list because of the upcoming film adaptation starring my boy Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho. I haven’t watched any other film adaptations, so I look forward to seeing how this story plays out on the big screen.

Aside from that, this book confirmed a suspicion about myself that I have theorized about but not really tested…hardcore science fiction and/or space operas are not really my jam. My lukewarm feelings about both The Left Hand of Darkness and this book have confirmed it. Of course this isn’t to say that I will never again delve into this literary realm…it’s just that it seems I prefer my science fiction to have a little more fantasy woven into it.

I was not a huge fan of Herbert’s writing style, but I do have to give him credit for his world building skills. The Appendices at the end of the book were helpful because there are many characters, planets, and legends to keep track of. I recommend glancing through it periodically as you read the book for clarity and context.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Contemporary · Fiction · Romance

Normal People

November 10, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: Normal People

Author: Sally Rooney

Performer: Aoife McMahon

Length: 7 hr, 34 min

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: 2019 by Random House Audio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: This is a very different romance than the one I last reviewed, but I enjoyed it just as much in different ways. There are so many layers to this story and the relationship it portrays. The magnetism between the two characters in palpable, and it is fascinating how they orbit in and out of each other’s lives. Connell and Marianne are soulmates, but both are so damaged and have so much self-loathing that neither of them can really see it, even as they act on it. To say their relationship is complicated is a vast understatement because there is so much nuance to their every interaction. They show each other parts of themselves that they show no one else, while at the same time shutting each other out from the aspects of themselves that they freely give other people. At the end, I was left with the sense that despite their tumultuous history, they will always find their way back to each other. I found this satisfying in a way, even as it left me feeling slightly bereft.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Contemporary · Fiction · Romance

The Intimacy Experiment

November 9, 2020November 9, 2020 youwanttoreadthistrustme2 Comments

Title: The Intimacy Experiment

Author: Rosie Danan

Page Count: 336

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 6, 2021 by Berkley Books

Format: eBook

Review: All. The. Feeeeelz. This is the romance I didn’t know I needed after reading The Roommate (which I also thoroughly enjoyed). And darn it, Rosie, if you didn’t make me fall in love with these characters. This romance has a refreshingly wholesome quality given the fact it is about a red hot relationship between a former porn star and a rabbi. This isn’t to say it doesn’t have it’s fair share of smut, but it is really more about all the ways intimacy is more than just sex. This book also tackles a lot of the social issues touched upon in The Roommate, and shows them from another angle.

Well done, Rosie. A truly exhilarating romance all around. I hope to read more from you.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: