Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Trader. Fighter. Survivor. With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and its crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when she becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems. As Fable descends deeper into a world of betrayal and deception she learns that her mother was keeping secrets, and those secrets are now putting the people Fable cares about in danger. If Fable is going to save them then she must risk everything, including the boy she loves and the home she has finally found. Namesake just hits hard. Even months after I finished reading, I'm still obsessed with the characters and world (*cut to me staring lovingly at my preorder artwork of Fable and West*) so much that I recommend this series to everyone I meet. I don't often review more than one book in a series, but Wednesday Books has so generously shared an ARC with me that I am elated to shout all possible praise into the internet void. It's a bit challenging to find different points to remark on from my first review, since one thing Young does so well is continuity. I read Namesake only a few months after Fable, and it felt like I was stepping into a familiar embrace. If you haven't read my Fable review, then that's a good place to start since I'll be touching on a few ways Namesake does well as a sequel. Of course, if you haven't read Fable... what are you doing?? Go! My review will still be here when you come back! All that I loved from the first book continues here--Fable is beyond reproach as a narrator. She navigates trader politics and the open ocean in Namesake, taking everything on with courage and confidence. I'd wilt in the face of half of Fable's adventures, so I think this is a mark in her favor. She makes missteps but atones for them, like any good character does. I'm not upset that Fable isn't morally grey--I love that type of character but I think her style is perfect for the novel, and we need a healthy balance in YA. I'm not saying some of her actions aren't... dubious... but she's not exactly Kaz Brekker and I love her for it. At any rate, I think you're all here to see me talk about... West!!! If I thought this series couldn't get any more swoon-worthy, I was dead wrong. He remains one of my favorite YA love interests. Even in an established relationship, there was enough tension riding on Fable and West's relationship to keep me on my toes. I do love a good swashbuckling romance, and Namesake certainly delivered. I'm hoping and praying that there's another art print preorder campaign because I would sign up in a heartbeat! (Review written in January 2021, campaign not yet announced) I need Fable/West like I need air. These two found each other at the perfect moment in their lives, and I'm a sucker for stories that explore what it means to look for a home outside of your circumstances. They put so much on the line for each other always, so that the whole story has a deep emotional core rooted in finding love. That just gets me every time. The other element I enjoyed about Namesake is the fast-paced plot. We continue exploring with the Marigold's crew, and meet some new characters, but this novel is plot-focused and less introspective. It ties seamlessly into Fable, as I mentioned earlier, so that they both feel like two halves of the same book. If you liked The Bone Witch and Rin Chupeco's integrated storytelling (minus the flashbacks), you'll definitely enjoy Fable. The one major character-development arc we get is more of Fable's relationship with her father. This aspect intrigued me in the first novel, but in Namesake gets so much more depth and page time that I simply couldn't leave it out of my review. Since it wasn't what originally hooked me on Fable, I never mentioned it in that review and I'll call it a pleasant surprise for Namesake. As you might expect from the synopsis, this is a complex duo that certainly benefitted from the extra scenes. You won't be surprised to hear that I'm giving Namesake another 5/5 stars. It's a perfect novel, and you all should go order Fable (and preorder Namesake) right now.
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In the wake of sudden tragedy, twin sisters uncover a secret that rips open their world. Katherine Rothschild explores the pain and power of forgiveness in a stunning debut novel that will shatter your heart and piece it back together, one truth at a time.
Sixteen-year-old Sabine Braxton doesn’t have much in common with her identical twin, Blythe. When their father dies from an unexpected illness, each copes with the loss in her own way—Sabine by “poeting” (an uncontrollable quirk of bursting into poetry at inappropriate moments) and Blythe by obsessing over getting into MIT, their father’s alma mater. Neither can offer each other much support . . . at least not until their emotionally detached mother moves them into a ramshackle Bay Area mansion owned by a stranger named Charlie. Soon, the sisters unite in a mission to figure out who Charlie is and why he seems to know everything about them. They quickly make a life-changing discovery: their father died of an HIV- related infection, Charlie was his lover, and their mother knows the whole story. The revelation unravels Sabine’s world, while practical Blythe seems to take everything in stride. Once again at odds with her sister, Sabine chooses to learn all she can about the father she never knew. Ultimately, she must decide if she can embrace his last wish for their family legacy—along with forgiveness. Oh man. I really wanted to like this story. This is quite literally a "judged book by cover" situation. (You can't tell me that cover isn't objectively gorgeous). We're promised an empathetic story of two girls discovering their parents' polyamorous relationship and their dad's HIV status. The synopsis promises a quirky girl story, yes, but I had hope for more HIV/AIDS representation in YA and a genuine attempt to destigmatize the illness. What we got was... this. I must start with saying that I found the representation of bisexuality and HIV/AIDS legitimately harmful. Mick, the girls' father, is stereotyped to the MAX. The book plays into so many of the assumptions people make about bisexuality--promiscuity, cheating, having multiple partners without consent. All the general biphobia made me quite sad to read, and I kind of expected better out of the novel. Then again, upon rereading the synopsis, the book is centered around the straight MCs "coming to terms" with their dad's sexuality which is not all that welcoming to queer readers, honestly. I found the characters wanting, mostly Sabine with her selfishness. The novel goes out of its way to provide her with opportunities to hurt the people she loves because of her own internal reasons, and she doesn't often realize the kind of harm she's doing. I'm all for a morally grey character, sure, but she has so many chances to do better and simply... doesn't. I admit, the ending to her story makes sense, and she did learn some lessons eventually. I just had a problem with her fighting against a transitional housing arrangement for at-risk queer people? I have empathy for the fact that her dad had just passed away and the truths she just learned had been hard, but girl! Some perspective please!! All for morally grey characters, but I need to have a reason to support them in their journeys, and Sabine wasn't giving me anything. The best part of this story was the side characters. The synopsis presents Blythe as one of the MCs, and I would have loved to read in her perspective and examine more of why she wants to attend MIT. Emma and Kai had great depth too (and would have made excellent main characters in a friends-to-lovers romance novel). Above all, I kind of wish this had been more about Charlie, Maryann, and Mick. I was so moved by their life together and kind of wish I could read their story too. Wow. I think I actually changed my star rating over the course of this review. Reading this, I think I'm going to give Wider Than the Sky 2/5 stars. There are so many better queer books you can read, y'all. This one just wasn't for me, and I'm not recommending it either. Of course, you can go ahead and ignore me. Read what you want, come back and tell me about it! I'm just a girl on the internet. Until next time! Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness. Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she’s been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend—the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself. The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths. With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall. Allison Saft’s Down Comes the Night is a snow-drenched romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night. Love makes monsters of us all. This gothic medical fantasy novel set in a creepy castle lives rent-free in my mind most days, and it's bound to be one of 2021's hottest releases. It features on my upcoming list of queer reads, too! Delighted to see a bisexual main character in a fantasy novel (and her initial love interest is a lesbian!) because that's a rare treat. The bisexual rep is really well-done. Wren isn't a token character, and her sexuality isn't used as a cheap trick or capitalized on for marketing's sake. She has real heartbreak and love, where her queerness doesn't have to be questioned at every turn to still be real and part of her. We also love a fantasy world without homophobia. This is what we mean when we say not all fantasy has to be grimdark and "reflect the real world"! Books can examine societal problems without harming readers! Wren and Hal are literally enemies--their countries are fighting a war, and they're both soldiers. The romantic tension? Immaculate. Especially when they're forced to work together to find out the secret behind Hal's illness, a truth more sinister than they could have expected. These two drove the novel for me. Stuck inside a castle with your mortal enemy is such a vibe, after all. Even through all of this, I couldn't help but ship them. They get to know each other while Wren is working through the illness, and there's heated banter, but also boundary testing and slow affection. I'm so so in love with their story. There's a significant murder mystery glossed over in the synopsis--it takes up quite a bit of the book, and although I sort of had a suspect in mind, it was the catching of the suspect that really engaged me. Wren and Hal are quite adept at elaborate plans, and stumble into some of my favorite tropes along the way: there's only one bed, sacrificing yourself, and secret midnight investigations. There's just something so attractive about working to find a murderer while trapped in a Gothic castle, right? Extraordinarily sexy. Thank you to the author for this gift. I shall treasure it forever. I was also into the medical aspect. Wren has healing magic, but also an extensive knowledge of the human body and regular medicine. She's clever but impulsive, and the blend of science and magic behind her character intrigued me. DCTN has some slightly gory moments, but none more than most high fantasy series. I appreciated the darker elements. This recent trend in YA really does it for me, as I've mostly had enough of fantasy that isn't willing to fully embody its principles. The worldbuilding is a bit basic beyond the war and political intrigue, but what really drew me in is how they're used to fuel the characters' motivations. Everyone's hiding something in this novel, and I had a grand time discovering all the small mysteries Saft locks in. It's definitely worth the read for all the small intricacies. 5/5 stars for a brilliantly written novel. Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Eighteen-year-old Amelia Griffin is obsessed with the famous Orman Chronicles, written by the young and reclusive prodigy N. E. Endsley. They’re the books that brought her and her best friend Jenna together after Amelia’s father left and her family imploded. So when Amelia and Jenna get the opportunity to attend a book festival with Endsley in attendance, Amelia is ecstatic. It’s the perfect way to start off their last summer before college. In a heartbeat, everything goes horribly wrong. When Jenna gets a chance to meet the author and Amelia doesn’t, the two have a blowout fight like they’ve never experienced. And before Amelia has a chance to mend things, Jenna is killed in a freak car accident. Grief-stricken, and without her best friend to guide her, Amelia questions everything she had planned for the future. When a mysterious, rare edition of the Orman Chronicles arrives, Amelia is convinced that it somehow came from Jenna. Tracking the book to an obscure but enchanting bookstore in Michigan, Amelia is shocked to find herself face-to-face with the enigmatic and handsome N. E. Endsley himself, the reason for Amelia’s and Jenna’s fight and perhaps the clue to what Jenna wanted to tell her all along. It's so hard for me to review this book. After reading, I was just a blur of feelings and I couldn't pick them apart enough to write! Amelia Unabridged is a rare gem--a book about grief that isn't sad. There's tragedy, and some chapters were incredibly hard to read because of how much depth Amelia's relationship with Jenna had, but there's also so much light and hope for her journey. I think I've said this before but Wednesday is killing it with their 2021 season!! I'm so hyped for every title on their list. Death books always hit me differently, especially ones like Amelia's. She uses stories the same way I do--as a lifeline when everything else seems too much. Watching her find her way back to reading after Jenna's death, and grow into the person she wants to be apart from her friend is a true joy. Amelia and Jenna were closer to sisters than friends, but Amelia isn't sure she wants to follow through on the elaborate life plan Jenna had set out for her. She has to choose between staying loyal to Jenna's wishes and following a more uncertain path. I'd call Amelia Unabridged a mix of contemporary, recovery, coming of age, and romance. Altogether it's pretty perfect. Not gonna lie, a big attraction point of this book is the romance. Who doesn't love a good reclusive author? (Morgan Matson's The Unexpected Everything is one of my favorite books ever) N.E. Endsley is Amelia's favorite author, and when she gets to meet him, of course there ends up being more to the story. Their relationship is surprisingly healthy for two people who met during complex emotional circumstances--I was expecting a bit of codependency there and pleasantly surprised I didn't find it. They share some incredibly sweet moments that had me genuinely squealing, especially in the bookstore. Absurdly pleased by the magical bookstore setting! That always gets me, and I loved the concept of themed rooms in the store. I've made it my mission to visit as many bookstores as possible in my life, and though I love my local indies (shoutout Porter Square Books! I miss you!) I've yet to find one that captures a sense of storybook magic as well as the ones in... well... stories. If someone could just fly me to Michigan, I'd be more than happy to build A Measure of Prose for myself. How could I give Amelia Unabridged anything but five stars? Happy to say I've found one of my new favorite books of 2021. You should definitely pick up this new release--I promise no reader could regret it. Thank you to Nyx Publishing for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
A lyrical and dreamy reimagining of Dracula’s brides, A DOWRY OF BLOOD is a story of desire, obsession, and emancipation. Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband’s dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death. Utterly intoxicating. I'm so in love with Gibson's world of vampires and toxic relationships that spanned bloody centuries. Small note before the review: this is an adult novel, so there are elements of violence and 18+ material not suited for younger readers. Please be aware before buying. Constanta's account is so readable, despite being written in the second person. I typically don't like this tense, but Gibson uses it as a narrative tool to empower Constanta against her vampiric sire--a choice that delights me (but one I will ignore in this review for the sake of brevity). This book sucked me in (lol) and I spent an afternoon embroiled in the life that she and her murderous husband built across Europe. The character building is exquisite. Constanta has relationships with Magdalena and Alexi besides Dracula, and differs in her treatment of both. They're part of a queer polycule, something I've rarely seen in books. There's not much plot, except to tell the story of their shared lives and how Constanta's little family comes to be sick of Dracula's abuse over time (and what they choose to do about it). We all need a little quiet book now and again, and A Dowry of Blood delivers on that. Constanta's narration covers their outings, life in different cities, and some small effects being a vampire has on her body. The most present element is Dracula's abuse. He draws Constanta in with the promise of forever, then belittles her slowly until she breaks. This novel is about strength in the best of ways--how she pulls herself together and becomes a sort of protector for Magdalena and Alexi despite Dracula's tight leash on them all. I loved this--getting to see her come into herself in a world so different than the village she grew up in, and figure out what kind of person she has the power to be. This isn't a "girlboss" novel, but it has similar notes of reveling in an ability to change one's circumstances, and I found Constanta to be one of the most capable protagonists I've ever read. I'm not sure I could ever withstand her history, but she is uniquely able. I'd love a sequel about her life in the future--this is one of the few standalones for which I wish to read more. I would highly recommend A Dowry of Blood to get your fix of vampire books, especially if you loved the Vampires Never Get Old anthology (review here)! 5/5 stars to this bloody masterpiece. Thank you to Balzer + Bray for sharing an ARC in exchange for my honest review! Obtained through my role as an organizer for Book Terminal Tours.
Cerys is safe in the kingdom of Aloriya. Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden. Cerys knows this all too well: when she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse—the magic—in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything. The most danger she faces now, as a gardener’s daughter, is the annoying fox who stalks the royal gardens and won’t leave her alone. As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions the small fox from the garden, a strange and powerful bear, and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home. But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive. Among the Beasts and Briars is Ashley Poston's foray into high fantasy. With a darkly whimsical magical forest, a gardening girl with special powers, and plenty of enchanted beings to populate the world, the entire novel feels like a fairy tale. Honestly, this book could be a whole new tale unto itself. I liked the atmosphere best of all--Cerys has to undertake a quest through a forbidden forest to reach a legendary city, and her wonder at the monstrous creatures that inhabit it (the forest) and the people she meets there (the city) really engages the reader in her world. The pacing took a bit of time to get used too, but the ending didn't feel too rushed so in hindsight I didn't mind Cerys's long journey. The rules are simple to grasp, even as Cerys questions everything she's known about her kingdom. Everyone loves a good magical forest, and ATBAB certainly serves up. The woodcurse lives in Cerys's magic, which is certainly cool, but of course there are corrupted beings to fight and magic bears and foxes to provide interest. I can't say much about the romance for fear of spoiling the book--on this site I typically don't discuss much past the plot summary--but I will tell you that it's adorable and perfect for Cerys. You're going to guess what the big secret is, but you might not mind as much as me. They do wrong by each other sometimes, but always come back to fix it. That's commitment. That's trust. That's love. I guess... in the middle of all the dark fantasy and upper YA I've been reading recently, ATBAB just felt a little bit easy to me. I clocked the big plot twist about halfway through, and the prose wasn't as complex as I would have liked. I don't mean that in an entirely bad way, though. Sometimes it's nice to read a book you don't have to think so much about. It was a great afternoon read, and escaping to Aloriya is quite satisfying after all. I'm giving Among the Beasts and Briars 4/5 stars. I got a physical copy as part of my November Owlcrate box, and I really enjoyed the whole theme. Whether you did the same or picked it up from your local library or bookstore, the universe put this book in your path for a reason and you shouldn't ignore that. Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review.
A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget. From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord's You Have a Match, a hilarious and heartfelt novel of romance, sisterhood, and friendship... When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front. But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister. When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself. The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything. But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones. Emma Lord always manages to surprise me in the best ways. She's definitely making a splash in the contemporary world. You all know how much I loved Tweet Cute--You Have a Match is of a slightly different energy but brings Lord's signature humor and heart to the table. I started out so concerned that Abby and the risks she takes would give me secondhand embarrassment, but by the end I was *definitely not* crying. YHAM is a bit less of a rom-com than I was expecting--the core of the story is Abby's relationship with Savvy. We see both of them learn how to be sisters, and the various insecurities they mask. It's a coming of age story in all the best ways, and doesn't pull out the absent parent trope! Family (twisted as it might be) plays a big part in the story, with Abby's and Savvy's parents both obviously being part of the network of secrets keeping them apart. With Abby as first-person narrator, her character development was my favorite part of the book. There were moments in which I identified quite strongly with the emotions she had about feeling imperfect and comparing herself to others. Gotta admit, I'm an only so I don't understand the sibling angst, but I sure did feel rather empathetic towards Abby. We can talk a little bit about the romance between Leo and Abby, which is a childhood-friends-to-lovers thing that I adored. Them knowing each other so well and being willing to do anything for the other is a selling point, and all the miscommunication drives up tension in a very frustrating way. Abby and Leo (no easy ship name for them, unlike the iconic PepperJack) are so easy to root for. I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do. This is one of the first books I've read from 2021 catalogs and I highly recommend it. Emma Lord continues to knock it out of the park with her books and she's absolutely an auto-buy author for me. 5/5 stars. 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 any 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 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. Brilliantly crafted. One of the smartest books of 2021, something that will stay on my mind for a long time to come. Broke my TVD reading slump, which, if you read my review, you know is quite the feat. I can't say much about Lore without spoiling the plot, and I want to honor that for readers who haven't picked up this gem yet. You need to go into it knowing nothing, and slowly let the Agon draw you in. That's why this review is so short--there's so much I want to scream about, but I want you all to have a pure reading experience. I honestly can't remember the last Greek mythology book I read, but I think it was part of the Riordanverse, so Lore was a throwback to my youth in that way, if a more violent version. Definitely for older readers, and there are some particularly brutal parts so consider that a content warning. You don't need prior knowledge to read, though, and I enjoyed Bracken's take on the stories. Her mythology isn't all-encompassing, which is good because the novel keeps a quick pace that does well without the minutiae. Lore is a compelling narrator with a desire to be free of her identity, the meaning of which you'll come to discover. Her perspective throughout is essential, and I can't imagine this story with any other narrator. That's the best kind of book for me, where the lead is irreplaceable and you know it throughout. I knew from the first that I'd adore Lore. She's got grit. Doesn't let anything stop her, and always tries to do the right thing (whatever she deems that may be, based on her values). Like I mentioned, "right thing" sometimes includes violence, but hey, I fully endorse fictional girls with weapons. I can't really get into the side characters except for Castor and Athena, who were mentioned in the synopsis, and even then I don't want to spoil all the incredible plot twists. How Bracken deals with godhood, powers, and immortality is truly masterful. She has these really raw interpretations that stay true to the heart of the terrifying concept of deities. Also, as a side note, I totally ship Castor and Lore. Childhood friends to lovers!! Only second behind enemies to lovers in my list of favorite romance tropes! Finally, plot. I really don't want to say anything here, so I'll talk more about Bracken's writing and what few details I can reveal. This is her best book to date in my opinion. Every inch of it is filled with clever reference and detail, and there's plenty of thrill. Lore reads like an action flick, with plenty of visuals that would be great as a high-budget TV series (hint: Disney Hyperion MAKE THIS HAPPEN!), one that I'd totally binge in a night. This is a long-ish book, but it goes by so fast! I read Lore in just under a day because I couldn't put it down. I am beyond certain you'll be equally attached as soon as you get your copy. 5/5 stars for this wonderful novel, a breakout of 2021 and absolutely deserving of its #1 spot on the NYT bestseller list. Go order it! Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo's sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there's more to the group than meets the eye. She's spent the last six years of her life trying—and failing—to prove it. When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation puts her in the direct path of its leader, Lev Warren and as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members it upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her—to the point she can no longer tell what's real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn't know if she can afford not to. Wednesday Books is killing it this year! I feel so blessed, as a blogger, to get to read 2021's biggest releases before they're out to the world. It's so thrilling for me to get to scream about these wonderful novels and have mine be one of few voices in the air. Among these books is Courtney Summers' newest release, The Project. This book is so twisty and filled with intense revelations as Lo investigates The Unity Project. Summers weaves in two timelines, so that we see Bea and Lo's relationships with Lev and The Project unfold in real time. Nothing about this book is predictable, and I read it over a feverish two days in an attempt to live inside the magic forever. The real core to The Project is how it made me, as a reader, honestly question the objective truth I thought I knew going in. By the middle of the book, I wasn't sure if The Unity Project qualified as a cult or not, despite the book overtly being about that. Your awareness of truth and lies, manipulation and earnest helpfulness gets challenged at every turn. This book messes with you, but also offers real characters to ground yourself throughout it. Lo has been dealt one of the worst hands in life. Orphaned by a car accident, abandoned by her sister, and working what she views as a dead-end job at a magazine, but she's still searching for meaning (and for Bea). She carries this story with how she engages with her community and the loss of her sister so actively. As much as The Project holds cult intrigue, it's also about grief and how we deal with being left behind. If you've read Sadie, you know sisterhood is a big theme in Summers' work, and that continues in The Project. Bea isn't in Lo's world, but we get to know her through the alternate timeline. Both of them have such complicated feelings about each other and the meaning of family. I was aching for them to get to see each other again, even though it seems like the whole universe was conspiring against that. Even through all the missed chances, pain, and sorrow, Lo and Bea clearly still love each other, which honestly just makes some of the stuff that happens to them all the more tragic. I don't want to spoil this book for you! Or turn you against it. I guess... if you like getting your heart ripped to shreds (as many readers do) then The Project is for you! I'd recommend The Project to any thriller/mystery fan, especially if you liked Summers' previous novels. 4.5/5 stars Thank you to Wednesday Books for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review! So sorry for the late review.
They use magic to silence the world. Who will break the hush? Seventeen-year-old Shae has led a seemingly quiet life, joking with her best friend Fiona, and chatting with Mads, the neighborhood boy who always knows how to make her smile. All while secretly keeping her fears at bay… Of the disease that took her brother’s life. Of how her dreams seem to bleed into reality around her. Of a group of justice seekers called the Bards who claim to use the magic of Telling to keep her community safe. When her mother is murdered, she can no longer pretend. Not knowing who to trust, Shae journeys to unlock the truth, instead finding a new enemy keen to destroy her, a brooding boy with dark secrets, and an untold power she never thought possible. I wanted so badly to like Hush. It's a compelling concept--an illness spread by ink, where telling stories and speaking certain words is forbidden. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get hooked no matter how many times I tried to pick it up. I'm a big proponent for finishing all the books I start. I don't often DNF. So I finished Hush, but it took me over 4 months. Here's a bit of a rude thought I had... sometimes when I read a book written by a celebrity, I wonder if they got published because of true talent or because of connection. Jury's out on this one. As I mentioned, the book doesn't lack conceptually, but in execution. It took 150 pages for anything resembling a plot to set in, and didn't even make up for it with worldbuilding. I don't really understand the magic, the history of the world, or anything else that could be considered notable and original. So much got crammed into the last half of the book--there's something to be said for the reader being in the narrator's mentality, but my word, do we really have to go through it *all* with them? Shae has to learn all about the Bards and we go through that with her for most of the book. Not having any background information until she learns it means that the story's stakes rely on readers being invested in Shae herself. I didn't view Shae as an especially interesting narrator either, but that might just be me holding her to a heightened standard. The moment her training montage started, around 40% through the book, was the beginning of the plot and her intrigue as a narrator. Unfortunately, that was also the beginning of her misplaced insta-love romance. Authors, I love you, but readers do have appreciation for platonic friendships and books with no romance! Not all fantasy novels need a tall-dark-and-handsome love interest. Hush is fairly appropriate for younger teens, despite seeming kind of dark at the outset. There's brief depictions of "madness" and some violence, but not that many graphic images. I wouldn't call Hush an especially sparkling novel... it just didn't speak to me. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't pick it up! This could just be me wanting an inciting incident to actually incite something instead of having to wait 50 pages. I think Hush could also be considered a coming of age novel, which is something I typically dislike mixed into my high fantasy books. Shae leaves her village and learns the truth about her world. On the basis of "it's not you, it's me," I'm giving Hush 3 stars. |
The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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