The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal. But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule. This book ruined me for all others. I'm just living in a reading slump now, thinking about Roma and Juliette and the promises book 2 holds. Seriously. I need book 2 right now. These Violent Delights was one of the most talked-about books of 2020, and I'm pleased to say it more than lives up to the hype. There is no novel more deserving of praise, and I'm putting Chloe Gong on my auto-buy list now. Everything was so vivid--I don't want to say lifelike, because the book honestly did feel like art more than anything else. Each sentence was carefully crafted, and Gong is smart about how she uses narrative parallels to draw up the Romeo & Juliet story without making TVD feel derivative. This book sparks of originality (and sparks of romance, but we'll get to that point later). I relished in the lush environment of 1920s Shanghai, replete with warring factions and lit-up nightclubs. Finally, the bulk of this review. *deep breath in* Let's talk about Juliette and Roma!! My knife-wielding, gun-toting, enemy-killing-wait-no-enemy-loving??? children. I AM IN LOVE WITH THEM. 10/10 would stab someone for Juliette, I have such loyalty to her character even after just one book. This is what we like to see! The enemies-to-childhood-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies dynamic is really strong here. Gong does an excellent job of creating stakes for her characters and getting readers to invest in their goals. This is helped by the fact that Roma and Juliette are mortal enemies who have to work together to save their city: they end up on the same side in a believable fashion but Gong doesn't let that stop them from torturing each other emotionally, with things left unsaid. R&J has an important supporting cast, as does TVD. I especially loved Juliette's cousin, Kathleen, and Roma's fellow White Flower, Marshall. Most of the cast is tied to the gangs, so we get a little bit of that enmity elsewhere from our main pair, a nice thematic consistency. If they're not in the sequel I will riot. Honorable mention to Tyler Cai for being possibly the most irritating minor villain I've ever encountered. In the play, Romeo kills Tybalt, so hope springs eternal for my innermost desire. Important mention: TVD is also sort of a mystery? There's a mysterious plague infecting Shanghai, and Roma and Juliette are on the case. I loved the way this was handled. The city became as much a character as any of the people. We get to know the different factions that fight for control over the citizens, and the history of modernization and opposing Western imperialism that reveal Gong's deep commitment to research and realism even in a fantasy book. Her dedication is crystal clear. I loved how Shanghai's culture was woven into the story without bonking readers over the head: I hate when authors of color are forced to turn their stories into textbooks to educate white readers, so grateful that didn't happen here. It honestly makes for a better reading experience. The ENDING. I tell you I have never wanted more to throw a book (except when I read Empire of Storms and actually did throw the book). Just... give me the sequel right now. Give it to me early. Our Violent Ends is going to be the book I long for all year, and then in December I'm absolutely going to stay up the whole night reading it and cry when the series is over. Of course I'll do that, because I can't help but fall in love with these characters and this setting from the very first page. I want to give These Violent Delights alllll of the stars, but I'm limited by availability, so I'll just say: 5/5. Buy this book.
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Thank you to Netgalley and Mandel Vilar Press for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Hanna Slivka is on the cusp of fourteen when Hitler’s army crosses the border into Soviet-occupied Ukraine. Soon, the Gestapo closes in, determined to make the shtetele she lives in “free of Jews.” Until the German occupation, Hanna spent her time exploring Kwasova with her younger siblings, admiring the drawings of the handsome Leon Stadnick, and helping her neighbor dye decorative pysanky eggs. But now she, Leon, and their families are forced to flee and hide in the forest outside their shtetele—and then in the dark caves beneath the rolling meadows, rumored to harbor evil spirits. Underground, they battle sickness and starvation, while the hunt continues above. When Hanna’s father disappears, suddenly it’s up to Hanna to find him—and to find a way to keep the rest of her family, and friends, alive. Hanna's story hit me from the very first page. Masih writes with raw emotion and I applaud her talent. I was instantly immersed in the story: I could imagine every scene, and feel the love Hanna has for her family. And the capacity of that love is overwhelming. Hanna has the fiercest determination to ensure the survival of her family, which ages her beyond her years throughout the novel. This story is beautifully told, and the gravity intwined throughout is felt on every page. I cannot pretend at expertise on what work of fiction might do the horrors of the Holocaust justice, but My Real Name is Hanna is exceptionally well-researched and inspired by a real family's story, and I wouldn't hesitate to include it on any list of historical must-reads. Readers will see that because of Hanna's age, the novel also functions as a coming-of-age-story, if a rather brutal one. It has notes of tenderness throughout, and the care Masih takes to develop each character should be noted. Her award-winning writing is clearly on display here, and her attention to detail throughout is immaculate. 5/5 stars. Gorgeously wrought--there's honestly not much else I can say other than simply: this book is a necessary read. The Larkin family isn't just lucky—they persevere. At least that's what Violet and her younger brother, Sam, were always told. When the Lyric sank off the coast of Maine, their great-great-great-grandmother didn't drown like the rest of the passengers. No, Fidelia swam to shore, fell in love, and founded Lyric, Maine, the town Violet and Sam returned to every summer.
But wrecks seem to run in the family. Tall, funny, musical Violet can't stop partying with the wrong people. And, one beautiful summer day, brilliant, sensitive Sam attempts to take his own life. Shipped back to Lyric while Sam is in treatment, Violet is haunted by her family's missing piece - the lost shipwreck she and Sam dreamed of discovering when they were children. Desperate to make amends, Violet embarks on a wildly ambitious mission: locate the Lyric, lain hidden in a watery grave for over a century. She finds a fellow wreck hunter in Liv Stone, an amateur local historian whose sparkling intelligence and guarded gray eyes make Violet ache in an exhilarating new way. Whether or not they find the Lyric, the journey Violet takes-and the bridges she builds along the way-may be the start of something like survival. The Last True Poets of the Sea is a beautifully quiet novel. It feels like a warm cup of tea, a peaceful morning, a hug. I was glad to have a break from the high-stakes fantasy books I've been reading lately and truly relax into this novel. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time to come. This is truly an emotional read, so you should come prepared with plenty of reading and processing time. I especially loved the development of Violet and Sam's relationship. Violet's spends a lot of the book beating herself up for breaking her family, wondering where it all went wrong between her and Sam. Sibling angst isn't something I specifically understand, as an only child, but I do love how close they were and seeing Violet adjust to life in Lyric without Sam. She undergoes some real growth, as a reformed party girl who needs to learn how to have real friends and how to apologize occasionally. The book also has important discussions about mental health, including anxiety and suicidal ideation (of course readers should be aware before going in that some material could be a trigger for their own issues), and I appreciated the care that Drake put into crafting the story. Those hard conversations contributed to the quietness of Poets and I think it's great for fans of Nina LaCour's books. I also want to note that this has a realllly slow-burn sapphic relationship that I am absolutely living for! Lots of pining on both ends, and discussion of identities. I've started 2021 by reading not one, but four queer books (my last read, The One Hundred Nights of Hero, being one of them) so I'm elated to share another with you. There's something so special about soft romance. Liv and Violet go through some rough patches, but it's not a dramatic rollercoaster, which I appreciated. My second 5 star read of 2021, so I made a moodboard in honor! I've been wanting to get more creative content up here to supplement my shorter reviews, so this is a nice start. In the tradition of The Arabian Nights, a beautifully illustrated tapestry of folk tales and myths about the secret legacy of female storytellers in an imagined medieval world.
In the Empire of Migdal Bavel, Cherry is married to Jerome, a wicked man who makes a diabolical wager with his friend Manfred: if Manfred can seduce Cherry in one hundred nights, he can have his castle--and Cherry. But what Jerome doesn't know is that Cherry is in love with her maid Hero. The two women hatch a plan: Hero, a member of the League of Secret Story Tellers, will distract Manfred by regaling him with a mesmerizing tale each night for 100 nights, keeping him at bay. Those tales are beautifully depicted here, touching on themes of love and betrayal and loyalty and madness. As intricate and richly imagined as the works of Chris Ware, and leavened with a dry wit that rivals Kate Beaton's in Hark! A Vagrant, Isabel Greenberg's One Hundred Nights of Hero will capture readers' hearts and minds, taking them through a magical medieval world. This was my first graphic novel read of 2021, and I couldn't be happier with it! Both the frame narrative of Cherry and Hero, and the stories Hero told had a wonderfully folklorish feel to them. It's a story about stories, love, loss, and what it means to be human in all the best ways. I'm a couple years late to the fanclub, but I'm eagerly awaiting my library hold of The Encyclopedia of Early Earth so I can find out more about the world. The whimsical worldbuilding was easily my favorite part of the story. The Empire of Migdal Bavel is only one part of Early Earth, and Hero tells stories from a few other places, which only made me more excited to explore. It's a medieval world, with tall stone towers, patriarchy, sea travel, and religion (Birdman, and his children Kiddo and Kid), so Cherry and Hero's story became all the more personal for its beautiful queerness. Two women standing against the entitlement of Cherry's husband, and loving each other fiercely throughout. That is exactly the energy I want to start off this year! Since this is a graphic novel, I of course have to touch on the artwork. A subtle but consistent color palette and bold lineart really allow the stories to shine. I enjoyed the organic form of the art, and the symbolism of not limiting the panels with borders. The splash illustrations especially drew me in. A starry night sky, boats swimming across a pond, sisters diving into books in a cozy room. They are so beautiful, and I kind of wish Greenberg had prints available! My only quibble: sequencing wise, the novel is easy to follow, but I could have done without the "chapter" divisions--the plot flowed seamlessly without them. If you haven't already read The One Hundred Nights of Hero, I *highly* recommend it. 4.5/5 stars. Thank you to Delacorte Press for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review!
It's good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer. She's headed off to the college of her dreams. She's going to prom with the boy she's had a crush on since middle school. Her best friend always has her back, and her mom, a B-list Hollywood celebrity, may finally be on her way to the B+ list. It's good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer--at least, it was, until the FBI came knocking on her front door, guns at the ready, and her future went up in smoke. Now her mother is under arrest in a massive college admissions bribery scandal. Chloe, too, might be facing charges, and even time behind bars. The public is furious, the press is rabid, and the US attorney is out for blood. As she loses everything she's long taken for granted, Chloe must reckon not only with the truth of what happened, but also with the examination of her own guilt. Why did her parents think the only way for her to succeed was to cheat for her? What did she know, and when did she know it? And perhaps most importantly, what does it mean to be complicit? OOF. Let’s do this. Admission, as you may have gathered, is a novelization of the real-life college admissions scandal, uncovered by FBI Operation Varsity Blues (not really relevant information, but I just think the name is fun). Unusually for recent YA, Admission has more basis in fact than fiction. If you recognize the general synopsis, that’s because it’s basically the same chain of events as followed by Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. College admissions is such a tough and emotional world for real-life teens, and I was interested in seeing how Buxbaum would approach centering an unlikeable, maybe-even-culpable protagonist in the novel. I was disappointed at best and saddened at worst by the result. Let’s do positives first, though. The dissonance between the now/then timelines did great things for the book’s atmosphere. Seeing how perfect Chloe thinks her life is before the arrests happen is a tonal clash with her family’s bleary-eyed misery in the aftermath. For readers, knowing what’s coming provides a sense of anticipation and a reason to invest in Chloe’s story. Less of a “rooting for” invest and more of a “Get it TOGETHER, girl! Can you not see this shady stuff happening?” kind of invest, though. In the beginning, Buxbaum did well in humanizing the Berringer family. This became less believable as the book went on though, which I’ll get into later. Part of this is construction, but it’s also partly my bias. I had a hard time finding it in me to feel anything for Chloe’s mother especially—it’s difficult to be reading a book where the outward presentation is that the main characters are protagonists, but I view them as antagonists. This brings us neatly to my next point, where the negatives start. I think Admission should have had a different protagonist. Chloe is maybe supposed to be relatable because of her mediocrity—she’s not that smart and doesn’t have any special talents. Readers are supposed to say, “hey, just like me!” or something. This justifies Chloe's whining about the people in her life with genuine talent or ability, like her sister Isla, boyfriend Levi, and best friend Shola. I found this grating, though, and would have much more easily enjoyed a novel from the perspective of Shola, who might have a more interesting perspective on Chloe’s life. She’s Nigerian, part of a minority at their uber-white private school, and her family isn’t wealthy like Chloe’s—no bribery in Shola’s admissions process, just straight-up achievements. I imagine there were a lot of eye rolls in her house at Chloe’s antics (and I’ll be honest, I’m pretty privileged too, but I recall having done the same at the legit otherworldly privilege and wealth-blindness of some people I know). This is all to say, I get what Buxbaum was trying to do here. As a reader, though, all I wanted to do was scream at Chloe’s occasional classism and racism (which she gets called out on). I was just incapable of believing in her innate goodness when she has to consider whether she was complicit in her mother’s crimes. What level of ignorance is okay to excuse? How much can I, as a reader, allow her to shove under the rug before it stops being a character choice and becomes unforgivable? I decided the answer was “some ignorance,” but Chloe exceeded my expectations there. I mean, some of her choices are truly reprehensible. Getting an ADHD diagnosis for accommodations on the SAT… I mean, sure. That’s actually a pretty common practice amongst wealthy families for a whole host of reasons, which I won’t get into here. (I also won’t get into how it makes life for those of us who actually have ADHD that much harder because we’re already seen as lazy and unmotivated without the added concern of whether we’re “faking it” or not). That’s not something fully under Chloe’s control. All she had to do was accept the word of the psychologist as true, and it’s hard not to trust a psychologist. But picking an application photo where she has a deep tan in order to fake an Argentinian background… WHAT?!?! That’s a conscious decision! It would be so easy to just… not do the terrible thing! At that point, it’s pretty hard to feel anything for Chloe given that I thought she had to have understood that her actions were wrong. I bet by now you’re wondering why I’m giving Admissions four stars. In short, it’s because I can appreciate a book that makes me think. I got to use my brain and consider my own worldview while reading, which I’ve been reticent to do during this pandemic. As you may know, I’ve been gravitating towards comfort reads, and I like that Admissions was able to drag me into thinking critically. So there. 4/5 stars for Admissions, even though I disliked large portions of it. You should read it. I’m curious to see what everyone else will think, so please come back and comment once you do! Thank you to Bloomsbury for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review!
Faryn Liu thought she was the Heaven Breaker, a warrior destined to wield the all-powerful spear Fenghuang, command dragons, and defeat demons. But a conniving goddess was manipulating her all along...and her beloved younger brother, Alex, has betrayed her and taken over as the Heaven Breaker instead. Alex never forgave the people who treated him and Faryn like outcasts, and now he wants to wipe out both the demons and most of humanity. Determined to prevent a war and bring Alex back to her side, Faryn and her half-dragon friend Ren join the New Order, a group of warriors based out of Manhattan's Chinatown. She learns that one weapon can stand against Fenghuang--the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Only problem? It belongs to an infamous trickster, the Monkey King. Faryn sets off on a daring quest to convince the Monkey King to join forces with her, one that will take her to new places--including Diyu, otherwise known as the Underworld--where she'll run into new dangers and more than one familiar face. Can she complete her mission and save the brother she loves, no matter the cost? The Fallen Hero is a thrilling sequel to The Dragon Warrior, Katie Zhou’s Chinese fantasy-inspired middle grade series will surely delight readers. I’m more of an occasional middle grade reader—it’s excellent light fare for in between longer YA and Adult novels—so I’m not well versed in it enough to give critique. I enjoyed reading The Fallen Hero because of Faryn’s bravery and the fun characterizations of the gods. High stakes and a wide cast of characters adds excitement. I don’t think there was a single chapter where I wasn’t excited to turn the page and find out what happens next. Zhou also invests readers in every character, from Faryn (our main girl) to the smallest side character. They all have journeys to go on, which just goes to show that there isn’t only one hero—the best battles are won through the efforts of many. I also liked learning about Chinese mythology through The Fallen Hero. Most of Faryn’s quests and actions are based on legends and myths that have been passed down through the ages. I love adaptations and fairytale retellings—this isn’t one of them, but it’s rather akin to the Percy Jackson novels with the personifications of gods and sense of whimsy that comes in the combination of myth and reality. One thing I didn’t particularly enjoy is the automatic rivalries Faryn has with any other girl her age on quests. First Moli and now Ashley, I just wish there wasn’t so much girl-hate at first. It’s not great for younger readers to see that they have to work to overcome annoyances in other girls while they can have automatic friendships with everyone else. I would definitely recommend reading The Dragon Warrior series! It’s a great read for all ages, not just middle graders. Thank you to SimonTeen for sharing an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Teenage master of Cuban cuisine, Lila Reyes, is eager to inherit her family’s Miami bakery along with her sister, Pilar. But between spring and graduation, Lila’s abuela dies, her best friend abandons her, and her long-time boyfriend dumps her. Fearing Lila’s emotional health, her parents defy her wishes and entrust her summer to family and their Winchester, England inn. Even though she’s given a space to cook at the inn, she longs for Miami, the seat of her Cuban roots. Being a Miami Cuban baker is her glorified past and destined future, forged by years of training by her loving abuela. Days into her stay, Orion Maxwell barges into Lila’s inn kitchen with a delivery from his family’s tea shop. A nuisance at first, opposite ingredients soon learn to blend. Orion befriends Lila, introducing her to his mates and devouring her food––comida Cubana. Orion entertains her with his mental collection of superstitions and sweeps her onto his vintage motorbike. He wraps cold, underdressed Lila in his wool cardigan and becomes her personal tour guide. His mum’s early-onset (FTD) Dementia gives Orion a unique outlook––he never asks too much of the world, accepting what he can’t control. Lila soon discovers this British boy brings empathy to her loss because he’s living his own. Before long, Lila can’t control the route of her own heart as she begins to fall for more than a new love. England has charmed her. And a special opportunity in London tempts her. As her return ticket looms, Lila feels impossibly caught between two flags. Hearts aren’t supposed to split like this––between a beautiful boy and a beautiful family. Between exploring an uncharted future in a rich new place, and honoring Abuela’s treasured legacy. Move over, any other romance, I think I’ve found my new favorite! I’ve been excited for this story since I saw the PW deal announcement last year (back when it had a different title, even!), and all of my expectations were far exceeded. I’m having a hard time putting into words exactly what I feel about this book, but suffice it to say that I loved everything. Let’s start with the food. I’m not typically one of those readers who feels hungry when reading foodie books, but that changed here. Lila’s Cuban pastries gave me such strong cravings for baked goods. If there isn’t a recipe book in the back of my finished copy, I will be so sad. I love reading books about chefs because they all have such strong memories attached to their cooking, Lila included. Her Abuela teaching her how to bake, running La Paloma with her sister Pilar, sharing a kitchen with her family, all laid out with Namey’s signature beautiful writing, constantly brought smiles to my face. Lila, of course, is a strong character outside her baking as well. She suffered three immense losses one right after another and didn’t cope all that well, but time and again she learned to get up and heal. I want to be her. I seriously want to have that capacity for resilience and growth, not to mention the enthusiasm she brings to every new morning in her kitchen. Always looking to brighten others’ days with a precious baked good, always seeking to improve on old recipes and mix up new ones. I would read a thousand books starring Lila as long as every one of them was written like this. Again, I have to come back to Namey’s character building. The pace of her prose, and the moments which she chooses for the reader so that we may learn Lila’s story fluidly are perfect. Of course, I couldn’t review a YA romance without actually discussing the romance. Let me speak for many, many readers when I say… I think we all wish we had an Orion in our lives. English love interests can do some serious damage to American readers’ hearts, y’all. He was a perfect tour guide for Lila—showing her around Winchester with a mix of his own favorite haunts and spots he knew she’d love. Orion is compassionate and smart and thoughtful, and also happens to be a perfect complement for Lila because they share an understanding of loss and grief. Not in the same ways as each other, but as mentioned in the synopsis I really believe this helped spark their chemistry. I prefer relationships between characters who understand each others’ worlds on some level to ones who are totally “opposites attract,” so that contributed to my adoration of their romance. Now, this doesn’t mean they didn’t have challenges. Their relationship came with a ticking clock on it, since Lila was only in England for the summer, but I still enjoyed the heck out of it, and no spoilers, but Namey totally brought me joy with the ending she chose. We ALSO got some amazing side characters. In England, Lila hangs out with a circle of friends made up of Orion, her cousin Gordon, and their friends Jules (a fabulous singer), Remy (Jules’ boyfriend), and Flora (Orion’s sister). I’m a main character person, but I still appreciated that each of them had a story arc and an important role to play in the novel. This definitely helped set the scene and it was fun to see Lila romp around Winchester with a new group of friends. Most of all, though, what I loved about A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is the message that dreams can change. Lila had her life all planned out, but she truly grew as a character throughout the novel (I know I say this so much, but I REALLY mean it this time). Whoever said romance novels couldn’t be deep and sob-inducing was totally wrong. Her rigidity was challenged by her new circumstances, which (spoiler alert!) actually brought her some happiness. I’m a sucker for that moment in a novel where a character who’s faced unimaginable loss gets to be happy and have moments of peace, and ACGGTTAT was filled with those. I can’t recommend this beautiful novel enough. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll want to read it over and over and over again. I know I do! I beg of you, get a copy. A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow is original and wonderful and all of the good things about YA romance combined. 5/5 stars (and thank you for reading my treatise). Thank you to the publisher for sharing an eARC in exchange for review!
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. A flying demon feeding on human energies. A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down. And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw. The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates. She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight. Oh. My. God. Legendborn is an experience unto itself, and you cannot miss out. This sweeping contemporary fantasy blazes a new trail in the vein of City of Bones, and I’m so glad to have found my next long-term fantasy world! I know I’ll be sticking with Bree and Nick for a while—I have deep-seated adoration for this world and these characters. Let’s start with the magic. Inspired by Arthuriana, Legendborn features a secret society charged with fighting demons with the powers of the Knights of the Round Table, and eventually preventing the apocalypse, or Camlann. I am here for the dark academia vibes!! The Legendborn operate on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill, where Bree is a pre-college student. I’ve always been a fan of a good secret society, so that aspect drew me in quickly. It’s different from many contemporary settings, and I appreciated how Deonn tied the history of the school into the story, involving us in the landscape right with the characters. Bree herself is a phenomenal lead. Though she grieves her mother, she’s driven to find out what happened at the hospital and how she can avenge her death. As I always say, the best narrators have the deepest flaws. Bree is not without them—she struggles to openly mourn for her loss and she pushes away her best friend Alice—but she finds new connections and learns to both live in the present and appreciate her family’s history at the same time. She’s also genuinely kind. I don’t want to spoil anything (which is making this review so hard to write, y’all, there are so many plot twists!) but I will say that I was in awe of one particular choice Bree made that could have meant bodily harm, just because she cared so much about Nick. Wait. HOW did I get this far without mentioning Nick?? While not my favorite character (that’d be Bree by about 10 miles), Nick is her love interest. And their romance is EPIC!!! You couldn’t ask for a more perfect pair. Bree and Nick teaming up to solve the mystery and stop the apocalypse is everything to me. Theirs is a perfect balance of risking lives and wanting to protect the other, a demon-fighting duo for the ages. Of course, there are heavier moments too. Bree faces racism and bias when she involves herself more with the Legendborn, a historically white and powerful society. There is also the fact that UNC has a history with slavery, and we get to see Bree reckon with the world of privilege that sits literally on top of that blood-soaked ground. This was so gripping to me. I have been waiting to throw my energy into an expansive fantasy like this one that also has a BIPOC main character (Bree is Black) and addresses the systemic inequalities in my country. Again, Deonn is so thoughtful as to how she balances Arthuriana’s colonial dominance in storytelling and introduces different magic elements inspired by African American spiritual traditions. This adaptation (or addition to the Arthuriana canon) is an opportunity to be more inclusive and widen the world. (for the sake of no spoilers, I won’t mention more! It’ll be best if you’re immersed through the novel, not my review. Go buy this book!) Overall, Legendborn earns ALL the stars. Which for me, is a 5/5. I can’t tell you enough how much you need to read this book. You’re going to scream at the end, and you’ll laugh and cry and squeal in excitement a million times before then. Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
They are each other’s fiercest love, greatest danger, and only hope. Séverin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost ― one that still haunts all of them. Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant its possessor the power of God. Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets, and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew question whether an ancient myth is a myth after all. As hidden secrets come to the light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves. But what they find out may lead them down paths they never imagined. A tale of love and betrayal as the crew risks their lives for one last job. A little note to say that this is a spoiler free review, for those who have not yet read The Gilded Wolves. I urge you to do so, it will only enrich your literary life. Another note: I am so incredibly thrilled to have read an early copy of The Silvered Serpents. Roshani Chokshi is one of my favorite authors, and I am constantly amazed by her stories. It is an absolute honor to review this novel. You all need to read this trilogy. Again, Roshani Chokshi blows me away. I am eternally stunned by her world and character-building, which came out in equal force to create the dynamics of Séverin’s team in icy, beautiful Siberia. The Silvered Serpents expands upon the tale wound up in The Gilded Wolves, a masterful sequel that does not suffer from second-book syndrome. I was already in love with these characters, but Chokshi used that to wrench my heart around, as I suspected would be the case. I am so incredibly torn that The Gilded Wolves is a trilogy and not a duology—I love these books so much, but my heart cannot take much more! Where, even, to start? Probably with the world and the prose. The depiction of the world in 1789 links history (colonization, European powers) with the magic of Forging and connections to ancient references (the tower of Babel, the Nine Muses), to a magical effect. Readers can understand and connect with each clue towards The Divine Lyrics (the object of desire for Séverin’s team) because of their cleverly crafted historical and magical significance within the real world. I especially loved seeing representations of the Nine Muses from Greek mythology, each with a special connection to an art or science. They each also had a symbolic item that signified their presence in a work, because they were otherwise indistinguishable from one another. My favorite muse has always been Urania, depicted with stars and compass. Chokshi’s prose is lyrical and devastating, as always. A couple of my favorite quotes are "What is magic but a science we cannot fathom?” and "Love does not always wear the face we wish." For me, the heart of this story (or, I should say, the characters in this story to which my heart belong) is Laila and Séverin’s plot thread. The two of them are so magnificent together, but are blocked by their own desires: Laila’s to live, and Séverin’s obsession with protecting his friends. I cannot evaluate the strength of their stories objectively, because every time they were on the page, my heart just screamed for these angel children (though, of course, they are neither angelic nor children. This is merely my intense affection taking over my rationality). The tension between them as they continue to hide their desires and intentions from each other builds in a tantalizing way, much as it does through the first book in the series. I especially liked the contrast between Séverin grappling with the concept of godhood and Laila simply wishing to live her mortal life to a longer end. Of course, the whole team is depicted in such a beautiful manner. Haunted by loss, and fractured after the events of The Gilded Wolves, they must find a way to focus on their mission while balancing high tension. Each of them is so well defined by the portrayal of their grief. Their individual arcs are given full attention within the scope of the story, which rounds out the novel. The plot never disappoints. In the novel, we continue the journey of Séverin’s team as they seek the key to divine power. Fast paced and exciting, there’s an exceptional balance between emotion and action in The Silvered Serpents. The tension between the characters changes state throughout the novel, and I found myself screaming, holding my breath, and crying at various moments while reading. The pacing was snappy and each beat precisely placed, exactly as I’d predicted. I didn’t expect The Silvered Serpents to be such a quick read for me, although perhaps this is due to the fact that once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. I never imagined finishing a day after I started. Overall, an amazing novel. I have exactly zero bad things to say about The Silvered Serpents, and am so excited for you all to fall in love with this series just like I have. 5/5 stars. Thank you to Candlewick Press for sending me a copy in exchange for my honest review.
In a novel in verse, an award-winning author offers an eye-opening look at the life of Marilyn Monroe. From the day she was born into a troubled home to her reigning days as a Hollywood icon, Marilyn Monroe (née Norma Jeane Mortenson) lived a life that was often defined by others. Revisiting Marilyn's often traumatic early life--foster homes, loneliness, sexual abuse, teen marriage--through a hard-won, meteoric rise to stardom that brought with it exploitation, pill dependency, and depression, the narrative continues through Marilyn's famous performance at JFK's birthday party, three months before her death. This verse biography of Marilyn Monroe is an unexpected gem! I think this is the first biography-in-poetry I’ve read & reviewed here, so let’s dive in! I didn’t know that much about Marilyn’s life before I read this, and it did a great job of emulating her voice and telling her story at the same time. The novel is in Marilyn’s perspective, which makes it easier to sympathize with her and take her off of the celebrity pedestal. I definitely enjoyed some of the poems more than others—a few felt truly poetic but occasionally I’d find one that would have made more sense as a paragraph. I think overall the format worked for me, though, and it’s definitely more approachable than a regular biography. I liked feeling like I was really hearing from Marilyn, and Weatherford did a great job “erasing the author,” as it were, so I commend her for that. Some of my favorite poems in the novel dealt with Marilyn’s struggle with her “Norma Jeane" self vs. her “Marilyn” self. She felt most at home whenever she was performing or in the public eye, which I think is the opposite of how many celebrities feel nowadays, what with how easy it is for fans to become internet stalkers. Marilyn also had an exceedingly difficult childhood, and watching her make her own decisions and develop agency over the book is truly powerful. She advocated for herself with film studios, even founding a production company so she could choose the roles she liked best. She kept her modeling career when her first husband wanted her to be a homemaker. She loved to read. My favorite poem was “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover,” about Marilyn’s thirst for knowledge which is little-known about her. Despite how most people see her, she loved to read and collect books. I think there’s something remarkable about how she chose not to fall completely in line with her surroundings, and recognized that reading widely could be a tool to connect more with others and herself. It saddens me that Marilyn’s not remembered more for her desire to grow past the “sexpot” stereotype she was stuck with. She wanted badly to star in intellectual roles and to be thought of as more than the Blonde Bombshell. Others poems fell flat. I think I have trouble connecting to free-verse poetry because occasionally it feels like a paragraph with random line breaks added, which I feel defeats the purpose of poetry: to let form help tell the story. As mentioned above, some of this novel would have been better served as mixed-media, where we could have the story told in verse where it makes sense and prose where it does not. My only other gripe is with the overall design of the book—I’m not sure if this is different in finished copies, but the images in the background of the ARCs seemed unnecessary to me. Mostly abstract, they didn’t add visual interest or play with the forms of the poems, so I found those distracting. This is personal, though, and didn’t really affect my perception of the content. I’d highly recommend picking up this verse biography—any film buffs among us will enjoy the breakdown of Marilyn’s movie roles! 3/5 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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