The Stolen Kingdom: A Book Review

I was intrigued by this Aladdin retelling, complete with a runaway princess, Jinnis, a lamp, and an evil villain. But unfortunately, it fell short for me. I expected a stronger and more interesting main character, as well as a faster-moving romance. The plot was strung along far too slowly, and I was bored for much of the book. I also expected more world-building details. The world, characters, plot, and writing all fell too flat for me.

Would I recommend? Perhaps. I think I would recommend to those who love retellings. While I didn't find anything special about this particular retelling, others might.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 3
Plot/Movement: 2.5
Character Development: 3
Overall: 3

Thank you to Bethany Atazadeh for the ARC!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Three Ways to Disappear: A Book Review

I honestly don't know how to rate this. I love tigers and India with all my heart, so I expected to love this book. And I just...didn't. However, it did shake me and cause me to feel deeply about how horrible the injustices of the world are.

This story follows two sisters and their journeys to finding happiness after a horrible past in India. Quinn, a wife and mother in Kentucky, tries to survive under the weight of her terrible secret. Her sister, Sarah, returns to India to find her peace by joining the Tiger Survival, a conservationist group dedicated to protecting tigers. The story follows their relationship, their relationships with others, and their relationships with their pasts. And after I finished it, I hated the world for a while because of all its ironies and injustices.

I think my expectations were too high. I expected more tigers and India. Halfway through the book, the focus shifts from tiger conservation to Quinn's and Sarah's major life problems. I should have expected this, especially because the heart of the novel is understanding human nature and relationships. But for some reason, it didn't deliver in the way I wanted it to. Also, the ending felt rushed. I felt empty. The whole story felt like a deflated balloon with too many loose ends.

I would recommend this book to those who love conservationist books, and who love adult literary fiction more than I do. The writing is fluid and easy to read, and the characters full of depth and reality. I think this book could be easily loved by others, but just not by me.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 2.5
Character Development: 3
Overall: 3

Thank you to Ashland Creek Press for the review copy!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Coral: A Book Review

Coral is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" with multiple perspectives of mental health. And while I applaud the mental health representation, this book left me feeling confused and frustrated. Here are my reasons why:

1. The writing style wasn't easy for me to read. There were too many sentence fragments and one-word sentences for it to be comfortable.

2. I felt it was too jarring to go from a mythical mermaid perspective to a modern day one.

3. The multiple points of view felt disjointed. I felt that some perspectives got more depth at different parts of the book, and while that may have been on purpose, I like reading perspectives that are equal in quantity and quality so I can understand all of their experiences. For example, Coral's perspective dies out near the midpoint, then picks up again later. Instead, Coral's voice should have been at its strongest. That midpoint and onward left me confused at her character and the plot.

4. The timeline of events gets very jumbled near the end in order to serve the author's "big reveals." I felt frustrated because it felt like the author was willingly withholding information from the reader in order to make the plot seem bigger than it actually was. Big pet peeve. Even now having finished it, I'm still confused with the timeline, and I don't think I could accurately summarize what happened.

5. The mental health message is bigger than the story and characters. Don't get me wrong—I like messages in stories, and I think Coral offers a great one about having hope when going through depression and anxiety. But I don't think the message was weaved into the story and characters enough. The characters and plot seemed to serve the message too much, making the characters seem unreal and the plot fabricated.  In an effort to preach mental-health awareness, it just didn't flow like a believable story.

I do think this story could be a powerful read for those struggling with mental health. Perhaps I didn't fully understand this book because I've never had the experiences that the characters had. But I do feel like the story was lost and the characters too underdeveloped.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 2.5
Plot/Movement: 2
Character Development: 2
Overall: 2

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC! This book will be released on November 12, 2020.

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Below: A Book Review

Inspired by Inuit mythology about the Face Stealer, this book is an action-packed story about a girl named Apaay who tries to get her sister's face back. She becomes trapped in a labyrinth and has to use every bit of strength––mental and physical––to overcome the evil Yuki and Numiak. And along the way, she discovers who she really is, even when all hope is lost.

As soon as I saw the words "Inuit mythology" and saw the gorgeous cover, I was hooked. Then I read the first page. Alexandria Warwick's writing is absolutely divine. Possibly the best I've ever read. The descriptions are sensory and visceral, the tension thick, and the flow effortless. For this reason alone, this book could have received five stars. But there's so much more to it.

Apaay is a character many people can relate to: she wants to be strong for her family and make them proud, even when they doubt her. She also wants to prove her strength to herself and find her place in the vast world. And she loves so deeply and unconditionally, even to the point that it perhaps becomes a fault. She is incredibly deep, and her character arc is strong.

The other characters are also well-done. They have secrets and lives outside of the story, bringing tension to the relationships and plot. I can't wait to learn more about them in later books.

As I mentioned, this book is fast paced and action packed. It doesn't take long to get sucked into the story because of its tension and intrigue. I do feel like the middle got a bit repetitive in the labyrinth, but it never slowed me down. And I also wish there was a romance. I suspect there will be romance in later books, so I'll hold out for that.

This book, without a doubt, is the best Indie-published book I've ever read. And I highly recommend it to fantasy lovers and those interested in Inuit mythology. I learned so much about the Inuit culture, and more generally, about the human heart. Treat yourself to this book.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 4.7
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you to Alexandria Warwick for the ARC! This book will be released on February 4, 2020.

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Tiger Queen: A Book Review

This thrilling YA novel, by Annie Sullivan, is an expansive, adventurous retelling of Frank Stockton's short story "The Lady, or the Tiger?", which is one of my favorite short stories. I enjoyed the fast pacing of this story, the well-rounded character development, and the political mysteries of the desert kingdom Achra. The story left me constantly thinking about it, and I had to have my water nearby because I was always thirsty. The descriptions and dialogue were clear and compelling. It is a worthy retelling.

I think the strongest part of this book is the character development. Our main character, Kateri, starts off as a villain. She is a strong fighter, trained to beat her suitors in an arena to prove she is the strongest in the kingdom. But difficult circumstances mold and shape her into a completely different character, and I grew to love her. I do wish other characters in this book had as strong of a character arc. And I do wish that the romance wasn't so slow burning.

All in all, I liked this book. I would recommend this book to those who love retellings, and settings in mythical deserts.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, NetGalley and Blink, for the ARC!  This book will be released on September 10, 2019.

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

The Crowns of Croswald: A Book Review

D. E. Night's The Crowns of Croswald is a magical, middle-grade adventure that follows Ivy, a special sixteen-year-old who escapes her horrible life as a scaldrony maid go to a magical school. Along the way, Ivy discovers magical creatures, friends and foes, mysterious secrets, and some of her own magic.

This book is magically written. Almost every page reminded me of Harry Potter with its whimsical creatures and similar plotline. I think it's a fantastic read for kids who find Harry Potter too large and intimidating, or want more of the magical world. This being said, I do wish this book departed from Harry Potter more. The plot, magic system, and the magic school were too similar to Harry Potter, making this book pale in comparison. I also felt like the characters were too disconnected from the reader and there was too little character growth. And there were many chapters that I felt could have been taken out without hindering the plot.

Simply, this book puts world building first, plot second, and characters third. I read books for the characters, so I didn't enjoy this as much as I wanted to. But it is still magical, especially for younger audiences.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 3.5
Plot/Movement: 3
Character Development: 2
Overall: 3

Thank you, Stories Untold Press, for the free review copy!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Crown of Coral and Pearl: A Book Review

I went into this book not knowing anything about it (I didn't even read the synopsis). And I completely loved it. The story is fascinating: each generation, the princes of Ilara marry the most beautiful girl from an ocean village. But when Nor goes in her sister's place, she discovers the dark secrets of Ilara and finds out that her people are in danger. There's so much more to the plot, and so many characters I grew to love.

I loved the sea aesthetic coupled with a formidable mountain castle. Nor is a strong character and it's easy to get lost in her point of view and engage with the story. Also, the slow-burning, chemistry-filled romance in this book is divine. This book has everything: sea folklore, tension, betrayal, magical reefs, sisterly bonds, romance, political intrigue, and hope. It's an uplifting book, and one I think I would return to.

Mara Rutherford's writing is fantastic. As I said, it's easy to get lost in her writing and in the story. The plot moved effortlessly. My only reservations are that I wish it had a little more resolution and a little more romance. I wanted to see their bond strengthen, especially at the end, and I felt that this book is missing that. But still a well-told, entertaining book.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4.5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, NetGalley and Inkyard Press, for the ARC! This book will be released on August 27, 2019.

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!