Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter | Book Review

 RATING: creepy Bizarre Read (2) // AMAZON

PAGES: 296 PAGES | PUBLISHER: Tor Teen

FORMAT: Hardcover | SOURCE: owlcrate | AGE GROUP: YOUNG ADULT

GOODREADS SUMMARY

In the enchanted kingdom of Brooklyn, the fashionable people put on cute shoes, go to parties in warehouses, drink on rooftops at sunset, and tell themselves they’ve arrived. A whole lot of Brooklyn is like that now—but not Vassa’s working-class neighborhood.

In Vassa’s neighborhood, where she lives with her stepmother and bickering stepsisters, one might stumble onto magic, but stumbling away again could become an issue. Babs Yagg, the owner of the local convenience store, has a policy of beheading shoplifters—and sometimes innocent shoppers as well. So when Vassa’s stepsister sends her out for light bulbs in the middle of night, she knows it could easily become a suicide mission.

But Vassa has a bit of luck hidden in her pocket, a gift from her dead mother. Erg is a tough-talking wooden doll with sticky fingers, a bottomless stomach, and a ferocious cunning. With Erg’s help, Vassa just might be able to break the witch’s curse and free her Brooklyn neighborhood. But Babs won’t be playing fair…

2

The cover is eye-catching online, and in person it’s even prettier. Night plays an important aspect in the book, and I love how prevalent it is on the cover. I like how the silhouette of the Brooklyn skyline and bridge manage to almost blend into the night sky if you don’t pause to take a closer look. The red is a nice pop against the black, and it’s always interesting to see how many little details can be hidden in a cover, like the swan reference.

I really wanted to like Vassa in the Night. It’s a retelling of the Russian folktale Vasilisa the Beautiful, which I hadn’t heard before, so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I love retellings, and I’d never read one based on a Russian myth. I was intrigued by the magic in Porter’s Brooklyn, but unfortunately I was disappointed by Vassa in the Night.  

My main problem with this book was that I honestly had no idea what was going on for most of it. Vassa in the Night is a weird and bizarre story, but that’s also one of its selling points. Unfortunately it might have been a read that was too out there for me. I was never able to fully grasp the story, so it felt like I was missing out on multiple important parts throughout the book. It seemed like I was running blindly in a never-ending maze and somehow barely managed to stumble upon the exit. 

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller | Book Review

 RATING: fun sassy pirate read (3.5) // AMAZON

PAGES: 320 PAGES | PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends

FORMAT: Hardcover | SOURCE: owlcrate | AGE GROUP: YOUNG ADULT

GOODREADS SUMMARY

There will be plenty of time for me to beat him soundly once I’ve gotten what I came for.

Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.

More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.

3.5 

To be perfectly honest, I’m not the biggest fan of the cover. I think it fits the book really well, but it’s not the type of cover that would make me want to grab a book off the shelf. I do love how it features Alosa and her wild red hair, and I think the title font is on point.

There aren’t that many popular YA pirate books that I’m aware of (let me know if I’m just out of the loop), and I’m not quite sure why. Daughter of the Pirate King was my first pirate-focused read, and I’m so glad it was included in an OwlCrate box because I’m not sure if I would have not picked it up otherwise. It also didn’t hurt that the author was inspired by The Pirates of the Caribbean movies, which are my actual favorite. (Captain Jack Sparrow is the best!)

Daughter of the Pirate King was such a fun read with lively likeable characters, who just so happen to be pirates conquering the seas. Levenseller does a great job creating characters that seem to jump off the pages and take a life of their own. I loved reading the banter between Alosa, our leading gal, and all the other characters.  

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco | Book Review

RATING: slow start, great world (3) // AMAZON

PAGES: 432 PAGES | PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Fire

FORMAT: ebook | SOURCE: netgalley | AGE GROUP: YOUNG ADULT

*REVIEW COPY PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

GOODREADS SUMMARY

Let me be clear: I never intended to raise my brother from his grave, though he may claim otherwise. If there’s anything I’ve learned from him in the years since, it’s that the dead hide truths as well as the living.

When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha-one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.

3

The cover is absolutely gorgeous! I love the regal purple accented with the gold designs, and I wish I had an actual physical copy of this book just to admire its cover. The skull in the middle is ominous yet not totally terrifying, which I believe complements the book. I like the little detail at the top of the book of the girl sitting on the cliff holding her knees to her chest looking up longingly at the sky. Could this girl be Tea?

Fair warning that the beginning of The Bone Witch is snail-pace slow to the point where I almost DNFed the book. It took me about a little over 30% of it to finally become interested in the plot and characters. Chupeco spends a great deal of time introducing characters and the world she has created through incredibly detailed descriptions. Due to the intensive world building there’s a lot of time spent describing every little thing, making the book move very slowly. Although I had a tough time getting into The Bone Witch, (I actually had to put it down & come back to it a few months later) I’m glad I buckled down and powered through because I found out it was well worth it! Chupeco creates an intriguing & unique world containing interesting, complex characters with plenty of surprising secrets. Once I got through the slow beginning, I flew by the second half of The Bone Witch.

One of the reasons I had trouble getting into The Bone Witch was due to the format of the book. It alternates between the POV of a bard in the present and Tea’s POV of the past, which is the main part of the story. I didn’t fully understand what was going on at first, so I was confused between the shifts of time and characters. Once I got over my confusion, I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the present between parts of Tea’s tale of the past. It made me more eager to find out what had happened. Most of the book focuses on Tea discovering her affinity for the dark while training to become an asha and the trouble & politics that come with that responsibility. In contrast, through the bard we meet an exiled and mysterious Tea with a vendetta that we don’t fully understand.

Nemesis By Anna Banks | Book Review

 RATING: Better than expected (3.5) // AMAZON

PAGES: 367 PAGES | PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends

FORMAT: ebook | SOURCE: netgalley | AGE GROUP: YOUNG ADULT

*REVIEW COPY PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

GOODREADS SUMMARY

The princess didn’t expect to fall in love–with her nemesis.

Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee from his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king’s servitude.

Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.

Sepora’s gift could save Tarik’s kingdom from the Quiet Plague. But should she trust her growing feelings for her nemesis, or should she hide her gifts at all costs?

3.5

I’m not the biggest fan of covers with faces on them, but I found this one drew me in immediately. I think it might have been the silver paint covering her whole body and the intricate tattoos. Going into Nemesis, I didn’t realize it drew from Egyptian culture, but the cover makes a lot more sense after that realization.

I loved Anna Banks’s The Syrena Legacy series. Not only was I fascinated by the mythology behind her story, but I had such a great time with her witty characters. Although I read the synopsis before I began Nemesis, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I found the beginning to be a bit slow, but I was completely engrossed into the story by the end and I cannot wait for book 2.

Nemesis follows Princess Sepora, who is the Last Forger in all 5 kingdoms. This means Sepora can create spectorium, which is used as an energy source in this world, but the existence of Forgers is guarded in secrecy. After Sepora learns of her father’s sinister plans involving her power, she runs away to the neighboring kingdom Theoria, a desert land with advanced technology. A few unfortunate incidents and a bit of luck later, Sepora finds herself sold into Theoria’s Falcon King’s harem, leading to an unexpected friendship.

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei | Book Review

 RATING: Political thriller filled with suspense (3.5) // AMAZON

PAGES: 368 PAGES | PUBLISHER: Disney hyperion

FORMAT: ebook | SOURCE: BOUGHT | AGE GROUP: YOUNG ADULT

GOODREADS SUMMARY

Eight years ago, Addie Webster was the victim of the most notorious kidnapping of the decade. Addie vanished—and her high-profile parents were forced to move on.

Mark Webster is now president of the United States, fighting to keep the Oval Office after a tumultuous first term. Then, the unthinkable happens: the president’s daughter resurfaces. Addie is brought back into her family’s fold…but who is this sixteen-year-old girl with a quiet, burning intelligence now living in the White House? There are those in the administration who find her timely return suspicious.

When a national security advisor approaches Darrow Fergusson, Addie’s childhood best friend and the son of the president’s chief of staff, he doesn’t know what to think. How could the girl he’s missed for all these years be a threat to the United States? Still, at the risk of having his own secrets exposed, Darrow agrees to spy on Addie.

He soon realizes that his old friend is much more than the traumatized victim of a political fringe group. Addie has come with a mission…but will she choose to complete it?

3.5

I bought the ebook copy of Zero Day, so I haven’t seen the cover in person. At first glance, the cover doesn’t seem to have much going on, but when I took a closer look I was surprised by the detail. The background seems to be some sort of code with random phrases, like “DON’T TELL” and “THEY’RE WATCHING,” which is super creepy and goes along perfectly with the computer hacking in this book. And I like the contrast of the American flag lettering against the dark background.

Ever since I started watching the TV show Scandal, I’ve been drawn to political thrillers, so I was beyond excited after reading the premise of Zero Day. It quickly shot up to the top of my 2016 Debut Novels list, and I found myself with a great read full of lots of unexpected twists and turns.

Addie Webster was kidnapped at a young age from her family, but she resurfaces 8 years later to find her father is the president of the United States. Around the same time, a hacker terrorist group becomes bolder with each attack. The stakes are high for all involved, and nothing is what it seems.

There are multiple POVs in Zero Day, but the main ones are Addie and Darrow. I liked Addie, and her unreliability made the book even more startling. If I couldn’t even trust the MC, then what on earth was actually going on? She seemed to be suffering from Stockholm syndrome, and it was interesting to read about Addie struggling to adjust to her new life. I also liked to use the few flashbacks we were given to attempt to piece together what was going on in her mind.

Dear Killer by Katherine Ewell | Book Review

RATING: Enjoyable Read From the POV of the Killer (3.5) // AMAZON

PAGES: 368 PAGES | PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Book

FORMAT: ebook | SOURCE: bought | AGE GROUP: YOUNG ADULT

GOODREADS SUMMARY

Rule One—Nothing is right, nothing is wrong.
Rule Two—Be careful.
Rule Three—Fight using your legs whenever possible, because they’re the strongest part of your body. Your arms are the weakest.
Rule Four—Hit to kill. The first blow should be the last, if at all possible.
Rule Five—The letters are the law.

Kit takes her role as London’s notorious “Perfect Killer” seriously. The letters and cash that come to her via a secret mailbox are not a game; choosing who to kill is not an impulse decision. Every letter she receives begins with “Dear Killer,” and every time Kit murders, she leaves a letter with the dead body. Her moral nihilism and thus her murders are a way of life—the only way of life she has ever known.

But when a letter appears in the mailbox that will have the power to topple Kit’s convictions as perfectly as she commits her murders, she must make a decision: follow the only rules she has ever known, or challenge Rule One, and go from there.

Katherine Ewell’s Dear Killer is a sinister psychological thriller that explores the thin line between good and evil, and the messiness of that inevitable moment when life contradicts everything you believe.

3.5

DISCLAIMER: This is going to be a different kind of review than usual. When I like a book I tend to gush about all the things I like and gloss over the parts that weren’t for me. This is because I’d rather spend time talking about the parts I enjoyed rather than the parts I disliked. But, when I was gathering information about Dear Killer on Goodreads, I noticed a lot of mixed reviews about the book. I understood the problems negative reviewers were having, but I disagreed with a lot of points. So, it inspired me to write my review as a response to all the haters of Dear Killer. Hope you enjoy!

If I Stay | Movie Review

 RATING: An emotional, romantic movie that will make fans of the book overload with the FEELS!

Time: 106 mins | DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Brothers Film | RATING: PG-13

Based on the novel If I Stay by Gayle Forman

IMDB SUMMARY

Mia Hall thought the hardest decision she would ever face would be whether to pursue her musical dreams at Juilliard or follow a different path to be with the love of her life, Adam. But what should have been a carefree family drive changes everything in an instant, and now her own life hangs in the balance. Caught between life and death for one revealing day, Mia has only one decision left, which will not only decide her future but her ultimate fate.

4

Movie Trailer

I always go into book-to-movie adaptations with high expectations and most of the time (not always) I’m somewhat disappointed. I know, I know, I should probably learn to lower my expectations, but I get caught up in the hype and before I know it my expectations are soaring past the roof. If I Stay was no exception and I am relieved to say they were definitely met!

If I Stay is a beautiful story and the movie portrayed it so well. Plus, the movie was unbelievably true to the book! It was a surreal experience to see so many scenes from the book come to life so wonderfully and accurately. I could NOT contain the FEELS! Fans of the book will definitely be beyond content with the movie.