Recent Reads and Mini Reviews #2

Welcome to another recent reads and mini reviews! This is my second one and I certainly enjoyed writing the first one. If you missed it, you can check it out here. For today’s post, I will be talking about two books: No Exit and Sadie.

All my thoughts are spoiler free

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Title: No Exit
Author: Taylor Adams
Genre: Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Publisher: William Morrow
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:
On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she’s forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside, are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers.

Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm . . . and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate.

Who is the child? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her?

There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, and no way out. One of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper. But which one?

Trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation, with a child’s life and her own on the line, Darby must find a way to break the girl out of the van and escape.

But who can she trust?

Whew. Okay where to start? This book is fast paced and definitely a page turner which I enjoyed. It didn’t take long to get to the plot. We meet Darby Thorne who’s driving in the worst conditions ever to see her dying mother, however because it is dangerous to drive, she stops at a rest stop. She meets a few people there and everything seems normal till she’s looking for cell signal and while passing one of the cars, she sees a little girl trapped in a dog crate. Darby is low-key freaking out and at one point even thinks she’s hallucinating till she checks again later on and sees that she isn’t.

My problem with this book were the characterizations and the plot twists. At some points I found Darby to be bland and at others I was routing for her. I’m done with the book and still don’t know how to feel about her. The other characters were also “meh.” I love books that have unreliable or unlikable characters. However, this just felt like neither of the two. I didn’t care about what was going to happen to them. The reason for the girl being kidnapped and all that was behind the plot line was disappointing and I felt like it was incomplete. I asked myself “umm that’s it?” It was just okay to me. I was expecting so much more and I thought there was room for it to be better. It’s as if the author knew what he wanted the book to be about but didn’t execute it all that great.

The writing was well done and good. I liked the narration and how quick this book was. Overall, the book was a solid 3 stars.

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Title: Sadie
Author: Courtney Summers
Genre: YA Mystery
Publisher: Macmillan
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:
Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meagre clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

This book contains trigger warnings for: sexual abuse, pedophilia, murder, blood, violence, and drug abuse.

This was my first audiobook ever!!! Well the first one to really grab my attention. I’ve tried other audiobooks years ago and couldn’t get into them at all. I found myself constantly bored. However, this one was perfection. It has a full cast. And because this book has chapters of a podcasts, it has all those elements to it which made it even better to listen too.

This book is hard-hitting and sad. We meet Sadie who’s life has never been easy but she’s always been second person to her little sister, Mattie, who is now dead. Sadie goes missing after Mattie’s death to try and avenge her death. She wants justice. When Sadie goes missing, a radio personality hears about the story and decides to go on a mission to find her and get to the bottom of the what happens. This book is told in alternating chapters of Sadie’s POV and “The Girls” Podcast.

From beginning to end this book had me at the edge of my seat. I loved all the characters involved and the way the author portrayed them each. Summers really showed how each of them experienced their own grief and how they handled it. Sadie being unstoppable and getting to the bottom of it, going through lengths.

I liked the plot, the style of the this book, all the emotions it left me with, and the themes of it as well. The realistic theme that people tend to forget about the missing girls, the dead girls, the forgotten girls. Summers didn’t shy from the theme of sexual abuse. I didn’t have to guess it, it was raw and to the point. This story although fiction, rings true. I highly recommend this 5 star read.

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That is all I have for today! Have you read these books? What are you currently reading? Have a great day xo

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Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco Non-Spoiler Review

Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper
Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

 

 

 

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Set in the late 1800s, the opening pages start with our main character Audrey Rose in a laboratory working on a cadaver. Immediately you get the feel and tone of the book, very mysterious and dark. In a society where misogyny is on a all time high, many people expect Audrey Rose to hide her love for science and all things forensic medicine which includes dead bodies, Audrey Rose has a different take.

To get away from her father’s madness and society’s rules, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory. Audrey has been helping her uncle with the corpses of this madman serial killer, theorizing and trying to figure out who it is and why are they doing this. When trying to go public with help backfires on her, she starts secretly searching for clues and the answers she is searching for will lead to something never expected.

The writing was very well done. I honestly feel that the author wrote this book in a realistic way. Yes, some parts were boring but they felt authentic and necessary. Kerri Maniscalco definitely gets into detail with the mutilation of the bodies and how they were killed, therefore please read with caution if gore isn’t your thing. Definitely do not eat and read this book at the same time. However, I actually loved that the author wrote those scenes in such detail, showing us how dark this book can get without filter.

“the dead speak to those who listen. Be quieter than even them.”

The setting and society were very on point. Maniscalco definitely does not hold back with how misogyny took place in this time, sometimes to the point where it was a burden on our main character, Audrey Rose. It also made me cringe sometimes. It sucks that this was something that was very prevalent in that day and age (we still live through it now just not as heavy), however, Maniscalco took that and made it her own. She wrote scenes that showed us how strong Audrey Rose is.

We meet a few characters throughout the book. Some of my faves including Audrey Rose, Thomas, and the Uncle Dr. Jonathan Wadsworth. All three of these are on the same hunt for the serial killer. Thomas who was pretty much Dr. Jonathan Wadsworth apprentice definitely gave me bad vibes in the beginning of the book due to his quiet sarcastic attitude. There were times when I told myself “booooyyyyyy if you do not stop right now” lol. I loved the banter between him and Audrey though! They had me giggling.

“Science never abandoned me the way religion had that night.”

I definitely grew a soft spot for Audrey’s uncle because he always meant well and definitely tested Audrey and Thomas’s limits when it came to forensic medicine. I was sad to find out that Dr. Jonathan Wadsworth and Audrey’s father, Lord Edmund Wadsworth were not in speaking terms. In actuality, Lord Edmund hated the thought of her daughter being in that laboratory for reasons the book gets into later on.  Lord Edmund’s paranoia left Audrey and her brother Nathaniel in a state of despair, not knowing what to do. Lord Edmund’ s madness is due to the death of his wife, Audrey and Nathaniel’s mother. I also enjoyed Nathaniel’s character and their sibling relationship. He was very understanding to his sister’s love for the science and curiosity but also very cautious.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read the second installment, Hunting Prince Dracula. The character development and the way things flowed was great. Now if you’re wondering as to why I gave the book 4 stars it’s because I found the book to be a bit predictable and some scenes were just boring. Other than that, I really enjoyed Stalking Jack the Ripper.

I loved the characters, the setting, and even the subtle steampunk elements. If you know me, you know I love steampunk. I am also a huge sucker for late 1800s to early 1900s London except for the misogyny of course because we don’t need that. Kerri Mansicalco definitely did a great job with transferring me to this world every time I opened the page.

And that ending??!!?? Although I predicted it, I was still shocked with how some things came about and I kept flipping the pages like nobody’s business. I would highly recommend this!

 

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have you read stalking jack the ripper? what are your thoughts? do any of you anticipate hunting prince dracula? let’s chat in the comments!

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Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel Non-Spoiler ARC Review

Title: Black Bird of the Gallows
Series: N/A
Author: Meg Kassel
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format: ARC paperback
Release Date: September 5th 2017
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.

Angie Dovage can tell there’s more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can’t imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece—and he’s not human.

What’s more, she knows something most don’t. That the secrets her town holds could kill them all. But that’s only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.

 

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*I want to thank BookCon and Entangled Teen for providing me an ARC!*

Angie Dovage is a teenager trying to live a low-key life where people forget her story and what’s happened with her mom. In small town Pennsylvania where nothing much really happens and everyone lives their day to day life, Angie Dovage is going to meet her new next door neighbor who will drastically change her life. Once her next door neighbor moves in, Reece Fernandez, something supernatural tries to attack Angie. Yet, every time Angie goes through an attack, she notices that Reece is there. Angie is dancing with a harbinger of death and when she finds out out why Reece is really there in this small town Pennsylvania, it’s either saving everyone or staying alive.

I thought the writing was okay, easy to read and understandable. Meg Kassel wrote the setting in present times so there wasn’t much world building. The author really focused on the descriptions of what was a Harbinger of Death, Beekeepers, and the crows. I found that to be a problem (in my opinion) because this is a short book of 308 pages and sometimes she would explain over a few times what these three things do rather than focus on the plot. There was a point where I put down the book and asked myself “is this book part of a series? cause if so that would make more sense as to why she’s giving us much detailed descriptions.” Goodreads didn’t give me anything so I went to her website and found that she’s working on a novella and companion novel.

Meg Kassel also wrote a lot of tropes. If you do not like instalove, then you might want to steer away from this book. There’s also the neighbor who happens to be a supernatural trope, the girl who wasn’t doing much with her life till a guy walked in trope, and many other tropes but I won’t mention it because I don’t want to spoil the book.

We get to meet a few characters throughout this book. We meet both main characters Angie and Reece. Angie Dovage lives with her father and she hasn’t had the best life. Losing a mother to drugs, her life in school isn’t the best because everyone knows of her story. Angie is focused on music and the band she’s in with her two friends, Deno and Lacey. Reece is the new mysterious attractive guy that every girl in school is swooning over. Instead of being the quiet bad boy, he instantly gets a long with everyone in school and get’s into the hockey team. We also meet Angie’s father in the story who happens to be really present in her life and I have to say that I really enjoyed that aspect.

I also have to say that these characters weren’t flushed out as I would like. I feel that I’ve read these character arcs repeatedly throughout the years. I didn’t really find them relatable and it would’ve been nice to see them grow naturally but the tropes didn’t really help with the growth because a lot of their (Angie and Reece) decisions were based off emotions.

Overall, I found this book to be very predictable. If you like LUX by Jennifer L. Armentrout and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, then I would definitely suggest you reading this book because it has ALL the same elements.

For this being a short book, I thought there was a lot more descriptions going on rather than plot. The plot really took place in the last few chapters. I know I mentioned this already but I really wish the author would’ve taken more time focusing on the plot, building the characters, and giving us just more of the world.

Angie asked a lot of questions about what the Harbinger of Deaths do and what Beekeepers are, how the Crows are involved in all of this. Yes, those are very important questions, however, Meg Kassel was explaining this way too much. And yes, it is important to the plot and what happens but there wasn’t a flow with plot and getting to know these paranormal elements. Therefore, sometimes the book felt too jumpy instead of an organic flow of things.

There were a few things that rubbed me the wrong way as well when reading this book which I can’t just let slide over without mentioning.

• There was a part in the book when the author compares Cadence (name of town) to Afghanistan. “Cadence is not Afghanistan. It’s southwestern Pennsylvania.” I thought that was very insensitive of the author to write.
• There is also a scene where Angie is drenched in water, she’s unconscious, and Reece stated that she was freezing and in shock. She wakes up and notices that her clothes is hanging on a chair and she was changed into a t-shirt which was alarming to her. She calls it to his attention, she’s asking questions about what happened, and he gets really defensive which I didn’t like at all. We get a character who’s been really nice and cool throughout the book but then when he get’s questioned on what happened while she’s unconscious, he turns into a dislikable person. “You were freezing and in shock. I had to get you warm and dry. I’m not sorry.” He also didn’t apologize which really pissed me off.
• “what are you, suicidal? leave me and go.” this type of sarcasm is a no from me.
• Reece Fernandez so happens not to be latino at all so there went my hopes and dreams of a latinx character being involved.

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that is all for this review. i would love to chat in the comments about your thoughts! if you have any questions, please feel free to ask ❤

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A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab Non-Spoiler Review

Title: A Darker Shade of Magic (Book 1)
Series: Shades of Magic
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.

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Once a upon a time, the four Londons co-existed and with it, Antari, magicians that have the ability to travel from London to London. The four Londons are Red, Grey, White, and Black. In present times, a lot of people think that Black London is a myth, a story that you tell your children to scare them. Kell who so happens to be a main character and Antari, was raised in Red London as an adopted son to the King and Queen. He serves the Red London Empire and is used to travel the different Londons per duty. Each London is different in its own way and while traveling to one particular London, Kell finds that he might have to pay for the consequences of his smuggling from London to London. With those consequences comes an adventure to get everything back to the way it’s supposed to be and throughout this back and forth of London’s, Kell meets Lila Bard in a not so pleasant way. However, she might be everything Kell needed to have everything in order. A Darker Shade of Magic is the story of how balance is really important with all four London’s and getting that balance restored.

For those who have been following my blog for a little while now, you all know that Schwab isn’t a new-to-me author. I have read The Archived, Vicious, and Monsters of Verity Duology. I am obsessed with Schwab’s writing style. Schwab has a very distinct way of writing where usually the beginning of each book is a slow build up. By build up, I mean she is building not only the world, Schwab is also letting us get to know the characters she’s created, and what the plot entails.

That is exactly what we get with A Darker Shade of Magic. Through dialogue and scenes, we are meeting the different types of London’s and obtaining their descriptions, we meet characters and where the plot may go. I thought this was perfectly executed because although it was a slow start, Schwab definitely builds everything up for the next books to come. Also, once Schwab sets her world and characters, she runs with the plot without slowing down to give us any descriptions for anything else.

I really loved the cast of characters Schwab presented to us. Even the bad ones were creepy and well done like those Diabolical Dane Twins as I call them from White London. Schwab described them so perfectly that they made me cringe in disgust. They are evil blood suckers who are obsessed with magic and will do anything to get what they want when they want. Since we’re on the topic of White London, we meet Holland who is one of the two Antari’s left. Holland definitely gave me mixed feelings but I won’t get too much into that because I feel like that would be a spoiler.

We also meet Lila Bard who I absolutely adored. Lila is from Grey London and she does anything possible to live one more day, even if it’s thieving. Lila’s character arc really struck a chord with me and her backstory touched me. Although we don’t get much of her backstory, Schwab definitely opens up to something…if you know what part I’m talking about, you know what I mean….I really cannot wait to see what happens with her in the next books to come. The banter her and Kell had throughout this magical fantastical world was hilarious. No matter how serious things were, Lila always had me in fits of giggles.

Kell was another character who definitely warmed my heart. A Darker Shade of Magic starts with him, and through him we got to see the different London’s. He is one of the two Antari left in all of the London’s. Kell with his good intentions and good heart always means well and goes beyond to please the King and Queen, plus his brother Rhy who we meet a few times throughout the book. Rhy (pronounced like the word ‘why’) is this beautiful boy who absolutely loves his brother Kell and wants the best for him. Rhy is charismatic and charming. I feel like I’m going to see a lot of growth in the next books to come because although we met him on the surface, Schwab gave us enough to make me think.

I absolutely loved this book! Schwab is an auto-buy author for me and I am sure that I will love the next two books. A Darker Shade of Magic was well built and I know this was only the foundation of what’s to come in the future two books. This world is dark and I love a good dark fantasy. The way Schwab wrote about magic was smooth and understandable to me. The plot was action packed and on point. A Darker Shade of Magic was definitely a page turner with very surprising elements. There were times that I gasped and was on the edge of my seat hoping for the best with some of these characters, except the diabolical dane twins, they can go straight to hell for all I care lol. Schwab created a world where if you do something that’s out of order, there will be consequences which won’t be a nice payout. And I have to admit that although some of the scenes were hard to read because I got attached to characters, I appreciate the raw honesty of it.

Overall, this a great book and this review was probably super vague but I didn’t want to mention too much..if you want to know about Black London, read the book (if you haven’t already lol)!

 

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thank you for stopping by! have you read this or plan on to? what are your thoughts? let’s chat in the comments!

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Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia Spoiler Free Book Review

Title: Eliza and Her Monsters
Author: Francesca Zappia
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Greenwillow – HarperCollins
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Her story is a phenomenon. Her life is a disaster.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try.

Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.

But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.

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***Trigger Warning: Suicide and Attempted Suicide

Summary/Plot

When reading the synopsis from this book, I jumped into a few theories of what to expect with his book. We meet Eliza who is a very introverted, shy, friendless teenager in real life. However online when she is LadyConstellation and even Eliza online is very open and talkative. LadyConstellation is the creator of a mega popular webcomic Monstrous Sea, it is so popular that even publishing companies have sought out to obtain it. Eliza has turned it down so many times because she loves the platform of her comic just the way it is.

Eliza’s world is about to change when Wallace Warland transfers to her school and come to find out that he isn’t just a regular fan but a huge fanfiction writer. Everything takes place in slow motion but he eventually helps her get out in the world more. He doesn’t know that she’s LadyConstellation. And things are about to take a huge hit when the secret is out. Not only does this effect Eliza and her mental health but it also affects the world she’s created online, her family, and her relationship with Wallace.

Writing

This is my first Francesca Zappia novel. I actually have been wanting to read Made You Up for so long but I didn’t correlate the two as the same author so I was ecstatic to see she had written this one as well. I loved the writing!! Especially the insert pages of the graphic novel and illustrations. I think for this being a YA book, it was realistic. Francesca wrote some dialogue via instant messenger which I loved. The dialogue between the characters were great and her details were super amazing as well. I appreciate the author writing about mental health and really giving us the readers a lesson per-say through a character at the end of the book.

Characters

I feel like each character in the book played such an important role in Eliza’s life and what was going to happen next. I spoke enough about Eliza but I have to say that she is definitely going through it with her mental health. This is something that the author doesn’t explicitly talk about throughout a lot of the book because it’s not something the character knows about. However, through Eliza’s interactions with her family, people, and just her thought process, you get a feel that there is something deeper. Living a life online one way vs. how her life is in the flesh, and her parents not really knowing much to then the pressures of high school can be hard on a teenager. I know that at least for me, I found Eliza’s character relatable.

We meet Wallace Warland and I thought he was the most adorable soft boy. Once he is presented in the book, I wanted to know him more. His character arc was really well done and when I got to know him on a deeper level, I cried. No lie, I really cried because here is this character who has been through a lot and he’s just taking everything one step at a time.

Eliza’s family; her parents and siblings. Let me tell you something!! I absolutely loved this family because in my opinion, we don’t see much family dynamic. Yet, here you have in Eliza and Her Monsters, parents that are all up on Eliza, super worried about their child and not knowing what to do with her. Which I thought was realistic because a lot of parents don’t know what to do with their first-born, especially during teenage years. We’re like the guinea pigs. You can tell that Eliza’s parents just want the best for her and are trying to steer her in the “right” direction but they don’t really understand her direction. I loved the brothers, their relationship was so great to see and the sibling relationship had amazing representation.

We do get to see other minor characters but I won’t really get into that because if not then I’ll definitely be spoiling the whole book lol.

Thoughts

I am going to keep this really short since I pretty much scattered my thoughts throughout the review in the previous sections. I absolutely loved this book and thought it represented mental health, family dynamic’s/relationship, friendships, and internal battles in a great way. The author definitely takes us through the highs and lows, I had found myself at times just really hoping for the best. Francesca Zappia wrote an amazing novel filled with reality and honesty in a form that everyone can read and still feel warm and happy at the end of it. I would LOVE if the author made Monstrous Sea into an actual graphic novel because everything about it was great. I feel like it would really go far. Overall, I would highly recommend this book.

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and that is the end of the review! have you read this book? or plan on to? what are your thoughts? i would love to chat in the comments!

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The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julia Ember Spoiler Free Book Review

Title: The Seafarer’s Kiss
Author: Julia Ember
Genre: YA Fantasy, Retelling, LGBTQ+(Bi)
Publisher: Duet Books
Format: Paperwork
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Having long-wondered what lives beyond the ice shelf, nineteen-year-old mermaid Ersel learns of the life she wants when she rescues and befriends Ragna, a shield-maiden stranded on the mermen’s glacier. But when Ersel’s childhood friend and suitor catches them together, he gives Ersel a choice: say goodbye to Ragna or face justice at the hands of the glacier’s brutal king.

Determined to forge a different fate, Ersel seeks help from Loki. But such deals are never as one expects, and the outcome sees her exiled from the only home and protection she’s known. To save herself from perishing in the barren, underwater wasteland and be reunited with the human she’s come to love, Ersel must try to outsmart the God of Lies.

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Finally!!! A mermaid book that’s definitely worth the read! After reading many amazing reviews, I had very high expectations and was not the least disappointed.

This book is only 212 pages, therefore this review will be short. The Seafarer’s Kiss was a wonderful read filled with action and self-acceptance. We meet Ersel right on the first page with her fondness of human goods that lay deep in the ocean. She collects these things in secret and holds them dear to her heart. I have read that this is The Little Mermaid retelling and although it holds true in some aspects, I loved The Seafarer’s Kiss for it’s own beauty of the characters and world. I also loved how Norse Gods (trickster Loki) and pirates were incorporated within this book and again, although short, the book was definitely to the point.

Ersel is trying to get away from a fertility grading that happens every year and when escaping, she meets Ragna the shield-maiden who so happens to be human. Ragna who was left to fend for herself now has Ersel’s help, to save not only herself but something else. However, when Ersel’s long time best friend sees Ragna and Ersel together, things start to unfold. When these things unfold, that’s where the trickster God, Loki, comes into play and you will be left on the edge of your seat for the rest of the book.

My only tad bit of a problem with this beautiful book was that I wish it was longer and extended some of the scenes more. I loved how each and every character played an important role in Ersel’s life. And not only was this an f/f retelling but it was also about personal growth. Julia Ember delivered an important message throughout the book and was inclusive with sexuality, gender, and body. Now, the reason why I am being so vague here is because I feel like the synopsis tells a lot of the story and the events.

I feel like this book can be a series for sure!

Credit for this aesthetic goes to author, click here.

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have you read this book or plan on it?
let’s talk in the comments!

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Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

Mini Non Spoiler Review: We Are Okay by Nina Lacour

Title: We Are Okay
Author: Nina Lacour
Genre: YA Contemporary, LGBTQ+
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

You go through life thinking there’s so much you need…

Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.

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I usually separate my reviews with summary/plot, writing, characters, and thoughts. However, this book is really short and I feel like I would give everything away by going into detail.

This is my first Nina Lacour book and I have to say that I now want to read everything by this author. Her writing is phenomenal. But!!!! I have to slow down on my book buying and read the ones I have on my shelf first lol. So maybe by Fall, I’ll buy her other books.

We Are Okay is very melancholic. The tone is set from the very first page till the last page. I had tears in my eyes! This story is about a girl, Marin, who one day leaves everything from her old life behind. Till her best friend from her old life, Mabel, comes to visit. And Mabel isn’t coming over to just check on her but also to confront her (not in a bad way at all).

This book is told in alternating chapters of present and past time. The setting also takes a big role with the tone. Winter snowstorm in a big university campus that Marin happens to be alone because everyone is on Christmas/New Year vacation (present chapters). Summer with Marin who is a completely different person, happier (past chapters). With each page turned, I was filled with more questions of what had happened to Marin. Why did she up and leave? Slowly but surely everything started clicking and making sense.

This story is about loss, tragedy, and grief. About the hard parts in life that shape you. About how sometimes you end up abandoning yourself when something bad happens to you. I loved how raw this book is. And the profound message Nina Lacour had hidden within the conversations of Marin and Mabel. That’s what made this book an instant fave. I’ve said this a million times before but I love when books make you think.

This book is not entirely plot driven but more character driven. I also loved how we have queer characters and WoC but it wasn’t used as plot device, it wasn’t even spoken about. The story is an everyday story and I appreciate that so much. As a WoC and part of the LGTBQ+ spectrum, THANK YOU NINA!!

I loved both Marin and Mabel oh so much. Best friends since young and the relationship they have with one another is so beautiful, raw, and honest. We also get to meet Mabel’s parents and they’re amazing as well. I love how Mabel’s parents were very active in their daughters life whereas in other YA novels, I feel like we don’t see that too often.

This is a simple, gorgeous, sad read but I would highly recommend it to everyone.

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have you read this? thoughts? let’s chat in the comments!

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Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

It Starts Like This by Shelby Leigh Spoiler Free Book Review

Title: It Starts Like This
Author: Shelby Leigh
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

After writing a poem a day for a year, Shelby Leigh decided to take her favorite works from the challenge and create her debut poetry collection. Beginning with heartbreak and loss and ending with closure and hope, It Starts Like This is the narrative of a girl learning to overcome and appreciate all aspects of life. This collection takes you on a journey through love, loss, grieving, and healing and will resonate with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

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This is Shelby Leigh’s debut collection of poems. She started off by posting a poem every day in 2015. This collection has all her favorite poems.

I really liked this collection, Shelby has a mix of long poems and short poems too. So we see her craft in different types of poems. Since this is a collection we see different emotions conveyed through each poem. In some poems she talks about love, loss, healing, and hurt.

I feel like a lot of people can relate to this collection if they ever experienced someone hurting them.

Definitely a strong debut for the author, I would love to read more by her.

Some of my favorite poems:

Swearing

I swear
with every kiss
you leave words on my tongue
and every time you break away
I breathe a poem
into my lungs

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Battle Scars

I can create a painting
from the freckles on your cheeks
or a song from your soft breaths on my neck
I can trace the scars on your thighs
with our legs intertwined
a mark of triumph not of failure
a memory of a war you fought with yourself
and won

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Full Moon

today I noticed I am a lot
like the moon
ignored and unexplored when
I am barely there
just a sliver in the darkness

but when I am at my best
full and vibrant
that is when I am noticed
that is when the wolves howl
to feel alive

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And that is it for this review! I would love to know what you think! Let’s chat in the comments =)

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Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

The Chaos of Longing by K.Y. Robinson Spoiler Free Book Review

Title: The Chaos of Longing
Author: K.Y. Robinson
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The Chaos of Longing is a prose and poetry collection draped in raw honesty, ache, and eroticism. The collection explores trauma, love, heartbreak, and the realizations from it all. 

The book is divided into four sections. “Inception” briefly examines formative years and its effects on how one loves. “Longing” reflects on love and sexuality. “Chaos” explores toxic relationships, unrequited love, and heartache. After chaos, there is order with self-love and healing poems in “epiphany”.

Some content may be triggering.

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You can’t hear me but I’m screaming because YOU ALL NEED TO PURCHASE THIS COLLECTION OF POEMS!!! So so so good!! So freaking amazing and inspiring and just reading her poetry and knowing what she has been through, the way she writes is fantastic.

K.Y. Robinson has divided her poems into sections titled Inception, Longing, Chaos, and Epiphany. And it’s told almost like a story where she talks about her trauma as a child, how loving another was effected because of that trauma. She also talks about heartbreak, toxicity, healing, and self love.

The author takes us through her growing experience with these poems. I literally cried with some of these and after reading her first two poems, I was sucked in and knew I was going to relate in such a deep way. After reading the poems, I saw how closely related it is to my own poetry book.

I felt relieved in a way to know that my experiences weren’t just my own and that someone else had related to them in her own way.

K.Y. Robinson is a WoC (women of color) and she even mentions her roots in some of the poems which was so raw and excuse me but so fucking beautiful. It was empowering and I feel like we need more of that in the book community, in poetry, in all aspects of life. Women speaking of their roots. She talks about herself unapologetically and I applaud her for that.

Yes, some of these poems are sad and full of so much deep emotion. However, there’s a message and there’s positivity in the end.

Some of my favorite poems:

blood

i’m half jerk chicken
and collard greens
suffocating
in this nightmare
called the american dream.

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faada

he only said
he loved me
when i was being
reprimanded.
that’s when i learned
i had to tempt chaos
to feel loved.

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self-love

if you eat men
and still feel
like you’re starving,
you’re craving something
that they cannot give.

don’t expect men
to fill vessels
that were gifted
to you to overflow.

darling,
find passion
and self-worth within
instead of
locking them
inside of men
who like swallowing keys
so they can keep you
all to themselves.

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And that is it for this review! I would love to know your thoughts, let’s chat in the comments =)

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Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)