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I think I will go mad with the wildness: Reviewing Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
When you’ve been set up to lose everything, what is there left to fight for?: Reviewing Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Hello everyone! Holy cow! I’m so excited to review this book. I swear I will get to my other books but I had to drop everything for this one! For those of you who don’t know, I have been a longtime Hunger Games fan. I was obsessed with the books in middle school and high school. My first ever midnight movie premiere was the first Hunger Games movie. Needless to say, I was so excited when Suzanne Collins announced that she was going to write another book about Haymitch’s Games. Anyways, I’m going to stop yapping and get to reviewing. Let’s talk about Sunrise on the Reaping.
Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Harm Towards Children, Animal Death, Substance Abuse
It’s the morning of the Reaping for the 50th Hunger Games. This game is a Quarter Quell, which means four tributes will be chosen from each District. It is also Haymitch Abernathy’s sixteenth birthday. He tries to push aside his fears by focusing on what he loves the most: his family and his girl, Lenore Dove. His fears are realized when his name is called during the Reaping. He and three other tributes are ripped from their beloved homes and forced to be the Capitol’s entertainment. Along the way, Haymitch meets other people who want to bring an end to the Hunger Games and he takes a chance on these secretive rebels. Once he’s in the arena, though, all bets are off and Haymitch what’s worth fighting for.
Suzanne Collins has done it again. She has delivered her most poignant, heartbreaking, and remarkable entry to her franchise yet. Before I even begin talking about this, I urge all of you to read the quotes that Collins included at the beginning of the book. Everything about Sunrise on the Reaping is so deliberate and topical. I love the themes of this book. On top of that, we also get some really interesting bits of lore that all Hunger Games fans have been dying to know. Haymitch is a great main character as his personality shines with equal parts charm and reliability. This book, though… This book is brutal. No punches are pulled before, during, or after the Games. I had to set this one aside a few times just to process what had happened. I was in genuine shock, but that was the best part. If this book doesn’t make you uncomfortable, then you aren’t truly reading this book. I could write a twenty-five to thirty-page essay on this book, but I will refrain from doing so. I will leave you with this: go pick it up immediately because it needs to be experienced, especially in the current political climate.
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyThere’s only so much searching you can do: Reviewing Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin, Translated by Megan McDowell
Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I guess I don’t have much to say before getting into this review. I’ve been branching out into some lit fic books. If you have any suggestions for me, feel free to leave them in the comments. Many of the books I read are recommendations, and I’m always looking for more. Now, let’s talk about Fever Dream.
Content Warning: Grief and Mourning, Animal Death
Something is happening to Amanda. She thinks she’s dying. As she struggles in a rural hospital clinic, she talks with a young boy named David. David is not her son, and Amanda is not his mother, but the two share an inexplicable bond. As Amanda spirals, she must confront her guilt and figure out what happened to her.
Fever Dream certainly lives up to its name. This book is one continuous narrative that plunges you headlong into the mind of a woman struggling with a mysterious illness and never-ending guilt. I was double-guessing myself throughout this novel, and that is what made it so impactful. It is part psychological thriller, part horror novel, and part contemplative narrative about grief. With all of this being said, this style of narrative might not resonate with everyone. It is tricky to read a book that has no real breaks. I can see this being a good book to get you out of a reading slump or if you want something you can read in a day. Fever Dream is a narrative unlike any other and is a standout in its genre.
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyI long for the day when I awake and live from dawn to sleep without one moment of fear: Reviewing The Fury of the Gods (Book 3 of the Bloodsworn Trilogy) by John Gwynne
Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Before you read this review, I highly recommend you check out my reviews for the first two books in this trilogy, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I have a couple of other fantasy books on my TBR pile, so stick around for those. I want to thank you all for your continued support. Now, let’s talk about The Fury of the Gods.
Content Warning: Intense Violence and Gore, Intense Battle Scenes, Graphic Depictions of Injuries
The war between the gods has finally begun. Blood will be shed, and the world will change forever. The Bloodsworn, which includes Orka and Varg, must face off against a dragon. Elvar struggles with her newfound authority as she tries to unite her people and negotiate with the wolf god. Biorr and his warband head north, leaving a trail of blood in their wake. Gudvarr goes on a dangerous mission to gain the favor of Lil-Rifa, the dragon goddess. All of their paths will intertwine and lead to the bloodiest battle ever known to man and god.
Out of the entire trilogy, this book is the most fast-paced and action-packed. John Gwynne is great at writing battles, but there is a balance between the action and the resolution of the story. There were several times I exclaimed aloud in my bedroom because of the shocking things that happened in this book. I didn’t want to put this book down for the last third of it. Not a single character was safe at a certain point, and it stressed me out, so I took points from this book because it made me upset at one point but added points for the satisfying resolutions. This book also reminded me of a video game with all of the action scenes and the way the dialogue was written. I also mean that as a compliment. Overall, The Bloodsworn Trilogy was such a fun and action-packed series with plenty of great fantasy elements and cool mythology references. I cannot recommend this trilogy enough to all of you. Go start reading it if you haven’t yet.
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyNo one, it seemed, was too small to turn the tide: Reviewing The Bone Shard Daughter (Book 1 of the Drowning Empire Trilogy)
Hi everyone! I am back sooner than I thought and have yet another fantasy book review for you all. I am on a bit of a fantasy kick right now so expect more fantasy novels sooner than later. Before I begin this review, I just want to say thank you all for your continued support. I genuinely appreciate you taking time out of your day to read my reviews. Now, with that out of the way, let’s talk about The Bone Shard Daughter.
Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Disturbing Imagery
For decades, the Emperor has ruled with an iron fist over the Phoenix Empire. He mastered bone shard magic and used that to create constructs, animalistic beings who exercise power and terrorize the people. Lin, the Emperor’s daughter, is determined to uncover her father’s secrets and dismantle his reign. She does so by learning to master bone shard magic. To destroy her father, Lin will come face to face with a secret that will change her life forever. But it is the price she must pay to prove her worth.
I was initially on the fence about whether or not I liked this novel. The world-building is interesting and I liked how unique the magic system was. Though I only mention one character in my plot summary, there are two other characters who we follow throughout the book. It wasn’t until the last 100 or so pages that I was sold on this book. I was rather impressed with the plot twists and love when a fantasy novel builds up to a war. Because of that, I am going to recommend this book and I will definitely make it a point to read the rest of the series.
Our belief is often the strongest when it should be the weakest. That is the nature of hope: Reviewing The Final Empire (Book 1 of the Mistborn Saga) by Brandon Sanderson
Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well and staying warm. I have indeed started another Brandon Sanderson series. I am hooked, for better or for worse. If you are interested in my other reviews, you can check out my reviews of the Stormlight Archives. I am working through Wind and Truth so sit tight for that one. I already have lots of thought and haven’t made that much progress. Anyway, let’s talk about Mistborn in the meantime.
Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Discussions and Depictions of Sexual Assault
The world has been covered in ash and mist since the Lord Ruler took over. Under his rule, the nobility take what they want and leave the poor dead in their wake. There is, however, still hope. A charismatic and mysterious man named Kelsier has a plan to bring down the Lord Ruler once and for all. To do that, he must recruit an unusual team of talented people. From this group emerges an unlikely hero: an amateur thief named Vin. Under Kelsier’s guidance, Vin learns to embrace her powers. With everything at stake, Kelsier and his team must return hope to the world and start an uprising the likes of which have never seen before.
I almost gave this book five stars but took off points because it made me sad. I am so genuinely fascinated by how complex and wonderful Sanderson’s various worlds are. One thing Sanderson is great at is handling an ensemble of characters and not wasting anyone’s potential. I am truly obsessed with how this book comes out swinging with plenty of action, magic, romance, and tragedy all packed into 534 pages. I bought the second book before I even finished the first book. If that isn’t a testament to Brandon Sanderson’s writing then I don’t know what is. Drop what you’re doing. Pick up a Sanderson book, any Sanderson book. Trust me on this.
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyDon’t look back. Don’t ever look back: Reviewing Near the Bone by Christina Henry
Hi everyone! I am back much sooner than I thought I would be. I have a couple of shorter books that I want to finish before I tackle my longer ones. I also wanted to read this book while it was still cold out. It has been snowing like crazy where I live. If it’s the same for you then I hope you are staying warm. If you want, you can check out my reviews for the other Christina Henry books I have read. Now, let’s talk about Near the Bone.
Content Warning: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assualt, Infant Loss/Miscarriages, Animal Death, Gore, Discussions and Depictions of Grooming
Mattie lives an isolated life with her abusive husband, William. She lives in fear of the violence he inflicts upon her and does her best to avoid angering him. Their isolated lives are disrupted by the presence of a strange creature that is on the hunt. William sets out to kill this creature, but he is not the only one looking for this mysterious monster. A group of strangers claiming to be cryptozoologists appear on the mountaintop. Mattie realizes that she might have a chance to escape. To do that, she will need to face two monsters.
Near the Bone was a solid horror novel with plenty of intrigue and gore. This book made my stomach churn for more than one reason. Between the scenes depicting abuse and gory monster kills, there are plenty of scares in this book. With that being said, it is a little on the predictable side but that didn’t detract from the overall impact of the novel. I am always down for a story where the main character finds their inner strength and breaks free from unfortunate circumstances. Near the Bone delivers plenty of chills and thrills. If you like horror in an isolated setting or a monster-centric horror novel, then this is the book for you.
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyWho said true love is a myth?: Reviewing Psyche and Eros by Luna McNamara
Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I love feeling motivated to read again. Thank you all for continuing to support my blog and reading all of my posts. I can’t tell you all how grateful I am for your continued support. I just felt like being sappy there for a moment. Now, without further ado, let’s talk about Psyche and Eros.
Content Warning: Some violence, Some strong language
Psyche, the princess of Mycenae and granddaughter of the legendary Perseus, was given a prophecy at birth. The Oracle told her that she would become a legendary hero by conquering a monster that even the gods feared. She spent her childhood training to fulfill her destiny. Tales of her beauty and skill reached the goddess of love, Aphrodite, who grew jealous of the princess. She decided to send her adopted son, Eros, to place a curse upon the young woman. Eros, though, accidentally cursed himself and fell hopelessly in love with Psyche. Psyche and Eros must fight against the odds to be together as fate threatens to tear them apart once and for all.
Luna McNamara offers a fun take on a classic myth. I loved the individual perspectives of Psyche and Eros as characters. McNamara makes the world of the book feel immersive with many careful details that flesh out all of the characters. My favorite aspect of this book, though, was the romance. At my heart, I am a romantic and this satisfied my need for a heart-warming love story that wasn’t too cheesy or unrealistic. It was overall a sweet and fun read with plenty of adventure. I am going to give this a solid recommendation.
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyWe accomplish great things by reaching toward who we could become: Reviewing Rhythm of War (Book 4 of the Stormlight Archives) by Brandon Sanderson
Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well and staying warm during this winter snap. I don’t want to ramble on for too long because I am so excited to talk about this book. Go ahead and check out my review for the first three books in this series. I also started Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy so I will be reviewing that soon. I just love fantasy books. With that being said, let’s talk about Rhythm of War.
Content Warning: Intense Battle Sequences, Discussions and Depictions of Depression, Character Death
The war of gods has started. Secrets will come to light and lives will be changed forever. Shallan Davar decides that she must finally face her past, but discovers a much more difficult task at hand. Kaladin Stormblessed struggles with the darkness in his mind as it eats away from him. Venli must decide where her loyalties lie. Navani Kholin finds herself on the brink of a discovery that could change the world forever, for gods and man alike. No one is ready for what the future holds.
Every single book in this series has been an absolute delight. I don’t like to be hyperbolic in my reviews so when I say something is wonderful, I say it with my whole chest. What I really appreciated about this particular entry in this series is its depiction of struggles with mental illness and feeling as though you are unworthy. It was as honest as it was heartfelt. I love how Sanderson allows the characters to be relatable, regardless of their powers. It makes the story feel more grounded. It is also a testament to Sanderson’s incredible attention to detail. I was genuinely touched at certain points in the book. On the flip side, the battle scenes were incredible and I am so excited to read the next book. Please read this series. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
We look toward the unknown future…: Reviewing Star Wars: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. It has been a bit since I reviewed a Star Wars book. This also isn’t the first Star Wars book I have reviewed by Claudia Gray. If you want, you can check out my review of Master and Apprentice. It is time once again to go to a galaxy far, far away and talk about Lost Stars.
Content Warning: Intense Battle Scenes, Some Violence, Some Descriptions of Injuries, Mild Sexual Content
It has been eight years since the Old Republic fell and the Galactic Empire rules in its place. Very few leaders are willing to speak against the tyrannical rule of Palpatine, and those who do pay the price. On a small planet, childhood friends Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree dream of serving as pilots for the Imperial Army. Together, they train to reach their dreams. As time passes, they find themselves going down different paths. Thane sees the cruelty of the Empire and wants to fight back. Ciena is determined to hold the oaths that she swore to protect her fellow Imperial officers. With war on the horizon, Ciena and Thane must decide where their loyalties lie.
For Star Wars fans out there, this book is set during the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. If you’re interested in that, then stick around for the rest of this review. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, but I found Claudia Gray’s original characters to be compelling and I liked the perspective of this book. If I were to describe this book, it would be Romeo and Juliet but with cool space battles. I really wasn’t expecting to like a Star Wars book centered mostly on a romance but I was proven wrong. Even though the events of the book play out as they do in the movie, I was still on edge because I had no idea if any of these characters were going to live or not. Claudia Gray does an excellent job writing the intense space battle scenes, which were honestly one of the highlights of this book. Overall, this is definitely another win for Star Wars books so go ahead and check it out.
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Book Reviews for Bookish People 