Categotry Archives: Reviews
The Witch Hunter
Juvenile Fiction
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
2015-06-02
368
The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut. Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear. Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake. Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him. But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate. Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.
Review:
I became so absorbed in “The Witch Hunter” that my cat began taking it as a sign that I was going to forget to feed or pet him and began knocking books off of shelves every time I picked up my iPad to read it. It’s an excellent start to a new young adult fantasy series, and I don’t know how I’m going to wait for the next.
I loved the mix of fantasy and history, and the world-building is fantastic. In fact, it reminded me of my favorite roleplaying video game ever, “Darklands.” Granted, if you are a young whippersnapper unfamiliar with games using DOS, you’ve probably never heard of it, but trust me when I say it is an excellent game and any book that is reminiscent of it is a winner. Superstitions, alchemy, spells, witches, wizards, strange creatures, ghosts, corrupt government, and plagues abound. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?
The characters are multi-faceted, with flaws that will drive you crazy one minute and endearing traits that have you loving them the next. Elizabeth had me screaming in frustration and wanting to strangle her, but I understand the reasons why she acted the way she did. The author does a wonderful job of revealing personalities at a pace that fits the story. The plot also includes a mystery which gives you plenty of hints to solve it, so the resolution does not come out of nowhere, but is vague enough to leave you guessing until the end. I love it when I’m stumped but can look back and see the clues were there all along.
I recommend “The Witch Hunter” to anyone ages 13 and up who enjoy fantasy novels with a historical twist. It’s gruesome at points, with references to sex and rape, but the latter two things are not graphic. In fact, parents who read it with their younger children may find it a good starting point for a discussion on what constitutes consent. The only thing that made me give four stars instead of five is that a few tropes that are employed a little too often were used, but that in no way ruins what is an otherwise excellent book. Highly recommended.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
Mild Language, Sexual Content, Violence, Some Gore, Rape References
Delicate Monsters
Delicate Monsters
St. Martin's Griffin
June 9, 2015
Hardcover
240
When nearly killing a classmate gets seventeen-year-old Sadie Su kicked out of her third boarding school in four years, she returns to her family's California vineyard estate. Here, she's meant to stay out of trouble. Here, she's meant to do a lot of things. But it's hard. She's bored. And when Sadie's bored, the only thing she likes is trouble.
Emerson Tate's a poor boy living in a rich town, with his widowed mother and strange, haunted little brother. All he wants his senior year is to play basketball and make something happen with the girl of his dreams. That's why Emerson's not happy Sadie's back. An old childhood friend, she knows his worst secrets. The things he longs to forget. The things she won't ever let him.
Haunted is a good word for fifteen-year-old Miles Tate. Miles can see the future, after all. And he knows his vision of tragic violence at his school will come true, because his visions always do. That's what he tells the new girl in town. The one who listens to him. The one who recognizes the darkness in his past.
But can Miles stop the violence? Or has the future already been written? Maybe tragedy is his destiny. Maybe it's all of theirs.
Delicate Monsters is Stephanie Kuehn at her finest.
Review:
Let me begin by saying that I have absolutely no problem with reading dark and twisted things, nor do I condone censorship. Please keep that in mind as you read my review of “Delicate Monsters”.
I would have given “Delicate Monsters” one star, as opposed to two, had it not been a story with potential. It didn’t live up to it, but I reserve the ones that are a mess from the start.
The book’s downfall is the misleading description. Yes, everything in the description is accurate, but considering the graphic content that involves everything from animal abuse to necrophilia, it does seem like there should be a bit more warning in the summary. It’s like if you bought a ticket to see the old “Poltergeist” and ended up seeing a marathon of all of the “Saw” films.
Additionally, it seems grossly miscategorized as young adult, and I can already imagine the shock of librarians working with a limited budget ordering “Delicate Monster” based on the description, publisher, and author popularity only to end up with some severely traumatized readers. With the rampant underfunding of libraries these days, librarians have to make difficult decisions that often lead to ordering books that appeal to the widest audience possible, and I do not think they will find it here.
In terms of the book itself, the characters are not meant to be likable, but the way they are written leaves them flat. While what is going on and how it will end is evident early in the book, the plot could have delivered a much more exciting journey than it did. Somehow a book about a sociopath and a psychopath was boring. Those subjects are typically fascinating. It was unsettling that their actions didn’t resonate within the story (only in the disgust of the reader), because it almost felt like the author had no opinion one way or the other as to the morality of their actions. I’m going to assume that is not the case, as Stephanie Kuehn seems like a lovely person.
I cannot recommend “Delicate Monsters” to anyone, regardless of age. It was gratuitously graphic with a misleading summary, apathetic characters, and a lackluster plot.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
Language, Graphic Sexual Situations, Heavy Violence, Animal Abuse, Animal Death, Necrophilia
The Wolf Who Ate the Sky
Juvenile Fiction
Heyday Books
2015-03
32
A very hungry wolf eats the sky, plunging the whole world into darkness, but a brave boy and a menagerie of animals are determined to bring back the light. Includes author's note on how the story was developed with her three-year-old daughter, Anna, then illustrated by Anna's grandfather.
Review:
Three generations of a family created “The Wolf Who Ate the Sky”, and what a wonderful creation it is! The story is engaging and the illustrations are absolutely amazing. Little ones will be asking to read it again and again, and those of all ages will enjoy the beauty. Highly recommended!
This review is based upon a copy won through the Goodreads First Reads program.
Content Warning:
None
I’m Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves
I'm Special: And Other Lies We Tell Ourselves
Simon and Schuster
June 2, 2015
Paperback
208
This hilarious part-memoir, part-manifesto reveals what sets apart the latest generation of young people coming of age in an all-wired, overeducated, and underemployed world.
People are obsessed with Ryan O’Connell’s blogs. With tens of thousands reading his pieces on Thought Catalog and Vice, watching his videos on YouTube, and hanging on to each and every #dark tweet, Ryan has established himself as a unique young voice who’s not afraid to dole out some real talk. He’s that candid, snarky friend you consult when you fear you’re spending too much time falling down virtual k-holes stalking your ex on Facebook or when you’ve made the all-too-common mistake of befriending a psycho while wasted at last night’s party and need to find a way to get rid of them the next morning. But Ryan didn’t always have the answers to these modern day dilemmas. Growing up gay and disabled with cerebral palsy, he constantly felt like he was one step behind everybody else. Then the rude curveball known as your twenties happened and things got even more confusing.
Ryan spent years as a Millennial cliché: he had dead-end internships; dabbled in unemployment; worked in his pajamas as a blogger; communicated mostly via text; looked for love online; spent hundreds on “necessary” items, like candles, while claiming to have no money; and even descended into aimless pill-popping. But through extensive trial and error, Ryan eventually figured out how to take his life from bleak to chic and began limping towards adulthood.
Sharp and entertaining, I’m Special will educate twentysomethings (or other adolescents-at-heart) on what NOT to do if they ever want to become happy fully functioning grown ups with a 401k and a dog.
Review:
I am not sure how the work of Ryan O’Connell has not come across my screen before, but if any articles he has written are half as good as “I’m Special”, then I need to read them all. The book is not only hilarious, but also true, and explains so much about the millennial generation.
Mr. O’Connell is a very self-aware individual, which makes him the perfect writer to put a voice to the millennial generation, because self-awareness is not always a trait widely attributed to them/us. I’m a generation straddler, so half of it seemed to apply to myself or my parents, and the other half seemed to apply to every friend and relative I have who is younger. During some of the stories I was actually saying out loud, “That’s me! I do that all the time!” It should probably be embarrassing that I had that reaction, because every time it was because of something weird, quirky, and/or off-putting, but it is what it is. He makes it feel ok to be the way we are.
“I’m Special” has quite a bit of rather adult content, so if that bothers you it is probably not a good fit. Otherwise, as long as you aren’t afraid to laugh at yourself (because you will identify with someone in the book), I recommend it to anyone looking to be entertained while also being made to think about their life choices.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
As this is an adult book, there is no content warning.
Ask the Past: Pertinent and Impertinent Advice From Yesteryear
Humor
Hachette Books
2015-05-05
304
Want to know how to garden with lobsters? How to sober up? Grow a beard? Or simply how to make a perfect omelet? Look no further. Rather, look backward. Based on the popular blog, Ask the Past is full of the wisdom of the ages--as well as the fad diets, zany pickup lines, and bacon Band-Aids of the ages. Drawn from centuries of antique texts by historian and bibliophile Elizabeth P. Archibald, Ask the Past offers a delightful array of advice both wise and weird. Whether it's eighteenth-century bedbug advice (sprinkle bed with gunpowder and let smolder), budget fashion tips of the Middle Ages (save on the clothes, splurge on the purse) or a sixteenth-century primer on seduction (hint: do no pass gas), Ask the Past is a wildly entertaining guide to life from the people who lived it first.
Review:
Historian Elizabeth P. Archibald does a wonderful job in “Ask the Past” of showing that history can be fun and entertaining. Her collection of some of the best/worst excerpts from antique etiquette and advice books and pamphlets, along with accompanying illustrations, had me laughing so hard that I could not breathe. Her snarky “translations” at the end of each excerpt doubled the entertainment value.
Aside from being entertaining, her introduction breaks down her research methods in a way that will help novice historians learn how to take tiny bits of information and use it to get an overall picture of the society of the time.
Also, I would like to note that I am forever grateful to the person who established that it is not appropriate to attack someone who is defecating. Where would we be as a society if that was still an acceptable practice?
“Ask the Past” is the perfect gift for anyone old enough for fart and sex jokes made classier through Old English.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
As this is an adult book, there is no content warning.
Ricochet: Riding a Wave of Hope with the Dog Who Inspires Millions
Pets
HCI
2015-05-05
312
Ride the wave of hope with Ricochet – the only SURFice dogTM in the world who chose her own purpose! She surfs with children with special needs, people with disabilities, wounded warriors, and veterans with PTSD as an assistive aid and intuitive muse, healing hearts and souls on every wave. This tears-to-triumph story takes readers behind the TV and video sensation and shares the true journey that went from promise to disappointment before ultimately finding life's purpose. The gorgeous golden retriever Ricochet seemed destined to be a service dog from the moment she was born. She approached her training with boundless energy and surpassed every other dog in her Puppy Prodigy training class. Unfortunately, her love for chasing birds could prove dangerous, for those she would assist. Fifteen months into her training, Ricochet was released, leaving a frustrated owner and a dog without a direction. Yet through a twist of fate, Judy realized that flunking out of school wasn't the end of the world—and in fact, could be the beginning of a new one. Once Judy learned to let go and let Ricochet be who she really was, they found her true calling as a SURFice dog. Ricochet's story is one of synchronicity, our interconnectedness, and opening ourselves to life's 'paws'ibilities. Embracing her true calling, Ricochet began to help others, including those with traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress, and physical disabilities, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes and inspiring people to believe in themselves. Ricochet does more than steady the board: she offers hope, comfort, healing, and a reason to keep fighting. What gives this story such extraordinary potential to become a publishing sensation? Ricochet is the only SURFice dog in the world, there is no other story quite like it!
Review:
Knowing of Ricochet and a bit of her story thanks to YouTube, I was very happy to receive a copy of “Ricochet” to review. I’m having trouble even typing this review without getting emotional. Don’t worry, it creates tears, but of the very best kind.
“Ricochet” is an inspiring story that covers not only her story, but the story of her person, Judy, and “sister” Rami, along with the stories of many they have all impacted in their unique mission. As someone with mobility challenges of my own, I cannot imagine how freeing it must be to feel the surf around you while you catch a wave with Ricochet. She isn’t a traditional rescue dog, but that makes her story that much more special. She does what she does because she was unable to be what others felt she had to be. Once she was allowed to be herself, a whole new world of possibilities opened up to her and anyone she meets. As any dog lover can tell you, it’s easier to take advice from a dog than a human. Who could resist any message that face tries to give you?
As a short side note, I really appreciate Judy’s advocacy of positive training methods for service dogs. While traditional methods may work for many, I have seen some training that was more than a little heavy-handed, and it is nice to see other training options put out there.
“Ricochet” is inspirational, and about dogs helping those with disabilities, as well as those without disabilities. If you’re in any way inclined to frown at frolicking puppies, laughing children, the sound of the ocean, or merriment in general, I would skip this book. If you want something to make you smile and want to hug your dog, or get a dog, then pick this one up.
This is an honest review based upon a complimentary copy won through the Goodreads First Reads program.
Content Warning:
Note: Even though it is listed as an adult book, there is nothing in the content to make “Ricochet” inappropriate for middle grade readers.
A Magic Dark and Bright (Asylum Series)
A Magic Dark and Bright
Asylum, Book 1
Bookish Group Press
February 5, 2015
Paperback
328
She meant to help a ghost...not unleash a curse. Amelia Dupree hasn’t seen the Woman in White since the night her brother died. The ghost seems to have disappeared from the woods surrounding Asylum, Pennsylvania—that is, until Charlie Blue moves into the creepy old MacAllister House next door. Amelia can’t help liking him, even though she spent her childhood thinking his grandmother was a witch. And she definitely can’t ignore the connection between his arrival and the Woman in White’s return. Then Amelia learns that the Woman in White is a prisoner, trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead. Devastated by the idea that her brother could be suffering a similar fate, Amelia decides to do whatever it takes to help the Woman in White find peace--and Charlie agrees to help her. But when Amelia’s classmates start to drown in the Susquehanna River, one right after another, rumors swirl as people begin to connect the timing of Charlie’s arrival with the unexplained deaths. As Charlie and Amelia uncover the dark history of Asylum, they realize they may have unleashed an unspeakable evil. One they have to stop before everything they love is destroyed.
Review:
When I was given the opportunity to review and arc of “A Magic Dark and Bright”, the first book in the Asylum series, I was expecting a few creepy feelings in the vein of the Fear Street Series. Here is what really happened:
I had insomnia, and for whatever reason decided that 2 am was a good time to start a ghost story. By 2:30 am I was convinced a visitor from the grave was looking at me from the yard and spent the next thirty minutes trying to convince myself I needed to peek out of the curtains. Then I decided that would be the type of the idea that is acted upon in the first three minutes of a slasher film, so chose instead to hide under the covers.
I was reading Stephen King in elementary school, so I wouldn’t exactly consider myself a horror genre wimp. This book really managed to hit a fear center for me. I don’t anticipate looking out of the window at night any time in the near future. The characters are compelling, it’s a quick and easy read, the imagery is perfectly creepy, and it doesn’t rely on gore for the fright. The only reason I made it four stars, instead of five, is that there were some timeline shifts that became a bit disorienting at points.
I recommend “A Magic Dark and Bright” for upper middle graders to adults, providing they enjoy being scared while reading. Make sure you have curtains in your bedroom. Shut them before reading. Trust me.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
Violence, Language, Sexual Content, Intensely Creepy Stuff
Untaken
Untaken
Curiosity Quills Press
March 23, 2015
Hardcover
262
It turns out that a real alien invasion is nothing like the Sci-fi shows 14-year-old Gracie loves. Not when it's your own family who are swallowed whole by those big silver ships. Not if it could be you next. In her search for her family, Gracie meets Brandon, a high school dropout who would never have been caught dead hanging out with a dork like Gracie before the world ended. Gracie isn't too crazy about Brandon either, but he has one thing she doesn't: A plan. Brandon's uncle has a cabin up in Maine, and If Gracie and Brandon can survive long enough to get there they can hide out until the Space Men pack up their ships and leave. Until the army guys come to rescue them, says Brandon. Brandon is big into army guys. Gracie has to admit that Brandon's Awesome Plan probably would have worked out great if wasn't for Jake. They found 5-year-old Jake, laying half-dead under the remains of someone's ranch house. He's a good kid, even if he won't-or can't- talk. But Jake has a secret, and when Gracie finds out what it is, the fragile new life they've started to forge looks set to break apart. When the people you've been counting on to put the world back together start hunting you down, alien invaders are the least of your worries.
Review:
“Untaken” is a new series that makes me feel as though I were given a gift by being allowed to read and review it. It puts a new take on the apocalyptic theme of an alien invasion, eventually evolving into dystopian territory.
I am going to say this right now, if you see the word “alien” and think it is not your deal, please reconsider and give it a try. The plot is one of survival, with the aliens being the catalyst for the events but not the central focus of the story. The true story is what constitutes humanity and how human humans react when placed under unimaginable circumstances and stress.
The central characters are three children: Gracie, Brandon, and Jake. Their stories are divided into three parts, with the first devoted to their separate lives before and during the initial catastrophic events. This format serves for developing their backstories and personalities in an extremely detailed way. It feels like you know the oldest two, Gracie and Brandon, personally before they even meet. Jake is more of an enigma, and that is a great feature in the story.
While the first part features a lot of action, the second and third parts are more of a slow burn. I love slice-of-life stories that take their time in building new worlds, and this is one of the best I have ever read. The writing is compelling and nearly flawless, leaving the reader to sit back and enjoy the book without the burden of superfluous details and a stuttering plot. It seems to be the beginning of a series, and I hope that is true. I really want to see what comes next.
I highly recommend “Untaken” to those who are 12 and up and looking for a promising new series. If you’re a fan of Mike Mullen’s “Ashfall”, it is something not to be missed. Warning: Once you start it, you may not be able to put it down.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
Language, Violence,Mild (Re: Very) Sexual Situations, The Dog Dies (Pardon the spoiler, but that is the one type of spoiler I will always include in the content warnings.)
Three (Article 5)
Article 5, Book 3
Juvenile Fiction
Macmillan
2014-02-11
384
When Ember and Chase finally arrive at the safe house and find it in ruins, they follow tracks leading away until they find a group of refugees and join forces with them to seek the rumored settlement known as Three.
Review:
After reading “Three”, the finale to the wonderful “Article 5” series, I feel as though I have found a true unicorn. It is easily one of the strongest and most satisfying endings to a series I have ever read. It is all wrapped up nicely, nothing comes out of nowhere, the characters remain true to what has been established about them and their reactions throughout the series right until the very last sentence, and there is no excruciatingly long epilogue that feels as though it is trying to cram in an entire book. Perfection.
The action is essentially non-stop, and there are more than a few plot twists thrown in to keep things interesting. They all make perfect sense, effectively keeping the reader from experiencing “Dystopian Series Finale Whiplash”. This is something I truly appreciate, because so often the last book is the weakest, and the author drops in things never even hinted at in the previous series installments. None of that nonsense here. This plot is solid.
All of our favorite characters, including (of course) Ember and Chase, have a prominent story arc. They continue to grow and evolve according to the situations that they face, while also maintaining the personalities the author established way back in “Article 5”. All aspects of them are explored, and it truly feels as though the reader was a part of watching them grow from teenagers into mature young adults.
“Three” is by far the strongest of the “Article 5” series, which is a high compliment considering how much I have enjoyed them all. I can’t recommend it enough for those who have been reading the series all along. If you’re a fan of young adult dystopias with excellent world-building and character development, but have yet to read the series, by all means start now. I really don’t think you will regret it.
Thank you, Kristen Simmons, for sharing Ember and Chase’s world with us.
Content Warning:
Language, Violence, Sexual Situations
Intimacy Idiot
Intimacy Idiot
Scribner
June 2, 2015
Hardcover
288
This big-hearted, laugh-until-you-can’t-breathe collection of personal essays, stories, and riffs on finding love and intimacy in New York City announces the arrival of a “a monstrous new talent” (New York magazine) in the vein of David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs, and Tina Fey.
In this uproariously funny debut collection, award-winning writer and performer Isaac Oliver serves up a comedic cornucopia of sketches, vignettes, lists, and diaries from his life as a young, fanciful, and extremely single gay man in New York City. Whether he’s hooking up with a man who dresses as a dolphin, suffering on airplanes and buses next to people with Food From Home, or hovering around an impenetrable circle of attractive people at a cocktail party, Oliver captures the messy, moving, and absurd moments of urban life as we live it today.
Since moving to New York a decade ago, Oliver has pined for countless strangers on the subway, slept with half the people in his Washington Heights neighborhood, and observed the best and worst of humanity from behind the glass of a Times Square theater box office. He also rode the subway during Breastfeeding Awareness Week and lived to tell the tale. Culled from years of heartbreak, hook-ups, and more awkwardness than a virgin at prom and a whore in church (and he should know because he’s been both), Intimacy Idiot chronicles Oliver’s encounters with love, infatuation, resilience, and self-acceptance that echo our universal desire for intimacy of all kinds.
Review:
The star rating for “Intimacy Idiot” is probably a bit misleading here, as I rated based on the average of all of the pieces. When it is good, it is very, very good. I was laughing so hard it hurts at some points. The problem is, when it is not good it falls completely flat. The writing is on point in all of them, but sometimes I simply felt disinterested.
Isaac Oliver seems like someone I would love to hang out with. He’s funny, intelligent, talented, and self-deprecating without coming across as though he wears a hair shirt and flogs himself every night before bed. Twice on Sundays. The stories manage to both give a peek into the world of gay dating, which is an unknown territory for some of us, while being relatable on so many levels to every single person reading it. The ratio of familiar to foreign is absolutely perfect.
As I said above, it unfortunately fell flat in many chapters, but I would much rather focus on the enjoyable parts, of which there were many. The book is at its heart a work of comedy, but it also evokes quite a sense of loneliness and longing. It changes tone swiftly and seamlessly, always keeping the reader on their toes. There is a natural talent for storytelling that shows in the writing, and I am anticipating reading more of Oliver’s works in the future.
I recommend “Intimacy Idiot” to anyone looking for a laugh and a well-written memoir. The chapters range in format from stories to lists to poetry, so what fell flat for me may strike a chord with someone else. The enjoyable parts make it well worth reading, no matter the issues you may have with other chapters. If you in any way do not enjoy reading about casual sex, though, I would give the book a wide berth.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
As this is an adult book, there is no content warning.
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