ARC Review: “Surrender Your Sons” by Adam Sass

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: Surrender Your Sons

Author: Adam Sass

Genre: Queer contemporary, YA

Pages: 392

My rating: ★★★✭☆

Read from: 20.06.22 – 21.09.22

The E-Arc Surrender Your Sons was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Connor Major’s summer break is turning into a nightmare.

His SAT scores bombed, the old man he delivers meals to died, and when he came out to his religious zealot mother, she had him kidnapped and shipped off to a secluded island. His final destination: Nightlight Ministries, a conversion therapy camp that will be his new home until he “changes.”

But Connor’s troubles are only beginning. At Nightlight, everyone has something to hide from the campers to the “converted” staff and cagey camp director, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. Connor plans to escape and bring the other kidnapped teens with him. But first, he’s exposing the camp’s horrible truths for what they are— and taking this place down.

My review:

In the introduction to the book, the author says that the book is “not about queer pain. It’s about what queers do with pain.” I think that is a very interesting and important concept to write a book about. The book deals with ideas of “fixing” queerness and the trauma that queer people go through when they meet people who want to “cure” them. The fact that stuff like this has happened and continues to happen is horrifying. Yet, the book is not only about that. It’s also about bravery, courage and finding the light in the darkest times. It’s about friendships and budding romances and fighting! It is, in short, a really good book.

However, it didn’t engage me the way I was hoping. I struggled a bit to get through it and I didn’t find it very compelling, which is probably because I didn’t connect with the main character at all. But I’ve seen plenty of others connect and feel all the emotion that was put into writing this story, so I still recommend giving it a go if it sounds interesting to you!

❀ Mathilde

You can find me on Goodreads here

Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “The Atlas Six” by Olivie Blake

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: The Atlas Six

Author: Olivie Blake

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 383

My rating: ★★★☆☆

Read from: 07.10.22 – 23.10.22

The E-Arc The Atlas Six was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The Alexandrian Society is a secret society of magical academicians, the best in the world. Their members are caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity. And those who earn a place among their number will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. Each decade, the world’s six most uniquely talented magicians are selected for initiation – and here are the chosen few…

– Libby Rhodes and Nicolás Ferrer de Varona: inseparable enemies, cosmologists who can control matter with their minds.
– Reina Mori: a naturalist who can speak the language of life itself.
– Parisa Kamali: a mind reader whose powers of seduction are unmatched.
– Tristan Caine: the son of a crime kingpin who can see the secrets of the universe.
– Callum Nova: an insanely rich pretty boy who could bring about the end of the world. He need only ask.

When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they must spend one year together to qualify for initiation. During this time, they will be permitted access to the Society’s archives and judged on their contributions to arcane areas of knowledge. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. If they can prove themselves to be the best, they will survive. Most of them.

My review:

I was so psyched going into this, it sounded incredibly exciting and mysterious, and the characters seemed so intriguing. Sadly, I was a little disappointed. The reason this book ended up being a 3-star read for me was mostly the lack of drive it had. The plot felt very weak and the characters were good at talking and not very good at doing, which made for a very little engaging or compelling story. Indeed, the mystery it was supposed to contain evaded me for most of the story. It wasn’t bad enough to make me want to stop reading, but it didn’t provide any encouragement to keep reading either.

The writing was also full of telling instead of showing, which I despise in books. I want to experience for myself how powerful and magical these characters are, instead it just kept being stated that they were. There was a distinct lack of action to this story, and it was mostly filled with deep thoughts about life and the human condition. The characters were also very arrogant and difficult to grasp, because while it was stated that they all had good reasons to want to be initiated into the Society, some of them never actually showed us this reason. I understand that this book lays the groundwork for the next two books in the series, but I still wished it stood a little stronger on its own.

When it comes to the things I did like, I wanna mention both the moral grayness of the characters and the ending of the book. I loved how complex the characters were in that none of them are truly good or bad, they are all in the gray-zone of morality. I also think the ending definitely made the book a lot more exciting! It gave a much-needed lift to the pace and the action. It made me hungry for the sequel, which means it did its job well! So all in all, this book was disappointing mostly due to the high level of praise and hype it had received, when indeed it felt more like a long prequel to whatever action is to come in book two. I still recommend it to those interested in the story, it is worth the read! But if you’re looking for a mindblowing experience, this might not be it.

❀ Mathilde

You can find me on Goodreads here

Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “Hunters of the Lost City” by Kali Wallace

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: Hunters of the Lost City

Author: Kali Wallace

Genre: Middle grade, Fantasy

Pages: 304

My rating: ★★★✭☆

Read from: 19.05.22 – 06.06.22

The E-Arc Hunters of the Lost City was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Twelve-year-old Octavia grew up believing the town of Vittoria was the only one left in the world. The sole survivors of a deadly magical war and plague, the people of Vittoria know there’s no one alive outside the town walls—except the terrible monsters that prowl the forest.

But then the impossible happens: Octavia meets another girl beyond the walls, someone who isn’t Vittorian. Everything she’s ever believed is thrown into question, and there’s no going back.

In her quest for the truth, Octavia discovers a world full of lies, monsters, and magic. She’ll have to use every scrap of her skill, wits, and courage to uncover what’s real about Vittoria and the rest of the world.

My review:

This book must be wonderful for younger readers! The only problems I had with it were probably due to my age (for example: Octavia, our protagonist, seemed to act older than she is supposed to be). I found the magic system to be exciting and very original, especially at the end when you realize how it has actually been utilized! The plot twists towards the end were good, I didn’t quite see them coming. I also generally found the plot progression to be nice, at no point did it feel like it was dragging its feet. The story was adventurous and exciting, and at times even thrilling! I think this will be a good hit amongst the middle grade readers. I warmly recommend it!

❀ Mathilde

You can find me on Goodreads here

Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “Under the Whispering Door” by T.J. Klune

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: Under the Whispering Door

Author: T.J. Klune

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 401

My rating: ★★★★★

Read from: 14.nov – 19.nov

The E-Arc Under the Whispering Door was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.

Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop’s owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.

But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo’s help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.

When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told with TJ Klune’s signature warmth, humor, and extraordinary empathy.

My review:

Tears. I cried so hard and so much throughout this book. It felt refreshing to cry like that, but I also felt as if I was being wrecked by this story. Not because it is a terribly sad tale, but more because of my personal connections to death, moving on and grief over lost chances.

This book is wonderfully written by Klune. The story is alive and rich with a fun cast of characters, including a ghost dog who is the best of boys! The storytelling in itself feels warm and encompassing and it makes the book un-put-down-able without being a thrilling page-turner. Quite the opposite actually. The ending is pretty obvious, but it was still everything I wanted and I wasn’t mad at it.

Following Wallace Price felt similar to following Ebenzer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol in the sense that you can’t believe they were that shitty, and yet you can’t help but cheer them on as they try to better themselves.

I already cannot wait to reread this at some point. I know I will get that fuzzy feeling of returning to a good story and a set of wonderful characters. I highly recommend this, especially if you’ve read and liked The House in the Cerulean Sea! But even if you’ve never heard of T.J. Klune, then give this book a go! I promise, you won’t want to put it down.

❀ Mathilde

You can find me on Goodreads here

Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “Chef’s Kiss” by Jarrett Melendez, Danica Brine, Hank Jones & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: Chef’s Kiss

Author: Jarrett Melendez, Danica Brine, Hank Jones & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBTQ+, Romance

Pages: 160

My rating: ★★★★✭

Read from: 09.nov – 09.nov

The E-Arc Chef’s Kiss was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Watch things start to really heat up in the kitchen in this sweet, queer, new adult graphic novel! 

Now that college is over, English graduate Ben Cook is on the job hunt looking for something…anything…related to his passion for reading and writing. But interview after interview, hiring committee after hiring committee, Ben soon learns getting the dream job won’t be as easy as he thought. Proofreading? Journalism? Copywriting? Not enough experience. It turns out he doesn’t even have enough experience to be a garbage collector! But when Ben stumbles upon a “Now Hiring—No Experience Necessary” sign outside a restaurant, he jumps at the chance to land his first job. Plus, he can keep looking for a writing job in the meantime. He’s actually not so bad in the kitchen, but he will have to pass a series of cooking tests to prove he’s got the culinary skills to stay on full-time. But it’s only temporary…right? 

When Ben begins developing a crush on Liam, one of the other super dreamy chefs at the restaurant, and when he starts ditching his old college friends and his old writing job plans, his career path starts to become much less clear.

My review:

Okay this was really stinking cute!! Ben is such a sweet little bean, he deserves nothing but happiness!

I was really drawn in from the first page. We are introduced to the cast of characters on the first page – 4 friends who are moving in together after entering a new chapter of their lives. Ben Cook is job-hunting as is struggling to find something as an aspiring author, when he stumbles upon a restaurant that is hiring. The rest is history! The art style is also wonderful, it’s really pretty! And all the food, yummm. This was all in all a really cute graphic novel about drifting after getting your degree, feeling torn between parental expectations and a job that turned out to bring more joy than you even thought possible. The romance was also so cute and wholesome. But my favourite thing might have been the friendships between Ben and his friends.

I highly recommend this! Especially if you enjoy graphic novels and stories about finding yourself after finishing school.

❀ Mathilde

You can find me on Goodreads here

Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “Good Girls Don’t Make History” by Elizabeth Kiehner

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: Good Girls Don’t Make History

Author: Elizabeth Kiehner

Genre: Graphic novels, nonfiction

Pages: 160

My rating: ★★★★★

Read from: 06.09.21 – 06.09.21

The E-Arc Good Girls Don’t Make History was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Good Girls Don’t Make History  is an important graphic novel that amplifies the voices of female legends from 1840 to the present day. 
 
Reliving moments from the lives of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Alice Paul, Ida B. Wells, and Susan B. Anthony, these inspiring stories are boldly told from one of the most formative eras in women’s history—the fight for the vote in the United States.

The tale begins at a modern-day polling station in California with a mother and daughter voting together, then flashes back 180 years to the World Anti-Slavery Convention where the women’s movement got its legendary start.
 
The twists and turns take readers across the country and through time, illuminating parallels between epic battles for liberty in the past and similar struggles for justice today. 
 
A powerful and important examination of some key figures in the ongoing fight for equality, Good Girls Don’t Make History’s accounts of bravery, perseverance and courage are truly inspiring for readers of any age.

My review:

This was fantastic! What a wonderful way to tell such an important, and still fresh, part of our history. The graphic novel format lifts this story up and makes it easier to read, which means it is more easily accessible for different age groups and levels of language proficiency.

Good Girls Don’t Make History is a perfect starting place for those who might want to learn more about the Women’s Suffrage and the history of how women fought diligently for the right to vote. It is inspiring, educating and, in my opinion, necessary. Some of these names, like Alice Paul, I had never heard of before. I think it’s important to read up on how ordinary people became extraordinary in the way they helped change the course of history, and this graphic novel offers a perfect chance to do just that.

The art-work and the art style of the graphic novel are also both magnificent. I loved how the story jumped from “today” back to the 1800s/1900s to showcase important events of the women’s movement, from inside of meetings, to rallies, marches, demonstrations and even some newspaper articles. It kept the story fun and easy to read.

If you are in any way interested in the suffrage movement, the ongoing fight for equality, feminism, or just reading more nonfiction, then I highly recommend getting this graphic novel!

❀ Mathilde

Find me on Goodreads here

Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “The Memory of Babel” by Christelle Dabos (#3 in a series)

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: The Memory of Babel

Author: Christelle Dabos

Genre: Fantasy (YA)

Pages: 508

My rating: ★★★★☆

Read from: 17.08.21 – 05.09.21

The E-Arc The Memory of Babel was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

SPOILER WARNING: this is the third book in a series, there may be spoilers for the first two books in the series, both in the synopsis and in my review.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In the gripping third volume of Christelle Dabos’s best-selling saga, Ophelia, the mirror-travelling heroine, finds herself in the magical city of Babel, guarding a secret that may provide a key both to the past and the future.

After two years and seven months biding her time on Anima, her home ark, it is finally time to act, to put what she has discovered in the Book of Faruk to good use. Under an assumed identity she travels to Babel, a cosmopolitan and thoroughly modern ark that is the jewel of the universe, and where automata have taken over the most humble jobs from humans. But under the surface of this pacific and orderly ark social unrest stirs, fed by the memories of a fateful purge long ago, and the inhabitants’ growing fear of being replaced altogether. Will Ophelia’s talent as a reader suffice to avoid her being lured into a deadly trap by her ever more fearful adversaries? Will she ever see Thorn, her betrothed, again?

My review:

The Mirror Visitor series in incredibly original and a delightful breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. I was absolutely blown away by the first two volumes. The world-building is on level with the best fantasy I have ever read, the story is compelling and best of all: it hits none of the over-used tropes we often find in fantasy nowadays! I implore all my friends, and all of you, to look the first book (A Winter’s Promise) up, and add it to your TBR.

For this volume specifically, I was a little disappointed with the plot progression. It didn’t hold the excitement of the first two volumes, nor the political intrigue and the nerve-wracking that I got used to from the second volume. It was a little disappointing to feel like we took a step back into high school feudes and petty drama, as well as a very slow search for answers with a cast of characters who were not as interesting as the casts of books 1 and 2.

But, that being said, I still enjoyed it a lot! It was a page-turner for me, mostly because of my need to find out what happens between Ophelia and Thorn, if she ever finds him. The worldbuilding is still incredible, and I loved learning about Babel and its society. The 500-something pages really flew by, it felt more like a 300-page read, if that makes sense. I also have a strong feeling that whenever I get around to rereading this series, at some point in the future, this book will be lifted up to a 5-star read.

I absolutely adore this series and I can’t wait to jump straight into the fourth one! I highly recommend The Mirror Visitor series, especially to all you fellow fantasy lovers!

❀ Mathilde

Find me on Goodreads here

Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “Story Magic” by Laurel Gale

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: Story Magic

Author: Laurel Gale

Genre: Fantasy, middle grade

Pages: 224

My rating: ★★✭☆☆

Read from: 28.07.21 – 16.08.21

The E-Arc Story Magic was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A feminist-tinged middle grade fantasy about finding your voice and the magical power that exist in storytelling.

Girls are forbidden to practice story magic. Only bad things happen when they do. Everyone knows this, but that doesn’t stop twelve-year-old Kaya A’Dor from learning the basics from her older brother Hob. The trick is to sense a listener, one of the magical beings that inhabit the world, and tell it a story. If the listener is pleased and likes the story, it will allow the storyteller to work magic.

Although Kaya knows the risks, she attempts a little story magic to impress Hob. When Hob is taken prisoner in Prima, the faraway capital city, Kaya is convinced it’s her fault, either because someone discovered what she was doing or because the bad luck has found her.

Desperate to save her brother, Kaya will do anything to make it to Prima, including story magic. With each story she tells her ability to wield story magic grows and she soon begins to wonder if her brother’s imprisonment was really her fault or something else entirely. Each story brings her one step closer to finding Hob and leaving everything she’s ever known behind.

My review:

“Listeners,” she began, “I have a story that may interest you.”

Story Magic

My first thought was that I adored this magic system. There are invisible creatures who love being told stories, and through shaping your story and knowing what to ask for, they can perform magic to help you with what you need. Being a huge fan of the storytelling tradition, I thought I would enjoy a book where it became magical in such a way. But sadly, I found some issues with the writing that kept me from completely loving the story.

This book is sold as a “middle grade” book, which means I am outside of its intended audience, so I might be the one in the wrong here, but I felt like Kaya (the main character) was written to be much older than her actual 12 years. Since we are reading through her eyes, a lot of the trains of thoughts in the book are supposed to belong to her, but they make no sense coming from a child her age. She seemed a lot more intelligent and cunning than a 12 year old should be. A quote from one such train of thought is: “The guild had no legal authority to execute people – but who was going to stop them? The king? He never interfered in their affairs, which was probably wise.” This, to me, threw me off the story because it did not match the image I had of a young girl, it instead felt like I was inside the head of a teenager, going on adult. This repeated itself several times in the book, and while the intended audience of middle graders might not notice, it bothered me to the extent where it ruined my reading experience a bit.

Apart from my issues with Kaya acting like a young adult more than a child from time to time, I did enjoy the story! It was magical and wonderful, and I really liked learning more about the listeners and about their magic. Sadly, I was also a little underwhelmed at the ending, mostly again due to Kaya doing things that a child should not be doing. I found myself wishing this concept had been translated into a YA book, or changed to better fit the middle grade genre. But nonetheless, it was a fun read!

❀ Mathilde

Find me on Goodreads here
Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “The Daughters of Ys” by M. T. Anderson & Jo Rioux

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: The Daughters of Ys

Author: M. T. Anderson & Jo Rioux

Genre: Graphic novel / Fantasy

Pages: 208

My rating: ★★★★✭

Read from: 15/03/20 – 15/03/20

The E-Arc The Daughters of Ys was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

An Atlantis-like city from Celtic legend is the setting of this mythical graphic novel fantasy from National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson and artist Jo Rioux.

Ys, city of wealth and wonder, has a history of dark secrets. Queen Malgven used magic to raise the great walls that keep Ys safe from the tumultuous sea. But after the queen’s inexplicable death, her daughters drift apart. Rozenn, the heir to the throne, spends her time on the moors communing with wild animals, while Dahut, the youngest, enjoys the splendors of royal life and is eager to take part in palace intrigue.

When Rozenn and Dahut’s bond is irrevocably changed, the fate of Ys is sealed, exposing the monsters that lurk in plain view. M. T. Anderson and Jo Rioux reimagine this classic Breton folktale of love, loss, and rebirth, revealing the secrets that lie beneath the surface.

Review:

This was an amazing graphic novel! It is packed to the brim with folklore and magic (both of which I absolutely love!). I am not familiar with the original Celtic legend, but I imagine it will be even more wonderful for those who are. The artwork is amazing, the story is intriguing and reads like an old fairytale. The ~200 pages fly by as you become immersed in the world and lives of Rozenn and Dahut, and how they both struggle with their roles as princesses. This book honestly left me wishing there was a sequel, or at least something more!

For fans of old legends born anew, this is a must-read!

❀ Mathilde

Find me on Goodreads here
Or on Bookstagram here

ARC Review: “The Raven and the Dove” by Kaitlyn Davis

On By wordsandspinesblogIn ReviewsLeave a comment

Title: The Raven and the Dove

Author: Kaitlyn Davis

Genre: YA Fantasy, retelling

Pages: 502

My rating: ★★★★☆

Read from: 11/02/20 – 13/03/20

The E-Arc The Raven and the Dove was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not altered my opinion of the book.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A princess longing to be free…
On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.
A bastard aching to belong…
Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.
Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…
Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.

Review:

I have to say, this was surprisingly good! The world-building was really cool, some of the characters were amazing (cough, Cassi, cough), the plot was intriguing and I had a lot of fun reading this. It had some plot twists and reveals that actually had me a bit shook, which made it even more enjoyable! All in all a solid 4-star book.

I had more or less no expectations going into this book, but after hitting the 20% mark I was more or less hooked. A story about a girl with wings, longing for adventure under the open sky with a best friend who has been living a double life all along, made for a really fun story. Cassi (the best friend) is without a doubt my favorite character, because of how complex and grey she is. The others are a little less enjoyable to me, but still well-written!

I will warn you however, the cliffhanger at the end is MASSIVE. Like I seriously disliked how much happened right at the end, because it made the story speed up right when there is no more of it. A little cliffhanger is usually fine, but this was brutal. I want the next book already!!

❀ Mathilde

Find me on Goodreads here
Or on Bookstagram here