Dee

This book should be required reading for anyone who wishes to be more socially and culturally aware. It is straightforward and explains anything that might trip up the unfamiliar. There are so many moments that I just had to pause and sit with Frederick's experiences - my heart literally clenches with the urge to soothe and comfort him.

Buy this book, gift this book to everyone you know, and then sit and let this book resonate with you. So many quotable moments, such good music recs, and an encyclopedia to hold your hand through any confusion that you might have without any judgement. It's clear that Joseph wrote this from a genuine place of love and wanting you to grow.

I would definitely recommend.

3.5 stars

Ana is, and remains, an enigma to the people in her life. So much so that even after death, every one of them believes her to be a different version of herself, clambering for a sense of ownership over her. Her death has left them broken to the point of destruction. If you notice nothing else throughout this book (and it's not all of the high key strange things that happen in their house) it's the threads of PTSD that her death has woven throughout all of the decisions that her sisters, her father and the boys who loved her make.

Her death was traumatic but living in that house, in the aftermath, is equally so. Is this book paranormal? Possibly. But more than anything else this book shows what happens when humans do not fully deal with their grief after the loss of a loved one.

I liked it, even if I wished that it were longer.

(4.5 stars)

My favourite elements of this book: the elevators (how cool were they???), Amari and her brother's connection (no matter what anyone else believed she was convinced that her brother was still alive and only she could help him), the world (I'm so glad this is a series so we get to see more of the powers and possibly solve more cases), how familiar everything felt (it didn't take any mental Olympics to keep up but it didn't bore me either).

This book is adorable and the comps that it's been given are wholly accurate. Fully Camp Men-In-Black and no one can tell me any different.

Lee me lemme process cuz Queenie is ah whole lot!!!
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CW: Spoilerpanic attacks, domestic abuse, child neglect, emotional abuse, miscarriage, racism, slut shaming

That was a rollercoaster. There are so many things that I want to say about this book and about Queenie's journey throughout this book.

I can see why this book has been picked for so many book clubs as it opens up for so much conversation. But I'm really satisfied with the way it ended.

Queenie goes through SO MUCH in these 330 pages it shouldn't be possible or enjoyable but it was. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a book that is fun to read, but the story is one that grips you at your core and you can't look away. Even as Queenie spirals out of control and you cringe right down to your toes you soak up every moment of it.

This book demands attention and I for one insist that you give it.

Do you like murder mysteries? Like books that have a touch of magic sprinkled into the everyday world? A fan of found family tropes? Then this book is for you!

Walk with me here. We follow Hetty, a magical seamstress that moonlights as an amateur sleuth and her husband Benjy, an outwardly gruff but inwardly softhearted everyman. They discover that a friend has been killed and are determined to find out who and why. The road to answers is murky, dangerous and confusing. I had NO THEORIES up until about 70% of the way through (I was wrong). But layered under all of the chaos and mystery there's a blossoming love that comes out of it all and my heart couldn't take the idiocy of it. The fact that the love came as a shock to this specific character was actually hilarious and deserves space in the Guinness records.

I enjoyed this ride and I hope you do too.

Of course, the final book in a series will have heartbreaking moments but I wasn't prepared for this. That final letter? Absolutely shattered. Not fair Adalyn Grace. Not. Fair.

As far as series enders goes, this one had just the right amount of tension and high stakes situation. There was also the obligatory romance that both frustrates and satiates. I got exactly what I hoped for in the one way that I didn't want it to happen. There was sacrifice in exchange for happiness and as a result my happiness feels bittersweet. Definitely picking up more by this author in the future.

Read this series if you're looking for badass female leads who aren't afraid to own their ferocity and charismatic love interests. The potential love triangle in book one was frustrating but the way that it was eventually resolved works for me. Yes and please.

I genuinely don't know how I feel about this book...

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This book is slump inducing and I want to sue everyone responsible for putting these words into my ears. I'm mad and sad about it.

Plot: 3/4 of the book - what the hell is even happening? Why is everyone so obsessed with each other? Adele with David, Rob and Lou. Lou with Adele and David. David with David. Oh. Ok so Adele's a good sleeper so she can teach Lou how to sleep too. Nice...I guess.
Last quarter - ok things are getting...weird...but interesting. Saw that coming. That too. Bleh.
The literal last chapter - HOLY SHIT?! I did NOT see THAT coming.

Now I know why everyone says that this book is ALL ABOUT THE ENDING. I get it. But I hate that it has to take all of those pages to get good. Ugh.

That epilogue!! Wth!!!!

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As far as retellings go...this is a goodun. Alice's heart is so big and she's trying to juggle so many things that when they start to fall apart you can't help but feel sorry for her. All she wants to do is be what everyone in her life needs, why won't you let her McKinney? Lol.

As with all things ‘Chosen One YA', her mother is not around enough to make sense (none of the parents are if we're honest). I mean, she does call and check-in and discipline, but then she wouldn't be there for the follow-through. You can tell she cares, but your daughter almost dies several times and YOU DO NOT NOTICE?! No bueno.

There was also a very unwelcome love triangle that I could have done without. Alice has no clue who she wants and we keep jumping from her having feelings for A and then B bats an eye at her and oop, butterflies. Nope. Miss me with that.

However!!! The plot!!! Was where it's at!!! I will definitely be continuing this series because the cliffhanger that this ended on was brutal, but oh so good. High action, captivating world-building and characters that you want to get to know.

TW/CW: eating disorder, drug use, mention of suicide, abuse of power, mentions of depression/depressive episodes, toxic competitiveness, abortion. I'm sure that there are more but...these were the biggest ones that jumped out at me. Please protect yourself accordingly.
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What I expected: vicious, cutthroat tactics in an attempt to get to the top. I was looking forward to a group of badass girls being toxic to each other in an obvious competition.

What I got: a story of two best friends going about their daily lives, always focusing on dance. But then it goes left and suddenly we're following the hormonal jaunts of a teenage girl (which, fair) who continuously puts boys above her dreams, above her well being and above her best friend. On the flip side we see the other teenage girl heading face first into the worst part of the professional dance world: eating disorder.

This is not a fun read! But it is one where the girls save themselves in the end. It wraps up neatly, which I appreciated. The girls aren't miraculously fixed at the end of it, but they are working towards getting better, which is perfect.

The ending was so subtle that I hadn't even realized it was over until I heard the music signifying that the narration had ended.

It didn't end in the way I had hoped it would. I wanted for there to be a neater resolution between the sisters, for the cousins to get to a better place, for the mother to get a happier set of final days. But that isn't how life works. It doesn't get cushy just because you will it to be. Humans are unpredictable and ever-changing.

The beginning of the story captured my interest. I wanted to know where the sisters went, but I was even more interested in why they left. Then the true pain of the story began and I refused to put it down in some weird sense of solidarity with the characters. If they were forced to live through their trauma, the least I could do was sit and listen. By the time we rolled around to the end the characters felt like family: dsyfunctional but you love them enough to want them to stick around.

I see why people raved about it when it first came out.

I need some time.
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I both loved and hated every minute of this book. For those that were saying that this book didn't thrill them, I wholeheartedly disagree. I especially enjoyed how it ended, though I could have done without the epilogue. I feel like the epilogue completely changed the tone of the rest o the novel (and normally I live for a good epilogue moment).

The audacity of these Spoilerwhite folks, traipsing in here, taking people's houses, performing experiments on them and then acting surprised when people start fighting back like???? Excuse me? Did I miss that lesson in basic rules to being a decent human? Or maybe they missed it, nvm.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster and I was wrecked by the time it was over.

Wakanda forever. That was the final line in this novel and the grin that I had on my face as those words were uttered is akin to the smile I had upon first seeing the movie.
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Reading this was both a blast of nostalgia and a whole new experience (character and plot included). There were the familiar characters that we come to expect from the Black Panther world, but then there was a major inclusion that gave my heart the biggest squeeze SpoilerStorm was there! And not just as a name drop like Captain America was. No, she played a significant role in the storyline..

Seeing Shuri's side of things was refreshing. She was fighting to carve her own space in her brother's shadow and out from under the expectations that came with being a princess. The resentment for her lack of freedom to explore, affect real change and experiment was palpable. But we all know our girl Shuri is a little rebel and it shows.

I missed this world so much.

‘They hadn't been afraid. They'd been mesmerized. Maybe that was all you could hope for in life.'

And if that doesn't perfectly sum up what this book does to its readers then I couldn't find a clearer way to explain it to you. The mere fact that I was apprehensive about this book (because I'd heard so many people saying that it's a heavy read, and that is not the headspace that I'm in right now bookwise) in addition to the fact that this wasn't initially in my February reading plans...and yet I managed to finish it in ONE DAY with no other books in between speaks volumes about what Henry did here.

Yes, it is a heavy read. The whole plot surrounds our MC dealing with the fallout of her father's death and realizing that he wasn't as perfect as she had grown up believing. She was forced to come to terms with the fact that happily ever afters didn't exist in real life in the same way as they do in books, and that's okay. We also confront the love interest's dark past as he explores the sordid history of cult survivors.

This is not your typical rom-com where the darkest thing we experience is miscommunication (though that does exist here as well because what would romance be without that trope....slow blink). The banter is fun to read, the self-discovery is refreshing and the side characters endearing. All in all, I would recommend that more people pick this up. Ignore the naysayers, this book has a space in the rom-com world despite the warnings.

TW: physical abuse (of a minor as well as a parent), surviving a cult, mention of suicide, cheating, cancer, divorce

I could reread this immediately and still be as captivated.

I finally understand what everyone meant when they said that this book is beautiful and that the writing is technically perfect. It was everything that I didn't even know that I wanted in a book.

I had no clue what the heck this book was about except to understand that I was having the best time reading it. The mystery was captivating, the characters were intriguing, the cultural aspects were fascinating...I loved all of it. I wish that I can experience entering Ellie's mind for the first time all over again.

That doctor is vile, the magic system(?) is trippy...I just want to gush! I don't know how to be coherent about this one. I'm sorry, I wish I could say something to firmly convince you why you should read this other than adldjfljdlajdkjflkd. Sigh.

Well then. This book had me reeling. Did it do anything spectacular that had me shocked? Not particularly. But it does lull you into thinking all of the ‘mystery' has already been told, from very early on in the book. Until, it smacks you in the face with a new one, which as it begins to unravel you realize just how much sense it made. That is art.

The antagonist/s is vile and this work is potentially very triggering. Every content warning that you can think of needs to be placed on this as well. But that doesn't stop it from being enjoyable. It is ‘hold your breath and hope for the best good'. I MUST check out more from this author in the hopes that I find another hit like this again.

I started off enjoying this...and then, somewhere around 30% I stopped caring. I kept reading hoping that my feelings would change...hoping that I would believe the chemistry between our MCs. Sadly, I didnt. The constant self doubt, denial and second guessing became irritating. It ended as any cozy romance can be expected so there's that. At least there was a payoff for all my perseverance.

Ok...so realistically...how soon can I get book two in my hands???

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The atmosphere in this book is superb so if you read it for that alone you come out winning. But if you're also interested in plot, you get that too! Roma and Juliette go on a mission to save their city from a monster(?!), having to put feud, feelings and history aside, in order go the full mile. It's convoluted at best trying to understand what this monster is, what it has to do with the madness, who's responsible...and yet I could not stop reading.

I hated everyone. Ok, that's a lie. I hated TWO people and was thoroughly apathetic to a third. I loved two of the side characters and was very intrigued by the tension between our MCs. As MCs go, Juliette was definitely more developed and deserved every bit of the reputation that she'd earned. I tolerated Roma's POV simply because it drove the plot along and I got to see my two favourite side characters.

I need to see where this goes because...the way that ended...

This book was equal parts enlightening and infuriating. It is not meant to be marathoned, instead, it requires time and careful consideration.

Sex work has been historically frowned upon and so the traumas that sex workers are exposed to are not addressed with the care that they deserve. This book invites us into the world of the sex worker as each deal with the hows and the whys of their work as well as the ways in which they deal with and navigate the abuses that they face in their line of work. Even as I write this I'm consciously checking that I am not contributing to the biases that non-sex workers have had ingrained into our psyche where it's a ‘given' that abuse is part and parcel with the occupation. Being a police officer means that you run the risk of getting shot in the line of duty, that doesn't mean that a downed officer is brushed aside as collateral damage/par for the course. No, there is outcry, investigations and repercussions.

The decision to work in the sex industry, whether through choice or necessity, does not negate your humanity, your right to raise children, your ownership of your body, your agency in decision making. Watching each of these narrators find ways to survive in a world that doesn't care about them broke my heart.

Ugh. I need to read this again...slower.

Where do I begin with this tragedy??? These characters are toxic, their world is violent, and they are not good for each other. But I love them with my whole heart. I still don't understand wtf Exy is but that doesn't matter because Andrew is my favourite Kaos Demon. Neil deserves the whole world. Aaron and Kevin can choke. Riko can choke TWICE. Wymack needs the longest vacation. I could spend more time in this world and it won't get boring because I love how this found family works together, even when it shouldn't.

Don't read this. But if you do, I hope you love it (and hate it) as much as I do.

I couldn't help comparing this and the Netflix adaptation and I don't know if that worked in its favour or not. I appreciated the level of diversity that the Netflix casting brought but I also appreciated the aspects that they kept close to the source material (the fact that the brothers look so much alike). The chemistry is much more pronounced in the books than in the tv show as we actually get to see more of their ‘courting'.
I think if I hadn't been as attached to the tv show I might not have been as determined to finish this one though as it lacks the scandal that Shonda is most known for. There was no Marina/Colin/Penny drama...but then again...maybe that happened in his novel who knows? I'm definitely ready to find out.

First of all, let me just say that the friendship between Hope and Sam is so pure and I wish that they could have had more time together. In fact, Sam was the only thing that kept me reading through most of this. They were genuine and true to the cause from their introduction up until the last page and I love that for them.

Now for my full thoughts.

This book gave me 13 reasons why vibes and not in any way that I cared to read. While I appreciate that, at the time that this book came out it would have been sticking to the trend (if not at the top of the curve), it isn't where my reading tastes are at the current moment. I didn't like the dynamic of the group. They were awful to each other until some life/death or Hope driven event forced them to be nicer. However, the contents are what's been advertised on the can. These teens are troubled and on a trajectory that doesn't offer a positive future.

It wrapped up neatly, so there isn't anything that leaves you wondering if the scavenger hunt was worth it.

I would recommend this to anyone who was once a fan of 13RW or is interested in scavenger hunts/found family tropes.

TW: eating disorder, self-harm. CW: loss of sight, survivor's guilt, talk of the foster care system.

Whew!

This series is the strangest, most disturbing fever dream that I can't seem to wake up from, nor can I seem to care to wake up either.....On to book 3

OMG this book...

Give me some time...

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Okay, I think I can do this now. I mean, I managed to somehow write a full review over on my blog so...I should be able to do this here too right?

Okay.

This book is important. It's important because of all the push back that it and its author are getting. But mostly it's important because it is REAL. The characters are real, the situations are real, and the writing is REAL GOOD.

READ IT!


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Reread Jan ‘21

My thoughts have not change...in fact some things might have hit even harder this second time around. Off to pick up Concrete Rose.

This book is adorable! Nine is determined and self-sufficient and very sassy. Flabberghast is a sneaky little tragedy! Spoon is a menace. Eric is a baby that needs protecting. I know that I would have loved reading this as a child. As it stands, I'm a bit old for the target demographic and still found it enjoyable. Credit to the author for being able to do that.

What I will say is that there came a point where I was so disappointed by the motivation behind the witch's curse and Flabberghast's stubbornness. It felt really juvenile and not worth all of the trouble and time that was invested into the feud. But then again it is clearly meant for a very young audience so I'm sure they would be better able to relate than I would.

I kinda want to see what else Nine gets up to in her life, my little grumpy girl. HA.