Shine your icy crown by Amanda Lovelace Trigger warning: provided by the author! Age rating: 14+ Overall rating: 5 out of 5. Gernes: Poetry A spoiler free summary Shine your icy crown is a collection of poems written by Amanda Lovelace. She explores many sensitive themes without being too overwhelming. It is the story of a girl who loves fairy tales but can’t understand why she needs a prince. It is written in a cryptic way and can apply to anyone. This empowering poetry collection is the second instalment of “You are your own fairy tale.” Review I love Amanda Lovelace’s books. I really enjoy their poetry. I think it was important that she provided to a trigger warning since their poems explores sensitive topics. I’m not going to lie; I felt a little emotional when reading their poems. These poems are empowering and touching, you tell the author has been through many of the experiences they have written about. I appreciated the style of her poetry, it’s less structed then traditional poetry, it’s looser. Their poems aren’t as cryptic as many of the old poets, sometimes you really must think about what the poet is trying to communicate with you but with Amanda’s poetry it is very straight forward. I knew I was going to enjoy this book because I have read some of their other works and will continue the two books of theirs, I haven’t read yet and of course more when she releases them. Quotes/poems “she always looked up to strong women protagonist that is, until the day she finally realized that she is the strong women protagonist. determined is she to weave an even better tale. -taking the pen back.” “no, hurting herself is not something she does for the attention. some days, it’s the only thing that tethers her to the earth. -she feels like she might float away any day now.” “her parents screamed at her more than they ever told her they loved her. -disappointment” “i deserve to have good things even if i have not always done good things. -perfection is a lie; flaws are real.” “no more fake friends. no more following the crowd. no more hiding my feelings. no more pretending. -authenticity only.” Recommendation If you are looking for a contemporary poetry, discussing themes of self-doubt, empowerment, loving oneself, recognizing your struggles, sexism, mental illness, etc. this is perfect for you. The book itself is so aesthetically pleasing with beautiful images and a simplistic cover design. I would recommend all of Amanda Lovelace’s poetry books. Pros: The book is gorgeous with pretty images. Just the whole book it the aesthetic. I love when authors write a note to the reader, it makes it more personal. Cons: I don’t have any complaints or anything really.
Category: Uncategorized
Excuse me while I ugly cry by Joya Goffney
Excuse we while I ugly cry by Joya Goffney Trigger warning: Racism, trauma. Age rating: 13+ Overall rating: 5 out of 5. Gernes:Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary. A spoiler free summary Quinn Jackson is obsessed with her journal; it is her whole foundation of who she is and is a large part of her life. She is a notorious list maker; she makes a list from “The things I’ll never admit out loud” to “If I could kiss anyone” and that’s what keeps her sane, so she starts to fall apart when she loses her Journal, or did it go missing? An anonymous Instagram account posts a picture of one of her lists and blackmails her to complete that list or else more of her lists will go public. Now Quinn is about to face the fact a lot of truth is going to come out and the entire school is going to know about. Quinn doesn’t know who to trust. Out of desperation she teams up with the last person who had her journal, Carter Bennett. Together they race against the clock to face some of Quinn’s greatest fears, and she learns to face the world with courage, and she might even find love through it all… Review Excuse me while I ugly cry, was such a fun romcom to read. I read this in one sitting and it had me smiling almost the entire time. I loved how the author explored the serious theme of racism, yet it didn’t make the book too heavy. I think it is wonderful that it shines light on racism in schools today and the experience of many black people. All the character were so fun, Quinn, Carter, Olivia, Auden, Imani and so many of the others add a lot to the story line. It was easy to dive into the story almost straight away and the whole storyline was well thought out. I thoroughly enjoyed the character developments, they were so well done and thought out. Even some of character I didn’t expect had character development. It also focuses on the pressure many face in relation to race, school and the societal pressure on BIPOC people. Quinn’s parents are quite present in the novel, which is unfortunately very rare in many YA novels, so I appreciated that aspect to. I loved many of the character’s relationships, it was super cute, and one relationship especially was super badass, it was the perfect friendship. Quinn’s connection to her lists and her journal is something I enjoyed. Quotes “It’s okay.” Olivia grabs my hand and squeezes my fingers. “I’ll protect you.” "I looked at her tiny build, then at the muscular man behind her and somehow, I believe her. I’ve seen her fight on multiple occasions, multiple guys…” “Look at my nails! Queen did my nails!” Queen. I smile back and breathe a laugh through my nose.” “As we climbed down the steps, Livvy hisses, “I said it! Just like the movie.”” Recommendation If you want a fun quick paced romance with enemies to lovers and Black main characters being blackmailed and great character development this book is for you. Pros: The chapter had fun names. At the beginning of the book there was a contents page, which is always good because you are able to go back and find certain parts that you especially enjoyed. The paper back I own is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. The lists provided throughout the book really added to the storyline. It's written by a BIPOC author with BIPOC characters! Cons: I honestly cannot think of any in this moment.
How we fall apart by Katie Zhao
How we fall apart by Katie Zhao Trigger warning: Author provides at the beginning of the book! [Feel free to contact me if you want to know more.] Age rating: 14+ Overall rating: 6 out of 5 [Yes, I gave it a 6 out of 5. I might be biased but I’ve never related to a book so much]. Gernes: Young Adult, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller A spoiler free summary Jamie Ruan is the queen bee of Sinclair prep. Everyone sees her as rich, happy and the top student at the school. One day she ends up dead. An anonymous person called the proctor posts on the school’s social media app, claiming that Jamie’s ex-best friends are behind her death. Akil Patel is top track star at Sinclair prep. Krystal Choi is known for her killer fashion sense. Alexander Lin is always focused on his grades. Nancy Luo is scholarship student absorbed in nothing but being on top of her grades. So why are they being targeted? What secrets are being threatened to be revealed? Why are they so desperate to hide their secrets? Maybe they aren’t so perfect after all… Review How do I begin, I loved this book! Everything was done so well in this book, and I have never felt so seen. This might be the closest I’ve ever come to crying because it was so relatable. This book explores the pressure immigrants [not limited to] face within themselves, against school and the high expectations of others around them especially their parents. It touches and shows the effect how this mentality can really affect mental health of many young people and it recognizes this issue. You can tell the author has experienced this or gone through something similar. The whole plot line was so unpredictable, and it kept me guessing what could possibly happen next. It was lovely to see the relationship of all the character no matter if it was good or bad. I loved the fact Nancy, Krystal, Akil and Alexander seemed perfect on the outside [before everything was revealed] to everyone around them but, they had plenty of imperfections. It was wonderful to see the four friends’ relationship and what kept them close together even after the Incident [if you know you know 😉]. Each of the core four characters were so different and unique in their own, yet a lot of it was realistic to teens in this generation [in my experience, apart from the murder plotline obviously]. The whole book was in one point of view, Nancy Luo, and had multiple flashbacks scattered throughout the book, but those flashbacks were not confusing at all. They really added more understanding to the entire storyline. This book had everything I wanted, an intriguing cast, unpredictable storyline and mostly the representation! This was one of those books that when you finish it you just need it to settle in, I couldn’t read a book for at least four days [if you know the feeling you know]. I’m very excited for Katie Zhao’s next upcoming YA book, The lies we tell in 2022 and her other books in the future. 😊 Quotes “I was always lying. Pretending to be someone I wasn’t in order to fit in. Pretending was so much easier than being who I really was.” “Nobody would want to know the gritty unpleasant details about what it took - what it really took – to get there.” “That was what he said, but I had the sneaking suspicion that he was barely holding it together. I could see the same cracks forming in his image. I saw those same cracks every time I glanced in the mirror.” “I shouldn’t let anyone else get too close. The only person I could depend on was myself.” “No lonelier feeling in the world than having people stare at you all the time, but nobody truly seeing you.” “I heard myself nicknamed every variation of the word ‘smart’.” “Don’t push yourself too hard. The permission I’d waited for, my whole life.” Recommendation If you liked One of us is lying by Karen M. McManus and the Don’t get mad duology by Gretchen McNeil but with a twist and with Asian representation, you’ll love How we fall apart. It may also open your eyes to how some immigrant children\families feel in places such as America, the UK and Australia. Or you may find this book to be a comfort and recognition of your existence. Pros: Loved the names of the chapters, confession one, etc. I also enjoyed the fact there were thoughts from anonymous students from the app as the beginning of each chapter. The representation was there! Will definitely become one of my favourites and a comfort book for sure. Cons: The only one I can think of is I wish it was longer, but I have feeling there might be a sequel or at least I hope so, so it’s not a real complaint. So, I have none.
To kill a kingdom by Alexandra Christo
To kill a kingdom by Alexandra Christo Trigger warnings: Gruesome scenes. Age rating: 13+ Overall rating: 4.5 out of five. Gernes: Young Adult, Retelling, Fantasy. A spoiler free summary Princess Lira is siren royalty and the feared Prince’s Bane, until Lira is cursed by the callous Sea Queen, and she may have to remain human unless she can deliver the heart of the infamous siren killer without her song. Prince Elian is the captain of the deadliest crew of siren hunters and secondly, the heir to the most powerful kingdom. When he rescues a drowning woman, she makes promises to end sirenkind forever, but how can he trust this mysterious woman from the ocean…. Review Retellings can often go wrong if it’s not well executed, but this was certainly well done. Not only is it a retelling of the little mermaid but it adds elements of other stories such as King Midas and the Greek Goddess of sea monsters, Keto. I do appreciate the two point of views and the story would be so different without it. Many of the character are colourful in personality and the book has an array of beautiful scenery. The point of views were easy to follow. The semi-main characters add the perfect flair to the storyline. I love Madrid and Kye’s relationship, I like Lira’s whole persona and the flash backs that provides some understanding on why Lira is the way she is. Elian and Lira’s dynamic is a pleasure to read. Kahlia and Lira’s sibling like relationship starts and ends the adventure pulling it all together. Overall, the writing is well written, and the story is easy to dive into this world. I really enjoyed the story and have read it multiple times. Quotes “Love is a word we scarcely hear in the ocean. It exists only in my song and on the lips of the princes I’ve killed. And I have never heard it from my mother’s mouth.” “There is nothing in this world but pain and the rare moments that exist in between.” Recommendation A good book to get away from your troubles. The ocean and the lands in between are the perfect combination for exploration. If pirates, sirens, royalty, secrets and adventure appeals to you, then I recommend. Pros: The first sentence of the book is one of my favourites, its very eye catching, and any mind would immediately want to know what happens next. I also love when the author added a note to the readers so that was wonderful to see. I really enjoyed the little detail of a tentacle whenever it changed to Lira’s point of view. Cons: The middle section of the book surrounding Lira and Elian’s dynamic is dragged a little and the end almost feels rushed. It would have been nice to see more of their relationship and wished the book was longer or there was a sequel. Reread Review.
A madness so discreet by Mindy McGinnis
A madness so discreet by Mindy McGinnis Trigger Warnings: SA, SH, abuse, miscarriage, suicide, death, murder, medical procedures, trauma, gruesome\violent scenes. Age Rating: 14+ Overall rating: 4 out of 5 Gernes: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense. A spoiler free summary A madness so discreet explores the themes of societal deemed insanity. Grace Mae finds herself at Boston asylum. Her voice is locked away along with her family’s horrific secrets and her own which she carries around with her in a physical form. When Grace is sent to the shadowy cellars, a visiting doctor discovers her sharp mind and keen eyes. With the help of Dr Thornhallow, she escapes the asylum to a more ethical one. Now she helps Dr Thornhallow hunt down a murder using the new study of criminal psychology. Grace uses her insanity as a weapon while her own past horrors catches up and challenges her. Review I quite enjoyed the drastic changes of the book; the first half may have been settled but within the smallish time frame the author explored most aspects of the character’s life at the asylum. It is interesting to see Grace’s character development with the change of environment. The language is easy to understand yet is very intriguing and mostly quick paced. I was almost immediately immersed in the story. It’s delightful to see a book with no romance in it yet has so much depth. It shines a light on how mental health was treated in the 1800s and how the people deemed insane just ended up in an asylum. The characters are well written and pulls at the heart strings, the friendships really add so much to the storyline. Multiple surprises were revealed mostly in the second half. Overall, a great book and may read more of Mindy McGinnis’ books. Quote “The insane are simply people who have chosen not to participate in the world in the same manner as the majority.” Recommendation If you like unexpected stories with gruesome twists, I recommend. As I previously stated it is a quick paced book especially the second half. If the trigger warnings make you unsure, I would definitely do more research since the whole book touches on multiple sensitive topics. Pros: I really loved the absence of romance in this book and the Friendships between Grace, Nell and Elizabeth as well as the dynamic between grace and the Thornhallow siblings. It also shines a small light on how mental health was treated in the 1800s and the history of asylums. Cons: No diversity, if there was it was very little of it. But that might be due to the setting of the story and the absence of romance. Would have wished for a trigger warning, since it covers many sensitive topics.
Enna Mari 