madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Autumn Book Tag–Are You Ready for Sweater Weather?

Posted on October 13, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

That’s right! A perfect tag for SPOOKY SEASON!

This tag was created by Jenn @ Jenniely, and all of the tag headers in this post are from her original post. I was tagged by A Little Haze Book Blog (THANK YOU!), and I’m so excited to do this tag! 🙂

Hot Chocolate: What is your comfort book?

Sci-fi books are usually my comfort book; more specifically, those who have an extra-special place in my heart, such as The Search for WondLa trilogy, the Heart of Iron duology, and Aurora Rising.

Pumpkin Carving: What is your favorite creative outlet?

Ooh…probably a toss-up between drawing and writing. I’ve loved to draw since I was little, and I usually like to experiment with pencils, ink pens, markers, and, as of now, a bit of watercolor.

As far as writing goes, I’d like to be an author someday. I try to write every night, and my mind is absolutely filled to the brim with all manner of story ideas. I mean, I’ve gotta let ‘em out somehow, right?

Falling Leaves: Changes that appear bad that you secretly love

In a weird way, the first week of school always makes me a little nostalgic. I know, I know…school…but hey, there’s very little homework, and often times, it’s the first time you get to see all of your friends again after three months apart. It was better in preschool, but the first week is still oddly nice.

Pumpkin Spice Latte: Something you love that others tend to judge

I mean, I know I’m not exactly a minority here, but I LOVE cats. It’s so strange that cats and dogs are such a polarizing subject: people either seem to adore them, or think that they’re heartless goblins bent on destruction. I’ve been around cats for as long as I can remember, and they’ve been my constant companions through thick and thin, always there to be adorable or snuggle with while I watch movies.

Bonfire Night: What makes you explode with joy?

Going to see a movie or picking up a new book that you’ve been waiting for anxiously, and realizing that it was even better than you expected it to be. It’s the little things.

Fright Night: Favorite Scary Book or Film

I’ve never been one for horror–movies or books. I mean, I totally chickened out on Aliens (1986), if that’s any indication.

However, I’m all for something spooky–just don’t give me much suspense, and I’ll be just fine.

In that creepy-but-not-nightmare-inducing vein, I’d have to say the Hellboy comics, and the Guillermo del Toro adaptations. NOT the 2019 reboot, mind you. Hellboy and that related universe will eternally have a special place in my heart.

Halloween Candy: Favorite sweets to eat

Candy corns, York peppermint patties, and anything with Oreos/oreo chunks in it.

Scarves: Your must-have autumn accessory

October’s the perfect jacket season. I always like wearing my denim or leather jacket in Autumn, but I’ve got a soft spot for one jacket in particular; it’s black, with David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane lightning bolt on the back, and my collection of enamel pins and buttons on the front.

Fire: A book or film that burns your soul

As far as books go, I’d definitely have to say Frankenstein. I haven’t gotten around to re-reading since I first bought it, but it’s left a permanent mark on my soul, to be sure.

For movies, hands-down, it’s The Shape of Water. Such a beautifully thought-out and moving film…I really don’t think I’ve been the same since the first time I watched it.

Toffee Apples: A book or film that seems one thing but has a different inside

For this one, I’d have to say…Rainbow Rowell’s and Faith Erin Hicks’ Pumpkinheads. From the premise (and the pretense of Rowell’s previous works), you’d think that it would have some family drama or frustrating conflict. But, no, this one was so sweet and fluffy! Highly recommend it 🙂

Well, that just about wraps it up!

I tag:

Thank you so much for reading this! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and be sure to stay tuned for more content next week! 😉

Book Review Tuesday (10/8/19)-DEV1AT3

Posted on October 8, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey there, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to today’s Book Review Tuesday!

As I hinted in a few previous posts (namely this one…), I read Jay Kristoff’s DEV1AT3 last week. And the final verdict?

It’s even better than LIFEL1K3. Ten times more action, intrigue, witty quips, and gritty sci-fi fun. In no way did this book disappoint.

(For my review of LIFEL1K3, click right here!)

Enjoy this week’s review!

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DEV1AT3 (LIFEL1K3, #2)

After the battle at Babel, a rift has come between Lemon Fresh and her former best friend, Eve, who is now the opposite of who she thought she was. What’s more, she’s been separated from her only allies, Ezekiel and Cricket. And to top it all off, Lemon has just realized that she’s a Deviate: a human born with unique powers. Hers? Manipulation of electricity and machines.

But her new status has placed a target on her head, and Lemon must pit a desparate escape–from those who she thought were her friends, and the ever-vigilant Brotherhood, keen on slaughtering any and all Deviates.

Unbeknownst to her, Cricket has been captured and nearly brainwashed by the Brotherhood, and on the brink of being turned into a killing machine. His only hope is in Abraham, the disenfranchised son of Sister Dee, the enigmatic leader of the Brotherhood.

Will the ragtag gang reunite in time to save themselves?

It always stresses me out when characters I love are separated. But in DEV1AT3, I immensely enjoyed seeing where all of their paths (okay, mostly Lemon and Cricket) took them. With Evie out of the picture, we got so much more development of many of the characters that took a backseat in LIFEL1K3, which was not only much-needed, but an absolute joy to experience.

I’m having trouble coming up with any criticisms for this book. Even better than its predecessor, packed with the perfect amount of Kristoff’s signature writing and wit. DEV1AT3 is everything that I enjoyed about book 1, and then some; the deeply-layered world-building, the endearing characters, and the witty yet insightful writing. At this point, I’m DESPERATE for a sequel.

Jay Kristoff has confirmed that this series will be a trilogy (no suprise there…), but book 3 is, as of now, untitled. Sigh…

Thank you so much for reading this review! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and keep on reading!

Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (10/7/19)-Under the Dusty Moon

Posted on October 7, 2019October 7, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme created by Lauren’s Page Turners. If you want to participate, it’s simple: just pick a book from your Goodreads TBR, and explain why you want to read it.

I’ve started to do a (safe and bookish) version of Russian Roulette when it comes to these TBR picks. My list grows longer every day, and as a result, I often forget hundreds (yes, hundreds) of books that pile up on my TBR. This was one of them…hopefully it’ll be good!

Without further ado, let’s begin!

GOODREADS MONDAY (10/7/19)–UNDER THE DUSTY MOON by Suzanne Sutherland

Blurb from Goodreads:

She’s with the band, whether she likes it or not.

Victoria Mahler is the sixteen-year-old only daughter of rocker Micky Wayne, whose band, Dusty Moon, took the world by storm when Micky was just a teenager. The band broke up under mysterious circumstances, but, after years spent off the road being a mom, Micky’s solo career is finally starting to take off.

When an offer to tour Japan falls into her mom’s lap, Vic is left to spend the summer under the care of her distant grandmother, and without her built-in best friend. Fortunately, a boy with a secret geek side and a group of feminist game-makers save the season, and Vic starts to see herself as her own person, out from under her mother’s shadow.

But when Micky finally comes home — with a poorly chosen boyfriend in tow — all bets are off. Will Vic be able to maintain her newfound sense of self amidst the building thunder of Micky’s second chance at stardom? And through it all, will Micky still really be her best friend?

So why do I want to read this?

If done well enough, I thoroughly enjoy contemporary novels involving music. As some of you have gathered, I’m almost as big of a music nerd as I am a book nerd, so when a well-done, music-centric novel comes along, I’m sure to be engaged.

From what I’ve gathered, it seems similar to Sarah Nicole Smetana’s The Midnights, which I found to be fairly well-written and executed. The lowish rating on Goodreads worries me slightly (3.07/5), but hey, don’t judge a book by it’s rating. I mean, Spare and Found Parts has a 3.53, and I’d give it all the stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Anyway, that was a little off-topic. Essentially, what I’m hoping for in Under the Dusty Moon is a solid and emotional novel, with as many highs and lows as your favorite rock song.

Thank you so much for reading! Have a great rest of your day, and take care of yourselves! Stay tuned for a Book Review Tuesday tomorrow, and some more book tags to come! 😉

Book Tags, Books

I Dare You Tag

Posted on October 2, 2019October 3, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey there, everyone!

A Little Haze Book Blog recently posted this tag, and though I wasn’t specifically tagged, they encouraged their followers to do this tag if they wanted to. I thought it’d be a fun tag, so here we go!

What book has been on your shelf the longest?

Hmm. That’s a pretty hard one…

My brother handed down at least four or five Roald Dahl books to me when I was in elementary school, so they all hold the title. Among them are The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Witches.

What is your current read, your last read, and the book you’ll read next?

I’m currently reading Jay Kristoff’s DEV1AT3, which I’m IMMENSELY enjoying! (For my review of book one, click here.)

I finished reading Rainbow Rowell’s Wayward Son a few days ago. (My review for that is here!)

I’m not sure what I’ll read next, but I have a few books on hold at the library that I’ll probably pick up on Friday. 😉

What book did everyone like, but you hated?

I’ve probably got a few examples up my sleeve, but I absolutely despised (and DNF’d) Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen. UGH. Everybody’s comparing it to Shatter Me and X-Men, but…just another tropey, unoriginal, and poorly written YA dystopian novel trying to be the next Hunger Games. I wish I could un-read that one.

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What book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?

Hmm…probably One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McMannus. Everyone’s been pestering me to read it, and maybe I will someday, but…well…everybody and their sibling has it on hold at the library, and I’m not much of a mystery person anyway.

What book are you saving for retirement?

Assuming this planet doesn’t go up in flames before I’m of retiring age (aHEM…)…

You know? Maybe I’ll just get more into Tennyson’s poetry. I already have a little collection of his, but I feel like that kind of atmospheric, lyrical poetry is ideal for sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch as the sun sets.

Last page: read it first, or wait until the end?

Wait until the end, most definitely. Of course, I accidentally read part of the last page more often than not, because I like to figure out how long the book is…oops.

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Which book character would you switch places with?

Maybe Alina from Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy.Grisha magic certainly has its perks.

(Read my review of Shadow and Bone here!)

Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life? (Place, time, person)

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein always makes me think of the late September-October period of my freshman year of high school. Sitting in English class, snuggled up under a cozy blanket, fog, seeing the showing of the National Theatre adaptation of Frankenstein at the movie theater…ah…

Name a book that you acquired in an interesting way.

The most *interesting* one I can think of is my copy of Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game. I got it from my school library; they had taken out some books that weren’t circulating much anymore, and I had heard some good things about it, so I took it home.

Have you ever given a book away for a special reason to a special person?

…not that I can think of…

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Which book has been with you most places?

Anything from the Search for WondLa trilogy. They were my favorite books for a while (and I still consider them incredible novels), and so they’ve probably been taken to at least three other states besides my own.

Any “required reading” you hated in elementary school that wasn’t so bad two years later?

I enjoyed *most* of the books I read around that time, but I do remember feeling ambivalent about Orvis. I haven’t re-read it since, but I’ve been meaning to for a little while.

Used or brand new?

I prefer brand-new, but I could go for used, depending on the condition.

Have you ever read a Dan Brown book?

Nope.

Come to think of it, the name doesn’t even ring a bell.

Have you seen a movie that you liked better than the book?

The ones that stand out most to me are Fantastic Mr. Fox and the How to Train Your Dragon movies.

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Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry? (Cookbooks included)

I know I’ve experienced the feeling, but I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. Sorry…

Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?

Without question, my mom. I wouldn’t have gotten into Rainbow Rowell without her, so I’ll always be in her debt after that. 😉

Is there a book out of your comfort zone (outside of your usual reading genre) that you ended up loving?

I’d have to say All Out of Pretty by Ingrid Palmer. We’re reading it for my book club this month, and though I was a little hesistant about it, I found it to be an incredibly moving and powerful novel. But be warned–it’s a rough ride in every sense of the phrase.

Aaaaaand that just about wraps it up!

I tag:

Thank you so much for reading! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Book Review Tuesday, Holidays

Book Review Tuesday (10/1/19)-Wayward Son (Simon Snow, #2)

Posted on October 1, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to this week’s EXTRA SPOOKY Book Review Tuesday!

[ahem] Okay, technically, it’s only extra spooky because it’s officially spooky time, but hey, we’ve gotta celebrate somehow, right?

Anyway, I’ve been waiting for this book for over a year. Ever since I read Carry On (you can read my review here), I’ve been itching for some more Simon and Baz action. And now, we’ve FINALLY GOT SOME MORE!!!

So, without further ado, let’s begin this spOOkY Book Review, fellow bibliophiles!

Wayward Son (Simon Snow, #2)

Ever since defeating the Humdrum, Simon Snow has lived on in the eyes of his peers as a hero. But in reality, he hasn’t done anything heroic since then. Lethargic, unmotivated, and weary, Simon has barely ventured beyond the couch. Baz is worried, but doesn’t know what to do–until Penny magicks tickets to America.

Soon, the trio is whisked into the heart of the United States, on an unplanned roadtrip. Their travels put them in the paths of monsters and unlikely allies, but soon, their trip takes on a darker tone–Agatha, Simon’s ex-girlfriend, is in deep trouble. What started as a vacation quickly turns into a rescue mission, and soon, Simon, Baz, and Penny find themselves racing against the clock, their relationships–and magickal abilities–tested.

Let me get this straight. Wayward Son still garners 5, fangirly stars from yours truly. I absolutely loved being back in the world of Simon and Baz, and Rowell’s signature writing and quips never failed to make me smile.

But I still felt like something was missing.

I still can’t put my finger on what exactly it was, but Wayward Son, for the most part, seemed to pack less of an emotional punch that its predecessor. I’ll have to re-read it, maybe I’ll do another post.

Normally, I wouldn’t be doing an update on this one. However…no spoilers, but this bad boy ends on a cliffhanger.

Since it came out exactly a week ago, we don’t have any updates on the next books. I mean…after that, we NEED a book three. I’m just hoping and praying that it doesn’t suffer from Return of the Jedi syndrome. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it too, but…you know what I mean.

Thank you so much for reading! I’ll be back with my regular posts (as well as a few more book tags) soon! Have a spectacularly spooky rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (9/30/19)–Sawkill Girls

Posted on September 30, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, everyone! September’s almost over…but SPOOKY TIME COMMENCES TOMORROW! REJOICE!

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme started by Lauren’s Page Turners ; all you need to do to participate is to pick a book from your Goodreads TBR, and tell everyone why you want to read it. 🙂

Without further ado, let’s begin, shall we?

GOODREADS MONDAY (9/30/19)–SAWKILL GIRLS by Clare Legrand

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Blurb from Goodreads:

Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep.

He’ll follow you home, and he won’t let you sleep.

Who are the Sawkill Girls?

Marion: the new girl. Awkward and plain, steady and dependable. Weighed down by tragedy and hungry for love she’s sure she’ll never find.

Zoey: the pariah. Luckless and lonely, hurting but hiding it. Aching with grief and dreaming of vanished girls. Maybe she’s broken—or maybe everyone else is.

Val: the queen bee. Gorgeous and privileged, ruthless and regal. Words like silk and eyes like knives, a heart made of secrets and a mouth full of lies.

Their stories come together on the island of Sawkill Rock, where gleaming horses graze in rolling pastures and cold waves crash against black cliffs. Where kids whisper the legend of an insidious monster at parties and around campfires.

Where girls have been disappearing for decades, stolen away by a ravenous evil no one has dared to fight… until now.

So why do I want to read this?

I’ve been an on-and-off fan of Clare Legrand’s for a while; I loved Some Kind of Happiness (read my review here) and The Year of Shadows, though I wasn’t crazy about Foxheart. I figured that Clare Legrand’s creepy prose would be absolutely haunting in a YA format, so naturally, I’ve been wanting to read this for a while. It’s had the dreaded ‘All Copies in Use’ marker on my library’s website for months [single tear slides down cheek], so I haven’t been able to read it. Hopefully my luck will change soon.

I’ve also heard Sawkill Girls compared to Stranger Things, which is one of my FAVORITE SHOWS, so I’m really hoping this one won’t disappoint.

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Thank you so much for reading this! Have a great rest of your Monday, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Book Review Tuesday…and S P O O K Y T I M E 🎃

Book Tags, Books

The Productivity Book Tag

Posted on September 25, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Whoa, look at me! Baby’s first book tag! 😄 I was tagged by A Little Haze Book Blog, and I’m so excited to join in the fun!

Let’s lay out the rules for those who participate:

Credit the creator (Sam @ Fictionally Sam)
Answer the prompts
Tag some friends

And most importantly…

Have fun! 🙂

Alright, here goes nothing!

PLANNING-A BOOK THAT IS COMPLETELY THOUGHT OUT

The Smoke Thieves–Sally Green

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There isn’t a place in this novel where I couldn’t find evidence of incredible attention to detail. And the world building…I couldn’t even dream of laying out something as intricate as that!

Read my review here: The Smoke Thieves

FOCUS–A BOOK THAT KEPT YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION

Aurora Rising–Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This. Book.

I swear, I think I shaved off around 300 pages in a single sitting the first time I read this. And honestly? I could’ve gone on longer if I hadn’t had to…y’know…eat…[ahem]

An absolute gem of a novel.

Read my review here: Aurora Rising

DELEGATING–A BOOK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIES

Last of Her Name–Jessica Khoury

Although the conclusion was perfectly satisfying, I absolutely adored the galactic setting, and all of the alien fauna. I would have loved to explore this world more, be it in a sequel or a spin-off.

Read my review here: Last of Her Name

SMALL GOALS–A BOOK UNDER 150 PAGES THAT YOU LOVED

Fahrenheit 451-Ray Bradbury

Okay, I’ll admit, I kinda cheated here. The edition I read was 159 pages…oH, scANDaLOuS…

Anyway, Ray Bradbury. ‘Nuff said. [mic drop]

PEAK HOURS–A BOOK/SERIES YOU CAN ONLY READ AT A CERTAIN TIME

Undead Girl Gang–Lily Anderson

I read Undead Girl Gang in the middle of summer, but it’s definitely best read around Spooky Time™️, what with witches, zombies and whatnot. [blasts the entire soundtrack to The Nightmare Before Christmas from a boombox]

Read my review here: Undead Girl Gang

LISTS–A BOOK YOU FINALLY CROSSED OFF YOUR TBR

Red Rising–Pierce Brown

Finally crossed off my TBR…but at what cost?

Unpopular opinion: eh…I liked Red Rising, but I found it to devastatingly overrated. Far too derivative of The Hunger Games, in my opinion.

PROACTIVE–A BOOK THAT IS/WAS AHEAD OF ITS TIME

1984-George Orwell

I know, I know, this is rather cliche choice. But in the current political climate (especially in the U.S.), it’s far more relevant than I’d like it to be. Let’s face it: we’re living through a terrifying part of history.

DECLUTTER–A BOOK/SERIES THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD UNREAD

Smokeless Fire–Samantha Young

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GOD. Where to begin with this one…

I fell into the trap of buying this one on my Kindle, as soon as I saw that it was only 0.99. Let’s just say you’re getting what you’re paying for; highly predictable plot, writing that practically begs for an editor, and a cast of cliched and disgustingly unlikable characters. I hate to say it, but…this is more Dumpster Fire than Smokeless Fire.

Oop. That last one was kind of low-hanging fruit, sorry…

MULTITASKING–BOOKS YOU READ AT THE SAME TIME

Two Dark Reigns–Kendare Blake

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Alright, sorry, I’m cheating a little bit on this one as well. I swore off reading multiple books at once sometime before middle school, so I can’t recall any specific books before then. But, I read this around the same time I read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (probably my favorite book, personally) for an English project, so I *suppose* this counts.

Read my review here: Two Dark Reigns

I TAG…

Thank you so much for reading! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves! I promise I’ll get my blog format presentable sometime in the near future…

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/24/19)-LIFEL1K3

Posted on September 25, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

I’ve been a fan of Jay Kristoff’s work for a decent amount of time now, what with his co-authoring of the Illuminae Files (you can find my review here) and Aurora Rising (you can find that review here). So, naturally, I’ve been wanting to read LIFEL1K3 for a pretty long time. I ended up buying it recently, and I must say, it was an absolutely WILD ride! Hardcore, gritty, post-apocalyptic sci-fi at its best.

Enjoy this week’s review!

LIFEL1K3 (Lifelike, #1)

In a post-apocalyptic California, Eve has lost everything. After a betting disaster, she, along with her best friend Lemon-Fresh, her robot companion Cricket, and her grandfather are on the run, with nothing left to lose. Gangs are closing in on them, and they’re being hunted by the anti-technology cult of the Brotherhood. On top of that, Eve may just have powers that change her life–for better or worse.

Then, Eve uncovers the remains of an android model–one that’s been banned and destroyed for as long as she can remember. His name is Ezekiel, and he may just hold the key to Eve’s true past. Can Eve and her ragtag band discover the truth about their origins–and survive?

LIFEL1K3 was an absolute riot, guys.

Kristoff’s signature writing takes the spotlight in this rollercoaster of a novel, and my god, I am HERE FOR IT. Gripping (and relentlessly over-the-top) action, witty banter, a ragtag cast of characters with impeccable chemistry, and a believable and well-designed future world. This book practically begs for the big screen; everything about this novel is wonderfully cinematic, and would be completely fit to contend with the action films of this day and age. Such a fun novel! Solid four stars. 🙂

The sequel, DEV1AT3, came out this June, and I just checked it out at the library! There is a final book slated for release, but it is, as of now, untitled and without a release date. Fingers crossed that DEV1AT3 lives up to this one. 😉

Thank you so much for reading! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (9/23/19)-Crown of Coral and Pearl

Posted on September 23, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Would you look at that! I didn’t forget Goodreads Monday this week! 😀

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme started by Lauren’s Page Turners ; all you need to do to participate is to pick a book from your Goodreads TBR, and tell everyone why you want to read it.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

GOODREADS MONDAY (9/23/19)-CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL by Mara Rutherford

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Blurb from Goodreads:

For generations, the princes of Ilara have married the most beautiful maidens from the ocean village of Varenia. But though every girl longs to be chosen as the next princess, the cost of becoming royalty is higher than any of them could ever imagine…

Nor once dreamed of seeing the wondrous wealth and beauty of Ilara, the kingdom that’s ruled her village for as long as anyone can remember. But when a childhood accident left her with a permanent scar, it became clear that her identical twin sister, Zadie, would likely be chosen to marry the Crown Prince—while Nor remained behind, unable to ever set foot on land.

Then Zadie is gravely injured, and Nor is sent to Ilara in her place. To Nor’s dismay, her future husband, Prince Ceren, is as forbidding and cold as his home—a castle carved into a mountain and devoid of sunlight. And as she grows closer to Ceren’s brother, the charming Prince Talin, Nor uncovers startling truths about a failing royal bloodline, a murdered queen… and a plot to destroy the home she was once so eager to leave.

In order to save her people, Nor must learn to negotiate the treacherous protocols of a court where lies reign and obsession rules. But discovering her own formidable strength may be the one move that costs her everything: the crown, Varenia and Zadie.

So why do I want to read this?

Simple. I’m desperate for a good mermaid book.

Okay, maybe it’s not exactly a mermaid book, but it seems like a good execution of the concept of undersea kingdoms. If all goes well, it sounds like Crown of Coral and Pearl has a lot of political intrigue and some interesting world building. I’m not expecting another Smoke Thieves, but here’s hoping that we’ll get *something* as good as that.

And let me elaborate on the whole “desperate to read a mermaid book” thing. I haven’t read a book in years that has executed the concept of mermen well. Case in point: Jennifer Donnelly’s Deep Blue. Avoid this one at all costs; the mermaids were uncreatively designed, as was the kingdom. And, there was the unrealistic dialogue and the onslaught of awful puns that the author seemed to think that we were going to take seriously. Just stoooopppp. Ally Condie’s Atlantia has a similar plot to Crown of Coral and Pearl, but it fell into a nearly identical trap: corny dialogue, cardboard characters, etc. So yeah, I really need a good mermaid book. Soon. Right now. 🅱LEASE?

Crown of Coral and Pearl came out a little under a month ago, so here’s hoping I can find it and read it soon! 🧜‍♀️

Thank you so much for reading! Have a great rest of your day, and take care of yourselves! I’ll be back tomorrow for this week’s Book Review Tuesday, and I’ve also been (discreetly) tagged in my VERY FIRST BOOK TAG…so I’ll be getting to that soon as well! (Thanks A Little Haze Book Blog !)

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/17/19)-The Demon World

Posted on September 18, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

First off, sorry for forgoing Goodreads Monday this week. It just slipped my mind sometime in between doing math homework and creating some X-Men fan art. Oops…I promise I’ll get to it next week 😉

Hopefully, though, this review makes up for it. This week’s book does, anyway. I finally got my hands on the sequel to The Smoke Thieves (you can read my review of book 1 right here )!!!

And I must say, this sequel did not disappoint! The Demon World was everything that I loved about book 1, but with the volume turned up; absolutely jam-packed with plot twists, intricate writing, and characters that you root for until the very end.

Enjoy this week’s review!

The Demon World (The Smoke Thieves, #2)

Just days ago, Tash, Ambrose, Catherine, March, and Edyon were strangers. Now, they are all entangled in a war of epic proportions, and their lives may just be at stake. And it’s all because of a bottle of demon smoke.

The tide of war is turning, but not in these young adults’ favors; King Aloysius, Catherine’s megalomaniacal father, has discovered that demon smoke gives whoever inhales it strength beyond their wildest dreams. With enough smoke, he plans to raise an unstoppable army, with which he can claim all of his neighboring countries.

Catherine’s underground resistance is struggling to regain footing after several losses. Their desperate travels take them to the Demon World–a hellish realm where demons roam freely. If they can figure out its secrets, they may be able to end and win this war–but is it too late to stop Aloysius’ demonic hordes of men?

And I thought The Smoke Thieves was intense…

The Demon World is truly a masterpiece, like The Empire Strikes Back of this series. Green pulls out all the stops, amping up the tension and action just enough to be believable and glue me to my seat simultaneously. Within…oh, fifty pages in, I was crying tears of joy. By the end, the tears had…well…yeah, let’s say they were quite the opposite. In short, this made me feel all the feels. Every. Single. One of them.

The ending left me speechless, and I kind of wanted to throw the book across the room. In a good way.

Almost.

I mean, it was a library book, I’m not that barbaric.

What I’m saying is that, unlike so many other YA novels of its kind, The Demon World is a worthy successor of the first novel, with an ending so earthshattering that the conclusion is almost guaranteed to be momentous.

Book 3 is, as of now, untitled, and according to Goodreads, the expected publication is sometime in 2020.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[sigh] Well…guess I’ll just have to re-read these two books countless times before book 3 comes out…

Thank you so much for reading! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves! 🙂