Book Review Tuesday – Page 24 – The Bookish Mutant

Book Review Tuesday (5/12/20)–Aurora Burning (Aurora Cycle, #2)

Posted on May 12, 2020May 12, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles!

I don’t think I’ve anticipated a book as much as I’ve anticipated Aurora Burning (though Soul of Stars is a close contender). After falling in love with book 1, I jumped at the chance to preorder it, and as the date came closer (it’s officially been a week since its release), I counted down the days. My day got SO much better once I got it in the mail, and my day was filled with so much joy thereafter. I read it twice, and I must say, this is a truly worthy sequel, filled to the brim with plot twists and heart-wrenching writing.

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1, AURORA RISING. If you haven’t read book 1, then I suggest you don’t read this review yet.

For my review of Aurora Rising, click here!

Enjoy this week’s review!

Bonus photo from my mini “photoshoot” last week

Aurora Burning (Aurora Cycle, #2)

Squad 312 is in more trouble than they’ve ever been in.

After the tumultuous exploration of Octavia III, the colony that Aurora was set to live in, Tyler, Scarlett, Finian, Kal, Zila, and Auri are back on the run. The TDF now blames them for the destruction of Sagan station, and with targets on their backs, the stakes are higher than ever. Especially considering that the Ra’haam–an interstellar entity bent on consuming the galaxy and all its denizens–is after them, infiltrating the Global Intelligence Agency, and bent on assimilating Auri. Now, Squad 312 must unlock the mystery of the Eshvaren–the beings that defeated the Ra’haam millions of years before–in order to complete Auri’s destiny as the force that will purge the Ra’haam from the face fo the galaxy. With targets on their backs and bounties on their heads–and not to mention, Kal’s sister after them–will Squad 312 defy all odds once more?

WOW. WHAT. A. BOOK.

Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff have absolutely done it again, pulling out all the stops of a sequel truly worthy of the near-perfection of its predecessor. There was nothing I enjoyed more than being back with Squad 312–especially now that we’ve got some necessary backstory on all of them.

Namely, Zila and Kal. We learned almost nothing about Zila in book 1, other than something vaguely hinted in her (very short) POVs; now that we have some insight on her past life…whew, somebody give her all the hugs the universe has to offer…

But beyond that, we also saw her grow such a great deal, and watching it made my heart so happy. Kal gets a similar treatment–we get an insight on his past (namely, his family), and we also get to see his relationship with Auri grow. I already adored both of them in book 1 (I mean, hey, they’re my favorite characters), but seeing them blossom together was one of my favorite aspects of this book.

Aurora Burning was just as action-packed as book 1, if not even more. I enjoyed every minute of it–everything from the escape from Emerald City at the very beginning to the chaos that ensued towards the end of the novel. I was on the edge of my seat for every page, and grinning from ear to ear through it all. (Well, almost all of it. More on that a bit later.)

One of my favorite scenes/sequences, by far, was Auri’s training by the Eshvaren within the Echo. It was such a beautifully written and archetypal few chapters–not only a chance for Auri to realize herself and her mindset, but a chance for her relationship with Kal to grow as well. The imagery was gorgeous, and I’ll admit that the last bit got me choked up. Mostly because it was so reminiscent of The Empire Strikes Back, with Luke undergoing training to be a Jedi knight in the swamps of Dagobah. The Hero’s Journey parallels between Luke and Auri made me swell with joy, for lack of better words.

And all of it built up to an absolute WHOPPER of an ending. If you love this series as much as I do, PLEASE prepare yourself emotionally, because I guarantee that you won’t be ready for what’s coming. I know you’ve all heard everybody saying something on these lines, but I mean it when I say that Kaufman and Kristoff DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT YOU HOLD DEAR. AGAIN. And now I have to wait a whole year to find out what happens…

Thank you.gif — @ Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

And on a sidenote, REPRESENTATION! Finian is now confirmed to be bisexual, and Zila makes several comments about liking girls, though her label has not been confirmed. A+!

All in all, Aurora Burning proves once more that Kaufman and Kristoff are nothing short of a force to be reckoned with. A true stunner of a sequel, and one that I certainly won’t forget anytime soon. 5, ENORMOUS STARS! Or more, if that’s possible…

Aurora Burning is the second book in the Aurora Cycle, preceded by Aurora Rising. Book 3 is confirmed to be happening/in the works, but as of now, it’s untitled, and does not have a cover or a release date. [sad harmonica]

Today’s song:

Gah, I love this song…

Reminds me a little bit of Kal, to be honest. Not completely, but some of the lyrics and the general feel of the song have the same vibes as him.

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Book Review Tuesday (5/5/20)–The Invisible Library

Posted on May 5, 2020July 8, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Tuesday, everyone!

I forget exactly when I put this one on my TBR, but it was…fairly recently? I’m not sure. Anyway, I dug it up again for Goodreads Monday a few weeks ago, and I was once again fascinated by the premise. I’m happy to say that The Invisible Library blew me out of the water–perfect for anyone who appreciates the value of a good story!

Enjoy this week’s review!

The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library Novel): Cogman ...

The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library, #1)

In the gap between dimensions lies the Library, which houses books from all manner of alternate realities. Their Librarians are responsible for the preservation and retrieval of these novels from dangerous hands, putting their lives on the line to protect rare fictions.

Irene is one such Librarian, tasked with one mission–to bring a copy of Grimm’s Fairytales to safety at the Library. This copy is not only hidden deep in the heart of an alternate London, a world filled with airships and mechanical beasts. To make matters worse, many sets of powerful hands seek to snatch the copy away, and by the time they’ve made it to London, the Fairytales have already been stolen. With the help of her new assistant, Kai, and a detective who’s suspected them from the beginning, Irene must retrieve the book, before it falls into the wrong hands–again.

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First off: you had me at “library.” As a library volunteer and a lifelong lover of books, I always love to delve into adventures involving books, literature within literature. It’s a subgenre that’s rarely done well, but in this case, Cogman pulls it off spectacularly.

Beyond that, The Invisible Library has everything that you could possibly want in a great adventure novel. Faeries, vampires, dragons, and werewolves? Check. Mechanical insects? Check. Detectives? Another check. Evil entities? Check. Espionage and airships in a pseudo-steampunk version of Victorian London? Check, check, and check. (Oh, and there’s a few crocodiles thrown in as well. Can’t forget the crocodiles.) You’d think that with all of those elements crammed in, there’d be little room for plot, and the story would needlessly jump from place to place with no sense of direction. Wonderfully enough, this novel pulls off having all sorts of fantastical elements mixed in, while still making for a wild mystery through an unfamiliar London.

And can we talk about Irene? I LOVED HER. She’s absolutely no-nonsense, fiercely intelligent, and can hold her own against ALL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED WEIRDNESS. Beyond that, she has the unmistakable love and respect for good books, and the places that a well-written story can take you.

Kai, on the other hand…he was totally set up to be the love interest, but Irene’s dealing with it is HYSTERICAL. The whole time, everyone seems to be setting them up, but Irene can go on a mission with a member of the opposite sex without romance interfering, thank you very much. She’s much an independent, logic-ruled character. Judging from the amount of books that come afterward, there’s a good chance that they’ll get together, but I’m personally hoping that they stay friends. Guess that’s just me, fed up with insta-love.

All in all, an absolutely wild, adventurous ride, and a love song to libraries and the books they house. 4.75 stars, rounded up to 5!

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The Invisible Library is the first in a series of seven (!) books, including The Masked City (#2), The Burning Page (#3), The Lost Plot (#4), The Mortal Word (#5), The Secret Chapter (#6), and The Dark Archive (#7, expected to be published in December of 2020). As of now, I’m not sure whether or not this will be the end of the series, but…whew, we’ll see…

In the meantime, I still have The Masked City on hold, and I eagerly wait its arrival…

excited | Trending Gifs | Page 45

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

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Book Review Tuesday, Books

Book Review Tuesday (4/28/20)–The Life Below

Posted on April 28, 2020July 8, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Tuesday, everyone!

After re-reading The Final Six recently, I knew I had to get my hands on the sequel. Though I was worried that it wouldn’t be as good as book 1, The Life Below ulimately surpassed its predecessor, making for a complex sci-fi novel that had me on the edge of my seat!

WARNING: THIS REVIEW IS LIKELY RIFE WITH SPOILERS FOR THE FINAL SIX.

If you haven’t read The Final Six and plan on doing so, I suggest you don’t yet read this review. For now, if you want to read my review of book 1, click here!

Spoiler Warning Spoiler Alert Spoilers GIF | Gfycat

Enjoy this week’s review!

Amazon.com: The Life Below (9780062658975): Monir, Alexandra: Books

The Life Below (The Final Six, #2)

After the tumultuous choosing of the contenders for the Final Six, Naomi is set on a course for space, heading to Europa with five other contenders–including her archrival, Beckett. Bemoaning the fact that she may never see Leo again, she boards the ship with suspicion. But as they fly closer to Europa, she discovers that there may be even more secrets that the International Space Training Camp may be hiding. Secrets that may mean the difference between life and death.

Crestfallen at losing his place on the Europa mission, Leo is summoned by Greta Wagner, a scientist responsible for constructing the backbone of the Europa mission–that was fired before the Final Six fought for a place on the mission. Her intel on the mission and the ISTC puts Naomi and the others in danger, and they only have one option to save her and the other five crew members–and that’s running their own Europa mission.

Will their paths collide in time for the truth to be revealed?

lukeskywalkers:Star Wars + Bad Feeling on Make a GIF

Fresh off of reading The Final Six, I was worried about book 2 for the first third of the novel, or so. The plot seemed to be going nowhere, and I was desperately worried that $11 had hopelessly gone down the drain. But lucky for us, The Life Below picks up in a heartbeat, cranking up the volume and turning the stakes up to the next level. In the end, it was even better than book 1–a positively pulse-pounding, intergalactic thrill ride.

First off, CHARACTERS. Now that the Final Six had been narrowed down, I was fascinated to get a glimpse at some of the characters that were just background noise in book 1. I liked Sydney, in particular–she had a vital place on the mission, and she was generally just a very human character. I liked returning to the minds of Leo and Naomi, and though their romance still felt a bit forced at times, it was ultimately a good choice.

Now that everyone’s been thrown out in space, the stakes are ten times higher. This was where the book picked up for me; the results of everything from the Athena supply run to exploring the RRB bacteria had often frightening repercussions and conclusions, making for a novel that had me on the edge of my seat.

My personal favorite part was one of the main subplots, in which Naomi and the rest of the crew figure out a decoded message in the form of the musical structure of Radiohead’s “Sail To The Moon”. Besides the fact that I’m a total nerd for Radiohead, it was such an inventive way to make and figure out a cipher. Honestly, a heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Monir for blessing us with all these Radiohead references.

All in all, a thrilling sequel with all of the elements of a solid sci-fi novel. 4.5 stars for me!

The Life Below is the second in the Final Six series. From what I can tell, it’s a duology, but…ugh, the ending made it seem like there would be another book…CURSES! 🤬

Anyway, we’ll see how that goes…

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your week, and take care of yourselves!

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Book Review Tuesday, Books

Book Review Tuesday (4/21/20)–Sawkill Girls

Posted on April 21, 2020July 8, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Tuesday, everyone!

I put this novel on a Goodreads Monday a while back, and my expectations were…well, I kind of forget, to be honest. On a whim, I put it on hold on the Kindle library, and now, I am SO GLAD that I read it. A beautifully written, supernatural feminist tale!

Enjoy this week’s review!

Sawkill Girls - Claire Legrand - Hardcover

Sawkill Girls

For generations, Sawkill Island has had a reputation for girls that go missing in the night, never to be seen again. Rumors and legends of a hungry beast run rampant in the tiny community, but only now are they being investigated. And three girls may be the key to uncovering Sawkill’s supernatural secret.

Marion is new to the island. Plagued by discordant sounds, haunting visions, and a swarm of pale moths, she knows that something may be amiss on the island. Zoey still grieves the loss of her best friend, but with Marion’s help, she may have the tools to avenge her death at last. And Val, the school’s queen bee, harbors a secret that may hold the fate of the entire town in the balance.

avengers endgame | Tumblr | Avengers, Marvel superheroes, Marvel ...

Claire Legrand has always been something of a hit-or-miss author for me. I liked The Year of Shadows and Some Kind of Happiness, but Foxheart got on my nerves. I didn’t know what to expect going into Sawkill Girls, as this was the first of her more YA novels that I’ve read. (The rest listed are middle grade.) So I was veritably stunned at how incredible this novel was.

I’m not much of a horror fan, but I do LOVE a good spooky, paranormal mystery sometimes. (I mean, hey, I’m a huge Hellboy fan, so there you have it.) This novel was wonderfully creepy and atmospheric. The prose was gorgeous, adding to the generally atmospheric feel of the novel. I was able to picture the sleepy setting wonderfully, with the lapping ocean and the thick forest…and lots of moths. MOTHS.

If moths are so excited about the light why they don't hang out ...

(Bröther…I know this meme is dead, but I’ll torment you with it anyway…)

Legrand’s writing struck the perfect chord, a mix of beautiful, at times cosmic prose and tense creepiness throughout.

And I can’t get ENOUGH of most of the characters. Their emotion was palpable, and not only that, I loved the sisterhood dynamic that existed between them. Marion and Zoey were my personal favorites: Marion, with her intuition and determination, and Zoey, with her relentless loyalty and cunning. Even though I didn’t like Val as much (I think the point was to not like her as much, anyway), her struggles were deeply human, and she really came through in the end (no spoilers). Plus, Zoey throws out both X-Men and A Wrinkle in Time references. Of course you’ve got my attention.

Control Jean Grey GIF - Control JeanGrey SophieTurner - Discover ... — *Sawkill Girls* without context

And through it all, Legrand poses powerful themes of feminine friendship, strength, resistance, sisterhood, and resilience. We also have some LGBTQ+ and POC representation! Zoey is African-American and asexual, and there’s a wlw relationship in the novel. Bottom line: never underestimate three queer girls with powers.

All in all, a thrilling, feminist horror novel with transcendental writing and characters that are a force to be reckoned with. Five stars for me!

Sawkill Girls is a standalone, but as I mentioned earlier in the post, Claire Legrand has a multitude of other books out. 🙂

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

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Book Review Tuesday, Books

Book Review Tuesday (4/14/20)–Even the Darkest Stars

Posted on April 14, 2020April 14, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles!

Here we have the next victim of my neverending trawling of the annals of available (quality) YA on Libby…

I was semi-hesitant to start reading this one–I was somewhat compelled, but for a while, not enough to have a go at it. Out of desperation, I checked it out on the Kindle library, and to my surprise, Even the Darkest Stars was far more multilayered and intriguing than I thought!

Enjoy this week’s review!

Even the Darkest Stars : Heather Fawcett : 9780062463395

Even the Darkest Stars (Even the Darkest Stars, #1)

For as long as she can remember, Kamzin has longed to be among the Royal Explorers of the Empire, traveling to faraway lands and discovering places and things beyond the human imagination. She knows her fantasy may be nothing more than a pipe dream, but she can’t help holding onto it.

To her surprise, River Shara, one of the Empire’s most famed explorers, and his crew arrive in her mountain village. What’s more, they demand that she be part of their mission to uncover an enchanted artifact hidden at the peak of Raksha, the tallest and most deadly mountain for miles. Kamzin gladly accepts his offer, but soon finds that River–along with the motives of his expedition–are far from what they seem…

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Even the Darkest Stars stands out in the midst of YA fantasy, utilizing the concept of mountaineering–inspired by the early Everest expeditions–to make for a twisty, unique adventure!

My favorite part had to be all of the mythological lore surrounding Raksha, and all of the magical creatures in and around it. Witches? Ghosts? Demonic familiars? Mildly terrifying human-bird hybrid…things? (And a certain adorable fox?) You want it, Even the Darkest Stars has it all.

The lush writing made for a beautifully atmospheric novel, one that made you feel the chill of the night wind, the palpable terror of the characters, and the awe of seeing and scaling a formidable mountain. I’m glad to say that the cover most definitely does the novel justice–the imagery is beautiful in both respects! (And I’m a sucker for anything teal, so there’s that.)

For the most part, I liked the characters. Kamzin was fairly likable, as was Tem (though the latter didn’t have as big a role in the novel). Although it was very predictable that something was up with River from the beginning, I still liked seeing his character evolve (devolve?) throughout the course of the journey. And then…ehhh, we got another love triangle…

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The more well-executed parts of the novel made it slightly more bearable, but did we really have to do that again? Did we? I mean, as much as I liked Tem, I don’t think there was even any need for him in the story, in the first place. His actions with Kamzin did further the story a bit, they didn’t serve for much character development. Sigh…

And the ENDING. Even the Darkest Stars was absolutely PACKED with exciting twists at the end, and now I’m so excited to read the sequel! And no spoilers, but I did get a bit choked up…

Overall, a lushly written YA fantasy, though slightly dampened by a love triangle, that set itself apart in the vast subgenre. 3.75 stars for me, rounded up to 4!

Even the Darkest Stars is the first in a duology, ending with All the Wandering Light. Aaaaaaand of course, it’s not available on the Kindle library…[incoherent screaming]

Today’s song:

The melody of this one just popped into my head at random today…oh, and happy birthday, Win Butler! 🙂

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful day, and take care of yourselves!

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Book Review Tuesday, Books

Book Review Tuesday (4/7/20)-The Scorpion Rules

Posted on April 7, 2020July 8, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles!

When we first started doing social distancing, I spent waaaaaaay too long on Libby trying to find books to borrow on my Kindle. I had kept The Scorpion Rules on my TBR for a while, and I’d forgotten about it until I checked it out. My expectations were low to average, but this novel truly sets itself apart in the YA dystopian genre!

Enjoy this week’s review!

Amazon.com: The Scorpion Rules (Prisoners of Peace) (9781481442725 ...

The Scorpion Rules (Prisoners of Peace, #1)

For most of her life, Greta Stuart has known her fate would be an early death. As the Crown Princess of her nation, which grew out of what was once Canada, she is held hostage with all of the children of nobility in the Precepture. If their parents’ nations remain at peace, their children survive. If they go to war, their children will be executed.

Now 16, Greta has become used to life among the other fellow hostages, the Children of Peace. But when Elian, the son of a new, American nation is introduced into their Precepture, the equilibrium is thrown off-balance. He seems determined for punishment, weathering torture at the hand of their robot arbitrators and openly defying the natural order set in place. Greta soon realizes that there must be some reason that Elian willingly suffers through the scars, and begins to question the authority that holds control of whether she will survive past the age of 18.

As the Precepture falls victim to the forces of Elian’s nation, Greta’s fate falls ever closer. But the odds of survival, as she soon learns, are greater than she once thought…

a surprise to be sure - Album on Imgur

I’ll admit that I was somewhat desperate when I checked this one out from the Kindle library. Judging from the lowish rating on Goodreads (3.41) and some of the one-star reviews, I went in expecting to be disappointed. But I was so surprised to find every single trope in YA dystopia delightfully subverted!

The premise, in and of itself, was fairly original when it comes to dystopia, and it was incredibly well executed. The world-building was complex, but luckily didn’t fall victim to excessive info-dumping. There was clearly so much care in making a seemless, futuristic world (400 years in the future), and every detail was well thought out and well-written.

On the subject of subversion of tropes, let’s talk about that love triangle, too.

Now, you all know how much I despise love triangles. This was another element that I expected to be severely put off by, but to my surprise, the exact opposite of what the synopsis hints at ends up happening. The description’s wonderfully tricky, in that way–you’re expecting Elian to be the love interest, right?

WRONG! A few *things* do occur between Greta and Elian, but nothing that merits a relationship. I won’t spoil who Greta ends up with, but I absolutely loved it. And on that subject, A+ for the LGBTQ+ representation! (Greta is bisexual, and there is a wlw relationship in the book.)

On that subject, the characters were certainly well-written. My only issue is that there were so many Children in the Precepture that I tended to forget about some of them. Great chemistry, overall.

My only major problem in the novel was Talis, the main villain. He’s pegged as the AI overlord of this futuristic world, and yet, he acts like anything but. I get it, some of his quotes were totally hilarious, but it ended up distracting from the fact that he was the one responsible for the ruthless system that the Children of Peace have been forced into. All in all, he felt like more of a Disney villain than a robot overlord, and I hate to say that I don’t mean that as a compliment.

Overall, a surprise-filled dystopian novel that sets itself apart from the rest of the genre! Solid four stars for me!

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The Scorpion Rules is part of a duology, concluding with The Swan Riders. (NOOOOOOOOO, IT’S NOT AVAILABLE ON THE KINDLE LIBRARY…[sobs])

Today’s song:

Yep. It’s that Milkshake. THAT MILKSHAKE. THEY COVERED IT.

I LOVE IT SO MUCH

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

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Book Review Tuesday, Books

Book Review Tuesday (3/31/20)–The Survivor (The Pioneer, #2)

Posted on March 31, 2020March 31, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles!

Ever since I first read The Pioneer last June, I’ve been itching to read the sequel. It just came out around two weeks ago, and I bought it on my Kindle last week. Needless to say, The Survivor was worth every single penny. 🪐

WARNING: This review contains some major spoilers for the end of The Pioneer, so PROCEED WITH CAUTION if you haven’t read book one, and want to!

If you want to read my review of The Pioneer, click here!

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Enjoy this week’s review!

Amazon.com: The Survivor: A Pioneer Novel (9780062658098): Tyler ...

The Survivor (The Pioneer, #2)

After the tumultuous events on Tau Ceti E, the planet where humans planned to settle, Jo and her family and crew have set a course back to Earth. But a haunting message stands in their way, delivering the news that Earth is now uninhabitable, and most of human life was wiped out in an extinction-level event.

Left with no choice, Jo and the others return to Tau. But Jo knows that in doing so, they are violating the peace agreements they barely struck with the Sorrow, the indigenous, sentient species of Tau. A war is brewing, and betrayals wait for her on every corner of her crew…

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SO MANY FEELS, PEOPLE, SO MANY FEELS.

I was so glad to re-immerse myself into Tyler’s masterful writing. She has such a way with words, and understands the intricacies of human nature like no other author I’ve read. The major plot twist that WRECKED ME at the end of book 1 was still fresh in my mind, so I had a decent-ish jumping off point going into The Survivor.

Even though I didn’t feel as attached to many of the characters in book 1, most of them grew on me in book 2. And even if that attachment didn’t quite grow, there’s no denying that they have excellent chemistry, and that they’re masterfully written.

And, as always, we need to give a raucous round of applause to Ms. Tyler for ACTUALLY GIVING US WELL-DESIGNED ALIENS THAT AREN’T JUST HUMANS WITH WEIRD EYES! Not gonna lie, I was SO excited to explore the world of the Sorrow once more, and her lush writing made it all the better. We also get to explore a few more critters that weren’t mentioned in book 1, so that was fascinating, as always.

Ancient Aliens | Know Your Meme

Though I’m heartbroken that this was the end of the duology, I am over-the-moon glad that I was able to discover these novels. They will always hold a special place in my heart. After a week of mulling it over, I think The Pioneer and The Survivor are equal in rating to me, which is to say that I give The Survivor 5, massive stars.

As I said before, The Pioneer series is a duology, ending with The Survivor. [single tear slides down cheek]

Today’s song:

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful day, and please take care of yourselves!

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Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (3/24/20)–Crown of Coral and Pearl

Posted on March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles!

I’ve talked briefly about this novel on Goodreads Monday and Everything That I’ve Managed to Cross Off of Goodreads Monday or Down the TBR Hole (Part I of ?),but I wanted to take the time to write an entire review for this one just to get out some…feelings. My addled brain thought this book had mermaids, and I was desperately wrong; that disappointment may have skewed my feelings on the rest of the novel, but even beyond that, Crown of Coral and Pearl was a fairly forgettable novel, though it did have a few bright spots.

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Enjoy this week’s review!

Image result for crown of coral and pearl

Crown of Coral and Pearl (Crown of Coral and Pearl, #1)

For centuries, the mountain kingdom of Ilara has demanded tribute from the lesser coastline village of Valeria–once the Ilaran Crown Prince has come of age, a Valerian bride must be sent to become the queen of Ilara. What emerged in Valeria was a morbid beauty pageant among the eligible girls; only the most beautiful and unblemished girl could be considered to be sent to the Crown Prince.

For her whole life, Nor has known that her twin sister, Zadie, would be sent to live in Ilara; a scar on her face ruined her own chances of being eligible. Zadie is chosen, but on the night before being sent to Ilara, she retains a near-fatal injury, and Nor is sent as her replacement. Undercover as her twin sister in the Ilaran palace, she meets Prince Ceren, her groom-to-be, who may be harboring a secret that may spell the end of life as the Valerians know it. Will her secret be discovered–and will she be able to save her home from Ceren’s wrath?

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All kinds of meh…

I’m not sure what genre to put Crown in, and for once, that…really isn’t a good thing. It’s been most often shelved as fantasy on Goodreads, but other than the fact that there are a few magical creatures and a bit of mythic lore, there’s nothing that would peg it as fantasy. Same with science fiction, too, but the closest I could say is that it was fantasy.

Crown of Coral and Pearl, for all intents and purposes, was a mass regurgitation of the same plot that’s been plaguing YA for the past decade or so–forced arranged marriages that lead to the toppling of the royal family/government/society. Not to say that it can’t be well-executed from time to time, but it’s just been done innumerable times before, and it’s been stale for far too long. Not the most original of books.

I…sort of liked the characters. Though most of them were pressed from the mold of said arranged marriage plots (the determined heroine who is Not Like Other Girls, scheming prince, royal love interest, etc.), they were decently written. I did sort of have a liking for Talin, Ceren’s brother, even though the romantic subplot between him and Nor could be seen a mile away. Nor had some moments of being wonderfully butt-kicking, and her twin relationship with Zadie was very well-executed and genuine. The dialogue was very forced, but overall, characters seemed to be something of a stronger point here.

Overall, Crown of Coral and Pearl had the beginnings of good characters and writing, but ultimately fell prey to many of the overused tropes that run rampant in the YA genre. Two and a half stars for me.

Crown of Coral and Pearl is the first in a duology. The final book, Kingdom of Sea and Stone, comes out this October.

Today’s song:

[zoom in on my last brain cell dancing with a giant grin on its face]

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Stay tuned for more content later in the week! Have a wonderful day, and take care of yourselves!

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Book Review Tuesday, Books

Book Review Tuesday (🍀3/17/20🍀)–Loki: Where Mischief Lies

Posted on March 17, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles, and a happy St. Patrick’s Day as well! I don’t/haven’t had anything planned to celebrate on here [ahem], but…I suppose we’ve got a green book cover here? I hope that counts for something…sorry…

Image result for sorry gif — Hey, since I’m reviewing *Loki,* why not throw in a Tom Hiddleston gif while I’m at it?

Anyway, I also had my first day of online school today. It’s been…an experience. Most of my teachers have been fairly organized in their lesson plans, but my Spanish class was absolutely chaotic, so that was…interesting, to say the least. My AP US History teacher showed us her cat in one of the videos she put up, so that was a major plus. Cats. Always cats.

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Now, back to our main program…

I bought Loki about a month ago, along with Sky Without Stars. Though I was a tad hesitant going into it (I’m not sure why, come to think of it), Lee delivers an absolute joyride of a historical fiction/Norse mythology/Marvel comics mashup!

Enjoy this week’s review!

Image result for loki where mischief lies

Loki: Where Mischief Lies

Pushed aside in favor of his brother Thor more often than not, young Loki is tired of his sibling having all of the limelight and the unwarranted scorn he garners from his father Odin. His only friend–and partner in crime–is Amora, a budding sorceress. When they cause the obliteration of a vital artifact, Amora is banished to the realms of Midgard, where she is cursed to watch her magic slowly fade away.

Distraught after his best friend’s banishment, Loki’s scorn for the people of Asgard only grows. But soon after her absence begins, a series of horrendous crimes begin to crop up, Loki and Thor are split up and sent to a sprawling, 19th century London, where nothing is as it seems. Can Loki crawl out from under the shadow of his older brother–and not spell ruination for the human city, while he’s at it?

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Despite my expectations, Loki pulled out nearly all the necessary stops to make for a fun, twisty, and whimsical adaptation of Marvel Studios’ younger Loki.

I haven’t read as much by Mackenzi Lee (The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, and a few short stories scattered across some YA anthologies), but she deftly weaves in her love of history–specifically, London in the 1800s–seamlessly into Loki’s mythological heritage, even tying in an early version of S.H.I.E.L.D. into the dark, mysterious world. Loki and the rest of the varied cast of characters fit snugly into the historical setting, despite their magical backgrounds.

Full disclosure: I’ve been a huge fan of Loki since I started watching most of the MCU movies, so at this point, I’m primed to like him as a character. But someone like him can easily be poorly-executed, and Lee perfectly balances his trademark mischief and the deep envy festering inside of him. The other characters, though a few seemed a tad interchangeable and difficult to keep up with, were well-written, and generated palpable emotion and chemistry. Oh, and I *kind of* imagined Amora looking similar to Princess Nuala from Hellboy II: The Golden Army, so that’s always a plus.

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My only major complaint was the dialogue; I get that the various denizens of Asgard and beyond are supposed to be overtly formal in their mannerisms, but even so, some of the exchanges between Thor and Loki in the early parts of the novel felt unnecessarily stilted. There was a lot of potential for some good banter from those two.

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And finally, another wonderful given from Lee’s works…LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION, EVERYBODY! Besides Loki (who is now canonically genderfluid and pansexual), we do have a gay side character, and a romantic subplot between him and…okay, I won’t spoil it, but you can probably guess. 🏳️‍🌈

All in all, a wonderful imagining of Marvel’s Loki that’s just as mischievous and mysterious as he is. Four stars for me!

Today’s song:

I can always count on this one for an atmospheric song to write to. 💙

That just about wraps up this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day, if you’re celebrating, and take care of yourselves!

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Book Review Tuesday, Books

Book Review Tuesday (3/10/20)–Roar

Posted on March 10, 2020March 10, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hello there, bibliophiles!

Hey, gotta fit that in a few times a year…my sacred duty as a Star Wars fan…

Aaaaanyway, I finished this one up not too long ago. It had been on my TBR for a while, and I mentioned it in one of my Down the TBR Hole posts a few months back. In my endless search for quality sci-fi, I often push fantasy and other genres aside, so I figured that Roar would be a good change of scenery. And overall? A well-imagined and well-written fantasy!

Enjoy this week’s review!

Roar (Stormheart, #1)

In a ruthless land where violent storms rule all, Aurora is next in line to inherit the throne of Pavan. Forced into an arranged marriage and lacking in the storm-controlling powers that define Pavan royalty, she is unsure of her next move. But before she can resort to lying, her betrothed, Cassius Locke, sweeps her into the underbelly of Pavan, telling her of the black market business of buying and selling Stormling powers. Now, Aurora–under the alias of Roar–thinks she has all of her problems solved. But what is the cost of stealing something that is rightfully earned?

Overall, Roar didn’t overtly exceed or fall below my expectations; my expectations were adequately met. The worldbuilding, as well as all of the lore surrounding the Storm magic, was fascinating to dig into. There was clearly a lot of time put into developing the mythology around the magic system, and although the use of gems as a plot device is vastly overdone, I…sort of think it works? I guess? I dunno. Could’ve been a bit more creative.

As far as the character department goes, I didn’t feel a great attachment to any of the characters, but I loved the misfitty team dynamic that they began to have about a third of the way through. Once Roar and Locke got together with the rest of *the gang*, they had wonderful chemistry, and played off of each other with ease. However, the romance was what mainly made me feel iffy. Locke was chock-full of tropes, and the fact that he and Aurora/Roar start getting all heart-eyes for each other MERE HOURS AFTER MEETING… a) Insta-love, the bane of my existence, and b) uh, Locke? Ever hear of something called CONSENT? HMM? So that was…very weird. Not ideal. I suppose it got the teensiest bit better after they got to know each other better, but still veeeery uncomfortable for the first 100-ish pages of the book.

In conclusion, Roar had some well-executed elements and an interesting magic system, but fell flat (almost problematically so) in some respects. 3.5 stars, but the .5 mostly comes from the team dynamic that comes later on in the book.

Roar is the first book of the Stormheart trilogy, which also includes Rage (book 2, released 2019) and Reign (to be published this August). Not sure if I like it enough to continue with the trilogy, but I’ll think about that.

Today’s song:

One of those rare covers that surpasses the original material. More on that here…

That’s it for this week’s Book Review Tuesday! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!