Book Review Tuesday – Page 27 – The Bookish Mutant

Book Review Tuesday (10/29/19)–Pumpkinheads

Posted on October 29, 2019November 1, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hi, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday!

I’ve been waiting for this book since before it had a title (only the promise of ✨RAINBOW ROWELL✨). It came out almost exactly two months ago today, and it’s the perfect fluff antidote to all of your woes. Best read during [clears throat] 🎃SPOOKY TIME🎃.

Need I say more?

Without further ado, let’s begin!

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Pumpkinheads–Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks

Ever since the beginning of high school, Deja and Josiah have worked together at the local pumpkin patch. But this year is their senior year–the last year that they’ll be working there before they leave for college.

Determined to make this year the best year at the pumpkin patch (and to break Josiah out of his gloomy funk), Deja decides that on Halloween night, she and Josiah will chart every part of the pumpkin patch that they’ve never visited. Josiah reluctantly goes along with her plan, but realizes that this could also be the opportunity to finally talk to the girl he’s had a crush on since the beginning…

Pumpkinheads is, in a sense, the literary version of a candy corn: adorable, and all kinds of sweet. SO. CUTE.

For anyone who isn’t into horror or drama, but still wants to read something fall-themed, Pumpkinheads is your book. Rowell’s writing and Hicks’ art are a match made in heaven–a pairing that I never would have considered, but one that works so seamlessly to create an adorable and delightfully surprising graphic novel. I absolutely adored the characters as well–they had such good chemistry, and Deja (though her orientation isn’t specifically stated) is definitely LGBTQ+ (probably either bi or pan)!!! 😀 🏳️‍🌈

Also, extra points because it allowed me to recover from the new Joker movie in peace. Whooooowee, that was a rough ride.

Anyway, for all those who need a heartwarming distraction from whatever’s bothering them, Pumpkinheads is your next read.

Stay tuned for more content later this week! 🙂

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Book Review Tuesday (10/15/19)-Like a Love Story

Posted on October 15, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

I am BEYOND excited to review this week’s book. And, of course, I got it at the library.

[fast forward to this Friday]

[abrupt cut to yours truly, with tears streaming down my face, returning this book to the library]

What I’m trying to say is that…well, to put it simply, this is one of the best books to come out of 2019. And the year isn’t even over. Simultaneously heartrending and beautiful prose, and a story that made me feel every feel on the spectrum while deftly explaining a real-life tragedy: the AIDS crisis.

Enjoy this week’s review!

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Like a Love Story

In 1989, at the midst of the AIDS crisis, three teens struggle to figure out where they fit into the grand scheme of things.

Reza, originally from Iran, has just moved to New York City. As he gets to know his peers at school, he grapples with the realization that he is gay. Art, the only openly gay boy at his school, tries to fight back–not only against his homophobic classmates and parents–but against the government that turns a blind eye to a raging epidemic. Judy, longtime best friend of Art, does her part to advocate for the LGBT community, while caring for her beloved uncle, who is dying of AIDS. These three teens meet in a whirlwind of happenstance, and their lives will be forever entangled, in the midst of a worldwide crisis.

Like a Love Story was simply unforgettable.

Nazemian paints a vivid picture, not only of every facet of the AIDS crisis at the time, but also what it was like to be a teenager in the center of it all, particularly one who is a gay immigrant. The characters were beautifully realistic, and despite their flaws, I found myself rooting for them from page one, and even resonating with them, on some levels. And…come on, there’s Madonna references EVERYWHERE. I mean, what’s not to love? A veritable gem of a novel, one that certainly stands out among the works of this year. Maybe even this decade. I don’t know, I guess I’m not quite old enough to compare it on that scope. Okay, at least the past five years or so.

What I’m trying to say is that Like a Love Story is a stellar novel, in practically every way, shape, and form. Five stars isn’t enough; let’s give this one all the stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. Yeah, that’s what it deserves, methinks. 🙂

Thank you so much for reading this review! Have a wonderful day, and stay tuned for more content (hopefully?) this week!

Book Review Tuesday, Books

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!

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!

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!

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! 🙂

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/10/19)-The Smoke Thieves

Posted on September 10, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

I’m not gonna lie–I’d been meaning to read The Smoke Thieves for a while, and it was *mostly* because of that gorgeous cover.

*ahem* Aaaaaanyway, I bought it the other day, figuring that a) it was in paperback and b) that hey–it’s been on my TBR for an embarrassing amount of time, the plot seemed decent, and…THE COVER. *swoons*

I haven’t liked a fantasy book this much since…probably since the Three Dark Crowns series. (If you want to see my review for that, click here 🙂 .) An intricate plot, lovable (for the most part) characters, and some of the best world-building I’ve seen in years, I kid you not.

Enjoy this week’s review!

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The Smoke Thieves (The Smoke Thieves, #1)

Catherine is the revered princess of Brigant, struggling with the tyrannical rule of her father and the domineering presence of her brother. What’s more, she’s getting married to a prince she knows nothing of in a matter of days.

March is a servant, weighed down with an immeasurable grief. When he was a boy, his homeland was invaded, and almost all of its inhabitants–including his entire family–are long dead. For years, he’s waited for an opportunity to exact his revenge on the killers of his people–and now, he might just have the chance.

Tash is a young demon huntress, making a living out of selling demon smoke–the refuse of a demon after it is killed–illegally, under the tutelage of her mentor and father figure, Gravell.

Ambrose is a royal soldier with a conflicted heart. His kingdom grows ever restless, and the princess is set to be married off; all his life, he’s been pining for her, and now his chances are all but gone.

Edyon is a petty thief, travelling with a fortune teller to make a living. His true identity is unknown to him, but it could decide his country’s fate.

What brings them together is a single bottle of demon smoke. As it shifts hands, these five strangers are entangled, and now may tip their countries towards war.

The Smoke Thieves is easily one of the best fantasy novels to come out of 2018. The world building was beautifully intricate, paying attention to the smallest details in culture, customs, and so much more. For the most part (excluding Catherine…sorry), I loved the characters–March, especially 🙂 They were all so well-developed, with unique personalities and surprisingly great chemistry all together. I’ve seen this novel compared to Game of Thrones, which I know almost none about (my knowledge goes as far as a. Jean Grey, b. Dragon lady, and c. Everybody Dies™️), but I can still see that this is a truly worthy comparison. Such an unforgettable novel.

I believe this series is slated to be a trilogy. Book 2, The Demon World, came out this year, and I’ve already checked it out at the library, but have yet to read it. SO EXCITED!

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

Oh, and keep on reading!

Book Review Tuesday, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (9/9/19)-Loveless

Posted on September 9, 2019September 23, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone! Happy(ish) Monday! 🙂

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme created by Lauren’s Page Turners . It’s pretty simple–just pick a book from your Want to Read list on Goodreads, and explain why you want to read it.

Here we go…enjoy this week’s Goodreads Monday!

GOODREADS MONDAY (9/9/19)-LOVELESS by Alice Oseman

Blurb from Goodreads:

Georgia feels loveless – in the romantic sense, anyway. She’s eighteen, never been in a relationship, or even had a crush on a single person in her whole life. She thinks she’s an anomaly, people call her weird, and she feels a little broken. But she still adores romance – weddings, fan fiction, and happily ever afters. She knows she’ll find her person one day … right?

After a disastrous summer, Georgia is now at university, hundreds of miles from home. She is more determined than ever to find love – and her annoying roommate, Rooney, is a bit of a love expert, so perhaps she can help.

But maybe Georgia just doesn’t feel that way about guys. Or girls. Or anyone at all. Maybe that’s okay. Maybe she can find happiness without falling in love. And maybe Rooney is a little more loveless than she first appears.

LOVELESS is a journey of identity, self-acceptance, and finding out how many different types of love there really are. And that no one is really loveless after all.

So why do I want to read this?

As far as YA goes, the 2010’s have been a great year for LGBTQ+ books. I’ve seen an increase in gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and other queer protagonists in such literature, which I am OVER THE MOON HAPPY ABOUT. I mean, it’s about time for this kind of thing. But one sexual orientation that I haven’t seen often in YA literature–and just literature in general–is representation of asexual and/or aromantic people. This book seems like it’s going to be a wonderful awakening for those who don’t know about these orientations, with Georgia, as far as I know, being aro-ace.

Beyond that, the plot of self-exploration without a love interest always hooks me. It seems that in almost every book that involves a female protagonist trying to discover who she is, there’s at least a 90% that there’s gonna be a love interest. And while that’s cute sometimes, it’s reeeeeally starting to get on my nerves. I mean, seriously, women can discover themselves ALL. BY. THEMSELVES. WE DON’T NEED ANYBODY ELSE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. So I’m glad to see a minor subversion of this trope.

Loveless is scheduled for release in spring of next year, so I’m eagerly awaiting this one! 🙂

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

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/3/19)-This Time Will Be Different

Posted on September 4, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hello there, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to this week’s Book Review Tuesday–the first BRT of September 2019!

I just finished this one up a little under a week ago. Going into it, I’d heard a boatload of praise from it…plus, that ✨GORGEOUS COVER…✨

*ahem* moving on…

This Time Will Be Different is such an important book for our current climate; not only is it a book about fighting against all forms of discrimination, but one of forging your own path and going where your heart tells you to go. A very impactful and moving novel.

Enjoy this week’s review!

This Time Will Be Different

Seventeen-year-old C.J. Katsuyama has always felt torn about her dreams; her mother constantly pressures her to be a perfect, straight A student and a future programmer, but her heart lies in Heart’s Desire, her aunt’s flower shop that traces its history back to her first-generation Japanese immigrant ancestors. At Heart’s Desire, C.J. truly feels at peace, and though she hasn’t perfected her craft of making the right bouquet for every occasion, she’s quickly learning, and to her, that’s what matters.

But in a sudden turn of events, C.J.’s mother proposes to sell Heart’s Desire–and to the same company that, many years earlier, cheated it away from her immigrant grandparents. Now, C.J. feels that she truly has something to fight for–but will her efforts be in vain?

Man. I haven’t read a book quite like this in a while.

This is, in every sense of the word, a beautifully feminist novel. Not only does the plot center around dismantling racist cultures, it also tackles other, equally important topics, such as LGBTQ+phobia, the problem of the white savior, and (briefly) teen pregnancy. It all felt very real, from the relationships the characters have to the high school environment. I found myself rooting for C.J. (weeeelll…most of the time, I found her to be a tad impulsive and insensitive at some points, but it was somewhat warranted) on every page. Unputdownable and unforgettable. Not perfect, certainly, but something that everyone needs to read, especially in this day and age.

This Time Will Be Different is a standalone, but Misa Siguira does have another novel that came out a few years back, It’s Not Like It’s A Secret. I’ve been meaning to read it for years, but it’s never available at the library…woe is me… 😦

Thank you so much for reading this review! Have a great rest of your day, and take care of yourself!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (8/27/19)-Undead Girl Gang

Posted on August 28, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the last Book Review Tuesday of August 2019!

First, sorry about forgetting about last week’s BRT; I had a pretty busy week last week, and so I never got around to it.

But hey, I’m back now, and all that’s out of the way! 😉

This week’s review comes from a novel I read all the way back in July, and have neglected to review for…oop, over a month. Anyway, not only is Undead Girl Gang a genre-bending and well-written story, it also manages to perfectly balance creepy and comedy. I’d almost go so far to call it a black comedy; whatever you want to call it, Undead Girl Gang is a very unique and fun novel.

Enjoy this week’s review!

Undead Girl Gang

The police ruled that Riley’s death was a suicide.

But Mila Flores knows better.

After the sudden death of Mila’s best friend, Riley, Mila is heartbroken–and confused; Riley would never have committed suicide, nor was she involved in any shady activity that would have led to her dying. Just days later, two of the most popular girls in school turn up dead under equally mysterious circumstances. The string of bizarre deaths can’t be a coincidence, so Mila does what everyone would do in her circumstances: bring her best friend back from the dead.

Mila’s witchcraft quickly goes awry, and she accidentally reanimates not only Riley, but the other girls as well. Now she’s got a paranormal mystery to solve…and three zombie girls to babysit.

I haven’t come across a book quite like this in a long time. Undead Girl Gang is a seemless blend of mystery, horror, fantasy, and comedy, with a boatload of sharp wit and just as many surprising twists. For a book with such a comical tone, I didn’t expect for there to be much depth, but it additionally did a great job on touching on some more serious (though often hypothetical) themes without being irreverent. All in all, Undead Girl Gang was so much fun, and I thoroughly enjoyed every page! Solid 8-8.5/10 on my rating scale.

Also, the cover. P I N S.

Undead Girl Gang is a standalone, but Lily Anderson does have a few other books out, including The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You, which I read around a year ago and also loved (but haven’t reviewed). It’s definitely more in fiction/romance territory, but from what I remember, it retained the same sarcastic voice that prevailed in Undead Girl Gang.

Thanks so much for reading this review! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Also, I know I’ve said this too many times now, but I’ll try and give you guys a) more posts and b) more content besides BRTs. I’ve got a few planned, and now that I’ve got things somewhat under control school-wise, I’ll try and crank out some of them this week. 😉