Book Review Tuesday – Page 31 – The Bookish Mutant

Book Review Tuesday (10/9/18)-Carve the Mark

Posted on October 10, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

I recently joined Epicreads, and I found that there was a massive (and I mean MASSIVE) amount of hype for this book. Understandably so, given the popularity of the Divergent series. (Don’t kill me, but I thought Divergent was decent, but it didn’t really live up to much of the hype.) So I checked it out at the library, and spent around 3 days snuggled up in various blankets, my nose deep in this book. And I must say, though it didn’t quite live up to all of the hype, it absolutely lived up to some of it!

Enjoy the review!

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(sorry, there weren’t really any good images for the cover…oof)

Carve the Mark

In a galaxy steeped in war and magic, two teen’s live will collide in ways that they never imagined were possible.

Cyra has lived her life as nothing more than an object, a weapon for her tyrannical brother. Many planets over, Akos’ peaceful life is turned upside down when his family is slaughtered, and only he and his brother survive-only to be kidnapped by the enemy. Determined to save his brother, he crosses paths with Cyra. Tradition and politics should make them bitter rivals. But they soon discover that they have a common enemy, and that they must set aside their differences to secure the fate of the galaxy.

Alright, everybody, here we go…

First of all, I liked this better than Divergent. In fact, I’d probably rate it a full star above it.

Part of it is probably because, well, y’know, I’m a total sucker for anything set in space. But Carve the Mark was a truly phenomenal book, complete with rich storytelling, beautiful visuals and world-building, and characters with near-perfect chemistry. (For some reason, I imagined Akos looking like Evan Peters, but that’s not really the point. 😜) Even if you haven’t read or didn’t like Divergent, this is a must-read for anyone who loves a well-crafted tale in the depths of space. 8/10 on my scale.

Before I go, I’m sorry that I haven’t posted much other than book reviews lately. I’ve been a tad bit busy, what with transitioning into high school, but I promise that I’ll give you guys some more variety content-wise.

Well, I hope you have a great rest of your day, and stay warm!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (10/2/18)-The Final Six

Posted on October 3, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the first Book Review Tuesday of October 2018!

That’s right, OCTOBER. IT’S OFFICIALLY SPOOKY TIME, FOLKS.

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I’ve got my Halloween costume *almost* complete, and the leaves are already starting to turn yellow. Forget Christmas, this is the best time of the year.

Aaaaaanyway, this week’s book is a jaw-dropper. I borrowed it from the library and managed to gobble it all up in one sitting (whilst wrapped in a warm blanket and in a fuzzy hoodie). And OH MY GOD, IT WAS PHENOMENAL. A chilling, inventive look at the future of humanity, and the race to find a planet to colonize.

Enjoy the review!

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The Final Six

Climate change is out of control, and all over the world, cities are being swallowed by floods and shattered by earthquakes. After the mission to colonize Mars failed, humanity’s next candidate for a new home is Europa. The first to colonize it? Twenty four teens with exceptional skill and intellect, drafted from all over the globe into the International Space Training Camp. As they progress in their training, some will be eliminated through a series of tasks and tests, and in the end, only six will remain.

Naomi, a budding scientist, and Leo, a championship swimmer, are two of the draftees, and they have been placed on the same team. When peculiar events cause one of their teammates to fall fatally ill, they suspect that their mentors may not be telling them everything. But can they get to the bottom of the mystery before the six are launched to Europa?

Okay, I should probably stop saying this, but I’m nothing short of shook.

SHOOK.

The Final Six was a truly exceptional book! One minute, I was on the verge of tears, and the next, my jaw had clattered to the floor. Everything about it was truly stellar (would that be considered a pun? I hope not…)-writing, world-building, characters, and those INSANE PLOT TWISTS, OH MY GOD. I would highly recommend it not only for science fiction fans, but anyone who likes getting chills while reading.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this review, and have a great rest of your day!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/25/18)-Sky in the Deep

Posted on September 25, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hi, everyone, and welcome to the last Book Review Tuesday of September 2018!

Before I begin, I have an announcement to make-this very site that you are scrolling through turned three years old last Wednesday! So, happy birthday, madelinetodd.com!

Now, back on topic.

The book I’m reviewing today was actually the 200th book that I’ve read this year! (I’m taking the challenge on Goodreads, I’m now at 220 books.) According to the blurb on the back, its “part Wonder Woman, part Vikings, all heart”. So, as you can *probably* guess, the whole Wonder Woman part had me hooked.

And I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed. An intense, action-packed novel, brimming with rich storytelling and fervor.

Enjoy the review!

Sky in the Deep

Eelyn lives a life of grief and war. Day in and day out, she fights with her fellow warriors of the Aska clan to drive back their rivals, the Riki. The lines between good and evil seem to be as clear as day, until Eelyn finds her brother, who was thought to be dead for five years, fighting with the rival clan. Captured by her enemies and forced to spend the winter under surveillance by the Riki, she discovers that a threat even bigger than the Riki could shatter the lives of both clans forever, and the only way to stop it in its tracks is to unite with one another. Will she return to Aska in time to warn them of the coming storm?

This book almost borders on historical fiction, in a way. Though the world, clans, and people are all works of fiction, the author has clearly borrowed from Viking lore, among other things, to fabricate a rich and lifelike world. That, along with the incredible writing, realistic characters, and vivid descriptions, made for a fantastic book. I’d say that it would land a 7.5 to an 8 on my rating scale.

Thus concludes this week’s review! I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and stay tuned for more next week!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/18/18)-Reign of the Fallen

Posted on September 19, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

This book was released in January of this year, and I just finished it a few days ago. I recently checked it out at the library, got to read a little in English class (all hail Free Reading Friday), and finished it the following weekend. My expectations, truth be told, were a bit higher than they should have been (I mean, why wouldn’t they after Fear the Drowning Deep?*), but nonetheless, Reign of the Fallen was fantastic! Paranormal fantasy, action, and so much more! ❤

Well, without further ado, enjoy today’s review!

Reign of the Fallen

In Karthia, the color of your eyes determines what magic you can wield. Those with blue eyes are necromancers, most working for the royal family, raising their dead so that they can rule beyond the grave. Young Odessa is a necromancer, and already has a heavy burden on her shoulders. After a venture into the Deadlands-where the souls of the dead live-one of her necromancy Masters and one of her best friends are killed by a Shade, a vicious monster preying for the souls of the living and dead. But Odessa knows that this Shade didn’t act alone. Together with her remaning Master, fellow Necromancers, and some unlikely allies from all over Karthia, she must risk her life to set things right in Karthia.

First of all, so creative! The approach to magic, the layout of the deadlands, the different types of magic, yes! I was almost swooning at the amount of creativity…no joke…

Second, I love a good amount of creepiness in my books. Necromancy? Ohhhh yeah. Zombies? Executed well. Disturbing monsters? Shut up and take my library card.

And last (but certainly not least), LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION! ALWAYS YES!!! This makes me SO HAPPY to have not just LGBTQ+ characters in realistic fiction, but in sci-fi and fantasy too! YAY! (The main character, Odessa, is bisexual, and one of the side characters is gay.) :)))))))))

All that, along with the spectacular writing, world building, and more, made this book…hmm, I’d say an 8.5 on my rating scale. Score!

I hope you enjoyed my review, and have a great rest of your day, everyone! 🙂

*If you want to read that review, see 8/29/17

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/11/18)-Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Posted on September 12, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

Now, before I begin, let’s all take a moment of silence for all of those affected by the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. Even if you’re silent right now, as you’re reading this, stretch the silence on a little longer. Please.

Thank you.

As most of you guys now, I’m a pretty avid DC comics fans. So I was pretty excited to find out that not only is there a YA series about some of the DC “icons” (besides WW, there’s one for Batman, Catwoman, and a Superman one coming next year), but that our lord and savior LEIGH BARDUGO wrote the Wonder Woman installment. Shut up and take my library card! And I’m very delighted to say that I was not disappointed in the slightest. Quality with a capital Q. This makes me SOOOO HAPPY!

So, without further ado, enjoy the review!

Wonder Woman: Warbringer

Young Princess Diana of Themyscira longs to be a warrior just like her Amazon peers. But her chances at becoming the revered hero she strives to be soon seem to be shattered in an instant. A mortal girl has washed up onshore, and Diana, defying all of the laws of her people, did what she felt was right-she got her to safety, and hid her on the island.

But this mortal isn’t what she appears to be. Her name is Alia, and she is part of a long line of Warbringers-descendants of Helen of Troy who bring nothing but war, sorrow, and destruction in their wakes. And the only way to halt her powers would be to kill her. Desperate to keep her actions under wraps, Diana and Alia travel to the mortal world, but are soon caught in the middle of an international plot to kill the Warbringer. Will Diana be able to save Alia-and the world?

OH MY GOD. Pure joy is coursing through every fangirl blood vessel in my body.

SQUEE!

Aside from the fact that, well, for the love of god, WE’VE GOT SOME PERFECT, ADORABLE DIANA ACTION, it was executed spectacularly. Bardugo’s signature writing shone through, and though I was suspicious of the new additions (Is this technically canon? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ), they were lovable as well. Nothing compares to good ol’ Diana though. I’ve always had a lil soft spot in my heart for her.

Well, that just about concludes my review for this week. I hope you have a great rest of your day, and keep on being the phenomenal human beings that you are! I’ve got a couple more posts up my sleeve for soonish (I know I’ve been saying that a lot lately, but I swear I have more content coming up than just BRTs…😬) !

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/4/18)-The Rose Society

Posted on September 5, 2018September 5, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hi there, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to the first Book Review Tuesday of September 2018!

To be honest, I should have reviewed this books sooner. Like, a few months sooner. I mean, my review for book one in this series (see 7/17/18) was almost two months ago, so…

Anyway, I bought this lovely little novel at my favorite bookstore of all time. It was a hard decision between it and at least three other hardcovers of books I’d gotten from the library. But in the end, The Rose Society was a paperback, and I hadn’t read it before. But thank goodness I bought it, because MAN, it was THRILLING! Five big fat stars for this one!

Enjoy the review!

The Rose Society

Broken by the betrayal of her father and the Young Elites, Adelian Amouteru decides to go rogue. Now under the alias of the White Wolf, she joins her younger sister Violetta and run away from their former home of Kenettra, in search of like-minded souls from which to build an army of their own. With a deadly grudge against the Inquisition Axis, Adelina will stop at nothing to bring justice to the Marked. But will her quest of anger and grief bring her success, or only misery?

Well OH MY GOD, that had to be one of the best books I’ve read all summer. No joke.

Not only was this book absolutely riveting and action-packed, but it’s the best out of the Young Elites trilogy. It truly packed a punch, all the way from start to finish. There’s hardly anything not to like about this book. 10/10. 👌

Also, remember how I was thinking about comparing the Young Elites characters to X-Men? Well, I’ve got some more comparisons today as well. 😉

First off, I feel that Adelina is now more of a combination of Jean Grey and Magneto. Now that *spoiler for Young Elites* Enzo’s been offed, Adelina’s taken on the role of “Marked bent on the destruction of the Inquisition Axis and all who support them”. Pretty rough ride for her.

Second of all, the Nightcrawler-like character I hinted at in the Young Elites review was…drumroll please…Magiano.

He’s probably one of my favorites out of the cast of characters. Definitely something of a trickster, but he still retains a good heart deep down. Somewhere. If you look hard enough…¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Violetta was most similar to Rogue in terms of powers. From what I remember, they have somewhat like views on their own powers as well.

Oh, and speaking of Marvel…

…let’s not confuse Adelina with Bucky Barnes, guys. Just for future reference.

Get it? White Wolf? Ha ha ha…nobody gets my jokes. Welp.

Have a happy rest of your day, and keep on reading!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (8/28/18)-A Thousand Pieces of You

Posted on August 28, 2018August 30, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hi, everyone, and welcome to the last BRT of August 2018!

I read this book about a week or so ago, initially because it was by Clauida Gray. I’ve adored the Defy the Stars series so far (if you want to see my reviews for them, see 5/15/18 for Defy the Stars and 5/22/18 for Defy the Worlds), and I figured that I could do with a little more Gray to pass the time. That, and the plot seemed pretty interesting and fun. Though I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the Defy the Stars series, I certainly loved it-a wild ride rife with unexpected twists and turns.

Enjoy the review!

A Thousand Pieces of You

Seventeen year old Marguerite Caine is the daughter of two reknowned physicists, who invented a device called the Firebird. Named after the creature from Russian folklore, the device allows a person to travel into and between infinite dimensions. But soon after their invention is completed, Paul Markov, one of Marguerite’s parent’s colleagues and best friends, kills her father, and escapes through the Firebird into parts unknown.

Shocked by Paul’s betrayal and reeling from the death of her father, Marguerite decides to venture into the farthest reaches of the universe to bring him to justice once and for all. But as she slips through dimesion after dimesion, she slowly realizes that the truth behind her father’s murder isn’t as obvious as it seems…

Like I said earlier, I didn’t enjoy A Thousand Pieces of You as much as I did Defy the Stars, but that does not mean that it wasn’t a good book. On my personal scale, I’d say it would land about a solid 8 (about 4 stars on my Goodreads). An intricately crafted, thrilling mystery with surprises around every conceivable corner. I’ll admit that I kind of gaped at my Kindle screen a couple times.

SHOOKETH. Pretty shooketh.

This series (Firebird) is, from what I remember, a trilogy (but isn’t everything nowadays?). I haven’t gotten to any of the sequels, and I don’t know if I will, but I’ll have to turn to them the next time I’m in a book slump. I could use a little more fun, interdimensional murder mysteries in my life. I guess.

Whew, that was really specific.

Anyway, have a wonderful rest of your day, and keep on reading!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (8/21/18)-Ruin and Rising

Posted on August 21, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

This post concludes my reviews of the Grishaverse (See 7/3/18 and 7/24/18 for books 1 & 2). And boy, this was a spectacular end to an incredible series. I was, for lack of better words, shook. S H O O K. (Or, as some of my classmates might say, “severely shooketh”.)

So, prepare yourself for feels aplently, and enjoy this week’s review!

Ruin and Rising

The nation of Ravka is in greater danger than ever before. The Darkling’s shadowy fist has clenched ever harder onto the kingdom, and the Shadow Fold grows larger with every day that passes. And the future lies in the hands of Sankta Alina, the Sun Summoner.

Beaten, bruised, and in hiding, Alina must now find the Firebird, the last amplifier, in order to defeat the Darkling. Alongside the tracker Mal and the remains of the Second Army, she must find a way to slip through the grasp of the Darkling, and find the amplifier in time. But as they embark on their quest, Alina and her newfound band soon realize that what appeared to be obvious is anything but what they thought it was. Time is running out, and every second that the Darkling retains power is a second closer to the end of their country as they know it…

OH. MY. GOD. BEST BOOK IN THE WHOLE TRILOGY. ELEVEN OUT OF TEN. JEEEEEEEEESUS. THE FEELS…

The beautiful writing, the astounding world-building, the oh-so-lovable characters, and everything else in between were back with the volume on full blast. This final installment packed a real punch, and truly ended the series with an earth-shattering bang. Right. In. The. Feels.

Overall, the Grisha Trilogy is like no other, and is an essential for all YA fantasy fans-and just fantasy fans, period. I gurantee that you will not be disappointed.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and keep on reading! If you want, let me know what you think of this book in the comments! 🙂

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (8/14/18)-Heart of Iron

Posted on August 14, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hi, everyone, and welcome to the first Book Review Tuesday of August 2018!

It’s the last day of summer for me, so I might as well end the summer BRTs with a bang. And by a bang, I mean a really, really, good book.

The book I’m reviewing today is exceptionally good. Astounding. Honestly, it might be my favorite book. (Yep…with all of the new series I’ve got into this summer, it seems The Search for WondLa series has been dethroned. Still pretty great, though.) I nearly bought it at Barnes and Noble a few months after it came out, but it was $22, so that was kind of ridiculous (despite the quality of the book). So I was delighted when I found out that it was only $7 on the Kindle store. I promptly bought it, started it on the plane ride to Chicago, and finished it in the hotel room. And I was hooked from page one.

Heart of Iron is a retelling of Anastasia, but set in, well, for lack of a better phrase, a galaxy far, far away. (*cue Star Wars opening crawl*) And it truly captured my heart.

Enjoy the review, everyone!

Heart of Iron

Ana barely has a clue about her past life. She doesn’t remember parents, siblings, or anything else close to a human family. All she knows is that she was found out in the darkest reaches of space, drifting in a spaceship with her Metal companion, D09. She was later discovered by Captain Siege and her crew of pirates and outlaws aboard the Dossier, and soon found a family to call her own.

Years later, D09 is becoming battered by all of the adventures in the galaxy; his glitches are more frequent, and it is only a matter of time before he shorts out completely. But Ana is dead set on fixing her first friend, and will do anything to save him. For that, she needs a new memory core; and in her desperation, leads the crew of the Dossier to the wreck of a long-lost ship. But upon arriving, she and the crew begin to discover that Ana might not be the orphan that she think she is…

OH. MY. GOD.

YOUR LIFE WILL BE BETTER IF YOU READ THIS BOOK.

I loved virtually everything about it. World building? Super fun to visualize, and not to mention amazingly crafted. Characters? I LOVE YOU ALL. I WILL PROTECT YOU ALL AT ANY COST. Plot twists? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Basically my brain cells during/after reading this book. AAAAAAAAAAA

So please, sci-fi fan or not, READ. THIS. BOOK. I gurantee your life will improve after doing so. Thank you, Ashley Poston, for this true gem of a book.

AND, the sequel is scheduled for some time in 2019!

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Also, I have some fan arts underway; one is done, and I’ll probably do a few more.

Well, I hope you have a great rest of your day and week, and PLEASE READ HEART OF IRON. RIGHT THIS INSTANT.

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (7/31/18)-The Loneliest Girl in the Universe

Posted on July 31, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

Alright, I have two important announcements before I get to this week’s review.

1-Happee Birthdae to Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, and the great Queen J.K. Rowling! I had a chocolate frog today, and we’ve got some great HP decor all over the house (Moaning Myrtle in the toilet, Death Eater wanted posters, assorted chocolate frog cards, etc.).

2-Now for the bad news. I won’t be able to do a Book Review Tuesday next week (August 7), as I will be on vacation in Chicago. I’ll definitely post about that once I get home. I’m pretty excited to go!

Now, let’s get back on topic. This book was recommended to me by EpicReads, and they gave it LOADS of hype, so I figured it would be worth a try. I later borrowed it at the library (I’m returning it today), and though it didn’t *quite* live up to every inch of the hype, it was definitely a noteworthy novel.

Enjoy the review!

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe

The year is 2067, and humanity has sent ships to the far reaches of the galaxy in search of a habitable planet. Romy Silvers has spent her whole life on the starship Infinity with her astronaut parents. But after her parents die in a mysterious accident, Romy is completely alone, adrift in space. Now the commander of the Infinity, she now has to wait for years to find a planet, without any human contact, save for messages from NASA and her therapist back on Earth. Just when she thought that her situation could get no better, she receives a message: another ship, the Eternity, is on the lookout for a planet as well, and they may cross paths. Romy is overjoyed by the promise of being with other people after such a long time in complete isolation. She begins communication with the Eternity’s commander, who will only refer to himself as J. But beneath the gentle, casual banter of their emails lie dark secrets best kept hidden…

On my rating scale, I think that The Loneliest Girl in the Universe would probably be about a 7 to a 7.5 (a 3.5 by most people’s 5-star standards). Very well thought-out and crafted. The writing was gripping, unpredictable, and suspenseful, and I’ll totally admit that at some points, I’d just finish reading a paragraph and stare at it like:

MY *GOD,* SOME OF THOSE PLOT TWISTS, THOUGH…

So, in conclusion, not like, the best book in the universe, but still a really interesting and original novel. It makes me wonder what I would do in a situation akin to Romy’s-completely isolated, with hardly any human contact. I mean, I treasure my alone time, but years and years of almost total isolation…JESUS CHRIST. It’s hard to think about.

Have a great rest of your day, and keep on reading! I’ll be back with a review and more soonish! 😉