Book Review Tuesday – Page 32 – The Bookish Mutant

Book Review Tuesday (6/5/18)-Firebug

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

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the first BRT of June 2018! Also, happy summer!

My summer’s been pretty low key so far, but I’ve already gotten a lot of reading in. I just stopped by the library yesterday, so hopefully that will produce some more material for these reviews. This particular book was one I got at the library a few weeks ago. It was recommended to my by Goodreads, and I was instantly hooked. One of the first books that I’ve really LOVE loved (not counting sequels) since…wow, maybe since Daughter of the Pirate King or Caraval. And I read those in April. Christ.

I hope you enjoy the review!

Firebug

The humans had the Mafia. But what about the others, those with supernatural powers or magical lineage? For them, there’s the Coterie. Led by Venus, the Coterie is responsible for killing others in the magical community who they deem dangerous or that threaten them. One of their best hitmen is Ava, who has the ability to start and control fires with her mind. And she’s only seventeen. After the death of her mother, Venus took Ava under her dangerous wing, and since then, the Coterie is all she’s ever known. And she hates it.

So when she receives her latest assignment-to kill a man who’s been a family friend for years-Ava knows she must rebel. Together with Lock, a half-dryad, and Ezra, a were-fox, Ava sets off on a journey to evade the Coterie once and for all, and put Venus in her place if they can.

My first thoughts before I read this book were that, OH MY GOD, IT’S TEEN LIZ SHERMAN!!!!

And upon reading the book, I found a lot more similarities between her and Ava beyond their powers. They shared a fierce loyalty to their friends (Ezra and Lock reminded me a little of Hellboy and Abe Sapien), a bit of stubbornness, and a desperation to feel like they belonged somewhere.

Now, the book itself blew me out of the water! I haven’t read something as witty, funny, and action packed as this book in a long time. I really enjoyed all of the characters (Besides Ava, Lock, and Ezra, I really enjoyed Cade and a few others), their clever banter, and the interesting set of powers many of them had. Also, the chapter names need some serious recognition, guys. These are, like, Rick Riordan-level chapter titles. (My personal favorite was “Ain’t no party like a Coterie party, ‘cause a Coterie party’s got a body count”.)

There is a sequel, which I will probably review later, but all I’ll say is that it was just as good as book 1.

I hope you have a wonderful day, and keep on reading!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (5/22/18)-Defy the Worlds

Posted on May 22, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

A few weeks ago, my mom took me to Barnes and Noble. We both meandered about the YA section, and in about thirty seconds flat, I saw this and immediately started cradling it like a baby. The rest of the time spent in the YA section went as follows:

“You sure you want that?”

“YUP.”

*My mom walks away to find something else*

*I briefly consider getting something else* nah I’m keeping this

I’m keeping this

I read it after finishing my (then) current library book haul. And MAN, IT WAS ALMOST BETTER THAN BOOK ONE! (See 5/15/18-Defy the Stars) AAAAH! THE FEELS…

Enjoy the review!

Defy the Worlds (Defy the Stars, #2)

After their previous adventures throughout the galaxy, Noemi and Abel are separated. Noemi has been rejected by her former crew and peers, and is an outcast from her planet. Abel struggles to escape his creator, Burton Mansfield, and believes he may never see Noemi again. But a sudden plague on Genesis and a ransom on their heads brings them back together, and soon, they are reunited, and now the fate of the galaxy lies in their hands. The clock is ticking, and it’s only a matter of time before they are captured…

(The following vine is a visual representation of me buying, reading, and finishing this book.)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA indeed.

OH MY GOD

No spoilers, but not only was this book twice as beautiful, action-packed, and just flat-out wonderful, the cliffhanger at the end was just…GAAAAH!

AND NOW I HAVE TO WAIT OVER A YEAR FOR BOOK THREE TO COME OUT

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

I hope you tolerated my battery screams and enjoyed my review! Thank you for reading, see you soon!

Book Review Tuesday (5/15/18)-Defy the Stars

Posted on May 16, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

Before I begin, I apologize for posting nothing but BRTs for weeks. I’ve got some fan arts that I’ll probably post this weekend. I also saw Avengers: Infinity War over the weekend, and honestly? I have no tears left to cry. I thought of reviewing it, but I probably wouldn’t get through it without spoiling, like, everything. I know how horrible it feels to have things like that spoiled for me, so I’ll save you the pain. All I’ll say is that I emerged from the theater sobbing.

Now, for the weather.

I’m surprised that I didn’t post a review of this book earlier. I got it at the library a few months ago, and I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED IT. And the sequel (Defy the Worlds) is just as good, if not better, and I’ll probably review it some time after this. Enjoy your review!

Defy the Stars

Since the human race has colonized other planets, tensions have been growing higher and higher. Years ago, Earth would have been the home planet of Noemi Vidal. But now, she is a soldier fighting against Earth, for the planet Genesis. When a mission goes terribly wrong, Noemi becomes trapped on an abandoned enemy ship, the Daedalus. There, she discovers Abel, the most advanced mech ever created, who has been on this ship alone for over thirty years. Despite their previous allegiances, Noemi and Abel know that in order to save their homes, they must join forces. As they venture through the known universe, they discover things that make them question what they previously believed, and uncover secrets that could be fatal in the wrong hands…

AAAAAH!

I’m naturally a sucker for fast-paced, sci-fi adventures in space, but this exceeded all expectations. Not only was the world building and plot spectacular, but I LOOOVED the characters. Abel, especially. In this series so far, he’s probably the closest thing I have to a fictional crush. Not quite hot or anything, but he’s just kind of overall lovable, and every scene with him is heartwarming.

Also, I won’t spoil who, but there’s a character that reminds me of Professor Bruttenholm from Hellboy. Just sayin’.

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

Book Review Tuesday, Uncategorized

Book Review Tuesday (5/7/18)-Exo

Posted on May 8, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

This book was another that I had obtained from the OH SO SACRED LIBRARY (I eternally bow down to thee). My expectations were average (about a six-ish out of ten on my scale). The first quarter or so met my expectations, but then it really picked up, and my rating shot up to about an 8. I’d highly recommend it for anyone who loves sci-fi dystopia…and ALIENS!

Enjoy the review!

Exo

One hundred years ago, we discovered that we weren’t alone. The zhree, a peaceful alien race, chose Earth as an off-world colony, and have helped mankind make many technological advances since their arrival. Though most of the human race is tolerant of the aliens, a terrorist group called the Sapience is still intent of removing their mark from the face of the planet.

Donovan Reyes is the son of the Prime Liaison for the zhree, and he works for the government. But after a mission gets sorely out of hand, he lands in the hands of the Sapience, who see him as a vital pawn against the Prime Liaison. Donovan knows that there’s no chance that his father will ever listen to the terrorists, so he must try to escape…and gather as much information as possible about them before they resort to drastic measures…

As I mentioned before, I found Exo to be a joy to read! Clever and believable world-building, very realistic characters (to the point that I imagined one of them exactly like Laura Dern*), and a plot that successfully kept me on my toes for much of the book.

Also, on the subject of the zhree, I kind of imagined them a little bit like the Arsians in The Search for WondLa series. Albeit Arsians with more eyes (except for in Loroc’s case), and more advanced technology. *stifles a sob*

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and stay cool! (Or warm…depending on the weather. I happened to have made the mistake of wearing a dark blue shirt in 70 degree weather…oof.)

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (5/1/18)-Caraval

Posted on May 1, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hello there, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome to the first Book Review Tuesday of May 2018! Also, happy May Day, Labor Day, or whatever festivities are occuring where you are!

This book was another library borrow that I got a thrill out of. Fast-paced, clever, elaborate, and filled with love and magic! Also, according to Goodreads, you might like it if you’ve read Daughter of the Pirate King (see 4/10/18), Defy the Stars, (loved, but haven’t reviewed thusfar), Bound by Blood and Sand (bought on my Kindle, fairly decent), and a bunch of other books that have landed on my current to-read list. So I guess this was meant to be.

Enjoy my review!

Caraval

Scarlett and Donatella Dragna have lived their whole lives on a tiny island, in the shadow of their domineering father. Their only escape was the tales of the legendary Caraval, a magical show where the audience can take part, told to them by their grandmother. For years, Scarlett has been writing letters to Legend, the master of Caraval, and has not received a single response.

Until now.

Scarlett is now seventeen, and facing an arranged marriage to a boy she hasn’t even met. But she suddenly receives an invitation and tickets to Caraval, and with the help of a mysterious sailor, reaches Caraval’s location. But now, the stakes are even higher. This year’s show is like a game…and the object? Find Tella, who has been kidnapped by Legend. Can Scarlett save her younger sister before Caraval ends?

The main reason I enjoyed Caraval so much was probably the intricacy of it all. Each twist and turn was filled with another creative, and surprising twice. I could imagine the setting and characters as though I was looking at them through a movie screen. All in all, spectacular book!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the rest of your day!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (4/24/18)-Daughter of the Siren Queen

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

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

This book review will be on the spectacular sequel to Daughter of the Pirate King (see 4/10/18). If Daughter of the Pirate King was amazing, this book was downright spectacular-all of the wit, action, and fun, but with the volume turned up. Kind of a similar situation to the one I had with the Arc of a Scythe series so far, except that Daughter of the Siren Queen didn’t leave me speechless (or slightly dead inside), and it didn’t quite merit a five-star rating. But I’d say it came pretty close.

Enjoy the review!

Daughter of the Siren Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King, #2)

Alosa has now recovered all of the pieces to the ancient treasure map, reclaimed her status as the captain of her own ship, the Ava-lee, and gotten her revenge on her kidnappers.But after one of her old foes reveals a well-kept secret about her father, the Pirate King Kalligan, she is now back in danger. Now locked a deadly race against her father, Alosa and her faithful crew must recover the famed treasure…before it’s too late.

(NOTE: If I could only find a gif or YouTube clip, I would most definitely insert the “Huzzah, I’m the pirate king!” thing from MST3K right here. Sigh…)

In short, what an oustanding book! Not only was Alosa just as witty as always, but I loved getting to know her crew even more. I’m so sad that this is the end, for now…Tricia Levenseller announced on Goodreads that this series is, in fact, a duology.

*single tear trickles down cheek*

Well anyway, have a great rest of your day, everyone!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (4/17/18)-Arclight

Posted on April 17, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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

I just recently returned this book to the library (*sniffle*). My expectations were a little low (I forget why), but this book surprised me with its intricate plot, compelling characters, and plentiful twists and turns! I hope you like Arclight as much as I did. Enjoy the review!

Arclight

In a dystopian, future Earth, the world is divided into three sections. First is the Arclight, mankind’s only defense from a dangerous outside world. Then there is the Gray, the uninhabitable wasteland, and beyond that, the Dark, where dangerous monsters, called the Fade, dwell. No one goes beyond the Arclight, and nobody comes back from the Dark alive…

…all except for Marina.

Marina has no idea of who she is, what her previous life was like, or how she is still alive. And now, the Fade want her back in their realm. Will she be the savior of mankind, or instigate a new era?

Incredibly fast-paced, gripping, and powerful, Arclight exceeded all of my expectations. Such an exciting read! I won’t spoil anything, but I’ll just tell you that your mind will probably be blown by the twist at the end. In short, I enjoyed this book immensely.

Have a great rest of your day, and stay warm…or cool…whatever the weather. You never know, at this point. (For me, it was nice and warm in the morning, but it just started snowing…)

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (4/10/18)-Daughter of the Pirate King

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

“HUZZAH, I’M THE PIRATE KING!!!”

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

SLIGHT PLOT TWIST-I bought this one on my kindle, and I enjoyed it greatly. A fast-paced, action packed novel, with a clever and fierce heroine to match! I hope you enjoy my review!

Daughter+of+the+Pirate+King+by+Tricia+Levenseller+Book+Cover.jpeg

Daughter of the Pirate King

Alosa Kalligan, the seventeen year old daughter of the infamous Pirate King, is the fearless captain of her own ship, unmatched by hardly anyone on the high seas. Until one day, when she is kidnapped by the crew of the Night Farer, who seek to take her back to her father for a ransom. But what they don’t know is that Alosa has other plans. She has staged her kidnapping in order to find an ancient map that leads to an island filled with unimaginable riches. If she can just get the crew out of the way, she could quickly escape and do what no pirate has done before…

Daughter of the Pirate King was such a joy to read! What with sharp, witty dialogue, an action-packed plot, and as I said before, a heroine who is a true force to be reckoned with. Love, love love!

Also, throughout the entire book, I couldn’t help but imagine Alosa as like an older, pirate version of Merida from Brave.

Throughout the course of my life, Merida has been one of the only Disney Princesses that I’ve actually liked. I wasn’t a huge fan of the other princesses when I was little-I only really wanted to watch (and enjoyed) The Lion King and The Jungle Book and the other Disney movies which centered around wildlife. (Because, screw humans, I want AWESOME ANIMALS!)

Aaaaanyway, have a great rest of your day! (Thank God the weather’s warming up…)

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (4/3/18)-Rebel of the Sands

Posted on April 4, 2018 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey, everyone, and welcome to the first BRT of April 2018!

I intended to review this book about a week or two ago, but due to California and a bit of Burger King Foot Lettuce, I was a little…delayed. I got this one at the library (no surprise there), and I managed to gobble it up in a few hours. It wasn’t the most spectacular novel in the universe, but it definitely kept me turning the pages for a while. Enjoy the review!

Rebel of the Sands

Amani Al’Hiza is just an orphaned girl with exceptional skills with a gun, dying to get out of her town of Dustwalk. In a daring act, she sneaks out of her home one night, crossdressing as a boy, and enters a shooting contest. There, she meets Jin, and with him, discovers a perfect escape. But what she never anticipated was a wild journey out into the desert, mythical creatures, and dark secrets that could mean the difference between life and death in the wrong hands. What dangers await Amani and Jin in the merciless deserts of Miraji?

About two years ago, I remember this being one of the runners-up for one of the YA catergories in the Goodreads Choice awards. It didn’t win, but I’m fairly sure that it got a lot of votes. I’d say that this was a fun, action-packed, and fast paced book, but not entirely worthy of all of the hype surrounding it. Not to say that this wasn’t good, but it wasn’t spectacular or DiTerlizzi/Rowell/Shusterman level mind-blowing or anything. (Wow, that was a coherent sentence…)

Well, see you guys soon, and enjoy the rest of your day!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (3/13/18)-The Everafter

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

Hello, fellow bibliophiles, and welcome back to another installment of Book Review Tuesday!

This particular read was a one of my Kindle-interim-between-library-visit-books. At less than three hundred pages, I expected to gobble up The Everafter quickly. Which, don’t get me wrong, I did. But this book made me think, stirred up emotions in me, and made me cry a little. (Not in the way you’d think, though.) Surprisingly deep. Enjoy your review!

(Forgive me for the small cover image. This was the best quality one.)

The Everafter

17 year old Madison Stanton wakes up, drifting through an incomprehensible, dark void, with knowledge of only one thing.

She is dead.

But Madison soon realizes that she’s not alone. Floating around her are objects-ones that she’s lost in her previous life, and know, when she touches them, they trigger a memory of the past, be it a childhood trip to Disney World, her new cat, a teenage sleepover that ends up severing friendships, and even her first kiss. Although these objects have provided Madison with an idea of her past life, she still can’t figure out one thing, and she won’t stop until she finds the answer: How did she die in the first place?

From the description, I expected this book to be kind of sad, at the most. But not only did it make me think about the concepts of life and death, but it was actually pretty depressing. Nonetheless, it was an incredibly thought-provoking and powerful book.

One thing I prominently thought about after finishing this book was the concept of the lost objects triggering memories in the afterlife. My first thought was that one of the first objects that I (hypothetically) would find was this stuffed Webkinz Chihuahua that named Linny (yes, after the character from Wonder Pets…I was a weird child). To this day, I have no idea where the ever-loving heck she could’ve went. Sheesh.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of your evening, and (if you live in a place that has this) try not to get COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY THROWN OFF by Daylight Savings Time! (“Hello, darkness, my old friend,”…or maybe it’s the opposite…)