Book Review Tuesday – Page 34 – The Bookish Mutant

Book Review Tuesday (12/5/17)-Beast and Crown

Posted on December 6, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey there, fellow bookworms, and welcome to the first BRT of December 2017! The WordPress snow’s starting to miraculously pop into existence and float down across the surface of the computer screen…

Man, it’s already December? This year has gone by so dang fast…probably a really good thing because honestly? 2017 has been pretty sucky. Pretty much nothing compared to *last year* but you know what I mean.

Anyway, I’ve got another 2017 release (came out on my BIRTHDAY) from the author of The Fog Diver series for you today! Enjoy the review!

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Beast and Crown

Ji is a servant. Sally and Roz are maid and governess. They all live in Primstone Manor, and all three of them share a wish-freedom for themselves and Sally’s little brother Chibo, who is a slave at the tapestry factory in the city. Their plan? The Summer Queen is about to choose the new heir to the throne, and the nephew of the Primstone Manor’s owner is destined to be the new king. Together, they sneak along with the fated heir into the city, but soon realize that they each have a key role in the ceremony. Will they finally gain their freedom and save Sally’s brother?

I read this sometime in October, I believe, and I thought it was really cute and fun. Not as good as The Fog Diver series, mind you, but still an inventive, enjoyable adventure.

Off topic, I always associate this song with “Pills” by St. Vincent (see my MASSEDUCTION review) because I had just downloaded it and was listening to it on repeat. It is absolutely nothing like the book or anything, but y’know. Spectacular song.

Thank you so much for reading, and stay warm!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (11/28/17)-Warcross

Posted on November 29, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey there, everyone, and welcome to the last BRT of November 2017! I hope you all had a spectacular break and Thanksgiving! Let’s get through the last two days of this boring months together…with BOOKS!

I read this over break, as you might have gathered. I initially found it because it was a nominee for the “Best YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy” category on the Goodreads Choice Awards this year. Scythe was there too, so I voted for it, but I clicked on Warcross because, well, to put it simply, the cover is FANTASTIC. And the description seemed really cool, too. So I checked it out at the library, and was blown away. I hope you are too!

Warcross

In the not-so-distant future, people can escape to exciting game worlds with a pair of virtual reality glasses. And one of those games is Warcross-a competitive game with a global following. Emika Chen is only one out of countless fans, but she’s got a special job-she’s a bounty hunter, searching for players who do illegal deeds in-game. But her family is struggling, so she uses her hacking prowess to steal a rare object in Warcross. Intending to snag some money, Emika instead catches the eye of the game’s billionaire creator, and is soon spwept into the International Warcross Championships, acting as an in-game spy. Rumors of corruption are spreading, with potentially global consequences. Can Emika track down the source and save the games?

I still hope Scythe will win the GCA this year, but I won’t be surprised if Warcross wins, either. Marie Lu has built an imaginative, realistic future world, complete with unforgettable characters and splendid writing. Sci-fi fans, look no further! This is the book for you.

Well, I hope you guys have a fantastic night. I promise I’ll try and get out some more fan arts for you soon. Bye bye! 😉

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (11/21/17)-The Secret Hour

Posted on November 21, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey there, fellow bookworms, and welcome to this week’s BRT!

I read this book a few weeks ago at the library, and it was really interesting-it reminded me a lot of Stranger Things! So I’d definitely recommend it for all ST fans. Here’s your review!

The Secret Hour

When Jessica Day moves to the small town of Bixby, Oklahoma, she expects it to be like any other small town, where nothing ever happens. But what she thinks is far from the truth. One midnight, she wakes up, and sees raindrops, in what looks like suspended animation, frozen in the sky. Jess thinks it’s all a dream, but she’s wrong-in Bixby, times stops for one hour each night. And she’s one of the few people who can experience this “secret hour”. Soon, she finds more like her, and soon discovers that the Secret Hour is when the Darklings come out, eager for human flesh. And now it’s up to her and her fellow Midnighters to stop them.

I thought this book was really interesting and well-written. Like I said, a lot like Stanger Things-sometimes, I half expected a demogorgon to jump out of a bush or something! That would have been hilarious…

Anyway, have a great rest of your day, and watch out for the demogorgons-AHEM-sorry, Darklings while you’re at it!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (11/14/17)-Braced

Posted on November 14, 2017November 14, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey there, everyone! Happy November! (Well…sorta. November’s kind of a boring month, don’t you agree? I mean, it’s freezing, and the only important thing that happens is Thanksgiving, which is only celebrated in, like, 5 or 6 countries…)

One more thing before I get to the review. So, I read up to the fourth book in the Maximum Ride series (see my Halloween BRT), and books 2 & 3 were awesome, but the fourth one sucked. Just to warn you, stop at book 3 if you don’t want to be pelted with preachy info about global warming that most of us already know by now. Yeah, global warming is an insanely important issue, but the delivery of it in The Final Warning was just…ugh. Nope.

Anyway, I picked this book up at the library last week (*incredulous gasp* OH REALLY), and I thought it was really sweet. I hope you enjoy my review!

Braced

All Rachel Brooks wants is to be a normal teenage girl. And for the most part, she is. She’s a great soccer player, a steady friend group, and a boyfriend (maybe). But she’s got one thing standing in her way-scoliosis, a disorder where the spine curves sideways. Now, her scoliosis has gotten so bad that the doctor has prescribed a back brace, which she must wear under her clothes 23 hours per day. Wearing the brace changes her life-Rachel can’t play soccer as well, and now that she stands out, she’s become subject to teasing. Can she make it through the rest of middle school with her unusual challenge?

Before I read this book, I had no idea what scoliosis was. This book was very eye-opening to this disorder, and it was really interesting to learn about it. But in addition, this book was also very relatable-even if you don’t have a back brace. Rachel was a very real character, and she reminded me of a lot of girls that I’ve met. Overall, a fantastic book.

Thank you all so much for reading, and stay warm! Don’t let November bore ya too much!

Book Review Tuesday, Uncategorized

Book Review Tuesday (10/31/17)-Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Posted on October 31, 2017December 23, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE!!!!

(I have no idea what the heck that last one is, I just looked up “Halloween gifs” and it came up…

…uh…)

Weird pumpkin dude gifs aside, I’ve got a great book to review today, recommended by many friends to me and that (mostly) lived up to the hype! Enjoy!

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

Max (14), Fang (14), Iggy (14), Nudge (11), The Gasman (aka “Gazzy”, 8) and his little sister Angel (6) are all hybrid experiment, consisting of 98% human genes, and 2% bird genes. Ever since they escaped The School, the place where they were created, they’ve been running for their lives, trying to survive while evading the Erasers, dangerous, wolflike hybrids determined to bring them back. But when a pack of Erasers kidnaps Angel, they must search much of the U.S., rescue her, and above all, avoid being seen by normal humans. Can they survive the dangerous trek, and get Angel back?

Like I said earlier, at least four or five of my friends read this previously, and they all LOVED (and I mean LOOOOVED) it. I would have read it sooner as well, if it hadn’t been on hold at the library for such an egregious amount of time. *fumes* Anyway, I thought it was a very creative, fun, and adventurous Book. I’ve already read book 2 (School’s Out-Forever) and I currently have book 3 (Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports) on hold. Pretty psyched! I recommend it to all of you! Yes, ALL OF YOU!

I hope you guys have a WONDERFUL Halloween, eat lots of candy, dress up in awesome costumes!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (10/17/17/)-Scythe

Posted on October 17, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

I kept my promise, here’s an actual BOOK review. I hope you loved my MASSEDUCTION review (see my last post), but we’re back to normal for now, I promise…

…well, “normal” as a relative term.

But anyway, here’s a mind-blowing, creative, and creepy book, perfect for October!

Scythe

In 2042, humanity eradicated death. But there was a problem-how do we keep our expanding population in check? The answer: Scythes. The Scythedom is an organization of people assigned to kill-or “glean”, as they refer to it-people in order to keep the population under control. Teenagers Citra and Rowan have reluctantly become apprentices to the Scythedom, but they have no idea what’s in store for them. A mysterious self-gleaning and corruption are now in the midst of the Scythedom, and now Citra’s and Rowan’s apprenticeships-and lives-hang in the balance. Can the Scythedom be restored to what it once was?

WHOA. THIS BOOK. Amazing in pretty much every way. Spectacular world-building, likeable characters, intricate, well-written…I could go on, but I don’t want to annoy you to death and oversell the book. But anyway, YOU GUYS HAVE TO READ IT. NOW. SERIOUSLY.

Have a wonderful afternoon (or whatever time of day it is where you are), and I’ll be back with another BRT on Halloween!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (10/10/17)-Renegades

Posted on October 10, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey everyone!

Okay, first of all, I’m really sorry that I couldn’t get to the first October BRT. I had loads of homework, and I had to get a lot of it done sooner due to a Shins concert at Red Rocks and a weekend trip to Vail (both of which were A-MAY-ZING!). And I’ll miss one more in about a week or so because I’m going on another school trip. So, you’re not in for as much BRTs this month, so sorry. 😦

But anyway, I’ve got a GREAT review today of one of my personal most anticipated books of 2017…

Drumroll please…

…RENEGADES! YEP, THAT’S RIGHT, THE LAST BOOK IN THE RANDOMS SERIES!!! SQUEE!

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Renegades

After his last adventure in space, Zeke Reynolds has landed himself on Earth yet again (unintentionally), at a boarding school for “disobedient children”. The Phands have also begun their ultimate takeover, and are slowly brainwashing the entire human race. But a quick escape by Zeke and his friends put them back into space…and far from their original plan. Now it’s all a mess-Zeke’s stuck on an uninhabited planet with Villainic, Tamret’s kinda-sorta-maybe-former boyfriend, his remaining friends have been captured, and to top it all off…Tamret’s not really his girlfriend anymore (uncertain…). With the help of a misfit gang of rebels and some unexpected allies, will Zeke and his friends be able to stop the Earth from being taken over?

OH MY GOD. Words cannot describe how this book made me feel.

Okay, well…they kinda can, but it’s a rather…unarticulate choice of words. I just went on an emotional rollercoaster-laughing, anger, mind explosion, almost crying-the whole shebang. I was in emotional disarray for about a day afterward. I’m pretty sad that one of my favorite series has to end, but it ended with a bang, and I was satisfied.

Well then, have a great rest of your day, and enjoy October!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/26/17)-The Shadow Cipher

Posted on September 26, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

‘Sup, fellow bibliophiles! Welcome to the very last BRT of September 2017! I promise, it won’t be nearly as disappointing as my last post…heh heh heh…NOT SORRY! HAH!

Anyway, I read this book while I was on the school trip that I mentioned earlier, and I thought it was really interesting. Enjoy your review!

The Shadow Cipher

In an alternate version of New York City in 1798, unimaginable technology unlike nothing the world had ever seen powers and advances everything, all thanks to the Morningstarr Twins, a pair of genius architects and inventors. Just after their ideas were put to use, they vanished, leaving only the Old York Cipher, a puzzle that takes you through the grand city, with great treasures promised to those who solve it. Now, almost 220 years later, no one has solved it. But siblings Tess and Theo and their friend Jaime believe that they can. This time, there’s more at stake than treasure-a slimy real estate developed has announced that the apartment complex they live in, constructed by the Morningstarr Twins themselves, will be torn down in thirty days. Can they solve the Old York Cipher before they lose their home?

Though The Shadow Cipher wasn’t mind-blowingly amazing or anything, it was still a very interesting read, with writing and mystery that will keep you turning the page. For instance:

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Let’s just appreciate that line for a second.

(Honestly, that might have been my favorite part of the entire book…😂)

So there’s something to look forward to if you do end up reading The Shadow Cipher…don’t worry, there’s certainly more than that.

Well anyway, I hope you liked this week’s book review! Have a great rest of your day!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/19/17)-Ravenwood

Posted on September 19, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hello everyone! I’m back from my school trip-I had such a fun time in Moab! I blew through a stack of library books (as well as some Kindle books too, of course), and the following is one of those. Don’t be fooled by the low-ish rating on Goodreads (3.30 out of 5)-Ravenwood is wonderful. Here’s your review!

Ravenwood

Ark is an apprentice plumber in Arborium, a nation where life is centered around a giant tree where everyone lives. With one of the worst jobs possible and a domineering, abusive boss, times are hard for Ark. But everything changes when he overhears a plot to kill the king and destroy Arborium forever. Knowing that he cannot keep this information to himself, Ark embarks on a dangerous quest to get the word out before Arborium is lost forever. Will Ark save Arborium, or will it be lost to time?

Like I said earlier, this book has a kind of meh rating on Goodreads. A lot of people in the reviews said that some negative things, like that the plot was too complicated, there was too much detail, blah, blah, blah. Don’t listen to them-Ravenwood is unlike any book I’ve read in a long time. And for your information, the amount of detail really adds to the plot and makes it easier to picture the world of Arborium. The world-building is outstanding as well. So, go ahead and read Ravenwood! You won’t regret it!

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and stay tuned for the last BRT of September 2017!

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/5/17)-The Summer of Moonlight Secrets

Posted on September 6, 2017September 6, 2017 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Hey everyone! Welcome to the first BRT of September 2017! I hope you guys have had a nice, relaxing first portion of your month. Ahh, it’s finally starting to cool off…sorta.

Anyway, the book I’m going to review is more of a *ahem* summer read (hence the name, The Summer of Moonlight Secrets), but it really doesn’t matter when you read it, right? Riiiiiight?

Okay, here’s your review!

The Summer of Moonlight Secrets

Allie Jo lives at a historic hotel in Florida, along with her parents, who work and live there as well. Chase and his father are just visiting for the summer. Neither of the two kids know that this summer will change their lives. One night, Allie Jo spots a beautiful, ethereal girl coming out of the hot springs near the hotel. She begins to notice her more and more frequently, hanging around bodies of water near the hotel. And something about her just doesn’t seem quite human. Allie Jo and Chase know she’s hiding something, but what? Will they ever find out the secret of the strange, aquatic girl?

I’ve been reading a lot more YA books lately (as opposed to MG), and I thought this was a nice break from it all. Interesting and wonderfully written, yet nice and fluffy enough to read in a short sitting. If you read it, I hope you’ll enjoy!

Thanks so much for reading, and have a great rest of your day! 😉

Also, I will not be able to do a BRT next week, as I will be on a weeklong overnight trip with my class. So, I’ll see you sometime after then!