Curses – The Bookish Mutant

Start ‘Em Young: YA Books to Transition Younger Teen Readers into YA Literature

Posted on April 11, 2022April 11, 2022 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

I’ve been an avid reader from a young age. I read voraciously throughout my pre-teen years, but as I got older, I began reading “older” books—I had been introduced into the wonderful world of YA literature. But it wasn’t quite as smooth as I thought; although young adult books generally encompass a teenage experience, there can often be a wide range of content. While some YA books are lighter and more suitable for younger teens, many range into the “older” teen spectrum that often deals with heavier and more mature subject matter. For me, at least, I think it’s good to have “transition” books for younger YA readers—books that are distinctly “teen,” but aren’t quite as graphic for someone who isn’t mature enough to handle certain topics. I’m doing my best not to make generalizations about the maturity of younger teenagers here, since I was one not so long ago, but I feel like it’s not the best idea to start an 11 or 12 year old on something as dark as Six of Crows or Illuminae. So for those reasons, I’ve decided to compile some books that I think would be great to introduce younger readers to the wide world of YA literature.

Let’s begin, shall we?

📖BOOKS TO TRANSITION YOUNGER TEEN READERS INTO YA 📖

Sorcery of Thorns – Margaret Rogerson

GENRES: fantasy, high fantasy, romance

Sorcery of Thorns had the feel of a lot of middle-grade fantasy novels—not enough magical libraries in YA literature, such a shame 😤

For me, this novel had the perfect balance of whimsy and complexity, and presented a beautiful fantasy world full of magical books and demons!

The Kingdom of Back – Marie Lu

GENRES: historical fiction, fantasy, magical realism

Marie Lu’s books tend to stray on the darker side, but The Kingdom of Back is the perfect standalone for any reader to get into her books. This one is a favorite of mine—such a beautifully-crafted fairytale!

Sisters of the Wolf – Patricia Miller-Schroeder

GENRES: historical fiction

Sisters of the Wolf wasn’t my favorite book, but part of what stood out to me about it (apart from the amazing research that went into the prehistoric setting) was that it hit the perfect balance between middle grade and YA—it’s dark enough to be separated from middle grade, but still palatable for a younger reader transitioning between the age groups.

The Soul Keepers – Devon Taylor

GENRES: fantasy, paranormal, horror

Like Sisters of the Wolf, The Soul Keepers is the perfect bridge between middle grade and YA; even though most of the characters are written as older teens, the level of dark elements struck the perfect balance between younger and older teen readers.

Curses – Lish McBride

GENRES: fantasy, retellings, romance

Nothing like a good fairytale retelling to introduce a reader to YA! Lish McBride’s sense of humor never fails to make me smile, and Curses was a continuously clever and hilarious retelling of Beauty and the Beast. If there’s any Beauty and the Beast retelling to start a reader on, it’s this one.

The Tiger at Midnight – Swati Teerdhala

GENRES: fantasy, high fantasy, romance

The Tiger at Midnight has all of the elements of a classic YA fantasy book, and it’s the perfect choice for introducing a reader into the vast world of YA fantasy! I don’t know why I haven’t picked up the next few books—book 1 was a lot of fun!

Geekerella – Ashley Poston

GENRES: fiction, romance, rom-com

For a reader who wants to jump into romance, the Once Upon a Con series is a perfect starter! Plus, what’s not to love about comic cons, books, and tons of pop culture references?

Once & Future – A.R. Capetta and Cory McCarthy

GENRES: LGBTQ+, science fiction, retellings, romance

Speaking of retellings…here’s one for readers who are keen on Arthurian legends! Once & Future presents one of the most inventive Arthurian legends I’ve read in a while—space, corporations, curses, and more! It’s wonderfully queer all around as well.

The Light at the Bottom of the World – London Shah

GENRES: dystopia, science fiction, romance

There are a lot—and I mean a lot—of astoundingly mediocre and ridiculous YA dystopias that tried to jump on the Hunger Games train, so why not start off a reader with something that’s genuinely fun and inventive? The Light at the Bottom of the World is a stand-out, action-packed and creative, with a determined protagonist that you can’t help but root for!

I Love You So Mochi – Sarah Kuhn

GENRES: fiction, romance

Here’s another light and sweet romance! I Love You So Mochi is the perfect feel-good romance, and it doubles as a spectacular coming-of-age story about finding your passion and your place.

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! What are some other books that you’d recommend for younger teens who are just starting to read YA? Have you read any of these books, and if so, what did you think of them? Tell me in the comments!

Today’s song:

this is such a fun album!! not a bad song here

That’s it for this post! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Monthly Wrap-Ups

September 2021 Wrap-Up 🍂

Posted on September 30, 2021October 1, 2021 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Thursday, bibliophiles!

September started out a little stressful, but now I feel like I’m in a better place than I’ve been for most of this year. I can neither confirm nor deny that this is because it’s finally fall and it’s cold enough for me to wear my favorite jackets.

Let’s begin, shall we?

GENERAL THOUGHTS:

September has been my first full month back in school; it started out more than a little stressful, thanks to getting my college applications all sorted out, but now that I’m (somewhat) over that hump, I’m feeling a lot better. I’ve managed to keep my grades in a good place, so I’m happy about that!

I also managed to finish draft 2 of my sci-fi WIP!! I’m super proud of myself for that one–I cut down a whole lot of filler, and I feel a lot better about it as a whole. I’m going to let it sit for a few months before I go back and edit it, but I feel great about it. In the meantime, I’ve been poring through a draft I abandoned in 2019 that was…surprisingly good, given that it was written almost two and a half years ago. I’ve been outlining on and off, but I’m going to try and actually get this writing business back in motion soon.

As for the rest of the month, it’s been peaceful. We got the book club back up and running at my high school, I spent the weekend in Vail, and I went to two fantastic concerts–Spoon and St. Vincent! They were both great, but the latter will always have a special place in my heart. St. Vincent was a major hero of mine in middle school, and she’s still a hero now, and seeing her live made all my dreams come true.

And now it’s almost October! I’m so excited–Halloween season, loads of good movies coming out (The French Dispatch, Dune, etc.), fall in general…good times.

Wes Aderson's new film is very popular in Cannes, the director of "Virgo" is back - iNEWS

READING AND BLOGGING:

I read 21 books this month! More than I expected, given that I haven’t had as much time to read this month, but I did read a lot of shortish books, so…

2 – 2.75 stars:

Namesake (Fable, #2) by Adrienne Young — *Namesake (Fable, #2)*

The Taking of Jake Livingston – Ryan Douglass (⭐️⭐️)
Utopia – Thomas More (for school) (⭐️⭐️)
The Unbinding of Mary Reade – Miriam McNamara (⭐️⭐️.5)
What Big Teeth – Rose Szabo (⭐️⭐️.5)
Namesake (Fable, #2) – Adrienne Young (⭐️⭐️.5)

3 – 3.75 stars:

Amazon.com: Our Bloody Pearl (These Treacherous Tides): 9781721833412: Bryn, D. N.: Books — *Our Bloody Pearl*

The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre – Robin Talley (⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Prime Meridian – Silvia Moreno-Garcia (⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Final Draft – Riley Redgate (⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Witches of Ash and Ruin – E. Latimer (⭐️⭐️⭐️)
How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe – Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (⭐️⭐️⭐️.25)
Broken Web (Shamanborn, #2) – Lori M. Lee (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
Come On In: 15 Stories about Immigration and Finding Home – Adi Alsaid et. al. (anthology) (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
Our Bloody Pearl – D.N. Bryn (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

4 – 4.75 stars:

Amazon.com: The Mirror Season: 9781250624123: McLemore, Anna-Marie: Books — *The Mirror Season*

Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts – Rebecca Hall, Hugo Martinez (illustrator) (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Tell the Machine Goodnight – Katie Williams (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Harley in the Sky – Akemi Dawn Bowman (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Lagoon – Nnedi Okorafor (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Kindred – Octavia Butler (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Curses – Lish McBride (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25)
The Mirror Season – Anna-Marie McLemore (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25)
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea – Maggie Tokuda-Hall (re-read FOR BOOK CLUB SHHH) (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)

FAVORITE BOOK OF THE MONTH (NOT COUNTING RE-READS): Curses – 4.25 stars

SOME POSTS I’M PROUD OF:

September encompasses Latinx Heritage Month and Bisexual Visibility Week, so I listed some book recommendations for both!
I had a lot of fun reviewing Curses, Tell the Machine Goodnight, Harley in the Sky, and Final Draft!
yeah uh I really didn’t post much other than reviews and Goodreads Mondays this month oops 😵‍💫

POSTS I ENJOYED FROM OTHER WONDERFUL PEOPLE:

SONGS/ALBUMS I’VE ENJOYED:

I just LOVE the first 8 seconds of this song (and the whole thing, for that matter) for no particular reason

ridiculously catchy

okay I really need to listen to this whole album

can confirm now that I’ve seen these guys live twice that they are SPECTACULAR in concert

SHE’S BACK

seeing her live was simply magic

note to self: listen to more Andrew Bird

DID I FOLLOW THROUGH WITH MY SEPTEMBER GOALS?

bradpittstain | Damon albarn, Blur band, Britpop

Read at least 20 books: 21!
Don’t stress too much about college stuff oof: yep! Now that I know how things work, I feel a lot better.
Take care of yourself: well, I listened to “Girls & Boys” on repeat on Bisexual Visibility Day, so I’ll count that as self-care.

GOALS FOR OCTOBER:

Read at least 20 books
Post more than just Goodreads Mondays/Book Review Tuesdays (schoolwork permitting, of course, schoolwork first)
Celebrate SPOOKY SEASON accordingly

Today’s song:

That’s it for this month in blogging! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (9/13/21) – A Curse of Roses

Posted on September 13, 2021 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme created by Lauren’s Page Turners. All you have to do to participate is pick a book from your Goodreads TBR, and explain why you want to read it.

I know I’ve done quite a few flower-related Goodreads Mondays in the past month or so, but this one is too promising to pass up…plus, I haven’t seen much Portuguese mythology in YA (or anywhere else, for that matter), so I’m excited to see what this one has in store!

Let’s begin, shall we?

GOODREADS MONDAY (9/13/21) – A CURSE OF ROSES by Diana Pinguicha

Amazon.com: A Curse of Roses: 9781682815090: Pinguicha, Diana: Books

Blurb from Goodreads:

With just one touch, bread turns into roses. With just one bite, cheese turns into lilies.

There’s a famine plaguing the land, and Princess Yzabel is wasting food simply by trying to eat. Before she can even swallow, her magic—her curse—has turned her meal into a bouquet. She’s on the verge of starving, which only reminds her that the people of Portugal have been enduring the same pain.

If only it were possible to reverse her magic. Then she could turn flowers…into food.

Fatyan, a beautiful Enchanted Moura, is the only one who can help. But she is trapped by magical binds. She can teach Yzabel how to control her curse—if Yzabel sets her free with a kiss.

As the King of Portugal’s betrothed, Yzabel would be committing treason, but what good is a king if his country has starved to death?

With just one kiss, Fatyan is set free. And with just one kiss, Yzabel is yearning for more.

She’d sought out Fatyan to help her save the people. Now, loving her could mean Yzabel’s destruction.

So why do I want to read this?

innocent || Reddie (complete) | Anime flower, Aesthetic anime, Rosé gif

The curse in A Curse of Roses seems like an archetypal, Midas-esque kind of curse. There’s been a lot of iterations of it in books and graphic novels that I’ve read, but there’s always something that either hinders something that the character wants or turns something valuable into something that looks pretty on the surface level but serves no use otherwise. I’m recalling the cases of Courtney Crumrin and Curses in particular – there, both characters cannot speak without spitting out frogs or snakes. But flowers is an interesting twist – and it’s the perfect setup for a novel with the feel of a fairytale!

Other than all the excitement about the fairytale/mythology aspects, it’s been shelved as LGBTQ+ on Goodreads, and lesbian in particular! I love a good sapphic romance in the midst of a well-written fairytale, and I’m confident that A Curse of Roses will deliver.

Today’s song:

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

Book Review Tuesday

Book Review Tuesday (9/7/21) – Curses

Posted on September 7, 2021September 8, 2021 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Tuesday, bibliophiles!

I’ve been a fan of Lish McBride’s for a few years now, ever since I fell in love with Firebug back in middle school. So when I found out that she’d come out with a new book, I was OVERJOYED. I immediately put it on hold at the library, and I’m pleased to say that it didn’t disappoint in the slightest!

Enjoy this week’s review!

Curses – Lish McBride

Merit Cravan is cursed. After refusing to marry the prince her mother wanted her to marry, a fairy godling cursed her to be a carnivorous beast. The curse can only be broken if she marries a man her mother chooses by her eighteenth birthday.

Tevin comes from a family of conmen, and after his mother blunders and gets on the wrong side of Lady Cravan, he’s traded to them in exchange for her mother’s freedom. He befriends Merit, and learns of her curse, but as her eighteenth birthday creeps ever closer, they discover that the way to break it is closer than either of them could have imagined.

Disney Live Action — Emma Watson as Belle BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (2017),...

TW/CW: gore, grotesque transformations, body horror, animal death, violence, drugging

I know, I know. Beauty and the Beast retellings have long seen their day in YA. We’ve all suffered through countless awful ones. But I am BEGGING you to read this one. You’ll love it, trust me.

I really missed reading Lish McBride books. Her wry sense of humor and genre subversion have never failed to capture my heart, and Curses was no exception. Not only does Curses flip the traditional aspects of Beauty and the Beast on their heads, it does so in the most over-the-top, tongue in cheek way possible. It’s a fairytale retelling that regularly laughs at itself. And I loved every minute of it.

The majority of the characters were compulsively lovable, and if they weren’t, they were so over-the-top that it was impossible not to have a laugh at their expense. Tevin was my favorite by far; he struck me as a very Loki-like character, but behind the magical charm and and conniving, he was a strikingly complex character. Merit was also a great protagonist! I loved her independent spirit, and the way that her curse was explored was fascinating. (Also, I loved all of the other weird curses that the side characters got – very Courtney Crumrin…no, no, wait, I think that was frogs, not snakes…anyways)

660 My prince twice over ideas | tom hiddleston loki, tom hiddleston, thomas william hiddleston

But what I loved best about Curses is that it’s the lovably campy, comedic antithesis of every YA Beauty and the Beast retelling of the last decade or so. It’s the cure to a subgenera that has tried to take itself far too seriously, trying too hard to make itself “edgy” in order to appeal to The Teens™️. (For reference, see: Beastly, Of Beast and Beauty, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, etc.) Everything had to be all dark and gritty, or else it wouldn’t be marketable. It got old quickly. And I’m not sure if Lish McBride had this in mind while writing Curses, but this book is the perfect cure to all of that. Like I mentioned earlier, there’s plenty of laughs at its own expense, and it’s simultaneously a unique, well-written piece of art and the perfect counter to edgy retellings past. I’m 100% for pushing back against the notion that art has to be dark or edgy to be considered “deep” or worthy of praise, and if you agree, this is the book for you.

My only complaint is the worlldbuilding. It seemed complex at first glance (what with all the different types of faeries), but the more I read, the more surface-level it seemed. There’s a timestamp given, but what does that mean? Is this an alternate history? Is it just a year according to the world of Curses? Does it pertain to actual human history? I could’ve used some answers. But it’s my only complaint, really. I loved almost everything else.

All in all…well, it’s a gender-swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling, what more could you possibly want? 4.25 stars!

Curses is a standalone, but Lish McBride is also the author of the Firebug series (Firebug and Pyromantic), the Necromancer series (Hold Me Closer, Necromancer and Necromancing the Stone), and several other novellas.

Today’s song:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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

Weekly Updates

Weekly Update: August 30 – September 5, 2021

Posted on September 5, 2021 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Sunday, bibliophiles! I hope this week has treated you well.

I’d say it’s been a nice week for me. Homework has been light, and the weather’s been cooling down a little where I am. (We did get some hail the other day, though – definitely caused a bit of a racket during Stats class…)

Reading-wise, I went into a slight slump, but by the middle of the week, I’d broken out of it. I got a bunch of promising library books as well, and I’m confident that I’ll continue my good streak! Related, we had my first meeting for my school’s book club on Friday, and I’m so happy about the turnout! We gained lots of new members, and they all seem very passionate about books, so I’m so glad they’re here now.

Writing has been on-and-off in terms of progress, but I finished up the climax and…now I’m onto a particularly sad scene, and it’s not completely done yet, so…[cue my sad playlist]

Other than that, I’ve been petting my cat, listening to loads of music, volunteering at the library, and visiting the Denver Botanic Gardens – yesterday evening was beautiful!