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Goodreads Monday (1/27/20)-Lies Beneath

Posted on January 27, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Monday, everyone!

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’ve been itching to read this one for a while, so here goes nothin’…

GOODREADS MONDAY (1/27/20)-LIES BENEATH by Anne Greenwood Brown

Blurb from Goodreads:

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans and absorb their positive energy. Usually, they select their victims at random, but this time around, the underwater clan chooses its target for a reason: revenge. They want to kill Jason Hancock, the man they blame for their mother’s death.

It’s going to take a concerted effort to lure the aquaphobic Hancock onto the water. Calder’s job is to gain Hancock’s trust by getting close to his family. Relying on his irresistible good looks and charm, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock’s daughter Lily. Easy enough, but Calder screws everything up by falling in love – just as Lily starts to suspect there’s more to the monster-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined, and just as the mermaids threaten to take matters into their own hands, forcing Calder to choose between them and the girl he loves.

One thing’s for sure: whatever Calder decides, the outcome won’t be pretty.

So why do I want to read this?

Even though the romantic subplot does sound a bit cliched, I’m still hooked for one reason, and one reason only…

MERMAIDS.

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Beyond that, I’m interested how they weave said supernatural element into an intricate revenge story. Like I said; not enough quality mermaid content in YA. [chanting] good mermaid book good mermaid book GOOD MERMAID BOOK GOOD MERMAID BOOK GOOD MERMAID BOOK G O O D M E R M A I D B O O K

[ahem]

Anyway. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited to get my hands on this one.

Today’s song:

Yep. Watchmen is my newest obsession now.

That just about wraps up this week’s Goodreads Monday! Have a great rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

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Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (1/20/20)-So This is How it Ends

Posted on January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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Happy Monday, bibliophiles!

First off, today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so I’d like to say thank you, sir, for making this world a better place. ♥️

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.

This one’s been on my TBR for a while, so let’s see how this goes…

GOODREADS MONDAY (1/20/20)-SO THIS IS HOW IT ENDS by Tui T. Sutherland

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Blurb from Goodreads:

Something was different. She stepped hesitantly out of the subway car, her boots sounding even louder now. What was it? The graffiti. Had that been there before?

Emblazoned across the far wall in huge silver letters:

The end has come.

In New York, Kali wakes to an empty subway car, and an even emptier city. Venus and Gus survive an earthquake in Los Angeles and realize they have to deal with more than just the aftershocks. In Chile, Tigre finds himself in an unfamiliar jungle, and strangely not alone. And Amon, in Egypt, can see his path but is blind to the full picture.

They are suddenly trapped in a deserted world, five teenagers with no hope of escape. Why have they survived? What force or intelligence connects them? Drawn inexorably toward one another, they only know their future involves an experience outside anything they could have imagined. Fantasy newcomer Tui T. Sutherland creates a future in which teens have the power to complete the destruction of Earth or to save it.

So why do I want to read this?

Okay, first of all, I just noticed that the blurb describes Sutherland as a “fantasy newcomer.”

[glances at the 10+ Wings of Fire books I bought on my kindle three years ago] I feel so old…

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Aaaaanyway. I’ve loved Sutherland’s MG works for a while, among them, the Wings of Fire series (I think they’re still going…GOD…), and the Menagerie trilogy she co-wrote with Kari Sutherland. I’m interested to see how her style translates to a slightly older audience. And, plus, this post-apocalyptic, quite possibly X-Men-esque plot is pretty intriguing, if I do say so myself. If I can find this anywhere, I’d like to pick it up soon. Here’s hoping that my love of Sutherland’s witty writing prevails to this day. 🤞

Today’s song:

(I just started trying to figure this out on guitar, thanks to the awesome OK Computer songbook that my dad got me…thank you!)

That just about wraps up this week’s Goodreads Monday! Have a great day, and take care of yourselves!

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Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (1/13/20)–Hollow Kingdom

Posted on January 13, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

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As my English teacher said this morning, Happy Monday…if there is such a thing.

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.

Without further ado, this week’s Goodreads Monday!

GOODREADS MONDAY (1/13/20)–HOLLOW KINGDOM by Kira Jane Buxton

Blurb from Goodreads:

One pet crow fights to save humanity from an apocalypse in this uniquely hilarious debut from a genre-bending literary author.

S.T., a domesticated crow, is a bird of simple pleasures: hanging out with his owner Big Jim, trading insults with Seattle’s wild crows (those idiots), and enjoying the finest food humankind has to offer: Cheetos ®.

Then Big Jim’s eyeball falls out of his head, and S.T. starts to feel like something isn’t quite right. His most tried-and-true remedies–from beak-delivered beer to the slobbering affection of Big Jim’s loyal but dim-witted dog, Dennis–fail to cure Big Jim’s debilitating malady. S.T. is left with no choice but to abandon his old life and venture out into a wild and frightening new world with his trusty steed Dennis, where he discovers that the neighbors are devouring each other and the local wildlife is abuzz with rumors of dangerous new predators roaming Seattle. Humanity’s extinction has seemingly arrived, and the only one determined to save it is a foul-mouthed crow whose knowledge of the world around him comes from his TV-watching education.

Hollow Kingdom is a humorous, big-hearted, and boundlessly beautiful romp through the apocalypse and the world that comes after, where even a cowardly crow can become a hero.

So why do I want to read this?

Many a post-apocalyptic read has passed over my eyes, and I’ve seen a handful of novels from the perspective of animals in this genre. But a crow? They’re such intelligent little creatures; I’d love to read a book that’s entirely from their perspective. It takes a talented author to not just create a non-human character, but to get inside their mind, to explore their instincts, to live as they would.

In other words: You had me at “post-apocalyptic book told from the perspective of a crow”.

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I’m also interested to see how they portray the relationships between this crow and his human and other animal companions; whether purely biologically based or fantastical, I’m so excited to see how Buxton executes this.

Today’s song (which has been stuck in my head for almost a week, and I’m completely fine with it):

[off-key singing] oOOOOOooOoooo loverrrr bOOOOOOOOOYYYYyyyY

That just about wraps up this week’s post! I’ll be back with a Book Review Tuesday tomorrow, but be warned: I’m probably going to be a bit more sluggish in terms of posts, as I’ve got a lot coming up in school (*coughcoughHONORSBIOcoughcough*), and I’m going to try and go the Womxn’s March on Saturday. (I’ll try and post a few photos from the latter.)

Have a great rest of your day, and take care of yourselves!

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Book Tags, Books, Down the TBR Hole

Down the TBR Hole #1

Posted on January 9, 2020January 10, 2020 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Let’s get straight to the facts: my TBR is in gargantuan need of a cleaning. I kid you not, the books on there number in the thousands.

You heard me right, thousands.

So, when I found this tag on To Think About Words, I knew I had to participate. (Thank you, Yvonne!)

The Rules

1. Go to your Goodreads To-Read shelf
2. Order on ascending date added.
3. Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
4. Read the synopsis of the books.
5. Time to Decide: keep it or should it go

(I’ll bend the rules and choose a shelf I haven’t looked at much, but otherwise, I’ll adhere 😉)

1. Welfy Q. Deederhoth–Meat Purveyor, World Savior, Eric Laster

Blurb from Goodreads

Can a homeless teen from New York City, armed mostly with deli foods, save an alien race from extinction? The answer is not what you might think.

Orphan, product of the foster care system, Welfy is a homeless runaway struggling to survive, uncertainly navigating the streets of New York City with his only friend Harlan Mills. Soon after he finds work at Gramercy Deli, he stumbles into an alternate universe where he’s believed to be “The One in a dirty apron” prophesied to lead the Brundeedle race out of Woe Time. Understandably, Welfy has his doubts.

“Reach into your apron pocket!” urges Princess Nnnn of the Brundeedles, as Ceparids—a violent species bent on Brundeedle destruction—surround them. More than a little perplexed, Welfy swivels, rears, miraculously avoids getting killed by Ceparid missiles as he fumbles in his apron’s front pocket, and pulls out—a slice of baloney.

I mean, it sounds pretty fun, but I feel like I missed my chance; I might’ve enjoyed this one a lot more when I was younger.

VERDICT: LET GO

2. The Fires Beneath the Sea (The Dissenters, #1), Lydia Millet

Blurb from Goodreads:

Cara’s mother has disappeared. Her father isn’t talking about it. Her big brother Max is hiding behind his iPod, and her genius little brother Jackson is busy studying the creatures he collects from the beach. But when a watery specter begins to haunt the family’s Cape Cod home, Cara and her brothers realize that their scientist mother may not be who they thought she was—and that the world has much stranger, much older inhabitants than they had imagined.

With help from Cara’s best friend Hayley, the three embark on a quest that will lead them from the Cape’s hidden, ancient places to a shipwreck at the bottom of the sea. They’re soon on the front lines of an ancient battle between good and evil, with the terrifying “pouring man” close on their heels.

Hmm…I’m not sure about this one. I’ve read a few books in this vein, and they’ve all been pretty mediocre, and this doesn’t seem much different.

VERDICT: LET GO

3. Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, Jordan Sonnenblick

Blurb from Goodreads:

Thirteen-year-old Steven has a totally normal life; he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven’s world is turned upside down. He is forced to deal with his brother’s illness and his parents’ attempts to keep the family in one piece. Salted with humor and peppered with devastating realities, Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie is a heartwarming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.

God, this one seems like a pretty rough ride, but I think I’d still like to read this one.

VERDICT: KEEP

4. Blackbringer (Faeries of Dreamdark, #1), Laini Taylor

Blurb from Goodreads:

When the ancient evil of the Blackbringer rises to unmake the world, only one determined faerie stands in its way. However, Magpie Windwitch, granddaughter of the West Wind, is not like other faeries. While her kind live in seclusion deep in the forests of Dreamdark, she’s devoted her life to tracking down and recapturing devils escaped from their ancient bottles, just as her hero, the legendary Bellatrix, did 25,000 years ago. With her faithful gang of crows, she travels the world fighting where others would choose to flee. But when a devil escapes from a bottle sealed by the ancient Djinn King himself, the creator of the world, she may be in over her head. How can a single faerie, even with the help of her friends, hope to defeat the impenetrable darkness of the Blackbringer?

Now that I’ve read (and been disappointed by) Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I’m not sure if I’m willing to try out any more Laini Taylor. Eh…

VERDICT: LET GO

5. Anya’s Ghost, Vera Brosgol

Blurb from Goodreads:

Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part.

Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.

Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs.

Or so she thinks. Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya’s Ghost is a wonderfully entertaining debut from author/artist Vera Brosgol.

Oh, yeah. This one’s been on my TBR for three years, and I’m still on board with this sarcastic spookiness.

VERDICT: KEEP

6. The Emerald Ring (Cleopatra’s Legacy, #1), Dorine White

Blurb from Goodreads:

Ordinary tween life turns upside down when Ancient Egypt intrudes on modern middle school life. Twelve year old Sara Guadalupe Bogus reads about adventures, but unexpectedly is drawn into one when a mystical emerald ring that once belonged to Cleopatra becomes stuck on her finger.
A series of burglaries spook Sara’s small Ohio hometown. Concluding that the root of all the crimes is the emerald ring, Sara realizes it’s up to her and her friends, Heidi and African exchange student Kainu, to save the town and protect Cleopatra’s legacy. Filled with magic, the ring thrusts Sara into a world filled with nightmares, allows her to shape shift into an Egyptian cat and battle assassins.

As with Welfy Q. Deederhoth, I would’ve enjoyed this one tons when I was younger. But unlike the former, I’m still on board with it today. I could use a dose of some good ol’ Egyptian mythology right about now.

VERDICT: KEEP

7. Mistwood (Mistwood, #1), Leah Cypess

Blurb from Goodreads:

The Shifter is an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell to protect the kings of Samorna. When the realm is peaceful, she retreats to the Mistwood.

But when she is needed she always comes.

Isabel remembers nothing. Nothing before the prince rode into her forest to take her back to the castle. Nothing about who she is supposed to be, or the powers she is supposed to have.

Prince Rokan needs Isabel to be his Shifter. He needs her ability to shift to animal form, to wind, to mist. He needs her lethal speed and superhuman strength. And he needs her loyalty—because without it, she may be his greatest threat.

Isabel knows that her prince is lying to her, but she can’t help wanting to protect him from the dangers and intrigues of the court . . . until a deadly truth shatters the bond between them.

Now Isabel faces a choice that threatens her loyalty, her heart . . . and everything she thought she knew.

[strokes imaginary beard] fascinating…I could go with this…

VERDICT: KEEP

8. Dreamfall (Dreamfall, #1), Amy Plum

Blurb from Goodreads:

Cata Cordova suffers from such debilitating insomnia that she agreed to take part in an experimental new procedure. She thought things couldn’t get any worse…but she was terribly wrong.

Soon after the experiment begins, there’s a malfunction with the lab equipment, and Cata and six other teen patients are plunged into a shared dreamworld with no memory of how they got there. Even worse, they come to the chilling realization that they are trapped in a place where their worst nightmares have come to life. Hunted by creatures from their darkest imaginations and tormented by secrets they’d rather keep buried, Cata and the others will be forced to band together to face their biggest fears. And if they can’t find a way to defeat their dreams, they will never wake up.

Oh, yeah, definitely still on board…

VERDICT: KEEP

9. Search for Senna (Everworld, #1), Katherine Applegate

Blurb from Goodreads:

There is a place that shouldn’t exist. But does. And there are creatures that shouldn’t exist. But do. Welcome to a land where all of your dreams and nightmares are very real—and often deadly. Welcome to Everworld.

David’s life was pretty normal. School. Friends. Girlfriend. Actually, Senna was probably the oddest aspect of his life. She was beautiful. Smart. But there was something very different about her. Something strange.

And on the day it began, everything happened so quickly. One moment, Senna was with him. The next, she was swallowed up by the earth, her screams echoing from far, far away. David couldn’t just let her go. Neither could the others. His friends—and hers. So, they followed. And found themselves in a world they could have never imagined.

Now they have to find Senna and get home without losing their lives. Or their minds. Or both…

Oof…”I’m not like other girls” characters AND a girl being used as nothing more than a plot device? (I mean, I could be wrong, but…) Count me out.

VERDICT: LET GO

10. True Colors (The Masks, #1), Melissa Pearl

Blurb from Goodreads:

Caitlyn Davis always cruised through life, not being the type to ruffle feathers or involve herself in high school drama. That is, until a chance encounter with a strange, homeless man changes everything.

Suddenly, Caitlyn has the ability to see behind people’s masks. She discovers that her life isn’t as simple as she imagined and high school is filled with secrets…some very sinister ones.

Unable to ignore her new gift, Caitlyn embarks on a mission to learn why one of her friends suddenly appears terrified, but masks her fear with a bright, smiling veneer. Will Caitlyn’s new ability lead her into hot water? Or is her new found vision a blessing that will expose her friends’ true colors?

Her quest will lead Caitlyn to lose friends, stand up for those in need, and even find love.

At Palisades High School every face tells a story…

Hey, this could be pretty interesting. I’m still in, I think.

VERDICT: KEEP

RESULTS:

BOOKS KEPT: 6

BOOKS LET GO: 4

Weeeeell…not perfectly balanced, but nicely balanced all the same.

Thus ends my first successful TBR culling!

Today’s song, in honor of what would have been David Bowie’s 72nd birthday (January 7), and the 4 year anniversary of his ~~death~~ return to Mars:

[cries in the corner] [cries even more when I realize that they’re going to release a song per week for six weeks, all redone versions of earlier Bowie songs]

That just about wraps up this post! Have a lovely rest of your day!

Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (1/6/20)–Show Stopper

Posted on January 6, 2020 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.

My deluge of Goodreads recommendations seems to have slowed down, so I’m currently trying to clean out the older content on there. This was part of the recommendation barrage, but its twist on the traditional dystopian plot caught my eye. It seems to be an inventive shattering of the trope, so hopefully this one will be worthwhile.

Let’s begin, shall we?

GOODREADS MONDAY (1/6/20)–SHOW STOPPER by Hayley Barker

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Blurb from Goodreads:

Set in a near-future England where the poorest people in the land are forced to sell their children to a travelling circus – to perform at the mercy of hungry lions, sabotaged high wires and a demonic ringmaster. The ruling class visit the circus as an escape from their structured, high-achieving lives – pure entertainment with a bloodthirsty edge. Ben, the teenage son of a draconian government minister, visits the circus for the first time and falls instantly in love with Hoshiko, a young performer. They come from harshly different worlds – but must join together to escape the circus and put an end to its brutal sport.

So why do I want to read this?

You’ve all heard me rant about how jaded I am with YA dystopia. But the element of the traveling circus in Show Stopper seems absolutely fascinating: a tiny bit Hunger Games-y, in the sense that it’s for the entertainment of the upper class, but creative enough that I’m absolutely hooked. If anything, I’m hoping for a well-needed subversion of the genre. Plus, not gonna lie, but I love the style that the cover was drawn in.

Here’s today’s song:

(God, I love the guitar in this one…)

That just about wraps up this week’s Goodreads Monday! Have a great rest of your day, and keep on reading!

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Books, Goodreads Monday, Movies

Goodreads Monday (12/30/19)–Seven Devils

Posted on December 30, 2019December 30, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles, and welcome to…wow, the last Goodreads Monday of 2019…

Sheesh, this year really sped by…

Anyway, I came across this one over the summer, I think, and I was hooked from the first sentences of the synopsis. It hasn’t come out yet, but without any reviews and only the synopsis, I am BEYOND excited to read this one!

Let’s begin, shall we?

GOODREADS MONDAY (12/30/19)–SEVEN DEVILS by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May

Blurb from Goodreads:

This first book in a feminist space opera duology follows seven resistance fighters who will free the galaxy from the ruthless Tholosian Empire — or die trying.

When Eris faked her death, she thought she had left her old life as the heir to the galaxy’s most ruthless empire behind. But her recruitment by the Novantaen Resistance, an organization opposed to the empire’s voracious expansion, throws her right back into the fray.

Eris has been assigned a new mission: to infiltrate a spaceship ferrying deadly cargo and return the intelligence gathered to the Resistance. But her partner for the mission, mechanic and hotshot pilot Cloelia, bears an old grudge against Eris, making an already difficult infiltration even more complicated.

When they find the ship, they discover more than they bargained for: three fugitives with firsthand knowledge of the corrupt empire’s inner workings.

Together, these women possess the knowledge and capabilities to bring the empire to its knees. But the clock is ticking: the new heir to the empire plans to disrupt a peace summit with the only remaining alien empire, ensuring the empire’s continued expansion. If they can find a way to stop him, they will save the galaxy. If they can’t, millions may die.

So why do I want to read this?

Alright, not gonna lie, I was hooked even before they had a coherent synopsis on Goodreads. Why? Simple: All it had was a release date, and something along the lines of “perfect for fans of Rogue One.”

Aaaaaaand, you’ve got my attention.

From the sparse reviews I’ve seen, it’s been oft-described as a “feminist, queer space opera”. And honestly? That’s all I ask for in a book. That’s what I want to write, in the first place. Plus, the cover. GORGEOUS.

Seven Devils doesn’t come out until August 2020, but you can bet that I’ll be anxiously awaiting its release until then. 😉

That just about wraps up this week’s Goodreads Monday! Stay tuned for more content later in the week, and though I’ll be posting all throughout the week (or I’ll try, at least), have a Happy New Year!

Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (12/23/19)-Viper

Posted on December 23, 2019 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.

At this point, my tactic for picking out books for Goodreads Monday is basically just picking a random number on my TBR, and then finding a book on that shelf. I forgot about this one, but I’ve only had in on my TBR for about a month, and, if all goes well, I think it could be an adventurous, fast-paced fantasy on the high seas.

Only one way to find out…

GOODREADS MONDAY (12/23/19)-VIPER by Bex Hogan

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Blurb from Goodreads:

He will make me a killer. Or he will have me killed. That is my destiny.

Seventeen-year-old Marianne is fated to one day become the Viper, defender of the Twelve Isles.

But the reigning Viper stands in her way. Corrupt and merciless, he prowls the seas in his warship, killing with impunity, leaving only pain and suffering in his wake.

He’s the most dangerous man on the ocean . . . and he is Marianne’s father.

She was born to protect the islands. But can she fight for them if it means losing her family, her home, the boy she loves – and perhaps even her life?

So why do I want to read this?

Hmmm. Intriguing.

I’m getting some good vibes from this one…if all goes well, I think it’ll at least be a feminist, swashbuckling, pirate-inspired fantasy, in the vein of Seafire and the Daughter of the Pirate King duology. From the looks of it, there’s some themes of defying one’s family to do what you know is right, which I am 100% for. And, judging from the concept of the Viper, I’m hoping for a rich history behind that. Certainly not expecting Sally Green level worldbuilding, but if handled well, I think this could be an incredibly exciting read.

Viper came out this year, but I haven’t heard about it, sadly. Rather underrated/under-talked-about compared to a few…other fantasy novels that were grossly overhyped. Either way, it’s gotten some good reviews, from the looks of it, (3.87/5 average rating on Goodreads), and I’m hoping that it’ll deliver. I’m sure it’ll be three stars, at least.

That just about wraps up this week’s Goodreads Monday! Have a lovely rest of your day, and stay tuned for more content later in the week!

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Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (12/9/19)–A Song Below Water

Posted on December 10, 2019 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.

This one caught my eye not long ago: Not only is it a premise set around sirens, but a) they’re POC sirens, and b) it’s a pretty obvious metaphor for the other? COUNT ME IN! I’ve yet to read it (obviously…), but I’ve got high hopes…

Let’s begin, shall we?

GOODREADS MONDAY (12/9/19)–A SONG BELOW WATER by Bethany C. Morrow

Blurb from Goodreads:

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Nevermind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.

So why do I want to read this?

As I said earlier, I’m always aching for a good mermaid/siren novel. Not only that, our siren protagonists, Tavia and Effie, are both POC.

What I got from the synopsis is that the whole siren/human situation is an incredibly dicey one, with a history of prejudice, discrimination, and fear. (Sound familiar? Hello, almost every minority that I can think of in the U.S. and elsewhere…) If all goes well, this sounds like an excellent metaphor for minority groups and the other, well-supported by its plot and characters. And who wouldn’t swoon over that gorgeous cover?

A Song Below Water doesn’t come out until June of next year, and you know that I’m eagerly awaiting its release! 😀

Thanks for stopping by, everyone! Stay tuned for more content later in the week! Have a wonderful rest of your day, and remember: you are so loved. 💗

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Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (12/2/19)–Perfectly Preventable Deaths

Posted on December 3, 2019 by madeline @ The Bookish Mutant

Happy Monday, bibliophiles, and happy December as well!

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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.

Another addition to Goodreads’ merciless onslaught of recommendations, Perfectly Preventable Deaths seemed like an intriguing, witchy read; not very fitting for the oncoming holiday season, but who’s paying attention to that?

So, without further ado, here’s this week’s Goodreads Monday!

GOODREADS MONDAY (12/2/19)–PERFECTLY PREVENTABLE DEATHS by Deidre Sullivan

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Blurb from Goodreads:

Everyone in Ballyfran has a secret, and that is what binds them together…

Fifteen-year-old twins Madeline and Catlin move to a new life in Ballyfran, a strange isolated town, a place where, for the last sixty years, teenage girls have gone missing in the surrounding mountains.

As distance grows between the twins – as Catlin falls in love, and Madeline begins to understand her own nascent witchcraft – Madeline discovers that Ballyfrann is a place full of predators. Not only foxes, owls and crows, but also supernatural beings who for many generations have congregated here to escape persecution. When Catlin falls into the gravest danger of all, Madeline must ask herself who she really is, and who she wants to be – or rather, who she might have to become to save her sister.

Dark and otherworldly, this is an enthralling story about the bond between sisters and the sacrifices we make for those we care about the most. For fans of Frances Hardinge and Laure Eve.

So why do I want to read this?

First and foremost…this is rather petty, but it’s always kind of fun to find a character that shares a name with you (that, in my case, isn’t a certain children’s book character). 😜

Secondly, the description is vague enough that I’ll either a) I won’t see the plot twist coming (👍) or b) there’ll be no sense of story (👎). The concept of these “supernatural beings” flocking to the island to escape persecution does sound fascinating, and I’m interested to see how they come into play. All in all, I’ll hoping that it’ll at least be a decent tale of sisterhood, witchcraft, and the supernatural. Though…oh man, the “for fans of Frances Hardinge” worries me a bit. I’ve often found her literature to have incredible concepts, but executed in a drawn-out and boring manner. Fingers crossed that Perfectly Preventable Deaths won’t be the same.

Have a lovely rest of your day, and stay tuned for more content later in the week!

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Books, Goodreads Monday

Goodreads Monday (11/25/19)–The Space Between

Posted on November 25, 2019 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.

Whew…Goodreads has been piling on the recommendations lately, so I’ve got lots of content for many Goodreads Mondays to come. Among them were an influx of LGBTQ+ books, which I am SO glad to see pop up in my recommendations! The Space Between happens to be one of them, so here goes nothing…

Alright, let’s start the week off right…

GOODREADS MONDAY (11/25/19)–THE SPACE BETWEEN by Michelle L. Teichman

Blurb from Goodreads:

Everything’s great for Harper Isabelle, the most popular girl in grade nine. That is, until she meets Sarah Jamieson.

Sarah is a reclusive artist, a loner who wears black makeup and doesn’t have any friends, but for some reason, Harper can’t stop thinking about her.
Sarah isn’t used to people looking her way, especially popular girls like Harper Isabelle. Scared, religious, and unsure of herself, when Sarah begins to realize that her feelings for Harper might go beyond friendship, she is afraid to take the plunge and tell Harper how she feels.

Emotions build between these young women until they both reach their breaking points, and they need to make a choice about coming to terms with who they really are, and what they can and cannot live without.

So why do I want to read this?

Not only does The Space Between explore the complications of relationships in high school, it seems like it also explores the pressures put on some of the more popular kids to be “perfect” (and by perfect, I mean a “good, straight girl”). Additionally, there’s the initial fear of going into a sapphic relationship, knowing that everyone is watching.

I’m so excited to see a lesbian relationship, and my fingers are tightly crossed that it’s executed well. It’s beautiful to see how far we’ve come in terms of LGBTQ+ representation in literature in the last decade; we still have a long way to go, but it’s certainly the best that it’s ever been. What a time to be alive, folks.

I hope you’re having a wonderful day, and stay tuned for more content later this week!

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