2024 Book Reviews

    Here are all of my book reviews from 2024 linked in one place. Just click on the picture of the book you would like to read the review of. each book review has:

• A picture of the front of the book
• The book’s name.
• The author’s name.
• A rating that gives one to five out of five stars.
• Summary of the book.
• a review of what I liked, what I disliked, and how I felt about the book as a whole.
• A song suggestion I feel fits the book.

     I hope these book reviews will inspire you to read the books I have reviewed on this website, whether you agree with my opinion on the story or you disagree with it.

The Night Market Review

Filena is known as a seer, one who can see other’s futures. Years ago, her and her brother Cian escaped their abusive father and started a new life under the ownership of the Lonan’s. Now Filena works at the West Tribe’s Night Market. There she tells the future for those who pay coin. Every Night Market before opening a fae comes and visits Filena: Rhylen Lonan, a Raven Folk who Filena has fallen in love with. But with West tribes rules they could never be together. Besides she has seen his future, and he is soon to meet his ‘true mate’. 

    

 2023 Book Reviews

    Here are all of my book reviews from 2023 linked in one place. Just click on the picture of the book you would like to read the review of. each book review has:

• A picture of the front of the book
• The book’s name.
• The author’s name.
• A rating that gives one to five out of five stars.
• Summary of the book.
• a review of what I liked, what I disliked, and how I felt about the book as a whole.
• A song suggestion I feel fits the book.

     I hope these book reviews will inspire you to read the books I have reviewed on this website, whether you agree with my opinion on the story or you disagree with it.

Before Midnight Review

  Cendrillion was born the night her mother died and her father wants nothing to do with her. Instead, he leaves to join the king’s court, but not before leaving another child behind at his home, a boy named Raoul. The two children are raised by the household servants and have lived without a word from Cendrillion’s father for sixteen years. Then one fall day, a message arrives, stating that Cendrillion’s father has remarried, and her new stepmother and two stepsisters appear not too long after. At first, they do not know Cendrillion’s true heritage, believing her to be just another servant. But things finally come to light just as a grand ball is announced. Unknown to Cendrillion and Raoul, this ball will change their lives forever.

The Love Hypothesis Review

 What if you told your friend you were in a romantic relationship so she would not feel bad about dating your ex? What if You kissed a random guy from your work, making your friend think he is the person you are in a romantic relationship with? What if you and the guy you kissed agree to a fake date to keep up your charade? Well, that’s just what is happening to Olive Smith. Now she must sell being in a fake relationship with Adam Carlsen, who is known by everyone as a real mean guy. But he is not to her, in fact, he is super nice and supportive. The more they talk and spend time together the more Olive falls for Adam.

Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal Review

  In 2014 a new Superhero burst into the scene. A huge fan of The Avengers, especially Captain Marvel, Kamala Khan Just wants to be a normal girl from New Jersey. She wants to go to parties and eat meat, but her strict Muslim parents have other plans. Having enough, Kamala sneaks out to go to a party being held by some of the popular kids at school. While there a strange mist envelopes the clearing the party is being held. Feeling uneasy, Kamala decides to go back home, but begins to feel woozy and passes out. When she wakes up she’s not Kamala anymore, but Carol Danvers’s Ms. Marvel! What follows is Kamala discovering her new powers and becoming the Superhero Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal!

Shatter Me Review

  Juliette has been in the same room for 264 days with no contact from anyone. The room is in an asylum and is believed to be the only place to keep her from harming anyone. You see if Juliette touches someone even slightly, the person will feel horrible pain. If touched long enough, the person will die. She is a monster. Then on day 265 someone arrives in her room, a young man named Adam. Juliette is terrified at first. What if he is there to kill her? What if he touches her? Is he even real? Has she gone insane? Adams's arrival is only just the beginning, as Juliette is taken by a group of soldiers working for an organization called the Reestablishment and given a choice by the soldiers' leader Warner: Work for him as a weapon or die!

Destroy Me Review

 In the novella Destroy Me, We take a break from Juliette’s story to see the aftermath of her and Adam’s escape from the Reestablishment from none other than Warner’s eyes. She not only shot him, crippling his arm but stole his heart. Now Warner must retrieve Juliette and Adam, all the while the Supreme Commander of the Reestablishment has come to personally see that Warner does not fail. It does not help that the Supreme Commander is also his father.

Breaking Time Review

  Ever wondered what the story of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon would be like if the roles were reversed? Then look no further than Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg. Breaking Time follows two characters: Callum and Klara. Callum is a Scotsman from the 1500s who gets flung forward in time to 2022 after trying to save his best friend Thomas from a mysterious killer. Klara is a newly graduated high schooler living in Scotland who is trying to figure out a way to tell her dad she’s not going to college. To clear her head, she takes a drive and accidentally hits someone with her car. The person just happens to be Callum.

Beauty and the Blade Review

 Contessa is marrying, but not for love. The man she is engaged to Nathanial Woodrow, also known as the Beast, killed her mother. Her mother was found dead with three slash marks on her face, a sign of Nathanial’s gang the Lions. Now Contessa can bring him to justice. But as She learns more about her new husband, his gang, and a group of magical people known as the Talented, Contessa begins to question everything she knows.

Golden Review

 We all know how the fairy tale goes: “Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair!”. But this Rapunzel has no hair at all. Her head is as bald as an egg. Due to this her mother called her a monster and wanted nothing to do with her. So, a sorceress named Melisande raises Rapunzel for the next sixteen years. But Melisande has a secret, she has another daughter named Rue. Sadly, Rue is trapped in a tower and the only hope of freedom lies with Rapunzel.  Can the two girls work together to break Rue out or with their constant fighting doom them both.

The little Mermaid: Against the Tide Review

  Ariel is so excited; she’s about to be crowned Protector of her own region of the great sea! Her six other sisters already rule their own sections of the sea as Protectors. But sadly, they seem so busy with their duties that they never get together and the times they do they are always fighting. When Ariel finds out her father, King Triton, is able to arrange for her sisters to attend her Protector’s ceremony, she is determined to fix the sisters’ relationships.

Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale Review

 Five years after Ariel went to the above world and was defeated by the sea witch, Ursula she has lost everything; her father, her voice, her carefree life, and Eric… Now she rules the Mer-people of Atlantica voiceless. But one day a message arrives from Scuttle; Ariel’s father, King Triton, is alive! He is being held hostage by Ursula.

Ms. Marvel Vol. 2: Generation Why Review

The Inventor is growing in power in Jersey City and has his eye on a certain superhero: Ms. Marvel! It does not help that Kamla’s parents have told Sheikh Abdullah about her acting strangely. She tries her best to explain without reviling her hero identity and lets it slip that she feels she is not very good at doing it. Sheikh Abdullah shocks her by giving her some advice. She needs a teacher. When Kamla asks where to find one, he says “When the student is ready the master will appear”. What master appears? The Superhero Wolverine!

The Wizard of Oz Review

  One moment she’s at home in Kansas, the next she is in the beautiful land of Oz! The magical country is full of beauty and magic, but all Dorothy wants to do is go back home to her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. So, with the blessing of the Good Witch of the North, Dorothy sets out on a journey to the Emerald City. Along the way, she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. Each wants something and all hope the Great Wizard of Oz can give it to them; the Scarecrow's brains, the Tin Man a heart, and the Cowardly Lion's courage. 

Cinder & Glass Review

  In France in 1682, Cendrillon lives happily with her father as she starts her life at the French court. Then one day, her father meets and marries Lady Catherine which starts changes in Cendrillion’s life. She now has two stepsisters and the members of the house staff whom Cendrillion thought of as family are dismissed. Then suddenly, her father passes away. Now Cendrillion is no more than a servant in her own home, being treated horribly by her stepfamily. But hope comes in the form of her dying godmother, who whisks Cendrillion away and takes her to the grand ball held by the King. 

Rebel Rose: The Queen's Council Review

  The spell is broken and now Belle and the Beast, going by the name Lio, have begun their life together. One of the things they must do is meet with the King of France to restore the ties between them. But when Belle and Lio arrive a revolution starts, with Belle witnessing a riot firsthand. Belle and Lio return home in hopes of stopping the revolution from spreading into their kingdom. Lio’s cousin, Bastien, accompanies them and proposes the kingdom cut all ties with France. This would lead Belle and Lio to become King and Queen. 

Singer Book Review

  Gwenore has been abused by her mother, Rhiamon, her whole life. She tried to escape once. But it led to the death of a man and her friend Tom being gravely injured. Her mother trapped her in a dark room with no food or water for weeks. Then Gwenore is given another chance. Her nursemaid, Brennan, and a mysterious priest named Father Caddaric sneak Gwenore out in the middle of the night. She is whisked away to an abbey, then a community run by healing women called Blessingwood. 

Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale Review 

  What if Snow White decided to fight to get her kingdom back instead of just hiding? What if The Queen had given the poison apple to Snow White’s true love? What if the Evil Queen was not just Snow White’s stepmother, but also her aunt? These scenarios are explored in Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale. In this book we follow Snow White as she teams up with the dwarfs and Prince Henrich to save her kingdom from Queen Ingrid.

 The Night Market Review

Book Name: The Night Market

Author Name: Jesikah Sundin

Release Date: January 15,2024

Number of Pages: 511 pages

Review: 

Filena is known as a seer, one who can see other’s futures. Years ago, her and her brother Cian escaped their abusive father and started a new life under the ownership of the Lonan’s. Now Filena works at the West Tribe’s Night Market. There she tells the future for those who pay coin. Every Night Market before opening a fae comes and visits Filena: Rhylen Lonan, a Raven Folk who Filena has fallen in love with. But with West tribes rules they could never be together. Besides she has seen his future, and he is soon to meet his ‘true mate’. 
Little does Filena know that she is actually Rhylen’s true mate. He has known for a number of years and has courted her in secret. One night the Night Market catches fire and Rhylen saves Filena just in time. This set off a chain of events which leads Filena and Rhylen not only together but changing the way the raven folk have lived for centuries.   
     The Nigh Market is a beautiful romantic fantasy that kept me wanting to keep turning the page to see what would happen next. Whether from the fun interactions between characters, the swoon worthy romance between the two main characters, or the interesting world building, I couldn’t get enough of this story. 
     The characters are wonderful to read about. I loved how animal loving and imaginative Filena was. She thought up the best curses, even if she didn’t think she could cast them. Her interactions with her brother, Cian, were fun and sweet. They taunt each other and are they’re for the other when needed most. I would have loved more of Filena and Glenna interacting as they were supposed to be the best of friends. Just seemed it more of Glenna with Cian than Filena page wise. 
     The romance! Oh! The romance. I was squealing so much though the romance in this book. Filena and Rhylen are my new favorite couple. The way Rhylen would do anything for Filena is beautiful to read. I also loved how the two would not fall into the trope of getting angry with the other for holding a secret. They thought through them logically. The treasure between them being buttons is so cute. If I could get another book of just them doing things together, I would be so happy! 
    The world building in this is interesting. I liked how the raven folk live and love as a family. The class system and traditions were interesting to read about, and I wish the book went into more detail. I also liked the mentions of Seren, the city present in the pervious novel Bound by Ravens. But luckily you don’t need to have read it to understand this story at all. But if you have fun finding Easter eggs though out the story. 
In closing the Night Market is a great book with hilarious characters and a swoon worthy romance. So, if you like great character interactions, beautiful romantic scenes, great world building, and racoons who love to steal gloves, the Night Market is the read for you. I give this book a four out of five!

Song like This Book: At All Cost (Demo) By Benjamin Rice and Julia Micheals

Mirror, Mirror Book Review

 Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale Review

Book Name: Mirror, Mirror

Book Number: 6 of 16

Author Name: Jen Calonita

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: April 2, 2019

Number of Pages: 334 pages

Review:

            Almost everyone knows how the 1937 animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs goes. A princess named Snow White is labeled the fairest in the land, which drives the land’s Evil Queen to try to kill her in jealousy. Snow White was able to escape and hides out with Seven dwarfs until she’s tricked into eating a poison apple putting her in a death like sleep. The Evil Queen is stop, a kiss from her true love wakes Snow White up, and everyone lives Happily ever after. But What if…

            What if Snow White decided to fight to get her kingdom back instead of just hiding? What if The Queen had given the poison apple to Snow White’s true love? What if the Evil Queen was not just Snow White’s stepmother, but also her aunt? These scenarios are explored in Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale. In this book we follow Snow White as she teams up with the dwarfs and Prince Henrich to save her kingdom from Queen Ingrid.

Though the main twist promoted in Mirror, Mirror (What if the Evil Queen poisoned the prince?) is not what majorly changed the plot of the original Snow-White movie, this book is still a great change to the original 1937 film. I feel this is what could be a version of the Disney movie if it was created in modern day.

Snow White does not feel out of character in the slightest. She was a strong character in the original as well, which I feel due to the limitations of animation technics and the time the movie released has hindered modern audiences from seeing this. For example, in the original movie she realizes her fear of the dark forest getting the better of her, then overcomes it to find a way to survive. This leads her to the seven dwarfs’ cottage where she becomes their leader when they are at home. She’s kind and sees the best in everyone, which sadly leads to her to being tricked by the Evil Queen.

            The author was able to keep this intact while bringing Snow White up to a more modern character. Snow White is not an annoying girl boss as so many of these types of characters seem to fall into now a days. She works and listens to others, thinks things through, and looks for the most peaceful way to resolve things. She also has a sweet relationship Henrich, who was the nameless prince in the original with only two scenes due to limited knowledge in animating human males at the time. In the book he is very supportive of Snow White and always ready to help her at a moment’s notice.

             The dwarfs have very little page time in this book but do contribute by helping Snow White recruit villagers for their cause. The Evil Queen, known as Queen Ingrid in this tale, has her whole back story explored. It’s shown her and sister, Snow White’s mother, came from nothing. As she grows up Ingrid lets her want for power and beauty consume her, no thanks to the Magic Mirror: this book’s true villain.

            Mirror, Mirror is one of the better Disney Twisted Tales books with a great premise and good execution. The characters feel true to themselves and have great additions added to them. With an interesting take on the story’s true villain, this book is a good read. I give Mirror, Mirror a four out of five.

Song Like this Book: Strong by Sonna

 Singer Book Review

Book Name: Singer

Book Number: Standalone

Author Name: Jean Thesman

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: April 7, 2005

Number of Pages: 280 pages

Review:

            Gwenore has been abused by her mother, Rhiamon, her whole life. She tried to escape once. But it led to the death of a man and her friend Tom being gravely injured. Her mother trapped her in a dark room with no food or water for weeks. Then Gwenore is given another chance. Her nursemaid, Brennan, and a mysterious priest named Father Caddaric sneak Gwenore out in the middle of the night. She is whisked away to an abbey, then a community run by healing women called Blessingwood.

            Gwenore has lived at Blessingwood for almost 3 years, where she learned the arts of singing and healing. While there she goes by the name of Mary Singer. But she must always stay hidden unless she wants her mother to find her. The Fair Folk helps conceal her and send messages through one of their own, a cat named King Harry. But her life cannot last forever in Blessingwood. After an incident with a patient, Gwenore’s location is revealed to her mother, and she must go on the run again. This leads her to the Land of Lir. There Gwenore becomes the nursemaid to four royal children and must protect them from her own mother.

            This book is a retelling of the Irish folktale “The Children of Lir” where a group of royal children are turned into swans by their evil stepmother. They were left this way for eight hundred years until freed. But this book is supposed to tell the real story of what happened. Though this premise is interesting, the author was unable to execute the idea well at all.

            The majority of this 280-page book is used to establish Gwenore in learning her skills and growing into her powers but sadly leaves only 102 pages to retell the whole story of “The Children of Lir” tale. The story is heavily rushed from there. It feels as though someone continues to hit the fast-forward button with each new chapter. This concludes with a Disney-style climax as the villain, Gwenore’s mother, falls from the top of a tower to her death.

            The rushed story also hinders almost all the characters besides Gwenore. Characters like the women of Blessingwood are introduced as Gwenore’s teachers but never expand from healer, herbalist, and blacksmith. The book never goes into real detail about them along with the fact that Blessingwood seems to be a place to protect special children for some amount of time. Only one child is given any real page time, leading the child into giving a moving tapestry to Gwenore which only foreshadows events her magic pocket mirror already did in a better fashion.

            These problems come from the fact this book feels more like one and a half stories than just one. Gwenore’s life storyline then the rushed “The Children of Lir” story. The beginning also is written as though it’s a sequel to another book where Gwenore’s early life was given, but this book is a standalone. This book would have greatly benefited from more time centered on “The Children of Lir” retelling part and trimming Gwenore’s back story. I give this book two out of five stars.

Rating:

⭐⭐✰✰✰

Song Like This Book: The Voice by Celtic Woman

 Rebel Rose: The Queen's Council Book Review

Book Name: Rebel Rose

Author Name: Emma Theriault

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: November 10, 2020

Number of Pages: 352 pages

Review:

    The spell is broken and now Belle and the Beast, going by the name Lio, have begun their life together. One of the things they must do is meet with the King of France to restore the ties between them. But when Belle and Lio arrive a revolution starts, with Belle witnessing a riot firsthand. Belle and Lio return home in hopes of stopping the revolution from spreading into their kingdom. Lio’s cousin, Bastien, accompanies them and proposes the kingdom cut all ties with France. This would lead Belle and Lio to become King and Queen. Though unsure, Lio accepts, while Belle declines the position. After the ceremony, Bastien urges Lio to spend time with the kingdom’s nobles while Belle believes the best path for their kingdom is to listen and help the commoners.

    With enough convincing, Lio does what Bastien says leaving Belle to work with the king’s assembly to take care of day-to-day duties. But Bastien and the assembly go against Belle at every turn. Then the enchantress who cured Lio returns, revealing that the kingdom could be destroyed, and Belle is the only one to stop it. Will Belle find the courage to stand up at take her rightful title as Queen? Or will her kingdom go up in flames? Find out in Disney’s The Queen’s Council book one: Rebel Rose.

    As a huge fan of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast seeing a continuation of the story is wonderful. I love how Belle feels she is not the right person to take the title princess, then eventually queen. She also learns how to trust her feelings and stand her ground. As a commoner before the curse, she sees differently than everyone around her and she tries to show that to everyone. I loved reading about her verbal battles with Bastien and reading about how she seemed so unsure about things. It made me love Belle as a character even more.

    I liked how the enchantress was woven back into the narrative and how the author made her into a character that will most likely be used in future installments of the Queens Council books. Also, the book did have me wondering if the character Bastien was good or bad throughout the story, but I think the author needed to give some more backstory on him. This could easily be fixed by having Belle use the magic mirror, which was established to still exist, to see why Bastien was the way he was. The mirror is shown in this story to see the future, so why not the past?

    I wish Lio had more page time as the original Beauty and the Beast animated movie is as much his movie as it is Belle’s. Maybe they could have thrown in a few more interactions between Belle and Lio. Lastly, I loved that Belle found a friend in a new character named Margaret. It was great to have Belle interact with another girl who had tons in common with her. Overall Rebel Rose is a good read and I give this book four out of five stars.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Song like this Book:  Brave by Josh Groban

 Cinder & Glass Book Review

Author Name: Melissa De La Cruz

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: March 8, 2022

Number of Pages: 336 pages

Review:

    In France in 1682, Cendrillon lives happily with her father as she starts her life at the French court. Then one day, her father meets and marries Lady Catherine which starts changes in Cendrillion’s life. She now has two stepsisters and the members of the house staff whom Cendrillion thought of as family are dismissed. Then suddenly, her father passes away. Now Cendrillion is no more than a servant in her own home, being treated horribly by her stepfamily. But hope comes in the form of her dying godmother, who whisks Cendrillion away and takes her to the grand ball held by the King. There she encounters both Prince Louis and his half-brother Augustu. She’s unsure of the former but feels sparks with the latter.

    Later that night an announcement is made: twenty-five ladies of the court will be courted by Prince Louis and he will choose one for his bride. Even more surprising; Cendrillion’s name is called as one of the suiters. Panicking and scared of what her stepmother will do, she flees the ball, leaving behind her slipper. The next day she is confronted by Lady Catherine, who forbids Cendrillion from participating in the prince’s courting. But Cendrillion does anyway as it seems it might be the only way to escape her stepfamily for good.

    Cendrillion works hard to impress Prince Louis to be chosen as his bride, but as she sees Augustu more, the more she falls for him. Now as the prince’s courting event winds down to an end, Cendrillion must make a choice; marry Louis and be free from her stepfamily or be with Augustu, the man she loves.

    Cinder & Glass was a very interesting and entertaining read. I really enjoyed how the story of Cinderella was adapted and changed to fit in the real world of 1682 in France. I feel the book set up Cendrillion’s story from a noble lady to her stepmother’s servant at a good pace. I really felt for Cendrillion at times as she faces the hardships her stepmother puts her through and how she finally has enough of her is great to read. I also liked how she didn’t fall in love with the prince but the prince’s half-brother. This leads to fun interactions Cendrillion has with both, especially Cendrillion’s and Augustu’s romantic scenes. The two are so cute together. This book has the trope of one of the stepsisters being nice but has her stand up to her mother in the end, which was a nice change of pace.

    The biggest negative I had with the story was how Cenderillion’s godmother was handled. She’s friends with Cendrillion’s father and even though she says his death affected her so bad that she had to leave court for over a year only sending Cendrillion letters did not sit right with me. I feel like the author should have had a point where she tried to come back for Cendrillion, but was tricked by Lady Catherine in some way before she arrived when the stepfamily was away at the ball.

    I also did not like how she came back only to die off the page a few chapters later. The author could have thought of another way to make it so that she could no longer help Cendrillion. Maybe still have her godmother die and have her inherit her gowns. Then when she wants to go to the ball the people who used to work at her home return, dress her up, and get her to the ball. Either way I still really enjoyed Cinder & Glass. I give this book four out of five stars.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Song like this Book: Safe & Sound by Jackie Evancho

 The Wizard of Oz Book Review

Book Name: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Author Name: L. Frank Baum

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: May 17, 1900

Page Number: 154 Pages

Artist Name: W.W. Denslow

Review:

    One moment she’s at home in Kansas, the next she is in the beautiful land of Oz! The magical country is full of beauty and magic, but all Dorothy wants to do is go back home to her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. So, with the blessing of the Good Witch of the North, Dorothy sets out on a journey to the Emerald City. Along the way, she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. Each wants something and all hope the Great Wizard of Oz can give it to them; the Scarecrow's brains, the Tin Man a heart, and the Cowardly Lion's courage. Along the way, they must face horrible beasts, giant chasms, and the deadly poppy fields. Finally, they make it to the Emerald City, but will the Wizard grant them each their wish?

    The Wonderful Wizard of Oz might only be 154 pages, but it has so much more happening in those pages than was shown in the 1939 film. Such as how Glinda the Good Witch of the South does not appear at the Emerald City after the wizard leaves, Dorothy and her friends travel to her kingdom in the South, and the winged monkeys are not under the complete control of the Wicked Witch of the West; they are cursed to a golden cap and once they are given 3 commands, they are free. The only well-known difference between the book and the film is the magic shoes Dorothy wears. In the book, the shoes are silver, while in the movie they are ruby. Why? To show off the stunning effect of technicolor! So, to take full advantage of this they decided to make the shoes ruby red.

    The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a fun and cute book. All the events not in the 1939 movie make this worth reading alone, as it feels almost like an entirely different story. The imagination in creating this lore is interesting to read, even if it is simplistic because it is aimed at a young audience. Like how the Scarecrow tells the story of how he was created and the reason why he wants brains. The author Baum intended this to be a fairy tale for children growing up in the 1900s and I believe he succeeded.

    The main problem I had with this book was the constant repeat of dialogue by the characters. Every time an obstacle gets in the way of Dorothy and her friends, they each have to say if they don’t find a way through they will not get what they wish for. It gets on one's nerves very quickly and I found myself skipping these parts toward the end. Also, since this was written in 1900 there is language used in this book that has a different meaning today. All in all, I feel this is a sweet and short book, perfect for anyone wanting a quick read. I give The Wonderful Wizard of Oz a four out of five!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Song Like This Book:

Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson

Ms. Marvel Vol. 2: Generation Why Book Review

 Ms. Marvel Vol. 2: Generation Why Review

Book Name: Ms. Marvel- Generation Why

Author Name(s): G. Willow Wilson

Artist Name(s): Adrian Alphona (Illustrator), Jake Wyatt (Artist)

Genre: Superhero

Release Date: April 7, 2015

Page Number: 134 pages

Review:

    The Inventor is growing in power in Jersey City and has his eye on a certain superhero: Ms. Marvel! It does not help that Kamla’s parents have told Sheikh Abdullah about her acting strangely. She tries her best to explain without reviling her hero identity and lets it slip that she feels she not very good at doing it. Sheikh Abdullah shocks her by giving her some advice. She needs a teacher. When Kamla asks were to find one, he says “When the student is ready the master will appear”. What master appears? The Superhero Wolverine!

    While the newbie hero is investigating one of the Inventor’s creations in the Jersey City sewers, she bumps into the six clawed mutant. OMG! It’s the one and only wolverine! Stop it Kamla! It’s not the time to fan girl! Wolverine is look for a missing student and they decide to work together. While searching he gives her some hero tips and Ms. Marvel is even able to impress the old grouch. Then the two find the missing student; inside one of the Inventor’s machines! Is he using them as batteries? Why? Ms. Marvel is going to find out and put a stop to the Inventor once and for all!

    This is a great volume two in Ms. Marvel’s superhero journey. She’s still learning the robes and having some realizations. This is another identity, and she needs to be careful. This volume tackles the issue of how society perceives Kamla’s generation, nothing more than zombies glued to their phones. The Inventor is shown to feel the same. he even brainwashes teens into thinking his way is the only way to have a better future. Ms. Marvel realizes the best way to not just have a better future, but also do her superhero duties, is for others to work together. I feel this is a great message, especially in a world that seems so divided now a days.

    This volume also has Kamla in her first superhero team up! It was fun to read Kamla’s reaction to meeting Wolverine and how she goes on about writing fanfiction featuring him. She is a true fan girl! The volume also gives some info about what was going on in Wolverine’s series at the time without giving to much that might confuse the reader. This really makes me want to read more team ups featuring Kamla. It’s also revealed that Kamla is part of a group known as the Inhumans. I can’t wait to learn more and I give this Volume a four out of five!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

A Song Like This Book: 

Hall of Fame by The Script

Part Of Your World: A Twisted Tale Book Review

 Part Of Your World: A Twisted Tale Review

Book Name: Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale

Author Name: Liz Braswell

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: September 4, 2018

Page Number: 482 pages

Review:

    What if Ursula had won?

    Five years after Ariel went to the above world and was defeated by the sea witch, Ursula. She has lost everything; her father, her voice, her carefree life, and Eric… Now she rules the Mer-people of Atlantica voiceless. But one day a message arrives from Scuttle; Ariel’s father, King Triton, is alive! He is being held hostage by Ursula.

    Using the powers of the trident, Ariel returns to land to save her father. As she looks for a way to free him, Ariel learns that Ursula has turned Eric’s peaceful land into a military force.  The sea witch also plans to conquer surrounding countries. It doesn’t help that in a rash decision, Ariel gets her voice back by smashing Ursula’s necklace. Now Ursula knows she has returned, putting everyone Ariel loves in danger, but it also releases Eric from Ursula’s spell. Eric and Ariel team up to end the sea witch; but will they succeed?

    This is author Liz Braswell’s best Disney Twisted Tale book in my opinion. I was interested and excited throughout the book, hoping Ariel would get her father back. I also had fun with Ursula’s schemes. I feel the characters are slightly changed for the better while keeping their movie selves intact.

    Ariel is still Ariel but acts more mature thanks to ruling Atlantica for the past five years. She has times when she still does things even if it might turn out bad. Like how she smashes Ursula’s necklace to get her voice back even though she loses the element of surprise over the sea witch. Also, it’s cute to read her thoughts about her feelings for Eric. It’s fun to read Eric’s and Ursula’s interactions as well. The dinner scene is just hilarious! Seeing Eric’s super-good guy ways and how it makes Ursula underestimate him is also sweet. I wish there were more parts where we read his feelings for Ariel as they were adorable what little was there.

    The new characters were fine, but they needed more page time. Argent is a fun tattoo artist and a ‘not what she seems’ granny character and Jona gave some interesting interactions with both Ariel and Eric. Vareet as Ursula’s maid was a good concept but needed more exploration. There are some things that are brought up that mess with both this story and the original. For this story, it’s that Ursula says Ariel’s power wains due to the tides and moon. This leads to thinking Ariel leaves when her power is weakest and comes back when it's strong again many times, making this plot point a bit worthless. It also messes with the original movie plot. Does this mean Ariel would not be able to be with Eric as a human-like she wanted? This version does say Ariel will spend time in both worlds, but it still affects the original poorly.

    Though Conceal, Don’t Feel is still my favorite Disney Twisted Tale book, I feel Part of Your World has become my second! It’s a good twist on The Little Mermaid and I give this book four out of five stars.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

I Song Like This Book: 

Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush

 The Little Mermaid: Against the Tide Book Review

Book Name: The Little Mermaid: Against the Tide

Author Name: J. Elle

Genre: Fantasy/Mystery

Release Date: April 11,2023

Page Number: 320 Pages

Review:

    Ariel is so excited; she’s about to be crowned Protector of her own region of the great sea! Her six other sisters already rule their own sections of the sea as Protectors. But sadly, they seem so busy with their duties that they never get together and the times they do they are always fighting. When Ariel finds out her father, King Triton, is able to arrange for her sisters to attend her Protector’s ceremony, she is determined to fix the sisters’ relationships.

    The night before the Protector’s ceremony Ariel convinces her sisters to accompany her to their mother’s memorial. The sea queen passed when Ariel was a little girl, making her remember very little of her. Her sisters on the other hand swap fun tales of times spent with their mother, finally starting to mend their sisterly bonds. Ariel Is thrilled her plan worked and hopes the family can start moving forward together.

    But the next day tragedy strikes! Ariel’s oldest sister, Mala, Is kidnapped right before Ariel’s Protector ceremony! Chaos ensues with merfolk, sea creatures, and sea monsters turning on each other. The note Found in Mala’s bedroom does not help matters. It reads: King Triton must give up the throne in exchange for Mala, or else!  It does not help that a growing group of the sea want a new ruler. With the help of her sister Perla, Ariel sets out to find Mala before it’s too late.

    This was a fun companion book to the live-action Little Mermaid by Disney. Well, more of a prequel really. This book really is about grief and holding it in. We read how each member of Ariel’s family suffered from the passing of her mother and learn the different ways they tried but failed to manage it. For example, Ariel’s sister Tamika, who was closest to Ariel when she was young, shut herself away for years and made very little contact with the outside world. Or how Ariel realizes she never really showed sadness for her mother, just tried to stay happy and upbeat for other's benefit. I liked how Ariel was able to reach and pull each of her family members out to properly grieve. She is also very determined, not giving up on the quest to find Mala no matter how little clues she has.

    I find it interesting and a bit disappointing that the author decided to have a lot of things iconic to Ariel first shown in this book. It only takes place a little before the movie, but Ariel is not friends with Flounder. In fact, they do not meet until one-third into the story. Also, Ariel is not really interested in human things, but it does grow as the book progresses. She finds her hidden grotto in this book as well. I just feel some of these points should have been established beforehand, like having Flounder and Ariel already friends.

    Overall, I think this is a good book, especially if you are a fan of the new Disney live-action Little Mermaid and want to enjoy more adventures with this version of Ariel. Also, I feel it is a great way to explore grief and the different ways people deal with it. I give The Little Mermaid: Against the Tide a four out of five and look forward to reading more books written by J. Elle.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Song Like This Book: 

Lend Me Your Voice By Kylie McNeil

 Golden Book Review

Book Name: Golden

Author Name: Cameron Dokey

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: February 28, 2006

Page Number: 179 pages

Review:

    We all know how the fairy tale goes: “Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair!”. But this Rapunzel has no hair at all. Her head is as bald as an egg. Due to this her mother called her a monster and wanted nothing to do with her. So, a sorceress named Melisande raises Rapunzel for the next sixteen years. But Melisande has a secret, she has another daughter named Rue. Sadly, Rue is trapped in a tower and the only hope of freedom lies with Rapunzel.  Can the two girls work together to break Rue out or with their constant fighting doom them both.

    In my opinion, this book is much better than the last book I read by the author Cameron Dokey, Before Midnight. Maybe it is because the story of Rapunzel is a bit simpler than Cinderella, having to add lots more to make a full-fledged narrative like Disney’s Tangled. Think about it. Most of Disney’s Cinderella follows the original story fatefully: Evil stepmother, a big ball, the prince and Cinderella fall in love, She runs away at midnight, and her shoe proves she is the one! What does Disney’s Tangled and the original tale have in common? Both have a girl in a tower with super long hair and her love interest says, “Let down your hair!”. Everything else in the movie is made up by Disney.

    Golden’s version of Rapunzel is a fun, snarky character. I really enjoyed her development as she became able to see into other’s hearts just like her caretaker, Melisande. I also love her comebacks to other characters and her interactions with Rue. The two girls' conversations really felt like two sisters talking. It might be mean at first, but you can tell that deep down they want to work together. Rapunzel’s romantic relationship with a boy named Harry is a bit better than any of the romances in Before Midnight as the two characters have written to have known each other for three to four years before Harry kisses Rapunzel. The two also thought the other like someone else was cute to read.

    The plan to set Rue free from the tower is also a good read and ties the story back to the original fairy tale. The ending feels rushed though and given the book is only 179 pages it makes sense. I feel these books would do better with more pages. All in all, I feel this book is a nice, quick retelling of the fairy tale Rapunzel and is an interesting take on the tale even though it could have been better executed at points. I give Golden a three out of five.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Song like this Book:

I Don’t Know My Name by Grace VanderWaal

 Beauty and the Blade Book Review

Book Name: Beauty and the Blade

Author Name: S.C. Grayson

Genre: Romance/Fantasy

Release Date: January 26, 2023

Page Number: 277 pages

Review:

    Contessa is marrying, but not for love. The man she is engaged to Nathanial Woodrow, also known as the Beast, killed her mother. Her mother was found dead with three slash marks on her face, a sign of Nathanial’s gang the Lions. Now Contessa can bring him to justice. But as She learns more about her new husband, his gang, and a group of magical people known as the Talented, Contessa begins to question everything she knows.

    This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and a great one at that. Contessa is a compelling character, being both cunning and quick-thinking. Her growth as a character is well executed, first doing things others expect of her, mostly her father, then slowly discovering what she wants to do in life for herself. It is also cool to see the different skills she possesses like lock picking for example. I think she is a great character for the reader to get into this world.

    Nathanial is at first brooding but then turns into a cinnamon roll the more Contessa gets to know him. His interactions with her are super sweet and I wished there were more. One of my favorites is when they are leaving the warehouse and must be close together in the small space leading back to Nathanial’s house. Contessa touches his face, and he closes his eyes, barely breathing. I was a puddle on the floor!

    The side characters are fun as well. Nathanial’s second in command, Kristoff, provides tons of laughs for the reader and his romance with Gregor is cute. Rhosyn is an interesting character, and I wished the author had given her more page time, especially her interactions with both Contessa and Nathanial. I love her teasing the two about their feelings for each other, like her having a bet with Kristoff for when they would get together. I also wish Contessa’s maid Julia got some more page time as well.

    Some negatives. The background story about the country’s sick king and two princes comes up a lot but gets resolved way too quickly at the end. The Author could easily have saved it for a sequel plot. Also bringing up the rival gangs more and some descriptions of scenery would help flesh the world out a bit. Other than that, I think this is a great first book in the Talented series and I cannot wait to read more about these characters. I give Beauty and the Blade a four out of five. 

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Song Like This Book:

Arms by Christina Perri

 Shatter Me Book Review

Book Name: Shatter Me

Author Name: Tahereh Mafi

Genre: Dystopian/Romance

Release Date: November 15, 2011

Page Number:  338 pages

Review:

Juliette has been in the same room for 264 days with no contact from anyone. The room is in an asylum and is believed to be the only place to keep her from harming anyone. You see if Juliette touches someone even slightly, the person will feel horrible pain. If touched long enough, the person will die. She is a monster.

Then on day 265 someone arrives in her room, a young man named Adam. Juliette is terrified at first. What if he is there to kill her? What if he touches her? Is he even real? Has she gone insane? Adam's arrival is only just the beginning, as Juliette is taken by a group of soldiers working for an organization called the Reestablishment and given a choice by the soldier's leader Warner: Work for him as a weapon or die! With little choice, Juliette goes with Warner and discovers how much the world has changed since her absence. The world is a wasteland, and the population lives in fear of the Reestablishment. Juliette’s fate is to be a weapon.

But hope might not be lost, for Adam is one of Warner’s soldiers. He secretly hates the Reestablishment and has a plan to escape with Juliette. She must play along with Warner’s whims until there is an opportunity to put the plan into action. Will Juliette and Adam escape? Where will they go?

This book is set in the first person of the main character Juliette. We get to read her thoughts, and feelings, and see the world through her eyes. There are lots of books in first person as well but Shatter Me has more parts dedicated to the main character’s inner self. We read how lost and lonely she feels, wanting nothing more than someone to touch her, to be around her without fear. She has negative thoughts that are then scratched out as the story goes. She wonders if she’s gone insane. She also will go on long paragraphs about the feelings and thoughts going through her head, only to be brought into the present and realize she’s missed what someone has said.

I am a fan of the writing style for the most part but will admit it would get a bit tiring at times. I also feel that Juliette and Adam’s romance is bad. It is an instant love-type romance but does make sense as Adam for some reason is the only one that can touch Juliette without being hurt by her powers. So naturally Juliette would want him all the time, he’s giving her something she has never had. But I still do not like the pairing too much.

Warner is a good first-book villain, with his actions and obsession with Juliette being horrible and a bit creepy at the same time. I did become curious every time he made an appearance, wondering what he would do next. I wonder what the author will do with him in the next book.

Adam on the other hand was just bland in my opinion. But him being the straight guy to Kenji’s antics was fun. Regarding Kenji, I hope he gets more page time in the rest of the series as his action had me laughing. A great way to set off the bleakness of the rest of the book. Though the romance is much to be desired, I feel this is a good first book in a promising series. I look forward to reading the rest this year. I give Shatter Me a four out of five rating.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Song Like This Book: 

Beautiful Ghosts by Taylor Swift

 Breaking Time Book Review

Book Name: Breaking Time

Author Name: Sasha Alsberg

Genre: modern fantasy

Release Date: June 14, 2022

Number in Series: Book 1 of 2

Page Number: 352 pages

Review:

    Ever wondered what the story of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon would be like if the roles were reversed? Then look no further than Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg. Breaking Time follows two characters: Callum and Klara. Callum is a Scotsman from the 1500s who gets flung forward in time to 2022 after trying to save his best friend Thomas from a mysterious killer. Klara is a newly graduated high schooler living in Scotland who is trying to figure out a way to tell her dad she’s not going to college. To clear her head, she takes a drive and accidentally hits someone with her car. The person just happens to be Callum.

    After helping him get on his feet, Klara and Callum get thrust into an earth-shattering event where Klara is the key to saving the world. Turns out she has the power of the Scottish goddess of time, Arianrhod, in her and a demigod wants to steal her power. Now it's up to Klara and Callum to keep Klara alive or face the world ending.

    Breaking Time has some fun, interesting parts, but the bad sadly outweighs them. For the good, I like the person-out-of-time trope. It's fun to see Callum describe modern technology in his chapters, like calling cell phones strange lightboxes. I also love reading about the folklore of Scotland given in the book. Even though fantasy is over-saturated by European-based lore, it’s mostly countries like England or Germany. Places like Scotland are not nearly used as much, so seeing it in this book is a bit refreshing.

    Now for the bad. This book has instant love for the two main characters. Klara’s chapters have her explaining a strong draw to Callum and constantly thinking about him when they're not together. Callum thinks Klara is the most amazing and beautiful woman he’s ever seen. They barely interact in the four to five days the story takes place and their madly in love with each other. And people talk bad about romances in Disney movies… It also doesn’t help that the leading man is not too fleshed out.

    Also, the story does not seem to have any urgency. The world will end if Klara is killed before the Scottish holiday Samhain, which is only a few days away in the book and the characters are backtracking, hanging out in pubs, and staying at Klara’s grandmother’s house even though the woman tells the main characters they need to leave now! Let’s just talk about how Klara is the chosen one and go down memory lane some more!

    Lastly, I feel the villain did not show up as much as was needed. He appears about three times throughout the 345 pages and because of this I felt he was not as big of a threat as the author thought. In fact, I almost forgot about him at times. Hopefully, this can be fixed in the sequel. Yes, this book is the first in a duology. I am not sure I will be picking the second book up when it comes out. My overall rating for Braking Time is three out of five stars.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Song Like This Book: 

At the Beginning sung by Donna Lewis and Richard Marx