Plot: Chava, the golem, and Ahmad, the jinni, are still hiding in plain sight in New York City. Though some people are starting to notice them. They must find a way to survive or be outed. So they go deeper into hiding. But an old friend is looking for them. More of their kind are also looking for them, while trying to hide as well. Will everyone find what they’re looking for? Or will they be found out for what they truly are?
Rating: 3.6 – a good mix of fantasy and historical fiction
Opinion: This was a great sequel. There wasn’t as much of a big plot as I was expecting, but it was still an interesting read. There a lot more characters in this book to keep track of this time. The book also had different points of view. The views changed multiple times in a chapter, but it was really well done. A couple times at the beginning it took me a minute to realize which character I was following. There a couple times that caught me slightly off guard, too. Those parts weren’t as clear. I enjoyed details in the history of this book. There were lots of interesting details about ordinary life and life in other parts of the world that made this book so interesting. This book a fun read and I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction.
Plot: Stellaluna is a baby bat who fell out of her nest one night after an owl attack. She lands in a bird’s nest. The birds accept her only if she forgets how to be a bat and learns to be a bird. One day Stellaluna and her baby birds went too far away, got tired, and stop for the night. Stellaluna learns she can see in the dark. But can she get her and her friends home? Will she ever find her own family again?
Rating: 4.0 – a good story about friends and family
Opinion: This was a great kid’s book. I’ve always loved this author growing up. Her books are always loved her messages in her books. There’s a message of friendship and belonging. This book also talks about that it’s okay to be different. Differences are good, too. I love the pictures in this book. They’re so well done. I recommend this book for older children, as there a page of words next to the page of picture. It’s a great story for kids and belongs in all classes.
Plot: Maryim’s father and grandfather are moneylenders. But her father’s inability to collect money in return has left them destitute and mother close to death. Maryim takes matters into her own hands and starts collecting money herself. She’s so successful that people claim she can turn silver to gold. That draws the attention of the Staryk king. The Staryk people control ice and snow and all things winter. He steals Maryim away and demands she turn anything he asks into gold. If she doesn’t, he’ll kill her. But when the winter in Maryim’s town won’t end, she must find a way to save her people. Can she do it? Or will the winter never end?
Rating: 3.5 – a intricate retelling of Rumpelstiltskin
Opinion: This was an interesting take on Rumpelsiltskin. It started out well and was interesting. Then it got confusing for me for a fair amount of the book. The ending cleaned it up a fair bit and tied everything with a neat bow. I kept losing the story with all of the changing character points of view. The jumps between the characters made it harder for me to follow the story, too. The book also drops a certain character’s point of view for a long time, then go back to them. It also seems like there’s slightly different time jumps in the story. Sometimes when it changes between characters, it goes back in time slightly then catches up to another character’s timeline. All of this made it hard for me to relate to the characters. It was hard for me to be invested in this story, too. I did really enjoy the idea of this story, but all the characters and changing points of view made it hard to follow. This is a great story for people who don’t mind a bunch of characters and lots of points of view changes.
Authors: Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray
Genre: Historical Fiction
Plot: Belle Marion Greener has moved to New York City with her mother and siblings in the early 1900’s. She’s trying to look for a job for her to help support her family. Belle is colored but has lighter skin. She can pass as white. Her mother’s idea is to say they have a grandmother who lives in and is from Portugal to explain the color of their skin. Belle changes her name to Belle da Costa Greene. It’s a great risk but it gets her a personal librarian job for J.P. Morgan. Mr. Morgan is collecting rare and ancient manuscripts and art. Belle’s been hired to organize and manage it all. After she learns Mr. Morgan’s been paying too much for his art and manuscripts, Belle offers to negotiate better prices at auctions and private sales on his behalf. Mr. Morgan agrees. Over the years, Belle turns the library is one of the greatest ever. But she’s always on guard for someone to discover her secret. Can she keep up with this double life? Or will someone find out that she’s colored and use it against her?
Rating: 4.0 – a good historical fiction
Opinion: This was a great book. I enjoyed learning about life during the early twentieth century for black people. I always knew at the back of my mind that life’s always been more difficult, but not that extent. It was interesting to learn that some black people passed as white in order to ‘cheat the system,’ in a way. I understand that why they did it and why it could’ve felt like a betrayal to their friends and families. While this was a great book and I learned a lot, I feel like there wasn’t a ton of plot. It was just Belle’s life story telling of the more interesting parts of her life with J.P. Morgan and his library. I enjoyed learning more about the different societies in the early 1900’s. This is a great book for anyone who loves historical fiction.
This is an early release I picked from Book of the Month. It’s going to be released January 11.
Title: A Flicker in the Dark
Author: Stacy Willinghan
Genre: Thriller
Plot: Dr. Chole Briggs is a physiologist who’s finally starting to feel comfortable with her life. When Chole was 12, her family was turned upside down when they learned her father was a serial killer in their hometown. A news reporter starts to make her nervous when he wants a 20th anniversary of her father’s spree. Then more teenage girls start to disappear. It looks similar to what her father did. But her father’s in jail, so who is behind the murders? Chole wants to help find the killer but the police don’t want her help. Then she finds some evidence around her house and work place. Chole is running out of people to trust. Who can she trust? Can the police find who’s behind the murders? Who will the killer outwit them?
Rating: 4.3 – a good thriller
Opinion:This was a great book. I kept me on edge the whole time. Especially towards the end, I couldn’t put the book down. I wanted to know if my suspicions were true. Though I had my suspicions of two or three of the characters. In different ways, my suspicions came true. There were good plot twists throughout the book. And a few other plot points to throw suspicions on other characters. Two parts of the ending kind of confused me. I had to reread it to make sure I understood what was going on. Even though some of my suspicions were confirmed, it was different than I expected. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves thriller.
Thank you Mick Nash of Good to You for this review.
Title: Acid For The Children
Author: Michael Peter Balzary aka “Flea”, a popular bass player for the band Red Hot Chili Peppers
Genre: Autobiography, Memoir
Plot: A read about Flea’s childhood and formative years. The book dives into his adventures in Los Angeles, Southern California, Australia, and everywhere else in between. It focuses on his unconventional childhood, moving from “normal” New York to “bohemian lifestyle” Los Angeles, where anything goes. He writes about the characters he meets along the way (like his jazz playing stepfather), and the years before he was in the ultra-popular SoCal band you might have heard of, RHCP. As Flea himself describes it, it is his origin story that “ends where the Red Hot Chili Peppers begins.” His coming-of-age story chronicles his experiences through poetry, humorous anecdotes, and stories of danger, mayhem, & chaos. While trying to escape his turbulent home life, he finds family in communities of punk kids, outcasts, musicians, and artists who live on the edge. This leads to him finding music, himself, and friends, past and present, who he fondly remembers throughout the book in a witty, raw, entertaining way.
Opinion: Acid For The Children is one hell of a read. It takes you on a wild ride through the mind and life of Flea. This book is one of the most raw and honest books that I have had the privilege to read. Seeing the title and knowing the guy who wrote it, I did not know what to expect. When it comes to Flea, who does? It is 400 pages, which is long. But it is an easy read because of the way it is written and with some chapters being only a page or two. The book is written in sporadic thought, stream of consciousness, with a lot of humor (and humility), and with unwavering honesty. Flea does not make excuses for the life he has lived, the person he is, or the things he has done. He does not sugarcoat or write it to paint himself in a positive light only. He showcases and talks about his best days but more often, his worst. The book was extremely relatable to people who have struggled which is all of us. Talking about his parents’ divorce, his dad leaving, the effect on him, his struggles with fitting in, finding himself, and the adventures he got into running around unsupervised at a young age were all very relatable to me personally. Some of the stories he told mirrored my personal experiences detail by detail. It was scary but refreshing to know that somebody else knows exactly how I feel and was affected by it in similar ways that I was. We are doing what people call “trauma bonding” and Flea does not even know it…. yet. A theme early on and throughout is that he feels most comfortable by himself, in his own thoughts, and has always struggled with feeling like he fit in with groups of people, no matter who those people were. That hit home for me and can resonate with many others too. The book is so entertaining to read and really digs into every aspect of his childhood and young adulthood. He mentions so many characters he has met along the way that left an impression on him no matter how quick the interaction was with them. It made me think of all the crazy, random adults I met throughout my childhood & life and the little sayings, wisdom, & things that I have taken from them. I might have never saw them again, but they left me with memories that I still think about to this day. At the end, he even gives us a rundown of memorable albums, concerts, movies, and more that he enjoyed throughout his life. The title of the book might scare some away but even it has a purpose and meaning that is laid out by the end of the book. Acid For The Children is full of gems, life lessons, and vulnerability. This book is one that a seasoned reader or somebody who barely reads could pick up, get through, and enjoy. Those are always the best books to me, the ones that appeal to any and everybody.
Plot: Every ten years, the Dragon picks a girl to be his servant. When the girl’s ten years are up, they’re free to go. Agnieska is eigible but everyone thinks her close friend Kasia will be chosen. Instead, the Dragon chooses Agnieska. The Dragon is a stern master. At his tower, she learns she has a magical ability. Though it’s hard for to learn, she has a true talent. The more Agnieska learns, the more she learns of the Wood’s dark intent. The Wood is sentient and plans on taking over Agnieska’s county. Does she have enough power to stop the Wood? Can anyone help her? Can she convince anyone of the truth?
Rating: 4.0 – a different type of fairy tale
Opinion: This was an interesting book. I did some research and learned this book was based off real fairy tales. Some of the words and all the names were based of Eastern European languages. The author offered the pronunciation of Agnieska’s name in her acknowledgment at the end of book, but no one else’s . I enjoyed the magic of the book and thought it was really well built. It’s really nice when the magic has limits and costs. It makes it feel a little more realistic. The book has super smooth transitions and fast paced. It took me a second to catch up to all of transitions. Fortunately, or unfortunately, lots of the transitions happened at chapter breaks. Even though it was fast paced, it had steady pace. There were very few slumps in the book. There ending wasn’t as happy as I expected it to be. Though it was a good ending. I do wish everything had been wrapped up a little more. I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would. I recommend this book to everyone who loves a different style of fairy tale.
Plot: Ren is a Grim Reaper, but only half. Her mother was a Japanese Shinigami, her father was a Reaper. She lives in London with the Reapers. Her brother Neven is the only one who doesn’t torment her because she’s half Shinigami. When she loses control and hurts a High Reaper, Ren and Neven flea. They travel to Japan and meet Hiro. He’s an outcast like Ren. Hiro takes them to Izanami’s palace. Izamami is the ruler of the Shinigami and Yomi, the Japanese underworld. Izanami gives Ren three tasks in order to become a true Shinigami. Hiro offers to help so he can get back in good standing with Izanami. Neven is unsure but Ren trusts him. Should Hiro be trusted? Can Ren complete her tasks? Will she ever be truly accepted in either society?
Rating: 3.8 – a different take on Grim Reapers
Opinion: This was a great book. I loved learning about a different culture. I don’t know much about Japanese culture. It was great to learn more about that culture and their take on death. The idea of a whole society of Grim Reapers was really interesting. The world building was well done. The characters were interesting and relatable. The one thing I don’t love about this book was that the ending seemed a little rushed. It kind of felt disconnected with the rest of the book. Ren’s character development went a different way than most main characters arcs. I’m glad that there’s a second book in the works. I hope Ren finds a way to redeem herself. I did like the change in chapter titles. It’s in a more Japanese style. The cover art for the book is amazing. It made me curious about the book in the first place. This is a good book for anyone who wants to learn about a new culture and a different kind of main character arc.
Plot: Lady Kendra Townsend has wanted for nothing. Then her uncle shows up asking for help saving him from financial ruin, Kendra’s father reluctant helps. It leaves them almost destitute. Then her father dies, and her uncle tries his best to marry her off to save the family. Her uncle demands she marry or be shipped off to the newly freed colonies. Kendra chooses the later. The captain, Dorian Colburn, on the ship is a stern man, who’s used to having his orders followed. Kendra’s ways make him question himself. Slowly, they start forming a bond. Everything is shaken again when Angeline shows up on shore, obviously flirting with him. Dorian delivers Kendra to her aunt and uncle. But even then not everything is as it seems. Can Kendra find out what’s going on with her aunt and uncle? Can Kendra and Dorian save their relationship?
Rating: 4.0 – a sweet and sappy historical fiction
Opinion: This was a surprisingly good book. It’s been sitting on my Kindle for years but I never got around to reading. I got it when I was super into reading sappy romantic historical fiction books. I still enjoy them but not as much as I did. I finally gave it a chance and really enjoyed it. It was still sappy but Kendra and Dorian’s relationship grew over the course of the book. They fell in love slowly, which I enjoy more. Though the last little hitch in the book could’ve been avoided if they’d communicated but where’s the fun in that? I suspected something that happened in the book was a prominent character’s fault and was right, but was hinted at strongly through the book. I loved the Christian faith intertwined in the book, too. I wasn’t expecting it to be as involved with the book as it was. It was a very happy surprise. This is a great book for anyone who loves sappy romance and historical fiction.
Plot: Fleur has just received the news that her husband, Hugh Richards. has died on Armistice Day of WW1. A Mr. Littlyton has informed her that Fluer’s inherited all of Hugh’s properties and money. She’s slow to accept the inheritance because she thinks Hugh’s still alive. Fleur decides to go claim Hugh’s things in Australia. But all is not what it seems. The more Fleur learns about Hugh’s past, the more mysteries she uncovers. What happened to Hugh’s properties? Was Hugh really who he said he was? Can Fleur uncover all of the secrets of the past?
Rating: 3.5 – a slow start but interesting historical fiction
Opinion: This was an interesting historical fiction. It took me a while to figure all of the characters out. Some of the names are similar and are introduced pretty quickly. It was fine once I got all the characters sorted out in my head. The book also started out slowly. It took a while for the plot to get going. Part of the reason was the plot jumps back and forth between 1919 and 1853 and had two different stories. It took me a while to figure out how much the stories connected. It ended up being a lot more than I thought it would. Overall this was a good book, a little confusing at first, but a good book. It was interesting to learn more about a different country’s past and origins. This is a good book for anyone who loves history.
A Bookworm's Book Reviews 