A Bookworm's Book Reviews

The Scholomance #1 – Naomi Novik

Title: book 1 – A Deadly Education

Author: Naomi Novik

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Plot: Galedriel, El for short, is an outcast at Scholomance, a school for magic. Everyone expects her to be a Malificer, a wizard who used mala (bad energy) instead of mana (good energy). El’s determined to prove everyone at school wrong. Though she might make an exception for Orion Lake. Orion is the school’s white knight, determined to save the other students from the creatures that try to sneak into the school. El doesn’t need saving. So she tries to stay close to him to find the opportunity to get rid of him. Orion in turn tries to befriend her now matter how rude El is. She slowly starts befriending other students. Then she finds a book with a spell to stop the monster from coming into the school. El starts asking for help. She starts wanting to help. But will her help be enough to save the students? Or will the monsters break in?

Rating: 3.5 – a different take on magic use

Opinion: This was an interesting book. I enjoyed the magic system the author used. There were good rules and limits on the magic. I liked that there were two different types of energy sources for the wizards to use. And that one had bigger consequences than the other. Something I found a little annoying was that there was some high school like drama. Though it takes place in high school so I’ll give the author that. I’m not sure if I missed this while reading but the main character tend to use more British slang but use American school education levels. It’s something that bothered me a little. Overall this was a good book. I’d recommend it for young adults who love fantasy.

The Mark of the King – Jocelyn Green

Title: The Mark of the King

Author: Jocelyn Green

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Julianne Chevelier is a midwife in 1720 Paris, France. She’s accused and branded a murderer after one of her mothers dies in childbirth. Soon after she’s imprisoned, the king calls for people willing to help colonize Louisiana. They’re promised a good life. Julianne jumps at the chance to join. She’s partnered with another convict and forced to marry. When they arrive in Louisiana, nothing is as promised. The colonists are forced to make their own way and their own homes. While on a scouting mission, Julianne’s husband is killed. Now she’s forced to find her own way. But she has help along the way. Officer Jean-Paul Girard offers his hand in marriage. She reluctantly accepts. But things get complicated when her brother appears from the dead. He promises help, too. But is it too good to be true? Who is truly going to help Julianne? Her brother? Or her husband?

Rating: 4.3 – a sweet historical fiction

Opinion: This was an interesting book. I enjoyed learning how Louisiana was settled. You hear more about the British colonies and less about the French colonies. It was interesting to learn about their relations with the natives. It didn’t surprise me that both the English and French pit the native tribes against each other for their own gain. I did like that there were people on both sides that cared about the natives. I liked the sweet and romance in the book. It was nice to see faith woven into the book, too. I wished that there was a little more explanation with the French words. Overall, this was a good book. It kept me interested in the story and wondering how it was going to end. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction.

Flesh and False Gods #2 – Chloe Gong

Immortal Longings is book 1 in this series

Title: Vilest Things

Author: Chloe Gong

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Calla is trying to adjust to palace life now that she’s a princess again. Anton jumped into the new king’s, August, body. He keeps Calla close as an adviser, in case she tries something. When Otta Avia wakes from her yasiu sickness, she tells an incredible tale. The crown that’s given power to the kings of San-Er is fake. The real one is in the border provinces. Now San-Er is in chaos. The people start rioting. Royalty wants a chance at being king. Calla and Anton decide to work together to try to find the crown first. But the guards are loyal to August and Otta. They’ll try to help them get to the crown before Calla and Anton. Who will get the crown? Will anyone be worthy of it? Or will everything be destroyed in the mad grab for power?

Rating: 4.0 – a good continuation of a different type of fantasy

Opinion: This was a good book. It took me a little to get into it, cause it started with more plotting and scheming than I like. The plot also took a little bit to get going. Once it did, it was a really good book. It builds off the first book really well and expands on what’s known from the first one. The characters continue to grow and develop well. Their stories change and they learn from their mistakes. I enjoyed seeing how the system of ‘jumping’ and ‘qi’ got expanded in this book. I thought it was a unique idea that not a lot of authors did and the author kept it interesting in the second one. I figured toward the end of the book that there’d be a third book coming out. There was too much left to wrap up and not enough pages left. It made me nervous. I looked it up and there’s a third one coming out. So, now I’ve got to wait for the conclusion. Overall, this was a great book, and sequel. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a different take on a dystopian fantasy.

Murtagh – Christopher Paolini

Title: Murtagh

Author: Christopher Paolini

Genre: Fantasy

Plot: Murtagh is still an outsider after all that’s happened after the war to defeat Galbatorix. Most of Alegaësia don’t trust him, even though most of what he did was under torture. So he spends his days tracking down leads of a mysterious group that wear a bird skull magical charm. Murtagh finds a solid lead that leads him into the most remote part of Alegaësia. There he meets Bachel, a mysterious witch of great power. She tries to convince him to join her and her followers cause. Murtagh can see the idea in part, but isn’t fully convinced of their ideology. When he tries to leave, Bachel takes him captive. Can Murtagh find a way to break free? Or will Bachel find her way to make her ideas a reality?

Rating: 3.5 – a good continuation of the Inheritance Cycle

Opinion: This was an interesting book. I like the addition to the Inheritance Cycle (Eragon series). Part of me wished that I’d read at least part of that series again cause it’s been so long since I’ve read it. But there was enough recap spread throughout this book that I remembered the important parts from the original series. This book did feel a little repetitive. There were a few similar repeated phrases and themes in the book. The story also felt very drawn out. I wanted to poke the plot with a stick and make it do something. I did enjoy Murtagh’s journey of self discovery, though. Overall I did enjoy the book, but I would’ve enjoyed it more if it was shorter.

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau – Jamie Jo Wright

Title: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau

Author: Jamie Jo Wright

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Plot: Cleo is trying to run away from her past. She’s taken a job at Castle Moreau in Needle Point, Wisconsin. The owner, Deacon Tremblay, is paying her in cash in order to help keep everything anonymous as they both need to be. Cleo’s job is to help Deacon’s grandmother, Virgie, go through her things that Virgie’s collected over the years. Virgie resists, saying ‘she’ll find out.’ Cleo is hesitant but continues to help. Then she learns about the disappearances that are linked to the castle. The disappearances have been going on since the castle’s beginnings. On top of that, someone is putting clues from the most recent disappearance around Cleo’s things. Who’s behind the disappearances? Is there a connection between to the most recent disappearance and the ones from the castle’s origins?

Rating: 4.0 – a good historical fiction mystery

Opinion: This was an interesting book. I enjoyed the mystery. I liked that it combined the superhero mystery and combined it with fake local legend. I looked up the castle and city and saw they don’t actually exist. It would’ve been fun to visit. I liked how the author brought the story from the past and present together. I enjoyed the twist in the book. It was nice to see a sense of realism in a spooky mystery. I wasn’t expecting religion to be a part of the story. It wasn’t a prominent part of the story but the characters still had talked about it in a positive way. Overall, this was a great book with a great blend of mystery, spookiness, local legends, and history. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good historical mystery.

The Bedlam Detective – Stephan Gallagher

Title: The Bedlam Detective

Author: Stephan Gallagher

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery

Plot: Sebastian Becker is an investigator with the Bethlehem Hospital, famously known as Bedlam, in the late 1800’s. His newest patient to look into is Sir Owain Lancaster. Sir Owain has recently returned from an adventure in the Amazon that went horribly wrong. He’s claimed the monsters he saw in the Amazon have followed him back to England. As Sebastian looks into Sir Owain’s case, he learns that there are two murdered girls that may have been attacked by monsters. It’s possible they’re the same ones that Sir Owain saw. Or they might have been attacked by something far more sinister. Can Sebastian find the killer? Or will the killer find him first?

Rating: 3.5 – an interesting detective story

Opinion: This was an interesting book. It was different than what I was expected. I enjoyed learning about some of the inner workings of one of the most famous insane asylums in the world. There was a lot of information at the beginning and a few similar named characters that took me a little to separate. It didn’t help that I started this book when I was tired. This book has a lot going on so it needs some focus to read. The book does a good job thinking that there could actually be a monster. But it’s a different kind of monster all together. Overall this was an interesting book. I recommend it for anyone who likes a good detective murder mystery.

Where Fire Falls – Karen Barnett

Title: Where Fire Falls

Author: Karen Barnett

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Olivia Rutherford is a watercolor painter. She’s determined to hide her humble past. When her manager, Frank, secures her a job painting in Yosemite, she can’t pass it up. But it means facing parts of her past she’d rather forget. Clark Johnson is the guide reluctantly assigned to help Olivia with his guide services. He wants to forget his past as well. Olivia’s traveling companions, Marcus Vanderbilt and his wife, make things complicated during their travels. When Olivia refuses his advances, Marcus vows to make her pay. Clark steps in to help keep Olivia safe while she’s in Yosemite. Can Clark keep his word? Can Olivia and Clark overcome their pasts? Or will their pasts come back to haunt them?

Rating: 4.0 – a sweet and sappy historical fiction romance

Opinion: This was a great book. I enjoyed learning about Yosemite’s history and about the behind the scenes of the park. I also liked learning a little about painting. I enjoyed the sweet romance that was built over the story. The characters were well written. It was easy to love the likable characters and hate the unlikeable characters. It was an interesting story that kept me interested. Though I wish a few of the plot points had been wrapped up a little nicer. It felt like there were a couple of loose ends that could’ve been wrapped up better. But overall this was a great book. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a sweet, sappy historical fiction romance.

A Song to Drown Rivers – Ann Liang

Title: A Song to Drown Rivers

Author: Ann Liang

Genre: Historical Myth

Plot: Xishi is considered the most beautiful girl in her country of Yue. That doesn’t make her life easier in her war torn home. Her country of Yue has been war with the Wu for too long now. Then she meets Fanli, the chief advisor to Yue’s king. Fanli asks Xishi to help overthrow Wu’s king and bring peace to Yue. His plan is for Xishi to distract Wu’s king and help bring distinction to the Wu kingdom. Xishi reluctantly accepts so long as her family is taken care of after she leaves. Fanli trains Xishi in court rules and how to be a spy and how to distract the king. Once in the Wu kingdom, Xishi is slow to earn the trust of those in court. But once she does, Wu’s king is easily persuaded to listen to Xishi. But will all the planning and preparation come through? Or will someone ruin everything?

Rating: 3.5 – a different culture’s legend

Opinion: This was an interesting book, but I wasn’t one of my favorites. I was curious about where the story was going, but the plot seemed simple. Everything was laid out and, for the most part, went according to plan. There wasn’t as many twists and turns as I was expecting for a book about overthrowing a kingdom. The character development was a little lackluster for me. I wish there had been more development for the side characters. I wanted to know more of their motivations and their relationships with each other and the main characters. It made for a less interesting book for me. I would’ve loved this book so much more if I could relate to the characters more and if there were more challenges for all of the characters. This is a decent book I just didn’t find it as interesting as I thought it would be. This would still be an interesting book if you wanna learn more about a different culture’s legend.

The Bookbinder – Pip Williams

Title: The Bookbinder

Author: Pip Williams

Genre: Historical Fiction

Plot: Peggy Jones and her sister, Maude, are bookbinders in Oxford, England in 1917. She folds the pages of books into place. When WW1 starts, a wave of Belgium refugees fold into the city. Three Belgium women come to work in the bindery. Lotte, a refugee, trains with Peggy and Maude. She picks up the job easily. Lotte also learns Maude’s quirks faster than anyone outside their family. This makes Peggy feel restless. So she starts volunteering at the hospital, reading to injured soldiers. While away, she worries about Maude. Peggy’s not used to leaving Maude alone for so long. Slowly she realizes that Maude’s fine. Then she meets Bastiaan, an injured Belgium soldier. They form a friendship. Bastiaan heals but stays in Oxford due to lasting injury. He tutors French at the university. Though Peggy still longs for more. Her friends encourage her to try for the entrance exam at Summerfield, the woman’s college with Oxford. They help her study and take breaks. Still, Peggy struggles. But will it be enough? What if she fails? What will she do then? Will she give up? Go with Bastiaan after the war? Or stay and try again?

Rating: 4.0 – a sadder tale of family that sticks together

Opinion: This was an interesting read. It’s a different side of WW1. You hear about the soldiers and mainland Europe. But you don’t hear as much from the women at home or the refugees who escaped. I enjoyed learning about the different sides of the war. I made me sad that the characters suffered so much yet still stayed strong. All of the characters were so well written. I liked that Maude’s diagnosis was never said but there were lots of hints of what it could be. No one made her feel bad that she was ‘different,’ but accepted her. While it made me sad, they made the right choices in the end. The one thing that bugged me a little was the slang. Some of it was explained, some wasn’t. But overall, this was a great book. It’s a very realistic tale of what happened to women during WW1.

Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby van Pelt

Title: Remarkably Bright Creatures

Author: Shelby van Pelt

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Plot: Tova Sullivan works as a night janitor at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. It keeps her busy since her husband passed and her son disappeared. Her favorite animal at the aquarium is Marcellus, the pacific giant octopus. Tova feels like she can talk to Marcellus and he actually listens. Now she’s getting ready to retire and move out of her house. When she’s injured, Cameron Cassmore, a new arrival to the small town of Sowell Bay starts learning the ropes at the aquarium. He’s in town to find is long lost father and took the job to earn some money while he searches. Soon he starts forming a bond with Tova and the other locals. Tova helps Cameron bond with Marcellus as well. But when things don’t go as planned, what will happen to everyone? Can they come together and work it out? Or will everyone go their own ways?

Rating: 4.0 – a sweet tale of finding family

Opinion: This was a sweet story. I enjoyed the sentimentality of the story and the theme of found family. I found the chapters from the octopus’s point of view entertaining. I got a kick out of his antics. Though I know that octopus are smart, I’m not sure they’re as smart as Marcellus. I wanted the best for all of the characters. They were well written and I could understand where they were all coming from. I liked how even the octopus got a fun personality. Though it was a slow and steady book, it still kept me interested and wanting to know what happened. The author wrapped up everything nicely and though not everything happened the way the characters wanted, they got what they needed. I highly recommend this book for any who needs a sweet book about found family.