Find Him Where You Left Him Dead

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead by Kristen Simmons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Author: Kristen Simmons
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Macmillan
Year of Publication: 2023

Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for a free eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Main Character: There were actually four main characters—Dax, Maddy, Owen, and Emerson. I didn’t dislike them, but they each had one hobby and one character trait that defined their entire personality, and I feel like I would have connected better to them if they’d had more depth.
Pacing: The pacing was moderate and consistent throughout.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: Pretty accurate. It sets the premise up without giving anything away.
Resolution: I felt like the resolution was fitting—a mix of sacrifice, love, determination, healing, etc. Based on the last few pages, it seems well set up for a sequel, which I would 100% read.

The Good: My favorite part of this book was the Japanese folklore. I didn’t have much prior knowledge of it before the book, and I was surprised by how creative it was. I’d like to read more stories based on Japanese culture, after reading this. The folklore folded into the plot nicely without determining the characters’ moves. The characters were diverse in a lot of ways, and it didn’t feel forced or contrived—LGBTQ+ characters, different races, etc. I thought the author incorporated those unique elements in a way that felt authentic.

The Not So Good: My only real criticism of this book is in one of the big twists. There are some big leaps in logic regarding the twist that I couldn’t get behind. In an effort not to spoil the surprises for others, I’ll keep my thoughts vague. It struck me as very unrealistic that something like that wouldn’t have been noticeable until that point. Being that this particular twist ended up being a major component of the plot, I had a hard time coming to terms with the way the book progressed after that reveal. Also, it’s not clear why it takes exactly four years for Ian’s ghost (is it actually Ian’s ghost, or some evil spirit in disguise?) to come invite them back to the game. That was something I thought would be explained that wasn’t.

Overall Impression: While there was a major plot point that had me scratching my head, I found the story engaging and interesting, though a little creepier than I expected. The balance of Japanese folklore with diverse characters was just right. I never knew what would happen next, and that’s such an underrated thing in a book.

Would I recommend it? I probably would recommend it, but it would depend on the reader. I think if a reader is looking for a unique adventure story and a peek into Japanese culture, they’ll enjoy this book. Some of the elements are pretty dark, so I’d say anyone younger than high school age would likely be disturbed by those.

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House of Marionne

House of Marionne by J. Elle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Author: J. Elle
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Year of Publication: 2023

This review contains some vague spoilers.

Main Character: Quell—(3/5)—She was headstrong and determined, but she seemed a bit naïve, considering that she was raised on the run. I didn’t agree with many of her decisions.
Secondary Characters: I found all the secondary characters to be inconsistent. One moment, they’d be friendly and supportive, but the next scene would have them threatening Quell, physically hurting her, or displaying callous or cruel ideation. This applies best to Quell’s grandmother and Jordan Wexton, Quell’s mentor and love interest.
Pacing: The opening few chapters were action-packed, but once Quell made it to Chateau Soleil, it slowed down and continued at that pace. There were some filler scenes and scenes that dragged.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: Perfectly accurate. Nothing I would add.
Resolution: I’m not sure what to say about the last maybe 50 pages of the book. Around that point, there were some drastic twists in the plot that left me with hard feelings for both Jordan and Quell’s grandma. They both do unforgivable things to Quell, and I’m not sure how to look past it. Quell probably did the best she could think to do, but being that her character was young, she made a more impulsive choice. I’m sure it’s necessary to push the story forward for book two, so I’ll try to keep an open mind until I see where the decision leads the plot.

The Good: The first few chapters of this book started out with a bang that had me engaged immediately. This series also has a unique magic system. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of crowns coming out of people’s heads. It’s a bit of a gruesome concept, but I love how the crowns are unique. The daggers were also interesting.

Something else I appreciated is that the writer didn’t give many clues to any of the characters’ appearances. This allows the reader to imagine the characters on their own. I know there’s a lot of comparison between this series and Bridgerton. Because it’s already out there, I’ll confess that I pictured Quell as the young Queen Charlotte and her grandmother as the older Lady Danbury. I still stand by those interpretations.

I loved some of the scenes in this book—the dancing scene (despite Quell’s strangely natural proclivity for ballroom dancing) and the scenes in the conservatory with Jordan. I was amused by some of the scenes of Quell practicing her magic. And there were some bombs dropped in the final chapter from our second POV, Yagrin, the assassin assigned to kill Quell. I won’t spoil those, but they had my jaw on the floor, and I’m really excited to see where they take the second book.

The Not-So-Good: It’s never fully explained how the houses are governed overall—just that each house has a headmistress. It’s never mentioned where the magic came from, why damaging the sphere would only destroy magic temporarily. We also don’t know if there’s a similar setup in other countries.

The romance in the book doesn’t start until around the halfway point. It comes across as contrived, as it happens suddenly. Jordan, Quell’s love interest, is very hot and cold, and he does several things that would be deal-breakers for me. I never felt like he was trustworthy.
Quell’s grandma is just as hot and cold as Jordan. One moment, she’s expressing (in her own stuffy, regal way, of course) how grateful she is to have a family member back, and the next, she’s threatening Quell for messing up or grabbing her hard enough to leave marks.

Her friendship with her roommate, Abby, is superficial, as Abby knows nothing about who Quell was before she came to Chateau Soleil. Abby would have been a good choice of confidant for Quell, but it turned out that Quell didn’t have a confidant at all. She had no one to go to for advice about her dark magic. The only person in the world who knew she had it and wanted to protect her was her mom, who is absent from the book beyond the first couple chapters.

Overall Impression: It might seem like I have a lot of criticism for this book, but there was plenty to enjoy about it as well. The writer really knows how to start and end a book. It’s just that the middle had some potential that was left on the table, as well as excess that should have been edited out. Nonetheless, I found myself charmed by the world, interested in the characters, and aching to solve the many mysteries.

Would I recommend it?: I would recommend this book based on the reader. For someone who reads books with more of a critical eye, I might tell them to pass. I think the average reader would enjoy this novel.

What I want to see in book #2: Mostly, I want to learn more about the dark magic Quell has—where it comes from, if it’s actually dangerous, and why the assassins are allowed to use it even though no one else can. I’d also like to see Quell build up a group of people she can trust with her secret.

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If I Have To Be Haunted

If I Have to Be Haunted by Miranda Sun
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Author: Miranda Sun
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year of Publication: 2023

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an egalley of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Main Character: Cara—(5/5)—I connected with Cara on a different level than I do with most main characters. She wasn’t a typical impulsive, naïve YA heroine. She was realistic.
Secondary Characters: Brittany—I was suspicious of her at first, but she surprised me in a good way. I find that’s so rare in books. Zach—I was impressed by his strength of character and determination. These were some powerful characters. The only one I was on the fence about was Laolao. She disappeared when Cara and Zach needed her, but never explained where she went.
Pacing: There were small lulls in the action, but they didn’t last too long. And it helped balance the intensity of many of the other scenes to have some calmer moments.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: Refreshingly accurate
Resolution: I was satisfied with the ending. All of the important things were resolved and it didn’t drag on. There were even some surprises! And…do I smell a sequel? There were some loose ends left undone, and that epilogue was deliciously ripe with secrets to be unleashed.

The Good: An enemies-to-lovers romance is one of my favorite tropes, and this one was fulfilling. They also had a lifelong rivalry, which just made it better, and I loved seeing flashbacks from their childhood together. The relationship unfolded very naturally, but I also appreciated seeing Cara’s doubt. These characters had a strong sense of purpose, knew what they stood for, and showed initiative and a sense of responsibility most adults don’t.

This novel had such picturesque descriptions, especially of nature. The visuals were gorgeous. It seems outrageous to be saying that about a novel, but I want to see these places! Every time I thought the surprises were over, a new one popped up, but not to the point of it being excessive or predictable. With each new world they stepped into, I was worried that the final one with the snake would be anticlimactic. While that particular scene wasn’t action-packed, it was still intense and satisfying.

The Not-So-Good: Beyond Cara, Zach, and Brittany, I was disappointed by the rest of the characters. Cara’s friends don’t add to the narrative at all. While they weren’t harmful to the plotline, it could have been more concise without them. I also wish there had been more background on each family. I still have so many questions about the rest of Cara’s family, like who her dad was, if she has other relatives who are ghost speakers, etc. To be honest, I didn’t feel like either Cara or Zach had a good support system. Cara’s mother was cold and distant, and it didn’t seem like she cared about Cara’s wellbeing so much as having control over her. I am a bit suspicious of Laolao. I think her heart is in the right place and I know she loves Cara, but she’s hiding something—or maybe multiple somethings.

Overall Impression: This novel was more fun than I expected, and it tugged at my heartstrings with every challenge the characters faced.

Would I recommend it?: Definitely! This book was one I was dying to read, and it lived up to my expectations. If you like ghosts, adventure, enemies-to-lovers romance, a bit of magic, and whole lot of close brushes with death, you’ll enjoy this book.

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Crave

Crave by Tracy Wolff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Author: Tracy Wolff
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Year of Publication: 2020

Main Character: Grace (3/5)—She was a likeable main character, but slow on the uptake. I did respect her stubbornness, but it was unfortunate that it was mostly in reference to protecting Jaxon, and usually when she was already injured far worse than him. I wish she had been a little more powerful and forceful.
Secondary Characters: Jaxon was the classic brooding male love interest, somewhat morally gray, and I liked him well enough. Macy was a great friend and cousin, but not very well fleshed out, and oddly inept at helping Grace. Whenever Grace was doing something foolish, Macy was happy to admonish her, but never actually prevented anything. Flint was the only other character I felt had a decent presence in the book, and I liked him enough that one of the later scenes he had really bothered me.
Pacing: The very first page is Grace landing in Alaska, so there wasn’t a lot of worldbuilding holding up the story. It could have used some editing in certain sections, but with short chapters and lots of action, this was a pretty quick read for such a long book. The only part that dragged was the ending.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: Spot-on—what you read on the back cover is what you get on the pages.
Resolution: I was disappointed and confused by how this story ended. It felt kind of Harry Potter-esque, with a big action scene about a twisted person plotting to resurrect some evil leader who was hellbent on genocide of other supernatural creatures and humans. Naturally, many of the main characters were seriously injured and ended up in the infirmary. It was dramatic, shocking—had me in knots while I was reading it!

But when I took a step back, I had a whole lot of questions for the author about her plot decisions. For instance, if you are trying to stop character A from doing something bad to character B that would, besides killing character B, cause absolute chaos, why—literally WHY—would your go-to solution be to just kill character B before character A, but in a way that leaves everyone else safe? Why was that the first choice, and why did anyone think it was a reasonable idea!? It was interesting, but the execution had more holes than Swiss cheese. It was very obviously contrived for the purpose of a dramatic climax.

The Good: I enjoyed reading this book more than I anticipated. As someone who has experienced losses that still very much impact me, I identified with Grace’s grief and her healing process. It made me feel seen and understood. Jaxon was very protective of Grace and had a good head on his shoulders. I sympathized with him over the tremendous burden he carried and the catch-22 of the reputation he’d built for himself. This writer is very good at writing emotion. I felt Grace’s apprehension, Macy’s excitement, Flint’s indecision, Jaxon’s thinly veiled affection. Grace builds genuine connections with all the characters she interacts with.

Despite any criticism I have about the major plot points of the book, I also read this book compulsively. It was captivating. I found moments of laughter, excitement, comfort, joy, and hope in this book to balance out the heavier feelings they were interspersed with. The addition of dragons to the normal vampire/werewolf/witch mix was pretty cool, though unconventional. The setting was chosen perfectly—a castle on a snowy mountain in Alaska. Plus, there were some unexpected twists, which will always earn points from me.

The Not-So-Good: Grace had all the evidence in front of her, but she still couldn’t believe that the school she was at was full of supernatural creatures. It took a painfully long time to get to the Big Reveal, and I think it would have enhanced the story to do it sooner. No one ever explained why Macy’s mother was never present or mentioned. We don’t know if she died, but I assume she didn’t, because if she had, that would have been an easy way for Macy to connect with Grace while she was grieving. The school itself wasn’t very fleshed out and because of the constant attempts on Grace’s life, we didn’t really get a very good taste of what the school was or what the students learn there. Grace spent 75% of the book too injured or ill to attend class, and it really frustrated me.

Macy disappeared right before the climax of the book and was never mentioned again. Macy’s father (Grace’s uncle) also disappeared from the book before Macy did. With how important Macy was for the rest of the book up until that point, I was very disappointed at the lost opportunity to see Macy’s witch powers, to have a female character rescue another female character, to remind Grace that she still has family. I wanted to see Uncle Finn be protective of Grace and kick some people’s asses. I also had wanted Grace to have the chance to ask her family some questions, but that didn’t happen, either. I felt there were a lot of loose strings.

Overall Impression: This was an entertaining read. It’s on par with Twilight, the Vampire Diaries, etc. I can tell this is written by an author who knows how to sell books and is an interesting storyteller. The writing itself wasn’t very sophisticated, but I think she kept it appropriate for her target audience. She also definitely knows how to write a romance. At the same time, don’t expect the most original book you’ve ever read, and don’t look for a story that’s driven mostly by logic.

Would I recommend it? For someone in the mood for a fun, supernatural YA read, with dashes of drama and romance, this will be a fun read. If you’re looking for something more thought-provoking and deep, this won’t satisfy you.

What I want to see in book #2 I am looking to read Crush, the second book in the series. What I’d like most is some more worldbuilding and some answers—about how the supernatural world works, about what makes Grace special, etc.

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The Witch of Willow Hall

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a free e-galley of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Author: Hester Fox
Genre: Gothic Fiction
Publisher: Graydon House
Year of Publication: 2018

Main Character: Lydia Montrose (4/5)—a strong, driven character, determined to find a way for everything to work out, even if it means cementing her own heartbreak.
Secondary Characters: Enjoyably and disturbingly realistic, especially the Montrose girls’ suitors. The Montroses have a classic family dynamic that would fit just as easily into modern times as the book’s setting.
Pacing: The pacing of this book was comfortably quick without feeling rushed. I eventually reached a point when I couldn’t put it down, and that’s the tell-tale sign of a good read.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: Definitely an accurate description, but I felt it could have been a bit more straightforward with the types of paranormlal occurrences you’ll encounter, like ghosts.
Resolution: I felt like the underlying mysterious quality of the plot got a bit lost toward the end, when Lydia and John’s romance came into full bloom and eclipsed some of the novel’s previous eeriness. The ending was not as dramatic as I would have liked, but still satisfying.

The Good: The plot was rife with drama and intrigue from the first few pages. The paranormal touches in the novel were perfectly placed, satisfyingly creepy, and integral to the development of the plot. Just when you think you have it all straight in your head, the author throws another well-timed monkey wrench into the action. This book touches on all of the classic tropes that make so many classics successful: quarrelling siblings, oblivious parents, family secrets, and forbidden love, to name a few. I identified well with Lydia and wasn’t ridiculously ahead of her in unweaving the web the author created, as I often am with other novels. I lived her heartbreak, her hope, her shock, and even more as though it were all my own, and I greatly enjoyed the ride.

The Not So Good: I knew there was some hush-hush secret that the Montroses were harboring, but…wow, I didn’t see one like that coming. Had I known just how twisted (and disturbingly true!) the rumors were, I’m not sure I would’ve signed up to read this one. But given how much I enjoyed the rest of the book, I’m glad I wasn’t fully enlightened beforehand, so I could give this book a chance.

I knew from the start that Catherine was trouble, but I didn’t know how right I was until she laid all of her secrets bare, rather smugly. The atrocities she commits, both before and after the novel starts, are beyond my understanding; however, they help her become the best foil character possible against Lydia. Something that struck me as odd was that we’re supposed to know Lydia is a witch, in spite of very few tell-tale displays of her power and no one actually proposing the idea (including Lydia herself) until the last third of the novel. The title of the book may include the word “witch”, but I found this novel lacking in the level of witchiness I expected.

Overall Impression: Despite a couple of disquieting plot points, this book served up surprise after heart-pounding surprise in a way that I’ve rarely seen outside of my college English courses. Overall, I’m quite impressed by not only Mrs. Fox’s quality of writing, but that this book was somehow not mainstream.

Would I recommend it? With only the slightest hesitation, due to some of the themes addressed, I most likely would. In fact, I already have! I see that Mrs. Fox has another book expected later this year, and I’m awaiting it with bated breath!

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The Lies They Tell

The Lies They Tell by Gillian French
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Author: Gillian French
Genre: YA
Publisher: Harper Teen
Year of Publication: 2018

Main Character: Pearl (3/5)—She’s a pretty headstrong female character, which is all but wasted when she can’t see the forest for the trees.
Secondary Characters: Bridges—he’s as harmless as a filthy rich boy gets, but he has virtually nothing to offer the world. Akil—annoying, cocky, and disrespectful, what you see is what you get with him. Tristan—lonely on the surface, but a cold, calculating utilitarian with a god complex underneath.
Pacing: French’s writing style was very tight with dialogue and interaction among characters, but had unnecessary tangents in the longer narrative sections.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: They get the premise spot on, but then try to cast an air of mystery on the book that just isn’t there.
Resolution: I was so hoping for something grander to happen that I didn’t realize that we were in the big action scene until it was half over. It wasn’t an ending befitting a murder mystery, but the lack of drama definitely matched the rest of the plot. My disappointment stems just as much from the villain’s lackluster demise as from anything else.

The Good: There was a pretty diverse cast of characters who each had unique, if cliché, personalities. It was interesting to watch Pearl enter the world of the privileged and fumble her way through each outing with the boys. As someone who doesn’t know what it’s like to live in New England or in an area with such disparity and division between social classes, this book had much to offer from a sociological perspective.

Pearl’s drive to protect her father from the harsh whispers around town paired with her misguided quest to solve the mystery and clear his name made Pearl endearing and relatable. I may not agree with some of her actions, but I can say this: she was a breath of fresh air, a tether to normalcy during the scenes filled with the outlandish privileged crowd. They were living the high life, but Pearl, an excellent foil character, somehow managed to remain entirely separate from the happenings around her.

One thing Pearl offered as a heroine that not many other female main characters do is self-control. She had opportunities to dismantle others’ lives with the secrets she learned, but somehow this underprivileged plain Jane rose above the petty, pampered rich kids in maturity. And despite having an inordinate amount of romantic offers from unlikely suitors, she managed to not get too sidetracked by any of the guys’ impromptu advancements. Kudos to you, Ms. French, for creating a female character who represents the largely ignored ground between lustfulness and prudishness.

The Not So Good: Pearl’s friendship with the summer boys—Akil, Bridges, and Tristan—was just as spontaneous as it was enigmatic. Although Pearl plays off her involvement with the boys as purposeful, she’s also clearly reeled in by her desperation to be liked. She has not a single thing in common with the guys other than living in the same area for a few months each year, but she never thinks to ask why they want to hang out with her, and they don’t care to offer an explanation. My take is that it’s some twisted sort of pity friendship that they form with her out of boredom that’s packed with enough bribery and illegal activity to leverage against her if needed.

As far as the writing, some of the author’s narration felt rushed, like she skipped the connection between the character’s thoughts and their actions. One sentence, someone’s inside the house, thinking about going for a drive; the next, they’re describing the scenery as they travel down the street.

One of the most confusing things for me was how Reese was magically revealed as Pearl’s best friend less than a hundred pages from the end, despite them having almost no interaction before that. It’s hard to sympathize with Pearl’s sadness over damaging her friendship with a guy I assumed was only a random crush for the last two hundred pages. On a side note, I hated Indigo (Reese’s sometimes girlfriend) so much that I could taste it. If Reese wants to date someone like that, then he’s obviously not the guy Pearl thinks he is, so him not reciprocating her feelings is actually a blessing.

As for the great mystery of the novel, don’t let the author’s wild goose chases fool you—you’ll guess the real killer from the first few pages. The only reason I considered any other possibilities was because I really thought we’d moved past the obvious in this genre, but the author proved me wrong. And now for my burning question: how is it possible that the only person who doesn’t recognize Pearl as the daughter of the Garrison family’s groundskeeper is the only surviving member of the Garrison family? I’m still trying to figure that puzzle out.

Overall Impression: Despite a perfectly ripe setup for a mystery, this novel is a bland whodunnit wannabe made somehow less captivating by a posse of vapid, superficial rich boys and an unflatteringly desperate heroine.

Would I recommend it? It’s an entertaining enough read, but it’s not something I’d pick up again. This book was more of an exposé of societal norms in New England coastal towns than a mystery or a crime thriller.

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Bright We Burn (The Conqueror’s Saga #3)

Bright We Burn by Kiersten White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Author: Kiersten White
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Year of Publication: 2018

Main Characters: Lada (3/5)—She’s reckless, she’s angry, and she’s just as conniving as ever. There were moments when she seemed a little more reasonable and human than normal, but she usually followed them up with something harsh and cruel for balance.
Radu (4/5)—After being torn between two lives for so long, Radu agonizes over making a choice. Although he seems much more like himself than in Now I Rise, we also see that his time in Constantinople has changed him forever.
Secondary Characters: I can’t really discuss any of them without letting out a flood of spoilers, so I’m going to stick to Mehmed. Mehmed is manipulative, but also very lonely; his choices in this last installment show just how little is left of the boy we met in And I Darken.
Pacing: The first two books dragged a bit, but this one felt like each scene was vital and interesting. It was a refreshing change!
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: The synopsis was a little misleading. It makes everyone’s endeavors sound a lot more hopeful than they turn out to be. Trust me, all three main characters are anxiety-riddled messes who have an inordinate amount of close brushes with death due to nothing other than their own foolishness.
Resolution: This book ended well enough, but it was lacking the “wow” factor that has pretty much defined these characters and this series. I’ll admit to being a little disappointed.

The Good: First and foremost, the only character I truly connected with in this whole series—my poor, precious Radu—gets the ending he deserves. For me, White could have cut out everything else and I would have been entirely satisfied just reading Radu’s perspective.

But that’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the rest of the book, much to my surprise. For starters, the pacing of this installment blew the rest of the series out of the water. In the first two books, my interest would wane with each Lada chapter and gradually plummet until I was in Radu’s head again. In this novel, I actually grew to enjoy Lada’s narration for a while, if only because it was fascinating to read a character who viewed gruesome tasks with as much apathy as if they were tying their shoes.

Unlike the previous books, this one started flying by after just a few chapters. Very early on, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed are once again drawn together by the inexplicable force that forever binds them, and thus everyone in each of their orbits must follow. As old memories resurface, wounds reopen, and the allies of each main character begin to clash spectacularly. It was startling to me to see them all thrown together and remember everything that they’ve endured because of and for each other. Sometimes it’s hard to remember how young these characters who are leading countries into war and staring death in the face every day really are.

There are plenty of things about this book that I could nitpick and turn my nose up at, but overall, I liked it more than I thought I would. I even toyed with the idea of rating it with FOUR stars! But there were some things I couldn’t look past that I’ll get into next.

The Not So Good: These aren’t necessarily criticisms, so take the heading on this section with a grain of salt. Without any of the events below, the novel would not have been as interesting, so please don’t think that these are all things I would undo about how everything played out.

So basically, everyone (outside of the main characters) that you’ve been afraid would die the whole time? Yeah…they pretty much all die in this book. There’s one that still particularly stings, but I like to think that death accomplished something for the course of the book overall. Maybe? Even if the purpose was just for that person to no longer be one of the chess pieces on the board.

A few notes on Radu’s love life, riddled with spoilers: (view spoiler)[ It really took Mehmed twenty years to realize that “Radu’s daughter” isn’t actually Nazira’s? Like…he clearly realizes that Radu is gay and that Cyprian is the key to Radu’s heart, so where did he think Theodora came from? And let’s not forget the point when Mehmed has sex with Lada (which is so subtle that I didn’t even realize happened until much later), and then propositions Radu just minutes after! Words can’t express how proud I am of Radu for having the strength to turn down the man he’s spent half his life wanting and realize the difference between lust and love. (hide spoiler)].

I may be one of few, but I actually liked Mehmed in the first book. However, my liking of him sharply declined after he married his first wife (who doesn’t even seem to exist in this book?). This installment shows us a completely different person from the boy who so reluctantly took the throne years earlier. The only consistency is his endless quest for Lada’s affection, which is forever and always in vain. Mehmed resents not having a personal life, but when he sees people he knows personally, he mistreats them and abuses their trust. His affections are fickle and come from a place of desperation and possessiveness rather than love and concern. I lost all respect and sympathy for him within a few chapters.

Lada is still the most ruthless, heartless, but oddly sentimental mess I’ve ever read about, and her prickly personality is just as much of a blessing as a detriment. Her irrational war tactics are so enigmatic that an organized military like the Janissaries has no hope of comprehending them, which ends up being her only advantage. But here’s the real problem with Lada: she has a one-track mind full of selfish pursuits and an endless line of loyal followers to pay for her mistakes. Lada is so blinded by her unwavering love of a country she hasn’t lived in for almost a decade that she’s willing to sacrifice her most indispensable people for a cause that matters only to her. I would’ve thought she’d develop some sort of guilt for forcing her nearest and dearest to forfeit their lives, but no—Lada doesn’t do guilt, because that would mean admitting when she’s wrong. I had a hard time watching some of those characters pay the cost of Lada’s missteps, and I truly felt their losses. But beyond all of that, there are a couple of massively foolish mistakes she makes on a personal level that I’ll never stop being angry about. I’ve liked her less with each book that came through my hands and I’m sorry to say that this finale continues the trend.

Overall Impression:This trilogy was not the best I’ve ever read, but this book was the best of the series.

Would I recommend it? Yes, surprisingly enough. I wasn’t the biggest fan of And I Darken or Now I Rise, but this book is a step up and provides a decent enough ending for the series.

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The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Author: Mackenzi Lee
Genre: YA historical fiction
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Year of Publication: 2017

Main Character: Monty (3.5/5)—This unbelievably reckless character whose heart really is in the right place makes for an endearingly flawed and deeply human protagonist.
Secondary Characters: Percy, poor Percy, is probably my favorite character in the book, but this kind and caring boy suffers from being a little too uncommon for his time. Felicity, who at first appears to be a stick-in-the-mud kind of girl, proves to be unfailingly resourceful and quick witted. Beyond that, the bad guys were about as bad as I expected for this type of book, though Helena became surprisingly human toward the end.
Pacing: I can’t say I was ever bored for more than a couple of pages.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: Everything was spot on. The synopsis makes the plot sound kind of hackneyed, but the characters more than make up for it. I promise!
Resolution: There were few loose ends left untied with the secondary characters, but I’m hopeful that they’ll be addressed in the companion novel, The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy. Either way, I still got the ending I’d been craving since page one. My only real pain point was that there was a little cosmetic damage done to Monty that I don’t think was necessary; I’m still bitter over it.

The Good: This novel was so character driven that if you replaced any of the main trio, it would be a completely different book. I’ve never read a YA book quite like it, so bravo, Ms. Lee! And I love Monty, Felicity, and Percy so much that I honestly can’t pick my favorite! Even the seemingly straight-laced Felicity turns out to be a real badass. For a fifteen-year-old girl who’s spent her entire life holed up in a fancy estate, she’s strangely capable and street savvy, but since she’s basically my hero, I’ll let that incongruence slide. Plus, I’m a sucker for powerful female characters, especially in unexpected places.

The lovely Percy is such a reasonable, logical character. His empathy and concern for others is both genuine and unbelievable at the same time. He’s one of those selfless people you always hear about, yet are rarely lucky enough to know. Through Monty’s eyes, you can see Percy’s internal struggle between emotion and logic quite transparently; it’s a beautiful battle to watch.

Monty, however, is a completely different story. The only thing that’s perfect about Monty is his awareness of his shortcomings; he has a good idea of what he should do, but doesn’t know how to achieve it. Lee does a great job conveying Monty’s loss of confidence in tough situations and the lack of control he has over his vices. She also adds in some complexity with Monty’s relationship with his father. He doesn’t improve much by the end, but we know throughout the novel that doing better is always on his mind.

The plot wasn’t the most original I’ve read, but it’s a nice combination of an adventure novel and historical fiction with a dash of whimsy and a pinch of gothic.

The Not So Good:

Although I love all of the main characters, there were a few things that I found troubling about them. For one, Monty has quite a long list of faults, some of which I had a hard time making peace with. Nonetheless, the plot would have been substantially different—and likely less entertaining—without them. His guilt about not being able to be the person he’s expected to be and his love for Percy are what makes Monty more human.

Percy, who I may love even more than Monty, is in a few too many unique situations to be realistic. There were some qualities about Percy that alone would have made him more three dimensional, but combined they made him less relatable. Percy has a lot to conceal if he wants to fit in, and I have to say that I was absolutely appalled by the way his family treated him because of things he can’t help. The thing that really upset me, though, was that all of these traits seemed more like they were attributed to Percy to act as devices to steer Monty’s choices than to be genuine pieces of his character.

I also found a lot of slang that’s way too modern for when and where this novel takes place. Luckily, I was so entranced that I didn’t mind, but I think it would be distracting for many other readers.

Overall Impression: Despite some anachronistic elements, the classic YA adventure novel gets a sprucing up with a hilariously fallible cast of characters and a modern voice. Get ready for a truly refreshing and seductive read!

Would I recommend it? Definitely! I’ve read some doozies this year, but even if I hadn’t, this would still be one of the best books I’ve picked up lately. And eeeek—there’s a sequel/companion novel now that focuses on Felicity! I just hope it features enough of Monty and Percy, too.

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Strange the Dreamer

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Author: Laini Taylor
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Hachette Book Group
Year of Publication: 2017

Disclaimer—I listened to an audio CD version of this book, because what else is there to do when you have a long commute and are sick of hearing the same five Ed Sheeran songs on repeat? Unfortunately, my lackluster experience with the change in medium has impacted my review negatively. I’ve done my best to call out those parts, but since I can’t say how I would have felt if I’d read the physical book instead, take the bad things with a grain of salt.

Main Characters: Lazlo (3/5)—He follows the classic outcast-turned-hero journey. His head is so far in the clouds that he becomes unrelatable, except for a few shining moments that are somehow quite impactful. Sarai (1/5)—She’s one of the dullest female characters I’ve read in a while. If it hadn’t been an audiobook, I would have skimmed her chapters and called it good enough.
Secondary Characters: Somehow, all of the secondary characters just seemed self-serving, pompous, and immature, so they kind of blended together. This problem was only exacerbated by the fact that obviously the same person was narrating for all of them.
Pacing: This book was needlessly long. The author was given to tangents that dissected every thought that every character in the book had ever had. At some point, I gave up on fighting it, assuming she was aiming to rival Charles Dickens (who was paid per word).
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: It’s all pretty accurate
Resolution: This was one of those book endings that I read and thought “are you kidding me?” I’m not naïve enough to think that every book has to have exactly the ending I want or it’s a bad book, but this one just completely missed the mark for me. I understand that Taylor wanted a cliffhanger ending, but with the vast amount of creativity she displayed in the rest of the book, I feel she could have done better.

The Good: I’ll give the author this—her book was incredibly imaginative and well-written. I can tell she has potential to be a great writer, but I think she lost sight of the genre she was writing in. Her prose is just a little too verbose for a YA fantasy book.

The Not So Good: There were too many narrators in this book. The book is titled after Lazlo, who is the only narrator for a decent portion of the book. Then, we randomly meet a girl named Sarai. But that’s not all—Taylor has several more narrators up her sleeve that appear at random throughout the book without warning. One second, I’m in Lazlo’s head, the next, I’m in Thyon Nero’s.

The romance between Sarai and Lazlo was gag-worthy for me. If I had to listen to one more second of Lazlo waxing poetically about kissing Sarai, I was going to drive my car off the road. I managed to skip three tracks in a row of them just staring into each other’s eyes. I don’t think I missed anything.

A note on the narration: I feel like the female characters were portrayed as juvenile and petty. I’m not sure if this was just due to the narrator’s struggle to portray the cadence of female speech properly or a result of the actual dialogue that Taylor wrote.

One of the things I struggled with most was that because of the dual perspectives of Sarai and Lazlo, who both offered reasonable viewpoints from each side, it was hard to determine who exactly the antagonist was. I’m still not completely sure.

Overall Impression: Despite a bevvy of great ideas and fluid prose, the poorly developed characters robbed this book of its potential.

Would I recommend it? I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it, as I think it’s slated to be a popular series. I might even read other books from this author in the future. However, with the way this one ended, and the way I felt when I was listening to it, I won’t be picking up the sequel, Muse of Nightmares .

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It’s a Wonderful Death

It’s a Wonderful Death by Sarah J. Schmitt
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Author: Sarah Schmitt
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Year of Publication: 2015

Main Character: RJ (2/5)—this girl is a spoiled brat who only has a few shining moments of humanity. Too bad it takes death to bring out the best her, and only then because she’s angry.
Secondary Characters: The secondary characters were enjoyable enough, but very one-dimensional. The only ones that were developed were Madeline and Daniel.
Pacing: It takes about over one hundred pages for her to even go back in time to the moments she has to fix. Up until then, the whole book is just banter and arguing between ethereal pious beings. The moments she relives go by quickly before the angels of the afterlife resume their bickering again.
Accuracy of Publisher’s Synopsis: There was a heck of a lot left out. The portion where RJ actually gets to relive a few moments of her life (AKA the premise of the entire book) makes up a relatively small portion.
Resolution: I can’t even say how annoyed I am by how this book ended. Had I liked RJ or the story more, it would have really upset me.

The Good: At least RJ does exhibit some personal growth during the moments she revisits. If not for those moments, I may not have finished this book. I enjoyed a few of the characters, mainly Madeline, Daniel, and a couple of the angels. It was lighthearted, despite the subject, and was good for a few laughs.

The Not So Good: I can break this entire book down into about four events. The first hundred pages consist of her arriving in heaven and causing an unprecedented upheaval with her diva fit. The next handful of chapters consists of real plot in which RJ appears to learn the difference between right and wrong. Then we’re right back to an obnoxious court case. **Spoiler Alert** Then RJ spends a few chapters being dropped back into her old life for a total of one day. **End Spoiler Alert**Seventy percent of this book is just banter and arguing between fictionalized versions of religious figures.

When I read about some of the things RJ had done, I could understand perfectly why hell was an option for her. Some of the things she did, while not illegal, were definitely immoral. If I had to read one more time about how RJ wasn’t “the person [she was] meant to be,” I was seriously going to chuck this book at the wall. To top off the circus that was this storyline, the justification for RJ’s return to her life rests on her influence on someone who will eventually cure cancer. Really? There is literally nothing more clichéd or less cool than using the cure for a terrible disease as a plot point. And did I mention how terribly disappointing the ending was?

Overall Impression: This book was a misguided attempt to satirize the proceedings of the afterlife. In actuality, it was equal parts ridiculous and boring.

Would I recommend it? I wouldn’t really recommend this one if you’re looking for a meaningful, serious story. It would, however, be a perfect waiting room read if you’re in need of distraction.

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