Challenge Wrap Up: Debut Author Challenge

In the month of December I've been doing weekly posts and challenge wrap ups. In addition to doing a favorite books of the year thing, I want to talk about some of my favorite books in the categories that I did challenges for. I did a total of four challenges this year and I think they each deserve some individual attention. This week I am doing debuts and the Debut Author Challenge.

The actual challenge is to read 15 debuts a year but I always go crazy and read way more. My goal for the year was to read 25 debuts and I beat that. I read a total of 31 debuts for the Debut Author Challenge hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Yes, that's right, I read twice as many debuts as the challenge, because I couldn't help myself. And as I have read 155 books so far for the year which means 20% of the books I read in 2016 were debuts. That's a lot of debuts.

And while I found some really fantastic ones, I wasn't totally in love. Usually at least one debut is in my top ten books of the year and I don't think that is the case this year. And don't get me wrong, there were some really fantastic ones, and there is a book that was one of my favorites but it's not in the top tier I guess. But seriously, a handful of them were big disappointments. Although we're not here to talk about those books. We're here to talk about the good ones. Here is the list of some of my favorites. In no particular order...

1.) The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads )

This book was on my list of favorite books of the year for most of the first half of 2016 but unfortunately some fall releases kicked it off. Sorry, book. But honestly, it was really good. It's a very close call whether this was my favorite debut of the year or not.

This is one of those books where the lives of seemingly unrelated people all connect in an interesting and compelling way. It feels very much like a contemporary even though it is technically historical fiction. But honestly, I loved that. But I also liked the historical fiction elements. It's set in Alaska during the 1970's making it one of the most unique historical novels I've read in awhile. Plus I really connected with the characters who were looking to get out of their small towns and make something of themselves.

All in all this was a really fantastic and emotional story. I totally loved it and would recommend it to basically everyone. It flew a bit under the radar I think and I wish more people would read it, it's really good.

2.) The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skrutskie - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

This is one of those books that was not what I expected but it ended up being way better than my wildest dreams. I'm not sure I knew what I was getting myself into with this book but I thought it was going to be more hard sci-fi with space travel and it was more science fantasy/dystopia/I don't know what to call it.

The only thing I really want to call it is amazing. It had a little bit of everything. For one thing it had pirates, which was honestly super hot this year which I am not complaining about. That would have been enough but it also had sea monsters, trained sea monsters, who attack pirates. Then there is the fact that it has diverse characters and a great f/f romance. see how it had a little bit of everything? Not to mention that the plot was amazingly thrilling that I flew through and loved every second of. It was a really fantastic and engaging story.

This is another debut that I think flew under the radar for a lot of people. It's a really fantastic read that has a little something for everyone. And if you are looking for SF/F with diverse characters then you should definitely pick this one up. But even if you aren't looking for that, read it.

3.) The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You by Lily Anderson - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

As soon as I learned about this book I knew I needed to read it. I mean come on, it's a Much Ado About Nothing retelling (shout out to one of the many Shakespeare retellings which I loved this year) with nerdy teen protagonists. That's super up my alley.

And it was honestly so good. Of course when we are talking about Much Ado it's all about the humor and the awkward interations between the characters. This had some really amazing ones. The perfect love to hate romance, great friendships, and just generally great characters. I'm not a huge contemporary reader but I love ones like this. Ones with humor and heart. Plus on top of that there was a fun mystery here and you all know I love a good mystery.

 I would totally recommend this book. If you are a contemporary reader or not, this is a book I think you will enjoy. It's a fast and fun read that you should check out as a palette cleanser or if you are looking for something fluffy. Or if you know, you like nice things.

4.) Kingdom of Ash and Briar by Hannah West - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

I didn't even know about this book until BEA. On the first day I was walking around with one of my friends (shout out to Rachael) and she stopped by the publisher to pick this book up and I was intrigued so I too asked for a copy. I'm so glad I did.

This was probably one of the most creative fantasies I read this year. It reads a little bit like a retelling with elements from some of your favorite fairy tales (yes, Sleeping Beauty like the title alludes) but it also had a very amazing fantasy world. It's one of those books that feels familiar and creative at the same time and those are some of my favorite kinds of fantasies. It's not a perfect read but it was a really great YA fantasy standalone and one of my favorite debuts of this year,

If you haven't read this book and you are at all interested in it, definitely read it. I think it's something that will appeal to a broad audience because it's one of those books that is reminiscent of the classic fairy tales and fantasies that we loved as kids but still feels new and different.

5.) Enter Title Here by Rahul Kanakia - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads )

This book makes my list of favorite debuts because I was honestly surprised by how much I liked it. It's not the kind of book that I would usually gravitate towards but I think that was one of the reasons why I ended up liking it so much.

I'm not a big contemporary reader and one of the things that I liked about this book is that while it is definitely a coming-of-age story it is a book that plays with the tropes of contemporary YA and it does that in such a creative way. There's sort of this book within a book thing where the main character is trying to live the ideal bookish life so she can write the ideal book. That in and of itself was fascinating. But on top of that, the main character of Reshma was kind of terrible. And I mean this in the best possible way. Like this is a book about an unlikable character and I love that.

This is a book that I think will appeal to fans of contemporaries or those who don't necessarily like them. The way that it plays with the tropes will appeal to a broad audience and makes for an interesting read for sure. If you're like me and like unlikable characters then definitely check this out.

6.) Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco - My Review
(Amazon / Goodreads)

Last but certainly not least, is my favorite debut of 2016 and the one that will be making my favorites of the year list. This is another book that was one of mymost anticipated debuts of 2016 and didn't disappoint. Nope, this book was everything I was hoping it would be and more.

I was super excited when I heard that there was going to be a YA historical mystery centered around Jack the Ripper so obviously I picked up a copy of the book at BEA and met the author who is a delight, by the way. And it was seriously amazing. For one thing it had an amazing historical fiction setting. I love books set in Victorian England because of the built in drama that comes with that setting. But one that had mystery and CSI elements made it even better. And while the mystery was easy to solve, it didn't feel predictable and there was actually a really interesting twist at the end that had me all the more interested and engaged.

Basically this book is total Cassi bait and I loved it. I couldn't stop reading it and I really can't wait for the next book in the series. It was so amazing and without a doubt my favorite debut of 2016.

Honorable Mentions:

7.) The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye - My Review
I was going to include this in my top 6 but I already talked about it in my favorite audiobooks of the year and I honestly think that the main reason I loved this is because it's the perfect book in the audio format and it's narrated by Steve West who is utter perfection.

8.) Ivory and Bone by Julie Eshbaugh - My Review
This was one I really did consider putting in my top six as well. It was really really good. I loved how creative it was with the genderbent Pride and Prejudice, the prehistoric setting, and the semi-first person perspective.

9.) Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton - My Review
This is a case where I loved a book in the moment, or should I say immediately after finishing it, but over time I lost a little bit of my love. Although honestly it was a really great YA fantasy and I am super excited for the sequel/

There you have it, all my favorite debuts of the year. I loved a lot of them and despite being disappointed by many I did read some really great debuts this year. But the biggest victory for this is that I read a total of 31 debuts. I doubled the challenge which is not too shabby. For a full list of all 31 books check out my Debut Author Challenge tab.

What debuts did you read this year? What were your favorites? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Reader by Traci Chee

Title: The Reader Series: Sea of Ink and Gold #1 Written by: Gail Carriger Published: September 13, 2016 by Putnam (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Once there was, and one day there will be. This is the beginning of every story.  Sefia lives her life on the run. After her father is viciously murdered, she flees to the forest with her aunt Nin, the only person left she can trust. They survive in the wilderness together, hunting and stealing what they need, forever looking over their shoulders for new threats. But when Nin is kidnapped, Sefia is suddenly on her own, with no way to know who’s taken Nin or where she is. Her only clue is a strange rectangular object that once belonged to her father left behind, something she comes to realize is a book.  Though reading is unheard of in Sefia’s world, she slowly learns, unearthing the book’s closely guarded secrets, which may be the key to Nin’s disappearance and discovering what really happened the day her father was killed. With no time to lose, and the unexpected help of swashbuckling pirates and an enigmatic stranger, Sefia sets out on a dangerous journey to rescue her aunt, using the book as her guide. In the end, she discovers what the book had been trying to tell her all along: Nothing is as it seems, and the end of her story is only the beginning.

This was a fantastic read. I had heard amazing things so I bought a copy shortly after it came out but I have been dragging my feet on reading it for some reason. But I finally took the time and I'm glad I did. It's a really well-plotted and interesting fantasy.

I think my favorite thing about this book is the world. Right off the bat I knew I was in for a treat with a gorgeous map, and almost from there I was intrigued. Throughout the book we get to explore the world a little bit and it was all so interesting. It certainly did not disappoint with a world full of magic and adventure. There's a great magical system here that I liked seeing in action and some interesting themes about knowledge as well and good and evil, which I always love exploring in fantasy. But it's not too overwhelming with the explanation and exploration of the setting and the world. The author does a great job with the show instead of tell style of world-building. This is a world that I would say would reply to both hardcore fantasy fans and those who are new to the genre.

But my biggest criticism of the book is also about the world building though. I wanted so much more. I like the show instead of tell style but if that's the case then I need to be shown things. I've said it before but if you ask me, sometimes more is more. Even things I loved like the exploration of good and evil and who deserves knowledge, didn't get the attention I was hoping for in the end. I know this is the start of a series and you can't show us all your cards already but I have so many questions still. Even when we reached the end of the book I felt like they had explained almost nothing. There is so much more to learn and I'm a little annoyed that I didn't get answers to my questions. The only answer I did get was to one I thought was kind of obvious.

Although I may have just been reading too much into this because of how this story was told. It's definitely a really creative kind of storytelling. For one thing it's an incredibly layered story. It's one of those books where things that don't seem at all related eventually come together in the end. About halfway through the book I was really struck by how connected it all really was. It was like pieces of a puzzle falling into place to make something totally different. As a plot driven reader who loves solving mysteries I really appreciated that. The need to find out what was going to happen next and to see how it all connected is what kept me reading and was one of the best things about this book. I may have actually loved it a little too much and was hoping for connections where there weren't any. This wouldn't be the first time I did that.

Finally, I want to talk about the characters. This is probably the hardest thing for me to talk about. I did really like the characters but I would have liked them to be fleshed out a little bit more. They were interesting and engaging which isn't always easy to do when you have a ton of moving plotlines but Chee did a good job of establishing some mystery and intrigue with each of them. A lot of this rested on the shoulders of the main character of Sefia, who I liked. I was invested in her quest and found her easy to connect to but I think she could have been a little bit more layered. And don't get me started on Archer and how many questions I have about him and his past. I feel like there is a lot going on here with the world and the plot and it maybe didn't leave a lot of room for character development.

On the whole, this was a really good read. It's got a fascinating world, a layered and engaging plot, and likable characters. There is a lot more to learn however and I'm excited for book 2 to get some answers.

I give The Reader by Traci Chee 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't perfect but it was thoroughly entertaining. I think this is the kind of book that will appeal to a large audience. It may be a little more geared toward fantasy newbies but whether you are an old hand at the genre or want to explore it a little more this is a great read. I would recommend it.

Have you read The Reader? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: The Blazing Star by Imani Josey

Title: The Blazing Star Written by: Imani Josey Published: December 6, 2016 by Wise Ink (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Portia White is used to being overlooked—after all, her twin sister Alex is a literal genius.  But when Portia holds an Egyptian scarab beetle during history class, she takes center stage in a way she never expected: she faints. Upon waking, she is stronger, faster, and braver than before. And when she accidentally touches the scarab again?  She wakes up in ancient Egypt—her sister and an unwitting freshman in tow.  Great.  Mysterious and beautiful, Egypt is more than they could have ever imagined from their days in the classroom. History comes alive as the three teens realize that getting back to the present will be the most difficult thing they’ve ever done. Stalked by vicious monsters called Scorpions, every step in the right direction means a step closer to danger.  As Portia and the girls discover that they’re linked to the past by more than just chance, they have to decide what it truly means to be yourself, to love your sister, and to find your way home

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

Oh man, I really wanted to love this book. It sounded so unique and right up my alley which is why I picked up a copy from Netgalley. But unfortunately it really didn't work for me.

The thing I liked most about it was the world building. There are not many books set in Ancient Egypt and it is a time period that I have always found intriguing so I was really excited to read a book set there and then. And honestly, that was amazing. You can tell the author did her research. There was so much to learn about the culture and mythology and so much to see with the location and setting. That is one of the things I love about historical fiction and it is what I enjoyed most about this book. Ancient Egypt definitely came alive here.

But there was a very heavy focus on the world of the book and that was to the detriment of the plot and pacing. As far as the pacing goes, this should have been a fast read. I mean it's not very long. The finished copy is less than 300 pages and the ARC is closer to 250. But it took me 10 days to read it. And I didn't stop. I read every day but I just couldn't GR into it. The beginning had a ton of exposition and the plot just didn't kick in until way later than I like. And then when we got to the ending there was just a ton of falling action. The pacing just didn't work for me as a plot driven reader.

I think my biggest frustration with this book, however, was the plot development. Even now as I finish the book I'm not sure what the hell even happened. What was the plot of this book? Was it the political stuff? Maybe. There was so plotting and scheming for the throne. Was it the fantasy elements? Probably not, but there was a bit of a focus on the magic. How about the coming-of-age character development? Maybe. That was a part of it. I think maybe this was just a case of more is less. There were a lot of different elements that never totally solidified for me and that is a lot of the reason why I didn't enjoy the plot of this book.

As far as the characters of this book though, they were fine. I liked the main character of Portia enough but she didn't blow me away. I could totally connect with her in the beginning as she wanted to distance herself from her twin and become her own person while still feeling like she wasn't good enough. I think that if there was more of that with the plot I would have liked her and maybe even the book a little more. Some of the bigger secondary characters like Alwx and Selene were interesting as well but they didn't make a big enough impression. But honestly, no one made a very big impression. There were a ton of characters here and there was so much connection between them that I kept forgetting who knew who and why. And that pulled me out of the book as much as anything else.

On the whole this book definitely didn't work for me. It had a great world and a good main character but the focus was too broad and the plot development just didn't hook me. I was really looking forward to this book and unfortunately it just wasn't my kind of read.

I give The Blazing Star by Imani Josey 6 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Bypass. This is by no means a bad book. It definitely has some good reviews and I think if it finds the right reader it will be a hit. I am not the right reader though. If you are the kind of reader that is okay with a lush setting and slimmer plot than maybe check this one out.

Have you read The Blazing Star? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Timekeeper by Tara Sim

Title: Timekeeper Series: Timekeeper #1 Written by: Tara Sim Published: November 8, 2016 by Sky Pony Press (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Two o’clock was missing.  In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.  It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.  And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve.  But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I was really excited to read Timekeeper. I remember first learning about this debut and thinking that it is a total me book. I mean I love historical fiction set in the Victorian era, not to mention steampunk YA and was super intrigued by this one with a focus on clockwork. Despite a slow start, this was a good read that I enjoyed a lot.

One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was the world of it. For one thing there is a lot to the world and setting of this book. First and foremost there is the steampunk elements. An alternate Victorian England setting with time being controlled by clockwork was really cool. But it was a subtle kind of steampunk. That I think was because there was also a really cool mythology and history to this book. There are gods at play here and their stories added some interest to establish and develop the world. It didn't seem to totally make sense but it was interesting.

As for the plot development, that did make sense. It made a lot of sense. This is a book that is surprisingly heavy on mystery elements. I wasn't expecting there to be so much of a mystery but it was actually really well plotted with solvable twists along the way. In fact, this was a return to form for me where there were a ton of mysteries and twists that I was able to predict. All the pieces slowly fell into place at the climax of the book which had me flipping pages so fast and needing to know what all would happen next.

But as much as I enjoyed the plot development, I didn't love the pacing. This was a pretty slow book. It took awhile to really take off. I would like a little bit more of the plot earlier in the book. I'm not exactly sure however what made the beginning feel slow for me. Usually that's because there is a lot of exposition. But I don't think that was the case here. There was set up, but it didn't feel like too much. I just think it didn't hook me until later in the book when things really started kicking into high gear (pun unintended!)

It could be however that the beginning was about the character development. Although I'm not sure that was the case either. I honestly would have liked a little more from the characterizations. Now don't get me wrong, I did like the main character of Danny. I thought he was a fantastic protagonist. He's smart, kind, and the right amount of reckless. He also was complex and vulnerable in that he didn't always make the right decision but I understood his motivation. I wanted to see him succeed a mechanic and by the end I was invested in him accomplishing his goals, even the ones I didn't totally agree with.

And by the ones I didn't totally agree with, I mean the romance. I don't know you guys, I just didn't connect with the relationship with Danny and Colton. It's a trope I've been seeing periodically in YA lately and it's one I don't really enjoy. I don't want to give too much away but it veered to far into the supernatural romance lane for my liking. The moments where I think I found myself enjoying the book the least we're the ones that had too much romance and not enough of the other plot points to me.

But in the end, I really did enjoy Timekeeper. Despite some elements that I didn't totally enjoy and a bit of a slow start, this was a good debut with a great alternate history setting, and interesting plot, and a complex main character.

I give Timekeeper by Tara Sim 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow/Buy. If you are interested in this book you should definitely check it out. There is a good mystery that I am interested to see develop. Fans of steampunk and historical fiction should check it out.

Have you read Timekeeper? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Iron Cast by Destiny Soria

Title: Iron Cast Written by: Destiny Soria Published: October 11, 2016 by Amulet Books (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: It’s Boston, 1919, and the Cast Iron club is packed. On stage, hemopaths—whose “afflicted” blood gives them the ability to create illusions through art—Corinne and Ada have been best friends ever since infamous gangster Johnny Dervish recruited them into his circle. By night they perform for Johnny’s crowds, and by day they con Boston’s elite. When a job goes wrong and Ada is imprisoned, she realizes how precarious their position is. After she escapes, two of the Cast Iron’s hires are shot, and Johnny disappears. With the law closing in, Corinne and Ada are forced to hunt for answers, even as betrayal faces them at every turn. An ideal next read for fans of Libba Bray’s The Diviners.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

You may know that I am someone who loves historical fantasy I heard about this book and was immediately interested. Plus it has an interesting magical system, a unique setting, one of my favorite time periods to read about. And despite some things that I didn't totally love, this book was a great read.

One of the things that I loved about this book was the magical system. I am always looking for magic that is unique and compelling and I definitely found that here. Hemopaths were definitely cool. As the synopsis informs us, it is a blood disease that essentially gives people magical powers. There is a broad range of types of powers that people can have but most of it deals with illusions. Our two main characters work illusions through either music or poetry. They can make anyone feel, see, or think anything just by saying or playing the right thing. Much of the beginning of the book was about witnessing the magic at work and the author did a really good job of establishing the rules and letting us see them in a lot of different instances. And despite the fact that there was a focus on the magic, it didn't feel like too much or there were awkward info dumps. It felt like the exposition was important (something I never thought I would say).

But the magical system also interacted well with this the historical setting. I am definitely a fan of books set during the early 20th Century and this one felt both different and familiar at the same time. It had this really fantastic prohibition type vibe to it which I really enjoyed. And while I do kind of mean Prohibition in the historical sense, I really more of mean it from the magical sense. Hemopathy is illegal and because of that the characters are part of not only this underworld/organized crime kind of world. It made for a interesting and engaging setting, that's for sure. It also had really interesting elements of the asylum system and how mental health being different was treated during the historical time period. It all worked together to make for interesting themes.

But I think my favorite thing about this book was the characters. This is a book full of diverse characters who were all really complex. Of course because they are part of this illegal organized crime like magical work they were not totally good people but I loved that. Thieves, rogues, criminal, those are my kind of characters. The focus was of course on out two main characters Ada and Corrine, both of which I really enjoyed. I may have like Corrine a little bit more because she was the more sarcastic and wry of the two. But together they were even better than they were apart. They come from very different worlds but their friendship and dedication to one another was inspiring. They absolutely care about one another and that was great to see. I also really liked the family aspect. Both of their families were part of their lives and they cared a lot for each other  Although I will say that some of the characterizations for the secondary characters was a little basic and it was hard remembering who was connected to who and why. But on the whole, the characters were engaging and interesting.

But the plot and the pacing didn't totally work for me. This was a bit of a slow read. I don't mind if a book takes it's time to get to the good stuff, I actually like when they slowly build to something fantastic, and that's what I was hoping for here. But it was actually much spottier than that. This was one of those books where it would build to something, have a big scene, and then come back down. And to me it just felt a little bit like it was a roller coaster with a bunch of small hills that never got to that big exciting conclusion. It did have a few really engaging scenes towards the end but just when I thought we were reaching the climax, something else would happen. And don't get me wrong, that can be great. I've loved books that had that kind of plot development, but here for some reason it just kind of took me out of the book. I don't know if maybe it was confusing or maybe it was just that the style wasn't working. I did like where the book took me, but along the way there were just a lot of bumps.

But on the whole, this was a good read. It had a great historical setting, and interesting magical system, complex and likable characters, and an engaging plot. The way it developed wasn't my favorite but I did enjoy it.

I give Iron Cast by Destiny Soria 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are like me and enjoy historical fantasies I would definitely suggest picking this book up. It was an interesting and compelling read despite the fact that it took me longer to get through it than I thought.

Have you read Iron Cast? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Last Seen Leaving by Kaleb Roehrig

Title: Last Seen Leaving Written by: Kaleb Roehrig Published: October 4, 2016 by Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Flynn's girlfriend has disappeared. How can he uncover her secrets without revealing his own?  Flynn's girlfriend, January, is missing. The cops are asking questions he can't answer, and her friends are telling stories that don't add up. All eyes are on Flynn—as January's boyfriend, he must know something.  But Flynn has a secret of his own. And as he struggles to uncover the truth about January's disappearance, he must also face the truth about himself.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I went into this book expecting a twisty and interesting mystery full of complex characters and surprises. And yes, it had some of that but it didn't totally blow me away though it was a good read.

I think the hardest thing for me to categorize about this book was the mystery. I love a good mystery. I like when they mess with my head and take me through all kinds of twists and turns. And while this book did manage to surprise me more than once, on the whole I wasn't super impressed with the mystery. They over-arching mystery felt in some respects basic, and in other respects too complex. It wasn't the kind of mystery where clues unfold throughout the narrative leaving you knowing in the end whodunnit, which is what I prefer. No this was one of those mysteries where you are left obtuse until the reveal and those just never resonate with me.

But much of the reveals of this book didn't have anything to do with the crime aspect. Because, Last Seen Leaving is more of a coming of age story than anything else. The real heart if this book is the story of not pretending to be someone that you are not. There are more than a few secrets in this plot point and these were the ones that interested me more. To me the best and most interesting thing about this book is that it is about a teen boy figuring out who he is and who he wants to be. It is about someone coming to terms with who he is, accepting himself, and sharing that true self with the world even if it's not what they expect of him. And that part of the narrative was fantastic. It wasn't what I was expecting but that made it all the more enjoyable.

And maybe I enjoyed the character-driven moments because I did really like the main character Flynn. Despite some frustrating moments of me thinking "what teenage boy talks like that," I enjoyed Flynn's voice. I enjoyed his dry humor and irreverence as much as I enjoyed his more vulnerable moments. And boy does he have some vulnerable moments. He felt real and complex in the way he was finding his way in the world. I think a lot of people can empathize with him in that way.

But Flynn wasn't the only complex character here. This book was as much about January and learning who she was. Throughout the book you see flashbacks to her and see her at her best and her worst. January is not a super likable character but I appreciated that. She was this presence that you felt throughout the book and the author did a good job of making you want to learn more about her and her motivations. There were a host of other complex and unlikable characters, like January's parents and students at the school that I kind of wanted to learn more about. The characterization here was pretty good, I just kind of wanted more when it came to the secondary characters.

On the whole, Last Seen Leaving was a good and enjoyable read. It isn't the kind of mystery that I usually love but it more than made up for it with the coming of age story that I could get behind. It had complex characterizations and an interesting plot full of secrets and surprises that I enjoyed reading.

I give Last Seen Leaving by Kaleb Roehrig 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I think that I would maybe recommend this more to fans of contemporaries more than to fans of mysteries. The mystery was not my favorite part and if you are looking something super twisty I would try something else. But if you are a contemporary fan and want to try more mysteries than I would definitely recommend this one.

Have you read Last Seen Leaving? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess

Title: A Shadow Bright and Burning Series: Kingdom of Fire #1 Written by: Jessica Cluess Published: September 20, 2016 by Random House Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer in hundreds of years. The prophesied one. Or am I? Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers. Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one. As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city—and the one she loves? Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces a powerful, unforgettably heroine, and a world filled with magic, romance, and betrayal. Hand to fans of Libba Bray, Sarah J. Maas, and Cassandra Clare.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley and at BEA. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

I read a lot of YA fantasy. An obvious statement to anyone who follows me on Goodreads or reads my blog. It is my kryptonite. YA fantasy second only to historical fiction. What I'm trying to say is that this book had all my favorite things, I should have loved it and yet I did not.

One thing that I did love though is the historical elements. Now I will say, the historical stuff is not the focus. This is an alternative universe so there's not a lot of historical facts you can do. But you can deal with the themes. One of my favorite periods for historical fiction is Victorian England. It's such an interesting period of change and that leads to a lot of really great conflict with books set in the period. The author did a great job analyzing the historic themes of class, race, and gender in a complex and interesting ways.

And a lot of the creative ways it dealt with those themes was through the magic of this book. A Shadow Bright and Burning definitely had an interesting magical system. There were a few different systems at play here, and the author did a good job of explaining the rules and way they were utilized. I liked learning about the magic but I do think it took a lot of the focus of the first half of the book. I'm often overly critical about exposition in first books and I felt like that was the case here. There was a lot of set up here.

The exposition and focus on the magic did kind of get in the way of the plot development for me a little bit. It took a little while to get to the real meat of the plot. Heck, it took a while for me to even realize where the plot was even going. To me it felt like the plot was a little basic and familiar. It felt like a lot of other YA fantasies with the Chosen One trope that I think it may have relied a little too heavily on. I know it wanted to play with that trope but that didn't really come across. At times it felt like it wanted to turn the idea on it's head and at other times it felt like it fell right in with the trope. I would have like to see it own it a little more in either direction and not try to walk the line.

I also would have liked to see a little bit more with the characters of this series. This is a book with a large cast of characters and often it was hard to keep them straight. I would have liked to see a little more development especially with some of the secondary characters. Many of them were interestingly complex but we just didn't get to see them enough. I found the main character of Henrietta interesting enough but I think the Chosen One thoughts I mentioned early got in the way of me liking her more. I did appreciate her hard work and desire to subvert societal expectations I would have just liked to see her own it a little more. The characters who I did like though were the antagonists. Oh man, there were some fascinating monsters here. I want to learn way more about them because they are super dark and fascinating. I think in general with the characters I just wanted more.

There were some really great elements to this book. It's a really wonderful historical fantasy world with a cool magical system but the plot development and characters didn't take it to the next level for me. It suffered a little with First Book Syndrome but I am interested to see where it will go in the rest of the series.

I give A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. A Shadow Bright and Burning was an interesting read that I would probably recommend to historical fiction fans looking to read more fantasy. But if you're like me and you read a lot of YA fantasy it may not quite blow you away.

Have you read A Shadow Bright and Burning? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!