Book Review: The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynne Herman

Title: The Devouring Gray Series: The Devouring Gray Written by: Christine Lynn Herman Published: April 2nd, 2019 by Disney-Hyperion (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening…  Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid.  When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?

I was super excited to read this book when I first learned about it. Not only is it pitched as the kind of atmospheric fantasy I usually enjoy but it also takes place is the part of New York where I grew up. So I got a copy from the library and brought it home with me when I was visiting family. And while this was definitely interesting, it didn’t quite blow me away.

One thing I will say about this book is that it had good characterizations. This is a book full of messy and imperfect characters who are trying to figure things out and making lots of mistakes along the way. They are far from perfect and that what made them interesting and realistic. The book alternates perspectives between three main characters and it is one of those books that lends itself well to that kind of format. It gave each of the characters a lot of depth because you got to know them on a more personal level. And while Violet is arguably the main character, I didn’t at all feel like Justin or Harper’s perspectives were unnecessary (and I can’t say that very often in these kinds of books). I think a lot of that can be attributed to the characterization.

However, the format did make for a kind of muddled plot and pacing. The overall concept of definitely a cool one. A sinister force in the woods murdering people, and families with inherited powers are the only ones who can protect the town. It should have been a perfect book for me with the combination of mystery and fantasy, but it never quite delivered on either of those aspects. There was a mystery which I enjoyed but it didn’t feel solvable for the readers. I like being able to figure things out along with the characters not have them just tell me they found the answer. It just felt too simple for me. And that may have also lead to the pacing issues for me. The beginning of the book I loved and was incredibly engaged. I read most of the first half on a train and didn’t want to put it down. But then when I got home the plot seemed to slow down enough that it took me five days to read the rest. The second half should have been the most gripping but it didn’t quite recapture my interest until the last 50 pages. I’m just such a plot-driven reader so this was big for me. One thing I did like however is the fact that this is the first book of the series and it had a clear ending. It set up future books but it had a solid conclusion.

The other thing I liked but didn’t love was the setting. Now granted, this is really a personal problem. I grew up where this book takes place so I am probably way more critical than the average person. But if you are going to try and ground a book in a specific location, you really have to get that place right. And this honestly felt like the kind of book that could have been anywhere. There was only one reference to something from Rochester and then it went and called it “Upstate New York.” Clearly I am nitpicking because I’m from there but it brought up the whole Upstate vs. Western NY debates I haven’t had since college. This is not a problem most people will have with this book, but I just wanted to rant a little bit.

But as far as the other aspects of the world, it was an atmospheric and interesting setting. It’s one of those books that walks a fine line between fantasy and magical realism. The magical system is tied to the family and the location where they are from like magical realism but it is a little bit more of a general fantasy kind of structure. I really liked learning about the powers of the different families and seeing them talk about their rituals. I think we have only scratched the surface with the magic and I am excited for more. I also am excited for more about the Gray and the Beast. The book definitely didn’t overwhelm us with information about either of those things but it did capture my interest. I was honestly expecting this book to be a little bit more creepy and lean more towards horror but instead it was more magical realism. And honestly, I have no complaints about that.

On the whole, this was definitely an enjoyable read. The Devouring Gray was one of my most anticipated debuts of the year and it was a good book. Some aspects didn’t blow me away but the characterizations were great and the setting was intriguing.

I give The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. Not a perfect book but very entertaining. I would recommend this to fans of magical realism or atmospheric YA fantasy in the vein of Maggie Steifvater.

Have you read The Devouring Gray? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thank for stopping by and HAPPY READING.

Review: Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

Title: Blanca and Roja Written by: Anna-Marie McLemore Published: October 9, 2018 by Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The biggest lie of all is the story you think you already know.  The del Cisne girls have never just been sisters; they’re also rivals, Blanca as obedient and graceful as Roja is vicious and manipulative. They know that, because of a generations-old spell, their family is bound to a bevy of swans deep in the woods. They know that, one day, the swans will pull them into a dangerous game that will leave one of them a girl, and trap the other in the body of a swan.  But when two local boys become drawn into the game, the swans’ spell intertwines with the strange and unpredictable magic lacing the woods, and all four of their fates depend on facing truths that could either save or destroy them. Blanca & Roja is the captivating story of sisters, friendship, love, hatred, and the price we pay to protect our hearts.

I have read and loved every one of Anna-Marie MacLemore's books. I was really excited to learn that she was writing a book based on Snow White and Rose Red, a fairy tale I always loved as a girl. This book was beautiful, and heart-breaking, and enthralling, and amazing.

First and foremost this was an amazing retelling. As I said, I loved the story of Snow White and Rose Red as a kid. I was really impressed with the way that McLemore interpreted and modernized the story. She gave even more magic and wonder with the story and still made it feel very current with an LGBTQIA character and making it about identity. But the retelling also went deeper with elements from The Six Swans and the Ugly Duckling. You would think with all these fairy tales working together it would be confusing and muddled but instead it made for something different and unique.

I think it all worked together because of the plot of this book. It's one of those books that I would call a modern fairy tale. It feels like a classic story but is something new and all it's own. I wouldn't say that the stakes are particularly high in this book but you are still invested in the stakes. McLemore draws you in and before you even realize you are terrified by what will happen to the characters and when bad things do happen you are heartbroken and still so entertained.

What really drew me in however is the characters. This one of those books with multiple perspectives which added a lot to the story. The main two perspectives of course are the titular characters of Blanca and Roja. The character I initially connected with Roja. She's the fiery and independent sister who is tough and emotional. But I also really enjoyed Blanca. She's the sweet and caring sister, but just as tough. Throughout the book the sisters are exploring the idea of who they are versus who other people want them to be, a theme I really enjoy. The sisters are very empathetic not because of who they are independently, but who they are together. The heart of this story is the love that the sisters have for each other. They would do anything for the other person and because they are in conflict it adds to misunderstanding and some really emotional moments.

But that is just the beginning for the characters. Interspersed with their perspectives were their love interests, Yearling and Page. Both of them are just as complex and are dealing with just as many struggles with their identity as the girls. This is the most noticeable with Page, a non-binary trans person. McLemore always does a great job with LGBTQIA rep and this book was no exception. I liked the way she changed pronouns when characters were referring to Page and thought it did a great job with exploring their identity.

But I think what I liked most about this book was the magic. McLemore is a master of Magical Realism. I have read all four of her books and they each have such different and such engaging magical worlds. First you had the curse of the del Cisne girls which in and of itself would have interesting enough but then you had the magic of the forest and how it affected Yearling and Page. I usually like my magic to go big or go home but here it was subtle and it worked so well. it drew you into the world and it made it feel more magical and fantastical like anything was possible. It raised the stakes and drew the reader into the story.

On the whole, I think this really was an amazing book. It has stuck with me long after finishing it and has proven just how good Anna-Marie McLemore is at writing Magical Realism and diverse characters. I think this may have just become my favorite book by her and that is saying something.

I give Blanca and Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. Definitely pick up this book. It's beautifully written full of magic, great characters, and an enthralling plot which is a great retelling. If you like Magical Realism or fairy tale retellings then check this out.

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

ARC Review: A Room Away from the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma

Title: A Room Away from the Wolves Written by: Nova Ren Suma Published: September 4, 2018 by Algonquin Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Bina has never forgotten the time she and her mother ran away from home. Her mother promised they would hitchhike to the city to escape Bina’s cruel father and start over. But before they could even leave town, Bina had a new stepfather and two new stepsisters, and a humming sense of betrayal pulling apart the bond with her mother—a bond Bina thought was unbreakable.  Eight years later, after too many lies and with trouble on her heels, Bina finds herself on the side of the road again, the city of her dreams calling for her. She has an old suitcase, a fresh black eye, and a room waiting for her at Catherine House, a young women’s residence in Greenwich Village with a tragic history, a vow of confidentiality, and dark, magical secrets. There, Bina is drawn to her enigmatic downstairs neighbor Monet, a girl who is equal parts intriguing and dangerous. As Bina’s lease begins to run out, and nightmare and memory get tangled, she will be forced to face the terrible truth of why she’s come to Catherine House and what it will take for her to leave...

I love Nova Ren Suma books and I was so excited to hear that she was coming out with a new one. The Walls Around Us is one of my favorite mysteries and that book is the perfect example on how an author can totally shock the reader at the very end of the book. I was really pumped to get a copy of this book at ALA and read this one. Unfortunately it was not as good as I was hoping.

One thing I will say about this book is how brilliant Nova's prose is. I'm constantly amazed at how beautiful and atmospheric Nova's writing books are and this one was no exception. It had this ethereal quality to it that was gorgeous and visual in a way that I completely loved. She has this great way of creating unique and engaging atmosphere that really draws the reader into the world. It's not over the top either, it just pulls you in with beautiful descriptions and writing that has been the the hallmark of here career.

However, that being said, I think this book relies too heavily on atmosphere. In terms of the world building, there isn't really any and there was a lot of opportunity for it. The setting of this book is very cool and interesting. Catherine House was truly fascinating. I love weird old houses with hidden passageways and secrets for the characters to uncover. Some of the best parts of this book were when they were finding things within the house. But we never got any information about it. And that was only the tip of the iceberg. I feel like sometimes when it comes to settings and worlds with magical realism, which is maybe what I would call this book, you have to remember that less is less. I get wanting to leave things open for interpretation but you need a world that is grounded in something.

But the plot of this book was also open for interpretation and that was even more confusing than the plot. I don't mind when mysteries have a crazy twist at the end of the book, but this felt different for some reason. I also don't mind when a book is left open for interpretation. Usually when that happens I'm left wondering what really happened and I desperately want to know. But here for some reason it felt like the book was being purposefully obstinate. I met Nova at ALA, when I picked up a copy of this book, and she said that this one leaves things totally up for interpretation which makes me thing she did all of this on purpose. Like she didn't want there to be an answer and I kind of realize I need an answer.

The one thing however I did like was the characters. Bina in particular was a really good main character. It was easy to root for her as the kind of character who has been through a lot of hardship and you want her to end up in a better place than she started with. I do think that she could have had better character development though. There were also some interesting secondary characters too. The people at Catherine House were really mysterious and intriguing. I wanted to know more about them and kind of wish we had gotten some answers about them, particularly Catherine herself.

On the whole, I think this showed a lot of promise that it never delivered on. I was totally excited to read it because I love Nova's writing but this one just felt purposefully obtuse and like it relied way too heavily on atmosphere. The mystery could have been much better and the world more grounded and engaging if there were some actual answers.

I give A Room Away from the Wolves 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. Not my favorite from this author. If you are a fan of Nova check this book out but it has some of the worst qualities of her previous books. If you are looking for a atmosphere heavy mystery that leaves you wondering what is going on them maybe pick this one up at the library.

Have you read A Room Away from the Wolves? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

Title: Neverworld Wake Written by: Marisha Pessl Published: June 5, 2018 by Delacorte (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Once upon a time, back at Darrow-Harker School, Beatrice Hartley and her six best friends were the cool kids, the beautiful ones. Then the shocking death of Jim—their creative genius and Beatrice's boyfriend—changed everything.  One year after graduation, Beatrice is returning to Wincroft—the seaside estate where they spent so many nights sharing secrets, crushes, plans to change the world—hoping she'll get to the bottom of the dark questions gnawing at her about Jim’s death. But as the night plays out in a haze of stilted jokes and unfathomable silence, Beatrice senses she’s never going to know what really happened.  Then a mysterious man knocks on the door. Blithely, he announces the impossible: time for them has become stuck, snagged on a splinter that can only be removed if the former friends make the harshest of decisions. Now Beatrice has one last shot at answers... and at life.  And so begins the Neverworld Wake.

This book was really good. I had heard good things about the author so when I saw that she was signing copies of this one at ALA, I decided to pick up a copy I am so glad that I did and that I took the time to read it because I really enjoyed it.

I would say that this is the kind of book that you kind of want to go into without much knowledge so I don’t want to say too much. I went into to it thinking it was a mystery and there were definitely some good aspects of the genre. Much of the book is about finding out the truth of something that happened years ago. I really liked the way it all unfolded. It was a complex mystery with a lot of moving parts and things didn’t even fall into place until the very end. It reminded me of some of my favorite mysteries in that way because you didn’t get the full story until every piece of the puzzle was laid out for you.

But I think my favorite part of the book was the other aspect of the plot which is the more sci-fi/fantasy elements. It mentions the “Neverworld Wake” right there in the synopsis but for some reason I had no idea that this was going to happen. And I am so glad I didn’t know anything because it all felt so fresh and interesting. So in the interest of keeping things vague for you I will just say I found this really fascinating and there were lots of surprises that had me pretty shocked in the best possible way.

As far as the characters, they are the characters that I prefer in a mystery. By that I mean they are the kind of people where they are complex and imperfect. If you are going to have a mystery where you suspect one of the characters of doing something wrong you definitely need characters where that seems possible. What I liked about these characters is that they were all unlikely but possible culprits and I appreciated that.

All in all I think that this was a really engaging and interesting read. It kept me hooked from beginning to end and had plenty of moments that surprised me. I am now very interested to read Night Film and experience more of this author's writing.

I give Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow.Bypass: Buy/Borrow. I loved this book and would definitely recommend this to fans of mysteries should check this out especially if you want a book with a subtle sci-fi/fantasy twist.

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

Book Review: Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Title: Imaginary Girls Written by: Nova Ren Suma Published: June 14, 2011 by Dutton Juvenile (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.  But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.  With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.

I read The Walls Around Us a few years back and I really loved it. Since then I have been wanting to read more of her books. I saw this one on Overdrive and decided to snag it and read this month before I read her new book this fall. And while it was an engaging read, I didn't quite love it as much as I was hoping.

One thing that I did love about this book was the atmosphere. Nova Ren Suma definitely knows how to draw you in with her writing. She is the kind of writer who pays a lot of attention to the atmosphere and the way the book makes you feel. And what it makes you feel is uncertain and uneasy. There is a lot of mystery and wonder in this book which adds to that as well. Her writing is beautiful and lyrical in a way that you don't usually see with YA thrillers, but Nova does it so well.

The best way she does this is with the setting. We start with a small town in Upstate New York. As someone who grew up in a lake town in Upstate New York I was really excited to read this book and find my hometown in it. And while it wasn't as far upstate as I was hoping, it was still a great setting. It's a place with a lot of history that adds to the mystery and suspense of the setting. I do however wish that we had learned more about the town of Olive and the people who lived there. This isn't a historical mystery but it very easily could have been. As someone who loves those kinds of stories I couldn't help but feel as if this was missing something because it didn't go there. But that is just a personal preference.

Instead of being a historical mystery this book read more like magical realism. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Nova likes to add these subtle magical elements to her books. This one of course was no exception. The magic of this book was just one more thing that added to the mysterious atmosphere of this book. And while I really enjoyed the magical elements of this book I wish they had some more explanation too. It was just something that existed and we never got much information about what was happening and why. I just have so many questions when it comes to the world and plot of this book.

However, one of the really interesting things about this book was the characters. I am going to assume that these are not the kind of characters most people will enjoy. But I really enjoyed them because Nova does unlikable characters so well. Because the characters here are truly terrible. The two main characters are Chloe and Ruby. Ruby for one is truly terrible. She's manipulative and does some completely heinous things throughout the book taking advantage of people who care about her. The only person she really cares about is Chloe who is unable to see how awful she really is. I went into this book expecting a good story of sisterhood and I got one that was about a crazy and codependent family. It was definitely really interesting and kept me guessing though. If you like books about terrible people then this is definitely the book for you.

On the whole I enjoyed this book but it wasn't as tight a book as I was hoping. The setting and world is really interesting and atmospheric but there just wasn't enough info or explanation to it, but it does have interesting and unlikable characters.

I give Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. I picked this up from the library and I think this was the right call. It's an interesting read but it didn't blow me away like I was hoping. If you like any of the author's other books then I would pick this one up as well.

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

October Wrap Up and November TBR

Read in September: Magical Realism

Just as I suspected, it was a rough month for reading. Between my move to Rhode Island and my starting of my new job, I haven't been able to read much. But of I am being entirely honest I kind of underestimated just how little time. Although I think maybe that was because the past few months have been really good so in comparison this seems really slow. But I read a total of 7 books this month. But the good news is that most of them were really good reads. Although I did DNF one book, so there's that/

For challenges, I am doing okay but not as well as I would hope on some of the individual challenges. I made my Goodreads goal 120 books for the year and that was a really good decision because I am really close to finishing it. I wanted to finish it by the end of this month but that didn't work out so well. But I will definitely finish it in November. I was on track for the Debut Author Challenge of 25 debuts, but this month I didn't read any debuts, making my total for the year stil at 19. I'm not going to finish it but I'll probably end up with 20. For the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge, I read 1 book this months which makes my total to 31 for the year. My goal of 36 for the year is still doable as all I'll have to do is read 2 a month until the end of the year. For the Rock My TBR Challenge I didn't read any books for that this month towards my goal of 25 for the year bringing my totally up to 12 for the year. I'm definitely behind on this one but I might be able to meet the actual challenge goal of 15. My slow reading month definitely got in the way of me completing these goals as well.

The Books

1.) Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]

2.) Bad Dreams by R.L. Stine Rating: 6 out of 10 [Podcast Review]
 3.) All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Steifvater 
Rating 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]

4.) Wonder Woman Vol. 3: The Truth by Greg Rucka, Liam Sharp 
and Laura Martin Rating: 9 out of 10
5.) Shadowhouse Fall by Daniel Jose Older
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars [My Review]

6.) Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
7.) La Belle Sauvage by Phillip Pullman Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars [Review to Come]

Other Posts

Discussion Post: Life Update: I Quit My Job and I'm Moving
Waiting on Wednesday: Artemis by Andy Weir,
Blog Tours: The Memory Tree by Kali Wallace Promo

To Be Read in October: Science Fiction

I am hoping to have more time to read in November but I remain cautiously realistic in the fact that I am probably not going to be able to read much more than last month. But there are some books coming out that I am super excited about. Some that are among my most anticipated for the year. Plus I am excited to shift to a different theme as I have been reading a lot of fantasy and historical books lately.

Books for Review

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada - Add to Goodreads

I'm part of the blog tour for this book and am super excited to read it. I wanted a copy at ALA but I wasn't able to get one so I'm excited to be on the blog tour.

Artemis by Andy Weir - Add to Goodreads

I have been wanting another book from Andy Weir since I read The Martian over two years ago. Plus even if it wasn't Weir I'd want to read this book because it's about a female thief on the moon.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao  - Add to Goodreads
I read the first chapter of this last month but didn't have the time to finish it. But I liked it and I have heard good things and I want to read more.

Renegades by Marissa Meyers - Add to Goodreads

I am so excited to read this book. I love books about super heroes, I love Marissa Meyers, so could the two combined be anything but amazing!

 

The Knowing by Sharon Cameron - Add to Goodreads

I LOVED The Forgetting and I am super pumped that there is another book in this series. I wanted to read this last month but I didn't have the time. This month I am making time!

The Inevitable Victorian Thing by J. Acrum- Add to Goodreads
This is another perfect read for the Halloween season. It sounds really interesting and I know a few people who have read it and loved it.

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray - Add to Goodreads

I have had a copy of this book for a very long time and I still haven't read it. I mean they did archive the book before I could download it and then randomly didn't after awhile.

New Releases

The Empress by S.J. Kincaid - Add to Goodreads
I LOVED The Diabolic and I was so excited about more. The second book comes out today and I am super excited to read it. I made sure I finished the audio for La Belle Sauvage before today so I could start it immediately.

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray - Add to Goodreads
I started this book last weekend after seeing the delightful Libba Bray again. It's a pretty hefty read so I haven't been able to finish it so I'm still reading.

Backlist Books

Imprudence by Gail Carriger - Add to Goodreads
I planned to listen to the audiobook for Imprudence this month but I didn't get the chance. I still do want to read it and I think it fits this month's theme enough so I'll try again.

There you have it. Some of the books I hope to read in November. As always, these are subject to change. I may read all of these or I may only read a few and then read a bunch of different ones. But honestly I think this list I can stick to. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: All The Crooked Saints by Maggie Steifvater

Title: All the Crooked Saints Written by: Maggie Steifvater Published: October 10, 2017 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Here is a thing everyone wants: a miracle. Here is a thing everyone fears: what it takes to get one. Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars. At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo. They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.

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

I'm a huge fan of Maggie Steifvater and her style of writing so when I heard she was writing a book that is more of a classic magical realism story I was excited to read. And while this isn't my favorite of her books, it was still really good.

For one thing it had that classic Maggie style. If you have read any of her books you know what I'm talking about but if you haven't, I'm not sure I could explain. Maggie just has this style all her own. Her writing is beautiful and lyrical but it also has this atmospheric and cinematic quality. That was definitely on full display in this book. As usual, her writing drew me in and kept me enthralled.

The best example of this is with the world building. Maggie has a very distinct way in which she builds and develops a world. I think I enjoy her so much because she's not one for exposition. Sure, she explains things but she does it in a way where you get the information slowly throughout the book. It can be incredibly confusing at first because you have no idea what is happening but as you start to learn more you become more and more intrigued. It's a style that works really well for me and it's one that I think works really well for this kind of book. It somehow made the magical realism feel more magical and more real at the same time. And seriously, there was so much magic here. The miracles were so unique and Maggie's writing made them all the more interesting.

A lot of the uniqueness and magic of the book also came from the characters. This is a book that is full of a quirky cast of characters. It's a bit of a cliche to have a small town setting with strange and quirky characters but it kind of worked here with the premise. The book was full of pilgrims who had some sort of weird miracle happen to them and they couldn't leave. They were definitely interesting but I think I would have liked to spend a little more time getting to know them. Many of them were just there and even the ones that did have a little bigger role were still just kind of there. I usually love Maggie's characterizations but I think here it fell a little flat. There were a few exceptions though. Tony was really interesting and he was developed well, so was Marisita. They had some of the biggest roles of the secondary characters and so you got to know them better which was good. I also really enjoyed Pete. I'm not sure if he was a secondary character or a main character but he may have been my favorite. He was the easiest character to like and maybe the one I connected with the most. Although I did like all the characters more than I thought I did now that I'm done reading.

As for the main characters, sale goes for them. I liked them much more than I originally thought I did. They were interesting and likable. Maggie has this way of making books character-driven with a subtle coming of age story. That's how I would absolutely describe this book. So much of the plot and characterizations were focus on the development of Beatriz and Daniel. Because of this we got to know them both pretty well throughout the book and I was definitely invested in them getting what they wanted. I did like them both and I think they had good development throughout the book but the plot was still missing something for me. I'm not sure what, but it just wasn't my favorite.

On the whole, All the Crooked Saints was a good read. It had that classic Maggie style with an atmospheric and engaging setting, likable characters, and a character-driven plot with a subtle coming of age story. It didn't blow me away but I still really enjoyed it.

I give All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Steifvater 8.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you like Maggie's work than I would definitely recommend her latest to. She has a style all her own so if you are looking for a unique and engaging magical realism read with a subtle coming of age story then pick this one up.

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

ARC Review: Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore

Title: Wild Beauty Written by: Anna-Marie McLemor Published: October 3, 2017 by Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Love grows such strange things. For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens. The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family.

**** 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 have been really enjoying Magical Realism lately and thoroughly enjoyed both of Anna-Maria McLemore's previous books so I was really excited to read her next ones. And while this was not my favorite of her books but it was still a really good read.

One thing I loved about this book was the world. Magical Realism is so interesting because it has this great subtle magic to it, typically tied to the land or the family and their culture. This was a little bit of both. I loved seeing magic at work. First of all the stuff with flowers was really cool. Watching the Nomeolvides girls use their powers was really fascinating. So much so that I wanted more. But the magic of this series was more than just the flower magic. I don't want to give too much away because it's tied more to the plot of the book.

Speaking of the plot, that was one of the points that I wish would have been a little more complex. The synopsis of this book led me to believe that this had a pretty interesting mystery and it really didn't. There was a twist and reveal later in the book but it really was not the focus of this book. I wish it had been. A lot more of the plot revolved around the romance for my taste and I wanted more mystery. I'm such a plot driven reader that I just really need a super engaging plot and unfortunately I didn't find that here.

Either that or the pacing was slow. It definitely took me awhile to get into this book. This may have just been because it is a really busy time for me and I haven't had much of an opportunity to read, but it could also be this book. Much of what is explained in the synopsis doesn't even happen until much later in the book. It's one of those books that slowly develops into an exciting ending but it's also one of those books that really takes its time to get there. I wish the beginning had been a little more engaging but I am glad it got there in the end.

But much of this book was redeemed by the characters. The real heart of this book was the story of family. First of all we had the Nomeolvides girls. Despite being cousins they had this really great sisters feel to it. I love books about sisters and I really enjoyed the relationship between the characters. Most of them were a Amal part of the book but the main character was Estrella. She was definitely sympathetic and likable. The best thing about this book is the fact that there are so many diverse characters. Anna-Marie does these characters so well. There was great use of LGBTQ characters and I enjoyed them and how diverse this book was.

All in all this was a good read but not totally amazing. It had a fantastic and engaging world, and likable and complex characters but the plot wasn't as complex as I hoped and the pacing was pretty slow.

I give Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are a fan of magical realism, especially YA magical realism definitely check this book out, or this author on the whole. She's got some great reads. And if you do like Anna-Marie's work and haven't read this one then definitely check it out.

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

September Wrap Up and October TBR

Read in September: Historical Mystery

Another good month, although not as good as last month. Although honestly I don't think I could do better than last month. But with everything else going on in my life I think it's pretty good. In September I read a total of 14 books. There were a lot of audiobooks and two were comics, but still. A great reading month which is especially good because it was a super busy month for me. October will also be just as busy probably as I just moved and am now getting settled in Rhode Island. Anyway, as far as the books go I read some really good books this month. I really enjoyed a lot of the books I read, which is so good because I was super looking forward to many of them.

For challenges, I am doing okay but not as well as I would hope on some of the individual challenges. I lowered my Goodreads goal to 100 books for the year and that was a really good decision because I completed it this month. I raised it to 120 but may raise it to 150 which is what my original goal for the year. But we'll see how I feel at the end of the month when I hopefully finished that goal. But I like being ahead of that challenge and I feel much better about meeting my goals. I am also on track for the Debut Author Challenge of 25 debuts. This month I only read 1 debut, making my total for the year 19. If I make sure to read a few during the next two months I will definitely meet that goal for the year. For the Netgalley/Edelweiss Challenge, I read 4 books this months which makes my total 30 for the year. I'm thinking the 36 target is still doable as all I'll have to do is read 2 a month until the end of the year. For the Rock My TBR Challenge I read 1 book for that this month towards my goal of 25 for the year bringing my totally up to 12 for the year. I'm definitely behind on this one but I might be able to meet the actual challenge goal of 15. And finally, I did 1 post for the Discussion Challenge, making my total 10 for the year which is on track for my goal of 12.

The Books

1.) The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding by Alexandra Bracken
 Rating: 8 out of 10 [My Review]

2.) Prudence by Gail Carriger Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
 3.) Warcross by Marie Lu Rating 8 out of 10 [My Review]
4.) Odd and True by Cat Winters Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]

5.) Runaways Vol. 3: Good Die Young by Brian K. Vaughn
and Adrian Alphona Rating: 9 out of 10

6.) Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff Rating: 9.5 out of 10 [My Review]
7.) Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
Rating: 9.5 out of 10 stars [My Review]
8.) Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
9.) Runaways, Vol. 4: True Believers by Brian K. Vaughn
and Adrian Alphona Rating: 8 out of 10
10.) The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cool Rating: 8.5 out of 10 [My Review]
11.) Speak Easy Speak Love by McKelle George
 Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars [My Review]
12.) 13 Minutes by Sara Pinborough Rating: 9 out of 10 [My Review]
13.) Jane Unlimited by Kristen Cashore Rating: 9 out of 10 [Review to Come]
14.) There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
Rating: 9 out of 10 [Review to Come]

Other Posts

Discussion Post: Life Update: I Quit My Job and I'm Moving
Crossing Over: Historical Fantasties With Lots of Humor
Waiting on Wednesday: Renegades by Marissa Meyer, Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman,
Blog Tours: Hunting Prince Dracula Interview with Kerri Maniscalco, Speak Easy, Speak Love Guest Post

To Be Read in October: Magical Realism

I am so excited for this month's theme. I've been really enjoying Magical Realism these days and I'm so excited to read some more this month. Plus there are going to be some super exciting debuts and some highly anticipated reads by favorite authors and some that I have heard really good things about. I hope it's going to be another good month.

Books for Review

The Memory Trees by Kali Wallace - Add to Goodreads
I'm part of the blog tour for this book and am super excited to read it. It sounds like a total me book. It fits better with last month's theme but I'm reading it this month so whatevs.

Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore - Add to Goodreads

I have loved every single one of Anna-Marie's other books and I am so excited to read this beauty. It sounds amazing and is the reason why I am doing this theme.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao  - Add to Goodreads
I have heard really good things about this debut and I was so excited to get a copy at ALA. A copy that I really want to read this month.

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Steifvater - Add to Goodreads
I love Maggie. I have loved all her books that I have read. I'm excited for her next book and to see her take on Magical Realism. Based on The Raven Boys I assume it is going to be good.

 

The Knowing by Sharon Cameron - Add to Goodreads
I LOVED The Forgetting and I am super pumped that there is another book in this series. I can't wait to read this one and found out what happens to this world in the future.

This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis - Add to Goodreads

I have only read one Mindy McGinnis book despite wanting to read more. This one sounds totally amazing and like a fun non-horror-y Halloween read.

Shadowhouse Fall by Daniel Jose Older - Add to Goodreads
I continue to keep this book on my TBR list to remind myself to read it. I loved the first book but I still haven't read this one.

The Wicker King by J. Acrum- Add to Goodreads
This is another perfect read for the Halloween season. It sounds really interesting and I know a few people who have read it and loved it.

New Releases

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray - Add to Goodreads
I am so excited about this book. I have been waiting for two years for the next book in The Diviners series. This book is out tomorrow and I can't wait for my copy to arrive.

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Phillip Pullman - Add to Goodreads
I am a huge fan of the His Dark Materials series and was over the mood to find out that there were more books coming out. I can't wait to read this one.

Backlist Books

Imprudence by Gail Carriger - Add to Goodreads
I read Prudence last month and meant to read Imprudence but never got a chance to read it. I don't have any backlist books in mind for this month so hopefully I can read Imprudence.

There you have it. Some of the books I hope to read in October. As always, these are subject to change. I may read all of these or I may only read a few and then read a bunch of different ones. But honestly I think this list I can stick to. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Review: Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle

Title: Spellbook for the Lost and Found Written by: Moira Fowley-Doyle Published: August 8, 2017 by Kathy Dawson Books (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The highly anticipated new book from the acclaimed author of The Accident Season is a gorgeous, twisty story about things gone missing, things returned from the past, and a group of teenagers, connected in ways they could never have imagined.  One stormy Irish summer night, Olive and her best friend, Rose, begin to lose things. It starts with simple items like hairclips and jewelry, but soon it's clear that Rose has lost something much bigger, something she won't talk about, and Olive thinks her best friend is slipping away.  Then seductive diary pages written by a girl named Laurel begin to appear all over town. And Olive meets three mysterious strangers: Ivy, Hazel, and her twin brother, Rowan, secretly squatting in an abandoned housing estate. The trio are wild and alluring, but they seem lost too—and like Rose, they're holding tight to painful secrets.  When they discover the spellbook, it changes everything. Damp, tattered and ancient, it's full of hand-inked charms to conjure back things that have been lost. And it just might be their chance to find what they each need to set everything back to rights.  Unless it's leading them toward things that were never meant to be found...

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

Spellbook of the Lost and Found is a book full of magic, mystery, and atmosphere. It's a book that will pull you in to a unique and engaging read. I didn't quite love it as much as I thought I would.

One thing I did love about this book was the prose and atmosphere the author was able to create. This is a book with beautiful writing. It absolutely creates a mood. A mood that you draws you in and builds a setting full of atmosphere and mystery. It's one of those books that forces you to slow down and take in all the words and their meanings. In addition the descriptive writing helped develop a setting pulled you in. I like books that help you forget about the world around you and this book did just that.

This was also a book full of magic and mystery. Much of the plot revolved around those two things. It wasn't a traditional mystery in that there was something specific to solve, it was note that the overall scope of the book was full of mystery. Same with the magic. It wasn't a complex magical system with specific rules that the characters interacted with (something that I usually prefer). In this book it was more about how there is magic and mystery all around us, we may not know it if we are not looking. It's a theme that I really enjoyed and helped to build an interesting atmosphere in this book.

That being said, I didn't totally love the plot development and pacing of this book. I got what it was attempting to and I did like the deeper themes but on the whole it felt a little confusing. I wasn't exactly sure where this book was going throughout it. I didn't know what it's end game was and because of that, I didn't really know when we were at the climax. It had a steady build throughout the entire thing but honestly that felt kind of problematic. It was just too steady. Even when it was all over I wasn't quite sure what it was all for. It just didn't make for a very satisfying feeling when I was done.

I also didn't love the characters. This is a book that has a lot of characters. And honestly, a lot of very similar characters. It didn't help that they were all named after trees. I had the hardest time remembering who each one of them was and how they were all connected. Because they were all connected. I actually did really enjoy those reveals. Some of them I saw coming and others I didn't. But I love when things seemingly unrelated come together in a big way and they did here in this book. The only problem was that there was just so little distinction between characters. There are three main perspectives here: Olive, Hazel, and Laurel. All of their voices felt the same to me. I would find myself forgetting who was narrating and who each of the other people were they kept referring to and honestly, it took me out of the book. I just wish we had one perspective or that the voices felt a little different so I could tell them apart.

On the whole, this was a good read, it's just not my favorite kind of read. It had atmospheric writing that pulls you in, and a plot full of magic and mystery but the plot fell a little flat for me and the characters blended together.

I give Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you like atmospheric YA in the vein of Jodi Lynn Anderson and Maggie Steifvater maybe check this out but if you are looking for a book with a great mystery and interesting characters then this may not be for you.

Have you read Spellbook of the Lost and Found? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!