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[wondereads]

pouring one out for agent browning tonight. if i had to be neil jostens assigned FBI agent I would invent new forms of alcoholism

[wondereads]

The assumption that people who read 100+ books a year are “only doing it for clout” and “don’t retain anything” is tedious and needs to stop being spread around

SOME of us have 1000+ book TBRs that are also constantly being added to and need to get through them before they die

[wondereads]

no "other/see results" we die like men

note that I'm not talking about the best SERIES just your favorite CHARACTER

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (04/22/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang (5/10)

This book was a huge disappointment for me. It's flaws are many, despite the interesting concept, and it ultimately lays in how underdeveloped this book is. It could have used so much editing when it comes to the writing, which is repetitive and trying far too hard to be flowery. The main character and the love interest had a lot of potential in the set-up, but the main character is just sort of bland and blank with an easily manipulated moral code and the love interest is...a manipulative asshole but it's okay because he likes her? The worldbuilding grabbed my interest, but it's inserted in such awkward ways and not explored nearly as much as I'd like. If you'd like to see more in-depth thoughts about this book, check out my full review here.

Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross (4/10)

Half this book is marketing for other franchises. Get this woman a sponsorship with Marvel and Star Wars stat. There are only so many times you can reference pop culture and have the main character gush about her favorite ship (Reylo) or superhero (Wolverine) before I start to feel completely detached from the story since more time is devoted to pitching other media than plot or character development. This story is far too drawn out and obviously has just the barest semblance of plot just to keep the main characters from happiness for a bit longer, which leads to a contrived and boring twist. There are a lot of scenes devoted to obviously setting up all the other couples in this series, and there's just really nothing original about the story. At least the leads had some chemistry.

The Summer Queen by Rochelle Hassan (9/10)

This is the sequel to The Buried and the Bound, and I definitely enjoyed myself. As usual, the dynamics between the main three are really good, platonically and romantically, and I think getting each of their perspectives really contributes to that. I loved how much direct faerie interaction there was in this book, and we got to learn a lot more about how magic works, especially Aziza's. I thought the Hunt would be a much larger part of the book than it was---it felt a little rushed---but other than that this was a strong novel! It also has more of a direct line into what will eventually be the third book, giving it more of an overarching plot.

Island of Graves by Lisa McMann (CR, 18%)

I haven't touched this in a week :D

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (CR, 10%)

I'm trying with this one, I really am, but I'm not sure if it's the writing or that I'm still not sure what the actual plot of this is, but so far this book is astronomically boring. I probably would have DNF'd it by now if it weren't for a book club.

The Sunshine Court by Nora Sakavic (CR, 1%)

I've just barely opened this one, but I'm really excited. My relationship with All for the Game is a complicated one because I both love it and think it is horrendously written, but one thing I love about it is the characters, so I'm ready to see them again! I can't wait to learn about Jean and get his story.

[wondereads]

I’m bored and nosy. Please reblog this with the book you’re currently reading.

[wondereads]

The fact that I regularly have to get on the internet and explain to people in book spaces that yes, censorship/book bans/removing books from libraries is bad, yes, even if it’s a book/author you don’t like is INSANE

[wondereads]

Review of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang

Genre: High Fantasy

Age Range: Adult

My Rating: 5/10

Yang Ruying lives in a scarred world. Years ago, a portal between her own world of Pangu and the world of the ruthless and scientifically-advanced Rome opened. Since then, Ruying's country, Er Ling, has been ravaged by Rome, both through violence and the terrible drug, opian, and to fight back is to be destroyed. While magic gets scarcer and scarcer, Ruying has a remarkably strong power of her own; she is blessed by Death. She avoids her power at all cost, but when she is taken by the Romans her only option is a deal with one of her enemy's princes, Antony.

I've been looking forward to this book for a while, and I was lucky to receive an ARC, but it was a bit disappointing, and I think the big issue lies in the writing. Plotwise this is quite interesting (and very relevant to current events), but actually not that much happens. Most of the book is Ruying arguing with herself, going from accusing Roman sympathizers as traitors to teaming up with a Roman prince and maybe back again? Off the top of my head, there are maybe four major plot beats despite there being room for much more. The politics behind Rome's domination and the ongoing Panguling rebellion are quite interesting to me. Instead, time is devoted to very heavy-handed worldbuilding and Ruying's inner moral dilemma, which starts to feel like it's going in circles after a little while.

The writing of this book seems like it's attempting to be flowery, but instead it usually ends up stating the same thing over and over again in order to say it in another metaphorical way. The first 10% or so is filled with just a lot of info-dumping about the worldbuilding and Ruying's past, things that could have been woven into the narrative much better, especially since a lot of the things Ruying goes on about in her narration are addressed later in the book. Ruying herself is not a terrible character, and I sympathize with her desire to prioritize peace over what seems to be complete annihilation, but her blind faith and generally undeserved adoration for Antony make her feel one-dimensional and not very likable. There have been a few accusations of this being a colonizer romance, and I don't agree with that, but I will say the romance was annoying and took far too much time away from the very pressing plot issues.

I think there's a lot of potential in this book; the worldbuilding itself, despite its poor insertion, is really interesting, especially when Chang starts to bring in the science side of things from the Romans. The plot has a lot of room to say something sorely needed in the modern world. Unfortunately, most of that is sacrificed so Ruying can continue angsting over her dubious morality and doomed romance. Overall, I wasn't very impressed, and it's unlikely I'll continue the series, but I do think this author could potentially write some very strong novels in the future.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (04/15/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

The Buried and the Bound by Rochelle Hassan (8/10)

This was a quick reread since I'm going to be reading The Summer Queen, the sequel, and I actually liked this one more the second time around! It has a sort of casual interaction with the fantastical that I love, and Aziza, Leo, and Tristan are all great characters with unique ties to each other. There are some points where I think things are just a little too convenient or rushed, but those mostly happen early on and the plot is cohesive and strong for the rest of the book.

House of Crimson Hearts by Ruby Roe (3/10, DNF @ 50%, 18+)

As I've mentioned, I was excited for this one since sapphic fantasy romances are few and far between. Unfortunately, this book was just a mess. The main characters have wildly inconsistent characterization, and it's so obvious the author wrote in certain worldbuilding elements to make them have sex without working out their issues and hatred for each other. The worldbuilding is atrocious; despite the typical vaguely historical fantasy setting descriptions and the lack of anything like lightbulbs, phones, or really any technological advancement, the final straw for me was the remote control vibrator that made its appearance halfway through. There's absolutely no effort to build a sensible setting for the story, which is barely there in the first place. The actual plot was just beginning when I DNF'd--halfway through the book! An unfortunate letdown.

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang (CR, 53%)

This was another highly anticipated read of mine and, unfortunately, it's not living up to my hopes. I think a lot of flaws lay in the writing, which is clunky and over-descriptive, taking time away from character and plot developments. The worldbuilding is interesting, but it's inserted in very awkward infodumps, and a lot of the elements that caught my attention aren't being given a lot of page time.

Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross (CR, 33%)

On one hand, this is shaping up to be a brainless, fun fantasy romance, just like I thought it'd be. On the other hand, there is a place for your fandom rants, and your published novel is not it. If I wanted to read about this author's undying love for Reylo or Wolverine, I'd check out their social media. I should not have to slog through a whole chapter of the main character perusing a comic book shop so the love interest can say she's so 'quirky' and 'passionate.' It's unfortunate because the rest of the book is meeting my expectations so far.

Island of Graves by Lisa McMann (CR, 18%)

This is another book with a major pro and con. Pro: Alex instantly gave up searching for Aaron, finally letting Aaron reap the consequences of his actions. Con: Alex instantly gave up searching for Aaron, ruining the cliffhanger of the last book. If you're going to introduce a huge future plot point at the end of a book to get readers to continue your series, you can't immediately backtrack on it. This is a symptom of this series' issues as a whole, desperately trying to maintain the status quo for seven whole books, and stunting the plot and character growth in the process.

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (CR, 6%)

I've barely started this one, but for now it's just sort of decent. I'm vaguely intrigued by the vampire's story, but it's also tough to get attached when a lot of the details, such as people's actual names, are missing.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (04/08/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut!

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (8/10)

I don’t know if I’d say this book was enjoyable; it’s non-linear and doesn’t really build up to much. However, it is an incredibly strong piece of commentary on the horrors of war as well as many other social issues. While I didn’t enjoy it as a story, I thought it was an amazing dissertation and did something very interesting with the sci-fi elements.

The Lost Heir by Tui T. Sutherland (9/10)

This is a really strong book, one that kind of politics-heavy for a children's series and is narrated by an interesting but distinctly flawed character. This one is from Tsunami's perspective who, if I remember correctly, was my favorite of the dragonets, often tied with Glory. The worldbuilding in this series continues to be pretty amazing, and the pacing is good as well. I do wish it was clarified how old these dragons would be as humans because it sounds really weird when you're trying to marry off your six-year-old to your advisor, but the dragonets tend to act more like teens than young children.

Trickster’s Queen by Tamora Pierce (9/10)

This was a strong conclusion to this duology; the way things are wrapped up on the political side do it quite well considering the real-world reflections. I liked this book for a reason I like a lot of Pierce books, which is that she doesn't shy away from the day-to-day struggles of larger conflicts. It's not all huge battles and coups, it's slowly chipping away at a regime's stability through small signs of resistance, dissemination of information, and driving wedges in the ruling class. The characters are really strong, establishing a huge cast very well, especially on the romance side with Aly and Nawat. Dove is an amazing character, and as a reader, despite her age, I could see her being an accomplished queen.

House of Crimson Hearts by Ruby Roe (18+) (CR, 13%)

I was not anticipating a sex scene within the first two chapters of this book, but I'm not complaining. I really like that this sapphic romantasy is being unabashedly sexual, something queer books can struggle to get out there. Plotwise I'm not quite sure what the long-term goal is, but I find Octavia and her backstory very interesting.

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang (CR, 11%)

So far I'm kind of neutral on this book. The worldbuilding draws me in, as does some of the complex relationships being built up. On the other hand, it feels like there's a bit of info-dumping going on. Instead of weaving information into the narration, there are lumps of explanation that are inserted practically every other paragraph, which is sort of slowing things down for me right now.

Mystery Editing Stuff

I'm mostly just putting this here for my own tracking purposes, but I'm really excited to start talking about this book once it become generally available.

[wondereads]

April YA Book Releases

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

YA Thriller

Author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder

true crime, missing persons, memory loss

Fate Be Changed by Farrah Rochon

YA Fantasy

Twisted Tales series

princess, disney, curses

Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew

YA Fantasy

Author of The Whispering Dark

dark magic, gothic, lgbt

The Black Girl Survives in This One: Horror Stories by Desiree S. Evans and Saraceia J. Fennell

YA Horror

Author of Cool. Awkward. Black.

anthology, ghosts, zombies

Something Kindred by Ciera Burch

YA Contemporary

Author of Finch House

lgbt, coming of age, photography

Against the Darkness by Kendare Blake

YA Fantasy

Buffy: The Next Generation #3

vampires, witches, high school

The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray by Christine Calella

YA Historical

Debut author

pirates, identity theft, navy

Calling of Light by Lori M. Lee

YA Fantasy

Shamanborn Series #3

class differences, dark forest, sacrifice

We're Never Getting Home by Tracy Badua

YA Contemporary

Author of This Is Not a Personal Statement

aapi, religion, friendship breakup

The Kill Factor by Ben Oliver

YA Horror

Author of The Loop

dystopian, survival, social injustice

Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin

YA Fantasy

Author of A Magic Steeped in Poison

aapi, royalty, music

Off With Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta

YA Fantasy

Author of Gearbreakers

korean, retelling, sapphic

Harley Quinn: Redemption by Rachael Allen

YA Adventure

DC Icons Series #3

superheroes, lgbt, action

Powerful by Lauren Roberts

YA Fantasy

The Powerless Trilogy

forbidden romance, assassination, class difference

To a Darker Shore by Leanne Schwartz

YA Fantasy

Author of A Prayer for Vengeance

beauty standards, invention, monsters

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C. J. Redwine

YA Fantasy

Author of The Shadow Queen

pirates, political, revenge plot

The Notes by Catherine Con Morse

YA Contemporary

Debut author

boarding school, musical arts, aapi

The Lilies by Quinn Diacon-Furtado

YA Thriller

Debut author

detective, time loop, dark academia

[wondereads]

I hate how people accuse Percy of forgetting about Calypso. He made the gods promise to free her and he was under the impression that they would.

It makes sense that Calypso would be upset/angry with him because she's isolated and didn't know if he even tried to help her after he left. That makes sense to me.

But the gods went back on their promise. And everyone holds Percy responsible. He was just a kid, freshly turned 16. Like what was he expected to do? Babysit the gods to make sure they held up their end of the deal? He shouldn't be expected to do that.

Not to mention even if he would've thought to check up on Calypso, he spent 6 months of his sixteenth year with no memories of his past. He literally had no way to help her. Hera stole months from him.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (04/01/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

The Red Palace by June Hur (7/10)

This was a really interesting historical mystery that delved into an area of history I'd never heard of before, the palace nurses of Joseon. The historical aspect of this book is incredibly interesting and made even more so that the plot is based on a true event. The mystery isn't mind-blowing, but it is executed quite well and balances actually solving it with the social pressures of the time. Unfortunately, this book falls short in terms of the characters. I liked the main character, Hyeon, but she doesn't really have a solid arc. Her relationship with her mother drew my attention, but her relationship with her father ended in a very unsatisfying way for me. Also, while the love interest is green flag after green flag, he also has no discernable flaws.

The Lost Heir by Tui T. Sutherland (CR, 70%)

Of the first five books of Wings of Fire, this one was my favorite when I was younger. I really enjoyed the more heavy political aspects, and that holds true now. For a middle grade novel, this delves a lot into the various implications of dragon politics and leadership. Also, just like the first one, it is surprisingly violent. Tsunami is also one of my favorites of the dragonets (it's tied between her and Glory most of the time), so I really enjoy reading from her perspective.

Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce (CR, 5%)

This novel begins with a bit of a time skip, but I can already tell it's going to be much more social politics-heavy than the first one, and I can't wait. I like the dynamic between Aly and Kyprioth; only the daughter of the Lioness could be comfortable speaking to a god that way.

House of Crimson Hearts by Ruby Roe (CR, 5%)

As would be expected from a vampire novel, there's already blood, but perhaps not in the way a vampire would like as she's been stabbed. I'm really excited to get into this one since there's not a lot of sapphic romantasy out there.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (CR, 5%)

This should be a quick read, but I am a bit apprehensive. This was pitched to me as science fiction, and while I do love a strong anti-war sentiment, this seems remarkably normal so far. I hope it's not like Dirk Gentley's Holistic Detective Agency where I have to wait the whole book until the science fiction part comes into play.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update: Catch Up Edition! (03/11/24--03/25/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

03/11/24

We Ate the Dark by Mallory Pearson (6/10)

This was a book club pick, and one of our members actually knows the author! This book is drowning in figurative language. It could have been cut down significantly. I'm not one to hate on flowery language, but the vagueness and metaphors that overtook this writing often obscured what was actually happening. It crafted a very good, eerie atmosphere, but there was a lot of confusion for me. I also would've appreciated some clarification on the worldbuilding concerning the magic and who's aware of it and the relationships of the main cast; keeping track of who was kissing who was a struggle. On the positive side, there was a lot of good suspense, and I got confirmation that there will be a sequel, which makes me feel much better about the ending.

A Bargain with the Fae King by Megan Van Dyke (3/10)

The main character of this novel was so absolutely insufferable. Her entire character revolves around constantly beating herself up and blaming herself for everything...and then proceeding to never change anything and do things people actively warn her not to do. It's a bit unfortunate because there was some good romantic chemistry, but every time she and the love interest did anything, it was ruined by her inner monologue harping on about the same things over and over. Despite that, I still might have given this a 5 or so, but the love interest absolutely ruined it. He did something absolutely atrocious, the red flag of all red flags, and the main character forgives him almost instantly. Girl, run!

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn (9/10)

This was a great continuation to the Legendborn Cycle, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite young adult series. There were some issues with the pacing, specifically with random worldbuilding elements coming out of nowhere at oddly convenient times, but other than that I really have no complaints. There's a lot of amazing character work, especially considering the relationships between Bree, Nick, and Sel, and the ending was completely insane. I love that there continues to be a huge focus on the racism in the Order and that there's much more explained about the non-Order magical world.

Mated to the Monster by Sarah Spade (4/10)

This was a random choice since I just wanted a mindless paranormal romance, but it wasn't at all satisfying. I'm sorry, but if you're building up the whole book, a whole adult paranormal romance book to the main couple having sex, something that has both huge implications for their relationship and the magic surrounding it...it better fucking not be fade to black. I know it's such a small thing to get pissed at a book about, but it is such a huge part of the story, something that was supposed to be basically the climax (hah). I have absolutely no issue with fade-to-black, but maybe don't make that choice when your whole story revolves around these character eventually having sex.

03/18/24

Glint by Raven Kennedy (7/10)

It's been a while since I read Gild, but I did remember most of what happens because that book is practically a prologue. This book was pretty slow; there's a lot of worldbuilding, character relationship building, and some pretty big reveals around the main character, but there's a lot of downtime in this book. I was overall expecting a little bit more, but it was still an enjoyable read, and I'll probably continue the series.

The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland (8/10)

This is a reread from my childhood, and it was super fun to experience again. I was struck by how horrendously violent this middle grade novel is; what do you mean the children are trapped in a gladiator ring and forced to commit murder in order to survive? I think Clay is a great perspective to start from as both a more genial, everyman kind of character and as the oldest of the dragonets and someone who is implied to be their glue and rock. Peril is a truly insane character concept, but she is so interesting; I'm excited to get to her book, which I never got to read when I was younger. There's so much good worldbuilding for this age group, and I feel like most of my gripes lie in how convenient certain things are and how some characters' behavior is sort of excused.

Rising Storm by Erin Hunter (7/10)

Another reread, Rising Storm sort of reads like the space between major events. While this book culminates in the fire, which is so important and shocking, there's not really a lot of build-up, just a few lines about the forest going through a drought. Instead, there's a lot of focus on ShadowClan, Bluestar, and the looming threat of Tigerclaw, which is all stuff that truly comes into play in the fifth book. One of my favorite parts of this book is the relationship between Fireheart and Sandstorm, which is just so cute. Also, one of my favorite characters of the whole series is Cloudpaw, but I forgot how annoying he was in the early books (I say this with love).

Heaven Official's Blessing Vol. 4 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (9/10)

The horror that I was subjected to in this volume. As usual, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng are adorable and I'm obsessed with them, but this volume focuses a lot on the side characters, particularly Shi Qingxuan. There's a lot of really emotional stuff in this volume, getting into the pain that's always associated with this series. It's easy to see both sides, and I'm interested to see how the situation will resolve since it has a bit of an open ending in this installment. I know this was not written for volumes and instead chapter by chapter in one huge story, but there is a weird disjointedness to the latter third of the book, suddenly shifting focus from what had been going on almost the entire novel up to that point.

03/25/24

Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce (8/10)

This one is technically a reread, but this is one of the Tamora Pierce series I did not finished, having been a middle schooler who did not finish Trickster's Queen before it was due back at the library. This series is a bit tricky (get it?) when it comes to the social message since it deals very directly with settler colonialism and racism, compared to Pierce's other Tortall books which tend to focus more on feminism. I'm not going to make judgments until I finish the duology, but for now it seems pretty good for a novel from 2003. Concerning the actual story and characters, Aly is a great diversion from Pierce's usual serious, extremely determined protagonists as a more playful, casual character. I'm a huge fan of Nawat and Dove, who are my personal favorite side characters. The politics of the Copper Isles are incredibly interesting, especially since social lives play into it, and there's going to be a lot more in the next book.

Four Plays: Medea, Hippolytus, Heracles, Bacchae by Euripides (5/10)

This is an average rating over all the plays. For example, I loved Medea, but I did not enjoy Hippolytus and Bacchae was okay. There are some surprisingly funny moments in these plays for tragedies, but they don't really mesh well with a modern perspective. Very useful in terms of history and culture, but not exactly engaging and enjoyable.

Island of Shipwrecks by Lisa McMann (7/10)

I'm close to the end of this series, and I'm kind of glad. While this book does break the pattern that had been set so far, I think I'm starting to get a little bored. The characters have been stuck in a rut recently; while the worldbuilding and plot expand every book, there's very little development in the characters. I'm kind of getting sick of Alex continuing to prioritize Aaron, who killed his mentor and became a dictator. There was such an interesting thing going on with the men on the shipwreck island, especially since they are practically confirmed to be from Japan, from the real world, but most of their interaction was with Henry, not Alex or any of the other main characters.

[wondereads]

there’s no greater betrayal than finally starting to read a book you’ve had sitting for months on your shelf or your desk or your nightstand and then finding out it’s bad. like. i gave you a fucking home.

[wondereads]

Leave Trans Kids Alone

Inspired by David Tennant's "Leave Trans Kids Alone You Absolute Freaks" shirt, here are some amazing trans middle grade and picture books you should read:

Book titles:

99% Chance of Magic by Amy Eleanor Heart, Abbey Darling and Luna Merbruja

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

Jamie by L.D. Lapinski

Camp QUILTBAG by Nicole Melleby and A. J. Sass

Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

Moonflower by Kacen Callender

Joy, to the World by Kai Shappley and Lisa Bunker

Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass

Girl Haven by Lilah Sturges, Meaghan Carter and Joamette Gil

Obie Is Man Enough by Schuyler Bailar

Alice Austen Lived Here by Alex Gino

The House That Whispers by Lin Thompson

Both Can Be True by Jules Machias

The Tea Dragon Festival by K. O'Neill

Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff

Jude Saves the World by Ronnie Riley

Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee

The Ship We Built by Lexie Bean

Rabbit Chase by Elizabeth Lapensee, KC Oster and Aarin Dokum

Skating on Mars by Caroline Huntoon

Tally the Witch by Molly Landgraff

The Beautiful Something Else by Ash Van Otterloo

The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith

The Fabulous Zed Watson! by Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester

The Ojja-Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio and Jenn St-Onge

Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff

The One Who Loves You the Most by medina

Me and My Dysphoria Monster by Laura Kate Dale and Hui Qing Ang

When Aidan Became A Brother by Kyle Lukoff and Kaylani Juanita

Calvin by J.R. Ford, Vanessa Ford and Kayla Harren

[wondereads]

idk maybe a weird ask but any advice on how to enjoy romance books without being bummed out by discourse? i know they aren’t the pinnacle of literature or anything, but the recent stuff people have been saying about romance not counting as books has been kind of discouraging. have no idea why i’m asking this, i just wanna read my silly gay romance in peace without feeling guilty i’m not reading Super High Brow Literature. currently my main method is reading out of sheer spite, but any other advise is helpful. it’s not even just online, i get this irl too.

hey man in the most respectful way possible. who gives a shit. reading is for fun and guilt is for catholics. do whatever you want forever.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (03/04/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Stain by A. G. Howard (9/10)

I had a great time rereading this book. This is the only book by A. G. Howard I've read that is high fantasy, not low or contemporary, and I honestly wish she did it more. She really nails the ethereal atmosphere which pairs beautifully with the fairy tale inspiration. This book is a bit on the slow side, and such flowery language isn't for everyone, but I think the mood is immaculate. Lyra and Vesper continue to be one of my favorite romances; their interactions in the last few chapters always have me giggling.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (6/10)

This book is honestly super intriguing and does a great job of building suspense. However, the last half is so oddly rushed with disjointed writing and so many sudden revelations that I felt like I was in a fever dream. Mara, despite being described as "not like other girls" by the love interest himself (a line that almost made me put down the book) is honestly quite likable as a main character. Personally, I would not put a normal high school life above addressing my hallucinations and constant trail of death, but other than that, Mara tends to react pretty reasonably and has a good inner struggle going on. The romance is probably what kept this book at 3 stars for me. Is it healthy? Hell no. But it is fun and they've got great chemistry. As for the negative, like I said, this book sort of goes off the rails. While I don't mind the paranormal elements, the random confession from Noah, deus ex machina potion, and general rushed writing makes it fall apart. There's a bit too much going on and not nearly enough time devoted to each scene. Still, what a great twist at the end.

A Bargain with the Fae King by Megan van Dyke (CR, 63%)

So far, this book is honestly just kind of boring. The whole story revolves around the main character, Lia, trying to get her little sister back, and there's a sort of half-hearted attempt to bring in some fae politics, but so far all it's done is slow things down. Lia herself is a very annoying main character. Half of what she does is berate and feel sorry for herself, only to proceed to make the same mistakes over and over, often by demanding she get to do things the other characters have very good reasons for trying to keep her from doing. It's a fantasy romance, and the chemistry is decent, but most romantic scenes are ruined by Lia harping on about her sister. There's nothing wrong with being worried, but her constant self-pitying is getting repetitive, especially when she's been told she needs to be patient.

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn (CR, 35%)

On the other side of the spectrum, so much is happening in this book and I'm eating it up. I really like that it's taking the route of going against the Order because I don't trust those Regents as far as I could throw them. I also like that race continues to be a prominent theme even though Bree should technically be in power at this point, as frustrating as it is. It was so satisfying to see Bree call the Regents out for their prejudice, as much as they try to hide it. I hope Bree, Nick, and Sel are reunited in this book since I love their trio dynamic.