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Monday, December 26, 2022

Reading Reflection: 2022

 


With the end of the year only a few days away, I wanted to make sure to set aside some time to reflect on how my reading went in 2022. This ended up being a bit of a strange year for me. I started off extremely strong, reading at least 100 pages a day for most of the year. Once September hit, however, I started graduate school and my reading time cratered. Luckily, my reading throughout the first part of the year was enough to carry my through all of my reading goals.  I finished everything I wanted to do and read the most books I've ever read in a year. However, I'm definitely exiting the year on a whimper instead of a bang.  

This is okay though! I still had a great year. Here's the breakdown of what I accomplished.



My goal was to read 100 books and I ended up reading 101. This is the most books I have ever read in a year, so this was definitely a success for me. I can't help but wonder what number I would have ended up with had I been able to continue reading regularly throughout the end of the year, but hey, I can always try this again once grad school is done with. You can view my year in reading here.




Another challenge I set for myself in 2022 was to read 22 books that I had been meaning to get to for awhile. I did end up reading them all and finishing this challenge. You can view my results here.




Another goal I set for myself was to finish reading some of the series I had sitting on my shelves. I set myself a goal of finishing seven different series, and I ended up finishing nine. This was a total of 34 books. Not too shabby! You can view my results here.




My last challenge was to make myself more knowledgeable about middle grades fiction by reading at least 24 middle grades books this year. I ended up reading 33, and several of them ended up being favorites for the year for me. I was definitely sleeping on this genre and I plan to continue reading from it in the future. You can view my results here.

So that's about it for 2022! It was a successful year, but a bit sad too as this will certainly be the most I'll be able to read in a year for a good long while. I'm going to be in graduate school throughout all of 2023, so my posts here on the blog, and my reading goals, will be greatly reduced. I'll post as much as I can though, and I will certainly be back once it's all over.

November/December Reads



This is difficult for me, but I've come to the conclusion that I have to take a step back from reading and  blogging for the foreseeable future. I've written reviews for every book I've read for almost seven years, but I'm unable to keep up the same pace while going through grad school. I still want to write longer reviews occasionally, but for now, I think the best I can do is just keep a monthly list of what I finish. 
Once I am done with school, I hope to return back to writing more regularly. It's just too much to try and keep up with right now. So, it will definitely be quieter here for a while, but I will keep a monthly list going of what I read and post more if I can.

That being said, here's how November went:

Frankie and Bug by Gayle Foreman (4 stars)
Book Love by Debbie Tung (4 stars)
The Mermaid in the Millpond by Lucy Strange (3 stars)
The Sprite and the Gardener by Rii Abrego (4 stars)
The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo (5 stars)
A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare (4 stars)
Stranger Things Volume One by Jody Houser (4 stars)
Are You Listening by Tillie Walden (2 stars)

And December:
A Week to be Wicked by Tessa Dare (4 stars)
A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare (3 stars)


Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 32/24 - Finished!  

Total Books Read in 2022: 101

Monday, October 31, 2022

October Wrap Up

 


October has been my least productive reading month of the year by far. I only finished two books, one of them being a quick graphic novel that I read in a few days. Part of this was definitely due to being in grad school, and part of it was due to The Little Friend being an interminably long read. 

Here are links to my reviews:

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

It seems a bit pointless to pick a best and worst read of the month with so few books completed, but Nimona was the best and The Little Friend was the worst.

I will be donating both of these books to my classroom, so a total of two books will be leaving my shelves. I did not purchase any new books this month.

I'm not going to make a TBR for November because my main goal will just be to read a handful of short books. My only goal left to achieve this year is to finish 100 novels, and at 91 finished, I'm close enough to be able to get this done despite grad school.

As far as other crafts go, I finished two things this month. The first is my diamond painting. I definitely dragged my feet on this one, but I got it done in the end:



The  other thing I finished was this 500 piece puzzle from Cloudberries called "Wilderness." It was pretty quick to put together after I got done sorting the pieces into the separate little images.



So that's about all for October. I'm ready to move into November and continue to work on my school and my reading goals.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

 


I was looking for a quick read to finish up October with, so I picked up Nimona from my graphic novel shelf. This  is a cute adventure story about a villain named Lord Ballister Blackheart and his new sidekick, a frisky shapeshifter named Nimona. Their ongoing mission is to get under the skin of the heroic Sir Ambrosious Goldenloin, an arch nemesis with whom Blackheart has a complicated history. As their acts of villainy play out, it becomes clear that Nimona has a mysterious backstory as well, and her true origins may pose more danger than Blackheart knows.

This novel was very cute and quite smart at the same time. It felt witty and modern to read, despite the medieval setting. The illustrations were beautiful and the overall themes were very goodhearted and centered around love, acceptance, and friendship. I really enjoyed it and think it's a great choices for middle to high school readers. This was a nice, easy way to wrap up the month and I'm excited to have another book to bring to my students.  


Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 29/24 - Finished!  

Total Books Read in 2022: 91




The Little Friend by Donna Tartt

 



Things have been very quiet here on the blog lately. This it due to two main factors: my reading time has been drastically reduced due to grad school, and I was making my way through The Little Friend by  Donna Tartt. This novel was on my 22 in 2022 challenge list, mainly because The Goldfinch is one of my favorite books of all time and I was eager to try more from this author. I initially put off reading this one because of its length. My edition is 624 pages of very small print and I knew it would take me a while to get through. I ended up reading all of the other books on my challenge list first, so with this one being the only one left, it was finally time to pick it up this month.

The plot of the novel follows a precocious twelve year old girl named Harriet, who is growing up the small, backwater town of Alexandria, Mississippi in the 1970s. When Harriet was just a baby, her older brother Robin was murdered, a crime that remained unsolved and devastated her family. Her mother was mentally broken by the death, leaving Harriet and older sister Allison to largely fend for themselves. Harriet has always been fascinated with her late brother, and she vows one day to determine who is responsible and make them pay for their crime. As she starts digging into her troubled family's past her investigations lead her onto a path of self discovery and incredible danger.

I had very mixed feelings about this book. The writing itself was truly excellent and a joy to read, but this story was deeply unsatisfying. The first few pages appeared to set up a murder mystery, but the ensuing 600 pages don't deliver on that premise. Instead, there is a lot of description of various people and places and a lot of story threads that don't seem to add up to anything. The book is most definitely overlong and there were many times during my reading that I was just bored. I kept waiting to get back to the mystery of Robin, but it turns out that Robin's death wasn't the point of the book was at all. What the point was, I don't know. Even after finishing the story, I'm not sure what the point of it all was.

Another aspect of the book that I wasn't sure about was the way Tartt depicted race. This is written in the Southern Gothic style, and set in the deep South in the 1970s, so it makes sense that you'd see racism in it. There were an awful lot of n-words though. It was almost To Kill a Mockingbird levels of n-word. Some parts of the story were about race, so the language wasn't purposeless, but it didn't feel great either. Many of the characters were overtly racist, but what made it even more uncomfortable for me was that the omniscient narrative voice was racist as well. Aside from Harriet occasionally feeling bad about this, these attitudes go unchecked. I would have to imagine that a non-white reader would really struggle with this one. There was also a character with Down's Syndrome that I'm not sure was depicted thoughtfully either.  

Overall, I would say that The Little Friend was a mildly enjoyable read. Tartt is undoubtedly a beautiful writer, but there was not enough plot in this brick of a book. I was ultimately left dissatisfied. I'm not mad that I read this, but it just was not as good as I was expecting it to be based on how much I liked The Goldfinch. 

On a side note, this was my last book in my 22 in 2022 Challenge! Another goal completed!


Challenge Tally


22 in 2022: 22/22 Done!

Total Books Read in 2022: 90




Friday, September 30, 2022

September Wrap Up

 


September went by in a total blur for me. I haven't been so busy in years. My new position as a reading specialist at my school started, and so did my graduate courses. Between those two things, my reading time has basically been decimated. As you can probably tell from the very few and extremely short reviews I posted here on the blog, I've had to swap my novels for textbooks and my writing time for studying time. I haven't stopped reading altogether, but I'm definitely going to be reading a lot less for the foreseeable future. So basically, things will be quieter here, but I'm not going to stop posting. I'm really happy too, which feels weird to me because I haven't felt this way in a very long time. I think I'm finally on the right track. I'm busy, but it's a good busy.

I read a total of five books in the month of September, for a total of 1,805 pages. As I suspected, I had to break my 100 pages a day streak, but that's okay because it's for a good reason. I liked everything I read too. Here's the breakdown:


My favorite read of the month was On a Sunbeam, a really heartfelt and beautiful sci-fi graphic novel. The art was beautiful and the story was quite moving. My least favorite of the month was Paradise on Fire, which was perfectly fine, but not the best I've read from that author.

I only purchased one book this month, Stephen King's new novel, Fairy Tale. I bought this one on my Kindle, because I'm trying to clear some shelf space. I donated Black Birds in the Sky and Paradise on Fire, so a total of two books left my shelves.

My plan for September is to read the last book from my 22 in 2022 Challenge so I can wrap that up. It's a long one, so with my reduced reading time, I will be spending most of the month on that. With the time that's left, I'm going to focus on some shorter reads. I'm only ten books away from getting to 100 novels this year and completing my Goodreads Challenge, so I want to make sure I can finish that up. Here's my plan:

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
Frankie and Bug by Gayle Forman
Ink by Alive Broadway
Book Love by Debbie Tung

In between all the studying this month, I did manage to finish two puzzles and make significant progress on my diamond painting. The diamond painting is not done yet, so I'll wait to share pictures until I finish it. Here are the puzzles:


The first was a quick 100 piece puzzle called "Drunk in Love" from Pezel Puzzles. It was very cute and fun to put together. It even included the cocktail recipe for the drink in the picture on the back of the box. I didn't try it though. It's one of those ones that has egg whites in it, which grosses me out.


The next puzzle was a 500 piece puzzle called "Flourished Merriment" from Pomegranate Puzzles. This has to be one of my favorite puzzles of the year. Look at the face on that tiger! So cute! The sections in it were distinct enough to sort and put together easily. I really liked this one.

The other thing I became obsessed with this month is a new game - Disney Dreamlight Valley. It's basically Animal Crossing, but with Disney characters, and it's fantastic. I can't stop playing it! 

So that was my September. It was the first month of some really big changes for me. I went into it quite anxious and unsure, but I ended up really liking all the changes! I hope this continues into October, and that I can find a way to squeeze some more reading and craft time in.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

 


Project Hail Mary tells the story of Ryland Grace, an astronaut sent on a suicide mission to save Earth from a mysterious alien amoeba that is soaking up all the energy from the sun. His mission is to travel to an area around Venus that seems to be immune to the amoeba, find out why, and send everything he learns back to Earth. Unfortunately, the coma he is placed in for the duration of his journey leaves him with amnesia. When he wakes up, he doesn't even realize he's in space. In order to complete his mission, Grace must first remember why he is there, then he must figure out how to solve the mystery of the amoeba.

This novel was great. It was an exciting sci-fi adventure with lots of twists and turns. Much like Weir's first novel, The Martian, there was a lot of science talk included that added a façade of credibility to the story. The narrative flipped back and forth between Grace's past and present, slowly revealing the circumstances of him being selected for the mission. I thought this structural choice was good, as it broke up the sometimes dense scientific sections and provided interesting backstory. The characters were strangely endearing and Weir's sense of humor made this a really fun read. This was the perfect book to indulge in during my study breaks and I'd definitely recommend it to any sci-fi fans.


Challenge Tally


22 in 2022: 21/22

Total Books Read in 2022: 89




Thursday, September 29, 2022

Paradise On Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes

 


Paradise on Fire tells the story of a teenage girl named Addy who is sent to an outdoor skills camp for the summer. Her parents passed away in a house fire when she was very young, and she is still struggling with her grief and anxiety over it. She's become preoccupied with making maps and drawing escape routes so that she will never end up stuck inside somewhere. Her aunt thinks that the camp will do her some good, and when Addy arrives there, she realizes that her aunt was right. She quickly falls in love with hiking and exploring the woods. Her enjoyment is cut short, however, when a forest fire threatens the camp. Addy must conquer her fears and use her map making skills to find a safe route around the fire to save herself and her friends.

I thought this novel was pretty good and very appropriate for the middle grades audience it was written for. Addy's journey is emotional and uplifting, and the story carries a strong environmental message as well. The sections where she must find a way around the fire are genuinely suspenseful and I think young readers will easily be swept up in the excitement. This novel didn't hit me quite as strongly as the other book by Jewell Parker Rhodes that I have read, Ghost Boys, but it was still a pretty solid read. I will definitely be donating this one to my school and recommending it to lots of students. 


Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 28/24 - Finished!  

Total Books Read in 2022: 88





Wednesday, September 28, 2022

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

 


The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a memoir in graphic novel format. In it, Satrapi describes her childhood growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, her adolescence in Austria, and her young adulthood back in her home country. Her writing centers around her complex relationship with Iran--a country she loves but eventually cannot abide. As the leadership becomes more and more conservative and controlling there, her naturally outspoken and assertive nature put her in danger. She struggles quite a bit to find her purpose and embrace her true identity. Persepolis is the story of the journey she takes to grow up and finally get there.

I thought this novel was great. It felt honest and authentic. Satrapi did a nice job of portraying herself as a real person complete with strengths and flaws. The simple illustrations matched the tone of the memoir perfectly and were a treat to read. I learned a lot about Iran too, and the changes that have happened in that country over time. It was interesting to see the push and pull going on in Satrapi's mind. She sees Iran as her home, but has to come to terms with the fact that it is no longer the place of her childhood. Her turmoil and heartbreak leapt off the page. I found this novel to be surprisingly complex and definitely worth the read.


Challenge Tally  

Total Books Read in 2022: 87





Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert

 


It's been awhile since I posted here, but I have still been reading as much as I can. Starting my masters program has been time consuming, to say the least. I've definitely slowed my pace, but I did still manage to finish a few things. My next few reviews will be on the shorter side, but I still wanted to get my thoughts down here.

I read Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert towards the beginning of the month. This is a nonfiction middle grades novel about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. I didn't know much about the topic before reading, and I did feel like I had a good understanding of the horrific event afterwards, so the book did its job. Even though I really shouldn't be surprised by the extent of historical racism anymore, I found myself truly stunned by the events described here. This is a shameful part of American history and it should be discussed more. 

The text itself was clearly well researched and not too difficult to read. One small issue I had was the amount of background information provided. I'm not sure if Colbert didn't have enough information to fill out the whole novel or if she thought all the backstory was necessary, but this book spends over 100 pages on other historical topics that are related to Tulsa. I found myself disengaging from the narrative during these sections and wishing to get back to the main point.

Aside from that though, I thought this was an excellent and very informative nonfiction novel for middle grades and young adult readers. Anyone who doesn't know much about the Tulsa Massacre would benefit from giving this one a try. I disagree with those who want to deliberately forget about events like this. It is only through understanding and confronting the past that we can do better in the future. 


Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 27/24 - Finished!  

Total Books Read in 2022: 86



Saturday, September 3, 2022

On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

 


I first came across Tillie Walden's On A Sunbeam on a Barnes and Noble trip. I hadn't heard of it before, but the summary sounded interesting and the illustrations looked beautiful. I decided to buy it, but then I proceeded to do what I always do with graphic novels--not read it. I always want to save graphic novels for "the perfect time." I think this is because they are quick reads, so I hang onto them for times where it might be difficult to read something longer, like vacations. I really wanted to get to this one though, so I put it on my 22 in 2022 Challenge list. Lucky for me, I found a "perfect time" for it this week, when I knew that my new work and school schedule would be limiting my reading time.

The plot of the novel follows a teenage girl named Mia. As the novel begins, she joins the crew of a spaceship that travels across the galaxy restoring old buildings. The work isn't easy, but she soon develops the skills she needs for it and begins making friends with her new crewmates. Things are going well until she makes a mistake that threatens to pull the team apart. Interspersed with this story are flashbacks to Mia's time in high school that recount her relationship with a girl named Grace. Grace is Mia's first true love, but their relationship ended abruptly when Grace left school to deal with some family issues. The past and present storylines collide when Mia finds an opportunity to bring her teammates back together and reach out to Grace one final time.

I thought this novel was terrific. The illustrations were really beautiful and the story was surprisingly complex and emotional. Mia was a well-developed character with enough good qualities to be likable and enough flaws to feel genuine. Her relationship with Grace was very sweet and I wanted them to find a way to be together by the end of the story. Her crewmates were very likable as well; each one had a distinct personality and were interesting to read about. There was great representation throughout, with different ethnicities and sexualities spread amongst the characters.

Similarly, the sci-fi setting of the novel was imaginative and well-designed. The buildings, spaceships, and different worlds were original and creative. The world-building was excellent and provided the perfect backdrop to the story. I especially loved the design of Mia's ship, which looked like a giant fish swimming through space. The illustrations showed off the details of the world perfectly--dream-like and pretty. It was a pleasure to look at each page.

On A Sunbeam was one of the strongest graphic novels I have ever read, and I'm glad to have finally picked it up this year. It's a sci-fi adventure and a sweet romance all wrapped into one beautifully illustrated package. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes graphic novels...or anyone that likes sci-fi...or anyone, really. 

 
Challenge Tally


22 in 2022: 20/22

Total Books Read in 2022: 85



Monday, August 29, 2022

August Wrap Up

 



As the last month of summer vacation always does, August went by quickly. I spend the month trying to prepare for going back to school in my new role and for becoming a graduate student. I cleaned out and moved my classroom, attended a whole bunch of meetings, and bought an armful of pricy textbooks. I also took a vacation to Niagara Falls with my family. There were some good moments, but it was also a bit stressful thinking about all the tough stuff that's about to start. I kept up with my reading, but didn't get much else done.

I continued reading 100 pages a day throughout the month. It's probably going to be my last month doing that, as I have to build more time for studying into my schedule now, but it was cool to make it to the end of another month.  I read a total of 10 books and 3,287 pages. I ended up really liking a good amount of what I read. Here's everything I finished:


My favorite read of the month was The Underground Railroad, which was both brutal and beautiful. My least favorite was definitely Year One, which I found to be a very disorganized and boring fantasy. That book has the distinction of being my one one-star read this year so far.

I didn't purchase any new books this month, which is good. I think I'm finally getting that impulse under control and reading what I have. It's only taken me 36 years to get to this point! I ended up donating Year One, Sadie, Three Dark Crowns, One Dark Throne, Two Dark Reigns, and Five Dark Fates. A total of six books left my shelves.

My plan for September is to pull back a little bit on my TBR list to allow more time for studying. I'm going to focus on some of the shorter reads on my shelves so I will still get to finish some things too. Here's my list: 

On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi  
Frankie and Bug by Gayle Forman
Black Birds in the Sky by Brandy Colbert

Sadly, I didn't make any puzzles or complete any other craft projects this month. I was too busy prepping for work. I'm hoping to sneak some of that back in throughout September, but I have a feeling that it's going to be tough on that front for a little while. All the sacrifice will be worth it in the end though. I hope.


Sunday, August 28, 2022

The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

 


 With both my job and my master's degree classes starting up this week, I decided to try and clear a few more books off of my Finally in 2022 Challenge List. I've been making steady progress on it throughout the year, but there were still five books left. With my last week of freedom for a good, long while, I read two of those: The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, both by Colson Whitehead. They are also both winners of the Pulitzer Prize, so I was pretty confident I was going to like them. I'm combining my reviews for these into one post. First up is The Underground Railroad.

The plot of the novel follows Cora, an enslaved person working on a cotton plantation in Georgia. After witnessing and experiencing several acts of horrific violence, she decides to flee North with her friend Caesar. Their method of escape is the underground railroad, an actual secret train that runs through underground tunnels. As she travels the rails, she makes stops in several states and learns about how race and power function in different parts of the United States. She is unable to stay in any one place for long; she is being pursued by a cruel and determined slave catcher who will not rest until he apprehends her. Fighting for her life, Cora keeps moving forward chasing a freedom that seems to be slipping further and further away.

This novel was absolutely phenomenal. It was definitely deserving of the Pulitzer it won. The writing was beautiful, the characters were well-developed and interesting, and the story was consistently engaging. Whitehead's depiction of the horrors of slavery and its accompanying racism was gut wrenching and emotional. Cora's journey was often difficult to read, but her experiences gave the reader a lot of worthy topics to think about. This is one of those books that feels wise and important. I really enjoyed it and was deeply impressed with Whitehead's skill as a writer. I was very happy to pick up The Nickel Boys when I finished this one.




The plot of The Nickel Boys follows a teen boy named Elwood who is sent to a reform school in Florida in the 1960s after being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Elwood is very intelligent and sheltered, so learning to live at the Nickel Academy does not come easy to him. The school is abusive and racist. Beatings and other cruel punishments are common, as is sexual assault. Sometimes boys that break the rules are murdered by the adults there. Elwood runs afoul of the rules shortly after arriving and is beaten so badly that he is hospitalized for weeks. After he recovers from that, he manages to make a few friends and settle into a routine. He is still quite angry about the schools' practices, however, and he begins to record evidence of their offenses. He is determined to escape from the Nickel Academy, and he plans to bring down the whole school to do it.

This story was based on a real reform school in Florida that abused and murdered its students. Much like in The Underground Railroad, Whitehead's writing brought this story to life in an emotional and beautifully written way. What Elwood and the other boys experience at the Nickel Academy was horrific, and his struggle to survive it was difficult to read, but the journey was worth it in the end. Whitehead explored themes related to racism, criminal justice, and corruption in ways that were interesting and very thought-provoking. I became emotionally invested in the story instantly and was really rooting for the boys to make it out safely. Again, this book was well-deserving of the all the acclaim and awards it received.

So obviously, my week reading Colson Whitehead was a resounding success. These are probably two of the strongest books I have ever read, and I would highly recommend both to anyone interested in literary fiction. These will definitely be considered classics in the future. I can't wait to see what this author will come out with next.

Challenge Tally

22 in 2022: 19/22

Total Books Read in 2022: 84





Saturday, August 27, 2022

The Three Dark Crowns Series (Books 1-4) by Kendare Blake

 



Over the past couple of weeks, I decided to tackle one of the many young adult fantasy series I have sitting on my shelves. I settled on the Three Dark Crowns books, which I first heard about through YouTube and been interested in checking out for a while now. I ended up powering through them all pretty quickly, so I thought I'd combine my thoughts for all four into one review so I can comment on the series as a whole. This will be spoiler-free.

These novels are set on a mysterious and dark island named Fennbirn. Magic exists there, and many people are born with powers that fall into one of five possible areas. There are elementals, who can control things like wind, water, and fire, there are naturalists, who can make things bloom and control animals, and there are poisoners, who are unaffected by poisons themselves and adept at poisoning and healing others. The last two possible gifts are rare, but still possible to have--the war gifted, who excel at fighting and battle, and seers, who have visions of the future and can make prophecies. Each type of magic has its own region on the island, and most people choose to live in communities composed of people like them. Fennbirn is ruled over by a single queen, and the process for how this title is passed down is bloody and brutal. The current queen always, at one point, becomes pregnant with triplet girls--one will be an elemental, one will be a naturalist, and one will be a poisoner. They are raised separately and trained by experts in their gifts all throughout their childhoods. When the girls turn sixteen, they engage in a battle to the death to determine which one will rule next. This process has been the tradition on the island for hundreds of years.

The plot of the entire series concerns the latest generation of queens to battle for the crown. Mirabella is the elemental queen, Arsinoe is the naturalist queen, and Katherine is the poisoner queen. As their sixteenth birthday approaches, tensions are rising for all three, and not just because of their upcoming battle. Poisoners have held the throne for the past several generations, so the pressure on Katherine to beat her sisters is intense, but there is a problem. Her poison gift appears to be nonexistent. She's had to build up immunity to poisons the old-fashioned way - by continually ingesting them and getting sick, and this method hasn't worked that well for her either. She's had to fake ceremonies and demonstrations to appear strong, and it's clear that if she's going to continue the tradition of a poisoner sitting on the throne, she's going to have to cheat to win. Her powerful friends are putting complex political schemes into place to help her, but it may not be enough.

Similarly, Arsinoe shows almost no aptitude for her magic either. She's a naturalist queen, but is incapable of making flowers bloom or calling to animals. She hasn't been able to develop a relationship with a familiar either, an important part of the naturalist culture. She has a close friend named Jules who is inordinately powerful, and she tries to look out for her, but it's clear that Arsinoe's gift is very weak, if it even exists at all. She has come to accept that she will be easily slaughtered in the competition after her sixteenth birthday arrives, but as that date approaches, she becomes more and more afraid of this probable fate. She decides to turn to a low and dangerous form of magic to give herself a fighting chance, but this kind of magic always comes with a price.

Mirabella is in the opposite side of the spectrum from her sisters. She was born incredibly powerful--the most powerful elementalist born in decades, in fact. She can control the air, fire, water, and earth with ease. Her supporters believe she will win the throne easily, and the religious leaders of Fennbirn have broken with their traditionally neutral stance on the competition and have started openly supporting her. Her problem is simply that she has a kind heart. She doesn't want to kill her sisters. She remembers them from the short time they were together before being separated and has no desire to murder them for the throne. Reluctantly, she participates in the ceremonies leading up to her sixteenth birthday, but the most powerful amongst her supporters fear that she won't be able to go through with the killing in the end. So, they also begin a plot to cheat and get her on the throne without her actually having to complete the ritual. 

Over the course of the four books, the sisters battle each other for the throne in their own ways. As they go through the process, many secrets are revealed and they begin to break with the established traditions, throwing the whole island into a chaotic and rebellious state. When a mysterious mist begins creeping over the island and killing people indiscriminately, they begin entertaining the idea that their goddess is displeased with them and that perhaps the tradition is meant to be broken in this generation, but aren't sure why or what that would look like. If there isn't one victorious queen to rule over everyone, who would rule? What would happen to the established bloodline? Each of them must show courage, exercise their intelligence, and make sacrifices to find out and bring peace back to Fennbirn.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this series. A big part of the reason for that was the excellent world building. Kendare Blake really did an excellent job creating a world that was weird, complicated, and totally engrossing. The magic, the brutal rules and rituals, and the complex lore of Fennbirn was easy to get lost in and formed the perfect backdrop for the story. I liked the characters as well. Mirabella, Arsinoe, and Katherine all felt genuine and unique from one another. The story changes perspective between them with each chapter, and I found each perspective equally entertaining. My favorite sister out the trio changed throughout my reading as they grew and changed over the course of the story, which really shows how dynamic they all were. I also appreciated that while romantic storylines were included, they were not the sole focus of the story. Themes of family, friendship, and sacrifice were at the forefront and they were compelling. The story remained consistently interesting and everything about the books felt well-crafted.

Despite all of the good things about the series, there were a few things that I didn't enjoy as much. This series fell prey to the same thing that happens with a lot of young adult fantasy novels--the books got a little less interesting with each new installment. The first book in the series was phenomenal. I rated it five stars. I loved learning about the world and was intrigued by all the mysteries the book posed. The second and third novels were still great, but I was a little bit less engaged with them. I thought some parts dragged a bit and some of the mysteries weren't addressed in a way that was satisfying to me. I rated them four stars. The last book was the weakest of all for me. I felt like more of the story dragged here and I found myself wishing that some of the supernatural elements were a little more understandable. I rated that one three stars. I still liked it and thought it was a decent end to the series, but it wasn't my favorite. So, taken all together, I would rate the series as a whole at four stars and say that it was better than most young adult fantasies.

So ultimately, I was happy to have picked up the Three Dark Crowns series. It was well-written, dark, and very entertaining. Blake packed a surprising amount of emotion and complexity into these books, and I enjoyed my time in Fennbirn very much. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone that enjoys the young adult fantasy genre. 


Challenge Tally

Finally in 2022 - Series Edition: 34/28 - Finished!

Total Books Read in 2022: 82




Sunday, August 21, 2022

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos

 


Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos was the second graphic novel I read while I was on vacation at Niagra Falls. This turned out to be a good choice to read in the car, because as I discovered, there is almost no words in this one--just a whole lot of beautiful illustrations to look at. The lack of words don't diminish the story in the slightest though, and this was the perfect book to get lost in on a long road trip.

The story follows a young girl named Isla who is sent from her home in Cuba to live with an adoptive family in New York City as part of Operation Peter Pan in the 1960s. At first, Isla is desperately homesick and sad, but her foster family helps her to gradually come out of her shell. She starts attending American school and learning English, and she discovers a passion for plants and books that help fill her days. She eventually flourishes under difficult circumstances and watching her grow from a frightened little kid to a confident and intelligent young woman shows what is possible with kindness, understanding, and determination.

This book was truly phenomenal. As there are almost no written words in it, the illustrations do all of the work in getting the story across. Castellanos uses color to convey a lot of the emotions Isla experiences, with the sections where she is sad being in black and white, and color slowly creeping back in as she starts adjusting and feeling better. The art style itself is friendly and expressive. Each page was a pleasure to look at, and I often found myself pausing in my reading to appreciate the pictures further. Isla was an easy character to root for, and her adoptive parents in New York were incredibly sweet and loving. Everything about the story was heartwarming and by the time I got to the end, I was on the verge of happy tears. This book was one of those one that you can immediately tell is special.

So obviously, I absolutely loved Isla to Island. The almost wordless format and beautiful illustrations combine with the inspirational story to create a reading experience that is moving and unique. This is Castellanos' first graphic novel, and I will certainly be picking up anything else she comes out with in the future.


Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 26/24 - Finished!  

Total Books Read in 2022: 78



Saturday, August 20, 2022

Anne of West Philly by Ivy Noelle Weir and Myisha Haynes

 


I went with my family on a trip to Niagra Falls a few weeks ago. It was a great trip, and the falls were definitely beautiful, but it did cut into my reading time. To make sure I got at least a little bit of reading in while I was away, I brought along some graphic novels. The first one I read was Ivy Noelle Weir and Myisha Haynes' Anne of West Philly. As you might guess from the title, this is a modernized, graphic novel retelling of Anne of Green Gables. It's the third in a series of reimagined classics for middle grades readers that have come out recently. I have already read and loved Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, and The Secret Garden on 81st Street, so I couldn't imagine not loving this one too. Plus, Anne of Green Gables is a story that is already near and dear to my heart, so this was the perfect blend of old and new for me. I read it in the back of the car and in our hotel room over the course of a few days, and as expected, I enjoyed it very much.

The plot follows the story of plucky orphan Anne Shirley. She is adopted by brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert at the start of the story, and her dreamy and dramatic worldview endears her to them almost immediately. As she settles in with her new family, she has to handle hurdles like making new friends, fitting in at her school, and dealing with a pesky boy. Her exuberance and creativity get her into one scrape after another, but her winsome personality and enthusiastic spirit help her overcome them. She makes a best friend in a neighbor girl named Diana Barry and finds a passion in coding in her school's computer club. By the end of the story, she is flourishing and happy. With Matthew and Marilla's guidance she's finally found where she belongs.

This version of Anne of Green Gables had all the heart and sweetness of the original. Anne is still joyful, imaginative, and unique. Diana is still the kind of best friend kids dream of having. Matthew and Marilla are still curmudgeonly and loving in equal measure. All the classic moments from the novel are there too, but with modern twists that bring them up to date. The illustrations are also beautiful, and do a nice job of making the new setting of West Philly seem just as magical and full of possibilities as Green Gables. There's really nothing not to like about this book, and it's a wonderful way to get kids interested in a classic story.

This ended up being the perfect book to bring along on my vacation. It's easy to read, extremely sweet, and a fitting tribute to one of the best children's classics of all time. I can see myself recommending this to students over and over again. I'm really hoping that more books come out in this series in the future, as I've loved everything they've done so far. 


Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 25/24 - Finished!  

Total Books Read in 2022: 77




Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Sadie by Courtney Summers

 


When Courtney Summers' Sadie was published back in 2018, it got a lot of positive buzz. It seemed like everyone was reading it and everyone loved it. I, of course, wanted to give it a try as well. Obviously, I never got around to it back then, but it always stuck around in the back of my mind as a book that I really wanted to get to soon. I made it part of my 22 in 2022 Challenge this year, and I finally read it last week.

The plot of the novel switches back and forth between two characters. The first is Sadie, a teenage girl living in a small Colorado town. As the story begins, her younger sister Mattie is brutally murdered, and Sadie believes she knows who is responsible for it. She sets off on a mission of revenge to kill this person, but she ends up disappearing. The woman who has watched over the sisters since their mother abandoned them is frantic with worry and is desperate to find Sadie. She reports her missing to the police, but their investigation turns up nothing. Despairing of ever seeing Sadie again, she approaches a famous radio personality about Mattie's murder and Sadie's disappearance. Her hope is that this person talks about Sadie on the radio, he will get the public interested enough in the case to turn up some clues.

The second character is West McCray, the radio personality who agrees to look into Sadie's case. After successfully tracing the beginning of her journey, he becomes intrigued enough to launch a podcast about it. He follows her trail through several different towns and interviews many people trying to put the pieces of what happened to her together. He comes to care deeply for her and races from lead to lead, hoping to find her safe somewhere.

This novel was very good, and actually deserving of all the hype it received when it came out. The chapters alternate between Sadie and West, with Sadie's chapters consisting of her narrating her journey to find her sister's killer and West's chapters taking the form of his podcast episodes as he traces where she's been. Summers controls the flow of information beautifully between the two voices, with Sadie and West revealing bits and pieces of the story in a way that creates suspense as they come together to present a full picture of what happened for the reader. This is one of those books where the less information you know about it going in, the better, so I'm not going to reveal too much detail here. It was very well-constructed and engaging though, and well worth the read for anyone that enjoys crime stories and mysteries.

It was also very gritty and dark. The subject matter isn't easy, and what happens to the girls could be triggering to some readers. This is definitely a book for older teens and adults. This uncomfortableness made it feel very genuine and dangerous though. I was truly kept on the edge of my seat, both excited for and dreading whatever would come next. The ending was tough, but in a way that felt true to the story. I really enjoyed Sadie's character too. She suffered through a lot and certainly wasn't perfect, but her devotion to her sister and her determination to do right by her memory shone through clearly. She was very easy to root for and well developed. Overall, this was excellent, through and through.

Sadie was one of the best young adult mysteries I have read. Its unique structure and dark plot were incredibly engaging and its messages about love and family were emotionally-charged and felt genuine. I'm glad to have finally gotten around to reading this one!  

Challenge Tally

22 in 2022: 17/22

Total Books Read in 2022: 76