Hello everyone,
Welcome to another installment of First Line Fridays hosted by Reading is My Superpower.
The Next Great Jane by K. L. Going
“Nothing important ever happened in Whickett Harbor, Maine.”
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello everyone,
Today’s review is on This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab.
Travel to the world of Verity, which used to look pretty similar to our world until the monsters appeared. After years of violence, the capital – V-city – finally came to a truce and was divided into North and South City. One half ruled by Henry Flynn who wants to protect the citizens at whatever cost, as well as three monsters under his care. The other half is ruled by the ruthless Callum Harker who lets the monsters run free and forces people to pay him for protection and the truce between the two cities is close to its breaking point. All Kate Harker wants is to be a family with her father, who keeps sending her to boarding schools, and when she gets kicked out yet again she finally sees it as her chance to live with him. When news gets out that Harker’s daughter is back, Henry Flynn sends his adopted monster son, August, to attend the same school as her to try and keep an eye on the Harkers. But when a planned attack on Kate fails, both her and August find themselves on the run from the sinister minds behind it.
This Savage Song is an interesting novel that deals with hypocrisy, violence and darkness. Essentially the monsters were birthed from the violent acts that the humans committed – in a sense, birthed from the monster within humans.
The novel deals with hypocrisy because Kate’s father puts forth the facade that he is doing what he thinks is best for North City. However, he proves to be more monstrous than some of the monsters that are out there. This is proven when Kate discovers that he was behind the assassination attempt on her, as well as the death of his mother. She confronts him and says, “‘You’re not a father. You’re not even a man. You’re a monster'” (410). This shakes Kate up because all she ever wanted to do was make her father proud, but all of that melts away when she realizes what a monster he truly is, when she does, August tries to help stop her from becoming like her father, and from being the perfect meal for him – he feeds off the souls of sinners.
It was also interesting how music played a big part in the novel and how it is used as a weapon by the Sunai monsters – this is the type of monster that August is. However, there were also some aspects of this world that were left unexplained, such as the origin of all the monsters. It is briefly explained, but it is quickly glossed over and the novel could have done with more exposition on this.
However, the discussion that not all monsters are truly monsters was interesting. For example, August wishes he could be human and live life like a human, he does not want to be a monster and he does not want to give into his dark side. Contrast this to Kate’s father who is truly a monster in all of his actions – having his wife killed, trying to have his daughter killed, starting a war – while claiming to be someone who cares about man kin. This also brings up the question of what makes us human and whether someone like August can even have a shred of humanity without being human.
Overall, this was just an okay read and I am probably not going to finish the rest of duology. However, I am interesting in trying some of the author’s other works, especially those written under V. E. Schwab. 3/5 Stars.
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello everyone,
Today’s review is on The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden.
The Bear and the Nightingale is a fantasy novel set in medieval Russia. It is set the northern Rus’ and follows Vasilisa, who is a mysterious girl who is born to her mother and her mother dies. Her father then decides to remarry, but his new wife is a devout Chrisitan who seeks to rid the house of demons and, along with the village’s new priest, force the town to turn their backs on the spirits that they have previously believed in to help with the day-to-day of their lives. Once the villagers stop leaving offerings for spirits, calamity continually strikes the village. However, Vasilisa, also known as Vasya, can see the spirits and does what she can to help them while protecting her family. But there is also a foreboding for the coming winter and whether or not there will be a lot of casualties, and Vasya starts to wonder if the frostking that she has heard tales of, actually exists, and there is another ominuous evil that starts stalking the village.
This is a slower read, but only because it is my first foray into adult fantasy – besides The Lord of the Rings. And even though it is a slower read, it is a fascinating story, but I found myself having to take short breaks after every few pages to kind of review what had happened so far and soak in what was going on. It is a very atmospheric read and I found myself captivated by it all.
I enjoyed learning about the different “spirits” that appear in this book, especially since I feel like I have learned a little bit more about medieval Russian folklore. There is also so much that happens in this book and it is hard to summarize properly because there are several different threads going on that then culminate in the climax of the novel.
It was a fascianting look at “pagan” culture vs. Eastern Orthodox Christianity, as well as how pride does really come before the fall in the case of Father Konstantin who serves as a catalyst for the events that lead to the climax. There is also some political intrigue woven throughout the book, mainly involving Anna – Vasya’s stepmother – and Father Konstantin and the reasons that both of them are sent to Vasya’s village.
Father Konstantin reminded me a lot of Frollo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame (the Disney version, I have yet to read the book), and a lot of what he does, especially towards the end proves this. Also, the following quotes that Vasya says to him when he is trying to do the last rites over someone, also shows that he is legalistic and that he has a false piety that uses to gain power over the villagers.
‘”You want my people to love you, so you made them afraid.” Vasya was pale with fury. “I will not have Dunya afraid. Get out.” (209).
The above quotes also shows another aspect of the novel that I enjoyed. I enjoyed watching Vasya grow up and learn to think for herself, instead of just allowing the fear that Father Konstantin instills in the other villagers take over her too. She still takes care of the spirits that take care of her family, especially since she sees how they are hurting because the villagers are ignoring them. She also sees the calamity that is brought to the village because of their neglect of the spirits.
I also appreciate how it is explained that Vasya can see the spirits – she has the gift of second sight because she has magic in her blood. This makes me even more curious about her step mother, Anna, and how and why she seems to have the same gift. It was also interesting that readers get to learn along with Vasya that the frostking is not a mere fairy tale and that he actually exists.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, and there is so much that happens and it ends on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next book. This is a great wintry and atmospheric historical fantasy and I highly recommend it! 5/5 Stars
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello everyone,
Welcome to another installment of First Line Fridays hosted by Reading is My Superpower.
The Sea in Winter by Christine Day
“I’m late to homeroom.”
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello everyone,
Today’s review is on Zodiac by Romina Russell.
I don’t know where to start with this review, because overall Zodiac was a disappointing read, but before I jump into my thoughts on the book let me give a quick synopsis of the book.
Zodiac is set in another universe/galaxy years in the future. This whole society is based around the 12 signs of the Zodiac and each sign has it’s own “house” that governs over several planets. Rhoma Grace is a sixteen-year-old from the House of Cancer who is just trying to get past her acolyte training and go on to university. However, on the night of a festival, things go very wrong when one of the four moons that make up part of House Cancer’s system is decimated which causes havoc on the other moons, as well as the main Cancerian planet. Rho and several of her friends are the only ones left alive on the moon that their school is on, and they are taken to safety. They soon learn that their guardian was killed by the event and Rho is next in line to succeed her. Rho takes over as the guardian of House Cancer, but when she gets threats from Ophiucus, a villainous being who was believed to just be a myth, she sets out to find him, as well as warn the rest of the Zodiac of his destruction, even though very few people believe her. But soon other houses are attacked by mysterious and suspicious incidents that make some of the other houses realize that there might be some truth to Rho’s claims.
As I mentioned before, Zodiac was a disappointing read. It had it’s good elements, but for the most part it just seemed to drag in a lot of places. It took me over a week to get through it because very little about this story compelled me, the only reason I didn’t DNF it was that I had gotten far enough along in the book that I wanted to see how things ended. However, in some ways I do wish I had just DNF’d it.
One of the main things I didn’t like about Zodiac is that the word-building was a little lackluster even though it was an intricate world that needed a lot of explaining. There were times when I was confused about was going on and even confused various elements within this universe. Some of the concepts that Romina Russell created were fascinating, but there needed to be more details given to the readers.
I also wasn’t a huge fan of the characters. Rho was pretty one-dimensional and I also didn’t like that a love triangle was introduced in this book. While Rho’s determination is admirable, there are times when it felt like she let her leadership get to her head and she refused to listen to other…granted some of the others did also look down on her because of her age.
One of the few characters I actually liked was Hysan. While he supported Rho on her quest and believed that what she said was true, he also tries to caution her about putting to much of herself into the quest, especially since she is now the leader of the House of Cancer.
I really wanted to love this book, but it just wasn’t compelling enough, the plot and world-building was confusing and the characters weren’t always likable. There are three other books in the series and I honestly have no inclination to pick them up to find out what happens next – especially since some of the reviews for the second book have said that quality wise it’s not as good as the first book. 2.5/5 Stars.
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello everyone,
Today’s review is more of a reading journal of sorts of my reread of Elsie Dinsmore by Martha Finley. I remember reading these when I was about 12 and enjoying them, but I was curious to see how they hold up now that I am 27. Since this is a reading journal there will be spoilers.
January 22nd, 2022
So far I am enjoying this a lot more than I thought I would. I mean, yes, I do find myself rolling my eyes a bit at how often Elsie cries, as well as her being uber pious and perfect. I don’t know anyone who has been as perfect, or who has been grieved over their own sin. I do really like Miss Allison, and Aunt Chloe (Mammy). I hate how awful her family is to her, at least her grand parents and aunts and uncles. But then again, it also seems it was part of the culture of the South, especially for plantation owners (?). There is a small part of me that thinks I should try and read all of the Elsie books, or at least as many of them as I find myself able to get through.
***
I forgot how much of a jerk her father is…I get that he doesn’t know how to take care of a child. But still. His best friend is able to relate to Elsie a lot more than he does. He doesn’t take the time to get to know her and he is way to stern with her when he has barely said two words to her. Also, I don’t know, but Mr. Travilla creeps me out a bit, but I think it has more to do with the fact that he ends up marrying Elsie in book 4. But again, it was a different time, and I don’t think his kindness to her as an 8 year old is him grooming her. Like I said, it was a different time where a huge age gap was the norm. But it still makes me a little uneasy. Also what 8 year old drinks coffee?
***
January 23rd, 2022
I did not expect to finish the first book so quickly, but I think it has more to do with the fact that I also had a hard time getting to sleep last night, and as a result ended up reading a bit. I kind of had a good time reading it too, which surprises me because I thought I would be mostly rage reading it. Yes, there are still quite a few things that I don’t like about this book (or the series overall), but something about it still made me invested in the story…maybe it’s the nostalgia for the time when I last read it. I don’t know how to explain it.
Elsie is very legalistic and way too perfect. And maybe that had to do with the times in which the book is set (the 1840s). Also, I just find it hard to believe that an 8/9 year old is that well-behaved. But yet I still found something charming about the story…I don’t know. Like I said, I think I just got caught up in the nostalgia.
I can’t stand her father, he is borderline abusive in how he treats her sometimes, and I feel like the author almost glorified that… or maybe it is a way to set up the next novel, where he becomes a Christian and it’s to show the contrast between how different love can look like. I don’t know, maybe I’m just grasping at straws. And then near the end Mr. Travilla makes a comment that was creepy… he tells Elsie that he wished she was ten years older *gag*.
Overall, I liked my reread of Elsie Dinsmore a lot more than I thought I would. However, it is not something I would necessarily recommend to others and I don’t know if I would ever let my own kids read these books. I hadn’t originally planned on it, but I’m curious to see how many of the books I can get through before I get so fed up with them. So I guess I’m going to pick up Elsie’s Holidays at Roselands next.
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello everyone,
Welcome to another installment of First Line Fridays hosted by Reading is My Superpower.
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
“That night when Mrs. Chamberlain called, Emira could only piece together the words “…take Briar somewhere…” and “…pay you double.””
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello Everyone,
Today’s review is on Muted by Tami Charles.
Summary:
A ripped-from-the-headlines novel of ambition, music, and innocence lost, perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Jason Reynolds!
Be bold. Get seen. Be Heard.
For seventeen-year-old Denver, music is everything. Writing, performing, and her ultimate goal: escaping her very small, very white hometown.
So Denver is more than ready on the day she and her best friends Dali and Shak sing their way into the orbit of the biggest R&B star in the world, Sean “Mercury” Ellis. Merc gives them everything: parties, perks, wild nights — plus hours and hours in the recording studio. Even the painful sacrifices and the lies the girls have to tell are all worth it.
Until they’re not.
Denver begins to realize that she’s trapped in Merc’s world, struggling to hold on to her own voice. As the dream turns into a nightmare, she must make a choice: lose her big break, or get broken.
Inspired by true events, Muted is a fearless exploration of the dark side of the music industry, the business of exploitation, how a girl’s dreams can be used against her — and what it takes to fight back.
My Thoughts:
Wow! This book was a ride. I was immediately drawn to it because it is a novel-in-verse, and I was curious to see how it addressed the darker side of the music industry. While this reads mostly as a contemporary, there are some thriller aspects to it.
I was hooked from the beginning and I was on the edge of my seat as Denver learns that not everything is as it seems when it comes to her idol, Merc. It was interesting to see how someone can be swayed by deception, and I think it is a cautionary tale about being careful of who you trust, even if it seems like nothing is wrong. It is also a pciture of how sick individuals can use the dreams and ambitions of others for their sick and twisted ways. The ending still haunts me! 4.5/5 Stars.
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello everyone,
Today’s review is on The Secret History by Donna Tartt.
Summary:
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last—inexorably—into evil. (Taken from Goodreads).
My Thoughts:
I had seen several of the Booktubers I follow gush about The Secret History. I’d also been hearing the term Dark Academia thrown around on YouTube, and I have been curious to learn if it is something that I liked. It was also recommended as a read-a-like for the movie The Dead Poets’ Society, which is one of my favorite movies. And it just sounded really interesting.
I liked The Secret history and I do think it might be a book that I revisit in the future to get all the nuances. However, it did take a different direction than I was expecting. I thought Julian (the professor) would be involved lot more than he actually was, and in some ways we only get second-hand information of how he has influenced his students. I do wish we had gotten more of a character study of him, but I do think the author does do a great job of his character development, or rather lack thereof, and his hypocrisy.
I found all of the characters unlikable, which I get is the point, but there wasn’t really anyone I could root for. However, it was interesting to see who the dynamic shifted among the group after the murder. It’s also interesting how the author describes the victim, Bunny, in such a way that his murder almost seems justified. And I suppose that is the point since we are being told the story from the perspective of on of the other members of the groups, Richard. It was also interesting to see how each of the characters were affected by their actions.
Overall, I liked The Secret History. it didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but I do plan on revisiting it in a few years and I can understand why it is a well-loved book. 3.75/5 Stars.
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Hello everyone,
Welcome to another installment of First Line Fridays hosted by Reading is My Superpower.
When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole
“I spent the deepest winter shuffling back and forth between work and hospital visits and doctor’s appointments.”
Happy Reading,
Janelle L. C.
Meanderings of a BookWorm 