Review: The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily (Dash & Lily #2)
By Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Publisher: Ember
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: It’s Lily’s absolute favorite time of the year, but the Christmas season just isn’t the same with all of the changes happening in her family. As much as Dash has tried to be there for her, Lily worries that things just aren’t right between them. Now it’s up to Dash, not exactly the biggest Christmas fan, to try and revive Lily’s holiday spirit.

Review: It’s been a hot minute since I read a YA book. It’s been an even hotter minute since I wrote a book review. And just to belabor the point, I last read a Christmas book in 2018.

So what prompted 2023’s sudden burst of motivation to do all the things? A strong possibility is the steady diet of self-help and business books I’ve been reading all year. It was time to switch gears, and what better way to do so AND get into the holiday spirit by catching up with some familiar fictional characters?

I loved Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares and felt a bit dismayed when I saw meh reviews for the follow-up, The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily. But it’s been such a strange year that I summoned some optimism and dove in.

First, let me say how wonderful it was, indeed, to read about these two characters again. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed Dash’s snark and Rachel Cohn and David Levithan’s gift for capturing New York City’s incomparable character, especially during the holiday season.

I get why some readers viewed the book with mixed feelings. We quickly learn that Lily’s beloved grandfather has suffered a heart attack and is still undergoing a challenging recovery, with Lily insisting upon being his primary caregiver. All the time she’s been spending with her grandfather has not only meant seeing less of Dash, but it’s also put a huge damper on Lily’s normally indomitable Christmas spirit. Dash is trying to support his girlfriend as best he can, but sometimes Lily longs for more from him, especially with expressing his feelings.

I admit that at first, Lily wishing that Dash fit the perfect boyfriend mold prompted a small eyebrow raise from me because it came across kind of petulant in a, “Why can’t Dash just do X?” “Why can’t Dash be more Y?” way. But Lily learns from some older and wiser adults in her life that Dash can’t read her mind. That’s when I also called myself out for also being guilty of the same expectation. So then I applauded Lily’s character growth for its realism.

While Lily is understandably not the ebullient Lily from the first book, that’s not to say there’s not lots to love about this sequel, like anatomically correct gingerbread men, glitter-related injuries, the logic (or lack thereof) of Dash’s friend, Boomer, and the sage observations of Lily’s great-aunt, Mrs. Basil E. If you enjoyed Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, go ahead and give this one a read.

All in All: Just what Santa ordered in a Christmas read.

Review: Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

Vengeful (Villains #2)
By V.E. Schwab
Publisher: Tor
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: It’s been five years since ExtraOrdinaries Victor Vale and Eli Ever faced off, with Victor seemingly killed and Eli captured. With the help of another EO, however, Victor is alive, though not well and deteriorating at an alarming rate. Meanwhile back in Merit, once the scene of Victor and Eli’s showdown, a new EO named Marcella Riggins is literally using her bare hands to destroy anyone who stands in her way of taking control of the city. Marcella’s power is so formidable that it may take turning to the currently imprisoned Eli for help in stopping her.

Review: I finally read Vengeful, the highly anticipated sequel to Vicious, one of the best stories about morally ambiguous characters EVER. I’d say THE BEST that I’ve ever read. And everyone continues to walk a fine line between good and evil in Vengeful.

Once again, Victoria Schwab jumps back and forth between the present and the past to unreel her narrative. Five years have passed since Victor and Eli met for what appeared to be the final time. Eli is now the prisoner of EON, an organization headed by Joseph Stell, the former detective who locked Victor up. Stell thinks that EOs might be rehabilitated into using their abilities for something other than wrongdoing. Eli, who once hunted EOs down and killed them in his belief that they were abominations, finds this notion preposterous and insists to Stell that heroes are not in an EO’s nature. When a new EO named Marcella Riggins threatens to destroy Merit in her quest for power, Stell reluctantly realizes that his best hope for stopping Marcella may be Eli Cardale. Watching Stell and Eli try to stay one step ahead of each other is absolutely riveting.

We also get some significant backstory for Eli that details the development of that carefully calculated veneer. I love how Schwab constantly challenges the reader, both in Vicious and in Vengeful, to rethink their views of the characters by making them so complex. You can’t help but wonder what Eli’s life would have been like if he’d had a different childhood, if he hadn’t ended up at Lockland University, and/or if he hadn’t met Victor Vale.

As for Victor, we discover that Sydney’s EO ability to bring back the dead isn’t without consequences, and Victor’s time to find a permanent fix for his problem is running out. Here again this series questions the definitions of good and evil as Victor takes lives in in order to try and save his own. As much as you may want him to survive, you’ll probably also ask, but at what cost?

While Vengeful is still Victor and Eli’s story, new EO Marcella Riggins commands an equally powerful presence on the page. After her mobster husband Marcus’s failed attempt to kill her, Marcella wakes up in the hospital with the ability to reduce whatever she touches to dust and ashes. She also awakens, understandably, in a murderous mood towards Marcus. What begins as a thirst for revenge quickly escalates into an insatiable hunger for power. She teams up with two other EOs—Jonathan, who can shield himself as well as extend the shield to another person, and the mysterious June, who can take on someone else’s appearance—with a very interesting twist. Alone, Marcella and her destructive touch are formidable, but working with June and Jonathan, she seems unstoppable. Marcella puts the “Extra” in “ExtraOrdinary,” reveling in making a spectacle of everything she does. I do think her grandstanding slowed down the book’s pacing at times, making Vengeful not quite the feverish page turner that Vicious was.

Overall, though, Vengeful is a not to be missed sequel. Once again, Victoria Schwab takes the superhero story and flips it every way imaginable, creating an unpredictable, deliciously twisted tale that you won’t easily forget.

All in All: Although Vicious just edges this out as my favorite book in the duology, Vengeful is certainly not a sidekick of a sequel. These are some of the best flawed characters ever—perfectly imperfect and incredibly compelling to read about.

ARC Review: Competence by Gail Carriger

Competence (The Custard Protocol #3)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Publication Date: July 17, 2018

To Sum It Up: The Spotted Custard is off on another adventure, this time in search of vampires in Peru. The airship’s crew must first, however, solve the rather pesky problem of a helium leak. It’s up to the Spotted Custard’s always dependable purser Primrose Tunstell to help find a way to save the day. Meanwhile, back on board the airship, Prim’s twin Percy just wants to be left alone with his books instead of dealing with the mayhem that typically follows wherever the Spotted Custard goes.

Review: It’s been a while since we last checked in with the motley crew of the Spotted Custard, but the newest installment in Gail Carriger’s The Custard Protocol series was absolutely worth the wait! I didn’t realize how much I missed this group of adorably quirky characters until I started reading Competence.

The title is very fitting here, as the novel focuses on Primrose Tunstell, probably the most reliable member of Captain Prudence Akeldama’s crew. Prim is practical where Rue is whimsical, and so the two best friends balance each other out very well. Prim is also like a mother to practically everyone on the airship, and you truly get the sense that the crew is one big family. It wouldn’t be a family without some dysfunction, of course, but even with so many different personalities on board that are often at odds with one another, they’re at odds in an endearing way.

Competence also puts Prim’s brother, Percy, in the spotlight. The Tunstell twins could not be any less identical, with Prim the epitome of etiquette and Percy happiest in the company of his books. I have to say, I found Percy’s pedantry and aversion to human interaction quite amusing. There were many laugh out loud moments involving just about everybody aboard the Spotted Custard, and the riotous humor is one of the reasons why I love Gail Carriger’s books so much. She has such a knack for writing witty phrases. The banter between the characters is especially scintillating.

While there is a story line centered around a hive of endangered vampires in the Andes, the novel belongs to Prim as she tries to sort out where her heart seems to be leading her versus what society expects of her regarding marriage and family. Fortunately for Prim, she’s surrounded by a family that loves her for whoever she is and will always welcome her home on board the Spotted Custard.

I can’t rave enough about how brilliantly the characters in this series have grown. They’re the backbone of the books, and Competence was another delightful escapade with this lovable bunch.

All in All: Competence was such a fun read! Prim’s character development is the standout here. The view from Percy’s perspective is also a blast. The ending sets up the final Custard Protocol book perfectly, and I eagerly await its release!

Review: Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen

Orphan Monster Spy
By Matt Killeen
Publisher: Viking
Format: Print ARC
Source: YALLFest

To Sum It Up: Sarah is a newly orphaned, Jewish fifteen-year-old in Nazi Germany. After encountering a mysterious man who turns out to be a spy working against the Nazis, Sarah undertakes a crucial mission. She must collect information on a lethal weapon created by a Nazi scientist. To complete her mission, Sarah must go undercover at a Nazi boarding school where she will become friendly with the scientist’s daughter. Sarah endeavors to save the Germany that has been turned against her as well as becoming the hero she desperately needs.

Review: Orphan Monster Spy reminded me of some sort of really cool spy movie. The pacing was excellent, making the story feel action movie-esque. The story was thoroughly researched, making the setting feel authentic without feeling too vague. Matt Killeen did an excellent job of balancing the bigger picture of WWII without sacrificing the relatability of his main character.

I absolutely adored Sarah as a character because she was so enjoyably complex. Sarah’s complexity and growth as a character propelled this book into greatness. Sarah was an incredible heroine with a skill set that reminded me of Black Widow. Put into incredibly stressful situations, Sarah’s decisions were always intelligently made. There is absolutely nothing more frustrating than reading a book where you find yourself mentally screaming at the main character for their pathetic decisions. I was constantly in awe of Sarah’s maturity and sense of purpose. Additionally, I was astounded by Sarah’s perceptiveness and her profound interpretations of her experiences. Despite Sarah’s complexity, she remains relatable with thoughts and emotions the reader can empathize with.

The reader is also occasionally reminded that Sarah is indeed still a child. I was really hoping that Sarah would find some sort of paternal comfort in the Captain. I would have really enjoyed seeing him grow into that role. However, I understand that Sarah’s isolation from others forced her to become stronger and better equipped to deal with the challenges she faced. Sarah was able to become her own hero.

All in all: I know a majority of this review is praise for the main character, but I have no regrets. I love it when a character actively becomes the hero they need for themselves. Orphan Monster Spy was a riveting read that retained a profundity suitable for the setting. You should really give this one a try!

Review: I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

I Have Lost My Way
By Gayle Forman
Publisher: Viking
Format: eARC
Source: First to Read

To Sum It Up: Freya, Harun, and Nathaniel are three very different people leading three very different lives, but they do have one thing in common. They have all reached turning points and know they are on the edge of something. A freak accident brings them all together, and in each other, they begin to find the intangible piece that’s been missing from each of their lives.

Review: On the rare occasion when I read contemporary, Gayle Forman is my go-to author for the genre, and she hasn’t disappointed me yet. Her latest novel, I Have Lost My Way, is another page-turner, centered around three strangers who meet by what seems like chance. Thanks to her magical storytelling, though, Forman convinces you that these three characters were absolutely meant to find each other.

I Have Lost My Way has a fairly simple premise that belies how deep the characters and the story are. I should say “stories,” because the book not only follows the development of the friendship between the three main characters—Freya, Harun, and Nathaniel—but it also explores their individual backstories. The book switches between third person omniscient and first person narration. Through the latter, we learn how the title applies to each character.

Freya is an up-and-coming singer who mysteriously loses her voice in the middle of recording her debut album. Harun is nursing a broken heart but can’t tell anyone, especially his traditional parents, because no one knows he’s gay. Nathaniel’s character poses a bit of an enigma, but as the puzzle pieces fall into place, what emerges is a story that will shatter your heart.

It’s been a while since a book captured my attention almost instantly and held it all the way to the last page. I devoted every spare second I had to reading this and was reluctant to put it down whenever real life called. Gayle Forman is so gifted at writing characters you feel compelled to read about and care about. I also loved her beautiful portrayal of the diversity that makes New York the greatest city in the world (in this native New Yorker’s not so humble opinion). If you enjoy exquisite storytelling with characters so authentic they could step right out of the pages, then this book is a must-read.

All in All: Another winning novel from Gayle Forman. Contemporary usually isn’t my cup of tea, but her books, including this one, are always compulsively readable.

ARC Review: Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi

Down and Across
By Arvin Ahmadi
Publisher: Viking
Format: eARC
Source: First to Read
Publication Date: February 6, 2018

To Sum It Up: After barely starting a summer internship that he has no interest in, Scott Ferdowsi hops a bus to Washington, D.C. to seek out the Georgetown professor whose online grit quiz he took. Scott hopes to find a direction for his future, which looms uncertain as his parents try to steer him towards a career in medicine or engineering. Scott’s singular mission in the pursuit of grit morphs into a wide-open field of possibilities after meeting free-spirited college student and crossword enthusiast Fiora Buchanan on the bus to D.C. Whether or not he gets to meet Professor Cecily Mallard in person, this trip is sure to change Scott’s life.

Review: As a longtime crossword geek, I was instantly sold on reading Down and Across because of the title alone. Fellow cruciverbalists will find plenty to love about this novel, starting with the assurance that the title isn’t a mere passing reference. Crossword puzzles figure prominently throughout the book, which even namechecks New York Times crossword editor Will Shortz. That alone won this book a special place in my heart.

The plot of Down and Across centers around Scott Ferdowsi’s search for direction. He’s never been good at sticking with anything, and with high school graduation on the horizon, he doesn’t know where his future lies. Scott’s parents want him to go into medicine or engineering, but he knows these fields just aren’t for him. I could absolutely relate to Scott’s struggle to figure out what he wants to do in life; in fact, I can still relate, even as someone who’s still trying to work out this whole adulting thing.

Scott’s narrative voice was easily my favorite aspect of the novel. He’s funny, snarky, self-deprecating, and most importantly, engaging. He’s the type of guy who you just want to see catch a break for once. Scott gets knocked down a few times in Down and Across, sometimes literally, but he never wallows in self-pity. He’s a finely crafted character, as is Fiora, the college student he meets on the bus to Washington, D.C., where she attends George Washington University. Fiora is a crossword fiend, skilled not only at solving but also at constructing. She’s also prone to moments of spontaneous boldness that Scott never would have dreamed of pulling off before meeting Fiora. Their budding friendship hits some bumps along the way and isn’t perfect—just like them. I can’t say enough about how realistic the book feels, from the dialogue to the problems the characters face to the elation one feels after solving a New York Times crossword puzzle.

I rarely read contemporary, but I’m so glad that I gave Down and Across a shot. You don’t need to be a crossword fan to enjoy the book, either; Scott’s story is more than compelling enough on its own. The very clever way that the puzzles are woven into the novel, however, is sure to bring a smile to readers who also love the challenge that a blank puzzle grid poses.

All in All: What a wonderful and winning debut from Arvin Ahmadi! Down and Across was exactly my kind of contemporary novel, and featuring my all-time favorite crossword (the New York Times, of course) just melted my heart.

Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

* This review may contain spoilers for the previous books in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3)
By Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Buddy Read with Micheline of Lunar Rainbows Reviews

To Sum It Up: Feyre is back at the Spring Court, covertly plotting to undermine both it and its High Lord while also discovering what the King of Hybern has planned next for Prythian and the human lands below the wall. War is inevitable, but even that may not be enough to convince all the High Lords to set aside their usual squabbling among themselves and unite against their common enemy, Hybern. Feyre, Rhys, and their family are ready to stand against the massive invading Hybern army, even if they cannot rally any other courts to their side.

Review: After reading seven Sarah J. Maas books and being utterly annihilated by Empire of Storms last year, I prepared for the absolute, rock-bottom worst going into A Court of Wings and Ruin. I expected the Ruin part of the title to describe what was left of my heart after reading this because that’s become the norm post-Maas books.

Surprisingly, I don’t feel too wrecked. While there are plenty of intense, heart-stopping moments throughout A Court of Wings and Ruin (like the end of every chapter), I’m not the shattered wreck I was at the end of Empire of Storms. Fine, I may have almost cried a few times during A Court of Wings and Ruin. Maas certainly knows how to squeeze the reader’s heart to its bursting point.

A Court of Mist and Fury ended on one hell of a tumultuous note, with Feyre’s sisters, Nesta and Elain, being turned into Fae against their will and Feyre headed back to the Spring Court, vowing to make Tamlin pay for allying with the King of Hybern in exchange for the latter’s aid in finding her. A Court of Wings and Ruin picks up with Feyre back at the Spring Court, outwardly acting like she’s relieved to have been “rescued” from Rhysand and the Night Court. Meanwhile, Feyre is collecting intel on what Hybern is plotting and setting up the Spring Court to collapse around Tamlin. This second part of her plan has unforeseen consequences down the road, however, and I thought it was important to show that Feyre could still make mistakes after becoming the insanely powerful High Lady of the Night Court. As much as I love badass heroines, I also like to see them grounded and not ridiculously perfect. Maas does an excellent job here of keeping Feyre a well-rounded protagonist.

The hell that is war hits hard in A Court of Wings and Ruin, as Prythian braces itself for Hybern’s invasion. The battle isn’t only against an external enemy, either. The Fae High Lords, accustomed to years and years of infighting between the courts, must decide who represents the bigger threat: Hybern, which stands to destroy both Fae and humans alike, or their fellow High Lords. Even if the courts somehow manage to band together, they face a formidable foe, especially with the King of Hybern wielding the crazy powerful Cauldron.

Maas always writes fantastic action scenes, and they’re as pulse-pounding as usual in A Court of Wings and Ruin. She vividly conveys the sheer terror and chaos of battle. I frequently had to avert my gaze from further down the page, especially whenever I reached the end of a chapter, because I feared so damn much for Feyre, Rhys, Cassian, Azriel, Mor, Amren, and even Feyre’s sisters. Awaiting the outcome of each confrontation with Hybern on the battlefield was almost too much to handle. Feyre, Rhys, and their friends are a family, and they’re all prepared to sacrifice themselves if it means saving everyone else.

My only quibble with the book was the same one I had with Empire of Storms: the pacing. Both novels clock in at about 700 pages, and to me, both could have told their stories a bit more succinctly. I’m not sure what the original plan was for the number of books in this series, but A Court of Wings and Ruin tries to both bring this story to a close while also setting up possible plotlines for future books. Sometimes the flow between the two didn’t feel quite seamless, but the ending was very satisfying nonetheless, and I’m curious to see the direction the series heads in from here.

All in All: Taking on a 700-page book is absolutely daunting for me these days, but being back in this world with these beloved characters was like going home to catch up with old friends. A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones fans looking to get their fix between books/season should definitely give this series a shot.

Review: Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

Defy the Stars (Defy the Stars #1)
By Claudia Gray
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley

To Sum It Up: Noemi Vidal is ready to die for her home world of Genesis in its ongoing war with Earth, but her path takes a different turn when she ends up on board a ship that was abandoned thirty years ago with only a robot mech named Abel left behind. Abel longs to reunite with his creator, the renowned genius Burton Mansfield, but Abel’s programming dictates that he must also follow Noemi’s orders, even if they aid Earth’s enemy. As Noemi and Abel traverse multiple planets together, what began as a machine obeying its instructions becomes far more complicated, as Abel discovers just how much he’s evolved over thirty years and Noemi cannot help but see him as more than a mech.

Review: FINALLY—my first 2017 read above 3 stars! I’ve been in a horrible reading slump since late 2016, really, and I’d started to worry that it would never end. Thank you, Defy the Stars for breaking me out of the slump at last!

I’m sure that I would’ve loved this book as much as I did based solely on its own numerous merits, but the way in which it reminded me of HBO’s Westworld, a show that completely blew my mind, just pushed Defy the Stars over the top. Abel, one of the novel’s two main characters, is a mech, a combination of organic parts and technology, modeled after his brilliant creator, Burton Mansfield. Mansfield’s genius is so acclaimed, he’s practically a mythical figure. I did feel that there were even a few parallels between Mansfield and Westworld’s own mastermind, Dr. Robert Ford.

I absolutely loved Abel and his story line. After Mansfield and the rest of the human crew on board the spaceship Daedalus abandon it, Abel is stranded in space, all alone for thirty years until the book’s other protagonist, Noemi, unintentionally finds both the Daedalus and Abel. Although Abel’s been programmed to protect Mansfield, the man whom Abel considers his father, Abel’s programming also directs him to follow the orders of the highest human authority on the ship. Noemi ends up being that human. On Genesis, Noemi’s home planet, mechs are seen as soulless killing machines; having to place her trust in a mech goes against every one of her beliefs and instincts. Abel, being as advanced in intelligence as he is, realizes that his rescue from isolation may be short-lived with his fate in Noemi’s hands.

Claudia Gray gives both of her protagonists so many layers to their characters and develops them wonderfully. Noemi is a fierce fighter, willing to do anything to save her planet from being destroyed by Earth. Although ensuring a future for Genesis remains close to Noemi’s heart throughout the book, traveling to other planets with Abel opens her eyes and mind to the possibility that Genesis’s strategy for ending the war with Earth might not be the only way. Abel and his evolving programming also challenge Noemi to question everything she’s ever believed about mechs, which she’s encountered in battle all too often. Abel, however, proves himself to be a different kind of mech. He is the only model of his type, programmed with the skills of the other mech models but possessing a continuously developing personality. Sometimes Abel himself pauses to wonder whether a new feeling he’s experiencing is merely a malfunction or part of Mansfield’s design. The line between man and machine becomes very, very fine, and Gray just nails this aspect of the book. One thousand percent. It is so, so, so easy to forget that Abel is not entirely made of flesh and blood. He’s even got some sass! Abel melted my heart, too, which is not an easy feat.

I’m kind of a reluctant sci-fi reader; previous sci-fi books that I’ve read were too heavy on the technical details of the world and/or contained lots of info dumps. Defy the Stars features the perfect amount of world-building, enough where I feel immersed in the world but without being overwhelmed by endless minute details. The best thing about the world-building here? It’s done through showing, not telling! My last few reads employed a lot of telling, and it was exhilarating to finally encounter some skillful showing.

I’m still thinking about how amazing this book was, which pretty much illustrates the amount of love I have for it. Defy the Stars is a thrilling sci-fi adventure that also stirs the heart and asks how human a machine can be. There are many facets to this book, and each one is highly compelling and engrossing to read about.

All in All: Defy the Stars was so damn good! Westworld fans should find this especially intriguing, but even if you’ve never watched the show, this is such a winning, thrilling sci-fi novel!

ARC Review: Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger

Romancing the Inventor (Supernatural Society #1)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Gail Carriger
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Publication Date: November 1, 2016

To Sum It Up: Imogene Hale isn’t sure what to expect when she enters into service as a parlourmaid for the Woolsey vampire hive, but surely life there must be more interesting than the one she’s leading now. Intrigue for Imogene arrives quickly in the form of Madame Genevieve Lefoux, a brilliant inventor indentured to the hive. The chemistry between the two is instant and undeniable, and Imogene would love nothing more than for the inventor to show even the smallest sign of sharing Imogene’s feelings. Madame Lefoux, however, appears to still be nursing a broken heart, and Imogene faces quite the challenge in convincing the inventor that she might be able to love again.

Review: What a trifecta of awesomeness Gail Carriger has released in 2016: first with her novella Poison or Protect, then the second Custard Protocol novel, Imprudence, and now with her latest novella, Romancing the Inventor. I was very, very much looking forward to reading the latter not only because I absolutely adore the supernatural, Victorian steampunk world of Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series and will read anything set in it, but also because Romancing the Inventor checks in on Madame Genevieve Lefoux, a Parasol-verse character last seen facing a rather hapless fate after running amok through the streets of London with one of her inventions.

Readers who are not familiar with Madame Lefoux’s previous adventures need not worry here. The ingenious thing about both this novella and Poison or Protect is that they are entirely self-contained; no familiarity with the Parasol-verse is assumed or required. You get enough of Madame Lefoux’s backstory to understand her character here, but without overwhelming neither newcomers to the world nor readers who already know her history with too many details. Carriger strikes a harmonious balance in writing with both sets of readers in mind.

Although Madame Lefoux features prominently in Romancing the Inventor, it’s parlourmaid Imogene Hale, a character new to even readers of Carriger’s other works, who is the novella's protagonist. Life in a small English village holds very little for Imogene, so she gains employment at Woolsey Castle, home to the Woolsey vampire hive and its queen, Countess Nadasdy. The much hoped for excitement Imogene sought among vampires doesn’t take long to materialize, and what follows is a wonderfully sweet, slow burn of a love story. The romance runs into a few obstacles along the way, including hesitance on the part of Madame Lefoux, who still isn’t quite over a past love. Fortunately for Imogene, she later gains a very persuasive ally to assist her with convincing Madame Lefoux to entrust her heart to someone again.

Like Poison or Protect, Romancing the Inventor was just the right number of pages. Other novellas I’ve read felt a bit short and not long enough to really get to know the characters and/or tell a complete story, but neither issue arises here. Math and I have always been archenemies, but even I chuckled at the clever math references. I’m also extremely curious to read more about a certain character from the Parasol Protectorate novels thanks to the side of that character that’s shown here. Not only would I love to see this character featured in a future novella, but really all of the minor characters from the Parasol-verse because these novellas are such a delight to read.

All in All: I can’t emphasize enough that you can pick up this novella and enjoy it whether you’re completely new to the world or have read any number of other works set in it. If you loved the original Parasol Protectorate series like I did and always wondered what happened to Madame Lefoux, then definitely read Romancing the Inventor to find out; you won’t be disappointed!

Review: Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5)
By Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Facing impossible odds in their battle against Erawen and the Valg, Aelin and her friends set out to rally any allies they can. Along the way, Aelin finds out a devastating truth about her destiny, but she’ll accept whatever cost if it means ridding her world of the Valg and restoring prosperity to her homeland of Terrasen.

Review: Reading a new Throne of Glass novel has truly turned into an epic event, especially considering the increasing page counts. Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen, Heir of Fire, Fireheart (all these titles make me think of another queen from another fantasy series with “throne” in the title) has certainly come a long way from when we first met her as assassin Celaena Sardothien. The series as a whole has come a long way, expanding the world, the story, and the characters with each successive book. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that we’re already five books in.

At this point in the series, I really do think there are quite a few parallels between Throne of Glass and Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire, even down to the ice and fire. ToG isn’t only just about Aelin/Celaena anymore, either. Aelin’s companions have steadily moved toward the forefront, often making the more recent books feel like they feature an ensemble cast of characters, again à la GoT/ASoIaF. You always know, however, who indisputably owns ToG; that would be Aelin, of course.

I’m on a roll with the ToG/GoT parallels now, and I might not be able to quit. Like GoT’s fiery dragon queen Daenerys Targaryen, Aelin finds herself fighting to regain her throne. Unfortunately for Aelin, she runs up against some unyielding opposition from the lords of Terrasen. Determined to breathe life back into her kingdom, Aelin resolves to do whatever must be done, emphasis on whatever, to defeat Erawen and the Valg. Denied the backing of Terrasen’s lords, Aelin must look elsewhere for allies, even if a huge question mark hovers around their trustworthiness, and that’s putting it mildly.

Much of Empire of Storms focuses on Aelin and her cohorts attempting to build an army and hunting for a possible way to send the Valg back to the hell they spawned from. While there was no shortage of intense action scenes, the book occasionally felt a tad too much like a buildup to the series finale. Something about the pacing of Empire of Storms just felt slightly off compared to the other installments. I also found myself really wishing that I’d read The Assassin’s Blade before reading this. I wasn’t exactly lost, but I definitely got the impression that familiarity with the novellas provided the optimal Empire of Storms reading experience. And while I’m mentioning the couple of quibbles I ran across, I cannot overlook the complete absence of a certain character. It’s just that I LOVE said character, and to only see a handful of passing references in about 700 pages? Ouch—that hurt.

Overall, though, Empire of Storms commanded every spare second of time I could devote to it. I loved Manon so much in this book; her plotline has become one of my favorites. Maas continues to demonstrate her insanely formidable fantasy writing chops with this novel as well. Reading ToG is such a fully immersive experience thanks to its richly detailed world and equally deep lore. Maas also ups the series’ heat factor. Way up. It’s not quite as steamy as her other 2016 release, A Court of Mist and Fury, but there were still moments when I feared that my copy of Empire of Storms would spontaneously combust.

All I have to say about the ending was that it was crueler than cruel. I have to try not to dwell on it because I only get all upset anew over having to wait for the next book. Delaying reading new releases certainly has the advantage of not having to endure long waits for the sequels, but this is Aelin Galathynius we’re talking about here; she demands that you read her latest adventure immediately!

All in All: As much as I love Aelin and her friends, I think some pages could have been shaved off here. Empire of Storms was still one hell of a read, though, and Sarah J. Maas reigns supreme as the queen of YA fantasy.

ARC Review: Cloudwish by Fiona Wood

Cloudwish
By Fiona Wood
Publisher: Poppy
Format: Print ARC
Source: Publisher
Publication Date: October 18, 2016

To Sum It Up: Vân Uoc Phan tries to fly under the radar, far, far away from the spotlight. She harbors a secret crush on Billy Gardiner, star of her school’s rowing team and totally unattainable because of the difference in their social and economic statuses. Vân Uoc is a scholarship student, the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants who fled their homeland to Australia, where Vân Uoc was born. Vân Uoc doesn’t believe in magic, but when her wish that Billy would like her suddenly seems to start coming true, she can’t help but wonder if magic might just be possible.

Review: I’ve wanted to read a Fiona Wood book for quite some time, and, thanks to some wish fulfillment that perfectly ties in to the plot of Cloudwish, I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the novel. The book’s pretty cover also complements its story wonderfully, capturing the sweet, heady romance that develops between protagonist Vân Uoc Phan and her dream crush, Billy Gardiner.

This is like the zillionth time I’m saying this, but contemporary, and in particular contemporary romance, isn’t usually my thing, so for me to fall hard for that type of book, I had to have really, really, really liked it. And I really, really, really liked Cloudwish. Vân Uoc has a lovely, engaging narrative voice that is occasionally (and hilariously) self-deprecating but never self-pitying. Fiona Wood is also a prose genius, which made reading this such a delight. In her talented hands, what could have been a very formulaic story instead exudes charm, poignancy, and wit.

Vân Uoc is a richly drawn character whose personality I related to very, very much. We both try to attract as little attention to ourselves as possible and react like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights when we end up attracting it anyway. We’re also both skeptics when good things happen to us; we struggle with accepting them at face value and instead wonder when our luck will run out, which it’s bound to do. So when Vân Uoc makes a wish for her crush at school, Billy Gardiner, to like her and it starts coming true, she figures that Billy, a known prankster, is just playing a joke on her. She looks for every possible sign that the relationship that’s slowly building between them isn’t real. Thanks to Wood’s knockout writing, the build-up is simply exquisite.

The other, equally compelling side to Vân Uoc’s story is that of the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants who have high hopes of their only child becoming a doctor or a lawyer. Vân Uoc, meanwhile, aspires to be an artist, something that she hides from her parents. At school, she often feels the social and economic divide between her and her classmates, a difference that a clique of mean girls constantly reminds her about. For Vân Uoc, only able to attend the elite Crowthorne Grammar thanks to a scholarship, the school’s casual clothes day is something to dread, as everyone else turns up wearing designer labels she and her family could never afford. Vân Uoc, however, isn’t the type to feel sorry for herself, making you want to root for her even more. You want her to pursue her dream of becoming an artist. You want her to see herself as the lovely person her friends see. And you absolutely want her and Billy Gardiner’s romance to be 100% for real and forever.

Fans of Jane Eyre will also adore all of the references to Charlotte Brontë’s novel and Vân Uoc’s musings on what Jane would do in a particular situation. Even if you don’t love Jane as much as Vân Uoc does, there’s still plenty to love about Vân Uoc herself and her tale here.

All in All: Cloudwish is a winning contemporary romance, and it’s completely hooked me on Fiona Wood’s writing.

Review: Imprudence by Gail Carriger

Imprudence (The Custard Protocol #2)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Lady Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama and her beloved airship The Spotted Custard have returned home to England, but it’s not a happy welcome that awaits them. Rue faces a most displeased Queen Victoria and is promptly divested of her legal protections under the Crown. Life with Rue’s preternatural/werewolf/vampire family has never been tranquil, but when the situation takes a very serious turn, Rue and the crew of The Spotted Custard undertake an urgent mission that is extremely dear to Rue’s heart.

Review: After having some pacing issues with the previous novel, Prudence, and just not feeling that the latter was on the same level as its parent series, The Parasol Protectorate, I wasn’t exactly in a hurry to read Imprudence. I changed my mind, though, after absolutely adoring Gail Carriger’s recent novella, Poison or Protect, which is also set in the same wonderful supernatural/steampunk Victorian world. I’d also seen a few reviewers on Goodreads with quibbles similar to mine regarding Prudence say that Imprudence was a much more satisfying read. Feeling optimistic, I picked up this book, and I’m so, so, so happy that I did.

Whereas the plot of Prudence never really seemed to gel, the sequel sports a well-developed story line that both brings closure for some Parasol Protectorate characters but leaves room for plenty of future adventures for Rue and company. This would probably be an opportune moment to mention that The Custard Protocol is truly a spin-off series, and you really do need to have read The Parasol Protectorate to follow what happens in Prudence and especially Imprudence.

I’m practically giddy writing about how much I loved the humor in this book. Imprudence just sparkles with wit throughout its pages, even in the midst of battle. Yes, battle! Rue’s poor ship finds itself besieged on multiple occasions, and the fighting is quite intense. Rue really steps up to her leadership role as lady captain of The Spotted Custard in this book, and it’s equally lovely to see the camaraderie that has developed among her plucky crew.

While all of the characters feel more fleshed out in Imprudence, Rue’s growth is perhaps the most striking. She actually turns twenty-one in the novel and is officially an independent woman, no longer under the protection of her parents and, thanks to the fallout from The Spotted Custard’s recent escapade, no longer afforded protection by Queen Victoria. Attaining her majority isn’t the only life change Rue faces in the book, either. A family crisis rocks the world she’s grown up in and alters it forever. Although certain events in Imprudence had been foreshadowed even back in The Parasol Protectorate, I still found myself getting quite emotional, and my heart broke for Rue. She gathers her courage, though, and leads her crew through not one but two missions. I really loved this lady by the end of the book and her quirky but endearing companions, too.

Overall, Imprudence was a heap of rollicking good fun that often made me laugh out loud, a very common occurrence when reading Gail Carriger’s works. Imprudence was also deeply poignant at times, and a frenzy of action at others. It appears that The Spotted Custard won’t be lifting off again for some time while its ingenious creator concentrates on some more novellas, so I’ll just savor these adventures in the meantime.

All in All: Everything just clicked into place in Imprudence—it was sweet, it was thrilling, and most of all, it was HILARIOUS!

Burn Blog Tour: Review

I'm excited to once again participate in a blog tour for Paula Weston's The Rephaim series! This one's a little bittersweet, because we've arrived at the fourth and final book, Burn. Continue reading for my review of this thrilling series ender!

Burn (The Rephaim #4)
By Paula Weston
Publisher: Tundra Books
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Synopsis: Suddenly, Gaby remembers everything.

For a year she believed she was a backpacker chilling out in Pandanus Beach. Working at the library. Getting over the accident that killed her twin brother.

Then Rafa came to find her and Gaby discovered her true identity as Gabe: one of the Rephaim. Over a hundred years old. Half angel, half human, all demon-smiting badass—and hopelessly attracted to the infuriating Rafa.

Now she knows who faked her memories, and how—and why it’s all hurtling towards a massive showdown between the forces of heaven and hell.

More importantly, she remembers why she’s spent the last ten years wanting to seriously hurt Rafa.

Review: It’s time to show one last bit of cover love for The Rephaim series, as we’ve reached the fourth and final installment, Burn. The cover of Burn reminds me of the cover for the first book, Shadows, which makes perfect sense because we see the series complete a full circle here. And what a thrilling, non-stop tidal wave of a journey it is from the first page to the last page of Burn.

The previous book, Shimmer, ended with one jaw-dropping cliffhanger. After spending three books trying to piece her lost memories together while simultaneously dealing with demons from hell, protagonist Gaby now remembers everything. How she and her twin brother Jude ended up going their separate ways, what brought them together again, and how they both nearly died. All of it. Unsurprisingly, the past holds some very ugly truths for Gaby, particularly the incident leading up to Jude and the Outcasts walking out of the Sanctuary. I winced on Gaby’s behalf quite a few times.

Paula Weston has done a marvelous job pacing this series from the beginning, and especially so with Burn. The novel shifts back and forth between the present and the past as the gaps in Gaby’s memory are filled in. The startling revelations just keep flowing, but they never feel like info dumping. Rather, the book compels you to continue reading because you can’t wait for the next missing fragment of Gaby’s past to drop. I inhaled Burn in three days; I don’t get to binge read books too often anymore, but this book demanded that I not leave it for too long. You know a book has wholly reeled you in when you can never find an ideal spot to place your bookmark.

The ending of Burn was not at all what I’d thought it might be, and I loved how it caught me so completely by surprise. Before the series draws to a close, however, there’s plenty of its signature heart-stopping action. Hell is literally headed for Gaby’s beloved Pan Beach, and it’s going to take the collective efforts of all the Rephaim, both the Outcasts and those still loyal to the fallen angel Nathaniel, to even stand a chance of facing down the approaching horde. As bitterly divided as the two sides of the Rephaim have been, they also realize what’s at stake. Gaby herself has to come to terms with an extremely painful event in the past. She must reconcile the Gabe she once was with the Gaby she is now, and there’s nothing like impending destruction by demons to help put things in the proper perspective.

There are so many things I’m going to miss about this series: Gaby and her amazing strength, Rafa and his brilliant snark (I will especially miss Rafa AND his brilliant snark), the intense, knockout action scenes, the beautiful book covers, and, of course, Weston’s wonderful prose. Although Burn provides a very satisfying conclusion to The Rephaim, it also leaves open the definite possibility of another story. In Burn, the Rephaim learn that prophecy doesn’t necessarily translate to destiny and can be altered by free will, which further raises my hopes of reading more Rephaim chronicles one day.

All in All: The Rephaim series closes on a high note with Burn. Readers who’ve been with the series since Shadows are well rewarded, as Gaby finally has all the missing pieces to her past. The present story line offers its own surprises as well, meaning that you’ll be riveted by Burn from start to finish.

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Review: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)
By Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Since losing her parents as a child, Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs has never given up on avenging them. She’s never believed that they were just two more casualties of the Dark War that claimed many other Shadowhunter lives and severely fractured an already strained relationship with the Fair Folk. Emma’s opportunity for revenge may have finally arrived, though, when a series of murders bearing an eerie similarity to that of her parents draws the attention of the both the Shadowhunters of the Los Angeles Institute and the faeries. It’s not only Emma who has a personal stake in finding the killer, either. Her best friend since childhood and parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, may regain the older brother his family lost to the faeries years before, but only if the Clave doesn’t discover the Shadowhunters’ forbidden involvement in the investigation.

Review: It’s a bit hard to believe that Lady Midnight marks my tenth Shadowhunter read. I’ve officially hit double digits with these books; that represents some commitment, indeed. And as beloved as the Victorian-era set Infernal Devices is and always will be to me, I still couldn’t help wondering for a nanosecond if this new Shadowhunter series, The Dark Artifices, would be able to stand out and on its own, especially considering the popularity of the previous Shadowhunter series. Well, after having read Lady Midnight, the answer to that question is a resounding YES.

This novel strikes a perfect balance between tying into the rest of the Shadowhunter chronicles and setting off on its own story arc. On top of that, there’s enough of a primer on the world and Shadowhunter history for newcomers who’ve never read any of the other books to be able to jump right in here. While I’m personally of the opinion that it’s best to read all of the books in order for the optimal reading experience, it’s not absolutely essential to do so.

Quite a few of the characters in Lady Midnight were introduced in the final Mortal Instruments book, City of Heavenly Fire, including protagonists and parabatai Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn, as well as Julian’s siblings. We catch up with them five years later at the Los Angeles Institute, still very much dealing with the fallout from the Dark War detailed in City of Heavenly Fire that dealt a huge blow to the Shadowhunters’ ranks and all but severed any ties with the treacherous Fair Folk. I was really struck by just how deep the story was here and the multi-layered explorations of its themes of revenge and forbidden love. I’m not saying that I was expecting a shallow plot; when I was done reading I just had one of those aha moments when the power of a book’s storytelling hits you all at once.

Emma is touted as the best Shadowhunter of her generation, praise that has previously been bestowed upon one Jace Herondale. Fortunately, Emma isn’t merely Jace redux; she’s a character who’s all her own, and a pretty badass one at that. Emma is a proud Carstairs, determined to avenge her parents, and she wields the Carstairs family sword, Cortana, with both lethal precision and grace.

Family plays a HUGE role throughout the book, and oh how the Blackthorns melted and broke my heart. After the death of Julian’s father (by Julian’s own hand during the Dark War), the exile of his older sister, and the taking of his older brother by faeries, Julian has essentially been both mother and father to his younger siblings: twins Ty and Livvy, Dru, and Tavvy. In doing so, he’s had to give up his own childhood and adolescence. I think that anyone who’s ever been a caregiver, whether for someone younger or older, will empathize with Julian. The weight he carries on his shoulders shows at times, but make no mistake: Julian loves his family fiercely, and the Angel help anyone who tries to harm any of them. I absolutely loved the Blackthorns and their love for one another and for Emma, who’s always been an integral part of their lives. Well done, Blackthorn family, on plucking my heartstrings as expertly as Jem Carstairs plays the violin.

Although Lady Midnight features the usual assortment of paranormal beings (vampires, warlocks, demons, etc.), faeries figure largely in the novel. Their betrayal of the Nephilim during the Dark War has led to the Cold Peace; while the two sides are not openly fighting each other, any collaboration between them is not allowed. So when a faerie contingent literally turns up on the doorsteps of the Los Angeles Institute seeking help from the Nephilim, the Shadowhunters have an extremely tough choice to make, especially when the faeries reveal their bait. It’s Julian’s older, half-faerie brother Mark, who’s been their captive for five years. Mark’s return, possibly only temporary and which the Clave cannot find out about, rocks the Blackthorns. He’s a total stranger to them and they to him, a situation only worsened by the difference between the passage of time in the faerie realm and the mortal world. For Julian, Mark’s reappearance in their lives stirs up some bitterness over having been forced to fill in as the oldest brother/parent these past five years, as well as anxiety over the children, Julian’s children really, having their hearts irrevocably crushed if Mark cannot remain with them. Again, I found the Blackthorn family’s story absolutely compelling and poignant.

I can’t wrap up this review without mentioning that fans of the other Shadowhunter series should be thrilled by some very special cameo appearances in Lady Midnight. They’re just enough to satisfy your curiosity about what’s been going on since both The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices ended but without upstaging the main characters here. The torch has clearly been passed on to Emma and Julian, and they make their predecessors very, very proud.

All in All: I am wholly invested in this new Shadowhunter series and can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!

Review: Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

Passenger (Passenger #1)
By Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Violinist Etta Spencer is on the verge of making her debut when’s she’s pulled back in time to 1776. There she finds herself on board the ship of Nicholas Carter, who’s been tasked with bringing Etta to the powerful Ironwood family. Etta is the key to the Ironwoods’ absolute control over time itself, and they’ll stop at nothing to obtain it. Until now, Etta knew nothing about the existence of time travel, but it seems that she’s been destined for this path and to try and save her future.

Review: As a huge fan of Alexandra Bracken’s The Darkest Minds series, I’d been eagerly awaiting the release of Passenger. That anticipation was not unwarranted; within the first few chapters of Passenger, I was hooked.

Passenger is really the story of two characters: Etta Spencer, a gifted violinist preparing to make her debut on a New York City stage in the present, and Nicholas Carter, captain of the captured ship Etta wakes up on after her sudden and unexpected trip back to colonial times. Nicholas’s heart belongs to the sea, and he yearns for a ship to call his own one day. First, however, he must complete his mission to deliver Etta to the Ironwoods, an extremely powerful family of time travelers that has almost obliterated other traveling families in order to obtain total dominance. The Ironwoods need a single object to fully control time itself, and Etta is their means of locating it, even though she’s entirely new to this world.

What makes Passenger so refreshing to read is Etta’s handling of her situation. She goes from modern day NYC to 18th century Revolutionary America in a heartbeat, bringing her 21st century attitude with her. She’s not afraid to use it, either. Etta speaks her mind, social expectations of the day be damned; her fire quite endears her to some of Nicholas’s crewmen. Etta’s spark perfectly complements Nicholas’s own determination, and although what starts as an impromptu partnership isn’t without its obstacles and differing agendas at times, you cannot finish this book without needing the Etta/Nicholas ship to sail off happily into the sunset.

Alexandra Bracken’s take on time travel is absolutely brilliant. It’s explained in enough detail without feeling shallow, yet it doesn’t require the assistance of someone with a PhD in astrophysics to understand. Each historical period is recreated with so much vividness that you truly feel you’re right there alongside Nicholas and Etta in colonial New York City, World War II London, and 16th century Damascus, among other places/times. My favorite scenes, though, take place in Nicholas’s own time, 1776, on board the ship carrying Etta that he helps capture at sea. There’s an awesome pirate-y atmosphere to these chapters of the novel, and if the whole book had been set on the high seas, I think I would have been just as happy.

I will say that the pacing lags in a few spots, but this didn’t turn into a big issue for me. There are plenty of thrills and narrow escapes to be found within the pages of Passenger, along with a sweeping romance that utterly convinces you that love transcends all, including time. And the ending is guaranteed to leave you demanding the sequel, Wayfarer, ASAP.

All in All: A fantastic start to a new series. The time travel is excellently done, and the two main characters will not only win you over individually but especially when they’re together. Swoon factor: very high.

ARC Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Salt to the Sea
By Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Philomel Books
Format: Print ARC
Source: YALLFest
Publication Date: February 2, 2016

To Sum It Up: In 1945, Joana, Florian, and Emilia are among the thousands trying to flee East Prussia as Soviet troops close in. All three have suffered so much loss during the war and are heavily burdened with secrets, but hope may be within reach if they can secure places on board the German ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff. The trek to the Gustloff is rife with danger, but it may be the trio’s only chance of surviving.

Review: Buzz for Salt to the Sea had already been building before I went to YALLFest last November, so when I spotted the ARCs that were available at the event, I was ecstatic. I like to think that I only gasped slightly, but I’m pretty sure that the reality was closer to a very audible squeal.

Alas, I still haven’t read Ruta Sepetys’s much acclaimed Between Shades of Gray (Ally has, though!), but her excellent 1950’s New Orleans-set Out of the Easy compelled me to pick up Salt to the Sea without hesitation. I tend to read historical fiction with medieval, Regency, or Victorian settings, but Sepetys’s skill at recreating the time period for Out of the Easy impressed me so much, I believe that she could write about any historical era. Out of the Easy also drew me in with its richly drawn characters, which is key to holding my attention whenever I read fiction that doesn’t have a paranormal/fantasy/dystopian element to it.

And so I went into reading Salt to the Sea feeling confident that I would be completely gripped by its story even though ordinarily, I’m not particularly drawn to World War II historical fiction. But therein lies the magic of Sepetys’s prose: her storytelling fully immerses you in the time and place she’s writing about. The chaos and destruction that war brings are made all too real here. You can’t help but feel for three of the main characters—Joana, Florian, and Emilia. Their lives have been shattered, their families have been torn apart, and their chances of escaping the absolute hell they’re living appear very slim throughout the novel. The three are essentially caught between the Nazis on one side and the rapidly advancing Soviet troops on the other, and every step the trio takes toward possible escape aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff could be their last. Fear, danger, and desperation pervade the pages, yet there are also a few stolen moments of hope to counterbalance the bleakness a bit.

The multiple POV narration works extremely well here, and the convergence of the story lines is both seamless and for the most part, quick. There’s compassionate Joana, who fled her native Lithuania four years ago and whose medical training has made her the de facto nurse of the group she’s traveling with; Florian, originally from East Prussia and a former restoration apprentice who’s seen firsthand the extent of the Nazis’ theft of Europe’s art treasures; Emilia, a fifteen-year-old Polish girl whose well-intentioned father sent her to live with friends in East Prussia where he’d hoped she would be safe but instead she’s been through unimaginable horror; and Alfred, a German sailor who firmly holds to Nazi ideology and who has delusions of becoming a great war hero. Sepetys develops her secondary characters just as much as her primary ones, too. The elderly gentleman whom the rest of Joana’s group calls “the shoe poet” because he used to be a cobbler and has a knack for making deep, philosophical observations is particularly endearing. There’s also little Klaus, found only with an address on a piece of paper pinned to the front of his coat. The shoe poet becomes like a grandfather to the boy, and their relationship is one of the most touching aspects of the book.

Salt to the Sea is an incredibly powerful, moving story, the type that you’ll still be thinking about long after you’ve read it. It will also absolutely break your heart, but it’s a story that needs to be read—and remembered.

All in All: This is a stellar work of historical fiction. The print ARC has an afterword on the actual events that inspired the novel (my guess is that the finished book will, too), and though not long, it, too, was an interesting read. Salt to the Sea is a compelling book from cover to cover, and I definitely need to read Between Shades of Gray soon.