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: Ghost Girl by Ally Malinenko

Ghost Girl
By Ally Malinenko
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format: eARC
Source: Sparkpoint Studio

To Sum It Up: In the small town of Knobb’s Ferry, not far from the famous Sleepy Hollow, Zee Puckett stands out, and not in a good way. All Zee wants is to tell her spooky stories and hang out with her best friend Elijah, but her shock of white hair makes her an easy target for teasing at school. It also doesn’t help that it’s just Zee and her older sister, Abby, having lost their mother when Zee was born and their father now gone in search of work elsewhere. As long as Zee has her stories and her friendship with Elijah, though, she can weather anything until a storm rolls through Knobb’s Ferry and seems to bring something very sinister with it. Zee soon learns that while she may love spinning scary tales, it’s a completely different thing to actually find herself living in one.

Review: With Halloween not that far away, now is the perfect time to start getting into the ghostly groove with a chilling read like Ghost Girl that also manages to warm your heart. Zee Puckett is a sixth grader in the small town of Knobb’s Ferry, which the book mentions is near the fabled Sleepy Hollow. Ally Malinenko does a great job of establishing a setting where everybody knows everybody and their business, the type of place where a girl like Zee, with her white hair, unusual name (Zee is short for Zera), and love for telling scary stories, attracts unwanted attention from other kids. It’s a good thing Zee has her best friend Elijah, the only person in Knobb’s Ferry who really gets her. Their friendship is one of the book’s standout parts.

The paranormal aspect starts creeping in when a fierce storm rocks the town and little by little begins affecting its residents. Zee and Elijah quickly realize that something is very amiss and that they are central to whatever is going on. While the identity of the villain isn’t all that hard to figure out, there’s still a good amount of mystery surrounding what exactly is happening in Knobb’s Ferry. Malinenko builds just the right amount of suspense, punctuated by some wonderfully frightening moments.

Ghost Girl also focuses on some very human elements, such as standing up for yourself and not assuming that you know everything that another person may be going through based solely on outward appearances. Perhaps the most important point that the book addresses is that no one can take something away from you that is not given freely. Although these may sound like heavier themes for a middle grade read, Malinenko incorporates them in a manner that’s subtle yet powerful.

With an ominous atmosphere, deep character development, and ample thrills, Ghost Girl more than lives up to the expectations of its eerie title. I definitely hope to see more adventures featuring Zee and her friends.

All in All: A perfect read for the fast approaching spooky season that will appeal to readers of all ages!

Review: Game Changer by Neal Shusterman

Game Changer
By Neal Shusterman
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Publication Date: February 9, 2021

To Sum It Up: Ash Bowman is a high school football player with a seemingly normal life until a hard hit during a game leaves him with the feeling that things aren’t quite right—and they aren’t. Ash, however, appears to be the only person who fully realizes that the world has changed, and not necessarily for the better. Whatever is happening around him also awakens Ash to the fact that he truly hasn’t been seeing what life is like for people who aren’t as privileged as he is. As the world continues to shift, Ash discovers that he may be able to bring about positive change, but even the smallest slip could create a new, bleak reality that is permanent.

Review: Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy blew me away with its unique premise and brilliant writing, and so I was thrilled to dive into his newest release, Game Changer. One of my favorite things about the Arc of a Scythe series was its deft, multilayered storytelling, and Shusterman doesn’t disappoint in that department here with Game Changer.

At first Game Changer appears to be a novel about an archetypal All-American high school football player named Ash Bowman. But when Ash takes a particularly hard hit on a play during a game, it literally shakes his entire world. Blue stop signs are now the norm. Ash knows something is amiss, but most of his family and friends do not. As he maneuvers this seemingly new world, Ash begins to discover that blue stop signs are the least alarming aspect.

Finding out the impact of that single event during the football game as Ash does makes for compelling reading. What exactly is going here to cause these shifts in the world? The answer involves a sci-fi twist that I thought was well done, and I’m not much of a sci-fi reader. This book reminded me a bit of David Levithan’s excellent Every Day. As he did with Arc of a Scythe, Shusterman is so great at immersing you in a world that, sometimes very eerily, isn’t too farfetched from what we know.

The heart of this book, though, lies in its timely exploration of some of the most pressing social issues we face, including racism, homophobia, and sexism. At the beginning of the novel, the extent of Ash’s social awareness is his diverse circle of friends. As he finds himself thrown into alternate universes, his white, heterosexual male privilege becomes more and more glaringly apparent to him.

While some readers may feel that the novel tries to take on too many weighty topics at once, and granted, each of them individually could absolutely be the subject of their own book, for me the takeaway here was the overall development of Ash’s realization of just how privileged and comfortable his life was back in his original world. And although his attempts to effect sweeping change and correct the injustices he can now see more clearly are sincere, they can come off seeming a bit of a simplistic approach to extremely complex problems. On the whole, though, this is a thought-provoking read that challenges how we often view the world only through the lens of our own experiences and demonstrates the need to continue the work of truly seeing and listening to the multitude of perspectives that exist.

All in All: This is the fourth Neal Shusterman book that I’ve read, and I love how he blends an impactful look at societal issues with a sci-fi/alternate universe twist. I find that his books leave me thinking about them for some time after I’ve read the last page, and Game Changer will definitely be staying with me for a while.

Review: The Enforcer Enigma by G.L. Carriger

The Enforcer Enigma (San Andreas Shifters #3)
By G.L. Carriger
Publisher: Gail Carriger
Format: eARC
Source: Author

To Sum It Up: After spending many years of his werewolf existence searching for a pack where he felt he truly belonged, Judd seems to have finally found a home with the San Andreas Pack. And then there’s Colin—Judd’s pack mate and the person whom Judd can picture himself being with for the rest of his life. Colin, however, is used to being invisible and doesn’t feel he has anything to contribute to his pack, let alone to a relationship. As the pair attempt to work through the obstacles in the way of their happiness together, they also find themselves caught up in some intrigue involving selkies who also happen to gangsters as well as a rather unwelcome figure from Colin’s past.

Review: The San Andreas werewolf pack has returned, and not a moment too soon! The Enforcer Enigma is the third book in Gail Carriger’s paranormal romance San Andreas Shifters series, this time centering around Judd, one of the pack’s enforcers, and Colin, the pack’s quietest member who was basically abandoned by his parents and as a result, struggles with finding a sense of worth not only to the pack, but also to himself. Kind and patient Judd would love nothing more than to call Colin his mate for the rest of their lives, but Colin’s insecurity and Judd’s hesitation over their age difference pose challenges to a possible future together. The book follows their burgeoning relationship while also featuring a subplot with an otter shifter/barista, a country music superstar/Alpha werewolf, and selkie mobsters. Intrigued? You definitely should be!

One of the hallmarks of this series is how much you find yourself rooting for the main character pairing to get together and get their happily ever after. Judd and Colin could not be sweeter as a couple. The development of their relationship is just so wonderfully written, with neither wanting to pressure the other into moving too quickly or making a long-term commitment. Seeing Judd, who has lived a long life as a werewolf, perhaps finally find love at last, and Colin, who has been starved of affection for the majority of his young life, become the center of another person’s universe will melt your heart.

As in the previous two books, the deep bond between the members of the San Andreas Pack shows its strength here. Not only does the pack have each member’s back, but it also embraces an extended family of supernatural friends. That circle widens with each book, and it’s simply lovely to see familiar faces from the other novels pop up.

I absolutely love, love, love the humor that Gail Carriger incorporates into all of her books, and The Enforcer Enigma won me over on the first page with a café named Bean There, Froth That. I’m still chuckling typing that! And who wouldn’t welcome some laughs right now? Not only that, and more significantly, there’s also a sweet story about finding acceptance, love, family, and home and learning that everyone unconditionally deserves a family who loves and accepts them for who they are.

All in All: An excellent follow-up to The Omega Objection! And yes—still giggling over Bean There, Froth That!

Review: Defy or Defend by Gail Carriger

Defy or Defend (Delightfully Deadly #2)
By Gail Carriger
Publisher: Gail Carriger
Format: eBook
Source: Author

To Sum It Up: Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott, alumna of Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, is now a seasoned intelligencer, skilled at espionage all while being irrepressibly effervescent. Settling down with a family is now very much in Dimity’s thoughts, though, and she already has a potential partner in domestic bliss in mind—Sir Crispin Bontwee, who’s previously looked after Dimity’s safety on missions. The two are assigned to work together again to investigate a vampire hive that has gone Goth. Armed with a prodigious eye for interior design, Dimity must put her talents into action quickly before time runs out for the hive.

Review: Sometimes you read a book at EXACTLY the right moment, and that was 100% the case with Gail Carriger’s Defy or Defend. This short novel is the second installment in her Delightfully Deadly series, which is set in the paranormal/Victorian steampunk world of Carriger’s Parasolverse works and follows the characters from the YA Finishing School series as adults. During this time of real world uncertainty, Defy or Defend was a most welcome escape and an absolute joy to read.

In Defy or Defend, we catch up with Dimity Plumleigh-Teignmott, best friend to Finishing School protagonist Sophronia Temminnick. Despite being a stellar spy (code name: Honey Bee) for the War Office, Dimity finds herself contemplating leaving life as an intelligencer behind and settling down. She would love nothing more than to win the heart of Sir Crispin Bontwee, her security on some past missions, but he seems immune to her formidable charms. What Dimity doesn’t know is that Sir Crispin does in fact have a soft spot for the Honey Bee. When the pair must work together again, masquerading as a married couple no less, they’re given the perfect opportunity to make their feelings for each other known. There is, however, the not insignificant matter of their mission: to discover what has driven the Nottingham vampire hive to go Goth and to set things to right before BUR, the authority that oversees paranormal affairs, steps in and takes drastic action.

In addition to a very sweet romance, Defy or Defend features Goth vampires who are quite in the throes of gloom, the entire makeover of a vampire abode, overwrought poetry, and ballet. If all of that weren’t enough, there may be a familiar name or two from the Parasolverse. I love how existing characters are incorporated—there’s just enough of an appearance to thrill readers already familiar with the Parasolverse without making newcomers to the world feel that they need to have read previous books. If anything, I think that these cameos spark curiosity about the characters and entice new readers to pick up the other books.

As much as I rooted for Dimity and Cris, who are an adorable couple, to sort out the situation between them, I also rooted for the Nottingham hive to find some cheer (which mostly takes the form of Dimity). Dimity is truly a makeover maven with irresistible magic and every bit suited to Cris’s nickname for her, Sparkles. But I also love how Sparkles has her other, lethal side that honed her proficiency in all matter of deadly arts at finishing school.

Defy or Defend was perfect from beginning to end: the romance, the mission to save the hive, the friends from other Parasolverse stories, and as always with Gail Carriger’s books, the humor! This book and its wonderful heroine and her gallant tuppenny knight are just what I needed in my life right now.

All in All: 5 sparkly stars!

Review: Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

* This review may contain spoilers for the previous book, Scythe. *

Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2)
By Neal Shusterman
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Although they began their journey together as scythe’s apprentices, Citra and Rowan’s lives could not be any more different now. Citra has become Scythe Anastasia, an increasingly rare junior scythe who seems to adhere to the principles of the old guard amidst a growing new order that wants to glean without boundaries. Rowan, meanwhile, is now the notorious Scythe Lucifer, the self-appointed deliverer of justice to dishonorable scythes. As Rowan tries to evade capture by the Scythedom, Citra finds herself targeted by a yet unknown enemy. It seems that conflict within the Scythedom is inevitable, and the Thunderhead, the sentient artificial intelligence that benevolently rules over humanity, is powerless to do anything about it because it cannot intervene in scythe affairs.

Review: After the genius that was Scythe, I couldn’t wait to dive into the sequel, Thunderhead. Scythe was such a thrilling, exhilaratingly unpredictable read with a note perfect ending that I was a bit about nervous how Thunderhead would measure up to its predecessor. It turns out that I need not have worried for a second.

When we catch up with Scythe’s two protagonists, Citra and Rowan, we find them on rather opposite sides of scythe law. As Scythe Anastasia, Citra is following in the footsteps of her mentor, Scythe Curie, and doing her best to perform her duties with honor. This is even as the so-called new order within the Scythedom that wants to loosen restrictions on gleaning continues to gain traction. Citra and her mentor’s adherence to the old ways appears to come at a price when they become the targets of an unknown adversary.

As for Rowan, his path has detoured down a much darker road. He has taken it upon himself to mete out justice to nefarious scythes by gleaning them. Rowan’s vigilantism is not without consequences. In addition to being the Scythedom’s most wanted criminal, AKA “Scythe” Lucifer, his deeds cost him in ways he couldn’t have imagined.

While Citra and Rowan remain central to the series, we gain the perspectives of additional characters in Thunderhead, including the titular . . . entity? The Thunderhead is such a unique character. It’s essentially a highly evolved version of the cloud (as in cloud computing) that governs humanity except for the Scythedom. Not only is the Thunderhead an authority figure, but it also literally takes care of the people it rules. In the case of new character Greyson Tolliver, the Thunderhead has basically parented him.

As we see inside the Thunderhead’s thoughts, its concern over what is happening within the Scythedom grows significantly. A shift in political climate doesn’t affect just scythes; it inevitably ripples to affect every single human being. Although the Thunderhead cannot take direct action to protect its charges, it is more than clever enough to find ways to circumvent the separation between scythe and state. And Greyson Tolliver becomes a key figure in the Thunderhead’s plans.

At the beginning of the novel, Greyson is a nondescript student at the Nimbus Academy, training to become an agent under the Thunderhead’s authority. Having essentially been raised by the Thunderhead, Greyson is quite content with his career path. The Thunderhead, however, has other ideas in store for him, and by the end of the book, Greyson Tolliver has experienced quite the adventure.

One of the things I loved most about Scythe was its seemingly never-ending supply of surprises. Thunderhead ups the twists and turns exponentially. I’m not joking. When I finished the book, I needed a bit to process all that had happened between page one and the final page. It. Is. Insane.

The ending also makes you wonder where the story can go from there. Seriously—this ending changes EVERYTHING. Whatever follows, though, is sure to be just as brilliant as everything about Thunderhead.

All in All: This is no lightweight middle book! I loved reading from the Thunderhead’s POV, and I’m still in awe over how Neal Shusterman pulled off shocker after shocker.

Review: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1)
By Neal Shusterman
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: In a future where disease has been eradicated, the only way to die is to be gleaned by a scythe—those officially charged with delivering death. Scythes are supposed to respect the gravity of their role in society and adhere to a set of rules, but as newly selected apprentices Citra Terranova and Rowan Damisch quickly learn, not all scythes are honorable. As division grows within the Scythedom, Citra and Rowan find themselves caught up in some deadly politics that test them as much as, if not more than, their training.

Review: I’d wanted to read Scythe ever since I spotted the epic cover, but as usual, it took me forever to get to it. And once again, I was late to the “This book is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G” party.

I’m not sure what I expected from a book that features what are essentially grim reapers—maybe a tone that was mostly gloom and doom and, you know, grim? But Scythe is so, so many layers deeper than that. Yes, death is a major component here, but we also have an extremely thought-provoking dystopian novel sprinkled with wit.

I absolutely loved Neal Shusterman’s world-building. On the surface, the world of Scythe looks like a utopia. There is no disease. In the event of injury, the body’s nanites dull pain until healing is complete. Hunger and war do not exist anymore. The Thunderhead, an evolved, sentient version of the cloud, watches over humanity and administers to its needs. The watching part sounds rather Big Brother-esque, and as Facebook, Google, etc. track everything we do more and more, the idea of technology ruling over all of us doesn’t seem too far-fetched.

And then there’s the Scythedom. Since humans no longer die from disease or injury, scythes are charged with controlling population growth by taking lives, or gleaning. Scythes are supposed to approach their duty with reverence and have ten commandments to follow. As the book unfolds, however, we learn that some scythes interpret those commandments more loosely than others, to the point where they’re almost flouting scythe laws. There’s a growing division between the old guard scythes, who keenly feel the weight of their role in society, and the new order scythes, who think the rules are antiquated and restrictive. A lot of political maneuvering goes on in the Scythedom, and it is this tense climate that main characters Citra Terranova and Rowan Damisch find themselves thrown into.

Citra and Rowan are both chosen to be the apprentices of Scythe Faraday, and at first the outcome is simple: only one of them can earn a scythe’s ring. The other will resume his or her life once the selection is made. A cruel twist, however, raises the stakes and puts Citra and Rowan on paths they never envisioned. This book was full of surprises, and I loved how it kept me guessing. I also loved the ending—sometimes I get frustrated when the first book in a series leaves you with nothing but a scream-inducing cliffhanger. Scythe nails the ending, though.

This is a fantastic series opener with a gripping story, deft world-building, and stellar writing. I am officially a Neal Shusterman fan now and can’t wait to see what else he has in store for this series.

All in All: A 5-star read from beginning to end. Just brilliant storytelling.

Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before #1)
By Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Lara Jean’s life is about to change in some big ways—the start of a new school year and the departure of her beloved older sister for college abroad in Scotland. Nothing can prepare Lara Jean, however, for the horror of seeing the secret letters she’s written to every boy she’s loved somehow mailed out to the recipients. In an equally bizarre twist, Lara Jean finds herself pretending to be the girlfriend of one of the addressees, Peter Kavinsky. At first she thinks she’s long over him, but as their supposedly fake relationship continues, Lara Jean realizes that she just might want it to be real.

Review: Once again, I’m way behind the curve in reading a massively popular book, in this case Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. This book had been on my radar even before the release of the equally popular Netflix adaptation, in part thanks to the gorgeous cover. I don’t read much contemporary and so didn’t make this much of a priority read until Twitter exploded with all the love for the film. And then it still took me a while to finally read the book.

Seeing all of that love for the movie on social media made me feel like I already knew Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky before reading a single page. It took reading maybe five pages to fall in love with MC Lara Jean’s narrative voice. It was instantly engaging, and I also loved the immediate sense of closeness between her and her sisters. When the novel opens, eldest sister Margot is preparing to head off to college in Scotland, leaving Lara Jean to step up to being a mother figure for their younger sister, Kitty. Margot took on the role of looking after her sisters and their father a few years before after the death of their mother. Taking on more family responsibilities, having her sister in another country, and starting a new school year end up being the least of Lara Jean’s worries, though, when something unthinkable happens. The letters she’s written to every boy she’s loved and keeps hidden in a hatbox her mother gave her somehow get mailed to each boy.

Enter Peter Kavinsky, a past love of Lara Jean’s and therefore the recipient of one of her letters. In order to do damage control with another letter recipient, Lara Jean enters into a pact with Peter to fake being a couple, an arrangement that benefits Peter, too. At first Lara Jean finds him to be true to his reputation around school—arrogant, egotistical, and the kind of guy who eats the last slice of pizza. Peter is also pretty unfiltered and unapologetic about it, which may not appeal to everyone, but which I often found hilarious.

Part of Lara Jean’s growth in the novel is discovering that there’s more to Peter K.’s handsome face and too-cool-to-care attitude. He does, in fact, care about a lot of things. I thought that Lara Jean’s character development was well done. She can be petty and even mean at times and makes some less than wise decisions, but she has the self-awareness to call herself out.

I was very much enjoying this book until the end. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with how things were left. I’m not into Hallmark Channel Christmas movie-perfect endings, but I felt this one could have some more closure, even if it is the first book in a series. On the upside, now I absolutely have to read the sequel to see if my questions are answered.

All in All: I typically don’t go for contemporary YA romance, but this was a sweet, winning read. Perfect if you love breezy novels like Stephanie Perkins’s Anna and the French Kiss.

Review: Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1)
By Maureen Johnson
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: True crime buff Stevie Bell has been admitted to Ellingham Academy, an ultra-exclusive school with a tragic history. Its namesake and founder, Albert Ellingham, was a wealthy industrialist whose wife and daughter were kidnapped. Although someone was arrested and convicted of the crime, Steve doubts his guilt. So she’s at Ellingham to solve the case and finally discover the real identity of Truly Devious, the author of a threatening letter that Albert Ellingham received shortly before his family was taken. Soon, however, Stevie finds herself with two possible cases to investigate when another death occurs at Ellingham Academy and the clues increasingly point towards murder.

Review: Having very much enjoyed Maureen Johnson’s Shades of London books, I was eager to check out Truly Devious, the first novel in a new series. I’m not a huge mystery reader, but after finishing this expertly plotted book, I have a new appreciation for the genre.

Truly Devious follows Stephanie “Stevie” Bell, a true crime fan who is about to begin her first year at the super exclusive Ellingham Academy, a private school that was once the scene of an infamous crime: the kidnapping of the wife and daughter of the school’s wealthy founder, Albert Ellingham. While an arrest was made and the case seemingly closed, Stevie is among those who do not believe that the authorities found the actual Truly Devious, the author of a threatening letter that Ellingham received days before the abduction of his family. Stevie arrives at the school ready to solve the case and uncover the real identity of Truly Devious.

The book shifts between the present, where Stevie’s story takes place, and the past, where we witness firsthand, sometimes in agonizing detail, Albert Ellingham’s life unravel from the moment he receives the terrifying phone call that his wife and daughter have been taken. Johnson intertwines the two timelines brilliantly. Both Stevie’s sleuthing, which is the real thing and not amateurish at all, and the backstory behind her whole reason for applying to Ellingham Academy in the first place are equally compelling. If the entire book had been set during Albert Ellingham’s time, I still would have read it.

As much as Stevie is driven to solve the Ellingham case, she also finds herself dealing with adjusting to a new school that her parents don’t exactly approve of as well as managing her anxiety. The latter was something that I could absolutely relate to, and I thought it was portrayed very realistically.

Another layer is added to the plot when death strikes Ellingham Academy again, and Stevie starts to suspect that it wasn’t accidental. As she tries to piece together the full picture of the victim’s life, both Stevie and the reader learn that not everything is at it appears with her classmates. I love how the tension and suspense build around both cases. Who’s responsible for this latest death? Could one of Stevie’s own classmates be the culprit? Who was really behind the kidnapping of Iris and Alice Ellingham back in the 1930s? Could the two crimes possibly be related?

The answers to these questions are not fully resolved by the end of Truly Devious. I wasn’t disappointed by this, however. Quite the opposite—I liked that there were no easy solutions wrapped up in a bow here. One minor thing that I wasn’t so keen on was the romance. It felt rushed, and I wasn’t as invested in it as I was in seeing all of Ellingham Academy’s dark secrets revealed. I’m definitely hooked on this series now and can’t wait to dive into the sequel, even if it only deepens the mysteries surrounding this seemingly unfortunate school.

All in All: An absorbing mystery/thriller with just the right amount of suspense. You can really feel the ominous shadow of Truly Devious that hangs over Ellingham Academy. Highly recommended!

Review: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1)
By Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Cassidy Blake’s parents may write books about ghosts for a living, but for Cass, ghosts are all too real. After being saved from drowning by a ghost named Jacob, who becomes her best friend, Cassidy can step into the Veil, the curtain between the living and the dead. When her parents are given the opportunity to film a TV show about haunted places around the world, the family packs their bags for Edinburgh, Scotland, where Cassidy is about to discover that not all ghosts are friendly like Jacob.

Review: Victoria Schwab has become an auto-buy author for me, so of course I had to check out her middle grade novel, City of Ghosts. In it we meet Cassidy Blake, a girl whose near-death experience has given her the ability to cross into the Veil, the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead. Cass’s best friend is Jacob, a snarky, comic book-loving ghost who saved Cass from drowning. Cass and Jacob’s friendship was definitely the highlight of the novel for me; I loved the banter between them.

Overall, though, I’m bummed to say that I just wasn’t feeling this book. While I loved the concept and the wonderful, thoroughly detailed descriptions of Edinburgh, the story itself seemed to be missing something. As spooky as some of Cass and Jacob’s forays into the Veil are, the sense of danger doesn’t feel all that palpable.

I also thought that the book took a while to get going, and even then, the plot is pretty straightforward. I think I expected more suspense and tension build-up given that this is a story about ghosts. I realize that this is middle grade, but I felt there was still room to add more layers to the plot and to the characters.

Perhaps I’m too used to the complicated characters of Schwab’s adult novels to fully appreciate City of Ghosts. This one fell a bit short for me, but I do think that the book offers plenty of chills to thrill younger readers who will enjoy watching Cassidy and Jacob grow as characters as they continue their ghostly adventures together.

All in All: Sadly, I didn’t love this as much as I’d hoped despite some snappy dialogue and an immersive setting. The plot was a tad thin for me to really get into the story. Middle grade readers, however, will very likely find City of Ghosts to be a promising start to the series.

Review: The Place on Dalhousie by Melina Marchetta

The Place on Dalhousie
By Melina Marchetta
Publisher: Ivy Press
Format: eBook
Source: Borrowed

To Sum It Up: Rosie Gennaro and Jimmy Hailler meet during a flood in Queensland, and their brief time together forever changes both their lives. Two years later, Rosie has moved back to Sydney and into the house on Dalhousie Street that her father, Seb, was supposed to renovate for her and her mother, Loredana. Now it’s Rosie’s stepmother, Martha, who occupies that house and whom Rosie has never accepted because Martha and Seb married less than a year after Loredana lost her battle with cancer. Meanwhile, Jimmy has also returned to Sydney and back among the school friends who are like family to him. He’s never been this close to having a family to call his own, though, and it’s Rosie who may be able to help him finally find one.

Review: First, let me say how absolutely wonderful it was to read one of the magnificent Melina Marchetta’s books again. Second, let me say that if you haven’t read any of her books, you need to fix that immediately because you’re missing out on sheer brilliance.

It’s been almost five years since I last read a Marchetta book, and that book was, fittingly, The Piper’s Son, one of two companion novels to The Place on Dalhousie. We first met Jimmy Hailler, one of the latter’s protagonists, back in the equally superb Saving Francesca. Two books later, we still didn’t know what happened to Jimmy, and finally, finally, finally, Marchetta has given us the answer. It turns out that Jimmy has been looking for his family, and this book sees him presented with the chance to truly have one that’s all his, though maybe not in the way he expected.

The Place on Dalhousie also tells the story of Rosie Gennaro, whom Jimmy meets amidst a flood in Queensland. Like Jimmy, Rosie originally hails from Sydney, where too many painful memories drove her to leave. Two years after their short time together in Queensland, Rosie finds herself back in Sydney and back in the titular place on Dalhousie Street. It’s the house her father, Seb, was going to restore for his family. Rosie’s definition of family was never meant to include her stepmother, Martha, whom Seb married eleven months after Rosie lost her mother, Loredana, to cancer. Martha lives downstairs and is considering selling the house, which infuriates Rosie even though Martha has offered to split the money from the sale with her. In Rosie’s mind, Martha has zero right to the home that was supposed to belong to Rosie, Seb, and Loredana. Selling it means losing another part of her parents.

At its core, The Place on Dalhousie is a story about family. Rosie, Jimmy, and Martha all learn that family isn’t limited to one’s parents or siblings but also includes friends and even the family of those friends. Watching the extended family in this book grow and grow as they laugh, fight, and cry together is sure to melt your heart because Marchetta’s writing makes you so invested in these characters’ lives, whether it’s Rosie or Jimmy or Martha or Rosie’s formidable grandmother Eugenia or Martha’s sort-of-boyfriend Ewan’s father, John. And don’t even get me started on how emotional I got whenever the name of a member of the St. Sebastian’s crew from Saving Francesca, where it all began, popped up.

I knew as soon as this book had referenced Game of Thrones and Elvis Costello by the end of Chapter 3 that this was going to be an amazing read. I wasn’t wrong. Sometimes reading a book is like viewing a pleasing landscape painting. You enjoy it in the moment, but it’s not especially memorable. Then you read a book like The Place on Dalhousie in which the characters have been created with the detail of a Renaissance masterpiece that lingers in your mind long after you’ve had the privilege of viewing it. The latter experience is what reading a Melina Marchetta book is like—expert storytelling and unforgettable characters.

All in All: Another stellar novel from Melina Marchetta. While I think you can skate by reading this as a standalone, I highly, highly recommend reading Saving Francesca and The Piper’s Son beforehand to get the most out of The Place on Dalhousie. After reading this, I wanted to reread the previous two companion books to relive their brilliance all over again.

Review: Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi

* SPOILER WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the previous book, Restore Me. *

Defy Me (Shatter Me #5)
By Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Harper
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Not only has The Reestablishment publicly discredited Juliette’s ability to lead as Supreme Commander of North America, but they’ve also used the ensuing chaos as a distraction to capture her and Warner. Separated from one another, each clings to the hope that the other is still alive. Juliette and Warner are also both experiencing strange flashbacks that make them question whether they can trust their own memories. As The Reestablishment moves forward with their plan to turn Juliette into their ultimate weapon, Kenji must rely on help from an unlikely source to find her before that happens.

Review: I admit I was a tad nervous going into Defy Me because I’d just read Shadow Me, a novella from Kenji’s POV, and it wasn’t quite what I’d hoped it would be. Although I loved reading from his perspective, the novella didn’t delve into his backstory as much as I’d expected. Shadow Me was basically the last few chapters of the previous book, Restore Me, as told by Kenji. So I wasn’t sure what awaited in Defy Me, but I’m thrilled to say that it was one explosive roller coaster ride of a read.

Tahereh Mafi doubles down on the dystopia in this second book of the new trilogy. We find out just how terrifying The Reestablishment is and the lengths the supreme commanders will go to in order to cement their grip on the world. We’re talking genetically engineering their children and reprogramming them when necessary, among other extremes.

Restore Me ended in chaos, first with Juliette appearing to have killed a roomful of people and then her and Warner’s capture. In Defy Me, we discover that of course The Reestablishment orchestrated everything. Juliette once again becomes their science experiment in their quest to create the perfect weapon at all costs. There is literally nothing more important than maintaining their power, even their children’s lives.

Flashbacks play an important role in Defy Me, and once it becomes clear how they figure into the present, prepare for some serious heartbreak. The book keeps the intensity level on maximum high until nearly the end. There were many times when I was almost too afraid to continue reading because I feared for Juliette, Warner, Kenji, and their friends so much. The novel’s spot-on pacing, however, compelled me to keep turning the pages even when I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what might happen next in those pages.

The ending of Defy Me was a bit of a surprise, but in a good way. After everything that preceded it, I expected a cliffhanger, but this was a quieter close, though no less effective. I hope that the wait for the final book, Imagine Me, goes by as fast as the wait for Defy Me did because I need that last book like air.

All in All: I’m loving the continuation of this series so much. Defy Me did not disappoint.

Review: Shadow Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shadow Me (Shatter Me #4.5)
By Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Harper
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: As Juliette prepares to face the sector leaders of The Reestablishment as supreme commander, the rest of her world seems to be falling apart. Kenji tries to support his friend, but he has his own distractions to deal with. He needs to find his focus quickly, though, as Sector 45 is in danger of being obliterated.

Review: I LOVE Shatter Me’s resident smartass Kenji Kishimoto, so I was thrilled by the news that the newest Shatter Me novella, Shadow Me, would feature his POV. Kenji’s unfiltered, in-your-face snark is one of my favorite things about the series. Plus I was hoping to learn more of his backstory.

I was surprised that Shadow Me only touched on that briefly. Instead the novella is more of a retelling of the last few chapters of Restore Me from Kenji’s perspective. I was a bit disappointed by that. I didn’t feel we got to dive into his character the way that we did with Warner’s in the series' first novella, Destroy Me. With Kenji being the kind of person who freely shares whatever is on his mind, I’d hoped to gain more insight into that mind rather than just observing the chaos of the ending of Restore Me through his eyes.

While of course I enjoyed Kenji’s often hilarious take on everything and everyone—especially Warner—Shadow Me didn’t shed as much light on his character as I’d expected. I’d read if all over again, though, because: Kenji.

All in All: Not essential reading in order to follow the series, but no doubt Kenji fans will want to check this out.

Review: On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
By Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

Review: I don’t read nonfiction often, and I hadn’t read any Stephen King books before On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. After reading this masterpiece, it became apparent that I’ve been missing out on both fronts and A LOT.

I hesitate to use “life-changing” when describing books because I think it’s a term that’s easily overused, but there’s zero hesitation when I say that On Writing was a life-changing book for me. Not only is King’s writing advice delivered in a manner that’s encouraging and never pedantic, but I feel like I’m also a better reader thanks to this book. Looking back on the times when a book just didn’t click with me and I couldn’t quite nail down why, now I could probably go back and figure it out because of King’s brilliant guidance in On Writing. I had so many aha moments while reading this. King’s conversational prose makes it seems as though you’re just hanging out, talking about writing. He gently walks you through his writing process without imposing it. This is what’s worked for him, but by no means is the reader compelled to follow it.

The book opens with a look at the life experiences that shaped King into a writer, and if he ever pens a full-length autobiography, sign me up. This memoir section of On Writing is mesmerizing; I’d only read a handful of pages when I realized that I should have picked up King’s books a long time ago. His storytelling prowess is incredible. The odds of me finding a nonfiction book difficult to put down are slim, but I found it difficult to put this nonfiction book down. I even stayed up late to finish it; I can’t remember the last time a book motivated me to fight off the siren song of sleep.

King emphasizes the importance of writing with honesty, and he leads by example here. Again, reading his prose is like having him chatting by your side. Every word on the page seems effortless. He imparts an astonishing amount of invaluable writing wisdom in just under 300 pages—truly the work of a genius.

I wish that guides on every subject were as engaging, inspiring, witty, and exquisitely crafted as On Writing is. This is the type of book that offers something fresh with every reread, and I absolutely see myself rereading this many times over.

All in All: Essential reading for anyone thinking of becoming a writer. I don’t think I can ever read another book on the subject because this one is perfect.

Review: The Reader by Traci Chee

The Reader (Sea of Ink and Gold #1)
By Traci Chee
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley

To Sum It Up: In Kelanna, reading is unheard of, although legend says that an object known as a book holds the key to wielding powerful magic for those select few with the skill to use it. Sefia knows only too well how dangerous this mysterious object is; her father died hiding a book, and Sefia and her aunt Nin have been on the run from his killers since his murder. Now it seems those same people have kidnapped Nin, and Sefia is determined to save her aunt and avenge her father.

Review: A book called The Reader, about a world without books? What a promising premise! And a fantasy, to boot? Check and check!

And so it was with much anticipation that I finally got around to The Reader. The story follows Sefia, a young woman on the run with her fiery aunt, Nin, and in possession of a mysterious object that Sefia’s father died protecting—what Sefia later realizes is a book.

Shortly after the novel opens, the same people who killed Sefia’s father kidnap Nin, and Sefia embarks on a desperate search to find her aunt, despite still being in serious danger herself because she has the Book. A rather standard quest for vengeance with a rather unmemorable heroine ensues.

I became frustrated with Sefia quickly. Not far into the story, the book casually mentions that she’s spent a whole year looking for Nin and her abductors without any progress. A whole year passes in the span of a sentence! Sefia also teaches herself to read at what feels like an unrealistic pace. I think it’s a little ironic how fast Sefia picks up reading when the pacing of The Reader is laborious. At 15% in, I was still trying to work out what was going on plot-wise.

In addition to murky world-building, what really made this book confusing to me was the stories within the main story. While you later find out how they’re connected, for most of the book I found switching between the multiple narratives disruptive. Why are there now pirates in the story? Who is this Lon guy and why should I care about him? By the time the book explained the pirates and Lon, it was too late; the window for building my investment in them had passed.

I will say that the camaraderie among the pirates was well written. It’s evident that Captain Reed and the crew of the Current of Faith are a tight-knit group in a way that only surviving some harrowing adventures together can make them. I might have even enjoyed an entire book centered around their exploits on the high seas.

I’m sad to say that this was a disappointing read for me. While there are some very pretty passages of prose, the tedious pacing, lackluster characters, and jumping back and forth between multiple story lines made this a tough book to finish. I loved the premise so much, though, that I kept going, hoping that the story would pick up. Alas, it did not.

All in All: This book had so much potential, but I felt it didn’t dive into the books are forbidden/magic aspect enough, and that was the reason why The Reader appealed to me in the first place.

Review: The 5th Gender by G.L. Carriger

The 5th Gender (Tinkered Stars Mystery #1)
By G.L. Carriger
Publisher: Gail Carriger
Format: eARC
Source: Author

To Sum It Up: Tristol is a galoi, an alien species that mistrusts outsiders and has very little contact with them. Having made a life-altering choice that meant exile from his people, Tris lives on a space station among humans. There’s one human in particular whom Tris would absolutely love to get to know better, and when a galoi ship suddenly requires the help of space station personnel, Tris finds himself working alongside his longtime crush, Detective Drey Hastion, to solve a murder mystery.

Review: Gail Carriger forays into sci-fi romance with The 5th Gender, a deftly plotted and written novel that immediately drew me into life on board a space station.

Tristol, one of our MCs, is a galoi, a lavender alien with hair that almost functions like an appendage. His species is xenophobic, and Tris lives in exile, having chosen not to follow the course that other loga galoi like him are expected to on his home world. Although he has become invisible to his own people, Tris is very welcome among the denizens of the space station, where his effervescent, easygoing personality makes him impossible not to like. I especially loved his ongoing education in the nuances of human language and behavior and how seriously he took his responsibilities cat-sitting for some human friends.

Detective Drey Hastion is our other protagonist, and where Tris wears his happy heart on his sleeve, Drey is gruff and growly. He harbors a tender spot for Tris, though, and the feeling is very much mutual. When Tris’s cat-sitting charge gets into some mischief, Drey finds himself wrapped up in the feline drama. This provides the perfect opportunity for the sparks to ignite between the human security officer and our adorable galoi. Things get torrid between the two; if you like your romance scorching, you won’t be disappointed. It’s also very sweet—this pair truly complements each other, and their openness towards learning about their respective customs inspires many an “awww!”

The 5th Gender also features a murder mystery. A galoi ship suddenly contacts the space station in need of help to find whoever killed one of their crew. Drey is of course assigned to the case, with Tris accompanying him to assist in navigating the tricky communications with the galoi. The investigation develops into so much more—it’s a fascinating look inside galoi culture, which is hardly known to those outside of it. The search for the culprit becomes just as focused on the motive, as the galoi do not even have a word for murder. As Drey and Tris dig deeper and deeper for answers, the picture that emerges hits very close to home for Tris. It’s heartbreaking to fully realize what he went through in arriving at his decision to choose exile over conforming to the galoi’s expected gender roles. The truth that Tris and Drey finally uncover on board the galoi ship leaves shock and sadness in its wake, but from the tragedy there is also a glint of hope for change.

Overall, I loved how multi-layered the story was and how smoothly it shifted between humor and a more serious tone. I also loved the diverse cast of characters on board the space station and definitely hope to get to know them better in the future. This is a great start to a new series!

All in All: The 5th Gender delivers in so many ways: it’s sweet, it’s romantic, it’s funny, and most importantly, it tells a very impactful and very timely story.

Review: The Omega Objection by G.L. Carriger

The Omega Objection (San Andreas Shifters #2)
By G.L. Carriger
Publisher: Gail Carriger
Format: eARC
Source: Author

To Sum It Up: Isaac has been on the run from werewolves for a good part of his life but finally seems to have found safety in San Francisco. Unfortunately, there’s a new werewolf pack in the area, and one of its members, Tank, begins working at the bar where Isaac is hugely popular with the supernatural set for the advice he gives. The chemistry between the two is instant, but as Tank worries that he’s a nobody who won’t hold Isaac’s interest for very long, Isaac fears that getting too close to a wolf will bring the trouble he’s tried so hard to avoid.

Review: The Omega Objection is the second installment in Gail Carriger’s sizzling San Andreas Shifters series, which is set in modern day San Francisco and centers around the San Andreas werewolf pack. Where the previous book, The Sumage Solution, focused on the pack’s Beta, Bryan, and snarky sumage Max, The Omega Objection is the intertwining story of pack member Tank, whose nickname and frame belie a gentle nature, and Isaac, a bartender who’s spent most of his life on the run from werewolves

What I’m really enjoying about this series is getting to know the members of the San Andreas Pack, both individually as well as seeing them band together and support each other like the close-knit family they are. I also love how diverse the backgrounds and personalities of both the pack and their extended family and friends are. The pack’s willingness to welcome all into its circle but always making it clear that joining is a choice proves especially important as Tank tries to demonstrate to Isaac that the San Andreas Pack is not filled with the monsters who haunt Isaac’s memories.

Although the book explores some weighty storylines, such as why Isaac has been hiding from werewolves for so long and Tank’s inability to see his worth to the pack, there’s plenty of humor and romance to balance them out. While this isn’t Max’s show, he still manages to steal a few scenes with his biting bon mots. Alpha Alec, first introduced in the short story Marine Biology, continues to grow into his role as the pack’s leader, and I really love how Carriger has created her own kind of Alpha. It’s her unique, often witty take on supernatural creatures in general that makes these novels so much fun to read.

With The Omega Objection, the series settles into its groove quite nicely, giving Isaac and Tank plenty of time in the spotlight while still checking in with familiar faces. I’m looking forward to reading about every member of this pack; perhaps the pack could add to its numbers so the series can continue for a good long while.

All in All: If you enjoyed The Sumage Solution, The Omega Objection will not disappoint. I’m so ready for the upcoming Colin/Judd novel!