Chelsea T

“Not when every Black person knows, cops face no consequences when they decide to pull the trigger.”-Tavia, Ch. VII (7) - pg. 1618 [ebook]




“It's about not letting being Black in America be an executionable offense,” he says. Like he's had this type of conversation before.”-Wallace(Effie's POV), ch. XII (12) - pg. 3108 [ebook]




Two sister-figures face various changes in their lives. Tavia is a Siren but she fights to keep her identity secret in a world that against people like her. Effie is about to move up in her role as Ephermia the Mer at the yearly Ren Faire, but when her past comes back to haunt her, she begins to find out what she really is.

I really wanted to like this but it turned not to be exactly blurb says. I feel mislead. Here are my thoughts:


•PROS

-Loved Tavia and Effie's sister relationship, although I thought they could've been closer and found it weird how quickly they hid stuff from each other.

-Loved the black rep and mentioning of Effie's twists.

-Loved the attempted mixture of fantasy and black social issues, it's a very interesting and original concept.

-this book had some really, really good quotes on oppression for being black.

•CONS

-I feel the stakes weren't high enough. Something would happen but we're left with more questions while the books would move on and focus on other things like romance.

-the writing style is WEIRD. this book reads like a blog or journal of some kind. The dialogue is so causal and cringe at times. I don't know I just have like I keep getting high info dumps of information that wasn't that important. I feel like nothing was actually explained. Sometimes it was hard to tell if we were in the next scene. It only explained how they felt, no inner personal connection. Important things would happen off-page and it felt like we missed something.

-the fantasy was too low. We barely learned anything about the different creatures in this world, where they come from, the history. They're all barely touched on, we're just given the bare basics.

-the “romance” was wack and lackluster and the twist near the end totally ruined it. Wallace, a boy at a pool that Effie likes, wasn't a big enough character for it to have an big impact on the audience. He was kind of in the background the whole book.

-And for all of the book there just so much talk of the Renaissance Faire and how important it is to Effie, but we barely to see it, and that was before Ren Faire started. Why have such a huge emphasis on something only to write it out when it matters?

-Tavia and Effie go to a Black Lives Matter protest and the way it was written was short and lackluster. It didn't feel like a protest. It felt like the protest was shifted away from the black kid that died, and onto sirens and supporting them. It didn't feel right.

-Effie's POV was much more broad than Tavia's. Although, I like Tavia's more Effie's was much more interesting. She had to deal with a lot of changes and a lot of heartache and a lot of mystery. Tavia's POV mostly talked her Siren identity and being Black. When she's stopped by the police and uses her voice (on purpose btw, not “accidentally” like the blurb wants you to believe), she barely had to face any consequences from that, not even from her parents.

-what happened and how people reacted near the end was unrealistic and unbelievable.

Honestly, after the 60% mark I was just done. I was ready to get the book over with but I didn't want DNF it, I at least wanted to know the direction it was headed.

Overall, I really wanted to like this book more, but it was average. It could have been written and structured better. It didn't what it wanted to focus on. (Black Lives Matter? High school issues? Romance?) And the book suffered because of it. A Black Lives Matter fantasy can absolutely be done, but preferably not executed like this

“You, baby.” She looked at me like she was seeing me for the first time. “You're some kind of actual Black girl magic.”

I wanted to love this book.

I just expected to have a bit more action and more fast paced. It more like a slow paced mystery with some magical elements.

But I love the characters, I love Briseis relationship with both of her moms, and her friendship with Karter (until that happened of course) and her romance with Marie, although it was too fast for me. Briseis just her meet face to face for the first time and about 30-100 pages later, she kissing the girl. Anyway, at least, some the mystery and secrets were really good. The ending was intriguing. The writing and world building was there and beautifully crafted.

But I just don't think I'm interested enough to continue with the series. Maybe one day, who knows

This the first Wibroka book I've ever read and it was...decent.

Pros
+Cameron's home life and issues. I feel like they were real and believable however frustrating her parents were.

+Popular girl to humble and falls for guy out of her league. I love this trope. It was a big thing that drew me to this book.

+New group of friends. I just wish we got to see her grow closer to all of them.

+The writing was nice and made to book and easy to read. It makes me look forward to reading their newest book, What's Not to Love.

Cons
-Cameron's TERRIBLE. Even compared to other unlikeable popular protagonist I've read. What she did she did to her ex was wrong.

-Kinda slow at times. There were some slow moments were I felt kike the book dragged on. I felt this book didn't really need forty chapters.

-Her old friends. I can't her friends. elle a witch and Morgan is infuriatingly neutral even tho it's obvious who she chooses.

-Cameron's parents. They were so infuriating. Her mom with no backbone and her dad being so cold and cruel. And then her mom just suddenly had this weird completely out of nowhere character development near end. That was too easy and so unrealistic

-Cameron's development. I felt like Cameron didn't really have any big character development until the end. She just slightly nicer that her Mean Girl self, and even then she still lashed out at people up until the end.

-Cameron relationship with Brendan. I felt we barely got to see anything. They mainly spent the book apart wondering about their feelings and her obsessing over Andrew.

Yeah while If I'm being Honest wasn't bad, it just isn't memorable. It was just decent.

“You're making the right choice for you. That's what's important.....no one should be forced to be a parent if they don't want to be one.” -Bailey, Pg. 259

Liked the book but hate the tone and Bailey.

On one hand I appreciate the book for going with a more light hearted tone and normalizing abortion but on the other hand abortion is serious topic that shouldn't be taken lightly. On the other hand it was easy to read and a bit fast paced. I liked the reason behind her getting pregnant. What her boyfriend did was terrible, but it was different then just a them having sex.

My biggest problem with this book is Bailey. She just so childish and selfish and so annoying. Like she literally made up a song about Veronica predicament:

“Abortion friend, abortion friend. Wouldn't have to do this if you'd let him stick it in your end!”

Like it is the wrong time for that! Not only that but Bailey stops to climb a pink elephant in a no trespassing area, and then was some dogs we're after them and made somebody call the cops. She could have ruined everything for Veronica.

Then Veronica upset, rightfully so but Bailey just chalks it up to, “we had fun right?”

Although she wasn't my favorite character, I liked what happens near the end with her dad and Veronica and their blossoming friendship. I tolerated her just a little bit towards the end. I liked that we get to know how they felt and who they were and digged deep.

Speaking of, I hated Veronica's friends. They are too obsessed with her boyfriend and kept commenting how hot he is and asked for naked pics if him. Then at point kept pestering her and forced her to take a picture. I don't if it the way they were written or what but I just hated them.

The things that happened in this book was wild. I mean strippers, ferrets, car jacking, and they never seem to run out of money. They just always had enough money for anything. They never had to stop to find out how to earn more or if they needed. It was just always enough.

Overall the book was okay, but unrealistic but I did liked their friendship towards the end.

“My father used to say that oppression isn't a finite state. It's a weight that is carried until it becomes too heavy, and then it is thrown off. Not without struggle, not without pain, but he believed the weight would always, always be fought and overcome. -Val, Ch 33, pg 259”

Loved the relationship between the two sisters. Although I felt like Serina had more character development than Nomi. And I can't see Nomi with Malachi at ALL. I also though she trusted and put faith into Asa waaayy too quickly.

On the other hand, it was really nice seeing Serina go from this obedient, submissive, lady to a fierce, independent, leader. It was nice getting to know all the ladies and seeing them work together and sacrifice themselves to over throw their oppressor. I liked Serina's relationship with Val. I also love the feminist message of this book and how they never put men down make the woman look good.

I really like this book and I will be reading the sequel. I just kinda wish this wasn't a duology, I'm gonna miss these sisters and reading about their journey.

Compelling and suspenseful

This was a very fun read. Full of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. All the characters are compelling and some of the situations were crazy.

Although, there were some plot holes this was a compelling and suspenseful read.

Overall, love the mystery and the suspense.

All these black and brown bodies dancing under red lights. Skins glistening, white teeth shining, laughing, drinking . . . this is what our people were always supposed to look like. Filled with joy, love, and happiness.” Ch 32, pg 240 Jasmine

Liked it, but didn't love it

After their best friend, Stephon or Steph suddenly dies, Quadir and Jarell team up with his sister, Jasmine, and pretend he is still alive after Steph becomes famous for his rap music.

Pros

+90s rapper references

+Music is one of the central themes to the story. I like the character s' know their stuff and have conversations about music.

+Written in AAVE. It adds to the character personalities

+Parents are present. Sure some of them may dead or absent but we hear at least one half of the parents. A lot of YA books avoid involving the parents at all so it was nice to see parents in a few scenes for once.

+Slow burn romance.

+Small feminist discussion. There's one scene where a group about female rapper and what they rap about.

+Black history. I liked that a little black history facts were said throughout the novel


Cons

-Steph tapes got popular waaayyy too quickly. I felt like anytime someone listened to them, they instantly fell in love with his music. It feel unrealistic for someone just starting with no press to be popstar status already.

–Their whole plan seemed unrealistic. In real life, it would have fallen part early on. There no way studio would want to with a person they never see.

–The three POV's. with all the flip-flopping it was kinda hard to keep track of who's POV I was in.

-Jarell was so annoying at first but I became used to his POV as the book went on. Some the dialogue was still cringey tho.

-The book was super long. It seems to drag at one point

-Ending was kinda rushed. Suddenly one character was nice and the injuries of two characters seemed to be forgotten.

All in all, despite the cons, I appreciate this book for letting into the world of the 90s, learn a little black history, and the importance of hip-hop in the nineties.

The book was easy and a great change of scenery from the triplets story. It was a good look at Queen Elsabet's story and learn more about the Oracle power.

I really like Elsabet. She was kind and was focused on the the people wanted. Too bad her ways went unappreciated and some people conspired against her.

Although, Elsabet did make some stupid and impulsive decisions sometimes and let her emotions get the best of her. She had good reason but it ruined her image and make her look really bad and unreliable. I also wished we knew how she killed her sisters, it's hinted at, but never fully explored.

This novella was good, it had me at the edge of my seat, the twists were good, the antagonists were good, and it was definitely better than The Young Queens, another novella in the Three Dark Crown series.






SMALL SPOILER BELOW
















I hate the Arron's even more now. They are EVIL.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Hate U Give is a really book about not police brutality, but about racism, protesting and family.

The writing and dialogue in The Hate U Give feels real. I really felt for the characters and the dialogue is authentic. I loved their relationships with each other and how they cared for their neighborhood. They all felt real because of the writing.

A peek into the inner-city neighborhood. I felt like this book gave me a glimpse into inner city life and why things are the way they are. I especially liked what Starr's father said about people leaving, but never coming back. I feel this was the best part about this book.

This book is very important and I'm glad it's getting movie and should be a requirement read for schools.

It was okay but cute

It was cute day to day story of Margot Sanchez. I like seeing her grow to see her mistakes and from the shallow selfish person she was. Liked the Latina representation.

Although, I felt the ending was unsatisfactory and the romance was meh.

Really good book about abortions

I prefer this book to Jenni Hendrick's and Ted Chaplin's “UNpregant”. It takes on a more serious tone on Abortion and is more realistic.

Although, I hate how every religious person seems to be rude, deceiving, and pushes their belief onto other people:

Not all religious people are against abortion and would do something like this. There also her best friend, Bea, reaction:

I sit down again and watch the car, hoping Bea will get out and come back. I picture her running toward me with her arms outstretched, wanting to help, wanting to comfort me. But she doesn't, and the car pulls away.

She just straight up abandons her supposed best friend. The Bible tells us to be kind to people (Ephesians 4:32). Tender hearted is not getting into the car and letting it drive, leaving your only friend to figure out a way home.

This book tries to portray Bea as a sheltered devout Catholic but she had no problem doing this:

Bea turns around and walks backward. “What are you, deaf? I said you and your friend are a**holes.” And then she flips them the bird. Both hands.

I'd expect that from Anabelle but not Bea of all people.

I also didn't like how boy crazy Camile was. A few months ago she slept with a boy named Dean. But when the story she gushing and imaging her whole future and going to France with a guy named Leo. It just seemed too quick to me.

I felt we never got to really know the characters. Yes, they had they're moments, but I feel like they never really sat down and talked about how they feel. We only ever saw snippets. That what UNpregant has over Girls on the Verse, friendship. At least in that book, I felt the friendship blossom between the two protagonists. In Girls on the Verge, it all felt surface level and Camille's abortion felt rushed and too quick. It's the most important part of the book, I felt like I missed it and was only told how she felt about it.

Although, this book was missing depth, the author's note at the end was really nice and worth the read. I applaud it for being one of the few to speak for abortion and woman's reproductive rights.

Unprepared teenager Freya is forced onto the throne, when she suddenly becomes first in line from 33rd when someone poisons the King and his Court. Between learning how to be queen and ruling a kingdom she barely knows, Freya is determined to find out who the killer is while evading attempts on her life.

I didn't expect this book to be so....flat, but by Chapter Six, I knew what the rest of the book was going to be like. I mean, I didn't come in with high expectations, a part of me wanted the book to be better than I thought it was going to be. But it wasn't. It wasn't necessarily worse, but it wasn't great either.

This book is really a slow-paced murder mystery with a typical medieval background. It's more mystery than fantasy. It's a very simple, flat book. Nothing compelling happens for most of the book, it's just mostly detective work and royal court politics.

PROS
•I did like seeing Freya actually put in the work to become queen. Usually, the heroine puts in little effort and is somehow already prepared to rule a whole freaking country. It was nice seeing the inner workings of a royal court.

•I like that she has a cat named Dagny. This is very refreshing to see and I wish we could see more protagonists owning pets, especially in a fantasy. Although, Dagny did disappear throughout the book would have been nice if she was consistent.

•Good writing, Freya felt real at times.

•The inclusion of science. I loved that Freya was into science and wanted to be a scientist, that's not something you see at all in YA fantasy.

•It get interesting near the end, at least


CONS
•Slow pacing

•Freya, at times, at least in the beginning, complained about plain and different from girls. A cliché in YA MC's.

•Little to no action

•I might have missed it but they never explained who the Forgotten was. I kept seeing it, but I don't really know who they are. A group of people, I think?

•Freya and Fitzroy's relationship was very late and lackluster. They only kissed one time and it was only to hint at a potential relationship. We never really got to see them together and get to know each other. Besides, Freya was too busy with being queen, a detective, and surviving. Either there should be a novella to explore their “romance” or Thomas shouldn't have written in at all.

•To be honest, the reveal was lackluster, too.

All in all, I think it would have been better if this book was promoted as a Fantasy/Mystery, instead of just Fantasy. Even then, there's nothing really fantastical about it. I found myself skimming through this book and I don't think it will stay with me. But I guess I can see why some people may like it.

If you into slow, drawn out, mystery on a medieval background, I think you'll like this book.

Everything was good at first, but then it got kinda dull and the writing made it hard to understand sometimes, especially when it came to the faeries point of view.

I loved the relationship Isbe and Aurora had with each other. I loved that they communicate using taps. Also the twist on the sleeping beauty story. Aurora mute and can't feel anything touch-wise and Isbe is blind and the half sister of Aurora.


Although I loved the relationship between Isbe and Gilbert, I couldn't stand when Heath kept touching Aurora and saying things like, “I need you” while looking deep into her eyes. You barley even know her! It was creepy and VERY annoying!

I liked this book and it was super fluffy but I still have some problems with it.

But before we get to that, I want to discuss the good things first.

Fluffy
I felt like this book was very fluffly and very sweet. I love fluffly romances.

Interracial romance
I adored Daniel and Natasha relationship and chemistry, you know once it get passed the whole instalove thing.

Facts
I love how there are chapters with just random and historical facts that kind of related to the story.

Characters Chapters
I love how even the side characters get a story arc. Irene was my favorite.

Immigration
I like how this tries to center around immigrants and the struggles they face, we definitely need more books focused on immigrants.

Now onto the bad things:

Instalove
I loved their romance until I think about how they just met this morning and theyre already confessing their dying love for each other, liked really? And it was very creepy how desperate Daniel was to get with Natasha. It makes me so annoyed with this book.

Duties Ignored
I feel like if Daniel and Natasha had friends, they would completely ignore them and just hang out with each other. I felt like they had that kind of romance. I felt like they put each other over everything.

Attorney Fitzgerald
I mean I'm glad he and Hannah, his secretary, had a "happily ever after", but what about his kids? That it? He just leaves them with a screwed up perception of love?

It was alright. I was into it then I stopped reading, but when I started back it kinda dragged on for me so I skimmed it to the end. It gets really interesting near the end, but I felt like things with her friends weren't really wrapped up. I wish I knew how they felt more and their reactions to whatever happened. Zumi, one of her old friends just kinda turned her attitude around out of nowhere, although I kinda understood why she sudden felt that way, it never felt real to me.

Anyway, the cover is beyond beautiful and like the bipolar representation, really taught me a lot about it and how it looks and feels to people. I felt like I was with her through her struggles and anxiety. I can say, though, the writing was great, even if some scenes dragged on.

UPDATE 8-13-20

Decided to dock the review score down after reading Melody's review. How did I miss that? Everyone being abusive to Mira, servant fake friends, strong black woman trope? I guess I got too caught up with the protagonist being black.

I still like that part along with the whole dragons theme. I'll still continue to read the rest of the series to see how Mira, more importantly, the people around her, develops. As much as I liked the book, I cant recommend to anybody because of the problems above.

It's important that we look beyond bias and our emotions because one sits doesn't fit all. Not all black people are the same. We are all different with different personalities, different interests, and different backgrounds. One personality or behavior isn't the concrete for all black people.

#blacklivesmatter✊

You know, I read this book then put it down for some reason then I picked it back up recently planning to DNF it.

But then, it eased back me back in, showed and reminded me exact why Snow Like Ashes is one my favorite series.

This was a blast and a wild, fun ride, especially near the end.

Although, I like Mather a little less in this one. He was so selfish to me and didn't understand that Meira more than her relationship to think about. She was leader and the kingdom and him were on equal grounds. That's one of the things I loved about this book was Meira leadership and determination to save her kingdom and people. She's truly what a leader and Queen supposed to look like.

Frost like Night was an enticing compelling, great book. Cute romance that overtake the story, raw emotions that made you feel what the characters felt, betrayal, joy and hope, death, struggle.

I'm proud to call Frost Like Night my first review for a book that's not a novella or the first book in a series. I loved it.

MINOR SPOILERS BELOW
















I really liked Meira's relationship with Mather. Too they didn't get together until near the very end but it was still cute. I loved Ceridwen's relationship with Jesse, and their wedding was soooooo nice and adorable and I loved their relationship so much.

Three Dark Crowns

☆☆☆☆

Status: Finished

Series: Three Dark Crowns

Every generation, three triplets are born, each with different powers of their own and shipped off to foster families. Mirabella is the strongest with the power to control the weather and call lightning down from above. Katherine is poisoner, able to engulf the deadliest of poisons, but her gift is weak, leaving her to put on a facade. Arsinoe, a naturalist, with the ability to conjure any flower or plant in the palm of her hand, except she can't, she is giftless.

After their sixteenth birthday, the triplets are supposed to meet, see their suitor, prepare to fight each other to the death for the crown.

Who will win?

To be honest, y'all, I didn't expect to love this book. I mean, you see all these reviews about how slow the pacing is and it makes you want to turn the other way.

Well, don't.

Please, don't.

ITS TRUE WHAT THEY SAY, THE ENDING IS WORTH IT!

I was skeptical while reading this, and I was afraid I would have not been invested enough to enjoy the end, but all that faded away once the ending came. The drama builds up, the pacing speeds up, and the tension intensifies. I cannot tell y'all how much this is worth it. And this not just about three queens training to fighting to the death. Oh, no, no, no. There's betrayal, assassination attempts, love, secret schemes, and revenge! By far my favorite queen is Katherine, she is meek and abused but she never really loses hope. My least favorite is Mirabella. THEY NEED TO MAKE THIS A MOVIE, PLS!

AND I GET WHY EVERYONE HATES JOESPH NOW! (He cheats on his girlfriend Jules, with Mirabella twice and saves her!) PROS▪Great ending▪Good characters ▪Sneaky schemes▪Sisters!▪TripletsCons ▪Extremely slow pacing▪Instalove▪Joseph (one of Arsinoe's friends)▪MirabellaI rate Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake four stars out of five.

In a society separated by Royal, Legal, and Nameless, A Nameless girl with no name called Coin, suddenly finds herself on the throne when the Royal black crown tattoo appears on her arm. Going from a homeless Nameless to a wealthy Royal, Coin fights to stay on the throne when everyone else wants her off the throne and dead.

This book was very uninventive. It did nothing new with the Girl becomes Queen trope.

The writing was just so juvenile and would have been better if it was released in like 2011, maybe 2012, not 2020. It would have fit right in with the other dystopias and I think I would liked it then. I think.

It's just.....this book is full of clichés, particularly for the MC.

Cocky and smooth heroine belongs to lowest caste in the kingdom, but finds out she has powers and is the chosen one. She also has only one friend who she separated from while she lives a life of luxury.

Coin is an EXPERT thief.

She never gets caught and always knows how to steal or break into somewhere.

“They may have searched me upon entry, but by the time they lead me into a quaint sitting room, my pockets are filled once again. My best take is a kitchen knife from an untended platter of half-eaten food. Granted, it's difficult to make thefts when my hands are shackled, but I keep my hands moving and clinking so they don't notice when I snatch something. It doesn't even occur to them to search me again. Big mistake.”

How?!

Glenquartz nods at last and withdraws from the door of the cell. I count the seconds as his footsteps fade, and I give it an extra five seconds before I put the key in the lock. I consider for a moment whether I should take the kitchen knife with me or not. If I stow it in the waste drain, it'll be here if I get arrested again. They'll search me, and they'll search the cell, but I'm betting they won't search the drain.

Once the cell door is open, I stuff the key in my pocket, hide the knife, and head out.

Coin has her powers on lock.

“See, the problem is you're trying to threaten me, but you're being polite about it. I grew up on the streets, so you'll have to do better than that. If you want to threaten someone, you do it like this.” I step closer so we're almost nose to nose, my voice dropping to a dead, even tone. “If you ever touch me again, or if I ever feel threatened by you”—I allow a delicate, careful smile to overtake my features—“I will kill you.”

“If I wanted to get asked questions I don't know the answer to,” I say, “I'd wait until my next etiquette lesson.”

“It's a rhetorical question that I'm about to answer,” Esther says impatiently.

“If it's rhetorical, can you answer it?” I muse.

Esther's nostrils flare. “You're being difficult, and it's making this conversation harder.”

I hold up a hand to indicate that I'll try to show some restraint.

so

Under Rose-Tainted Skies

DNF

☆☆☆

This was a fluffy book. Like, Everything, Everything, I liked that part but there are a lot of things that I did not like. This is so much like EE, it's uncanny.

First, this book is cliche. Like EE, it has the whole Girl stuck in house by an illness, Girl has good relationship with protective mother (Although Norah's relationship was way better than Maddy's.), Girl wears plain clothes, Girl meets neighbor, Girl falls for him, he falls for her and somehow their relationship works out perfectly with only one bump in the road.

I also thought they book was a bit slowed- paced. Plus, shouldn't she be taking something? I mean, of course it wouldn't cure her, but something to take the edge off and gain some control over it?

This book suffers from the “love cures mental illness” trope. Norah falls for Luke, and once their relationship gets going, all of the sudden, she has this newfound confidence and her anxiety is now controllable. At least in this book, Luke didn't cure all her illnesses and she actually has agoraphobia.

I am used to hearing and seeing vulgar language but in this book, it just seem so unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story.

And the analogies don't work and they're all over the place. IMO, some do, most don't. Some of them are weird, and others are well.....this:

“Doubt sneaks up behind me like some h***y dude at a disco, its arm snaking around my waist, wrapping me in its cruel embrace.”

Overall, I thought it was an okay and fluffy book. I REALLY didn't like the whole “love cures mental illness” trope, hence the DNF, and the analogies are just...no.

I rate Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall three out of five stars.

This was one of those day-to-day books of someone's life.

It was nice book. I liked seeing Nora fears, first love, and seeing her handle her dysfunctional family. I loved Stiller, a feminist that lives in Nora's apartment. And I adored her friendship with Katheleen, her best friend. It was nice seeing them go through their own ups and downs.

Now the bad things the bad things:

Instalove
Pablo and Nora fell in love too quickly. Pablo asked her out on one date and then they were boyfriend and girlfriend.

Son of Sam
I wish this book featured more Son of Sam and how it affected the community and her dates.

Attitudes
I sometimes didnt like Nora attitude especially towards her counselor, and than this disturbing scene,

“Families are on their way up the hill to St. Andrew's, but all I want to do is throw rocks at them, spit on their heads. I can't bear the sight of all those pink-ribboned hats and white-patent-leather shoes, all those obedient little girls who believe. “Sheep,” I mutter, hating them all. I picture myself a burning bird swooping down to frighten them.”

What in the world? Geez, when did this become a horror book?

Stiller

“She bites straight into her scoop.”

Unnatural, Stiller is a robot.

I was into it at first but then after they got down the zipline, it just kinda dragged and got boring for me. It didn't help that I lost interest in reading it.

Although, I love the concept of this book and the representation of Chinese culture and Deaf people. Although it didn't really feel like I was in China and how she got her hearing back was pretty weird, plus I still don't get why or think it's fair that the painters we're praised and awarded more over the miners and servants. Kinda reminds me of our world, though.

Awesome concept, dull execution.

I kinda liked Flawed because of the concept. It's pretty interesting and different compared to other dystopia's. Although It just seems kinda excessive having society flag you for something that honestly shouldn't counted be wrong.

Other than that, I felt Celestine's feelings and seeing her life go from normal to controlled. I liked the villain, he was very believable and what he did was very cruel. I also loved her relationship with Art.

Flawed honestly remained me of the United States during Jim Crow era. You can easily see the Flawed as black people or any people of color. I mean these people had to follow strict rules that the unflawed people didn't. They had to seat in certain seats and was punished if an unflawed gave up their seat for a Flawed. They had to have their “sin” branded into their skin several times. I mean, this book was very reminiscent of the United States during the 1950s.

Every Last Word by Tamara lreland Stone

☆☆☆

Status: Finished

Type: Stand-alone

Series: None

Samantha McAlister is apart of a popular girl group named the Crazy Eights, who she been friends with since forever. The Crazy Eights strive for perfection, except Sam isn't. She suffers daily from Pure Obessional OCD and tries her best to hide it from her friends to fit in.

But everything changes when Sam meets a girl named Caroline, who introduces her to a secret world full of words, stories, poetry, and misfits.

Will Sam be able to keep her OCD, new friends, and not to mention visits to her shrink, all while trying to fit in with the Crazy Eights?


First off, I have to admit, the words in this book make me want to cry, they're so beautiful and inspiring. I have NEVER read a book with such powerful words.

Pros
•I love the idea of Poet's corner, a special place where misfits can share there story and connect.
•I love how they hang their poems all over the wall.
•I love how Sam tries to find herself and changes for the greater good.
·I like that Sam used to be a bully in the past, it gives her some depth and shows that she done things she regrets.


Cons
•Sam and her boyfriend engage in pointless sex. We already know they're in love.
•Sam's OCD is kind of inconsistent and goes away when finds Poet's Corner and falls in love. Because friendship and love cures all mental disorders!
·Sam's boyfriend is very cliche. Hot guy that plays guitar, has a “tragic” backstory, and what a coincidence! He writes poetry! He's the exact perfect guy for Sam. Ugh.

I didnt really have any favorite characters or least favorite characters, they all seem to go well with the story

I rate Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone three out of five stars.

I loved this book.

I remember remember reading it in school and watching the movie and they were both good.

I loved the relationship between the brothers and the close knit gang that Ponyboy is in. The ending is tragic, but it didn't distracted from the story and actually had an impact on it. The names are weird like Ponyboy, Sodapop. Who came up with these?

Nonetheless, this book worth checking out at least once in your life.