Category Archives: Reviews

2018, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] The Cruel Prince – Holly Black

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Book Title: The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #01)
Author:     Holly Black
Number of pages:  370

Synopsis:

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

(re: Goodreads @ The Cruel Prince by Holly Black)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– A story about survival and finding a place of belonging with some underdeveloped subplots that may take away from how the conflict is actualized
– Setting: urban and high fantasy fae world with varying degrees of political intrigue; the imagery in the interior of court life is great but the outside environment could use more substance
– Romance (a la love triangle) can feel forced; one suitor lacks chemistry despite love being spoon-fed to readers
– I still don’t know who the cruel prince is? help.

Initial Thoughts

My rating has been oscillating up-and-down the 3’s for the past few weeks now. I have many thoughts.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of The Cruel prince from Hachette at Book Expo.

Continue reading [Review] The Cruel Prince – Holly Black →

2017, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] Long Way Down – Jason Reynolds

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Book Title: Long Way Down (Standalone)
Author:     Jason Reynolds
Number of pages:  320

Synopsis:

A cannon. A strap.
A piece. A biscuit.
A burner. A heater.
A chopper. A gat.
A hammer
A tool
for RULE

Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he?

(re: Goodreads @ Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds)

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– A fully formed story with 99% of the words removed, seriously.
– Claustrophobic and introspective realistic fiction with themes of gun violence, power, and family at the heart of it all
– Setting and characters may not be discretely described but they act as vessels to this cyclical story that can apply anywhere

Initial Thoughts

My first verse novel ayyyy.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Long Way Down from Simon and Schuster Canada and at Book Expo.

Continue reading [Review] Long Way Down – Jason Reynolds →

2017, ARC review, Book Review

[Review] The Temptation of Adam – Dave Connis (+ Author Q&A and Giveaway!)

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Book Title: The Temptation of Adam (Standalone)
Author:     Dave Connis
Number of pages:  224

Synopsis:

Adam Hawthorne is fine.

Yeah, his mother left, his older sister went with her, and his dad would rather read Nicholas Sparks novels than talk to him. And yeah, he spends his nights watching self-curated porn video playlists.

But Adam is fine.

When a family friend discovers Adam’s porn addiction, he’s forced to join an addiction support group: the self-proclaimed Knights of Vice.

(re: Goodreads @ Temptation of Adam by Dave Connis)

Get Your Copy Today!
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Amazon.ca: http://ow.ly/Ph9I30g4bL7
Amazon.com: http://ow.ly/fu9230g4bOZ

Should this book be picked up? the tl;dr review:

– YA fiction about porn addiction. C’mon now.
– Tackles various issues: addictions (sex/porn, substance use, etc.), sexual assault, divorced households, race relations
– Setting feels very normal (in a good way) and isn’t overly flourished
– Both character-and-plot driven; pacing is slow early on but picks up midway through

Initial Thoughts

Plot aside, Nic Stone was the catalyst for me in reading this…

…I also apologize for this gratuitously long review and Q&A.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Temptation of Adam from Thomas Allen & Son.

Continue reading [Review] The Temptation of Adam – Dave Connis (+ Author Q&A and Giveaway!) →