Review: Lost Boy

Title: Lost Boy

Author: Christina Henry

Date of Publication: July 4th, 2017

Goodreads Summary:

There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy.

Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter’s idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite.

Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever.

My Review:

Peter Pan has always been quite the iffy story for me. He always struck me as a creepy kind of character. A super old boy stuck in a young boy’s body, dragging young children to an island. Super odd. So therefore, I was always intrigued by Captain Hook! And this was truly his story!

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Jamie was relatable, completely relatable, even though he had done heinous things over the years. Yet, it was all because of Peter’s urge to “play.” I loved Jamie because he was like a daddy hen to a lot of the boys, especially Charlie. And there were twists and turns along the way. Since this is prequel, I’m sure you guys know how it all ends, but it is the character driven story that gets you there that is truly unique and horrific! And it definitely can be gruesome!

I’ve read a couple other books by Henry, and like the others, this one did not disappoint whatsoever! The world was terrifying with devious deceptions hidden in small places, and it was one that I couldn’t get out of my head, even after reading!

Who is your favorite Peter Pan character?

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Review: Finale

Title: Finale

Author: Stephanie Garber

Date of Publication: May 7th, 2019

Goodreads Summary:

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…all games must come to an end.

It’s been two months since the last Caraval concluded, two months since the Fates have been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, Scarlett has started a game of her own. She’s challenged Julian and her former fiancé, Count Nicolas d’Arcy, to a competition where the winner will receive her hand in marriage. Finaly, Scarlett feels as if she is in complete control over her life and future. She is unaware that her mother’s past has put her in the greatest danger of all.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun―with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win…and those who will lose everything. . .

My Review:

After the ending of Legendary, I was praying to the skies that there would be a third book because the way the second one ended was not enough! And the games, oh how I do love the games!

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This one is told from POVs from both Scarlett and Tella. Scarlett has always been my favorite but Tella was good too—even though she could be frustrating at times! There was too much back and forth going on with her, Legend, and Jacks! However, I think my heart called most to the devious little Jacks. It was a pure treat getting to see Scarlett and Julian again because I love them so much!!

There was fun, games, betrayal, reveals, swoon, magic, and a perfectly descriptive world! I don’t want to give too much away, but this was the perfect ending to a series that I’ll want to reread time and time again!

Have you started this series yet?

Review: Gods of Jade and Shadow

Title: Gods of Jade and Shadow

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Date of Publication: August 6th, 2019

Goodreads Summary:

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey, from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

My Review:

I was pretty excited for this because I especially loved Sylvia’s last book, The Beautiful Ones. And then she’s done really great Mexican settings in the two other books I’ve read by her as well!

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What I really liked here was the MC—Casiopea was the perfect character and I loved reading her wittiness in her dialogue and her remarks that she would give to Hun-Kamé. I seriously loved Hun-Kamé, too, especially as his character progressed in the book! The two together had such great chemistry!

There were several POVs in this one, but I really wish that it was only Casiopea and Hun-Kamé. I was kind of bored at times with Casiopea’s cousin and Hun-Kamé’s brother. Minor detail—but I felt like Casiopea’s name had a lot of syllables so I had to keep shortening it to Cas in my head as I read it!

The writing and world descriptions were beautiful and the tale was very cool. Another complaint was I wish it ended on the chapter before the last one because I’m unsure if this is a stand alone, but I think it is? But with the last chapter, I’m not sure? Anyway, I love the authors other books more, but this is still a cool, original story to check out.

What’s your favorite story about gods?

Review: Alice

Title: Alice

Author: Christina Henry

Date of Publication: August 4th, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

In a warren of crumbling buildings and desperate people called the Old City, there stands a hospital with cinderblock walls which echo the screams of the poor souls inside.

In the hospital, there is a woman. Her hair, once blond, hangs in tangles down her back. She doesn’t remember why she’s in such a terrible place. Just a tea party long ago, and long ears, and blood…

Then, one night, a fire at the hospital gives the woman a chance to escape, tumbling out of the hole that imprisoned her, leaving her free to uncover the truth about what happened to her all those years ago.

Only something else has escaped with her. Something dark. Something powerful.

And to find the truth, she will have to track this beast to the very heart of the Old City, where the rabbit waits for his Alice.

My Review:

Right off the bat, this was my perfect bloody fairy tale! I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, and honestly, I’ve seen the cover for years and didn’t know what the heck was going on there! But man, oh man, I should have read this sooner!

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This was pretty cool because it felt dystopianish but with magic and horror and a smidge of romance. I loved Alice so much—she was easy to connect with, and she was such a good MC. She helped, she killed, she protected, and she had a good heart. Hatch, my little murderious fiend, oh how my heart beats just for you. He was fierce and he was good, even though he wielded that axe like there was no tomorrow!

Overall, this is the type of horror book that I need more of. The writing and world were so well thought out, and I’m very much intrigued to see what will happen in book 2!

What’s your favorite Alice in Wonderland retelling?

Review: Defy Me

Title: Defy Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Date of Publication: April 2nd, 2019

Goodreads Summary:

Juliette Ferrars isn’t who she thinks she is.

Nothing in her world is what it seemed. She thought she’d finally defeated the Reestablishment. She thought she’d finally taken control of her life, her power, and her pain. But Juliette has only just begun to unravel a lifetime of lies, and she finds herself faced with a familiar choice:

Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

This time, she’s not alone. Stronger, braver, and more resilient than ever, Juliette will fight for life and love with her friends by her side—but first, she has to survive the war being waged against her mind:

She has to remember who she was.

My Review:

After the last book I was so scared to read this one, seriously! Juliette and Warner had gone through such a mess in the first three books, and then the last book was like, nooooooooooo! And then this, tear my freaking heart apart with the back flash scenes, already. I was balling like a baby!

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I loved Juliette in this, loved Warner in this, really loved Kenji in this! Those are my three little children! Nazeera was awesome too, and her character ARC really opened up and shined here!

There are a lot of twists here, a lot of shocking moments, a lot of me with heart eyes and teary eyes and all kinds of emotional eyes! And that freaking ending was perfect, which only makes me scared for this last book! But I need it now!!!!!

Have you started this series yet?

 

Review: The Mermaid

Title: The Mermaid

Author: Christina Henry

Date of Publication: June 19th, 2018

Goodreads Summary:

Once there was a mermaid who longed to know of more than her ocean home and her people. One day a fisherman trapped her in his net but couldn’t bear to keep her. But his eyes were lonely and caught her more surely than the net, and so she evoked a magic that allowed her to walk upon the shore. The mermaid, Amelia, became his wife, and they lived on a cliff above the ocean for ever so many years, until one day the fisherman rowed out to sea and did not return.

P. T. Barnum was looking for marvelous attractions for his American Museum, and he’d heard a rumor of a mermaid who lived on a cliff by the sea. He wanted to make his fortune, and an attraction like Amelia was just the ticket.

Amelia agreed to play the mermaid for Barnum, and she believes she can leave any time she likes. But Barnum has never given up a money-making scheme in his life, and he’s determined to hold on to his mermaid.

My Review:

When I first looked at the cover, I was like, oh, it’s a Little Mermaid retelling. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this was actually about Barnum’s Feejee mermaid when I read the summary!!

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This was quite the lovely tale with beautiful prose and enveloped in cool world building. I’m always a big oddity fan so I found everything about Barnum’s oddities fascinating, even though the man himself was quite the fool!

I struggled with Amelia at times. I loved her yet was annoyed with her because yes, she was strong, but when it came to the religion and feminist-type talk I got quite annoyed. I’m all for the strong and independent woman but sometimes it can be too much. This, of course, didn’t affect the book from being five stars! Levi, on the other hand, was so sweet and caring and he still had some “manly” views, but he always wanted what was best for Amelia—for her to have a choice.

Overall, this was a great read, but don’t expect it to be fast pacing. It was a slower journey, but one where I cared about all the words inside!

What’s your favorite mermaid book?

Review: Unmade

Title: Unmade

Author: Sarah Rees Brennan

Date of Publication: September 22nd, 2015

Goodreads Summary:

Powerful love comes with a price. Who will be the sacrifice?

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.

Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.

My Review:

This final installment was so much fun! Magic, sorcery, romance, friendship, and tons of humor and emotion!

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Kami has been the perfect sort of main character—she’s funny, wrong about things, right about things, but truly grew as a character. Who I need to give a huge clap for is Jared because his growth was immaculate! And Rusty had to have been my favorite side character in this series—I loved him so much!

Without giving spoilers away, I highly recommend this series for an adventure full of fun and magic. Also, the dialogue by the author is seriously so good!

Have you read this series?