Book Review: The German Midwife by Mandy Robotham

 

Title: The German Midwife

Author: Mandy Robotham

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult

Pages: 354

Publisher: Avon

Year Published: 2018

Format: Audiobook

"Germany, 1944.

A prisoner in the camps, Anke Hoff is doing what she can to keep her pregnant campmates and their newborns alive.

But when Anke's work is noticed, she is chosen for a task more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Eva Braun is pregnant with the Fuhrer's child, and Anke is assigned as her midwife.

Before long, Anke is faced with an impossible choice. Does she serve the Reich she loathes and keep the baby alive? Or does she sacrifice an innocent child for the good of a broken world?

An unforgettable tale of courage, betrayal and survival in the hardest of circumstances, perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Alice Network."

My Rating: 3/5

This book was a different way of writing about the war from a different perspective. I will say though that I found it does romanticize some horrible things about the war. There are some high stakes, there is heartbreak, it is gruesome and frightening. I think that I was most interested in hearing about the survival aspects of the story. How the main character manages to get through tragedy and continues to believe in helping all women regardless of religion, race, etc. That being said you do have to suspend your disbelief that our main character would be chosen to oversee such an important pregnancy. I think that the plot was fast-paced and I was continually interested. That is why this book gets a higher rating than you may assume based on the facts above.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

 Title: Her Royal Highness

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Series/Standalone: Royals Series (Book #2)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, LGBT

Pages: 274

Publisher: G.P Putnam's Son Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Millie Quint is devastated when she discovers her sort-of-best friend/sort-of-girlfriend has been kissing someone else. And because Millie cannot stand the thought of confronting her ex every day, she decides to apply for scholarships to boarding schools... the farther from Houston the better.

Millie can't believe her luck when she's accepted into one of the world's most exclusive schools, located in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Everything about Scotland is different: the country is misty and green; the school is gorgeous, and the students think Americans are cute.

The only problem: Millie's roommate Flora is a total princess.

She's also an actual princess. Of Scotland.

At first, the girls can barely stand each other-- Flora is both high-class and high-key-- but before Millie knows it, she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. Even though Princess Flora could be a new chapter in her love life, Millie knows the chances of happily ever afters are slim... after all, real life isn't a fairy tale... or is it?"

My Rating: 2/5

So I read the first book in this series and I was so excited to learn more about Flora, and I feel like we did, but I just didn't like it. I was really hoping that this book would be from Flora's P.O.V but it wasn't, and that really took away from my overall enjoyment. I also just didn't care for the characters we saw throughout this novel. While there was a romance aspect, it wasn't what I wanted it to be, and I just didn't feel the spark between our two characters. I would read more from Rachel Hawkins and I would love to hear about other people's romances within the royal/aristocrat families. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

 Title: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

Author: Abbi Waxman

Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Romance, Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 351

Publisher: Berkley

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"The only child of a single mother, nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.

When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all0 or mostly all- excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis has turned out to be cute, funny and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?

Nina considers her options:

1. Completely change he name and appearance (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)

2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).

3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)

It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page."

My Rating: 5/5

I finished this book a few days ago and it really hit me in the feelings. So I decided to take some time to really process whether the 5/5 feelings were based on elements or based on the fact that this was the precise book that I needed to end 2020 with. This is what I found. It's exactly what I needed to end 2020 with. The romance, the atmosphere, the characters and the plot were all intriguing. But mostly the growth in characters, the feeling of being seen with our main character having social anxiety that is nearly crippling. It's something that I can understand and felt her pain watching her go through. Overall this book is a cute book lovers dream and I would recommend it to anyone interested.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

Title: Ten Thousand Skies Above You

Author: Claudia Gray

Series/Standalone: Firebird Series (Book #2)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance

Pages: 448

Publisher: HarperTeen

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback Copy (Own It)

First Line: "The first time I travelled to another dimension, I intended to take a life."

"Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse- even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions.

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul's soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she beings to question the destiny she thought they shared."

My Rating: 2.75/5

There is something about the middle book in the trilogy that never quit hits right for me. It is very rare that it will be my favourite in the series. And this, unfortunately, was no exception. I think that while this instalment was interesting it just didn't quite capture the higher stakes that were in the first one. I also found that the love interest in this instalment was almost more forced than heartwarming which I didn't anticipate after watching them fall in love in the first book. I think that the villains in this book though are the scariest aspects. The idea that people are willing to corrupt multiple dimensions for personal gain is a truly terrifying thought. The cliff hanger ending also interests me enough to continue with the series. I hope that I regain my overall enjoyment by the end of the trilogy.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama

Title: Becoming

Author: Michelle Obama

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Memoir, Nonfiction, Adult

Pages: 426

Publisher: Crown

Year Published: 2018

Format: Audiobook (own a hardcover)

"In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America- the first African American to serve in that role- she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her- from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it- in her own words, and on her own terms. Warm, wise and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations- and whose story inspires us to do the same."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I would like to start this review by saying that I am a Canadian Citizen and I have never lived in the United States, but by being neighbours with the United States I do know a bit about their politics. Not a ton, but a small amount. Probably more than most American's know about our political systems. That being said this book isn't only about politics. It's about finding who you are, striving through controversy, and using your voice for those who do not have one. I think that Michelle strikes a lot of hope into young people across the world. Seeing a woman who is able to bring about change with such poise isn't easy, but before reading this book she always appeared without flaw to someone like me. But knowing that she's just a human as well, is soothing in a way. Knowing that we are all capable of speaking up, and making change, but also knowing that everyone needs to be giving a fighting chance to seize opportunities that some are just handed (alumni at colleges, people living in the suburbs with the financial ability to move to better areas with better schools, etc.). This is just a quick summary of my thoughts. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Alex + Ada Vol. 3 by Jonathan Luna

 Title: Alex + Ada Vol. 3

Author: Jonathan Luna

Artist(s): Sarah Vaughn

Series/Standalone: Alex + Ada (Book #11-15)

Genre: Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Romance

Pages: 136

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2015

Format: Ebook (Library Copy)

"The last thing in the world Alex wanted was an X5, the latest in the realistic androids. But after Ada is dropped into his life, he discovers she is more than just a robot. Alex takes a huge risk to unlock Ada so she can think for herself and explore life as a sentient android. As Alex and Ada spend more time together, they become closer. But as restrictions tighten on artificial intelligence, Ada feels unsure about her place in the world, and Alex questions being with an android.

In this final Arc, Alex and Ada struggle against the growing hatred for sentient robots and their human allies. Can they survive what's around the corner?"

My Rating: 1/5

I really thought that this series would get more interesting as time went on but I just felt like there were too many things that the author was trying to do. Things weren't laid out well enough with enough weight to them to feel any of the consequences that took place in this final instalment. I really don't think that there was enough time spent on dramatic aspects of the story. They were glossed over just as quickly as causal conversation throughout the first 2 volumes. I wouldn't recommend this series unless you have read this description and are sure this is something you "have" to read.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich

 Title: Two for the Dough

Author: Janet Evanovich

Series/Standalone: Stephanie Plum Series (Book #2)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Humour, Mystery

Pages: 326

Publisher: Penguin Books

Year Published: 1996

Format: Audiobook

"This one's double the fun!

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is still learning the ropes at her cousin Vinnie's bail bond office, so when she sets out the trail of Kenny Mancuso- a suspiciously wealthy, working class Trenton boy who has just shot his best friend- the stakes are higher than ever. That Mancuso is distantly related to vice cop Joe Morelli- who is trying to beat Stephanie to the punch- only makes the hunt more thrilling.

Taking pointers from her bounty hunter pal, Ranger, and using her pistol-packing Grandma Mazur as a decoy, Stephanie is soon closing in on her mark. But Morelli and his libido are worthy foes. And a more sinister kind of enemy has made his first move... and his next move might be Stephanie's last."

My Rating: 2/5

I think that these books are fun filler books, but they are so outdated. There is mention of the two main characters have sexual actions together at 8 YEARS OLD. I thought it was a one-off in the first book but it was brought up repeatedly in this book and it made me uncomfortable. There were also more stereotypes being filled out in this book. And things were more focused on the relationships in the book instead of the crime. I do plan on reading the next one just to see if these trends continue, but if they do I'm not sure how much further in the series I will go.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Alex + Ada Vol. 2 by Jonathan Luna

 Title: Alex + Ada Vol. 2

Author: Jonathan Luna

Artist(s): Sarah Vaughn

Series/Standalone: Alex + Ada (Book #6- 10)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, Adult

Pages: 128

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2015

Format: Ebook (Library Copy)

"Tensions rise between humans and robots in this sci-fi/drama set in the near future. Alex took a huge risk to unlock Ada and it seems to have paid off- Ada can now think of herself and explore life as a sentient android. As Alex and Ada spend more time together, they become closer. But as restrictions tighten on androids, Ada feels unsure about her place in Alex's life and the world."

My Rating: 2.5/5

I think what's really getting me down in these graphic novels is the art style, it's just not one that I gravitate towards. The storyline is interesting to me, and in some ways reminds me of a lot of plot points in Detriot: Become Human, the video game. I will say that our main character is just very bland. Other than a mysterious woman from his past there isn't much that intrigues me about him. I do plan on finishing the trilogy in the near future just for the fun of it, but I don't know if I will pick anything from the author again unless I need a guilty pleasure read.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Alex + Ada Vol. 1 by Jonathan Luna

 Title: Alex + Ada Vol. 1

Author: Jonathan Luna

Artist: Sarah Vaughn

Series/Standalone: Alex + Ada (Book 1-5)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Science Fiction, Adult

Pages: 128

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2014

Format: Ebook (Library Copy)

"From Jonathan Luna (Girls, The Sword, Ultra, Spider-Woman: Origin) and Sarah Vaughan (Sparkshooter) comes Alex + Ada, a sci-fi drama set in the near future. The last thing in the world Alex wanted was an X5, the latest in realistic androids. But after Ada is dropped into his life, he discovers she is more than just a robot."

My Rating: 2/5

I often pick up things like this, with AI, robots and futuristic society because the possibilities make me curious. That being said, while the world is interesting, this first book doesn't really offer much. There are many characters and not a ton of expansive character development at this point. Just a fine read for the time being, but I do plan on continuing with the series as soon as possible for some guilty pleasure entertainment.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Dear Justyce by Nic Stone

 Title: Dear Justyce

Author: Nic Stone

Series/Standalone: Dear Martin (Book #2)

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Pages: 288

Publisher: Crown

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"In the stunning and hard-hitting sequel to New York Times bestseller Dear Martin, incarcerated teen Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experiences in the American prison system.

Shortly after teenager Quan enters a not guilty plea fro the shooting death of a police officer, he is placed in a holding cell to await trial. Through a series of flashbacks and letters to Justyce, the protagonist of Dear Martin, Quan's story unravels.

From a troubled childhood and bad timing to a coerced confession and prejudice police work, Nic Stone's newest novel takes an unflinching look at the flawed practices and ideologies that discriminate against African American boys and minorities in the American justice system."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I'm starting this by saying that black authors do not write books to educate white people, nor should they. So if aspects of this book or other books from p.oc that deal with realistic fiction (ex. not fantasy or science fiction) or nonfiction books make you have questions, do your own research! This book follows a character from the first book, Quan. A teen who is charged with the murder of a police officer and his story. The things that he experiences throughout life and how he ends up where he is (both his own choices and those in place by society). The only reason this book didn't reach a five out of five stars for me is that I wanted just a bit more. I would also love a novel about Doc and his life, and Martel. I look forward to reading more from the author and would recommend this to anyone interested in the subject matter. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny