Review: Rebels Without Applause by James Tynion IV

Title: Rebels Without Applause

Author: Jame Tynion IV

Artist(s): Rian Sygh, Walter Baiamonte

Series/Standalone: The Backstagers (Vol. 1)

Genre: LGBT, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Young Adult

Pages: 112

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"All the world's a stage... but what happens behind the curtain is pure magic literally!

When Jory transfers to an all-boys private high school, he's taken in by the only ones who don't treat him like a new kid, the lowly stage crew known as the Backstagers. Not only does he gain great, lifetime friends, Jory is also introduced to an entire magical world that lives beyond the curtain. With the unpredictable twists and turns of the underground world, the Backstagers venture into the unknown, determined to put together the best play their high school has ever seen."

My Rating: 3.75/5

After completing this first volume I went to add more of the series on my Goodreads TBR. And do you know what I found? There are only THREE volumes of this cute, mystical story! THREE! How will I ever be satisfied with that? I loved the characters in this, and the world of backstage was absolutely amazing. I'm so curious to see what will happen with their antics in the next volume of the story. But again, how are there only three?!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: The Faust Act by Kieron Gillen

Title: The Faust Act

Author: Kieron Gillen

Artist(s): Jamie McKelvie, Matt Wilson

Series/Standalone: The Wicked + The Divine (Vol. 1)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Adult, Urban Fantasy

Pages: 176

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2014

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critical tongue-attractors like Young Avengers and PHONOGRAM reunite to create a world where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. But remember: just because you're immortal, doesn't mean you're going to live forever..."

My Rating: 3/5

This was a really solid start to the series, but I did feel like we as readers are thrown in rather quickly. I'm not sure how else the story would be told, but for some reason I thought that the gods were going to be based only on greek mythology, so I"m a little lost with some of the gods that are being introduced. I liked the brutal art style, as well as our main character so I'm hoping that I will enjoy the series as I continue forward. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

Title: The Memory Police

Author: Yoko Ogawa

Translator(s): Stephen Snyder, and Markus Juslin

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Magical Realism, Adult

Pages: 274

Publisher: Pantheon Books

Year Published: 1994

Format: Audiobook

"On an unnamed island off an unnamed coast, objects are disappearing: first hats, then ribbons, birds, roses- until things become much more serious. Most of the island's inhabitants are oblivious to these changes, while those few imbued with the power to recall the lost objects live in fear of the draconian Memory Police, who are committed to ensuring that what has disappeared remains forgotten.

When a young woman who is struggling to maintain her career as a novelist discovers that her editor is in danger from the Memory Police, she concocts a plan to hide him beneath her floorboards. As fear and loss close in around them, they cling to her writing as the last way of preserving the past.

A surreal, provocation fable about the power of memory and the trauma of loss, The Memory Police is a stunning new work from one of the most exciting contemporary authors writing in any language."

My Rating: 1/5

I don't know how I didn't know this was a mix of magical realism and science fiction. I need to do more research when I pick up books such as these because as I've previously stated magical realism is not for me. I just want more answers than it can give. I want to know more about the world, and why things function the way they do. Maybe I'm not smart enough to read books like these but I'm going to try to avoid them in the future. Life is too short to read books you don't enjoy.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Witchlight by Jessi Zabarsky

Title: Witchlight

Author: Jessi Zabarsky

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Middle-grade, Graphic Novel, LGBT

Pages: 208

Publisher: Random House Graphic

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Jessi Zabarsky's lushly illustrated shoujo-adventure comic that introduces Lelek the witch as she blows through town one day, kidnapping the peasant girl Sanja. The unlikely pair grow more entangled as they travel together, looking for the missing half of Lelek's soul- the source of her true magical abilities. Both women are seeking to learn, in their own ways, how to be whole again. This book collects the serialized story all into a single-volume, including the heart-griping conclusion and other all-new material."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This graphic novel was so sweet, and a quick cute read to enjoy. That being said, it was in the Young Adult section of my library and I would argue that this book could be considered middle grade, there is no real violence, or anything romantic that a 12-year-old couldn't have handled. It also just wasn't too fleshed out or complex to follow. Not that it's a bad thing, but for me, this book was just ok. I would recommend it to younger teens or middle-grade teens who are into graphic novels that include a romantic interest.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Fantasy Heartbreak by Kieron Gillen

Title: Fantasy Heartbreaker

Author: Kieron Gillen

Artist: Stephanie Hans

Series/Standalone: Die (Volume #1)

Genre: Graphic Novels, RPG, Fantasy, Adult

Pages: 184

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"The Wicked + The Divine writer Kieron Gillen teams up with artist supernova Stephanie Hans (WicDiv, Journey Into Mystery) for her first ongoing comic. Die is a pitch-black fantasy where a group of forty-something adults have to deal with the returning unearthly horror they only just survived as teenage role-players. If Kieron's in a rush, he describes it as "Goth Jumanji", but that's only the tip of this obsidian iceberg."

My Rating: 4/5

This was a really wonderful introduction to the world and the characters. I absolutely adored the art style and the storytelling method. Seeing the characters in past and present helps to gain suspense as we're wondering what happened fully to them in the past as well as how they ended up where they are in their lives now. I look forward to continuing the series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Title: Sarah's Key

Author: Tatiana de Rosnay

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult

Pages: 294

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Year Published: 2006

Format: Audiobook

"Paris, July 1942: Ten-year-old Sarah is brutally arrested with her family in the Vel' d'Hiv' roundup, the most notorious act of the French collaboration with the Nazis, but before the police come to take them, Sarah locks her younger brother, Michel, in their favorite hiding place, a cupboard in the family\s apartment. She keeps the key, thinking that she will be back within a few hours.

Paris, May 2002: On Vel' D'Hiv's sixtieth anniversary, Julia Jarmond, an American journalist, is asked by her Paris-based-American magazine to write an article about this black day in France's past. Julia has lived in Paris for nearly twenty-five years, married a Frenchman, and she is shocked both by her ignorance about the event and the silence that still surrounds it. In the course of her investigation, she stumbles onto a trail of a long-hidden family secret that connects her to Sarah. Julia finds herself compelled to retrace the girl's ordeal, from the terrible days spent shut in at the Vel' d'Hiv' to the camps and beyond. As she probes into Sarah's past, she begins to question her own place in France and to reevaluate her marriage and her life.

Writing about the fate of her country with a pitiless clarity, Tatiana de Rosnay offers us a brilliantly subtle, compelling portrait of France under occupation and reveals the taboos and email surrounding this painful episode in French history."

My Rating: 2.5/5

This book is a very subtle work about the World War II events from French History and while it highlighted things I had not read about, it seemed less about that and more about Julia's life. Which is fine if that had been what I thought I was signing on for. The intriguing aspect just wasn't here for the story. I enjoyed it, just didn't hold my attention the way I wish it had. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Author: Neil Gaiman

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Magical Realism, Young Adult,

Pages: 181

Publisher: William Morrow Books

Year Published: 2013

Format: Paperback Copy

First Line: "I wore a black suit and a white shirt, a black tie and black shoes, all polished and shiny; clothes that normally would make me feel uncomfortable, as if I were in a stolen uniform, or pretending to be an adult."

"Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. he hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.

Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie- magical, comforting, wise beyond her years- promised to protect him, no matter what.

A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. It is a string, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark."

My Rating: 1/5

I want to start this review by saying that I get why people like this book. I do understand that it is well-loved, and I understand why people loved it. It just 100% was not for me. And here is why. First, I really like to be connected to our characters and get an idea of who they are, they are what helps carry me through stories. Second, I needed more information throughout the story it was both too long and not long enough for my enjoyment. And finally, I don't think I like magical realism. Looking back I can't think of a story in that genre that I just adored. I either want fantasy or not, not some in-between trying to figure out what is real. It's just not for me. And that's ok. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Project by Courtney Summers

Title: The Project

Author: Courtney Summers

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 352

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audibook

"Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died in a tragic car accident, her sister Bea joined the elusive community called The Unity Project, leaving Lo to fend for herself. Desperate not to lose the only family she has left, Lo has spent the last six years trying to reconnect with Bea, only to be met with radio silence.

When Lo's given the perfect opportunity to gain access to Bea's reclusive life, she think they're finally going to be reunited. But it's difficult to find someone who doesn't want to be found, and as Lo delves deeper into The Project and its charismatic leader, she begins to realize that there's more at risk than just her relationship with Bea: Her very life might be in danger.

As she uncovers more questions than answers at each turn everything Lo thought she knew about herself, her sister, and the world is upended. One thing doesn't change, though and that's what keeps her going: Bea needs her, and Lo will do anything to save her."

My Rating: 5/5

This book blew me away. I had read Sadie, the author's debut, shortly after it's release and hearing the hype about it. This novel got less hype than Sadie, but I liked it far more. Courtney Summers does a wonderful job of getting you invested in a persons story and trying to understand what leads people to do what they do. I loved the thrilling elements, and while there was a moment or two where we, as readers, knew what was going on but Lo, or Bea seemed to have no idea what was at play which caused great suspense. The atmosphere in this book also added greatly to the thrilling aspects of the story, a cabin in the woods where the leader is secluded along with The Project's members, yes please. I look forward to reading more work by the author as she publishes them and would recommend to anyone who is looking for a cult based thrilller.

Thanks for reading

Sidny

Book Review: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Title: Firekeeper's Daughter

Author: Angeline Boulley

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Fiction

Pages: 496

Publisher: Henry, Holt and Co.

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, bother in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. Daunis dreams of studying medicine, but when her family is struck by tragedy, she puts her future on hold to care for her fragile mother.

The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi's hockey team. Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, certain details don't add up and she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into the heart of a criminal investigation.

Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover but secretly pursues her own investigation, tracking down the criminals with her knowledge of chemistry and traditional medicine. But the deceptions- and deaths- keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home.

Now, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she'll go to protect her community, even if it tears apart the only world she's ever known."

My Rating: 4/5

This is such a wonderful debut novel from Angeline Boulley. The representation in this book is something I want to read more about, and want to see published more and more. Everyone deserves to see themselves in a story. The characters in this story were incredible to read from. I found the different characters distinct without being stereotypical. Interactions did remind me of my small hockey town, especially with the way the boys acted about women. Unfortunately, it also reminded me of my hometown with the racist elements that were written about. The plot is really where this book lost a star for me. I was interested in the mystery, but not enough to hold my full attention throughout. I was more interested in hearing about Daunis's story about her growing, and hearing about her life and what her community had gone through. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Series/Standalone: The Shadow and Bone Trilogy (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy,

Pages: 358

Publisher: Square Fish

Year Published: 2012

Format: Paperback Copy (Own It)

First Line: "The servants called them malenchki, little ghosts, because they were the smallest and the youngest, and because they haunted the Duke's house like giggling phantoms, darting in and out of the rooms., hiding in cupboards to eavesdrop, sneaking into the kitchen to setal the last of the summer peaches."

"Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn into two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life- a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secret of the Grisha... and the secrets of her heart."

My Rating: 4.75/5

This was such a refreshing read. It was exactly what I needed to read this month. It really reminded me of the Young Adult fantasy that I used to read when I was younger, and why I started writing out my thoughts in the first place. I have so many thoughts on the characters, and I'm intrigued by the world as well. The plot was intriguing and the twists were so fun. I also enjoyed reading about the atmosphere and the training aspects of the story. Most of all I'm interested in the history of the world, and where this plot is taking our characters. 

Will I be buying the whole box set? Absolutely.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Spoiler: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 I've got a lot of thoughts so buckle up!

The plot of this book isn't anything ridiculously groundbreaking for a YA fantasy, we have our chosen one, we have a villain, we have multiple love interests. Need I say more? What is fun is all the twists and turns that the story takes throughout. I loved the way I wouldn't expect what moment someone would show up, or what was about to happen at all moments.

Atmosphere: The plot of this book really brought the world to life, it really reminded me of Russian folklore that I've read, or ideas just based on the weather, and the descriptions of the palace. Lovely!

Writing: Nothing ground breaking, but so addicting and fun to read. Capture the world and the thoughts of our main character so well. Addicting! I was intrigued and I thought that conclusions made logical sense.

Characters: I already know that I'm shipping the wrong people. I know that I"m supposed to hate the Darkling. I acknowledge he is fucked up, a bad person and clearly the villain but what I will say might be controversial, he's still HOT. Reading the first part of this book I was like woah, this Darkling guy is so sexy, and then he just had to become the villain. RUDE. Mal is fine, a great friend to lover plot. I get it. He's loved her since the start. But where is the passion? Alina is fun to read from, but she'd better get tougher quickly! I just feel like she's got a lot of work to do to hide from the Darkling. 

Can't wait to continue the series,

Sidny