Book Review: Coven by Soman Chainani

Title: Coven

Author: Soman Chainani

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Graphic Novel

Pages: 272

Publisher: HarperAlley

Year Published: 2025

Format: Paperback Copy (Library Copy)

"Need your magical crime solved?

Call the Witch Coven.

Hester, Anadil, and Dot are legendary across the Endless Woods are vigilante detectives and protectors of the peace. The famed trio are not only talented witches but also ride-or-die friends who've never left a case unsolved.

That is until the Coven answers a call for help from a mysterious new world- Red Isle, where the Light and Dark Lands are on the brink of all-out-war, each blaming the other for a grim spree of deaths. Now the Coven must work together and unmask the killer before Red Isle tears itself apart. Little do they know: The real enemy might be hiding in plain sight..."

My Rating: 4/5

This was such an interesting read. I didn't realize that it was connected to the middle grade school for good and evil books. This was a great book to flip through.  The art was fun, the idea was heavy-handed but great, and overall, such a quick, great read. Loved it.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Title: The Gilded Ones

Author: Namina Forna

Series/Standalone: Deathless Series (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 432

Publisher: Delacorte 

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity- and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki-near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be- not even Deka herself."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This was a fun read. I enjoyed the frame of the story. The setting, the idea of the society were unsettling and made the reader uncomfortable in a way that supports the idea that we want the main character to find power and change. I think that there were certainly some heavy-handed hints towards the plot twists and the plot itself. That being said, this is a young adult read, so maybe that comes with the fact that I am not in that demographic. I don't plan on continuing the series, and the good thing about this book is if you wanted to, you can end this series here, or keep reading to see where else it would go. That being said, overall, fun, exciting, interesting.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Mistake

Author: Elle Kennedy

Series/Standalone: Off-Campus Series (Book #2)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Sports Romance

Pages: 283

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2015

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"Get ready for another binge-worthy romance from international bestselling author and TikTok sensation Elle Kennedy. He's a player in more ways than one... College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he'll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he's worth a second chance. Now he's going to need to up his game... After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She's not a charity case, and she's not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He'll have to work for it. This time around, she'll be the one in the driver's seat.... and she plans on driving him wild. "

My Rating: 4/5

This was a really fun instalment in the series. I'm glad that we got to Logan's book right away after the ending of the first book so it didn't draw out the jealousy factor we read about in book one. I was also grateful that it was about him winning her back and working for her to see him instead of the other way around (sometimes I find in hockey romance it's the women doing all the work). The backstory for Logan was detailed and interesting; my only problem was the way it all cleared up. I wish it had happened a little further from the end of the book, so we could have seen some more good family moments between Logan and his brother. Overall, a great read, and I've already started the next one. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: A False Start by Elsie Silver

Title: A False Start

Author: Elsie Silver

Series/Standalone: Gold Rush Ranch Series (Book #4)

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, Contemporary

Pages: 432

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2022

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"I kissed my best friend's little sister, and the world stood still.

That night we were two perfect strangers, the town's grumpy recluse and a gorgeous girl in the back of a bar. Until we weren't.

Because Nadia Dalca isn't just some girl. She's the girl I can't have. Fourteen years younger than me and completely off-limits.

My plan is to stay away, but the universe keeps pushing us together. It's like some sort of cosmic joke, to give me a taste of something so electric - so real- something that breathed life back into me.

Because I can look, but I can't touch.

Her sinful curves, her light-hearted laughter, her wild side... I'm addicted to every last bit of her.

And when she turns those sultry eyes on me-- the ones so full of longing and so free of judgement? I've always considered myself a strong man. But when she looks at me I'm weak.

To give in to our connection would be a betrayal. My life is beyond complicated, and she has the world at her fingertips. Her brother is the only family she has left, and sad as it sounds, he's also my only friend.

But I kissed her again anyway.

And now I can't stop."

My Rating: 5/5

This was once again Elsie Silver, just writing perfection. The tension between our main characters is excellent. The spicy scenes were wonderful, and the plot was fantastic. I was so grateful for the way the author chose to end this book. She has this way of making each character so unique that I feel like they are real people. This series isn't quite as good as Chestnut Springs in my opinion, but I can't wait to read the Rose Hill Series.

Thank you for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke

Title: The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

Author: Shari Franke

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Nonfiction, Adult, Memoir

Pages: 320

Publisher: Gallery Books

Year Published: 2025

Format: Audiobook

"From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing.

Shari Franke's childhood was a constant battle for survival. Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a facade of a picture-perfect family for their wildly popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which documented the day-to-day life of raising six children for a staggering 2.5 million subscribers. But a darker truth lurked beneath the surface- Ruby's wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined.

As the family's YouTube notoriety grew, so too did Ruby's delusions of righteousness. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime.

Ruby and Jodi were arrested in Utah in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo online of a police car outside their home. Her caption had one word: "Finally."

For the first time, Shari will reveal the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family's devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrant's cultish life coaching program, "ConneXions." No stone is left unturned as Shari exposes the perils of influencer culture and shares for the first time her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother's cruelty."

My Rating: Not Applicable

With memoirs such as these, we have to be thoughtful if we are rating anything. I find that sometimes I rate these based on the writing, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to others. This novel is well written, answers questions and tells Shari Franke's story without taking the antanomy from her younger siblings' stories. It's an interesting story, heartbreaking, but a cautionary tale to us as viewers. Look deeper at family vlogging, what do we see?

Thank you for reading.
Sidny

Review: Old Man's Cave by Jeff Smith

Title: Old Man's Cave

Author: Jeff Smith

Series/Standalone: Bone Series (Volume 6)

Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Fantasy

Pages: 128

Publisher: Cartoon Books

Year Published: 1997

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"As war spreads through the Valley and the rat creature mount a vicious offense, Gran'ma, Lucius, Phoney Bone and the villagers join the Veni Yan warriors and set up base camp at Old Man's Cave to make a final stand against the Rat Creature army. Will Fone Bone be able to hold the alliance together? Will the rat creatures finally take over the valley and unleash the power of the Lord of the Locusts? Find out and discover much much more in this pivotal book."

My Rating: 3/5

I enjoyed this one; it was fine, but it felt rather short for what it was. I am curious to see how the rest of the story plays out, but I'm starting to wonder if I have even the foggiest idea where this is going.  I'm feeling a little lost.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Title: Unwind

Author: Neal Shusterman

Series/Standalone: Unwind Dystology (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction

Pages: 337

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2007

Format: Hardcover (Own It)

"Connor, Ris and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state, is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape and to survive."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I was surprised how this book remained so current. I was surprised that it was written in 2007 and still remained so relevant. The concept, as you first start this book, feels very extreme, but throughout this book, it becomes more and more understandable about how the world got to the point it is. The world-building is excellent. The plot is fast-paced, and the changing perspectives keep readers aware of different opinions and ways the world has perceived these new bills. While uncomfortable, I strongly recommend. The only reason I knocked off one star was the need for "romance" that all dystopians had at this time. I look forward to continuing on in this series.

Thank you for reading.

Sidny