Category Archives: By Age Range

Review: The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

The Silvered Serpents (The Gilded Wolves #2)
Roshani Chokshi
Wednesday Books
Published September 22, 2020

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About The Silvered Serpents

They are each other’s fiercest love, greatest danger, and only hope.

Séverin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost — one that still haunts all of them. Desperate to make amends, Séverin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant its possessor the power of God.

Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into the icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets, and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew question whether an ancient myth is a myth after all.

As hidden secrets come to the light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves. But what they find out may lead them down paths they never imagined.

A tale of love and betrayal as the crew risks their lives for one last job.

Returning to the dark and glamorous 19th century world of her New York Times instant bestseller, THE GILDED WOLVES, Roshani Chokshi dazzles us with another riveting tale as full of mystery and danger as ever in THE SILVERED SERPENTS.

My Review

This is one of those books that totally breaks your heart (somehow in a good way??). I feel like I fell in love with every member of Séverin’s team. The story goes so deeply into their minds and their feelings that I couldn’t help it. Zofia and her very literal interpretations of things. Enrique and his need to be listened to. Séverin and his broken, desperate quest to make everyone safe. Laila and her secrets.

I struggled a little bit with THE GILDED WOLVES simply because there was so much worldbuilding that it got a little bit overwhelming and drowned out the story in a few places. THE SILVERED SERPENTS, though, has the perfect balance of setting and story, and even has some cleverly placed details in the opening that helped to jog my memory about things that happened in the first book.

From the very beginning, there’s a kind of desperation across all members of the team. That and their quest to find the lost artifact drives the story forward and made it nearly impossible to put this book down. In addition, I LOVE Roshani Chokshi’s writing. She gets inside each character’s head and heart and makes them so real.

The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so be prepared to immediately crave the third book.

If you haven’t read THE GILDED WOLVES, I’d start with that one first. If you liked SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo or WE HUNT THE FLAME by Hafsah Faizal, you’ll definitely want to check out this series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Enrique is Filipino and gay. Séverin’s father is white and his mother is Algerian. Laila is from India. Zofia is Jewish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Very brief use of extreme profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys and between a boy and girl. Laila has agreed to pose as Séverin’s mistress, which he refers to multiple times as “sharing his bed.” One scene shows a boy and girl in bed together. It’s implied that they have sex but not shown in detail.

Spiritual Content
The team explores a site that focuses on the nine Greek muses and rituals involving human sacrifice. Séverin believes an ancient artifact will grant him and his friends the ability to become gods.

Some people possess a kind of magic called Forging, which allows them to manipulate certain things, like ice or fire.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning
References to and brief descriptions of girls being tortured and murdered. Assassins attack the team. They face situations of peril.

Drug Content
Hypnos in particular drinks a lot of alcohol and several jokes are made about how often he is drunk.

Note: I received a free copy of THE SILVERED SERPENTS in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: A Clue in the Trees by Margi Preus

Young Adult/Teen 12-18

The Clue in the Trees
Margi Preus
University of Minnesota Press
Published September 19, 2017

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About The Clue in the Trees

Francie’s brother Theo has secrets—secrets Francie thinks she wants to know. But what if one of those secrets is that Theo is a murderer? To avoid considering that possibility, Francie plunges into her senior year at a small-town high school near Enchantment Lake in northern Minnesota. It’s a radical change from her private school in New York, but she hopes to keep an eye on her great aunts and maybe finally learn more about the mother she never knew. A small silver box seems to hold the answers, and she is determined to get her hands on it.

But when her long-lost brother turns up, so does a dead body, and once again Francie is drawn into a mystery. A long list of suspects, with Theo at the top, keeps her head spinning. When Francie herself becomes a suspect she starts to feel like she is walking on thin ice, but it isn’t until she is literally walking on thin ice that the pieces start to come together—and by then it may be too late.

In her previous adventure ENCHANTMENT LAKE, Francie was thrown into northern Minnesota lake living: fishing, berry picking, lost kayaks and scary boat rides, poisoned hotdishes, exploding bulldozers, a forest fire . . . and murder. But if she thinks things have settled down, she’s in for a surprise. A new school with new friends (and a few enemies), a lead role in a play, an encounter with a giant muskie, archaeological twists, secret tunnels, thin ice, and a strangely sticky murder are all coming her way in THE CLUE IN THE TREES.

My Review

Reading this book took me back to the days when I used to binge read Nancy Drew novels (a fact that would probably irritate Francie). I loved reading more about the small town of Walpurgis and getting to know Raven, Jay, and Francie’s brother, Theo.

The main focus of the story is solving a murder– one that Francie worries her brother has committed– but it touches on several other current social and environmental issues, such as the pipeline projects and their impact on the environment and indigenous people as well as poaching and smuggling, in an organic, non-intrusive way.

I really enjoyed the goofy characters and snappy dialogue in ENCHANTMENT LAKE, and A CLUE IN THE TREES delivered on this as well. Raven has a way of cutting straight to the heart of an issue, something that helps Francie focus and keeps her honest. We still get glimpses of Francie’s great aunts and a bit of their shenanigans, but a lot of the interaction comes from Francie, Raven, and Jay.

I enjoyed reading this book and following along to uncover the truth about who committed the murder. In some places, Francie’s search for information about her mom overshadows the mystery, but I didn’t mind that too much, as I’m pretty invested in the series at this point, so I’m hoping that’s a thread that will continue to unravel in the third book, THE SILVER BOX (which I’ll be reviewing soon, too).

I recommend starting with ENCHANTMENT LAKE. This is a separate mystery story, so you could follow the plot of this one just fine if you read it first, but I think it’s worth getting that introduction to Francie’s family and the town of Walpurgis. Otherwise you might feel overwhelmed with the number of character names mentioned in this one that are references to characters in the first book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Francie’s best friend Raven is a Native American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Francie is dating a boy who is away at college.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Francie discovers the body of a man who has been strangled.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of A CLUE IN THE TREES in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Enchantment Lake by Margi Preus

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Enchantment Lake (A Northwoods Mystery)
Margi Preus
University of Minnesota Press
Published March 11, 2015

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About Enchantment Lake

A disturbing call from her great aunts Astrid and Jeannette sends seventeen-year-old Francie far from her new home in New York into a tangle of mysteries. Ditching an audition in a Manhattan theater, Francie travels to a remote lake in the northwoods where her aunts’ neighbors are “dropping like flies” from strange accidents. But are they accidents?

On the shores of Enchantment Lake in the woods of northern Minnesota, something ominous is afoot, and as Francie begins to investigate, the mysteries multiply: a poisoned hotdish, a puzzling confession, eerie noises in the bog, and a legendary treasure that is said to be under enchantment—or is that under Enchantment, as in under the lake? At the center of everything is a suddenly booming business in cabin sales and a road not everyone wants built.

To a somewhat reluctant northwoods Nancy Drew, the intrigue proves irresistible, especially when it draws her closer to the mysteries at the heart of her own life: What happened to her father? Who and where is her mother? Who is she, and where does her heart lie—in the bustle of New York City or the deep woods of Minnesota? With its gripping story, romantic spirit, and a sly dash of modern-day trouble (evil realtors and other invasive species), Enchantment Lake will fascinate readers, providing precisely the charm that Margi Preus’s readers have come to expect.

My Review

I loved all the descriptions of the small town of Walpurgis and its quirky inhabitants, including Francie’s great aunts. Aunt Astrid and Aunt Jeannette have told everyone that Francie is a detective when in reality she simply played one on TV. They don’t seem troubled by the misinformation, and they have every confidence that Francie can solve the case.

Right away I loved Francie, too. She’s smart and vulnerable and definitely a reluctant heroine. There are a couple of times when she ends up in some tense situations and I definitely felt myself on edge reading them, in a good way!

On the whole, this isn’t as dark or intense as something like ONE OF US IS LYING by Karen McManus or THE WHITE RABBIT by Caleb Roehrig. It’s a fun, sweet mystery perfect for upper elementary or middle school readers, or anyone looking for a small town mystery you could read in a couple hours.

Francie’s story continues in A CLUE IN THE TREES and THE SILVER BOX, which I’ll be reviewing over the next couple weeks.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some obvious attraction between Francie and a boy.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A suspicious number of “accidental” deaths have occurred around the lake. (All take place off-screen.) Francie hears a gunshot which she’s later told was a man’s death by suicide. Some situations of peril. Francie is trapped with someone she thinks is the murderer more than once.

Drug Content
Adults drink alcohol at a dinner party. A girl maybe a little older than Francie is drunk at night.

Note: I received a free copy of ENCHANTMENT LAKE in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivera

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Never Look Back
Lilliam Rivera
Bloomsbury YA
Published September 15, 2020

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About Never Look Back

Eury comes to the Bronx as a girl haunted. Haunted by losing everything in Hurricane Maria–and by an evil spirit, Ato. She fully expects the tragedy that befell her and her family in Puerto Rico to catch up with her in New York. Yet, for a time, she can almost set this fear aside, because there’s this boy . . .

Pheus is a golden-voiced, bachata-singing charmer, ready to spend the summer on the beach with his friends, serenading his on-again, off-again flame. That changes when he meets Eury. All he wants is to put a smile on her face and fight off her demons. But some dangers are too powerful for even the strongest love, and as the world threatens to tear them apart, Eury and Pheus must fight for each other and their lives.

This Own Voices retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice is perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi’s PRIDE and Daniel José Older’s SHADOWSHAPER.

My Review

The thing that drew me to NEVER LOOK BACK was the spirituality of it and the fact that it’s a retelling. I feel like I have so much to say.

First– I really enjoyed the story. The characters feel so real and Eury and Pheus are so different that I could always tell whose point-of-view I was reading, even if I just flipped to a random page.

I liked that Eury’s curse was a complex problem with multiple pieces. (I’m being vague because there’s some of this that doesn’t get revealed until later in the story.) She keeps Catholic faith, praying every day, and finds comfort both in her belief that she is “beloved of God” and in the rituals of prayer and mass. It’s sincere and sweet, and I loved that.

But that’s not the only spirituality in the story. She also sees a spirit, whom she calls Ato, who is a spirit of the dead. He wants to take her to the land of the dead, El Inframundo, to be with him forever. Pheus, in trying to help Eury break the power Ato holds over her, encounters other gods and goddesses like Guabancex, the goddess of chaos.. I thought this was really cool, because though it’s a retelling of a Greek myth, NEVER LOOK BACK pulls in and celebrates some Afro-Latinx mythology.

In both Pheus and Eury’s points-of-view, the setting is rich and vibrant. Eury has a deep connection with Puerto Rico as her home– with the forests and the birds and flowers that brings those things to life. Pheus feels at home in the Bronx, with his friends, going to the beach, hanging out in the stairwell of his apartment building.

I also loved seeing the growth in both characters. Pheus begins to see himself as others have seen him and to see where he misjudged or to recognize his selfishness or the parts of his life where he’s living in fear.

Eury has spent so much energy running from Ato, trying to hide what’s happening to her, and trying to distance herself from others so that Ato can’t use them to hurt her. Watching her come out of her shell, to begin to trust and to find her own strength was so amazing. I loved that she plays and active role in the outcome of the story.

Bottom line: I really recommend this book. I loved so many things about it. It’s a rich story that celebrates faith and heritage and love. Definitely a win, and a perfect story if you’re looking for an escape from reality right now.

If you enjoyed DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE, be sure to check out NEVER LOOK BACK.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Pheus is Afro-Dominican. Eury is Puerto Rican.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to hooking up.

Spiritual Content
See my review above. Eury practices Catholicism and is haunted by a spirit of the dead. Pheus meets other gods and goddesses.

Violent Content – Trigger warning for hurricane, depression, mentions of suicide, and sexual assault.
Some description of Hurricane Maria and Eury’s house collapsing and the trauma this has caused her. Pheus hunts for Ato, intending to beat him up. A man touches a woman’s arm suggestively even though she’s asked him to leave her alone. He follows her and corners her, seeming to intend to assault her. A woman hits a man over the head with a bottle. A woman slips and falls, hitting her head.

Pheus’ uncle, a veteran, had PTSD and died by suicide. (Happens off-scene.) More than one character has depression. Pheus visits the gateway to the underworld and sees creepy attendants who are rotting/dead or being tortured.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol in a basement at a party. A man offers a alcohol to teens at a club. One drinks with him.

Note: I received a free copy of NEVER LOOK BACK in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: You Call This Democracy?: How to Fix Our Government and Deliver Power to the People by Elizabeth Rusch

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You Call This Democracy?: How to Fix Our Government and Deliver Power to the People
Elizabeth Rusch
HMH Books for Young Readers
Published March 31, 2020

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About You Call This Democracy?: How to Fix Our Government and Deliver Power to the People

America is the greatest democracy in the world . . . isn’t it? Author Elizabeth Rusch examines some of the more problematic aspects of our government but, more importantly, offers ways for young people to fix them.

The political landscape has never been so tumultuous: issues with the electoral college, gerrymandering, voter suppression, and a lack of representation in the polls and in our leadership have led to Americans of all ages asking, How did we get here?

The power to change lies with the citizens of this great country—especially teens! Rather than pointing fingers at people and political parties, YOU CALL THIS DEMOCRACY? looks at flaws in the system—and offers a real way out of the mess we are in. Each chapter breaks down a different problem plaguing American democracy, exploring how it’s undemocratic, offering possible solutions (with examples of real-life teens who have already started working toward them), and suggesting ways to effect change—starting NOW!

My Review

I’ve had this book for months, but finally committed to read it the week after the RNC, so I was a bit overwhelmed at that point. I dreaded reading a book that raged about wrongs in the American political system but would leave me feeling helpless to do anything about those issues.

Fortunately, that is NOT what this book does!

One of my favorite things about YOU CALL THIS DEMOCRACY? is the way the author methodically lays out a problem. Why do we do things this way? Who does it hurt? What are some possible solutions, and how could those be enacted? It’s clear and easy to follow. There were a couple issues I wasn’t on board with or at all informed about before picking up this book (lowering the voting age to 16 or 17 being one) where the author made some really great points and explained things so well that now I’m not sure what I think about that issue. I feel like I may have changed my mind, and I certainly want to know more.

The best part of all, though, is that at the end of each chapter, there are sections detailing how to participate in changing the way the government operates. Like procedural, legal, ways to work within the system to actually change things. There are also resources for how to find out what the current laws in your state are and how to join an effort to make changes.

The issues laid out in the book are non-partisan ones. It’s things like gerrymandering. Bringing more transparency to who is funding political campaigns. Stuff that a majority of Americans are in favor of in both major parties. So I liked that, too– it was a break from the demonizing that often feels unavoidable in American political discourse right now.

I love how solutions-focused and how positive the book is. I absolutely recommend this book for anyone who’s looking for ways to participate in making America have a stronger, more representative democracy, no matter your party affiliation. This book has so many great ideas. I highlighted tons of quotes and resources that I really want to go back through and read.

If you are looking for a political book that will leave you encouraged and energized about how to strengthen American democracy, definitely pick up a copy of this one! I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed reading it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Refers to all Americans.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of YOU CALL THIS DEMOCRACY in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Cover Reveal and #1001DiverseBooksCampaign: Rea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi

Middle Grade 8-12, News and Fun, , , , , , , , ,

Cover Reveal and #1001DiverseBooksCampaign

Exciting news! Mango and Marigold Press is launching its eighteenth book and first middle grade novel ever. REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR is written by debut #ownvoices author Payal Doshi. It tells the story of Rea Chettri, a 12-year-old girl living a simple, if boring, life on the tea plantations of Darjeeling, India. When her twin brother goes missing, Rea’s life gets turned on its head. Determined to save him, Rea embarks on a secret, thrilling adventure into the enchanted world of Astranthia. There, Rea will make new friends, grapple with dark truths, learn the meaning of family and friendship, and discover her true self.

REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR is the first book in the series The Chronicles of Astranthia. It’s expected to release in May 2021.

#1001DiverseBooksCampaign – You Can Help!

I rarely participate in cover reveal posts, but because this one also supports a campaign to help not only bridge the diversity gap, but also the accessibility gap in children’s literature. With each new book launch, Mango and Marigold Press is committed to also raise funds to donate 1001 books to literacy and advocacy nonprofits across the country working to help those in need.

When you pre-order your copy of REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR, you can also sponsor a copy for a nonprofit partner for only $10!

For all pre-orders placed between September 15th through September 22nd, 2020 you will receive:

  • an exclusive chapter to read as a sneak peek into Rea’s adventure.
  • Limited edition character buttons.
  • Bookmark.
  • Sticker.
  • Signed bookplate from the author.

Visit Mango & Marigold Press to pre-order a copy of the book. Then click the 1001DiverseBookCampaign link to add a $10 sponsored copy. This copy will be given to a nonprofit literacy and advocacy group.

Ready to see the gorgeous cover?

About Rea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi

Pre-Order Link | Goodreads

It all begins on the night Rea turns twelve. After a big fight with her twin brother Rohan on their birthday, Rea’s life in the small village of Darjeeling, India, gets turned on its head. It’s four in the morning and Rohan is nowhere to be found.

It hasn’t even been a day and Amma acts like Rohan’s gone forever. Her grandmother, too, is behaving strangely. Unwilling to give up on her brother, Rea and her friend Leela meet Mishti Daadi, a wrinkly old fortune-teller whose powers of divination set them off on a thrilling and secret quest. In the shade of night, they portal into an otherworldly realm and travel to Astranthia, a land full of magic and whimsy. There with the help of Xeranther, an Astranthian barrow boy, and Flula, a pari, Rea battles serpent-lilies and blood-sucking banshees, encounters a butterfly-faced woman and blue lizard-men, and learns that Rohan has been captured. Rea also discovers that she is a princess with magic. Only she has no idea how to use it.

Struggling with the truth her Amma has kept hidden from her, Rea must solve clues that lead to Rohan, find a way to rescue him and save Astranthia from a potentially deadly fate. But the clock is ticking. Can she rescue Rohan, save Astranthia, and live to see it all?

Expected publication: May 2021

About Author Payal Doshi

Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

Payal Doshi has a Masters in Creative Writing (Fiction) from The New School, New York. Having lived in the UK and US, she noticed a lack of Indian protagonists in global children’s fiction and one day wrote the opening paragraph to what would become her first children’s novel. She was born and raised in Mumbai, India, and currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and two-year-old daughter. When she isn’t writing or spending time with her family, you can find her nose deep in a book with a cup of coffee or daydreaming of fantasy realms to send her characters off into. She loves the smell of old, yellowed books. REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR, the first book in The Chronicles of Astranthia series, is her debut middle grade novel.

About Mango & Marigold Press

Mango & Marigold Press is an award-winning independent publishing house that shares the sweet and savory stories of the South Asian experience. Sharing every day and extraordinary stories of the South Asian experience, the company has produced fifteen books across four different product categories with features on The Today Show, The New York Times, The Washington Post, US Weekly, People Magazine and so much more.

They just launched their first young adult book, UNTOLD: DEFINING MOMENTS OF THE UPROOTED, in partnership with Brown Girl Magazine. REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR is the company’s eighteenth book and first upper middle grade novel. Available for pre-order today!