It has always been Eda’s dream to become empress, no matter the cost. Haunted by her ambition and selfishness, she’s convinced that the only way to achieve her goal is to barter with the gods. But all requests come with a price and Eda bargains away the soul of her best friend in exchange for the crown.
Years later, her hold on the empire begins to crumble and her best friend unexpectedly grows sick and dies. Gnawed by guilt and betrayal, Eda embarks on a harrowing journey to confront the very god who gave her the kingdom in the first place. However, she soon discovers that he’s trapped at the center of an otherworldly labyrinth and that her bargain with him is more complex than she ever could have imagined.
Set in the same universe as Joanna’s debut, BENEATH THE HAUNTING SEA, BEYOND THE SHADOWED EARTH combines her incredible world building and lush prose with a new, villainous lead.
My Review
So one of the things I love to find in books is a faith-positive atmosphere. It doesn’t have to be a story about faith or promoting faith, though I’m not opposed to that either. Like most people, it does bug me if the message feels pushy or preachy.
BEYOND THE SHADOWED EARTH definitely scratched that faith-positive-story itch for me. I liked that Eda wrestled a lot with her faith. She had very specific perceptions of who the gods were and what they were obligated to do for her. Yeah, that can’t possibly backfire. Ha.
So at the beginning of the book, Eda is this powerful, proud, sometimes cruel empress who, underneath her harsh exterior, is terrified of losing power. I had a harder time connecting with her at the beginning of the book. She does some ugly things.
But as the story progresses and she begins to understand what her bargain with her god means, she becomes a different person. As that change began to happen, I got much more deeply invested in the story.
The faith-positive theme and strong-willed heroine reminded me of GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson. I think readers who enjoyed THE NEVER TILTING WORLD by Rin Chupeco, which also shows a lot of interaction between the gods and humankind, will like the way that BEYOND THE SHADOWED EARTH is told.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 14 up.
Representation There are some class and culture clashes between different countries and people of faiths.
Profanity/Crude Language Content Mild profanity used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content Kissing between boy and girl.
Spiritual Content Eda worships the god Tuer, and has made a bargain with him. She meets others who serve him and who serve other gods and goddesses. Supernatural things seem to follow her– guiding her in the direction of the god’s plan for her. There’s an interesting heirarchy– the One created the gods and spirits and seems to rule over them. Some spirits were banished for rebelling against the gods and the One, and not oppose them.
Violent Content Some references to torture. Some graphic battle violence and death. Situations of peril.
Drug Content Occasionally, Eda drinks wine to escape her problems.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of BEYOND THE SHADOWED EARTH in exchange for my honest review.
Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.
Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.
But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.
Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.
My Review
Books that show graphic violence are always a struggle for me to read, and this one comes close to the edge for me. That said, I really enjoy the story and can’t stop rooting for the characters. I love the relationships between the major and minor characters so much. The cloaked woman who comes to Helene in the night. The leader of the desert tribe and her flirtatious brother.
I love the ways A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT surprised me. I feel like the story world got broader and deeper, and it made the story and the characters so much richer. I like that even though the story got bigger, it also continues to feel like that steady march toward an inevitable clash between good and evil.
Am I going to read the third book? Definitely. It’ll probably take me a little bit to get to it, because I’m worried I’ll read it and then be scrambling desperately for the fourth and final book, which won’t be out until possibly 2021. Long wait!
Representation Laia and her brother have bronze skin and dark eyes.
Profanity/Crude Language Content Mild profanity used with moderate frequency.
Romance/Sexual Content References to sex. Kissing between boy and girl. She invites him to undress her in one scene and indicates that she wants to have sex with him.
Spiritual Content Laia and Elias face opponents and allies which are mythical beings. Some try to destroy them while others seem to want to help them.
Violent Content Battle violence and some gore. Some scenes include references to and brief descriptions of torture.
Drug Content None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.
Quietly, without most people noticing, the population of giraffes in the wild has decreased by nearly 40 percent since 1985. Giraffes have disappeared entirely from seven countries where they used to live. Researchers believe fewer than 98,000 exist in the wild–fewer even than endangered African elephants. In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added giraffes to the organization’s Red List of Threatened Species. What is causing their disappearance? Overpopulation of humans in giraffe habitats and illegal poaching.
Learn about giraffes’ physical characteristics, habitats, and life cycles; examine the dangers they face from humans and climate change; and meet the scientists working to save these gentle giants using technology and conservation efforts.
My Review
My youngest daughter’s favorite animal right now is a giraffe, so I thought this book would be interesting to read just as information for myself. She’s too young to really understand the information, but I think that also the possibility that giraffes could face extinction in the near future made me want to learn more. It’s hard to imagine a world in which giraffes don’t exist since they’re such an iconic animal.
The book is a little tough at the beginning. There’s some explanation of the history of studying giraffes and while I think it’s great information, it’s not as friendly and easy to read as other books by this publisher. Once I got past the first chapter or so, though, I think it was easier to understand.
One of the things I found most fascinating is the way giraffes have been classified and how that impacts any available protection. I hadn’t ever considered whether there are multiple species of giraffes or only one with subspecies. I enjoyed learning about that process and what its effects might be for the future.
Also, did you know giraffes make a sound?! Okay, they don’t make a sound like you’re thinking, like a cat meowing or something. But for a long time, scientists thought giraffes would be mute because of their long necks. Actually, they make a humming sound while they sleep. Pretty cool!
Over all, I enjoyed the balance of interesting facts, history and context for why giraffes are threatened and how essential they are to the environment where they live. I recommend this book for young conservationists and animal enthusiasts alike.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
Representation None.
Profanity/Crude Language Content None.
Romance/Sexual Content None.
Spiritual Content None.
Violent Content None.
Drug Content None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of GIRAFFE EXTINCTION in exchange for my honest review.
The other morning, I was browsing Twitter and saw a blogger talking about how hard it is when someone asks you your favorite book. She asked, “Do you have an answer?”
So predictably, the responses were all over the place from some people easily listing one top favorite to others totally (but understandably) cheating and posting a list, and others saying no way, the question is too hard!
But the answer that stuck with me was this one person who said that her favorite book hadn’t changed in 15 years.
Hold the phone.
What?
I just.
I mean, I get it at a level, because like, there’s never going to be another TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, you know? It’s written. Done. And it’s kind of incomparable. (Bookish Hint: This is NOT the time to bring up GO SET A WATCHMAN. Just do not.)
But really… no new favorites in fifteen years? Thinking about it, I felt like the years stretched out in front of me like this vast reading desert, which resulted in me stress eating more chocolate-covered Oreos than I’ll ever admit. Yikes. I could not handle that.
I think that’s one of the reasons I keep blogging — because the next book I pick up might blow me away, and seeing authors (or other bloggers) I love post about upcoming releases gets me super excited.
I’m pretty much loving the book description here. Working at a medieval times-themed restaurant? Sounds like fun! Conflict over the policy not allowing girls to be knights? I love it. I realize this kind of thing has been done before, but with the right voice and some fresh elements, I think it could prove to be a funny, inspiring book.
You might recognize this author as the same one who wrote CATERPILLAR SUMMER, which I absolutely loved. I thought the way she made fishing (and a GIRL fishing) a critical part of the story was awesome. So THE QUEEN BEE AND ME has some big shoes to fill in terms of being my favorite book by this author, but I am very optimistic about it.
The way Gillian McDunn brings relationships and characters to life on the page made that book a huge win, so I’m hoping for another great cast of characters and interesting relationship arcs.
The Lost Tide Warriors (Storm Keeper #2) by Catherine Doyle
THE STORM KEEPER’S ISLAND was another book I fell head over heels for last year. It’s definitely now one of my favorite books. The super imaginative story world. The unexpected twists. The connections between the characters– and Fionn’s grandfather! I want him to adopt me.
I’ve been waiting to dive back into this story ever since I finished the last page of the first book, and I still can’t wait.
I feel like this one is kind of a given, honestly. It’s one that I’ll probably see a lot on lists of this theme, but for good reason. Karen McManus wrote a super twisty, edge-of-your-seat, emotionally explosive tale introducing this cast of characters in ONE OF US IS LYING, and I totally bought in. I am crazy excited to get to visit these characters again and follow them through another wild ride.
I’ve also only recently discovered how much I like suspense. For some reason it was never a genre I sought out, but authors like Karen McManus and Caleb Roehrig have totally won me over.
So… I’ve actually never read anything by this author, but I follow him on social media, and really enjoy his posts, so maybe it’s not such a big leap to think that if I enjoy 240 characters at a time, I’ll probably enjoy 70K-ish words he wrote? I’m game. This plot reminds me a little bit of GEEKERELLA by Ashley Poston, which I also liked. And I’m always game for fun contemporary stories.
Honestly this book seems part GEEKERELLA, part READY PLAYER ONE? Gamers meeting online to escape real-life problems, humor, relationships, hopefully lots of snarky dialogue?? What could possibly go wrong?
Speaking of fun contemporary stories: enter the champion, Emma Mills. Everything I’ve read by her has been amazing. The writing is witty and charming. The characters are totally unforgettable. My favorite so far is THIS ADVENTURE ENDS.
So I’m hoping for all of that in this book, too. Plus, I’m intrigued by the description– a girl taking a radio broadcasting class? I love that, and I’ve never read anything like it. The closest might be JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen (another that I loved) in which the love interest boy works as a deejay on a sort of obscure show. (I think?)
The characters and complex story world in THE GIRL KING pretty much blew me away, so I’ve been eagerly waiting for a chance to read the next piece of the story.
In EMPRESS OF FLAMES, it looks like sisters Lu and Min, will face off, an army between them, each determined to rule the Empire of the First Flame. I’m a huge fan of sister stories– it seems like there are a LOT of these lately, too– so I’m really excited about seeing how that relationship plays out in this book, and I can’t wait to read it.
I love the way Elizabeth Wein brings World War II stories to life using unexpected characters. Here’s a story of a fifteen-year-old girl who wants to make a difference in the war, and finds an opportunity when she hears of an Enigma machine that can translate German code.
So that sounds exciting enough, but add to it the fact that characters from CODE NAME VERITY will appear in the book, and I’m 100% completely hooked. Must. Read.
I’ve only read one other book by Bill Konigsberg, but I loved the difference in the voices of the characters in the story and the way they were so easy to connect with. I’ve got a few lighthearted contemporary titles on this list, but this one appeals to me because it promises a lot of angst.
The description of THE BRIDGE reminds me a little bit of A TRAGIC KIND OF WONDERFUL by Eric Lindstrom. I’m hoping for one of those books that makes you ugly cry. Sometimes I just really need one of those.
I read Rachel Lynn Solomon’s first book, YOU’LL MISS ME WHEN I’M GONE while I was in the hospital, so I was really distracted and needed something to ground me. The story pulled me in, held my attention with intense characters and strong writing. I enjoyed reading it even if some of the themes made me uncomfortable (mostly I think it was meant to be that way). So I really can’t wait to read this next book. I’m a huge fan of the enemies-to-lovers type of story, so I’m hoping for a great read here.
What books are you predicting you’ll love this year?
Are there books at the top of your pre-order/buy list coming soon that you are betting will be among your new favorite books? What should I add to my list? Leave a comment and let me know.
Two worlds are poised on the brink of a vicious war. By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera’s rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her.
When the brutal angel emperor brings his army to the human world, Karou and Akiva are finally reunited – not in love, but in a tentative alliance against their common enemy. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves.
But with even bigger threats on the horizon, are Karou and Akiva strong enough to stand among the gods and monsters?
The New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy comes to a stunning conclusion as – from the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond – humans, chimaera, and seraphim strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.
My Review
At last! The final book in the series. This is my second read-through, and there were so many moments in this one that I really looked forward to.
There were also some pretty dark things I had forgotten about. Karou experiences some trauma that’s pretty graphic. See the trigger warnings below.
I think what I love best about this series is what it says about the power of love to heal a breach caused by hate. The story shows how destructive hate can be, not only to between two groups that hate each other, but the way nursing the hate causes its own corruption, too.
While the earlier books in the series introduce the idea of the star-crossed love and the two groups at war, DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS focuses on the process of healing that must happen in order for the warfare to truly end.
And okay, all that is really awesome, and I’m totally a fan, but the characters make the series truly memorable. Karou and Akiva. Zuzana, Ziri, Leroz, Issa, and Brimstone. All completely unforgettable.
So yes. I loved all three of these books, and I would probably read them all for a third time at some point. It’s the kind of story with the kind of characters that you just want to revisit every so often. The kind of story that reminds you about the power of love and the fact that it takes courage and work for those good things to triumph over evil, but it can and does happen.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 16 up.
Representation Most characters are chimaera or angels.
Profanity/Crude Language Content Mild profanity used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content– Trigger Warning Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex and nudity.
One scene shows a character trying to rape another character. It’s graphic and intense. There are some references to other rapes, but those are not shown on scene.
Spiritual Content Chimaera and angels each have myths about their origins involving the gods and goddesses they worship.
Some characters have magic, though the magic comes with a price, usually a toll in pain. Other characters have coins that represent wishes, in large or small denominations.
Violent Content– Trigger Warning Some descriptions of battle or fighting and situations of peril. References to war. References to some grisly murders and mutilation of bodies. Some references to torture.
One scene shows a character trying to rape another character. It’s graphic and intense.
Drug Content None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.
A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.
Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.
When Atoc demands the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, it’s Ximena’s duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc’s no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place.
She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance. But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princess, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge—and her Condesa.
My Review
I’m kind of a sucker for books that explore post-war relationships between former enemy groups. In this case, they’re still enemies, still at war, but in WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT, Ximena finds the hate she’s nursed for Lllacsans her whole life may be based on things that aren’t true. Or based on only parts of truth.
Her emotional journey as she lives among her enemies really drew me into the story. It was complex and sometimes rough or ugly, but felt so real and understandable. I loved her character and all the layering to it. Condesa. Decoy. Survivor. Weaver. She’s so many things, and it’s really only through seeing all those things about herself that she begins to see what her future could be and what her place in that future would look like.
I kind of have to talk about El Lobo, the masked vigilante. I loved the way those threads were woven into the story. And the scenes where Ximena meets him. I was pretty sure I knew who it was from early on, but I don’t think that detracted anything from the story. I also think the author may have meant for there to be a trail of breadcrumbs, because a few of the clues were pretty pointed. So it was kind of fun feeling like I was figuring out El Lobo’s identity right along with Ximena.
I kind of wish the tapestries had had more of a role in the story. They do have a role, for sure. I guess I wanted there to be more to them – something special they could do. There is something critical to the plot that happens because of them, so it’s not like they were pointless. I loved how creative and unusual they were.
Overall, I loved so many things about this book. I can’t tell from the ending– it might be that there’s a sequel or at least a companion novel to follow? I would love to see more of this story world, and especially would love to know what happens next with Ximena and the Condesa.
If you’re a fan of stories like Zorro or the Scarlet Pimpernel– put WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT on your list! I think it’s also a great pick for fans of fantasy like The Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
Representation Characters are POC – this is a Latinx-inspired fantasy.
Profanity/Crude Language Content A couple instances of swearing in Spanish.
Romance/Sexual Content Kissing between boy and girl. One scene shows a girl waking with a boy in her bed.
Spiritual Content Each people worship different gods/goddesses. Ximena worships Luna, a moon goddess, who blesses her weaving. Each character has some kind of magical ability.
Violent Content – trigger warning. Battle scenes, references to torture and brief descriptions of execution. Some graphic violence described. There is also one scene in which a man gets violent with a woman.
Drug Content Characters drink wine.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of WOVEN IN MOONLIGHT in exchange for my honest review.
