Tag Archives: performer

Review: A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar

Book Review and Content, Historical, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , ,
A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar

A Million to One
Adiba Jaigirdar
HarperCollins
Published December 13, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Million to One

Adiba Jaigirdar, author of one of Time‘s Best YA books of all time, gives Titanic an Ocean’s 8 makeover in a heist for a treasure aboard the infamous ship that sank in the Atlantic many years ago.

A thief. An artist. A acrobat. An actress. While Josefa, Emilie, Hinnah, and Violet seemingly don’t have anything in common, they’re united in one goal: stealing the Rubaiyat, a jewel-encrusted book aboard the RMS Titanic that just might be the golden ticket to solving their problems.

But careless mistakes, old grudges, and new romance threaten to jeopardize everything they’ve worked for and put them in incredible danger when tragedy strikes. While the odds of pulling off the heist are slim, the odds of survival are even slimmer . . .

Perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Girl in the Blue Coat, this high-seas heist from the author of The Henna Wars is an immersive story that makes readers forget one important detail— the ship sinks.

My Review

I think my two favorite things about this book are that it’s an all-female heist and that it’s a diverse cast. The heist is carried out by four women, each with a special talent. Emilie, the forger, is Haitian and French and has romantic feelings for another woman. Hinnah is Indian and an immigrant to Ireland. She’s also an acrobat. Violet has an uncanny ability to charm her way into anything she wants. Josefa, the strategist, is hoping to help her younger brother escape an orphanage in Croatia through this job’s success.

Though at times I felt like the historical details were slim, I often lost myself in the descriptions of the Titanic. I loved the way the author described the opulence of the vessel juxtaposed against the unfolding disaster as the ship began to sink.

I also really enjoyed each of the main characters’ points of view. Each one felt specific and unique. It seemed like the chapters just flew past as I was reading, too. I read almost this whole book in a single day, which isn’t usual for me these days.

On the whole, I super enjoyed the intersection of all the elements in A MILLION TO ONE. I would love to see more historical stories like this.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Josefa is Croatian and likes women romantically. Hinnah is Indian and estranged from her family. Emilie is Haitian and French and interested in women romantically.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two women.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A man pulls a knife on the girls. He holds one at knifepoint. A man with a knife pursues Josefa and the others. The ship sinks. Vague references to people drowning or having drowned.

Drug Content
Passengers drink alcohol with dinner. One character gets a bit tipsy.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of A MILLION TO ONE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Stars and Smoke (Stars and Smoke #1)
Marie Lu
Roaring Brook Press
Published March 28, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Stars and Smoke

This smoldering enemies-to-lovers novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu puts a superstar global phenomenon and a hotshot young spy on a collision course with danger – and Cupid’s arrow – in an electric new series perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Ally Carter.

Meet Winter Young – International pop sensation, with a voice like velvet and looks that could kill. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. His rabid fans would move heaven and earth for even a glimpse of him – just imagine what they’d do to become his latest fling.

Meet Sydney Cossette – Part of an elite covert ops group, Sydney joined their ranks as their youngest spy with plans to become the best agent they’ve ever had. An ice queen with moves as dangerous as her comebacks, Sydney picks up languages just as quickly as she breaks hearts. She’s fiery, no-nonsense, and has zero time for romance – especially with a shameless flirt more used to serving sass than taking orders.

When a major crime boss gifts his daughter a private concert with Winter for her birthday, Sydney and Winter’s lives suddenly collide. Tasked with infiltrating the crime organization’s inner circle, Sydney is assigned as Winter’s bodyguard with Winter tapped to join her on the mission of a lifetime as a new spy recruit. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter’s charms, but as their mission brings them closer, she’s forced to admit that there’s more to Winter Young than just a handsome face . . .

Romance and danger abound in this “brilliant, breathtaking ride that will leave you clamoring for the sequel.” —Tahereh Mafi, #1 internationally bestselling author of SHATTER ME.

My Review

Going into this book, I wasn’t sure how the story would balance the romance and the spy/suspense elements. Some of the blurbs and even the cover copy to a degree focused on the romance, so I wasn’t sure if it was predominantly a romance with a bit of spy stuff around the edges?

It’s really both, and I feel like both parts work well together. I’d call the romance more of a subplot, because while there are some scenes centered around Winter and Sydney getting to know and falling for each other, the bulk of the story is focused on their mission.

The hyper-advanced technology definitely adds to the book’s James Bond-style vibe. Not only is the mission dangerous, but it’s clear Sydney and Winter are up against a villain with a whole lot of tricks up his sleeve.

I enjoyed the first fifty pages or so, but it wasn’t until Sydney and Winter actually left for their mission that I really dove into this book. There are so many interesting characters, and so many layers to them. I liked the ways the story surprised me. I loved the descriptions of Winter dancing, and the way he expressed emotions. Those scenes are the ones that will stick with me the longest.

Conclusion

I haven’t read anything by Marie Lu since LEGEND, so I’m way behind on her books. This one made me really want to catch up because there was great storytelling here, and really good pacing to this intense story. All in all, I’m incredibly glad I read STARS AND SMOKE. Readers who enjoy spy thrillers or stories about music superstars definitely want to get their hands on this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Winter is Chinese American and has had romantic relationships with boys and girls. One minor character is gay and black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a past relationship Winter was in, in which he slept with his partner. References to both Winter and Sydney having short romantic relationships in the past. Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Winter learns his brother died on assignment for Panacea, an independent spy agency working alongside the CIA. Situations of peril. A girl attacks various opponents. A man is executed using a chemical agent. A girl is poisoned. Someone tries to and later succeeds in shooting a boy.

Drug Content
Winter (age 19) drinks alcohol at a party in London (where the drinking age is 18.).

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

Review: Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell

Biography, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, , , , , , , ,

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker
Patricia Hruby Powell
Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Chronicle Books
Published December 1, 2013

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker

In exuberant verse and stirring pictures, Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson create an extraordinary portrait for young people of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who worked her way from the slums of St. Louis to the grandest stages in the world. Meticulously researched by both author and artist, Josephine’s powerful story of struggle and triumph is an inspiration and a spectacle, just like the legend herself.

My Review

I must have purchased this book when it was on sale a while ago and then forgotten that I had it until today when I was searching through a list of nonfiction e-books that I own. I’m sure I bought it because of having read and really enjoyed Patricia Hruby Powell’s book LOVING VS. VIRGINIA, which is about a couple involved in the civil rights case to legalize interracial marriage.

Since I’d read that book, I knew I loved Powell’s emotive storytelling, so I was really excited when I saw that she’d written another book, this one a biography.

When I started reading, I intended to kind of just skim the first few pages and get a feel for the book so I could put it in my blogging calendar… but I couldn’t stop reading. I fell headfirst into the incredible story of the bright, indomitable spirit of Josephine Baker and didn’t surface until the last page. She’s amazing. The stories of her performances, her daring, her ability to make audiences roar with laughter captivated me. And THEN.

Y’all.

World War II happens, and she becomes a spy for the Allies. She writes messages in invisible ink on her music sheets. I was blown away, but honestly, I shouldn’t have been, because that’s exactly the kind of courage and boldness that run throughout her entire story. What a truly amazing person.

At any rate, I loved this book. It’s a pretty quick read, but between the beautiful illustrations and the strong, spare storytelling, this is a book that demands to be read. I can’t even say how much I loved it. And now I only want to know more about Josephine Baker! I had no idea who she was before picking up this book, and I’m only sorry it took me until now to learn about her.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
This book tells the life story of Black dancer, actor, and performer, Josephine Baker. The story shows her feelings in response to segregation and racist/colorist behavior around her.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief mentions of her marriage.

Spiritual Content
Josephine adopted twelve children from various countries and brought them up with the spirituality of their cultures. She wanted to show that people of different races and religious values could grow up side by side and love one another like brothers.

Violent Content
Brief mentions of war.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.