Book Review | "The Savior's Champion" by Jenna Moreci

“Choose the path that's right by you. Always. It may end in misery -a small price to pay. No amount of hardship compares to the emptiness of regret. Of never having lived at all.”

Hello book world. I was kind of scared to pick this one up. I’ve been watching Moreci for a bit on YouTube but it’s one thing to talk about writing and another to pull it off well. So eventually I figured I needed to see what she was made of. Could she do as she preached?

I jumped, feet first, into her second book The Savior’s Choice.

In a world where a Savior brings fertility to the land, all men of competing age may try to win her hand in marriage and become the Sovereign. And many want to… just not Tobias. The thought of killing 19 other men for supposed love sends his stomach churning. He keeps refusing to enter until he no longer has a choice. His sister, crippled from an accident, needs more help then his feeble income can provide. So he enters, risking all, but assuming that he won’t make it far; all for the coin purse handed to the selected’s family. Once in the maze, fate has a different idea for Tobias, sending him on a wild journey that may get him out alive.

Romance, palace intrigue, blood, guts…. What more could I want in a story? With the perfect balance of everything, including the kitchen sink, I was immediately lost to the labyrinth and everything held within its walls. Moreci sets the tone in the first scene by opening with the brutal killing of the current Savior. By doing this, Moreci makes a promise to her readers, showing them upfront what they can expect. .

Next we meet the main protagonist. How Moreci pulled off writing from the mind of a male protagonist, I have no idea. Her grasp of internal dialogue, thoughts, and actions was superb. Reader’s weren’t handed the perfect male specimen from our dreams, but an honest guy with his own faults. Just one that we can stand behind. His actions throughout the story make sense. We aren’t given this overwhelming good boy act. Maybe just a nice little hero to make every girl swoon for.

“You are the strongest man I've ever known. And you are kind. And you are good. You are bruised by this tournament, but you are not broken.”

Which leads me right into a very important point - that does not mean that Moreci’s female characters were weak or needed saving. Quite the opposite. Moreci created a female cast that was strong in every way possible without losing their femininity. Instead of the man coming to save the woman, we got a woman who could save herself, and did so on many occasions, but decided to team up with a man. Reader’s were still gifted with the strong man scenes, but got a better story when the woman could stand right beside him in the fight.

The Savior's Champion (The Savior's Series)

By Jenna Moreci

Buy on Amazon

Sadly, not all of Moreci’s characters were this well done. One of my biggest issues with the book, I only have two, is that the bad guys were made to be very bad. They were too easy to hate and, at times, felt evil just to move the story along. There was no guilt from the decision Tobias had to make. You eventually wanted something bad to happen to them. Overall, every antagonist or negative character in Tobias and Leila’s way, fell flat. Every character in a book needs to be fully realized, and come across as human, even if we, as the writer, don’t like them. Don’t make it easy for the reader to hate them. It takes out a large emotional factor from the story. Look at the Darkling in the Grisha Verse. That’s an excellent example of a fully developed antagonist.

And I might as well let you know the other issue. Even though the dialogue was superb, bordering on genius, there were some points when the quips and back and forth felt a little too modern for the world. I’m not looking for old English, but I don’t want to hear Joe from down the street when this story is set in some other universe not contemporary to ours.

Ok, hard part is over.

“If everything looks good and pure, then nothing's truly beautiful. The ugliness is what makes beauty so distinct.”

Still, Moreci’s art is in her dialogue. Seriously. You need to work on that in your writing… here’s your textbook.

What I think sets this book above all others was Moreci’s work with sex and her ability to make what many deem to be inappropriate, natural. She broke boundaries and showed a natural side to human nature. Instead of hiding the male anatomy, she placed it front and center in a respectful, story important way. This isn’t some romance, sexually explicit book. Every sex reference felt vital to the story and worked to create an atmosphere of what competing in the tournament would be like. This includes the same sex relationships as well.

I think what took me on the biggest ride was the imagination in each section of the tournament. I really don’t want to see inside Moreci’s mind because I have no idea how she came up with all of the challenges. Each one was unique and interesting, and kept the reader on their toes. Each scene was well constructed to not leave the reader lost in the what was happening. If you’ve read some of my other reviews, you know I hate when writers don’t craft well choreographed fight scenes. Most of the time I’m lost, which loses the whole point of the fight scene.

If you haven’t guessed it… I’m giving this book 5 stars. Man it was amazing. I was left with some serious book hangover. I need a reread, but to do that, I need to actually own the book. Well, my birthday is coming up. Fingers crossed.

Happy Reading.

Love Kait.

Reading Challenge: 97/100

Book Review | "Sadie" by Courtney Summers

“And Sadie, if you’re out there, please let me know. Because I can’t take another dead girl.”

Sadie is alone. No mother. And now no sister. Only a burning desire and knowledge no one else has. West, with an assignment he doesn’t want, answers the pleading cry - ‘Sadie is gone.’ All they have to go on is her abandoned car and a dead little sister. Can West discover what’s happened to Sadie, or will she be able to tell us herself? Together, their stories collide, one in the past and one in the present, revealing more than either thought possible.

Today, books are becoming less like stories and more like windows into stark realities. Haunting stories. I’ve been talking about this a lot on the blog recently. It could be the books I’ve picked up, or it could be that authors are using their craft to tell more. Do more. Show more. Stories are meant to take us on a quest, to open our minds to concepts that we may never have thought of before. Sadie fits right in.

Sadie begins right in the middle. Immediately readers are given the information that a 13-year-old girl was brutally murdered and now her sister is missing. Not a delightful start to a story, but Summers just drops the reader in, laying the groundwork. She establishes where Sadie is from and what her background is right off the bat. Readers are left without any questions.

“It was a terrible thing, sure, but we live in a world that has no shortage of terrible things. You can't stop for all of them.”

Summers also makes it clear that the format is going to be a little different. Mixing in first person POV and Podcast style scripts, she weaves the two together. And personally, I loved it. Normally, I want a good old fashion story, but Illuminae convinced me changing things up can be good, and Summers falls right in with the greats.

The Podcast added elements I’m not sure could have been pulled off otherwise. It would have been a completely different story. Told not through a detective per usual, readers are instead given a character off the streets. A man hosting his first podcast with a wife and family of his own. Not some cop with a hard record of seeing the bad things. West instead, is seeing this dark side of the world for the first time, mixing his own emotions into the story by the end. Even battling with his desire to see the mystery out. The Podcast also lets readers see what’s happening back at homebase without slowing down the script.

Well… most of the time.

Here’s where it didn’t work. Since the Podcast is discovering things after the fact, because Summers shows them through Sadie’s eyes first, the Podcast tended to repeat some facts. I don’t think it could have been helped, but hearing the same old knowledge of what happened tended to bore me.

Sadie

By Courtney Summers

Buy on Amazon

“Or maybe you get so used to the mess of home, you convince yourself over time everything's exactly where it belongs.”

But let’s not leave the fact, that here Summers did something different. She gave a different perspective, a different format, a downright different style to break the normal humdrum offered to readers. She pushed the boundaries. Something writers should take note of. Don’t be afraid to be different.

My last negative comment is with Sadie. Her character profile was fine. In fact, all the characters were so well done, they played to the old adage of write each person as if they are the protagonist of the story. But, I struggled connecting with Sadie on an emotional level. Which ultimately made me feel horrible. Here is this story, a sister on a mission of revenge, that lacked Sadie’s emotional turmoil coming through. There was just a disconnect that didn’t allow me, as the reader, to be fully immersed in the pain and suffering.

“Paul taught me a person committed to silence can suggest importance, strength. So long as they’re a man, I mean. It’s not an option when you’re a girl, not unless you want people to think you’re a bitch.”

But that’s it guys. The rest of the story is pure magic. I’m even going to give Sadie a whooping 4.5 stars.

Full cast of characters that each played a role to the overall story. Realistic storyline, without the crazy magic coincidences that can happen in mystery novels. Perfectly established backstories and settings. Excellent prose that made me cry as a writer. And dark in all the right places.

Just downright masterful. Summers shows readers a world that many of us don’t see. Drugs, poverty, abuse, it’s all there. Painted to show a sister and how far someone will go in the end. I highly recommend this read. I mean, the list of things you can learn as a writer reading Sadie is staggering. I personally plan on grabbing my own copy and studying it from cover to cover. But if you need an idea of each point, pay attention to the following when reading:

• Prose

• Characters

• Style

• Background

• Plot

• Timeline

• Reveals

• Foreshadowing

• Etc...etc...etc…

Happy Reading.

Love Kait.

Reading Challenge: 93/100

Book Review | "Britt-Marie Was Here"

“A few years turned into more years, and more years turned into all years. Years have a habit of behaving like that.”

Some stories make us think. Some stories put us on the edge of our seats. And then some stories make us laugh at humanity.

Cleaning and keeping house have been Britt-Marie’s job for years. She loves it, the orderly semblance to life. That is, until her husband goes and has a heart attack and his mistress phones Britt-Marie about it. Britt-Marie now has to figure out a new life with the only job she can get - maintaining the Borg Recreation Facility. She cleans and grieves until a unruly bag of ragga-muffins show up at her door.

Backman created a story about people, populating a cast with a beating heart. Each character has a backstory, nuances, character flaws, desires…. What a real flesh and blood version would need. He let each character shine, acting out as if they were the star when really, as the reader, we only ever see the story through Britt-Marie’s eyes. Which is where I think Backman’s skill lies. Character developed stories with soul and heartwarming story lines.

I mean the man even added a rat.

I’m not kidding people.

She fed a rat snickers and talked to him (I believe it was a him). It may be weird, but I think all of Backman’s stories come with a little bit of weird.

“A human being may not choose her circumstances, but she does choose her actions”

Britt-Marie Was Here: A Novel

By Fredrik Backman

Buy on Amazon

Overall, everything felt perfectly balanced. Comedic moments that were never forced. Perfectly painted pictures of a town on the brink of collapse. Characters that stayed true to their personalities. Plot points with substance. And the right amount of soccer, using it as a guiding point throughout the story. Never once did soccer take over though. Britt-Marie Was Here is not a soccer story. Instead, the element enhanced character relationships, stakes, and plot points.

But be warned people…. Spoiler, he never names Somebody. Why? So many times I was lost for a moment, thinking a random character just walked in, when it was always Somebody. I thought it would lead to a big reveal/heart wrenching moment in end, but it never did.

“At a certain age almost all the questions a person asks him or herself are really just about one thing: how should you live your life?”

And based on my own personal opinions, all character developed stories come with flaws. Most can’t be helped since the protagonist tends to run the show.

In Backman’s case, the struggle was in foreshadowing. He tended to point the way too clearly for the reader. At one point, Backman placed a dose of foreshadowing before a big plot twist. There was no longer a shock factor. Instead, the character spelled out what was going to happen, did it, and left a very large chunk of emotion out. At other times, Backman kept pointing to one thought so loudly, that when it came time for Britt-Marie to make a decision in the end, the reader was very aware of what it would be. Foreshadowing is a fickle mistress and one that doesn’t play well with character driven plots. The writer isn’t able to look far ahead and plan out the perfect moment to deliver the medicine. And maybe Backman just recieved some bad advice, because I personally would have left the bigger foreshadow out completely.

I highly recommend Backman’s work. Sometimes it’s a little weird. The narration can come across as clumsy, and the foreshadowing might drive you nuts, but his stories seep deep into your soul and make you want to meet the very characters he’s created.

“One morning you wake up with more life behind you than in front of you, not being able to understand how it’s happened.”

And I almost forgot. I give this one a solid 4 stars.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 92/100

Book Review | "Give Me Your Hand" by Megan Abbott

“The fear all men have that there’s something inside us that shifts, and turns. A living thing, once dormant, stirring now, and filled with rage.”

Let me tell you a secret…

Good reveals in a book come with a touch of beauty, finesse, and excellent timing. So when you allude to something at the beginning of a book, and then reveal it half way in…. It better be good.

Kit is in line for a prestigious grant position, only three of a handful are set to receive it. All her hard work since high school, and the infamous Diane Fleming coming into her life, might finally pay off. Before any announcements can be made, Kit’s worst nightmare comes true when Diane appears in the very same lab, bringing the past back to haunt Kit as she remembers Diane’s haunting confession in high school that changed both their lives. Can Kit trust Diane again or will her dreams come crashing down?

“In some animal part of my brain, I guess I thought looking her up might somehow summon her. So I never did. And she came anyway.”

I will start with the good things about Give Me Your Hand. Abbott’s research into chemistry and biology felt spot on. I’ve worked in a few labs, biology and physics, and her overall feeling as a woman in the lab rang true. I’ve had some of the same gender attacks that Kit experienced at times in the lab. Abbott also sprinkled in the perfect amount of technical terms without making the reader confused or bogged down. Just enough to paint the reader a picture.

A lot of times writers want to throw in everything they learned because they spent all the time researching and don’t want the work to go for not. It’s another iceberg. Show only the tiniest portion, and leave the rest for yourself.

Abbott’s overall story was a bust though.

Yup…. that’s all the good stuff I have for you today. I won’t even hide my rating. (1.5 stars)

Attempting a thriller, Abbott’s build up and reveal were the biggest let downs.

“My mom always says, you don’t have a self until you have a secret.”

Give Me Your Hand

By Megan Abbott

Buy on Amazon

Most of the story is based around a secret. It’s mentioned early on, and has a lot of suspense around it. Reading along, Abbott keeps alluding to how grand the secret is, building up more anticipation. What didn’t work, was that the secret was staring the reader right in the face. Paying even the tiniest of attention, one can easily figure out this grand secret. By the time it’s finally revealed, 50% in, there’s a huge let down.

The whole first half of the story felt built around this moment, the big reveal. Abbott spent a very long time working on the backstory, flipping from present to past. Bleeding the two times into one. Though they both played into one another, the struggle of seeing past Kit and present Kit together left a huge gap in Kit’s personality. Young Kit felt more fearless. She did and said things that no longer matched future Kit, leaving future Kit to feel lost and altogether a different person. Ten years did pass, I guess change could happen, but as a writer it’s important to pay attention. Readers will sit there comparing and finding all the flaws.

And, sticking with the character problems, Abbott’s characters were not true to themselves. Many times I questioned the motives and actions some of the side characters took. Seriously, they led the suspense of the story along, dragging out some unbelievable twists. But that’s the point. They were unbelievable because the characters never would have done those things. Especially with the break down at the end. Added in dramatics.

“When you get away with something it’s yours only, forever. Heavy and irremediable.”

Abbott wanted to explain why Diane was who she was. She wanted to spell out the story word for word. Which led to the final reveal at the end. Ok, I didn’t see that one coming, but looking back it was a little obvious. It was another let down. It gave me a bad taste in my mouth.

In all, I’m surprised I actually finished this book. I put it down always questioning if I should pick it up again. Knowing that I could count this towards my reading goal kept me going.

My next book is the great Britt-Marie Was Here and it’s another book club read. I loved A Man Called Ove and Backman’s style of storying telling. I can’t wait to share it with you all on here. If you want to remotely join in with my book club, visit the book club page. I’ll be updating the books every month. When you see the book review pop up, start a discussion below and we can all join in.

Happy reading.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 89/100

Book Review | "Contagion" by Erin Bowman

“And that’s when she heard it: the muted thump of his heart. His pulse, in her head. Once she’d recognized it, she couldn’t unhear it. And then there was more. The flap of valves opening and closing, lunge pulsing, oxygen moving. The ticking human machine.”

So… you’re sent to a planet with a history of death - carrying the only known survivor on your ship from the first and last drilling party sent 50 years earlier - to rescue the current drilling party. Why the company decided to try again, you have no idea. No one is alive when you arrive; throats slit and bodies scattered around. Only a cryptic message, written in blood, is left for you. “Don’t trust the kid.” Who’s the kid and what happened? Will you make it off the planet alive?

*cue music*

“Duh… Duh… Duuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhh

I cannot do scary, people. My husband let me start The Haunting of Hill House, such a bad idea. It’s ruined my safe space. When halloween rolls around, I always feel left out, never able to read the spooky books or watch the movies. If you’re like me, then this is the perfect book. A balance of scary and thrilling, the story takes place on an alien planet. Essentially, this could never happen to us. Or so I convince myself in order to sleep every night.

Contagion is your typical sci-fi horror but without focusing on all the blood and guts. You go to an alien planet, people die, and you race to get off the planet alive. But there are a few things that made the book take you a little further. One being for a YA audience. Growing up, anything sci-fi, or I should say hardcore sci-fi, could only be found in that intimidating sci-fi/fantasy section. Maybe you were brave, but I always took one look at all the strange covers and backed out slowly. Here is a chance for younger readers to enjoy the thrill without the fear of adult content or long story lines with complex world systems.

“Toby’ eyes felt like they were burning. He wanted to claw them from his skull. Something warm and metallic dripped into his mouth. He wanted to claw at that too.”

Which is one of my top pros for the book. Bowman, right out of the gate, sets up the rules. We know how space travel works, how the planets get their energy, and even some of the political structures - which is delved into deeper later on. And I found it all believable. There will always be some suspended disbelief in sci-fi. You have to go along with the idea that light speed travel is possible. But Bowman makes the rest believable… no Star Trek hyperdrive here.

Bowman wanted to check all of her boxes off at the starting line. She immediately lays down the characters’ wants. Some of them do change as the story progresses but, as the reader, we get a clear look into who these characters are. And unlike One of Us is Lying, each person felt real and believable with unique back stories. Bowman walked as close to the edge of world dumping and back story as you can get. Contagion provides a great example though. I, personally, never felt that it slowed the story down.

She also made the concept of teenagers running around an alien planet believable. Many times I feel authors throw in the younger characters, but never think if those teenagers saving the world is believable. Bowman, also, doesn’t stick with an entire young cast. She throws in a few older and early twenty characters to play the parts.

Contagion

By Erin Bowman

Buy on Amazon

“He hadn’t been able to give up, to roll over without a fight, and now she was no different, willing to kill so that she could live. So the entire Union could live.”

Some people don’t agree with me, but Bowman’s addition of politics made the story relatable to today’s day and age. Contagion shows younger characters taking charge and doing what they can to make a difference. Just because you can’t vote, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be educating yourself or playing a part in the fight. Bowman shows what being ignorant can do and how sometimes, even if you think the political turmoil could never touch you, especially as a kid, it will. Books are a chance for authors to bring awareness by posing circumstances and questions to fictional characters. Readers can see what happens and most begin to pose the questions to themselves.

And the biggest con of the entire book - besides my personal preference of wanting this book to not go the typical horror route - was the POV.

Come one, come all…. Let me show you how not to do POVs.

Bowman has a decent sized cast. Ok, we can handle that - Bardugo taught us with Six of Crows. But unlike Six of Crows, Bowman jumps from head to head with only a small line break to give the reader a heads up. Her other issue comes from not being consistent with each mind. Some get one moment, maybe two, and the others jump here and there. I figure this was all done to throw the reader off the trail of who was dying. Not a good enough excuse. I think the entire story could have stayed with three people - one of which being the italicized portions. It would have changed the scenes slightly, but could have also made the moments more suspenseful since the reader wouldn’t have the entire picture laid out.

If you’re writing sci-fi, or love the genre, I highly recommend the book. Getting past the POV issues, I still give this book 4.5 stars. My enjoyment factor played a large part. I couldn’t wait to pick it up everyday. Also, the book club really enjoyed it to.

So the masses agree… you need to read this one.

And if you liked it, Bowman has a few other books that I too will be sliding into my to be read pile at some point. Hopefully… The list has gotten out of control. That and my library holds section. Somehow, all the books decided to become available at the same time. I’m rushing to finish Give Me Your Hand before I need to read my next book club read.

Happying Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 88/100

Book Review | "Sweet Black Waves" by Kristina Perez

“And her destiny lay between them. The Two lovers for whom she would trade her heart.”

Romance is in the air. Can you taste it? Can you smell it? While everyone is reading something spooky, all I want is an all consuming, heart wrenching love story. So little old me skips over to the library after placing this book on hold and waiting an agonizing amount of time to get it. Three days is way too long. I turn to the first page and…

It wasn’t that bad. To be honest, a lot of parts had me dying inside. The cringe worthy parts just outweighed the good ones.

Step 1: Don’t remember the Tristan and Iseult story. If you do, which luckily I didn’t, you’ll be squirming the whole time. I, at least, got the joy of the love scenes before all hell broke loose.

Told through the eyes of Iseult’s (or in the case of this retelling, Essy’s) handmaid, we see the story of Tristan and Iseult unfold. Finding a body on the beach one day, Branwen rushes to its aid not realizing that she’s not only saving the life of her enemy but also her enemy king’s nephew, Tristan. Safely escaping back home, Tristan returns to win the hand of Essy for his king while also wooing the girl of his heart, Branwen. But Branwen promises to protect her homeland, unlocking an untold magical power from her land.

Interesting…. Unless you know how all these stories end which leads to the cringe worthy moments.  

And all the yelling.

I can’t blame Perez there. The story goes where the story goes with no fault of her own. We can’t change what fate created all those years ago. But I believe that Perez put herself in a bad position. She made the choice to create such a story and littered it with stepping stones pointing the way to the end.

So unless you enjoy yelling at the page, telling each character in an explicit manner how stupid they are, you might not enjoy this book.

Sweet Black Waves (The Sweet Black Waves Trilogy)

By Kristina Pérez

Buy on Amazon

Step 2: (This is for all my writing friends out there) Don’t write a story destined for failure. I personally don’t want to know the ending ahead of time. Maybe Perez is lucky and there are enough innocent readers who’ve never heard of this classic story. I mean she did get published, but still. This isn’t like your typical Jane Eyre retelling. You know the one detail of the story, like Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, and the entire premise is ruined.

Is my rant over? Maybe….

“They loved while they burned and they burned while they loved.”

Down to the writing details. Perez took the classic structure and created, essentially, an interesting prequel. We have the entire story leading up till the moment… It can be hard skirting around no spoilers. In addition, Perez decided to use a very uncommon protagonist, Essy’s handmaid. This was her strength and her demise. Key to a good retelling is making the story unique enough that readers who know the premise can fully enjoy the differences. This can be tricky deciding what can be different and what features can be twisted and manipulated.

Not my cup of tea.

Perez also decided to tackle linguistics. She chose to create a loose rendering of ancient and Medieval languages. Did it lend to the story? I don’t think so. Many times Perez just references to the different languages spoken, not actually showing the words. Once she used it as a message between two of the characters, which did lend well, but other times she used it as a learning tool for Branwen. This was a nice touch but ultimately could have been left out. It tended to slow the story down and forced the reader to break flow and memorize the words. Choosing to add in a whole new language is not something to take lightly and unless you’re a langustics genius, maybe not one to tackle at all.

Though all Tristan and Iseult stories have some short of magical element, Perez decided to make magic a forefront of her story. I enjoyed this. It added an element that allowed the story to feel different. Like I said before, that’s essential to a good retelling.

“Not you without me, not me without you.”

Now to my last very important point - likable characters. Characters, even those we are supposed to love to hate, need to have some semblance of likability. This is ultimately Perez’s downfall. Essy, in my opinion, is nowhere near a likable character. Was that done on purpose to make the ending easier? If it was, then that was a bad idea. Unlikable characters can ruin a story, blocking out all the good parts. Do I see Branwen’s moments when I look at Sweet Black Waves? No. All I can remember is how much I really despised Essy’s character.

Essy is a spoiled brat the whole time. Not once does she do something outside of her character motivation, but it felt like she was created just to keep the story on track. Oh we need to get to point B, so make sure Essy steers the story that way. Even if you don’t know the original Tristan and Iseult story, I think Essy makes the ending very obvious. So obvious.

There was no foreshadowing. The whole thing was spelled out in bold, sky writing.

Ok…. so maybe I need a cool of period between finishing a book and writing a blog. But I want to tell you my first knee jerk reaction to a story. To be honest, this book made me very angry. Today’s feelings are 2.5 stars. There are some parts I liked. That one decision not so much - something I have to keep skirting around (stupid spoilers). And probably the real reason for my anger. The one artistic decision Perez made that I can’t talk about.

So far my current read is way more enjoyable.

I just hope karma doesn’t come back and bite me in the butt later.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 85/100

Book Review | "The Book of M" by Peng Shepherd

“No one escaped—either because they were someone who lost their shadow, or because they were someone who loved someone who lost their shadow.”

I’m going to start this by saying - with no shame whatsoever - that I checked my shadow a millions times while reading The Book of M. I just checked it. I think I’ll be checking for the rest of my life.

You’ve been warned.

The Book of M leaves scars.

It first starts in Iran, a man in a town square loses his shadow. It’s magical, people flocking to see him dance in the streets. That is, until a few days later when they find him wandering the streets alone, lost. The shadowless lose their memories. The curse spreads around the globe and no one understands the cause. Fast forward 2 years and we find a couple living inside a resort trying to survive as the world has crumbled around them. One day, Max loses her shadow setting the pair on a cross country adventure trying to save memories and lives in the hopes of saving the world.

I still don’t know if I love or hate The Book of M. Memories being linked to shadows is a very interesting concept. We see shadow play in stories like Peter Pan, which Shepherd references in the book. But there’s a magical element here that I still don’t understand.

Which starts a great discussion on the iceberg. As a writer, you’re only supposed to show the very tip of your iceberg. There’s this whole world you build that your readers will never know - though some of it could be used as great talking points during your tour. But showing enough and then showing too much is a fine line. I prefer to air on the too much side. Don’t overload them, but if you’re asking yourself the question then maybe you should add it in. This is also where beta readers can come in and help you decide.

The Book of M: A Novel

By Peng Shepherd

Buy on Amazon

The Book of M airs on the side of too little. Shepherd creates a magical element with the shadowless. As people forget things, they can change reality. Not a bad idea but not well enough explained to the readers. We can’t see the rules - a very important aspect for writers with magic. You need to make sure the reader knows the rules. At some points in The Book of M, we see things change with the memory loss, but not others. Why? What are the reasons? Is Shepherd just manipulating the rules to fit what she needs? No bueno.  

“The memory means more, the more it’s worth to you—and to who you are.”

What Shepherd does master with ease is her character diversity. Do you want to have a diverse cast, then look at this book. Everything reads with ease. Nothing felt forced or overdone. Essentially, she sat down and asked, what can I make this character look like. Instead of automatically going to a white male or white woman, can you as a writer sit down and change it? Is there a specific reason or can they be something different? Done. That’s all you need to do.

And that ending. Well done to my fellow M. Night Shyamalan writer. I love when people pull a twist in the very end. Shepherd does a great job foreshadowing so you can’t be mad, but doesn’t construct a bright flashing arrow pointing to the plot.Claps all around.

As dystopias go, I think we’ve got a straightforward book here. People die, social systems are collapsed, and people scavenge to survive. There’s lots of moving around, plus fighting for conflict. All in all, I think Shepherd did a decent job. It’s just everything else that was a struggle. Her collapsing system leaves one feeling a little bonkers.

In all, I’m going to give it a 3.5 stars. If she wrote another book I’d probably pick it up. Now, I’ll be finishing the Grisha Verse. Whoop. I’m excited though a part of the ending was already spoiled. One problem of being on bookstagram and reading a popular series after everyone else. Oh well….

Happy Reading.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 83/100

Book Review | "The Butterfly Garden" by Dot Hutchison

“If you expect to be overlooked or forgotten, you’re always at least a little surprised when someone remembers you. You’re always outside understanding those strange creatures who actually expect people to remember and come back.”

*Warning* The Butterfly Garden is a dark story with a lot of disturbing imagery. Not meant for younger readers.

Why is humanity drawn to the dark? Why do we subject ourselves to the stories of death and torture? Does it make us feel human?

Part of me wasn’t even sure I wanted to write a review for The Butterfly Garden. The story is so dark and disturbing that I was afraid younger readers would be drawn to it. But the other side of me realized that art comes in many forms and I needed to share this piece of it.

“Some people stay broken. Some pick up the pieces and put them back together with all the sharp edges showing.”

The Butterfly Garden is about a girl captured by a man dubbed the gardener. He captures beauty as butterflies and preserves them forever in his garden. With an expiration date, the girl lives with the other butterflies, till one day hope comes and they’re all set free.

The story begins with Maya after rescue. Thank goodness… an excellent artistic choice. Because the story is so dark, it’s nice knowing there’s a happy ending, and helped me stick with it. After all the pain I’ll know everyone is ok. Some might think this detracts from the suspense, but I think there was plenty to make you turn the page. Sometimes nonlinear storylines really work in your favor.

The Butterfly Garden (The Collector)

By Dot Hutchison

Buy on Amazon

Besides excellent writing, this book was just a combination of really good choices. It felt like Hutchinson sat down and thought about her readers. I know they say write what you want to read (I really don’t want to see inside this girl’s mind) but you also need to create a story that others can get through. Case in point, showing the readers immediately that there is a happy ending.

Another excellent choice were the two POVs. We have third person from the FBI agent’s perspective. Then, the story flips to first person when Maya tells the agents her story. This give the readers a feeling of really being interviewed. Would it have worked as all third person? I don’t think so. The story could have turned dull and lost the vibrant in your face imagery that led to the overall compelling narrative.

“Not making a choice is a choice. Neutrality is a concept, not a fact. No one actually gets to live their lives that way.”

Here is a book with amazing characterization - not the overly stylized classroom checklist version produced in One of Us is Lying. Fictional my butt, these people are real. Such fine detail into their personalities. We get hobbies, coping, ethnicities, anger management, goals, in essence an entire psych analysis. And for a wide cast of characters too. We don’t just get an in depth picture of the front runners, but each butterfly, even down to Maya’s parents. If you need a lesson in developing characters, get through this one - I personally learned a whole lot.

Timing is another important skill as a writer. Linear stories do not work for every plot. In Hutchison’s case, she was able to use the FBI interrogation to weave through a timeline hopping story. This let her pose a ton of questions to answer along the whole journey. We have Maya’s backstory, as well as everything that happens in the garden. Even when we think all the questions have been answered, Hutchison drops one more answer on the last page. Timing is key. You can’t drop a boatload of twists at the end, and you can’t give the story away from the beginning.

“You’re comparing the FBI to Hitler?”

“No, I’m engaging in a discussion about perspective and moral relativity.”

Final point, I swear, even though I think I could go on and on about this book. Stay true to your characters. Hutchison does a superb job. As a writer you may want things to be different, but characters are characters and they’re the rulers of this joint. I think if Hutchison had done things outside their scope, the story would have fallen flat. Instead, she kept them true. Another reason they read as real people. They make real people choices.

Ok that’s all for now. I really hope you give The Butterfly Garden a chance. I would love to say I’m reading something lighter after this one but…. Ugh book club read. I guess it’s my fault since I suggested the dystopian read. Anyways - 5 stars all the way. I’ll be trying to find time to squeeze in the next book in the series.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 82/100

Book Review | "One Of Us Is Lying" by Karen M. McManus

“Like we're some kind of hip high school murder club without a care in the world.”

Five people walk into a room for detention. Four people walk out. Which one of them did it?

With the premise of Pretty Little Liars mixed with The Breakfast Club, I was ready for a cool murder mystery mixed with a little grit and a little high school drama - you literally can’t trust the guy next to you. Untrustworthy narrator, crazy plot twists… what could be better? Maybe me not guessing the ending 10 pages in. Oh well. It’s all my fault to be honest. I can’t stop myself even if I tried.

One of Us is Lying plays out the story of ‘who done it’ when four students are murder suspects in the death of the most hated kid in school. They all plead not guilty, but can you trust the girl always controlled by her boyfriend, the girl who might be hiding a huge academic secret, the juicing athlete, or the drug dealer? Told in the voice of all four, join the wild ride of discovery.

First, I want to congratulate McManus on her characters. They are so well done, her book could be used in schools. We have back story, character arcs, developments, distinct voice, diversity, and those little traits that almost make them real people. It felt like she went through a checklist - which is probably true since this is her debut book. Ok, they aren’t meant to be perfect, and they were each amazing, I guess I just wanted a little less cookie cutter perfect.

Choosing to do four viewpoints is crazy and what a feat to tackle your first time around. I get it though. It wouldn’t have been the same story without hearing from all four. A large portion of the suspense comes from the untrustworthy narrator aspect. This leaves the reader unsure of who the real killer is. One Of Us Is Lying is a great example of listening to your story and making the decision that works. So many authors may pick multiple viewpoints - cough War Storm - for the wrong reasons and end up mudding the story. Sit back and listen to your work people.

One of Us Is Lying

By Karen M. McManus

Buy on Amazon

And even though McManus picks four viewpoints, there is one POV that stands out. Not a bad thing, but something to be aware of if you decide to do the same. There is a reason you decided to give a voice to more than one character and you need to stay true to your choice. Even the great Leigh Bardugo let Kaz lead her story more than the other characters. Are great example of a perfectly even narrative would be Furyborn, a book I highly recommend reading.

“We could be surrounded by walking dead in the zombie apocalypse and she’d look for the bright side.”

Here I go reading another contemporary, and guess what… I loved it. But here is why it works - McManus puts depth into the story. What makes a book YA is its relationships. The characters will be below 18, mostly in high school, coming of age, and their love relationships will be in the exploratory stage. Chances are, the book isn’t going to be dealing with broken marriages or raising kids. Yes, there are exceptions, but YA books don’t have to be written down just because a younger generation will be reading them. So remember, keep it real and full of depth. Another great thing about contemporaries is you can put in some current issues. Mcmanus does a great job of asking some question that we can take away and contemplate. Books give readers a chance to think over what they’ve been handed before they’re forced to voice what they think.

“I guess we're almost friends now, or as friendly as you can get when you're not one hundred percent sure the other person isn't framing you for murder.”

Now all the problems. Tropes litter the book. I won’t list them… some are used as plot twists. Some tropes aren’t too bad, we can’t always hate the girl falling for the bad boy, but this entire book was built on them. Very unoriginal. I’m hoping that now the first book jitters are over, McManus can get a little more creative in her choices.

And that ending. Seriously. I don’t think I’ll be the only one guessing it way too early. It brings up a topic fitting our current events, but that’s all. Ugh….

So I’ll just be taking a half a star back for the ending and giving 4 stars. I think everything else was well done and I honestly enjoyed reading the entire thing. She’s got to earn some enjoyment stars. Enough enjoyment that I’ll be anticipating her next book coming out in January.

Public Service Announcement - There won’t be a review next week. Sorry guys. Time for a much need break. Actually, I’ll just be pounding through my own book. Until then… happy reading.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 77/100

Book Review | "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han

“I wonder what it's like to have that much power over a boy. I don't think I'd want it; it's a lot of responsibility to hold a person's heart in your hands.”

What makes a good story? Is it the craft, the style, or the storyline? Do we read for the characters? Do we read for the thrill? Why do we keep picking up that bound stack of pages?

I ask because I’m not entirely sure why people picked up To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.

*Warning* this is an unpopular opinion.

Using the gift of words, Lara Jean writes letters to her crushes as a way to finally put to rest the feelings fluttering inside her. She’s written them to the guy at camp, her first kiss, and even her sister’s boyfriend. What was an innocent act of catharsis turns into a sinister plot when all those letters somehow get mailed to their prospective recipients.

So what would you do?

Great concept. I clicked right away to get this guy from the library and gushed with everyone else when Netflix announced the movie. I practically bounced on the balls of my feet when I walked back, book in hand from the library hold shelf, and an afternoon free to read away. And then I turned the page.

I’m not going to knock the idea. I think it’s great and original. The problem is everything else, including the storyline.

“When someone's been gone a long time, at first you save up all the things you want to tell them. You try to keep track of everything in your head. But it's like trying to hold on to a fistful of sand: all the little bits slip out of your hands, and then you're just clutching air and grit.”

I’ll first start with the voice. As a writer, you have to stay true to your age. I understand that Han played Lara Jean as an innocent younger voice. The character stays home a lot, crafts, and reads, but in my opinion, that’s not an excuse to write your character as a twelve-year-old. And what are you saying about the rest of the world that stays home, writes and reads a lot? When the little sister is a stronger character, you’ve got something to be worried about.

Lara Jean, and this could all be an unpopular opinion, was not a likable character for me.

I won’t even start with Peter and Josh. *eye roll* Seriously… what is up with those two. I get Peter stays friends with his ex, but he reads as an entire asshole the whole time. Which really plays poorly with Lara Jean’s decision in the end.  And Josh… I’ll let him sit in the same pool as Peter. I don’t know what I would have done in his shoes but playing the hurt victim isn’t even close.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

By Jenny Han

Buy on Amazon

Now, let us talk about the writing style. Not my thing again. I find that most YA contemporary tends to have a lack of meaty substance. No clue as to why writers suddenly lose all sense of a good story. I know they exist because I’m listening to an amazing version right now. Going back to my topic of description, writers stop describing their character’s world. As readers, we know what an average home might look like, but what makes Lara Jean’s home so special? What images are plastered on the walls or smells drift through the rooms? I need more. More feel of the wind as the rain rolls in. Something to dive into and get lost.

In addition, the dialogue was straining. Not enough conflict to draw a reader in and make them want to know why Lara Jean isn’t going to the game. There needs to be a reason for every word uttered. It’s another chance to develop the character and allow the story to become its own creature.

“Do you know what it’s like to like someone so much you can’t stand it and know that they’ll never feel the same way?”

So you may ask…. Why did I place the next book on hold? I have no idea. *palm to face* To be honest, once you move past the letters, the story plays out overdone writing tropes. Nothing was really resolved in the end. Lara Jean never really grew, let alone the other side characters. I really liked her little sister though. And maybe I just love to torture myself. I will give To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before 3 stars.

I’m reading One of Us is Lying for book club right now. I’m curious to see where it might lead because so far I’m hooked. Keep an eye out on my instagram feed or check back here next week for a full break down.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 75/100