72: When Among Crows

Synopsis

Step into a city where monsters feast on human emotions, knights split their souls to make their weapons, and witches always take more than they give.

Pain is Dymitr’s calling. To slay the monsters he’s been raised to kill, he had to split his soul in half to make a sword from his own spine. Every time he draws it, he gets blood on his hands.

Pain is Ala’s inheritance. When her mother died, a family curse to witness horrors committed by the Holy Order was passed onto her. The curse will claim her life, as it did her mother’s, unless she can find a cure.

One fateful night in Chicago, Dymitr comes to Ala with a bargain: her help in finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga in exchange for an enchanted flower that just might cure her. Desperate, and unaware of what Dymitr really is, Ala agrees.

But they only have one day before the flower dies . . . and Ala’s hopes of breaking the curse along with it.

The Good

A. World building, lore, and history – it is set up well (and in a book that is less than 200 pages).

B. There are a lot of supernatural creatures.

C. Simple-ish quest.

D. Leaves unanswered questions and space for this to be the beginning of a series.

E. Good reveals.

The Bad

Does the story feel like a generic fantasy in places- ex: voice of characters, the story beats, romance?

The Meh

A. Story veered more towards urban than fantasy for me?

B. Does there feel like a big info dump at times? It seems like an intro to a larger series?

C. Eh about romance or at least how they are building up the romance

D. Everyone is a regular human with powers…?

Thoughts

A. Short stories vs longer stories- short stories need to trim their messaging or shift it in certain way to be short.

B. Is this story straightforward?

C. Cancelling/Cancelled authors: I just finished Dread Nation so some of the discourse around that book continued.

D. Kept thinking/comparing it to Crescent City or what I envision Crescent City to be.

(image and synopsis from goodreads)

I won this book from Tor Books via twitter

70: The Heart and the Chip: Our Bright Future with Robots

Synopsis

Daniela Rus, a leading roboticist and computer scientist, explores how we can use a new generation of smart machines to help humankind.

Daniela Rus, a leading roboticist and computer scientist, explores how we can use a new generation of smart machines to help humankind. There is a robotics revolution underway. A record 3.1 million robots are working in factories right now, doing everything from assembling computers to packing goods and monitoring air quality and performance. A far greater number of smart machines impact our lives in countless other ways―improving the precision of surgeons, cleaning our homes, extending our reach to distant worlds―and we’re on the cusp of even more exciting opportunities.

In The Heart and the Chip, roboticist Daniela Rus and science writer Gregory Mone reframe the way we think about intelligent machines while weighing the moral and ethical consequences of their role in society. At once optimistic and realistic, they envision a world in which these technologies augment and enhance our skills and talents, both as individuals and as a species―a world in which the proliferation of robots allows us all to be more human.

The Good

A. Solutions! – the author envisions solutions to problems with robots and how robots can improve folks’ lives.

Passion and vision author has for robots- it makes you realize how much pessimism (reasonably/unreasonably) is around robots.

B. Authors perspective & knowledge of robots- author is very knowledgeable about robots so things feel well thought out.

C. 360 view of robots & their future- thought provoking, author strikes a balance seeing some of robots best & worst potential.

Moral conflicts are presented such as the want to push for robots to do no harm vs robots being used for war.

D. Deeper understanding of robots and the issues that we face with them. Robots becoming Terminators is the usual problem presented in media but most issues we are facing are them not thinking or evolving like humans/living creatures.

E. Importance of listening to those you seek to help when creating something meant for them.

The Bad

Repetitive.

Should there be pictures to go along with inventions?

The Meh

The number of inventions/advancements felt overwhelming at times but also amazing.

Thoughts

  🤖What will be the effects be with robots doing errands in place of us?

 🤖Why is progression of robots portrayed only as bad? What ways is the dystopian portrayal of robots shifting our perspective on robots?

 🤖 Is our personification of robots harming our understanding of them?

 🤖Much can be said about robots taking human jobs.

 🤖Is most of the issues we are putting on robots something we need to take up with their creator?

 🤖Made me think about the separation between media/ human thought on robots’ vs reality of where robots actually are.

(Received synopsis and cover image from goodreads)

I won this from W.W. Norton & Company via goodreads

83: A Summer Fling to the X-Treme

Synopsis

In the quaint town of Simpleville, Samson is secretly in love with his best friend Millie. But when a charming traveler named Walter Melone arrives, Millie finds herself torn between two loves. One day, Walter suddenly disappears, and Millie embarks on a dangerous journey to find him, only to discover a shocking truth. Will Millie follow her heart or change the course of history? Dive into this thrilling story filled with love, passion, and smoothies that will leave you thirsty for more.

The Good

🍉Quarks of story – This story is weird and absurd after a while you have to realize it is not serious so much so in fact it is silly.

The people of Simpleton do not know what a car is…

🍉Reader is kept in suspense on who is going be chosen as love interest

🍉World is interesting – not only do you get to experience Simpleton but also a bit of world outside Simpleton.

🍉Plays with genre in way that is entertaining

The Bad

🍉Story can feel all over the place and disjointed at times

🍉Is there an editing issue? There are repeated parts in last chapter. In general, it can feel at times like when you let a robot read portions of document to you.

🍉Was enough time spent on love triangle or different conflicts?

The Meh

🍉Did the story copout on the ending?

Thoughts

🍉On one hand showcases why we very much need humans writing, editing, and generally behind the scenes in creation of books.

🍉Temper your expectations of technology

(image and synopsis from amazon.com)

I won this A Summer Fling to the X-treme from Smoothie King

71: In Search of a Prince

Synopsis

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops the mother of all bombshells–Brielle is a princess in the kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, King Tiwa Jimoh Adebayo, is failing.

Distraught by her mother’s betrayal, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before assuming the throne or the crown will be passed to another. Uncertain who to choose from the council’s list of bachelors, she struggles with the decision along with the weight of her new role in a new country. With her world totally shaken, she must take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring.

The Good

💍Faith and having relationship with God as a constant in the story was thought provoking – makes me realize how absent faith & religion is to many stories.

💍Lore of the world

💍Representation of God and Godly vision was interesting.

💍The different conflicts

💍Bachelorette-esque meeting of the romantic options was fun

The Bad

💍The story…

~Could have done more in terms of conflicts?

~Can feel low stakes at times

~Skips interesting events- kings death, wedding, romantic build up (we really do not get to see them bond & the love interest is eh)

~Does not sit with the characters enough – so villain(s) reveal could have been better.

The Meh

💍Does the story work better as a contemporary more than a romance?

Thoughts

💍Faith & romance – interesting reading this with the increase of open door/spicy romances

💍How does religion effect the story? The pace? The stakes? The romance?

💍Did religion/faith step in the way of fully sitting with conflicts? (This is not to put down the presence of faith in the story)

💍Trope of the American coming in fixing Africa with their advanced American ways can be messy

💍Does the story lowkey talk down the kingdom of Ọlọrọ? Is the king a good king if he cannot buy folks bibles?

(cover and synopsis are from goodreads)

my book club won this from Bethany House Publishers

74: Spin of Fate (ARC)

Synopsis

Aina’s world is governed by Toranic Law, a force that segregates people into upper and lower realms. It’s said that if the sinful lowers commit themselves to kindness and charity, their souls will lighten, allowing them into the peaceful upper realms.

But Aina, one of the few lowers to ever ascend, just wants to go back home.

Aina is desperate to reunite with her mother, hoping she’s survived the beasts and wars of her homeland alone. After failing to weigh down her soul with petty crimes, Aina joins a rebel group defying the authorities and bringing aid to those condemned to a life of suffering in the lower realms. Alongside Aina are two new recruits: Meizan, a ruthless fighter trying to save his clan from extinction, and Aranel, a spoiled noble spying for the powers that be.

Before long, the rebels find themselves in the middle of a brewing war. On one side, a violent king of a lower realm is bent on destroying Toranic Law; on the other, the authorities of the upper realms will do anything to stay on top. Now the young rebels must face both sides head-on if they want to stop a conflict that could break not only Toranic Law—but the universe itself.

The Good

I. Discussions

This has one of the best if not the best discussions on privilege, religion, purity, caste system, and inequality that I have seen in a fantasy. Immediately, it stood out to me how privilege is not done in a way many other stories do aka put lower castes on some sort of moral high ground. Since they are not on the moral high ground, they are allowed to be a part of the critique.

The themes and fantasy mesh well.

II. World

World is well thought out and fits with themes it is talking about.

magic system – connecting magic system to morality, purity, and the critique that comes with that.

Creatures – I like all of them.

There is so much world to explore.

III. Miscellaneous

Good conflict at center of the story.

Map – there is an inscription that is clever, reader gets to see an interpretation how different creature look.

Glossary – things were explained well but did enjoy having glossary at end of book.

There is so much to explore, and questions left that I could see this being a meaty series.

The Meh

Is this book too long? On other hand I feel that to deal with all discussions it does it makes sense the length.

It spent a minute on the world building and messages (both I enjoyed) but that slowed down the action of the story.

Thoughts

I. Book length of young adult novels:

– Is this story too long?

-Meant for older ya? My cousin wanted to listen to this book after hearing me talk about it which got me thinking about how it probably would be too long and not actiony enough for him.

-What if there was longer series but shorter stories?

-Stories are written in a way that is in a way more issue driven than story driven (or at least the issues are what is interesting to me).

-Reading tie-ins and specifically novelizations really show you the difference between the pacing of regular novels and movies.

II. Seeing other people react to Spin of Fate has been fun:

I won this from Penguin Teen via Bookishfirst

73: Listen for the Lie

Synopsis

New York Times Bestseller | Good Morning America Book Club Pick

What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn’t matter?

After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.

But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie,” and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.

The truth is out there, if we just listen.

The Good

A. Different perspectives were interesting.

B. How everything went down with who killed Savvy – enjoyed.

The Bad

A. I do not like any of the characters.

B. Did not connect with the humor.

C. Lucy was annoying (corny?) with her, I want folks’ uncomfortable bit.

D. Felt like we were getting the run around at times.

The Meh

Is this book too long?

Thoughts

We are supposed to find rude behavior admirable in women that we do not like in men.

Is every thriller gonna be men = bad?

Story is not structured around who would want to kill Savvy.

(cover and synopsis from Celadon Books website)

I received Listen for the Lie from Celadon Books for review

Book Review | Grief and Grit(s): A Daughter’s Journey of Love and Loss When the World Was Upside-Down

Synopsis

Marsha Gray Hill’s Grief and Grit(s) is an emotional odyssey that illuminates the complexities of grief, while offering a beacon of hope and inspiration for those navigating their own journeys of loss. This extraordinary memoir serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love to transcend even the darkest of times.

In times of unprecedented panic, we see what we’re really made of.

Though the worldwide pandemic affected each of us differently, this time of turmoil brought one thing into stark the value of human life. When tragedy begets triaging and certain demographics are seen as more disposable than others, what does that say about our society? And what does it say about us ?

This is a story about America, about how we view the most vulnerable people in our society—our aging and elderly—both in times of crisis and in our everyday lives.

This is also a story about a mother and daughter, of a mother raising her daughter in love, faith, and confidence, then the bizarre role-reversal as that mother deteriorated to the helplessness of a child. Nothing can prepare you for that intensity of sorrow and joy.

Nothing can prepare you for what happens when the coroner refuses to show up and pronounce your mother legally dead, either.

In this stunning debut, author Marsha Hill invites you into a personal look at an uncomfortable how we treat our elderly today defines our own future. Full of tragedy and triumph, laughter and tears, grief and—yes, some good, old-fashioned grits— Grief and Grit(s) is not only a reflection of the life and tragic death of Adaline Gray, but the power of our generation to fight for human dignity at every stage of life.

The Good

I. Discusses ageism, mortality, death, ageing, transitioning from being parented to being a parent, care for young vs old, covid, medical prejudice towards elderly, trauma, fear of death, and more.

II. It talks about tough conversations that do not get talked about as much as they should. By talking about these things, you are able to sit with the feelings that you may not be truly processing through.

The Bad

Repetitive: They could have collapsed some chapters/ pages or went deeper into certain topics like COVID.

Thoughts

I. This sense that there is so much trauma being carried around from death and things that happen in life without a catharsis.

II. The urge is to push forward because life keeps going without a way to process things.

III. There is not only a burying of emotions but also accountability. Thus, there does not have to be larger change in all issues that became more transparent during covid (like flaws in medical system, how folks view the elderly, etc).

IV. This was a sad read at times but I am happy I read it.

I want to thank Forefront Books, netgalley, and Bookishfirst for making it able for me to receive Grief and Grits to review.

87: The Search for Us

Synopsis

Two half-siblings who have never met embark on a search together for the Iranian immigrant and U.S. Army veteran father they never knew.

Samira Murphy will do anything to keep her fractured family from falling apart, including caring for her widowed grandmother and getting her older brother into recovery for alcohol addiction. With attendance at her dream college on the line, she takes a long shot DNA test to find the support she so desperately needs from a father she hasn’t seen since she was a baby.

Henry Owen is torn between his well-meaning but unreliable bio-mom and his overly strict aunt and uncle, who stepped in to raise him but don’t seem to see him for who he is. Looking to forge a stronger connection to his own identity, he takes a DNA test to find the one person who might love him for exactly who he is―the biological father he never knew.

Instead of a DNA match with their father, Samira and Henry are matched with each other. They begin to search for their father together and slowly unravel the difficult truth of their shared past, forming a connection that only siblings can have and recovering precious parts of their past that have been lost. Brimming with emotional resonance, Susan Azim Boyer’s The Search for Us beautifully renders what it means to find your place in the world through the deep and abiding power of family.

The Good

I. Family is the center of the story – parents, siblings, different type of families (stepping in take care of grandchildren or nieces/nephews).

B. Different point of views enhanced the story

C. Family messiness but also humanization

D. Fact that the story let there be actual family fallout and reconciliation.

E. Represented overachieving, intergenerational trauma, alcoholism, and more

F. Wrap up of overall story

Thoughts

I. Cover

Has the illustrated cover been associated with romance so much that seeing this cover makes you think they are romantic partners instead of siblings? Is the centering of romance detrimental to ya age category in some ways? Does centering romance make it easier to erase family and adults from stories?

II. Intergeneration trauma

A. Getting vibe that people want to hold the trauma that their ancestors experienced against them like it is a sin or their ancestors’ fault.

B. Teens/kids & trauma: It is interesting that many dismiss ya when so much of the trauma manifesting in adulthood is from childhood/teenage phase of life. There is probably something about the push to erase adults/family from stories when so much of trauma is family related.

C. Adults are humans with trauma and flaws which is forgotten when this discussion comes up.

D. Trauma is sad.

III. Miscellaneous

A. Overachieving- being the responsible one does something to people. It can become a toxic trait making one think that everyone is incompetent. Also, it can make you mean and bossy. None of that negates the fact that you should not be taking care of everything while everyone else does nothing/little.

B. Henry uncle/dad got off easy. He was on a bigot arc but I am happy the story did not focus on that because it would have taken precedence over everything else in the story.

IV. If you liked this I would recommend Forgive Me Not by Jennifer Baker

(image and synopsis from goodreads)

I won this from St. Martins Press via goodreads

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88: Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew & Thoughts (A Bit Spoiler on the End)

Synopsis

Keynan Masters doesn’t know the truth about Peerless Academy. He thinks it’s just a fancy art school that can’t teach him anything he doesn’t already know (how to write fire poems) and won’t solve his problems (the massive storms that threaten his home and family).

But Peerless is not what it seems…

Secret passageways. Unexplainable portals. Mysterious disappearances. Keynan and his new friends discover that the school is trying to contain a corrupt magic—a magic that gets churned up when Keynan starts putting his poetry to rhythm.

Can Keynan and his friends prevent the magic from destroying the school—and the world?

The Good

I. World – mix of science fiction and fantasy, the creatures, small town vibe at beginning, magic system/rules

Seeing cultural references made me feel like I am in the authors creativity.

II. Black voice in story

III. Ending

Left a lot to be explored, questions to be answered, and me wanting more

IV. Good themes for young readers – you need people/community.

The Bad

I. Pacing – story went on a while rehashing things and not progressing the story.

II. Could more have been done to make everything come together cohesively?

III. Not enough was done to let reader get a connection/feeling for individual characters.

IV. Did the story feel like it lacked whimsy at least in first third?

Thoughts

I. Ranking

A. How is Keynan Masters ranking amongst middle grade books I’ve read?

B. Type of magical systems and schools that Black authors are creating specifically with middle grade: Amari and Night Brothers, A Taste of Magic, Tristan Strong Punches A Hole in the Sky, etc.

II. Is a lot of the magical expression in this book on the quiet side because this is the first in a series? Are we really going to see the magic in its fullness in the second book in this series?

III. Amari – is a girl character in Children of Blood and Bone & Amari and the Night Brothers while in Keynan Masters Amari is a boy character (which did not keep getting me throughout the novel at all).

IV. Is the author of Keynan Masters a pantser?

V. Age range- Is this a good story for middle graders/target audience of this book? Does this read younger like a chapter book? Is this a good thing? Does it actually read young or is certain factors making it seem young to me (being an adult/reading so much ya/adults aging up certain age categories since adults read them)? Should this book have been shorter 50 or so pages?

VI. Mini-adults & magic rant: Adults be talking bad to these kids that they (the adults) expect (not need) to fix these broken worlds. If kids can band together and fix worlds why can’t the adults..? Then again adults are useless.

VII. Individualism/chosen one/token main character who is inherently all powerful & is going to be center of narrative vs missing the contribution of band/group fighters. There is a message in here about community and how being chosen one/main character can make you a bit selfish and arrogant. It is tough because it still felt like Keynan powers are more powerful than everyone else’s.

VIII. Spoiler comments?

Maybe we could fix the magic if we have more than 3 students practicing magic or the adults doing more

I won this from Inkyard Press via bookishfirst

93: The Freedom Clause

The Good

I. Idea of this story, it is a good premise.

II. Structure – year one, year two, etc

III. Inclusion of recipes -they showed Daphne feelings as a character and were good recipes in themselves.

The Bad

I. Underwhelmed by execution & messages – we could have gotten more.

II. Dominic = Bad guy – The beginning of the story left me with the impression that it was going to be equal in critiquing the individuals in the marriage. At a certain point it felt like the story intended/was structured to make Dominic the bad guy while making Daphne the good person. There was a depth lost by creating this dynamic because where is the introspection/interrogation in that.

III. Does the female empowerment feel heavy handed?

Thoughts

I. Communication goes a long way instead of dealing with their issues with each other they deal with it with others.

II. Dominic is…

…not the only one at fault with the problems of the marriage.

….an idiot.

III. Would it actually be more interesting seeing a man have introspection, learn from his mistakes, and grow as person?

Would it been more interesting to see the relationship take a different direction?

(cover and synopsis are from goodreads)

I won this from Random House Book Club via goodreads

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