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Review: The Wingsnatchers by Sarah Jean Horwitz

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thewingsnatchersThe Wingsnatchers by Sarah Jean Horwitz

My Rating: 5/5 TARDISes

Series: Carmer and Grit #1

Date Published: April 25th, 2017

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Pages: 368 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: A stunning debut about a magician’s apprentice and a one-winged princess who must vanquish the mechanical monsters that stalk the streets and threaten the faerie kingdom.

Aspiring inventor and magician’s apprentice Felix Carmer III would rather be tinkering with his latest experiments than sawing girls in half on stage, but with Antoine the Amazifier’s show a tomato’s throw away from going under, Carmer is determined to win the cash prize in the biggest magic competition in Skemantis. When fate throws Carmer across the path of fiery, flightless faerie princess Grit (do not call her Grettifrida), they strike a deal. If Carmer will help Grit investigate a string of faerie disappearances, she’ll use her very real magic to give his mechanical illusions a much-needed boost against the competition. But Carmer and Grit soon discover they’re not the only duo trying to pair magic with machine – and the combination can be deadly. 

In this story perfect for readers of the Lockwood & Co and Wildwood series, Sarah Jean Horwitz takes readers on a thrilling journey through a magical wooded fairyland and steampunk streets where terrifying automata cats lurk in the shadows and a mad scientist’s newest mechanical invention might be more menace than miracle.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a spoiler-free review.

I just finished this novel, so I’m still having a bit of trouble settling my thoughts down so I can put them into actual words. Over the years, it has become much rarer for me to give out a full five-star rating to a book, but I absolutely adored this novel. After only the first chapter—maybe even the first few pages—I was already completely hooked and in love with everything about it. It is one of those books that is written for a younger audience, but ends up transcending those limits, creating a magical tale that can be enjoyed by anyone.

This is truly a heart-pounding book. Horwitz quickly makes her readers fall in love with her characters from the very start, causing us to feel a huge range of emotions through all the trials and successes, funny moments and those that break our hearts. I laughed so hard. I deeply felt the moments of fear, pain, and sadness. And I have to admit, I even shed some tears, primarily at the nostalgic feelings this novel evoked for me. I tore through these pages, finding it so hard to put down. I just had to know the fates of these characters I had come to love so much.

Full of mystery, magic, industry and mechanical science, from start to finish it is a compelling tale full of captivating steampunk goodness. It has been a long time since I have been so drawn into a novel. It threw me back to my childhood, to all the years I spent dreaming up fairytales and magical worlds. To all the years of constantly hoping to reach a point where I am able to spend the rest of my days bringing these stories to life for others on paper and in their minds, the same way they came to life for me—the same way they have given me life all these years. This particular tale is most definitely going to stick with me for a long time.

In this novel, we follow the adventures of a young boy named Felix Cassius Tiberius Carmer III (Carmer for short) and a one-winged fairy princess of the Seelie realm named Grettifrida (but always call her Grit). Carmer, a magician’s apprentice and aspiring inventor, and Grit, a sassy, flightless fire fairy, are thrown together as a chance meeting evolves into a race to save the entire fae realm—as well as themselves and the city of Skemantis—from a mad scientist.

When fairies begin to go missing, captured by an unknown evil they have named “The Wingsnatchers”, it is up to Carmer and Grit to get to the bottom of the mysterious disappearances. And what is the connection of these odd events to the unexplainable ones simultaneously occurring in the human world? Mixing science with fantasy, real magic with the closest replications that humans can accomplish, this is an enchanting and fast-paced modern fairytale that will leave readers on the edge of their seats, wanting more.

The depiction of the characters—both the main and the side ones—was one of the standout points of the book for me. Every single one of her characters are fleshed out quite well, and even the most minor of characters are memorable. Carmer and Grit have such a lovely friendship, even though they are each struggling through plenty of their own troubles.

Carmer is attempting to take control of his future and leave behind his past as an orphan, and Grit is trying to make others understand that her disability does not define her—that she is as strong and capable as anyone else, despite what people may think. Though they have some extreme—and understandable—differences and find themselves at odds occasionally, once they learn to trust one another, they end up making a brilliant duo.

This is Horwitz’s first novel, but it reads as if she has been writing for decades. Flawlessly executed and incredibly beautiful, her writing is fluid and easy to fall into. It grabs hold of your imagination, your senses, and hangs on long after the final page has been read. Her vibrant descriptions and world-building are solid, showing her talent for weaving her stories into the minds of her readers.

I truly had an enjoyable time using Horwitz’s vivid narrative to put myself into this unique setting. I felt like I was there watching these events unfold right alongside the characters. She also relates this book to our present world by dealing with some themes that are very common in society today. Horwitz handles every aspect of the novel with care, meticulously unfolding an action-packed narrative. This was just such a fun adventure I did not want to pull myself out of it until I ran out of book.

I will reiterate—though I know I don’t have to at this point—that I completely fell head over heels for this novel. And unsurprisingly, I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. It is a beautifully crafted tale of family, friendship, and how two exceedingly dissimilar groups can set their differences aside and team up to fight a threat that affects them all.

Overcoming obstacle after obstacle—even those their own families and sometimes they themselves place in the way—Carmer and Grit unite in a heart-warming friendship that withstands the forces that test it. This is a fantastic beginning to a promising series. Though I don’t quite know how I am going to stand the wait, I am extremely excited to get my hands on any and all future novels.

5.0 TARDISes

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Review: Doctor Who: The American Adventures by Justin Richards

Posted in Book Reviews by

doctorwhotheamericanadventuresDoctor Who: The American Adventures by Justin Richards

My Rating: 3/5 TARDISes

Series: Standalone

Date Published: October 25th, 2016

Publisher: Penguin Random House (UK)

Pages: 192 pages

Source: Publisher

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Travel through time and space with the Twelfth Doctor in these six brand new adventures, set in a host of locations across the US and eras from throughout US history.

An invisible spacecraft turns up at the Battle of New Orleans, an alien presence is detected at the 1944 D-Day landings, and ghosts take over New York’s subway tunnels as they’re being dug in the early 1900s…

Filled with mystery, excitement and the Doctor’s trademark wit, these timeywimey stories will delight any Doctor Who fan.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a spoiler-free review.

I always love reading any Doctor Who tie-in stories, especially when we are all anxiously waiting for a new season to be released. I have also read a number of Doctor Who novels authored by Justin Richards, and I tend to consistently enjoy his writing style and his depictions of the various Doctors over the years. This is only my second experience with stories written about Peter Capaldi’s Doctor, and I had a fun time reading these short tales of his adventures. While this is targeted at a younger audience, I still feel that this book is something that can be universally enjoyed by Whovians of all ages.

These stories follow the Doctor’s journeys through various notable time periods in American history, as well as in present day America. Because of that, I found it to be a very unique read due to the fact that he is somewhat rarely portrayed traveling through the United States, particularly in the tie-in novels. It was great to see how he insert himself into many historical moments that I grew up learning about.

Though this was not the best collection of stories and I had very mixed feelings about them, I still found them to be solidly written. Creating a compelling story in a very small number of pages is incredibly difficult—it is an entire art in itself. There is not much time to flesh out the plot and the characters. This can make everything feel very rushed, as well as make characters come across as being a little bit flat. I found this to be somewhat true of this collection at times, but overall, I think Richards did a decent job with the length of each text.

Richards’ writing itself was a high point for me. His narration style is very fluid and not at all hard to find yourself getting pulled into. It is wonderful to see these skills in the tie-in stories, as they are generally simple reads, still composed using quality storytelling. I have found—in my personal experience with his work—that Richards’ is also a master at capturing the personality of whichever Doctor he is writing about. Even in this shorter format, it truly feels similar to watching an episode starring the twelfth doctor.

Now, I’ll talk about each individual story and my feelings on them. This will also remain spoiler-free.

All That Glitters (Rating: 3/5)

This story takes place in California, 1849, during the gold rush. Josh Langham is panning for gold in the Sacramento River when finds an odd metallic object. As he begins to pick it up, fatigue overtakes him and he passes out. Suddenly, he begins terrorizing the nearby town and townspeople, breaking in to homes and attacking his people who have all known him as a kind and gentle man. We follow the Doctor as he attempts to figure out what has caused Josh to act in this most unusual way.

I found this story to be just alright. It was a very simple plotline without much action, so it felt a little too slow-paced for my liking. Despite this, it was still intriguing to read, and there was a good amount of mystery. The build-up was a bit too much compared to how the story ultimately ended, but it was a decent read.

Off the Trail (Rating: 3.75/5)

The Doctor finds himself on the Oregon Trail, 1846, in this story. Hattie and her family are traveling the Oregon Trail in a large wagon train when suddenly, they begin to encounter strange noises and unnerving sightings of a creature outside their wagon one night. When they emerge the next morning, they find themselves exactly where they were but completely alone—the other parties in the wagon train have disappeared without a trace. It’s up to the Doctor to rescue the family from a deadly enemy and return them to the missing train.

I liked this story quite a bit—I think that it was my second favorite of the collection. I’ve always enjoyed stories about the Oregon Trail, and this science fiction twist was very captivating. Richards did a good job of building up the suspense to a heart-pounding climax. This story was also one of the more fleshed out ones in terms of both the setting and the characters. Everything was well-described, and I feel that he really utilized his writing talent to create a developed story in a short amount of time. Overall, it didn’t completely blow me away, but it was still a fascinating and unique narrative that I would have loved to see as an actual episode of the show.

Ghosts of New York (Rating: 4.5/5)

Taking place in New York City, 1902, this was by far my favorite of the short stories. This story involves the construction of the New York City subway tunnels, with a nice helping of ghostly activity. Soon after a tunnel roof collapses, killing three workers, a man named Pete begins seeing the ghost of one of his deceased coworkers. Other workers begin to experience this strange paranormal phenomenon as well. Then, of course, the Doctor swoops in, ready to discover the source that is causing these ethereal figures to appear. With many of the other workers too afraid to follow him, only a young man named Tom is brave enough to join in the quest for answers.

I absolutely loved this story. Anything containing ghosts and spookiness is right up my alley. One of the interesting realizations I had while reading this one was that the side character and the Doctor were much more well-developed. This may be due in part to the fact that there is only one sidekick on this particular mission. The only issue I had with the plot was that, when they found the source causing the ghosts to appear, it was not very well explained—I had an extremely hard time picturing it in my head. Nonetheless, this was an absolutely fantastic story and I very much enjoyed it.

Taking the Plunge (Rating: 3/5)

The Doctor comes into the present day in this story that takes place in Florida, 2017. Strolling through a theme park named Adventure World, the Doctor is simply people-watching when he comes across some peculiar occurrences. He meets a family as they first come into the park—two parents and their highly energetic and excited son. They are headed to the popular ride, “Space Plunge”. But when he runs into them again coming back from the ride, they have lost all energy, and look tired and empty. It’s time for the Doctor to inspect “Space Plunge”, and figure out what is sapping the liveliness out of all of its riders.

Though it was not one of my favorites, I still quite enjoyed this story. It was fairly unique and unpredictable in many ways. However, this was one story were the length really was a detriment to the plot. It felt as though not much happened, and that the problem was solved far too easily. This is a story that could have been expanded upon a lot and made into a more complex tale. I think it was just not right for this format, but I still liked aspects of it.

Spectator Sport (Rating: 2.5/5)

Set in New Orleans, 1815, this was unfortunately one of the stories that fell a bit flat for me. The Doctor lands the TARDIS during the Battle of New Orleans, and watches from the sidelines, upset at the idea of humans waging war against each other. All of a sudden, a woman using a perception filter comes rushing up to where he stands on a hill, stating that she has been looking for him all over. She takes him back to what she calls the “safe area”, which turns out to be a ship where people travel back in time in order to watch various battles throughout history.

This story was my least favorite—I found it rather hard to get in to and I did not like the idea of the plot. Not that much really happened, aside from the Doctor reprimanding everyone for getting enjoyment out of the fighting. Of course, there was a bit more depth to the plot other than that, with an assassin being loose on the ship, but this did not take up enough of the story. I could see the potential in this narrative, but is just didn’t reach it.

Base of Operations (Rating: 2.5/5)

Transpiring in the United States, 1944, this story just did not click with me, and unfortunately ended the collection on a slightly sour note. This story is set on an army base during World War II, right before the D-Day landings in Normandy. The TARDIS picks up signs of a rouge transmat system coming from inside the base, and he decides to infiltrate it in order to find the source. Along the way, he encounters some unusual activity, and finds out that not everyone within these walls is who—or what—they appear to be.

I’m not quite sure exactly what it was about this story, but I had a hard time getting into it. I wasn’t particularly interested in most of the characters and the story felt far too rushed. Once again, it was too expansive a topic to try to cover in a story as short as this one. The aliens were sort of interesting, but again, there was not enough time to really connect with the story and understand them. It was not bad by any means, but I just personally didn’t get quite as much enjoyment out of it.

Overall, I am very glad that I had the chance to read these stories. Despite my tepid feelings when it came to parts of it, this book was still great for a Whovian like myself. I also love seeing authors producing stories for a younger generation of fans. All the novels are relatively easy and straightforward reads, but this one is particularly well suited for early readers.

Richards fluidly sweeps readers up into the action-packed adventures and quirky antics of the Doctor, and I think these short stories make the show and the characters widely accessible, and will draw in more of a following that will stay strong through all the coming years of the show.

 

3.0 TARDISes

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Review: Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen

Posted in Book Reviews by

bigmushyhappylumpBig Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen

My Rating: 4/5 TARDISes

Series: Sarah’s Scribbles #2

Date Published: March 7th, 2017

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Pages: 128 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Swimsuit season is coming up! Better get beach-body ready! Work on those abs! Lift those butts! 

…Um, or how about never mind to all that and just be a lump. Big Mushy Happy Lump! 

Sarah Andersen’s hugely popular, world-famous Sarah’s Scribbles comics are for those of us who boast bookstore-ready bodies and Netflix-ready hair, who are always down for all-night reading-in-bed parties and extremely exclusive after-hour one-person music festivals.  

In addition to the most recent Sarah’s Scribbles fan favorites and dozens of all-new comics, this volume contains illustrated personal essays on Sarah’s real-life experiences with anxiety, career, relationships and other adulthood challenges that will remind readers of Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half and Jenny Lawson’s Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. The same uniquely frank, real, yet humorous and uplifting tone that makes Sarah’s Scribbles so relatable blooms beautifully in this new longer form.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a spoiler-free review.

Are you finding yourself over-thinking every aspect of your day-to-day life? Have you ever exchanged a day of social interaction for a book and/or Netflix binge? Do you have days where you really just can’t “adult”? Then Big Mushy Happy Lump is the book for you!

This was an incredibly cute, hilarious, and relatable read—exactly the kind of book I needed at this moment in my life. This was my first experience with Sarah Andersen’s work, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Along the lines of one of my favorite books in the entire world—Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh—Andersen’s adorable doodles perfectly capture the awkward, neurotic, introverted book lover that is me. However, one does not have to be as self-conscious and irrationally anxious as I am to have a good time with this collection. A satirical and candid look at what makes all of us human, these little vignettes portray feelings and life experiences that are very easy for anyone to connect with.

This is one of those books that makes you feel as though the author has read your mind and flawlessly rendered your entire life and thoughts in a highly comical format. For me, that totally clicks with my sarcastic and humorous outlook on life and myself. It reminds me of my various “delightful” quirks and makes me remember that, while me and my thought processes can be exceptionally…unique, I am not entirely alone. In fact, many of the things that make me feel as though I am an alien that must have accidentally fallen out of a UFO at some point and landed on Earth are actually what make me—and every one of us—human.

My only—very small—complaint with this book was the fact that there wasn’t more of a personal essay element. There was a bit of this, but not nearly enough. It ended up being a sort of jumble of randomly collected cartoon panels that were entertaining, but left me wanting something beyond just that. I always like to read a little story along with these types of cartoons—a peek at the author’s own life experiences. I believe that storytelling aspect allows the reader to connect their life, their thoughts and feelings, even further with those that are depicted, creating a more engaging reading experience.

That bit aside, this was a very quick read and a wonderful pick-me-up as I fought to get out of a horrific reading slump. And now I can continue on, fully embracing the over-thinking, neurotic, reclusive person that I am. I can find even more humor in watching my painfully awkward floundering through adult life and social interaction. And, most importantly of all, I can get back to reading voraciously as I take on my true form—a big mushy happy lump…with a huge pile of unread books.

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4.0 TARDISes

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Review: If I’m Found by Terri Blackstock

Posted in Book Reviews by

ifimfoundIf I’m Found by Terri Blackstock

My Rating: 4/5 TARDISes

Series: If I Run #2

Date Published: March 21st 2017

Publisher: Zondervan

Pages: 352 pages

Source: Publisher

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Is Dylan hunting Casey to prosecute her or protect her?

Casey Cox is still on the run, fleeing prosecution for a murder she didn’t commit. Dylan Roberts—her most relentless pursuer—is still on her trail, but his secret emails insist that he knows the truth and wants to help her. He’s let her escape before when he had her in his grasp, but trust doesn’t come easily. 

As Casey works to collect evidence about the real murderers, she stumbles on another unbearable injustice: an abused child and a suicidal man who’s also been falsely accused. Casey risks her own safety to right this wrong and protect the little girl from her tormenters. But doing so is risky and just may result in her capture—and if she’s captured, she has no doubt she’ll be murdered before she ever steps foot in a jail.

In this riveting sequel to the USA Today bestseller If I Run, evil lurks, drawing Casey out of the shadows . . . but there is light shining in the darkness. Is Dylan a provision from the God who loves her, or another heartache yet to happen?

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a spoiler-free review, however, it may contain spoilers for the previous book, If I Run.

Once again, Terri Blackstock provides us with another fast-paced, gripping read—full of moments of action and unexpected twists equal to those of it’s predecessor. Blackstock skillfully creates a novel that is suspenseful, exciting, and completely addictive. The end of each chapter keeps you wanting more, making it an engrossing read that is extremely hard to put down. She continues to capture her readers with shocking—and some times infuriatingly unjust—developments, as well as characters that are easy to connect with and care about. And even as the book comes to a close, the final pages are enough to leave any reader craving more.

Casey and Dylan’s story continues as she runs for her life from the corrupt detectives who are bent on capturing her and as he works to save Casey from the dangers that lie back in Shreveport. Much like the first novel, this one is primarily a dual perspective narrative, split between Casey and Dylan. However, one notable difference is that we get a small glimpse into the mind of Detective Gordon Keegan, Casey’s most immoral and relentless pursuer.

Again, Blackstock does a wonderful job of giving each narrator a very distinctive voice, and I enjoyed being able to hear multiple sides of the story. Her writing and transitioning between perspective is very fluid, and she has a style that is easy to read and get swept away with. However, one thing I would have liked to have seen more of in terms of the narrative was Detective Keegan’s point of view. It made the story even more riveting to have a narrator speaking from such an opposing view to Casey’s and Dylan’s, but he ends up only narrating two chapters in the entire novel.

I loved getting to see more of Casey and Dylan, and really diving in to their personalities and what causes them to act in the ways that they do. There was a lot more detail about their individual struggles and how they are pushing on, trying to find ways to overcome these obstacles. It was also exciting to finally see their individual storylines truly—and literally—converge. These two kind and caring souls will do anything they can to make sure justice is served, and finally seeing them interact shows how well they compliment each other.

Casey is such an amazing heroine; she is so caring and puts everyone else’s needs above her own at all times. There were certain instances where I found myself a little frustrated by what she was doing. The obviously dangerous risks she was taking were much more prominent and a little bit more outlandish in this book. However, as I think back on these moments, they were very representative of her overall selflessness, and I applaud Blackstock for further demonstrating this as well as how she has both evolved and stuck with her natural instincts during her time as a fugitive.

I noted Blackstock’s ability to create very relatable and engaging characters in the first novel and that continues to be strong in this one as well. The subplots are definitely less developed than last time, however, this is indicative of Casey having a decreased ability to linger in one place for an extended amount of time. Despite this, I felt that the new side characters and their own storylines were fairly well-developed. She once again adds an equally intriguing subplot into the cat-and-mouse chase that is the main narrative.

This novel deals much more heavily with the subjects of faith and religion than the previous installment did—particularly on Christianity as a whole, and Casey’s gradual understanding of God. I find that it can be a rather difficult task to use these themes in a story without overpowering the reader, especially if they do not follow the same practices as described. Personally, I easily get very uncomfortable when reading about or discussing religion, simply because I believe it is a deeply personal and private thing. I am by no means against novels having elements of religion in them, in fact I applaud authors for using a subject like this, but only when it is done correctly.

Blackstock, in my opinion, went about addressing this topic in a good way. As I said, I find that I can be extremely sensitive to this subject being brought up—however, I did not feel completely overwhelmed by it at any point in time. While Blackstock does focus in on Christianity, the main message that she is sending is about having faith, both in ourselves and possibly in a power that is greater than any of us.

Casey is gradually building her own faith, her own view of God, of heaven, of prayer, and it is ever-changing as her journey continues. Her faith is woven into her struggle in a beautiful and poignant way, coming into her life when she needs it most. And Blackstock writes this all in a very accessible way, not one that would turn of the reader.

Casey’s journey into her own faith is something that most people go through and continue to go through for their entire lives. Faith and religion is something that is somewhat indefinable because we each experience it in a different way. It is constantly evolving, and it’s sole purpose is to provide us with what we need the most at any given time throughout our lives. This is the message that resonates in each detail of the experiences these characters go through in this novel—something that is unique to each one and fills them with the strength they need to carry on through the best and worst times.

The only real complaint I have with this novel is that I found some of the events to be a bit of a stretch when it came to believability. Like the previous book, Casey demonstrates her amazing intellect and self-preservation as she navigates the world under the radar of those searching for her. However, this time around, there were some moments that seemed just a little too perfect—a little too unlikely. Extreme situations that seemingly had no possible way to end well always managed to turn in her favor. And while I definitely enjoyed seeing her conquer each obstacle, some had a slight “deus ex machina” feel to them.

Even though I ended up not enjoying this book quite as much as the previous one, this was still an incredibly action-packed read that had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. I flew through this book, cheering Casey and Dylan on, deeply feeling each moment of triumph and injustice. Blackstock knows how to grab a reader’s attention and not let go until the heart-pounding finale. I am really looking forward to reading more of this story and finding out the fates of these characters I have come to love.

4.0 TARDISes

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Review: If I Run by Terri Blackstock

Posted in Book Reviews by

ifirunIf I Run by Terri Blackstock

My Rating: 4.5/5 TARDISes

Series: If I Run #1

Date Published: February 16th, 2016

Publisher: Zondervan

Pages: 305 pages

Source: Publisher

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Casey knows the truth. But it won’t set her free.

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore. 

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up. Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a spoiler-free review.

First of all, I have to start off this review by saying that this book was responsible for pulling me out of the biggest reading slump I have ever experienced. This novel promised a fast-paced dose of mystery and suspense, and Terri Blackstock definitely delivered just that and so much more. It is a deceptively light read that ends up rooting itself in important and thought-provoking topics—very relevant in society today—packing more of a punch both emotionally and intellectually.

From the very start, the reader is thrown right into the middle of the action, and is fluidly swept up into this story of suspicious murders, dubious police work, and a heart-pounding, multi-state chase. With vividly portrayed characters and using two strong narrative voices to unfold this saga, it is a novel that pulls the reader in and hangs on through the bittersweet, cliffhanger ending.

In this novel, we follow Casey Cox and Dylan Roberts in a dual narrative as the mystery unravels and the chase gradually weaves their individual storylines together. Casey unexpectedly walks into—and becomes a part of—a crime scene when her best friend is murdered. With traces of her found all over this scene, she is immediately pegged as the sole person of interest in the murder. Having experienced previous unfair treatment at the hands of law enforcement officials, Casey realizes that her best chance at unveiling the truth, and even at staying alive, lies in her ability to escape—take herself completely off-the-grid.

Dylan Roberts has just returned home, tired and broken from his time serving in the army. Suffering from PTSD, he is finding it incredibly difficult to settle back into this style life that he has been so disconnected from. On top of his inner demons, he struggles against unfair treatment as he tries to find work again—many companies refusing to hire someone in an unreliable and fragile mental state.

Dylan seemingly gets a break when he is employed by the family of the murder victim to track down Casey and take her into custody; something that should be fairly straight-forward for him given his level of experience. However, he ends up facing off with an exceedingly clever girl who always seems to be a few steps ahead of him no matter what he does. And if that weren’t enough, when the information that he has been supplied begins to not add up with what he uncovers on his own, and the people he trusts start to look more like the villain they portray Casey to be.

This is a very character-driven novel, and Blackstock does a wonderful job of making each and every character an important element to the plot. Even those with smaller roles to play are distinctive and memorable, adding a strong foundation of realism to the narrative as a whole. Some secondary characters end up contributing a great deal to the overall plot, as well as creating some intriguing subplots—mysteries within a mystery.

Casey has definitely earned a place on the list of my all-time favorite female leads. She is resilient, intelligent, and brave from the very start, but she also displays weakness and fear, making her a highly relatable character. It would be hard not to fall in love with her, and cheer her on as she tackles obstacle after obstacle, and proves time and time again that she is an utterly selfless individual. She evolves a lot throughout a short period of time, and gains a great deal of personal strength and faith in multiple aspects of her life.

Dylan is another exceedingly intelligent and strong character. He has been through war in Afghanistan and is now fighting a war of his own—the inner turmoil that has been created from the horrors he has witnessed. Nevertheless, he pushes through, and devotes himself to the job he has been given, remaining independent and focused on what he takes away from his investigations, not just what one party would happily force him to believe. Casey and Dylan are very similar. Both broken, but not beyond repair. Both dealing with their own hardships, but never forgetting to remain true to themselves and do what they believe is right.

As far as the actual text itself, I found the writing to be very solid. I really enjoyed Blackstock’s style—it flowed very well throughout, even with the changing perspectives. Having more than one narrator and managing to give them each a distinct narrative voice can be very difficult, and Blackstock completely nailed it with her portrayal of Casey and Dylan. Both characters had clearly unique voices and personalities, and there was never a feeling of choppiness as the perspectives changed.

I found this to be such an engrossing read I could hardly put it down, and I did in fact end up reading it in one day. The end to every chapter is written in a way that isn’t necessarily a major cliffhanger, but leaves you craving more all the same. This is an adult novel, but the writing does tend to feel a bit more like a young adult novel. However, in my personal opinion, that does not detract from the story at all. In fact, it makes it accessible to a wider audience.

This is a novel that I would highly recommend, particularly to people who enjoy an exciting mystery and skilled characterization. I absolutely tore through this book, dying to know what would happen next and what the fate of these characters—both lovable and not so lovable—would be. I was completely sucked in from the first few pages.

The plot never slows down, with Blackstock masterfully creating some amount of suspense at the end of each chapter. It is an addictive read that is also quite intellectually stimulating and very full of substance. Teeming with love, loss, pain and ultimately hope, this is a novel that shows the unbelievable strength, courage, and faith that a person can have in the face of adversity.

4.5 TARDISes

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Review: Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

Posted in Book Reviews by

wolfbywolfWolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

My Rating: 5/5 TARDISes

Series: Wolf by Wolf #1

Date Published: October 20th, 2015

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Pages: 388 pages

Source: Purchased

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Her story begins on a train.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo.

Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move.

But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

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This is a spoiler-free review.

I had an absolutely fantastic time reading this in a buddy read with my good friend Anna from My Bookish Dream. Please make sure to take some time to head over and check out her amazing blog!

When I first discovered this novel, the premise immediately intrigued me, but I had no idea what an incredible ride I was in for. I have never read anything quite like this before. Historical fiction—with an emphasis on the fiction—it is, by far, one of the most unique and compelling plots I have ever come across.

Taking the history we know to be true, it asks, “what if?”. What if World War II had not turned out the way that it did? How would this have affected the lives of millions of people? Where would society—where would the entire world—be? Add in a dose of genetic modifications, super human abilities, and a twenty-thousand kilometer motorcycle race and you’ve got an unpredictable story that pushes the boundaries of the young adult genre and of the mind.

Alternate history with elements of science fiction. Now of course, this is not a completely new and unheard of style of writing. I’m sure there are many works using this very captivating combination of genres. This, however, is my first experience with it—and it absolutely blew me away.

To be honest, I have not read a young adult novel so refreshing in quite some time. It was new. It was exciting. And all without relying on many of the tropes that have become so abundant in the genre as of late. The premise itself is one of the most fascinating I have ever come across. Admittedly, it is not a perfect novel, but it truly grabbed a hold of me on so many levels, and I personally had a wonderful experience with it.

Set in a nightmarish scenario where Hitler still holds power and the outrageous cruelty of the Nazis during World War II has continued long after, the world is in an unpleasant state, to say the least. Many innocent people suffer greatly in an unfair world focused on creating “a superior race” through any means necessary. To celebrate their victory during the war—and demonstrate their very tenuous alliance—Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host a yearly, cross-continental motorcycle race followed by a lavish ball in Tokyo.

In this novel, we follow Yael, a former death camp prisoner and current resistance member with a painful and unusual past. As a result of genetic experimentation, Yael has been left with the remarkable powers of a skinshift—someone who can change their appearance at will. After intense training and preparation, and with these incredible abilities at her disposal, she transforms herself into the race’s previous winner, Adele Wolf, and enters in an attempt to reach Hitler and end his life.

The element of this novel that I am, by far, most impressed by is the writing itself. I completely loved Ryan Graudin’s lyrical prose, and it lent itself well to the overall atmosphere of the novel. Told through a mixture of flashbacks to Yael’s time in and escape from the death camp, and her present participation in the motorcycle race, we are given a slowly unraveling yet extremely fast-paced story. As we travel through the events of the race, bit by bit we learn more of her past—what brought her to this point and who had the biggest impact on her life, shaping her into who she is today.

This type of writing, when done well, can be quite suspenseful and generate an atmosphere of mystery that unfailingly keeps a reader turning pages. Ryan Graudin absolutely nails this technique in her novel. She also manages to form a very distinct tone for each side of the dual narrative. I found that the flashbacks felt intensely emotional, which matched perfectly with the grief and struggle of Yael’s early life.

On the other hand, the present day narrative feels much more suppressed and reserved emotion-wise. This not only fits with her harnessing of her powers for the good of the resistance, but also with her unrest over her true identity—something which she is clearly trying to quell. As the plot moves forward and more of her past is revealed to the reader, more of the emotion found in the flashbacks steadily begins to seep into the present.

Graudin’s characterization is another extremely memorable aspect of this novel. Yael is an exceptionally strong, beautiful, and complex heroine with an utterly mesmerizing story—one of the inner turmoil caused by a loss of identity. She can confidently take on the appearances and lives of others, and has fashioned a face that has become her own. But she has lost the physical image of the real Yael, and struggles deeply with the concept of her true identity. Filled with the perfect balance of courage, fierce determination, and natural human vulnerability, she is not only a wonderfully well-crafted character, but one who is easy to connect with.

We spend a lot of time one-on-one with Yael due to the nature of the plot, and Graudin did a fantastic job of making a character that fluidly drives the story forward. However, the other characters and her relationships with them are equally as vividly portrayed and well-developed. I truly enjoyed seeing the roles that Felix and Luka played in Yael’s life, and I am looking forward to finding out what their involvement in the next novel will be.

Though they only appear briefly in the flashbacks, the “wolves” are quite three-dimensional, and their importance in Yael’s life is quite literally etched into the present day plot. The slow unfolding of their individual roles in their part of this dual narrative worked brilliantly to create mystery and anticipation in both storylines, since it very much enriched many aspects of the present portion.

Challenging what readers know in terms of World War II-based historical fiction, Ryan Graudin creates an intriguing tale of alternate history and extraordinary power. She exhibits a very imaginative mind with the many inventive elements of the narrative, such as the aspect of skinshifting, which is something I absolutely loved. The juxtaposition of Yael’s flashbacks and her actions in the present allows two storylines to slowly weave together, producing emotional suspense as well as an ultimately well-rounded story containing many riveting twists and surprises.

With her beautiful, lyrical writing style, multidimensional characters, and unique plot ideas, Ryan Graudin proves herself to be a very talented writer. Fast-paced and gripping, with vividly developed characters and an enthralling narrative, I absolutely devoured every page. Despite knowing things could not possibly end as flawlessly as desired by the characters, I could never have imagined it ending the way that it did. I am incredibly eager to not only get my hands on a copy of the sequel, but also to read more of her work in general.

5.0 TARDISes

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Review: Wolf by Kelly Oliver

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wolfWolf by Kelly Oliver

My Rating: 3.5/5 TARDISes

Series: Jessica James Mysteries #1

Date Published: June 1st, 2016

Publisher: Kaos Press

Pages: 316 pages

Source: Author

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Montana cowgirl Jessica James is sleeping on a desk in the attic of the Philosophy Department at Northwestern University and she blames her advisor, Professor Wolfgang “Wolf” Schumtzig, “Preeminent Philosopher and World Class Dick-Head.” But when he’s found dead in his office, her real education begins. The murder weapon is a campus date-rape drug, supplied by the Russian mafia—and Jessica could be the next target.

Dmitry Durchenkov is trying to live a normal life as a janitor at Northwestern after escaping Russia with part of his father’s mafia fortune—which has suddenly disappeared. Jessica and Dmitry team up to wrangle mobsters, encounter a trio of feminist avengers, and lasso frat boys in order to rope in a murderer who’s read too much Existentialism. Together, the brooding Russian and the cowgirl philosopher learn that sometimes virtue is just the flip side of vice.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

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This is a spoiler-free review.

Wolf is pitched as being a crime novel that tackles some important issues using a good dose of intelligence, humor, and feminism—and it certainly lives up to these claims. Despite my love of the mystery genre, I was a bit unsure whether or not this particular combination of themes would really be my type of story. However, Kelly Oliver’s clever writing managed to erase all of my hesitations. Though some parts fell a bit flat or lacked believability, it turned out to be a very enjoyable read as a whole. I ended up getting completely swept up in the suspense and wit of this novel.

Throughout the duration of the narrative, we follow the lives of two characters. Jessica James, hailing from Montana, is pursuing her PhD in philosophy at Northwestern University when her advisor, Professor Wolfgang Schumtzig is found murdered in his Philosophy Department office. Dmitry Durchenkov, the university’s janitor, finds that the past he fled his homeland of Russia to escape is finally catching up with him, and at the worst possible time. Existentialism, murder, date-rape drugs supplied by members of the Russian mafia, and even the disappearance of famous works of art tie these two lives together in intriguing and unexpected ways.

Kelly Oliver takes some incredibly difficult topics and tackles them in a mature and respectful way. She carefully injects the humor into the story, giving the darker aspects of the plot the gravity that they deserve. There is never a moment where it seems as if the more serious moments are being taken too lightly. I appreciated how she focused on educating her readers about very relevant issues. On top of this, Oliver also adds quite a deal of philosophy and art history into the story, which I was very interested in. From her intelligent writing, it is easy to tell that she is well informed on all the subjects that she covers.

I’ll admit, I had a little bit of trouble getting into this novel to begin with, as the first fourth or so of the novel is much slower paced for the most part. This is primarily due to the fact that there is a lot of setup and familiarizing the reader with the characters rather than focus on action and the mystery unfolding. This is completely understandable, especially given that it is the first novel in a series, so even though it was slow going for me for a little bit, it did not by any means put me off the story.

I think that this initial sluggishness I experienced was magnified due to the fact that the narrative jumps between the two main characters. The entire novel is told in third person, but it switches back and forth between the storylines of Jessica and Dmitry every chapter or so. It takes some time to make significant progress in each storyline and for them to weave together. This causes the main body of the novel to be quite fast-paced, but sort of puts the brakes on things when it comes to the setup.

Writing a novel using this method can be fantastic for developing a feeling of suspense, but is also tricky to perfect. I found that the constant shifts sometimes caused me to feel that the narrative was becoming a bit jumbled. However, this did not detract from my reading experience too severely, particularly as I got further in. Once you get to know the characters, it is extremely easy to get caught up in their lives, and I tore through most of the novel.

Oliver juxtaposes the humor and awkwardness of Jessica’s life with the pain and fear plaguing Dmitry’s in order to create an ultimately gripping and unified plot. As a whole, she created the desired tension by leaving the reader wanting more at the end of each character’s contribution to the progression of the storyline. When it becomes fully apparent how closely these two lives are connected, the story picks up very quickly. For some reason, I was not expecting this link between them, and was pleasantly surprised with the direction that Oliver took it in.

This book is filled with a diverse and quirky cast of characters, all filled with a great amount of inner strength. I found the characterization to be an exceptionally strong point. Jessica is a great example of how to create a female protagonist. She is funny and delightfully awkward, while also being a very intelligent and independent heroine. Dmitry shows his strength in a different way, fighting to move forward from a troubled past that won’t let him go.

I think Lolita ended up being my favorite character in the novel. I love what a strong woman she is and how much she cares for and supports her friends and family. All of the primary characters are fully formed and multidimensional, each showing some amount of progress throughout the novel. No matter what their personal story holds or what struggles they are facing, each character does their part and is working hard to be the best version of themselves that they can be—someone they are proud of.

There is also a major focus on relationships between friends and the importance of family rather than on romance, which is an aspect of this novel that I found to be quite refreshing. The friendship between Jessica and Lolita—the way they look out for and support each other—is absolutely lovely and shows the strength that can be produced from that sort of companionship. Dmitry’s devotion to his family and the lengths he goes to in order to keep them safe is quite beautiful, adding both more dimension and a greater sense of urgency to his struggle.

The small amount of romance that is present, though I really wanted to like it, fell sort of flat for me. It felt a bit forced and at times confusing, so I do wish that it had either been addressed a bit more or left out completely. But this was the only area of issue in the portrayal of relationships and the theme of love. Overall, the dynamics and interactions between the various characters added more depth and meaning to the story, and was one of the strongest and most captivating aspects.

Wolf is a novel with a lot of heart and a good sense of humor, despite its fairly dark subject matter. With smart and skillful writing, vividly depicted characters, and an addictive plot, it proves to be quite a rousing read. Kelly Oliver has created a unique and memorable mystery that both educates and entertains. I am incredibly eager to continue on with this series, and look forward to seeing the ongoing adventures of Jessica James. I would definitely recommend giving this book a try.

3.5 TARDISes

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Review: Doctor Who: The Stealers of Dreams by Steve Lyons

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thestealersofdreamsDoctor Who: The Stealers of Dreams by Steve Lyons

My Rating: 4/5 TARDISes

Series: Doctor Who: New Series Adventures #6

Date Published: September 8th, 2005

Publisher: BBC Books

Pages: 254 pages

Source: Purchased

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: In the far future, the Doctor, Rose, and Captain Jack find a world on which fiction has been outlawed. A world where it’s a crime to tell stories, a crime to lie, a crime to hope, and a crime to dream. But now somebody is challenging the status quo. A pirate TV station urges people to fight back, and the Doctor wants to help – until he sees how easily dreams can turn into nightmares. With one of his companions stalked by shadows and the other committed to an asylum, the Doctor is forced to admit that fiction can be dangerous after all. Though perhaps it is not as deadly as the truth…

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This is a spoiler-free review.

This is a particularly interesting review for me to do because my experience with this novel shifted back and forth between reading a physical edition and listening to an audiobook. I will say upfront that I am not a huge fan of audiobooks, feeling like they detract quite a bit from my personal reading experience. The quality of the audio, the style of the narrator, whether those aspects are good or not, audiobooks and I have never gotten along especially well. That being said, when I found this one, I decided, why not give it a go—and to be honest, I ended up relatively pleased with my choice.

In this novel, the Doctor, Rose, and Jack find themselves entering a world where fiction and fantasy has been made illegal. There are no writers or novels, and those who are caught engaging in the creation of stories—or something as simple as dreaming—are imprisoned in “The Big White House”, where they are meant to be “rehabilitated”. In this society, being found to be “fiction crazy” is as bad if not worse than the act of murder. However, an underground society of dreamers is rising up, taking to the airwaves on a pirated radio station and attempting to bring fiction back to the people. When the trio accidently get split up, they become deeply involved in the dangerous workings of this truth-obsessed city.

Out of all the Doctor Who novels I’ve read so far, this ended up being one of my favorites. The plot is not an incredibly new or unique topic in fiction, but it’s nevertheless always an interesting one. And of course, Lyons puts his own unique flair on this familiar concept. As a writer and reader, I find it both fascinating and terrifying to imagine what the world would be like if we were not allowed to create and fantasize. This theme is inherently captivating, and Lyons has formed it into a fast-paced novel. With plenty of suspense and mystery, as well as a twist ending I personally did not see coming, this is quite an enjoyable read.

I thought that Lyons did a rather solid job of portraying the ninth Doctor, Rose, and Jack. The three go their separate ways early on, so the majority of the narration switches between each person’s exploits every chapter or so. Jack was a particularly strong character in this story, and I really enjoyed his parts. Occasionally, the narrative felt a bit jumpy and jumbled because it switched around so frequently between each storyline, but this did not affect my experience too drastically.

The additional characters were also well crafted and fit nicely into the world they belonged to. We get to see people on either side of this society—those who enforce the eradication of fantasy and those who secretly defy the law. Their interactions with the main trio and their individual views added some great dimension to the plot. I liked that whether obsessed with truth or fiction, their interpretations of life were so limited and so dependent on clichés. It shows how desperately we need a proper balance of each in our lives.

The audiobook I listened to for part of my reading experience was the unabridged audio, narrated by Camille Coduri. This is not one of the slightly abridged ones, acted out by one of the cast members, though I would like to give one of those a try some day as they seem like they would be fun. When it came to this particular book, I actually did not mind the narration for once. I admit, I’m still not sold on audiobooks in general, but my experience with this novel was overall a positive one.

Coduri has a fairly pleasant voice to listen to, and her delivery—though quite unique and slightly unusual, in my opinion—was something I found to be very enjoyable. I feel as though her style might not be something that is everyone’s cup of tea, but it worked well enough for me. She gave each character a distinctive voice and did a respectable job of portraying the appropriate emotion in each scene. One of the major pitfalls of an audiobook can be adding too much or too little voice acting into the narration. Coduri’s performance was very three-dimensional, her acting complementing the story as a whole rather than distracting from it.

I’ve said before that I tend to hold novels from this series to a different standard than most. They are not inherently poor quality novels by any means—they feature a lot of strong writing and storytelling. However, they are much more along the lines of fun reads than great literature. That being said, this was one of the better ones, both in content and quality. The plot was intriguing and that, along with the portrayal of the characters, stayed very true to the beloved television show. It was a great addition to the series and I would highly recommend this novel to all Doctor Who fans out there.

4.0 TARDISes

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Review: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

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wonderstruckWonderstruck by Brian Selznick

My Rating: 4/5 TARDISes

Series: Standalone

Date Published: September 13th, 2011

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 640 pages

Source: Library

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Ben and Rose secretly wish for better lives. Ben longs for his unknown father. Rose scrapbooks a famous silent actress. When Ben finds clues and Rose reads enticing news, the children independently run to New York for what they are missing. Ben’s story in words, Rose’s in pictures, come together in deafness.

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This is a spoiler-free review.

Brian Selznick is a complete master of his craft—of turning the experience of reading a traditional novel into something so much more unique and powerful. This story is a particularly intense and utterly enthralling demonstration of that. Selznick’s novels take the reader on an adventure of the senses, producing a sort of “silent film” effect in novel form, which works on so many levels here. The style that he has chosen to use in order to unfold and bring together these two character’s lives is an absolutely brilliant one, and once again, I must complement his boundless creativity.

In Wonderstruck, Selznick alternates between the lives of two children—Ben Wilson, whose story is told solely through text, and Rose Kincaid, who is portrayed entirely in illustrations. Rose’s story takes place in the 1920s, while Ben’s is in the 1970s, but the many ways in which their lives tie together throughout the novel is mesmerizing. Each tale twists into the other, revealing piece after piece of the plot in turn as they weave toward the end. This technique creates a very fast-pace that carries the reader over the pages, holding onto them until the final image.

The main aspect of this novel that makes the alternation between text and image especially powerful is the overarching theme of deafness and silence. Ben is deaf in one ear, while Rose is completely deaf, making her story perfect for recounting through images rather than text. Rose becomes enamored by silent films and their actors as she lives alone within her own personal silence. Ben is on his own, in mourning for his mother. Both children are trying to find better lives for themselves, and end up discovering a mutual home in the comfort of a museum, another hall of silent stories. The full importance of this theme to each character’s life and the overall tone of the novel becomes magnified through the art of wordless storytelling.

With lyrical prose and expressive sketches, Wonderstruck is classic Brian Selznick material. He expertly plots out the progression of both storylines so that the juxtaposition of the illustrations and the text lines up to fully bring the setting to life, even with the difference in time period. Each progression in one story layers more intrigue onto the other, building and entwining, not missing a step, until the most important connection is revealed at the climax.

Selznick has a very singular art style that might not appeal to everyone, but I personally love it. His work has the feel of quick, casual scribbling—a bit rough, yet packed with so much intricate detail. It works well with the text, producing the same voice in an extremely different sort of narrative. Overall, he performs multiple artistic roles at the same time with an equal amount of competence, creating an imaginative and unified piece. Neither the text nor the art suffers for or at any time feels eclipsed by the other—he skillfully achieves a solid balance between the two.

This novel is another incredibly masterful piece of art produced by an extraordinarily talented man. It is one of those books that everyone will thoroughly enjoy, no matter what age they are. Using both text and illustration, Brian Selznick perfectly demonstrates multiple methods that humans can use to paint a picture for an audience—an audience that he effortlessly captivates. Time and time again, he shows that he knows exactly how to interlace the two mediums fluidly so that one builds on rather than overpowers the other. I found Wonderstruck to be a particularly strong example of this style of his—a story that it truly enriches the meaning of—and I highly recommend giving it a read.

 

4.0 TARDISes

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Review: Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

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cruelcrownCruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

My Rating: 4/5 TARDISes

Series: Red Queen #0.1-0.2

Date Published: January 5th, 2016

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 208 pages

Source: Library

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Two women on either side of the Silver and Red divide tell the stories no one else knows.

Discover the truth of Norta’s bloody past in these two revealing prequels to #1 New York Times bestseller Red Queen.

Queen Song—Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary—how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lay ahead for her in royal life.

Steel Scars—Diana Farley was raised to be strong, but being tasked with planting the seeds of rebellion in Norta is a tougher job than expected. As she travels the land recruiting black market traders, smugglers, and extremists for her first attempt at an attack on the capital, she stumbles upon a connection that may prove to be the key to the entire operation—Mare Barrow.

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This is a spoiler-free review.

Once again, I appear to be in the minority when it comes to my opinion on Victoria Aveyard’s novels—however, this time, it is in the complete opposite way. I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading these two novellas. These are the first prequel novellas to Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series—a series that I have not been a major fan of so far.

Though the idea for the plot of Red Queen is intriguing, unique, and something that would normally be right up my alley, I do not believe it is executed as well as it could be, which ends up being a massive detriment. However, Cruel Crown has further confirmed two thoughts I’ve had ever since I began the series last year. First, that Victoria Aveyard is in fact an absolutely spectacular writer. And second, that there is just something about the main character, Mare, that I genuinely cannot stand.

Over the course of these novellas, we get an opportunity to see Aveyard write from two completely fresh points of view. Whether sharing the thoughts of a young girl from a lower class Silver family as she turns into a queen, or exploring the mind of an influential member of the Red rebellion as she realizes her full potential, Aveyard masterfully portrays her various characters. Her talent as a wordsmith cannot be denied and these novellas—with their varying points of view—allow her to present us with a more solid demonstration of this than Red Queen did.

As she has been displaying since her debut novel, Victoria Aveyard has a natural aptitude when it comes to world building. Her background in screenwriting is quite apparent as she creates every setting, unfolds every single action, with a vivid palette of words. This is something that has caused me to completely fall in love with her writing style, despite not always being thrilled with her characterization or what she chooses to focus on in her plotlines.

I’ll now briefly touch on my specific thoughts about each story individually.

Queen Song (Rating: 4/5)

Queen Song briefly recounts the life of Coriane, queen of Norta, first wife of King Tiberias, and Cal’s mother. We learn of the trials she faced through her younger years—her struggle to find some source of happiness. We are able to get a brief glimpse into her romance with Tibe and the torments that plagued her through the final years of her life. A damaged, desperate, yet inherently brave young woman fighting against demons—both tangible and intangible—Queen Coriane’s story is truly a captivating one.

This ended up being my favorite of the two novellas—in fact, I really wish that this story were a full novel in itself. I would have gladly read many more pages about Coriane’s life, as well as the life of the kingdom itself prior to the events of Red Queen. It is hard to imagine feeling for anyone other than the Reds, but Coriane’s story is surprisingly heart wrenching. This is due primarily to the fact that Aveyard forms her into an extremely kind, relatable figure, despite her slightly elevated standing in society.

Right from the start, Aveyard shows the same vivid and technically proficient writing as she demonstrated in Red Queen. Coriane’s pain is understandable, clearly rendered and fluidly woven into the overall tone and atmosphere of the novella. There is a repetitiveness and childishness to the way she thinks and handles the emotions she faces through the beginning of the story. This at first got on my nerves, but the more I thought, the more I realized how perfectly Aveyard captures the way in which a young girl might confront extreme sadness. As Coriane ages, this repetitive method gives way to a much stronger, more mature one, displaying solid character progression in a short amount of text—not an easy feat.

The biggest complaint I have is not even much of a complaint, per se. I really just want more. I want more details about her early life—more of her relationships with her best friend, brother, and father. I want to see more of her courtship with King Tiberias. Their love story is sweet and beautiful, not only elaborating on their history, but also adding a new dimension to Tiberas’ character. However, it is a comparatively small portion of the novella. The ending is quite rushed—understandably—and though I thoroughly enjoyed this novella, I do wish there was just a bit more to it.

Steel Scars (Rating: 3.75/5)

In Steel Scars, we follow Captain Diana Farley—a key figure in the Red rebellion—through the months that lead up to the moments when her life first becomes entangled with Mare Barrow’s. Alternating between Farley’s point of view and a series of secret transmissions, Aveyard paints a picture of a strong, ambitious leader discovering her true strength as she pushes through her fears and weaknesses to do what she believes is right.

Though it starts off a bit slow, this story quickly begins to pick up, and I found myself pulled into the highs and lows, the triumphs and struggles that made up Captain Farley’s past. Though we do not begin at the start of her time in the rebellion, we get to see a very different side of Farley—a more impulsive, vulnerable side as she tries to make a name for herself and establish a place of power in the rebellion. It was interesting to see how she has changed, how much she matured, and the full extent of both her personal and professional strength.

Again, Aveyard’s writing is as beautiful and skillful as always. I found her world building in this particular story to be some of her best so far, and the action sequences were exciting and enthralling. As this is a spoiler-free review, I will only go as far as saying that the mystery guest who makes an appearance in this plotline and their relationship with Farley was probably my absolute favorite part. This is what has made me particularly eager to continue onto the next book in the series.

I must admit, the decoded messages were a bit confusing and difficult to follow at times, but as the story progressed, I found myself getting more used to reading them. Since each series of messages follows a new chunk of plot, understanding what events they are referring to and whom each codename belongs to becomes quite straightforward. They also consistently become more and more intriguing, which aids the ease of reading them. Though I was not a complete fan starting out, they grew on me, and I ended up really appreciating the reality they add to the atmosphere of Farley’s story.

Astonishingly enough, despite my mixed feelings on this series as a whole, I am actually feeling quite eager to continue on with it after reading these novellas. The time away from it and this brief glimpse at some of the other characters and their backstories has been oddly refreshing. I did not enter this novel with high hopes, but I came out of it very pleased with what it held. Though these stories are not necessarily integral to one’s understanding or enjoyment of the series as a whole, I would personally recommend giving these two novellas a try as they do enrich the world.

4.0 TARDISes

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