I won a free ARC of Amari and the Night Brothers during NYCC/Metaverse in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Epic Reads and the publisher Balzer + Bray for the physical copy I was provided. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
In this book we follow Amari Peters, a young girl who just wants to find her missing brother, Quinton. When she gets an opportunity to visit the special camp that he used to attend every summer, she’ll find that things aren’t always as they seem, and she’s off to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Soon she finds out what her supernatural talent is, but will she be able to save Quinton in time?
I really enjoyed this book. It had everything I like in a middle grade novel. There were interesting characters, it was set in a fun world, there was magic, and we got to follow a strong Black female main character. So let’s get a little bit more into the specifics of what I really liked.
Amari and the Night Brothers: The Breakdown
First, let’s talk about this world building. This book has dual worlds in it: the natural world and the supernatural world. Alston did a great job juxtaposing the two throughout the book. Along with this, there were the specific jobs and departments that were a part of the supernatural world that I especially enjoyed. These included: Department of Coverups, Department of the Unexplained, etc. I thought these were fun additions to a book about a supernatural world and I can only imagine what a middle grade reader who enjoys magic would think.
So what about the magic? I’ll admit, I do hope there is more about this in the second book. What we were given was interesting, but I wanted more about how it worked. I don’t want to give any spoilers away about this aspect so I’ll just leave it at that.
Alston wrote interesting and recognizable characters. I love that the hero of our story is Amari, a young Black girl from the “wrong side of town” who just wants to find her brother. I love that we see her internal struggle with self-worth, because that is such a true-to-life issue, and it’s been validated for her by her peers. Alston did a great job with Amari’s character and showing her growth from self-doubt to self-assured. I also liked that he made her best friend, Elsie, a weredragon who is a science genius. The characters in here were so thought out and had such awesome quirks, I loved them!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I fled through it, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next with Amari and her friends. I can’t recommend this enough! It’s due for publication on 1/19/21 so be sure to get your copy!
I won a free ARC of this book during SDCC online thanks to Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Legendborn is about a girl, Bree, who attends UNC Chapel Hill in a program for high schoolers. Upon arrival, she notices things aren’t as they seem. It appears there is some type of magic afoot. The more she learns about this magical society, the more she realizes her mother’s death isn’t as black and white as she was led to believe. We follow her as she joins The Order and the Legendborn and tries to uncover the truth of what really happened to her mom. But the more Bree finds out about her mom, the more she discovers about her past and truths about herself. What will Bree do with all of the knowledge and thus the power she is searching for?
Let me start off by saying, for some reason I hadn’t really heard much about this book. I saw it during SDCC and I was intrigued, but again, I hadn’t heard much hype. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with that. So, after I was lucky enough to win an ARC of it, I dove right in. That was the best thing I could have ever done for myself.
Y’ALL. I absolutely LOVED this book. It isn’t even on the SHELVES YET and I need to read book two! I can’t rave enough about how good this book is. It’s probably my favorite so far this year. I gave it a 5/5–my first of the year! It will be in stores tomorrow–September 15th. Let me get into why I love it and why you need to go get yourself a copy and read it ASAP!
Why I Loved Legendborn
Tracy Deonn has a gift. Her writing is amazing. It was lyrical and powerful. I felt connected to the characters and each character left me feeling different emotions. I was hooked from the beginning and didn’t want to put it down. The magic system was so interesting, too. I don’t want to go into great detail, because spoilers. But there were two main categories, really, and they were both developed pretty well.
Bree was such an amazing main character. I loved that she was such a strong female character who did what she needed to do despite what others wanted. Her “take no shit” attitude was one of my favorite qualities about her. Another favorite quality she possessed was her determination. Not only did she never give up trying to infiltrate The Order, but she never gave up trying to find out the truth about her mom. Her compassion was also an admirable quality. Even though she was there essentially for revenge, she still cared about the members of The Order and tried not to hurt them. I liked that Deonn included connections between Bree and a few characters (no spoilers!) and I’m so anxious to see where that goes in book two!
I liked the diversity that Deonn incorporated. It didn’t feel like any of it was included just to mark off on a checklist, and it felt more organic. There were a few same-sex relationships and non-binary representation as well. The discussion of racial disparity was a great inclusion in the book. Not only is it poignant as the story takes place in the south with mainly white characters, but it is important that we don’t forget the injustices and discriminations that still are prevalent in our world today.
I have quite a few books on my September TBR. You’d think I’d learn to make them smaller since I never get through them all! I’ve finished up 2 books that I started last month and will be reading 5 others, bringing the total to 7. This month I’m reading them in a particular order based on publication date. Since I’m posting this TBR kind of late in the month, I’ve updated this list to reflect what I’ve already finished.
Finished September TBR Reads
I finished Wicked Fox by Kat Cho, which I started as a buddy read in August. It was a really interesting read. Honestly, I was skeptical at first but the more I read, the harder it was to put down. I’ll go into more detail in my review my reaction to the story, but I enjoyed the story, and I can’t wait for the sequel!
Next I finished I Am These Truths by Sunny Hostin, which I had started in August. You can read my review for Hostin’s memoir here. I Am These Truths by Sunny Hostin is set to be published on September 22nd.
I just finished reading Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, publishing on September 15. This is about a girl, Bree, who attends UNC Chapel Hill in a program for high schoolers. Upon arrival, she notices things aren’t as they seem, and it appears there is magic afoot. The more she learns about this magical society, the more she realizes her mother’s death isn’t as black and white as she was led to believe. We follow her as she joins the Legendborn and tries to uncover the truth of what really happened to her mom. Y’all, this was so good and I cannot wait for you to read it! More in my review to come.
To Be Read September Reads
I’ve started The Left Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix. This book is intriguing because it intertwines booksellers and magic and I am all for that. I can’t wait to find out what happens! You can purchase this on September 22nd.
I’m also reading Oshibana Complex by Craig Hallam. Inspired Quill is publishing this on September 26th. In this book, gender and race are no longer a part of the society of Shika-One. Procreation involves synthesis but with limited make-up, doppelgängers are abundant. Can one maintain the status quo and still showcase individuality? This book sounds interesting. It’s written completely in gender-neutral language, which is a first for me, and I’m excited about that.
After that is Hush by Dylan Farrow, releasing on October 6th. This book follows Shae, a 17-year-old girl determined to figure out the secrets of her world. A world that’s kept quiet by Bards who use magic to silence its citizens. Shae must figure out who to trust and find strength to break the Hush.
Then comes Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. Twig and Turtle are two young girls who move with their family into a tiny house. While Turtle doesn’t mind the move, Twig is sad to have to leave her Great Dane with her grandma. How can Twig get her dog to come live with them in their tiny house? This book sounds like a nice fun read and I can’t wait to find out how Twig fares with getting her dog back! This hit shelves on October 6th.
So what are y’all reading this month? What is on your September TBR? Are any of these on your anticipated reads list? Have you read any?
Happy August everyone! Can’t believe summer is coming to a close. There’s still plenty of summery reads to be read and warm sunny days to be enjoyed (safely and socially distanced, of course!).
This month I have quite the ambitious TBR for myself, as I have quite a few ARCs to read, plus other books I’m itching to read. I’m sure I won’t get to all of them, but hey, a girl can dream! Let’s dive right into them, shall we?! These aren’t really in any particular order as to when I’m reading them.
First up we have White Fox by Sara Faring. This is an eARC I received due to being a member of The Faring Society. It is due for publication September 22. In this novel we are following two sisters, Manon and Thais, as they work to uncover the truth behind their famous mother’s disappearance. They find their mother’s famous last work, White Fox, which holds the clue to truths about her. It sounds so intriguing and I love a good mystery/thriller. I’m about halfway through this one and it’s hard to put down. I can’t wait to find out how it turns out.
Next up we have How It All Blew Up by Arvin Ahmadi. I won this eARC from Penguin Teen in a giveaway contest. It is due for publication September 22. In this novel we are following Amir Azadi, who has recently come out to his Muslim family and forced to go through an interrogation at an airport. He decides to run away to Rome, and things in his new life start to feel natural, until his past comes back to haunt him and everything he’s come to know is jeopardized. I’ve read many not so great reviews about it, and this was one of my most anticipated reads, so I’m kind of anxious and hoping it won’t let me down and live up to the hype that I have given it personally.
After that comes The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix. I won this book in a BookCon giveaway. It is also due for publication September 22. This book is all about an alternate London set in 1983 where the magical and the ordinary worlds, the Old World and the New World, are intertwined. The Book-Sellers are the ones who enforce the boundary of the Old World, making sure it doesn’t spill into the New World. We follow Susan, Merlin, and Vivien as they journey through the Old World, searching to find out who Susan’s father was. I’m super excited to read this one. I haven’t read anything by Nix yet so I’m hoping this is a good starter.
Next we have I Am These Truths by Sunny Hostin. Set for publication September 22, I also won this book in a BookCon giveaway. This is a memoir that follows Hostin’s life from growing up in the South Bronx in poverty to her journey to law school and into her career as a legal journalist where she was one of the first to report on Trayvon Martin’s death, as well as recounting the adversity she’s had to overcome–both personally and professionally. I’ve read a little bit of it and it was fascinating. I can’t wait to finish it.
After that I’ll be reading Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts by Dianne K. Salerni. This book is set to publish September 1. I won a copy of this in a BookCon Giveaway. This is a middle grade book set in 1898 New York City, a time when humans and ghosts co-exist. We’re following cousins Eleanor and Alice, who live together and team up when they suspect sinister ghosts in their house who are not there for friendly reasons. This book sounds so good and I love a good historical fiction novel. The fact that this was written to be accessible for a younger audience is even better. I can’t wait to read it!
Another on the list is The Talented Miss Farwell by Emily Gray Tedrowe. Expected publication for this book is September 29. I won a copy of this in a Goodreads giveaway. In this story we are following a woman named Rebecca Farwell, a small town girl from Pierson Illinois, who starts buying and selling art. In a different city, a thousand miles away, Reba Farwell–as she’s known to those in the art business–has made a fortune by selling off her paintings. Rebecca/Reba’s art dealings have been fueled by money she’s taken from the town’s accounts. Will she be able to play the game much longer? I’m part-way through this book and so far it is kind of dull. It takes place from the early 1980s and goes through 2014. Right now I’m still in the late 1980s where she’s getting her foot in the door of art buying and selling, so about a quarter of the way through, but honestly all we are doing is following her mundane day-to-day life and seeing her pick out a painting and buy it. I’m hoping it picks up because as of now, it’s a struggle to get through. We shall see.
Next I’ll be reading Wicked Fox by Kat Cho. I’ll be doing this as a buddy read. This was published in June 2019 and the sequel is set for publication this month (August 18 2020). In this story we are following Miyoung, a gumiho, or nine-tailed fox who uses the energy of men in order to survive. Miyoung encounters Jihoon, a human male, and instead of devouring him, she saves him and thus a dangerous friendship arises. This causes her to lose her gumiho soul. When faced with the choice to regain her gumiho immortality, Miyoung is forced to decide whose life is more important: hers, or Jihoon’s. I’ve heard such good things about this book. I can’t wait to dig into this one. Fantasy isn’t typically my go-to genre but this sounds so good, I have to read it!
Another book I’ll be buddy reading is Dress Codes For Small Towns by Courtney C. Stevens. This book was published August 2017. In this book we’re following Billie McCaffrey, daughter of the town preacher, and just one of the guys. Living in the small southern town of Otters Holt, Billie knows people are used to conventional thinking. But Billie isn’t used to being conventional. We follow her as she comes to terms with her own sexuality when she realizes she may be in love with two of her best friends. I’ve started this book before but then put it aside for whatever reason and never picked it back up. I love the idea of this book, so I’m glad this buddy read will make me keep reading it. I hope the execution of the writing holds up to what I have pictured in my head!
So that’s my TBR for August. I’m hoping to read 8 books this month. It’s definitely not as much as I’ve read in past months but feels quite ambitious for a single mama whose 9-month old has just started crawling and is trying to start standing and learning to walk.
What is everyone reading? Any books y’all think I should check out? Have you read any of these?
So, another month has finished. This month wasn’t as good for me, reading-wise, as other months, but it wasn’t my worst. I was able to read 6 books this month. There were some highs, and definitely some lows. I didn’t really have any mediocre books, it was either a hit or a miss.
My books this month were: Hannah and Soraya’s Fully Magic Generation-Y *Snowflake* Road Trip Across America by James Ward, Christmas Candee by Judi Thompson and Charlene Tess, This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf, Letters From The Light by Shel Calopa, More Than A Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood, and The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed M. Masood.
My favorite books this month were definitely the two Syed M. Masood books I read: More Than a Pretty Face, and The Bad Muslim Discount. Both will be coming out soon (August and November, respectively), and they feature muslim protagonists. I really enjoyed Masood’s writing style and the characters that he developed were recognizable and stayed with me long after I finished the book(s). Both books received 5/5 stars.
My least favorite book was probably Hannah and Soraya’s Fully Magic Generation-Y *Snowflake* Road Trip Across America by James Ward. I was given the book for free in exchange for my honest review. There was nothing inherently bad about the book, I just didn’t enjoy it. There were so many things that happened in just the first few days of their road trip that I found it hard to believe. I originally didn’t rate this book but if I had, it’d have been a 1.5-2/5 star rating.
How was your reading month? Any favorites? Has anyone read any of these? Any recommendations for me?
