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The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

I read The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White as one of my buddy reads this month. Since it was a retelling of a classic with a female protagonist, I was really excited to read it.

We follow Elizabeth, a girl who was taken in by the Frankensteins as a child. Given food, shelter, and everything she could want or need, she’s to befriend Victor and be his companion. Together since childhood, they forge a tight knit bond. But appearances are often only surface deep and what’s lurking beneath the depths are hideous secrets better left unspoken. We follow her journey to finding Victor, the truth, and ultimately, herself.

I was really excited going into this book. A twist on a classic with a strong female protagonist? Sign me up! For some reason, I had also had notions that it was Elizabeth going mad that we were going to be reading about. And, I love a good story with an unreliable narrator, so that was another check in this books column. While the book wasn’t bad, my own expectations had caused me to be disappointed with it.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein: The Nitty-Gritty

First of all, let me reiterate, this was a good book. The reason I was disappointed with it is because I had my own expectations that weren’t met. I really enjoyed the characterization of Elizabeth. The way that we are privy to Elizabeth’s thoughts as she questions her motives and her courses of actions, I thought this was excellent. It made her character more authentic and showed her desperation. The employment of flashbacks was done well. I’m not sure if I would have preferred it done in a different way or not; that’s something I wondered about as well while reading.

One thing that bothered me was that, despite the fact that this was a retelling with a female protagonist, I still felt like it was mainly about Victor. Even though we are reading through Elizabeth’s point of view, the whole story is centered around Victor and his madness and his brilliance. I understand their relationship and why this was, but it just felt like it was still mostly Victor’s story. I wanted more of Elizabeth.

Overall, this book was good. It wasn’t what I had been expecting but it wasn’t a bad read. I enjoyed reading it but I can’t say it gave me too many spooky vibes, which is what I was hoping for. I do think it’s a good read and you should check it out, especially if you’re looking for a twist on the classic.

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

September Wrap Up

My September wrap up is going to be pretty difficult I think. I read some great books last month. As for ratings, I haven’t really given any of them ratings as of yet. I do, however, have a general idea what I would have given them, so I can include that. Here we go! Because I’ve already read and reviewed them, I’ll link the reviews as well.

I’m wary to say I had a least favorite, since I enjoyed everything I read last month, which is rare. Since I don’t have a least favorite, I’m just going to talk about which were most intriguing or were easiest to get into/through.

My favorite book was Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. It was such a fun read, I was immediately hooked from the beginning. I loved getting into a book series again that I just had to keep reading. And I already am dying for the sequel! If you like retellings, magic, strong Black Girl Magic, this is totally for you! I gave it 4.5/5 ⭐️.

Another book I immediately was absorbed in and wanted to keep reading was Hush by Dylan Farrow. From the beginning I was hooked and had to know more and find out about this cursed society where words are forbidden. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and recommend that you check it out! I’d give this a 4/5 ⭐️.

September Wrap Up “Honorable Mentions”

Next is The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix. This book was pretty good and was interesting to read. While I enjoyed reading it and getting to know the characters and magic system, I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as some other books I read in September. I’d still give this a 3.75-4/5 ⭐️.

I enjoyed reading Twig and Turtle: Big Move to a Tiny House by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. It is a heartwarming story about two girls who move into a tiny house and scheme to keep their dog. It is an easy read, but it had many themes of importance. I’d probably give it a 3.5-4/5 ⭐️.

Another book I tackled is Oshibana Complex by Craig Hallam. This had a neat storyline and I enjoyed the use of gender-neutral pronouns for the entire book. There were a lot of great things about this book. I found myself reaching for other books over this one, however, despite how much I did enjoy this. I’d give it a 3.5/5⭐️.

The last book I’m going to give a rating to for September is Wicked Fox by Kat Cho. This was an interesting fantasy story and for the most part I enjoyed it. I can’t give it a higher rating because it took me over a month to finish it. It gets 3.5/5 ⭐️ from me.

It’s A “No Rating” From Me

I also read I Am These Truths by Sunny Hostin. As a rule, I don’t rate memoirs because I don’t feel that it’s my place to say whether they wrote about their life “well enough.” I used to try, but always felt awkward as it’s not my place to say how well they told their personal story. It was interesting learning about her life and the struggles she’s been through and I think this book is worth the read.

Have you read any of the books listed here in my September wrap up? If so, which were your favorites? Any recommendations for me based on my thoughts?

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

*Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. You can read more here.

I read The Kite Runner as one of my selections for Banned Books Week. I’ve always heard such good things about it. Alas, like many of my other books, it’s just been sitting on my shelf, eyeing me sadly while I read all the fancy new releases. I finally picked it up and wow did it pack a punch. First, let’s get into what it’s about.

In this story, we’re following Amir, an Afghani man who recounts his life from childhood to adulthood. We learn about his life growing up in Afghanistan, his escape from a war-wracked Kabul, his journey to America, and his journey back to Afghanistan. We witness his relationship with his father, and with his playmate, Hassan, and a myriad of other important characters. In this story, we are privy to Amir’s failures, his regrets, his redemption, his fears, his love, and everything in between, as well as what it means to forgive. It’s an emotional story that will put you on a roller coaster and have you wondering if you can take it anymore.

My Reading Experience of The Kite Runner

I wasn’t sure if I could handle reading it. After 7 chapters in, I had to stop. I didn’t pick the book up for 3 days. As I was reading chapter 7, I was bawling. I couldn’t stop, so I put the book down before I could finish the chapter. I consulted one of my reading groups about the rest. Does this get better? Will I stop crying? I had to know. I wasn’t sure I could continue reading an almost 400-page book with this much turmoil and emotion. “You probably will keep crying, but it’s worth it.” That was the resounding response from the group. So, after a 3-day hiatus, I forged on.

I don’t regret reading it. Yes, it was absolutely emotional. The whole book ripped at my emotions and my heart and I did cry through the rest of it. I’m actually a little upset with Hosseini about some of this book. But it’s a book that will stay with me, and that’s what makes a book great, so I guess that means he did his job.

While I definitely struggled with this one because of the sheer emotional impact it caused, I do recommend it. However, I will say that there are some triggers with this, and some content warnings. Please be advised that some of these triggers include depictions of rape, attempted suicide, bullying, murder, and war.

Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

I won a free copy of Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House during BookCon in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Holiday House for providing the ARC. All opinions expressed are solely my own. *Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. You can read more here.

This book is about Twig and Turtle, 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. Not only that, but Twig is having problems fitting in at her new school. How can Twig get her dog to come live with them in their tiny house and make new friends?

I enjoyed this story. It followed the typical story arc, and it was a great early reader book. Of course, anything with a dog as one of the focal points of the story has my attention. I read this book to my son as I was reviewing it, and although he wasn’t too impressed (he’s 11 months so I’ll give him a pass 😄), I was curious to know what would happen next. I plan to read it again to him when he’s older; it’s a good story with important themes in it.

There were female main characters, determination, problem-solving, friendship building, the strength of love, and lessons all wrapped up in this book. Despite the short length of this book, there are many aspects of it that will appeal to young readers. After reading this book, I’m looking forward to reading more adventures with Twig and Turtle. I wonder what shenanigans they’ll get into next?!

Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House by Jennifer Richard Jacobson Physical ARC

October TBR

Happy Fall, y’all! 🍁🍂🎃 Well, y’all, another month has come and gone, which means it’s time for my October TBR! I completed my entire TBR for September, which means it’s a fresh slate this month. I have yet another ambitious TBR for this month, but it’s a bit different because I chose books that will help me get in the mood for Halloween and the Fall season. I’ll be doing some buddy reading, as well as reading a few ARCs. So, let’s get into it!

I just finished The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I read this for my participation in Banned Books Week. This book takes place in Afghanistan and follows a friendship between a boy and the son of his father’s servant. It covers love, betrayal, family, redemption, sacrifice, and loyalty. This book caused so many emotions, y’all. I’ll get more into my reaction in my review!

Another book I’m going to read this month to spooky things up a bit is The Companion by Katie Alender. I’ve already mentioned this as one of my anticipated reads from a few months ago, but I’ve been dying to read this, and this month is perfect for it. This is about a girl, Margot, whose entire family dies in an accident and everyone keeps telling her she’s lucky. But when Margot gets taken in by a wealthy family and finds out the true reason for their kindness, Margot is left wondering whether she really is lucky. I can’t wait to dive into this, it sounds like such a perfectly spooky read for Halloween-time!

October Buddy Reads

I’ll be reading Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo as a buddy read. Sure to start getting me in the Halloween mood, this book is about Alex, a freshman at Yale with a dark past. It’s her job to keep an eye on the secret societies of the rich and powerful of Yale, but what she finds just might be worse than can be imagined. This is one of my most anticipated books and I just haven’t gotten around to reading it (shocker). I’m glad I’m finally sitting down to do it!

Another book I’ll be tackling this month is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This is a classic that I’ll be reading as a buddy read. A classic I’ve never read, this book is about scientist Victor Frankenstein who creates a creature out of body parts and uses an electrical charge to start it. The monster demands a partner, as his only request is friendship, but when Frankenstein fails to complete the female counterpart, the monster promises revenge. I’m glad to finally read it!

The last buddy read I’ll be doing this month is The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White. This is a retelling of Frankenstein. This is about a girl named Elizabeth who doesn’t have much, but luck finds her when she’s taken in by Victor Frankenstein. She’s given shelter, food, a warm bed, everything she could want–and he finally has a friend, and the two become close. But not everything is always as it seems, and sometimes keeping the peace can come at a great cost. This book sounds so good. I love books where the main character may be on the fringe of sanity. I can’t wait to read it!

October TBR ARCs

One of the ARCs I’ll be reading is Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten. I was fortunate to receive a copy of this from St. Martin’s Press. In this story we follow Catherine Alexeyevna, Peter the Great’s second wife. The year is 1725 and Russia risks mayhem as Peter left the empire without an heir and is dying. Can Catherine manage to take the throne? I’m so excited for this one. I love a good historical fiction novel, and strong females throughout history are always so great to read about. This will be publishing in November.

The other ARC I’ll be reading is These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. I won this in a giveaway during SDCC by Simon Pulse. This is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet but set in Shanghai in 1926. Um, yes please! We’re following two gangs–the Scarlet Gang and the White Flowers. Juliette Cai is the heir to the Scarlet Gang and Roma Montagov is the heir to the White Flowers. When strange things start happening to members of the gangs on both sides, Juliette and Roma must set aside their differences and come together to save their city. Y’all I can’t wait to read this one either. I love retellings, I love Romeo & Juliet, and I love the premise of this book. This book is expected to be published in November.

So, that’s it for my October TBR. What’s on your shelf this month? Any other spooky recommendations?

The Book Nerd Mom

ABCMouse

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