Author: tamaramorning

Book Review: The Similars, by Rebecca Hanover

Title: The Similars
Author: Rebecca Hanover
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

The elite Darkwood Academy is for high-achievers from wealthy families. It’s not cheap, and it’s not easy. But this year, it’s going to get a whole lot more competitive when six new students join the junior class. They’re more than overachievers, they’re clones. And their originals already attend Darkwood.

Emma doesn’t care about the clones. Her best friend, Oliver, died over the summer, and all she can think about is getting through each day without him. Until she meets Levi and realizes forgetting Oliver will be harder than she thought: Levi is Oliver’s clone, and seeing his face every day makes life unbearable.

But something is going on with the clones. They’re hiding something, and Emma discovers they have unheard of abilities to go along with their secret agenda. When her friend is almost murdered, Emma realizes something darker is happening, and she must trust someone if she is to find out the truth. But can she really trust Levi?

This is set in a future-America, but not that future, so it was easy to make sense of the world (sadly). I enjoyed reading Emma’s point-of-view and cannot imagine having lost my best friend and then being faced with his clone every day. There is a lot going on here, and I feel like the author glossed over some things that will hopefully be explored in the rest of the series. I noticed there wasn’t a lot involving the instructors, which seemed a bit odd, considering the setting is basically a boarding school, but it wasn’t something that made the story feel fake. The Similars is definitely a book I recommend.

Rebecca Hanover is an Emmy-winning writer and graduate of Stanford. The Similars is her debut novel.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.)

What I Read in 2018

Yearly total: 192 out of a goal of 150 books.

January 2018. (15)

February 2018. (13)

March 2018. (13)

April 2018. (15)

May 2018. (16)

June 2018. (11)

July 2018. (17)

August 2018. (19)

September 2018. (14)

October 2018. (21)

November 2018. (22)

December 2018 (18).

Here’s a link to my Goodreads Challenge page.

What I Read in December (2018)

Books Read in December: 18

Books Read for the Year: 192/150

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

Olivia Twist (from the TBR pile). I thought this was a great twist on a classic!

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis (spiritual). I’ve heard good things about this for years, and it was definitely an interesting perspective.

The Tuscan Child (cultural). Loved this tale, told by alternating characters in two different decades.

Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis. This was an interesting read.

For Review:

fire & heist

Fire & Heist, by Sarah Beth Durst. This is about wyvern society, and girl whose family was disgraced because her mother failed in an attempted heist, then disappeared. She’s desperate to find her mother, so she plans her own heist—and uncovers secrets about wyvern origins. A decent read, but I’d place it more towards middle grade than YA.

once a king

Once a King, by Erin Summerill. I loved this book, about countries divided by years of hatred, and a girl who must work with the new king to solve the mystery of the drug trade that’s killing people. The worldbuilding is fantastic here, and I loved the characters as well.

the iron flower

The Iron Flower, by Laurie Forest. Another fantastic read, about Elloren, granddaughter of a murderess and part of the horrible Gardnerians, who are intent on destroying all other races. Elloren wants to help save her friends and stop the looming war and violence, but even the forest is calling her the Black Witch…and she has no power. An excellent read!

the queen's wing

The Queen’s Wing, by Jessica Thorne. At first, this seemed just on the edge of cheesy scifi, but I grew to like the characters, even if there were a lot of different things thrown in here (spaceships, swords, cyborgs, aliens, space travel…).

deadfall

Deadfall, by Stephen Wallenfels. Two brothers, whose father was an abusive drunk with ties to the underworld, end up fostering with a wealthy politician who’s hiding dark secrets of his own. This was dark, but I enjoyed the intertwined timelines.

what you hide

What You Hide, by Natalie D. Richards. A book about very heavy subjects: abuse and homelessness, but a very hopeful book all the same. I do recommend this tale of Mallory, who’s terrified of her abusive stepfather and runs away. She ends up hiding in the library at night while she searches for a solution, where she meets Spencer, son of a wealthy family, searching for his own truth.

AccidentalBeautyQueen-2-610x947

The Accidental Beauty Queen, by Teri Wilson. Confession: I’m from Texas, and this book is pretty spot-on with the whole pageant-mom scene. I think my mom put me in one when I was like 3, but I’ve only seen pictures, no actual memories. I enjoyed this light read about Charlotte (she is ME, y’all!) who finds herself taking her twin sister’s place in a beauty pageant after her sister has an allergic reaction. I loved how this book actually skipped the typical beauty pageant contestant tropes, and the romance was sweet, too. Perfect for a weekend spent reading.

wicked saints

Wicked Saints, by Emily A. Duncan (review forthcoming). This one isn’t published for a few months, but I should have an author interview closer to release date, so I needed to do my homework.. I enjoyed this read, complex cultures clashing in a religious war, and I wasn’t expecting the ending at all.

the similars

The Similars, by Rebecca Hanover (review forthcoming). This near-future story blends attempted murder, clones, and a bit of romance and mystery into an intriguing read.

the me i meant to be

The Me I Meant to Be, by Sophie Jordan (review forthcoming). I enjoyed this light read that explores what happens when love and friendship collide.

Just Because

The Black Witch, by Laurie Forest. This is actually the first book in The Black Witch series, but I read them out of order. I loved how much Elloren grew in this novel! Her eyes were truly opened to the truth of her world.

Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare. I read the first book when it came out, then forgot it entirely…AND misplaced the second one, when it came out. So, I finally re-read the first and read the second. I love this world, and these books.

Cozy Minimalist Home, by Myquillyn Smith. Can I tell you how much I loved the pictures in this book? I worked my way through this one, and am starting to implement some of the ideas here in my quest to live more simply.

Book Review: The Accidental Beauty Queen, by Teri Wilson

AccidentalBeautyQueen-2-610x947 — Image belongs to Gallery Books.

Title: The Accidental Beauty Queen
Author: Terri Wilson
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Charlotte loves her job as a school librarian and intends to spend her vacation morally supporting her beauty-pageant-contestant twin sister, reading, and reveling in a Harry Potter theme park. Until her sister, Ginny, has an allergic reaction the night before the pageant and manages to convince Charlotte to take her place for a few days.

Charlotte is not prepared for layers of makeup, towering heels, or false eyelashes. She feels much more comfortable trading bookish references with the handsome and charming stranger she meets in the hotel stairwell—and who turns out to be one of the judges. And her fellow contestants aren’t the vapid and silly women she imagined, instead their support and camaraderie soon have her wanting to truly do her best in the pageant. But Ginny still intends to win that crown herself, leaving Charlotte on the sideline again.

I could relate to Charlotte so much: book nerd with a store of literary quotes and a love of Harry Potter…and a dislike of glitz and glamour. The relationship between her and Ginny is difficult, with layers of history, and the two of them struggle to find their way out of the mess of the pageant. This was a charming and fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Teri Wilson is an author and creator of Hallmark movies. The Accidental Beauty Queen is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: What You Hide, by Natalie D. Richards

Title: What You Hide
Author: Natalie D. Richards
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Mallory’s step-father is so controlling her mother can’t breathe without him knowing about it, and Mallory is afraid his control will turn violent. She’s sure something sinister lurks in his past, and she’s desperate to get her pregnant mother out of danger. But her mother refuses to leave, and Mallory finds herself staying with a friend for a few days, then out on the streets. The local library is her only refuge: a warm place to get her online schooling completed while she searches for a more permanent solution.

After a stunt gone wrong, Spencer is doing community service at the library. He likes the peace and quiet there—until a body is discovered in the stacks—and he likes Mallory. He’s sure she’s hiding something, and he’s desperate to help her. It takes his mind off his own problems: his parents have certain expectations for him, expectations that make him miserable.

Mallory doesn’t want to trust Spencer, but there’s no one she can turn to, so she slowly accepts his help. But there’s more going on at the library than they imagine. Black fingerprints. Footprints that lead nowhere. Mysterious cries. And the messages left scrawled on the walls. Mallory realizes her secrets are no the only things hidden in the library.

This is billed as a thriller, but I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that. Mallory’s storyline is tough and frustrating: her mother’s refusal to leave a bad situation, Mallory’s inability to find help, her struggles while homeless. She has major trust issues, but she starts to work through them with Spencer’s help. Spencer has his own issues—while they may not seem like a big deal to everyone, they’re huge for him, but he still wants to help Mallory. Mallory and Spencer both learn a great deal about who they are—and who they want to be.

Natalie D. Richards lives and writes in Ohio. What You Hide is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Deadfall, by Stephen Wallenfels

Title: Deadfall
Author: Stephen Wallenfels
Genre: Thriller, YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

Ty and Cory Bic are running away from the danger and drama in their lives when they come upon a dying deer in the middle of the road, and tire tracks swerving off the road beside it. Though they need to disappear without a trace, they follow the tracks and find an empty car. The banging from the trunk reveals Astrid, so traumatized she doesn’t speak, and they realize they’ve stumbled into something bad. Something that might be linked to their past—and the death of their father.

Sixteen months before, the twins’ father took them on a hike to show them a secret—and to tell them they were leaving their old lives behind. He moved them hours away, where he soon became involved with some frightening men, while the boys struggled to make a life and clean up the abandoned crack house they found themselves living in. When their father is murdered, they end up in a foster house with a powerful man hiding a secret. When the twins decide to reveal his secret, running away is their only option.

This is a pretty dark book, with lots of heavy topics: drug use, abuse, human trafficking, murder…it’s not for the faint of heart. I liked Cory; he struggled with people accepting him, but he is such a strong person, he just has to realize it. Ty was less likable for me, but the two of them together make a formidable team.

Stephen Wallenfels lives in Washington. Deadfall is his newest novel.

(Galley provided by Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review The Queen’s Wing, by Jessica Thorne

Title: The Queen’s Wing
Author: Jessica Thorne
Genre: YA, scifi
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

All Bel wants is to fly. She’d love to spend her days in freedom in her Wasp, preferably with her childhood friend and crush, Shae, but instead she spends her days being trained as a daughter of the aristocracy. Until a surprise attack by the Gravians, longtime enemies of her people, destroys the entire royal family, and Bel finds herself the daughter of the king—and a valuable royal commodity about to be married to the ruler of Anthaeus, a distant planet.

Soon Bel is on a ship headed to meet her future husband, with Shae at her side, as always. But now he’s no longer her friend, he’s the commander of her guards. An attempt to kill her is followed by a thwarted attempt to blow up the ship, and Bel meets her future husband, Conleith, in the furor.

She realizes everything is not okay on Anthaeus when she meets the Gravian representative there, and Con refuses to believe her about the danger the Gravians represent. Soon her worst fears are realized when the Gravians attack and destroy much of Anthaeus and its people, but Bel and Con aren’t ready to surrender yet—and they have a secret weapon on their side.

If I had realized this was a “space opera,” I probably would have skipped it. I enjoyed Bel’s character arc, but the entire plot line felt far too rushed, with very little transition or, sometimes, reason. Frankly, at times this felt like a B-rate scifi movie, although Bel and Con were both interesting characters.

Jessica Thorne lives and works in Ireland. The Queen’s Wing is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Iron Flower, by Laurie Forest

the iron flower

Title: The Iron Flower
Author: Laurie Forest
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 5 out of 5

High Priest Marcus Vogel and his influence—not to mention his army—is spreading quickly, along with his hate-filled, racist beliefs. The Gardnerian soldiers are tightening their hold everywhere, and the strict laws make life difficult, not to mention the fear their cruelty instills. Every non-Gardnerian is a target, and death is the sentence for many.

Elloren Gardner may be the granddaughter of a murderess, but she is a mage with almost no power. She’s determined to fight to save her friends and family. For Elloren, “family” is her brothers, her uncle, and her friends—of all races and species. Most of all, she wishes she weren’t Gardnerian and seen as the enemy by many she wants to help. As if that isn’t enough, she is the very image of her evil grandmother—and even the forest whispers dark things against her.

As the darkness around her grows worse, Elloren struggles to find a way out for her friends and family—any way out—and is willing to risk her life to save whoever she can. Then there’s Lukas Grey, commander of the military base and determined to win Elloren over, no matter what. The pull between them is strong, but Elloren has no way of knowing which side he’s truly on—or what he wants.

Let me say that I have not read The Black Witch, the first book in this series, but that did not detract from my enjoyment of The Iron Flower. (And, I’ll be buying and reading it immediately!) This was a fantastic read, and I was drawn in from the very first page. Elloren is fighting her heritage and what she’s always known as she realizes just how horrible those beliefs are. Diversity is something the Gardnerians hate, but Elloren sees its beauty—and will fight to protect it. This is a dark book, but completely compelling, and I read it in about 24 hours, staying up far too late to find out what happens!

Laurie Forest lives and writes in the woods of Vermont. The Iron Flower is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Once a King, by Erin Summerill

Title: Once a King
Author: Erin Summerill
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 5 out of 5

The kingdom of Malam has a dark history of persecuting Channelers, women with magical ability, but now the young king, Aodren is seeking to end the persecution and unite his kingdom. But decades of hatred cannot be undone with words, and rumors of a Channeler-made drug are causing fears to burst into flame, and violence to erupt.

Lirra was born in Malam, but her father fled when she was an infant, after her mother was murdered. She distrusts Malam and its new young king, and wants only to perform in the magic showcase, her chance to let her talents shine. But the deadly drug makes a kingdoms-wide summit even more dangerous, and soon Lirra is forced to work with Aodren as they try to find the source of the mysterious drug—and who’s behind it—before Malam’s future is destroyed forever.

This is a standalone, but it’s linked to the other books in the Clash of Kingdoms series, and I had no trouble picking this up without reading the first two (which sometimes does NOT work out). The worldbuilding was fantastic, and the sense of history gave so many compelling layers to this story! The characters are struggling to work together despite the many things that should make that impossible, as they do everything they can to overcome years and a culture of hatred. Highly recommended!

Erin Summerill is an award-winning author. Once a King is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by HMH Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Fire and Heist, by Sarah Beth Durst

fire & heist — Image belongs to Random House Children’s/Crown Books for Young Readers.

Title: Fire and Heist
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Sky Hawkins’s family fell from grace and lost some of their wealth and most of their good name when her mother disappeared after a heist gone bad. Sky lost her mom, her friends, and her boyfriend all at the same time, as well as becoming a social media and paparazzi pariah. Sky is a wyvern (a were dragon), after all, and the media is fascinated by her family and culture.

No one will talk about her mother’s disappearance, and Sky wants to know what really went down, so she starts to plan her first heist to find out. The first heist is a coming-of-age for wyverns, and Sky is determined to succeed at hers, and save her family’s good name, her mother, and her relationship at one time. Until she learns more about the mysterious jewel her mother was after—and realizes someone has been hiding dark secrets about wyvern history for years.

This is a clean read, and suitable for even younger YA readers. The wyvern society is intriguing and well-thought-out. It makes sense for were-dragons, and I loved how it tied in historical figures to the wyvern worldbuilding. Sky is kind of an innocent about life, so I’d say this is skewed a bit towards younger readers, and a few things seemed a little too easy, but it was a an entertaining and fun read.

Sarah Beth Durst writes fantasy books for all ages. Fire and Heist is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Random House Children’s/Crown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

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