Quick Review: A Million Junes by Emily Henry

3.75 stars. I normally don't enjoy magical realism, but A Million Junes lived up to all my hopeful expectations. This book contains one of my favorite commentaries on grief - so many quotes I felt on a soul-deep level. June and Saul are such unique and real-feeling characters, connected by their loss and sharing a sharp sense of humor. I appreciated how June's best friend, Hannah, also feels like her own person. She has her own individual wants and motivations. Basically, she's not a prop character at all, which I feel is a pitfall for a lot of "side" characters.

This was my first book by Emily Henry and I found her writing to be clever, vivid, and insightful. I'll definitely be picking up another one of her novels!

Sidenote: Though they're obviously different stories, if you love Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle, I feel like you'll enjoy this book too.

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Spoiler-Free Review: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

4 stars. Not every book transports you. Plenty are entertaining and well-crafted, but when a story has the power to whisk you away from reality, you know it's special.

Sky in the Deep is one of those novels.

Before I get ahead of myself, this book isn't perfect. The writing is a little clunky in places, and the story took some expected turns. Nevertheless, I stayed up until 4 am finishing it. Adrienne Young really captures the atmosphere of the Norse setting. Eelyn's world feels immediate and real - I could touch the cold of the ice, taste the air coming off the fjord, hear the whizz of an arrow and the cries of warriors in battle. I grew invesested in Eelyn and in her relationships with her brother, her people, and her enemies. If you're looking for a captivating and character-driven adventure that explores the themes of enemies and allies, and recognizing people different from you as complex and multifaceted, then I highly recommend giving this debut a try.

Overall, I am kicking myself for not picking up this book sooner! Sky in the Deep is definitely a stand-out read for me, and I'm doubly excited for the author's new release later this year.

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Review: Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

3.75 stars. So I read Vicious back in 2013, and I loved it. In fact, Vicious was my first (and favorite) book by V.E. Schwab. Thinking it a standalone, I was thrilled and slightly anxious when I heard she was writing a sequel. (Hence why I put off reading this until now). Turns out, I had no reason to fear.

Vengeful reminded me why I loved the first book so much. Schwab's writing is crisp and punchy, and utterly engaging. I'd honestly forgotten some of the events and side characters from Vicious, but Vengeful did such a good job of recapturing the atmosphere of the first one that everything soon came rushing back. I forgot how much I missed them all. Especially the family bond between Victor and Sydney. As in Vicious, these two were my favorite to read about. Eli continued to be as complicated as my feelings are for him, if that makes any sense, and the new characters introduced also proved a welcome addition. Although I wasn't as invested in Marcella's storyline, she was a compelling character and a refreshing perspective to read from.

If, like me, you have been hesitating to pick this up, Vengeful is definitely a worthy successor to Vicious. I was completely sucked in, and the final showdown near the end had me clasping my hand over my mouth the entire time.

Overall: I missed my damaged found-family of villains.

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Review: The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

5 stars. How can I possibly review this book? I cried twice. Each word pierced my heart. Katherine Arden's writing and storytelling are so visceral, her words so perfectly crafted, that the story just plays out in your mind like you're watching first-hand. As in the first two books, she tackles faith and religion, freedom and duty, all set against the backdrop of 14th century Russia. You can tell the author did her research, because the history interweaves seamlessly with the folklore and plot.

If you loved the first two books, know that this last installment will not let you down. All the character arcs and plot points that have been slowly building reach their spearhead in this final book, and Vasya really comes into her own. I know it sounds grandiose, but the Winternight trilogy truly is a masterpiece.

On a more personal note, I just...never want to leave Vasya's world. I never want to say goodbye to Morozko, Sasha, Olga, and Solovey. Even Medved and Konstantin - in the end, I couldn't bring myself to hate anyone. I think a part of me will forever ride with Vasya on a dark road through Midnight. Despite the moments of heartbreak, the conclusion of The Winter of the Witch was everything I could've asked for and more.

You probably couldn't tell, but this is one of my favorite series of all time.


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Not About the Love Story: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I don't talk about this a lot, but I love romance. Fantasy is my favorite genre to read - but fantasy with a strong angst-ridden romance? My absolute weakness. So, why I am talking about this in relation to The Fault in Our Stars? Let me explain briefly. When this book shot up in the popular charts, many who talked about it focused on the tragic love story of Hazel and Augustus. The sob-inducing, Kleenex-clutching heartbreak of their relationship and its trajectory. Now don't get me wrong - I love Hazel and Augustus's romantic relationship. But what I noticed people didn't talk about as much was the very aspect that made this book one of my favorite books of all time: it's portrayal of illness. How disease affects both your own perception, and the way you're perceived by those around you.

I had a brain tumor when I was 17 years-old, which was accompanied by seizures and staph infections, and I have struggled with severe eczema my whole life. (I've fortunately never had to deal with anything as bad as cancer!) The way John discusses illness in this book gutted me the first time I read it. He was voicing the thoughts and feelings I'd had swirling around my brain my entire life. Things the healthy people around me couldn't always understand.

"Physical illness repulses."

"There is no glory in illness. There is no meaning to it."

"I wanted to not be a malevolent force in the lives of people I loved."

"The physical evidence of disease separates you from other people."

People often talk about physical health and mental health separately, but I think the two chase each other in a vicious circle. Dealing with a chronic illness changes your perception of yourself, and can leave you with long-lasting insecurities about your appearance and your inherent worth as a person, because you cannot do certain things that other people do or look the way that other people look. 

Gus's commentary on how you never see people dying heroically of illness in museums, and Hazel's casual references to hospital talk (rating your pain on a scale of 1-10), made me feel so seen. And as much as I love their love story, the reason The Fault in Our Stars shattered my heart is due to how well John understands and portrays the thoughts and feelings of someone dealing with serious illness. I could probably write an entire thesis on this topic...but hopefully this post/discussion made some sense!

Like That Movie/TV-Show? Read These Books!

If you're like me, then you enjoy getting book recommendations based on other media. Sometimes I feel like these kinds of comparisons are put together on merely a surface level, so I made sure to think long and hard about the following suggestions. Please let me know if any turn out accurate! Edit: I later realized that a lot of the "media" I chose are adaptations of other books. Not sure what that says about me. But alas!

1. Howl's Moving Castle/Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett

If you like the film adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle, then I think you'll also enjoy Heather Fawcett's Even the Darkest Stars. Not only do both stories deal with wizards and witches, but the magic systems share a similar atmospheric quality. Both stories also feature a curse that needs breaking and a fire demon who likes to strike bargains. I highly recommend both of these magical stories.

Bonus: If you love Howl's Moving Castle, book or film, I would also recommend Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White. Its two main characters strongly remind me of Sophie and Howl.

2. The Lord of the Rings/Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

 

This comparison may not seem as obvious, but while I was reading Strange the Dreamer, something about the epicness of the story's scale reminded me of Lord of the Rings. In both, you've got a group of travelers who bond on a journey and face danger together. War plays an important role in both stories, and the authors place an emphasis on magical locations. Now, I am by no means a Lord of the Rings expert. (Like at all.) So some of you LotR fans may disagree with me on this one. But I definitely think you get the same vibe from both. I would also, of course, recommend you read the LotR books too if you enjoyed Strange. They're fantastic.

3. Game of Thrones/Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes

 

To me, Falling Kingdoms feels like a lite Game of Thrones. And I don't mean that in a demeaning way - there are just as many (if not more) betrayals in Falling Kingdoms as there are in Game of Thrones. Both are fantasies with a large cast of characters and perspectives - some who are good, some who are bad, and many who are gray. Broken princes, political schemers, rebels, and avenging princesses all play a role in these war-waging kingdoms. Sidenote: The main ship in this series is slow-burn and GLORIOUS, and also reminds me of a certain pairing in GoT. If you're looking for a YA version of Game of Thrones, I highly recommend picking up Falling Kingdoms.

Bonus: I'd also recommend The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King by Holly Black if you dig bloody political vies for the crown and ruthless characters.

4. Hick/Sadie by Courtney Summers

I recently watched Hick (not just because it stars Eddie Redmayne...*cough*...) and it instantly reminded me of Sadie. Quick trigger warning that both stories involve pedophilia. Hick also includes an implied rape scene. If you like tough hitchhiking heroines, backroad country settings, and gritty topics, I think you'll enjoy both this movie and this book.

5. The Raven Cycle/The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson

Before you complain, I know this is cheating. Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle is slated to become a tv show on SyFy, though, and the stories give off such similar vibes that I had to include it, okay? I had to. So I cheated a little. Just let me explain. The Wren Hunt opens with a girl named Wren being "hunted" by a group of boys in a deadly game played on St. Stephen's Day. Wren is secretly an Augur, a magic-user whose power is slowly being stolen by enemy magic-users called the Judges. Wren has to go undercover amongst the Judges to try and steal back her people's magic. Drama ensues.

The whole story takes place in Ireland and is infused with Irish mythology and history. The way Mary Watson interweaves folklore into the story feels strikingly similar to how Maggie interweaves Welsh folklore into The Raven Cycle. Both stories have a mix of fantasy and contemporary, with a underlying current of magical realism. Both also feature a group of prep school magic boys (though I'd say The Wren Hunt boys have a darker bent to them). Overall, I 100% see these stories attracting the same audience. If you love Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah, then I highly recommend picking up The Wren Hunt.

Non-Spoiler Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black

4 stars. The Wicked King was a lot shorter than I anticipated, but boy did it pack a punch. I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an advance copy of this long-awaited sequel, and let me just say that I was completely unprepared for the emotional rollercoaster awaiting me.

The Wicked King kicks off not long after where The Cruel Prince left off and keeps a heart-pounding pace right up to the finish. I would say that you see a softer side of Cardan in this sequel, and I think readers who felt lukewarm about the first book will appreciate the turn Jude and Cardan's relationship takes. (Full Disclosure: I floated somewhere between lukewarm and obsessed.) Jude is just as stabby and conflicted, and I loved her even more in this book. The tension ramps up between Jude and Cardan, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing moody Cardan rule as king while Jude pulls all the strings. I will say, there's a section in the book where the setting shifts briefly and I found myself itching to skim a few pages. I'm not sure if it's due to a lack of world development, but that's my worst complaint.

For some reason the plot took a lot of turns I didn't see coming, and I had to reexamine my idea of what the story is. But, to be honest, I sort of enjoyed being blindsided by the twists. My absolute favorite part of The Wicked King was the ending. No spoilers, but let's just say it was as jaw-dropping/no-way-inducing/are-you-frickin'-kidding-me as the ending of The Cruel Prince. Perhaps even more so. I...still think about that ending months after finishing. I recommend this truly wicked sequel to both fans and skeptics. The wait for Queen of Nothing is going to be a long one.


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