Title: The Fire Keeper (The Storm Runner #2) Author: J.C. Cervantes Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy Publisher: Disney Book Group Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: September 3, 2019 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Zane Obispo’s new life on a beautiful secluded tropical island, complete with his family and closest friends, should be perfect. But he can’t control his newfound fire skills yet (inherited from his father, the Maya god Hurakan); there’s a painful rift between him and his dog ever since she became a hell hound; and he doesn’t know what to do with his feelings for Brooks. One day he discovers that by writing the book about his misadventures with the Maya gods, he unintentionally put other godborn children at risk. Unless Zane can find the godborns before the gods do, they will be killed. To make matters worse, Zane learns that Hurakan is scheduled to be executed. Zane knows he must rescue him, no matter the cost. Can he accomplish both tasks without the gods detecting him, or will he end up a permanent resident of the underworld? In this cleverly plotted sequel to The Storm Runner, the gang is back together again with spirited new characters, sneaky gods, unlikely alliances, and secrets darker than Zane could ever have imagined. Secrets that will change him forever.
Review:
This is the highly anticipated sequel to The Storm Runner. I loved that book so I was excited to read the second in the series.
The story started out a little slow, because I had forgotten a lot of the last book. It took a couple of chapters to get back into the story. However, once I got into it, it flew by. It was a wild adventure.
I was at a bit of a disadvantage while reading because I don’t know much about Maya mythology. If I was more familiar with it, I think I would have enjoyed the story more. It would have made more sense if all of the characters were explained more, because there were so many characters, including the many gods.
This was a great story. Fans of the series will love this book!
Thank you Disney Book Group for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
I received 2 books from Penguin Random House Canada:
The Perfect Wife by J.P. Delaney
Girls Need Not Apply: Field Notes From the Forces by Kelly S. Thompson
I was approved for 6 books on NetGalley from St. Martin’s Press:
The Borgia Confessions by Alyssa Palombo
The Stranger from the Sea (Poldark #8) by Winston Graham
The Miller’s Dance (Poldark #9) by Winston Graham
The Loving Cup (Poldark #10) by Winston Graham
The Twisted Sword (Poldark #11) by Winston Graham
Bella Poldark (Poldark #12) by Winston Graham
I was approved for a book on NetGalley from Graydon House Books:
The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz
I was approved for 2 books from Annick Press:
Classic Munsch Moods by Robert Munsch, Michael Martchenko
Our Big Little Place by James A. Conan, Nicolle Lalonde
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada, St. Martin’s Press, Graydon House Books, and Annick Press for these books!
Title: The Lady Rogue Author: Jenn Bennett Genre: Young Adult, Historical Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: September 3, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Last Magician meets A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in this thrilling tale filled with magic and set in the mysterious Carpathian Mountains where a girl must hunt down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father.
Some legends never die…
Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.
Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.
Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it.
Review:
I really enjoyed this magical, historical story.
Theodora and Huck travel around Romania and Bulgaria in search of her father, and rings that were supposed to belong to the real man who inspired Dracula. This story reminded me of Bram Stoker’s book Dracula, because of the way they traveled around Eastern Europe.
The story was fast-paced. It kept twisting so I didn’t know how it was going to end. The magical elements made it much more unpredictable. It was set in our world, but there were witches with talismans and magical rings, which made the reality uncertain.
The ending of this story left the door open for a sequel. I would love to see these characters go on another adventure.
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
The Last Magician (The Last Magician #1) by Lisa Maxwell
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue (Montague Siblings #1) by Mackenzi Lee
Have you read The Lady Rogue? What did you think of it?
This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.
Here are my first lines:
“Fate came for Dottie Epstein a year earlier, in the form of a call to the principal’s office. It was not her first time there. Dolores Epstein wasn’t sent for any of the normal reasons – fighting, cheating, failing, absence.”
Do you recognize these first lines?
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And the book is… Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) by Maureen Johnson.
Goodreads synopsis:
Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place” he said, “where learning is a game.”
Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym, Truly Devious. It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.
True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.
Have you read Truly Devious? What did you think of it?
Title: Skinnamarink Author: Sharon, Lois, and Bram, Qin Leng Genre: Children’s Publisher: Tundra Books Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: September 3, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Based on the classic folk song made famous by a beloved trio of children’s entertainers, this picture book is best sung aloud! “Skinnamarink” is a timeless anthem of love and inclusion.
What does “skinnamarink” mean? You may not find its definition in a dictionary, but the meaning is clear to the generations of children who sang along: friendship, happiness, sharing, community and, ultimately, love. This song has been sung in weddings and in classrooms. It can be fun and silly – especially with the accompanying actions! And it has a way of bringing people together.
Through Qin Leng’s wonderfully imaginative illustrations, this delightful picture book tells the story of a community coming together. Young and old, from little mice to a big elephant, people and animals gather into a spontaneous parade as they follow the sound of music.
Review:
I grew up watching Sharon, Lois and Bram so I was so excited to read this book.
This book consists of the lyrics to their famous song Skinnamarink with pictures. There were a few new verses, which was a nice surprise since I know the song very well. It made the song a little longer and gave more material for illustrations.
I loved the pictures in this book. They showed a variety of people and animals singing the song. They even acted out the motions that go along with the song.
This book brought back so many memories for me! It is an adorable kids book!
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee
Have you read Skinnamarink? What did you think of it?
TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.
My pick this week is The Dark Bones by Loreth Anne White.
Goodreads Synopsis:
She’s come back to solve the mystery of her father’s death and confront her own dark past.
When Detective Rebecca North left her rural hometown, she vowed never to return. Her father’s apparent suicide has changed that. The official report is that retired cop Noah North shot himself, knocked over a lantern, and set his isolated cabin ablaze. But Rebecca cannot believe he killed himself.
To prove it, she needs the help of Ash Haugen, the man she left behind. But Rebecca and Ash share more than broken hearts. Something darker lies between them, and the investigation is stirring it back to life. Clues lead them to the home of Olivia West and her deeply troubled twelve-year-old daughter, Tori. The child knows more about the murder than anyone can imagine, but she’s too terrified to say a word.
And as a cold-blooded killer resurfaces from the past, Rebecca and Ash begin to fear that their own secrets may be even harder to survive.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Title: American Royals Author: Katharine McGee Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Publisher: Random House Source: Publisher Format: Paperback Release Date: September 3, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
What if America had a royal family? If you can’t get enough of Harry and Meghan or Kate and William, meet American princesses Beatrice and Samantha.
Two princesses vying for the ultimate crown. Two girls vying for the prince’s heart. This is the story of the American royals.
When America won the Revolutionary War, its people offered General George Washington a crown. Two and a half centuries later, the House of Washington still sits on the throne. Like most royal families, the Washingtons have an heir and a spare. A future monarch and a backup battery. Each child knows exactly what is expected of them. But these aren’t just any royals. They’re American. And their country was born of rebellion.
As Princess Beatrice gets closer to becoming America’s first queen regnant, the duty she has embraced her entire life suddenly feels stifling. Nobody cares about the spare except when she’s breaking the rules, so Princess Samantha doesn’t care much about anything, either . . . except the one boy who is distinctly off-limits to her. And then there’s Samantha’s twin, Prince Jefferson. If he’d been born a generation earlier, he would have stood first in line for the throne, but the new laws of succession make him third. Most of America adores their devastatingly handsome prince . . . but two very different girls are vying to capture his heart.
The duty. The intrigue. The Crown. New York Times bestselling author Katharine McGee imagines an alternate version of the modern world, one where the glittering age of monarchies has not yet faded–and where love is still powerful enough to change the course of history.
Review:
This book definitely lived up to the hype!
I loved this reimagining of America. It shows what it would have been like if the United States had a monarchy instead of the government. It was a unique revision of history.
There were four different narratives of girls who are part of the royal family. Two narratives were of the princesses, Beatrice and Samantha. The other two narratives were about girls who were on the outside of the royal family but were very close friends of the family, Nina and Daphne. All of these perspectives gave a complete picture of the life of the royal family.
The only thing that bothered me about this story was how boy crazy the girls were. They were all strong, independent women, yet they spent all of their time worrying about the boys they liked. The multiple relationships made for some intense scenes, because no one was ending up with the person they loved. However, I wished the women were able to live without depending on those men.
I loved this book! I hope the story continues because it left on quite a cliffhanger!
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Royals (Royals #1) by Rachel Hawkins
Have you read American Royals? What did you think of it?
This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.
The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is SLAY by Brittney Morris. The expected publication date is September 24, 2019.
Goodreads Synopsis:
By day, seventeen-year-old Kiera Johnson is an honors student, a math tutor, and one of the only Black kids at Jefferson Academy. But at home, she joins hundreds of thousands of Black gamers who duel worldwide as Nubian personas in the secret multiplayer online role-playing card game, SLAY. No one knows Kiera is the game developer, not her friends, her family, not even her boyfriend, Malcolm, who believes video games are partially responsible for the “downfall of the Black man.”
But when a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, news of the game reaches mainstream media, and SLAY is labeled a racist, exclusionist, violent hub for thugs and criminals. Even worse, an anonymous troll infiltrates the game, threatening to sue Kiera for “anti-white discrimination.”
Driven to save the only world in which she can be herself, Kiera must preserve her secret identity and harness what it means to be unapologetically Black in a world intimidated by Blackness. But can she protect her game without losing herself in the process?
Title: Permanent Record Author: Mary H.K. Choi Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: September 3, 2019 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact, which Rainbow Rowell called “smart and funny,” comes an unforgettable new romance about how social media influences relationships every day.
On paper, college dropout Pablo Rind doesn’t have a whole lot going for him. His graveyard shift at a twenty-four-hour deli in Brooklyn is a struggle. Plus, he’s up to his eyeballs in credit card debt. Never mind the state of his student loans.
Pop juggernaut Leanna Smart has enough social media followers to populate whole continents. The brand is unstoppable. She graduated from child stardom to become an international icon and her adult life is a queasy blur of private planes, step-and-repeats, aspirational hotel rooms, and strangers screaming for her just to notice them.
When Leanna and Pablo meet at 5:00 a.m. at the bodega in the dead of winter it’s absurd to think they’d be A Thing. But as they discover who they are, who they want to be, and how to defy the deafening expectations of everyone else, Lee and Pab turn to each other. Which, of course, is when things get properly complicated.
Review:
I really enjoyed this new novel.
Pablo straddles two different cultures, Korean and Pakistani. Since he is part of two different backgrounds, he doesn’t really feel accepted by either one. He hasn’t even travelled to either of his parents’ birthplaces, making him feel even more left out. This affects the rest of his life, leaving him unable to finish school and even abandoning his job.
I loved how realistic this book felt. It felt like I was reading about someone’s real life. Pablo has a pretty ordinary and unexciting life until he meets a pop star and they begin a relationship. Even though this extraordinary event happens to him, he is drawn back to his real life. The ending was perfect for this ordinary boy.
This is a great young adult novel!
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo
Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi
Have you read Permanent Record? What did you think of it?
Jill's Book Blog 