Review: Paola Santiago and the River of Tears (Paola Santiago #1)

Title: Paola Santiago and the River of Tears
Author: Tehlor Kay Mejia
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 4, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Space-obsessed 12-year-old Paola Santiago and her two best friends, Emma and Dante, know the rule: Stay away from the river. It’s all they’ve heard since a schoolmate of theirs drowned a year ago. Pao is embarrassed to admit that she has been told to stay away for even longer than that, because her mother is constantly warning her about La Llorona, the wailing ghost woman who wanders the banks of the Gila at night, looking for young people to drag into its murky depths.

Hating her mother’s humiliating superstitions and knowing that she and her friends would never venture into the water, Pao organizes a meet-up to test out her new telescope near the Gila, since it’s the best stargazing spot. But when Emma never arrives and Pao sees a shadowy figure in the reeds, it seems like maybe her mom was right. . . .

Pao has always relied on hard science to make sense of the world, but to find her friend she will have to enter the world of her nightmares, which includes unnatural mist, mind-bending monsters, and relentless spirits controlled by a terrifying force that defies both logic and legend.

Review:

Twelve-year-old Paola Santiago and her friends Dante and Emma have been told to stay away from the river after a classmate drowned a year ago. Pao’s mother is superstitious and has also told her to stay away from the river so that she doesn’t meet La Llorona, a ghost woman who roams the river searching for young people to drag into the water. Naturally, they make the river their regular meeting spot. After they make plans to meet there one evening, Emma doesn’t show up. Paola has always believed strictly in science and not her mother’s superstitions, but her search for Emma makes her realize that her mother’s stories may be closer to the truth than she ever guessed.

This story was rooted in Latinx folklore. Paola’s mother was superstitious and told Paola stories about terrifying legends. However, Paola was disconnected from her culture. She didn’t speak Spanish, and she was opposed to anything her mother liked. When Paola went on her search for her best friend, she found that the folktales that her mom would tell her were actually true.

There were many dream-like scenes in this story. Paola was called the Dreamer, and she would have vivid dreams about people she knew. It was ironic that she was a dreamer, because she was very logical and scientific. Paola had to embrace this dreamer side of her personality to find Emma.

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears is a fun start to this series!

What to read next:

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares by Tehlor Kay Mejia

The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim

Other books in the series:

  • Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares

Have you read Paola Santiago and the River of Tears? What did you think of it?

Review: Doctor Who: The Runaway Tardis

Title: Doctor Who: The Runaway Tardis
Author: Rebecca Gyllenhaal, Kim Smith (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book, Science Fiction
Publisher: Quirk Books
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: June 23, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Join the Doctor and her smallest companion on a madcap adventure through time and space! The beloved sci-fi TV series is now a charming picture book, perfect for Doctor Who fans of all ages.

Unable to make friends at her new school, Lizzie packs a bag and runs away. After accidentally stowing away in the TARDIS, she meets the Doctor, a mysterious woman who claims to be a time-traveling space alien. When the TARDIS malfunctions, Lizzie and the Doctor are sent catapulting through time and space, visiting the pyramids, the dinosaurs, an alien planet, and more. Along the way, Lizzie learns that making new friends isn’t so hard after all . . . but will she ever be able to get back home? Featuring Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor and an adorable new alien species, this sweet storybook is a must-have for Whovians everywhere, young and old alike. 

Review:

Lizzie is having trouble making friends at her new school, so she packs some peanut butter sandwiches and runs away. As she’s running through the park, she finds a blue police box and goes inside. Lizzie hides in the box, which is bigger on the inside, until a woman comes in and causes the box to move. The woman is the Doctor, and her box, the Tardis, begins to malfunction. The Doctor and Lizzie visit many places throughout time and space such as the dinosaurs and the pyramids in Egypt. They eventually have to get a special species of engineers to fix the Tardis so that Lizzie can return to her home.

This was such a fun book for young fans of Doctor Who. There are classic Doctor Who moments, such as when the Doctor can’t figure out what’s wrong with the Tardis, and the classic phrases “wibbly wobbly” and “bigger on the inside.” This short story captured the atmosphere of an episode of the show.

Lizzie’s story perfectly mirrored the Doctor’s life. Lizzie didn’t have friends, so she wanted to run away from home. The Doctor has struggled with loneliness and the loss of companions throughout the series, so she had this in common with Lizzie. The Doctor is constantly running away from something or someone, so she could also be considered a runaway, like Lizzie. I liked this comparison to teach children about loneliness.

Doctor Who: The Runaway Tardis is a great children’s book!

What to read next:

The X Files: Earth Children Are Weird by Jason Rekulak, Kim Smith (illustrator)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial by Jim Thomas, Kim Smith (illustrator)

Have you read Doctor Who: The Runaway Tardis? What did you think of it?

TBR Thursday – August 12

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 Four Three Two One by Courtney C. Stevens.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In this contemporary YA novel, a girl reunites with the three other survivors of a bus bombing that killed nineteen people, and together they face the secrets, struggles, and emotional warfare that each has been enduring.

Golden “Go” Jennings wasn’t supposed to be on Bus 21 the day it blew up in New York City. Neither was her boyfriend, Chandler. But they were. And so was Rudy, a cute stranger whom Go shared a connection with the night before. And Caroline, a girl whose silence ended up costing nineteen people their lives.

Though it’s been a year since the bombing, Go isn’t any closer to getting over what happened. Since Chan shuts down every time Go brings that day up, she decides to reach out to Rudy. Just like that, the two fall right back into their easy, deep connection. Facing the past head-on with Rudy has opened up a small window of healing Go never thought was possible. So she makes an impulsive decision: Round up the rest of the survivors and head to New York City. There they will board an art installation made of the charred remnants of Bus 21.

But things are never easy when it comes to rehashing the past. Uniting the four stirs up conflicting feelings of anger and forgiveness and shows them that, although they all survived, they may still need saving.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Review: This Town Is Not All Right (This Town Is Not All Right #1)

Title: This Town Is Not All Right (This Town Is Not All Right #1)
Author: M.K. Krys
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Horror
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 11, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Driftwood Harbor may seem like an ordinarily boring, small New England town, but there’s something extremely strange and downright creepy happening within town limits.

Twins Beacon and Everleigh McCullough are moving from their home in sunny L.A. to Driftwood Harbor, a rainy fishing village in New England. If that wasn’t bad enough, there’s something strange about this town and the mysterious group of too-perfect students called The Gold Stars. After Everleigh is recruited into their ranks, Beacon must uncover Driftwood Harbor’s frightening secret before he loses his sister forever.

This Town Is Not All Right is the middle-grade horror debut from M.K. Kyrs (YA author Michelle Krys). Be prepared for a thrilling page-turner with a major mystery because the residents of Driftwood Harbor will do whatever it takes to keep their dark secrets from rising to the surface.

Review:

Teenage twins Beacon and Everleigh McCullough move from LA to a small New England town with their dad a year after the death of their older brother. They are all looking for a fresh start. Beacon notices immediately that people in the town are acting strangely. Soon after they start school, Everleigh becomes friends with the Gold Stars, an elite group. Her personality changes and she becomes a much more positive person, like the rest of the strange people in town. Beacon is scared of losing his sister, so he has to hunt for the secrets hidden beneath this town.

This was an incredibly fast-paced story. I love stories with a spooky atmosphere. This small town was so creepy and it had a history of a UFO landing. Since the story was fast-paced, it didn’t take long to find out what was happening.

The ending of this story was so intense. I love it when the plans keep changing and you can’t tell who’s on what side. I was holding my breath for the last couple of chapters, and I was shocked until the last page. I’m so glad I don’t have to wait a long time to read the sequel, because it was just published this week.

This Town Is Not Okay is a fast-paced young adult thriller!

What to read next:

This Town Is a Nightmare by M.K. Krys

Whispering Pines by Heidi Lang and Kati Bartkowski

Other books in the series:

  • This Town Is a Nightmare

Have you read This Town Is Not All Right? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – August 11

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 The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova. The expected publication date is September 7, 2021.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The Montoyas are used to a life without explanations. They know better than to ask why the pantry never seems to run low or empty, or why their matriarch won’t ever leave their home in Four Rivers—even for graduations, weddings, or baptism. But when Orquídea Divina invites them to her funeral and to come and collect their inheritance, they hope to learn the secrets that she has held onto so tightly their whole lives. Instead, Orquídea is transformed, leaving them with more questions than answers. Seven years later, her gifts have manifested in different ways for Marimar, Rey, and Tatinelly’s daughter, Rhiannon, granting them unexpected blessings. But soon, a hidden figure begins to tear through their family tree, picking them off one by one as it seeks to destroy Orquídea’s line. Determined to save what’s left of their family and uncover the truth behind their inheritance, the four descendants travel to Ecuador—to the place where Orquídea buried her secrets and broken promises and never looked backed.

Alternating between Orquídea’s past and her descendants’ present, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is an enchanting novel about what we knowingly and unknowingly inherit from our ancestors, the ties that bind, and reclaiming your power.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Review: The Renegade Reporters

Title: The Renegade Reporters
Author: Elissa Brent Weissman
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 10, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Ash and her friends are reporters. They were ready to lead their school news show, The News at Nine, sponsored by Van Ness Media, when an unfortunate incident involving a dancing teacher, an irresponsibly reported story, and a viral video got them kicked off the crew. So Ash, Maya, and Brielle decide to start their own news show, The Underground News. And soon they stumble on a big lead: Van Ness Media, the educational company that provides their school’s software, has been gathering data from all the kids at school. Their drawings, their journals, even their movements are being recorded and cataloged by Van Ness Media. But why? Ash and her friends are determined to learn the truth and report it.

Review:

When sixth grader Ash accidentally posts an inappropriate video of a teacher, she’s removed from her school’s morning news show. Ash and her friends Brielle and Maya decide to start their own news channel online, using their school software from Van Ness Media. Soon after starting their show, they discover that Van Ness Media has been selling data from students, despite claiming that they make ad-free software. Ash and her friends didn’t expect to stumble upon such an important new story, but they have to find a way to get it out in the world.

This story had an important message about digital fingerprints. Companies are constantly collecting and sharing data that we put out on the internet. Sometimes it is helpful, such as when you get a coupon for a store you were just in. But sometimes it’s creepy, when they can track where you live and work.

There were some details of the way companies gather and track our data that I wasn’t familiar with before reading this book. This is such an important story because it teaches kids the dangerous implications of using the internet. It also shows that kids can make a difference in the world, since Ash and her friends are the ones that discovered and reported on the story.

The Renegade Reporters is a great middle grade story!

Thank you Penguin for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

Have you read The Renegade Reporters? What did you think of it?

Top Ten Tuesday – Minor Characters Who Got Their Own Book

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Minor Characters Who Deserve More Love, but I decided to do Minor Character Who Got Their Own Book. Here’s my list:

1. Dani Brown (Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert)

2. Magnus Bane (The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson)

3. Nesta Archeron (A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas)

4. Kenji Kishimoto (Reveal Me by Tahereh Mafi)

5. Cardan Greenbriar (How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black)

6. Pinky Kumar (10 Thinks I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon)

7. Diana, Lady Templeton (To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters)

8. Maxim Maresh (Shades of Magic, Vol. 1: The Steel Prince by V.E. Schwab)

9. Robin Goodfellow (The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa)

10. Lady Lucie (A Rogue of One’s Own by Evie Dunmore)

(All book covers from Goodreads)

What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?

Happy Pub Day – August 10

Happy Pub Day to all of these new books!

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Such a Good Wife by Seraphina Nova Glass

Cheer Up: Love and Pompoms by Crystal Frasier

The Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis

Miss Lattimore’s Letter by Suzanne Allain

The Renegade Reporters by Elissa Brent Weissman

This Town is a Nightmare by M.K. Krys

At Summer’s End by Courtney Ellis

Mark of the Wicked by Georgia Bowers

Rise Up From the Embers by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons

The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino

Under the Milky Way by Vanessa Barneveld

What books are you most excited for this week?

Review: Miss Lattimore’s Letter

Title: Miss Lattimore’s Letter
Author: Suzanne Allain
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 10, 2021
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The woman who never made a match of her own is making matches for everyone else in this hilarious comedy of manners from the author of Mr. Malcolm’s List.

Sophronia Lattimore had her romantic dreams destroyed years ago and is resigned to her role as chaperone for her cousin. Still, she cannot sit idly by when she becomes aware that a gentleman is about to propose to the wrong woman. She sends him an anonymous letter that is soon the talk of the town, particularly when her advice proves to be correct. Her identity is discovered and Sophie, formerly a wallflower, becomes sought after for her “expert” matchmaking skills. 

One person who seeks her out is the eligible and attractive Sir Edmund Winslow. As Sophie assists Sir Edmund in his pursuit of a wife, she wishes she could recommend herself as his bride. However, she vows to remain professional and uninvolved while aiding him in his search (especially since the gentleman surely does not return her affections).

Three unexpected arrivals soon show up at Sophie’s door—the man who once broke her heart, a newlywed who is dissatisfied with the match Sophie made for her, and the man madly in love with Sophie’s cousin—all wanting her attention. But when her onetime beau and Sir Edmund both appear to be interested in her, Sophie can’t figure out if she’s headed for another broken heart­­ or for the altar. How can she be expected to help other people sort out their romantic lives when her own is such a disaster?

Review:

Sophie Lattimore is a twenty-eight-year-old spinster who lives with her aunt and cousin. Her cousin, Cecilia, is having her first season out, and Sophie is meant to be her chaperone. When Sophie overhears a man talking about proposing to the wrong woman, she sends a letter to him so that he can marry the right woman. Sophie becomes the talk of the town when everyone hears about her successful matchmaking skills, more people want her help. Sir Edmund is a charming man who wants Sophie to assist him in finding a match, and Sophie begins to fall for him. Then, the man who was the love of Sophie’s life, before he married someone else, shows up, confusing her feelings. One of the women who was the subject of Sophie’s matchmaking also shows up, disappointed in her marriage. On top of that, Sophie has to help her cousin find an appropriate match, but now she doubts her matchmaking skills. With all of these conflicting romantic relationships, Sophie has to wonder if love is for her or if she should stay a spinster forever.

This regency romance story showed a different side of the typical romance. Most stories show a couple getting together and getting married at the end, but not what comes after. Sophie hadn’t gotten married at the end of her coming out season, so she was considered a failure and a spinster who was now too old to get married. She had to deal with the fallout from the marriages that she had arranged but weren’t working out well. This story shows what could go wrong in a regency romance.

I would have loved to see more action in the story. There was a lot of describing things that happened, rather than showing them happen in real time. Some conversations were condensed, when I would have liked to see them happen on the page. I really enjoyed the story, and would have liked even more of it.

Miss Lattimore’s Letter is a fun regency romance.

Thank you Berkley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters

Have you read Miss Lattimore’s Letter? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – August 9

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished Miss Lattimore’s Letter by Suzanne Allain.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading The Renegade Reporters by Elissa Brent Weissman.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Such a Good Wife by Seraphina Nova Glass.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?