Review: The Encanto's Curse

The Encanto's Curse by Melissa de la Cruz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MJ has recently been crowned queen, and her first duty is to bring peace. However, when she realizes that the creature attacking her kingdom is herself, she must learn why she has been cursed. MJ flees her court to get answers, but with a broken heart and no one she believes she can trust, she has her hands full. Can MJ break the curse before it takes over her forever? Will she be able to find love amid terror?

The Encanto’s Curse is the second book in The Encanto’s Daughter series.  Although this story is the second in the series, readers could easily pick up this book and enjoy it as a stand-alone tale.  The book does end with a satisfying conclusion, yet de la Cruz has created a world that has many possible stories available to be explored.  The Encanto’s Curse is a fun read for those who like mythological tales. 

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Review: Blood and Empire

Blood and Empire by James Maxwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bethany has always wanted to be a diviner, but since she is a seamstress like her mother, there isn’t much chance to complete the training.  Then a chance encounter with Charlton changes her life.  He offers her access to books and encouragement to reach her goal.  The empire is also threatened by invasion and turmoil is within the ranks.  What challenges will Bethany face on the path she has chosen?

Blood and Empire is the first book in The Gateway Saga.  I will say the ending of this book was perfect.  Bethany’s origin story was concluded satisfactorily, yet the next story announced at the end cannot come fast enough.  There are additional side stories that are weaved throughout that give the reader additional insight into the empire and the struggles happening around Bethany.  This is a great read for all fantasy fans and I am glad the next book is slated to be released in two months.

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Review: True Life in Uncanny Valley

True Life in Uncanny Valley by Deb Caletti
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Eleanor has no personal memories of her father, but she knows who he is.  He is Hugo Harrison … the tech genius.  She has started spying on her father’s new family and ends up being hired as the summer nanny for her half-brother.  She now has an opportunity to learn more about her father, his family, and the life she didn’t have.  Unfortunately, she must lie about who she is.  Can Eleanor keep this secret from everyone, including her mother?  What will she learn about her father and herself?

True Life in Uncanny Valley is a realistic fiction story that immerses readers in the thoughts and actions of a teen coming to terms with her own identity.  The main character is also a comic fan who dabbles in comic art and each chapter begins with a comic panel.  Although there are a few scenes that deal with sex, those sections are not graphic and would be appropriate for most teens.  True Life of Uncanny Valley is a fun read for those who like realistic fiction, but it is not a quick read.  

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Review: Wizard of Most Wicked Ways

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways by Charlie N. Holmberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Merritt and Hulda are a happy family while Owein is getting closer to the day he will marry Lady Cora.  They are all just living their lives because Silas has been gone for the last five years.  He is, or should we say “was” dead.  The greatest wizard of the millennium has found a way to transfer his soul into a new host.  He doesn’t have all his powers, but he is working on gaining more.  Owein seeks Cora’s help and he gets it with Queen Victoria’s League of Magicians.  Will Silas be vanquished once again?

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways is the fourth book in the Whimbrel House series.  The first three books are the complete story, so this book was more a “what if,” but it was nice to return to these characters and see how they have grown and what happened to their new relationships.  It had been a year since I finished the original series, and I had no problem remembering these characters and the main storyline.  I am sad to be finished with this story, but I know Holmberg will give us new characters to love soon.

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Review: Dear Manny

Dear Manny by Nic Stone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jared has decided to run for junior class president and knows his opponent, a far-right business major who flaunts his white privilege.  He wants to keep the momentum of progress in his college and believes he is the best candidate.  That is until a third person enters the race.  Jared quickly finds out that this recent transfer student has brains as well as beauty.  As he struggles with his own white privilege, he starts writing letters to his dead best friend, Manny. 

Dear Manny is the third book in the Dear Martin series.  Stone continues the format of the first two books while also portraying the white view of the story.  She mentions at the beginning in an author’s note that she never planned to write a white guy book, but this story was calling for her to write.  The story can be read on its own for those who pick it up first, but the overall story is more enjoyable with the first two books read ahead of time.  Dear Manny is an easy yet thought-provoking read for everyone.  

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Review: About Grace

About Grace by Barbara Shoup
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grace seems like an average American girl. She has a boyfriend, does well in school, and lives in a middle-class neighborhood. However, after her boyfriend encourages her to make a series of bad decisions, she ends up in juvie.   About Grace is a coming-of-age story that shows readers one view of life inside a juvenile correction facility and there is a lot of backstory that shows how she got there and some of the obstacles that were thrown in her way.  This book is a short read and very raw with its imagery which will be appealing to many reluctant readers.  There are some triggers within this story (suicide, molestation, and abortion to name a few), but they are covered with a light touch.  About Grace was a compelling read, but I hope the final version has several errors fixed.  

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Review: The Librarians of Lisbon

The Librarians of Lisbon by Suzanne Nelson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Selene and Beatrice are best friends, librarians, and spies.  They work for the U.S. Intelligence Office and are sent to Lisbon in 1943 where World War II is at full throttle.  Their official jobs are to catalog the information the Allies gain, but when night drops on the city, they try to get information from the Axis spy network.  Both spies must take large risks for their country.  Is there anyone they can trust?  What relationships will crash and burn?

The Librarians of Lisbon is a historical fiction thriller that started out great and then fizzled as the story continued.  Nelson did a wonderful job creating the backdrop of World War II female spies and the troubles they went through.  I liked how many of the characters were based on real people who did similar things to support the Allies’ cause, but there was something missing in the end.  This was a different WWII story than usual, so that was a saving grace.  This will be a good read for some but not all historical fiction fans.

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