Review: Roses and Radicals: The Epic Story of How American Women Won the Right to Vote

Roses and Radicals: The Epic Story of How American Women Won the Right to Vote by Susan Zimet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In today’s political arena, a woman’s voice is heard just as loud as a man’s voice, but we have had this right for less than one hundred years. The nineteenth amendment that gave women the right to vote barely passed, yet it did. This historic event was not quick and was spearheaded by many women over many decades. Roses and Radicals tells the story of these women. Some are well-known suffragettes and others are lesser known, but not less important. This non-fiction book will bring readers a better knowledge of these issues we take for granted. Roses and Radicals is a good book that readers may finish quickly or at their own pace.

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Review: Ink, Iron, and Glass

Ink, Iron, and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Elsa’s mother has been abducted and she has crossed into the real world in order to use her scriptology gifts to find her mother. Although it is Italy in the 19th-century, many people have gifts that give them an advantage in alchemy, mechanics and even scriptology. Elsa is introduced to a group of young people who are gifted orphans and she tries her best to get them to assist her in her quest. Will they be able to uncover the hidden truths that even the adults don’t fully understand? Who can she trust when the fate of her mother on the line?

Ink, Iron, and Glass is the first book in a series by the same name. The story is captivating in its simplicity and mesmerizing with its complexities. It seems like that can’t be so, yet that is the only way I can explain it. Clare has weaved together historical events with a steampunk adventure and readers will easily find themselves turning page after page to discover the truth. Since this is a first book in the series it doesn’t have a firm ending, yet the primary goal of the main story is brought to a satisfactory conclusion. A fun read and I will be looking forward to the next book in this series.

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Review: The Rogue Queen

The Rogue Queen by Emily R. King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kalinda has overcome more obstacles than anyone would imagine, including a tournament to the death. Now she is trying to move on with her life and help those around her, yet she has come to the understanding that the demon that had touched her life has now made her magic powers uncontrollable. Are her heightened powers exactly what she needs to vanquish this demon? Who should Kalinda put her trust in in order to protect her empire?

The Rogue Queen is the third book in The Hundredth Queen series. The events from this book pick up shortly after the ending of the second. Kalinda has a whole new series of obstacles to overcome and readers will be riding the thrills alongside her and her friends. Although this is a fun series to read, I found my mind wondering and had trouble staying focused on the larger plot. A good read if you have already read the first two books, but not a book to jump into blind.


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Review: Shatter

Shatter by Aprilynne Pike
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Danica thought she had the perfect plan to acquire a lot of currency and a way to escape the Palace of Versailles, but when her plan goes sideways not only is she not able to get away, she ends up married to the King. Now, Danica, has the court addicted to Glitter and must find a new way to escape this life she is trapped in. Danica is Queen, but she must learn to take the power that should be hers by right. Will she be able to contrive a new deception and leave the palace for good? Will the power she is slowly given be too tempting to give up?

Shatter is the second book in the Glitter series. Pike uses several different literary techniques to remind the reader of the events from the first book. At first, I was getting frustrated, but then I quickly remembered the tantalizing storyline and found myself fully invested in this next installment. Readers will see many correlations between this future world and ours, yet many will find this a great escape from our “modern” times. Presently Goodreads does not have a third book listed, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is in the works.


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Review: Broken Beautiful Hearts

Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Peyton has just been offered a scholarship to her number one college choice to play soccer. She is super excited about the news, but then a fall down the stairs puts her scholarship in jeopardy. No one believes that her boyfriend pushed her, not even her best friend, and her mother decides it is best for her to live with her uncle and cousins during her recuperation. Then Peyton becomes friends with Owen, an MMA fighter, and even though Peyton doesn’t want to start a relationship, she can’t deny the attraction. Will Peyton be able to heal in peace or will her ex track her down?

Broken Beautiful Hearts is a stand-alone novel that will please both male and female readers alike. Although there is a lot of information about soccer and MMA fighting, readers do not need to be fluent in these subjects to enjoy the greater story. Some readers may call this a romance, yet just like the sports sections, it is more than that. Peyton must wrestle with many relationship questions and decide if she wants to keep to the standards her father taught her. A great read that should be added to everyone’s TBR list.


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Review: Tempests and Slaughter

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Arram may only be 10 years old, yet he is training at the Imperial University of Carthak and may eventually become a very powerful mage. As he moves up in his classes he forges deep friendships with two other young students that show great promise. It doesn’t matter that one of them is the “leftover prince,” these three continue to perform beyond everyone’s expectations. As Ozorne slowly becomes less of a leftover and Arram starts feeling those feelings about girls, Arram begins to learn that loyalties can be stretched in different directions.

Tempests and Slaughter is the first book in The Numair Chronicles. Readers will find themselves easily relating to these young mages and hoping for success in their endeavors. Pierce has crafted a story with a lot of depth and backstory, yet the reader will not feel as if pages and pages were dedicated to world building. I was sad to have the story end and I will definitely be looking for the next book in the series.


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