As the Glass Rose Dims, So the Hope of Redemption

~Of Curses and Kisses~
St. Rosetta's Academy
Book 1
By Sandhya Menon
Amazon ~ Powell's

Will the princess save the beast?

For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?

His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can't shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…

As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.


The first of this year's 25 Reads of December from RivetedLit, I thought a Beauty and the Beast style romance sounded cute. While I'm not new to reinterpretations of fairytales/literature classics, B&tB wasn't one I'd picked up yet, plus I'm always excited for a good transformation and/or redemption story. And since time is kinda crunched with these book-a-day offers, I decided to get the audiobook from my library to read along with, so I'll include my Audiobook Addendum section at the end as well.

Before we get too much further into the review, I'm going to make the assumption that you are familiar with Beauty and the Beast's general story and ending. (The Disney version is actually preferred here.) If you're not, consider this a spoiler warning because I don't know that I'm capable of analyzing the interpretation without touching on all aspects of the story, especially the ending. I will, however, do my best to keep unique aspects of the story, the subplots and secondary characters' arcs spoiler-free. So with that said, let's dive in, shall we?

The Reverie Was a Living Tapestry of Memories and Dreams

~Reverie~
By Ryan La Sala
Amazon ~ Powell's

Inception meets The Magicians in this wildly imaginative story about what happens when the secret worlds people hide within themselves come to light.

All Kane Montgomery knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. He can't remember anything since an accident robbed him of his memories a few weeks ago. And the world feels different—reality itself seems different.

So when three of his classmates claim to be his friends and the only people who can tell him what's truly going on, he doesn't know what to believe or who he can trust. But as he and the others are dragged into unimaginable worlds that materialize out of nowhere—the gym warps into a subterranean temple, a historical home nearby blooms into a Victorian romance rife with scandal and sorcery—Kane realizes that nothing in his life is an accident, and only he can stop their world from unraveling.


I came across this one on my library's ebook app, Libby/Overdrive. It was part of their Big Library Read event, which picks one book every few months and makes it universally available to as many people who want to check it out. They then hold discussions and author chats, basically bringing everyone together for one big book club. And since November's selection was a stand-alone YA fantasy novel with a drop-dead GORGEOUS cover, I figured I had to pick it up. And I'm glad I did...even if it did set my brain on fire for a bit.

The Fowl Family Deny All Charges

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books in the Artemis Fowl series, specifically The Fowl Twins, or don't mind knowing spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

The Fowl Twins
~Deny All Charges~
Book 2
By Eoin Colfer
Amazon ~ Powell's

The second Fowl Twins adventure starts with a bang – literally.

Artemis's little brothers Myles and Beckett borrow the Fowl jet without permission, and it ends up as a fireball over Florida. The twins plus their fairy minder, the pixie-elf hybrid Lazuli Heitz, are lucky to escape with their lives.

The Fowl parents and fairy police force decide that enough is enough and the twins are placed under house arrest. But Myles has questions, like: who was tracking the Fowl jet? Why would someone want to blow them out of the sky? These questions must infuriate someone, because Myles is abducted and spirited away from his twin.

Now Beckett and Lazuli must collaborate to find Myles and rescue him – not easy when it was Myles who was the brains of the operation. Their chase will take them across continents, deep underground, and into subaquatic super villain lairs. They will be shot at, covered in spit, and at the receiving end of some quite nasty dwarf sarcasm. But will Beckett be able to come up with a genius plan without a genius on hand…?


Since Eoin Colfer remains to be one of my favorite authors (possibly my favorite male author, period), I will continue to seek out each and every one of his books. And since this is the latest entry in one of my favorite series, I had no choice but to grab it as soon as was feasible and hope it would be every bit as enjoyable as previous entries. But really, was there ever any doubt?

An Invisible Girl Left Her Library and Found Real Life

~The Library of Lost Things~
By Laura Taylor Namey
Amazon ~ Powell's

From the moment she first learned to read, literary genius Darcy Wells has spent most of her time living in the worlds of her books. There, she can avoid the crushing reality of her mother’s hoarding and pretend her life is simply ordinary. But when a new property manager becomes more active in the upkeep of their apartment complex, the only home Darcy has ever known outside of her books suddenly hangs in the balance.

While Darcy is struggling to survive beneath the weight of her mother’s compulsive shopping, Asher Fleet, a former teen pilot with an unexpectedly shattered future, walks into the bookstore where she works…and straight into her heart. For the first time in her life, Darcy can’t seem to find the right words. Fairy tales are one thing, but real love makes her want to hide inside her carefully constructed ink-and-paper bomb shelter.

Still, after spending her whole life keeping people out, something about Asher makes Darcy want to open up. But securing her own happily-ever-after will mean she’ll need to stop hiding and start living her own truth—even if it’s messy.


This one popped up on my Facebook feed as an ad from Inkyard Press with the description "Fangirl meets Jane Austen" and I immediately glombed onto it for its promise of romance, books, and a quick and easy stand-alone format. I guess two out of three ain't bad.

The Civilization That Disproves This Axiom

~Axiom's End~
Noumena
Book 1
By Lindsay Ellis
Amazon ~ Powell's

Truth is a human right.

It’s fall 2007. A well-timed leak has revealed that the US government might have engaged in first contact. Cora Sabino is doing everything she can to avoid the whole mess, since the force driving the controversy is her whistleblower father. Even though Cora hasn’t spoken to him in years, his celebrity has caught the attention of the press, the Internet, the paparazzi, and the government—and with him in hiding, that attention is on her. She neither knows nor cares whether her father’s leaks are a hoax, and wants nothing to do with him—until she learns just how deeply entrenched her family is in the cover-up, and that an extraterrestrial presence has been on Earth for decades.

Realizing the extent to which both she and the public have been lied to, she sets out to gather as much information as she can, and finds that the best way for her to uncover the truth is not as a whistleblower, but as an intermediary. The alien presence has been completely uncommunicative until she convinces one of them that she can act as their interpreter, becoming the first and only human vessel of communication. Their otherworldly connection will change everything she thought she knew about being human—and could unleash a force more sinister than she ever imagined.


I've been following this author for a good while now. I thoroughly enjoy her video essays, her deep dives into the Transformers movies, her work with PBS, and especially her exploration of (and cynical look at) YA fiction with Awoken and Booze Your Own Adventure. So when she announced that she was releasing her own novel this year, I knew I had to jump on it. Obviously, yes, I am biased in that I already enjoy her content, and so went into the book expecting to enjoy it (ideally, one would go into every book they decide to pick up expecting to enjoy it). But by no means am I about to gush about it like it's a must-read for everyone, cause it's definitely not.

In London a Bookseller Feller / Wore One Glove Surprisingly Yeller

~The Left-Handed Booksellers
of London~
By Garth Nix
Amazon ~ Powell's

In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn’t get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.

Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones), are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.

Susan’s search for her father begins with her mother’s possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.

Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan’s. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.


Garth Nix has been on my to-read list since the 90's. I've heard his Abhorsen series is great, his Keys to the Kingdom series even got my quasi-illiterate sibling to read a little, and I've drooled at the covers for the Seventh Tower series during many a bookstore visit. So when I saw this new book on my Facebook feed, with that cover and a title that promised to involve bookish characters, how could I put it off any longer?

This is About the Lodestar Initiative

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous four books in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, or don't mind knowing spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Lodestar~
Keeper of the Lost Cities
Book 5
By Shannon Messenger
Amazon ~ Powell's

Sophie Foster is back in the Lost Cities—but the Lost Cities have changed. The threat of war hangs heavy over her glittering world, and the Neverseen are wreaking havoc.

The lines between friend and enemy have blurred, and Sophie is unsure whom to trust. But when she’s warned that the people she loves most will be the next victims, she knows she has to act.

A mysterious symbol could be the key—if only she knew how to translate it. Every new clue seems to lead deeper into her world’s underbelly and the Black Swan aren’t the only ones who have plans. The Neverseen have their own Initiative, and if Sophie doesn’t stop it, they might finally have the ultimate means to control her.


With the last book leaving us on a rather precarious cliffhanger, I knew I'd be back at this series soon. I mean, who doesn't love Keefe? Judging from the fan comments on GoodReads, not many. So I just hoped for the best as I dove in, and...I think I came out okay?

They Just Let the Legendborn Get Away with Everything

~Legendborn~
The Legendborn Cycle
Book 1
By Tracy Deonn
Amazon ~ Powell's

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.


I found this one on Facebook, as well as many lists of upcoming fantasy, debuts, and books by black authors. King Arthurian legends have always been interesting to me (Disney's Sword in the Stone was one of my early favorites), and I was curious to see how it would interact with "Southern Black Girl Magic." Let's just say things got really, really interesting.

Sometimes Things Don’t Go Like They Should

~Solutions and Other Problems~
By Allie Brosh
Amazon ~ Powell's

Solutions and Other Problems includes humorous stories from Allie Brosh’s childhood; the adventures of her very bad animals; merciless dissection of her own character flaws; incisive essays on grief, loneliness, and powerlessness; as well as reflections on the absurdity of modern life.


After reading and buying the first book, I could not wait to get my hands on the next. Though the blog has been fairly dead since her first publication, I found that she's in process of uploading a truckload of pictures (both drawings and photos) to her facebook page as "an attempt to answer the question of what life was like during the seven years between books." So, yeah, not much going into reading this, just sort of a "see book, must read" kind of mindset.

The Magic Misfits Need All the Luck They Can Get

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books of The Magic Misfits or don't mind knowing spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~The Fourth Suit~
The Magic Misfits
Book 4
Written by Neil Patrick Harris
Illustrated by Lissy Marlin & Kyle Hinton
Amazon ~ Powell's

Ridley Larsen is everything you want in a friend. She's tough as nails, she's fiercely loyal, and she's smart as a whip. But she can be a harsh critic, which has put her position with the Magic Misfits on the rocks, even as the threat of the group's longtime enemy Kalagan looms large. Ever since his recent appearance in Mineral Wells, the kids know that a showdown with the vicious magician is imminent.

They must first deal with a series of odd instances and random attacks, though, all of which they use to bring themselves closer to discovering where Kalagan may be hiding, and the nature of his true identity. But can Ridley finally master her temper and put her essential magical skills to good use? She'll do anything to protect her friends, and when the time comes, she'll find that the Magic Misfits are strongest when they all work together.


Obviously after reading the first three I had to continue into the finale. Ridley was always my favorite of the Misfits, due in no small part to her prickly attitude but fierce loyalty to her friends (tough on the outside, gooey on the inside are my favorite characters), so I was always most excited to read her POV. And for it to be the finale to the series? All the better!

Yelling to the Sky, Punching the Air

~Punching The Air~
By Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam
Amazon ~ Powell's

The story that I thought
was my life
didn’t start on the day
I was born

Amal Shahid has always been an artist and a poet. But even in a diverse art school, he’s seen as disruptive and unmotivated by a biased system. Then one fateful night, an altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood escalates into tragedy. “Boys just being boys” turns out to be true only when those boys are white.

The story that I think
will be my life
starts today

Suddenly, at just sixteen years old, Amal’s bright future is upended: he is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. Despair and rage almost sink him until he turns to the refuge of his words, his art. This never should have been his story. But can he change it?

With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth, in a system designed to strip him of both.


This was one of those that was all over my Facebook scroll, and between the cover art, the authors, and the plot, I knew I had to get ahold of this real quick. Obviously, I knew Ibi Zoboi from reading Pride a couple weeks back, but I was less familiar with Yusef Salaam outside of the Central Park Jogger case and was interested in getting to know more about him creatively. Let's just say, I got more than I bargained for.

She Thought Redemption Was Her Escape, but It Was the Opposite

~Redemption Prep~
By Samuel Miller
Amazon ~ Powell's

Everyone knows Emma. Neesha’s her best friend, Aiden’s her basketball star boyfriend, and Evan’s her shadow, following Emma’s every move. She stands out, which is hard to do at Redemption Prep, a school where every student has been handpicked to attend its remote campus in the forest of Utah. So when she goes missing in plain sight, everyone notices. And everyone becomes a suspect, especially at a school with strict rules: Don’t skip mass. Don’t break curfew. Don’t go into the woods.

Emma’s disappearance ignites an investigation, and Neesha, Aiden, and Evan all want to find her—for different reasons. But they each have their own secrets to hide, and not everyone wants Emma to be found.

As the search continues, the students realize that they’re not the only ones trying to hide something. Redemption Prep has secrets, too—secrets bigger than any of the students could have imagined, and Emma could be the key to finding out the truth… if anyone can find her.


I don't remember how this first came across my radar, though I assume it was from a YA newsletter from my library. After reading the premise, I was interested, but after accidentally reading some up-voted low-score reviews, I was looking forward to some trashy fun. After all, it can't be a disappointment if you're expecting it to be bad, right? All I can say is be careful what you wish for.

Look Around. Look at Everyone Else. They Wish They Were Us.

~They Wish They Were Us~
By Jessica Goodman
Amazon ~ Powell's

A murder mystery set against the backdrop of an exclusive prep school on Long Island.

In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems.

Freshman year Jill's best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.

Now, it's Jill's senior year and she's determined to make it her best yet. After all, she's a senior and a Player--a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill's year. She's sure of it.

But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham's innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn't kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.


I have no idea how this book got on my reading list, let alone my library queue. It could have been a new debuts list, or "look at these pretty covers" list. Regardless of how or why I picked it up, it turned into a chance for an impromptu mystery binge (continuing with my next read, Redemption Prep).

I Hold the World Record for Being Declared Dead by Twitter

~Ten Dead Comedians~
By Fred Van Lente
Amazon ~ Powell's

Fred Van Lente’s brilliant debut is both an homage to the Golden Age of Mystery and a thoroughly contemporary show-business satire. As the story opens, nine comedians of various acclaim are summoned to the island retreat of legendary Hollywood funnyman Dustin Walker. The group includes a former late-night TV host, a washed-up improv instructor, a ridiculously wealthy “blue collar” comic, and a past-her-prime Vegas icon. All nine arrive via boat to find that every building on the island is completely deserted. Marooned without cell phone service or wifi signals, they soon find themselves being murdered one by one. But who is doing the killing, and why?

A darkly clever take on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None and other classics of the genre, Ten Dead Comedians is a marvel of literary ventriloquism, with hilarious comic monologues in the voice of every suspect. It’s also an ingeniously plotted puzzler with a twist you’ll never see coming.


While perusing through Quirk's back catalog, I came across another book by the author of The Con Artist. Since I enjoyed the mystery and wit of that book, and seeing that this one starred comedians as main characters, I figured I had to pick it up and give it a try. And boy, was this a good book to have on hand with the week I've been having. Even if it did have a lot of death.

Humanitarian Donation Links

Sorry for not having a review this week, but things be crazy here in Oregon right now. If you haven't heard, there are major wildfires burning up and down the entire West Coast of America this week. Oregon got hit by 40+ mph winds for 3 days, combined with low humidity and coming at the end of a dry summer, fires either got started when powerlines fell, or got a boost in travel speed. 

I lost power for 12 hours on Monday night, and then the smoke rolled in. Thankfully, that's the whole of my problems at the moment. So many more have had to evacuate, and it's not hard to find footage of burned homes and decimated communities.

So in lieu of skipping a week, I'd like to post a link to an organization that does a lot of good work.

The Week of Compassion emerged in the early 1940s, as World War II created a series of humanitarian crises around the globe. The International Convention (General Assembly) of the Christian Church made two recommendations regarding multiple aid and relief projects around the world. These recommendations outlined partnerships with multiple ecumenical ministries and counterparts. The Church designated a “Day of Compassion,” on which congregations would hold a special offering to raise funds to support these mission projects.

In 1943, the “Wartime Service Fund” was approved by the International Convention. At this point, the Disciples of Christ designated a “Week of Compassion” to raise $250,000 for ongoing support of these relief efforts.

In the meantime…
Over the next several decades, the work of Week of Compassion and its partners expanded to include not just humanitarian aid, but also disaster response and refugee resettlement. The ministry’s leadership evolved as well, from a voluntary office to a full-time executive director; additional staff helped expand the reach of the ministry; and the annual fund grew over time from thousands of dollars to millions.

Into the Future
When our ministry began, the idea of different denominations partnering together--in spite of differences in doctrine or practice-- was a radical notion. In many ways, it is still countercultural to work together across many kinds of boundaries. And yet, we remain committed to the partnerships that make our mission stronger, and that allow us to reach those in need with the love of Christ.

As of 2019, Week of Compassion has been in operation for 75 years. We are proud of our history, but also recognize that there is so much work yet to be done. The need to collaborate and address the world’s increasingly complex humanitarian issues--while maintaining unity as a guiding principle--is more critical than ever. Your support enables us to faithfully respond to human need around the world; empower communities to build and rebuild; and partner with other church organizations as the Body of Christ. Around the year and around the world, Week of Compassion remains committed to sustaining this faithful presence far into the future.

I get it if you don't want to donate to a church-run organization. Heck, I don't blame you. But whereas Red Cross uses a lot of their donations for internal expenses (advertising), Week of Compassion uses 100% of donations for the cause you specify.

When you make your gift online, you will have the opportunity to designate an amount; choose a particular area of our work or “Where Most Needed;” and let us know what congregation you are connected with so your local church can receive recognition for total giving to Week of Compassion.

So if you want your donation to specifically go toward the West Coast wildfire relief, or the area hit by Hurricane Laura, or some other humanitarian effort around the world, just let them know.

If you can give, please consider doing so. And if you would rather donate to some other organization, that's fine too, just try to be aware of where your money is going.

Stay safe, best wishes, and I'll be back with regular reviews next week.

I Have An In At Verona

~Verona Comics~
By Jennifer Dugan
Amazon ~ Powell's

Jubilee has it all together. She's an elite cellist, and when she's not working in her stepmom's indie comic shop, she's prepping for the biggest audition of her life.

Ridley is barely holding it together. His parents own the biggest comic-store chain in the country, and Ridley can't stop disappointing them--that is, when they're even paying attention.

They meet one fateful night at a comic convention prom, and the two can't help falling for each other. Too bad their parents are at each other's throats every chance they get, making a relationship between them nearly impossible . . . unless they manage to keep it a secret.

Then again, the feud between their families may be the least of their problems. As Ridley's anxiety spirals, Jubilee tries to help but finds her focus torn between her fast-approaching audition and their intensifying relationship. What if love can't conquer all? What if each of them needs more than the other can give?


I got a 2-chapter preview at the end of the author's last book, Hot Dog Girl, and knew I had to get ahold of this one. Cosplay, conventions, music, comics, LGBT+ couples, social anxiety, split POV, and teen romance? Yes, please. Now, please.

Bit of Hope and a Dash of Faith

~Faith: Taking Flight~
Book 1
By Julie Murphy
Amazon ~ Powell's

Faith Herbert is a pretty regular teen. When she’s not hanging out with her two best friends, Matt and Ches, she’s volunteering at the local animal shelter or obsessing over the long-running teen drama The Grove.

So far, her senior year has been spent trying to sort out her feelings for her maybe-crush Johnny and making plans to stay close to Grandma Lou after graduation. Of course, there’s also that small matter of recently discovering she can fly….

When the fictional world of The Grove crashes into Faith’s reality as the show relocates to her town, she can’t believe it when TV heroine Dakota Ash takes a romantic interest in her.

But her fandom-fueled daydreams aren’t enough to distract Faith from the fact that first animals, then people, have begun to vanish from the town. Only Faith seems able to connect the dots to a new designer drug infiltrating her high school.

But when her investigation puts the people she loves in danger, she will have to confront her hidden past and use her newfound gifts—risking everything to save her friends and beloved town.


The main draw for this one was that it features a plus-size superhero. Being plus-size myself, I was excited to read about a heroine who might face similar physical and psychological hurdles that I face. I went into this completely blind, save for the cover, so I had no idea this was an established comic book character (circa 1992), nor that it is the first part of a planned duology. I'm sure fans of the character will be able to look past some of the problems I had with it, but I was kinda let down.

Kindest Regards, Nothing Is Ok

~Nothing is Okay~
By Rachel Wiley
Amazon ~ Powell's

Nothing is Okay is the second full-length poetry collection by Rachel Wiley, whose work simultaneously deconstructs the lies that we were taught about our bodies and our beings, and builds new ways of viewing ourselves. As she delves into queerness, feminism, fatness, dating, and race, Wiley molds these topics into a punching critique of culture and a celebration of self. A fat positive activist, Wiley's work soars and challenges the bounds of bodies and hearts, and the ways we carry them.


I've never been one for poetry, least of all when I'm forced to analyze it for class. I swear, Robert Frost will be the end of me. But after seeing a powerful video (which ended up being one of the poems in this book) with the author 'joking' about her regular healthcare treatment, I knew I had to check out her stuff. She also has another book, The Fat Joke out, but since my library doesn't have that one digitally yet, I went with what they do have.

Don’t Let Your Pride Get in the Way of Your Heart

~Pride~
By Ibi Zoboi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable.

When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.

But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.

In a timely update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, critically acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant reimagining of this beloved classic.


In addition to being interested in stories highlighting Black Experiences, I also have a soft spot for Pride and Prejudice. Not only was it one of the only books I enjoyed reading for school, but I've also enjoyed other renditions like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (though not so much the movie). So when I discovered a book that married these two interests, I knew I had to grab a copy as soon as possible. In the end, some of it worked for me, and some of it didn't...

I Just Kinda Wanna Start All Over . . . Begin Again

~Genesis Begins Again~
By Alicia D. Williams
Amazon ~ Powell's

This deeply sensitive and powerful debut novel tells the story of a thirteen-year-old who must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself.

There are ninety-six things Genesis hates about herself. She knows the exact number because she keeps a list. Like #86: Because her skin is so dark, people call her charcoal and eggplant—even her own family. And #73: Because her family is always being put out of their house, belongings laid out on the sidewalk for the world to see. When your dad is a gambling addict and loses the rent money every month, eviction is a regular occurrence.

What’s not so regular is that this time they all don’t have a place to crash, so Genesis and her mom have to stay with her grandma. It’s not that Genesis doesn’t like her grandma, but she and Mom always fight—Grandma haranguing Mom to leave Dad, that she should have gone back to school, that if she’d married a lighter skinned man none of this would be happening, and on and on and on. But things aren’t all bad. Genesis actually likes her new school; she’s made a couple friends, her choir teacher says she has real talent, and she even encourages Genesis to join the talent show.

But how can Genesis believe anything her teacher says when her dad tells her the exact opposite? How can she stand up in front of all those people with her dark, dark skin knowing even her own family thinks lesser of her because of it? Why, why, why won’t the lemon or yogurt or fancy creams lighten her skin like they’re supposed to? And when Genesis reaches #100 on the list of things she hates about herself, will she continue on, or can she find the strength to begin again?


This was another book that popped up while I was scanning for Black Experience stories surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and protests following the murder of George Floyd. Not knowing much about it besides being written by and starring a PoC, I didn't really have many expectations save for the experiences I've already had with Angie Thomas's bombshells. This experience was less of a bombshell, and more of a slow burn—different, but equally effective.

Further Chaos With the Neverseen

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Keeper of the Lost Cities, Exile and Everblaze, or don't mind knowing spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Neverseen~
Keeper of the Lost Cities
Book 4
By Shannon Messenger
Amazon ~ Powell's

Sophie Foster is on the run—but at least she’s not alone.

Her closest friends from the Lost Cities have gone with her to join the Black Swan. They still have doubts about the shadowy organization, but the only way to find answers is to start working with them. And as they settle into their new lives, they uncover secrets bigger than anything they’d imagined.

But their enemies are far from done, and unleash a terrifying plague that threatens the safety of an entire species. Sophie and her friends fight with everything they have—with new allies joining them—but every choice has consequences. And trusting the wrong person could prove deadly.

In this game-changing fourth book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must question everything to find a truth that will either save her world—or shatter it.


I was extremely exited for this one—after all, we're finally joining the rebellion full-time and getting into all the secrets. Right? ...Right?

No One Can Stop You On The Come Up, Dreamer

~On the Come Up~
By Angie Thomas
Amazon ~ Powell's

Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least make it out of her neighborhood one day. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died before he hit big, Bri’s got big shoes to fill. But now that her mom has unexpectedly lost her job, food banks and shutoff notices are as much a part of Bri’s life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it.

On the Come Up is Angie Thomas’s homage to hip-hop, the art that sparked her passion for storytelling and continues to inspire her to this day. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; of the struggle to become who you are and not who everyone expects you to be; and of the desperate realities of poor and working-class black families.


After reading The Hate U Give, I knew I had to come back for more of Thomas's powerful stories. While not as familiar with hip-hop or rap music, I knew I had to at least give it a shot. This is my third time reading about the black experience—I'm sure there are better terms for it, but I like it better than Black Lives Matter, which some people are tagging these books despite them having little-to-nothing to do with the movement—and the third time I am in awe of how little I know about the world around me.

Thug Life Meant: The Hate U Give Little Infants F---s Everybody

~The Hate U Give~
By Angie Thomas
Amazon ~ Powell's

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.


I actually read this book a couple years ago, during my reading/reviewing hiatus. It was somewhat freeing, being able to read what I wanted without hyping up, defending, or analyzing my choices. I got through some good series that way. But I also know I took the easy way out when it came to this book. My GoodReads review was 3 sentences, basically saying everyone should read it for its message. After the tumult of 2020, I know that wasn't enough. So here I am, back again, revisiting Starr, Khalil, and the now three-year-old story that still feels like it could happen tomorrow.

Long Live Our Queens! Long Live SLAY!

~SLAY~
By Brittney Morris
Amazon ~ Powell's

Ready Player One meets The Hate U Give in this dynamite debut novel that follows a fierce teen game developer as she battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther–inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for black gamers.

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?


I first came upon this book during RivetedLit's December Reads event, and considering how much I love The Hate U Give and my interest in gaming culture, I couldn't say no. But then I let it sit too long and expire. So when the Black Lives Matter movement resurged this spring/summer, I finally got my butt in gear and checked it out. And I'm glad I did.

A Wall of Fragmented Memories Blazing With Unstoppable Flames

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile, or don't mind knowing spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Everblaze~
Keeper of the Lost Cities
Book 3
By Shannon Messenger
Amazon ~ Powell's

Sophie Foster is ready to fight back.

Her talents are getting stronger, and with the elusive Black Swan group ignoring her calls for help, she’s determined to find her kidnappers—before they come after her again.

But a daring mistake leaves her world teetering on the edge of war, and causes many to fear that she has finally gone too far. And the deeper Sophie searches, the farther the conspiracy stretches, proving that her most dangerous enemy might be closer than she realizes.

In this nail-biting third book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must fight the flames of rebellion, before they destroy everyone and everything she loves.


Well, I was expecting things to heat up, but this was a little more than I bargained for. Dad jokes aside, I was excited to continue Sophie's saga and see where things headed to next. Only book 3 of this 8+ book series, and we're already approaching Deathly Hallows territory.

In The Darkness, I Imagine Light

SPOILER ALERT
This review is of the final book in the Shatter Me series, and is mainly for those who have read or are familiar with the five previous books (and 4 novellas), or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Imagine Me~
Shatter Me
Book 6
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Juliette Ferrars.

Ella Sommers.

Which is the truth and which is the lie?

Now that Ella knows who Juliette is and what she was created for, things have only become more complicated. As she struggles to understand the past that haunts her and looks to a future more uncertain than ever, the lines between right and wrong—between Ella and Juliette—blur. And with old enemies looming, her destiny may not be her own to control.

The day of reckoning for the Reestablishment is coming. But she may not get to choose what side she fights on.


We all thought this was going to be a trilogy, then it turned into two. I already went through an ending once, am I ready to hang up the series for good? Yes and no...

The Memory Thief Who Backstabbed the Shadows

~The Memory Thief~
By Lauren Mansy
Amazon ~ Powell's

In the city of Craewick, memories reign. The power-obsessed ruler of the city, Madame, has cultivated a society in which memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and Gifted individuals can take memories from others through touch as they please.

Seventeen-year-old Etta Lark is desperate to live outside of the corrupt culture, but grapples with the guilt of an accident that has left her mother bedridden in the city’s asylum. When Madame threatens to put her mother up for auction, a Craewick practice in which a “criminal's" memories are sold to the highest bidder before being killed, Etta will do whatever it takes to save her. Even if it means rejoining the Shadows, the rebel group she swore off in the wake of the accident years earlier.

To prove her allegiance to the Shadows and rescue her mother, Etta must steal a memorized map of the Maze, a formidable prison created by the bloodthirsty ruler of a neighboring Realm. So she sets out on a journey in which she faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and, above all, her own past in order to set things right in her world.


Definitely hesitant to start this one, what with my grandmother grappling with dementia, but since trying to skirt around the topic resulted in being blindsided by the last two books I read containing dying grandmothers (one who also had dementia), I figured maybe I'm better off diving straight into a story knowing that it deals with lost memories. It turned out I didn't feel much of anything...

Unending Self-Discovery in Alter Ego

Alter Ego
By Caramel Column Inc.

"Who am I?"

This game is for those who want to analyze their personality, those with an interest in literature, philosophy, or psychology, and those who are continuously searching for themselves.

Tap whispers to gather EGO. Use the EGO you have gathered to progress in the story and take personality tests. Use what you learn in the game to see yourself in a new light.
There are multiple endings based on the choices you make. Your interpretation changes the nature of the in-game world.

"This is our story: yours, and mine."

Some Choose Hot Dogs, Some Have Hot Dogs Thrust Upon Them

~Hot Dog Girl~
By Jennifer Dugan
Amazon ~ Powell's

Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way:

* She's landed a job at Magic Castle Playland
. . . as a giant dancing hot dog.

* Her crush, the dreamy Diving Pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the Princess of the park. But Lou's never liked anyone, guy or otherwise, this much before, and now she wants a chance at her own happily ever after.

* Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, who's always been up for anything, suddenly isn't when it comes to Lou's quest to set her up with the perfect girl or Lou's scheme to get close to Nick.

* And it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland—ever—unless she can find a way to stop it from closing.

Jennifer Dugan's sparkling debut coming-of-age queer romance stars a princess, a pirate, a hot dog, and a carousel operator who find love—and themselves—in unexpected people and unforgettable places.


I have no idea how this book got onto my radar. I think it might have been from one of my library's Teen Reads emails—maybe one of the LGBTQ+ lists—but it must have been some time ago because it isn't in my junkbox anymore. But after reading a horror story with elements that hit a little too close to home, I knew I needed something fluffier to escape into. And fluff I got.

You’re Going to Book Club Me to Death?

~The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires~
By Grady Hendrix
Amazon ~ Powell's

Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula in this Southern-flavored supernatural thriller set in the '90s about a women's book club that must protect its suburban community from a mysterious and handsome stranger who turns out to be a blood-sucking fiend.

Patricia Campbell had always planned for a big life, but after giving up her career as a nurse to marry an ambitious doctor and become a mother, Patricia's life has never felt smaller. The days are long, her kids are ungrateful, her husband is distant, and her to-do list is never really done. The one thing she has to look forward to is her book club, a group of Charleston mothers united only by their love for true-crime and suspenseful fiction. In these meetings, they're more likely to discuss the FBI's recent siege of Waco as much as the ups and downs of marriage and motherhood.

But when an artistic and sensitive stranger moves into the neighborhood, the book club's meetings turn into speculation about the newcomer. Patricia is initially attracted to him, but when some local children go missing, she starts to suspect the newcomer is involved. She begins her own investigation, assuming that he's a Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy. What she uncovers is far more terrifying, and soon she--and her book club--are the only people standing between the monster they've invited into their homes and their unsuspecting community.


I've always been a big supporter of Quirk Books' lineup. From their monster mashups (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Android Karenina, etc.) to their more serious but still humorous fair (Miss Peregrine, The Con Artist, & The Obama/Biden Mysteries) I just love their commitment to offering the quirky. So when I saw their latest publication on Facebook, I knew I had to check it out ASAP. Unfortunately this probably wasn't the best time for me to read it.

This is the Gateway to Exile

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, Keeper of the Lost Cities, or don't mind knowing spoilers for it.
SPOILER ALERT

~Exile~
Keeper of the Lost Cities
Book 2
By Shannon Messenger
Amazon ~ Powell's

Sophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny--the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities--her life finally seems to be coming together.

But Sophie's kidnappers are still out there. And when Sophie discovers new messages and clues from the mysterious Black Swan group, she’s forced to take a terrifying risk—one that puts everyone in incredible danger.

As long buried secrets rise to the surface, it’s once again up to Sophie to uncover hidden memories—before someone close to her is lost forever.

In this second book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must journey to the darkest corners of her luminous world in a sequel that will leave you breathless for more.


Continuing from the last book, I was curious to see what was next for Sophie. Having just scored a new power and an antagonistic teacher, not to mention discovering that she was created by a secret rebellion for some unknown purpose, there was a lot to look forward to (to say nothing of the multiple romance options cropping up). Some things delivered...some did not...

Her Incandescent Heart of Flames

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, Crown of Feathers, or don't mind knowing spoilers for it.
SPOILER ALERT

~Heart of Flames~
Crown of Feathers
Book 2
By Nicki Pau Preto
Amazon ~ Powell's

You are a daughter of queens.

The world is balanced on the edge of a knife, and war is almost certain between the empire and the Phoenix Riders.

Like Nefyra before you, your life will be a trial by fire.

Veronyka finally got her wish to join the Riders, but while she’s supposed to be in training, all she really wants to do is fly out to defend the villages of Pyra from the advancing empire. Tristan has been promoted to Master Rider, but he has very different ideas about the best way to protect their people than his father, the commander. Sev has been sent to spy on the empire, but maintaining his cover may force him to fight on the wrong side of the war. And Veronyka’s sister, Val, is determined to regain the empire she lost—even if it means inciting the war herself.

Such is your inheritance. A name. A legacy. An empire in ruin.

As tensions reach a boiling point, the characters all find themselves drawn together into a fight that will shape the course of the empire—and determine the future of the Phoenix Riders. Each must decide how far they’re willing to go—and what they’re willing to lose in the process.

I pray you are able to pass through the flames.


I'll admit, I was kinda spooked for this one. The last 2nd-in-a-trilogy book I've read was Kingsbane in the Empirium trilogy, which was so utterly heartbreaking and full of despair it still has me dreading the prospect of returning to it. I was even put off the thought of returning to any unfinished fantasy trilogy for fear of a similar downturn. I mean, medieval-ish politics and revolution are rife for heartbreak, right? Well, maybe not as much as I'd feared.

Their True Magnificence Shines Beneath the Stars

~All the Stars and Teeth~
Book 1
By Adalyn Grace
Amazon ~ Powell's

Set in a kingdom where danger lurks beneath the sea, mermaids seek vengeance with song, and magic is a choice.

She will reign.

As princess of the island kingdom Visidia, Amora Montara has spent her entire life training to be High Animancer—the master of souls. The rest of the realm can choose their magic, but for Amora, it’s never been a choice. To secure her place as heir to the throne, she must prove her mastery of the monarchy’s dangerous soul magic.

When her demonstration goes awry, Amora is forced to flee. She strikes a deal with Bastian, a mysterious pirate: he’ll help her prove she’s fit to rule, if she’ll help him reclaim his stolen magic.

But sailing the kingdom holds more wonder—and more peril—than Amora anticipated. A destructive new magic is on the rise, and if Amora is to conquer it, she’ll need to face legendary monsters, cross paths with vengeful mermaids, and deal with a stow-away she never expected… or risk the fate of Visidia and lose the crown forever.

I am the right choice. The only choice. And I will protect my kingdom.


Recommended as a YA Book Club pick by my local bookstore, Jan's (Paperbacks), I picked this up partly for the cover and partly for the premise. I've never read anything featuring mermaids before and figured it was worth a shot. Little did I know, a mermaid doesn't show up until nearly halfway through the book.

The Cloud of Doom Made Me Do It

~Wayside School
Beneath the Cloud of Doom~
Wayside School
Book 4
By Louis Sachar
Illustrated by Tim Heitz
Amazon ~ Powell's

Welcome back to Wayside School!

Your favorite students and teachers are all here. That includes Sharie, who loves her striped-and-spotted umbrella more than anything; Kathy, who has a bad case of oppositosis; Jason, who has to read the longest book in the world; and the rest of Mrs. Jewls’s class on the thirtieth floor, who are busily collecting toenail clippings.

Everyone is scrambling to prepare for the all-important Ultimate Test, but meanwhile, there is a mysterious Cloud of Doom looming above them…


Well, it's been over 20 years since I first experienced Wayside School, and it's been 40 years since the series first started. I think the author's note at the beginning expresses it the best:

This is the fourth book about Wayside School. I wrote the first one, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, more than forty years ago. I’m a lot older now, but in my heart I’m still Louis, the yard teacher, passing out the balls and playing with the kids at recess. To fully enjoy this book, you should read the other three first, wait forty years, and then read this one. Or you can just read it now. (p. ix)

Though, really you'd just have to wait 25 years (since the 3rd book was published in 1995) to get the true experience...

Wayside School Was Accidentally Built Sideways

~Wayside School~
Books 1-3
Written by Louis Sachar
Illustrated by Adam McCauley
Amazon ~ Powell's

There'd been a terrible mistake. Wayside School was supposed to be built with thirty classrooms all next to each other in a row. Instead, they built the classrooms one on top of the other ... thirty stories tall! (The builder said he was very sorry.)

That may be why all kinds of funny things happen at Wayside School ... especially on the thirtieth floor. You'll meet Mrs. Gorf, the meanest teacher of all, terrible Todd, who always gets sent home early, and John who can read only upside down - along with all the other kids in the crazy mixed-up school that came out sideways. Miss Mush is dishing out her famous Mushroom Surprise in the Wayside School cafeteria. Ron says it tastes like hot dogs and grape jelly. Clean your plate and you’ll turn green in time for class picture day. Wear your craziest outfit and you’ll fit right in between Maurecia in her striped bikini and Calvin, who’s wearing his birthday tattoo. In Mrs. Drazil's class, they're throwing a coffeepot, a sack of potatoes, a pencil sharpener, and a light bulb out the window to see which hits the ground first. But you'll never guess the truth about Sammy, the new kid ... or what's inside for Wayside School on Halloween!

I guess it's story time. I picked up Wayside School books back when I was in elementary school. I started with (what was unbeknownst to me) the second book, Wayside School is Falling Down, and absolutely loved it. I eventually picked up the other two books later, probably when my sibling was the appropriate age (we're 5 years apart), but otherwise have had no reason to think of them otherwise. Every so often the author would come up - you probably recognize him most for Holes - but the Wayside books never really got as much limelight.

Then a 4th book was released and I had to pick these up again.

The Lost Cities Are Real—But Human Stories Rarely Get Anything Right

~Keeper of the Lost Cities~
Book 1
By Shannon Messenger
Amazon ~ Powell's

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath — someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory — secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.


I first came upon Shannon Messenger in her Sky Fall series, and since I loved that so much I decided to check out her other books. This is her debut work, but the series is still ongoing, so I figured what the hey, let's dive in.

Lord Highfire, Battle Dragon

~Highfire~
By Eoin Colfer
Amazon ~ Powell's

In the days of yore, he flew the skies and scorched angry mobs — now he hides from swamp tour boats and rises only with the greatest reluctance from his Laz-Z-Boy recliner. Laying low in the bayou, this once-magnificent fire breather has been reduced to lighting Marlboros with nose sparks, swilling Absolut in a Flashdance T-shirt, and binging Netflix in a fishing shack. For centuries, he struck fear in hearts far and wide as Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie — now he goes by Vern. However...he has survived, unlike the rest. He is the last of his kind, the last dragon. Still, no amount of vodka can drown the loneliness in his molten core. Vern’s glory days are long gone. Or are they?

A canny Cajun swamp rat, young Everett “Squib” Moreau does what he can to survive, trying not to break the heart of his saintly single mother. He’s finally decided to work for a shady smuggler — but on his first night, he witnesses his boss murdered by a crooked constable.

Regence Hooke is not just a dirty cop, he’s a despicable human being — who happens to want Squib’s momma in the worst way. When Hooke goes after his hidden witness with a grenade launcher, Squib finds himself airlifted from certain death by…a dragon?

The swamp can make strange bedfellows, and rather than be fried alive so the dragon can keep his secret, Squib strikes a deal with the scaly apex predator. He can act as his go-between (aka familiar) — fetch his vodka, keep him company, etc. — in exchange for protection from Hooke. Soon the three of them are careening headlong toward a combustible confrontation. There’s about to be a fiery reckoning, in which either dragons finally go extinct — or Vern’s glory days are back.


So I've read almost all of Colfer's YA fare, plus a couple of his adult books now, and can I say I wasn't thrilled with the cursing in this one? I don't know if it was just part of the dialect or if it was included to make the book 'more adult', but there seemed to be an inordinate amount of cursing at times, which just put me off. I think once I knew the characters better it wasn't as jarring (and again, that may be due to my familiarity with the author's family-friendly writing), but it took a while to get to that point.