Witch's Pyre by Josephine Angelini

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Witch's Pyre by Josephine Angelini. This fantasy novel is the conclusion to the Worldwalker Trilogy which I began reading several years ago and decided to pick back up because I wanted to know how it ended. In this series, Lily Proctor, a teenage girl from Salem, Massachusetts, is transported to another universe, discovers that she is a witch, and falls in love. Without sharing too much, what I remembered about the second book, Firewalker, is that it ended in tragedy and Lily and her coven were dropped off by half-human, half-bee creatures called Warrior Sisters outside a city on the west coast of America. In Witch's Pyre, Lily learns that this city is called Bower City and it's ruled by a woman named Grace Bendingtree. It also turns out that Rowan, Lily's new love who betrayed her, followed them to the city. Although Bower City seems perfect at first, Lily's coven discovers that Grace herself is a witch and has been controlling the Hive to maintain power. Even worse, Grace has sinister plans to take over the country, possibly even the whole world. Although Lily doesn't want to resort to using nuclear weapons and mass murder, she must work together with her alternate self, Lillian, to win a war against Grace.

Despite a few distracting typos, I really enjoyed reading Witch's Pyre and thought it was a satisfying conclusion to the series. I've always loved the system of magic in this series and it was very cool to see it expanded upon even further in the final book. I was definitely devastated by the end of Firewalker, but there is a twist towards the end of Witch's Pyre before the final battle when Lily learns from the alternate Tristan that Rowan's betrayal is not what it seems. I was definitely very happy after that because their relationship was one of my favorite parts of the series before the betrayal. I also liked learning more about the different kinds of Woven, which are man-made creatures, and their behavior. I admired how their freedom was just as important to Lily, so she decided to include them in her plans to defeat Grace. A huge part of this series is the ability to put oneself into another's shoes and how our similarities are more important than our differences. There is no room for prejudice in the fight for freedom. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy and adventure.

Restore Me, Shadow Me, Defy Me, Reveal Me, Imagine Me, and Believe Me by Tahereh Mafi

Since April, I'd been reading the second half of the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi, which includes the novels Restore Me, Defy Me, and Imagine Me and the novellas Shadow Me, Reveal Me, and Believe Me, and I just finished this past weekend. To minimize spoilers, I will just share that this half of the series is about the aftermath of Ignite Me and Juliette, whose point of view is used in the three full-length novels, learning more about the secrets her past. While these books were just as suspenseful as the the first half of the series and I was on the edge of my seat while reading the action scenes, I didn't quite enjoy them as much. My favorites of the back six were Defy Me and Believe Me because their endings made me happy, but even they had minor flaws. For example, I wish Believe Me had been a full-length novel and included Juliette's perspective. My biggest problem was how the author completely dropped Warner's perspective in Imagine Me when his point of view played a major role in Restore Me and Defy Me in addition to Juliette's. Thankfully, she wrote Believe Me from Warner's point of view, but the disappointment hasn't gone away for me. The first two novellas, Shadow Me and Reveal Me, are from the perspective of Juliette's newfound best friend, Kenji Kishimoto, and the author continued using his point of view in Defy Me and Imagine Me. While I think his part of the story added something to Defy Me when the characters were separated, it felt unnecessary in Imagine Me, like it was at the expense of Warner's thoughts and feelings. Overall, I would recommend these books to anyone who can't get enough of enough of the characters and the world that Mafi created, but the strength of the series is definitely the first half.

Unravel Me, Ignite Me, and Unite Me by Tahereh Mafi

  

Over the past few weeks, I finished reading the first half of the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi, which includes Unravel Me, Ignite Me, and Unite Me, a collection of two novellas, Destroy Me and Fracture Me. Without getting too into spoilers, Unravel Me and Ignite Me continue Juliette's story as she grows into her powers and decides to fight the Reestablishment. After a devastating breakup with Adam and the events that lead to Juliette meeting the Supreme Commander, Anderson, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Warner, despite her denial that she is falling for him, when the underground organization that Juliette joins, Omega Point, takes him hostage. Then, when things are looking bleaker than they ever have before, Juliette makes the decision to end Anderson's reign and take control with the help of Warner and her friends from Omega Point. 

Taking place between his last appearance in Shatter Me and his first appearance in Unravel Me, Destroy Me is about Warner's recovery from an injured arm, his discovery of Juliette's journal, and his search for Juliette herself. To Warner's dismay, his father, Anderson, arrives at base because of the mistakes he made. Warner find himself reading Juliette's journal and thinking of her constantly, falling deeper in love with her. Fracture Me covers the end of Unravel Me from Adam's perspective. Before the battle to rescue two hostages, Adam still wants to be with Juliette and has to leave behind his brother, James, at Omega Point. Teaming up with Juliette and a fellow ex-soldier, Kenji, they witness the brutality of the Reestablishment when soldiers round up civilians to prevent more rebellion. Things go from bad to worse when the three of them get separated and Adam worries if James will be safe.

This series has been fantastic so far and it's the most I've been entertained while reading in about a year. While I enjoy almost everything I read, science fiction is one of my favorite genres, especially when combined with compelling romance. I didn't want to stop reading because I had to know which boy Juliette would choose and if she and her friends would win against Anderson. Not to mention, it was awesome how Juliette went from wanting to be normal and suppressing her powers to embracing them and being a leader. Anyone who likes the first book, Shatter Me, should definitely read the rest of the series.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

 

On Friday, I finished reading Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. This dystopian science fiction novel is about Juliette Ferrars, a seventeen-year-old girl who is locked up in an asylum by the Reestablishment for murder because her touch is lethal. After 264 days, a boy she knows from school, Adam Kent, is put into her cell. Juliette isn't sure if he remembers her or if she can trust him, but she can't deny her attraction to him or her desire to have a friend. Two weeks later, a young leader of the Reestablishment, Warner, decides to take her on as a project and Adam is revealed to be a soldier. Even as Juliette spends most of her days with Warner, she and Adam fall in love while spending time together at night in her room. Juliette believes that Warner wants to use her as a weapon for torture, but as they get to know each other, she is increasingly troubled that Warner may want her for something else. With an opportune moment in a few weeks, Juliette and Adam decide to take the risk to escape the Reestablishment.

I thought this novel was absolutely spectacular and I can't wait to read the rest of the series over the next few weeks. While I understood Juliette's connection with Adam and enjoyed their romance to a degree, I couldn't help but be compelled by her relationship with Warner because I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance and definitely saw the potential over the course of the story. I will be honest, though, and admit that Warner is pretty despicable at times. He terrifies Juliette because she doesn't really know what his motivations are. She shows stubbornness when he offers her comforts, like clothes and food, and is reluctant to allow him to test her powers because of her past. Her parents didn't want her and she couldn't make friends even before accidentally committing murder. At the beginning, it's clear that Juliette was deeply lonely, and I felt so bad for her, but thankfully Adam was the first to show her compassion and I definitely hope she can make more friends in the future. Despite his terrible actions and seeming insanity, I also think Warner cared about Juliette in his own way and wanted to protect her. Being one of the leaders of the Reestablishment, he must have been very aware of the dangers of the situation, and I don't really think Juliette even gave him a chance before he did anything wrong, but that's one of the challenges of reading a story in first person for me. There can be moments of unreliability when the readers are only receiving one character's perspective. Anyways, Shatter Me was very suspenseful and really picks up the pace when Juliette and Adam make their escape. I would recommend it to anyone who likes action and adventure with some romance.

Me (Moth) by Amber McBride

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Me (Moth) by Amber McBride. This realistic fiction novel in verse is about Moth, a teenage girl whose entire family died in a car accident. Afterwards, she moves in with her aunt where she has been living for the last two years. At the end of her junior year, she meets Sani, a boy who is coping with ongoing depression. When her aunt leaves, Moth and Sani decide to go on a road trip to the Navajo Nation, where Sani is from, seeking their roots. While on their journey, Moth tries to help Sani and they begin to fall in love. Even though Moth reassures Sani that she will stay, he is sure that Moth will leave him because he is keeping a secret that could tear them apart.

This novel in verse was like nothing I've ever read before. It was beautiful, but the end devastated me. I was fascinated how the story was told through the life cycle of a moth, though. It was really fitting because the main character is named Moth. I also enjoyed how Moth and Sani gradually feel in love. I loved how they connected through music and dancing, and I thought it was cute how they added lines to a song, dubbed "Summer Song", over the course of their road trip. I was hoping for a happy ending, but there were small hints throughout the story that foreshadowed otherwise that I just wasn't able to put together until the big reveal at the end hit me. Nevertheless, I did like the very last poem of the story, which was hopeful. With its themes of first love and identity, Me (Moth) is an unforgettable novel in verse for anyone.

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

Last night, I finished reading The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera. This science fiction novel is about Petra Peña, a girl whose family is chosen to go to another planet, Sagan, after a comet destroys Earth. Hundreds of years later when their ship arrives at Sagan, Petra is woken up and learns that she is the only one who remembers Earth. The Monitors who were supposed to watch over the scientists and their children as they slept during the journey have now been taken over by the Collective. The Collective is determined to erase the sins of humanity's past and start completely anew on Sagan, or another planet if necessary. Petra tries to find her parents and her brother, Javier, but discovers that their pods are empty and that she's likely the only one of her family left. Devastated and lonely, Petra begins telling cuentos, or tall tales, to the other children in her unit, called the Zetas, and decides that they need to escape from the Collective for there to be any hope for humanity.

Science fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I totally enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It was so tragic that Petra had to leave her grandmother, Lita, behind on Earth, but I loved seeing the significance of their relationship throughout the book because it's clear that they were really close. Petra was inspired to become a storyteller like Lita, and I thought that was beautiful. I wish they had had more time together, but unfortunately Halley's Comet was coming quickly towards Earth and Lita couldn't come on the journey. I definitely related to Petra's relationship with Javier because I myself have a younger brother and could understand how Petra felt responsible for looking out for hers. It broke my heart that she couldn't protect him from the Collective. Fortunately, it brought me joy as Petra bonded with three other children, Feathers, Rubio, and Suma, who were in the Zeta unit with her. Their excitement whenever Petra would tell them a cuento was one of my favorite parts of the book, and it was wonderful that Petra could pass down Lita's cuentos to the next generation. I was also surprised by the plot twists throughout the story, which built up suspense leading to the climax. As the 2022 Newbery Medal winner, The Last Cuentista shows the importance of remembering and learning from our past and it's a superb choice for anyone who enjoys adventure.

Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo

 

Yesterday, I finished reading Home Is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo. This magical realistic novel in verse is about a Black Muslim girl, Nima, who feels like she doesn't belong and wonders what her life would have been like if her parents named her Yasmeen as they originally planned before her dad was murdered. After her best friend, Haitham, is attacked by an Islamophobic group of men, Nima is pulled into an old photograph of her parents by Yasmeen, the version of herself she imagines. Everything is not all that it seems in the past, though, and Nima must decided if her life is worth fighting for before it's too late.

This novel in verse was different than anything else I've read over the past school year. I was expecting a realistic story, so I was quite surprised with the magical elements. The writing was exquisite and the pictures that Elhillo painted in my head made me want to visit Nima's home country and celebrate with her family. At the same time, this book is about Nima's loneliness and pain. My heart broke for her when she felt unloved by her mother and found out that Haitham was in the hospital with life-threatening injuries. I could also relate to her struggle of thinking that her mom would be happier if she was born differently. I was most fascinated by the appearance of Yasmeen, though. It was very surreal, and I had no idea what was going on, if she was a phantom or a delusion created by Nima, until she pulled Nima into the past. It was really interesting how Nima learned what led her mom to move to America and could cause small changes to the past leading to slightly different present. Overall, Home Is Not a Country is an incredible exploration of identity, heritage, self-love, and family and anyone who has ever wondered "what if?" should read it.