The Wrath and the Dawn Series by Renée Ahdieh

 

Over the weekend, I finished reading The Wrath & the Dawn duology by Renée Ahdieh. This fantasy series, inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, is about Shahrzad al-Khayzuran, a sixteen-year-old girl who volunteers to marry Khalid Ibn al-Rashid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan. In the first book of the series, Khalid takes a new bride each night only to have her executed before sunrise, but Shahrzad has a clever plan to stay alive and get revenge on Khalid for the murder of her best friend, Shiva, and the other girls. Not everything is as it seems, though, and as Shahrzad begins to fall for Khalid, she decides that she must find out the truth of why Khalid's brides are murdered and break the cycle somehow. In the second and final book, The Rose & the Dagger, Shahrzad and Khalid are separated when the threat of war is greater than ever. Although Shahrzad is reunited with her family in the desert, she desperately wants to find a way to return to Khalid. With an army gathering against Khalid and enemies everywhere, Shahrzad's loyalties are tested as she risks everything.

There are also three short stories in this series. The Moth & the Flame is about the romance between Shahrzad's handmaiden Despina and the Captain of the Guard Jalal al-Khoury. Although it simply starts out as a flirtation, Despina and Jalal begin to develop true feelings for one another when suddenly tragedy strikes. The Crown & the Arrow covers Shahrzad and Khalid's wedding ceremony from Khalid's perspective. After seventy-one days and nights of killing his brides, Khalid wonders why Shahrzad, his seventy-second bride, has volunteered and shows no fear of losing her life. The final short story, The Mirror & the Maze, is about Khalid's return to Rey after a trip to the border of Khorasan and Parthia. When he sees that Rey is destroyed and Shahrzad is gone, he believes it is all his fault for choosing love over the people of Rey.

This series was excellent and I enjoyed it from the very first chapter, which was among the most intriguing I've ever read. Despite being a little nervous after the disappointing ending to The Beautiful series by the same author, I was determined to keep the faith that the romance in this duology would have a happy ending and I'm ecstatic to say that it did! Although there were quite a few twists and turns and an event or two towards the end of The Rose & the Dagger that could have broken me, love won and it truly warmed my heart. I absolutely adored the epilogue. I also thought the world-building was fantastic. The setting was both gorgeous and dangerous, which I always think is the best combination, and I was reminded a lot of Aladdin because The Wrath and the Dawn is inspired by the same collection of folk tales. Additionally, the romance between Shahrzad and Khalid was positively flawless. They're amazing characters on their own, but I wanted nothing more for them to defy the odds and find a way to be together, especially because enemies to lovers is my favorite romantic trope. I knew Shahrzad wouldn't be able to assassinate Khalid without knowing his reason for murdering his brides and the reveal was so devastating, like I thought it would be. In my heart, Khalid certainly didn't deserve that fate and I wanted him to find redemption through his love for Shahrzad. Additionally, Shahrzad is a great female protagonist because of her strength and courage—at first to stand up to Khalid and survive, then later to fight for their love. The short stories are wonderful, as well, and I recommend The Wrath & the Dawn duology to anyone who loves fantasy, adventure, and/or romance.

Hands by Torrey Maldonado

 

Earlier this week, I finished reading Hands by Torrey Maldonado. This realistic fiction novel is about Trev, a twelve-year-old boy who would do anything to protect his mom and older sisters from his stepdad. Two years after Trev's stepdad hit his mom and was locked up in jail for violating his parole, Trev is worried about his release. Instead of dwelling on his fear, Trev decides to take up boxing with his friend, P (short for Pete). Not everyone agrees with his plan, though, because Trev used to draw very well when he was younger. Instead of fighting back and possibly ending up in jail like his stepdad, Trev is encouraged to use his artistic talent to build a better future. Unsure if he has the support he needs, Trev feels like this advice is useless right now, especially when his sister Nikki's boyfriend is controlling and doesn't respect boundaries, on top of his other concerns. As his stepdad's release approaches, Trev has to consider his future and if he should really fight back with his hands.

Wow, this was an amazingly profound story. I liked the short chapters because they made the book feel super fast-paced, but most of all, I enjoyed how enlightening the book was about domestic abuse and how it affects young people and their choices. Although Trev is the youngest in his family, he feels like he has to protect his mom and sisters because he's the only boy out of the four of them. His situation made me feel really bad for him because I didn't want him to continue the cycle of violence of which I've become so aware over the years. I also loved getting to know his "uncles" because they had great advice for Trev from their own experiences, even when he was doubtful that they had his back. It warmed my heart that his English teacher, Ms. Clark, was looking out for him, too. Additionally, I thought P was a great friend to Trev. While I wasn't completely supportive of Trev's plan to learn to box to protect his family, I'm glad Trev and P went to the boxing gym together. I can't forget to mention Little Cole either. Little Cole, the eight-year old boy who lives in the apartment across from Trev's, reminded me a lot of a younger version of Trev and it made me so happy that Trev would help him with drawing. Although not everything is resolved at the conclusion of the story, it should leave readers with hope about Trev's situation. Hands is powerful and riveting, and I recommend it to everyone, kids and adults alike.

The Swifts Series

 

On Saturday, I finished reading the first two books of The Swifts series by Beth Lincoln. This mystery series is about Shenanigan Swift, a girl who is always up to some sort of mischief and wonders if she is herself by choice or because of the name she was given. In the first book, A Dictionary of Scoundrels, Shenanigan plans on looking for Grand-Uncle Vile's treasure during a family reunion, but when someone pushes Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude down the stairs, she gets caught up in determining who did it with the help of her older sisters, Phenomena and Felicity, and her cousin, Erf. After Gumshoe shows up dead in the library and Pamplemousse is murdered at the end of a Scrabble duel, Shenanigan must save her family by following and making sense of the clues. In the second book, A Gallery of Rogues, Shenanigan travels to Paris with Uncle Maelstrom and Phenomena after a valuable painting is stolen from Swift House by Ouvolpo, a group of art thieves. In Paris at the Hôtel Martinet, they meet up with her sister Felicity, who is staying with the Martinets, the French branch of their family, Aunt Inheritance, and Erf. As Ouvolpo steal more artworks and bodies are uncovered, Shenanigan and her family have to untangle multiple mysteries, while navigating their conflict with the Martinets.

I absolutely adored the first two books of this series. They have everything: humor and wordplay, drama, suspense, plot twists, excitement, interesting family relationships, and more. Shenanigan was fantastic as the main character. Even though she has a tendency to get into trouble and sometimes doesn't get along with her sisters, I could tell how much she truly cares for her family in both books. I especially enjoyed her relationship with her cousin, Erf, because they met for the very first time at the family reunion and connected right off the bat. I also loved Phenomena because she is clever and into science and Uncle Maelstrom because Shenanigan has a very special relationship with him due to her parents traveling the world without her and her sisters. Daisy and the twins, Flora and Fauna, were interesting characters, as well, and I liked the roles they played in the story.  In the second book, I thought Pomme was awesome and appreciated how helpful Souris was, even when he was keeping secrets. As far as the mysteries go, I actually managed to guess the murderer in A Dictionary of Scoundrels correctly. That doesn't mean I was disappointed, though, quite the contrary. I had just gotten bad vibes from the character that I couldn't get past, even if the evidence wasn't beyond question. I was much more surprised by the reveal in A Gallery of Rogues because it had quite a bit of complexity and I wasn't able to put all of the clues together before Shenanigan or any of her family did. I thought the climax was especially exciting. After reading these two books, I'm especially looking forward to the third book in the series. Anyone who enjoys murder mysteries, family stories, and/or humor should read The Swifts series.

A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

 

Earlier this week, I read A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner. This illustrated realistic fiction novel in verse is about Will Chambers, a seventh-grade boy who struggles with his self-esteem because he was called fat by a classmate, Nick Fisher, when they were in fourth grade. Will not has not forgotten that day, and he's lonely because he has no friends left. To feel better about himself and attract the attention of his crush, Jules, he decides to start eating less. Soon, he's hardly eating anything at all. Although he meets Markus, a new kid who enjoys skateboarding and could possibly become a friend, during lunch one day, the shame lingers and he still feels like a monster. He's not even sure he wants to start a club for drawing even though it's something he likes doing. As he becomes increasingly desperate, Will must find a way to begin a journey to self-acceptance.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but it ended up reminding me a lot of Louder than Hunger by John Schu, which I read back in the spring. A Work in Progress was definitely another great book about a boy with an eating disorder even if Will's challenges made me feel sad at times. It was obvious he needed help, but he kept things bottled up inside himself, which I know from experience doesn't end well. I also felt extremely bad that he didn't have any friends and it didn't really surprise me that he tried pushing Markus away when the other boy opened up to him. It can be hard when you don't believe you're deserving of friendship and love, even when you have similar experiences to your classmates, like having a crush. One of the things I really loved about this novel in verse was the addition of drawings and how the pages of the print copy actually looked like a notebook. I could really imagine that the story was Will writing his thoughts down and illustrating them and it felt very intimate. I would definitely recommend A Work in Progress to any kid who's struggling with body image and self-esteem. On the other side, it's also a excellent choice for those who need an example of the effects of bullying.

The Beautiful Series by Renée Ahdieh

Last week, I finished reading The Beautiful series by Renée Ahdieh. This paranormal fantasy is about Celine Rousseau, a seventeen-year-old dressmaker who flees from France to New Orleans in the winter of 1872. Taken in by the Ursuline Convent, she falls in love with the city and soon meets Sébastien Saint Germain, an mysterious young man who is the leader of La Cour des Lions. When one of the girls from the convent is murdered, she is suspicious of Bastien despite her attraction to him. As a serial killer continues to leave a trail of bodies, Celine decides to uncover the truth even if it means putting herself in danger. After a devastating turn of events at the end of The Beautiful, Celine and Bastien must find their way back to each other in The Ruined and more is revealed about the supernatural world. While the first two books focus on Celine and Bastien's story, the third book, The Righteous, focuses on the romance between Celine's friend, Pippa Montrose, and Bastien's friend, Arjun Desai. The final book, The Ruined, brings everything together when Celine and Bastien find themselves on opposite sides of a war that has been fought for ages.

I wanted to love this series, I really truly did, and the first three books were amazing, but I found myself extremely disappointed by the final book. While this series was suspenseful, with wonderful world-building, and I loved Celine and Bastien's romance, I feel like Celine was extremely out of character in The Ruined and the ending was not what I expected. I can't say a whole lot more without spoiling what happens in the series, but what intrigued me the most about the series, besides the romance, was the murder mystery at the core of the first book. It took a lot of twists and turns and the cliffhanger at the end left me wanting more and that's why I continued reading the series. I couldn't resist finishing the series even when I started suspecting that the plot might go in a direction I didn't like during the third book. My favorite characters ended up being Bastien, Pippa, and Arjun because they showed the most growth through the series and it was a joy when the story's focus was on them. On the other hand, I felt like the villain was interesting in the first two books but became annoying by the end. Given my mixed feelings about this series, especially because it's a fantasy series without a happy ending, it's not my first choice as a recommendation.

Ghost Book by Remy Lai

 

Last night, I finished reading Ghost Book by Remy Lai. This paranormal fantasy graphic novel is about July Chen and William Xiao, two twelve-year-old kids who are connected by the day of July's birth. When July was born, William was in the hospital after an accident. The King of the Underworld ordered Oxhead and Horseface to take two souls to the underworld, but they only took one, July's mom, so both July and William lived. During Hungry Ghost Month twelve years later, July and William meet when she rescues him from a Hungry Ghost about to eat him. At first, July doesn't believe William when he tells her he isn't really a ghost, but he convinces her that he's a wandering soul wavering between life and death after she finds him in the school library and he has her google a news article about him from that morning. July then decides to help William return to his body. On their adventure, they uncover the devastating truth that July has to die for William to live.

I was so excited to read another spooky story after The Bellwoods Game, and this one did not disappoint. The illustrations were gorgeous and I enjoyed the world-building so much. I especially loved the lighting that made the ghosts seem to glow on the page. I also really liked the main characters, July and William. Both of them seemed like great kids, and it was horrifying that one of them might have to die just because of a choice Oxhead and Horseface made twelve years ago. It was weird how they just seemed to defy a direct order from the King of the Underworld, and I eagerly awaited the explanation for what really happened to change their minds. July and William's friendship was the heart of the book and I knew it would really devastate me if either of them died. It got pretty hopeless towards the end, but I'm happy to say that the twist was perfect. As an animal lover, I thought William's fluffy friend, Floof, was adorable, and his origin was another interesting twist to the story. Ghost Book told a unique story, and I recommend it to anyone who like ghost or friendship stories.

The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien

 

On Saturday, I finished reading The Bellwoods Game by Celia Krampien. This horror novel is about Bailee Heron, a sixth grade girl at Beckett Elementary who enjoys scary stories and is looking forward to playing the Bellwoods Game, a Halloween tradition in which three sixth grade students are selected to try to ring a bell in the woods and the winner earn a wish. If Bailee wins, she wants to go back to way things were before her grandma had a mini-stroke and everyone started hating her because they believe she tattled on her friend, Fenwick "Fen" Leer. According to legend, a girl named Abigail Snook disappeared in the woods many years ago and Fall Hallow, the town in which Bailee lives, has been haunted by the ghost of Abigail ever since. When Bailee is chosen to play, along with Carmen Alverez and Fen, she is determined to find out the truth about the game, but things aren't what they seem and Abigail's ghost may not be the only thing waiting for them in the woods.

This book was absolutely fantastic. The prologue was creepy and it made me wonder if there was more to what happened to Abigail Snook. As a horror fan, I especially related to Bailee and I was so excited when she was one of the three picked to play the game. As more was revealed about the game and the woods, I didn't want to stop reading. There was a great deal of suspense and it was incredibly intriguing that Abigail wasn't the only one haunting the Bellwoods and Fall Hallow over the years. I thought it was terrifying that anyone in the woods Halloween night had to face their greatest fears if they were found by the Specter, a sinister spirit. I definitely wasn't sure anyone would win the game, but the climax was very clever and I loved it so much, especially because Bailee and the others had to learn to work together. I also thought the illustrations were beautiful and really added to the story. Anyone who enjoys spooky stories should read The Bellwoods Game.