keepcalmblogon's reviews
141 reviews

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Buried Deep and Other Stories is a collection of short stories from the worlds of Naomi Novik and I was so excited to get this on NetGalley because I had to have a peek back into the world of The Scholomance! I read that trilogy last year and really loved it, so to see one of those characters again warmed my heart.

There were two Temeraire stories that got me super interested in reading more of that alternate history series, especially the Pride and Prejudice (and dragons!) retelling! There was a Spinning Silver story, and of course I will now have to read that book because that was everything I want in a fairy story! The titular story, Buried Deep, was a Minotaur retelling, and while I don’t really enjoy Greek mythology as much as I used to, I did like the unique spin this one had.

All of these stories had completely different feels; one is a sci-fi about the evils of space colonization, while another takes place in the trenches of Great War France. Some feel like traditional short stories, while others feel like completely realized dramas.

The last story, The Long Way Round, is a sneak peek at the world in which Novik’s next book takes place and that one was one of my favorites—if you like grand adventures across oceans, the love between siblings, and queer representation, I’m certain you’ll love that story too!

Overall, this entire collection of 13 stories is five stars for me!

Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Celestial Monsters was a Macmillan Audio pick and I was so excited to start it after the pretty wild cliffhanger that ends The Sunbearer Trials! Immediately we’re back to the action with Teo, Aurelio, and Niya responsible for ending the apocalypse with a little help from the gods in the form of an Odyssian collection of goods!

While a good portion of this book is spent on a journey, none of it felt extraneous or boring, it all moved the story along. Each stop along the way taught the trio more about the world they were trying to save and had them questioning if the status quo needed changing. 

I enjoyed having the second POV of Xio and being able to get into their mind after the events of book one. I especially loved their conversation with the other semidioses that had them questioning their motives and possible outcomes. It was a wonderful example of enemies earnestly communicating and actually listening and hearing each other—I wish the real world would do this more often.

The blooming romance between Teo and Aurelio built naturally and sweetly over the course of their adventure, and Niya’s surprise romance at the end had my jaw dropping! Even Xio seemed to have made a connection of their own, even if it might be just as friends, but one can hope!

In the end, this was another solid four stars for me, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes underdogs saving the world!

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I listened to a serialized version of The Sunbearer Trials on Macmillan’s YA Heard it Here First podcast & really enjoyed it! I love a magical competition, so that was a check for me! I also loved the trans & LGBTQ rep as well as the Latin American mythology—which is not a mythology I’ve read a lot! Teo was such a sympathetic character, he sees right & wrong so clearly, but he isn’t patronizing or self-righteous about it; He tries to get people to understand the world the way he sees it by communicating with them. Niya is my favorite type of side-kick best friend character—she’s punch first, ask questions later, & while she prefers the same sex, she’s always ready to point out just how hot someone is, even if they’re a jerk! She’s the perfect comic relief wrapped up in unyielding loyalty to her friends & beliefs. 

This magical trial is meant to end with the victor sacrificing the bottom-ranked semidiós, which sounds very Hunger Games, but takes place in a very peaceful world with respect & thanks heaped onto the sacrifice, so that’s an interesting twist & one of the core conflicts Teo faces. Xio is the assumed sacrifice being the youngest & least magically gifted semidiós, but Teo & Niya vow to protect him as letting him rank last place would be unfair considering the other competitors are the best in their class & have been specifically trained for the Trials. The trio form a bond of friendship & protection, & in the end many twists ensue!

All the while, Teo slowly rekindles a friendship, & maybe something more, with an old friend turned near-enemy, Aurelio. It was so sweet to watch these two boys bridge the gaps that came between them—we even get a few scenes where Aurelio, the experienced hero, helps Teo train to get through the Trial—who doesn’t love a good training scene with loads of romantic tension?!

I think it was fun to serialize an audiobook, it kept up my anticipation as I had to wait for new chapters to drop on Tuesdays & Thursdays. I also think André Santana is one of my new favorite narrators!

A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson

adventurous emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A Pair of Wings was a different pick for me because with historical fiction I usually go back to the times of kings and castles and courtly intrigue and tend to avoid American history, but something drew me to this book! Bessie Coleman was essentially a footnote in my history classes in school and was often overshadowed by Amelia Earhart, and I’m sure it’s because Amelia was white and Bessie was Black, despite Bessie being older and being granted an FAI license first. 

Reading about Bessie’s life not only taught me about her experience becoming a female pioneer in aviation, but also painted such a clear picture of Black life in America in the early 1900s as the author, in Bessie’s voice, would give historical context, often going into exposition on other Black pioneers and activists, and I really appreciated that aspect of the storytelling! The book is mostly written in first person POV with Bessie stating she was given pages to write her story while she healed from a terrible crash, so I liked that it felt like a conversation with Bessie herself. 

In her short life, Bessie worked so hard to achieve her dreams, never once accepting defeat or giving in to despair and what she accomplished was truly impressive! Her story was so inspiring, and not just for aviators, but honestly for anyone with dreams, goals, and the passion to succeed! 

The end of this five star book absolutely wrecked me because that was not something I remembered from the little I knew about her, and I appreciate that the author gave an Afterward about her own life and experiences—Hopson hadn’t even heard of Bessie Coleman until she had begun pilot school and a friend gave her a book about Coleman! Hopson founded an organization dedicated to sending one hundred Black women to flight school by the year 2035!

P.S. I really enjoyed the narrator’s ability to do various accents!

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry by Ransom Riggs

adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

You know when you open a book and you’re immediately drawn into a new magical world? That’s not how Sunderworld begins. This book takes place in Los Angeles—magic as LA may be, it is not the kind of magical place I’m talking about. But by the end of the opening paragraph, we know this isn’t any kind of LA anyone is familiar with! 

Anyone who loves to read about the hidden magical world within our own will fall in love with this book! Think about the first time you read [insert hidden magical world within our world book here] and how following the heretofore mundane who discovers they are actually more part of that world than the one in which they were raised made you feel how easily that could be you—tomorrow you could walk through a wall or descend into what you thought was the sewer or cross a border that was actually a magical boundary. Sunderworld reawakened those magical feelings in me that I mostly only felt as a child, and that now only really special books ignite.

Following Leopold Berry on his unconventional hero’s journey was such a joy and pleasure, it was hard for me to put this book down! I can’t recommend this book enough to those seeking that magical feeling as if for the first time. I cannot wait to find out what’s in store for Leopold next!

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth initially drew me in because of the cover, it’s absolutely stunning and it’s not even a special edition!  I had seen it around here and there, but I’m not always drawn to books with references to ghosts and hauntings, personally I have a fine line between paranormal gothic-type reads and straight horror.  I enjoy horror movies, but not so much books.  But having read that this was about an autistic, trans boy and not overtly a horror story but more like a story with horror elements, I couldn’t bring myself to stop thinking about it, so I put a hold on the audiobook and the moment it came through I absolutely devoured this book.

Immediately, I related to Silas’ experiences with autism–it’s not called this in the book, but it is what it is.  He is overcome with his own emotions sometimes, nearly prisoner to them when he can feel and watch himself be lost to too many feelings.  He has touch and sound sensitivities that I share, as well as a hyperfocus on his passion to the point of overlooking his own safety.

CW pregnancy:  The other thing I related so viscerally with was Silas’ feelings/fears/disgust about his body’s ability to become pregnant.  As a woman who very staunchly chooses not to have children, a large part of my reasoning is my body.  It’s hard to describe without sounding superficial, but Silas put so many of my own feelings into words and I felt so validated.

As much as most of this story is heavy, haunting, gory, and nearly hopeless, there are beautiful moments of resistance, self-identity, hope, and connection that made this my favorite read of the month and definitely one of my faves of the year. Five stars!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

The Book of Purrs by Luís Coelho

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I follow this artist on Instagram, so I was so excited to read this now! I love cats, so these comics always make me smile. This book is the purrfect collection of uplifting, heartwarming, and laugh-inducing art for any cat lover--or anyone who just needs a smile. I laughed out loud for most of this book, and when I wasn't laughing, I was introspectively reading the more daily-affirmation-type messages. I will definitely buy a physical copy of this to keep around and open when I need a pick-me-up!

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I picked Where Sleeping Girls Lie for Bailey’s Shelf This! Book Club. This book first came on my radar when Macmillan sent me some promo material featuring character art and bios by an author who had recently come on my radar from some other authors I follow (which is something I love about being on Booksta!). I read Faridah’s collab with Adiba, Four Eids and a Funeral, and enjoyed that a lot, but Where Sleeping Girls Lie is a totally different vibe, so it was actually the promo material with the character bios that hooked me—I had to know more about the beautiful and intriguing students of ANA!

I’m not usually a mystery reader, but Sade had me hooked from the start because the mystery of her personality and motivations tugged at me more than any mystery plot could. This book was like Mean Girls as the Weird Sisters from Sabrina meets Pretty Little Liars at Sunnydale High. Basil was everything I want in a quirky sidekick, and Persephone broke so many “mean girl” molds I couldn’t help but fall for her as well. The entire cast of characters was engaging and entertaining.

On the surface this book is a boarding school dark academia mystery, but beneath the depths it spoke of privilege (both white and moneyed) and feminism. It also spoke of abuse, survival, and mental health. I always really enjoy stories that reflect deeper meanings on a mirror of entertainment, so this book was five stars for me!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use and Sexual assault

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord

hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Somehow I managed to pick another friends-to-lovers book from Macmillan Audio—many of you may know this is not a preferred trope of mine, but The Breakup Pact is a little different in that June and Levi are ex-friends who then fake date, so that is thoroughly in my wheelhouse! I also really appreciated that June is a demisexual character, as I’m glad that is getting more representation in books that I read.

This story had a lot going on for a romance, and I really liked that since I’m not the biggest romance book fan. There are subplots of grief, small business troubles and success, a wedding, and comeuppance on an ex. I think a lot of subplots tend to be too much in many books, but Emma Lord wove each one into the main plot very cleanly and thoroughly so that it all felt natural instead of clunky. I was rooting for June and Levi from the moment I heard what each of their exes did to them!

As I mentioned above, June’s demisexuality was a favorite aspect of her character and seeing her redevelop old feelings for Levi and become attracted to him with an eventual bedroom scene was really lovely. My most favorite aspect of June’s is her grief though. I know that sounds rough, but grief is a common theme in my life, and I enjoy characters who experience that and find ways to keep going when their heart is broken. Unfortunately, death is a fact of life, so I appreciate when it’s written in as something normal in a romance, or any book that isn’t solely about grief and loss.

In the end, I give this book four stars and I think any romance reader will enjoy it, especially those who enjoy fake dating, friends to lovers, even enemies to lovers, and bad exes getting what they deserve.

That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee

inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

That Prince is Mine was a Macmillan Audio pick and I really enjoyed it! First of all, Emma is a  Korean royal court cuisine instructor, so the book was filled with descriptions of food that made me super interested in trying more Korean foods! Secondly, it was cute that Emma thought she wouldn’t fall for someone who wasn’t “perfect on paper!” 

Of course, a prince in disguise is a fun trope, so that aspect of the drama was a good time! The budding romance, especially him falling first, was super sweet. I loved that Emma brought Michel to do all sorts of “firsts,” and when Michel found a first for Emma, I added the Magic Castle to places I hope to visit one day—hopefully royalty somewhere can help me with an invite!

I give this book four stars! I recommend it to anyone who loves hidden royal romance and a resistant FLI and/or “he falls first.”

As for the audiobook, I enjoyed the narration by Olivia Song!