{Review} Rules For Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall

Page Count: 416

Published On: September 24, 2019

Published By: Viking Books for Young Readers

Genre(s): YA, Horror, Mystery 

Source: paperback ARC provided by publisher and Bookish First
Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 3 stars

TW: suicide attempt, death of a loved one, loss of a sibling, domestic abuse, child abuse, murder, death, and gore







Goodreads synopsis:

In the faux-documentary style of The Blair Witch Project comes the campfire story of a missing girl, a vengeful ghost, and the girl who is determined to find her sister--at all costs.

Once a year, the path appears in the forest and Lucy Gallows beckons. Who is brave enough to find her--and who won't make it out of the woods?

It's been exactly one year since Sara's sister, Becca, disappeared, and high school life has far from settled back to normal. With her sister gone, Sara doesn't know whether her former friends no longer like her...or are scared of her, and the days of eating alone at lunch have started to blend together. When a mysterious text message invites Sara and her estranged friends to "play the game" and find local ghost legend Lucy Gallows, Sara is sure this is the only way to find Becca--before she's lost forever. And even though she's hardly spoken with them for a year, Sara finds herself deep in the darkness of the forest, her friends--and their cameras--following her down the path. Together, they will have to draw on all of their strengths to survive. The road is rarely forgiving, and no one will be the same on the other side.

~~~

TW: suicide attempt, death of a loved one, loss of a sibling, domestic abuse, child abuse, murder, death, and gore

Hey, guys!

When going into this book, I really thought I was going into a psychological thriller that I would be completely blown away by. This was not the case.

When I first read this book's sneak peek, I was so excited to read the story and finally be impressed with a YA horror novel. I've never really been one for a spooky, ghosty story -- I love a monster story, but this just wasn't the monster that I wanted. I truly expected a psychological thriller, rather than a fantastical horror situation.

I really liked the concept behind the format of this book, but, unfortunately, the format really inhibited me from connecting to the characters, their personalities, and their stories. I really wanted to care about them, but it really felt jarring when you would go from format to format and perspective to perspective. It was also really hard to differentiate between the characters and remember who they were.

Overall, this was a pretty fun book. I wasn't terrified, but the twists and turns were fun. I guessed some of them, but I was surprised enough to be entertained. It was also really great to have such a wonderfully diverse cast. They were great. 

Happy reading!

Olivia

~ Liv the Book Nerd ~

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{Review} The Candle & the Flame by Nafiza Azad

Page Count: 416

Published On: May 14, 2019

Published By: Scholastic Press

Genre(s): Fantasy, YA

Source: audio-book through Hoopla

Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository 

My Rating: 3.25 stars 

Goodreads synopsis

Fatima lives in the city of Noor, a thriving stop along the Silk Road. There the music of myriad languages fills the air, and people of all faiths weave their lives together. However, the city bears scars of its recent past, when the chaotic tribe of Shayateen djinn slaughtered its entire population -- except for Fatima and two other humans. Now ruled by a new maharajah, Noor is protected from the Shayateen by the Ifrit, djinn of order and reason, and by their commander, Zulfikar. 

But when one of the most potent of the Ifrit dies, Fatima is changed in ways she cannot fathom, ways that scare even those who love her. Oud in hand, Fatima is drawn into the intrigues of the maharajah and his sister, the affairs of Zulfikar and the djinn, and the dangers of a magical battlefield. 

Nafiza Azad weaves an immersive tale of magic and the importance of names; fiercely independent women; and, perhaps most importantly, the work for harmony within a city of a thousand cultures and cadences. 

~~~

Hey, guys!

I was asked to write a review for the blog tour for this lovely book. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete my review for yesterday because there were tornadoes and storms that knocked out my neighborhood's power. I didn't have WiFi to post this review and I couldn't leave my house...because tornadoes. 

When I first started this book, I was so excited...but then, skeptical because I was having a hard time becoming immersed in the story. The pace was slower and the omniscient third person present tense caused me to struggle to connect with the book. Don't get me wrong, it's so lush and intense, but wow, it took me a minute to get into it. The tense that this book was written in was just a struggle for me because I was listening to the story, rather than physically reading. The narrator's slower reading style, combined with the slower pace, really started to bug me and I ended up turning up the speed on my audio-book to nearly 2x. I think that's a personal preference for me, though. 

Once I fully became immersed in the story, however, I really liked the story. It's just so fascinating. I haven't read anything like it before. Noor City is such an interesting place to be and I became so excited to get to explore the city through Fatima Ghazala, Zulfikar, and the other characters. The characters in this book were so freaking cool, but I felt like I couldn't fully connect with them because I couldn't fully connect with their inner thoughts and feelings. It felt like I was at arm's length from them the entire time. The way that this book was written worked, -- it wasn't as if it was executed badly -- but it took me a hot minute to get used to the style. I think that I struggled with connecting to the characters because I listened to the book, I wasn't familiar with the names that derived from Eastern cultures, and because of the style. It's definitely just a preference. 

The details in this book, though, were so freaking great. The descriptions that Azad created are so stunning and I couldn't help but imagine Agrabah from the Aladdin movies (the new film was STUNNING). Every detail was like an intricately woven tapestry and I couldn't get enough of it. The relationships that developed throughout this book were so interesting, though the romance between Fatima Ghazala and Zulfikar wasn't my cup of tea. I felt like their feelings for each other started too quickly and abruptly. It was very insta-lovey for me and I don't think it was done as well as I would have hoped. Fatima Ghazala's sister, Sunaina, at first, was one of my least favorite characters, but as the novel progressed she really grew on me. I think she has a lot of potential for a great adventure story. I honestly think that she is going to end up with one of the other girls. (I apologize for any spelling errors. I didn't read the book physically, so I have no idea how to spell their names.) Overall, this was a very enjoyable cast of characters. 

Overall, Fatima Ghazala was my favorite character. She was so strong and relatable. I really love that she wasn't villainized for allowing herself the time to be distant and to herself. Usually in YA, women have to allow others to be in their space and they never have the ability to stay to themselves without being villainized by the other characters and the readers. Sometimes Fatima Ghazala was really distant and cold to others and she was never made the villain for it! I love it!

There were also so many discussions about feminism, mental health, forgiveness, and grief throughout this book. I absolutely love how it was handled. It's so beautiful and makes my heart so freaking happy.

This tale was so whimsical and addicting. Nafiza Azad has such a fantastic writing style and the way that she wove this story was so fun to see. I'm excited to see where her writing career goes. 

Happy reading, Olivia ~Liv the Book Nerd~ Twitter // Instagram // Tumblr // Goodreads // YouTube // Bloglovin // Book Depository Affiliate Code

{Review} Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith

Page Count: 384

Published On: March 12, 2019

Published By: HMH Books For Young Readers

Genre(s): Fantasy, YA

Source: paperback ARC - provided by HMH 
Age Rating: 16

Where To Find It: Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 4.5 stars 

Goodreads synopsis:

Aurelia is the first princess born to the Renalten crown in two hundred years, destined to fulfill a treaty by journeying to marry Valentin, the prince of Achelva – Renalt’s greatest enemy. Rumors of an unwell, cruel prince abound, and the only thing that eclipses Aurelia’s apprehension of her impending marriage is her fear of those who’d kill her to prevent it.

When an assassination attempt forces Aurelia to use forbidden magic to save a stranger, she is driven from Renalt by the witch-hunting Tribunal and a mob out for blood. But before she can claim asylum in the court of her betrothed, her travel party turns on her, forcing her to trade places with her treacherous lady-in-waiting, Lisette.

Now penniless in Achleva and bereft of her identity, Aurelia must decide if she wants to surrender to her new life or fight for her old one, all while navigating the complicated ties binding her to the enigmatic prince, the unquiet ghost of an ancient queen, and a poisonous plant called bloodleaf.

Aurelia is a pawn in a centuries-long game of love, power, and war— and if she can’t extricate herself from it before Lisette marries Valentin in her stead, she may face losses far more devastating than her crown.

~~~

Hey, guys!

    I was sent this beautiful ARC for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own. Thank you HMH Teen for sending me the promotional package!

Trigger Warnings for rape, self-harm, war, intense violence

    If you guys have followed me for a while, you'll recognize that I am a massive fan of high fantasy novels with a focus on politics, magic, intense characterization, and fast-paced plots. I'm always jazzed to read a fantasy book that revolves around an arranged marriage -- I'm not sure why. I guess I'm just fascinated by the actions of the two people and how they respond to what they're being ordered to do. Marriage is such a special and sacred bond to me. I just love how girls/women respond to those situations, especially. Bring on the feminism! 

    Anyway, this book is pitched as a Goose Girl retelling, but I honestly haven't read that fairy tale. I read a minor synopsis after writing this review, but I think that this book absolutely stands on its own. The plot is so fantastically original and the characters and magic are so engaging. I loved it so much. 

    The book automatically drops us into the action and the political intrigue and discourse of Achleva and Renalt. I honestly loved the clash of the two kingdoms. The conflict wasn't particularly intense or complex, but it was still so much fun to read about. The characters really drove this book rather than the actual plot. Don't get me wrong, the plot was lovely and solid, but the characters really took the cake for me. I cannot wait to read the next two books to see what happens. This was just a fantastic introduction to a trilogy and a fantastic glimpse into Crystal Smith's writing capabilities. 

    This book was just so entertaining and fun to read. There were times where I would laugh out loud, and I totally cried toward the end. I need need need the sequel to this book. I'm so excited for everyone to get their hands on this book because they will be so pleased. 

Thank you, again, HMH for sending me an ARC copy!

Happy reading!

Olivia

~Liv the Book Nerd~
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