Mini Reviews

Time for another round of Mini reviews.  These were all good books, just didn’t feel the need to write long reviews for them. Pictures are linked to their Goodreads pages.

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

Book Three in the Ember in the Ashes Series

Publication Date: June 12, 2018

I had mixed feelings about this book, and I’m not sure why.  It was good, but I didn’t find myself tearing through it like I did the other two.  I think part of it is that unfortunately I seem to have forgotten quite a bit about the plot.  Not the huge things but the little things.  I had plans to reread the first two before this one, but the timing just didn’t work out.  I definitely will make sure to do that before the final book comes out.  I think also, that the path that the three main characters have taken is so different and yet connected to each other, that made it hard to follow a little bit.  Helene’s story also seemed to lack a little something this time around.  I was tempted to skip her chapters a couple of times, but knew I would miss stuff if I did, so I didn’t.  Elias is still my fave of the group and his story is just making me have so many feels, especially by the end of this one.  I’m still hoping for a happy ending to his story but I am steeling myself for one that isn’t.  If you want to read my review of the first two books you can find that here.

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

Read By Emily Woo Zeller

Publication Date: July 25, 2017

After reading and enjoying Ace of Shades so much I decided to take a look at Amanda Foody’s debut novel.  Actually it is hard to believe that this is a debut.  The world building is quite amazing.  The Gomorrah Festival sounds like such and interesting place with such interesting people.  The magic system again is different than what you normally encounter.  There are different levels and types of magic, that appears to run in families.  Sorina creates illusions, but she has also created some unique creatures that are somehow alive.  I’m not entirely sure I understand how that works, and there were times when I wasn’t totally sure that these characters were not entirely just in her mind.  But they were her family and they were all special in their own ways.  Sorina was not always my favorite character in the story.  There were times that I found her to be to whiney and spineless.  But then she would turn it around and do something brilliant, so she would move up a little bit the like scale.  I loved Luca, he was such a great character, imagine not being able to be killed, even when you are beheaded.  Interesting talent.  He was smart and kept Sorina on her toes.  Lots of good dialogue between the two as well.  The plot was fascinating and well paced for the most part.  Many things kept me guessing till the end.  I’m kinda of sad that this is a stand alone, it would make for and interesting series with a focus on other people living in Gomorrah.  

Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy

Publication Date: July 25, 2016

Another debut book.  I kept seeing good reviews of this one when it first came out, and then a copy was given to me last year.  I finally found the time to read it and I’m so glad I did.  It was such a sweet and funny book.  Yuri is such a fun character, I just loved him to pieces.  He was funny and quirky and I loved his views on America and high school in particular.  “High school is boredom punctuated by humiliation.”  I also love that he feels most comfortable doing math in bare feet, I can relate to that.  Yuri is a math and physics prodigy and he is socially awkward, but I think that has more to do with lack of experience.  He is an awkward teen.  I was a little less enamored with Dovie,  she was just a little off in a way that I can’t quite put my finger on.  Her brother Lennon though was a hoot, liked him a lot.  The plot was great, the whole asteroid going to destroy the earth and Yuri is the one who saves it was done with just enough angst that there were times I wasn’t sure it would all work out.  Once the world is saved, the story went in a direction I’m not sure I understood.  Yuri’s character suddenly changed from easy going to angry hulk and it just didn’t seem authentic.  Some of his anger I got, but not totally.  Other than that it is a great,  fun read.  And yes, he does learn to swear a little bit. 

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Read By Sneha Mathan and Vikas Adam

Publication Date: May 30, 2017

I am not sure my review can do this book justice.  It was such a sweet and romantic story and it was pretty perfect.  It was just the type of book I love to read in the summer.  The audio book performance was also great.  Both of the readers did a perfect job of capturing both Rishi and Dimple’s emotions.  I liked the alternating points of view, it was great hearing both sides of the story, especially at the beginning.  They are both well rounded characters, and had pretty authentic teen voices.  My son went through this stage of his life fairly recently and I heard and saw many of the things that these two characters went through in his own life.  I can’t speak to the authenticity of their culture however.  But I don’t think only Indian kids could relate to this story, I think it speaks to anyone who has hopes and dreams and needs to work their way through life to get there.  A well done contemporary rom-com that I would recommend to anyone.