*Review* The Atlas of Us by Kristin Dwyer

 Genre: YA Coming of Age

Published: January 9, 2024

Pages: 336

Atlas has lost her way.

In a last-ditch effort to pull her life together, she’s working on a community service program rehabbing trails in the Western Sierras. The only plus is that the days are so exhausting that Atlas might just be tired enough to forget that this was one of her dad’s favorite places in the world. Before cancer stole him from her life, that is.

Using real names is forbidden on the trail. So Atlas becomes Maps, and with her team—Books, Sugar, Junior, and King—she heads into the wilderness. As she sheds the lies she’s built up as walls to protect herself, she realizes that four strangers might know her better than anyone has before. And with the end of the trail racing to meet them, Maps is left counting down the days until she returns to her old life—without her new family, and without King, who’s become more than just a friend.

I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

I grabbed this book because I loved the cover and it was available as a "listen now" so I didn't have to get any sort of approval for it. It wasn't until after I downloaded the book that I realized the copy available wasn't the voice actor version of the audiobook. The version I had was AI generated for review purposes only, which certainly lent something to the experience. It confirmed for me that I would never want to pay for an audiobook with AI generated audio because it has some serious drawbacks, namely unnatural pauses (and a lack of pauses in some places they should really exist). 

This book is a good example of why you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover (but I'm still gonna). Although I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting from this book, what I got wasn't it. And sure, I could have read the blurb first, but that would have ruined my 23 year long blurb non-reading streak. I was definitely expecting a heavier romantic storyline than I was treated to. I struggled to feel a strong connection with the characters. Me no longer being a teenager and having a more privileged childhood than they did may have contributed to that, but I'm not sure. 

Overall I give The Atlas of Us 3.7946 out of 5 stars because although it wasn't what I was expecting and I didn't feel particularly connected to the characters, I was still mildly invested in the story itself and wanted to see where it went. - Katie 

Amazon

Kristin Dwyer grew up under the California sun and prayed every day for a cloudy sky. Now Kristin and her spouse are currently raising their mischief-makers in the hills of North Carolina, where there is just the right amount of clouds. When she’s not writing books about people kissing, Kristin is a part-time hair model and full-time TSA PreCheck. One time a credible news outlet asked for her opinion on K-pop (it was the best day of her life). Please do not talk to her about your fandom; she will try to join.

*Review* Armadas in the Mist by Christian Klaver

 

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Published: December 6, 2022

Pages: 508

The Black Shuck’s forces gather just beyond the mist . . .

Captain Justice Kasric knows how complicated family can be. The escalating Human-Faerie war has scattered and wounded her siblings and transformed her parents beyond recognition. After narrowly escaping yet another dangerous clash, fifteen-year-old Justice has had enough. She’s determined to defeat the Black Shuck, the mysterious leader controlling the Faerie invasion of London, but if Justice hopes to stand a chance at victory, she’ll have to do the impossible: reunite her family and lead them against the looming Faerie Armada.

With her mother and brother at the helm of the enemy fleet, and the prophesized Seven Virtues slipping out of reach, Justice more than has her work cut out for her. Even if she can save England, the cost may be higher than she’s willing to pay.

I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

Do you ever start reading a book and feel like you're just completely lost, almost like the author isn't giving you enough information about character's backstories and things? Then you wonder if maybe you just weren't paying close enough attention, or maybe skipped a couple pages on accident? Then after you finish reading the book you go check out some of the reviews other people have posted and realize that the book you were reading wasn't the first book in a series, but it's the first one you've read? If that ever happens to you, did you learn your lesson and start checking those things? Because I apparently never fricken learn my lesson. 

Armadas in the Mist starts in what feels like some serious action, which is fine, grab my attention any way you can, right? But typically books that start like that head back in time in the next chapter so you can see how you got there, at least when those books aren't sequels to a story that you, the reader should already be familiar with. I wasn't familiar though, and just kept waiting for that backstory and it never came. Do not make the same mistake I did and start this series with this book. And yet, despite the two books worth of missing backstory, I eventually felt like enough of that information was imparted that I basically understood what was going on by the time we got to the final battle. If you have already read the first two books, you don't have to worry about tedious recaps. 

I didn't really feel particularly attached to any of the characters in this story, but I'm fairly certain that is because of when I came into the series. There just wasn't enough character building in this book to develop that relationship (presumably because the characters were already built in previous books). I definitely had characters I was rooting for, but that was more because they were clearly the good guys and therefore should win. A couple of the characters surprised me with their actions, but I don't know if those actions would be surprising if I knew them better. 

Overall I give Armadas in the Mist 4.07845 out of 5 stars because I eventually felt caught up, and it's not the book's fault I started the series at book 3. - Katie 

Amazon

This author of Science Fiction and Fantasy lives in the suburbs just outside the sprawling decay of Detroit, Michigan. There he resides with his wife (Kimberly) his daughter (Kathryn) and a group of animals he refers to as 'The Menagerie'.

He has been selling short stories since the early '80's, including recent sales to Escape Pod and Dark Wisdom Anthology from Elder Signs Press.

He is an alumni of Viable Paradise Writing Workshop, managing and contributing Editor of The Nautilus Engine: A Speculative Webzine and a regular attendee and speaker at Confusion Science Fiction Convention.

www.christianklaver.com

mrchrstn@yahoo.com

*Monthly Update* February 2024

 Heyo! Look at me sitting here pretending like I'm doing a good job writing posts regularly enough to justify a monthly update post (and that I'll keep up with that too!) But for some reason I'm feeling optimistic and motivated right now, so here we are. Anyway. 

In February, I made it a point to read books almost exclusively by Black authors for Black History Month. I did have a couple books I was finishing up at the beginning of the month and I think two audiobooks from Netgalley that I had to listen to as their archive dates were fast approaching, but otherwise, the only books I read in February were by Black authors. I even managed to read 22 books in February, because I certainly wasn't spending that time writing reviews for those books (but we're not going to talk about that, okay?) Sixteen if those 22 books were by Black authors, and I have three books currently started also by Black authors, two of which I intend to finish sooner rather than later. The third is a big ass book about the history of racism in America, and while I'm absolutely going to finish it, I do intend to put it on the back burner for now because...

March is Women's History Month and I want to spend the entire month reading books by women (and none of those three Black authors I'm currently reading are women). The caveat to my month of reading books only by women is that I want them to be mostly non-romance. Not that I have anything against romance, but I want to focus on genres that aren't dominated by women writers. Additionally, I intend to read at least 5 non-fiction books about notable women (ideally written by women, but I may make an exception on that. I will acknowledge that it's quite possible those books will all end up being memoirs). So hit me with your recommendations of non-romance books by women, especially if you have some recommendations of non-fiction about notable women. 

Books read in February

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy

The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Meister of Decimen City by Brenna Raney

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

The Art of Extreme Self-Care by Cheryl Richardson

Queen's Catacombs by Jordan H. Bartlett

Poemhood: Our Black Revival edited by Amber McBride, Erica Martin, and Taylor Byas

Stronger Together by Terry Crews and Rebecca King Crews

Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae

A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

We're Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

The Shadow Sister by Lily Meade

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Everything's Trash, But It's Okay by Phoebe Robinson

For Black Girls Like Me by Mariama J. Lockington

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

My blogging goal for March is to do some serious work on getting caught up on my backlogged reviews (I have over 80 non-children's books to write reviews for and more children's book reviews than that to write). I'd really like to see exactly what kind of hole I'm in on Netgalley, but to do that, I gotta' get my feedback written and submitted. Only 5 of the 22 books I finished in February were Netgalley books, but at least 5 of the books I read were Netgalley books (it could have been worse!) Anyway, I've got some reading to do to hit my amended page goal for the month, and only a few hours left to do it, so tata for now. - Katie 

*Review* The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

 

Genre: YA Thriller

Published: January 31, 2023

Pages: 396

Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High—but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller.

Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.

Tinsley McArthur was supposed to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it’s her legacy—her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.

No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova’s best friend. Duchess’s father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova’s crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won’t face the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova—and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess’s father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.

Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley’s guilt. And to do that, she’ll have to get close to her.

But Tinsley has an agenda, too.

Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.

For Black History Month this year, I decided I wanted to really focus my reading on books by Black authors, and as I'm currently on a YA horror/thriller kick, this was a great book to start me off. I was immediately drawn into the story, and although one of the two characters started out comparing situations to She's All That, I saw some serious Bring it On vibes at the beginning of things. In both cases Gabrielle Union is the reason for the comparisons (and even though she's over 40, she could probably STILL play a convincing teenager). 

This story is told from two perspectives, her best friend Duchess and her arch-enemy Tinsley. They ultimately have the same goal of finding out who killed Nova and will stop at nothing to do it. Duchess wants justice for her friend and Tinsley desperately needs to clear her name, because she's the number one suspect after a drunken rant goes viral. 

I'd love to tell you that I saw all the twists and turns coming, and figured out who the killer was immediately, but that would be a big fat stinking lie. This book consistently had me second-guessing myself, and I didn't really figure out who the killer was until Tinsley and Duchess did. That basically never happens to me. 

As an added bonus, this book gave me up close and personal insight into how Black police officers can be viewed in their community, and the extra pressure it puts on them. 

Overall I give The Black Queen 4.76854 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Jumata Emill is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his BA in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and a member of the Crime Writers of Color. When he’s not writing about murderous teens, he’s watching and obsessively tweeting about every franchise of the Real Housewives. Jumata lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is the author of The Black Queen and Wander in the Dark.

*Review* The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook by Erin Browne

 

Genre: Cookbook

Published: April 4, 2023

Pages: 240 

Bring the fun of Dollywood right to your own kitchen with 100 of the most delicious foods from Dollywood and its surrounding parks.

From favorite snacks and main dishes to refreshing drinks and popular desserts, Dollywood has some incredible food. And now, you can recreate all of your favorites—and discover some new favorites—with these 100 recipes in The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook.

You’ll learn to make:
-Frannie’s Famous Fried Chicken Sandwich from Grandstand Café
-Meatloaf Stackers from Granny Ogle’s Ham ‘n’ Beans
-Fruity Pebbles Funnel Cakes from Crossroads Funnel Cakes
-And much more!

Perfect for everyone from Dollywood super fans who miss those familiar flavors in between trips to fans who have never visited but still want to experience the amazing food, The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook has all the recipes you’ll need to make treats worthy of Dolly Parton herself.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

I have never been to Dollywood and before reading this cookbook didn't really know a whole lot about Dolly Parton either. I'm familiar with a few of her songs and knew what she looks like, but that's about it. After reading this cookbook, I feel like I know quite a bit more about Dolly Parton herself, and she seems like a pretty fantastic human being. I also feel like I know a fair bit about Dollywood now too (it seems to be a theme park along the lines of Silver Dollar City in Branson). And I have all of this information because it was included as information explaining the various different recipes and their inspiration. 

I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to try any of the recipes from this book while I had access to the eARC, so I can't tell you if they are actually good, and I wouldn't know if they were at all accurate anyway. But boy, when I tell you this book made me so hungry. I was basically salivating over the recipes, and not only do I intend to buy myself a copy of this book so that I can actually try them out at home, but I also really wanna go to Dollywood now just to eat all the food. And while I'm no slouch in the kitchen, I'm also not a gourmet chef, but these recipes seemed fairly simple, with easy to follow instructions. 

Overall I give The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook 4.8756 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Erin K. Browne is the blogger and photographer behind Brownie Bites, where she shares approachable, easy recipes that are as fun to make as they are to eat. She especially loves pop culture and fandom-inspired recipes, with Dollywood being a major source of such inspiration as the park is just a short drive from her home. Outside of the kitchen, Erin enjoys reading in a cozy chair, hiking in the mountains, and exploring the country in her family’s RV. She currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, with her husband, Matt, her two children, Jasper and Shelby, her goofball corgi, Dewey, and the sweetest kitty who ever lived, Ham. Learn more at BrownieBites.net.

*Review* The Man or the Monster by Aamna Qureshi

 

Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Published: August 30, 2022

Pages: 450

She made her decision. Now she has to live with it.

Durkhanai Miangul sealed her lover’s fate when she sent him through a door where either a lady or a lion awaited him. But her decision was only the beginning of her troubles. Durkhanai worries that she might not be the queen her people need or deserve when conflict threatens her kingdom.

Her presumed-dead father comes back with a vengeance and wishes she join him in his cause. But her family’s denial of his revenge forces Durkhanai to take matters into her own hands and she must decide whether to follow the traditions of her forefathers or forge a new path on her own.

I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

I went into this book not realizing that it was the second book in a duology. This means that there was a lot of background information that readers are expected to have that I didn't. For instance, I have no idea why Asfandyar was in the arena facing the challenge in the first place. I can make some assumptions based on what happens in The Man or the Monster, but I don't know for sure. Which also means there are aspects of the court intrigue that I just don't have a full understanding of. But while I was listening to this audiobook, it didn't actually occur to me that it might be a sequel. I honestly kind of assumed I'd get some flashbacks to see where things went wrong between Durkhanai and Asfandyar. In spite of the missing background information, I felt like I understood the way this world worked as much as I was supposed to at the time, now I'm not so sure that's true. 

This story was told from a few different perspectives, which allowed me to see a broad range of the events as they were happening, but also led to frustration as certain characters were clearly unnecessarily at odds with each other, they just didn't know that. I do feel like this approach helped me to feel less lost by coming into the tale halfway through. 

The narration was a little rough for me at first, trying to listen through the accent, but once I got used to that, it sounded perfect. It helped to transport me across the world to another land and pulled me into the story. 

Overall I give The Man or the Monster 4.2875 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Aamna Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. She grew up in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity. When she's not writing, she loves to travel to new places where she can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where she can revitalize her roots. She also loves baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (her backyard). She currently lives in New York. Look for her on IG @aamna_qureshi and Twitter @aamnaqureshi_ and at her website aamnaqureshi.com.

*Review* Smarty Ants by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call

Genre: Children's 3-7 years

Published: August 1, 2023

Pages: 37

Ants are busy little creatures, and these smarty ants are extra busy using their math skills! They are ready to build one gigantic home, filled with everything an ant could want. But what happens when disaster strikes? Dynamic author duo Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call (Mootilda’s Bad Mood and Cold Turkey) use simple addition, word play, and rhyming text to create a memorable math book that you will want to read over and over again.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a cute mathematical story about ants building a new house. The story itself progresses through the numbers 1-10, with some very simple sums as we go along, and then we even count back down from 10-1. Additionally, the story made a point of emphasizing all the words that contain ant, which I found cute. 

The illustrations were super bold and colorful, really drawing your attention in and providing items for the children to count as you read along. I could read this book a few times before I'd want to hide it for a while to read something else. Overall I give Smarty Ants 3.9758 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Corey Rosen Schwartz is the author of The Three Ninja Pigs and a significant number of other rhyming picture books. She lives with her family in Warren, NJ, but is getting antsy and plans to relocate soon.

Kirsti Call is an inhabitant of Antover, Massachusetts, where she can't stop reading and writing books. She's the author of Mootila's Bad Mood, Cold Turkey, Cow Says Meow, and The Big Scream. Find her at www.kirsticall.com.

Erin Taylor loves to travel: by plane, train, automobile, and pencil. She has lived in three different hemispheres and strives to reflect her world experiences in her artwork. When Erin's feet are on the ground she loves time with her family, getting lost in the wild, and visiting the zoo. Drawing is a daily necessity, just like eating, which she also enjoys quite a bit!