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When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

"Every family has its past, its secrets and its struggles and the Fall family of Paradise Springs is no exception. The fact that all the descendents of the Fall family are cursed doesn't make things any easier. Things finally start to change when a rainbow-haired girl named Cassidy shows up and helps all the Fall children understand that goodness and love can grow even in the darkest of times." ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pros : Nelson doesn’t shy away from the rough parts of life but through it all there’s always light and hope/The ending of Part 3 was quite a shocker/When all the pieces began fitting together it definitely improved the story. Cons: Miles and his obsession with sex, it got rather obnoxious/The lineage of the Falls was a necessary part of the story but I do wish people would just be honest with one another/Except for Cassidy, every other character bothered me for different reasons. Full Review: The Fall family has not had an easy time of things. Theo Fall...

The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine

"It's been two years since Addison stumbled onto the road, bloody and bewildered. She was lucky enough to be picked up by a kind-hearted truck driver and given the chance to create another life. But just as her new life starts to come together, someone from her past, who can tell her everything that happened and fill in the gaps, appears. This was an engrossing read, simply because I was curious as to what had happened to Addison to cause her amnesia but in the end it felt overdone and honestly, a little bit silly." ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pros: It did pique my interest because I'm a terribly curious person/Ed and Gigi seemed like genuinely kind and caring people. Cons: Blythe was rather obsessed with wealth and stature and a bit of a snob/From Part III to the end explained everything that had happened but it all felt overdone and shady, like no one would have started asking questions about Cassandra's whereabouts? Full Review: It's been two years since Addison came to...

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

"The story of Achilles, renowned for his strength, speed and skills at warfare but as told from his ever faithtful friend and companion, Patroclus. Though it had its cliche moments as every romance will, I was pleasantly surprised at how true Miller stayed to the original source of The Illiad . This was a pleasantly surprising and unique take on Homer's epic tale." ⭐⭐⭐ Pros: I liked that it was told from Patroclus POV/Miller stays true to The Illiad , which I greatly appreciated. Cons: Lots of “burning pleasure” and “fierce, fervor”, all the romance cliches/Achilles arrogance is staggering but that's what Hubris is and that's why it's always the heroes' downfall. Full Review: When Patroclus is exiled from his father's kingdom for inadvertently killing a boy and sent to Phthia, he's alone and terrified. At first, he goes unnoticed by basically everyone. When he first sees Achilles, the young Prince, he's enraptured but far too shy to say ...

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

"When life-long friends, Sadie Green and Sam Masur decide to take a chance and work together to create a video game, they know they're creating something truly special. What follows is a story full of wins, losses, love, lies, friendship, betrayals and the list goes on. It's impossible to properly describe this book. It's one of those stories that you have to read to understand and appreciate." ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pros: Marx is a genuinely good, caring, kind person and friend/The NPC part of this novel had me close to tears. It was heart breaking and beautiful. Cons: A lot of the drama could have been avoided if the characters were just honest with each other but, then there'd be no conflict/Sadie and Sam drove me a little insane and I wanted to smack them both at times. Full Review: Sadie Green first meets Samson Masur in a Children's hospitals in California. Sadie's sister is battling Leukemia, while Sam has gone through multiple surgeries to try and repair ...

Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards

"Aleys believes she's meant to serve a higher purpose, that her life should be devoted to love and serve God. When her father offers her hand in marriage to a wealthy merchant, she gets her chance as she runs off to join the Franciscan brotherhood as a way to escape her fate. Little does she know that her service to God will take her places she probably never imagined." ⭐⭐⭐ Pros: The plot was complex and intricate enough to keep me reading/Marte was a great character, thoughtful but quiet, rarely letting on how much she notices or hears. Cons: Aleys could be a bit overbearing and arrogant at times/The tension with Friar Lukas at the end was just cringe-worthy. Yes, it led to the insane conclusion but at the same time, parts of it were just gross and unnecessary. Full Summary: Aleys has always loved the stories from her mother's Psalter. She doesn't understand the words but the images and teachings have always stayed with her. She knows she's meant for some...

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi

"When Zelie, the daughter of a powerful Maji (person gifted with magical abilities) helps the princess Amari escape with a sacred magical artifact, in hand, it sets them on a dark, dangerous and deadly course with cataclysmic consequences." ⭐⭐⭐ Pros: Adeyemi is unflinching in her portrayal of an oppressed people and you truly feel for the Diviners and hope the Monarchy pays for its horrendous crimes. Cons: It wasn't until about halfway through that I felt the book hit its stride/Betrayal, forbidden love, enemies to lovers, this book had its moments where it was one cliche stacked upon another. Full Review: Orisha was once a land flowing with magic. The 10 tribes of Maji, people gifted with control of a certain aspect of Sky Mother's soul (power over earth, air, fire, water, metal, disease, time and even death) were immensely powerful. And of course, Saran, the King of Orisha, was terrified that all that power would turn against him. So, he had ...