Review: We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

At the Medio School for Girls, distinguished young women are trained for one of two roles in their polarized society. Depending on her specialization, a graduate will one day run a husband’s household or raise his children, but both are promised a life of comfort and luxury, far from the frequent political uprisings of the lower class. Daniela Vargas is the school’s top student, but her bright future depends upon no one discovering her darkest secret—that her pedigree is a lie. Her parents sacrificed everything to obtain forged identification papers so Dani could rise above her station. Now that her marriage to an important politico’s son is fast approaching, she must keep the truth hidden or be sent back to the fringes of society, where famine and poverty rule supreme.

On her graduation night, Dani seems to be in the clear, despite the surprises that unfold. But nothing prepares her for all the difficult choices she must make, especially when she is asked to spy for a resistance group desperately fighting to bring equality to Medio. Will Dani cling to the privilege her parents fought to win for her, or to give up everything she’s strived for in pursuit of a free Medio—and a chance at a forbidden love?

Oh. My. Gosh. Lush worldbuilding and LatinX influence and LGBT and characters that I love love loved... where has this book been all of my life.

This was - admittedly - a slow build for me... the first few chapters where Dani is preparing to 'graduate' and before she gets into Mateo's house were slow going and I didn't get into it until afterwards, when the rebellion storyline came into swing and Dani's incedicision and the romance with Carmen.

But when all of that hit me... trust, I was sold.

Okay, lets take this bit by bit. There were parts which could have been a little more fleshed out for me. Mateo, for example, is a cookie cutter two-dimensional mean guy. This made it had for us to feel any loyalty to us and whilst this is probably what Mejia intended, it would have been a good arc to follow. It made Dani and Carmen's romance less challenged - I mean don't get me wrong, there were enough challenges along the way, but there could have been more! Still though, the fleshed out political storylines and the growth between Dani and Carmen to the point where they became the OTP of the year for me. Yes, it was great.

The ending left me gagging for more... so I can only say that it is a wonderful, wonderful spark of luck that I have an eArc for 'We Unleash the Merciless Storm' just waiting for me to get into.

I am so ready for it.

Book released 26th February 2019 by Katherine Tegen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Missing, Presumed Dead by Emma Berquist

 With a touch, Lexi can sense how and when someone will die. Some say it’s a gift. But to Lexi it’s a curse—one that keeps her friendless and alone. All that changes when Lexi foresees the violent death of a young woman, Jane, outside a club. But Jane doesn’t go to the afterlife quietly. Her ghost remains behind, determined to hunt down her murderer, and she needs Lexi’s help. In life, Jane was everything Lexi is not—outgoing, happy, popular. But in death, all Jane wants is revenge. Lexi will do anything to help Jane, to make up for the fact that she didn’t—couldn’t—save Jane’s life, and to keep this beautiful ghost of a girl by her side for as long as possible.

Recently I have had this huge craving to reread the Mediator series by Meg Cabot, it was the first book that got me into the YA Paranormal genre in the first place. The issue is that I have such a huge TBR pile that I put that thought to the back of my mind and decided to pick a randomly selected book from my TBR list and read it.

That book was Missing, Presumed Dead. Whilst it isn't really on the level of The Mediator, it definitely filled a void and left me feeling pretty contect.

Firstly, let me say how much I loved the Film Noir vibe that this book had going on. From Lexi's spiky exterior and the menance behind the scenes and the almost crime familia kind of thing that Urie has going on, it was amazing. 

There's also some amazing characters as well. As much as Lex herself wasn't entirely likeable, she had her reasons for pushing people away so it's forgivable. She's also compelling to read, and I loved those around her. Deda is an amzing character and even though he wasn't in on the action he was a steadfast support. Ilia... Oh how I loved Ilia... I expected Ilia to be the main love interest to be honest and I am so glad he was not. It's such an amazing representation of how a male can be a protector and that can be completely platonic.

Now let's get onto the less alive characters. Trevor... oh get me a Trevor. he was funny and cute and witty and such a companion to Lex. Jane was also just amazing, so real to life and such an instigator for Lexi's change and arc. I supported the two of them all the way through even though I find dead/alive romance as a trope entirely cringeworthy.

The plot of this book was pretty simple, but the origianlity came from the underground network of magic and powers that exists in a modern day LA. I loved that the descriptions were vague enough to not be infodump but also not entirely complicated so it didn't feel like poor world building.

Overall, Missing, Presumed Dead is one of the better books that I have read recently. It's only because I compare all Urban Paranormal books to the ones that set me on this blogging course that this book won't get 5/5.

Book released 21st May 2019 by Greenwillow Books

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: Looking for Group by Rory Harrison

Dylan doesn’t have a lot of experience with comfort. His room in the falling-down Village Estates can generously be categorized as “squalid,” and he sure as hell isn’t getting any love from his mother, who seemed to—no, definitely did—enjoy the perks that went along with being the parent of a “cancer kid.”

Now that Dylan’s suddenly in remission, all he’s left with is a lingering OxyContin addiction and a hunger for something—anything—but the life he’s known.

His only escape has been in the form of his favorite video game—World of Warcraft—and the one true friend who makes him feel understood, even if it’s just online. Dylan met Arden playing Warcraft, and now he wants to take her on a real mission, one he never thought he’d live to set out on: a journey to a mysterious ship in the middle of the Salton Sea.

But Arden is fighting her own battles, ones that Dylan can’t always help her win. As they navigate their way west, they grapple with Arden’s father (who refuses to recognize his daughter’s true gender), Dylan’s addiction, and the messy, complicated romance fighting so hard to blossom through the cracks of their battle-hardened hearts.

Pre-warning: This may be a short review. It may also be ranty.

I am an MMORPG player, and for quite a while I was a World of Warcraft player so I love seeing books set in online games. Stupidly, I thought that may be a main point of this book. It wasn't.

As an online relationship/road trip book, this may have worked.

I just really struggled with the way Dylan and Arden were portrayed, and I really hated the way Dylan described Arden. For a book which is meant to be true and meaningful and educational about trans teens, it felt immensely offensive and misinformed. The was a big put off for me. I persevered, hoping the plot would make up for it. I think that Harrison wrote about Arden's struggles with her family poorly, and Dylan's addiction as well but the plot and the issue with the LGBT+ part of the book was just immensley poorly done. 

Book released 25th April 2017 by HarperTeen

Book received from the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review

Review: If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship came to light.

So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they have been, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly.

Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will never be able to love the one she wants, in the body she wants to be loved in, without risking her life. Is saving her love worth sacrificing her true self?

If You Could be Mine is a beautiful, meaningful book, tackling an issue that needs more attention - homosexuality in the Middle East. This book deals with two lesbian girls in Iran coming to terms with the impossibility of their relationship as it is and it also touches on the acceptance of transsexualism in Iran and the availability of sex change operations. This book was well informed and so it was very believable, this made the story that bit more touching.

That being said, I really struggled to care about the romance because whilst I did sympathise with Sahar's suffering I absolutely despised Nasrin as a character - she was thoughtless, selfish and truthfully Sahar would have been far better off without her - more confident and happy about herself. I also felt like I didn't get to know Sahar as well as I would have liked as the focus was more on her suffering and her personal journey rather than the person she started out as. 

Ali was a fantastic character in this book. He was clever and Sahar's admiration is so obvious for him that it manages to cloud the negative aspects f his character, but Parveen was an amazing character as well - she is the one who understands what Sahar really needs and supports her along the way, no matter what.

I felt that the conclusion of this book was a little sloppy - a lot of things started happening at once and I struggled to keep track and then BAM... it fizzles out. That being said, I liked the very ending with Sahar's life turning out well, it all worked out exactly as I would have liked it to.

Overall, If You Could Be Mine was an interesting and poignant journey into LGBT culture in the Middle East. However some parts of the execution were weak so this book is kind of just average for me.
 

Book released  10th August 2013 by Alqonquin Young Readers

Book received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (NetGalley)

Review: The Elephant of Surprise by Brent Hartinger

In this latest book, Russel and his friends Min and Gunnar are laughing about something they call the Elephant of Surprise -- the tendency for life to never turn out as expected. Sure enough, Russel soon happens upon a hot but mysterious homeless activist named Wade, even as he's drawn back to an old flame named Kevin. Meanwhile, Min is learning surprising things about her girlfriend Leah, and Gunnar just wants to be left alone to pursue his latest technology obsession.

But the elephant is definitely on the move in all three of their lives. Just who is Wade and what are he and his friends planning? What is Leah hiding? And why is Gunnar taking naked pictures of Kevin in the shower?

I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about reviewing this book since it's part of series with like four books already released, but Hartinger assured me in his pitch that it could be read as a stand-alone, so I gave it a shot. I am so unbelievably glad that I did.

I don't want to focus on the fact that this book is LGBT because although it's a big part of it there are so many different aspects of this story that all make it something much bigger. This book isn't really emotional territory, nor is it trying to make any type of statement, this book is witty and poignant in the right places, and even though there are never any really heartbreaking moments and I'd only just met the characters I honestly started to love them and feel for them. 

This book was also educating. I loved reading about Wade and the other freegans and their way of life, and I think that Hartinger did a fantastic job in not portraying them all as radicals despite some of the things that happen in the book. min and Gunnar were also fantastic characters to meet, I instantly grew to love Gunnar - he was so crazy and witty that he made me smile whenever he popped up. Min took me a while to like, but she's such a great friend to Russel that I grew to love her. Though Russel did come across as a little weedy at points, I think he was such an engaging character to read about and follow and I can't wait to read the rest of this series.

Despite having not followed Russel and Kevin's romantic storyline from the first book, it was pretty easy to see that Kevin still cared so i was totally rooting for this couple. I did like Wade, but it was pretty obvious that he was only going to be a temporary character. I also wasn't too shocked at the ending, but I was still cheering because it was what I wanted.

Overall, Brent Hartinger has managed to engage me into this series halfway through. Despite being thrown into the middle of the ongoing storylines, I had no problem fitting into the book and taking on the characters. A great book, I would absolutely love to read the rest of this series!

Book released 30th March 2013 by Buddha Kitty Books

Book received from the author in exchange for an honest review.