BOOK REVIEW: Dreamland

 

This book was an interesting up-close glimpse of the wealthy, and the working class in early 1900 New York. 

The main character Peggy Battenberg is 20-year old heiress to a fortune, but that money comes with tight family ties. When she is forced to summer near the "depraved" Coney Island, she becomes embroiled in a multiple-murder mystery and a forbidden love affair.

Peggy was equally brazen and strong, but at the same time naive and foolish. Some of her decisions had me absolutely cringing! But I appreciated her willingness to forgo the status quo, even if her illicit adventures did seem far-fetched.

I really liked the author's descriptive style of story-telling, it made the settings come to life in a way that I could really envision them and feel I was there.  Yes, it slowed the pace somewhat, but it remained steady, and I felt compelled to keep turning the pages, reading way past midnight.

The murder/mystery piece felt not fully-developed, and the cumulation of the entire book's build up felt very rushed and implausible. Also, the insta-love, while charming, also did not end in a satisfying way.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read, which I devoured in 2 sittings!

Thanks to NetGalley and Endeavour Quill for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: The City of the Plague God

13-year old Sikander is a rare Muslim hero in this urban fantasy that brings Mesopotamian mythology to modern-day New York.

From the very beginning, Sik is pulled into danger by demons serving the plague god Nergal, who believes Sik has a treasure that he desperately wants.  The action is non-stop from there, and Sik finds himself moving from one amazing circumstance to another, encountering gods, goddesses, heroes and fantastic creatures from Mesopotamian myths.  

The over-arching theme of this story is death and loss, which I wasn't expecting for a book geared toward middle-grade. Sik is struggling with the loss of his brother and he encounters death in various forms throughout his trials.  

The author's writing style is engaging, and the pages flew. The side characters had distinct personalities, although I would have liked a little more insight to their motives a bit more.

I really enjoyed this action-packed adventure, and especially appreciated the representation of a non-traditional hero.  Also, this was the first story I've read featuring Mesopotamian mythology, and this book has gotten me intrigued enough to seek out more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: Lore

 

Starting 2021 off with a banger!🎉

People, this is what a contemporary urban YA fantasy is all about! A strong, no-nonsense, bad-ass female protagonist descended from an ancient Greek hero's bloodline who has real friends and makes believable, well-thought out decisions (and mistakes) is what I'm talking about! Throw in a cast of developed supporting characters and I was hooked.

So, this is a wholly unique take on Greek mythology and the various gods and heroes, and where they are in the present. So unique, that although I had a pretty strong grasp of the myths prior to reading, I really had to slow down in the beginning to fully understand the characters and their houses. Pro tip: there is a cast of characters list at the end which is SUPER helpful.

This book is almost 600 pages long, but the pacing was great (once I got a handle on who was who), the action was plentiful and gorey, and the twists were surprising enough that the pages just flew...I stayed up till past 2am reading this one! This book pulls no punches. Actually, with the serious topics brought up, such as child torture and killing, multiple murder, and attempted rape, I think this may be better categorized as new adult vs YA.

There is very little romance, but what there is sweet, very briefly mentioned and inconsequential to the plot, which was actually perfect for the flavor of this story. 

Lore publishes on January 5, so make sure it's on your TBR! 

Thanks to Hyperion Books and Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.