Review: How To Deal

Read if you like: ultra cool and easy-to-understand tarot meanings, and quick, simple ways to be more spiritual.

How To Deal: Tarot For Everyday Life | Sami Main, Marisa De La Pena

Series: N/A

Genre: Young Adult, Tarot, Spirituality
Released: May 1st 2018
Pages: 240
Format: Ebook
Source: Publisher

If you want to channel the power of the cosmos through tarot, this accessible and practical guide is for you. Written for novices and seasoned readers alike, How to Deal is packed with artwork and includes prompts, exercises, and layouts to give you the answers you're looking for.

Sometimes you just need the universe to tell you whether your crush likes you or how to handle that awkward family situation or which life path is the best one for you. Sami Main breaks down how the cards relate to one another, explaining spreads for future readings and questions to ask the cards. And she takes you through all the Major and Minor Arcana, with colorful illustrations of the cards and detailed descriptions of what they mean.

As Sami will teach you: The cards are here to guide you through life’s ups and downs—you just have to understand what they’re trying to say.

I wish I'd had this book as a teenager. How To Deal is an awesome, easy to read, relatable guide to tarot reading, and I hope it introduces a new generation of tarot readers. I loved all the quirks in the writing, the pastel colour scheme adds to the no-pressure vibe of the book, and the illustrations are perfect. All in all, I love not just this book but the approach to tarot reading. There's no stuffy, rigid meanings of cards here - it's not just teen-friendly but beginners-of-all-ages-friendly.

4 stars

Review: Queer, There, and Everywhere

Queer, There and Everywhere | Sarah Prager

Published by: HarperCollins, May 23rd 2017

Genre: History, LGBTQ+

Pages: 272

Format: Ebook

Source: HarperCollins, via Edelweiss

This first-ever LGBTQ history book for young adults will appeal to fans of fun, empowering pop-culture books like Rad American Women A-Z and Notorious RBG.

World history has been made by countless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—and you’ve never heard of many of them. Queer author and activist Sarah Prager delves deep into the lives of 22 people who fought, created, and loved on their own terms. From high-profile figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt to the trailblazing gender-ambiguous Queen of Sweden and a bisexual blues singer who didn’t make it into your history books, these astonishing true stories uncover a rich queer heritage that encompasses every culture, in every era.

By turns hilarious and inspiring, the beautifully illustrated Queer, There, and Everywhere is for anyone who wants the real story of the queer rights movement.

"And as we see in all of these transformative lives, and from the effect reading them has on us today, however you want to live is valid and important-because the mere fact of you, living, makes the world more radiant.

Live bravely."

Um? So I'm meant to review this now? Can my review be a recording of me sitting in a corner, crying in gratitude and understanding of these people? (And crying from anger on their behalf, too.)

Look, bottom line: read this. Queer or not, read it. Trans or NB or Cis, read it. It will make you feel a full gamut of feelings - hopelessness, despair, fury, empathy, and it'll probably make you smile and laugh. Most of all, if you are queer, this book is full of so much hope and determination. This book is a gift. I want a second volume immediately!

Review: The Gauntlet

The Cage: The Gauntlet | Megan Shepherd

Published by: HarperCollins, May 23rd 2017

Genre: Science Fiction, Space, Aliens

Pages: 352

Format: Ebook

Source: HarperCollins, via Edelweiss

The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in the final novel in the gripping and romantic Cage series, about teens abducted from Earth by an otherworldly race.

Cora and her friends have escaped the Kindred station and landed at Armstrong—a supposed safe haven on a small moon—where they plan to regroup and figure out how to win the Gauntlet, the challenging competition to prove humanity’s intelligence and set them free. But Armstrong is no paradise; ruled by a power-hungry sheriff, it’s a violent world where the teens are enslaved and put to work in mines. As Nok’s due date grows closer, and Mali and Leon journey across space to rescue Cassian, the former inhabitants of the cage are up against impossible odds.

With the whole universe at stake, Cora will do whatever it takes, including pushing her body and mind to the breaking point, to escape Armstrong and run the Gauntlet. But it isn’t just a deranged sheriff she has to overcome: the other intelligent species—the Axion, Kindred, Gatherers, and Mosca—all have their own reasons to stop her. Not knowing who to trust, Cora must rely on her own instincts to win the competition, which could change the world—though it might destroy her in the process.

That ending was SAD!!!! :(

One of the best damn YA sci-fi series I've ever read - strong from the first page of The Cage to the last of The Gauntlet. I don't know what I can say about this book other than it surpassed my every hope and expectation, and the shocks never let up from the beginning. It's hopeful and miserable and full of guts and determination. I love Cora, I love Cassian, I love the world, the story, the cleverness of the Gauntlet. We even got a sneaky A.I. which I adored. Thank you for this gift of a series. I'm really sad to see it go.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world ★★★★★

Writing ★★★★★

Review: One Blood Ruby

Seven Black Diamonds: One Blood Ruby | Melissa Marr

Published by: Harper Collins, February 28th 2017

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fae

Pages: 368

Format: Ebook

Source: Harper Collins, via Edelweiss

Now that Lilywhite Abernathy is the heir to the Hidden Lands, everything is about to change.

The Queen of Blood and Rage wants Lily to help broker peace with the human world, but Lily knows that harmony won’t come easily. After decades of waging war on the humans, who cost the queen her firstborn daughter, the fae are struggling to accept Lily, a half-human monarch. And the humans, while no match against faery affinities, will hardly agree to the queen’s détente without resistance.

Lily wants to be a fair ruler but fears having to abandon the life she’s known to do so. Now that she and Creed are more than just fellow Black Diamonds—operatives for the queen—her priorities have shifted. But her worries about assuming the throne are derailed when it becomes clear that someone—or some fae—is masterminding violent attacks to discourage peace.

In this gripping follow-up to Melissa Marr’s lush Seven Black Diamonds, Lily and her friends are forced to reckon with the truth of their own parentage and to protect one of their own, no matter what—or who—comes between them.

I liked this, but I wouldn't go much further than liked. There were elements I loved - Creed and Lily, Roan and Will, seeing more of Erik, and Lily's dad - but the rest was flat compared to the dark, exciting Seven Black Diamonds.

I'm left with so many unanswered questions. What happened to the fae world, and did Lily ever become queen? Was Eilidh meant to be queen, since the land chose her? What the hell HAPPENED to Eilidh? Did she and Torquil ever get to be together after that ending? Did Vi give Erik a chance? Did Zephyr ever heal from losing Alkamy? What were the consequences of Will coming out to the press? Was it Nacton doing the terrorist attacks or Eilidh???

It was an ending that didn't feel at all like an ending. It feels ... unfinished, like there's still more story to tell. I'm a bit frustrated I didn't get to see Creed and Lily ruling the fae world, or the peace settling between them and humans. I'm invested in this world and these characters, and I'd really appreciate an epilogue or follow up of some kind to give me a satisfying conclusion to their stories. 

As always the faerie lore and details of the writing and world were stunning, but the story itself let me down.

Characters ★★★★★

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★☆☆

ARC Review: Flamecaster

Shattered Realms: Flamecaster | Cinda Williams Chima

Published by: HarperCollins, April 5th 2016

Genre: YA, High Fantasy

Pages: 535

Format: Ebook

Source: HarperCollins, via Edelweiss

A burning vengeance.

Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. The son of the queen of the Fells, Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now Ash is closer than he’s ever been to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. As a healer, can Ash use his powers not to save a life but to take it?

A blood-based curse.

Abandoned at birth, Jenna Bandelow was told the mysterious magemark on the back of her neck would make her a target. But when the King’s Guard launches a relentless search for a girl with a mark like hers, Jenna assumes that it has more to do with her role as a saboteur than any birth-based curse. Though Jenna doesn’t know why she’s being hunted, she knows that she can’t get caught.

Destiny’s fiery hand.

Eventually, Ash’s and Jenna’s paths will collide in Arden. Thrown together by chance and joined by their hatred of the king, they will come to rescue each other in ways they cannot yet imagine.

Set in the world of the acclaimed Seven Realms series a generation later, this is a thrilling story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death. 

This is definitely my favourite Cinda Williams Chima book I've read. Much faster paced, exciting, and I connected with the characters better. Here are my thoughts:

- I really love Ash and Lila, and Jenna grew on me. I wanna keep Destin forever.

- REALLY hoped for Jenna/Destin. I wasn't that sold on Jenna/Ash

- The story was complex and exciting. I can't wait to see all elements weave together and the story play out in later books.

- I LOVE the world, especially with the hints about magic on other continents. I feel like the islanders are gonna be awesome. (Though I could do without the 'exotic savages' trope....)

- Kinda cool how Jenna's birthmark is metal and a gem. Not seen that before.

- DRAGONS! YASS! BRING IT ON!

- I have so much hope for this series. Great characters, awesome world, promising story. Excited to read more!

Characters ★★★☆☆

Setting/world ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★☆

The Fog Diver (ARC Review)

The Fog Diver | Joel Ross

Published by: HarperCollins, May 26th 2015

Genre: MG, Fantasy, Ships

Pages: 336

Format: Ebook

Source: HarperCollins, via Edelweiss

A deadly white mist has cloaked the earth for hundreds of years. Humanity clings to the highest mountain peaks, where the wealthy Five Families rule over the teeming lower slopes and rambling junkyards. As the ruthless Lord Kodoc patrols the skies to enforce order, thirteen-year-old Chess and his crew scavenge in the Fog-shrouded ruins for anything they can sell to survive.

Hazel is the captain of their salvage raft: bold and daring. Swedish is the pilot: suspicious and strong. Bea is the mechanic: cheerful and brilliant. And Chess is the tetherboy: quiet and quick…and tougher than he looks. But Chess has a secret, one he’s kept hidden his whole life. One that Lord Kodoc is desperate to exploit for his own evil plans. And even as Chess unearths the crew’s biggest treasure ever, they are running out of time...

The Fog Diver is the fantasy MG I've been looking for all year. It's fun, and it has heart and danger and complete originality. I loved it!

I'd never known a world like this before, where a fog has taken over the earth and people now live on the top of mountains. So first off, the world sucked me in, because it was just so new and interesting. And then I got attached to the characters, Hazel and Bea especially. The characters in The Fog Diver are an air-raft crew who take advantage of Chess's ability to survive the fog (because he was an experiment of Lord Kodoc's) to salvage things of worth from the ground. I loved their dynamic and their easy friendship, how they'd clearly been together years and knew each other inside out. The world of this book drew me in but the friendships kept my eyes glued to every page.

This book has everything I was looking for. There's enough fun to space out the stakes and the angst of Chess's back-story, the characters are individuals and likeable, their relationships are real, and everything about the plot is compelling. I'm so happy this book exists and I got to read it. The Fog Diver is the best middle grade I've read all year. I loved it, your kid brother or sister will love it, and I'd bet even your grandma would love it too.

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world building ★★★★★

Writing ★★★★☆

Magonia (ARC Review)

Magonia | Maria Dahvana Headley

Published by: HarperCollins, April 28th 2015

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Magic Realism

Pages: 320

Format: Ebook

Source: HarperCollins, via Edelweiss

Neil Gaiman’s Stardust meets John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars in this fantasy about a girl caught between two worlds…two races…and two destinies.

Aza Ray is drowning in thin air. 

Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live. 

So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn’t think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who’s always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia. 

Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—and as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war is coming. Magonia and Earth are on the cusp of a reckoning. And in Aza’s hands lies the fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?

Magonia and me got off to an okay start, a wobbly middle, and a fantastic end. From the beginning I wasn't sure if I was into it. I liked that the main character was different in that she was dying and had a distinct personality, but it wasn't something that interested me to read. But I stuck with it, because ships in the sky. I'm glad I did.

The fantasy elements of Magonia were so well crafted and well written that it was pure magic. I want my own sky ship (though I could do without being a) blue or b) a bird.) The magic that they possess is vastly unique, too. In this book, song has power. You can sing a sandstorm or sing rock into water. It's absolutely wonderful. Bird in the lung though? Pretty rank.

This book has everything. It has romance that's raw and so genuinely teenaged. It even has a pretty terrifying threat and villain, one that you're never sure if they're bad or good or somewhere in between, another where you're led to trust them and they betray Aza so terribly (taking away her agency, making her sing against her will, literally forcing their words into her voice - it was a terrible, horrifying violation in the context of the book.) So, as I say, Magonia had everything. I just didn't connect with it as fully as I may have done had I been in a better mood - I've been crabby and slow to read and I'm certain my enjoyment of this got knocked down because of it.

To sum: a wonderfully unique story, Magonia is like nothing you've read before or will read again. 

Characters ★★★★☆

Setting/world building ★★★★☆

Writing ★★★★★

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As seems to be the trend to post the quote from this book that struck you the most, here's the one I cannot forget:

I can't imagine a universe in which I try to unlove her.