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Winter of the Wolf by Martha Hunt Handler – Review

A tragic mystery blending sleuthing and spirituality

​An exploration in grief, suicide, spiritualism, and Inuit culture, Winter of the Wolf follows Bean, an empathic and spiritually evolved fifteen-year-old, who is determined to unravel the mystery of her brother Sam’s death. Though all evidence points to a suicide, her heart and intuition compel her to dig deeper. With help from her friend Julie, they retrace Sam’s steps, delve into his Inuit beliefs, and reconnect with their spiritual beliefs to uncover clues beyond material understanding. 

Both tragic and heartwarming, this twisting novel draws you into Bean’s world as she struggles with grief, navigates high school dramas, and learns to open her heart in order to see the true nature of the people around her. Winter of the Wolf is about seeking the truth—no matter how painful—in order to see the full picture.

In this novel, environmentalist and award-winning author, Martha Handler, brings together two important pieces of her life—the death of her best friend’s son and her work as president of the Wolf Conservation Center—to tell an empathetic and powerful story with undeniable messages.

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Thank you so much to Greenleaf Book Group Press for reaching out to me about this whirlwind of a mystery. It felt incredibly kismet, even before reading the synopsis of the book, that this ARC came my way. I have always felt extremely drawn to wolves, and not only does the symbolism of the gorgeous creatures serve as a running through-line in Winter of the Wolf, but after some research on the author herself, I noticed that she has devoted her life to helping them. I immediately felt close to her and to this story, so when I received the copy in the mail; I tore through it like a rabid animal. Bean’s story is a hard one, but we meet her as she is beginning to put herself back together, so there is a lot of growth and hope within these pages. She makes it a point to not only preserve the memory of Sam, the brother she knew, loved, and lost, but also mend her family and their friends in the process.

I was instantly drawn in by Bean, even from the first couple of pages. She is such a strong protagonist, and even though she has been in a depression since her brother died, she has been taking care of her loved ones through it all. Her mom has barely left her room, her dad blames himself for the events of that fatal night, and her remaining brothers feel uncertain if Sam even knew how much they loved him. Bean herself had gotten to the point where sleeping was better than her waking moments, because her brother still lived in her dreams. This accurate depiction of grief packs a huge punch, and it is a relief when the body of a doe calls her to attention. It settles things into place about her brother’s death, and with the help of her best friend, Julie, Bean sets on a path to prove Sam did not take his own life.

The mystery surrounded Sam’s death is a heavy one, and the cast of characters that Bean has to weave herself around in order to dig out the truth are so incredibly fragile that you can feel the splinters in their psyches as Bean prods into their memories. Sam’s ex-girlfriend, best friend, and other acquaintances are only so helpful, however. When Bean takes all she can get from them, she and Julie turn to more uncommon approaches. These practices are some of my favorite bits in the book. Martha makes it very clear from the very first chapter that Sam, Bean, and their mom are incredibly spiritual in different ways, but all supportive of one another. It is incredible, from the standpoint of someone who has lived in the Bible Belt her entire life, to see such an open relationship with beliefs like this. Sam followed the way of the Inuits, their mother was on a constant search for enlightenment, and Bean had her faith in her brother and the magic all around her. Through sightings of a black wolf in broad daylight, a shamanic ritual, and totems of great importance, Bean was able to see that maybe the people who leave us aren’t really gone. She uses this to her advantage and ultimately finds the peace she desires.

I am all in all head over heels for this succinct telling of a family’s journey through trauma. I have never faced anything like this in my young life, and I sincerely hope I never have to. In any case, Bean’s tale gives hope for those suffering from loss. It opens your eyes to the raw power of nature, and that there is magic awaiting anyone brave enough to ask. Most of all, it assures you that those who leave your life are never truly gone. I think this would be a really powerful read for anyone who has lost someone, but also just for those who are still figuring out their walk in life. It reminds us that it’s okay to keep looking for answers, no matter what the question may be. Don’t ever lose that curiosity, because it’s what makes us human. Stay hungry like the wolf and never give up hope. Your winter will end, and the spring will be all the more beautiful for it.

5/5 stars

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Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power – Review

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Wilder Girls comes a new twisty thriller about a girl whose past has always been a mystery—until she decides to return to her mother’s hometown . . . where history has a tendency to repeat itself.

Ever since Margot was born, it’s been just her and her mother. No answers to Margot’s questions about what came before. No history to hold on to. No relative to speak of. Just the two of them, stuck in their run-down apartment, struggling to get along.

But that’s not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And she just found the key she needs to get it: A photograph, pointing her to a town called Phalene. Pointing her home. Only, when Margot gets there, it’s not what she bargained for.

Margot’s mother left for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what’s still there?

The only thing Margot knows for sure is there’s poison in their family tree, and their roots are dug so deeply into Phalene that now that she’s there, she might never escape.

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Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC of this vibrant second release from one of my favorite YA authors. I fell head over heels for Wilder Girls last year, and it was actually one of the first ARCs I ever received from NetGalley. Rory’s work means a lot to me in that it was a huge moment for me when I received such an anticipated work as I was just starting out as a book blogger, and it gave me something to sink my teeth into as a review writer. In that vein, I was so excited to get Burn Our Bodies Down, and I had every faith that it would hold up to the standard that Wilder Girls set. I couldn’t have been more right. Rory has delivered another gut-wrenching tale led by a fierce and aged-beyond-her-years spitfire of a girl inside a setting just close enough to the world we call home to strike a chord, yet far enough removed with supernatural elements to keep you up at night.

Margot greets us at the beginning of this journey with a heavy heart and seventeen years of weight on her shoulders. She survives a tense relationship with her strange mother, both because of and in spite of the woman. They fight and struggle to make ends meet, but at the end of the day, they are all the other has. For a long time, Margot pretended to be okay with that. However, a streak of boldness finds her uncovering a secret that her mother has hidden all of her life; a family. In a desperate attempt to scrounge up what normalcy and conclusion she can, this daughter of a fire long gone out makes it to her mother’s hometown. She uncovers much more than she bargained for; walking straight into a blaze, one of splintered memories and actual flames. Margot learns something is very wrong in not only Phalene, but her own family tree.

The book takes us on a ride of self discovery, family ties, and wishes gone wrong. Margot grows up feeling like a carbon copy of her mother. Even as she escapes to Phalene, she feels as though she is carrying her decisions in her every step. Though this mystery that she is handed is one just past the folds of our reality, the sins of a past that isn’t even hers is incredibly real and haunting; something that teenagers far and wide are sometimes saddled with. Margot is the epitome of strong, and I hope that this novel will remind readers who are wrestling with themselves that they are more than extensions of their loved ones. They can break out of these vicious cycles, burn down any expectations, and start anew. Picking up this story is a good place to start, and they can feel the beating of their own heart within their chest as they sift through the pain, the gore, and the twists and turns as Margot finds who she really needed all along; herself.

Rory has struck gold yet again. If you’re looking for a page-turner mystery that will leave you as breathless as an inferno in a cornfield, this is it. As someone with a very strong bond with her mother and no father currently in the picture, I felt Margot’s uncertainty to my core. I have no idea what I would do if handed the keys to all my family’s secrets like she was. I was so proud of her strength and bravery, and admired how she handled herself in a small town that had already convinced itself of what she was. But she, like all of us, is not her last name. She’s not even her face. She is her mind and her experiences, and that is heartening. No matter how duplicated you might feel, you are you, and that’s enough. Burn Our Bodies Down is a thrilling and hopeful read, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

5/5 stars

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Cut Off by Adrianne Finlay – Review

Warcross meets Lost in this haunting young adult sci-fi thriller in which teens compete to survive in the wilderness for one million dollars on a new virtual reality show. When something goes horribly wrong and the contestants realize no one is coming to save them, they must question their very reality—and how much of the game is really for show.

Each contestant has their own reasons—and their own secrets—for joining the new virtual reality show CUT/OFF that places a group of teenagers alone in the wilderness. It’s a simple premise: whoever lasts the longest without “tapping out” wins a cash prize. Not only that, new software creates a totally unprecedented television experience, allowing viewers to touch, see, and live everything along with the contestants. But what happens when “tapping out” doesn’t work and no one comes to save you? What happens when the whole world seemingly disappears while you’re stranded in the wild? Four teenagers must confront their greatest fears, their deepest secrets, and one another when they discover they are truly cut off from reality. Sci-fi, mystery, and romance converge in this high-stakes, fast-paced read that will leave you guessing to the very last moment.

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Thank you so much to Edelweiss for the advanced copy of this imaginative novel! I have recently discovered that one of my favorite tropes in books is people trapped in the wilderness. I’ve found this happening within these kinds of stories by accident (plane crash), foiled plans (hiking trip gone wrong), or in the case of this tale, a TV show with a sinister twist. So, of course I was immediately hooked by the synopsis, but I had no idea what I was in for. The survival bits were only the tip of the iceberg, and the story just continued to deepen and flourish after that. Our band of characters had to face so much in so little time, and we are there strung along with them– desperately trying to figure out the truth before everything falls apart.

We are plopped into the vast unknown as the teenagers chosen for the new reality show Cut Off are beginning to realize that something may be horribly wrong. Earthquakes have been devastating the island they are all trapped on, and all attempts to ‘tap out’ have gone unanswered, even for the contestants who may be morally injured. Four of these characters meet up after various mishaps, and together they find a way off of the island, only to discover that their troubles had only just begun. River, an orphan… Cam, the daughter of a murderer… Trip, the tech wiz… and Liza, the wild card– all four of them handpicked for this journey, but totally unprepared for the trials within. Somehow, the world has gone to pieces in their absence, and they must search for answers or be plagued by their own worst fears until it’s too late.

I don’t want to spoil too much, so I will just say that the insane sci-fi twist that the book takes is something I never could have expected. There are hints throughout about the dangers of the tech that Cut Off adapted for the show; all of the players were injected with bots that would connect viewers with them via VR, they are constantly followed around by invasive floating cameras called Skyms, and the buttons that would allow them to escape only emit a high pitched whine before going completely dark. So there is a lot to distrust here, but as the plot is driven onward, the true malice of the system in the wrong hands unfolds. The reader is left wondering what is real, having all sense of security stripped away. You truly get a feel for who these characters are as they start to unravel in the emptiness of the world they once knew, and it really makes you think about how you might respond in a similar situation.

This book had so many layers, and was such a delight to read. It hit so many points from survival to horror to sci-fi to drama, and each one was such an integral part of the story. It gave us many facets of the characters’ personalities, and we were able to get to know them and root for them in a very short amount of time. I can honestly say it’s one of the most unique books I’ve ever read, and I had no idea what was coming page after page. It left me wanting more of Cut Off, as a VR experience of a reality show sounds devilishly good, just like this premise!

5/5 stars

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What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate McLaughlin – Blog Tour Book Review

Synopsis:

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with all of this information!

Lex was taken–trafficked–and now she’s Poppy. Kept in a hotel with other girls, her old life is a distant memory. But when the girls are rescued, she doesn’t quite know how to be Lex again.

After she moves in with her aunt and uncle, for the first time in a long time, she knows what it is to feel truly safe. Except, she doesn’t trust it. Doesn’t trust her new home. Doesn’t trust her new friend. Doesn’t trust her new life. Instead she trusts what she shouldn’t because that’s what feels right. She doesn’t deserve good things.

But when she is sexually assaulted by her so-called boyfriend and his friends, Lex is forced to reckon with what happened to her and that just because she is used to it, doesn’t mean it is okay. She’s thrust into the limelight and realizes she has the power to help others. But first she’ll have to confront the monsters of her past with the help of her family, friends, and a new love.

Kate McLaughlin’s What Unbreakable Looks Like is a gritty, ultimately hopeful novel about human trafficking through the lens of a girl who has escaped the life and learned to trust, not only others, but in herself.

Review:

5/5 stars

I’m overwhelmingly grateful to NetGalley for the eARC of this hard-hitting and devastating novel; and to St. Martin’s Press for including me in this blog tour! I haven’t ever really researched much into sex trafficking; but I did vaguely know of the horrors within. It is a terrifying reality that countless kids are thrust into, but it is a topic that remains mostly untouched whether it be in fiction or nonfiction. Kate not only does an excellent job of opening the door to conversations about this scourge, but in doing so, she brings readers a story that gives us an unapologetic look at the lives of these young adults that have been irrevocably changed forever while also inserting a spark of hope. There is the ever-present threat of danger, the fear of being too broken, and the struggle of returning to a normalcy that has since left you behind– but the protagonist shows us all how strong the human spirit is, and no matter what your circumstances, you deserve happiness.

Alexa, better known as Lex, was taken by a man she thought she could trust and was then coerced to transform into Poppy; a girl who, along with several other ‘flowers’, was forced to have sex with many different clients. She watched captured girls come and go, made bonds with a few, and attempted to maintain a sense of self while being plied with drugs and beaten to keep her docile and submissive. She never thought she would see anything else but the hotel she was confined to, and she was almost resigned to that fact. Then, one day, the police arrived. They brought her to a nearby hospital to be examined, and when she is eventually discharged, she is taken in by an estranged aunt who facilitates her recovery. Lex endures rehab, makes new friends, trusts the wrong boys, loses people she loves, becomes the center for gossip at school, and maybe even begins to fall in love for the first time– all while wondering how much of it she deserves, or even how much of it is real.

I found Lex tremendously powerful as a character because she has been through so much and yet is still able to see the good in people and persevere through so much pain and trauma. She loses so much after she leaves the hotel, and both in spite of and because of that, the development that she has from page one to the end of the book is like night and day: the reader watches her build her self worth back and though it takes a long time, she also finds a sense of security and belonging that she had never felt before. This novel truly shows the magic of a good support system, as Lex is surrounded by love from her aunt, Krys, from her release on. In addition, all the people she meets afterwards act as a wall around her, protecting her from setbacks and hardships. All of these stalwart figues let her find out who she is in her own time, but love her every step of the way. Their influence reminds readers to treat those you meet in life fairly, as you never know what scars lie just beneath the surface.

Upon learning Lex’s history, readers and fellow characters alike will make snap judgments about her. Those people could never know her penchant for books and research, her affinity for public speaking, her strength, or the love she is capable of. She is a truly captivating protagonist, and though this story is heart-wrenching, just know that it is also a beacon of hope. Sometimes saving yourself will be the hardest thing you ever have to face. If, instead of discovering your own value, you’re taught your ‘worth’ at a young age, it’s going to be hard to overcome that, but it is always possible to change. You have the power to defy the world as it tries to take you down. It is cold and it is unforgiving, but you can find your people and yourself through it all. No matter how broken you feel, we are all stronger than we know. Lex’s tale is sure to remind us all what unbreakable looks like; and if you look in the mirror, I know you’ll see it too.

Author:

Find Kate on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/alterkates

KATE McLAUGHLIN likes people, so much so that she spends her days making up her own. She likes writing about characters who are bent, but not broken – people who find their internal strength through friends, strife and sometimes humor. When she’s not writing, she likes studying people, both real and fictional. She also likes playing board games with friends, talking and discovering new music. A proud Nova Scotian, she’ll gladly tell you all about the highest tides in the world, the magical creation known as a donair, and people who have sofas in their kitchens. Currently, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and four cats. She’s the author of What Unbreakable Looks Like.

Early Praise:

Check out what others have to say about the novel!

“With unflinching honesty, What Unbreakable Looks Like exposes the injuries and scars we wear on our skins or in our souls. Hidden damage is tragically common, but helpful others who dared embrace hope invite Alexa to step onto the healing path. This novel may offer a springboard for a reader’s own healing or foster empathy for life’s walking wounded.” – Liz Coley, author of international bestseller Pretty Girl-13

“Raw, unflinching, and authentic, Kate McLaughlin’s thoughtful What Unbreakable Looks Like carefully crafts a story exposing the vulnerability of underage trafficked girls and what it takes to begin the process of healing from sexual trauma.” – Christa Desir, author, advocate, and founding member of The Voices and Faces Project

“This is a powerful book about a sobering topic that I found myself thinking about for days after I completed it. It is wonderfully poignant, painfully real, and even laugh out loud funny at times. Not everyone can truly wrap their minds around the trauma these victims endure and yet somehow, despite all of it, are still just regular kids. But Kate McLaughlin gets it. ‘Lex’ is truly what unbreakable looks like and you’ll fall in love with her spirit.” – Tanya Compagnone, Trooper First Class

“Sex trafficking continues to seep into all our communities. In this novel, Kate McLaughlin brings to life the trauma that transpires in youth who forced into the life of sex trafficking. Her novel is a reminder that each of us can make a difference in someone’s life.” – Dina R. St. George, MSW, Juvenile Re-Entry Unit OCPD

Sneak Peek

Click below to preview the first chapter of this riveting YA debut!

Chapter One ExcerptDownload
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Wench by Maxine Kaplan – Review

Tanya has worked at her tavern since she was able to see over the bar. She broke up her first fight at 11. By the time she was a teenager she knew everything about the place, and she could run it with her eyes closed. She’d never let anyone—whether it be a drunkard or a captain of the queen’s guard—take advantage of her. But when her guardian dies, she might lose it all: the bar, her home, her purpose in life. So she heads out on a quest to petition the queen to keep the tavern in her name—dodging unscrupulous guards, a band of thieves, and a powerful, enchanted feather that seems drawn to her. Fast-paced, magical, and unapologetically feminist, Wench is epic fantasy like you’ve never seen it before.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Amulet Books for the chance to read this inspiring tale of a seemingly insignificant character that is usually overlooked in the lore of most RPG settings. The trope of the tavern wench is one as old as fantasy itself. I am in my very first Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and in the year that we’ve been playing, we’ve met one such woman, Tappy, whom my playable character vehemently hates. All of her personality, tenacity, and confidence is the product of our Dungeon Master, who was only given a 1-2 sentence description of the gnomish woman. It’s actually kind of amazing how woven she is into the plot of our story, and yet for the time being, we have left her in the city we found her to search for freedom. Tappy’s case is not unique. These buxom ladies with even broader skills and drive literally serve their entire community, but are hardly ever the focus of an adventure. Maxine gives us Tanya, who could have easily had the same fate, but instead takes us on a wild journey of self discovery and adventure with our long-suffering ‘wench’ at the helm.

Tanya has worked and lived at The Smiling Snake for as long as she can remember. She was orphaned by her parents and taken in by the proprietor of the tavern, Froud. When he succumbs to old age, Tanya is sure that she will take over the tavern and continue her life as normal. What she doesn’t count on is a band of the Queen’s corpsmen taking control of it instead, telling her that she has no formal right to it as she was no true relation to her guardian. This sets Tanya into motion. What starts as a quest to regain control of her beloved tavern turns into something far beyond what she could have ever imagined. She takes off with the corpsmen, who are loathe to take her seriously. It’s not until a thief barges into their midst, taking off with a magical quill, do things start to fall together for Tanya. Her connections deepen with guards, criminals, witches, and even the Queen herself– and through it all she is left asking herself what she truly wants in life. Is it just control of the tavern? Or does she want the magic that she has started to unlock within herself? What comes together by the end of the novel is some sort of a happy medium, and we truly see that even if we don’t get what we want sometimes… we do end up getting what we need.

Something I really enjoyed about this novel is Tanya’s struggle to fit in and feel useful. That’s a feeling I think a lot of us can relate to; wanting people to realize just how talented and irreplaceable we are so that we aren’t forgotten or left behind. Tanya spent most of her life serving others, and she is very good at what she does, be it cleaning, or cooking, or diffusing tense situations– all this and more lends itself to her fitting in anywhere she goes. However, her hotheaded and outspoken nature gives new depth to her chosen life of servitude as she is undeniably born to lead. She is truly a captivating protagonist, and her budding relationships (as friends or otherwise) with the people she meets along her travels hits home as she learns that maybe not everyone is going to want something from you. It’s possible that some people will just like you for you. At its core, this book is a love letter to all the women finding their place in the world that is only trying to hold them down. Tanya’s strength and perseverance is refreshing to see, and I hope to carry some of it with me in my day to day life. We are all so much more than the titles we’re given. Thank you, Maxine, for reminding us.

5/5 stars

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The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins – Review

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined – every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute… and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes. 

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I was so incredibly excited to re-enter the world of Panem. The Hunger Games made up a lot of my childhood, and I still think of Katniss, Peeta, and the rest of the characters we grew to know and love and all of the things they taught me often. I was as surprised as most of the YA community to hear that this prequel was to be centered around President Snow. He is an antagonist so vile and irredeemable that it left us all scratching our heads, trying to figure out what we could be missing that warranted a whole book of his own. I am very happy to say that this book exceeded all my expectations and gave dimension to the man we all loved to hate. I think some fans may have been worried about possible redemption, but to me this book was the origin story of a boy lost to circumstance and the heady scent of power through control.

Coriolanus Snow is a teenager, nearing graduation in the Capitol. He struggles under the guise of wealth and will do anything to save his family’s reputation. The truth of it, however, is that he lives with his grandmother and his cousin; his mother and father having been killed during the uprising of the districts, and money is running out. His only escape is going to be receiving high honors at school and having his way paid by Dean Highbottom, who clearly shows dislike of the bright boy. So when mentors are chosen to look after the tributes in the 10th Annual Hunger Games, Corio is foaming at the mouth to prove his worth. This all goes sideways as he receives the girl from District 12, or so he thinks. A match that was meant to send him into a spiral makes more and more sense every day from the Reaping (where the girl flings a poisonous snake down another’s dress) to the bitter end. The two get closer than anyone would have thought possible, and Corio risks a lot for this girl; his musical Lucy Gray.

When everything is said and done, we have gotten a glimpse at how primitive the Games used to be. Yes, in the Panem we know and love, the Games are still barbaric and heartwrenching, but these are brutal; with no food or water being given to the Tributes and having them all thrown into first a zoo, and then an abandoned coliseum for the actual Games. There is no pomp, no circumstance, and it is less of a sport and more of a war. We see how even as a student, Corio changes things within the games, little nuggets here and there that will make them into the bright and ostentatious show we see in later years. Corio defines himself as someone capable of love and friendship, but with an underlying need for control and acceptance. We see what happens to him after the games end, which is actually where his life begins. He faces hard decisions, death, and a chance at a new life– but all of these things culminate into him slowly unraveling.

What we end up seeing in Snow is the effects of trauma. He lived through a war, lost both of his parents, and grew up as the nation was rebuilding itself in the worst way possible. He was surrounded by teachers on drugs, people in power who had clearly lost their minds, and a disconnect between himself and the lives of others. He was told from a very young age that ‘Snow lands on top’, and this mantra led him through his book and on to his presidency with a self-assured attitude that numbs every other true feeling he might have. Did this redeem Coriolanus Snow? No. It does, however, help him become a person in your mind, rather than just a villain. I loved seeing his gradual descent into madness, and I’m ready to reread and rewatch the original series so that I can see the man he grew up to be once more. I know there’s been some discourse about this novel, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

5/5 stars

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The Apartment by K.L. Slater – Review

It’s an opportunity she can’t refuse. The woman before her tried…

Freya Miller needs a miracle. In the fallout of her husband’s betrayal, she’s about to lose her family home, and with it the security she craves for her five-year-old daughter, Skye. Adrift and alone, she’s on the verge of despair until a chance meeting with the charismatic Dr Marsden changes everything. He’s seeking a new tenant for a shockingly affordable flat in a fashionable area of London.

Adder House sounds too good to be true… But Freya really can’t afford to be cynical, and Dr Marsden is adamant she and Skye will be a perfect fit with the other residents.

But Adder House has secrets. Even behind a locked front door, Freya feels as if she’s being watched: objects moving, unfamiliar smells, the blinking light of a concealed camera… and it’s not long before she begins to suspect that her dream home is hiding a nightmarish reality. Was it really chance that led her here—or something unthinkably dark?

As the truth about Adder House starts to unravel, can Freya and Skye get out—or will they be locked in forever?

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Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this captivating thriller! The thought of change can be scary enough, but having to uproot your whole life after the death of a loved one is unimaginable to me. This is how we meet Freya, a newly widowed mother who is struggling to make ends meet for Skye, her daughter. All hope seems lost as she flounders for stability, and the tension is palpable within just a few pages of the novel. Slater does an amazing job at making us care about Freya and Skye right off the bat, and we are as overjoyed as she is when a mysterious landlord finds her and offers her a place at Adder House. Things have a creepy feel to them from the moment Freya sets foot into the beautiful building, and we the readers know there is some type of ulterior motive from the expert way Slater cuts between Freya and a mystery bystander’s point of view.

From this bystander we get a taste of the history of some type of experiment that ends up tying into the main story in such a cool and unexpected way. It also adds an extra air of mystery that will keep you up reading just to see how all these little building blocks fit together. I will say that I did not expect the reveal at all; there were many red herrings that were not obviously a ruse, and the varied horrific happenings sprinkled through were so seemingly unconnected that my mind was left swimming in a sea of question marks. You can feel Freya’s mind slowly unwind as she not only tries to find out the dark history of Adder house, but also simultaneously keeping on a mask of control as to not worry her daughter or her friends, Brenna and Viv. Selfishly, I have to say I was so excited to see my name in a novel, as it isn’t one that pops up much in American literature. I did a dance every time she was mentioned!

All in all, this was the epitome of a psychological thriller. I was questioning my own sanity along with Freya’s as I flipped pages (electronically) back and forth to try and see if we were being gas-lighted or not by the other characters! The events flowed so seamlessly, and in this time of feeling more secluded from others than ever, the subtle but quick isolation of Freya from everyone and everything she knew and loved was felt as strong as a ton of bricks. You truly root for this woman to succeed while every force around her attempts to drag her down. What a great read just before Mother’s Day as it accurately describes the lengths a mom will go to in order to protect her child, mentally and physically. I wholeheartedly recommend this fast-paced read!

5/5 stars

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If We Were Us by K.L. Walther – Review

Everyone at the prestigious Bexley School believes that Sage Morgan and Charlie Carmichael are meant to be….that it’s just a matter of time until they realize that they are actually in love.

When Luke Morrissey shows up on the Bexley campus his presence immediately shakes things up. Charlie and Luke are drawn to each other the moment they meet, giving Sage the opportunity to steal away to spend time with Charlie’s twin brother, Nick.

But Charlie is afraid of what others will think if he accepts that he has much more than a friendship with Luke. And Sage fears that things with Nick are getting too serious too quickly. The duo will need to rely on each other and their lifelong friendship to figure things out with the boys they love.

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There was a lot to love about this debut novel, and I almost am unsure where to begin! We are thrown into a boarding school atmosphere, being lead through the eyes of two best friends. We have Sage, the ‘sunshine in a bottle’ girl, and Charlie, the ‘womanizer’ boy. The two have been inseparable since birth, pretty much, and everyone in their lives are waiting for them to finally break down and be together. However, we find out pretty quickly that has never been in the cards for the pair. Sage is revealed to have a connection to Charlie’s twin brother, and our male protagonist meets his match in another follow student– who just happens to be a guy.

The two friends fall into secrecy with their respective relationships, and it takes a toll not only on their mental well-being, but on that of their partners and each other as well. By keeping her best friend’s secret, Sage puts her heart on the line while feeling disconnected from the boy she thought she knew. Charlie tries desperately to maintain the ‘It Boy’ persona the school regards him as while coming into his own and falling in love with someone who could tear it all asunder. This tension runs high through close calls and misunderstandings, and these characters do a lot of growing up between these pages. There is a lot of hope to be found here, and a running theme of love and friendship.

It’s this friendship that keeps our leads going. My favorite thing about this book was the focus on ‘friend soulmates’, and the struggle with how often these are, especially in the case of friends with a strong connection to the opposite sex, mistaken for romance. Charlie and Sage personified the kind of bond that I exhibit with my closest friends– very intimate, touchy, and unapologetic. It made me very happy that even with the insane things life had to throw at them; their friendship was unchanged. In that same vein, Walther explored the strength of the familial bond as well, giving so much friction between Charlie and his twin, Nick. In a time where so many things seem ugly and broken, these well-crafted non-romantic relationships were a light in the dark.

All in all, this was the sweet read I needed, and I loved all the representation and acceptance therein. It is paced seamlessly, with the two narrators flowing in and out of each other like a well-oiled machine, and you will want to continue reading just to see these beautiful souls happy at last as their true selves. Life is far too short to pretend to be something you’re not, and the people who truly care about you will accept you without fail. Pick up this tale if you want a little reminder that you are seen and heard, even when you don’t feel it. It’s like a dose of sunshine in and of itself! I can’t wait to see what K.L. has in store for us next.

5/5 stars

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Surrender Your Sons by Adam Sass – Review

Connor Major’s summer break is turning into a nightmare.

His SAT scores bombed, the old man he delivers meals to died, and when he came out to his religious zealot mother, she had him kidnapped and shipped off to a secluded island. His final destination: Nightlight Ministries, a conversion therapy camp that will be his new home until he “changes.”

But Connor’s troubles are only beginning. At Nightlight, everyone has something to hide from the campers to the “converted” staff and cagey camp director, and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe. Connor plans to escape and bring the other kidnapped teens with him. But first, he’s exposing the camp’s horrible truths for what they are— and taking this place down.

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Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this YA debut! There had been so much word of mouth circulating about the tale of Connor Major and his descent into hell on earth that I was itching to dive into the chaos. The narrative delivers, and quickly, the heart pounding and pulse quickening cat and mouse game I was looking for. Connor’s life falls apart like cotton candy submerged in water in front of our eyes, and just as he’s confronted with coming to terms with himself and going public with his boyfriend to his religious and uptight mother, his bravery is rewarded with fear and violence. His mother arranges for him to be sent away to Nightlight, a remote conversion camp, so that they can bring back the faux version of Connor that exists in her head; a straight boy who is in love with his best friend and fathered her child. 

So, Connor is kidnapped one morning and brought to Nightlight with Molly, a fellow camper. It is here we meet our cast of characters who are all suffering but surviving in their own ways. There are kids ages eleven to over eighteen, all overseen by an imposing adult force that is spearheaded by a familiar face; the Reverend from Connor’s hometown. What begins to unfold is an epic mystery that I did not expect. Connor sees threads between Nightlight’s history and a handicapped neighbor he would take meals to who recently passed away. In this way, the emotional tale of the torture of LGBTQ+ youth gains a suspenseful vein. The two do not diverge, however, so the action is never split between the two. It is a cohesive story that flows effortlessly; Connor’s ticket out of Nightlight is to solve a crime from decades past.

All in all, this is a story told in a youthful voice that, even while navigating the hardships the LGBTQ+ community face, is still full of hope and humor. There is great pain between these pages, but also immeasurable joy as Connor and his companions grow to accept themselves despite the conditions they’ve been thrust into. It really speaks to the resilience of these young people both in the novel and in the real world. This experience is something I will never understand, as I am just an ally in the community, but even under the fictional pretenses of this book, I know this pain is something that is mostly universal with these kids. The fact that they are able to find their way out, whatever their situation may be, is awe-inspiring. Like Connor, they may not escape these challenges unscathed, but in the end, love truly does win. We don’t really get road maps in life, but sometimes life sends you signs that you’re going in the right direction. I think this book will be such a waypoint for a lot of struggling youth, and that is a beautiful thing.

5/5 stars

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Some Kind of Animal by Maria Romasco Moore – Review

A story about two girls guarding a secret no one would ever believe and the desperate lengths they will go to in order to protect each other from the outside world.

Jo lives in the same town where her mother disappeared fifteen years ago. Everyone knows what happened to Jo’s mom. Now people are starting to talk about Jo. She’s barely passing her classes and falls asleep at her desk every day. She’s following in her mom’s footsteps. Jo has a secret — she has a twin sister. Her sister is not like most people. She lives in the woods, wild and free. Night after night, as often as she can manage, Jo slips out of her bedroom window and meets her sister in the woods, where together they run, fearlessly.

When Jo’s twin attacks a boy from town, the people in town assume it must have been Jo. Now Jo has to decide whether to tell the world about her sister or to run. SOME KIND OF ANIMAL is an accessible, feminist thriller that digs into themes of sisterhood, family, and friendship.

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Thank you so much to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC! I was immediately intrigued by this story’s synopsis as I considered the thrill of the double life the protagonist must have to lead as well as the absolute Grimm’s Fairy Tale feel of a secret, beastly relative who lives just outside of reality. There is something to be said for the enigmas it presents as well. It made it clear that this narrative was going to be one of the mind-boggling stories I live for. The type where you devour the first page and from then on feel yourself dangling on the razor’s edge between the rational and the fantastical, and you can do nothing but close your eyes and fall backwards into the author’s vision.

Diving in heartfirst, we meet Jo and her feral twin sister, Lee. Nobody but our stalwart main character is aware of Lee’s existence to the chagrin of the much tamer twin. Ten years before our narrative starts, they lost their mother. Jo has been alone raising her sister, or so she believes; trying in the process to convince her to live a normal life inside, settle down, and meet their relatives all to no avail. Jo’s day-to-day is that of a normal teenager– but at night, the twins run wild and free.The dichotomy between the two siblings alone holds a beautiful kind of imagery. To begin with, I even wondered if Lee was real, or if she was just Jo’s inner wild child; something that manifested for her out of trauma. Jo has been, in her short fifteen years on earth, subjected to small town mentalities about her ‘bad apple’ mother, forced religion, and archaic gender roles. The accumulation of all this pressure splits Jo in two emotionally: the ordinary girl and some kind of animal. The way she holds those parts aloft and apart broke my heart for her.

Jo’s animalistic side is put to the test very quickly once Lee allows herself to be seen in front of people besides her, and she is left with the opportunity to be free of all her secrets, shed her “regular girl” skin, and bare her teeth as she joins forces with Lee. The two girls weather sickness, possible capture, and betrayal together. As a result, the siblings get closer than they ever could have while separated by the trees, and through this bond Jo discovers things about her mother and her sister’s early life that she could never have imagined; answering questions she’s been burning with for her whole life. It shakes her to her core, and she sees her other half in a new light. Even with the twins losing a lot in their harried attempts to stay together, one thing they gain is an unwavering support system. This comes in the form of friends and family, but the biggest support they receive is from the forest itself. I love how the terrain becomes a character, and Maria does such an amazing job of making it pulse with life, and describing the magic in it. It has been Lee’s whole world; but for Jo, it was the only place where she felt alive. Because of this, she assumes it’s the answer to all their problems, but ultimately finds that she is using it to hide.

As Jo comes into her own and Lee comes out of the woods, we are left with a buoying hope for their futures together. Their journey is a message that no matter where you come from, who you’ve been, or what you’ve been told, change is always possible. The sisters end up altering their town forever; their actions setting a blaze within the hearts of its inhabitants. In all the ways that Jo is a controlled burn, Lee is a raging wildfire. In a world where women are expected to be subservient and mild,they are both resourceful, cunning, determined, and hellbent on survival, no matter what it takes. Together, they are a feminist love letter. Their existence is a howl to awaken the wolf inside you that lies sleeping; muscles atrophied from disuse. It begs you to answer the call, to stand up straight and be you, no matter the cost. Ultimately, this book is about family, love, and the lengths people will go for both, and you’ll be ready to disappear into the forest once it’s done. I know I am.

5/5 stars
Edited by Orey Yates