Book review: The Blood Trials by N E Davenport

 Book description:

    Reeling from her grandfathers death, Ikenna pledges Praetorian and tries her best to complete the trials alive. She is also trying to find out who killed her grandfather. There are many secrets, and Ikenna must survive and figure out where her allegiances lie as Mareen is thrust into war.

Book review:

    I do get why Ikenna was angry but it seemed like that was her only emotion she had 24/7. She also would rush into conclusions. This book did grow on me. It was off putting with how much serious injuries she got and the amount of blood she lost that she didn't die even with her blood gift.
I did enjoy the book better after they got through the trials. I do say that I enjoyed this book way more than Throne of Glass. I'm still deciding if I want to read the second book.

Book review: Artemis by Andy Weir

 Book description:

    Jasmine doesn't want to be a hero. She wants to get rich. So when an opportunity to do that comes, she takes it. It turns out to be a lot harder than it seems. She realizes she is way over her head.

Book review:

    This isn't my favorite of his books but it is still a good read. Her plan isn't as well thought out as it needs to be. She is the definition of a smart kid and could achieve anything if she wanted and put effort into it. She also thinks she is the smartest person on the moon and nobody will catch on to what she is doing and who put her up to it.

Book review: Thirsty by Jas Hammonds

 Book description:

    Before going to college Blake and her girlfriend, Ella, have a goal: join the Serena Society. Blake has a lot to prove to get in. Blake turns to alcohol to help prove that she has what it takes to get in. She must decide how far she's willing to go to achieve her goals and how far she has to fall.

Book review:

    This book deals a lot with addiction. She doesn't listen to those close to her that she has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. I found it a bit irritating that with her being from a poorer family than her peers and needing to work to get through college, that she would skip out on work, and be late to work, or leave early for work. It is written really well and I do like everything this author writes and will probably will auto buy anything she writes.

Book review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

 Book description:

    Katniss and Peeta have just won the hunger games. They should be happy. Except the Capitol isn't happy how they won, the districts are rebellion, and they're the face of the rebellion. The Capitol wants their revenge.

Book review:

    The movies don't do the books a lot of favors because you don't really get a lot of Katniss' inner monologue which I think makes the book what it is. I did like reading the book better than listening. There are things that I missed my first couple times reading it and now that I'm a bit older I appreciate the book more. I am always wanting to get more about the other tributes, especially Johanna and why she is so hostile towards the Capitol and Katniss.

Book review: Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan

 Book description:

    Africa is the only home Rachel has known. When influenza runs rampant in their small town it kills many including her missionary parents. She is sent to England by her neighbors to impersonate their daughter Valerie who died from influenza. She has to wait and find her way back to her home in Africa.

Book review:

    This is a book that I read as a kid that I apparently didn't remember the last two thirds of it and didn't remember how it ended. I only remember up to where Rachels parents died and the Pritchards sent her to England. I'm glad I reread this book because it's a pretty good book. Would recommend this book as an alternative to The Secret Garden because how I found The Secret Garden to be racist and this book wasn't.

Book review: Strange Beasts by Susan J Morris

 Book description:

    Samantha Harker works as a researcher for the Royal Society for Abnormal Phenomena. Sam is a channel into minds of monsters. Sam gets herself on a case in Paris with Dr. Helena Moriarty. They must try to find the person behind the attacks before they get away.

Book review:

    I find that Hel's father is basically a boogeyman that doesn't do much but get blamed for a lot of things that might go wrong. I felt that the basic character trait that all the men get is sexism and not much else. For all the threats of going to an Asylum, Sam only spends like 2 nights and gets out so easily. Pretty good book though.

Book review: Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto

 Book description:

    In the Dominions, the dead can linger. Wren is about to become a bonesmith valkyr for the house of bone. But she gets sabotaged during her trial and gets sent to the border wall. When the prince is kidnapped, she must save the prince and reclaim her place in house of bone.

Book review:

    This book is well written but it took a long time for me to care about anything or anyone. I was able to predict what was going to happen way before it happened. Would recommend to people who are just getting into the fantasy genre.

Book review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

 Book description:

    Every district must send 2 randomly selected tributes between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the hunger games. 16 year old Katniss volunteers for her sister as the girl tribute from district 12. She has to make difficult decisions if she wants to win and return home.

Book review:

    This might be an unpopular opinion but I think that Katniss should have let Peeta die. Let Peeta eat the berries 2024. I don't Katniss' love was actually love but that they became at least friends by the end but lovers? No. Let Katniss go home and let the rebellion be centered on something other then that Peeta and Katniss may have potentially loved each other. This is my favorite book of the trilogy and this book in my opinion could be considered a standalone book and you don't have to read the rest of the books.

Book review: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

 Book description:

    Xiomara feels like she can't hide. She is seen by boys because of her body, and her mother expects her to put herself in the church. She wants to be a poet but only can in her journal because of her mother. Xiomara has to decide between chasing what she wants and what her mother wants for her.

Book review:

    This is one of the few books written in verse that I've liked and it is well written. Because of how it's written you really do feel like you understand and feel for Xiomara. I like how her, Xavier, and Caridad all get along even though they are all different and have little in common.