The Bookish Raven

“What Are Friends For?” by Sarah Sutton

5/5 stars

I have no words. I’m struggling to write this review because it’s so hard to put how much I love this book into words.

First of all, I read this book in roughly 4 hours. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t stop. Here’s the funny thing: while I read a lot of YA and love romance, I never read YA romance. I often read YA fantasy that has romance in it, but I never just read YA romance. I often find it over-bearing, cringey, and, in some cases, inappropriate. At some point, I mostly gave up the genre as a whole and devoted myself to fantasy. Every once in a while, I’d pick up a contemporary romance or something like that, but not often. For reasons I still don’t understand, I wanted to read this book ASAP just from looking at the cover and description. I immediately bought it and here we are.

Regardless of why I read this book, I loved it. It wasn’t what I was expecting—it was so much better! Right off the bat, we’re introduced to Remi and Elijah. They’re childhood best friends who basically do everything together. Unfortunately, their lives are kind of a mess. Elijah’s family has been a mess thanks to his brother making some poor decisions. Remi mostly lives with her mom, but she spends some weekends with her dad and stepmom as well. Then something happens to further throw everything out of whack. Due to a misunderstanding at a party, Remi and Elijah kiss accidentally. Elijah thinks the girl he kissed is his girlfriend, Savannah, but Remi discovers the truth. Horrified, she plays along with convincing Elijah he really did kiss Savannah. The problem: Remi can’t get that kiss out of her mind, and Savannah knows she didn’t kiss Elijah at the party. The whole situation is a mess in their already messy lives and Remi is determined to get through the whole thing with her friendship with Elijah, as well as the rest of her life, intact.

A lot of YA romances, and romances in general, can be cringey and cliché. This book was not like that at all. Where other books are shallow, this book was so much deeper than that. Family and friendship dynamics play a huge role in this book. All the characters make mistakes and have to learn to deal with the consequences. And even though their lives are messy, they learn how to live and love despite their circumstances. As much as I was invested in Remi’s relationship with Elijah, I was just as invested in her relationships with her mom and her dad, stepmom, and little sister; I was also invested in Elijah’s family too. This book is relatable and realistic thanks to the family/friendship relationships. And as far as the romance goes, it was clean and cute and adorable. I loved every second of this book. The relationships, the romance, the message—it was wonderful. For any of my fellow YA readers, I’d highly recommend reading this book. Even after writing this whole review, I still feel as though I was not able to do this book justice. I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on Sarah’s new book that’s coming out soon.

Blog Tour: “Moonscript” by H.S.J Williams

MOONSCRIPT BLOG TOUR

“It is said that Darkness is empty and whatever vanishes into its depths is lost forever. I know this better than anyone. For I have suffered here in the shadows, and there are none who might find me.”

Seventy years. Seventy years the elven prince has been lost to the darkness, assumed dead by his people and endlessly broken for a book that connects to the hidden realm of his ancestors, a land untouched by evil.

And now a light in the shadows. A chance for freedom. But those willing to help him come from the unlikeliest of worlds.

The orphan girl, yearning for a loving family, and the boy who won’t leave her side. A healer maiden given an unexpected chance for a life beyond narrowed expectations. A grieving creature flown far from home.

They all search for something and now their fates are tied to his. If their quest for life can pull him from the dark mire in which his soul drowns, then perhaps he can be saved.

Or else he will drag them all down to a fate worse than death.

The beginning of an epic saga, MOONSCRIPT is a journey of innocence, despair, and redemption.

Seven illustrations by the author exclusively included in the paperback edition!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From the beginning, H. S. J. Williams has loved stories and all the forms they take. Whether with word, art, or costume, she has always been fascinated with the magic of imagination. She lives in a real fantastical kingdom, the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with her very own array of animal friends and royally loving family. Williams taught Fantasy Illustration at MSOA. She may also be a part-time elf.

You can check out and follow William’s art page over here: https://hsjwilliams.wordpress.com/
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MY REVIEW–A FIVE STAR READ

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

An intense battle of good versus evil and light versus dark has been raging for a long time. A tortured elven prince who the world thinks to be dead, a little girl who simply wants a family, a boy who calls himself her best friend, a woman who is more mother than monster, and a creature whose kind is long gone. When the world is threatened by the Darkness, these characters are all that stand between it and the Moonscript. A journey begins, and more characters are introduced along the way. Who will stand victorious in the end–good or evil?

At first, I had a hard time getting into the story. However, it suddenly changed. Once I got into the story, I found myself completely entranced by it. It has a similar feeling to the Lord of the Rings series in some ways. The characters were such a ragtag bunch and I loved them all the more because of it. I often found myself laughing out loud at their interactions. The author has truly done a magnificent job. She created a vast and complex world, with perfectly imperfect characters, and a tale of adventure that continually left me wondering what would happen next. I wasn’t expecting that I would even be shipping people as much as I was! Plus, the book was completely clean and wholesome, something that is lacking these days. While the story was a tale of adventure, love, hardship, and endurance, it also contained so much wisdom and truth within its pages. I was left awestruck at how this simple story turned into something so much more for me and probably several other readers as well. When I finally reached the end, I was devastated to see that it was over. I hope to read the rest of the series when they become available! Please do yourself a favor and read this book!

Scroll to the bottom of this post for the extremely beautiful cover and amazing character art from the author herself! And please make sure to visit the other blogs participating in the tour–they are listed below!

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

May 7th

H.S.J. Williams—Tour Launch

May 8th

Light and Shadow—Book Spotlight
E. E. Rawls—Book Spotlight

May 9th
Tracey Dyck

Elizabeth’s Universe—Book Review
Grace M. Morris—Book Spotlight

May 10th

Allison’s Well—Book Spotlight
Amelia Nicole—Book Spotlight

May 11th

Ester S. (Instagram)—Book Spotlight
Imperial Scribis—Book Review

May 12th
Liv K. Fisher
The Labyrinth—Book Review

May 13th

Dreams & Dragons—Book Spotlight
Bookish Musings—Book Review

May 14th

Unicorn Quester—Author Interview

Embers Reviews—Book Review

May 15th

Unicorn Quester— “3 Reasons Why” Video Review
Writing in Rivendell—Book Spotlight
Sarah, Plain & Average—Book Review

May 16th
Jane Maree—Book Review

May 17th

Jemma the Dragon Slayer (Tumblr)—Book Spotlight
The Bookish Raven—Book Review

May 18th

Words of Hannah Kay—Book Review
Purely by Faith Reviews—Book Review

May 19th

Functionally Fictional—Book Spotlight
Jenelle Schmidt—Book Spotlight

May 20th

Beka Gremikova—Book Spotlight
Seven Billion Smiles—Book Review

May 21st

Today by Bryn—Tour Conclusion & Art Gallery

“The Girl with the Whispering Shadow” by D.E. Night

Hello everyone! I honestly did not think I’d already be posting again, but I managed to read and review the second book in The Crowns of Croswald series! I hope you all are doing well!

5/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, I am thoroughly impressed by D.E. Night and her amazing writing skills! Back in Croswald, Ivy has just faced the Dark Queen at the Ball and is left wondering what to do during the summer. She is told that she needs to head to The Town in order to be safe. After figuring out how to get there, she sees some familiar faces and meets plenty of new ones as well! However, the issue of Ivy’s safety is still very much a problem, particularly once the summer ends. Meanwhile, she is supposed to locate the other pieces of the Kindred Stone, which is much easier said than done. With the stone being the only thing powerful enough to stand a chance against the Dark Queen, it remains Croswald’s only hope of returning to a peaceful and prosperous way of life.

Like I mentioned in my previous review for the first book in this series, this book reminds me of Harry Potter. Ivy’s predicament about where to spend the summer as school wasn’t in session was similar to Harry’s situation during the summer. However, the author continues to prove this book is unique and magical all on it’s own!

Once again, the magic and the magical creatures continue to fascinate me! I honestly wish I could meet some of these creatures in real life or spell up a cup of tea to help me study! The way they are woven into the story really makes for an interesting adventure for both the characters and the reader!

I loved the characters in the first book, and this book introduces even more characters for me to love! The QQC, in particular, is very entertaining! Plus, the main characters from the first book are still fun to watch! Their antics never fail to bring a smile to my face, especially when Ivy gets a “great idea” that usually ends up being quite a bit of trouble!

I honestly wish these books had been around when I was a middle schooler but I’m still enjoying them even now! Like I stated in my review of the first book, this series is great for younger readers and I would definitely recommend it to any fantasy-loving middle grade readers or any fans of Harry Potter!

“The Crowns of Croswald” by D.E. Night

Hello everyone! Happy Thursday–I had to look at my calendar to see what day it was! I had the privilege of reviewing another ARC (though I don’t think ARC is the right word for it…) and I’m excited to share my review with you all today! Be on the lookout for my upcoming post this Sunday as I’m participating in a blog tour for a new release! In addition, I’ll probably be posting a review of the sequel of this ARC in the near future as well.

4.5/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ivy Lovely is just your ordinary scaldrony maid. Her life revolves around taking care of the scaldrons in the castle she is employed at. However, everything changes when she is suddenly whisked away to the Halls of Ivy–a school for royals and scrivenists to practice their skills. Like the other students, Ivy attends classes and practices her magic, but something about her is different. Things that aren’t quite normal keep happening and she can’t help but wonder why no one else has the same issues. Many secrets have yet to be revealed and Ivy is determined to set them free.

This book was a delightful and entertaining read! It’s a middle grade fantasy novel and is the first in a four book series. I can’t help but acknowledge the Harry Potter feel of this book! Despite having some glaring differences from the Harry Potter series, this book has a very similar feel to the series as well. The Halls of Ivy reminded me of Hogwarts and I adored the magical creatures seen throughout the book. The little hairies that provide light and the scaldrons sound rather cute! The magical aspect of this book is it’s most defining feature and I love the way the author set it up!

The characters are also quite interesting. Ivy, a curious girl who can’t help but get in trouble; Rebecca, a girl determined to define her future herself; Fyn, a boy with a knack for showing up just at the right time, and many more! I can’t wait to see what trouble they get themselves into in the the next book!

Ultimately, this is a wonderful book for middle grade readers! With magical creatures, funny and meddlesome characters, and lots of adventure, this is sure to be a great fantasy series for younger readers!

“Death by Curiosity” by Lisa Matthews

4/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mystery is definitely not one of the genres I read often—or at all, for the most part. I’m not quite sure why I don’t read them; after all, I’m the daughter of a police officer and I enjoy watching true crime shows in my free time. So I was very surprised when I was offered an ARC in the mystery genre. Out of curiosity, I accepted it and I am very glad that I did.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but a light-hearted, mystery comedy was definitely not it. Comedy is also a genre I do not read often. I don’t think this book is actually considered a comedy but it was definitely funny enough to be one!

Armitage Black is a nosy human being, so when a series of bizarre murders happens in her relatively peaceful small town, she all too quickly gets wrapped up in figuring out what exactly is going on. When a man is caught dumping one of the bodies, he claims he was made to do it by a witch. Obviously Armitage knows witches can’t exist—so she can’t help but wonder how this supposed witch is pulling all of this off. With her adorable black lab, Squidge, and her best friend, Angie, Armitage begins her personal investigations on the “witch”, making a certain grumpy police officer very upset.

Needless to say, Armitage gets herself into some very dangerous situations. And yet she just can’t stop wanting to know how this “witch” is pulling all of this off. The result is extremely comical. Between her crazy ideas and the way she drove everyone else around her nuts with her constant meddling, I was laughing out loud on numerous occasions during this book! I’m pretty sure the title of this book is going to be written on Armitage’s tombstone one day!

The actual mystery behind the whole thing was also interesting to follow. The characters had the difficult job of finding out how Elodia, the witch, was making what she did seem magical. Watching them piece it together, and more specifically, watching Armitage do some crazy things to figure it out, was really fun and also really clever on the author’s part!

If you’re looking for something entertaining and funny to read, I’d suggest taking the time to read this book! It’s a light-hearted and hysterical story about a nosy girl getting way too involved in a beyond bizarre murder case—what’s not to love? Personally, I might have to start looking into this genre a bit more, considering that I really liked this book! (Luckily, this book appears to be a series so I’m excited to see what stupid crazy things Armitage gets herself into in the next one!)

“Divinity’s Twilight: Rebirth” by Christopher Russell

Hi everyone! Hope you’re all safe and well! I had the privilege of reading and reviewing another amazing ARC which I’m excited to share with you today!

4/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Three kingdoms, with vastly different ideologies, reign, reflecting the three brothers who provided the inspiration for the founding theologies of each. The kingdoms they left behind do not get along, fighting for control of the continent or their own safety; the Sarconians, in particular, wish to conquer. When an ancient evil from the time of the three brothers reappears and takes a side, it greatly affects the entire world. Death and destruction follow, ushering in a dark era like so many others sought to prevent several hundred years ago.

The world-building in this book is extremely impressive. Masterfully done, it transports the readers to a world where magic and science work together in harmony. Society functions thanks to both new and improving technologies as well as magic. The author does a wonderful job of blending the two to create weapons, transportation, combat techniques, etc. If you need any assistance keeping track of things, there are some very helpful resources in the back of the book for reference!

There is a wide cast of characters in this book. The reader switches back and forth from the perspectives of various characters as the story moves along. Sometimes a perspective is introduced seemingly at random only for it to fit into the story later. I really enjoyed getting the hear the thoughts of several of the characters as the story moved on—some of the thoughts they have are very interesting! One of the good characters has an intense internal struggle regarding their past and desire for revenge at times and another is a coward trying to find a way past their fear and take a stand for something. The main characters are really a ragtag bunch and I enjoyed watching their attempts to get along and survive together. Watching them grow as the story progressed was also a cool thing to see! A lot of the other perspectives from other characters were also entertaining, though I shall refrain from mentioning names to prevent from spoiling things for future readers!

Ultimately, I was blown away by this book! From the sheer impressiveness of the world and everything in it, to the variety of characters, to the storyline itself, this book takes the reader on a journey like no other. I loved embarking on this journey with the characters, and it was truly an enjoyable experience! For readers who love a good epic fantasy or beautiful and extensive world-building, this book is definitely something you should grab a copy of!

April Wrap-Up

I know I’m a day late, but I wanted to share my April Wrap-Up with you all! I managed to read 12 books this past month and most of them were very enjoyable!

Shielded by KayLynn Flanders (4 stars)
The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis (4 stars)
Waiting for Spring, Vol. 1 by Anashin (4 stars)
That Wolf-Boy is Mine! Vol. 1 by Yoko Nogiri (4 stars)
Moonscript by H.S.J Williams (5 stars)
The Will and the Wilds by Charlie N. Holmberg (4 stars)
Crave by Tracy Wolff (5 stars)
Aix Marks the Spot by Sarah Anderson (3.5 stars)
Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa (4 stars)
The Selection by Kiera Cass (4 stars)
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson (4 stars)
Again Again by E. Lockhart (2 stars)

Ultimately, I had a pretty good month as far as reading goes! My top four books this month were Moonscript, Crave, Shielded, and The Raven and the Dove. My May TBR is already looking hectic so I have no idea what to expect from this month. Anyways, I hope you all have a good month and stay healthy! ❤

“The Selection” by Kiera Cass

4/5 stars

I’ve seen a lot of mixed opinions on this book, as well as the series in general. I don’t quite understand the hate that this book gets. Before I even read it, I had the basic understanding that this was meant to be a light-hearted YA romance series that resembles The Bachelor. I was not expecting this book to be some super plot-driven, political, dystopian, etc. novel. The point of the series is the romance and that was why I read it. If you read this hoping for something else, I can see why you would not like it but I would also say that the book is not at fault for that nor is the author.

It’s been years since I read the Matched series by Ally Condie but this book reminded me of it. America and most of the other eligible ladies enter their names to be drawn for the Selection. 35 girls will get the honor of competing to be the one the prince chooses as his bride. While America has very different motives for entering, her name is chosen and she is sent off to the palace.

Here’s the thing: no one paid her much attention at first because she is only a 5. Yet, she seems to have drawn the attention of the prince. Prince Maxon is not what she expected either; he is a good person and is kinder to her than expected. He appreciates the fact that America is real and honest, not fake like so many people he’s around. The two form a strange bond as America struggles to figure herself out and Maxon struggles to find the woman to rule beside him.

The class system is rather unique. I can see why people might dislike it if they were expecting a complex historical and political background. While it is not incredibly realistic, I don’t think that matters. Again, this book’s main point was the romance. I’m not the hugest fan of America; she is rather childish at times. She is quick to be rude to poor Maxon and her actions towards the end made me so mad. I almost want to not root for her because of that (seeing as how the winner becomes queen.) However, she wasn’t completely horrible (I’ve seen much worse protagonists) so I’ll to watch over her journey in this competition.

I’ve honestly really enjoyed this series so far. Lately, I’ve mostly been reading fantasy so a dystopian romance was a nice change of pace. I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the books if they are as impressive as this first book was.

“Shadow of the Fox” by Julie Kagawa

4/5 stars

First of all, Julie Kagawa is amazing! I’m still in the process of reading her Iron Fey series, but I came across Shadow of the Fox and had to read it. I’m used to her writing about fae, not yokai in feudal Japan but she did both wonderfully.

This book combines so many of my favorite things. One, Julie Kagawa. Two, Japanese mythology/folklore. I’m not used to seeing that in YA books and I loved seeing it here. Three, it takes place in a feudal Japan type of setting. The inner nerd in me got really excited for the samurai and political conflicts and all of that kind of stuff. Fourth, a bunch of weirdos going on a quest. While all the characters have different motives for going on this journey, they form a little ragtag group of weirdos who I found rather amusing.

I’ll admit, sometimes Yumeko was a rather cringey protagonist. By that I mean, naive girl who keeps getting in danger and keeps getting saved by the handsome swordsman. Other than that, I enjoyed her curious and mischievous nature as well as her determination to see her task through to the end.

I gave this book a 4 mostly because I liked the idea of it and the author’s writing. As far as the plot, I would not give it as high of a rating. The beginning and end were the main points that actually dealt with plot; the middle was kind of a just “group of weirdos on an adventure.” I do enjoy that, but it went on for a very very veryyyyyy long time. Also, I am not a fan of multiple POVs without character labels! I had no idea who was speaking at the beginning of a few chapters.

Ultimately, this book was interesting and enjoyable, but it definitely was tedious at times. I’m hoping that the sequel redeems this book!

“Sorcery of Thorns” by Margaret Rogerson

4/5 stars

This book had my name written all over it so of course I had to read it! A book about books and libraries and the girl who was raised in them… you might as well have written my name across the cover with a bright flashing sign screaming, “READ THIS!” And for the most part, this book lived up to my expectations. Not to mention, it was written by the brilliant Margaret Rogerson and I loved Enchantment of Ravens. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

This book primarily focuses on Elisabeth, an orphan girl raised in a library. However, these libraries are full of grimoires, dangerous books with minds/personalities of their own with the potential to turn into a monster. Elisabeth finds herself in the middle of an intense battle where the winner will either save the world or destroy it. Personally, one of my favorite things about her was her love for books. Margaret writes some beautiful descriptions of books and libraries from Elisabeth’s perspective and I loved it. I also loved Elisabeth’s eagerness to defend them with a sword or weapon; it was quite amusing to watch her charge into battle, especially with Nathaniel’s sarcasm regarding her personality.

Speaking of Nathaniel, he was a pretty good character. His sarcasm and snide remarks made me laugh on several occasions. By the end of the book, I kind of felt like he had been glossed over repeatedly. We have a lot of scenes with Elisabeth, obviously, and even Silas, but I felt like Nathaniel did not get his fair share. I would have liked his character more if he had been incorporated into the story more often than he actually was.

Believe it or not, what made this book for me was Silas. I loved his character so much! Characters who try to act all tough and “don’t touch me, I’m evil” when they secretly have a soft side are some of my favorites. Even some of the little gestures and comments he makes are adorable (which he would be so mad to hear me say!) Silas was definitely my favorite character in the whole book; I really enjoyed all of his scenes.

As far as the plot, it was pretty good but I wouldn’t say it was spectacular. I felt like it took way too long of a time for the characters to deal with and react to certain things. By the time they finally took action, I was about to bang my head against a wall. A majority of the book was spent plotting in people’s homes or the libraries. I’m not going to complain about all the library and book scenes because I love them, but I think more action might have been nice. To be completely honest though, I was totally okay with some of the plotting scenes/non-action scenes that Silas was in just because I loved his character and dialogue. He truly made the book for me.

For me, the book started off so great and strong, but kind of was lacking towards the end. I was left somewhat disappointed. So many scenes of plotting and planning and then the book just fast-forwarded the final fighting scenes and the last several chapters. And then the epilogue just left me wishing for a few more chapters just so I could have some closure. I wanted less of the plotting in the middle and more of everything that happened at the end.

All in all, Margaret Rogerson is an extremely talented writer and I will never tire of reading her books. However, I do wish this book had been done a little differently. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed it and would probably read it again (mostly for Silas, but for the beautiful way it is written as well.)