Books and Ladders

22 Apr 2022

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays: Queer 2022 Releases I'm Excited For!

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 22 April 0 Comments

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays introduces readers who are unfamiliar with the Adult SF/F genre to books, authors, and discussions all about the vast expanse of the world of Adult SF/F!

More of a visual person? Check out Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays on Instagram!

Today's post is all about upcoming queer adult sff releases that I'm really excited for! Shoutout to Crini for always compiling great lists with specifics and you can check out their post here.

The books I feature below have a main character who is somewhere along the 2SLGBTIAQ+ spectrum. The story isn't necessarily about being queer but has a character who lives their life as a queer person.

Let me know what books you're excited for below!

20 Apr 2022

Archive Review: A FIERCE AND SUBTLE POISON by Samantha Mabry

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 20 April 0 Comments

Archive Reviews is a new series here on Books and Ladders where I post reviews that I have posted on other blogs, websites, or platforms, but never on here!

Revisit some of my past opinions, learn about new books to you, and see what I was reading in the past!

A FIERCE AND SUBTLE POISON

Author: Samantha Mabry

Series: N/A
Source: eARC from Publisher
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Publication Date: April 12, 2016
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

Everyone knows the legends about the cursed girl--Isabel, the one the señoras whisper about. They say she has green skin and grass for hair, and she feeds on the poisonous plants that fill her family’s Caribbean island garden. Some say she can grant wishes; some say her touch can kill.

Seventeen-year-old Lucas lives on the mainland most of the year but spends summers with his hotel-developer father in Puerto Rico. He’s grown up hearing stories about the cursed girl, and he wants to believe in Isabel and her magic. When letters from Isabel begin mysteriously appearing in his room the same day his new girlfriend disappears, Lucas turns to Isabel for answers--and finds himself lured into her strange and enchanted world. But time is running out for the girl filled with poison, and the more entangled Lucas becomes with Isabel, the less certain he is of escaping with his own life.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was a little underwhelmed by this one but it was still a good book. I guess I thought from the description that there would be a bit more magic and a little less introspection. It was almost as if the book couldn't decide if it wanted to fully be magical realism or not. I think I was anticipating more magic or at least have it be integrated into the world a bit more. I thought that there just wasn't enough. But let's break it down.

What Worked:

Lucas fully acknowledging he had a hero/saviour complex -- and allowing someone to call him out on it without getting too mad. I thought that Lucas was actually a really well written character and that it was refreshing to have a male protagonist in this story. I thought he was critical enough of Isabel while still realizing that she did some horrible things.

Isabel -- to an extent. I liked that she wanted to make her own destiny and that she collected all the wishes. I liked that she wanted to get better but not to the extent that her father wanted. I also kind of liked that she passed on her wish collecting to Lucas in a sense.

What Didn't:

The plot was ehhh. I think the problem was this was your typical contemporary mystery with some "magic" sprinkled in. But there wasn't enough of either element to make it pop to me. I didn't think the tension was high enough for Lucas to really be worried about getting charged with the murders and I think it was pretty obvious from the get-go who was even committing the crime. I also felt like the magic aspects were thrown in once the "rest" of the plot was created. But it just didn't balance for me.

Isabel literally wanted someone dead because the girl liked Lucas. Come on, can't we have something different for once. *sighs*

Overall this is a decent book and there are some interesting aspects to it, but I would recommend checking it out at the library first before buying it.

Have you read this one? What was your favourite part?

18 Apr 2022

Audio Review: SLAY by Brittney Morris

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 18 April 0 Comments

SLAY

Author: Brittney Morris

Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Audible
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: September 24, 2019
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

'We are different ages, genders and traditions ... but tonight we all SLAY'

Black Panther meets Ready Player One. A fierce teen game developer battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther-inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for black gamers.

By day, seventeen-year-old Kiera Johnson is a college student, and one of the only black kids at Jefferson Academy. By night, she joins hundreds of thousands of black gamers who duel worldwide in the secret online role-playing card game, SLAY.

No one knows Kiera is the game developer - not even her boyfriend, Malcolm. But when a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, the media labels it an exclusionist, racist hub for thugs.

With threats coming from both inside and outside the game, Kiera must fight to save the safe space she's created. But can she protect SLAY without losing herself?

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

17 year old, Kira Johnson leads a double life. By day, she is a math tutor and one of the three black students at Jefferson High. By night, she is the developer of a video game created for the black community called Slay. Many people in Kira's life, including her boyfriend Malcolm, believe Slay is a waste of time, racist, and even dangerous.

With the murder of a teen over a real-life Slay dispute hits mainstream media, people are in an uproar about the game. Now, with the threat of a law-suit over her head, Kira must decide whether or not to come forward as the game developer or to stay hidden.

The book was getting a lot of hype when it released and I can definitely see why, but it just didn't hit that mark for me. It had a lot of really important conversations and discussions, but I could not stand when we saw the perspective of the random people who played the game. I know the point was to let us see how important this game was to people, to know that Kiera had to make a choice that took them into consideration. It just didn't work for me.

I also thought that it was a little unrealistic that two STUDENTS could keep up with this calibre of game development. A lot of great games come from people learning to code or who have a passion, but to be basically doing this part time? And have as large of a community with as detailed aspects? It just seemed unrealistic. Who is monitoring when they are in school or fixing bugs as they come up?

I can't speak for the representation in this one and would suggest looking up some own voice reviews if you wanted to know about different perspectives on that.

There's so many topics explored such as race, identity, and relationships. I wish there was a game like Slay for those who need it, it sounds like an incredibly fun space to be apart of. I loved having chapters that took place inside the game and being able to picture everything going on from the world to the duels.

I loved the characters in the novel. Kiera and her sister Steph were both wonderful and I loved following them through their daily life at Jefferson. I loved watching their sisterly relationship grow as the story progressed. I thought it was interesting to see how the two of them grew together, learned to trust one another more, and how to speak for themselves. The ending of the book also threw me for a turn as I was NOT expecting the outcome, but I loved it nonetheless!

I think this will appeal to a lot of people, but I just couldn't fully immerse myself into it.

Have you read this book? Are you going to pick this up?

15 Apr 2022

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays: REBELLION by C.J. Listro

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 15 April 0 Comments

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays introduces readers who are unfamiliar with the Adult SF/F genre to books, authors, and discussions all about the vast expanse of the world of Adult SF/F!

More of a visual person? Check out Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays on Instagram!

REBELLION

Author: C.J. Listro

Series: Rebellion Chronicles #1

Source: N/A

Publisher: Self-Published by the Author

Publication Date: February 15, 2022

Summary:

Chloe is well aware that she’s ordinary. So, when bad-boy Tyler starts talking to her, she’s convinced he must have an ulterior motive. What she doesn’t suspect is that he’s actually a demon escaped from Hell to live out his college-age dreams of going to concerts and playing in a punk metal band. And that he actually likes her. Soon, swoons and romantic dates replace Chloe’s trepidation.

But as Chloe and her new friend Alicia are dragged deeper in Tyler’s world, they realize that many less-friendly demons roam the Earth too. And one of them is murdering girls—girls who look a lot like Chloe.

With the help of Tyler and a contingent of angels, Chloe and Alicia take the paranormal investigation into their own hands. Because if they don’t find out which demon is murdering girls soon, Chloe will be next.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters

Describe REBELLION in 10 words or less.

C.J. Listro: An old-school tongue-in-cheek paranormal romance with angels, demons, and murder. Was that less than 10?

What are the hardest scenes for you to write?

C.J. Listro: Planning scenes. Like, when the group is together and they're making the plan to take down the baddie. I always find them boring and always wonder if they're necessary or if I should just skip it, go ahead with the plot, and let the reader figure out the plan as they go.

Which of your characters did you find it easiest to write?

C.J. Listro: Tyler for sure. He's so snarky, just like me, and although he and I do not share his blinding confidence, it was easy for me to pull it off on paper. His jokes and puns and silliness just flew out of my fingertips.

What has been the best book you've read in the past six months?

C.J. Listro: Not gonna lie, I had to check Goodreads to remember what the heck I've read. But definitely MASK OF MIRRORS by M.A. Carrick. There's a deep, lustrous sense of worldbuilding in this book that immediately sucks you in, and the plot itself is multilayered and shocking. Carrick also does NOT pull punches, which I both appreciate and cry about.

How do you hope readers react to the romance between Chloe and Tyler?

C.J. Listro: I hope a reader will see their relationship as mutual and egalitarian. I want them to see how they balance and grow with each other. How Chloe pulls out Tyler's honesty and Tyler pulls out Chloe's confidence. How they better each other.

Have you read this one? Are you going to pick it up?

13 Apr 2022

Archive Review: THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS by Anna-Marie McLemore

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 13 April 0 Comments

Archive Reviews is a new series here on Books and Ladders where I post reviews that I have posted on other blogs, websites, or platforms, but never on here!

Revisit some of my past opinions, learn about new books to you, and see what I was reading in the past!

THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS

Author: Anna-Marie McLemore

Series: N/A
Source: eARC from Publisher
Publisher: Thomas Dunne
Publication Date: September 15, 2015
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

For twenty years, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals and enemies, locked in an escalating feud for over a generation. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows—the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find.

Lace Paloma may be new to her family’s show, but she knows as well as anyone that the Corbeaus are pure magia negra, black magic from the devil himself. Simply touching one could mean death, and she's been taught from birth to keep away. But when disaster strikes the small town where both families are performing, it’s a Corbeau boy, Cluck, who saves Lace’s life. And his touch immerses her in the world of the Corbeaus, where falling for him could turn his own family against him, and one misstep can be just as dangerous on the ground as it is in the trees.

Beautifully written, and richly imaginative, The Weight of Feathers is an utterly captivating young adult novel by a talented new voice.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The idea fluttered along her rib cage that if she touched him again, she would turn to dust or fire. She lifted her hand to his face, wanting to know if it was true.

*sighs* This one was beautiful and perfect and everything I didn't know I needed until I started reading it. It took me long to read it only because I didn't want to finish it too quickly. I started talking about Cluck and Lace as if they were real people in my life and I could visit them. If this wasn't on my Kindle, I would hug it tightly. I highly recommend this one to anyone who wants something new and different and amazing and lovely and perfect.

One of my favourite aspects of this novel was the blurring of the reality and the magic. There was so much more to it than just what was written on the page and yet at the same time everything that was on the page was all that was in reality. I loved the superstitions that each family had and the lies and truths that were told and believed. I think the ending was perfect and fitting for what had previously occurred in the novel.

The alternating povs between Chuck and Lace were well done. I liked that you could tell who was the main pov for the chapter by the title being in French or Spanish -- that was really cute. And the sayings were all so clever, I just couldn't even. Cluck and Lace were both so great and I loved how they were both outcasts of their own family. It made their story that much more enticing and knowing the history between the two families made you root for their romance even harder. I thought that they both felt like "real" characters -- they were interesting and complex while still speaking and feeling like someone you or I could run into on the street.

I think my favourite aspect of Lace was how frightened she was of rain after the accident because that was so realistic that I could feel her terror and pain. I loved that Cluck wore his family's hatred of him as a badge of honour because he wouldn't let them see how much it actually tore into him. It made him the better person and so much stronger in the end.

The romance was so beautifully intertwined in this story because the story itself wasn't about the romance. The romance just happened to be there. And it felt so natural that I was deeply enthralled by every moment the two of them spent together.

The theme and the metaphors with feathers was everything in this novel though. And I loved seeing how feathers were viewed from each family's perspective. It was just so beautiful and perfect.

I just. I highly recommend this one. If you haven't checked it out, you definitely should. And I am counting down the days until it is released because I am going to force everyone I know to read it. It is that good. And I don't hand out 5/5 for just any book, so you know this one is special.

Have you read this one? What was your favourite part?

11 Apr 2022

Audio Review: ONE OF THE GOOD ONES by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 11 April 0 Comments

ONE OF THE GOOD ONES

Author: Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Libro.fm
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Publication Date: January 5, 2021
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

The Hate U Give meets Get Out in this honest and powerful exploration of prejudice in the stunning novel from sister-writer duo Maika and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.

ISN'T BEING HUMAN ENOUGH?

When teen social activist and history buff Kezi Smith is killed under mysterious circumstances after attending a social justice rally, her devastated sister Happi and their family are left reeling in the aftermath. As Kezi becomes another immortalized victim in the fight against police brutality, Happi begins to question the idealized way her sister is remembered. Perfect. Angelic.

One of the good ones.

Even as the phrase rings wrong in her mind—why are only certain people deemed worthy to be missed?—Happi and her sister Genny embark on a journey to honor Kezi in their own way, using an heirloom copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book as their guide. But there's a twist to Kezi's story that no one could've ever expected—one that will change everything all over again.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

When teen activist Kezi Smith, is mysteriously killed after attending a social justice rally, she leaves behind her sister Happi and the rest of their family. Using an old copy of the Greenbook, Happi, her older sister Genny and Kezi's two best friends, set off on a roadtrip to memorialize Kezi. This book explains the idea of being "a good one" while answering "Isn't everyone worthy to be missed?"

When I started this one, I didn't realize that it wasn't just compared to THE HATE U GIVE, but also Get Out, so the twist surprised me. It's definitely a genre bending novel, and if you're not a fan of horror and the way that it interacts with the world around us, this might be a pass for you only for that reason.

I appreciated the mixture of perspectives, the historical timelines as well as the way that it met up to the present, and the narration in the audiobook. I liked seeing how every perspective came together rather than the perspectives from the past not having any meaning. All the choices in this were deliberate so definitely pay attention.

I also loved the choice of the title, because we always heard this referring to people who others deem worthy, whose importance is connected to race, sexuality, education and other things, like there are boxes to be checked to deem someone worthy of love, attention, respect and justice. The authors use this code to denounce this and how being "good" is just a matter of perspective and it's always false and inhuman.

I liked that this added in the thriller genre because it made it so much more unique. I thought it added an interesting piece that you don't typically see not just in contemporary novels, but especially ones discussing social justice.

I highly recommend this one!