Books and Ladders: 2021 releases

Showing posts with label 2021 releases. Show all posts

9 Aug 2023

Review: SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY by Kelly Quindlen

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 09 August 6 Comments

SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY

Author: Kelly Quindlen

Series: N/A
Source: Audible Plus
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: April 20, 2021

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:
Representation: lesbian main characters, Indian-American main character, Black side character

Summary:

A familiar is a life-long companion. Choose wisely.

It's hard being the youngest in a family of witches known for their power. It's even harder when that magical power has all but passed you by.

Still, I was doing okay for myself. I like to think I was proving to the rest of my family that magic wasn't a requirement to living.

Then Aunt Opal was accused of murder. Wouldn't you know it would happen right when everyone else in the family but me was out of town.

Now it's up to me to prove her innocence, and a little magic could go a long way in helping me do that. My aunt's been after me to get a familiar for quite a while now. They are known for helping a witch channel her power and even strengthen it.

So, want to or not, allergies or not, I did it. I went to an animal shelter and found my familiar. A cute little black kitty. The allergy medicine companies were going to love me.

But for some reason, this little guy didn't make me sneeze. Kind of weird, actually. Not that I was complaining.

I just really wish I'd known more about him before I did the binding spell…

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters

Content Warning: Alcohol use (underage), Bullying, Harry Potter references, Homophobia, Microaggression

A super cute and charming lesbian sport romance! I thought the characters were well crafted and great with their inner conflicts. It was a cute ending, believable conflict, and had everything you'd want in a teen romance novel.

I picked up the audiobook, flew through it and really freaking liked it. I went into it thinking it was a romcom but what I got was much deeper. Yes, there is a hate to love romance, but there's also the exploration of grief, specifically grieving a relation, ESPECIALLY when you know that relationship wasn't good for you, grieving not only the relationship but also the parts of yourself you lost in it. Becoming someone you don't like, lashing out, because you're hurting and you don't know how else to be.

Another thing that I appreciated is the depiction of falling for someone while still healing from someone else and I LOVED the way the situation was handled. It surprised me in more ways than one.

But beside all of that, the friendships were lovely, the romance very cute, and the book was a good balance of funny and emotional.

I highly recommend this!

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14 Nov 2022

#Review: YOU TRULY ASSUMED by Laila Sabreen

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 14 November 0 Comments

YOU TRULY ASSUMED

Author: Laila Sabreen

Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Libro.fm
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Publication Date: February 8, 2022
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

In this compelling and thought-provoking debut novel, after a terrorist attack rocks the country and anti-Islamic sentiment stirs, three Black Muslim girls create a space where they can shatter assumptions and share truths.

Sabriya has her whole summer planned out in color-coded glory, but those plans go out the window after a terrorist attack near her home. When the terrorist is assumed to be Muslim and Islamophobia grows, Sabriya turns to her online journal for comfort. You Truly Assumed was never meant to be anything more than an outlet, but the blog goes viral as fellow Muslim teens around the country flock to it and find solace and a sense of community.

Soon two more teens, Zakat and Farah, join Bri to run You Truly Assumed and the three quickly form a strong friendship. But as the blog’s popularity grows, so do the pushback and hateful comments. When one of them is threatened, the search to find out who is behind it all begins, and their friendship is put to the test when all three must decide whether to shut down the blog and lose what they’ve worked for…or take a stand and risk everything to make their voices heard.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Content Warning: Islamaphobia, terrorism

This book was good, and had a lot of good representation and conversations, but it had something missing to be 5 stars that I can't quite put my finger on. It might have been the over the top positive ending and how everything so easily came together. I loved the premise and the characters, but a lot of times I felt the writing didn't match the energy of the book itself.

I also thought that the characters' voices didn't feel unique. The only reason I could even tell we switched perspectives was because the narrators changed. Each girl absolutely had her own story, and her own background, so that isn't what I mean. Rather, all of their internal voices just felt very... generic, perhaps, is the best word. I could tell them apart based on their circumstances, locations, families, etc., but not necessarily on their voices and personalities, and that was kind of a bummer.

But the discussions around Islamphobia as well as intersectionality and how identities are more than just one thing were fantastic.

I think this is one that will really resonate with people and if you're a fan of Angie Thomas or Sandhya Menon, you'll enjoy this!

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7 Nov 2022

#Review: JAY'S GAY AGENDA by Jason June

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 07 November 0 Comments

JAY'S GAY AGENDA

Author: Jason June

Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Libro.fm
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

There's one thing Jay Collier knows for sure—he's a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all this friends can't stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience—his Gay Agenda.

Then, against all odds, Jay's family moves to Seattle and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he's found where he truly belongs, where he can flirt with Very Sexy Boys and search for love. But as Jay begins crossing items off his list, he'll soon be torn between his heart and his hormones, his old friends and his new ones...because after all, life and love don't always go according to plan.

From debut novelist Jason June comes a moving and hilarious sex-positive story about the complexities of first loves, first hookups, and first heartbreaks—and how to stay true to yourself while embracing what you never saw coming.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Content Warning: cheating

You know, if I had heard the "Gay Agenda" one more time, I would have given it one less star. The MC is 17 turning 18 but this book is written for a much younger audience. As someone who

Now, yes, there is a lot of cheating. And I don't understand how the MC didn't see that since he specifically did not tell one of the love interests about the other!!! It was very frustrating and I hated every moment of it.

On top of that, this entire book takes place over like 6 weeks and it just drags on and on and on. I wanted it to be over way before it was.

But it was very sex-positive, which I think is super important for men, especially gay men, to see on screen. I just wish that this sex-positivity wasn't encompassed within someone who only thought about getting a boyfriend or dick and had a bit more personality than that. Or was just likeable in general! He lied to everyone about everything all the time - and for like no reason.

I don't recommend this.

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13 Oct 2022

We Can(ada) Read: SISTERS OF THE SNAKE by Sasha Nanua and Sarena Nanua

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 13 October 0 Comments

We Can(ada) Read is by Canadians for EVERYONE to learn more about some amazing Canadian authors!

Learn more about We Can(ada) Read!

SISTERS OF THE SNAKE

Author: Sarena Nanua and Sasha Nanua

Series: Ria and Rani #1
Source: Audiobook from Libro.fm
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: June 15, 2021
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

A lost princess. A dark puppet master. And a race against time—before all is lost.

Princess Rani longs for a chance to escape her gilded cage and prove herself. Ria is a street urchin, stealing just to keep herself alive.

When these two lives collide, everything turns on its head: because Ria and Rani, orphan and royal, are unmistakably identical.

A deal is struck to switch places—but danger lurks in both worlds, and to save their home, thief and princess must work together. Or watch it all fall into ruin.

Deadly magic, hidden temples, and dark prophecies: Sisters of the Snake is an action-packed, immersive fantasy that will thrill fans of The Crown’s Game and The Tiger at Midnight.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Disclaimer: I have spent time and interacted with Sasha & Sarena since they are also book influencers! This has no impact on my opinion.

Content Warning: violence, murder, snakes

Princess Rani and street urchin, Ria were unaware they were twin sisters until they see one another accidentally. They decide to switch places, each seeking something personal in their lives.

I loved that this is about twin sisters and written by twin sisters! The dual POV really added to this, although I am disappointed that the audiobook only had one narrator. It made it really tough to follow sometimes because once they switched perspectives, we heard both names in one and it made me have to think too hard about who we were following.

While some of this felt a little improbable (especially around them switching places and it going fairly well), I did enjoy this one. I thought there were just too many questions that I had that, when answered, would have caused the story to fall apart.

I also wish there had been more of a focus on the sister relationship, although it is understandable why there wasn't since they are separated for most of the book. Them communicating in the middle was super enjoyable and I wanted more of that throughout!

I enjoyed the incorporation of the Indian culture and learning more about the food and clothing through this story. I liked the premise of this and the way the characters interacted and grew. I thought this had a lot of really interesting elements and worldbuilding. I thought the magic system was really intriguing and I want to know a lot more about it!

I think the plotholes were just too much for me to be fully immersed into this one, but I'm hopeful the next book doesn't have quite as many!

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26 Sept 2022

Audio Review: A TRIAL OF SORCERERS by Elise Kova

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 26 September 0 Comments

A TRIAL OF SORCERERS

Author: Elise Kova

Series: A Trial of Sorcerers #1
Source: Audio from Audible
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Publication Date: March 4, 2021
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

Ice is in her blood.

Eighteen-year-old Waterrunner Eira Landan lives her life in the shadows — the shadow of her older brother, of her magic’s whispers, and of the person she accidentally killed. She’s the most unwanted apprentice in the Tower of Sorcerers until the day she decides to step out and compete for a spot in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms.

Pitted against the best sorcerers in the Empire, Eira fights to be one of four champions. Excelling in the trials has its rewards. She's invited to the royal court with the “Prince of the Tower,” discovers her rare talent for forbidden magic, and at midnight, Eira meets with a handsome elfin ambassador.

But, Eira soon learns, no reward is without risk. As she comes into the spotlight, so too do the skeletons of a past she hadn't even realized was haunting her.

Eira went into the trials ready for a fight. Ready to win. She wasn't ready for what it would cost her. No one expected the candidates might not make it out with their lives.

This is the first book in a young adult, epic fantasy that's a tale of competition, coming of age, distant lands, elemental magic, and romance. It's perfect for fans of the Legend of Korra, Truthwitch, and A Sorcery of Thorns.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Another foray into the Air Awakens world, A TRIAL OF SORCERERS hits it out of the park with the elemental fantasy novel genre. This plays on the trope and concept of magical trials and does it really well. I liked seeing returning characters and some new ones as well. I am glad we're starting to delve more into the other worlds that are connected. But there were some parts of that felt so rushed and I wanted more slow burn than what we got, especially around the romance.

This first book reintroduces us to the Air Awakens and the Vortex Chronicles world. So much was similar yet different but being reacquainted felt like a breeze. Partly in thanks to seeing familiar faces - especially Vhalla's! She was involved with the competition which was full of thrills. The trials were nerve-wracking to watch but fulfilling in action. You never knew who was going to end up on whose side. Also, in true Elise Kova fashion, we're kept on our toes with the romance. It's most definitely a slow burn. I pray something more will happen in the next book ;)

I really enjoyed Eira's character. She carried a heavy burden despite her young age. Her stubbornness grated on my nerves sometimes but I completely understood she had good reasons to be. I delighted in watching Eira stand up for herself. While I wasn't very surprised by the twist about her, I thought the build up to it was quite nice. The truth was already there in the little details. I was sad to see how much a betrayal affected Eira but I kind of love the hardened version of her. Can't wait to see more of it!

I found the villain in A Trial of Sorcerers to be a bit obvious. I'm not sure if Elise intended for it to be but this character's sweet words and nice acts made me very wary. It was impossible not to suspect this person. I was on high alert whenever said person was around so I was not the least bit surprised when the reveal happened. I was, however, surprised by Eira and how her singular focus achieved something incredible. Sorry for the vagueness, just know that she really is a wonderful main character.

While this is a "standalone" in the sense that it starts a new series, it DOES spoil Air Awakens AND Vortex Chronicles so if you care about that, be sure to read those first. It also made me want a "prequel" type book about Adela lol so Elise, if you're reading this, please 🥺

I listened to this as an audiobook and the narrator was PERFECT. Highly recommend doing that if you have an extra credit somewhere!

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29 Aug 2022

Audio #Review: FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER by Angeline Boulley

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 29 August 0 Comments

FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER

Author: Angeline Boulley

Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Audible
Publisher: Henry, Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication Date: March 16, 2021
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:

As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team.

After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Trigger Warning: rape, drugs, gun violence, death, racism

As a half-white, half native, Daunis has always done her best to honor her culture and its traditions. But things in the reservation become dark when a tragedy occurs and Daunis decides to help two undercover FBI agents as an informant to solve the meth problem plaguing her people and the surrounding areas. What she finds opens her eyes to those she thought she could trust and spirals into a gut-wrenching conclusion that will have you gaping.

FIREKEEPER'S DAUGHTER is a poem to the Ojibwe and Native Americans but does not gloss over the struggles they deal with even now in the US.

This is a really good book and I enjoyed reading it, especially as an audiobook. However, I would have appreciated trigger warnings as noted above.

As someone who has been to the Canadian side of Sault Ste Marie, I appreciated learning more about the other side. I did think the characters were well written, I liked the way that the Indigenous aspects were brought into this and learning about new customs.

The writing was really great. It was uncomplicated yet really beautiful. It built up this beautiful community that you could tell the main character cared for deeply. I felt like a part of all of it. I found some parts of the story were a bit predictable for me. I didn't particularly care for the romance subplot really, but it didn't bug me either. I just could have done without it.

The thriller elements could be a bit overdone at times, but that might just be my own personal relationship with not caring for thrillers that much. It wasn't all that hard to figure out which took away a bit from it, even though there were moments I was on the edge of my seat.

I definitely recommend reading this!

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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!

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21 Sept 2021

Top Ten Tuesday (22): Top Ten Books on My Fall 2021 To-Read List

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 21 September 1 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. See all the posts every week by clicking on the link to read their blog!

I'm a week behind because I had a blog tour last week but I thought I'd share what's on my to-read pile!

Today's post is all about the books I want to read during this fall season. I have a bunch of books I want to get through before the end of the year, so here's what I have on my TBR!

I don't really like spooky or horror books so I tend to not have too many of them on my TBR ever, but especially not during the spooky season!