Book Recap: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Inheritance Games
Publication Date: September 1st 2020
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

When Avery's mom dies, she moves in with her half-sister Libby. Their mutual dead-beat father hasn't made contact with Avery in over two years. Her goal: get through junior and senior year with fantastic grades and get into a scholarship program at Uconn. Her life changes when Greyson Hawthorne of the famous (and rich) Hawthorne family shows up at her school, requesting her presence at the reading of his grandfather's will.

Avery is set to inherit something from this uber rich man she has never met. The big upset? She actually inherits everything, leaving family pennies. His money and assets: the cars, the NFL team, the Hawthorne foundation, even their family home is to become hers. Hawthorne's one condition? She has to live at the family estate for one year before all assets become hers.

The big question on everyone's mind, including Avery's: Why her? Hawthorne's grandsons Jamison, Greyson, and Alexander (his assumed heirs) each set off on a series of puzzles left behind by their grandfather to figure out just that. Is Avery another a player in the games, or is she just a pawn for the boys to use?

Spoilers: It's theorized that Avery might somehow be tied to Greyson and Jamison's dead girlfriend Emily. Avery's Birthday and Emily's Deathday are the same date: October 18th. Avery also has chemistry with both boys, and is attending their private high school in Texas with them. The last twist? Their uncle, Tobias Hawthorne II, was presumed dead but it is revealed that he actually faked his death. When Avery eventually sees a photo of Tobias, she instantly recognizes him as the homeless man she has been playing chess in the park with every morning. The man she's been buying breakfast for before going to class. The book ends with us all wondering, does Avery have more of a connection to this family than she thought?

ARC Review: The Medici Heist by Caitlin Schneiderhan

Medici Heist
by Caitlin Schneiderhan
Publication Date: August 6th 2024
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Find This Book: Medici Heist
Source: NetGalley eARC
Rating: 4/5

Welcome to Florence, 1517, a world of intrigue, opulence, secrets, and murder. The Medici family rules the city from their seat of wealth, but the people of Florence remember the few decades they spent as a Republic, free from the Medicis and their puppet Pope, Leo X.

Sharp-witted seventeen-year-old con-woman Rosa Cellini has plans for the Pope and the Medicis - and, more specifically, the mountain of indulgence money they've been extorting from the people of Tuscany. To pull off the Renaissance's greatest robbery, she'll recruit a team of capable Sarra the tinkerer, Khalid the fighter, and Giacomo, the irrepressible master of disguise. To top it all off, and to smooth their entrance into the fortress-like Palazzo Medici, Rosa even enlists the reluctant help of famed artist and local misanthrope, Michelangelo.

Old secrets resurface and tensions in the gang flare as the authorities draw closer and the Medicis' noose pulls tighter around Tuscany itself. What began as a robbery becomes a bid to save Florence from certain destruction - if Rosa and company don't destroy each other first.

Get ready for an absolute swashbuckling riot, beginning with a 'mud' pie to the Pope's face, and ending with a climatic heist that would give Danny Ocean a run for his money. Bursting with snark, innuendo and action, Medici Heist is your next un-put-downable obsession.

The scene is renaissance Florence, 1517, and the Medici family rules the city with a puppet Pope at their side. Extorting the people of Tuscany, the Medici’s sit upon an exorbitant pile of indulgence money. Con-woman Rosa Cellini hopes to steal it right from under their noses, *if* she can pull off the greatest heist of all time.

Medici Heist introduces us to a diverse cast of characters, each getting their individual times to shine. Rosa will need to rope the best of the best into her crew if she wants to steal a mountain of money and live to tell the tale. Her team consists of Sarra the tinkerer, Agata the apothecary, Khalid the fighter, and Giacomo the master of disguise. To top it all off, Rosa even enlists the reluctant help of Michelangelo (yes, THAT Michelangelo).

This was a super fun read that solidly sets the scene in historic Italy. It does a fantastic job of incorporating the setting into the story and has beautiful descriptions, great scheming, and entertaining action scenes. This was truly the foundation of a terrific book. What knocks this down a star is the lack of dimension. I’d liken the experience to reading a play. The play loses something in the written form without actors adding in the depth and emotion. Actors bring a lifeless script to life by adding emotions and tone to the text. My favorite authors craft characters that jump off the page and while Medici Heist was descriptive, cinematic even, the characters fell flat. I was not surprised to find out after reading that Schneiderhan is a script writer.

Let’s dive into the character work more specifically. The characters were funny, they had their roles to play, and I enjoyed the story they had to tell. Yet, they were all just too shallow and underdeveloped. Some further revision of the novel could have massaged a bit more life and personality into them. While I could suspend my disbelief and still enjoy the ride (it is a great heist), the POV’s were just too weak for me to give this book five stars.

If you love a good setting with a great atmosphere, I’d still recommend this read! It has great vibes but could have benefitted from deeper character work.

ARC Review: Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

Dragonfruit
by Makiia Lucier
Publication Date: April 9th 2024
Publisher: Clarion Books
Find This Book: Dragonfruit
Source: NetGalley eARC
Rating: 5/5

Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.

Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two options: marry, or find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time - hope.

But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape… that of the dragonfruit itself.

Dragonfruit is a lush fantasy steeped in Pacific Island mythology. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down! Right out of the gate we are introduced to Hanalei and the beautiful yet dangerous sea dragons that inhabit her world. The magical elements were straightforward with obvious narrative conflict: it is written that the egg of a sea dragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s wish but every wish demands a price. Hanalei, the victim of a poisoning that landed her in an indefinite coma was saved by a sea dragon egg and saw the consequences first-hand. Several healthy people around her died in quick succession after the egg was used on her, including her father who stole and fed the egg to her.

If Sam sucessfully beats the cutthroat pirates and sucessfully steals the sea dragon egg for his ailing mother, he will die just like Hanalei’s father died to save Hanalei. Can Hanalei prevent Sam’s self-destruction?

One of my favorite aspects of Dragonfruit was the world-building. We see several different islands and catch glimpses of how life differs on each of them. The reader also gets insights into political allies and tensions across the Nominomi sea that really brought this book to life. The two main characters were also so well developed! I’d quickly pick up a companion novel containing Hanalei’s future adventures if Lucier ever decided to write more. This book was so well-crafted it’s a must-read for fantasy lovers! The dragons, magic, and quest were a perfect adventure, and it has a light dash of romance as well.

ARC Review: All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters

All That Consumes Us
by Erica Waters
Publication Date: October 17th 2023
Publisher: HarperTeen
Find This Book: All That Consumes Us
Source: NetGalley eARC
Rating: 5/5

The students in Corbin College’s elite academic society, Magni Viri, have it all—free tuition, inspirational professors, and dream jobs once they graduate. When first-gen college student Tara is offered a chance to enroll, she doesn’t hesitate.

Except once she’s settled into the gorgeous Victorian dormitory, something strange starts to happen. She’s finally writing, but her stories are dark and twisted. Her dreams feel as if they could bury her alive. An unseen presence seems to stalk her through the halls.

And a chilling secret awaits Tara at the heart of Magni Viri—one that just might turn her nightmares into reality; one that might destroy her before she has a chance to escape.

Tara’s adventure at Corbin College should be on everyone’s TBR this fall! Get ready for queer gothic spooks set in the Appalachian Mountains. This dark academia novel follows Tara’s freshman year of college. When the elite organization of Magni Viri loses a member, Tara is offered the dead girl’s place and her scholarship. An offer impossible to refuse, Tara starts living the life that Meredith used to have. But is Meredith really gone? With time to finally write and become the author she’s always dreamed of; Tara wakes up to work she can’t remember scribbling down.

Erica Waters’ prose will suck you in, her setting will charm you, and her atmosphere will captivate you. If you’re looking for the lines of reality to blur in an old Victorian dormitory, I’d highly recommend this new YA horror book.

We still have two months left in the year, but I think this might be my favorite book of 2023! All That Consumes us has got it all: old Appalachian college grounds, an MC who dreams of being an author, a secretive academic society that parties in a cemetery, possession by ghosts, and queer characters galore. What more could a reader want?

Book Recap: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Chalice of the Gods

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Chalice of the Gods
Publication Date: September 26th 2023
Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Percy is starting his senior year at Alternative High School (AHS), and needs 3 letters of recommendation in order to attend New Rome University next year with Annabeth. Unfortunately for him, the letters have to be written from gods and they want him to complete new quests in exchange for their signatures. Good ol' dad put up a notice board on Olympus and Percy's first request is from Ganymede. Ganymede is in charge of The Chalice of the Gods, which he uses on feast days to serve drinks from. It also happens to grant immortality and is currently missing. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover have their work cut out for them to track it down before the next scheduled feast!

They start off their investigation with two suspects: Hebe and Iris. They both previously held the position of cupbearer and might hold animosity towards Ganymede. Hebe, the goddess of youth, doesn't take kindly to the accusation. She turns the gang into 8-year-olds and sets a swarm of blood-thirsty chickens upon them. With some quick thinking, Annabeth saves the day (explanation below in the spoilers section).

Their next stop: the farmer's market to confront Iris, the goddess of rainbows. The gang is much more careful with their interrogation this time and manage not to piss off Iris. In fact, she offers to help them in exchange for a side quest. While she confirms a real lead for them, they must wash her staff. This quest involves Grover playing his pan flute and Percy pissing off/helping a river god. Iris does indeed have a lead from them! (spoiler 2). 

Percy delivers the chalice to Ganymede as the gods are settling into their seats. Surprisingly, with a bit of help from Athena he makes the hand-off under their noses. Is the goddess of wisdom finally understanding what Annabeth sees in him? Probably not, but we're making progress. One college recommendation down, two more to go!

Recap of MAJOR SPOILERS: Spoiler 1. Hebe must be the youngest in the room. Annabeth grabs a little chick and, essentially, forces Hebe to transform into a baby. In this state they negotiate with Hebe to be turned back into teenagers.

Spoiler 2. Geras, the god of old age, has stolen the chalice. Any object that grants humans immortality should be destroyed etc. Percy and Gary agree to wrestle for the chalice. Percy hugs him, symbolically accepting old age, wanting to live a full complete mortal life, and Gary has a change of heart. 

ARC Review: Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake

Champion of Fate
by Kendare Blake
Publication Date: September 19th 2023
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Find This Book: Champion of Fate
Source: NetGalley eARC
Rating: 4/5

Behind every great hero is an Aristene.

Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be immortalized in stories, it’s the Aristene who guide them to victory. They are the Heromakers.

Ever since she was an orphan taken in by the order, Reed has wanted to be an Aristene. Now, as an initiate, just one challenge stands in her way: she must shepherd her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and Reed will take her place beside her sisters. Fail, and she’ll be cast from the only home she’s ever known.

Nothing is going to stop Reed--until she meets her hero. Hestion is fiery and infuriating, but what begins as an alliance becomes more, and as secrets of the order come to light Reed begins to understand what becoming an Aristene may truly cost. Battle looming, she must choose: the order and the life she had planned, or Hestion, and the one she never expected.

Blake showcases her world-class world-building yet again in her latest book Champion of Fate. Get ready for swords, horses, and fast-paced action in this new fantasy world steeped in magic. As I've come to expect from Blake, this book has well-crafted character backstories, kingdom politics, collective history, and in this case, mythos surrounding the Aristene. All without info-dumping the reader, so it’s easy to get immersed.

Reed, our main character, is an initiate for the Aristene, an all-female warrior cult worshipping a goddess of glory. The immortal members of the Aristene order are sent out into the world to make heroes of mortal men and women. Through their heroes' guided actions, the Aristene create glory that honors and sustains their goddess, Kleia Gloria. Reed's last test as an initiate? Her first hero. As she and her fellow initiates embark on their trials, relationships both old and new are put to the test. And as Reed starts to grow feelings for her mortal hero, she also realizes her soon-to-be-family of warrior women are keeping secrets from her. This trial's outcome doesn't just impact Reed's future, her failure could endanger the entire Aristene order.

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic start to the series, and I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy magic and medieval fantasy worlds.