Set in eighteenth century Cairo, Nahri is a con artists who spends her days marking arrogant soldiers and planning her next meal. So when she accidentally summons the mythical djinn warrior, Dara, she sees her carefully planned life in turmoil. When he whisks her away to the magical city of Daevabad, Nahri discovers shocking secrets about her heritage and navigates complicated political affairs, as she also discovers that her companion may not be all he says he is.

The City of Brass is a high fantasy novel and made for a fun read! While I absolutely adore fantasy, the backdrop and the mythology in which this story is based made for a longer and more complicated read. The magic systems were intricate and the history of the djinn were incredibly complex. That being said, it’s clear that the author put her soul into writing this novel, as nearly everything was seamless! The characters were flawed and forced to navigate complicated political environments that challenged their personal morals, and the ending was crazy! I genuinely feel like all hope is lost now, I have no clue how the author can write two more books expanding the plot when so much happened just in the last 50 pages! If anyone is looking for a plot based high fantasy, definitely don’t sleep on this one, it was so much fun to read!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an absurdist space adventure comedy about a man named Arthur Dent who is taken to space on a crazy adventure. I enjoyed this book because it had lots of weird humor and laughs. I think the author did a great job designing zany characters. The only flaw is that sometimes the ridiculous comedy makes the plot nonsensical. Otherwise, this is a hilarious and fun read that I recommend!
Reviewer grade: 8

This volume introduces more Dragon Level monsters such as Nyaan and their capabilities to rival Class S Heroes. The Hero Hunter Garou is shown to be growing in power reaching levels far beyond his capabilities before. This is shown in his battle against Class S Puri-Puri Prisoner. Saitama encounters Class S Hero Flashy Flash as he goes deeper in the Monster HQ. Skeptical about Saitama's presence, Flashy Flash strikes at him. He is left shocked at his ability to react to his light speed blitz. Flashy Flash remembers Saitama as Genos' sidekick labeling him as a hero.

This is one of the best reactions of the Hero Association's recognition towards Saitama's strength so far, it delivers a satisfying conclusion that more and more Class S Heroes are recognizing his potential. I love the buildup towards Garou's inevitable growth towards being a Dragon Level Monster, being able to adapt more and more efficiently towards any opponent, and looking more monstrous as he progresses. A great buildup story overall for the upcoming big events. The portrayed art style really brings the feel of a difference between power in the manga, whether it be on speed or strength which creates a heavy impact on the characters' own specialized abilities.

This was an absolutely amazing book! In Skyhunter Talin, the main character, is part of a fearless and talented group of soldiers called strikers. Regardless of the pain and sorrow she experiences she continues to defend the country of Mara from the Karensa Federation. However it all seems hopeless, until she meets an escaped federation soldier who changes everything. I really loved learning about and connecting with the characters in this book, and the constant action and tension made it almost impossible to stop reading. Although one of my favorite parts of the book might just be the little mouse. I would definitely recommend this book!
Reviewer grade: 8

This book was very good. I loved the authors development of characters and plot in the book. The romantic scenes were very age appropriate for 13 year olds. I was intrigued by how she explained the main storyline and how the main character came to be.

An amazing book that was absolutely thrilling, enticing, and heart-wrenchingly emotional! One of my all time favorites and it will always be near and dear to my heart. It's full of adventure, growing from trauma, and making new connections with people you never would have expected. In a whole world of fantasy this book was absolutely fire (see what I did there :) !!!

Caraval circles around two sisters, Scarlett and Donatella, or Tella. These sisters live on an island called Trisda that their father governs. They also have a shared interest; they both have dreams of seeing the magical performance of caraval, where it is said that the audience participates in the show. During caraval, some go mad, some get lost in the beauty and extravaganza, some simply go for the adventure, yet most go for all three. Caraval is run by the magical caraval master, Legend, who's identity has remained a mystery by most people. The point of caraval is to play with the mind of the people involved, yet it is all supposed to be only a game. Scarlett and Tella fear they aren't able to travel to caraval due to the fact that their father doesn't allow them to leave their island, yet a chance arises when a sailor gives them an offer.

This book was so magnificent. I don't know if I've read a book and needed it into a movie so much. It was a magical experience and although I am now on the third book, and final, book in this series, I do think this one was my favorite for sure. I will admit that I usually get pretty picky about my characters in book, I liked most of them in this one. Overall a great, attention grabbing book.

Continuing the story of the Hero association infiltrating the Monster HQ, the Class S heroes have been shown to demonstrate their value of power against the Dragon level monsters all while keeping a really good dialogue between the two sides. The art style, as always, is phenomenal especially on the fight scenes. The story so far has been so good now that we get introduced to more characters and lore behind the Monster King Orochi's origins.

Divine Rivals is a fantasy story about Iris Winnow and Rowan Kitt, two aspiring journalists who begin as enemies in the workplace but later become much, much more after Iris' letters, who she had believed were being sent to her brother, Forest, who was at war, ended up in Rowan's hands.

Divine Rivals is truly one of the best love stories I've ever read. The world in which the story is set it is amazing, and the book executes the enemies-to-lovers trope perfectly. The words the author used to describe everything are extremely immersive, and it makes you feel as if you're actually in the story yourself. The story itself is spellbinding and heartbreaking, and I am very excited to read the sequel.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was how confusing all of the myths and legends about the war are. Other than that, this book was fantastic. Five stars.

Celaena Sardothian is an assassin who is summoned to the council because she’s giving a once in a lifetime chance to become the Kings champion to win her freedom from the work camp she was trapped in for being an assassin if she can defeat 23 killers, thieves and warriors in a competition she will be released from this prison. It goes through many different plot twists throughout the book and a love triangle between the crown, Prince and the captain of the guard. I read this book because I like fantasy and it was a lot of drama happening and I liked that I didn’t like how it ends on a cliffhanger

Five years ago, Wendy Darling and her brothers went missing in the woods. Six months later, only Wendy was found, and her brothers were never heard of again. It's the story that has haunted both the little coastal town of Astoria and Wendy's family. Now, as an 18-year-old ready to head to college, Wendy is intent on starting a new life away from the tragedy.

Unfortunately, her plans are interrupted when children from the town start disappearing.

Naturally, the police link this new string of disappearances to Wendy's case and begin questioning her. But despite their urgency, Wendy doesn't remember anything from the six months she went missing. To add to it all, one day, she stumbles upon an unconscious boy in the woods. Except the boy is not just any boy - he's Peter Pan, a figure who Wendy thought only existed in the tales her mom used to tell her and her brothers when they were little. But Peter Pan is in danger, and unless Wendy confronts her past - plus whatever sinister being lies in the woods, they might lose the missing children for good.

I think my favorite thing about this book is its unique setting: it's realistic, but there's also a little bit of magic intertwined in it thanks to Peter Pan. I also loved the spooky descriptions of the woods and personally think it helped add suspense to the story. The beginning of the book pulled me in instantly, and the end wrapped everything up quite nicely (it also left me feeling a bit emotional). However, the book began to get repetitive towards the middle - a lot of it was Wendy and Peter being tortured, Wendy questioning what was happening, and Peter trying to distract her while also not being of much help. I found Peter's character quite irritating at times (although he was funny), and Wendy herself was kind of flat; a lot of the side characters also felt like afterthoughts. I did find myself rooting for Wendy and Peter's relationship, however; they developed a genuine emotional bond that didn't feel forced, and I liked the parts where they helped comfort each other through all the emotional baggage and trauma they went through. It's also an interesting clash of two completely different worlds - a girl who's legally an adult and a boy who isn't supposed to grow up - although this wasn't really explored much in the book. The author also did a good job portraying Wendy's mental warfare (i.e. her guilt and PTSD from her past), and her character arc and journey to healing were well written. Overall, Lost in the Never Woods was a creative story with a very raw portrayal of trauma (and overcoming it), and although it has its faults, the book did leave a strong emotional impact on me, and I can't say I didn't enjoy it.

The Court of the Dead is the sequel to Sun and the Star, which follows Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades. Nico’s half-sister Hazel asks him and his boyfriend, Will Solace to help at Camp Jupiter and they get caught in many additional adventures! I loved this book so much! It was such a great book, I love how Rick Riordan writes in general, and this was another great addition to his works! Nico is personally my favorite character in the entire Riordan universe, and I just love reading his character so much!

Incendiary is an amazing book meant to capture your attention and keep you reading until the very end. Although this book has some slower parts, it always picks back up within two pages. The story resembles the time of the Spanish Inquisition with a magical twist. The main character, Renata, is a Robari, or memory thief, who is part of the Whispers. Eight years ago, she was taken out of merciless King Fernando's castle by the rebel group of people with other magics like Ren's called the Moria. After her unit leader and love, Dez, is taken by Prince Castian, Renata goes on a journey to get her revenge and uncover the secrets of the war. In the castle, she finds overwhelming memories of her previous time there, having been used as a weapon, along with the thousands of haunting stolen memories she carries with her. Having neglected her own past so long, she has no idea what devastating secrets await her, and how they could completely change her view on the Whispers, and Prince Castian himself. One of the best things about this book was it's originality. The magic and writing are set in ways I have never seen before. The unexpected ending has me anxious to read the second one. This was definitely one of the best books I've read this year.

A year after her girlfriend's tragic passing, Felicity Morrow has returned to Dalloway School for her second attempt at graduation, heading back to her old room at the campus' historic Godwin House. Felicity has always been drawn to the occult, and Dalloway only feeds her obsession: Godwin House is even supposedly haunted by the ghosts of the Dalloway Five, five young women who died under mysterious circumstances on Godwin Grounds. But the occult is no longer a place of solace for Felicity, not when she's convinced her dead girlfriend, Alex, is haunting her, and Felicity is now only interested in her grades and graduating.

Unfortunately, the new Dalloway student has other plans for her. After her debut novel won a Pulitzer Prize, Ellis Haley enrolled in Dalloway School to research the Dalloway Five for her second book. Ellis is a method writer, putting herself in her character's own insane adventures, and Felicity can't help but be drawn to her intelligence and whimsy. And eventually, Felicity reluctantly agrees when Ellis asks her to help her research the Dalloway Five. But when strange events begin to follow Felicity wherever she goes, Felicity is forced to confront the ghosts that plague her mind - including Alex.

Perhaps the summary of this book sounds straightforward. I will tell you it's not. Perhaps, it's because Felicity is an incredibly unreliable narrator, which may throw some people off, but the book left me unsatisfied and with more questions than answers. Initially, I thought the Dalloway Five would have more importance to the plot, but truthfully, not much is revealed about them or their deaths either. In fact, the whole magical/paranormal circumstances surrounding Dalloway are fairly muddled and confusing, and by the end, I was confused what role magic even had in the whole book. Perhaps it was intentional, as the author was likely trying to make the reader question reality, but I feel like it could've been executed better.

It is important to mention that Felicity suffers from psychotic depression, which heavily impacts her narrative. As I have never dealt with this condition, I will not speak for people who have suffered from this disorder. There are also side characters who struggle with mental health issues. The reviews I've seen online regarding the representation of mental health in the book are mixed: some people say the characters with issues are portrayed in a very bad light, which is ironic considering that Felicity mentions at some point how people with mental disorders are often seen as crazy/insane. Others feel seen by the author and satisfied with the portrayal; the author herself has battled psychotic depression and wanted to touch on her own experiences.

These points aside, I personally did not connect to any of the characters in the book. A lot of the side characters felt flat and incredibly pretentious, and I personally disliked Felicity and Ellis. There has also been some discontent online regarding the representation of the two POC characters; one character's biggest purpose in the book was to tell Felicity about racism. The beginning of the book set off a nice tone, and I liked reading about the history of Dalloway and the whole historical lore behind it. However, the rest of the book dragged on for so long I had trouble even remembering what happened. Then, the book started picking up at around 70%, and the rest of the book was packed with random twists and turns to the point it felt like a completely different story. The ending was rushed, and the big twist felt like it was thrown in at the last minute, though I must say I didn't see some of it coming. There were also other random plot points added in that I felt like weren't necessary. This book felt all over the place for me, and it didn't give the greatest reading experience, but it does have its audience, and perhaps I may recommend it to a friend or two.

All Talasyn has known is the Hurricane Wars. Her whole life has been composed of fighting and defending her land of Sardovia from the tyrannous Night Empire. Following a devastating blow and a shocking discovery, Talasyn meets Alaric, the newly crowned Emperor of the Night Empire. Despite being sworn enemies, the two must work together to face a new and rising evil.

This book was really fun to read! I saw a lot of people saying it gave the same vibes as Rae and Ben Solo from Star Wars, and while I don’t really like that comparison, I love Star Wars and I could see a little similarity with the world Guanzon wrote. I do wish the novel was a little less romance focused, as I feel as though some elements of the romance plot overtook the main fantasy story. Overall, this was a very fun book, and I’m excited to continue with the series!

In a world of werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural creatures, Loren Calla’s only goal is to survive as long as she can as a human surrounded by immortals. When her friend gets kidnapped in place of Loren, she has no choice but to accept the help of Darien Cassel, the head of most dangerous bounty hunting group in the city. Together, the two race to discover why a human like Loren is so valuable, and unearth the secrets of their city, Angelthene, while facing other indescribable creatures.

I loved this book so much! It reminds me of Monster High (which I was a huge fan of when I was younger) but for adults. I loved all of the character development and the conflicts had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. While some people may say the book was too long, I personally disagree. I feel as though the length allowed more scenes and development for the characters, which isn’t usually seen in novels as plot focused as this one. I will definitely be continuing the series, and I’m so excited to see where the author takes this story next!

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata is such an interesting and unique book, following a woman throughout her life facing trauma and coping with it in many unhealthy ways. She's unable to become a "cog in the machine" as she grows up, straying further and further from society. This book changed my perspective on many things, and I found some parts unsettlingly familiar. I went into the book without any knowledge of it, however as it is a sort of psychological horror and there were quite a few scenes with disturbing topics such as sexual assault, violence, and child abuse/neglect. Without spoiling too many things it's safe to say it's a very heavy read, but I found it to be extremely worth it, as it was thrilling, captivating, and I loved how the characters were written. (I'm in grade 12)

Jurassic Park is a sci-fi thriller about a park that has figured out how to clone once-extinct dinosaurs and has invited two paleontologists to tour it. I chose to read this book because I love dinosaurs and have seen all the Jurassic movies. I enjoyed this book because it is an exciting thriller with lots of dinosaur action. I also appreciated how the author didn't hold back with the consequences of bringing back dinosaurs. Overall, this is a creative and masterful novel that I highly recommend.

The highest honor a girl in Huaxia can achieve is to become a concubine pilot, to be paired with a boy to power the giant robots, called Chrysalises, that defend their nation from aliens lurking outside the Great Wall. But this profession results in a high mortality rate for girls, who always seem to be less capable of withstanding the mental and physical strain of piloting than their male counterparts, and their contributions are largely ignored. When Zetian's older sister is killed during a battle by her male co-pilot, Zetian offers herself up to the system with one goal in mind: avenge her sister by killing her killer. She succeeds and gains notoriety as the Iron Widow, a woman who sacrifices male pilots in battles instead of the opposite. In an effort to control her newfound power, Zetian is paired with the most powerful - and the most hated - male pilot in Huaxia, Li Shimin, known mainly for murdering his brothers and his father. But even with the world hellbent on keeping her on a leash, Zetian refuses to be silenced. She will do everything in her power to tear apart the pilot system responsible for the death of her sister and thousands of other girls.

This book is the exact definition of unhinged - it gave a raw and unfiltered depiction of female rage that was at times a little relatable. The author was able to encapsulate Zetian's feelings about her status in such a visceral and devastating way that I could not help but root for her. The story was fast paced and intriguing, with many twists in both the characters backstories and the plot that left me continuously turning at the pages to read more. I also loved the China-based setting coupled with the futuristic technology and mechas - it was truly unique. However, as much as I loved this book, I still do have some issues with it. The nation's patriarchal system isn't really given any historical context, even with the secrets Zetian uncovers in the end. I also found some of the characters, including Zetian at times, stereotypical or lacking in depth. The ending was full of giant plot twists, some of which I found a little rushed or random. But despite these critiques, I did enjoy this book for its boldness, and I might consider reading its sequel as well. And as a side note: the author is hilarious, I love them, and I also love Yizhi.

In the fourth book of the “Woven Kingdom” series, every slow building conflict finally comes to a head. Cyrus only has one more task in his bargain with the devil, and Alizeh has finally been recognized as the ruler of the Jinn civilization. And yet, the worst is still yet to come for the two young rulers.

The character development in this book! Mafi was making me feel every emotion, and I still can’t get enough of it. I love this series so dearly, but this is one hundred percent the book where the plot ramps up. It feels like a pin finally dropped and Tahereh Mafi’s best writing fully came out. I’m so upset I have to wait until next year for the final book to be published! But I also can’t wait, this will be a series I’ll be recommending to everyone for such a long time!

The world building in this book was amazing and made the story feel so immersive. I loved the dual perspectives because they helped show both sides of the conflict and made the characters more complex. The pacing was fast, and there were so many emotional and suspenseful moments throughout the novel. Some scenes were heartbreaking, but that made the story even more memorable. I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy and dystopian romance.

This sequel somehow managed to be even more intense than the first book. The action scenes were amazing, and the dragons were still my favorite part of the series. This is a massive roman-tasy novel and really delivers high stakes, intense political building, and a dramatic climax. Violet’s growth throughout the story made her feel even stronger as a protagonist, and the emotional tension kept me invested the entire time. The ending completely shocked me and left me desperate for the next book.

In the 3rd installment of the “Woven Kingdom” series, Tahereh Mafi reunites all the characters to make for a devastating plot and torturous suspense. Time is running out for Alizeh, she has decisions to make, and the rest of the world is not slowing down waiting for her to make them. With Cyrus and Kamran, she must decide once and for all what path to embark upon in order to restore justice for her people.

I genuinely cannot read this series fast enough. I haven’t even started the fourth book yet and I’m already devastated that I will have to wait for book five. Needless to say, the plot really ramps up in this novel. All of the world building and character development that was fleshed out in the first two books finally supported furthering the development of the story. If you didn’t enjoy the first two books, I would beg you to take a chance with this one! I love how their storylines are finally coming together to support an overarching conflict.

In the second book of the “This Woven Kingdom” series, Alizeh must decide whether or not she will accept the ruler of Tulan’s deal to marry him for a kingdom, or risk falling into a trap set by the Devil. Prince Kamran must also choose whether to follow in his grandfather’s steps, or forge his own path as crown prince of Ardunia.

I’m so excited to continue this series! I read somewhere that this book was “no plot but all vibes,” and while I agree with this statement, I feel as though it still served its purpose in continuing the story and building the characters. While there was no action packed excitement in this book, Mafi subtly raises the stakes of this series, and I feel like I’m on the edge of my seat in suspense wondering where this story will go!

This book is exciting but I can't say it was my favorite. It is fun, as it follows the storyline of a god's child, Percy Jackson and his satyr friend Grover. After getting trouble at school, he finds himself fighting a minotaur trying to get to Camp Half Blood, a group of half gods like him. He quickly makes enemies, and two friends--Lucas and Annabelle. He begins to traverse on a journey to help Zeus get his lightning bolt back, hence the title of the book. Anyway, I think it's worth reading, especially for younger kids who like adventure.

To the kingdom of Ardunia, Alizeh is a lowly peasant just a tier above the lowest of the poor. To the Jinn, she’s the lost queen destined to avenge her people. In the first book of the “This Woven Kingdom” series, Tahereh Mafi navigates the beginning of Alizeh and the crown prince Kamran’s story.

I don’t think I need to say it twice, anything Mafi writes is pure poetry. Her writing style never fails to suck me in and immerse me in her stories, even if I don’t understand what exactly is going on. While this book definitely suffers from first book syndrome (world building and character introduction), I’m so excited to see where this series will go! I may be setting myself up for failure as this is another series by Mafi that is unfinished, but whatever she writes I will one hundred percent read!

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa as a chilling yet heartwarming dystopia that dives into the intricacies of memory and identity. It follows the journey of the protagonist, an unnamed female novelist, as she navigates her changing world. The story is set on a remote island where objects and memories systematically disappear, leaving holes in the hearts and minds of the people. It leads the reader to question, alongside the protagonist, what role our pasts and our memories play in shaping our identities, and it masterfully taps into the fear of losing oneself. I have only rated this book three stars because although it was an enjoyable read, it got dull at times and I found some of the subplots to be more distracting than impactful.

Avatar: The Last Airbender~The Search follows Zuko and Azula’s search for their estranged mother, who disappeared when they were kids.

This book is interesting for a lot of reasons, the main one being the character development that occurs during it. Seeing Zuko and Azula’s relationship after the events of the main story is another interesting aspect of his book. It’s clear that nothing has changed since the last time they spoke, but Zuko seems to feel a bit sorry for Azula despite knowing that they’ll never have the kind of relationship that he wants them to have. The bait and switch done towards the beginning and end of the story is really good. It allows Zuko a moment of reflection about everything that’s happened to him.

Overall, this book was good. The characterization for some of the members of Team Avatar was a little odd in places, but otherwise, there wasn’t anything jarring. I would recommend this book as it’s an entertaining read.

Sonic is back and as fast as ever in Sonic the Hedgehog Vol. 6 - The Last Minute, the next exciting episode in the Sonic series! The action builds as Sonic and his friends scramble to stop Eggman's Metal Virus, an infectious artificial disease that turns ordinary citizens into badniks for Eggman's army. Sonic, Amy, and Tails split up to figure out how to stop the virus, but zombot hazards lurk in every corner. Sonic's friends continue to fall one by one to the vicious virus. On top of this, the zombot army may not be Eggman's for much longer -- the virus has grown resistant to command and is becoming a threat to its own creator! This forces Dr. Starline, Eggman's now-disillusioned associate, to make a shadowy alliance that could fix this "setback" -- but also could prove disastrous for hero and villain alike. Will Sonic -- or Eggman -- find a way to fight the infection before it is too late?

This book is another perfect example of Ian Flynn's exceptional comic writing style, and it perfectly captures the emotions of the characters as they face the end of their world as they know it. Packed with awesome battles, heart-breaking goodbyes, and the introduction of even more fan-fave characters, every Sonic fan will need to get their hands on Sonic the Hedgehog Vol. 6 - The Last Minute!

In the second book of the “New Republic" series, Mafi continuously raises the stakes for Rosabelle and James. Both Rosabelle and James have been lied to, and now they must make the final decision to trust each other or watch their new world fall apart.

This was so amazing!! If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times: Tahereh Madi’s writing is unreal. There were times I was reading this novel and just marveling about how the author sat behind a computer screen and wrote them into existence. They feel so real! Of course, the plot is absolutely amazing too. Mafi takes everything suspenseful and amazing from Shatter Me and Watch Me and triples it in Release Me. I could not put this novel down and yet, I’m so disappointed I finished it. September cannot come fast enough for book 3! If you’re a Shatter Me fan and you haven’t read this new series yet, get on it. I promise it is absolutely worth it.