Kokoro | Keith Yatsuhashi

*Book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

In this sequel to Kojiki, we follow the story of Baiyren and Juno, a pair of archaeologists/paleontologists who are at a new dig when giant mechs show up out of nowhere. Baiyren immediately knows that they are there for him, the runaway prince of Higo. Unfortunately, because he gave Juno the Heartstone, the amulet that connects Higo's royalty to their God, she gets taken in his place. Baiyren must go back to Higo and face his destructive past.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book. Yes, some of the scenes between Baiyren and Juno were a bit cheesy, but it was just such a good read. A lot of the book was kinda predictable, but the characters were completely worth reading. I really appreciated Keiko's commentary on the goings-on of the books. 

At the same time, there were some important plot points that I actually didn't see coming! The best part was, while they were surprising, they didn't feel completely out of left field. Yatsuhashi did a really great job of laying down the groundwork for the twists without making them obvious. As stated before, the final ending, Bayiren and Juno's fates, is predictable, but I still loved it. It was just the right kind of cheesy and sentimental. 

While I don't think you NEED to have read Kojiki to get into this book, it would be really helpful. At the same time, if you're expecting Kokoro to read exactly like Kojiki, you're in for a surprise. The books are so very different in just about every single way. Yes, Kokoro has some elements from Kojiki, namely the Kami, but so little of this book even takes place on Earth. 

I really had a lot of fun reading Kokoro and learning about this new world. I was completely invested in the characters. I'll admit, being a fan of giant robots kinda helped my enjoyment of this book, but the focus was more on the characters and their trials than on the giant robot battles. If you're interested in fantasy, giant mechs, or even love stories with strong characters, I highly recommend Kokoro. 5 hoots!

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Cherry Lips | Lacey Dearie

Summary:

Cerise is the peasant daughter of an herbalist and has no magic other than a cherry tree given to her by her fairy godmother. She learns to turn the cherries into a magic lip balm that makes her irresistible to any man she kisses. This magic ends up being sought by almost every member of the royal family, with whom her family already has a negative relationship with.

Review:

This is yet another magic love story that I have thoroughly enjoyed. Seriously, I may have to reconsider my "no love stories" policy after this. What I specifically enjoyed about Cherry Lips is how much fun it was to read. The dialogue and character interactions were engaging and, at times, had me laughing out loud. There were a couple places where I felt like something bad could have been prevented, but it was not enough to take me out of the book.

The adventure is fast paced, after the prologue, and I was never bored while reading. The side-effects of magic are not only considered, but are essential to the story and growth of the Cerise's character. The book does leave me with a number of questions and even more suspicions, but, fortunately Dearie has written the sequel (which is currently on my wishlist) so I will be able to get my questions answered.

Cherry Lips is a good read for anyone who wants a funny story, a magic story, a love story, and/or a fairy tale. All of these elements are combined in a fun way to engage the reader. 4.5 hoots!

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Prince: Legacy of Darkness | Phoenix Garrett Wright

*Book and image provided by NetGalley

Summary:

This book follows the story of Lucifer (a separate entity from Satan) the first vampire, and former seraphim. In the 2060's, a decade or so after the War of Immortals, the witches become bolder in their attacks on the vampires who, led by Lucifer, prefer to be left in darkness and out of humanity's reality, except for when it's time to feed. Lucifer must keep his fledglings in line in an attempt to show a united front against the army of witches and humans with UV light based weapons.

Review:

This is a very long book. If you intend to read it, be sure to set enough time aside for it. To be fair to Wright, I'm not sure how this book could have told the story he wanted while being a shorter book. There is a lot of content here with a fairly good balance between exposition/story telling and action.

Fair warning about the action, this book is not for the feint of heart or stomach. Several scenes involve copious amounts of blood. Then there are the depictions of Hell that left me feeling nauseated. I won't go into details, but  you have been warned. 

I have to admit, I probably won't read the next installment. I read all 600+ pages of this book and never felt emotionally or intellectually invested in any of the characters. The entire book is told from the perspective of Lucifer and it's no surprise he used to manage the Gate of Pride in Hell. He's arrogant and prideful to a fault, but clearly such is the nature of the character. I never feel that any one group, humans, vampires or witches are in the right. They all seem like they're doing the wrong thing, especially when the story is from the perspective of someone who thinks they're all inferior anyways.

Probably my biggest complaint about this book is that there are so many typos and punctuation errors. It may have just been the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) I received, but there were so many spelling and editing errors that need to be cleaned up. 

To be honest, I can only give this book 2.5 hoots. I appreciate what the author was trying to do, and the first half or so of the book was plenty entertaining, but after that it was just all downhill and I just wanted the book to end.

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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Brief Synopsis:

Red Queen takes place in a dystopian future where you are judged based on the color of your blood. The Red Bloods have nothing but hard work and poverty while the Silver Bloods have power. And not just economic power, but actual magic-like abilities. Mare Barrow is born Red but discovers, quite publicly, that she has her own ability. She is inducted into the Silver world where every action could give away her true blood and result in her death.

What I Think:

The book is well written and engaging. Aveyard does a wonderful job world building and doing it quickly. Red Queen is an easy read and the story is definitely interesting.

Unfortunately one of the book's greatest strengths is also, for me, its greatest downfall. Mare is constantly warned not to trust anyone. "Anyone can betray anyone". Aveyard does such a wonderful job of keeping you guessing who you can trust that, as a reader, it kept me at an emotional distance from everyone. I ended up feeling nothing for any of the characters because I didn't know who to trust. 

The book also has the problem of having a familiar formula. A teenage girl tries to change her dystopian world and ends up in over her head. The Queen can read and control minds, yet Mare acts as though she can have secrets. I wish I could be half as sure of my plans as teenage protagonists are of theirs. 

But, overall, Red Queen is a good read. It took me to another world and I never had a problem picking the book back up. It's quite likely that this book just isn't my genre. If this is your genre, by all means, pick up a copy! I give Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard 3 Hoots!

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I've also started a YouTube channel recently and this is my first book review! Hope you enjoy!

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Yes, I know, I've gone through the first three books of the Lunar Chronicles, rapid fire, but in my defense, this series is highly addictive. And I normally don't like princess stories or love stories, or the combination of the two! But this series has yet to disappoint and I have yet to be able to put it down.

Cress is an amazing continuation of the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. In case you can't tell from the cover, it's a version of Rapunzel's story. Like with Scarlet, there was a lot more of a love story than in the original Cinder, but the love story is not the focus. The focus is survival, Cinder's training, and stopping the wedding between Queen Levana and Emperor Kai.

I had a lot of fun reading this book. Though it's over 500 pages, it was still a relatively quick read and a fun ride. Sometimes it was even an emotional ride.* I greatly appreciated that Cress did have some issues with agoraphobia after spending so much time in isolation. Her panic attacks felt pretty accurate, and I have experience with them.

This book is does an amazing job of furthering the plot of the Lunar Chronicles as a whole and introducing several new aspects of Lunar life without making the reader feel overwhelmed. I gladly give it 4.5 hoots!

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*I kid you not, this book made me cry. But I can't say the scene because SPOILERS!

Down the Wormhole by Ana Franco

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. And you know me, I prioritize honesty.

Overall, Down the Wormhole is a good book. It's barely 100 pages, so Franco does not waste pages with anything unnecessary to the story, which I am always appreciative of, especially if sequels are promised.* The rapid-fire pace of events did take a little getting used to, but once I had my brain trained on this speed, I was able to keep up with the story events pretty well. I also liked the blending of Celtic, Norse and Egyptian mythologies, though I do agree with the main character, Kitty, that some explanations are needed.**

I've admitted several times in the past that love stories aren't my thing***. Fortunately Franco is able to give plenty of focus to each of the events of the story that need to take place. She has allotted each essential part of the story enough time that the entire book remains well balanced.

Probably my biggest criticism of this would be the sheer number of typos. They were pretty common and caused me to be distracted while reading. But, this is an ARC, so hopefully another round of proofing/editing will take care of them.

I have to admit, this book is good. With some proofreading it could be great. For now I'm giving it 4 hoots and I look forward to seeing the finished project.

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*I know Ana Franco is writing more books whether they are sequels to this one, I'm not so sure.
**Sequel?
***Which is probably why I ended up more interested in the one character that was not part of a couple, Andrew/Anubis.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

I'll admit, I had almost no expectations when I picked out this book. I'd heard good things from BookTubers, but they were fans of YA love stories. I've never enjoyed them. I've also never found a version of Cinderella that I cared for. But, hey, where there are cyborgs, there is hope. That being said, HOLY WAH! This book had me feeling for characters! I was shaking for an HOUR after reading this!

Okay, let me take a step back. This book is not primarily a love story. Yes, it's another telling of Cinderella with all the same elements, but there is so much more to this book than just Cinder and Prince Kai. There is prejudice against cyborgs. There is a disease spreading that has neither cure nor any publicly known cause.  There is the constant threat of war with the Lunars (people living on the moon). There are international and interplanetary politics at play. This is not just a love story! This is a fully developed world with a LOT going on!

But what is really amazing is that I felt invested in these characters. I was strongly interested in whether or not Cinder and Prince Kai end up together or if he caves to political pressure and marries the Lunar Queen. I actually said to my husband "I can't get dinner right now! I have to find out if the prince is going to marry the evil empress!" I never say stuff like that! I haven't been interested in love stories for years! To be fair, it isn't just the characters in love that tug at my heart strings. I almost cried when I found out what happened to Iko. I wanted to punch the Lunar Queen in the face. I wanted to slap the evil stepmother. This book got to me in all the best ways.

Aside from the "twist" at the end being predictable, the ending of this book is a well paced cliffhanger. Cinder is still in danger when the book ends.

It should come as no surprise that this book gets 5 hoots! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go reserve the NEXT book in the series.

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Princeless by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin

I know it's about a decade since I was a teenager but OMG!OMG!OMG!OMG! I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Ahem. Sorry about that.

The fact of the matter is, this story is amazing. The first few pages set up the entire thing perfectly. A queen, reading a stereotypical fairy tale to her daughter, and the daughter arguing with every little thing. To quote the Queen, " You are determined to take everything from this story except what you are supposed to." When the daughter, Princess Adrienne, finally gets old enough to have a tower and dragon of her own, she is so completely against the idea that her parents have to drug her food!* After some time, and many dead princes, Adrienne finds a sword hidden underneath her bed and decides to take action. She has the dragon burn the tower, making it look like the "wild beast" killed her, and then sets off to free her sisters.

Unfortunately the armor she has was designed for guys that weren't quite her size, so she has to get something new. She goes into town and finds a Dwarf Blacksmith. Turns out, the dwarf just drinks at the tavern. It's his daughter, Bedelia, who does all the smithing, but if anyone found out, they'd be run out of business. No one wants armor from a female blacksmith. After getting her armor and accidentally getting the shop burned down, Bedelia joins Adrienne on her quest. Thus ends the first book.

I am so glad that this series is garnering a lot of attention. There are a lot of people, kids and adults, that I think would benefit from reading this. The fact that the book is so popular is a positive sign that the comics industry and girl geeks are ready for a change. We can start replacing all the stereotypical princess stuff with actual, cool, relatable princess stuff. Adrienne and Bedelia are the type of heroes I'd still love to aspire to be. Confident, strong (physically, emotionally, etc.), talented. These are traits that we're told are associated with Disney Princesses, but they all still needed a prince to come and rescue them.

Though I will say this, those kids who go through Prince Charming's Charm School for Future Kings do NOT have it easy! Everyday having to make sure your hair is perfect, fighting in a style that could easily get you killed "How will anyone even know you're sword fighting without our arm up?". And then your only choices are to either go slay a dragon, or go fight in wars for king and country. I'd have rather stayed playing in the mud, too. Clearly royalty ain't easy.

So I will be eagerly searching my comic book store's shelves for this book and any other issues Whitley and Goodwin may have put out in the time it for this one to get published and get in my hands. This read was over with far too quickly and I'd LOVE to find out what happens next! This book gets a top rating of 5 Hoots!

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*Sidenote: As a fellow carnivore, I'd have fallen for the drugged steak as well.