Book Review – Church of Marvels by Leslie Parry

 

Church of Marvels by Leslie Parry is about a woman, Odile Church, searching for her sister, Belle, after their mother dies in a fire.

Set in 1895 New York, Sylvan Threadgill works as a night soiler, cleaning out the privies near tenement houses. While working one night, he discovers a newborn baby abandoned in the muck. Since Sylvan was once an orphan himself, he takes pity on the child and rescues her. Determined to help, he sets out to find a safe place for the baby.

Odile and Belle Church are twins who were raised in the Church of Marvels, a sideshow act in Coney Island. After a tragic accident, their home burns to the ground with their mother inside. Odile is devastated when she learns that Belle has fled to Manhattan without a trace, and she becomes desperate to find her sister.

Meanwhile, Alphie, a young woman, wakes up across the river in Blackwell’s Lunatic Asylum. At first, she has no idea where she is until she remembers that her husband’s cruel mother had her committed. While trapped in the asylum, she meets another beautiful young woman who refuses to speak to anyone. However, Alphie soon discovers that the mysterious woman has a hidden talent that might help them escape.

I thought the book was an okay read overall. It is told through alternating perspectives, which was a lot to keep track of in the beginning. The book did have a few unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming. However, I also felt like it was slow and boring at times, and the constant narrator changes could feel jarring. I never really connected with or cared much about any of the characters. While we were given some backstory for each of them, I didn’t feel like it was enough to make me truly root for them. Overall, it was an okay book, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to read another book by the author.

Book Review – Windswept Way (Hope Harbor, #9) by Irene Hannon

 

 

Windswept Way (Hope Harbor, #9) by Irene Hannon is about two people, Ashley Scott and Jonathan Gray, who learn to let go of the past and find happiness again.

Ashley Scott never planned on buying a haunted house, but after being presented with an interesting opportunity, she decides to take a chance. She travels across the country to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast to start fresh.

Jonathan Gray isn't quite sure what to make of his attractive new neighbor, but he decides it's none of his business until he is roped into helping her with an ambitious project. As the pair spend more time together, Jonathan finds himself growing attracted to Ashley, but he is hesitant to open his heart to love again.

I thought the book was an okay read. It didn't have any unexpected twists or turns, but I liked that recurring characters from previous books made a reappearance. This is the ninth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Fans of the earlier books will likely enjoy revisiting familiar characters and the clean, heartwarming romance.

 

Book Review – The Lure of Wolves and Whispers Amanda Connolly

 

 The Lure of Wolves and Whispers by Amanda Connolly is about a young woman, Maeve, who risks everything to save her gravely injured older sister and protect everyone she loves.

On the Isle of Eireann, magic comes at a deadly price. When Maeve's older sister is gravely injured, Maeve is willing to do anything to save her. She risks everything to obtain forbidden magic that she hopes will heal her sister. However, Maeve is caught and is forced to make a deal, trading her own life for her sister's.

Bound by her promise, Maeve must do the bidding of a cunning and ruthless rebel leader. As part of her task, she is thrown into a deadly competition to become the next queen. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against her because the competition is notorious for its bloodshed, and the prize is marriage to a prince rumored to be even deadlier and more brutal than his tyrannical father. Will Maeve be able to fulfill her promise, or will it cost her her life?

I was really excited to read this book, but I was so disappointed by it. I stopped reading at around the 60% mark because I found it boring and thought it moved at the pace of molasses. At times, the book is sparse with details about the world, while at other times it overwhelms the reader with so much information that it becomes difficult to process and keep everything straight.

I also couldn't have cared less about Maeve. I found her so boring that a doorknob would have been more interesting to read about. She says she stopped praying to the gods after her mother's death, yet every few paragraphs it's back to "Old Ones." We get it, you've made your point. It became repetitive and didn't add anything new to the story. Unfortunately, the writing, plot, and characters weren't compelling enough for me to continue reading.

 Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.

Book Review – Forbidden City by James Ponti

 

Forbidden City by James Ponti is about a group of children spies heading to Moscow and Beijing to recruit a North Korean nuclear physicist before he falls into enemy hands.

The City Spies are ready for their next missions, once again using their unique skills and strong bonds to tackle dangerous assignments. Umbra is a sinister organization driven by greed, and they want to recruit a North Korean nuclear physicist for their own needs by any means necessary. The City Spies are sent in to stop that from happening.

The team travels to Moscow and Beijing to participate in a chess prodigy tournament. Paris is excited to compete since he is a huge chess fan. Sydney also lands her dream job as a junior reporter for a teen lifestyle website. She is tasked with following a British billionaire’s daughter and a pop band with a massive fan following. Together, the team must figure out how the billionaire, the physicist, and the recently missing missiles from a Soviet missile base are connected. Will the team be able to solve the mystery before it’s too late?

This is the third book in the series. While it can technically be read as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend it. I’ve read the other books in this series, along with the author’s other works, and this book follows the same beloved format as the previous installments. It has action, thrills, twists, and feel-good moments mixed with humor. While I did enjoy the book, I felt like something was missing compared to the first two books. Still, I liked learning more about Mother and seeing how the team is becoming more like a family. I’m excited to read the next book in the series.

Book Review – Pranks and Prejudice by Matthew J. Gilbert

 

 

Pranks and Prejudice by Matthew J. Gilbert is about a prank that goes wrong and the unexpected consequences it has for a group of middle school friends.

The Great Prank Challenge begins at Meadowview Middle School when someone covers a teacher's desk in sticky notes. Soon afterward, every student wants to join in, making everyone and everything a potential target. Everyone is on guard because they don't want to become the next victim of a prank or be turned into a meme online.

After Norm is pranked by one of his best friends, Jordan, he decides to get revenge. Unfortunately, his prank is lame and doesn't have the intended effect. His other best friend, Mia, comes up with a prank that she believes will end all pranks. However, Mia's prank works almost too well, causing the school to close for the day and leading to a school-wide ban on pranks. Teachers and students alike are upset and determined to find the person responsible. Will Norm and Mia be able to fix the mess they caused?

This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. The chapter book is a short, easy read with a few humorous moments that young readers will likely enjoy.

In this installment, we get to see how Norm and his friends handle internet fame while managing their friendship. I thought it was interesting that even though Jordan acted rudely, Norm was able to forgive him and move on. It was nice to see how much he had grown since the previous book. Like the first book, this one teaches young readers about accountability, friendship, and the importance of thinking about the consequences before following trends.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.