Double Fall Middle Grade & YA Book Spotlights: The Restless Dark by Erica Waters & Monster Club by Darren Aronofsky & Ari Handel

Today I wanted to make a special post to highlight two fall releases that I'm really excited about: The Restless Dark by Erica Waters and Monster Club by Darrren Aronofsky (yes, that Darren Aronofsky of Requiem for a Dream, one of my favorite movies!) and Ari Handel! I've just finished Monster Club and thought it was such a fun read, overflowing with imagination really great storytelling. It's an amazing Halloween for middle grade readers and adult readers alike. I'll definitely be recommending it to some middle grade readers that I know. :) The Restless Dark is up next!

I'll be sharing some general information about the books below, so be sure to check them out if you're looking for an MG and/or YA spooky fall read! Huge thanks to Leilani Fitzpatrick for sending me copies of these to read! 

THE RESTLESS DARK:

Author:  Erica Waters
Pub. Date: October 4th, 2022
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 400
Find it: Amazon | Bookshop.org  

SYNOPSIS:

“Enter Cloudkiss Canyon at your own risk. 

The Cloudkiss Killer is dead. Now a true-crime podcast is hosting a contest to find his bones. 

Lucy was almost the serial killer’s final victim. Carolina is a true-crime fan who fears her own rage. Maggie is a psychology student with a little too much to hide. 

All of them are looking for answers, for a new identity, for a place to bury their secrets. 

But there are more than bones hiding in the shadows…sometimes the darkness inside is more frightening than anything the dead leave behind. 

Perfect for fans of Sadie and Wilder Girls, this newest novel from Erica Waters follows three girls at a true-crime contest to find the bones of a lost killer—even as a mysterious force pulls at the contestants’ darkest desires."

MONSTER CLUB:

Author:  Darren Aronofsky & Ari Handel
Pub. Date: September 13th, 2022
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 352
Find it: Amazon | Bookshop.org  

SYNOPSIS:

“From the award-winning screenwriter-director Darren Aronofsky and his screenwriting partner, Ari Handel, comes Monster Club. Their debut novel is the first book in a thrilling, new adventure series about growing up, letting go, and facing down your monsters. 

Like almost everything in eleven-year-old Eric "Doodles" King's life, King's Wonderland--the amusement park his great-great grandfather founded--was seriously damaged when a hurricane hit his beloved Coney Island neighborhood. Now hungry property developers are circling the wreckage of the once-awesome King's Wonderland, and Eric's family is falling apart from the threat of losing it all. 

If it weren't for Monster Club--the epic roleplaying game that Eric and his friends created--Eric's life would be pretty terrible. Drawing his favorite monster battling with his best friends' creations is the one thing that still gets Eric excited. So when his friends start to think of Monster Club as a kid's game and get more interested in other things, Eric just can't deal. But then Eric happens across a long-lost vial of magic ink that brings their monster drawings to life, and suddenly, Monster Club isn't just for fun anymore. 

The monsters Eric and his friends created are wreaking havoc across Coney, and it's on the Monster Club to save their city, the amusement park, and maybe, just maybe, Eric's family, too. It's a hilarious, heartfelt adventure from the creative minds of Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel that fans of Last Kids on Earth and Spy School are sure to love."

Double Mini-Reviews: Rule by Ellen Goodlett & Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd

Rule by Ellen Goodlett

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Hardcover. 376 pages.

About Rule:

"Three girls with three deadly secrets. Only one can wear the crown. 

The king is dying, his heir has just been murdered, and rebellion brews in the east. But the kingdom of Kolonya and the outer Reaches has one last option before it descends into leaderless chaos. 

Or rather, three unexpected options. 

Zofi has spent her entire life trekking through the outer Reaches with her band of Travelers. She would do anything to protect the band, her family. But no one can ever find out how far she's already gone. 

Akeylah was raised in the Eastern Reach, surrounded by whispers of rebellion and abused by her father. Desperate to escape, she makes a decision that threatens the whole kingdom. 

Ren grew up in Kolonya, serving as a lady's maid and scheming her way out of the servants' chambers. But one such plot could get her hung for treason if anyone ever discovers what she's done. 

When the king summons the girls, they arrive expecting arrest or even execution. Instead they learn the truth: they are his illegitimate daughters, and one must become his new heir. But someone in Kolonya knows their secrets, and that someone will stop at nothing to keep the sisters from their destiny... to rule. 

Magic, mystery, and blackmail abound in this sensational and striking fantasy debut."

LIKES: Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah were all wonderfully strong in their own unique way that stood out so much. Each girl was very different from the others, but they come together so well and learn to use their weakness as strengths, as well allowing their minds to be opened and consider new ideas. I think she did that beautifully. There was unnecessary hatred among them at first, but Goodlett did a wonderful job of having the girls mature and realize that hating each other was not going to solve anything. I also loved the handling of systemic racism and prejudice, discrimination, and other social issues, all of which I think were thoughtfully considered and also rather thought-provoking. I enjoyed the overall mystery and getting to know each of the girls through both their positive and negative decisions in life, as it really helped them become well-rounded figures.

DISLIKES: Honestly, I'm not sure why this has so many negative reviews. One reason could be because the magic system requires an individual to essentially cut into their arm/leg/etc., which could be found triggering for self-harm. That's totally valid and if that is something that would bother you, then do keep that in mind before reading this book. That being said, I thought it worked well as a magic system because by cutting into oneself for blood, it shows an immediate consequence of using your power and how it is limited. I would have liked more detailed world-building, as it did feel fairly limited at times and left me wondering. My main dislike is the cliffhanger ending. Look, I don't mind a bit of a cliffhanger--it keeps us excited!--but when it's literally akin to someone hanging off a cliff, it's almost cheap and feels like I'm being taken advantage of as a reader. Maybe I overreact, but it still bothers me.

Overall, I've decided to give Rule four stars!

*I received an ARC of Rule courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the novel.*

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd 
HMH Books for Young Readers
Hardcover. 376 pages.

About Grim Lovelies:

"Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime. 

Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for. 

From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price."

LIKES: I loved Shepherd's The Madman's Daughter, so I was pretty excited to check this book out and see what else she could do.  I thought that the general concept of the beasties, the witches, and how the magic system worked was pretty interesting. There is a time limit placed on the events of this book, which lent to a quick pace that kept the story moving at all times. This book also went darker than I expected at times, though the darker aspects were more told as a past event rather than something currently happening, though there is still some violence in this book. I was also rather shocked and impressed by the last quarter or so of the book, including the ending--it definitely wasn't how I expected Shepherd to end this tale. I also love the Goblin characters and their carefree, tricky nature, and I can't wait to see more of them in the sequel.

DISLIKES: As much as I enjoyed the beasties and the magic system, I would have liked a little more explanation of various histories related to it. Everything is fully explained, but it still felt rushed and I had to digest it all very quickly. In addition, the entire story felt a bit rushed. I'm not sure we spent quite enough time at the original house and with the characters before the big life-changing event occurs, and I think it would have helped with the development of the characters. I feel like we got to know the characters decently well, but they needed more depth to their personalities. The romance was also something I could have done without.

Overall, I ended up realizing I had a fun time reading this book and the plot was an interesting one, so I've given Grim Lovelies four stars! I would say a younger YA reader might be more drawn to this one, though it was a certainly an entertaining read no matter what one's age.

Buy the book:  Amazon | Book Depository

And as I won't be posting tomorrow for the holiday, I just want to wish everyone a very happy holiday! I  hope you all have a wonderful time with whatever your plans are! 

Windsworn by Derek Siddoway

Windsworn by Derek Alan Siddoway 

Self-Published. 2017.

Ebook. 225 pages.

Windsworn is a charming young adult fantasy adventure that features a dynamic female lead and plenty of gryphons! I managed to blow right this book in just two days because of how fast-paced and entertaining it was.

Windsworn tells the story of Eva, a young girl living with her adoptive father, who one day stumbles upon a thief in possession of an unhatched gryphon egg. Once it hatches, she ends up becoming attached to it and learns she must now train and join ranks known as the Windsworn. The Windsworn train in battle tactics to become warriors who go into battle with their gryphons. While training, Eva uncovers a large plot that threatens the Windsworn and much

This was a really engaging, fun read. Siddoway has created an imaginative and entertaining world that really made me want to be  part of it. His world-building is strong and I appreciate that he put such time and effort into creating a fully-fleshed world with a variety of unique elements. A lot of interesting details were added to the story to make it authentic, and I particularly loved the addition of a Golem in this book.

One of the things that drew me to this book was the emphasis on and inclusion of gryphons, since they are a fantasy creature that tends to be overlooked more than others. I thought that Siddoway's description of them was vivid and he brought them to life extremely well; every gryphon comes out just a bit different in every author's unique vision, and I loved what resulted from Siddoway's imagination. My only disappointment was that there wasn't quite as much about them as I would have liked, as I felt that a book that so heavily focuses on gryphons should have included more about them.

The characters all felt very well-developed and each seemed to add an important element to the story. Eva in particular has a lot of important growth throughout the novel that I really liked following along with. She undergoes many momentous events and experiences and, as expected, she changes with them and learns a lot as a person, all of which molded her into a really well-formed character. Her father, Soot, is also a fantastic character that I personally really liked. He is a good man that adds a lot to the personality and formation of Eva's own personality. I was a bit skeptical at first when a romantic interest was introduced, but I felt a bit relieved when I saw how well Siddoway handled it. It didn't overwhelm the story as most romantic subplots tend to do, which I was very thankful for.

The pacing of this book was a bit off and on at times. The beginning and end of this book felt like there was good, even pacing, but there were a few parts throughout the middle that did feel rushed. The training in particular felt rushed, and I would have liked there to be more time spent in some of these areas. I also had mixed feelings about many of the plot elements and the path this story takes. At times, I felt it was rather predictable and a bit trope-heavy, but at the same time I felt that Siddoway did a good job of making things unique and fresh, so it wasn't entirely consistent one way or the other.

Overall, I've given Windsworn four stars. This wasn't the most amazing thing I've ever read, but I really enjoyed it all the same and would absolutely recommend it. I look forward to book two!

*I received a copy of Windsworn in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the book.*

Buy the book: Amazon 

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Sky In the Deep by Adrienne Young

*Sky in the Deep will be published, Tuesday, April 24th!*

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young. Wednesday Books, 2018. Hardcover. 352 pages.

Sky in the Deep was a decent book overall, but personally it was mostly a huge disappointment as well. I was highly anticipating this Viking book with an awesome female lead and plot that made me curious, so when I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley I was beyond thrilled. But then I started reading it and I felt myself becoming more and more disappointed as each page went by.

It really pains me to have a write this review because of how disappointed I was. The biggest problems I had with this book were that, for me, it was dry, boring, and fairly predictable. The plot itself just felt very flat and really lacked anything deep enough to captivate me. There really was only one major plot line happening and a few minor others, but none of them held much weight for me and I found it slightly cliche'd. I wanted a lot more depth regarding the world and the clans and the people within them. I think part of the problem is that we spend so little time with Eelyn in her blood Aska clan in the beginning and almost immediately jump to her being with the enemy Riki clan. Because of this, we're left with very little feelings or loyalty towards the Aska, so I didn't really feel the same hatred or frustrations as she did being towards the Riki while she was in their clan. There just wasn't enough given to the reader in the way of varying perspectives to fully understand just how dramatic and difficult this entire plot and situation was for Eelyn and the Riki clan members.

The  main character, Eelyn, came across a cardboard character to me with very little personality. I had zero connection to her and I felt like I didn't know her at all, which also left me not really caring about her. She was also incredibly close-minded to pretty much everything and it drove me crazy how judgmental she was and how she refused to even think about deeper reasons for why certain events might happen; if it wasn't something she thought was right, she shut her mind and stuck to her stubborn ways. It was beyond frustrating listening to her thoughts throughout the entire story. Spoiler:

Then, when she finally decides to overcome the hatred between the two clans, she becomes upset with her father and friend for not immediately understanding it as well! It was beyond hypocritical.

Many of the other characters, such as her brother, Iri, were also not all that captivating and didn't do much for me to care about them, but there were a few that stood out. Inge and Myra, for example, were two characters that I liked so much more than Eelyn. I think a story about Myra would be fascinating, or even a story about Inge's backstory and how she is who she is today. I found them to have much more well-rounded and developed personalities than Eelyn, and I would have liked to know more about people like them.

Sky in the Deep had extremely odd pacing as well. There were bursts of action and violence in the beginning, a few briefs moments in the middle, and one more brief burst at the end. And in between the violence was... not much else. I don't mind books where there's nothing really going on, but there has to be good character development or at least something going on in the meantime, and that just didn't happen in this case. The other issue I had was with the romance between our main character and another character. It was just unnecessary. I know it was meant to show how Eelyn's character develops, but it just wasn't a great way to do that. I actually wish the romance had been between two other characters if it was necessary to have some romance, but I don't want to go into detail on my opinions there due to potential spoiler issues.

Despite the negative aspects, I did find the battle scenes really well written and I could actually follow them pretty easily, which was a nice surprise. And although Young's writing style wasn't overly gripping for me, I did appreciate her strong attention to detail throughout the book.

Overall, I've given Sky in the Deep 2.75 stars., rounded up to three. I really liked the Viking setting and that aspect, but I just wish it had been executed better. This story was lacking so much depth, and I'm really pretty disappointed by that. I realize that I'm in the minority on this one.

Buy the book:

*I received a copy of Sky in the Deep courtesy of NetGalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating of the book.*

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And I Darken by Kiersten White
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Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody. Harlequin Teen, 2018. Hardcover. 416 pages.

I ended up liking Ace of Shades a lot more than I expected to. I read Amanda Foody's debut, Daughter of the Burning City, and I was incredibly underwhelmed, which was really disappointing because I had such high hopes for it. Despite this, I still found myself really intrigued by the synopsis of Ace of Shades, so I thought I would give a shot anyway, and in my opinion it was a definite improvement from her previous book!

This story takes place in the New Reynes, more commonly known as the City of Sin. Within this city is a large divide between the North Side and the South Side, with the North being the more downtrodden area that is run by various crown gangs and the South side being the more 'reputable' area. Foody really seems to have taken her time in creating her world and giving it an extremely solid foundation. I would have liked slightly more detail regarding the larger aspect of the world, as well as how regular citizens lived, but overall I really enjoyed her worldbuilding.

One area that confused me about Foody's world, however, was exactly what time period this book was meant to take place in. I couldn't tell if it was just a made-up fantasy world with its own sort of time-period, or if it was meant to be a real-world time? There were modern elements such as cars, electricity, and other modern items, but the way that the clothing, mannerisms, and societal norms were described made it feel more early nineteenth/late eighteenth century. This doesn't really affect the story itself, but it was something that I kept questioning in the back of my mind and did leave me feeling somewhat uncertain throughout the book.

The main characters that we follow are Enne Salta and Levi Glaisyer. The supporting characters in this book were also very interesting, but didn't play quite as big roles as I would have liked, so I won't say all too much about them here. Enne travels to New Reynes in order to track down her missing mother, Lourdes Alfero, and is shocked by the loose morals that seem to be so prevalent. Enne herself is rather snobbish, pretentious, and has extremely strong manners, so it was entertaining to watch the culture shock that she experienced in this new, more uninhibited city. Once in New Reynes, she slowly uncovers more and more secrets about herself and her mother, and by the end of the book she must come to terms with who she really is. I found Enne's character development to be really well-done and well-paced. There was a very obvious transition as Enne goes from someone who refuses to do thing that aren't 'appropriate' to someone who realizes the world isn't quite as black and white as she thinks.

Levi is from New Reynes itself and lives on the North Side where he is the Iron Lord of the Irons crime gang. His gang is currently struggling with money and pressures are coming in on all sides demanding money, putting Levi in some dangerous situations. Enne stumbles into the company of Levi and he becomes her guide, and well... without spoiling anything, we'll just say that things start to take off at that point. Levi is tough, as a crime lord must be, but he knows how to wield his power in an effective manner that earns him respect. I really liked Levi's character, but I will say that it seemed as if Foody sort of talked up his danger and intimidation level. Levi certainly seemed like a guy I wouldn't want to mess with, but he hardly seemed as scary as everyone made him sound. I would call him a softer edition of Kaz Brekker. Despite this, I still really loved his character and the bisexual representation and the diverse representation.

I was really pleased with the pacing of this book. The story isn't overly fast-paced, but it isn't slow either. There seemed to be a wonderful balance of action and events that pushed the plot forward in addition to plenty of character development and focus on the more thematic elements of the story.

Despite all of the wonderful things about this book, I did have a few issues. One of my biggest frustrations was Foody's in-world word choices. For starters, 'missy' was used far too often in relation describe Enne. I'm not sure if it's just an in-world thing to call a woman a 'missy' or if this is actually done in some places, but this drove me crazy. Some examples that confused me:
 "I found this missy asking about the whiteboots and Pup"
"There's a missy here to see you"
"The missy in question sat on the couch, her back straight as a billiard rod, her legs resting to the side with one ankle tucked.."
"Terribly sorry, missy."
At first I thought a 'missy' meant a young girl, but then it was used in different ways and I was really unsure. I did a count on my Kindle and found fifty-one usages of missy, which is about fifty too many.

Also, Foody's made-up curse words were... not good. I am all for some good in-universe curse words that fantasy likes to do, but it has to be done really well, and this just wasn't. This might not be a big deal to many people, but it just really annoyed me. 'Muck' is one of the most common ones used, but it sounded so horrible because it really just sounds like a censored version of f*ck, which made it sound dumb. It drove me crazy. It was used in the same way as f*ck in most places, but there were a few where it sounded more like the word muck itself: "And walking straight into some muck." So how is this word supposed to be used? It confused me about as much as 'missy' confused me. I know this is just a minor gripe, but it was something that bothered me and sort of pulled me out of the story.

Overall, I still really enjoyed Ace of Shades and ended up giving it four stars! This is a fun, entertaining book with solid characters and an interesting storyline.

Buy the book: Amazon | Book Depository

*I received an ARC of Ace of Shades in exchange for an honest review. This has no effect on my rating.*

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Planning to purchase a book or two? Consider purchasing on Book Depository through my affiliate link! Book Depository has worldwide free shipping and millions of titles to choose from.

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You might also like:
The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen
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First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday: Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcet

First Chapter Tuesday is hosted every Tuesday by Diane over at Bibiophile by the Sea. This is meme in which bloggers share the first chapter of a book that they are currently reading or thinking about reading soon. Join the fun by making your own post and linking up over at Diane's blog, or simple check it out to find more new books to read!

I've had Even the Darkest Stars on my TBR for way too long now, so I am really hoping to get my hands on a copy and read it soon! All I'm hearing about this one are mountains, adventures, and an wonderfully unique premise. You can also find a synopsis over at Goodreads if this excerpt intrigues you! 

Even the Darkest Stars by  Heather Fawcett

Chapter One:

"I STRETCHED MY hands over the dragon eggs, focusing all my concentration on their indigo shells, and murmured the incantation. The air rippled and shimmered. 

I can do this. The thought was born of desperation rather than confidence. My fingers were frozen, my stomach growled, and my legs ached from hours sitting cross-legged. Behind me, the sheer slopes of Mount Azmiri, draped with cobweb clouds, rose to greet the gray sky. Beyond the narrow ledge I crouched on, the mountainside fell away as if hewn by an ax. The forest far below was hidden under waves of mist, with only a few treetops floating above the surface like skeletal ships. The wind stirred my hair and slid its long fingers down the collar of my chuba. I shivered. The faint light gathering over the eggs flickered and died." 

What do you think? Would you keep reading this? (And feel free to join in and make your own post!) 

If you're enticed by this chapter, be sure to check out the full synopsis on Goodreads!

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*Excerpt taken from the novel itself; I do not claim to own any part of the excerpt.

Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott

*Violet Grenade will be released May 2nd, 2017!*

Violet Grenade by Victoria Scott. Entangled Teen, 2017. 300 pages.

*I received an ARC of Violet Grenade courtesy of Entangled Teen and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Well this was an odd one! It's been a while since I finished this book, but for some reason I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. Violet Grenade was very similar to its title - it felt like an explosion of a story that was sort of thrown out there and left for us, the readers, to pick up the pieces.

Every concept in this story appealed to me, but I'd say the execution was maybe at a B+ on the grading scale. This felt like it wasn't quite ready for reading, like it had been quickly pulled together. Part of me really did like this book, but part of me also found it lacking... something. It was entertaining, but it just felt somewhat haphazard and almost rushed.

Domino was an odd character. I never really felt connected to her, despite this story being told in her first person narration. There was just some sort of disconnect that made it feel like I was watching this all from a great distance. I just felt that her character was inconsistent. In a way, that seems to fit with the notion of her being rather unpredictable, but it just didn't work for me overall. For instance, Domino repeatedly states that she hates to be touched, but every time she made that statement she was being touched by someone (a hug, a hand on the arm, etc.) she was thinking 'oh, this is actually okay,' which just didn't fit. I understood a lot of where her mental instabilities came from, but I feel that that entire aspect just wasn't developed as well as it could have been.

Then there's this 'Wilson' figure, and I just don't know what to say about him. I really started to like him more in the middle/latter half of the novel, but I juts didn't really get it, which I know is the point. He is supposed to be this enigmatic, 'other' presence in Domino's mind, but... what? I don't know. The ending confused me, I'll just leave it at that.

There is also a lot of girl hate and competition between many of the female characters, and I just became very frustrated by it. I understood the competition between to a point, but some of the extreme events that took place between the girls just didn't seem quite justifiable enough based on what I had read.

I also felt like Scott tried really hard to portray schizophrenia/mental illness/PTSD, and although I think that she portrayed it fairly well, I don't think it completely worked out how it was meant to. While these elements were present, they were never really addressed, so I'm not sure what I am supposed to feel after finishing Domino's journey. I am, however, glad to see how much work Scott went to try to portray mental illness in and similar struggles in such a realistic, raw manner.

The last thing I want to mention about this book is about the ending. I won't give away any specific details, but I just want to say that I was somewhat disappointed and felt that it was a bit too predictable. Nonetheless, this was a strong story overall and I am giving it three-and-a-half-stars!

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Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
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Blog Tour: First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy - Author Guest Post + Giveaway!

Hello everyone! I am happy to welcome you to today's stop on the First We Were IV blog tour, hosted by Brittany's Book Rambles! First We Were IV is an incredibly new YA thriller by Alexandra Sirowy that will be published July 25th. This book was such a pleasure to read, and I hope you all have a chance to check it out!  For my stop, I am pleased to share with you a guest post from Alexandra Sirowy herself, which you can find below the book and author information, as well as a tour-wide giveaway at the bottom of the post.

Huge thanks go out to Brittany from Brittany's Book Rambles, Alexandra Sirowy, and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful tour!

First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy

Publication Date: July 25th, 2017

Publisher:Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/2lx6UyI

Synopsis:

A group of friends start a secret society in this out-of-control thriller from the author of The Telling and The Creeping that examines the all-consuming love of lifelong friendship—and what someone is capable of when they’re afraid of losing it.

Izzie loves nothing more than her three best friends, Viv, Graham, and Harry, and the bond the four of them share. And she’s terrified of their friendship falling apart next year when they go off to college. To bind them together, she decides to create that will belong only to them, a special thing that they’ll always share between the four of them. And so they dream up the Order of IV, a secret society devoted to mischief that rights wrongs and pays back debts. At first, it works like a charm—but when the Order of IV’s escapades get recognition beyond their wildest expectations, other people start wanting in. And soon, what started as a game of friendship is spiraling into something dangerous and beyond their control—and before it’s over, they’ll pay the ultimate sacrifice.



Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository 

Author Bio:

Alexandra Sirowy is the author of the young adult thrillers THE CREEPING, the Bram Stoker Award® Nominated THE TELLING, and the upcoming FIRST WE WERE IV. Alexandra attended a women's college as an undergrad and received her graduate degree in International Studies. When she isn't writing, she loves to travel, read, eat, and get into mischief. She lives with her husband in Northern California.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Disclaimer: All content directly from First We Were IV (such as quotes and excerpts) is taken directly from an advanced reader's copy of the book. Therefore, it is not to be separately quoted from due to the fact that it is not in its final publication form. 

What we do for friendship…

The impulse for First We Were IV came from me wanting to write a thriller about friendship, a topic that I’ve been obsessed with for almost my whole life.

Way back when I was a plucky seven-year-old who got her first diary, I used to write short ghost stories, though not of the spooky variety. My stories always featured a live child and a ghost child meeting, becoming friends, and going on adventures. I was obsessed with friendship. I was also a lonely kid since we moved around a lot and I didn’t have siblings yet.

We finally settled in one place and I made friends in middle school who I’m still friends with today. The road was not smooth, though. I’ve always worn my heart on my sleeve when it comes to friends and that has led me into some embarrassing situations. Like, in the seventh grade, one of my best friends decided she was going to put on a Nutcracker Ballet, have it performed in her attic, and charge for tickets. I jumped up and down when she said she wanted to include me and cast me as the Snow Queen. Just one problem, I wasn’t a ballerina. I hadn’t danced since I got kicked out of ballet class at six-years-old for asking the teacher if class was almost over. What’s more awkward than a pudgy, uncoordinated twelve-year-old girl dancing in a white leotard? Said twelve-year-old girl in a leotard tripping and falling on one of the dancing snowflakes on opening night, all in the name of not letting her friend down.

These little embarrassments have made me think a lot about what friends do for one another. The four best friends in First We Were IV – Izzie, Viv, Graham, and Harry – have known each other since they were little kids. They’re the perfect storm of friendship. Izzie is spirited and funny, Viv is stylish and dramatic, Graham is brainy and sarcastic, and Harry is sincere and thoughtful. They’re on the periphery of everyone else’s social scene, and they couldn’t care less. Their entire universe revolves around their headquarters in Viv’s barn. So as their senior year of high school begins, they’re worried about what’s to come. Will they text every day in college? What if they’re replaced by newer, shinier friends. What if without living in the same town, they drift apart?

Izzie proposes a solution. The four should invent a secret society so that they’ll always have something tying them together. And the secret society won’t be for nothing, it will have meaning, vigilante-pranks it plays to improve things. What ensues is a story of friendship, love, revenge, murder, and secrets.

While writing First We Were IV, I couldn’t help feeling that I was writing the friends I needed as a high school student. The kind of friends who make a universe and who you risk everything to protect. 

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Tour Schedule: 

Week 1

March 27: Brittany's Book Rambles - Intro Post + Excerpt
March 28: YA and Wine - Most Mischievous YA Characters
March 29: Rattle the Pages - Nail Art
March 30: Book Nerd Addict - Inventing A Secret Society
March 31: Fables Library - YA Books with Secret Societies

Week 2

April 3: Emily Reads Everything - Fancast
April 4: The Eater of Books - History of Secret Societies
April 5: It Starts At Midnight - Author Guest Post: FIRST WE WERE IV vs. Alexandra's Previous Books
April 6: BookCatPin - Mystery YA List
April 7: A Book and a Cup of Coffee - Moodboard

Week 3

April 10: The Book Buzz - YA Thrillers You Need to Know About
April 11: The Candid Cover - Bookworm Initiation Quiz
April 12: Girl in the Pages - Book Recs for First We Were IV Characters
April 13: Stories and Sweeties - Author Guest Post - Story Behind the Title
April 14: Little Lillie Reads - Playlist

Week 4

April 17: Literary Legionnaire - Favorite Quotes
April 18: Chapter by Chapter - Author Guest Post: Secret Society Initiation Rituals
April 19: Tales of the Ravenous Reader - Secret Societies You Never Knew Existed
April 20: YA Book Central - Author Guest Post:  3 Favorite Books About Secret Societies
April 21: The Bookish Feels - Author's March Favorites

Week 5

April 24: Waiting For Wentworth - Author Guest Post: Secret Society Rules
April 25: The Reader and the Chef - Book Inspired-Recipe
April 26: Forever Lost in Literature - Author Guest Post: What We Do For Friendship
April 27: Flying Through Fiction - Favorite YA Friendships
April 28: One Way or an Author - Phone Wallpapers

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And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2016. Hardcover. 352 pages.

I read this book back in December, but since I never got around to posting my review then, I'm posting it now!

And the Trees Crept In was definitely creepy and I liked it a lot. I'm not very much into the horror genre, but I had such a great time reading this book it makes me want to read so many more books like this!

What I loved most about this book was the overall tone and attitude. I was increasingly drawn to the vivid descriptions of Silla and her sister, Nori, as they wasted away inside the house. It was done in an extremely realistic manner, which made it that much more haunting. The beginning of the book was a little difficult to get into, but I decided to plow through and eventually things started to fall into place.

I would easily describe Silla as an unreliable narrator, and I think that adds to the creepy nature of this book in major ways. Her narration is presented in the form of various journal entries, so the entire experience is very personal. As a reader, we're never fully sure what is actually happening or what is real and what is not. Kurtagich clearly knows how to write intense plot lines and settings, and I could slowly feel the hysteria begin to set in as the story progressed and Silla began to fall into her own madness.

There were a lot of themes related to consumption, such as starvation, finding food, having no appetite, and being unable to eat because of digestion issues as a result of starvation, all of which added an element of authenticity to the story. For much of the story, the girls struggle to find food, and this notion seems to drive so much of the story - their hair becomes weak and falls out, her teeth grow bad, her stomach rejects food, she begins to lose her mind. A line seems to be drawn between whether or not all of these things are being caused by the lack of nutrition or supernatural things occurring.

The ending was really kind of disappointing, but quite frankly I"m not sure how else it would end. Personally, I felt that the overall concept of the ending was somewhat predictable, but it fit the story. I have a lot of thoughts on this ending that I would love to go into more detail to discuss, but I would like to avoid any spoilers in this review, so I'm going to refrain from doing so.

Overall, I have decided to give And the Trees Crept In four stars!

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Slade House by David Mitchell
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Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco. Jimmy Patterson, 2016. Hardcover. 326 pages.

Even though I had heard numerous positive things about this book, I will admit that I was ever so slightly skeptical of this book because of it being from James Pattersons' new imprint, Jimmy Patterson. I know that's probably wrong of me, but I'm really not a big fan of James Patterson as a person, so I wasn't sure if this would be quite what I was hoping. My preconceptions, however, were fortunately proven wrong, and I enjoyed this book a lot.

Stalking Jack the Ripper is horribly disturbing and gory, so if gruesome crime scenes and vivid descriptions of autopsies and the like are not up your alley, I would recommend you maybe pass this by. If you are okay with that, or you want to give it a try, then Stalking Jack the Ripper is perfect.

Audrey Rose is the female narrator that we have all been waiting for. She is extraordinary witty, bold, and absolutely willing to call men out on their sexist, idiotic behaviours toward women and the ways in which they believe women should be treated. She is not about to let men treat her as if she is inferior or weaker than them, and I loved her attitude. However, I was also somewhat annoyed by her naivete - you know, like wandering around at night when there have been horrific murders, assuming you'll be safe. Really?  And sometimes the feminism seem a little too 'hit-you-over-the-head-with-it,' but I guess I can't particularly complain about a strong female character.

I also really grew to love Thomas. At first, I wasn't a huge fan, as I felt like he was similar to every other young adult boy in his snarky manner, but I eventually discovered that actually was different and had quite a bit more to offer. Him and Audrey Rose make a great team, and I thought they worked together throughout the book really well.

I felt that the character development of each individual character was written exceptionally well, and I enjoyed watched Audrey Rose develop as the story progressed. The plot pacing, however, did seem to slow here and there throughout the middle of the story, but fortunately Maniscalsco is entertaining enough to keep me entertained, even through the dry spells. I also found the ending slightly predictable, which was a bit disappointing, but that doesn't detract from the telling of this story.

Something that stood out to me in a somewhat negative way was the dialogue. In the beginning of the story, at least, I felt as if the dialogue was a bit too... modern. The characters seemed to talk as teenagers talk today, which really unsettled me and made it difficult for me to adapt to the book and its time period. However, I think that as the book went on, this problem seemed to go away, so either I got used to the dialogue, or there were legitimate shifts.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had its moments that seemed overly dramatics or contrived, but in the end, I can't help but say I loved every second of this book.

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You might also like:
The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin
A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess
The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh