Review: Eliza and Her Monsters

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.25 stars. I liked this one better than Made You Up, and I quite enjoyed Made you up by the same author. One thing I really like about Zappia is that she writes stories about young girls dealing with serious issues (depression, anxiety, even schizophrenia) and presents both how difficult it can be and how it is not all of who they are. They are normal girls who want normal things, but have to learn how to deal with their mental health as well. And aren't we all?

I loved the illustrations throughout this book and how it celebrated fan culture. Several books have done that recently (Fangirl, Geekerella), and this one is definitely one of the best.

I can't wait to read more by Zappia! It was definitely one of the best I've read recently!

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Review: Red Queen

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this a lot more than I expected to! It was predictable and full of tropes often found in YA as I expected, but I didn't enjoy it any less because of it. It was very similar to many other popular dystopian fiction, but if you liked Divergent, Red Rising, The Wrath and the Dawn, etc., you will probably like this too. It was still very fun!

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Review: The Sun and Her Flowers

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was very similar to her first collection of poems, but I really enjoyed this one as well. This collection focused a bit more on her parents immigration and on self-acceptance, which I really liked. I liked how she wrote about more than just romance in this book, and my favorite poems were the ones about "investing in the right people," community, and not focusing so much on the negative. As I said before, I am looking forward to seeing what her poetry becomes as she matures, although I can see already how she's matured between her first and second book. Reading her writing has made me want to read more poetry, so I'm going to be on the lookout for others like her!

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Review: Made You Up

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very solid four-star read. I loved reading about the main character, Alex, and her journey as she deals with schizophrenia. She was a really unreliable narrator and honestly, even after finishing the book, I'm not entirely sure what was real and what was a part of her delusions. Still, she was likable and headstrong. She was unafraid to stand her ground and tell people what she thought (unless it related to her mental illness). She had a great group of friends and she dealt with her illness in what felt like and honest and authentic way. As far as I know, it is not an Own Voices novel, but I've listened to people who have suffered from visual hallucinations and schizophrenia (I'm not sure if it was diagnosed or not) who have said that Alex's experience spoke to their experiences as well. I liked that (view spoiler)[ she recognized that she needed help and sought after it, even though she really didn't want it (hide spoiler)]
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was thoughtful, fun, and just the right mixture of serious and upbeat. I also just realize that Francesca Zappia wrote Eliza and Her Monsters and now I CANNOT wait to read it! I might read it right away actually because I own it and I have been looking forward to it. Actually, I'm going to go get it right now . . .

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Review: The Darkest Corners

The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a decent book that probably deserves more than the two stars I am giving it, but I personally thought it was just okay. I think that many would probably give this book a three or four star review. Had I been in a different mood while reading it, I may have as well. However, I just felt like I couldn't wait to get through it. I had to read it for Battle of the Books and I honestly just wasn't in the mood to read a mystery. Mysteries tend to be a bit hit or miss for me anyway, because I'm easily scared and can't read them at night. I love a good Agatha Christie, but much more than that and I can't sleep if I've read it before bed.

This wasn't too bad, but it started reeeeaaaaallllly slow. I read the first 100 pages and just kept feeling like I couldn't get into it. Finally, I decided to skim the middle third and then really read the last 40 pages or so. While clearly not the best way to enjoy a book, it was what I could handle at the time. Honestly, I'm just relieved that I got it over with. However, I don't want to deter anyone else from reading it. I think it really seems like a pretty good book, but I just was not in the mood for a mystery or reading something because I had to. I hope I enjoy my next required reading for Battle of the Books more!

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Review: Milk and Honey

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a poignant little book of poetry. I think it is something that many can relate to. I've spoken to teenagers at the high school I work at that have said they read some of the poems over and over again. I probably would have too if I had read this when I was still in high school or college.

However, I did feel like I am a little bit past the time in my life that her poetry would resonate me quite as deeply. A lot of this felt like things I would have thought or felt before my married years, but it is not relatable to my life as it is now. I'd love to see what she writes if she marries or becomes a mother, because she certainly has a way of writing short, powerful poetry. I am just at a different point in life than she is. I think that as she matures, her poetry will too. I am looking forward to reading her newest collection, The Sun and Her Flowers next!

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Review: Red Rising

Red Rising by Pierce Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My husband read this a couple of years ago and has been trying to get me to read it ever since. There was a lot I really liked about it. It was brutal at times, but always for a purpose (usually to demonstrate the cruelty of the world Darrow lives in and the need for change). A lot about it reminded me of The Hunger Games. Since I liked The Hunger Games, that was a good thing, but I do hope the story develops more and differs more in the later books.

The audiobook narrator was good. At first I was surprised that he read with an Irish accent, but then I got used to it. He was pretty expressive. I liked the main character most of the time. Occasionally I felt that he thought too much of himself, but that may be what he needs to lead his people.

I am looking forward to the rest of the series!

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