Monday, July 29, 2019

[Review] Expelled by James Patterson and Emily Raymond

Expelled by James Patterson and Emily Raymond

Rating: 3 stars

Published Date: October 23rd 2017

Goodreads Synopsis:
One viral photo.Four expelled teens.Everyone's a suspect.
Theo Foster's Twitter account used to be anonymous--until someone posted a revealing photo that got him expelled. No final grade. No future. No fair.
Theo's resigned to a life of misery working at the local mini-mart when a miracle happens: Sasha Ellis speaks to him. Sasha Ellis knows his name. She was also expelled for a crime she didn't commit, and now he has the perfect way to get her attention: find out who set them up.
To uncover the truth, Theo has to get close to the suspects: the hacker, the quarterback, the mean girl, the vice principal, and his own best friend. What secrets are they hiding? And how can Theo catch their confessions on camera?

Expelled ended up being a darker, modern version of The Breakfast Club. And I loved The Breakfast Club, so I expected to enjoy this, too. It's got a very 80s vibe (with the resurgence of 80s everything in media these days!)

Friday, July 26, 2019

[Review] A Thousand Pieces of You and Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

A Thousand Pieces of You and Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

Double Review
Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis:
A Thousand Pieces of You
Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite's father is murdered, and the killer—her parent's handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.
Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul's guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father's death is far more sinister than she expected.

Ten Thousand Skies Above You
Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse—even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions. 
Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul’s soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she begins to question the destiny she thought they shared.

As I haven't reviewed either of the two books of the Firebird series, I decided to combine this into a dual review. Granted, I also read the first book in the summer, so let's see how good my memory is!

A Thousand Pieces of You tells the story of Marguerite Caine, the artistic daughter of two genius physicists, who uses her parents' invention, the Firebird, to travel to alternate dimensions in order to avenge her father, who was apparently killed by his student, Paul Markov. The Caines' other student, Theo Beck, accompanies her on this journey, and realizes that the mystery behind her father's killer is more complicated than she thought.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

[Review] Internet Famous by Danika Stone

Internet Famous by Danika Stone

Rating: 3 stars

Published: June 26th 2017

Goodreads Synopsis: 
High school senior and internet sensation Madison Nakama seems to have it all: a happy family, good grades, and a massive online following for her pop-culture blog. But when her mother suddenly abandons the family, Madi finds herself struggling to keep up with all of her commitments.
Fandom to the rescue! As her online fans band together to help, an online/offline flirtation sparks with Laurent, a French exchange student. Their internet romance—played out in the comments section of her MadLibs blog—attracts the attention of an internet troll who threatens the separation of Madi’s real and online personas. With her carefully constructed life unraveling, Madi must uncover the hacker’s identity before he can do any more damage, or risk losing the people she loves the most… Laurent included.


Given the importance of modern technology on our lives, I'd say this book was pretty relevant. Ten, twenty years ago, I wonder if people thought online connections feasible. But with Tinder and all that extremely well known, it happens.

Monday, July 22, 2019

[Review] A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi (The Star-Touched Queen #2)

A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

Series: The Star-Touched Queen #2
Rating: 4 stars

Published: March 6th 2018
Goodreads Synopsis:
Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom's enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they'll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes - a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.
Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.
Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there's nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.


After the confusion that was The Gilded Wolves, a series separate from The Star-Touched Queen, I wasn't sure what to expect with A Crown of Wishes, but I'm so happy that I returned to this magical world.

I've read 3 of Roshani Chokshi's books, and I can say her writing shines when romance is the primary fixation of the story. I think I enjoyed A Crown of Wishes just as much as I did the first book in this series. This time, we focus on Maya's sister Gauri, who is captured by neighboring kingdom Ujijain. To save Bharata and her best friend, she teams up with the Fox Prince Vikram, in a mystical Tournament of Wishes, where nothing is as it seems.

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

[Review] Descendant of the Crane by Joan He


Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Rating: 4.5 stars

Published: April 9th 2019
Goodreads Synopsis:

Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own.
Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father’s killer, Hesina does something desperate: she engages the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death... because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.
Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

This was actually wonderful. A courtroom drama that gave me Death Note vibes.

Hesina, now the Queen of Yan following her father's death, seeks to avenge the late king by seeking out his murderer. However, she slowly realizes that she might not like the answer the closer she is to the truth. She is accompanied by her loyal family - Lilian and Caiyan, her adopted siblings (Caiyan is actually her advisor), and Sanjing, her younger brother and general to the country's army. She is told by a soothsayer to seek the help of an imprisoned criminal who is more than what he seems - Akira. She pardons him, and he becomes her representative in a trial in search for the truth.