The Biased Bibliophile

Book Review: With You All the Way

Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

One of my favorite books from last year was The How and the Why by Cynthia Hand, so when I saw that she had another book coming out this year, I immediately added it to my TBR list. While With You All the Way wasn’t as good as The How and the Why in my opinion, it was still a cute and lighthearted read!

The book is about 16-year-old Ada, who finds her boyfriend cheating on her shortly before her family leaves for a vacation in Hawaii. Ada is convinced that her boyfriend cheated because she wasn’t ready to have sex with him, so when she catches her mother cheating on her stepdad with a work colleague, she is livid. Ada then uses her 16-year-old logic and decides that her best course of action is to have sex just to get it out of the way. Everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn’t she?

This book portrays Ada’s struggles and experiences in such a heartfelt and genuine way. While it tackles some intense themes, it is not really a dense or heavy read. It was fun reading about Ada’s life and watching her find her way back to her family. I would have liked some actual romance in the book, but it was not completely necessary.

Overall, reading about the ups and downs of a teen navigating family and relationship drama was actually pretty touching. Although there wasn’t necessarily anything in this book that made it particularly memorable, it was a cute story and a quick read. I definitely recommend it for anyone who is a fan of the YA or Contemporary genres!

Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic Trilogy

Genre: High Fantasy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐2/3

Almost everyone who reads fantasy novels has either read or heard of this trilogy by V.E. Schwab. When A Darker Shade of Magic first came out, I was intrigued by the cover, but I did not have much free time to read, so I passed it up. When I heard that Owlcrate was doing a set of 4 book tins based on the books, I figured it was probably time to read them. Overall, I don’t necessarily think this series lives up to all the hype it typically receives, but I still think it was worth reading, especially if you enjoy fantasy.

The first book in the trilogy, A Darker Shade of Magic, was a solid 4 stars for me. It introduces a complex magic system, interesting characters, and a compelling storyline. For anyone who is unsure of whether or not they want to commit to the entire trilogy, I would recommend reading the first book, and if your rating is lower than 4 stars, this might not be the series for you. By the end of the first book I was mostly intrigued by Lila’s character. The first book generally doesn’t leave you hanging, but I was definitely left wanting to read more about Delila Bard!

The second book, A Gathering of Shadows, lost me a bit. Overall, I found it slow and tedious. I understand that the author essentially used the second book to better explain the magical system and for character development, but literally nothing happens until the last few chapters of the novel. The one positive of the second book, which kept me reading, was that Lila’s character becomes more complex and you see a lot more of her personality compared to the first book. A Gathering of Shadows certainly filled my desire for seeing more of Lila Bard. In the first book she is an interesting character, but the second book adds so much depth to her. All in all, the second book is surely my least favorite out of the series, but if you enjoy the first, it is probably worth plowing through the second.

The final book in the trilogy, A Conjuring of Light, was another 4-star read for me! The characters are brought together in the plot and it is action-packed throughout its entirety. There is more development of the characters and the magic system, but the constant action was what truly kept me reading. I won’t give away any spoilers, but the characters must come together again to save Red London, and they spend a lot of the book on a quest in hopes of finding something that will help them save their city.

All in all, I frequently see people asking whether or not it is worth it to read this trilogy. I personally think that these books were worth reading simply because they are a classic within the fantasy genre, but I will warn you that you likely won’t be blown away. These books are interesting, but not world-shattering. With so many rave reviews of this trilogy I really expected more, but they were decent and now I can finally say that I’ve read them!

Book Review: Red Wolf

Genre: YA Fantasy, Fairytale Retelling Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A fairytale retelling where Little Red Riding Hood is the wolf? Sign me up! I recently read an ARC of Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent, and if you enjoy retellings with a twist, this book is definitely for you!

Essentially, the book is about a girl named Adele, who lives in a small village surrounded by the dark wood, which is a dangerous and mystical forest. On her 16th birthday Adele’s mother sends her into the dark wood, presumably to visit her grandmother, but when she is attacked by a white wolf and she suddenly transforms into a red wolf, she is quickly thrust into a world she has been raised to fear. Now tasked with the immense pressure of hiding her family’s secret while also protecting her village, Adele feels as though there is no longer any room in her life for all her previous hopes and dreams, but is she really willing to give up the life she wanted?

Red Wolf is set to come out on July 27th of this year, and honestly I’m surprised that I haven’t heard more hype about it! Like, where are all the fantasy-lovers at? You’re missing out if you don’t read this wonderful book! There were so many aspects of the novel that I enjoyed. First off, the plot keeps the story moving and makes it extremely hard to stop reading. I stayed up late reading this book because I absolutely needed to know what would happen next.

Also, I have to admit that I have never read a retelling in which Red Riding Hood is also the wolf. That spin on the original fairytale gave the story more depth and made the characters more interesting. Since Adele is not only the innocent Little Red, but also the Big, Bad Wolf, she has the unique attributes of being both the monster and the victim. Rachel Vincent did an exceptional job of blurring the lines between monster and victim and between right and wrong. The morally grey characters and situations in this novel truly make it special.

The one thing I didn’t love about the book was the protagonist, Adele, but I will admit that this is likely due to her immaturity, which is typical for a 16-year-old girl. Adele was constantly trying to find a way to live out her dreams despite her responsibilities and sometimes refused to recognize the reality of her situation. While this was immensely frustrating and annoying as a reader, it certainly accurately reflects Adele’s age and life experiences.

I adored most of the other characters in the novel! Max was extremely likeable, despite the circumstances in which he is introduced in the book. Although the book mostly focused on Adele’s point of view, the other characters came alive through her experiences. While it would have been nice to have a little more depth to some of the characters, leaving the focus on Adele’s narrative made the story feel more realistic, as if it were truly a 16-year-old girl telling the narrative.

Finally, while there wasn’t necessarily any astounding world-building, Vincent made Oakvale and the surrounding dark wood 3-dimensional. The creatures that live in the dark wood sound terrifying, but also fascinating. Like Adele, I know I should be afraid of the dark wood as a reader, but I want to explore the unknown just as much as she did!

So mark July 27th on your calendar because you won’t want to miss out on this adventurous and whimsical book!

Book Review: Summer Bird Blue

Genre: YA Fiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of contemporary literature, but when The Novel Neighbor recommended books with asexual main characters, I knew they wouldn’t steer me wrong! Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman was one of their recommendations, and it was absolutely stunning!

Essentially, the novel is about a girl named Rumi, who’s mother sends her away to live with her aunt in Hawaii, after her sister, Lea, tragically dies in a car accident. The book follows Rumi as she tries to cope with the overwhelming grief from losing her sister and having her mother abandon her. Rumi is determined to do one last thing for her sister by writing the song they had started, but how can she finish the song if she can’t find her way back to the music?

On the surface, this book is such a simple story, but it is so beautifully written, and that’s what makes it truly stand out. Rumi’s friendship with Kai and her hesitant bond with Mr. Watanabe goes to show that grief is not something that should be dealt with by oneself. Although Rumi feels alone throughout most of the novel, her relationships with her neighbors and her aunt slowly help her heal.

While the fact that Rumi is asexual takes a back seat to her grief, it is still a vital part of the story. She reflects on heart-to-hearts with her sister when she was confused about her identity, or not wanting to label her sexuality, or simply feeling like she was different from everyone else. The novel focuses a little on Rumi’s asexuality, and perhaps the best part about it is that the character who support her through her grief also accept her for who she is.

Overall, this book is wonderfully written and it will certainly tug at your heartstrings. It is a quick read, but definitely not a light read. I highly recommend this book to everyone, especially if you’re looking for a good book with asexual representation!

Book Review: Enduring Freedom

Genre: YA Fiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Whenever an author sets out to write a book, they usually have a goal in mind of what they want the reader to take away from it. Jawad Arash & Trent Reedy tackle an immensely emotional topic, and most certainly achieve their goals of showing readers what life was like for Afghans and members of the U.S. military, shortly after 9/11.

This wonderful novel is from two points of view: Baheer, an Afghan teen, and Joe, a soldier in the U.S. Army, who enlisted at 17-years-old, shortly before 9/11 occurred. Baheer struggles with finding his path in life. While he desperately wants an education, he is often faced with the practical issue of needing to work on his family’s farm to support them financially. After 9/11 Baheer sees an opportunity to improve his English when he meets Joe, but he soon finds out that associating with the U.S. soldiers may come at a higher price than he can sacrifice.

On the other hand, Joe did not expect to be called to war when he enlisted in the Army, but after 9/11 he enthusiastically accepts his orders to go to Afghanistan. He is ready to take revenge on the people who caused 9/11, but when he arrives in Afghanistan and finds out that his mission is not to kill the people who attacked America, but to protect the Afghans and help them resist the Taliban, he is not sure how he should feel.

Trent Reedy was extremely honest about his own prejudices against Afghan people and he portrays these biases through Joe’s character. Arash’s and Reedy’s voices work together throughout the novel to convey a seamlessly genuine narrative. Both of their characters show that a person’s identity cannot be defined by a stereotype.

Honestly, I’ve put off writing this review because I feel as though there are not enough words to describe the profoundness of this book. This beautiful story demolishes so many harmful stereotypes that have been perpetuated throughout the years since 9/11, and the empathy that this book urges people to embrace is potentially world-changing.

So many people have been affected by the war in Afghanistan, Afghans and Americans alike. We all likely have preconceived ideas of what the war is like and how lives are affected, but this book forces us to accept the sometimes painful realization that most of us only know of the stereotypes. It demands that we take a step back to reexamine our beliefs about Afghan people, about the U.S. military, and about war itself.

I’ll be the first to admit that I read a lot of good books, so I end up having a lot of 4-5 star reviews, but once in a while I find a book that truly touches my heart. This book is one of those that will forever be etched into my memory and it will definitely go on my “Books Everyone Should Read” shelf!

Book Review: White Smoke

Genre: YA Horror Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Whenever an author ventures from their typical genre, it can either be disastrous or wonderful. When I saw that Tiffany D. Jackson wrote a horror novel, I was certainly intrigued since I adored Monday’s Not Coming. Overall, Jackson’s risk of writing a new genre paid off in my opinion because White Smoke was a fantastically chilling horror novel!

Just a heads up, it is a good idea to check all the trigger warnings for this book on The Storygraph or whatever website you use because there are many. Just to name a few, the book discusses addiction, anxiety, and has a relatively vivid description of an overdose. Again, please check all the content warnings before reading! I will be discussing anxiety a little in this review.

So, the book starts out with our protagonist, Marigold, and her family moving to a new house. Mari is not too happy about the move, but is trying to prove to her mother that she is stable, since part of the reason they had to move in the first place stems from Mari’s struggle with anxiety. Oh, and to make this transition even more difficult, Mari’s new husband, Alec, and his 10-year-old daughter, Piper, move in with them too.

So what’s the catch? Well, the new house they moved into might just be haunted. Mari is the last person who wants to admit this, but strange things keep happening, such as doors opening and closing on their own, lights being turned on or off when no one is home, and objects mysteriously moving or going missing. As if that is not enough to deal with, Mari suspects that The Sterling Foundation, who’s founder owns the house her family moved into, may not be as enthusiastic about restoring their city as they seem to be. However, Mari is almost powerless to solve these problems if she wants her mom to trust her again.

One aspect of this novel that I ended up really enjoying was that Mari has anxiety. Many authors will mention that a character has anxiety, but that never really affects the character, but Mari’s anxiety affects almost every aspect of her life. It is refreshing to read about a character who not only received professional help for an anxiety diagnosis, but who also wasn’t miraculously cured. Mari’s anxiety and the way she relates to it and copes with it throughout the novel really add depth and sincerity to Mari’s character.

I don’t read many horror novels, but when I do, they typically don’t feel really scary to me. However, this novel had the opposite effect on me! It had me checking closets and looking behind shower curtains. I really felt like Jackson transitioned to the horror genre flawlessly.

Additionally, Jackson wrote a compelling backstory for the town Mari moved to and added other aspects to the story that make you question Mari’s reliability at times. Every good horror story has a local myth or legend and White Smoke does not disappoint. Trust me, when you discover the history of the house Mari moved to, you will have chills too!

Finally, while the ending of the novel was a little abrupt, I enjoyed the twist. It maybe wasn’t necessarily the most original plot twist, but the descriptions made it feel more lifelike and Jackson adds another, smaller twist that is quite unexpected. All in all, this was a quick and fun, yet disturbing read. Whether you’re a fan of Tiffany D. Jackson already or not, you will definitely want to pick up a copy of this book!

Book Review: Indivisible

Genre: YA Fiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you’re like me, you constantly search for books that give you a window into other lives. When browsing new releases at my library, the cover of Indivisible by Daniel Aleman originally caught my eye, and when I read the description I was hopeful that I had discovered one of the windows I was looking for. I was not disappointed!

Indivisible is a heart-wrenchingly genuine story about a boy named Mateo, living through the trauma of his parents being detained by ICE. Mateo and his little sister, Sophie, suddenly have to fend for themselves and are faced with the very real possibility of losing their parents. On top of that Mateo’s situation is further complicated by attempting to maintain friendships without letting anyone know about his struggles.

I thoroughly enjoyed so many aspects of this book! First of all, the characters are well-developed and likeable. The reader gets an in-depth look into Mateo’s mind, and you feel as though his adversities are your own. Not only is he forced to cope with the sudden loss of his parents and having to care for his sister, he must deal with struggles that many teens go through, such as finding comfort in his sexuality, figuring out what he wants to do with his life, and juggling friendships.

Probably the thing I adored most about the book was that it seems to portray Mateo’s struggles in an extremely genuine and real manner. Daniel Aleman does not sugarcoat the ordeal of Mateo’s parents being detained and shows issues that many people do not necessarily think about. I won’t spoil the ending, but it was also very realistic.

If you’re looking for a book that makes a prominent statement about immigration and how deportation works in the U.S. while also showing a relatable family, then this is the book for you!

Book Review: The Woman They Could Not Silence

Genre: Nonfiction Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As a huge fan of The Radium Girls by Kate Moore, I was stoked to read an ARC of The Woman They Could Not Silence by the same author, from NetGalley! I wondered whether or not Moore would be able to deliver again, after writing such a profoundly moving debut book, and I’m ecstatic to say that my worries were completely unfounded. Kate Moore’s second book managed to grab my heart and tug it every which way, while captivating my thoughts, and sometimes literally stealing my breath out of shock!

Whenever I read a nonfiction book about a specific person in history, I often ask myself, “Why this person?” The answer to this question was clear from the beginning of The Woman They Could Not Silence because Elizabeth Packard’s story needed to be told, and I honestly can’t think of a better person to tell it than Kate Moore. Moore tells Packard’s story in such a vivid and personal way that, as a reader, it felt as though I not only knew Moore, but also Packard. To seamlessly combine Packard’s own words with Moore’s prowess as an author is an outstanding feat of talent!

This moving book follows Elizabeth Packard throughout her adult life, as she is unjustly committed to an asylum after expressing her own opinion. Moore shines a light on the way Elizabeth refused to stand by as a victim of her circumstances, and instead chose to live a life advocating not only for her personal rights, but for the rights of all women and mentally ill people. The objective story of Elizabeth Packard’s life by itself would be astounding, but Kate Moore gives details and depth to this story that make it feel genuine, urgent, and heart-shattering.

There were so many moving parts to this story, it was clear that a lot of research and skill were necessary to transform it into the masterpiece that it is. Kate Moore painted a lucid image of Elizabeth Packard’s life, including aspects of the time she lived in, relating to the law, mental health, family dynamics, small town life, the media, and more. These details give the reader a 360° view of the specifics in Elizabeth’s life. So many of these aspects are dramatically different today than they were in Elizabeth’s lifetime, but Moore bridges the gap by giving the reader a complete conception of life for a woman in the 1800s.

While I could ramble on about so many fantastic aspects of this book, the part that stirred my heart the most was the beautiful way that Kate Moore conveyed Elizabeth Packard’s sense of sisterhood. Reading about the determination Elizabeth felt to help her fellow women imprisoned in asylums was almost indescribable. Her willingness to fight for others and her unwavering love for women facing struggles she herself faced, brought me to tears. This story most definitely could have been told without including Elizabeth Packard’s feelings of sisterhood toward other women in asylums, but it would have been desperately incomplete. The way Moore incorporated this aspect of the book spoke to that sisterhood within me, as I think it will speak to the sense of sisterhood inside women everywhere!

SciFi Saturdays: We Could Be Heroes

Genre: SciFi Rating: ⭐⭐

One of my many weaknesses related to books is that I cannot help but to choose books based on their covers. Ultimately, that is the reason I picked up We Could Be Heroes by Mike Chen. While the synopsis also sounds great, the book was extremely disappointing.

There were 45 chapters in this book, and of those I would say I thoroughly enjoyed maybe 5, at the most. I felt like the characters were contradictive and highly unlikeable. Not to mention that there were a ton of editing errors. While this aspect was not a huge deal, it is annoying as a reader when you literally lose count of the editing mistakes in the book.

Most of the time while reading this book I had to force myself to concentrate and often found myself bored. I’ve mentioned in other reviews that if a main character might die, I should feel something as a reader because, by the end of the book, I should feel some emotional connection to the characters if the book was written well. However, I did not feel anything when the characters were in mortal danger and may or may not have died (I don’t want to spoil it in case you choose to read it).

Overall, I love a good science fiction novel, but sadly this book does not fall into that category in my opinion.

Book Review: Not Here to Be Liked

Genre: YA Romance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You know how there are some books that slightly incorporate feminism into the story and other books that take it 1,000 times further and feminism takes over the book? Well, Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach definitely falls into the latter category, and I’m all for it! This book is possibly my favorite so far this year!

The novel follows Eliza, a Chinese-Vietnamese-American girl who is determined to be the Editor of her school’s newspaper her senior year. She is not worried about this though. She knows that she is the only candidate that has put her whole heart into the newspaper, and factually, she is the most qualified. However, Eliza’s world falls apart when Len, a former baseball playing jock, smooth-talks his way into winning the position she had her heart set on.

This book is so much more than girl meets boy though! When a personal rant Eliza wrote about losing the election gets posted to her school newspaper’s website, she is suddenly forced to confront this problem, not as a personal issue, but as a feminist one. Her schoolmates quickly go from calling her a feminazi to following her lead, when Queen Bee, Serena Hwangbo, gives her support to Eliza’s cause. As the story progresses, Eliza realizes she might have feelings for the boy who started this whole mess. Can she really feel that way towards Len after everything he did? And if she does, would that make her a bad feminist?

Not Here to Be Liked is not only an adorable love story, but also a commentary on the struggles within feminism. This book truly forces you to ask yourself: What does it mean to be a feminist? It raises so many issues within feminism, such as racism and classism within the movement, well-intentioned men who unknowingly perpetuate misogyny, and the disappointing realization that the patriarchy is often cute.

Seriously, this book addresses so many issues, from the way it is considered taboo to talk freely about feminine hygiene, to the problematic way that boys’ voices are often validated more than girls’. When Len plays the Knight in Shining Armor, Eliza is torn between feeling wooed and not needing to be rescued. She struggles with the genuine issue of falling in love while also maintaining her feminist values.

On top of that, the characters in this novel are extremely complex. Eliza herself has a very intricate background, and she expresses turmoil over reconciling her cultural and family background. Also, Winona, who is the best friend that we frankly all need in our lives, raises many issues about feminism and People of Color. She expresses unease about participating in a demonstration at school because she doesn’t want to be seen as the angry Black woman. AND that is validated by other characters!!! This was such an important aspect of the book because often Black woman are told they are overreacting when they raise a concern like this, but I was pleasantly surprised when the other characters supported Winona in whatever decision she made.

I could literally go on about this book for days, but I won’t bore you with all my gushing. Instead, you should definitely pick up a copy of the book when it comes out on September 14, 2021, so you can experience all the joy of this book yourself. This is truly a book that everyone should read because it sincerely challenges readers to examine their own beliefs about feminism and what it means to be a feminist!