Start Date: June 13, 2020
End Date: October 21, 2020 I read this last summer during the BLM protests as a continuation of my desire to educate myself, a white passing and half-white latina of Puerto Rican descent. This book was super helpful and super educational. I have 138 highlights on my Kindle and it's a book I think I'll definitely re-visit every once in a while. This book challenges your perceptions on race and what race affects in America. It's eye opening and challenging, but in a good way. It can be difficult to read as you confront these realities that you may not have had previous exposure to, but confronting and sitting with your discomfort is the first step to unlearning your own biases unconscious or not. Being anti racist isn't a once and done deal, it's a continuous journey of learning and unlearning, taking correction, listening, and standing up. It's important to realize the scope of how racism and race affects us on the daily, or how it affects other people and gives them a life experience so vastly different than our own. If you are open minded to or honestly desiring to learn about race, racism, and how to begin your journey to being an active anti racist, but don't know where to start, start here. This book is a great beginner to that journey and I highly recommend it. Overall I give this book a 5/5 Goodreads link
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So....I decided to re-read this book last year, it's one of the series that I come back to every once in a while and re-read. I know the series gets a lot of hate because of the movies (I hate the movies so I get it), but I absolutely love the book series.
Do I need to write a summary? It's a well known book about a human girl who moves in with her dad and accidently becomes involved in the supernatural world when a vampire in her class, the love interest Edward, is extremely attracted to the scent of her blood. At first they don't like each other yet they're drawn to each other, and once they decide to stop resisting that connection they fall in love. Bella becomes more and more entrenched in the supernatural world and as a result her life is constantly in danger, a risk that Edward always feels guilty about and eventually decides that he's no good for her. So I love angst, and there's tons of awkward teenage angst which might be a huge reason why I love it, there's also werewolves and vampires, which I also love. I do think the relationship was a bit toxic at times, but in general they were really in love with each other and I am definitely team Edward (sorry Jacob). It's a great narrative, with amazing storytelling, lots of angst, and some mystery. It's a series that defined the Millennial generation as well as elder Gen Z, and no matter what anyone says, I'll always love it. Overall I give the book a 4/5 and recommend anyone who hasn't already read it (even if you've seen the movies) to give it an honest try. Goodreads link. Start Date: September 15, 2020
Finished Date: September 16, 2020 Don't walk, RUN to read this book (if you haven't already because it's kinda popular in the book world). I absolutely loved it and I really need to get the second book soon. Okay, so magic is kinda illegal. By the order of the king Maji were killed, the practice was outlawed, and now anyone with the capacity to become a maji, marked by their white hair, are hassled and oppressed by the government. Zelie's mother was a Maji and she's dead, leaving her family struggling, realing to survive in this new unjust system that targets them, and leaving Zelie mad and eager to fight back. Zelie gets the chance to go on a mission to bring magic back but she has to accept the help of a rogue princess to evade her brother, the crown prince whose mission is to completely get rid of any remaining magic in the land. Zelie struggles to control her powers, fulfill her mission, all while falling in love with the enemy (the princess). The storytelling was so good it was hard to put the book down! I loved the struggles of the main characters and how they overcome their obstacles. The plot twist at the end of the book leaves you wanting more, which is why I'm super glad there's another book. I'm a sucker for sapphic stories and I think this was the first non-fanfiction wlw story that I read and it did not disappoint. Falling in love with the person you're supposed to hate is a wonderful trope and it really delivered. It gives what needs to be gave. Overall, I give this book a 5/5 There's so many great quotes and themes in this book, it's worth the read, worth the hype, I couldn't wish for a better fantasy book. Goodreads link. Honestly, I think I picked up this book because of the pretty cover and because I loved the idea of a samurai story with a female main character, but in practicality I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I was going to.
Like most historical fiction stories with women as the main characters, ours is betrothed to a man she's never met and does not really want to marry, but she is on her way to do her duty to elevate her family's status by marrying above her station when her caravan is attacked. She narrowly escapes her assassination and disguises herself as a boy and sets off on a journey to discover the truth behind the attack and to bring honor back to her family and to herself. She infiltrates herself with the group that was sent to murder her and struggles to find her place as a boy who is weak and inexperienced as an obvious noble. For the first time she is valued for her intellect, a door previously closed to her when she presented as a female. Our main character slowly finds out the truth and on that journey she ends up falling in love too. The reason I didn't like it was because the writing was a bit disappointing and the dialogue was also a bit weird sometimes. It's a series but I'm not sure if I want to continue it. I probably will because it did leave off on a cliffhanger, and I hate leaving series unfinished, even if it takes a few years for me to get to it. I gave this story a 2/5 rating, but if you want a little ancient Japanese culture and an angsty gender-bending undercover noblewoman then go for it I guess. It just didn't meet my expectations and it definitely disappointed me, so maybe don't go into it expecting too much. Goodreads link. So this book was an ARC (advanced readers copy) that Shadow Mountain Publishing sent me. I really enjoyed the book in general but there were some aspects to it that I didn't enjoy as much.
So Shadow Mountain Publishing has a genre category called Proper Romance, you might have heard me talk about it before with a different book from the same genre that I reviewed for them before, which means that it's romance but there's no sex scenes or smut, it's all proper and decent. It is a part of a series but it functions well as a stand alone book, so reading the first two books isn't necessary. The book is a historical fiction romance, with all the misogyny inherent in the time period, which is important to the plot because it directly impacts how our main character moves through her world. I loved Lady Sabrina, she has a great backstory that tugs at your heartstrings and was just generally the silent reality of many woman at that time. A slight trigger warning because Lady Sabrina comes from an abusive marriage that she is stuck in at first, until she becomes a widow and is set free. Sabrina decides to do good with her wealth and freedom and to secretly use the identity of a man to be the last chance for young men from good families who have fallen into immense debt and have no other hope in paying it off (which would be life-threatening). She'll offer to pay off their debt in cash if they'll sign a contract and agree to her rules (the whole time the men think that their savior is a man keep that in mind). Her rules are designed to help the young men get sober, find a job/learn responsibility, and get back on their feet. She takes them out of the situations that cause them to gamble and borrow money and sets them on a path to redemption and success if they'll put in the work. Then comes our love interest, Harry Stillman. Lady Sabrina owes him a favor from a long time ago, so when she sees him beaten up in an alley after her alter ego has offered him a chance and he signed it, she has him taken to her home to recover and rest so that he can fulfill his end of their bargain. Harry poses a unique threat to her heart so she keeps him at a distance, but he eventually begins to tear down the walls around her heart. It's a good, slow romance, I just didn't like Harry's actions or personality, and therein lies my problem with the book. Overall it was good, I just wish Harry was a more likeable character. I give this book a 3/5 stars. I definitely think it's worth reading if you like romance, especially if you want romance without the smut. The plot was good and clean, perfect for Christian readers (it has Christian undertones/themes) and is a good story of redemption. Goodreads link Date Started:June 09, 2020
Date Finished: June 13, 2020 This is kind of a throwback because I forgot I had my sister take these pictures for me as I was reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely in the park by my house. My hair no longer looks like this and I have a whole new vibe so.... This book review is going to be short because I read it a long time ago and I'm trying to recall it to the best of my ability. Okay, so I do remember liking this book. It's the first of a trilogy of fairytale retellings. I thought that the twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale was fun and brought new life to a story that you've heard and seen over and over again. Harper (the Beauty) isn't the first girl that's been brought to possibly break Prince Rhen's (the Beast's) curse, but she will be his last chance. Harper is a survivor, a disabled survivor who hasn't had an easy life and now she's been brought to a strange place by a strange man named Commander Grey who is only the servant of Prince Rhen, the man she is being brought to. Harper remains brave, though sometimes reckless in her bravery, and as she discovers the true reason for her being there, she decides to do her best to help no matter what. The storytelling is captivating and the characters vibrantly written. Harper has a physical limitation but she doesn't view it as a weakness. Prince Rhen periodically turns into a monster and terrorizes his villages, unable to die, desperate to break his curse both for himself and to save his people from himself. When Harper and Rhen finally come together, magical things happen, but not in the way you might imagine. All in all I love the spin/twist of this retelling and I'm excited to read the rest of the series (eventually). I give it a 4/5 stars and I definitely recommend it if you love fantasy, fairy tale retellings, or would like to try either for the first time or for the first time in a long time. It's definitely worth the read and I highly recommend it! Goodreads Link Hello lovelies, as you can see, I haven't posted a book review in over a year. Lots has happened in that time and I sincerely apologize. It's my goal to get back to posting regularly, as I have a huge backlog of books that I need to write reviews for. If you follow my goodreads then you know that I have still been reading, just not posting reviews.
I feel a life update is necessary before I start writing reviews because these life events will influence how I write my book reviews from here on. Yesterday was National Coming Out Day as well as Indigenous Peoples Day and earlier this year I came out as a non-binary lesbian (she/they). You might have noticed that most of my prior book reviews have had a homophobic undertone or that I was reviewing as a Christian with warnings about content that other Christians might deem inappropriate. Yeah...so....that was me repressing my sexuality and internalized homophobia and now that I'm out of the closet and have embraced my identity I will no longer be reviewing in that way. I turned 20 this past July and I am now a Junior in college, and recently my mom was in a bad car accident where she totaled her car and fractured two vertebrae as well as broke her tailbone. I very suddenly became a caretaker for her so now I'm balancing taking care of my mom, school, and work. Which has recently culminated into me failing my Chemistry test this morning due to not having enough time to study. Am I partially using this book review blog as a way to pretend that my life hasn't fallen apart a bit? Maybe...don't judge me for it. Anyways, I'm excited to start sharing book reviews as I want them and without a religious filter, just me and my honest opinion. I hope you guys enjoy the onslaught of book reviews coming for you, and if you do, don't forget to like, comment, and share with your friends as well as follow me on social media for more book content or just Rachel content. Thanks! P.S. I started writing short stories on TikTok (@rachel.moffett) which has turned into longer, more detailed short stories on Wattpad (All The Lonely People by aLittleBirdyToldMe12) and ao3 (All The Lonely People by aLittleBirdy01), check them out if you're interested! Hello my lovely book bees!
I know this is being posted in July, but I read this book and wrote this review in early June. I've owned this book for a while, but hadn't gotten to it. After the riots and protests surrounding George Floyd started, I decided (like many of you probably did) to start educating myself further. I had some knowledge and some education on the topic, but no where near enough. Before I begin the review of the actual book, I want to do a preface. I've lived most of my life in the South (with the exception of two and half years where I lived in China). My dad is white and my mom is Puerto Rican and a person of color. My skin is white and so I self identify as a white-passing Latina woman of Puerto Rican descent. I've never experienced racism personally in the USA - I have in China, but no one should have to experience racism and live in fear in their own home country - and thus I can never fully understand the experience and life of a person of color. I stand with and support the Black Lives Matter Movement and believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. I believe it is my ethical obligation as a Christian and as a person of white skin, to do so. I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the CampNOW Nonviolence365 Leadership Academy the summer that I graduated from high school at the King Center. I had the amazing privilege of meeting and talking to Dr. Bernice King (the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.). It was there that my eyes were widened and that I began to understand and become aware of the black experience in America and the injustices that persist to this day. But my education in this topic is not complete, I'm not sure it ever will be. So I bought books. And they've been sitting on my shelf, but now I'm pulling them out. It's overdue, and I'm sorry that it took George Floyd's death and a global pandemic, but change is change and I'm fighting to change myself and then, by extension, others. So You Want to Talk About Race is a great starter book for beginning the conversation/fight against racism both in yourself and in society at large. It's an introduction to the issues. It's easy to read, easy to understand, and has sprinkles of humor that I cherished because the subject material is heavy. It's heavy and uncomfortable, but every bit necessary. I have so many tabs sticking out of this book. And there are so many pages that I took my highlighter and just highlighted the whole page (or whole pages). I took about a week or two to read it because I was trying to take it in chunks so I could digest it easier. I would recommend taking that approach: reading maybe a chapter a day so you can digest it and meditate on it and self-reflect. If you are even the slightest bit curious about race in America, or race in general as it pertains to the struggles and experiences of Black people and people of color, as well as the injustices and issues that are still prevalent and being fought today, this is your book. It's the best introductory book for this topic and I'm glad it's the first one I decided to read. (I'll probably be reading How To Be An Antiracist next) Please read it. Even if you don't think you need to, even if you think you aren't a racist or racism doesn't affect you at all, you seriously just need to go read it. No excuses, go read it. Some quotes (there are a lot but I've whittled it down to 5):
Extra Links: Hello my lovely book bees!!!!
Side note: I've been so productive writing these overdue book reviews and scheduling them! I feel on top of the world! I know I'm not the most consistent blogger, but I'm going to get better (eventually) I promise! I think the problem was that I was convinced that in order to be a good book reviewer and write good reviews, that they had to be long and detailed, and that made me not want to do it because it would be too time consuming. So I found myself procrastinating. And instead of enjoying this, I was dreading it. Once I came to the realization that it's MY blog and I can make the reviews however long I want to do them and I don't have to stick to a specific format...it lifted a huge burden off of my shoulders and I found myself more excited to write. So I had writer's block...kind of....but self imposed????.....????? Onwards!!!! I found this book at my local Books a Million (during quarantine) and decided to purchase it because it was on sale and I've seen it circulating in the book community (though I suppose I'm a bit late on the trend). I almost never buy books brand new. I normally wait to buy a used book (because it's cheaper), or wait for a book to be put in clearance. God bless that clearance section of YA novels at the beginning of the Books a Million. Every time I make a purchase from that store, it's from the clearance section. You gotta do what you gotta do to read y'all, even if that means spending your hard earned money on discount books and not feeling guilty about it because it's the only way you're able to actually buy books. I chose this book because I wanted a book where people have elemental powers. I don't know why, but that was the vibe I wanted, so I picked it up to read. Out of my guilty (guilty because I bought too many clearance books lol my poor bank account) book haul, I chose to read this one first because I was feeling an elemental vibe and that's what I was in the mood for. And guys, Frostblood did not disappoint. Think fire verses ice, xenophobia, genocide, a forbidden romance, monks, gladiators, and a long history of corrupt and crazy kings, cursed thrones, and mythology turned truth. Key words and phrases that don't make much sense to you now, but actually summarizes the book pretty well. THE PLOT WAS AMAZING. I was hooked. I love the Romeo and Juliet style romance, which is slowly built (I think it could also be a semi stereotypical hate to love cliche). I just adore how they help each other grow and develop as characters/people and test each other. It's kind of like iron sharpening iron (sometimes painfully) but the end product is beautiful. Frostblood has elements of historical fiction - kind of - what I mean by that is that there are kingdoms with kings, royalty, nobles, and courts. And a gladiator kind of deal, also a monastery. You guys know me. I love anything that is even slightly medieval, and this has a slight medieval vibe. Guys, seriously, go pick up this YA novel. It's absolutely great. There's a second book, and it's officially in my Goodreads want to read list. Side note: If you want to be an absolute saint and offer to buy me a book (or specifically the next book to this trilogy), I will love you forever. Or if you want me to read a certain book that you really love, you can buy it for me or send it to me and I will give you a shout out on my socials and on the book review for the book you gave me. Also if you want to send me mail at all in general that would warm my heart. Just saying. Anyways, my work email is [email protected] also feel free to message me below or on any other social media account related to this blog. Side note: My goal for 2020 is to have 100 subscribers, and as I'm writing this I have 25. Which is 1/4 of my goal. If you are reading this and you haven't subscribed, or you're not sure if you have but would like to, please go to the contact page and put in your info under the subscribe section. I would appreciate it so much! And if you wouldn't mind sharing this book review (or any other book review that you like) to your friends and social media and encourage them to subscribe as well that would be great!!!! If I make my goal of 100 subscribers by the end of this year, I will be releasing my first merch (Rachel's Book Reviews stickers). Extra Links: Hello my lovely book bees!
Let's dive right in shall we? I've never really been one for romance. In fact, most of the time I steer clear of books that have the word romance on the cover or are in the romance genre. Don't get me wrong, if I'm reading a book that happens to have romance in it (like Divergent), I don't mind, in fact I swoon! But it seems that books marketed 'romance' are raunchy and inappropriate. They are unwholesome and you seem to see a lot of half naked guys on the covers. But that's why I like Shadow Mountain Publishing's Proper Romance genre (I have yet to find a book from this publisher that disappoints - seriously, will I ever stop singing their praises....probably not). The Proper Romance genre means that all of the romance books will be wholesome, not raunchy, and theirs nothing inherently scandalous or inappropriate in them. I find that refreshing, don't you? In a world that hypersexualizes females, it's great to read something from a category that gives romance a real meaning. That gives women and men their dignity back. I appreciate that 100% and I know that whenever I pick up a book from the Proper Romance category at Shadow Mountain Publishing, I know that I'm getting a good book with a wholesome and inspiring romance. Now, about the book itself. I got serious Pride and Prejudice vibes - the 2005 movie (with Keira Knightley) not the book - and I love that. I have a low key obsession with books like Little Women, and the movie version of Pride and Prejudice. Something about those time periods calls to me. I love the aesthetic of it all. And so I absolutely love that this book is placed in one of those old time settings. Even more, I love that the two protagonists can't stand each other at first and then fall in love, all while trying to help their siblings vie for a rich man. Honestly, what's not to love? They have a sort of competition, both fueled by unmitigated needs, yet end up becoming vulnerable to each other in their struggles and in an unforeseen set of events, end up confessing their love and being together despite the odds. I couldn't get enough. If you like historical fiction, romance, or both, this book is definitely for you. It's 100% safe for Christians, and thus definitely safe for any person of the general populace. Even strict parents should have trouble finding much wrong with this book, but feel free to read it for yourself first. You'll enjoy it as much as your teenage daughter will. And it's a light read, didn't take me too long at all. So if you have some time (which you should since it's summer and we're in the middle of a pandemic), or you're bored, this book is bound to light up your days! Go for it!!! Extra Links: |
About the AuthorHi, I'm Rachel, and I'm here to share reviews of books with you so you can know what to read next! Archives
October 2021
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