Author: megs14malloy

Review: Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations #2) by B.B. Alston

~ megs14malloy

Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations, #2)Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amari and the Great Game is the 2nd-book in B.B. Alston’s Middle Grade Fantasy series, Supernatural Investigations.

The 1st-book in the series, Amari and the Night Brothers, completely stole my heart when I read it in 2021. It was one of those spectacular cases where the story meets the hype. It was just as great as I had anticipated.

It was one of the most engaging Middle Grade stories I had read in a while and I was excited for more!

Amari and the Great Game released in August of 2022 and because I had listened to, and enjoyed, the audiobook for the 1st-book, I wanted to continue with that format moving forward with the series.

Y’all, the library loan wait was real. She was long.

It finally came through at a time when I could utilize it; my annual Thanksgiving solo-road trip. Perfection.

The well-narrated audio was a great way to pass the hours, and the miles. I was swept up again into this world and loved the new aspects and feel that Alston delivered.

This story follows Amari after the tumultuous events of the 1st-book. Her life has completely changed and she finds all sorts of new responsibilities and worries on her plate.

We deal a lot in this one with magicians and the sort of negative associations many in the Bureau have of them. We also get treated to the Great Game, a magical competition, that puts all competitors at risk.

I will say, for me, this did have a different feel than the first book. I think mainly because of the nature of the story. Amari has grown up so much since the 1st-book and she’s now a fairly confident and astute young practitioner, who knows how to fight the good fight. It’s bittersweet.

In the 1st-book, her character was more the kind that you want to shelter and protect. She was like a baby bird, who has now grown so much, she’s ready to leave the nest.

Because of that, I don’t think I was able to form the same emotional attachment to the story. Hence the 4-star rating here, versus the glowing 5-stars of that 1st-book.

Also, middle book syndrome being what it is, this did feel like we were building a lot towards something. With this being said, I am really looking forward to the 3rd-book, which I expect to be absolutely epic.

Regardless of my slight, and I do mean very slight, diminished enjoyment, this is still hands-down one of the best Middle Grade Fantasy series on the market currently. If you haven’t started it yet, and love this genre, you need to.

Alston knows how to bring the action and the world-building is so well done. This is sure to have you at the edge of your seat, cheering for the heroes and wishing you were there alongside them.

I can’t wait to see where Amari’s story goes from here. She’s an absolute forced to be reckoned with and I know at the end of the day, she’s going to make me, and her family, proud!

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Review: 15 Secrets to Survival by Natalie D. Richards

~ megs14malloy

15 Secrets to Survival15 Secrets to Survival by Natalie D. Richards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

💚💛💛💚💚💛💛💚💚💛💛💚💚💛💛💚

15 Secrets to Survival is a Middle Grade Survival Thriller and is a Middle Grade debut for beloved author, Natalie D. Richards.

I have enjoyed quite a few YA-stories from Richards, including Five Total Strangers and Four Found Dead, so I was very excited when I learned she was going to be branching into the Middle Grade genre.

I always enjoying seeing what an author I have enjoyed can do in a new space. It can be hit or miss, but this one was definitely a hit for me.

As expected, Richards brought some serious thrills and intensity to this, while also bringing the humor and softer moments you would expect from a Middle Grade story.

We follow a group of four kids, Baxter, Abigail, Turner and Emerson, who have sort of been forced together their whole lives due to their parents all being friends. Truth be told though, they sort of drive each other nuts.

After they get in trouble at a school for fighting with one another, they’re forced to participate in an extracurricular project that will push them outside of their comfort zones, and will hopefully get them past their differences.

The goal is to get them to work together. At least that is what their parents and teachers want. We’ll see…

The four get taken to a remote wilderness location and dropped off with Baxter’s elderly Uncle Hornsby, who used to run a wilderness camp for kids. The parents seem to think he is just the person to get these kids in line.

The kids are shocked. It’s cold, it’s rustic, it’s in the freaking middle of nowhere. Are they seriously getting left here with this eccentric old man?

Just like that though, it happens. Their parents leave and their true adventure weekend begins. Using pages from a survival notebook, the kids begin a sort of scavenger hunt through a series of challenges that wins them more pages to the notebook as they go.

The notebook truly clues them in on how to survive on their own in the rough terrain. After Uncle Hornsby appears to go missing though, it’s a race against the clock as inclement weather closes in. They need to try to survive themselves, as well as find Uncle Hornsby before it’s too late.

Will the kids be able to work together to get everyone safely through the weekend, or will their past disagreements and hurts get in the way?

I did really enjoy this story. I found Baxter’s perspective fun to follow, although there were some repetitive jibes towards Uncle Hornsby, particularly in the beginning, that I didn’t find as funny as I think they were meant to be. Other than that though, I did enjoy getting the entire story through Baxter’s narration.

The kids each excel in different areas and that fact initially is sort of seen as a reason why they don’t get along. I liked watching each of the kids be able to bring their strengths into the weekend and I think it helped them to all gain a new respect for one another.

You definitely go on a journey with these kids and it seriously does get intense. There were moments, I wasn’t sure how they were going to get past certain things. I loved watching the evolution of their relationships through it all.

I loved the survival aspects as well. Richards included pages from the notebook the kids were following through their challenges. I liked the way those pages were displayed and the level of information they presented.

I also liked the use of a storm approaching to up the intensity of the plot. I thought Richards did a great job building-out the setting, creating a dangerous atmosphere and adding a bit of suspense. This one definitely got my pulse-racing in multiple scenes.

I also grew attached to these characters. I loved the growth they each displayed and I ended up feeling proud of them for everything they overcame by the end.

I would definitely recommend this to any Middle Grade Readers, particularly if you like Survival stories, or Thrillers that feature inclement, winter weather.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a blast and I hope Richards continues to write in the MG-space. If she does, I will absolutely be reading it!

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Review: Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

~ megs14malloy

FurthermoreFurthermore by Tahereh Mafi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

💜💛🧡💜💛🧡💜💛🧡💜💛🧡💜

Furthermore has been on my shelves since its release in 2016. Y’all may remember, this was a darling of BookTube upon its release and also, look at this dang cover.

I had to have it.

But then like many books before her, she sat on my shelves, neglected for years.

Recently, I participated in a Middle Grade Readathon and one of the prompts was the read a book that had been on your TBR for a long time. I immediately thought of this one and am so happy that I finally picked it up.

This whimsical Fantasy story follows Alice Alexis Queensmeadow, who you can probably tell from her name alone, is all sorts of adorable. But as adorable as she is, Alice is grappling with a lot since her Dad disappeared.

Alice’s Mother didn’t cope well with her Dad’s disappearance and has really pushed Alice away. It’s not a warm and fuzzy relationship. Because of that, Alice feels pretty alone.

When a boy from her past, Oliver, arrives and offers her the chance to find her Dad, even though he irks her, she has to go. She has to agree and she does.

They set off on an adventure through the magical lands of Furthermore. An adventure that Alice hopes will finally reunite her with her Father. As they progress though, it becomes unclear, is Oliver being truthful with her? What is his motive? Does he actually know where her Father is?

Even though I had a hard copy of this book, I decided to listen to the audiobook. I was so delighted when I learned that Bronson Pinchot was the narrator. I had no idea that he even narrated audiobooks, but you better believe now that I do, I will be seeking more out.

He was such a fabulous narrator for this story, because the story is told by a literal narrator. His voice brought the whimsy and the fun and I felt like he was talking to me one-on-one. It was really well done and I definitely recommend.

I was swept up into this story. I loved following along with Alice and Oliver as they traveled through the different towns in Furthermore.

It’s funny, I’m not sure what it was, perhaps the smart writing and word play, but this reminded me a lot of reading The Phantom Tollbooth as a child. It was just magical.

Additionally, I loved the themes that Mafi explored. This is a story that can be read by kids, or adults. There’s so much to appreciate. I was shocked by the level of emotion I felt from this story. Seriously, I went through the gamut.

Alice is one of the most lovable characters I have read in a while. I could feel her uncertainty and loneliness. It made me want to hug her and tell her everything would be okay.

In spite of her challenges though, I loved that she never gave up. She was willing to do whatever she had to for the possibility of reuniting her Dad. It was great.

If you’ve had this one on your shelves for years like I did, don’t put it off any longer, pick it up as soon as you can. You won’t regret it!

I hit every single emotion reading this.

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Review: In Charm’s Way (The Witches of Thistle Grove #4) by Lana Harper

~ megs14malloy

In Charm's Way (The Witches of Thistle Grove, #4)In Charm’s Way by Lana Harper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

In Charm’s Way is the 4th-installment of The Witches of Thistle Grove series by Lana Harper. This is an Adult Romance series with a witchy-twist.

For those unfamiliar with the series, the books are companion novels. They take place in the small, magical town of Thistle Grove, following the same timeline, but each book focuses on different main characters.

In this story, we follow Delilah Harlow, who we’ve met before in previous books, and Catriona Quinn, a new character from out of town.

As the story kicks off, Delilah is struggling in the aftermath of an event that caused a serious disruption in her memory. It’s worse that just her memory though, it’s her brain in general. It’s not functioning at the level it once did. It’s highly frustrating for the once uber-independent Delilah.

She’s had to rely more on family and friends to make her way through every day responsibilities. At wit’s end, Delilah, in desperation, attempts a mysterious blood spell said to harness healing capabilities.

It’s crazy dangerous, Delilah isn’t even sure of the true origins of the spell, nonetheless she gives it a try. At this point, she is willing to do anything to get her life back.

While the spell does seem to work for the most part, it has an unexpected side effect. It basically turns Delilah into a magnet for certain types of supernatural creatures that previously hadn’t frequented Thistle Grove.

For example, the malevolent Succubus that attacks her one night. Luckily, a gorgeous and mysterious stranger, Cat, arrives in the nick of time and frees Delilah from the Succubus embrace.

Delilah is intrigued by Cat from the start. Cat, half-human, half-fae, is sultry and intriguing. That initial interaction is all it takes to draw the two of them together. What follows could not have been predicted.

I enjoyed this. I was happy to be returning to Thistle Grove and to be reunited with some characters I have previously enjoyed. This series is one of those that, even though none of them have knocked my socks off, I still have fun picking up and will continue to do so for as long as they are published.

I can’t help but compare the books in the series to each other as I am coming up with my rating. For me, this romance wasn’t very compelling for me and additionally, I found some of the plot points to be a little muddled.

My favorite part of this was learning more about the history of Thistle Grove. We learned a bit about the origins of the town and how the magic came to be there.

I did also enjoy Delilah’s journey. She had a rough road, but I think she learned a lot and I did see growth for her character. Maybe a little bit of peace as well. Her recovery from the brain injury has been tough and I appreciated the examination of that topic.

I think for me the only issue was Cat. I didn’t care for her and didn’t understand, besides her undeniable hotness, why Delilah would be so interested. Personal opinion on Cat aside though, I think it does make sense in the context of the story Harper created.

We all know fae are a little above and beyond and that they tend to wreck a little havoc wherever they go. We also know they’re irresistible…

With this being said, Cat grated on my nerves and I’d be happy if I never read another scene with her in it again. Harsh? Maybe a little, but that’s me.

One thing Cat did bring though, that I wouldn’t turn away in a further installment, was the heat. Maybe I am imagining it, but this felt like the steamiest of the books thus far. I may have even blushed for a moment.

At the end of the day, I am glad that I picked this up. I find this series to be comforting and easy. I also always enjoy discovering which characters we are going to follow and what romance tropes are going to pop up.

I would recommend The Witches of Thistle Grove series to anyone who enjoys whimsical, low-stakes romance stories with solid witchy-vibes.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I hope there are going to be more books in this series. I need more Thistle Grove romance!

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Review: The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

~ megs14malloy

The Curse of Penryth HallThe Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a Gothic Mystery mostly set at a large manor home in the Cornish countryside.

We follow an American heiress, Ruby Vaugh, who after a scandal back home, gets sent to live in Exeter, where she helps run a cozy bookshop.

One day Ruby is given an assignment to go deliver a box of books to a folk healer living in Cornwall. It just so happens her destination will take her to the doorstep of Penryth Hall, where her once dear, now estranged friend, Tamsyn, lives with her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth.

Ruby hasn’t seen Tamsyn since her wedding. The women didn’t part under the best of conditions and there’s a lot of tension simmering just under the surface, but Ruby feels compelled to reconnect nonetheless.

The property itself feels dark and stifling. There’s not a lot of lightness flowing through the corridors. Tamsyn is a mother now and her young son seems to be her pride and joy. Her husband, however, not so much.

After a tense and uncomfortable dinner, Ruby isn’t sure what to think. It seems Tamsyn has gotten herself into a bad position, but how can Ruby possibly help? Tamsyn is an adult. She made her choices.

For her part, Ruby can’t wait to get out of there. She’ll spend one night and then go, back to her life in Exeter. Ruby’s plans for leaving are dashed though when Edward’s dead body is discovered the following morning in the orchard.

The state of the body point to the most gruesome of deaths. Shortly thereafter, talk of the curse begins. Ruby is puzzled by this. Surely, these people don’t truly believe that a curse killed Sir Edward?

She begins to look into it. She wants to prove that a person, a real human being in the flesh, must have killed Edward. And if they did, anyone in Penryth could still be in danger, including Tamsyn and her son.

She ends up teaming up with the person who brought her to Cornwall in the first place, Ruan Kivell, the folk healer, known to the locals as a Pellar. Although Ruby isn’t sold on his brand of healing, she can’t help but admit when he begins to help her in big ways.

Will the two of them be able to put their differences aside long enough to discover what happened to Sir Edward, or will their bickering get in the way?

The Curse of Penryth Hall was a delightful surprise for me. I’m an Atmosphere Girlie, first and foremost, and this entire story was dripping in it.

I also loved Ruby as a main character and the chemistry between her and Ruan, and I don’t even mean that in a romance way, just the overall dynamic between the two of them, was fantastic. Their back-and-forth; the pull and push of their relationship was so fun to watch.

I enjoyed the gothic vibes and having Ruby being a plucky, outspoken protagonist seemed perfect for the setting. She was almost like a fish out of water, but ended up really becoming invested in the goings-on of that little village.

I also really enjoyed how Armstrong played this out. It had a lovely is it supernatural, is it not feel to it that I always enjoy. I thought it was well paced and the mystery was intriguing.

The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was the relationship between Ruby and Tamsyn. I didn’t like Tamsyn, so didn’t really get why Ruby seemed so attached her. I guess I just didn’t get enough of their history to have their relationship make sense to me.

Overall, this was just a really good, solid mystery with fantastically-gothic vibes. I had a lot of fun with the setting, story and characters.

There were a few statements at the end that lead me to believe this could be the first in a series. Personally, I would be super stoked if that were the case. I would love to follow Ruby on more adventures.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historically-set mysteries with heavy gothic vibes. I would also definitely recommend it to fans of Hester Fox, or Sarah Penner.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. The Curse of Penryth Hall releases on December 5, 2023!!!

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Review: What We Harvest by Ann Fraistat

~ megs14malloy

What We HarvestWhat We Harvest by Ann Fraistat
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

What We Harvest, a 2022-debut from Ann Fraistat, is a YA-EcoHorror novel set in the farming town of Hollow’s End.

We follow Wren, a teenager, whose family descends from one of the founding families of the town and is well known for their rainbow wheat fields.

Each of the founding families has their own unique, somewhat magical crop. For decades Hollow’s End has flourished. Tourists come from miles around to marvel at the miracle crops. That is until 5-months ago, when the blight set in, ruining crops, animals and people alike.

Now the town is at the edge of total destruction, with curfews and quarantines in place, there’s no more marveling at the crops. It’s all running and hiding for your life.

After Wren’s parents fail to return from helping at a neighbor’s farm, and Wren gets herself in a bit of a pickle, she needs help. She ends up having to call the last person she wants to reach out to, her ex-boyfriend, Derek.

Unfortunately, Wren and Derek will have to put past issues behind them in order to survive. In fact, the teens may be the last hope for Hollow’s End. Will they be able to stop the blight before it gets them as well?

What We Harvest is a cracking debut. I love small towns filled with big secrets, and not only did this town harbor a lot of secrets, they were also very dark and dangerous ones.

This story kicks off very quickly, with the blight already having been taking over the town for a while. I liked Wren’s perspective right away and learning about the blight, as well as the history and dynamics of Hollow’s End.

You know right away that something very dangerous lurks here, hiding in the woods during the day, but you don’t really know what. I loved the ominous tone this sets. Right from the start, you know to be on edge.

Scattered amongst the more dangerous scenes, we also get some quieter moments, reflecting on Wren and Derek, and the various relationships in their lives. It was a nice balance between those more personal moments and the intensity of what is going on with the blight.

I enjoyed Wren and Derek’s relationship a lot, as we got to the bottom of what was really going on between them. I also liked learning about the founding families and the lore that surrounds how the town came to be.

Those elements did remind me of The Devouring Gray. If you enjoyed that book, I do think that you could really enjoy this. Another one with similar vibes would be Burn Our Bodies Down, although I did enjoy this story more.

The entire drama of this narrative played out so well. I feel like it was paced brilliantly and did have some super intense, edge-of-your-seat, nail-biter moments.

The Horror elements were well executed too, particularly in regards to the effects of the blight. There were definitely moments I was truly scared for these characters that I had grown attached to.

Overall, this was a great reading experience and I’m sure glad that I finally made time for it.

If you are a fan of any sort of Eco-Horror, YA or Adult, I think this one is worth giving a try. There’s some interesting elements in here that could keep you up at night. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!

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Review: The Heroes (First Law #5) by Joe Abercrombie

~ megs14malloy

The HeroesThe Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Heroes is the fifth-book in Joe Abercrombie’s First Law World. This is an Epic Grimdark series that sucked me in from the very first book and hasn’t let go.

Best Served Cold, the fourth-book in the series, is one of my favorite books of all time and while I was excited to move forward in this world, I was also a little nervous. How could anything live up to that?

The truth is, this didn’t surpass Best Served Cold as far as my enjoyment went, but it was still a bloody brilliant story more than worthy of a 5-star rating.

At its heart, this is a story of war. The players, the action, the strategy, the outcome and the aftermath. We examine portions of each. I loved that it felt like a giant game of chess; moving players around the board, shuffling up alliances and allegiances.

The war is between the Union and the Northmen, lasting for three brutal days, that feel like many more to all involved.

There were a few shocking things that happened toward the end of this that I absolutely was not expecting. Abercromie definitely succeeded in giving me more than one solid jaw drop moment.

I’m really looking forward to continuing on in this world.

Abercrombie’s world-building is a masterclass on how to draw the Reader in. The cast of morally-grey characters is fantastic. It’s like a Grimdark Soap Opera. They’re bringing the drama, each and every installment.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Epic Fantasy, particularly Grimdark fans. There’s so much delicious content here to sink your teeth into. A must read series!

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Review: Murder on The Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

~ megs14malloy

Murder On The Christmas ExpressMurder On The Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Murder on The Christmas Express is an engaging and dramatic Locked Room Mystery by Alexandra Benedict.

This story is set aboard a Sleeper Train, traveling from London to the Scottish Highlands, on Christmas Eve.

I have a thing for stories set on trains. It’s one of my favorite set-ups and this story did not disappointment in that regard.

I was a little nervous starting this one, since the overall rating seemed on the low-end for a newer release. I almost didn’t pick it up because of that. I’m so glad I ignored the rating and gave it a go. It sure paid off for me.

This story mainly follows Roz Parker, a former Met Detective, who is about to become a Grandmother for the first time. She’s traveling on the train to try to reach her pregnant daughter’s side before Christmas.

Unfortunately, due to a severe storm, the train schedules are a mess, with many routes cancelled. This Sleeper Train is the only way to get to the Highlands for the holiday.

Eighteen passengers. Seven stops. One killer.

That tagline sold me, and for the most part, I feel like this story delivered on that. It did give me what I was looking for. I’ll admit, initially, the writing style did feel a little wonky. It took me a minute to get myself grounded in this author’s style and to connect with the narrative voice.

I did end up enjoying Roz quite a bit. Her no-nonsense attitude drew me in. She’s tough, but she’s also at a turning point in her life and still grappling with some earlier trauma that’s had a hold on her ever since. In that regard, I found her realistic and relatable.

We did get various other perspectives as well and some of those were a little strange. I did feel most connected when I was reading from Roz’s perspective.

The other passengers are quite a mix and it was fun watching them all interact. There’s some real jerks aboard, make no mistake about that. I tend to really enjoy an unlikable cast of characters though, and that was definitely the case here.

There is a murder foreshadowed in the beginning and then it takes a wee bit to catch up with that event. I had a lot of theories as the story was building-out.

I liked how this is a true locked room mystery. That type of set-up, figuring out how the killer would have been able to achieve their goal is always so fun for me and I enjoyed Roz trying to piece it together here.

There were many red herrings and false leads. Enough to keep me engaged and guessing throughout. Some things I got right, others I didn’t, but regardless of the outcomes, I enjoyed scratching my head about it.

I think some Readers may have been turned off by the repetitive theme of sexual assault and its aftermath. I think perhaps this was marketed as a Cozy Mystery and you generally wouldn’t explore that type of thing to the depths that this story does in a Cozy.

I will say, for me, I didn’t think this was a Cozy going in, so didn’t end up having that experience with it. I don’t think I’ve ever read a Cozy with a black cover, so when I picked this up, I was just expecting a straight-forward Adult Mystery, which I would argue this is.

Either way, Readers should be aware that this does discuss sexual assault, as well as abuse, in detail on page. If that could be triggering for you, proceed with caution.

For me, I was much more invested in the actual mystery than in the side details of the characters lives, so that portion of it didn’t really impact me. Further, I think just anticipating an Adult Mystery, versus a Cozy, I felt this fell right in line with my expectations.

While this isn’t perfect, I enjoyed it a lot. The ending dragged a bit, but I still felt it to be a solid Locked Room Mystery. The train setting was an absolute delight and I always love when inclement weather traps characters in an unsavory circumstance.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me a with a copy to read and review.

I had fun with this and would actually love to see another story with Roz Parker in the lead. Perhaps she can solve a New Years Eve murder next?

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Review: The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon

~ megs14malloy

The Quiet TenantThe Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Quiet Tenant surprised me by turning into a much more powerful read than I anticipated. Initially, I was stumped on how to rate it, ultimately deciding on 4-stars.

I really enjoyed the way Michallon chose to tell this story. It truly transported me into the mind of our narrators and left me with a lot to think about.

This is the kind of story that I don’t want to say anything about really, as far as content goes. I only picked this one up because I saw a lot of high-rated reviews floating around from my book friends, and other reviewers I trust.

I never even read the full synopsis before I picked it up. I absolutely, 100%, definitely, totally recommend that as the way to go with this story. Go in as blind as possible.

Tense, pulse-pounding, sleep with the lights on, slower-paced, Psychological Thriller. That’s all you need to know.

I was hooked into this very early and after a few disappointing reads in row, it was exactly what I needed to kick me out of an impending slump. Listening to the audio, I was completely immersed with what was going on with these characters. I definitely recommend that format.

Small trigger warning: there is some content involving a dog in Chapter 44. I skipped the majority of that chapter, just preferring not to discover what was happening there. If you are sensitive to that type of thing, just bee-bop right over it. If you pick up at Chapter 45, you’ll be fine.

Overall though, I had a great time with The Quiet Tenant. I haven’t read many books like this as far as the narrative choices, so it will be a stand-out for me in 2023.

This is the first novel that I have read from this author, but I am looking forward to reading more!!

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Review: Everwild (Skinjacker Trilogy #2) by Neal Shusterman

~ megs14malloy

Everwild (2) (The Skinjacker Trilogy)Everwild (2) by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Everwild is aptly named as it is just that, wild!

As far as sequels go, this is top notch. Shusterman succeeded in continuing to build out the world in a gripping way, while also making me more invested in the characters.

There were some startling revelations and I absolutely adored how this ended. We could go anywhere from here, but I have a feeling we’re going West…

This second book in Neal Shusterman’s Skinjacker Trilogy succeeded in so many ways, but forefront in my mind is the world-building. I love when you can feel the boundaries of a fictional world expanding, as more interesting concepts and characters are brought into play.

We continue to follow our tried and trues from the first book, Allie, Nick and my favorite, Mikey. There’s also a continuation of baddies, like Mary.

The new characters are quickly drawn into the varying sides and with new alliances, come new strength. I enjoyed how Shusterman focused on the political maneuverings of Everlost. I liked learning more about the motivations and goals of our leaders. I know whose side I would be on.

Most interesting for me this time around was following Allie the Outcast. She’s picking up new skills and learning more about her family in the living world. It’s always gripping to read about the interactions between the characters in Everlost and those in the living world.

There were some scenes, one in particular, that actually made me really sad. I mean when you’re dealing with the themes that Shusterman covers here, that’s bound to happen. Sometimes it does come out of nowhere though, so be prepared for that if you pick this up.

I do enjoy the level of action blended with thoughtful topics. I feel like this trilogy is sort of unique in that way.

I’m really glad that I made time for this one. It may be an oldie, but it’s a goodie!

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