#backlist books

[booktineus]

[brightbeautifulthings]

Hello, lovelies! Tell Me Something Tuesday is a meme created by Rainy Day Ramblings and currently hosted by Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life, That's What I'm Talking About, For What It's Worth, Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell and Offbeat YA. It provides weekly discussion prompts on various book and blogging topics with optional participation. You can sign up for prompts here.

This week’s prompt is: What are some of your favorite Forgotten YA Gems?

Since TMST is taking a summer break, my Discord book group filled in a few of our own questions, this one in honor of our name. Forgotten YA Gems are any YA books more than five years old that don't get the same level of attention in fandom as new releases. While not a hard rule, I typically consider a book underrated if it has less than ten thousand ratings on Goodreads. Having been with this group for years now, it's a topic I'm passionate about, so let's scream about five of my favorite backlist gems!

Whores on the Hill by Colleen Curran I've been screaming about this book for over ten years. It's one of the best depictions of teenage girlhood I've ever read. Beautiful prose, heartbreaking characters, toxic girl friendships. For fans of Dare Me by Megan Abbott.

Dream Keeper by Amber R. Duell A delightful re-imagining of the Sandman mythology, with a spooky, nightmarish dream world, a swoon-worthy hero, and a dangerous, timeless rivalry. For fans of A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) meets Rise of the Guardians (2012).

The Art of Escaping by Erin Callahan Erin is an absolutely delightful YA writer, and I've had the honor of beta reading for her several times. Delightful characters, emphasis on friendships, themes of authenticity, and of course some breathtaking escape acts, this book is YA contemporary done to perfection. For fans of Radio Silence by Alice Oseman.

What We Buried by Kate A. Boorman This book is a twisty mindfuck, and I loved every page of it. Unreliable narrators, surreal atmosphere, and excellent tension-building, with just a hint of something potentially supernatural going on. For fans of The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma.

Smoke and Key by Kelsey Sutton A dark, atmospheric afterlife story with a dash of romance, this book is exactly my kind of weird with a side of gruesome. For fans of Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005).

[lookingforamandaa]

five stars

The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons

everything I want from a fantasy novel. world heavy, but not boring and info-dumping. morally gray characters you can’t help but want to learn more about. the shift between past and present with the two narrators was such a great way to tell the story. absolutely recommend. cannot wait to continue the series.

[the-little-nerd-princess]

The starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern review

So I finished reading this last night and OMG it was amazing. I have a few things I wish were different but I’ll get into that a little bit later. If you want a short one sentence review here it is. Read this book. You won’t regret it.

Spoilers below

So first off I would like to say that Dorian and Zachary are my new OTP because oh my goodness they were so cute together. Do I understand why someone would say there relationship was rushed. Yes I would because I even felt that at times. But their chemistry was so undeniable I was able to look past it. Once I got to the wardrobe scene with the ending to the story of the moon and the innkeeper and the ball, that’s when I was like ok so Dorian is definitely into him and they’re gonna be endgame. But ok I need to move on from them. Let’s go to some of my favorite aspects of the book. I said this before but I love the storybook-esk aspect of the book and I loved how all the stories came full circle in the end and ended meaning something. The fact the the kitchen was just bees making food out of honey was a nice little homage to the importance of the bees. I have quite a few questions that maybe some smarter or more observant people can answer for me.

So was Max (Mirabel) Fate or was Zachary? and if Zachary is fate does that make Dorian Time? 

Why was Rhyme so important or am I overthinking her part in all this?

Is Simon’s story meant to be to find Eleanor or something else? Because Eleanor seems over the idea of trying to find him 

I know at the end of the book they are trying to like handoff the harbour and it’s responsibilities to Kat, Zachary, and Dorian (Unless I got that wrong too in which case I really need to go back and reread the ending) So is Kat supposed to be taking Rhyme’s job or is she taking the keeper’s job? 

I think that’s it for all that I have to say about the book. In summary It’s a beautiful book that was wonderfully written about the power of literature and how it can change people for the better. 

[backlistbooks]

Starting off this new blog devoted to books that aren't new releases, because there are lots of older books that deserve to be read too.

Today's pick is this absolute classic, set in a world where Black Crosses rule and white people (Noughts) are second-class citizens. Cross Sephy and Nought Callum fall in love against all the odds with devastating consequences that play out over the rest of the series.

[books-on-a-wire-blog]

Day one of #audiobookathon and I have wrapped up Romantic Outlaws (5 stars), started and finished The Graveyard Book (4 stars - Gaiman is an excellent narrator), and DNF'd Illuminae - just not my genre. Now I need to find a new full cast audiobook. Suggestions??

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Review: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco Rating: 3/5

“Didn’t your family warn you against sneaking around at night alone?” he asked. “Dangerous things linger in the dark.”

Audrey Rose Wadsworth knows her way around a corpse thanks to the tutelage of her uncle in all things forensic. The only problem is that it's the 1880s and there is no room for women in criminal investigations. But when a career killer starts brutally murdering women in London's East End, Audrey Rose finds herself drawn into the investigation. These are crimes like nothing the world has seen before and Audrey is determined to find the solution no matter the cost.

I literally only picked up this series because I heard there were lesbians in it and while they weren't present in this installation, I still enjoyed this read. The Jack the Ripper murders are always fascinating to read about and I liked the way Maniscalco weaved Audrey Rose's story into them. She did such a good job of weaving her plot into the real events and while I would've liked a bit more explanation around the motives of her culprit, the mystery was still satisfying.

Audrey Rose was a lovely leading lady. She's very modern with great ideals around feminism and the role of the law and medicine in society. I’m sure there are people who aren’t fond of how quickly Audrey Rose falls for Thomas (because he is pretty damn arrogant in this book) but I found it so entertaining watching her fret over her attraction to him. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how their relationship progresses throughout the series.

A fun, engaging historical mystery that sets up what is surely going to be an entertaining series. I can't wait to see what wonders and horrors I get to read about in Hunting Prince Dracula.

Warnings: Graphic descriptions of murder and medical procedures, period typical attitudes regarding women and mental illness, references to drug addiction and abuse, minor references to cannibalism.

[sdvitale]