What I read in June 2020

I’m a day late for the Show Us Your Books link up – mainly because I forgot it was coming up and I hadn’t pre-written my post – but better late than never, right? I have a few books to get to so I won’t waffle for too long, just get straight into it. I’m linking up with Jana and Steph, of course.

The Bad Luck Lighthouse by Nicki Thornton (Seth Seppi #2). After solving the mystery at the Last Chance Hotel, Seth has discovered a world of magic that he never knew existed. In book 2, he and his cat Nightshade find themselves swept up in a new case at Snakemouth Lighthouse – the murder of eccentric owner Mina Mintencress – where Seth is determined to prove himself. A satisfying second book in the series. I enjoyed seeing more of this world. Nightshade is as “delightful” and funny as ever. I found a couple of things predictable but I’m not 10 years old and it didn’t make the book any less enjoyable. I’m looking forward to seeing where Seth and Nightshade go next. 4 stars.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer (Cursebreakers #2). The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.Meanwhile, Grey is on the run with a secret that he doesn’t want anybody to find out.This book finds loyalties being tested while new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war. The tone of this one is very different to the first book and I found a few parts slow so it wasn’t quite a five stars read but I enjoyed getting to know Grey better in his own right and not just as a guard to be ordered around. The ending left me needing to know where things are going.I want everyone to be happy – I like the characters on both sides and I don’t want to see them pitted against each other. 4 stars.

The Babysitters Coven by Kate Daniels. Seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it’s kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Besides, Esme likes babysitting, and she’s good at it. And lately Esme needs all the cash she can get, because it seems like destruction follows her wherever she goes. Let’s just say she owes some people a new tree. Enter hot new girl Cassandra Heaven. She’s never babysat before, so why is she so determined to get into Esme’s club? The answer lies in a mysterious note Cassandra’s mother left her: “Find the babysitters. Love, Mom.” Turns out, Esme and Cassandra have more in common than they think, and they’re about to discover what being a babysitter really means: a heroic lineage of superpowers, magic rituals, and saving the innocent from seriously terrifying evil. And all before the parents get home. This was described as Adventures in Babysitting meets Buffy the Vampire and honestly the explanation of how the magic system/organisation work was a little too reminiscent of Buffy (to the extent that “like Buffy but witches and we only banish the demons” was almost the entire explanation). A lot of the pop culture references seemed to be aimed more at people my age than those who are actual teenagers today, which was weird. I did enjoy reading it though and I might continue with the series if I want something fun and a bit nostalgic in the future. 3 stars.

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews. The world has suffered a magic apocalypse. We pushed the technological progress too far, and now magic returned with a vengeance. It comes in waves, without warning, and vanishes as suddenly as it appears. When magic is up, planes drop out of the sky, cars stall, electricity dies. When magic is down, guns work and spells fail.In this world – specifically in Atlanta – lives Kate Daniels, a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she is determined to find out who killed him. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy… This book was confusing and honestly I found myself rolling my eyes at times. All the different elements of necromancy, were-beasts and references to random ancient, magical creatures just felt like a bit much for one book, and I found some aspects just plain odd (and a but icky). I did like Kate and some of the other characters and I had a fun time reading this book but it was just a good read for me rather than a great one.I’ve heard they get better so maybe I’ll try book 2 at some point. 3 stars.

The Land of Never Endings by Kate Saunders. What if there exists a world powered by imagination? A world of silliness, where humans and their toys live on long after they’ve left the Hard World . . . and what if the door between that world and this one was broken? Welcome to the Land of Neverendings! When Emily’s sister Holly dies, she is surprised to find that she misses her toy bear, Bluey, almost as much as Holly. Bluey was Holly’s constant companion, and Emily used to make up stories about him and his escapades in the magical (and very silly) world of Smockeroon to entertain her. The only person who seems to understand Emily’s grief is Ruth, her kindly next-door neighbour, who lost her son years before. Then strange things start happening, Emily dreams of talking toys visiting her bedroom, telling her that they have come from Smockeroon, and have a message for her from Bluey. Then she discovers that they may not have been dreaming after all. What if Smockeroon is real?  This was not what I was expecting. The synopsis on my copy was literally just the first few sentences of the description up to “Welcome to the Land of Neverendings!” so I didn’t realise it was a story about grief. I was expecting something magical, and it was, but it was also kind of sad. I really felt Emily’s grief at losing her sister. I loved the toy characters and also Martha who was such a lovely friend. 4 stars.

Everfound by Neal Shusterman (Skinjacker #3). I can’t really say much about this one without spoiling the first two, but all the characters from the previous books (plus some new ones) are pitted against each other in a battle that may destroy all life on Earth. This book was a journey! So much happened and I was constantly kept guessing. I’m glad I finally finished this series. 4 stars.

Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb (Farseer #2). Fitz is the illegitimate son of the “King-in waiting” (this world’s term for the heir to the throne). In book one he was dumped at the palace by his maternal grandfather, only for his father to abdicate and move away. Nobody really knew what to do with him, until the king realised he would make a useful assassin. In book 2, Fitz has survived his first hazardous mission as king’s assassin, but is left little more than a cripple. After initially deciding to abandon his oath to King Shrewd and stay away, he changes his mind and ends up back at Buckkeep, and embroiled in the deadly intrigues of the royal family. And that’s all I want to say about this one. The first book was pretty slow but parts of this one somehow managed to be even slower. I spent quite a bit of time wondering if it actually was getting towards some kind of point. I still liked reading it though. I really thought things would turn around for Fitz by the end, that someone would see what was going on. But no, his suffering continues. Towards the end things picked up and made me really want to start book 3 immediately, but alas I don’t own it. 4 stars.

The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge. Martha can tell things about a person just by touching their clothes, as if their emotions and memories have been absorbed into the material. It started the day she fell from the tree at her grandma’s cabin and became blind in one eye. Determined to understand her strange ability, Martha sets off to Norway to visit her grandmother, Mormor – only to discover Mormor is dead, a peculiar boy is in her cabin and a terrifying creature is on the loose. Then the spinning wheel starts creaking, books move around and terror creeps in. This book is properly creepy! I would not have wanted to meet the thing from the woods let alone battle it. I enjoyed the way Nordic mythology was woven in and I absolutely adored Gandalf the dog. I was left with a lot of questions though, like what actually happened to Martha’s Mormor and Is Stig really who he says he is? I thought they might be resolved at the end but nothing really was. So minus one star for that but I still genuinely enjoyed and recommend this book. 4 stars.

The River King by Alice Hoffmann. For more than a century, the small town of Haddan, Massachusetts, has been divided, as if by a line drawn down the centre of Main Street, separating those born and bred in the ‘village’ from those who attend the prestigious Haddan School. Even within the school, hierarchy rules as freshman and faculty members find out where they fit in and what is expected of them. But when a body is found in the river behind the school, a local policeman will walk into this enclosed world and upset it entirely, changing the lives of everyone involved forever. This book was odd, very slow but strangely compelling. I knew from the synopsis that a body was supposed to be found so I spent half the book waiting for that to actually happen, although I had my suspicions about who it would be (and I was right). It’s not a bad book but I’m honestly not sure who I would recommend it to. 3.5 stars.

Twister by Juliette Forrest. Twister’s father has gone missing and as she’s searching for him she stumbles across a witch living in the woods. She is given a magical necklace that holds the souls of living things and can turn the wearer into a wolf, or a rushing river, or a rainstorm. But there’s a dark foe on the hunt for this necklace, a baddie who wears a coat crawling with creatures and who might have something to do with her father’s sudden disappearance… oved the characters and the story but I was slightly put off but the writing – I understand that Twister is supposed to sound childlike (hence the constant use of “catched” and weird grammar constructions) but then she would use words and phrases where I would think you know that but nobody’s told you the proper past-tense of catch? There was one scene that absolutely broke my heart. 4 stars.

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman. Irene is a professional spy, working for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities. Along with her enigmatic assistant Kai, she’s posted to an alternative London. Their mission – to retrieve a dangerous book. But when they arrive, it’s already been stolen, and London’s underground factions seem prepared to fight to the very death to find it. Adding to the jeopardy, this world is chaos-infested – the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic. Irene’s new assistant is also hiding secrets of his own. Soon, she’s up to her eyebrows in a heady mix of danger, clues and secret societies. Yet failure is not an option with the very nature of reality itself at stake. This was… confusing. There were parts I really liked but a lot of it was all over the place and not properly explained. It was an enjoyable read and I mostly liked the characters but I’m not sure I’m interested enough to continue with the series. 3 stars.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena. Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all–a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night, they go to a dinner party next door taking the baby monitor with them but leaving Cora home alone. While they’re gone, the unthinkable happens – the baby disappears. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they’ve kept for years. Pretty much everyone in this book is just awful – horrible, horrible people. I enjoyed reading it even though it was very far-fetched and I guessed a few things part way through. The ending was slightly overkill though and felt really unnecessary. 3 stars.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng. In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colours of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules. Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother to teenage Pearl. The two of them rent a house from the Richardsons, but soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community. When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town – and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs. mostly enjoyed this book but there was a lot packed into it and I felt like I wanted more detail on some aspects. I felt like I didn’t know some of the characters as well as I should have. It is a good book though and I would read more by this author. It’s definitely one that makes you think. 3.5 stars

Shine by Candy Gourlay. Suffering from a condition called “The Calm”, thirteen-year-old Rosa lives on the island of Marisol, where she is forced to hide herself away from the superstitious population who believe people with the condition are monsters. Rosa seeks solace online, where she meets Ansel95, and as the friendship moves from virtual to real, Rosa discovers that she’s not the only one with something to hide. This is pretty dark for such a short book (I think I read it in about an hour). I thought I had guessed who Rosa’s friend was going to be, but I was wrong. I was slightly uncomfortable with the way one character’s mental illness was portrayed but other than that I enjoyed this book and really liked the writing. 3.5 stars.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Solomon Rivers. Aster lives in the low-deck slums of the HSS Matilda, a space vessel organized much like the antebellum South. For generations, the Matilda has ferried the last of humanity to a mythical Promised Land. Obsessive and withdrawn, Aster lives in the low-deck slums of the ship. When the autopsy of the ship’s sovereign reveals a link between his death and the suicide of Aster’s mother, she begins sewing the seeds for civil war, and learns there may be a way off the ship if she’s willing to fight for it. This book was dark! Think of something you might need a content warning for and it’s probably in here. The abuse that’s inflicted on the lower class characters (who are all black) is horrific. The ruling classes literally see them as animals – and the way one character talks about horses makes it clear they’re not exactly nice to actual animals either. I loved the characters. Aster is awesome. Poor Giselle is infuriating but also clearly unhappy. The world building is also fantastic, if a little slow. What makes it 4 stars instead of 5 is the story. It seemed to get lost along the way only to rush to a conclusion at the end that left me feeling underwhelmed. Also every single white person felt like a caricature of a bad guy – the leader is a stereotypical megalomaniac and the guards all seem to be utterly sadistic and actually enjoy doling out punishments. I have no issue with white people being portrayed as horrible oppressors – I mean, it’s basically the truth – but I felt like giving them some humanity would have made the impact greater. Nonetheless it’s a good read but definitely go into it expecting to be horrified.

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S King. Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything. So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone – the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to? I loved this book. Vera is flawed and judgemental (she spends a lot of time going on about sluts as if having sex is the literal worst thing a girl could do) and not always likeable but somehow I liked her anyway. Charlie infuriated me half the time, but then I would find myself liking and feeling sorry for him again. And I cried. For Vera, who will always have to live with what happened, and for Charlie who’s death just seemed so pointless in the end. If only someone had done something sooner. 4 stars.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo. With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. Keeping her head down at school, trying not to get caught up with new boy Malachi. The one place she can let everything go is in the kitchen, where she has magical hands – whipping up extraordinary food beloved by everyone. Emoni wants to be a chef more than anything, but she knows it’s pointless to pursue the impossible. So when her high school offers a new culinary arts class, she knows she shouldn’t take it – she doesn’t have time, and her family can’t afford the trip to Spain. But even with all the rules she has for her life – and all the rules everyone expects her to play by – once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free. This book is fantastic! I loved everything about it. It’s so well written. Emony’s love for her daughter is tangible, and her relationship with her best friend is GOALS. I was rooting for her the whole way through hoping she would find a way to follow her dreams. Highly, highly recommend. And I also want someone to cook all of Emony’s dishes for me. 5 stars – ending the month’s reading on a high.

TL;DR. My favourite book of the month was With the Fire on High, so obviously read that. DOn’t let the fact that it’s for teens put you off. Read A Heart So Fierce and Broken if you liked the first book. The Twisted Tree and Please Ignore Vera Dietz are both YA and I enjoyed both. The Land of Neverendings is cute but sad. Honestly, none of these books were really bad so if they sound interesting to you read them. Do be aware that An Unkindness of Ghosts is very dark and full of triggers though!

Tell me what your favourite book you’ve read lately was and don’t forget to visit the link up!