Posted in Book Review

Review of My Lady Jane and My Plain Jane

Posted on by writingkat95

Two for one review today!

First off I want to say, I love the concept for these books. Taking famous Janes and retelling their stories in delightfully fun ways is honestly just so great.

Second, I loved how original these books felt. The voice is incredibly distinct, the narrator’s little interjections were so much fun, and the overall effect was stunning.

It’s really difficult to pull off a “voicey” voice in YA. Oftentimes it can come off as too young or can break the immersion of the story. That is not the case with these books. The authors have done an excellent job at crafting a voice that sounds at once distinct and yet a natural part of the narrative.

The plots themselves are fabulous, in both books. They’re completely bonkers and played out with a wink and a smile, and watching events unfold is thoroughly enjoyable. Jane Eyre with real ghosts? Heck yeah! Lady Jane Grey and shapeshifters with tons of snark? Bring it on!

If you want edge of your seat investment in the story and also full belly laughs, these books are for you. I also highly recommend listening to them as audiobooks, as both are incredibly well voiced. Especially if you have a commute, these books will add some grins to your day.

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review of A Darker Shade of Magic

Posted on by writingkat95

I’m here with another review of a book that’s been out awhile!

So one of my goals this year was to read more widely, and that includes reading some books that are marketed toward adults. I’m not going to lie, I found it really hard to find an “adult” book that appealed to my sensibilities. Enter V. E. Schwab’s “A Darker Shade of Magic.”

This book has the same out of the box imaginativeness that I’ve come to love in YA, while still being obviously an adult book. The characters are older, maybe in their 20s, and the storylines are reflective of that “what even is my purpose” life stage.

The worldbuilding is phenomenal and didn’t lean on generic fantasy backdrops, which immediately made the settings come to life. There was some fantasy flavored violence, but it managed to stay well away from the grimdark cynicism that has driven me away from many adult series in the past. That’s not to say the book is light- there is darkness here. But there is also hope and wonder, and that makes a world of difference.

If you’re an adult who usually reads YA because of the unique voices and out of the box plots, you will almost certainly love this book. Honestly, if you’re any sort of fantasy fan, this should be on your reading list. I look forward to reading more of the series, and I will be reviewing the later books once I make a dent in my TBR pile!

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review of Geekerella

Posted on by writingkat95

I realize this book has been out for a while, but I recently came across it and felt like it was such a gem I absolutely had to write about it.

Definitely the same kind of energy as Fangirl, Geekerella is a delightful love letter to fandom. It’s witty and heartfelt, and makes you care so much about the characters that you almost can’t stand it when they face hard times.

Honestly my favorite thing about this book was that it is unabashedly cheesy. The love story is swoony and dramatic and packed with emotion, and it feels exactly as heightened as I remember first love feeling as a teen. Whether you’re the same age as the characters and seeing yourself reflected in the immediacy of their journeys, or an adult reading and remembering the dizzy years of your youth, this book is sure to sweep you off your feet.

Also it has a lesbian fairy godmother character. Just. Amazing. I need an entire spin-off of her adventures.

Happy reading!

Posted in Blog Post

Writing Update

Posted on by writingkat95

So I know it’s been a while since I posted here, and I am trying to do better about that.

I’ve been working on what seems like the millionth round of edits for The Book at the Top of the Closet, and that’s going really well. I’m hoping to have the edits done before Christmas so I can start querying at the beginning of 2019.

I’ll be posting more updates here as well as book reviews and maybe some other stuff as well. Until next time, happy reading!

Posted in Uncategorized

Review of Give the Dark My Love

Posted on by writingkat95

I’m back! And I’m here with a review of Beth Revis’s new dark fantasy novel, Give the Dark My Love.

I’m not gonna lie guys, this book ate my heart for dinner. Without getting into spoiler territory, what I can say is that this book is just as much about grief as it is about necromancy.

The emotional threads running though the book are even more compelling than the external plot (which is also pretty great). Nedra and Grey are so different, and their differences help drive their relationship and the plot.

Honestly the characters are all well written, but what struck me the most was the non-point-of-view characters. In a lot of fast paced stories like this one, secondary characters tend to get simplified or reduced to archetypes. In this story, I found a lot of those archetypes subverted or expanded upon, and it really made a difference in how real the secondary characters felt.

Now, I do feel like I should mention that there is significant gore in this book, quite a bit more than I’m used to seeing in YA. While it all felt organic and relevant to the plot, it was very disturbing at times. If you don’t do explicit gore and violence, this is not for you. (I mean, it’s about necromancy, so, be prepared for really gross dead body things. Seriously, reader discretion advised)

In any case this is an incredible book with so much heart and if you can stomach the gory bits, you’re in for a really compelling story.

Posted in Uncategorized

Review of Legendary (Caraval Book 2)

Posted on by writingkat95

If you haven’t read Caraval yet, now is a great time to grab a copy, along with the newly minted sequel, Legendary. Aptly named, this book is bound to delight and astound fans of Gaiman’s “Stardust.”

Greatest Hits:

The carnivalesque atmosphere and heady fantasy elements sweep you off your feet right from the start, just like they did in Caraval. Legendary is told from Tella’s perspective, which I think adds a layer of delight and wonder to the story. Tella is the more as adventurous and headstrong of the two sisters, and so approaches Caraval with a measure more confidence than her sister Scarlet did in the first book.

When I realized the second book featured the characters playing Caraval again, I worried it might read like a rehashing of the first book. This is a trap sequels often fall into, but I need not have worried. The trappings of Caraval may have stayed the same, but the story moves forward, going deeper into the lore and the characters minds than before.

My Conclusion:

If you wish to be swept away, run headlong into this series and let Caraval amaze you.

Happy reading!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

Review: People Like Us

Posted on by writingkat95

I’ve been on a mystery kick this year, and if you have too, be sure and check out Dana Mele’s “People Like Us.” Fans of Truly Devious and Pretty Little Liars are sure to enjoy this twisty mystery.

Greatest Hits: The love triangle, oh my God. The protagonist is a bisexual girl with a crush on her best friend and unresolved feelings for an ex boyfriend- and everyone is a suspect in the unsolved murder of a classmate. Hello, high stakes romantic tension! If that alone doesn’t reel you in, what even are you doing with your life?

In addition to the love triangle, the mystery itself unfolds like a dark, dizzy ballet. There are riddles and clues, foreshadowing that begs a second reading just to take it all in, and it all adds up to an unforgettable, unputdownable story. Also, a unique take on the manic pixie dream girl trope that is not to be missed.

My Conclusion: If you haven’t read this book yet, I hope you’re on your way to the bookstore now. You will not be disappointed. If you like this book as much as I did, remember to go rate it on Amazon and Goodreads and give the author props for her work.

Happy Reading!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

Review: Truly Devious

Posted on by writingkat95

Do you long for the feeling of reading Nancy Drew or Miss Fisher mysteries? Have you been longing for a new mystery, a new strong willed female detective, a new adventure? Look no further than Maureen Johnson’s triumphant new book, Truly Devious.

Greatest Hits:

Not only is this book a love letter to the mystery genre, it winds itself around your soul until you are compelled to finish it in a single sitting. The pacing is phenomenal, the prose has a cinematic quality that is executed flawlessly, and the characters are so lovable it’s almost impossible not to get attached to them.

Possibly my only complaint is that the love interest doesn’t have much chemistry with the protagonist and actually is the only character I had a hard time rooting for. If I had to guess I’d say that at some point in a later book the protagonist is going to realize she’s not into this character at all, but perhaps I’m reading too much into that.

In any case the protagonist herself is so utterly delightful that she lifts the book into the stratosphere of my all time favorite few. Her voice rings off the page with such believability that I wondered briefly if she might be a real person. I got lost in this book, and that is owing largely to the fact that it is so character driven.

My conclusion:

This book is a must read for mystery fans and those just dipping a toe into the genre. If you like character driven stories with suspense, this is absolutely for you.

Happy reading!

-Kat

Posted in Blog Post

Fashion and Books

Posted on by writingkat95

I’d like to share something that helps me when I feel stuck in my writing. For me, all the creative things in my life are entangled with one another, and while that can be distracting, sometimes it can also be useful.

One of the most useful things I’ve found is playing around with fashion. Using dress up games and closet apps, I create outfits inspired by my characters, imagining what they would wear and how they would express themselves.

Not only does this often break me loose from the grip of writer’s block, it also helps me get to know my characters better. Many craft books and writer tip sources advise doing mock interviews with your characters- this is my own twist on that strategy.

By giving myself a visual representation of my character, I allow the character to nudge me, show me who they are through clothes and aesthetics.

If anyone else has tried this or has similar suggestions, feel free to discuss in the comments.

Happy writing!

-Kat

Posted in Book Review

Review: Vampire Academy (Book One)

Posted on by writingkat95

I know I’m a little late to the party, but after watching the movie at least a dozen times, I finally decided to read Vampire Academy.

I can’t believe it took me this long.

Anyone who reads for enjoyment should read at least the first book in this series. Usually I look for a comp title to say “for fans of…” but for this I’m just going to say, for fans of fiction, you’ll enjoy this book

Greatest Hits:

Honestly I love the characters. They’re confused, hormonal, passionate, and despite being supernatural creatures, they are deeply human. I sincerely want to hand this book to teenage me, wrap a blanket around my/her shoulders and say “look, this Rose chick is just as much of a hot mess as you. You’ll be fine.”

In addition to the characters, the setup of the world is really cool. There’s enough worldbuilding to reel you in, but it’s left open ended enough that the author could write a hundred seperate spinoff series and it would honestly make sense.

The tone manages to be fun without losing sense of the high stakes (pun intended) and the prose style is very smooth, allowing for relaxed, casual reading.

My conclusion:

I highly reccomend this book whether you’re revisiting it or reading it for the first time. It makes for a fun, quick read, and is refreshing especially during a busy time of year.

Happy Reading!