Book Review: The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

Tor Teen
TBP: October 1st 2019
352 Pages

Aster, the protector
Violet, the favorite
Tansy, the medic
Mallow, the fighter
Clementine, the catalyst

THE GOOD LUCK GIRLS

The country of Arketta calls them Good Luck Girls–they know their luck is anything but. Sold to a “welcome house” as children and branded with cursed markings. Trapped in a life they would never have chosen.

When Clementine accidentally murders a man, the girls risk a dangerous escape and harrowing journey to find freedom, justice, and revenge in a country that wants them to have none of those things. Pursued by Arketta’s most vicious and powerful forces, both human and inhuman, their only hope lies in a bedtime story passed from one Good Luck Girl to another, a story that only the youngest or most desperate would ever believe.- Goodreads

There is a lot of hype for this read and it is well warranted. I loved the cowboy aspect of this book because all I thought of was that movie Gang of Rose with Monica Calhoun. This may have been an unintentional reference but it was all my mind was on and I freaking loved it.

Beyond this image I had, there is something about the writing that kept me sucked in even when I wasn’t really feeling some of the characters. I was not necessarily on the edge of my seat but I was invested in the book and refused to read anything else until this was done.

I had a love hate relationship with the characters. Not just one but all of them. Nothing in me felt that they were fully written. What I mean by this is that it felt as if the author had a thought but didn’t complete it; Aster especially. She was just pure rage, indecisiveness and I would say reckless. Yes, there were decisions that had to be made on the fly but she allowed her emotions to take a lot out of her, throughout the entire book and as the book is told through her point of view that is all you see and here.

I felt that her sister, Clementine was a brat and that was purely Aster’s fault for continuously babying her. I also believe that Clementine was not as remorseful as she should have been. I would have like the author to have explored their relationship a bit more as it would have added depth to the story.

I really enjoyed the flow of the story but felt that the characters were not developed enough, there wasn’t enough history or richness in the environment and the conflict didn’t bring the girls together or develop them as a group.

The ending wasn’t what I was expecting and that isn’t necessarily a good thing. It ended too easily and although there is a book two, it left me wondering what book two is about.

Overall, I did enjoy this book because it gave me a nostalgic feel and it was written pretty well. There is a lot of potential for this to develop into an amazing series.

3 Pickles

Book Review: The Fairies of Sadieville (Tufa #6) by Alex Bledsoe

Tor Books
Published April 10, 2018
368 Pages

“This is real.” Three small words on a film canister found by graduate students Justin and Veronica, who discover a long-lost silent movie from more than a century ago. The startlingly realistic footage shows a young girl transforming into a winged being. Looking for proof behind this claim, they travel to the rural foothills of Tennessee to find Sadieville, where it had been filmed.

Soon, their journey takes them to Needsville, whose residents are hesitant about their investigation, but Justin and Veronica are helped by Tucker Carding, who seems to have his own ulterior motives. When the two students unearth a secret long hidden, everyone in the Tufa community must answer the most important question of their entire lives — what would they be willing to sacrifice in order to return to their fabled homeland of Tir na nOg?- Goodreads

I would like to put it out there that I have not read the other 5 books in the series. But when I was reading this, I didn’t feel as if I was missing something or that I had to know more. Once it began, it felt a standalone and once I ended it, I didn’t have a desire to go back to the previous books.

This is not to say that this was a good a book because it was. This was a slow read but it was good none the less. You are sucked into the world and it is mainly because of Justin and Veronica even though their parts seem so small compared to the main story. The Tufa community is a complicated one that the author touches upon their contentment and happiness in the land they call their home and the idea of going back to their place of origins. What I liked about this was the author was able to touch upon the reality of what if they don’t want to go? What are the consequences if you do go back? The author made this world realistic and most importantly human. Which was a key component to why I enjoyed the book so much.

However, this book was slow. No matter how much you are sucked into the words and want to know what happens next, you can’t forget how slow the book is and how nothing really happens. There is a lot of talk and a lot of background history. Because of how long you invest in the book, the ending disappoints. When something happens, you think to yourself… that’s it? Granted this could be because I didn’t read the first 5 books but because there is so much flash backs, that it is isn’t needed.

Overall, I did like this book much more than I thought I would. It was a realistic interpenetration of faeries living in the human world and I really liked that.

3 Pickles

Book Review: #Prettyboy Must Die by Kimberly Reid

Tor Teen
TBP: Feb. 13, 2018
228 Pages

When Peter Smith’s classmate snaps a picture of him during a late night run at the track, Peter thinks he might be in trouble. When she posts that photo–along with the caption, “See the Pretty Boy Run,”–Peter knows he’s in trouble. But when hostiles drop through the ceiling of his 6th period Chem Class, Peter’s pretty sure his trouble just became a national emergency.

Because he’s not really Peter Smith. He’s Jake Morrow, former foster-kid turned CIA operative. After a massive screw-up on his first mission, he’s on a pity assignment, a dozen hit lists and now, social media, apparently. As #Prettboy, of all freaking things.

His cover’s blown, his school’s under siege, and if he screws up now, #Prettyboy will become #Deadboy faster than you can say, ‘fifteen minutes of fame.’ Trapped in a high school with rabid killers and rabid fans, he’ll need all his training and then some to save his job, his school and, oh yeah, his life. -Goodreads

Before anything, I would like say that this book was inspired by #alexfromtarget If you do not know anything about that story, you can take a look here to see whats its about.

I was excited for this read. Black teenager, who works for the CIA undercover. Sounds fantastic. However, I was disappointed in this book not initially but as the story progressed.

• It took place in a day.

I really enjoyed the fact that the story was not drawn out and the author was able to build a world and story that last literally less than 24 hours. For me, it showed skill and creativity. And overall, it added some intensity and that help drive the story. But the downside to this was I felt some things were missing.

• The story was far from narrow.

The author complicated the story as much as she can without it being distasteful. I liked that about this book. What you think you do or what you can guess isn’t exactly how it is going. There are some instances where what you see is what you get but not for everything.

• #prettyboy didn’t cut it for me

Not only was there not enough description of Peter, the book pretty much only mentions the hashtag twice. Considering that it throws the anti-social Peter in the spotlight, I wanted there to be more about it. His class for the most part do not really react to his new found fame. They really don’t care and his fan base is only on twitter and not even close to real life. Yes, I understand why the author did this because it really does tie the story together but considering it is part of the title and it changes Peter’s day, I wanted more attention on it.

#prettyboy Peter was a unlike-able character

Didn’t like him. He had no real personality. He doesn’t know anything about fitting in, which is where considering that he is in the CIA and this isn’t his first run. He is more bite than bark. He needs way more training.

Although the short time frame of the story provided intensity, it didn’t last and at a certain point, I was just ready for the bad guy to be caught. However, the author was able to suck me in at the end and want a book two.

Overall,

2 Pickles

What Tanya Wants: April 2016

Algonquin Young Readers To Be Published April 12, 2016 288 Pages

 

April is going to be one expensive month.