Hi guys! Here’s the second part of my five star predictions! Check out part 1 here. I also just created a star rating system that I also put it on my about page for future reference.
New Releases:
Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez
Rating:
Ximena is a decoy Condesa, trying to protect the real Condesa, the last of the Illustrian line. Her people lost everything when Atoc, the evil usurper used an ancient relic to take over. Now she thirsts for revenge. When Atoc asks the Condesa’s hand in marrige, she must go instead. She looks for the relic and tries to stop Atoc before the wedding. When a masked vigilante, a sweet princesa and a thoughtful healer challenge her, she realizes there could be a way to take over Atoc without another war, but only if she turns her back on revenge, and the true Condesa.
This book was good. It was a bit easy to figure out who the vigilante was, and how it would end up, but it was enjoyable, so I’m giving it 4.5 stars.
Set Fire to the Gods by Sara J. Raasch
Rating:
Ash is descended from a long line of gladiators and knows the nature of war, but when her mother dies in the arena, she promises to avenge her death by overthrowing the fire god who has ripped her country of everything it needs. Madoc grew up street fighting to earn money for his adopted family, and tries to hide his secret: he doesn’t have the earth god’s powers. He has new, untamed power. When attempted revenge goes wrong, Ash accidentally throws the earth and fire gods into a conflict that can only be solved by deadly gladiator games. When Ash realizes Madoc’s secret, she knows it’s what her rebellion needs to win. But Madoc won’t risk his family’s safety for her rebellion. When he is forced by the gods, he and Ash realizes they have uncovered an ancient war that will unravel their world.
This book was amazing. It was intense and full of adventure and suspense. The world building was really good too. That’s why I decided to give this book five stars.
The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor
Rating:
This book was adorable! Most of the World War Two books I’ve read are super sad as well as dramatic, but this one’s not. The story follows Alice, an “average girl” (yes they used the average girl trope) from New Jersey. When her grandmother dies and leaves her her old apartment in Paris, she and her family go to Paris and check it out. The apartment is in pristine condition as it would have looked during the Second World War. Alice is curious and wants to find out about her grandmother’s old life. The book flip-flops between the story of Alice and her parents in modern day Paris and her great-aunt Adalyn in World War Two Paris.
I usually don’t like books like this that are ‘adorable’ but I fell in love with the characters and the plot. Alice’s side is more light hearted at times, although there are some serious moments, but Adalyn’s side gives you a view into World War Two in Paris. Thus, I decided to give this one five stars.
Books I Haven’t Gotten to Yet:
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Rating:
Ha has lived in Saigon for her whole life until now. She must flee Saigon as the Vietnam War heads her way and board a ship to America.
I loved this book! It was told in whimsical poetry and exhibits the struggles of immigration and fitting in, as well as escaping from a war. That’s why I decided to give this book five stars.
The Eye of Minds by James Dashner
Rating:
The VirtNet is a world away from the physical world where you can immerse yourself in adventure, society, or anything else that you please. Michael is a hacker who uses his skills in the VirtNet. But it turns out things are more dangerous than he thought. The government needs a hacker to stop a hacker who is kidnapping… or killing innocent people. If he accepts, he will have to go off the grid, where the lines of game and reality could be blurred forever.
I wasn’t that pleased with this book. I guess I expected it to be amazing like The Maze Runner. The characters weren’t that good, and the plot line didn’t really hook me, so that’s why I gave this book three stars.
Renegades by Marissa Meyer
Rating:
The Renegades are a group of prodigies (people with special powers) that established peace after the reign of villains that wrecked havoc in Gatlon City. They are a symbol of hope to everyone… except the villains they once overthrew. Nora hates The Renegades, with good reason, and she wants revenge. Then she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice, and in Nova. But Nora’s allegiance belongs to the villains who have the power to end them both.
This book was really good. I usually don’t like the “good vs. evil” trope, but Marissa Meyer changed that for me in Renegades. It had just enough suspense to keep you hanging, the world building was cool, and it was a really fun read. I read it every moment I could spare, thus I’m giving it five stars.
The War Below by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Rating:
The Nazis took Luka away from his home in Ukraine to a labor camp. Now Luka has escaped the labor camp, but has left his friend Lida behind. He promises himself he will find her again, but first, he must survive. Running through the wilderness, he doesn’t know who to trust. He must escape German and Soviet agents as well as guerilla fighters in a race to find Lida alive.
This book was pretty good. It’s not super intense, and it lacks some interest. The characters are good, and the plot is decent, thus, I’m giving it four stars.
As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds
Rating:
Genie and his brother Earnie are moving to the country for a month to stay with their grandparents as their parents sort some things out. Once they settle in, Genie realizes that their grandfather is blind. Genie asks his grandfather all sorts of questions and comes to the conclusion that his grandfather is the bravest person he has ever met. He soon figures out that his grandfather never leaves the house, and wonders if his grandfather is as brave as he thought he was. When his brother lets him down too, he wonders what it really means to be brave.
As Brave as You was a really sweet book written in a lovely poetic style, so I’m giving this one five stars.
I got five out of eight of my predictions right, and I had a fun time reading them and that’s all that matters.
Book Bliss 