ARC Review: My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Published: June 22nd, 2021
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 0 (audiobook)
Series: Mary #1
Source: Netgalley eARC 
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens?

Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she's a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It's a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail.⠀

Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But after the king meets a suspicious end, things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis are forced to navigate a viper's nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary's secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll.⠀

This series as a concept had me so unbelievably excited. After completing a trilogy of historical Jane retellings, Hand, Ashton, and Meadows have set their sights on Marys. The very first, My Contrary Mary, is a Mary Queen of Scots retelling. Get ready to be transported to Renaissance France where Mary is a ward of the French Court!

The book's narration comes from several shifting POV's (primarily Mary), as well as some third-person narrator comments. The narrator's are really what makes this book so special. They are absolutely hilarious, providing a 'so-here-is-the-scoop' tone. They are terrible gossips, but charmingly witty at the same time. They are that friend in college/high school that you always turned to when you wanted to hear about the latest scandals without going through the effort of snooping things out for yourself. Before the book even properly started I was cry-laughing at the dedication: "For the people who feel like they have to be perfect; and for France. We're sorry for what we're about to do to your history, but it was your turn."

I found myself enjoying the return to the Eðian/Verity dynamic (shapeshifter/pure humans) as a metaphor for the disparity and tensions between Catholics and Protestants at the time. It is a cool way to reframe this time period, and was pretty genius!

On top of the comedy, the characters were so well developed. I truly felt for Mary and Francis, and even the side characters like Mary Livingston and Ari. Their actions and motivations felt real, and the stakes and betrayals in court were gutting. While of course this is a series of Marys, in a sense each book is also a stand alone, which I think is a boon to the work. Readers don't necessarily have to read The Lady Janies series to enjoy this latest work. Comedy and Historical Fiction blend together effortlessly in this gem of a book. Bonus points? Bonus points! On top of everything, I actually feel like I learned a lot reading this book. The plot was surprisingly historically accurate, if we overlook the whole fantasy shapeshifting element haha.

All in all, My Contrary Mary is a must-read, and I impatiently await the additions of Marie Curie and Mary Mallon to the new Mary series!

Review: The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen

The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen
Published: June 5, 2018
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 336 (hardcover)
Series: N/A
Source: Publisher
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a slave in the Kipchak Khanate, Jinghua has lost everything: her home, her family, her freedom... until she finds herself an unlikely conspirator in the escape of Prince Khalaf and his irascible father as they flee from their enemies across the vast Mongol Empire. On the run, with adversaries on all sides and an endless journey ahead, Jinghua hatches a scheme to use the Kipchaks' exile to return home, a plan that becomes increasingly fraught as her feelings for Khalaf evolve into a hopeless love.

Jinghua's already dicey prospects take a downward turn when Khalaf seeks to restore his kingdom by forging a marriage alliance with Turandokht, the daughter of the Great Khan. As beautiful as she is cunning, Turandokht requires all potential suitors to solve three impossible riddles to win her hand- and if they fail, they die.

Jinghua has kept her own counsel well, but with Khalaf’s kingdom—and his very life—on the line, she must reconcile the hard truth of her past with her love for a boy who has no idea what she’s capable of ... even if it means losing him to the girl who’d sooner take his life than his heart.

Review: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Published: June 27, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 513 (Hardcover)
Series: Guide #1
Source: Bought
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

ARC Review: No Good Deed by Kara Connolly

No Good Deed by Kara Connolly
Published: July 18, 2017
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 352 (ebook)
Series: N/A
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fans of Dorothy Must Die will love this reimagining of the legend of Robin Hood. Girl power rules supreme when a modern girl finds herself in the middle of a medieval mess with only her smart mouth and her Olympic-archer aim to get her home.

Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle—yes, that Nottingham—she ends up in medieval England.

Ellie doesn’t care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What’s an ace archer to do while she’s stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood?

Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she picks up her bow and arrow, her next shot could save her past—or doom civilization’s future.

Buddy Review: Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Published: June 13, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 272 (Hardcover)
Series: N/A
Source: Publisher 
Erika's Rating: 5 of 5 stars 
Nikki's Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kansas, 2065 Adri has been handpicked to live on Mars. But weeks before Launch, she discovers the journal of a girl who lived in her house over a hundred years ago, and is immediately drawn into the mystery surrounding her fate. While Adri knows she must focus on the mission ahead, she becomes captivated by a life that’s been lost in time…and how it might be inextricably tied to her own. 

Oklahoma, 1934 Amidst the fear and uncertainty of the Dust Bowl, Catherine longs for the immortality promised by a professor at a traveling show called The Electric. But as her family’s situation becomes more dire -- and the suffocating dust threatens her sister’s life -- Catherine must find the courage to sacrifice everything she loves in order to save the one person she loves most. 

England, 1919 In the recovery following World War One, Lenore tries to come to terms with her grief for her brother, a fallen British soldier, and plans to sail to America in pursuit of a childhood friend. But even if she makes it that far, will her friend be the person she remembers, and the one who can bring her back to herself? 

While their stories spans thousands of miles and multiple generations, Lenore, Catherine, and Adri’s fates are entwined in ways both heartbreaking and hopeful.

Review: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Part 2!)

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Published: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 378 (Paperback)
Series: N/A
Source: Bought
My Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful— irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Published: September 13, 2011
Publisher: Doubleday
Pages: 512 (Paperback)
Series: N/A
Source: Bought
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

 The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. 

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

Review: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Published: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 378 (Paperback)
Series: N/A
Source: Bought
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful— irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
Published: May 24, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 480
Series: Steampunk Chronicles #1
My Rating: 2 of 5 stars

Synopsis: In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finely Jayne had no one...except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch.

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her and says she's special, says she's one of them . The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets, against the wises of his band of misfits. And Finley thinks she might finally be a part of something, finally fit in-until a criminal mastermind known as Machinist threatens to tear the group apart...

My Review: So when I went to the bookstore the other day I was looking around the YA section when I came across this book. It was hidden behind a bunch of other books so I'm not even sure how I saw it in the first place. I picked it up and once I read the back I was hooked. I needed to read this book.

I guess my expectations for this book were too high because I was disappointed. Very disappointed.

Apparently the book I have has a bonus book called The Strange Case of Finely Jayne but instead of being in the back of the book it's before the actual book so I read it before the actual book not knowing that it was a bonus book. Man, was that bonus book boring. I almost gave up on the book right there but instead I kept reading because I had this hope that the book would get much better. And it did after the bonus book was over. Don't read that bonus book. Even if you liked The Girl in the Steel Corset.

So the main character Finely Jayne is the daughter of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. You would think that being the daughter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde would make Finely a very interesting character but she's not. I just didn't like her, whenever the book was from her POV it seemed to drag even when she was her "shadow" half. She also is part of a love triangle. A love triangle with the Duke of Greythorne and a crime lord. Jack Dandy (the crime lord) had absolutely no role in the book, he was just Finely's love interest. At least Griffin (the Duke) wasn't just there as a love interest. He was one of the only characters I liked in this book.

Also the other characters like Sam and Cordeila had some issues. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't like Sam. I just couldn't. I didn't understand his problem with his friends saving him. Cordeila is telekinetic and telepathic but it never explains how this happened and it also never explains how Jasper can run extremely fast. That information just appears to be missing.

The book was also extremely predictable. From the moment Sam first started talking to Leon in that bar I knew he was the Machinist. It was way too obvious to me. The book just seemed to scream that Leon was the Machinist, but it took them almost the entire book to figure it out. They also couldn't seem to figure out what he was planning. It was fairly obvious when Emily pointed out that the wax figure of the queen was missing its eyes and that they had taken measurements of the face and taken its clothing.

Often while reading this I had to reread sentences or even entire paragraphs before they made sense in my mind. Sometimes it would also just switch POVs without any warning, leaving me confused for a few moments.

I did like the idea of the Organites and the idea of Finely being the daughter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide but it could have been so much better. Despite everything I've said I actually somewhat liked this book after more than halfway through it but I didn't like it that much. I haven't had much experience with Steampunk books but I'm willing to bet that this will not be my last and I'll probably end up reading The Girl in the Clockwork Collar just because I actually like Jasper and the next one sounds much more interesting.

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Published: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Pages: 560
Series: His Fair Assassin #1
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?


My Review: When I bought this book I wasn't really sure what to expect. It was Grave Mercy or The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight two very different books but eventually I decided on Grave Mercy. Why? I have no idea.

The story starts out with Ismae escaping from her marriage to the convent of St. Mortain who is actually her father. She's trained to be an assassin for the God of Death. The nuns at the convent expect blind loyalty to St. Mortain and Ismae shows that...at first. Her first assignment goes perfectly but on her second assignment Gavriel Duval finds her after she successfully kills her target. The convent and the chancellor both suspect that Duval is a traitor and they want Ismae to prove it. Ismae poses as Duval's mistress at court and while there she finds that even the convent can make mistakes.

I found the beginning of the book kind of annoying. I wanted to read this book so I could read about assassin nuns but three years go by in a matter of pages and you don't get to really read what goes on during Ismae's training. She spends most of her time at court and I spent most of my time trying to remember who was who and what their jobs were.

Ismae was a weird character. One moment she was an assassin and the next she would be as scared as a deer. That just doesn't make much sense to me. She knew how to kill grown men but if they so much as touched her she jumped. That doesn't sound like an assassin to me but I could be wrong.

I did love her relationship with Duval. Actually I basically just loved Duval. Duval and Ismae don't really acknowledge that they love each other until near the end of the book but everyone around them seems to already know that they love each other. Typical love but I still liked the story.

One of my favorite quotes from the book was actually at the end and Duval said it:
“Whenever you are ready, or if you never are, my heart is yours, until Death do us part. Whatever that may mean when consorting with one of Death’s handmaidens.”
I nearly cried.

I didn't have many complaints about this book but I didn't love it. I don't normally like the old English way the characters speak but that actually didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.