The Constellation of Moon

A Storm of Ice and Stars Review

Posted on November 18, 2018

A Storm of Ice and Stars by Lisa Lueddecke

Ice, myth, magic and danger in this bone-chilling, page-turning, beautifully written fantasy novel set in the same world as A SHIVER OF SNOW AND SKY. Blood-red lights have appeared in the sky over the frozen island of Skane, causing a cloak of fear and suspicion to fall over the village like a blanket of snow. In a desperate attempt to keep out the plague, the village elders barricade its borders – no-one, no matter how in need of help, will be permitted to enter in case they bring infection with them. Teenager Janna refuses to turn her back on people seeking refuge and is banished to the swirling snow and lurking darkness beyond the village. Can she survive?

Rating:

This is a prequel sequel (as in it’s the second book but it technically happens before book 1). And those usually turn interesting in one way or another.

For me, this one had the same lovely prose and the same interesting Skane dynamics that where in A Shiver of Snow and Sky, but I struggled a little because as much as it was close the first one, it was too close.

There were times when it felt too much the same, too similar. Yes, the story is interesting and it is a good backstory, answers some “questions” if you’d like and makes Osa even more special in a different way. But on the other hand it is a book of leaving the village and being sp[ecial and not fitting fully in the village. And the quest to get to the end of a thing. Both did it, and it helped Skane.

Still, I love Siiva and Enja and wish the story told us more about them and Solvi, rather than just Janna spending most of the quest mulling over Solvi. I know grief is an interesting thing, but considering in Skane people die relatively frequently and easily and Janna manages to be near the ones that die, you would expect her to get over it a little bit better (or if not, to have had the rest of the villagers go “hey, you’re an adult, we all need to survive here, no free lodgers!”, specially considering the village is all for closing borders and not helping those who don’t help themselves).

Moon recommends

Somehow as mcuh as this is a prequel, it is best to read the original first, so I recommend A Shiver of Snow and Sky.

Book Review

The Hidden Witch Review

Posted on November 16, 2018

The Hidden Witch by Molly Know Ostertag

Aster and his family are adjusting to his unconventional talent for witchery; unlike the other boys in his family, he isn’t a shapeshifter. He’s taking classes with his grandmother and helping to keep an eye on his great-uncle whose corrupted magic wreaked havoc on the family.

Meanwhile, Aster’s friend from the non-magical part of town, Charlie, is having problems of her own — a curse has tried to attach itself to her. She runs to Aster and escapes it, but now the friends must find the source of the curse before more people — normal and magical alike — get hurt.

Rating:

Boy, I definitely have been on a Middle Grade and Graphic Novels frenzy all of a sudden, oh well. I am reading other books and have read other books but alas somehow my reviews have piled up.

This gem arrived on Halloween to make my night so much better (the sudden graphic novels extravaganza is because they’re great for bed time reading). As you may know, I have already reviewed the first one which is The Witch Boy.

This story introduces someone new to the town and it is a foster child. Now, this is something that I don’t usually see in graphic novels, so it was interesting to see and it worked into the narrative.

It was also interesting to see the journey of trying to fix the wrongs that had been done by Grandmother and the whole “boys can’t be witches, women can’t shapeshift”. And considering it has been a big change to have Aster join the girls, and the fact that this isn’t going as well as planned (I feel so much for him, poor Aster). It felt well done as a story, I loved the “redemption arc” of the story. It wasn’t a “plot twist” because this isn’t about a pot twist, but rather about a wholesome story that empowers everyone.

That is exactly what you get, the dream “Scholastic Catalog” graphic novel. The one young me would’ve loved to see arrive, and to be honest, even adult me loves it too.

Moon recommends

This whole series. The Witch Boy was great and The Hidden Witch doesn’t disappoint either. I won’t bore you with all my recent witchy reads, but go have a quick look on my reviews, there’s a lot to choose from.

Book Review

How to Catch a Witch Review

Posted on November 14, 2018

20181102_105653

How to Catch a Witch by Abie Longstaff

Charlie and her family have moved from the big city to a small country village, and everything feels wrong. Their cottage is old and creepy. Anxiety about her new school is causing Charlie’s stutter to return. And the villagers are just plain weird. Not least, Agatha, who may not have a broomstick or a cauldron, but is definitely a witch…

Rating:

I got lucky, as I was browsing my local Waterstones, I saw this books on a stand and they were signed by the author (I have this one and the sequel signed). The story looked very cute and interesting, so I had to get it (plus signed, right? no one can resist such a deal).

I read this quite quickly as it was easy and it was a nice mix of contemporary and fantasy/witchy fun. The beginning reminds me a little of Spirited Away, as in the main character just moved and isn’t very keen on it. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, but somehow it does for me.

This does not ruin it but rather make me more intrigued to find more, and Charlie is an itneresting character. She has a stutter and it was interesting to be inside her thoughts as she tries to navigate the new town, the new school and life in general, plus that odd buzzing in her head.

At some point she wishes she could catch a witch to give her a spell to get rid of the stutter, and lo and behold, she meets one! And makes a friend.

The story was sweet, very empowering and helpful to see that “flaws” aren’t always bad and can be used for good or to benefit something. It also had a lot of power on friendship and life which I also thought was delightful.

Moon recommends

If you’ve been following this blog, I have been on a Middle Grade and Witchy reads streak, so what can I recommend? The Aprentice Witch is a good choice, it is not the same as How to Catch a Witch but it has some interesting elements.

Book Review, Books

Lumberjanes Vol. 1 Review

Posted on November 12, 2018

20181102_105636

Lumberjanes Vol 1 by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Shannon Waters

FRIENDSHIP TO THE MAX!

At Miss Qiunzilla Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s camp for hard-core lady-types, things are not what they seem. Three-eyed foxes. Secret caves. Anagrams. Luckily, Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley are five rad, butt-kicking best pals determined to have an awesome summer together… And they’re not gonna let a magical quest or an array of supernatural critters get in their way! The mystery keeps getting bigger, and it all begins here.

Collects Lumberjanes No. 1-4

Rating:

So as you know I have read Nimona and recently I have gone back to graphic novels/manga (I know they are not the same, it is more that I am reading more of both). I used to read a lot of both then just slowed down and now my love for them has been renewed.

This was one of those graphic novels that are a lot about craziness and characters rather than a big plot. It feels like the authors are trying hard to include as many crazy things as possible into one group of girl scouts.

I can’t say I fell in love with it as it left me feeling oddly confused and unsure if I liked it or wasn’t that crazy but I have heard good things about it and I want to give it a chance, so I have bought the next volume and will read it then see what comes next.

It isn’t the crazy kind of graphic novel as Monstress is, this is definitely more about fun craziness and just about the experience of being a scout, however, I have never been one or known anyone that has, so maybe that makes this harder to appreciate? No crazy camp experiences either.

It does make me smile to read it and it was quick and “light” so if you want some kind of mindless fun this is probably it with a touch of bizarre just to make sure.

Moon recommends

I’d suggest starting with Lumberjanes if you fancy the experience. Since Noelle Stevenson is part of the minds behind this, why not try Nimona? Or maybe you’d like to try Moonstruck? They’re both good in different ways.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Fantasy Lands Book Box Club Unboxing

Posted on November 10, 2018

After a wonderful Clubhouse for The Other Side of the Lost, an unboxing of their October box, Fantasy Lands. I was very excited for this one because I immediately knew what book it’d be and wanted to see what else would be included to go alongside it. Starting from the top left corner and going clockwise:

Courage, dear heart beanie. I don’t do beanies but it is ever so cute and I am trying to convine my bf that he can wear it.
Bridge of Clay promotional postcard.
Fantasy Lands theme card, this included the descriptiobns on the other side and feels very Narnia-like.
As Travers tote bag, which was also lovely (totebags tend to be welcome here as I use them for shopping).
Alice in Wonderland inspired tea, chocolatey if I remember correctly and yummy
A Coraline biscuit which didn’t last very long and it was hard to resist chomping it as soon as it arrived.
A gemstone soap with an actual gemstone inside, which also a bonus as I like gems and soaps, so all good.
The Light Between Worlds by Laura Weymouth. I haven’t read it yet but apparently I love it so much I forgot to cancel my preorder, and had an ARC for it so now I have 3 copies of it.
Clubhouse invite, personalised (the personalised bit is one of my favourite things).
Three strikes sampler.

I am really looking forward to the buddy read next Monday of Light Between Worlds and to actually reading it (it was hard to wait because I really just wanted to curl up and read the book alongside a cup of tea and the biscuit, but somehow I managed to resist on one of those things).

Book Review

Getting Lost and Finding Oneself

Posted on November 8, 2018

The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby

Bri and Mari are cousins, and growing up, also best friends and soul mates. But over the teenage years they lose touch, and their lives develop in somewhat opposite directions. While Bri travels the world, hikes crazy mountains and make new friends, Mari chooses a more shallow path; that of a social media influencer. Cooking pretend (photo suitable) meals, dating a pretend (social media hot-shot) boyfriend, she’s lost touch not only with Bri, but also with their common dreams of future adventures. But then suddenly, everything changes. Bri loosing her step on a steep climb, and Mari receiving her diary and backpack on what would’ve been their shared eighteenth birthday, sets Mari off in a new direction. One of hiking, exploring, and in a way recapturing the relationship with her now gone cousin. This is a story about getting lost on trails, and finding oneself when trying to get on the right way back.

Rating 🐖🐖🐖

Starting this book, I really thought I was going to love it. The cousin friendship, the growing apart, the mountain climbing and cute illustrations and handwritten passages from Bri’s diary – I just knew I was in for a treat. The story set off well, with Mari taking on the erratic landscape, while leaving everything she knew behind.

Then, however, nothing much happened. Sure, she climbed some more mountains. Made some friends (and there’s a love story in there too). Found out some things about Bri. But pretty fast, there was nothing more to the story than depictions of blisters, beautiful sunsets and quotes about finding oneself.

I really liked the concept of this book, but ironically enough, Mari’s journey towards finding her true self is plotted with the typical kind of shallow quotes that she wanted to get away from when leaving the influencer life behind. It is however a cute, easy read and pleasant feel good story, and if that’s what you’re looking for, The Other Side of Lost is a good option.

Dr. Bea approves

If you’re in for more wild life adventures, Wild by Cheryl Strayed or Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer might be your next read.

Book Review

The Boy Who Lived With Dragons Review

Posted on November 6, 2018

The Boy Who Lived With Dragons by Andy Sheperd

Tomas has a secret – a big secret. He has his own tiny dragon, Flicker! A dragon which grew on a very special tree at the bottom of his grandad’s garden. And not only that – his friends Ted, Kai and Kat have dragons too, all grown on the same dragonfruit tree …

Having your own dragon is magical – but Tomas is also about to find out what living with a dragon is REALLY like. When the fire-breathing kicks in and you get singed every five seconds, it’s like having an unpredictable volcano in your pocket. Learning to train the dragons and keep them out of trouble at school and home will take all Tomas’s creativity and patience … What is more, the dragonfruit tree is starting to look droopy and unwell. Tomas and his friends have got to do all they can restore it to health and uncover its deepest mysteries, as well as trying to work out what big secret local bully Liam, ‘King of Trouble’, has got up his sleeve … One thing is for sure, life is never dull when you have a dragon in your pocket.

Rating:

All the dragons, there’s more dragons, not just Flicker this time! Because Tomas’ gang now has dragons too and they are finding it tricky to take care of them.

For a start, Flicker tends to behave well, but the other ones, not so much and they each do different things like camouflage, or massive fire, or an “ice” fire. And Tomas is struggling to figure out how to help them take care of their dragons and train them as he keeps trying to figure out things himself with Flicker.

Flicker is a gorgeous little dragon and a very smart one so he will help Tomas as best s he can, specially as they realise that the dragon fruit tree seems to be slowly dying and they don’t want that to happen. The question is why and how (since his Grandpa takes good care of the garden and plants, so definitely not him). Maybe it is the angry neighbour Grim (Jim)?

The illustrations once again are funny and add to the story very well and the story itself is cute and fun and just a nice sunny kind of book.

Moon recommends

This is book two, so maybe you want to start with The Boy Who Grew Dragons?

Book Review, Books

The Boy Who Grew Dragons Review

Posted on November 4, 2018

The Boy Who Grew Dragons by Andy Shepherd

When Tomas discovers a strange old tree at the bottom of his grandad’s garden, he doesn’t think much of it. But he takes the funny fruit from the tree back into the house – and gets the shock and delight of his life when a tiny dragon hatches! The tree is a dragonfruit tree, and Tomas has got his very own dragon, Flicker …

Tomas soon finds out that life with Flicker is great fun, but also very … unpredictable. Yes, dragons are wonderful, but they also set fire to your toothbruth and leave your pants hanging from the TV aerial. Tomas has to learn how to look after Flicker – and quickly. And then something extraordinary happens – more dragonfruits appear on the tree. Tomas is officially growing dragons …

Rating:

With a title like that, how could I resist? I saw it in Waterstones and promptly bought it and the sequel. (And there’s another one coming out soonish).

We meet Tomas, who is helpiong his Grandpa to clear up his garden and try to grow something. As they do this they find a strange fruit which turns out to be a dragon fruit (pitaya). And well, Tomas takes one of the fruits home because he is curious about it, and then all of a sudden it hatches a tiny dragon!

Flicker is a cutie, however what is Tomas going to do now that he has a small dragon?

This was really fun to read, and I loved the fact that it is a “not everything is perfect” kind of story. The illustrations make it even better and hint at things to come. And it is also interesting to see the relationships of Tomas and family and friends.

All in all a quick enjoyable read.

Moon recommends

I have recently been reading a lot of Middle Grade, so check out The Dragon with The Chocolate Heart for example, and obviously The Boy Who Grew Dragons.

Book Review, Books

Nine Review

Posted on November 2, 2018

Nine by Zach Hines

In an alternate world startlingly close to our own, humans have nine lives—and they can’t wait to burn straight through them.

As you shed lives, you shed your awkward phases: one death is equal to one physical and mental upgrade. Julian’s friends are obsessed with the idea of burning lives, but Julian is determined to stay on his first for as long as he can. His mother, the ultimate cautionary tale, burned through her first eight in just a few years, and Julian has no intention of succumbing to the debilitating rebirth sickness that she inflicted on herself.

But the regime has death incentives aimed at controlling overpopulation, and Julian realizes that he’s going to have to burn at some point—especially when he becomes a target for Nicholas, the manipulative leader of the Burners, the school’s suicide club. And when Julian eventually succumbs, he uncovers suspicious gaps in the rebirth system that may explain exactly why his mother went so far down the rabbit hole years ago. Along with a group of student dissenters, Julian sets out to find answers and is soon on the verge of exposing the greatest conspiracy ever unleashed on the world.

He has just eight more lives to uncover the brutal truth.

Rating:

The concept of this book intrigued me very much, and I knew it may not be a “popular” book that everyone wanted to read, but it definitely had me at the premise.

What would I do with 9 lives, and also, how do you cope with rebirth? How do people come back to life? There were so many questions. So many of them. And some never got answered, however, one things this book did was a great world bulding (not that it shows itself like a word vomit, thankfully) and it gave you information as you needed (not exactly when you wanted it, but it was worth waiting to find out how they were reborn, what happened as you died.

There was also a lot of intersting characters, and it posed a question on suicide and death.

And population control, as the goverment gives economical incentives for families to reach a certain “lives expended” quotient so that they can earn more or get better jobs/promotions, or better homes/neighbourhoods. And it was interesting to see how it had been posed in this book and made me wonder if we had those lives how it would be controlled.

I think I would’ve been one of those that stayed at her first life for as long as possible as the panicky anxious part of me would think “but what if someone runs me over? or a fire happens? I may loose a life then and what if I was already on my 8th or something like that?”

All in all it was a much creepier read than I expected it to be, but it was also extremely interesting and it kept me hooked.

Moon recommends

Read Nine for a spooky creepy look at life that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A book that kept comign to mind as read this was Scythe which treats the whole “immortality” in a different way but also ponders what humanity does when death isn’t somethign that happens in the same way it used to.

Books, Subscription Boxes

Lost in the Bookstore Owlcrate Unboxing

Posted on October 31, 2018

Not exactly a creepy post (and I guess it isn’t exactly anyone’s nightmare to get lost in the library/bookstore, maybe?) but it is a gorgeous box and I had to post the unboxing. Plus it had two books! Starting from the top right corner and going clockwise:

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa. This is a special edition cover and I am eager to read this book as I have heard good things about it.
Owlcrate heart tea infuser. Absolutely cute, but not for me (why? because I am a tea nerd and prefer an infuser that fits almost any mug or teapot and lets the leaves move around freely). However, I do love they included one since there’s also some tea in the box.
Owlcrate theme card and pin/badge. Loved the artwork for this one so much!
Book Nerd socks, which coincidentially I am wearing as I write this post. They are soft, and comfortable and very bookish.
Chocolate Mint Truffle Tea. It definitely tastes like a minty chocolate and it is actually refreshing as a tea.
Books are a unique portable magic “clutch”. I love this little thing and have been keeping one of my crochet projects in it. It protects it well and is handy, plus it means the hook won’t disappear beyond the clutch.
Pride, a remix of Pride & Prejudice, more in a modernised setting. I am intrigued and unsure what to expect.
Mirror of Erised print (potentially the less interesting part of the box for me, but I am not a big fan of prints).

As you can see it was glorious and cosy and just right. I was actually glad that it wasn’t a “spooky” box as that sometimes can be too much and too many boxes doing it.