The Constellation of Moon

NPC Crate Unboxing

Posted on August 30, 2018

So I have been an excited idiot and have forgotten to take pictures of the previous boxes because it is just cute. NPC (Nerd Poured Candles) Crate is a candle, pin and bookmark subscription box that is all about nerdiness, and I love it.

Yes, it is a “simple” as in no frills and craziness, but it is sound in content. This one had three delicious smelling candles! (MY favourite smell matchng my own idea of how it would smell was Totoro’s Forest, but I was also very pleasantly surprised by Yubaba’s Bath House mostly because I have never been to one and somehow as I smelled this candle I went “oh yes, this makes sense even if I didn’t even imagine it close to this!”

The Calcifer pin was awesome with all the sassiness of him in it and I was so happy to see it in there. And the bookmark on the other side has the description of things (you level up with each crate, but shhh! let the n00bs find out the hard way) and the label for each candle (as in contents, ingredients, etc).

If this sounds like your cup of tea, you can buy it here.

Book Review

Undead Girl Gang Review

Posted on August 28, 2018

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson

Mila Flores and her best friend Riley have always been inseparable. There’s not much excitement in their small town of Cross Creek, so Mila and Riley make their own fun, devoting most of their time to Riley’s favorite activity: amateur witchcraft.

So when Riley and two Fairmont Academy mean girls die under suspicious circumstances, Mila refuses to believe everyone’s explanation that her BFF was involved in a suicide pact. Instead, armed with a tube of lip gloss and an ancient grimoire, Mila does the unthinkable to uncover the truth: she brings the girls back to life.

Unfortunately, Riley, June, and Dayton have no recollection of their murders, but they do have unfinished business to attend to. Now, with only seven days until the spell wears off and the girls return to their graves, Mila must wrangle the distracted group of undead teens and work fast to discover their murderer…before the killer strikes again.

Rating:

This novel was a refreshing voice and it made me laugh. It was also quite good to have a witch that is not your usual witch, and I loved it. I also loved how her spells turn out.

I read this in a couple of sittings because it was just fun and cute and I kept wanting to know what Mila was doing and pondering exactly why the girls had been killed and by whom.

The twists made me laugh (mushrooms, mushrooms), and it just felt like a fun book yet it was dealing with death and difficult things happening. People think the girls died by a suicide pact, so with this premise Mila starts trying to prove it wrong, and it is a sad book.

Yes, there are zombies but it definitely isn’t your usual zombie story at all! But it does challenge the mean girls and it challenges Riley and Mila’s friendship and it is good, and interesting.

I think the best way to describe it is a refreshing fun out of the norm book.

Moon recommends

I think you should read Undead Girl Gang. If you like mysteries and thriller like, try One of Us is Lying, or if you prefer something funny, try Heretics Anonymous.

Book Review

The Book of Boy Review

Posted on August 26, 2018

The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert-Murdock

Boy has always been relegated to the outskirts of his small village. With a large hump on his back, a mysterious past, and a tendency to talk to animals, he is often mocked and abused by the other kids in his town. Until the arrival of a shadowy pilgrim named Secondus. Impressed with Boy’s climbing and jumping abilities, Secondus engages Boy as his servant, pulling him into an expedition across Europe to gather the seven precious relics of Saint Peter. Boy quickly realizes this journey is not an innocent one. They are stealing the relics, and gaining dangerous enemies in the process. But Boy is determined to see this pilgrimage through until the end—for what if St. Peter can make Boy’s hump go away?

This compelling, action-packed tale is full of bravery and daring, stars a terrific cast of secondary characters, and features an unlikely multigenerational friendship at its heart. Memorable and haunting, Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s epic medieval adventure is just right for readers of Sara Pennypacker’s Pax, Adam Gidwitz’s The Inquisitor’s Tale, and Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Echo.

Rating:

Oh my gosh, this was such a cute read. Boy is such an interesting character and it immediately made me feel like I was 1350.

The way Boy talks is very much from a different time, and at first I wasn’t sure what exactly his secret was, but I have to say I loved it (I do not want to spoil you, but that was my favourite part and how that mixes with the adventures of Secundus).

Boy is delightful, the lines between heaven, hell and earth blur beautifully. Relics are all the rage and life is so different, yet at the same time some things don’t change, do they? It not only mixes fantasy but religion, beliefs and a simple way of life. And it was very interesting to see Boy talking to animals and understanding them.

What are you waiting for? Go read The Book of Boy.

Moon recommends

When I read The Book of Boy, I was reminded a lot of Cadfael’s mysteries, so why not try Ellis Peters’ books?

Book Review

Black Curtain Call Review

Posted on August 24, 2018

Black Curtain Call by Nikki Welton

When 17-year-old Ivy is wrongly accused of a crime during a live performance in a theater she is desperately trying to save from closing, she must run for her life.

With the help of the director, who owns an ancient key to the theater vaults, Ivy, her best friend, Cole, and her sister, together open a passage to medieval Scotland, where the real knight Macbeth and King Duncan are at the height of their powers. But the escape route comes at an unexpected price: Ivy and her friends must play the roles of their lives, impersonating their real past selves. Unless they learn to trust each other more than the malicious whispers of three prophesying witches, the four of them might be lost forever in the world of royal intrigues and murder. This time Ivy must prevent the crime from happening and capture the culprit, or her own fate will change irrevocably.

If she can uncover the reason why the key thrust her into such a hostile world, Ivy might influence her future by altering the past to save the theater and find her way back home.

Rating:

Disclaimer: I was provided this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

A second disclaimer, I am not a big fan of Shakespeare retellings. But this is probably my favourite one.

As I finished this, my thoughts all end up in one. I wish Ivy had enjoyed the ride more. She’s trying so hard to go back to the theater that it felt like she wasn’t living in the moment. (And I mean, if you’re transported to the past and one of your past selves, why not figure things out and enjoy it?).

The others seem to get into character better. Does that mean Ivy maybe isn’t suited for theater? Who knows? I did ponder on this more than I probably should, but if she can’t act in the past, who says she can in the present?

It was an interesting “retelling” of Macbeth, the idea was way better than the original. However, Ivy’s attitude kept getting in the way of enjoying it as much as I think I would. (Also, why is she friends with Cole? I would’ve ditched him years ago).

If Shakespeare is your thing, you’ll enjoy this book.

Moon recommends

If you like retellings, go read Black Curtain Call. Or you can give The Queens of Innis Lear a go.

Subscription Boxes

August Illumicrate Unboxing

Posted on August 22, 2018

Book Review

Heretics Anonymous Review

Posted on August 20, 2018

Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry

Michael is an atheist. So as he walks through the doors at St. Clare’s—a strict Catholic school—sporting a plaid tie, things can’t get much worse. His dad has just made the family move again, and Michael needs a friend. When a girl challenges their teacher in class, Michael thinks he might have found one, and a fellow nonbeliever at that. Only this girl, Lucy, is not just Catholic . . . she wants to be a priest.

But Lucy introduces Michael to other St. Clare’s outcasts, and he officially joins Heretics Anonymous, where he can be an atheist, Lucy can be an outspoken feminist, Avi can be Jewish and gay, Max can wear whatever he wants, and Eden can practice paganism. After an incident in theology class, Michael encourages the Heretics to go from secret society to rebels intent on exposing the school’s hypocrisies. When Michael takes one mission too far—putting the other Heretics at risk—he must decide whether to fight for his own freedom, or rely on faith, whatever that means, in God, his friends, or himself.

Rating:

I loved this book much more than I thought I would. It made me laugh a lot (it definitely touches on the whole divine comedy), and it also made me think a lot (in a good way).

It has the classic “high school” elements, but it also has some interesting family dynamics and cultural differences and that made it so much better. First off there is Michael, who is struggling with moving around because of his father’s job. And it touched me because I have moved around a lot too (not because of my dad all the time but still). And the relationsips between his family were interesting.

Then you get the rest of the group, with Lucy trying so hard for her family and for herself. I really enjoyed her passion and her belief. She believed and it was okay, the book doesn’t tell you “hey, this character’s way is better”, instead it shows you a lot of different ways to view faith (which is something not many YA or even fiction books touch) but Heretics Anonymous does.

Each of the character adds to this book a little bit more and it was so nice to read it.

Moon recommends

I would suggest preordering/buying Heretics Anonymous, regardless of your beliefs. I don’t have many other books that touch on faith as this one does, so it is a tricky one to recommend other books…

Book Review

Onyx & Ivory Review

Posted on August 18, 2018

Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett

They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king years ago. Now Kate lives as an outcast, clinging to the fringes of society as a member of the Relay, the imperial courier service. Only those most skilled in riding and bow hunting ride for the Relay; and only the fastest survive, for when dark falls, the nightdrakes—deadly flightless dragons—come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: she is a wilder, born with magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals. But it’s this magic that she needs to keep hidden, as being a wilder is forbidden, punishable by death or exile. And it’s this magic that leads her to a caravan massacred by nightdrakes in broad daylight—the only survivor her childhood friend, her first love, the boy she swore to forget, the boy who broke her heart.

The high king’s second son, Corwin Tormane, never asked to lead. Even as he waits for the uror—the once-in-a-generation ritual to decide which of the king’s children will succeed him—he knows it’s always been his brother who will assume the throne. And that’s fine by him. He’d rather spend his days away from the palace, away from the sight of his father, broken with sickness from the attempt on his life. But the peacekeeping tour Corwin is on has given him too much time to reflect upon the night he saved his father’s life—the night he condemned the would-be killer to death and lost the girl he loved. Which is why he takes it on himself to investigate rumors of unrest in one of the remote city-states, only for his caravan to be attacked—and for him to be saved by Kate.

With their paths once more entangled, Kate and Corwin have to put the past behind them. The threat of drakes who attack in the daylight is only the beginning of a darker menace stirring in the kingdom—one whose origins have dire implications for Kate’s father’s attack upon the king and will thrust them into the middle of a brewing civil war in the kingdom of Rime.

Rating:

Buddy read again, and yes that is an exclusive edition from LitJoy that has extra artwork and is signed.

One of the things that puzzles me about the book is the title. Onyx & Ivory, black and white. But nothing in this book is black and/or white. I mean of course there are things that are one colour or the other, but the book is more about all the nuances of things than about it being black or white.

Nevermind, that is me musing over semantics and choice of words.

I enjoyed this book, I started feeling for Pip (which was a heartbreaking start), found Signe to be the right kind of fun friend to have (even if she is herself and well, sometimes that is a bit too much).

The way Kate (and Corwin too) grows through the story was one fo my favourite things. As she is trying to figure out what she wants out of life and trying to shake off the whole “Traitor Kate”.

Another thing I really liked was how not everything happens in one day or just in a couple of days. But rather it feels more natural to have a longer time span for events to happen which for once didn’t make me think “instantaneous” but rather go “oh yeah, makes sense”.

And of course I now need the next book because that ending left me wanting to just plunge into the next book.

Moon recommends

Reading Onyx and Ivory, and something slightly similar would be Heart of Thorns (the same feeling but not the same story and each is unique).

Subscription Boxes

August Yume Twins (Dreamland)

Posted on August 16, 2018

This theme sounded too good to pass up, dreaming, sleeping, all the best things, and they do have such cuteness. Starting from the plushie and going clockwise:

Cute plushie, I forget the fandom off the top of my head. But it is very squishie.
Theme magazine.
Pokemon notebook (it has cute pokemons inside)
Pokemon cable protector (isn’t it super cute, sleeping away? *cuteness overload*)
Kitty/feline bookmark with sticky-notes
Cooling pillow cover, I haven’t tried it out but it does sound interesting and useful.
Face cloth, it is so soft :3

Books, Subscription Boxes

Witchcraft Book Box Club Unboxing

Posted on August 14, 2018

A witchy magical box for their first special box (as in the box is now Book Box Colour and printed rather than a sticker on a brown box and it is so gorgeous!). Starting with the book and going clockwise:

The Lost Witch by Melvin Burgess, I was going to preorder but guessed it’d be in this box. Then knew he was at YALC so I actually have two copies, one dedicated and one from the box.
A bookmark to match the book.
Promotional postcards.
A chocolate frog for all your witchcraft (it was very yummy!)
Invitation to the Clubhouse
Promotional bookmark for This Cruel Design (This Mortal Coil was awesome).
Portable Magic Book Pouch by Tea Cake Art. The design is gorgeous (though I admit I thought it was a sandwich carrier for lunch but love it either way).
A Spell for Wildflowers by Wildflower Favours. I thought this was such a cute thing to get!
Hubble Bubble Bath Potion by Midsummer Child. A great spell for a weary day!
Luna Lovegood candle by Madame Fiction. It smells delicious.
And a pair of super cute witchy earrings by Fairy Fountain Gifts.

I can’t wait for the next box and to read the book and I just really loved the box 🙂

Book Review

Heart of Thorns Review

Posted on August 12, 2018

Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton

In the ancient river kingdom, touch is a battlefield, bodies the instruments of war. Seventeen-year-old Mia Rose has pledged her life to hunting Gwyrach: women who can manipulate flesh, bones, breath, and blood.

Not women. Demons. The same demons who killed her mother without a single scratch.

But when Mia’s father suddenly announces her marriage to the prince, she is forced to trade in her knives and trousers for a sumptuous silk gown. Only after the wedding goes disastrously wrong does she discover she has dark, forbidden magic—the very magic she has sworn to destroy.

Rating:

I buddy read this book and of course I ended up pulling a “Moon” (this means I stuck to the buddy read for a few days and then finished the book instead of stopping at the designated place). However, it has been one of our most positive buddy reads, and I was enjoying this book a lot.

One of my favourite things is that some of the cliche roles are reversed, and how Mia starts managing/understanding feelings. Her growth and her naivity were interesting.

Also, without spoiling, that ending left me wanting so much more and also there were a lot of twists that were unexpected. (How can you review this and explain how much they surprised you when you want to skip spoilers?!)

Moon recommends

Why not give this book a try? I’d also like to recommend The Last Namsara, or The Hero and The Crown, all of them with great “heroines” that learn a lot about themselves and magic through this (sadly Heart of Thorns doesn’t have dragons, which the other two do).