Heretics Anonymous Review
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…
Onyx & Ivory Review
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).
August Yume Twins (Dreamland)
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
Witchcraft Book Box Club Unboxing
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 🙂
Heart of Thorns Review
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).
The Power Within Fairyloot Unboxing
A mixed box of feelings for me. Some items were very good but the rest were not enough. Let’s do the unboxing starting from the book and going clockwise:
- Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton. It has red sprayed edges (beautiful) and expect a review soon (like in two days).
- Sweet Black Waves postcard.
- Author letter/character art print.
- Fairyscope hidden underneath.
- Children of Blood and Bone print (one of my favourite things from this box).
- Theme card.
- Witchy broomstick with a quote referencing Quidditch.
- Colour changing mug. Sadly it is just a quote in colours, it isn’t a wonderful picture or some fun effect, which is a shame as Ink & Wonder designs are usually delightful and lovely.
- Wrongly printed tea towel (they are sending one that isn’t reversed, no one thoguht to check this before printing sadly).
- A room spray from Geeky Clean.
Spill the Tea: On Photosensitivity representation
Say what?
Photosensitivity is in the simplest form an allergy to light (most of the time this is just allergy to the sun). It presents in several degress (mild to “I have to live in absolute darkness”) and forms.
The most common is photosensitive eyes, which is when your eyes are very sensitive to light. It can also appear as a side effect of other illnesses (like lupus) or even of medication.
I was born with photosensitivity. In my eyes it is a medium-high degree, whereas on my skin/body it is mild-medium. Also, as far as I know, it is not a side effect of something, it just is.
Here are some facts about my own experiences:
- I was diagnosed when I was 11-12. At the time I hated having my picture taken when flash was involved and wasn’t too happy with places that had a lot of bright lights.
- Since my diagnosis I have worn Transitions/photosensitive glasses (I also need them to see). I can tell you how many leaps and bounds the technology has come along in the last 10+ years. (Quite a lot).
- Talking of eyes and sight, sunglasses do NOTHING for me. Transitions help my eyes adjust much better. Computer glasses aren’t a good suggestion either. (Trust me, the number of times people suggest this, is beyond count).
- Up until a few years ago I couldn’t wear contacts and even now, I can only do so rarely (they make some polarized special ones).
- On a bad day, I can spend most of the day crying because my eyes cannot cope with the amount of light. This is not fun to explain.
- I am sensitive to all kinds of light, not just the sun (it isn’t common to be affected by all kinds of light).
- I get rashes and spots on my skin if I am exposed to too much light.
- Fun fact: I tan easily (rather than burn).
- I have never had a lack of Vitamin D (so no, not being out in the sun doesn’t mean I lack it).
- I tend to wear tights and long sleeves or cardigans even in summer.
- I can go to the beach but I have to be careful of my exposure to the sun.
- I can also get a headache/migraine from being exposed to light.
- Because I am so sensitive to light, I have good night vision.
- I have a tendency to prefer warm soft lights if there is a need for one or having candles.
- Fire is the only light source that doesn’t seem to trigger my allergy.
- Allergy pills help a tiny bit, specially to not be as itchy with the rashes.
- For years I would scratch the rashes and now I have so many tiny scars they sometimes look like freckles.
- Sometimes I still scratch them, despite knowing it does me no good.
- After having tattooed my thigh I realised I would scratch less so I got a tattoo on each arm/shoulder to discourage the scratching. It has worked to a degree.
- There is very little representation of this condition in literature (I only know of two books).
- Yes, I have heard the “you are a vampire” joke countless times, I will still smile but trust me, you’re not the first one to say it.
- There is very little knowledge in general about it (or at least all the doctors I have had and dealt with don’t know much and as far as I’ve found, each person that presents this condition has a unique way of having it.)
- I have adapted to it because I’ve had this all my life and it isn’t until people ask why I do certain things that I realise how odd they are.
Now let’s talk representation.
There is very little. I know of two books that actually try to talk about it. One of them is The Ice Garden by Guy Jones, which I have reviewed and enjoyed. However in it the MC isn’t affected by every light just sunlight so as much as it was delightful to read about it, it was still not the same as I have to live. Still, it was good and I didn’t feel annoyed but rather it left me wanting my own ice garden.
The other book I know of, is Lovely, Dark and Deep by Justina Chen. I am still waiting to read this one but trust me, I am dying to do so. And I will post my review as soon as I have finished.
And well, that’s it. I do not know of any more books that represent this.
What I do know is that there isn’t enough information out there, and there is little representation. And I hope that this changes (not only for photosensitivity).
A Sky Painted Gold Review
A Sky Painted Gold by Laura Wood
Growing up in her sleepy Cornish village dreaming of being a writer, sixteen-year-old Lou has always wondered about the grand Cardew house which has stood empty for years. And when the owners arrive for the summer – a handsome, dashing brother and sister – Lou is quite swept off her feet and into a world of moonlit cocktail parties and glamour beyond her wildest dreams.
But, as she grows closer to the Cardews, is she abandoning her own ambitions… And is there something darker lurking at the heart of the Cardew family?
A gorgeously dreamy coming-of-age romance set against a stunning Gatsby-esque backdrop, this is perfect for fans of I Capture the Castle and Eva Ibbotson.
Rating: 
Reader, I have a confession to make.
I do not like The Great Gatsby.
And with that preamble, let me tell you that despite being labelled as a The Great Gatsby for teenagers/young adults, this book is not to be compared with Gatsby. Why? Because it is SO much better.
There is a lot of focus on family, familiar love, specially between siblings, and each relationship is written with care. It shows and it is part of what shines in this book. The characters are endearing even if they aren’t always good.
And as much as there is romance in the book, it isn’t the only thing. The story flows, and it makes you swing and dance with it, it takes you on a journey that you don’t want to stop. And when you reach the end you want to cry of joy.
Moon recommends
Read this book, regardless of your love/hate/neutral for The Great Gatsby. I also recommend trying some of Eva Ibbotson’s books. They’re the same kind of lovely.
YALC 2018 Wrap up
YALC (Young Adult Literature Convention) was a treat. I am still (a week later) very happy and full of books!
I’ll do a quick wrap up (or attempt to) as the pictures will speak for themselves (so many books).
- I brought back 108 books. Some I had taken with me to get signed (about 30 of them which still means I managed to acquire 78 books during 3 days).
- Several authors remember me, I also seem to be quite good at being found.
- I shocked publishers with my Waterstones receipt (it had to be unfolded for a few times, and had SO many books!)
- There were a lot of goodies, and I was very happy with all the posts. (Someone suggested an artists alley and I have to say I’d love that!)
- Our book squad is the very best and I love them all to pieces. There were a lot of times when they managed to get books signed for me, or reminded me of something or simple saved me in some way. I can’t thank you all lovely ladies enough.
- I said “Oh, sorry, I am dead” while laying spread out on my back on the floor to Jason Momoa (it was Sunday and I was exhausted, hypermobility was NOT happy with me).
- I also managed to walk in between Jason and his bodyguard and be completely oblivious to that (everyone later went like “but like didn’t you notice?! you did it!”).
- Managed to meet so many lovely people, thanks to all you lovelies that stopped me and introduced yourselves!
- Queue strangers to friends is the best of the best. Specially after you keep meeting the same people on different queues.
- Talking of queueing, I still don’t get the British and their love for queues. Several times I asked “what are you queueing for” and the reply was “I don’t know”.
- Suitcases and totebags for the win!
- The moon dress (which is actually Knit Anele’s dress) got a lot of compliments, but also, it was SO comfortable (same with the boots, custom made and I loved them, like walking on clouds).
Have a look at all the books (bought, ARCs/proofs won, free books, signed books)
Last but not least, a big shout out to the Book Box Club girls. It is through their idea of having a Clubhouse to chat about the book, that I met my best friend. But not only that, from it our book squad was born.
I had always dreamed of having a group of friends that understood me, that were there in the thick and the thin, that had my back (and for whom I could be there when they needed me), and it was just a dream.
Kate and Libby, through Book Box Club, made that dream become reality and I have no words to say how grateful I am for this, for the box, for the books, for the friendships, for our squad. Each lady in the picture below is worth infinity times their weight in gold.
