Hey there, everyone! I hope everyone had a February! I totally forgot that it was a leap year! Unfortunately, this month was a bit of a bust for me, both in terms of book quality and number of books read. Oh well!

Anyway, how did everyone else do this past month? Meet any personal goals?

Liar’s Beach

Liar’s Beach was the first book I read this month, and I read it by the pool during my stay-cation. This book is supposed to be a YA retelling of Agatha Christie’s Mysterious Style of Affairs, and…well, it was okay. It’s a quick beach read. Some parts of the story were underdeveloped, and I felt like the characters were very two-dimensional.

Down the Well

The cover and synopsis of the story (not to mention the fact that the cat is named Dinah) make the story feel like an Alice in Wonderland retelling. The story was okay, but the parts were too juvenile, especially with the added drawings of the mice and the furry little animals throughout the story. I would say this is a book for 12 and thirteen-year-olds. It reads like it should be a young adult, but it feels like a kid’s book. I wanted more from it, and there were so many times that I thought about adding this book to my DNF pile.

Bright Ruined Things

Bright Ruined Things is a retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Let me tell you, it has been a while since I read The Tempest. So, one day during my lunch break, I skimmed through the Sparknotes version before I started this book. I’m glad I did that because I saw many of the allusions to the original in a more impactful way. The story moved incredibly, and I loved the character development.

In the Lives of Puppets

This book was amazing! It was amazing! I cannot stress that enough: I loved this book. When I finished this book, I wondered how to sleep. I was ranting and raving for DAYS about how excellent this book was. My friend thought my brain was short-circuiting. It was heartwarming and unique and wonderful and tragic and bittersweet and just so freaking good. As you can see, I’m still hungover.

These Deadly Prophecies

This was such a short, quick read. It is perfect for lovers of Knives’ Out. I know that phrase is getting thrown around a lot, but as someone who has watched Knives’ Out (repeatedly), it was perfect. I also loved its urban/contemporary fantasy vibes and how they talk about YouTube and what we use daily; it made the story and the magic feel real. I loved how the pace was non-stop. However, I will say this: I called it.

Divine Rivals

Alright, I get the hype behind this book. I was already familiar with Ross’s storytelling. I have always liked her storytelling and how her stories have this breath. I love the way Ross developed the relationship between Iris and Roman. It happened in such a fantastic way as writing letters to one another. It was heartfelt and moving, and switching between these two perspectives gave the story depth. I also love the mythology and fantasy in the world-building. And that ending! I am not okay after that ending. I get why people went crazy for the second book. Here’s hoping it doesn’t disappoint!

Fynneas Fog: Nine of Swords

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I wish I could have finished this book because the author was kind enough to send me a copy of the book to review. And while the book’s prologue was promising, everything went downhill afterward. It was just so long and tedious. The pacing and everything dragged. There were multiple POVs, and I wasn’t sure who was talking then. The main character sounded very juvenile, and considering this was supposed to be a young adult book, it read more like something that should be in the kids’ section. That usually doesn’t deter me. I love kids’ books, but when I am told young adults, I expect the tone and characterization to be more mature, especially given the context of the book. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me, and I reached chapter 12 before I put it down.

DNF

The Warm Hands of Ghosts

Alright, usually, I love Arden; I brag about her a lot. But this was my least favorite book by her. Don’t get me wrong, it was expertly written, but when the novel’s tagline says “historical fiction with a speculative twist,” and it’s from an author that mostly writes fantasy, I expect more fantasy in the book. The novel’s fantasy was minimal, focusing more on the traumas of war than anything. I liked it, but it was not what I was expecting when I picked up this book.

Beholder

Alright, La Sala is a trippy writer and definitely not for everyone. This was a trippy read, and while I liked the fantasy element of the story, of the character being able to look into the past of the reflection and being hunted by this cult, the story just dragged out. I wanted the pacing to move quicker, and it was circling the train with the exact repetition. It dragged too much for me to enjoy the mystery behind the novel throughly.

Don’t forget to follow Cyn’s Workshop on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Spotify | YouTube | BookBub | Goodreads | LinkedIn to stay tuned for more like this.

Become a Supporter