Final score: 12 Nice, 8 Naughty

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From Goodreads: "Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield — her brother, fighting with the enemy — the brother she watched die five years ago. Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family. She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating."

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

I've been having a difficult relationship with reading lately (for personal reasons) but Sky in the Deep seems to have gotten me out of my reading slump! This book was the perfect dose of historical fiction I didn't know I needed and I'm definitely looking forward to Adrienne Young's future releases!



Characters:
Eelyn was definitely the strong, fierce warrior main character that I've been dying to read about. She was brutal but smart and loyal to those she called family. I do feel that she spent a lot of her time at the Riki camp basically talking about how she could destroy/kill the Riki, but never really doing anything. I was slightly frustrated at this, but then I came to the conclusion that she did this for a reason: she was beginning to realize that maybe the people she's grown up hating aren't so different from her after all. She never says this, but you can definitely tell in her character development that she changes her mind about the Riki over time. Which, speaking of character development, I actually really enjoyed her growth throughout the book. She does remain a fierce warrior, however, and that was my favorite part about her! A Viking warrior female main character that is able to hold her own on the field of battle but also has complex feelings and emotions and is able to grow as a character throughout the book? Yes, please! We need more characters like Eelyn in Young Adult books.

I didn't particularly care for any of the other characters in Sky in the Deep, unfortunately. If I had to choose one that I would be interested in reading more about, it would be Eelyn's battle partner Myra. I'd love to know more about her backstory! However, I do feel that the companion novel may possibly be about Fiske? He wasn't a bad character, and I suppose I wouldn't mind knowing more about him and his connection to Eelyn's brother, Iri. I did feel that the romance between Fiske and Eelyn wasn't necessary, though. I would have much rather seen the two of them become friends! But I will say that, while I may not have necessarily agreed with the romance, it wasn't insta-love, and that wins a ton of points in my book. It was more of an enemies-to-lovers kind of development, and even at the end, they weren't exactly the typical YA romance couple. So, I didn't exactly hate it and would be interested to see how it develops possibly in the companion novel.

From Goodreads: "Odessa is one of Karthia's master necromancers, catering to the kingdom's ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it's Odessa's job to raise them by retrieving their souls from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised--the Dead must remain shrouded, or risk transforming into zombie-like monsters known as Shades. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, the grotesque transformation will begin. A dramatic uptick in Shade attacks raises suspicions and fears among Odessa's necromancer community. Soon a crushing loss of one of their own reveals a disturbing conspiracy: someone is intentionally creating Shades by tearing shrouds from the Dead--and training them to attack. Odessa is faced with a terrifying question: What if her necromancer's magic is the weapon that brings Karthia to its knees?"

Thank you to Razorbill for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

I've read two books so far this year and both have been five-star reads. I think it's safe to say that 2018 has been good to me (reading wise) so far! I was so excited when I was approved for this title on NetGalley because one, that synopsis, and two, that cover. Put the two together and you have one fantastic book! Also, this quote from the author may have made me immediately drop my current read and pick this one up. Possibly. Definitely.

If words like diverse characters, queer necromancer, blood and gore, or scary monsters haven't caught your attention yet, then the writing most definitely will. I've gone on and on about how amazing this book is, and it really is, but the writing just brings it to a whole new level. It's elegant and creepy and beautiful and really makes this book a work of art. Sarah Glenn Marsh does a fantastic job at not only creating the world of Karthia and the characters that inhabit it but also bringing it to life. The visuals created with her words are beyond anything I've ever read. You can really feel the scary vibes that the Shades put off when they're around or the tension between Odessa and another character. The feelings evoked from the writing will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions while you read, but it will be the best ride you've ever experiences. Reign of the Fallen is a dark fantasy that tackles loss, grief, learning how to find yourself within the grief, and adapting to (even overcoming and becoming stronger in spite of) the pain incurred by the loss. It's unlike anything you'll ever read and won't be a book that you'll soon forget.

To sum it all up, Reign of the Fallen is a book that will surely appeal to all types of readers. It has such a wonderfully diverse cast, a plot that will keep you turning the pages late into the night, and writing that will evoke every emotion you could ever imagine. This is one I will strongly recommend to every and anyone looking for a new read this year, whether you're looking for an incredibly dark fantasy or just a book with some incredibly accurate representation on many fronts. Definitely don't' miss out on this one!

From Goodreads: "Part-Time Grim Reaper. Full-Time Cutie!
Like most university students, Kim works a part-time job to make ends meet. Unlike most university students, Kim's job is pretty cool: she's a grim reaper, tasked with guiding souls into the afterlife. Like most university students, Becka has a super intense crush. Unlike most university students, Becka's crush is on a beautiful gothic angel that frequents the underworld. Of course, she doesn't know that. Unaware of the ghoulish drama she's about to step into, Becka finally gathers up the courage to ask Kim on a date! But when she falls into a ghostly portal and interrupts Kim at her job, she sets off a chain of events that will pit the two of them against angry cat-dads, vengeful zombies, and perhaps even the underworld itself. But if they work together, they just might make it... and maybe even get a smooch in the bargain."

Thank you to Oni Press for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

This was such a cute read! I don't generally read graphic novels/comics, but this one just drew me in as soon as I saw the cover. Also, the title is super funny and catchy. I just couldn't resist and I'm so glad I picked this one up.

Becka is a university student that works at a bakery and has a crush on a girl named Kim. Kim is a grim reaper, tasked with guiding souls into the afterlife. One day, when Becka accidentally falls into a portal and interrupts Kim at her job, she accidentally sets off a chain of events that will pit the two girls against an angry cat-dad, zombies, and even the reapers of the Underworld!

First off, I can see where people might think that this story was all over the place. Grim Beginnings is a bind up of four issues of Kim Reaper, so readers may have gotten confused and felt that there was a lot of jumping around in the story. I personally enjoyed how wacky and fun and even slightly all over the place it was! This story definitely didn't take itself too seriously and I loved the humor that was on every page. I especially loved the insanity that was the Underworld and how really, none of their rules made much sense and the reapers just kind of did what they wanted. All of the parts that took place in or involved the reapers in the Underworld had me laughing so hard!

Becka and Kim were super adorable and definitely ship-worthy. I loved how different they were, appearance-wise and personality-wise, and I really felt like they worked so well together. They were funny and cute and got into some crazy things throughout this bind up. Their character dynamic was great and they really balanced each other out so well. I loved that Becka was on the larger side because I don't ever read stories, let alone comics/graphic novels, about female characters that aren't twig thin. I thought she was absolutely beautiful and adorable and that her and Kim were the cutest couple ever. Kim was also so unique and funny and different and I just truly loved the two of them and all of their interactions throughout this comic. Even if the story/plot wasn't enjoyable (which it was absolutely enjoyable and I loved it!), I'd keep reading just to see more of Becka and Kim!

As I said above, this story definitely did not take itself too seriously. It was so funny and I loved all of the crazy antics that Becka and Kim got into. Also, I really enjoyed the Underworld and the reapers. I'd read an entire issue about the things that they get up to while in the Underworld because I feel like it's not all serious grim reaper business and that it would be a great story to read! Each chapter was a fairly quick read and I feel like the first three kind of connected as one story with chapter four being the beginning of a new story arc, which makes me really excited to see where the story goes from there.

Overall, this was a quick and fun read that had me laughing at how wacky it was. The relationship between the two main characters was wonderful and I'm so ready to see where their story goes in the future! If you're looking for a new comic/graphic novel to get into, or even if you want to get into the genre but are feeling unsure about it, I highly recommend picking up Grim Beginnings! It has humor, LGBT and unique body type representation, zombies, grim reapers, baked goods, and a lot of cats. This is one series you really don't want to miss!

From Goodreads: "When her mom inherits an old, crumbling mansion, Seda’s almost excited to spend the summer there. The grounds are beautiful and it’s fun to explore the sprawling house with its creepy rooms and secret passages. Except now her mom wants to renovate, rather than sell the estate—which means they're not going back to the city…or Seda's friends and school. As the days grow shorter, Seda is filled with dread. They’re about to be cut off from the outside world, and she’s not sure she can handle the solitude or the darkness it brings out in her. Then a group of teens get stranded near the mansion during a blizzard. Seda has no choice but to offer them shelter, even though she knows danger lurks in the dilapidated mansion—and in herself. And as the snow continues to fall, what Seda fears most is about to become her reality."

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

This is one of those books where the cover and the synopsis worked together to draw me in and make me want to read it. Unfortunately, this was a huge disappointment for me and...well, that's about it.

Plot:
I generally explain the plot a bit in my own words, but the synopsis above does a pretty good job at doing that for me. Honestly, I'm just frustrated by this book. It had such an interesting premise that really appealed to me, especially since I've been on a horror book kick lately. Creepy isolated murder mystery mansion, teenagers get into a wreck during a snowstorm and take shelter there, suspicious main character that hears a voice in her head and has been isolated from human interaction for months? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. I am all for creepy isolated houses and people being stranded in said houses, kind of like The Shining. The story started slow and nothing creepy really happened until about halfway through, but I was fine with it because it still had an overall eerie feeling to it. It was a slow build up to the horror and I was on board with it, again, because it still felt creepy while it was actually getting to the creepy, if that makes sense. When the creepy actually started happening, I was all for it! When it threw in a plot twist, I was taken aback and writing in my notes frantically! When the last chapter happened, I almost threw my Kindle across the room. I actually verbally said, "Are you kidding me? I hate when books do this." Because I genuinely do hate what happened at the end. It made me, the reader, feel stupid and cheated, and it truly ruined my reading experience. I will admit, the very end, the final paragraph, was clever. And there was something that the main character kind of came to the realization of right before the end, which was also kind of cool and twisty. But other than that? Unfortunately, a huge thumbs down from this reader. I don't appreciate being made to feel stupid, and the ending of this book did just that. Which is sad because the pacing was great, the plot itself was intriguing, and the characters were relatively decent. Obviously I'm not going to spoil the ending, but it was definitely the low point for me and ruined my reading experience entirely.

Of course, I don't mean to bash the book in any way, that's not my intention. I actually was really enjoying the slow build mystery that was present throughout the book, the ending just seriously let me down, unfortunately.

Characters:
Seda was actually a really well-written character. She was basically isolated in a creepy old murder mystery house with her mother and four siblings (two sets of twins) and had no contact with the outside world due to there being no cell phone reception and no land line. It seemed like she had somehow forgotten how to interact with other people in the four months that she had been at the house which was slightly odd but did add something to her character. So did the fact that she heard a voice in her head. While she wasn't necessarily unreliable, she was sketchy at times and did kind of feel like you couldn't exactly trust what she was saying or doing. Seda was normal-ish, I suppose, but did have an air about her that made the reader feel like there was something she wasn't saying at times. Definitely enjoyed her character the most, especially towards the end!

The other characters were also well-written but I just wasn't a huge fan of them like I was of Seda. The twins were super cute, and her mother was kind of out there and I did enjoy them, for sure. The group of teenagers was just eh. They were all your stereotypical teenage characters, not much to really say about them. Again, they were all well-written, but I just didn't enjoy them as much as I enjoyed reading from Seda's point of view.

Writing:
The writing in Alone was actually my favorite part of the whole book! I loved the way that Cyn Balog slowly built up to the creepy stuff that started happening later on. It was so easy to read and I loved the unsure atmosphere that was constantly present while I was reading. You were never really sure what was going to happen next or if anything that was happening was real or not, or even if it was dangerous. I genuinely enjoyed the writing in this book and would definitely pick up another one by this author simply because of how much I liked reading her writing. It brought such an eerie feeling but you never really understood why and despite the fact that I disliked the way the twist was presented, I actually thought that the final paragraph (or so, I don't exactly know) was pretty clever. I'd be interested to see how other books by this author end and if the letdown twist ending is frequent or if I just grabbed the wrong one. But regardless, the writing was A+ and really kept me guessing and entertained throughout my reading experience.

While I didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would, I do think that others will enjoy it much more than I did. It has a great spooky atmosphere with easy and enjoyable writing and a main character that will make you question exactly what is going on while you're reading. If you're looking for an entertaining and creepy read, then I'd definitely recommend Alone!

From Goodreads: "The zoo is nearly empty as Joan and her four-year-old son soak up the last few moments of playtime. They are happy, and the day has been close to perfect. But what Joan sees as she hustles her son toward the exit gate minutes before closing time sends her sprinting back into the zoo, her child in her arms. And for the next three hours—the entire scope of the novel—she keeps on running.
Joan’s intimate knowledge of her son and of the zoo itself—the hidden pathways and under-renovation exhibits, the best spots on the carousel and overstocked snack machines—is all that keeps them a step ahead of danger."

Thank you to Viking Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

This one came as a recommendation from one of my favorite Booktubers, Books and Lala, as she is someone whose opinion I hold in high regard when it comes to thriller books. She had this on her TBR and suddenly, it started popping up everywhere around me with high praise, so I ended up picking it up on NetGalley. While I had my issues with it, it was still enjoyable and I'm really glad I got the opportunity to read it!

Plot:
Joan and her four year old son are relaxing in their last moments of playtime at the zoo for the day. It's been a good day and the two are happy. But as Joan is making her way toward the exit before closing time, she sees something that makes her turn and run, clutching her son in her arms. For the next three hours, she continues to run, and only Joan's knowledge of both her son and the zoo keep them a few steps ahead of the danger that lurks in the zoo.

This book was a solid "okay" for me, personally. It wasn't really tense or thrilling like I was expecting, but I did find myself wanting to find out what would happen next. I think that the fact that this book takes place over the span of a few hours really allowed me to just sit down and read through this relatively fast. I didn't want to really break the pacing of the book so I found myself turning page after page fairly quickly. Speaking of the pacing, I did feel it moved at a moderate pace, probably trying to build up suspense for the reader. Again, I didn't find this very thriller-esque, but that may have just been because of my inability to really connect with the main character. Fierce Kingdom did change points of view multiple times, but never for very long. I didn't enjoy the other characters as much as Joan, so that also may have contributed to my "okay" feeling on the book overall. I did enjoy the cat and mouse feeling that Joan was experiencing, having to make her way around the zoo while there were men creeping around killing people (not a spoiler, it's pretty obvious) and trying not to get caught. That was a cool experience and I do wish it been expanded upon more because unfortunately, Joan doesn't really...do anything for a large portion of the novel. She does have to focus on keeping herself calm and her son, but she mostly just...sits there. I understand, you probably don't want to move around without knowledge of where the potential killers are, but it just kind of left me bored while reading. There were a few things I took issue with, but the overall story was decent with, as I said above, moderate pacing that was easy to just kind of fly through.

Characters:
First off, I have to say that as I am not a mother, I wasn't able to really connect with Joan as a character throughout this book. She also did a few things that just really drove me nuts while reading, such as refusing to call the police and throwing her cell phone away as a distraction when she had perfectly good rocks she was already throwing. Just...why? I suppose if I was put in a situation like that, I may not make the best decisions either, the ones she made just did not sit well with me. But she did do the best she could under the circumstances, and I guess that's really all one could ask for. She did have to not only try very hard to keep herself calm, but her son as well. Lincoln was very active and did get loud at times, and I feel that if he had seen Joan outwardly panicking, then it would have caused him to act out even more and potentially get them caught. I'm sure as a mother, staying calm under stressful situations in order to keep your kid(s) calm is not an easy task, so again, doing the best she could in her situation. She was a fairly strong character, doing all that she could to keep herself and her son safe no matter what, and I did have moments where I did genuinely enjoy her. I do feel that I would have liked her a lot more had the story solely focused on her and Lincoln instead of switching character points of view throughout, but she was an overall strong character that really did stand out to me and that I enjoyed reading about. I just wish she hadn't thrown away her phone!

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy any of the other characters in this book. They weren't really fleshed out very well but rather were like your typical nondescript side characters. Kailynn was a pretty boring teenager character, not much background on her was given and she only really came into play towards the end of the book. Even then, she wasn't a huge part of anything and I just didn't really like her very much. Also, Margaret felt like she was just there for convenience which will only really make sense if you've read the book, but just like Kailynn, she was a pretty boring character. The side characters really felt like side characters and Joan was more of the main character focus. Again, I wish she had been the only point of view that I got to read from as I think that she could have been developed more and I think at that point, I would have enjoyed the book a lot more than I did.

Writing:
I believe I stated this above but Fierce Kingdom was a fairly easy book to just sit down and read through. I genuinely think that with the entire book taking place over a few hours really allowed me to just sit down and read through it without stopping. I felt like I didn't really want to break the pace of the book by putting it down, so I just wanted to read it in its entirety. The writing was very easy to follow, though not as suspenseful as I had hoped for. But Gin Phillips did do a good job at drawing me in and making me want to read more about Joan and Lincoln. I wasn't able to connect or really care about any of the other characters, but I feel that they may have been written that way on purpose? Almost as if the author wanted you to focus on Joan's story but also have a few different points of view to see the situation from. If that was the case, the author did a great job at that. One thing I did have a problem with was the abrupt ending! I had gotten very into the story, especially by the end, and then just as things kind of picked up and got intense, the book ended. I was left feeling somewhat empty and like the true ending was almost stolen from me, if that makes sense. It was just a very sudden "this happened and then this and the end" without much warning and it definitely had me turning the pages back to make sure that it really was the end and that I didn't miss anything. It was an interesting place to end the book at, that's for sure, and I suppose we as readers are supposed to kind of draw our own conclusions as to what happens. There were some lose ends that didn't get tied off but again, I guess we're supposed to kind of create our own ending. I did enjoy Gin Phillip's writing enough to where I would consider checking out her other books, so that was a definite win for me!

Overall, I did enjoy this book despite it just being a relatively alright read for me. I think that the main character will be easily relatable for mothers (or even fathers!) that read this book as the main plot point of the story is a mother protecting her child. It wasn't the most A+ thriller I've read this year, but was still an enjoyable read and was pretty easy to get through in one sitting. Despite the issues I had, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a decent thriller that's fairly quick to get through!