These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong | book review

✧ This review is spoiler-free! ✧

“She…hoped. And hope was dangerous. Hope was the most vicious evil of them all, the thing that had managed to thrive in Pandora’s box among misery, and disease, and sadness—and what could endure alongside others with such teeth if it didn’t have ghastly claws of its own?”

– Chloe Gong, These Violent Delights

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
(These Violent Delights, #1)

Published: November 17, 2020
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Category: YA
Genre: historical, fantasy, retelling, romance
Pages: 463
My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5 stars)
Goodreads page

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Synopsis

Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Descendant of the Crane, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.

The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.

A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.

But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.

[ This synopsis was taken directly from Goodreads. ]

Author Guest Post: Vali Benson

Hello, everyone! This week’s post is a bit different from what I normally write about. Today, I bring you an interview with author Vali Benson, who published her first novel Blood and Silver last year. Hope you guys enjoy the very first author interview on this blog! ❤

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Book Review

“Words are seeds, Casiopea. With words you embroider narratives, and the narratives breed myths, and there’s power in the myth. Yes, the things you name have power.”

– Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Gods of Jade and Shadow

Title: Gods of Jade and Shadow
Series: standalone
Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Publisher: Del Rey
Genre: adult, historical fiction, mythology
Pages: 338
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads page

This review is spoiler-free!

Synopsis

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

[ This synopsis was taken directly from Goodreads. ]

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee | Book Review

“I’ve always been of the mind that subtlety
is a waste of time. Fortune favors the flirtatious.”

Title: The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
Series: Montague Siblings, #1
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: young adult, historical, LGBTQ+
Pages: 513
My Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5 stars)
Goodreads page

There are no spoilers in this review.

Synopsis

A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s.

Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.

[ This synopsis is from Goodreads. ]

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu | ARC Review

Title: The Kingdom of Back
Series: standalone
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books
Genre: young adult, historical, fantasy
Pages: 336
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads page

I was given an ARC in exchange for a review. This review are my thoughts, and there are no spoilers in this post.

Synopsis

Two siblings. Two brilliant talents. But only one Mozart.

Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish–to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she’ll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age–her tyrannical father has made that much clear.

And as Nannerl’s hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true–but his help may cost her everything.

In her first work of historical fiction, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu spins a lush, lyrically-told story of music, magic, and the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.

[ This synopsis is from Goodreads. ]

Top 10 Books I Read in 2017

2017 is coming to an end… and thank goodness for that. It’s been a rough year, to say the least, but that didn’t stop me from reading some pretty freaking awesome books. I didn’t read as much as I wanted to this year, but that just means I’m going to try extra hard in 2018 to get to all the books I want to read.

Too many books, not enough time, am I right?

Between Shades of Gray

We’d been trying to touch the sky from the bottom of the ocean.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys takes place during Stalin’s rule. Lina Vilkas, a girl who loved art, was taken in 1941 along with the her family because they were on the list. The list had a names of people and families that Stalin wanted exterminated. When they were shipped to Siberia, Lina, her family, and her friends have to do whatever it takes to survive.

Even if it means sacrificing everything they ever knew.

WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.