The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Book: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Read From: 3rd December - 6th December 2021

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. In spite of a world that might not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to remain silent.

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I often feel stupid when it comes to poetry because I don’t really ‘get it’. So many people say it speaks to them in a certain kind of way and I’ve never really felt that connection and so as a general rule, I tend to avoid books written in verse because I feel that as a reviewer I won’t be able to do the words and the story they are telling any justice.

I don’t quite know what it was about The Poet X specifically (maybe that it was told in a novel-like format), but it absolutely blew my socks off. Xiomara’s story, feelings and words completely captivated me from the first page and as a result I read this over the course of a couple of days in only a few sittings. I quite literally couldn’t peel my eyes from the page - there are so many raw feelings: navigating familial relationships, feeling disconnect from a religion you have been raised to follow, discovering your own identity, dealing with sexism, experiencing love for the first time… accompany all of these themes with the most impactful of words and you have the most enthralling and emotional of stories.

For someone who already struggled enough with poetry, it will definitely be made more difficult in future. I don’t see how another book written in verse can live up to the enormous scale of feelings I experienced while reading this. SO many reviews have recommended the audiobook which I know I definitely need to try now, if my experience with the physical book was this good I can’t imagine how much more impact it will have listening to Xiomara’s words, and her journey of self-discovery, said aloud. 

It goes without saying that I’d definitely recommend this to everyone - even those of you out there like me that usually struggle with poetry. Because of the verse format, you could consider it a relatively quick read but I can guarantee this is one you’ll want to take slow in order to fully absorb every word. This book is one I won’t forget for a long time and I can also tell that a reread will be as equally incredible as the first read. Although I have to say, I’ll definitely be listening to the audiobook when I do get around to rereading!

Playing Nice by JP Delaney

Book: Playing Nice by JP Delaney

Read From: 28th November - 3rd December 2021

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: When Pete answers the door one morning, he's greeted with a parent's worst nightmare. On this doorstep is Miles, who breaks the news that Pete's two year old Theo isn't his real son - their babies got mixed up at birth. The two families agree that they'll find a way to share the boys. But a plan to sue the hospital unearths disturbing questions about what happened the day the babies were switched.

I think the reason why domestic thrillers are my favourite kind is that they can sometimes be ridiculously believable, and Playing Nice took that to a new level. As I type this review, I’m literally in the middle of learning about care proceedings for my family law module at uni. If I wasn’t already adamant that I don’t have the mental strength to practice as a family lawyer after studying just the legal framework, I think this book would have done the trick. Although some aspects are clearly exaggerated in the name of fiction (i.e. it’s probably not the most believable that two neonates could get switched in an NICU), a lot within this book won’t be THAT far fetched from the realities occurring behind the closed doors of the family court. 

I did have a few minor issues with this book which I’m going to jot down now because I hate ending reviews of books I’ve genuinely enjoyed on a bad note. Firstly, whilst the premise itself was really interesting the way it was executed initially was a little… odd? Considering someone had just turned up at Pete’s doorstep and told him that the child he’d been raising for two years wasn’t actually his (biologically), once he got past the initial shock (as well as realised it wasn’t as the result of an affair) he seemed pretty accepting? You do you Pete, but if I were in your shoes I’d have needed a lot more time to stew on that information. Saying that though, I do appreciate that it may have been done this way deliberately to prevent the pace being too slow! 

There were also a few sentences randomly dotted throughout that were quite frankly unnecessary and just felt so… strange? Not to mention the use of the R-slur which in my opinion is NEVER needed. Oh and there was a REALLY unnecessary sub-plot (if you could even call it that, it was very brief) about child pornography that went absolutely no where and I still don’t really understand why it was included. 

Whilst some people may feel those issues were relatively minor (and in the grand scheme of things, most of them were) it’s definitely worth pointing out in my review because it did affect my enjoyment at times. Other than that, this book was ADDICTIVE. I’m talking HUGE tension, literally everything at stake for these characters, that ‘just one more chapter’ kind of vibe. It’s hard in thrillers to get the right amount of character development but this book had me seriously rooting for a particular couple (read it for yourself, I’m not saying any more).

Would I recommend this? Yeah, for sure. Especially if you love domestic/family-centred thrillers. I can guarantee this will be a sensitive read for a lot of people though so be sure to check the trigger warnings and make sure you’re in the right headspace before reading because whilst it will keep you hooked, the content is heavy.

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

Book: How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

Read From: 25th November - 30th November 2021

Rating: 2/5 stars

Summary: Before Cardan was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone. In this sumptuously illustrated tale, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame's enigmatic high king. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar but pivotal moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan's perspective.

Before I get into the things I didn’t like so much about this little book, let’s start out with some positives - because there was definitely a few things I found likeable! Firstly, the illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and it was amazing to see these characters and some creatures within the world brought to life in order to animate the different stories. I also really liked the initial story from Aslog and how there were several different variations that were amended throughout the book to reflect the current stages of Cardan’s life. 

However, I think I’d have liked this a lot more if The Folk of the Air was a favourite series of all time. I really enjoyed it at the time of reading but it’s definitely not a standout trilogy for me. So I think in turn, it definitely affected my enjoyment of this little book. I can’t help but feel like it wasn’t really needed (except obviously for those who adore the series), it didn’t really add anything to the story or the world for me that I didn’t already know and I didn’t find it to be the most memorable read at all.

I wish I'd read some reviews before going in because like many other people, I expected a novella rather than a series of short stories. Had I known about this before going in, I would have probably altered my expectations so stupidly, it's my own fault that I was let down. I think the episodic nature of this book made it hard to connect to and engage with the story. Also, I know the whole point of this book was that it focused on Cardan but I really wanted more Jude! Even in the instances she did make an appearance I wish she had been there for a little longer.

Despite my review, the last thing I want to do is put anyone off reading this - and in the event you’re so much as on the fence about it I would still suggest it’s worth a read to see what you think. I have to say it’s probably better appreciated by those with a strong connection to the original trilogy, but this won’t always be the case so definitely give it a try for yourself, even if only to appreciate the beautiful illustrations.

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

Book: Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

Read From: 20th November - 24th November 2021

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary (These Violent Delights): Shanghai, 1926. A blood feud between the Scarlet gang and the White Flower gang has the city divided. That is, until, a river monster plaguing the city forces Scarlet heir Juliette and White Flower heir Roma to set aside gang politics and work together to save Shanghai.

Ahhh this duology has absolutely ruined me! I had to physically stop myself from getting so invested at times because the story could completely captivate me and then I would totally forget that it was a Romeo and Juliet retelling! I absolutely loved this sequel, it didn’t quite give me the 5 star feels like the first book did, but I think this was down to my mindset at the time of reading - stressed, bogged down with university deadlines etc - rather than reflective of the book itself.

I will be keeping this review spoiler free (for both the first and second book) so that may be why it’s sort of lacking in substance. But if you’re going to take away anything at all from this review, let it be that I highly HIGHLY recommend this duology - the time spent on world building and character development within These Violent Delights really paid off once we hit the sequel - it feels so action packed because one thing happens after another! If these poor characters didn’t deserve a break after the first book then they definitely do now. 

One thing I really liked about Our Violent Ends is that we get to see a lot more of the political tension/alliances and how their increased presence really pushes the gang structures and leadership to their limit. You can’t help but read most of this book on the edge of your seat because you’re constantly aware that SOMETHING is brewing, you just don’t know what it is or when it will strike.

And of course the characters, I really enjoyed being back with everyone! Obviously Roma and Juliette absolutely make this book with all the angst but also the side characters were just brilliant! That’s all I’m going to say because I don’t want to ruin anything from the first book but honestly once you’re invested, it’s hard not to love these characters.

If it wasn’t already obvious, READ THESE BOOKS. There was so much to love and it was really interesting to see how the storyline with the monster was able to continue from the first book into the sequel. I can’t wait to see what Chloe Gong releases in future, all I can say is that I know it’ll be going straight on my TBR list.