Heart Full of Ink: March 2017

Crooked Kingdom Review

3:49 PM

Summary of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and badly weakened, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.

*Summary from Amazon

Review

Have you ever finished a book series and immediately wanted to read it again because oh my goodness it was wonderful? Or have you ever wished you could erase your memory of a book series so you could read it for the first time all over again? It's not often I feel this way (reading the Harry Potter series when I was growing up was the last time I felt it), but Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo made me want to do both.

Crooked Kingdom is the sequel to Six of Crows and most definitely lives up to first book's reputation. The heist in this book is more psychological than the one in Six of Crows, but is still full of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. I fell in love with all the characters in the first book and was thrilled to read more of their stories in second book. The development of Jesper and Waylan's relationship was especially adorable to read. I found Inej and Kaz's slow moving relationship to be realistic for both of them. Nina and Mathias will always have my heart though (I'm a sucker for the enemies to lovers trope, and I 100% will go down on this ship). Bardugo does an excellent job of tying up the loose ends.

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom is officially my favorite duology. My only real complaint was I know not all the characters could have a happy ending, but oh my goodness, Bardugo, you broke my heart! I had to hold back tears in front of my students when I was reading it during silent reading time. I gave Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo 5 out of 5 stars.

Buy from Amazon

More Happy Than Not Review

9:54 AM

Summary of More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again—but he's still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron's crew notices, and they're not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.
Why does happiness have to be so hard?

Review

I made it my goal to read more diverse books in 2017, especially own voices authors. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera fits the bill on both accounts. It's a book which promotes the idea that we as humans need to remember the good and bad in life because it makes us who we are.

What I like most about this book are the relationships between the main character Aaron and his love interests. The fact that both relationships are flawed makes them all the more real. The relationship Aaron has with his girlfriend Genevieve is comfortable and easy but not fulfilling and he knows he's letting her down too. His relationship with Thomas is exciting but heartbreaking for Aaron. As a reader, I want Aaron to find happiness in at least one of his relationships, but Silvera does a good job of giving a realistic portrayal of the trials and tribulations of love in a contemporary romance.

Because More Happy Than Not is a contemporary romance, I was thrown off by the science fiction turn the book takes with the presence of the Letero Institute which can erase specific memories. Other than the Letero Institute, there is no other indication of science fiction in the setting. The setting is basically present day but with the ability to change people's memories. This felt wonky to me, especially in a contemporary romance. I know authors like to blend/twist/reshape genres together. Personally, when I pick up a contemporary romance that's all I want. I don't want random science fiction mixed into it. Maybe Silvera was going for magical realism (which I don't particularly care for), but in any case it wasn't my cup of tea. Either put the entire story into a science fiction setting or keep it all contemporary romance.

All in all, I like the message of acceptance that the book promotes and am glad to have read a book with a diverse LGBTQ narrator. I would give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Saga Review

5:06 PM

The Bitter Side of Sweet Review

6:31 AM

Summary of The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan

Fifteen-year-old Amadou counts the things that matter. For two years what has mattered are the number of cacao pods he and his younger brother, Seydou, can chop down in a day. This number is very important. The higher the number the safer they are because the bosses won’t beat them. The higher the number the closer they are to paying off their debt and returning home to Moke and Auntie. Maybe. The problem is Amadou doesn’t know how much he and Seydou owe, and the bosses won’t tell him. The boys only wanted to make some money during the dry season to help their impoverished family. Instead they were tricked into forced labor on a plantation in the Ivory Coast; they spend day after day living on little food and harvesting beans in the hot sun—dangerous, backbreaking work. With no hope of escape, all they can do is try their best to stay alive—until Khadija comes into their lives.

She’s the first girl who’s ever come to camp, and she’s a wild thing. She fights bravely every day, attempting escape again and again, reminding Amadou what it means to be free. But finally, the bosses break her, and what happens next to the brother he has always tried to protect almost breaks Amadou. The old impulse to run is suddenly awakened. The three band together as family and try just once more to escape.

*Summary from Amazon.com

Review

It's important to read books you normally wouldn't pick up on your own. If you only ever read what interests you, you'll rarely be challenged by new ideas. The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan is not a book I would've chosen to read of my own volition, but I found it to be engaging and eye opening.

I became an advisor for a Global Scholarship program at the school I teach at so I'm making an effort to read more books focused on global issues, which led me to reading The Bitter Side of Sweet. It's not the type of book I'd usually try to read, but Amadou's story drew me in and wouldn't let me go. Amadou's struggle between survival and doing what's morally right was relatable and realistic.

In addition to the vibrant characters, The Bitter Side of Sweet also opened up my eyes to the harsh realities of some cacao plantations. I've visited a cacao plantation before, but was largely ignorant of the child slave labor that is used on some cacao plantations. The fact that we eat chocolate without any thought to the child slave labor that is sometimes used to harvest and produce it was a big wake up call.