The Last Good Halloween by Giano Cromley

The Last Good Halloween is a New Adult realistic fiction story set in the 1980s. This book was set to me by the author. Kirby Russo returns from summer camp to find his stepfather missing and his mother having already moved on with one of their neighbors. Angry and conflicted with his missing father figure and all the new changes in his life, he makes some impulsive decisions that include deciding to steal the car of his friend's parents and running away to find his stepfather. 

The Last Good Halloween feels like a classic written in the 1980s and not one written about the 1980s in 2013. I was impressed with how realistic the setting felt. The publisher compared Kirby to Holden Caulfield in her email to me, and I can imagine an essay prompt now to compare and contrast the two characters. I also enjoyed the literary references to Hamlet. 

When I was reading The Last Good Halloween, I couldn't stop thinking about the song "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance, as Kirby's situation seems to mirror the song in some ways. The same fears that follow the son in the song are similar to Kirby's, with the missing of his father figure, the fear of loss, his fixation on what others think of him/how he would be remembered, and his confliction over religion. I also appreciated the diversity of the characters, and I particularly was fond of Izzy's story. I'm excited to see the continuation of her story. A prequel from her perspective would also be nice. The strength of a novel is often heavily identified by how relatable and likable the protagonist is. I wouldn't say Kirby is easily likable with his attitude, but he is very relatable. 

I highly recommend this book and am excited to read the sequel, The Prince of Infinite Space, that will be released on August 2nd!

Title: The Last Good Halloween
Author: Giano Cromley
Publisher: Tortoise Books
Pages: 240
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
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The First to Die at the End By Adam Silvera (Death-Cast #0)

The First to Die At The End is the prequel to the bestseller YA realistic/science fiction book They Both Die at the End. This book was sent to me by the publisher, and it will be released on October 4, 2022. 

Have you ever played Would You Rather and have had one of the questions be if you would rather know how you are going to die or when? Death-Cast cannot predict how you are going to die, but they can mysteriously predict when. On the first night that Death-Cast goes live in New York City, Orion Pagan and Valentino Prince bump into each other, and feel a connection. Unfortunately, one of them receives a call from Death-Cast, and the other doesn't. They decide to spend their last day together, forging a relationship surely to end in heartbreak.

When I wrote my review in 2019 of They Both Die at the End, I wrote that I was conflicted regarding the lack of background knowledge on the Death-Cast system. I am very pleased with the prequel, which answered many of my questions. I assume that many people shared the same concerns that I had since a prequel instead of a sequel was written. I did not find out how specifically the company's software predicted the deaths. However, the more I think about it, the more I think that maybe it was a good idea to let us wonder.

It is unrealistic to think that the author listened to my feedback on the speed and forcefulness of the romance between Rufus and Mateo, but this book was a major improvement. Orion and Valentino took their romantic relationship slowly, and built up to being a couple through friendship. While the specific scenario in the book seemed a bit of a stretch, it all seemed reasonable considering the sad circumstances. I loved both Valentino and Orion; their dedication to being kind to others and supporting each other, even though they had only just met, is admirable. 

I am happy in particular that the book explored the childhoods of the two main characters in the first book. When I realized that the prequel starred two different boys than the first book, I was a little concerned about how the two books would connect. I was surprised by the multiple perspectives and how they all overlapped in the end. Normally, I hate books where characters die, especially when I become attached to them. But Silvera did a good job of making the ending empowering and also hopeful, despite the loss. 

I highly recommend this book! Read my review of They Both Die at the End, and also More Happy Than Not, also by Silvera. 

Title: The First to Die at the End
Author: Adam Silvera
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 416
Series: Yes, Book 0 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Dark Knife (Marked Book 2) by A.F.E. Smith

The Dark Knife is the second book in the young adult fantasy series Marked. This book was sent to me by the author. Alyssia has returned back to her normal life, thinking that she has defeated her brother Ifor. As she struggles to cope with what she went through, she is faced with the painful realization that her friends in Endarion are still in danger. As she makes the difficult decision to return, she unknowingly steps back into a centuries-old cycle that entwines their deadly fate.

My favorite parts of the book were not in Endarion, but the short parts that take place back in our world with Peter and Becca. The author skillfully placed these passages between key events. Sometimes with epic fantasy or dystopian novels, it can be overwhelming to keep reading. Smith provided a break to process what had previously happened and brace oneself for the next. 

All of the central characters have internal struggles to overcome events in their past. The Dark Knife particularly dove into the trauma of domestic violence and not only its long-lasting psychological impact on future relationships and sexuality, but also the views of society as a whole. No spoilers as to who, but I'm glad that the author included LGBTQ characters, and I'm excited to see what romances might develop in the coming books. Note that I also labeled the book as New Adult for some of that content.

Alyssia's devotion to her friends in that other world is amazing, and I know that if she were me, I would never go back to the medieval world of Endarion. Her courage is impressive, but it is also related to her trauma and struggle to cope with the events from the prior book and her knowledge of who she really is. (Although, do we really know that? Just when we thought it was all figured out, the ending throws a new curveball of wondering.) Speaking of the ending, I don't like it when people die, but what is the alternative- happy endings for everyone? In some stories, there simply aren't happily-ever-after's possible, and while I am very sad for some of the characters, I appreciate that the author stayed true to Endarion's significant difficulties.

I highly recommend this book! I am very much looking forward to reading the next book, Daughter of the Sky, and I have some predictions/ideas that I hope will come true!

Title: The Dark Knife
Author: A.F.E. Smith
Publisher: IronWright Books
Pages: 420
Series: Yes, Book 2 of 5
Rating: 5 Stars
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Space Kids: The Journey of Hope by Alan Nettleton

Space Kids: The Journey of Hope is a middle grade science fiction book that was sent to me by the author. In a future society in 2068, scientists from the global organization Space Command want to study how children would function in space. They advertise to put together a team of children to do a mission in space. Sophie, Sahil, Jack, and Leena are selected to travel to exoplanet K2 18b, collect samples, and come back in a total of 3 months. However, things don't exactly go as planned, and they end up in a race to save an alien civilization from an extinction event.

You may not know this, but this is actually the second version of the book. Apparently my feedback was so useful to the author on the first version in 2020 that he actually unpublished it. I am wildly impressed with the changes that have occurred since then!

This concept has certainly been explored before. What makes Space Kids unique in comparison to the dozens of other books is the element of the telepathic communication. Sophie doesn't have "normal" dreams and nightmares like we do. Not to spoil anything, but her connectivity to the planet, as well as the mystery surrounding her dad's death, is an element that sets it apart. I'm not sure if the author intended to, but I found some of the dialogue to be very funny as well.

I can relate to Sophie, especially early on when she thought about the difficulties of having conversations with her peers that didn't seem childish. If this opportunity came to me when I was 12 years old, you bet I would have applied. In addition to how relatable Sophie was, I am happy that he decided to depict Leena as autistic. This book could empower kids with autism, as our society tends to put limits on children with that particular condition. One strategy that is very useful was Leena's repetition of the word "teacup", which for her means "T – C – U – P.  Think Clearly Under Pressure.” That is very clever, and it is something that I will remember for when I am a teacher.

In the book in this future reality, they have found a way to jump hyperspace, which is even faster than the speed of light. Theoretically, the acceleration alone would kill us almost instantly, which also means that they invented adequate inertial dampeners. At first, I thought that the reason for sending kids into space would be so that in the years it takes to reach the planet of destination, that they would be young adults. But an interesting point was brought up about how in an effort for colonization, children may be born in space, and thus research should be done to prepare for how they would behave. I took Planetary Geology in college last year, and I can say that Nettleton did a nice job accurately presenting some of the physics of space travel. The hyperdrive explanation actually made so much sense that I might use it if I get to teach astronomy.

The exoplanet that the author chose to focus on was K2 18b, which was an interesting choice. I will say that the likelihood of finding intelligent life on that planet, is very small. K2 18b is a planet of much debate. Just because it is in the habitable zone, it doesn't guarantee that it is. While research does back up it perhaps having an ocean (https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ab7229), I think everyone agrees that the atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and definitely not breathable. It would have made more sense to make the planet be the TOI 700 d option discussed earlier in the book for the atmospheric composition stated. I did catch one error, where the book described the planet as being smaller than Earth, when actually K2 18b is over 8 times larger than Earth. However, I highly doubt that the middle grade readers would know that. 

I highly recommend this book! There will be a sequel titled Space Kids: The Alien Princess, that I cannot wait to read!

Title: Space Kids: The Journey of Hope
Author: Alan Nettleton
Publisher: Alan Nettleton
Pages: 271
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Psychic by TS Rose

Psychic is a YA science fiction book that was sent to me by the author, and was released today! Alpha Moore has telepathic powers, and can change the minds and perspective of others. She is guilt-ridden and fearful of her abilities since a tragedy occurred when she last used them. As she hides in a group home, she is discovered by another telepath, Sunday, and joins a government-sectioned school for teens with psychic powers. However, she soon becomes in danger when a terrorist organization wants to use her as a weapon.

A book featuring a school for teens with paranormal powers is not unique, and the surrounding premise reminds me of several other stories. But what is unique are the character relationships and specific plot twists. In the beginning of the book, I was convinced that it would be similar to Keeper of the Lost Cities, or Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, but towards the middle of the story I was quickly proven wrong, as it turned into a darker thriller story set on stopping a deadly terrorist attack. While many plotlines are actually remarkably similar to Keeper of the Lost Cities, Psychic takes place in modern-day Britain, weaving a tale for older readers embedded with racism and political realities of immigration, war, addiction and abuse.

Psychic is impossible to put down with constant surprises! The author purposely put in misleading foreshadowing and hints. Just when I was positive that I had picked up on everything and knew exactly who the terrorist undercover at the school was, I was proven wrong by another shocking twist! Knowing what I know now at the end, it'll be interesting to read again and look for deeper subtitles in the exchanges between the characters. Psychic is definitely one of the more skillfully written books that I have read lately!

I've always thought that being a telepath would be particularly fun, and being able to change people's minds sounds awesome at first. What if you could stop someone from committing a crime? What if you had the power to change a corrupt political leader, or to make someone kinder to others? However, that ability isn't a gift as Alpha sees it, and Psychic shows the unintended consequence of actions such as those. 

I highly recommend this book!

Title: Psychic
Author: TS Rose
Publisher: Apprentice House Press
Pages: 365
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Blue Feathers, Bright Flames by Adrienne Mayse

Blue Feathers, Bright Flames is a YA magical realism short story that was sent to me by the author. Leigh Carpenter can't seem to get herself out of bed, and struggles with depression when she is awake. But when Leigh is asleep, she dreams of a land called Green where she feels lighter and has magic powers. She befriends a fox and bird, who help her fight the Darkness that is destroying it. While her real world and dream world start to blend together, Leigh seeks help from a psychiatrist. 

What's unique about this short story is that the reader actually isn't sure in the end if she really was psychotic and hallucinating (she likely has Bipolar Disorder with Psychotic Features) or if she really did/does have powers. It is common to have vivid dreams where you have powers and can control the surroundings, and it is true that elements and things from your dreams can be hallucinated. However, the author wove in her hallucinations with actual events in the story; is she hallucinating that another person could see the blue feather, or did she have powers to bring it out of her dreams? Or did she find the feather while walking to school one day and didn't remember it? 

Regardless of that question, the author did a great job in drawing a parallel between her fight with depression in the present and her fight with the Darkness in her dream world. The depiction of depression and the thoughts that go through one's head during their struggle with it was accurate. It is a quick read, but a worthwhile one if someone is looking to learn about depression or Bipolar disorder.

I highly recommend this short story and look forward to more from the author!

Title: Blue Feathers, Bright Flames
Author: Adrienne Mayse
Publisher: Adrienne Mayse via Kindle Direct Publishing
Pages: 98
Series: No
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

The Crossing Gate (A Waltz of Sin and Fire #1) by Asiel R. Lavie

The Crossing Gate is the first New Adult dystopian book in the Waltz of Sin and Fire series that was sent to me by the author. In the kingdom of Elpax, transitions between stages in life such as reaching adulthood must be done by walking through a Crossing Gate. Whenever seventeen-year-old Lenora (Leen) tries to cross, she experiences extreme dizziness and feels physically ill. Even stranger is that people aren't supposed to be able to experience emotions such as love until they have crossed into adulthood, and Leen can. On the run for her life, she realizes that she has a destiny to fulfill, and that rebelling might be the only way to save herself and her family. 

Leen has completed a remarkable journey and transformation into a young woman. Oh, my, what a magnificent story!

After a future WW3, the world seems to return to habits like its ancient civilizations, ie. the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian empires mentioned. Also interesting is that it weaves in accurate geography and more modern areas like Guatemala. While being a scifi dystopian book, it is clear to see how one day, our world could end up like theirs.  

It is a very powerful story with immense potential for the series to be as epic and well-known as The Darkest Minds or Delirium or Shatter Me or The Fifth Wave. I can definitely envision a film adaption; its fast pace and vivid setting already reads like an action movie. One of the things I love about getting books from self-published authors or smaller publishers is finding books that deserve more credit than they'll likely get. 

The love triangle between Leen, Jason, and Erick was remarkably set up. There is constantly a lot of information thrown at the reader at once, especially with the lapses of time. But who she has feelings for and why change rapidly along with each secret revealed. By the end, Leen, and myself, aren't sure who she should be with. I also have some questions. For one thing, I don't believe in love at first sight. Was that emotion triggering in her when she spotted Erick something manufactured, forced into her mind as part of her destiny, or would she have felt that way regardless even if she didn't have visions of him beforehand? 

While it is technically labeled as a Young Adult book, I feel that New Adult would be better suited. While the main character is 17, there are many scenes of violence and discussion of sexual content, along the lines of the mistreatment of women in their society. The forced medical exams, interrogations, and overall use of force by law enforcement were extreme, and it made me angry. It made Leen angry, too, but she struggled with coming to terms with what that emotion meant for her, if she's ready to lead a revolution. Luckily, destiny, along with the pent-up frustration of the citizens, ultimately decided for her. I'm excited to see how Leen takes on her new responsibilities and the emotional decisions she will have to make.

I highly recommend this book!

Title: The Crossing Gate (A Waltz of Sin and Fire #1) 
Author: Asiel R. Lavie

Publisher: Absolute Author Publishing House
Pages: 416
Series: Yes, Book 1
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

Firestarter Movies and Book Review

I saw a commercial on Peacock for the new remake of Stephen King's Firestarter, and it looked fantastic. I love science fiction/fantasy movies. I had never read the book, and decided to order it on Amazon after watching both the 2022 movie and the 1984 movie that afternoon. 

The premise of Firestarter is that a secret government agency called "The Shop" performed experiments on college students with a drug called Lot 6, which gave participants paranormal psychic abilities. Some could read minds, or got telekinetic powers. Two of those participants got married and had a child- Charlie. She can start fires with a single thought (pyrokinesis). Eventually The Shop finds them and kills her mother. Charlie and her father run for their lives, and Charlie will need to harness the powers she is afraid of in order to stay alive.

Like the 1984 Firestarter, this 2022 movie also did poorly in the box office. If you are deciding which Firestarter movie to watch, then you've come to the right place.

For starters, Stephen King had widely criticized the 1984 movie, mostly for the casting. While he thought that the actors had talent, he blamed the director for their acting being "flavorless." I agree entirely. While the original movie strayed closely to the book itself, I couldn't stand David Keith (the father) at all. Zac Efron has changed since his Disney days, and his interpretation of the character was much more sincere and actually believable. The emotional conflict in Ryan Kiera Armstrong (2022 Charlie) was more in-depth and raw compared to Drew Barrymore's (1984 Charlie). How Barrymore summoned the fire itself looked very... uncomfortable, and strange with gusts of wind blowing up her hair. The single biggest factor in watching a movie, in my opinion, is fondness for the characters. Armstrong and Efron had that in spades, along with a believable chemistry. 

For the complexity of the original book, the 2022 remake left a lot of the original story out, mostly the middle of the book. The first movie seemed to pack in a lot at once, and the new Firestarter chose to hone in on some of the most important scenes and relationship between father and daughter. I much prefer the new movie over the first movie and the book. I felt impatient to get to the end of Firestarter. About a hundred or so pages could have easily been left out, and the book actually seemed boring at times. I haven't read Stephen King before, so I don't know if super drawn-out plotlines is just his writing style.

The 2022 movie was only 1 hour and 34 minutes, even shorter than the 1984 version, which meant that many of the 564-page book's events had to be cut. Besides things being just left out, the biggest actual plot change came from the ending. Personally, I prefer the newer movie's ending over the book. The character Rainbird changed the most from the book and movie to the new one. In the originals, he is more of an evil psychopath, whereas in the new movie he is just another misunderstood and misguided experiment. I have zero idea why in the world the original movie decided to make him an old white guy when in the book he is specifically written as Native American. 

I highly recommend that you watch the new Firestarter movie on Peacock, and before you read the book (if you haven't already), or instead of the book. I fear that those who watch the movie will be too caught up on the differences from the expectations of the book to appreciate it, which is one of the reasons why movies based on books have challenges in the box office. 

I would rate the book 3 stars, the original movie 2 stars, and the new movie 5 stars.

Brief Explanation of New Adult Catagory

I finally got around to creating a new label- New Adult! Goodreads defines it as "bridg[ing] the gap between Young Adult and Adult genres. It typically features protagonists between the ages of 18 and 25". Many times I have written statements at the end of book reviews recommending books for older YA readers due to mature content, usually meaning sexual scenes and those with detailed violence. 

The Young Adult category usually has a target audience between 12 and 18 years of age. Now, there is a big difference between a 12-year-old's maturity and societal understanding compared to an 18-year-old's. I was one of those students who tried to read every single book in my middle school library. I certainly read some books with language and ideas that were unknown to me at the time, and definitely suited more to 8th graders instead of 6th, or in high school for 12th graders rather than 9th. I was also someone who always read at a further ahead reading level than my peers. 

I went back to every book review where I advised for older YA readers to read it or issued a content warning. and added it as New Adult. This should help older YA readers or parents who visit my blog! I do not plan to set out to review New Adult books, however I feel that will be a helpful guidance! 

~Julia

Fallen Thief (Merrows Book 2) by A.M. Robin

Fallen Thief is the second book in the middle grade fantasy series Merrows that was sent to me by the author. While merrows Mira and Kay have returned home, it is not with good news. Two of their dear friends are trapped in everlock sleep, the Shadowveils refuse to leave them or their families alone, and bullies and townsfolk refuse to accept their identity. Ultimately, as their powers grow, so does the magic hidden in their kingdom. Finding a legendary sorcerer deep in the ocean may be their only chance to save their friends.

Sometimes when I read books in a series, and haven't read the previous book in a while, (in this case in 2019), I end up confused and have to go re-read the previous book. Luckily, this wasn't the case. The author did a nice job refreshing the events of the previous story whilst telling this new one. Many books can feel disconnected from each other, but these synchronized.

While a heavy part of the book was on underwater adventures, another very meaningful theme was dealing with peer relations. A lot of people are afraid of what they do not understand and what is different. In addition to fighting the Shadowviels sent by the Empress of the Sea, Mira and Kay have to deal with their peers bullying them and the public's mistrust of their abilities. The children did not handle Collin's harassment well at times, which only made the depiction more realistic. 

Some books are easier to write reviews of than others. Have you ever tried a new food, for example, and liked how it tasted, but couldn't find the words to describe why?  I apologize for how short this is, however it is strangely difficult for me to explain why I enjoyed the story. I will say that Robin has an incredible imagination.

I highly recommend you read this book. See my review of the first book in this series, Hidden Scales. 

Title: Fallen Thief
Author: A.M. Robin
Publisher: A.M. Robin
Pages: 285
Series: Yes, Book 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads