Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan

As this is the second book to The Lynburn Legacy, I will leave a shorter review [there may be SPOILERS].
Kami Glass and her friends struggle to resolve their own personal conflicts, all the while preparing for the greatest danger of their lives. With Jared out of her head, Kami is more lost and alone than ever before, unsure of who she is and what she truly wants. But the chaos of their relationships must be cast aside as everyone is forced to band together and face the sorcerers demanding to return to the old days of blood and sacrifice.
This novel is largely working out relationships and what's really going on between everyone and in their heads. However, several events do happen, and it is not at all boring, which makes me eternally grateful to the author. In fact, critical changes occur, so anyone crazy enough to want to skip this book should dismiss that idea immediately. I did happen to catch one typo, in which two characters got their names mixed up, which is interesting (pg 328). Also, once again, Brennan shows a wonderful modern perspective in addressing the personal issues that really aid character development and perhaps making a fantasy strangely relatable.
In conclusion, from a faraway glance, the second book of The Lynburn Legacy is simply a bridge between presenting an issue and its resolution, but isn't that how all trilogies work? And yet Untold is still thoroughly entertaining. To anyone who still has not begun this series, I highly recommend it.
I rate this book 8.9/10
~Mushu

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Kami Glass lives in a quaint little village known as Sorry-in-the-Vale, itching to uncover its secrets. Every town has some story to hide, and this aspiring journalist is intent on sharing everything in her own newspaper, The Nosy Parker. When the Lynburns, a mysterious family everyone seems to fear, return from America, Kami is convinced they are just the secret she's been searching for. However, the whispers and mysteries escalate to a dangerous level when bloody crimes begin unfolding and Kami discovers the voice in her head is a real boy, a Lynburn. What Kami learns about the Lynburns- and herself- is more than she ever imagined, but she's prepared to face it all head on.
Unspoken is the first book in The Lynburn Legacy, a trilogy. Brennan does excellently in describing the setting, detailed but not too wordy. A fantastical aspect is weaved in smoothly, without seeming tacky or requiring an excessive amount of explanation. Brennan also creates a fierce main character, and doesn't neglect the development of side characters. Kami is an independent, inspiring person while breaking out of the "spunky girl cliche" as one review titled it. I really loved that she embraced her femininity without being boy-needy. Brennan beautifully displays her immense skills as an author through this one book, building a unique plot and expressing excellent writing talent.
This novel does end in a devastating cliffhanger though. I am not exaggerating. The ending is heart-breaking. Be prepared to become invested in this series and please do have the sequel on hand.
I'd recommend this book to those who like more sophisticated fantasies. It's not a light and fluffy adventure, but it is not super dark with blood everywhere.
I rate Unspoken a 10/10.
~Mushu

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

I've come across quite a few works by Alex Flinn now, and they're all adorable. Flinn doesn't seem to appreciate Disney very much (which from my blog you can probably tell I'm a fan of), but she does love the classic fairy tales and her modern twists are always fun to read. Unlike the other books by Flinn I have written about, Cloaked features not one, but several fairy tales, including lesser ones that even I haven't heard of (mind you, there were only two in her list that I didn't recognize).
Cloaked is the story of Johnny, a seventeen year old boy who repairs shoes in his family's store to try and make ends meet. His life is difficult and rather... boring. When a princess from a European kingdom visits the hotel he works at, Johnny figures he should at least get to see her. Little does he know that he would catch the eye of Princess Victoriana and be sent on a quest to save her brother, the heir to the kingdom and currently, a frog prince. On a mission to rescue a prince and his country, Johnny enters a world of magic, witches, and used-to-be-human animals.
This novel was fun and light although the romance felt randomly thrown in, with way too obvious hints. Of course, the target audience is around pre-teen, middle school age, which is fitting. I really liked the adventure aspect in Flinn's writing. Villains and heroes were clearly divided so although not the most complex read, it was quite entertaining. I enjoyed the simplicity, although from other reviews it appears others do not share the same appreciation. My only real complaint would be that because several of the characters were from Europe, Flinn wrote their dialogue with accents. By this, I mean that the princess would speak like "I vill vait for zat," or something similar. It just felt tacky to me.
I'd recommend this book to those who are looking for a fun, cute book, not something complicated to vex your mind- especially for younger audiences. I rate the book 6.5/10
~Mushu

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Mare lives in a world divided between commoners of red blood and the supernatural elite with silver blood. The Reds live under severe oppression, forced to do intense labor, or be sent to fight a war of Silvers. Mare, having no particular skills, is bound for the latter. When a chance encounter lands her a job in the palace however, Mare uncovers her own power. A power that shouldn't exist, after all, she's a normal Red. To not cause an uproar, the queen disguises Mare as a lost Silver princess, mixed in with the Reds under special circumstances. Mare must then perform every action carefully, as revealing her true identity would mean death, but also the regal Silvers are bloodthirsty animals, always eager to take out the others. Even with this already treacherous lifestyle, Mare isn't ready to sit back lavishly and marry a prince. She's determined  to overturn the crown from the inside and give equality for the Reds, no matter who she has to use. After all, anyone can betray anyone.
I think Red Queen did wonderfully on showing a new take on equality issues, and it intrigued me how well the conflict between red bloods and silver bloods reflected problems society faces today. Aveyard's writing was excellent, capable of foreshadowing upcoming events without ever making things blatantly obvious. The author didn't hold back at all in bloodshed or betrayal, which was much better than daintily making a character fall off a cliff then come back to life. Red Queen's plot was fascinating from the beginning, but Aveyard's writing takes it to a whole other level. The novel was everything I had hoped it to be and more. I especially loved that despite some romance, Mare makes it very clear she doesn't need it to get things done. Each of the characters, not even just the main character, show a lot of depth. I adored this book.
I would rate this book a 10/10 and highly recommend it.
~Mushu

The End or Something Like That by Ann Dee Ellis

Compelling. Raw. Powerful. These are the words which came to mind as I was reading The End or Something Like That. Emmy considers herself a loser: plain, insecure, and nothing when standing beside her gorgeous best friend Kim. It sounds like a cliche teenage novel right? Unpopular girl secretly jealous of her perfect bestie who forever steals the spotlight. Except this isn't a stereotypical book. And Kim is dead. This is the novel of one teenage girl, trying to strive past her inner struggles as Emmy tries and tries again to communicate with Kim's spirit. Because Kim promised, she carefully spent her last days planning to return and make everything right.
Ellis uses the word "said" a lot, which I didn't appreciate very much, but the awkward, informal writing gives a unique aspect to the book. You can strongly feel Emmy's voice coming through and her emotions are straightforward. There are no intricate descriptions or wordy dialogues to blur anything out. Everything is right there. Her grief is so real as the book jumps back between the past and the present. Emmy goes through much more than just crying in her closet regretting everything (although this does happen). Ellis manages to skillfully portray the very real emotions that go through the mind of a young girl- and she doesn't take the worn path to do so.

My biggest problem would have to be the ending. Despite masterfully developing the story and Emmy's character, Ellis wraps everything up with extreme speed- which is simply messy.There was so much room to create a moving ending, but she just drops it. Excuse my SPOILER!! here because I think this is very important to mention: In the final scene, Emmy goes to Kim's favorite place, really hoping that this time she will actually appear (Also, is this fantasy or not? There are spirits, but not really? I CAN'T TELL?) and she has her family and friends supporting her. Instead, she sees the boy that she's kind of starting to have a crush on. He's been waiting for her all day. He kisses her in the rain. Emmy can't believe a girl like her actually has someone who likes her this way. They hold hands and go back together. She's very happy and she's finally over all that grief that's been pulling her around this entire book. Kim is probably watching from somewhere and is happy for her. The-End. It's almost as if Ellis is saying a girl needs a boy to pull her out of the darkness. As if having a boyfriend makes a girl complete and fixes all her problems.
I'm very torn by this book. I really grew to love it until I reached such a disappointing end. I can't help but wonder if Ellis had something more planned but forgot and just cut it off there thinking "this is good enough." I'm seriously at a loss. What's the message of this book supposed to be?
For the perspective of one wonderful character and the raw story told, I think it is still worth reading.
Tell me in the comments what you think. Do you agree?
~Mushu

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

With so many parodies and alternate versions and spin offs, finding the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was more difficult than I expected it to be. Quite honestly, I love the concept more than I ended up loving this original book.
As many of you may be familiar with it, I'll keep the summary brief. This book is about a young girl named Alice, bored of her lessons and bored of looking at books with no pictures. When she happens across a white rabbit in a waistcoat, Alice follows the creature into a rabbit hole where she falls into Wonderland. Wonderland is a world with seemingly no logic and strange animals and creatures which speak like civilized people. Alice journeys through the land until she can find a way back home.
What was the main plot of this book? Did I just completely miss the conflict of the story? Is the point of the book to get out a message that went completely over my head? I have so many questions because, after finally reading the novel, I found no plot to it whatsoever. I struggle to even find deep meanings behind the bizarre creatures (the only things I come up with seem like desperate attempts to answer why cats bark to smell a tree's sense of humor). As of this moment, the conclusion I have is Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a whimsical classic simply to entertain the youth from years past. I didn't fancy Carroll's writing much either.
I love the Alice in Wonderland concept so, so, much and all the renditions of it, but I didn't favor the actual book as much. I didn't hate it, I just had very high expectations which this novel failed to meet. I found it to be drab and uneventful. Yet I appreciate being able to finally have read the book for myself.
I would still recommend that people read this, because it is indeed a classic, and it's always fun to catch when another piece references or alludes to Alice in Wonderland.
I rate this book 5.5/10
~Mushu


*Note: It also occurs to me that- what if this book I read is not in fact the original? How upsetting.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie

Haroun and the Sea of Stories tells the tale of Haroun, a young boy who's world is turned upside down when his mother runs off with his mean neighbor. Haroun's father, Rashid Khaliffa, was the greatest story teller in their entire city, and he would spread joy throughout the people. When this disaster occurs however, Rashid suddenly finds himself unable to tell stories- and right before an important performance. In order to save his father, Haroun goes off to Earth's second moon, Kahani, to regain his father's talents. But when he learns of the evil Khattam-Shud, who plans to ruin stories for everyone, Haroun must save more than just his father's story telling.
Rushdie creates this fun story for children, but it certainly suits adults as well. The book is littered with hidden (and some not so much) allusions and figurative language. There are also multiple important themes expressed, like freedom of speech, gender equality, and speech versus silence. It's a little all over the place, with made up creatures and "processes too complicated to explain," but that's part of the book's charm.
Personally, I like bizarre sort of books so although this isn't a novel I'd hold close to my heart and love forever, I certainly enjoyed it. It's not really the sort of book that you'd connect to, and character development is sketchy, but the deeper meanings make it worth reading. I didn't like the end because everything fell together too suddenly and perfectly, it was rather anticlimactic. I don't want to spoil it but it was pretty random- and not in a good way. However, perhaps it's still good to read for the values and topics addressed within the story.
I'd recommend this to people who have enjoyed books such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, or The Wizard of Oz.
I rate this book 7.5/10
~Mushu

Ensnared by A.G. Howard

Ensnared is the final book in the Splintered trilogy and it is most definitely an amazing end. I often find that the first book in a series isn't very connected with the last, as if the author wasn't sure that they'd get a sequel, or they forgot their original intentions when they first started. However, Howard successfully ties all three books together. Events in the first novel actually foreshadow what happens in the third. Once again the story was full of complexities and clever twists to engage the reader.
I think there's no need to provide a summary because if you read book two, Unhinged, you've probably been eagerly awaiting this third installment anyway. In my review for Splintered, I mentioned that it isn't necessary to read the following books because it had a splendid end. I take that back. Read all three books!! You will not regret it.
My only complaint would be the epilogue of this book wrapped everything somewhat quickly, but I think it's fine considering it's an epilogue and really more of a "in case you're wondering, here's how life went after the story ended." Also, some people may not like how Howard chose to deal with the romance and who Alyssa (the main character) ends up with. I think Howard's decision makes sense though, and actually holds a deeper meaning behind it.
So I certainly recommend this book to all who have read those that came before it, and if you have not started the series at all- I highly recommend you do so!
I rate this book 9/10
~Mushu

Unhinged by A. G. Howard

 You guessed it- this is the sequel of Splintered, which I reviewed not too long ago. Like with any sequel review- I must warn you that this summary has a few spoilers.

Alyssa is back to living her usual teenage life, with her amazing boyfriend and completely sane mother. However, normal isn't possible when you're the queen of Wonderland. The realm she rightfully rules is in trouble as Red has somehow managed to survive, and Morpheus is intent that Alyssa is the only one who can save them all. Alyssa finds herself once again torn between the two realms, but either way her life can never be "normal" again.

Similar to the book before, Unhinged is morbid, twisted, and an absolutely addictive read. After having read the first book, I knew there were going to be many plot-twists, yet I still found myself constantly surprised. This book is the opposite of predictable.

I would highly recommend it to those who have read Splintered. However: this book does end with a cliffhanger (meaning there is a third book). Splintered ended perfectly fine, so do not read Unhinged unless you are willing to become involved in yet another series.

I would rate this book 9/10

~Mushu

Wild Magic by Cat Weatherill

Wild Magic is a short children's novel featuring the Pied Piper. Siblings Mari and Jakob are enchanted by the Pied Piper's music, along with all the other children in the town. The children follow the piper into a magical realm of beasts and wonder- but certainly not paradise. Jakob, however, is left on the other side due to a crippled leg. Together, the siblings will be able to unravel the real reason the piper had taken them away, which isn't quite as straightforward as it seemed.

I thought this book was cute and surprisingly touching. Despite being for children, it was certainly well written. I liked how complicated the plot managed to be without being very confusing. Some parts were predictable, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I'd recommend this to readers of all ages, especially those who like those classic fantasies.

I rate the book a 7.5/10

~Mushu

Once Upon A Curse by E.D. Baker

A long time ago I started this book but the first chapter kind of made me bored. After getting into the book, though, it was good.

This is a book about a Princess name Emma. She is the Green Witch, the protector of her kingdom. At the age of sixteen, all of the women in her family may not touch a flower for they have been cursed that when they do, all their beauty will disappear and they will become very, very mean. This has been in her family for generations, all dating back to her ancestor, Princess Hazel who was cursed by a fairy at her sixteenth birthday party. Emma is a week from her sixteenth birthday and after seeing the curse fall onto her aunt she is determined to find the cure before it's too late for her. This is the story of her adventure with Eadric, who she plans to marry and Li'l, her bat friend.

I would recommend this book to someone who likes fairy-tale stories and fantasy. This story certainly has it's fair share of dragons, fairies, magic and love. It was pretty good!

I would rate this book a 9/10 because it was pretty good but the introduction didn't hook me. Other than that, it was amazing and I was very pulled in.

-Flounder

The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

Emmeline Thistle was always seen as an outsider among the other dirt-scratchers. Being born with a curled foot, she should've been left out to die. Yet she lived. Not only that, Emmeline has an odd affinity with cows. Everyone thought Emmeline was weird and different, no one wanted to even touch her. That is, until one day after a great flood, Emmeline discovers she can make chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold. Suddenly everyone, nobles, barons- the king, wants Emmeline for themselves, to make chocolate. And some of these people will even do drastic things just to get her in their own hands, no matter the cost to her. But all Emmeline really wanted was to be loved for who she was, and the only one who ever did that was the wonderful Owen Oak. Too bad that's just not what fate had in store for her.
This was an amazing, adorable, and absolutely fantastic book. I loved the plot, even if it seems a little silly. The whole book was really cute and well-written too. At the beginning of the book, maybe page 50 or so, I already started crying. It's just that good. The book really connected with me.
I'd recommend this amazing story to anyone, especially people who love cute romances.
I'd rate the book a 9.5/10
~Mushu

Towering by Alex Flinn

It was a while ago, but some of you may remember my review on A Kiss in Time, also by Alex Flinn. These two aren't in a series, but they have a similar concept. Towering is the retelling of Rapunzel in a modern day setting.
Rachel was taken to a tower years ago by her Mama, at first thinking it was like a palace. It isn't. Rachel begins to plan her escape, aided by her hair which has mysteriously begun to grow at a rapid pace. Not to far away and completely unknowing is Wyatt, a normal teen forced to live with a family friend and somehow bound to Rachel. When they come together they will come to learn the truth behind her entrapment all these years.
Towering is a really cute, fun book. It stayed true to the original ideas from Rapunzel (not the Disney version, the author makes sure to point out) yet has it's own differences that makes it worth reading. I think the way Flinn modernized this classic fairy tale was extremely clever, I definitely recommend reading this.
I rate the book 9/10 as some of the romance felt a bit too sweet.
~Mushu

Prince of Shadows by Rachel Caine

 Prince of Shadows is the story of Romeo and Juliet from Benvolio's, Romeo's cousin, point of view. Benvolio, a regal Montague, is secretly the Prince of Shadows, defying his uptight destiny by robbing cruel people by night and therefore shaming them. Along his expeditions, he stumbles into the room of Rosaline Capulet, the girl of his cousin's most recent infatuation. Despite the fight between Montague and Capulet, Benvolio cannot deny his attraction to the fair maiden. The story of Romeo and Juliet plays out as we all remember it does except the reason of the character's actions may not actually be true love- but rather a curse.

What I really appreciated about this book is that it filled in any plot holes that people frequently point out in the original play. If you found something rash and unreasonable, the reason is explained through this book. However, Prince of Shadows was a bit too much like the original in my opinion, so it was at times fairly boring.

I'd recommend this to Romeo and Juliet fans, or the people who complain about the plot. However, I don't suggest reading it if you have recently read the original.

I rate Prince of Shadows a 6/10

~Mushu