The Bookshelf

A Constellation of Roses has a lot of adventure, a little bit of magic, and a happy ending. The detailed artwork on the cover is what drew me to the book; pink roses peeking in from the sides, white dots of constellations scattered across a dark green cover. The plot of the book is just as beautiful and detailed as the cover, and I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for an entertaining read.  Trix Mcabe is a runaway 17-year-old girl, who has been running away from the foster care services ever since she was 10, when her mom lost custody of her. Shortly after, there is what Trix calls a Good Year, where her mom promises to stay away from drugs. But then, her mom just leaves one day without giving Trix any clue of where she could be. It’s up to Trix to make money for food and shelter, which she does by stealing.  From the very first page, we see how Trix Mccabe is no ordinary thief; she actually has a magical ability to take things that don’t belong to her without...

Hello! I'm Sloane, and I'm reviewing Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan. It is the first book in the Percy Jackson  series. Many people had recommended this series to me, and I decided to read the first few books a few years ago. I don't know a lot about Greek mythology, but I found these books fun to read. Specifically, I found the first book interesting! In this mythological fantasy book, Percy begins to be attacked by monsters he didn't even know existed, and no one seems to notice. Until he finds out that he's a demigod: half human and half god. He enters Camp Half-Blood, where the demigods live, and meets new friends and enemies, all while trying to figure out how to fit into his new home. On top of that, he has been assigned a quest to find who stole Zeus's lightning bolt. There are various interesting aspects to this book. First, the narrative voice is very distinct, as it's from first person, and he seems as if he...

*This review has some mild spoilers but any big plot spoilers are clearly marked* Last week I finished Caraval by Stephanie Garber and these are some of my thoughts.  Caraval is a story centering around a teenage girl named Scarlett Dragna and her younger sister Donatella. Scarlett and Donatella have spent their entire lives on an island named Trisda with their abusive father. For most of her life Scarlett has dreamed of visiting the magical traveling once-a-year performance called Caraval, but she was never invited. However, right before she is set to be married in an arranged marriage she receives tickets to Caraval. Her sister Tella whisks Scarlett off to Caraval with the help of a sailor named Julian. But, as soon as they arrive Tella quickly becomes a part of the Caraval story and Scarlett is forced to participate in the game to find her sister. I personally felt like Caraval was a somewhat average book. It was not a terrible read but it also did not live up to my expectations...

"To Be Beyond Hunger" Krys Lee’s 2016 novel How I Became a North Korean is the story of three very unfortunate Korean lives in contemporary northern China, near the border of North Korea, most likely Dandong (China) and Sinuiju (North Korea). The novel’s structure works well, even if the three main characters seem at first to have nothing in common. The book cycles through the three characters who tell their stories in the order of Yongju, Daehan or Danny, and Jangmi, all from their radically different worlds and perspectives. Yongju is the son of a top-ranking, rich family in North Korea, having direct ties with the Great General himself. His father did business deals overseas, legitimate or not. At one of the Dear Leader’s extravagant, expensive parties, Yongju witnesses the murder of his father by the Dear Leader himself because of perceived betrayal. Daehan, or Danny, is a 16-year-old devout Christian living in Loma Linda, California. When he was nine, his family emigr...