The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: May 19, 2020
Pages: 517
Source/format: Hardcover//Purchased
Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Ambition will fuel him.
Competition will drive him.
But power has its price.

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined—every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute . . . and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

M Y  T H O U G H T S 

About one decade later, Suzanne Collins releases the prequel to The Hunger Games trilogy. And this prequel, The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes, is about President Coriolanus Snow when he was a teenager living in the Capitol. Yes, it may be hard to pity or sympathize with the cruel and cold tyrant but it's important to understand how he becomes the Snow he is in Katniss's world. The novel gives us much insight into how society and the environment shaped him to become President Snow.

It is interesting to read how much Snow suffered despite him living in the Capitol. However, unlike many of the Capitol citizens, his family is poor after losing their wealth during the war. With his parents gone, he becomes an orphan. He lives with his grandmother and with his cousin, Tigris. While trying to maintain the family status, becoming a mentor in The Hunger Games is his only opportunity to go to university. The winning tribute's mentor will receive the grand cash prize!

Snow is cunning, manipulative and can be cold at some times but The Ballard of Songbirds and Snakes shows that Snow once had love in his heart. The only thing he had left to win people over was his charm. Over the years, his heart shriveled and blackened as he put himself over others. He is quite the Slytherin and will do anything to succeed. Perhaps what he endured during his time mentoring the games has changed him. The Capitol not only pits against the people of the districts but it also pits against the people of the Capitol. Dr. Gaul, who is the Gamemaker for the 10th Hunger Games, plays with the hearts and minds of tributes as well as with the mentors. She conducts tests regarding nature vs. nurture and it's quite disturbing.

There are a lot of parallels that I find captivating within the prequel and also The Hunger Games trilogy which contribute to the history of the Capitol and the origin of the games. This novel might not be for everyone but I highly suggest it if you would like to read more about the context of The Hunger Games and the life of Snow. If you enjoy reading or learning more about the villains of books and movies, pick up The Ballard of Songbird and Snakes when you have a chance. Find out where Snow's loyalties lie.

Warning, spoilers will be mentioned for the rest of the review. Please do not read further if you have not read the book.

As part of a project before graduating from the Academy, Snow becomes a mentor to one of the tributes in the 10th Hunger Games. And you guessed it that Snow became the mentor to no other than the girl tribute of District 12, who goes by Lucy Gray Baird. Snow actually gives Lucy Gray a white rose when he first meets her. We find out how meaningful the white rose is. Snow always had the white rose with him in The Hunger Games trilogy. This is symbolic and not the only way to disguise the smell reeking from his mouth after he poisons people. In fact, his family grew lots of roses when he was younger. Also, he poisons others to make sure no one gets ahead of him. Sounds much like how he gave his mother's compact to Lucy Gray and Lucy Gray hid rat poison in it to kill some tributes quite quickly. This is very similar to how Katniss and Peeta planned to commit double suicide with poisonous nightlock berries. Poison is a reoccurring theme within the series.

The Hunger Games' rules were not the same as the ones we know of today. Yes, there are 24 tributes for the 12 districts but the rules with the drones, sponsors, scoreboard, etc were not created prior to Snow's presence in the games. Snow and his classmates were the ones who came up with these great ideas. These ideas are what kept the games running and having people staying engaged to watch the games.

So Lucy Gray Baird and Katniss Everdeen are both from the Seam but they are very different. Lucy Gray is part of the Covey, which is a group of musicians who travels around place to place. They just happened to be stuck in District 12 at the time around war and post-war. In fact Lucy Gray sings The Hanging Tree song after an incident with a District 12 Man accidentally kills three. Do you remember that song that Katniss sings? Yes, we finally find out the origins of this song! While Katniss can be unlikable, Lucy Gray is the opposite. Everyone loves Lucy Gray! With Lucy Gray's singing and personality, she shines! However, Lucy Gray is witty and resourceful like Katniss. They take advantage of what they have in order to survive. Their knowledge and resources help them in the games. Their main priority is to stay alive while hiding. They waited for the other tributes to kill each other off before they had to kill.

Although The Ballard of Songbird and Snakes isn't The Hunger Games, the novel is a good origin story about The Hunger Games and it sheds more light on Snow's past which helps with his character development bridging from the 10th Hunger Games to the 74th/75th Hunger Games.

The Golden Tower by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Golden Tower
Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication date: September 11, 2018
Pages: 256
Source/format: Hardcover // Library

Rating: ☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com): 

The final, thrilling installment in this extraordinary series from bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare.

A generation ago, powerful mage Constantine Madden came close to achieving what no magician had ever achieved: the ability to bring back the dead. He didn't succeed . . . but he did find a way to keep himself alive, inside a young child named Callum Hunt.

Facing up to what he is, Callum has battled chaos and evil across four years of magical training at the Magisterium, eventually defeating the armies of chaos in an epic battle.

It came at a cost.

Now, triumphant and heartbroken, Callum Hunt has just about had enough, and is ready to complete his training. But the evil Callum faced has not given up just yet...

M Y  T H O U G H T S

"We must learn from this lesson that we cannot allow fear to rule us...When fear rules us, we forget who we truly are. We forget the good we are capable of."

The Golden Tower is the fifth installment in the Magisterium and it's the last book in the series. Although the romance of the novel is untimely and it feels out of place, the character development from The Iron Trial to The Golden Tower grew for some characters while stayed the same for others. The pacing of the book was good at the beginning to the middle of the novel but it sped up too quickly from the middle to the end. It felt too rushed. The Golden Tower is a short book to begin with and I felt like the pace was too fast in terms of when Call and his friends were hunting down the four Devoured of Air, Earth, Fire and Water in order to displace the Devoured of Chaos.

The novel depicts some language and actions that are not up to par with what a teenager says or does. Call is about 16 right now and Alex is a little bit older. However, Alex acts much younger demanding things like a child would. He throws temper tantrums. Aaron is definitely the most mature with well thought out ideas. He thinks before he acts and speaks. Tamara will seek out resources if she doesn't know about something. Call relies on his friends in order to make decisions. Jasper grows the most out of all the students. He used to be cruel and bullied Call and his friends at the start of the Magisterium journey. As each year passes, he learns to accept Call and his friends to the point where he is part of their friendship circle. Readers find out what happened to his father which could have added to why he behaved in the past as he did.

Alastair's decision at the end of the book is a surprise but it shows what a parent does for their child in order to save their life no matter what the consequence. It shows that Alastair truly loves Call. Because of spoilers, I won't name who the true enemy is but the enemy could have been a very complex character and the enemy is actually very simple and not very interesting. I was hoping for more character development for the enemy or at least find out more about their backstory.

The Golden Tower sums up the Magisterium series fairly quickly. For those who love fantasy middle grade novels involving boarding schools and magic, this series is one to pick up for a quick read.

The Silver Mask by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Silver Mask
Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication date: October 10, 2017
Pages: 240
Source/format: Hardcover // Library

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):   

A generation ago, Constantine Madden came close to achieving what no magician had ever achieved: the ability to bring back the dead. He didn't succeed . . . but he did find a way to keep himself alive, inside a young child named Callum Hunt.

Now Call is one of the most feared and reviled students in the history of the Magisterium, thought to be responsible for a devastating death and an ever-present threat of war. As a result, Call has been imprisoned and interrogated. Everyone wants to know what Constantine was up to-and how he lives on.

But Call has no idea.

It is only when he's broken out of prison that the full potential of Constantine's plan is suddenly in his hands . . . and he must decide what to do with his power.

In this spellbinding fourth book of Magisterium, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare take us beyond the realm of the living and into the dangers of the dead.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Call is imprisoned in Panopticon for being the Enemy of Death until one day a fire is set loose and he is freed by Tamara and Anastasia. Unfortunately, it is all the same day Jasper decided to visit Call. What is even more unfortunate is that Anastasia had other plans and roped in Master Joseph who was supposedly dead. Call, Tamara and Jasper end up being imprisoned on an island. While being prisoners with the true enemy, Call has no where to go. The Magisterium thinks he is still the Enemy of Death and they do not trust him. Tamara and Jasper help devise a plan to alert the Magisterium who the real enemy is and what is at stake.

The plot is fairly interesting and of course the necromancy that was involved in The Silver Mask brings some form of happiness between the main characters. However, it is not meant to be. I was devastated at first when I thought Havoc died but he is still alive. Ravan, as a character, has grown on me. Although a lot of people are biased against the Devoured, not all Devoured are considered evil. Some characters I cannot talk about in this review due to major spoilers but lets say if you think someone died, there is a chance the person is still alive. Also, there is a lot of foreshadowing which I love to read about. The Devoured, the swapping of souls and the history of the Maddens all shape The Silver Mask well. The Maddens' memories, no matter how they are preserved, provide valuable insight for Call to survive and to do the right thing.

The only thing I wasn't too fond of in The Silver Mask is when Anastasia claims that Tamara likes Call, Call becomes infatuated with Tamara. He is so obsessed that he even forgets that he needs to be looking for a way off the island. There is too much instalove for me and also, Call loses focus very easily. Tamara for the most part, is looking for away to escape even if she does show some interest in Call. I just found it odd that she shows as much interest as she did since she had a thing for Aaron not too long ago.

The Silver Mask is the fourth installment in the Magisterium series. Almost everyone doesn't believe Call when he claims he is not the Enemy of Death. He eventually proves them wrong by the end of the book by actually saving all magekind. The Silver Mask takes a darker turn compared to its predecessors. This book is a turning point and a climax in Call's journey. Call doesn't know who to trust and who wants him dead.

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

Title: The Love & Lies of Rukhsana
Author: Sabina Khan
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication date: January 29, 2019
Pages: 336
Source/format: ARC // Rachel at Rachelwrites007

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Seventeen-year-old Rukhsana Ali tries her hardest to live up to her conservative Muslim parents’ expectations, but lately she’s finding that harder and harder to do. She rolls her eyes instead of screaming when they blatantly favor her brother and she dresses conservatively at home, saving her crop tops and makeup for parties her parents don’t know about. Luckily, only a few more months stand between her carefully monitored life in Seattle and her new life at Caltech, where she can pursue her dream of becoming an engineer.

But when her parents catch her kissing her girlfriend Ariana, all of Rukhsana’s plans fall apart. Her parents are devastated; being gay may as well be a death sentence in the Bengali community. They immediately whisk Rukhsana off to Bangladesh, where she is thrown headfirst into a world of arranged marriages and tradition. Only through reading her grandmother’s old diary is Rukhsana able to gain some much needed perspective.

Rukhsana realizes she must find the courage to fight for her love, but can she do so without losing everyone and everything in her life?

M Y  T H O U G H T S

"We must be the masters of our own destinies. I did not learn that until it was too late. You have to fight to take back control of your life. Sometimes you will hurt the ones you love the most. But in the end, it will always have to be your choice."

Rukhsana Ali is struggling to live up to her conservative and traditional Bengali parents' expectations. She listens to most of their rules for the most part but she harbors secrets such as Rukhsana being in a relationship. And not any relationship. She has a girlfriend, a non-Bengali girlfriend. Rukhsana applies to Caltech even though her parents rather have her stay close by Seattle, where she resides. Her dream is to work for NASA. When her parents finally caved in to let her go to school in Seattle, they also find out about her secret relationship which causes her parents to send Rukhsana to Bangladesh.

I love how Sabina Khan showcases Rukhsana to be opinionated and knows where her passions lie. Rukhsana stands for what she believes when it comes to whom she loves. She also is fairly smart since she is accepted to Caltech with a scholarship. Not only is she accepted to a prestigious school but Rukhsana wants to study astronomy or physics. Yes for girls in the STEM field!

Also, when reading The Love & Lies of Rukhsana, I am glad a couple people in the Bangladeshi community are open-minded about Rukhsana liking females. Her brother Aamir is supportive and even their family friend's son, Irfan, has a similar situation in which he is in a relationship with a non-Bengali girl.

Rukhsana's parents trick her to visit her grandmother saying that Nani is sick but in reality, they are trying to marry her off in an arranged marriage. In Bangladesh, Rukhsana turns to Shaila, her cousin, for support and later her Nani for comfort. Sohail, a potential suitor, ends up being good friends with Rukhsana. I enjoyed reading about the friendship between Rukhsana and Sohail. They have similar values and beliefs although they are not romantically interested in each other.

When readers have a glance at Nani's diary, you can see how much she had to go through when she was younger getting married to a man she didn't want to marry. A man who was cruel and her parents married her off at such a young age. She only tells Rukhsana the ordeal she had to go through and how it was her secret for many years. The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali is a contemporary novel that incorporates pieces of historical fiction within the novel through Nani's diary entries. Nani tells Rukhsana that she must fight for her beliefs. She doesn't want Rukhsana to give into being unhappy.

And so Ruksana fights for what she believes for even though it seems like no one is on her side. Some of the actions depicted in the novel may be hard for some people to read about but some of the things do happen in the world. We need to understand why someone doesn't ask for help and how they stay strong through dark times. As a warning, the novel includes sexual assault, child marriage, hate crimes and cases of people doing things against others' will.

Khan takes readers on a roller coaster ride where you fall in love with the characters but then your heart breaks when you read about people being ridiculed for who they love. People get back together again but then tragedy happens. There is so much emotion in this novel!

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana not only talks about coming out but how friends and family view the LGBTQIA+ community, interracial relationships and keeping traditional religious and cultural beliefs. The Love & Lies of Rukhsana is emotionally charged and it's a book I recommend everyone to read.

Lucky in Love by Kasie West

Title: Lucky in Love
Author: Kasie West
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: July 25, 2017
Pages: 333
Source/format: Publisher//ARC

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

In this new contemporary from YA star Kasie West, a girl who wins the lottery learns that money can cause more problems than it solves, especially when love comes into the picture.

Maddie doesn't believe in luck. She's all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment --

She wins!

In a flash, Maddie's life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she's talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun... until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now, Maddie isn't sure who she can trust.

Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn't seem aware of Maddie's big news. And, for some reason, she doesn't want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?

With tons of humor and heart, Kasie West delivers a million-dollar tale of winning, losing, and falling in love.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

"We make our own luck...We chose our own fate. We controlled our own future."

Maddie Parker is a senior at Tustin High School. She has two close friends, Elise and Blaire, and she currently works at the Santa Ana Zoo. Maddie's dream school is UCLA and she wants to study veterinary medicine. Although Maddie works hard in school, she is worried about the finances to pay for college. She is hoping she will get decent amount of scholarships since there are finance issues at home. Her mother works overtime and two jobs and her father is still on the lookout for a job. Beau, her brother, took some time off from college to try to get a job to pay off his loans. Maddie doesn't believe in luck but one day she buys a lottery ticket on the whim and she wins! She thinks the lottery winnings will solve her problems but unfortunately money isn't everything.

Kasie West wrote a honest book about real life things that teens have to worry about. Many teens are often trying to find ways to pay for their college tuition and fees and there are many teens who have finance issues at home. When there is not a lot of money to pay for things, it can put a damper to your spirit. However, Maddie makes the most of it and tries to be optimistic. Lucky in Love teaches readers that there is more to life than money. Sometimes people change because of money. Who can you trust? Maddie had to learn the hard way about which people are there for her just for her and not for the money. She had to learn who she can trust.

I love how Maddie is a hard worker and she strives for the best. Even though things are tough at home in terms of finances, she makes the best of what she has. Maddie has supportive friends that always has her back. Elise and Blaire are always there for Maddie. Seth Nguyen, Maddie's coworker, has always had an honest friendship with Maddie. I haven't read too many books with an Asian male love interest so it's refreshing to see this type of interracial relationship in a YA novel.

Seth is probably one of the very few people in the book that isn't using Maddie for their own benefit. He is the one that Maddie looks forward to see everyday. Also, there is no instalove in this book which I love! I enjoy reading about relationships that slowly progress from a friendship into something more. Maddie's quirk of randomly saying facts is something I can relate to since I do the very same thing. I appreciate Seth's passion in film making despite her parents disapproval of it as a career. Because Seth and Maddie attend different schools, it's nice to see them bond at work at the Santa Ana Zoo. There is no pressure in school to act a different way since they only see each other at work for the most part.

Lucky in Love is a fluffy contemporary novel that teaches teens good morals and has a cute friendship that blossoms into something more. It's the perfect summer read and you will fly through the book with a smile. I highly suggest this novel for those who enjoy To All the Boys I've Loved Before, When Dimple Met Rishi and I Believe in a Thing Called Love.

The Bronze Key by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Bronze Key
Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: August 30, 2016
Pages: 256
Source/format: Library//Hardcover

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Magic can save you.
Magic can kill you.

Students at the Magisterium are supposed to be safe. Under the watchful eyes of the mages, they are taught to use magic to bring order to a chaotic world.

But now the chaos is fighting back. Call, Tamara, and Aaron should be worrying about things like pop quizzes and magic contests. Instead, after the shocking death of one of their classmates, they must track down a sinister killer… and risk their own lives in the process.

As Call, Tamara, and Aaron discover, magic can only be as good as the person who wields it. In evil hands, it has the capacity to do immeasurable harm, unless it is stopped in time.

In this striking third book of Magisterium, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare present us with a school where anything, good or evil, can happen, and the only way to unlock the truth is to risk everything to find it.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

"One of you will fail. One of you will die. And one of you is already dead." - Prophecy from The Bronze Key

The Bronze Key is the third book in the Magisterium series and so far is my absolute favorite installment. It's the turning point of the series and it doesn't disappoint. The pacing of the book is good. Readers join third years Call, Aaron and Tamara on a journey to discover who the Magisterium spy is and to learn so much about other people's intentions. Holly Black and Cassandra Clare definitely keeps my mind open to all possibilities.

Black and Clare have created a story where magic and friendship collide. Trust and loyalty are hard to come by at the Magisterium especially since the Magisterium is no longer safe. One cannot even guarantee to feel comfortable in their own room without being ambushed. So who is hunting Call, Aaron and Tamara?

Call, Aaron and Tamara have to work with Jasper (the frenemy), much to their dismay, but it's the only way to keep their secret. But they're not the only ones who harbor a secret. The twists and turns in The Bronze Key caught me by surprise. Never rule anything out. That ending is still looming in my head! It's the perfect cliffhanger; Black and Clare nailed it! I had to re-read the last couple chapters just to let the ending soak in! I cannot wait for the next fourth installment, The Silver Mask, to find out more.

Typography Talk: Cover Redesigns

Typography Talk is an original feature where I discuss about book cover design and typography. Even though people always say that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, you know everyone does. A book's cover art needs to captivate the potential reader. There are some readers who will be more inclined to purchase a book not only based on the synopsis, but also based on how the cover looks like. Colors, typeface, medium, spacing and originality are all factors that help make up a cover.

Sometimes a book will come out and there will be a cover redesign in the future, whether it be for the hardcover or for the paperback edition. Some cover redesigns are well done and some are, well, not so great. Unfortunately, the authors usually don't have a say when a cover is designed in general. The marketing and publicity departments have the reign to decide what the cover looks like and how they want to market and promote the book. Even the graphic designers don't have a say. They just carry out and design what the marketing and publicity departments tell them to include on the cover. After many proofs (drafts), a new official design is born!

However, not everyone is as thrilled about the redesign. Frankly, many hardcore fans of certain books might not approve of the redesign. But there are instances where the redesign is as good or better than the originals. It depends why a cover is getting redesigned in the first place. Does the cover need a face lift because the publisher is trying to cater to a new audience? Is the cover not as eye catching as other similar titles and sales are not up to par?

Some readers who collect books don't care if covers of a series match or not. However, some readers need to have ALL of the covers to match.  

R E D E S I G N E D   C O V E R S

Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin

The redesign is a nice face lift for series. Kristy's Great Idea was originally published in 1986. For the new generation of children who might be interested in the book, a contemporary take is more eye catching. The old cover shows four girls in 1980's clothing compared to the new cover that looks more fresh and modern. The new cover has a look and colors that definitely scream contemporary! However, the font treatment is better with the classic cover.

Image from Forbes.com

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

I love all the Harry Potter cover redesigns and each redesign brings out something special from the Potterworld. Mary GrandPré designed some stunning artwork for the US editions of the Harry Potter series. However, Kazu Kibuishi redesigned the covers in a refreshing way for the 15th anniversary. And I love how each spine of the seven Harry Potter books, when put together side by side, creates Hogwarts. It's an innovative way to get readers to buy all redesigned books in the series. The iconic lighting bolt typeface is the same in both designs which I love! Check out the cover comparisons here.

For the UK versions, Jonny Duddle reinvents the Harry Potter covers targeting a new audience. With his background in the computer game industry, you can tell how he brings some of the animation from video games into his illustrations, depicting the wonderful world of Harry Potter. The colors are rich and vibrant and the magic is clearly there.

Image from telegraph.co.uk

And the illustrated version of Harry Potter has some of the best Harry Potter visuals I have seen thanks to Jim Kay. Check out what Jim Kay has to say about creating the breathtaking images.

Image from boktycke.wordpress.com

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Although this version of Fahrenheit 451 is not officially published, Elizabeth Perez designed an innovative cover of Fahrenheit 451. This minimalist design is perfect. The match that creates the 1 to 451 is symbolic. With the matchbox spine and an actual match as part of the cover design, it conveys the the theme of the book about book burnings. How clever! This is one of my favorite book redesigns.

1987 version

Image from Flavorwire.wordpress.com

What do you prefer? Would you collect books with the same covers or could you care less about matching covers?

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication date: August 24, 2010
Pages: 392
Source/format: Library // Hardcover

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

My name is Katniss Everdeen.
Why am I not dead?
I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.

My Thoughts

I decided to re-read Mockingjay before Mockingjay Part II hits theaters to refresh my mind of how I see the novel in my head. I don't want to be influenced by what I see on screen. Also, I love comparing and contrasting the book to film adaptation.

Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, is now the Mockingjay. She is the beacon of hope. She unites the districts during this rebellion stage. After being rescued from the arena during the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire by District 13, Katniss needs to learn how to adapt to a militarist society. Because Katniss beats to her own drum, staying in line is hard for her.

Although this novel in The Hunger Games trilogy doesn't take place in arena and is not as fast paced, the novel is still full of action. Through propos and rebelling against the Capitol, there is a war brewing. Katniss once believed President Coin is trying to help unite the districts of Panem but in reality she believes Coin is the same as Snow. As the Mockingjay, Katniss is essentially Coin's puppet doing Coin's bidding. Once Coin achieves what she wants, Katniss is no longer useful to her. In fact, Katniss is a threat.

Suzanne Collins does a fantastic job describing the rebellion and how it affects all the players in the game which include District 13, the Capitol and the other 12 districts. She shows the readers the different outcomes of the aftermath of the Quarter Quell. Katniss, Peeta, Finnick and Johanna go through PTSD but have nightmares and fears about different things. Collins does not sugarcoat anything in the novel. Readers see how no one is safe from the wrath of the Capitol. Even those Katniss tries to protect are vulnerable by association. Collins' compelling writing is addictive.

Mockingjay is the novel in the series that is more meaningful than previous books. It evokes different emotions and thoughts than its predecessors. Life is less vibrant under the control of District 13. It is interesting how the muted colors of District 13 compare to the overly embellished Capitol. One is monotonous and unwilling to change while the other one is overly flashy in abundance.

"In some ways, District 13 is even more controlling than the Capitol."

Just like the Capitol, District 13 uses reality TV to showcase Katniss. Although they don't use her as a form of entertainment, they use her as a spokeswoman for the rebellion cause. Her words and actions will drive the masses toward uniting and rebelling.

Overall, the novel has an outstanding ending to an amazing trilogy. Although the ending happens so fast, it ties up a lot of the loose ends and gives Panem the peace they have been waiting for. Read Mockingjay before the film hits theaters on November 20th!

The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Copper Gauntlet
Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: September 1, 2015
Pages: 304
Source/format: ARC from BEA 2015

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

Callum Hunt’s summer break isn’t like other kids’. His closest companion is a Chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. His father suspects him of being secretly evil. And, of course, most kids aren’t heading back to the magical world of the Magisterium in the fall.

It’s not easy for Call . . . and it gets even harder after he checks out his basement and discovers that his dad might be trying to destroy both him and Havoc.

Call escapes to the Magisterium -- but things only intensify there. The Alkahest -- a copper gauntlet capable of separating certain magicians from their magic -- has been stolen. And in their search to discover the culprit, Call and his friends Aaron and Tamara awaken the attention of some very dangerous foes -- and get closer to an even more dangerous truth.

As the mysteries of the Magisterium deepen and widen, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare take readers on an extraordinary journey through one boy’s conflict -- and a whole world’s fate.

My Thoughts

Callum Hunt is back at home with his father Alastair. He discovered shocking news about who he is at the end of The Iron Trial and is trying to figure out what to make of it. Everyone is out to kill the Enemy and Callum is trying to figure out who to trust. When I first read The Iron Trial, I couldn't wait for The Copper Gauntlet. Holly Black and Cassandra Clare crafted a Middle Grade series with adventure, magic, suspense and with a little bit of humor. The twist is the main character is not the chosen one. The Alkhahest, a copper gauntlet, is missing and if under the wrong hands, chaos will occur. Call, Aaron and Tamara are trying to stop the Alkhahest falling in the wrong hands or the Makar will die.

Callum, Aaron and Tamara start their copper year aka second year at the Magisterium. They are still trying to hone their skills as a Mage. Once a Mage learns to controls the elements, they are able to graduate from the Magisterium. The pace in The Copper Gauntlet moves consistently and I enjoyed this installment more than the first. The first book was more about laying out the foundation of the series. The second book is more about Call learning about who he is and what he can become. He harbors a secret very few people know about. He doubts himself a lot but proves that he can overcome anything. Chaos magic is discussed more in detail throughout this novel. Friendship and trust is super important and it's interesting to see how each character approaches what friendship truly means to them. Trust is tested and it's intriguing to see what each character is hiding from each other. Everything unfolds at the end and everyone thinks the Enemy of Death is dead but of course they cannot outrun the Enemy.

One of my favorite characters is Call's pet chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. Even though he is not a main character in the series, he is an important asset to the group. The Copper Gauntlet is a fun Middle grade read for all ages. I highly recommend the Magisterium series for readers who enjoy the Harry Potter series and books written by Rick Riordan. I can't wait to pick up The Bronze Key.

Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures 
Author: Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication date: April 28, 2015
Pages: 192
Source/format: ARC from BEA 2015

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

From bestselling authors Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce comes an exciting new series full of magical creatures, whimsical adventures, and quirky illustrations.  

Pip is a girl who can talk to magical creatures. Her aunt is a vet for magical creatures. And her new friend Tomas is allergic to most magical creatures. When things go amok—and they often go amok—Pip consults Jeffrey Higgleston’s Guide to Magical Creatures, a reference work that Pip finds herself constantly amending. Because dealing with magical creatures like unicorns, griffins, and fuzzles doesn’t just require book knowledge—it requires hands-on experience and thinking on your feet. For example, when fuzzles (which have an awful habit of bursting into flame when they’re agitated) invade your town, it’s not enough to know what the fuzzles are—Pip and Tomas also must trace the fuzzles’ agitation to its source, and in doing so, save the whole town.

My Thoughts

Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures is a cute middle grade book about magical creatures. The main character, Pip, has a special ability which allows her to talk to animals. The career day at school is the perfect way to introduce Pip and her animal talking ability. I enjoyed reading the interaction between Pip and the animals. Adults and other children think Pip might be strange but what they don't know is that Pip understands animals more than they do. No one believes Pip has this incredible ability.

What I liked about the book is how it incorporates images of magical creatures such as Unicorns and Fuzzles. Pip even includes her own notes next to the images which reminds me of how the Half-Blood Prince from the Harry Potter series adds his own notes to his Advanced Potion-Making book. Readers can see visuals of what Pip is talking about when she describes animals. Pip's friendship with a boy named Tomas made me enjoy the book even more. Strong friendships are important especially in children's books. Kids need to see what good friendships look like. They also need to see characters who are a little bit different from the mainstream because they need to learn that being different is not bad. Being different makes each person unique.

I am usually not a big Maggie Stiefvater fan because of her writing style but this one works. I believe the co-authoring between Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce is a superb collaboration. If you are looking for a quick middle grade read with a bit of magical, humorous and whimsical storytelling and characters, definitely check out Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures.

The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

Title: The Sin Eater's Daughter
Author: Melinda Salisbury

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication date:  February 24, 2015
Pages: 320
Source/format: ARC from Cara Bertrand

Rating: ☆☆☆

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Twylla lives in the castle. But although she’s engaged to the prince, Twylla isn’t exactly a member of the court.
She’s the executioner.

As the Goddess embodied, Twylla instantly kills anyone she touches. Each month she’s taken to the prison and forced to lay her hands on those accused of treason. No one will ever love a girl with murder in her veins. Even the prince, whose royal blood supposedly makes him immune to Twylla’s fatal touch, avoids her company.

But then a new guard arrives, a boy whose easy smile belies his deadly swordsmanship. And unlike the others, he’s able to look past Twylla’s executioner robes and see the girl, not the Goddess. Yet Twylla’s been promised to the prince, and knows what happens to people who cross the queen.

However, a treasonous secret is the least of Twylla’s problems. The queen has a plan to destroy her enemies, a plan that requires a stomach-churning, unthinkable sacrifice. Will Twylla do what it takes to protect her kingdom? Or will she abandon her duty in favor of a doomed love?

My Thoughts:

Twylla is a commoner and is taken in by Royalty because she is goddess embodied by the daughter of Lord of the Sun and the Empress of Darkness. Poison runs in her blood and her touch kills. Her job is of an executioner of those who commit treason against the Kingdom of Lormere. Because of being Daunen Embodied, the Queen believes Twylla serves the royal court only. Twylla is a prisoner in the castle. She has no free will but things change when Lief becomes one of her guardsmen.

When I read the description of Twylla it reminded me of a more reserved Merida with the red hair and the green eyes living in a medieval setting. However, Twylla lacks the daring and fierceness of Merida. Tywlla is the Queen's puppet. The Queen uses Twylla like a weapon. If Twylla doesn't agree to the Queen's demands, Twylla's family will be cut from rations.

One of my favorite characters of the book is the Queen. The Queen actually is reminiscent of the queen in The Young Elites. Both have their own agenda and they use people as pawns to do their bidding. Both are manipulative and wear the pants in the relationship. The Queen doesn't take no for an answer and almost always gets her way. Her character makes the story. The Queen added the action and suspense that I need in a book.

Melinda Salisbury does an excellent job with the world building. However, I wish I knew more about the history of the neighboring kingdoms. The beginning of the novel starts quite strong but the instalove killed it. I am one who is not fond of instalove and I was hoping the relationship in this book will blossom over time. Just based on description alone, Twylla falls for Lief practically right after she meets him. I feel bad for Merek, the Prince, because he has grown fond of Twylla. He treats her fairly well.

The beginning and the ending make the novel. Without both, the novel is lackluster. There is a lot of description and back story in the beginning but I love the ending. The middle, however, needs work and I feel like it could have been trimmed down. I expected Twylla to be a strong female character but instead I find her complaining and whining a lot in the novel.

I plan to read the next novel in the series to see what happens next but I hope the next installment has more vitality.

The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Title: The Iron Trial

Author: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication date:  September 9, 2014

Pages:  304

Source/format: ARC from BEA

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis  (from Goodreads):

Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . .  

My Thoughts:

The Iron Trial is a fun read. To me it's a mashup between The Heroes of Olympus series and the Harry Potter series. There are a lot of similarities between The Iron Trial and Harry Potter series to the point where some readers might think the Magisterium series is a rip off of Harry Potter. Thus being said, some of the plot twists were not twists for me at all because some of the things that happen in this book are similar to Harry Potter but it is not a Harry Potter rip off. Who doesn't like reading books full of magic and boarding schools? Three friends go to a magic school and a male mentor guides them through their journey. Sound familiar?

Black and Clare add their own flair to their world of the Magisterium. Students who have an affinity for magic don’t automatically receive a letter when they turn eleven to attend the school. Students must work hard to enroll into the school, only if they are worthy enough.

Masters will then choose three students to be their apprentices. These Masters are mentors will guide their apprentices until they finish school. There are five trials to complete, each trial to pass through each school year gate. They teach their students how to control their magic. Control is very important in this book and I assume in the entire series.

Instead of being witches and wizards, magical folk are called Mages or Masters. Mages are those who have the magical affinity and are being trained to study the five elements (earth, air, water, fire and the void). Once a Mage passes through all the Magisterium gates, one will become a Journeyman/Journeywoman Mage. When one masters all five elements, one will become a Master.

I love the cover art for this book. It's absolutely gorgeous and captures the book accurately. The book reads at a pretty decent pace but the Sand Room sections of the book moved fairly slowly.

I can't wait to read the next installment of the Magisterium series and I am definitely going to read each book of the series when they are released.