Rachel Reads & Reviews

Sharing books for everyone

  • Stephanie Cooke Interview

    Stephanie Cooke is the editor/writer of original middle grade graphic novels, ParaNorthern and Oh My Gods! As well as popular franchises as MLP’s Camp Bighoof and Archie: Love and Heartbreak Special. She kindly took the time to answer my questions and divulge her early inspiration, writing process and what’s coming next.

    1. What were your early inspirations (comic, movies, franchises etc)?

    Growing up, I loved the His Dark Materials series, all of Tamora Pierce’s novels, and the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. As well as classics like Anne of Green Gables too, which was a staple of my childhood as someone with ties to Prince Edward Island. I didn’t read a ton of comics as a kid because I simply didn’t have access to them but I did read a lot of Archie Digest comics, so that was how I got started reading comics. 

    Eventually, the Sabrina the Teenage Witch sitcom would also become a massive influence too. All of those had a really lasting impact on me throughout my life.

    2. How would you describe your writing style and its evolution?

    I think I write from a place of passion. My stories tend to form around things that I’m excited about or want to put my own spin on. They’re all very much the stories I would’ve loved to read growing up. I don’t know that I have a particular style, per se though, unless you want to count puns as a “style” choice! But I evolve as I read and consume more things that I enjoy, and listen to constructive feedback from my peers, editors, and other professionals who help me grow.

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  • The School for Good and Evil: One True King Review

    The End of Ends have finally come.

    To keep things simple, the minor spoilers are under the cut but lets get to characterization and plot first.

    Since Tedros was revealed to have the final ring, and the wedding crashing went wrong, King Arthur’s ghost comes in with a deus ex machina to give his son one more chance to regain the Woods’ trust, his throne and expose the Snake for what he truly is.

    Three trials, three tests, each one a race against time between the Lion and the Snake and imparting lessons from King Arthur’s past to help Tedros find out what a real leader is while Agatha and Sophie find their happily ever afters.

    First, I’ll get to the diva of the hour aka Chainani’s clear favorite, Sophie who undergoes an amazing amount of development to finding true fufillment. Yes, she had started the trilogy thinking she was fulfilled as Dean, and thinking maybe being queen would help but no, it all circles back to love.

    Love for Agatha as well as love with the one who’d been under her notice the whole time. I really enjoyed the epiphany Sophie has as she listens and learns from each trial and mishap that the true parts of a happy life are love, food and purpose. She has purpose as a Dean, she learns to enjoy cake and she finds unconditional love does not come from maniacally evil bad boys who want to change her or cannot keep up with her. I can’t believe I’m saying this but Sophie comes out as the most mature of the trio, even setting aside her own jealousy and petty dramatics in pursuit of the greater good. She truly has shades of Good and Evil and she has embrace to love herself and love in return.

    Not that she isn’t still sassy and hilarious, Chainani throws in some fanservice treats like the Return of Wooty Woo, the Pirate Queen.

    Agatha’s arc feels a bit more muddled as the previous book focused on her moer controlling, feeling the need to save the day, loner as the protagonist of the fairytale. That was good but here it felt more like the narrative was chiding Agatha for not faithfully believing in Tedros no matter what. While she should give Tedros more of a chance to enact his own plans without immediately deriding it as stupid, Tedros concealling it felt out of line. Especially as Tedros’ final plan was truamatizing to watch and so so many things could have gone wrong. Tedros was just lucky it worked, otherwise Agatha would have to save the day again from Tedros’ impulsive actions.

    It also worked against Tedros’ own arc about learning to take others input instead of impulsively going with what he wants to do. Even though that didn’t stick, Tedros did eventually learn the bigger picture of being a leader. It is not about hoarding his position to protect his insecurities but serving the people, just as Rhian had said all along. I’ll admit, he did have an amazing final speech. It just felt like his final realization was shoe-horned in.

    By that I mean, Chainani had organically left seeds along the whole trilogy but Tedros, the whole time, continued to act as he usually did with glimmers of self reflection. If Chainani had spent this book letting Tedros make mature decisions, showcasing his growth instead of leaving it in the climax, I may believe his arc more.

    Other characters get a fair chance to shine here too like the Coven especially as Dot learns more about her family, and Reene turns out to be a surprisingly badass side character in the final inning. Adult characters like Guenivere, Maid Marian, Robin Hood, Queen Jacinda, Princess Uma, Merlin and more serve as refreshingly important contributers to the story even while the teenagers take up most of the spotlight. That said, they’re also a lot of death fodder which Agatha morosely comments that adults don’t fare well in their fairytale. Chainani really raises the stakes and doesn’t shy away from the grimm undertones of fairytales while also expanding more kingdoms with their distinct cultures and geographies.

    I’m only disappointed that Nicola seems to fade away after she breaks up with Hort for his Sophie obsession. It felt a bit of a regression for Hort as I liked him realizing that he can move on and find someone who will like him for himself. Besides, Nicole was such a cool character and as a Galvadon Reader, she would have continued to make a nice contrast to Agatha, reminding her of who she had been like. And I enjoyed her burgeoning, bickering friendship with Sophie. Her ability to recognize story patterns and tricks in tales had been useful and I wished Chainani had continued to utilize her.

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  • Rose Campbell and Jane Eyre

    I was reading Rose in Bloom in full (well the abridged version since the classic version sometimes gets too preachy for me) and this quote——

    “My heart is my own, to dispose of as I please. Don’t shut yourself out of it by presuming too much, for you have no claim on me but that of cousinship, and you never will have unless you earn it. Remember that, and neither threaten nor defy me any more,” (Alcott 158)

    Immediately reminded me of another much more famous speech in Jane Eyre–

    “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will. I would always rather be happy than dignified.”

    Of course, their circumstances are a little different with Rose being a pretty heiress who wants to help the poor and working women, and Jane being a plain governess dependent on others.

    But both must contend with an overbearing, egotistical lover. Jane with Mr. Rothchester who needs no introduction and Rose with Charlie, her cousin and the bonny prince whose aimless life has led him to no substance and all pleasure/alcoholism. Rose is flattered by Charlie’s attention on her and is swept up into the jaunty atmosphere he brings, but he also makes her “a nag” and a nursemaid as she tries to help him break his vice.

    This is a relationship that Louisa May Alcott clearly demonstrates is not healthy nor can be a truly loving one. Charlie only tries to break his alcoholism because Rose won’t fully love him nor respect him. He sees her favor as a prize and even as she pushes back that she cannot bind herself to him, he continues to push her and pressure her to admit she loves him. That her love will save him and her rejection will ruin him. He’s placing all the work he should do and strive for her, on Rose’s feet. She’s the heroine if he breaks his habit and she’s the devil if she rejects him and makes him drown his sorrows.

    Now, Charlie isn’t a terrible guy. Just spoiled and he could have been better which makes it a tragic tale as Rose struggles to reconcile her conflicting feelings with the happy Charlie of her childhood and the princly Charlie he has the potential for, with the reality-Charlie cannot be depended upon, she cannot trust him nor can she respect him, and she can’t save him no matter how much love there is between them.

    Alcott’s depiction of this relationship is pretty revolutionary considering the context-late 1800s, Victorian era where women were expected to be angels of the house and care for all the men’s needs as little nurses whose love can save all. Here, Alcott squarely places the work on Charlie to change in order to be worthy of Rose’s love and that she has the autonomy and right to reject him until he shapes up.

    Jane has been pretty much hailed as a feminist icon for holding onto her autonomy despite her attraction to Rochester because she wants to put herself first (paraphrasing) and not be consumed by him. Of course, the ending for Jane and Rochester is very different as it almost falls into the conventional women must nurse man to health and man is maimed a bit so he can be equal.

    Rose in Bloom was published in 1875 and Jane Eyre was published in 1847 so several decades have passed, and Alcott is well-known to have loved Jane Eyre citing it as an inspiration for her own work and I believe one can see that it has set its mark.

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  • The School for Good and Evil: A Crystal of Time Review

    Remember in the last review when I said that I thought I knew the villain. . .

    Yeah, I was so wrong.

    Once again, Chainani subverts all my expectations as the Snake and the Lion switch sides (or do they?) just as all the rest of the Evers are scrambling to fight back against a new kind of Evil. An Evil that doesn’t follow Never or Ever rules, whose unpredictable nature has everyone questioning their own.

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  • I enjoy Emily Starr

    I reread Emily of New Moon last month and I must say, Anne Shirley gets all the fame but I believe Emily should be the one that is praised.

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  • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Review

    This book was certainly full of surprises.

    I’ll admit, I didn’t read this when it first came out because it seemed unnecessary. I mean who wanted a book about President Snow? And about yet another District 12 tribute, especially as we already know what will happen?

    But those low expectations were probably a good thing as it blew me out of the water when Collins dives into the man behind the monster.

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  • June Books

    Friday I’m in Love by Camryn Garret

    Mahira always wanted a sweet sixteen, was promised one but socioeconomic difficulties made the big event fall through. But inspired by her best friend’s Sweet 16 and her annoyance with the required “coming out” convention as a life changing announcement rather than a celebration-Mahira decides to make it a party. A party to celebrate queerness as a wonderful mode of life and perhaps get the new girl she has her eye on. . .

    As usual, Garrett combines important topics with moments of joy whether it be familial, friendship or in romance. It’s a love letter to rom-coms although I admit I missed several references like Maid in Manhatten and Love, Simon. It’s also feels more realistic than her previous novel in how Mahira can sometimes be unlikable, her life really feels hopeless with obstacles popping up everytime she gtes close to her dream. This allows the happy ending to feel more triumphant and gives Garrett a chance to discuss the intersections of queerness with blackness, religion and queerness, and socioeconomic status in relation to self preception.

    However, on the note of Mahira being unlikable, it sort of dampened my enjoyment of the novel. She can be selfish especially with money concerns. It was realistic as teenagers can be irrational and unlikable but I wished there had been more growth from her in financial literacy. Even as she saved for her party, she only worked as hard as she needed to yet complained when her boss noticed her slacking off, how she was losing money by wasting them on superfluous things and getting defensive when her friend pointed out that she might have to think more about her financial plan to make her party a success.

    Mahira also felt creepy in regards to her crush on the new girl, Siobhan. She has, like a one minute conversation with Siobhan at a party and then can’t get over it. Then it turns out, Siobhan has moved to her school and she already has a boyfriend. That doesn’t stop Mahira from thinking that Siobhan can do better and that she desperately wished Siobhan would fall for her. Mahira even acknowledged her creepiness and how she was acting like Edward Cullen yet she continued to do it!

    Part of her plan is just settling for friendship (even though she knows in her heart that she wouldn’t be able to handle just a friendship) and she hangs out with Siobhan at a dog park and one sentence stood out to me in that Mahira hadn’t thought Siobhan was someone who liked dogs or dog parks. Um. . . you only know this girl for like one class period, how can you assume anything. As for thinking Siobhan could do better than her bf, yes he’s a jerk and ignorant, but if Siobhan was dating him, maybe there was a chane Siobhan is ignorant or shares some of his beliefs too?

    Even though Mahira and Siobhan did have some good moments (particularly one walk on the beach), I felt like Mahira put her on a pedestal and Sioban just jerked her around so. . . yeah didn’t ship it.

    There was also a familial subplot with Mahira’s absentee Dad that felt unfinished. In fact, it was superfluous and so felt more jarring there wasn’t any resolution to it. Like most of the book, Mahira is concerned of how her mother will react to her coming out, but has no thoughts of her father. He isn’t even at her party at the end but her stepmother and half-siblings are. So is he homophobic? Mahira didn’t seem to care one way or the other but it still was confusing. Garrett also added another conflict with Mahira fighting her friend that also felt glossed over ontop of all the other mini subplots which made it very crowded.

    So not my favorite of Garrett’s novels and it’s kinda cheesy, but it may perfect for those who like rom coms. 

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  • Ranking the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place

    This delightfully Snicket-esque series was fun to reread even as an adult as Penelope Lumely’s adventures with the feral Ashton children are filled with humor, wit, and mystery.

    1. The Unmapped Sea: The Incorrigible Children seem to have met their match with the savage Bubshkinov children. So with six wild kids Penelope definately has her hands full as she and Simon try to puzzle out the real meaning to Grandfather Pudge’s riddle and how it relates to the wolfish curse of the Ashtons. The madcap sea shanties, Alexander in the throes of a crush and the ridiculous farce Lady Constance believes that their sea side vacation is actually a trick for a surprise Italian getaway all put this at the top for me.
    2. The Long-Lost Home: This is a thrilling finale as many of the series’ secrets and mysteries are unraveled from Penelope and the children’s true origins, the rift of the Ashton family and where everyone will end up. It’s whimsical as Penelope’s journey from Russia to England contrasts with the children using all the knowledge their Lumawoo imparted to them to solve the family curse themselves.
    3. The Mysterious Howling: A great introduction that sets the tone for the series while planting the themes of the importance of reading, education, and a good sense of humor. I loved meeting all the characters especially the distinct personalities of the kids.
    4. The Interrupted Tale: Bringing the kids to her alma matar’s CAKE seminary, Penelope finds out Agatha’s Swanburne’s Academy for Poor Girls is in danger of being closed down and converted to a school fit for Oliver Twist. Determined to stop the closure, it turns out the shifty Edward Ashton is part of the troubles as the solution to the riddle seems to be part of Agatha’s documents. Seeing all the creative(ly boring in some cases) lectures offered combined with the surprise announcement of Lady Constanc, and Lord Fredrick confiding/relying on Penelope makes it a memorable read.
    5. The Hidden Gallery: I was surprised that this ended lower on the ranking since this is where the mystery really begins thanks to Madam Inesco’s prophetic warning-“The hunt is on!” Plus the suspicion that Edward Ashton is not really dead, and the chaotic rendition of Simon’s play (that I believe is loosely based on the Pirates of Penzance) made me really take notice of the continuous nature of the series.
    6. The Unseen Guest: The only reason that this gets last place is because as exciting as an ostrich hunt should be, I’ve never gotten into it. And the fear Penelope has that Alexander, Beaowulf and Cassiopia may return to their wild ways never feels urgent as it should be as it is a forgone conclusion that they’d want to stay with their Lumawoo.
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  • The School for Good and Evil: Quests for Glory Review

    Ah yes, the Camelot Years. Agatha, Tedros and Sophie had thought that they completed their fairytale but a new evil is rising and everything that they thought was true is about to be undone.

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  • An Island Princess Starts a Scandal Review

    The second book is always interesting to read as you may encounter sophmore slump after the dazzling debut or it exceeds expectations. Herrera’s novel, of course, is the latter as it is just as layered and wonderful as the first in Las Leonas series. Anyone who loves historical romance should go read it and this time, I’ll try to keep the gushing to less than three pages as the wildest Leona sets out for a summer of shameless debauchery and finds true love instead.

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