Rachel Reads & Reviews

Sharing books for everyone

  • Thoughts on Shadowhunter Anthologies

    I’ve already discussed my thoughts on the Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy anthology so now I go onto The Magnus Bane Chronicles and Ghosts of the Shadowmarket.

    (more…)
    , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Summer YA

    Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta

    While I’m usually iffy with Pride and Prejudice adaptations since they’re everywhere, there’s always one that manages a new spin to it that makes me enjoy the story all over again.

    It helps that the protagonist, Elizabeth is a musical nerd so I immediately connect with her as she sings the infamous Hamilton lines to Darcy at their debate competition,
    “Excuse me, sir, I know it’s not funny. But your perfume smells like your daddy’s got money.”

    The comment mortally offends private school Darcy and promptly snubs her as well as the rest of her school’s ragtag forensic/debate team.

    All the usual players are here but DasGupta make it brand new by setting it during a debate competition. It allows her to explore racism and sexism as it relates to the forensic/debate circut that unfairly grades women over their dress, their shrillness, and their emotionality in arguments. Not that the students their age are much better.

    So if you’re a fan of Jane Austen, read this. DasGupta taps into the spirit while making it her own.

    (more…)
    , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Top 5 Archie issues

    Archie #600

    Archie marries Veronica!

    Obviously this is number one for being such a historic making issue, launching the two timelines of the marriages everyone has been waiting for. Can’t get much better than that.

    Betty and Veronica #271

    This is such a fun Riverdale lady reunion. I mean literally all the girls have some sort of cameo from classic friends like Midge and Nancy to Katy Keene who sets up the fashion show to Sabrina, Suzie and more. Not to mention the magic reveal that Alexandra Cabot and Sabrina know each other becaues of their witchy heritage.

    Life with Archie #125

    I’m pretty sure this is one of those more famous Archie issues and for good reason as it features Nightmare Nursery. The 60s of Archie comics were pretty wild and influenced by the horror movie craze liek Josie getting possessed Exorcist style or this case Betty almost throwing herself off a cliff by a haunted teddy bear. The illustrations perfectly depict the creepy gloomy area to best give the readers the screams.

    (more…)
    , , , , ,

  • Top 5 Archie Digests

    Tales from Riverdale #35

    The Visit-Mysterious alien visitor named Bjordu comes to Riverdale to collect spiecemans and he has set his sights on Betty and Veronica! Not if Archie can stop it.

    The return of Scarlet-I love Archie’s Weird Mysteries and this was the very first I read featuring the return of Scarlet Knight. If you saw the show you’d know that she rejected her evil vampire master and her ways to ultimately help the gang. But now she’s back and seems to have returned to the dark side dun dun dun. . .

    The Persuader-On the road to a concert, the Archie’s van and drummer get kidnapped by roadside thieves. However, Jughead has a special method of persuasion.

    (more…)
    , , , , ,

  • Matilda Review

    Apparently I missed the book lovers memo about reading Matilda. People were always shocked that someone who likes books as much as I do had never read Matilda. So I have finally rectified that.

    Actually it’s the first Dahl book I have read which is another blasphemy but I already saw the movie versions of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory so I never bothered. Anyway, Matilda was an enjoyable book and I can understand why book lovers enjoy it so.

    Dahl is able to perfectly detail how magical reading is with Matilda, showing how it takes her to new worlds and fills her imagination. As well as the horrid tragedy when someone rips a book out of your hands and ignorantly discards it. Plus just the whole idea that reading gives you superpowers is just fun.

    Furthermore, it’s just fun. As Matilda says: “Children are not so serious as grown-ups and love to laugh.” Dahl demonstartes it in full force here with the delightful pranks Matilda pulls on her parents and the over the top actions of the Trunchbull.

    Yet despite the outrageousness of the punishments and Trunchbull’s cruelty, Matilda does hit a truthful point that by acting so outlandishly, no parent would believe it to be true.

    Furthermore, it’s just very sweet to see the mother-daughter relationship grow between Ms. Honey and Matilda as the two who are very alone in the world but are able to understand and help each other in the end.

    So overall cute book. Maybe I would have been enamoured if I read it back then, but I certainly see why people enjoy it so much and I’m glad I finally got around to it.

    , , , ,

  • Pretty Little Liars: Vicious Review

    Ah it’s the end and it is a doozy! The Liars are at the end of the line since being accused of Ali’s murder and their prospects are grim. The world has turned on them and counter evidence to their innocence is sparse.

    They try to put up a brave front but it’s hard considering the circumstances. Spencer does what she does by researching and planning ahead possibly to ditch town for good but finds doing so in reality is much harder as an old romance and burgeoning family news keeps her at home. Aria on the other hand does take that risk but the paranoia is too great for her. Hanna, on the other hand is trying to soak up the last few happy moments she can have by getting married to Mike and Emily makes the biggest decision of all.

    And Emily’s final act is what nearly splinters the Liars apart just when they need each other most.

    And that’s just in the first 100 pages.

    Anything after that is pretty much a spoiler so I will just finish with my thoughts.

    (more…)
    , , , , , , ,

  • Bravely Review

    Here’s another one for International Princess Week and I think the princess in the spotlight today should be obvious. Especially since it’s titled Bravely.

    I’ll admit I came into this with low expectations as I was not much of a fan of the movie but it absolutely blew me out of the water. Split into four parts for the four seasons, Merida has just as much time to save her family. Ferdach, the god of ruin has determined that Dun Broch is stagnant and must be destroyed in order to pave the way for renewal. But Merida will not let her and her family die with a whimper, making a bargain with Ferdach and the Caillleach (Goddess of life, think Irish version of Gaea), she promises the whole family will have changed and grown and do not need to be destroyed.

    Which is a good thing too as another enemy from the South makes a deal with them too. Instead of sending sons or marrying off Merida, they will prove their allyship by visiting three kingdoms on a diplomatic trip-Kinlochy, Eilean Glan and Ardbarrach.

    She does have one thorn in her side in the shape shifting form of Ferdach as part of their bargain is that she can only speak of it with him. And he must show her instances of external ruin being a good bringer of change as she shows him internal change is the best way to move forward.

    Set several years after the events of the movie (about four years I believe it’s implied), the family is pretty happy and Merida realizes it is true, they are set in their ways. The triplets have grown more distinct, her parents complacent in ruling and they even have a new family member. A flighty, sweet, superstitious servant girl named Leezie that doesn’t do much housework but has become like a foster sister/daughter to the Dun Broch’s.

    And since there’s a lot of characters, I’m going to split my thoughts by character.

    (more…)
    , , , , , , ,

  • Long Live the Pumpkin Queen Review

    Apparently this is Princess Week so it’s good timing to post my thoughts on the story I never knew I wanted. The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of those movies that was a pretty excellent standalone with a creepy aesthetic and memorable characters that you think its fine as a standalone. But this book expands on the character of Sally revealing new worlds and potential in the Halloween Town universe.

    (more…)
    , , , , , , ,

  • Author Highlight: Avi

    I know this classic children’s author primarly through his historical fiction work though he has dabbled in various genres like fantasy, realism and animal adventure.

    What makes Avi’s writing so wonderful besides how prolific he is that he cuts to the human emotions and carefully builds his suspense even in the day to day life on a prarie schoolhouse.

    (more…)
    , , , , , , ,

  • The Dawn of Yangchen Review

    If there is one thing you can count on, it’s that Yee will knock it out of the park when it comes to writing the Avatar universe. This is only the first book of the duology but I gasped multiple times and was on the edge of my seat while reading. The Dawn of Yangchen is just so good!

    Yee gets right into the action with 8 year old Yangchen having a fitful day due to her Avatar memories. She is unable to control when they come and she is thrown into her past life, often talking to an imaginary person but sometimes wailing over a loss that only she understands. She is haunted by her pasts and their regrets, so much regret. That is what sets the stage for Yangchen in the present as she determines to use her time to act and not live in regret over failed actions as her past lives did.

    But as Yangchen is quickly realizing, it is hard to act when everyone around her refuse to listen to her commands. They much prefer the Avatar as a figurehead and when they want her to solve problems, solve them in a way that won’t interfere with their plans to attain wealth, land, prestige etc. It’s doubly difficult as leaders much preferred and respected her predecessor Avatar Szeto and see her an inexperienced, too trusting Air Nomad who has no idea how the “real” world works.

    (more…)
    , , ,