These Vicious Masks / Tarun Shanker, Kelly Zekas

4.5/5

These Vicious Masks immediately drew me in with smooth writing that was easy to read and Evelyn's strong personality. At first, I was skeptical of Evelyn's originality, because there are many historical fiction YA novels that begin with a girl who is "different," who doesn't like balls or suitors. But These Vicious Masks didn't fall into the trap of stressing how Evelyn was a special snowflake. Rather, Evelyn remains focused on her goal of solving the conspiracy around her sister's disappearance. I also liked how in one scene she's called out for her disdain for societal rules and this disdain backfires on her. 

Evelyn's narration is witty and Shanker and Zekas always come up with interesting ways to express her emotions, rather than falling back on overused phrases. I also adored watching the relationship between Mr Braddock and Evelyn develop; it reminded me of Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship.

I tore through These Vicious Masks because the writing is always entertaining, the characters are mysterious, and action is consistent and fast. I would recommend it to fans of The Gentlemen's Guide to Vice and Virtue, characters with powers, and Pride and Prejudice. 

Winter Break Adventures

Unfortunately I did not meet my Goodreads reading goal this year but now I know how to set a more realistic goal. I averaged two to three books a month which I am decently proud of, considering I kept that pace throughout the school year, and aim to do the same this year. Here are brief reviews of what I devoured over winter break, when I realized I was desperately behind on my 2018 goal! 

3.5/5

Eliza and Her Monsters opened me up to the world of online comics that I am not well-versed in, and I enjoyed learning more about Eliza's world and how it worked. Zappia slowly, delicately builds relationships between Eliza and others. The tone took an unexpectedly serious shift toward the end of the novel that I at first found a little hard to buy, but after thinking about it a little more, made sense in the greater scheme of the novel. It's a novel about mental illness that isn't solely about mental illness, which I was able to see after I finished. Readers who are introverted, struggle with social anxiety, or are passionate to the online world of comics will relate to Eliza and Her Monsters. 

3/5

I was incredibly excited reading Beasts Made of Night because the concept of solidifying sins and eating them as a way to own and defeat them intrigued me. I devoured Taj's story and his life as an aki, and how their culture was built around the aki. I enjoyed the creative lore, and that Taj was able to meet and build relationships with several female characters and Onyebuchi never fell into the trope of multiple love interests or over-romanticization. But as I continued reading, the novel lost plot and drive, and towards the end, the action became a tangled mess. I would recommend fantasy-lovers to pick up Beasts to learn about the interesting world, devious plot lines, and intriguing characters, but don't have high expectations for a final action-packed scene. 

4/5

Spontaneous is a witty, action-packed novel that will have you smiling at our protagonist Mara's blunt narration but also sympathizing with her honest vulnerability. The clever, almost snarking writing of the first chapter hooked me in and kept me engaged for the entirety of the novel. I wasn't sure where Starmer would take the novel, whether he wanted to bring in a scientific or magical approach to explain the combustion or to leave it a mystery, but I don't believe that it matters. The brilliance of the book isn't in the details of the combustion but in Starmer's engaging narration and the edge-of-your-seat situation he's put his characters in. I recommend Spontaneous to those who like a fun read that also offers substance. 

0/5

The blurb of Overturned drew my interest, but the interest died quickly after I started the novel. Reading Overturned felt as if I was reading the diary of a snooty, spoiled teenage girl, the kind who liked to write in capital letters and put periods after every word. Aside from the writing, our protagonist was also incredibly selfish, particularly in her treatment of her best friend. Overall, I couldn't even finish Overturned and would not recommend it.