Book Review - Lola by Melissa Love

Lola by Melissa Love is about a young woman, Lola, finding her voice and leading her gang. The Crenshaw Six is a small but mighty gang in South Central LA. They have mostly kept to themselves but after a recent incident, they were dragged into a conflict with rival drug cartels. 

Most everyone believes that the gang is led by a man named Garcia. However, the gang knows who the real boss is. Lola, Garcia’s girlfriend, is the true gang’s leader and mastermind. She has a brilliant mind and plays the role of a submissive girlfriend, causing people to underestimate her. However, when her gang gets pulled into a war with another, Lola will need to step up if she wants to make sure her gang survives the fallout.

I was very excited to read about a woman leading a gang but found the book to be an okay read. Lola tries to come off as smarter than her peers but at times, she makes the dumbest mistakes. It was interesting at times to see how she handled the role of being a sister to one of the gang members and the girlfriend to another. I felt Lola wanted to be the face of the gang but then she kept pulling back. I wanted to see more examples of why she was the fearsome leader of the gang. 

I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters because they didn’t seem very well developed. The writing style took a bit to get into as it was repetitive and slow moving. Some parts of the book seemed far-fetched and unrealistic. For example, the little girl, Lucy, who Lola “adopts”, doesn’t know basic things like playing with dolls and basic self care or things a child her age should know, but is able to spot where the drugs are hidden. While Lucy's biological mother was an addict, does that make a toddler more able to find hidden drugs that even an adult couldn’t locate? I do get that the author was trying to hint that because Lucy had negligent parents allowed her to see things others didn’t but, I don’t know if it would be to the same extent as the novel described.  The book is the beginning of a series but the book didn’t hold my interest enough to continue reading the rest of the series.

Book Review - The Selkie's Daughter by Linda Crotta Brennan

The Selkie's Daughter by Linda Crotta Brennan is about a young girl named Brigit who tries to come to terms with being both human and a selkie. Brigit has heard of all the old tales about selkies, sea goddesses, and other magical creatures that are not quite human. She should feel proud that she is the daughter of a selkie but she knows it’s a secret she has to keep from everyone. Her aunt, Alys, cuts the webbing between her fingers to help the truth from coming out and to keep Brigit safe from other people.

As Brigit and her family try to keep her secret, a villager has been hurting baby seals and selling their fur. When the Great Selkie hears of this, he brings his wrath to the village.  Brigit decides to travel to Sule Skerrie, the land of selkies, to confront the Great Selkie about the truth. Brigit feels that only the guilt party should be punished and not everyone in the village.

I thought the book was an interesting read. It was a quick and straightforward read with not many twists or turns. I do wish it had a bit more humor to the story as it was quite grim and serious for a young protagonist. I felt I would have enjoyed the book more if it had lighter moments. I did enjoy reading about the lore about the selkie and the Sule Skerrie. The author included a snippet of selkie lore at the beginning of each chapter but I wish it was made like a fun fact about selkies. Instead it was a poem. I would have preferred it to be more story-based, like a snippet of a folklore, song, or myths. The book was a fun read overall and I would be open to reading more books by the author.

Book Review - Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols

 

Granite Harbor by Peter Nichols is about a small Maine coastal town that is devastated when a local teenager is found brutally murdered. Granite Harbor was a quiet town where nothing much really went on. They have only one detective, Alex Brangwen, on the payroll as there was never any need for a larger detective team. That is, until one day a local found a dead teenager in the Settlement. The Settlement is the town’s historic archaeological site.

Alex is adjusting to life as a single father and his stalled writing career. This is his first murder case as a detective. The case is also personal for him because the murdered teenager was a friend of his teenage daughter, Sophie. Alex knows that the town residents will expect him to catch the killer and appease their fear after the tragic event.

Isabel is a single mother to Ethan. She was a teacher but was fired unexpectedly and has been working to support her family at the Settlement. She is trying to work on herself and is struggling with her own demons.  She finds herself in the middle of the case as her son was best friends with the victim. When another victim is found, both Alex and Isabel are worried that their child might be next. Will Alex be able to find out the truth behind the murders?

I thought the book was an okay read. I could guess the ending because there were clues given to the killer's identity. However, the motive and some elements of the book got me confused. I wasn’t sure if this was supposed to be a fantasy novel or if some of the characters just imagined animals talking to them or having special powers.

I didn’t care for any of the characters. I felt that they were quite dull. I was surprised that Alex as a detective would share some details of the investigation with select people.  However, with others, he would say that he is a detective and the case was a police matter, even though both groups of people were civilians. Readers who enjoy murder mystery with hints of fantasy elements might enjoy this book more than I did.

Book Review - Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

 

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura is about a woman, Tatum Vega, whose life changes after writing a fan letter to a celebrity author. In 2015, Tatum feels that her life is finally falling into place. She is living in Chile with her partner, Vega, and has a job that she loves. She works in a museum and is surrounded by beautiful art. 

Tatum loves her new life and the easy pace that comes with it. The new change of pace helps her forget about the decade she spent devoting her life to the famous author, M. Domínguez. When Tatum was a young college student, she had a hard time connecting with other students. She spent most of her time reading but struggled when none of the books she read had characters portrayed like her. One day, she comes across a book written by M. Domínguez, and her life changes. She finally feels heard and understood. She decides to write a fan letter to Domínguez. What started as an innocent letter kick starts a decade-long hot and cold love affair.

Tatum’s new perfect life is threatened when a reporter calls Tatum and asks about her past with Domínguez. Tatum longs to forget that dark moment of her life but she realizes that she needs to come to terms with them if she wants to move on. The reporter asks about her experiences with Domínguez and if she was aware that he was accused of assaulting someone. Tatum is forced to review her relationship with Domínguez and evaluate how it made her feel.

The novel is told from an alternating timeline: one with a present-day Tatum and another in the past as Tatum is recounting it in a letter to Domínguez. The book was easy to read and get into. I was able to guess how the book was going to end but I still found it enjoyable to read. There were times when it was hard to connect with the main characters. It felt that the power dynamic between Tatum and Domínguez was off since the beginning and as an adult, I kind of question why Domínguez tried building a friendship with a younger Tatum.  Sometimes, I wonder why they both continued their friendship as it was clear each party was just using the other. Both Tatum and Domínguez were selfish and only concerned about their own needs.  When the reporter called to ask about her relationship with Domínguez, Tatum didn’t seem to care about the other person but more about her reckoning. At times, the story did move a bit slowly and I wondered what the entire point was for a few chapters. I would be open to reading more books by the author.

Book Spotlight - The Equinox Test (School for Unusual Magic #1) by Liz Montague + Giveaway

About The Book:

Title: THE EQUINOX TEST

Author: Liz Montague

Pub. Date: April 2, 2024

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 240

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-EQUINOX-TEST 

Three friends discover magic and mayhem around every corner of their school in this brand-new illustrated series from New Yorker cartoonist and NAACP Image Award nominee Liz Montague that's perfect for fans of Witchlings and The Wizards of Waverly Place.

Welcome to the Brooklyn School of Magic, where seeds of enchantment are planted and magic sprouts in every corner. And where each fall, fifth years must pass the Equinox Test if they want to move up to Middle Magic.

Rose is worried. She's never been the best student. And if she doesn't pass with flying colors, Principal Ivy says she may have to transfer to a boring, non-magical school. Amethyst knows she's got the skills to ace the test. But to really impress her mom, she's got her eye on the school's top prize. Lavender just wants to fit in. Even after a few years in the States, he still feels homesick. All. The. Time. Passing the test might just be his ticket back to the island.

But with best friend battles, a cheating scandal, and trouble brewing in the magical community, the Equinox Test may not even be the biggest challenge these Magic Bearers will face this year…

 

INSERT YOUR POST OR REVIEW HERE!

 

 

About Liz Montague:

Liz Montague began as a cartoonist for The New Yorker in 2019. She is the author-illustrator of the graphic novel Maybe an Artist, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award, the picture book Jackie Ormes Draws the Future, and the middle grade series Magic for Beginners. Liz is passionate about nature and emotional literacy. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her husband Pat.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Go see Liz on tour!

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE EQUINOX TEST, US Only.

Ends April 23rd, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/25/2024	YA Books Central	Interview/IG Post
3/26/2024	Comic Book Yeti	Guest Post/IG Post
3/27/2024	@darkfantasyreviews	Guest Post/IG Post
3/28/2024	@dharashahauthor	IG Post
3/29/2024	onemused	IG Post
3/30/2024	Review Thick AndThin	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

3/31/2024	avainbookland	IG Review
4/1/2024	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post
4/2/2024	GryffindorBookishnerd	IG Review
4/3/2024	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
4/4/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
4/5/2024	nerdophiles	Review
4/6/2024	Paws.Read.Repeat	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

4/7/2024	@pickagoodbook	Review/IG Post
4/8/2024	@stargirls.magical.tale	IG Review
4/9/2024	Callisto’s calling	IG Review
4/10/2024	@dana.loves.books	IG Review/TikTok Post
4/11/2024	The Book Critic	Review/IG Post
4/12/2024	@evergirl200	IG Review
4/13/2024	avainbookland	IG Review

Week Four:

4/14/2024	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post
4/15/2024	FUONLYKNEW	Review
4/16/2024	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
4/17/2024	Karma Zee Readz	Review/IG Post
4/18/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
4/19/2024	Two Points of Interest	Review