Mini Reviews [33]

A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady 

Sherlock, #1) by Sherry Thomas

Narrated by Kate Reading

Synopsis (via Goodreads): With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.

When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her.

But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind.

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Historical fiction isn't really my cup of tea, but I do love a good mystery! I thought the two would balance out, especially since A Study in Scarlet Women was about a female Sherlock. I really enjoyed the author's take on a classic tale, and thought she did a wonderful job making Charlotte our brilliant detective. Even the Watson connection was creative! Thomas made this story entirely her own, while still making certain aspects feel familiar.

Unfortunately, the time period proved to be incredibly frustrating. Charlotte was forced to make a difficult decision that had serious repercussions. She didn't anticipate the fallout, and it really impacted how the world saw her afterwards. Charlotte wanted to go to school, and she should have been allowed that opportunity without the rigmarole. Even the other women in this book were disappointing. Where was the solidarity and understanding?

I also disliked how slowly the story progressed, and really just wanted to know how the mystery played out. Charlotte's childhood, her time spent at home, the time she spent searching for a job -- I could have done without all of that. I enjoyed watching her be Sherlock Holmes and using her underappreciated mind to find solutions and make observations that others overlooked. It was interesting how everything tied together in the end, and I think the second book might be a little less frustrating since she's established herself now.

However, I would have liked for the romance in this book to have been more than it was. Yes, the guy is married (which means they should keep their hands to themselves), but unhappily. He also has an amazing connection with Charlotte, and the two of them really sparked when they were in a room together (super upset that he's married with a wife and kids). I don't know how that's going to play out, especially with the rules of the time period, but it's already way too complicated for my liking. A Study in Scarlet Women was a solid three-star read for me.

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With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Synopsis (via Goodreads): From the New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award longlist title The Poet X comes a dazzling novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright.

Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions—doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.

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With the Fire on High was a truly remarkable story that I still think about today. I finished this book back in June and just never got around to writing a review for it (bad blogger, I know). The Poet X was one of my favorite reads last year, so I was thrilled when I learned Acevedo had written another book! I listened to the audiobooks (an experience you don't want to miss out on), and purchased physical copies as well. The author is the narrator, and her voice really brings these stories to life. The Poet X and With the Fire on High are both memorable books that really resonated with me.

Emoni hasn't lived an easy life, and she's had to make really difficult decisions starting at a young age. Her wants and desires come second now that she's a mother, and she often struggles with balancing everything in her life. Cooking has always been her passion, but she loves her daughter and wants to make sure she can provide for them both. Emoni's struggles felt authentic, and I really liked how she was portrayed throughout the book. She's someone's daughter, granddaughter, mother, ex-girlfriend, new girlfriend, student, chef-in-training, employee, friend -- the list goes on and on. She's comfortable in her own skin, and she doesn't let the judgement of others weigh too heavily on her.

I really liked how her family was portrayed, and the role her friends played in her life. People are complicated, but they can always surprise you. It was also nice seeing teachers that really wanted to help their students succeed. I enjoyed sharing this journey with Emoni, and thought the author did a wonderful job hitting all of my emotions with a hammer. If you haven't read anything by Acevedo, you're missing out.

My Weekly Pull [62] & Can't Wait Wednesday [32]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

 Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #4 by Tom Taylor, Juan Cabal, Andrew Robinson

Miles Morales Spider-Man #4 by Saladin Ahmed, Javi Garron, Marco D'Alfonso

West Coast Avengers #9 by Kelly Thompson, Gang Hyuk Lim, Gang Hyuk

Firefly Bad Company #1 by Josh Lee Gordon, Francesco Mortarino, Diego Galindo

Firefly Bad Company is supposed to be about Saffron (Mal's wife or ex-wife), but I'm not familiar with her character. I'm assuming she's in other comics, but I don't remember her from the television series, which is the only Firefly knowledge I have. It's also written by someone else (Greg Pak has been writing the ongoing series), so I'm curious how their writing will compare to what I'm used to. I'm not a huge fan of the cover for this one, and wish there had been other options (that weren't super expensive). 

Jacob's comics for the week!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #92 by Tom Waltz, Michael Dialynas, Kevin Eastman

Guardians of the Galaxy #3 by Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, David Marquez

Spider-Man Life Story by Chip Zdarsky, Mark Bagley, Skottie Young

Venom #12 by Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Expected publication: May 7th 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): From the New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award longlist title The Poet X comes a dazzling novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright.

Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions—doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.

The Poet X was one of my favorite reads last year! I listened to the audiobook, which Acevedo narrates herself. It was amazing! Acevedo was able to convey a lot of emotion with very few words, and I really enjoyed the poetry aspect of the story. It was unique, amazing, and something I'll always remember. Hopefully, With the Fire on High is equally phenomenal!

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading! If you want to link up, please leave your URL in the comments below. The site I've been using recently did an update, and they no longer offer the old format. I'm in the process of looking for an alternative method, and would love to hear your suggestions!

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.

So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

“My brother was born a soft whistle:
quiet, barely stirring the air, a gentle sound.
But I was born all the hurricane he needed
to lift - and drop- those that hurt him to the ground.”

Thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and empowering. It's been ages since I've read a book written in verse, but I thought it was perfect for Xiomara's story. She expresses herself through poetry, and the words flew from the pages to fill my ears and ultimately my heart.

Highlight. Highlight. Highlight. If I had read a physical copy, it would be covered in notes. There were so many amazing quotes and phrases in this book; it would be impossible for me to share them all! “And I think about all the things we could be if we were never told our bodies were not built for them.”

Elizabeth Acevedo has written a story for the soul. One day the words will fade from my memory, but I will never forget how this book made me feel. 

Please believe me when I say that you need this book in your life! Especially the audio version! The author is the narrator, and she knows the characters better than anyone else. There were a lot of sounds (sighs, tongue clicks, etc.) that would have been missed had I read a physical copy. I think those small details really enriched the overall story and made the characters more realistic.

One of the great things about books written in verse, is their ability to tell impactful stories with very few words. I felt like I was living and breathing Xiomara's thoughts and feelings, and it was easy to get lost in her story.

Every character was important, regardless of how often they appeared in the book. The guys that groped and harassed Xiomara effected her experiences and her writing. Her father was absent even when he was present. Her twin, Xavier, was repeatedly saved by her fists and her fury. Her mother was too involved and wanted to control everything, even the thoughts in her head. Her best friend was her opposite in every way, but she was always there and never waivered. A teacher, a lab partner, a priest, a random person on the train -- everyone played a role. I really enjoyed seeing how they helped to shape Xiomara over time.

The one thing that bothered me was Xiomara's relationship with her family. Her father and brother were too silent and frequently ignored what was happening around them. Her mother was abusive with her words and her religion, and I hated how one-sided it was. Xiomara was treated differently because she was a girl. She needed to pray that her body wouldn't attract unwanted attention, like it was somehow her fault that people were creeps and couldn't keep their thoughts to themselves. I hated that her family wasn't more supportive and understanding.

Xiomara was an authentic character that I think a lot of people will be able to relate to. She is teenager trying to find her place in the world, which isn't always easy. She struggles with her body and the way it's perceived by others. She wants to express her thoughts and feelings, but doesn't know how. She's full of emotions and desires and dreams, but also wonders whether or not they're allowed. She's perfectly imperfect -- just like everyone else.