The Love Interest--"I guess I thought I was straight because everyone treated me like I was, and no one ever gave me a chance to think otherwise"

Title:  The Love Interest

Author:  Cale Dietrich


What it’s about: Caden and Dylan are Love Interests: teenage spies designed to be the perfect boys (Caden is a Nice; Dylan Bad) to win the hearts of teenage girls.  The secret, centuries-old government organization pairs Love Interests with important people so that they can spy and relay secrets and information back to the LIC.  The boy who doesn't win the heart of fair Juliet dies: but what happens if the Love Interests fall for each other instead?


What I think (in 500 words or fewer): One aspect of Love Interest I have found that I disagree with other reviewers about is the world-building.  The LIC is a secret government organization that has been around for centuries, pairing perfect-designed spouses with important people. The children the institute raise are "taken from families that couldn't care for them," which says a lot without saying much of anything at all. Were the children kidnapped?  Taken by force?  Who knows?

Kissing Kate--"Short with memorable characters"

Title: Kissing Kate

Author: Lauren Myracle

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Kate and Lissa have been best friends for years, but ever since a drunk Kate kissed Lissa at a party, Kate has been completely ignoring Lissa.  Lissa is sad and confused and is struggling with the feelings she has for Kate.  Her estrangement from Kate causes Lissa to make some new friends (the eccentric Ariel and the sarcastic Finn) and reevaluate her life.

What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  I feel kind of lazy admitting this, but I am in the middle of reading yet another science fiction book that is causing me to pose philosophical questions about life to myself.  Kissing Kate was short, easy-to-read, and a nice break from the other books I'm currently reading.

Willful Machines--"What a piece of work is man" OR "Submitted for Your Approval"

Title: Willful Machines

Author: Tim Floreen


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Lee's mother was killed by Charlotte, a super realistic human-like robot called a 2B who uploaded her consciousness to the Internet and is now terrorizing the American people. Lee's politician father then started the conservative Human Values party, was elected president of the USA, and vowed to destroy all 2Bs.  Meanwhile, Lee is a closeted teenager who has a crush on his new classmate, Nico, but is Nico too good to be true?


What I think (in a bunch of words because rules are meant to be broken): 

"How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty!":  Shakespearean plays are quoted several times in this book, and I was going to write this post using "What a piece of work is man" from Hamlet (which is set to music in Hair).  I really like Hamlet and Shakespeare in general, but my goodness I love The Twilight Zone  and there are just SO MANY episodes about realistic human robots and I could not help but think of several of them when reading Willful Machines.  So instead of impressing all y'all with my English teacher knowledge of Shakespeare and Hamlet, I am instead listening to the soundtrack of Hair and recalling all of the TZ robot episodes to compare to this book.

The Cursed Queen--"You come on like a flame, but you turn a cold shoulder"

Title: The Cursed Queen

Author: Sarah Fine

What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Ansa has always been a fighter, part of the Krigere tribe.  When the tribe chieftan, Thyra, and hundreds of Krigere warriors decide to attack the Kupari across the great lake, they think they will be victorious, but something goes wrong--Ansa is cursed with uncontrollable powers of fire and ice. And when the Krigere come under threats from the disloyal brother of the former chieftan, Ansa doesn't know whom she can trust.

What I think (in 250 words or fewer):  The Cursed Queen is high fantasy, which is a genre that I enjoy sometimes, but the payoff for learning and getting absorbed in a new world needs to be worth it since it feels like I use much more energy reading high fantasy.

Let's talk Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters books--9 reviews in one!

Let's talk Cassandra Clare books!  I plan to review three (maybe more!) of them separately, but I am squishing reviews for nine of the books in this one post.  Lots and lots of spoilers as well as my very biased opinions appear in the following reviews. 👼

Review #1: Original Mortal Instruments trilogy-- City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass

Author: Cassandra Clare


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer):  Teenage Clary discovers that she is actually a Shadowhunter, a group of warriors descended from the angels who have special powers to carve runes on their skin and defeat demons. When Clary's mother disappears, Clary becomes part of the Shadowhunter world, learns about other magical creatures that actually exist, solves the mystery of her parentage, falls in love with Jace, and fights many battles against scary creatures--including her own human father.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): I was late to the Mortal Instruments party.

Carry On--"My wayward son, for there'll be peace when you are done"

Title: Carry On (sometimes called Carry On: the Rise and Fall of Simon Snow)

Author: Rainbow Rowell


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Simon Snow attends the Watford School of Magicks, and according to a prophecy, he's the "Chosen One" who will save the magickal community from the Insidious Humdrum, a magic-eating monster that looks like Simon. However, Simon can't even get his wand to work correctly, let alone control his magic (he mostly sets things on fire).  Meanwhile, Simon's nemesis, roommate, and possible (vampire) love interest, Baz, is missing from school for their final term.


What I think (in 250 words or fewer): Carry On is a spin-off of Fangirl, a book in which the main character, Cath, writes fanfiction about Simon Snow, the protagonist of a Harry Potter-style series of novels.