Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 26

Can this be? A third adult fiction compilation post in 2022? If you know me, this is unusual, but it’s thanks to my local library that I’ve stepped out and read more adult fiction novels than I normally do in a year. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had enough novels to create two posts. One of the novels is a library checkout; I purchased the other two.

The Mask Falling (Jan. 26, 2021) by Samantha Shannon.

*This is the fourth novel in a series.*

*Warning: Potential spoilers included for those unfamiliar with the series.*

The Pale Dreamer is dead. That is what the Republic of Scion wants everyone to believe. But dreamwalker Paige Mahoney isn’t dead, having eluded death yet again. She’s been snatched from captivity and consigned to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris with assistance from the mysterious Domino Program (a network of free-world spies). They have plans for her, but she has plans of her own. That’s to be expected from the voyant (clairvoyant) who defeated Jaxon, her previous mime-lord, to become the Underqueen of London’s voyant community. This community is one-turned-rebellion, and she’s re-made herself as the Black Moth. She’s accompanied by Warden (Arcturus Mesarthim), a Rephaim who’s her former enemy-turned-bodyguard. Paige is not accustomed to taking orders, which may contribute to the bold moves she makes as Black Moth (vs. as an agent of the Domino Program). Bold sometimes equates to foolish, and, like any human, she can also jump to conclusions that may have devastating outcomes. Scion is really a puppet of the Rephaim under Nashira Sargas, who plans to force the voyant community to unwillingly serve the Rephaim. Paige and her allies want to undercut Scion, and their adventures will lead them into the catacombs of Paris and the glittering corridors of Versailles. But it isn’t all plans, plotting and undermining, as Paige simultaneously works through the trauma of torture at the hands of the Rephaim and her feelings for Arcturus. Paige may be a dreamwalker, but this world under Scion is a nightmare.

            With traumatic memories, fresh betrayals and a weighted sense of duty, plotting, near-death escapes and gut-clenching action, this fourth in the Bone Season series is a fantasy-slash-dystopian novel that’s also a paranormal-slash-political thriller. It’s a novel with a deeply emotional arc through Paige and contains excellent world-building. It is as epic as its predecessors, and there’s no question that Shannon is an incredible storyteller with a sharp, stunning imagination, but this volume does suffer from middle-book syndrome, in which it doesn’t quite live up to the WOW! factor of the first novel. I also struggled with the length between publication dates. When I finally got around to reading it, I felt like I needed a refresh session of the previous novel, though this feeling went away the further I delved into the story and remembered other bits and pieces. New readers will definitely want to start with Book One. Overall, the inventiveness of the series will be forward momentum to await the next installment. It’s gripping and unnerving, intricate and intrepid.

            Book One: The Bone Season (not reviewed)

            Book Two: The Mime Order (not reviewed)

            Book Three: The Song Rising (not reviewed)

A Mirror Mended (June 14, 2022) by Alix E. Harrow.

*This is the second novella in a series.*

Worry not, Sleeping Beauty, Zinnia Gray is coming to rescue you again. And again. And again. She’s still Dying Girl, that Generalized Roseville Malady (GRM) will snuff her out eventually, but she’ll be the dimension-hopping, damsel-saving warrior that she can be for as long as she can. Still, if some of those princesses would start solving their own narratives without her help, more power to them and less headache for her. She’s at yet another “happily ever after” wedding when she looks into the mirror and someone else is looking back. Eyes brimming with desperate hunger, her lips moving in a plea, Zinnia reaches out to her, is pulled right into another dimension and stares at a face of evil. Truly. She’s staring at Snow White’s Evil Queen (who has no real name until Zinnia starts calling her Eva). It’s the first inter-dimensional travel that hasn’t deposited her into another Sleeping Beauty story. But it turns out that sort of strangeness is occurring with more frequency: a golden egg in the belly of a goose, a talking wolf in the woods, Zinnia’s copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales with its grape juice stain and tatty ribbon that should be at her home in her own dimension, but clearly isn’t. The Evil Queen knows how her story ends and doesn’t want to be resigned to such a fate (understandably so). But can a character plotted for a villainous role become the protagonist of one’s own story? With the curiouser and curiouser things occurring where they shouldn’t, is that a result of Zinnia’s travels messing with the fairy tale multiverse?

            The next installment in the Fractured Fables series continues its female-centric theme:  of female empowerment, autonomy, strength and friendship. Of having one’s own agency. For those who’ve read the first novella, Zinnia oftentimes remains her crass, self-involved, crude self. Her fly-by-her-own-whims, thoughtless nature is ruining her friendship with her best friend, and with story-hopping consequences showing up, she needs to find her way home, probably for good. This novella traverses worlds with darkness and danger, and Harrow isn’t afraid to point out the unattractive. The author clearly knows her fairy tales and, like the first tale, this one contains a plethora of pop culture references, but readers do see growth in Zinnia. The novella presents queer relationships as relationships, and Harrow’s academic background (“I’m sure Charm would explain about the psychic weight of repeated motifs and the narrative resonance between worlds if I asked…”) shines through in her smart writing. She efficiently packs a lot into the slim volume, limited word count be darned, and creates a story that’s lively, yet can be read in a single sitting. It’s a story where a villain has the potential to be the protagonist and where the one the villain saves may save her in return. But I’ll be honest, I didn’t love the tale. I checked it out from the library because it’s short, and I trusted that I could finish the story despite the busyness of the Christmas season.

            Book 1: A Spindle Splintered

The Wish (Sept. 28, 2021) by Nicholas Sparks.

*This is a standalone novel.*

It is 2019, and Margaret (Maggie) Dawes is a renowned travel photographer. She leads a busy life, traveling the world photographing remote locations, running a successful gallery in NYC and maintaining her social media accounts. As the year is closing, she finds herself grounded over the Christmas holiday, having to come to terms with a sobering medical diagnosis that predicts she only has a few months left. Her own family notwithstanding, she’s got a found family in her assistant, Luanne Sommers, Trinity, a famous sculpture artist who showcases pieces in Maggie’s gallery, and Mark Price, her more-recently-hired young assistant (he’s 23). Mark’s been a model assistant; he doesn’t pry into her personal life and hasn’t even watched any of her YouTube videos since he was hired on. But as Mark runs the gallery while Trinity and Luanne are away on their respective vacations, Maggie tells him the story of another time. She reminisces back to 1995, when she made a choice and wound up pregnant. Sent away to an older aunt/former nun in Ocracoke, a remote village on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Maggie is 16 in 1996 when she gives birth to a baby she immediately puts up for adoption. While there, battling loneliness and depression, she grows close to Aunt Linda (her father’s much older sister), whom she didn’t know well, and Bryce Trickett, a rare teenager on the island during the winter season. Bryce is her tutor, the one who introduces her to photography and the boy she ends up loving. But in 2019, Maggie is a 39-year-old woman who’s never married. Has Maggie been that dedicated to her passion all these years, married to her work? Or was there a course change in the intervening years that couldn’t have been predicted?

            I’ll admit that I’ve struggled to read through some of Sparks’ more recent novels, because they either haven’t been engaging to me or I didn’t like one or both lead characters, but the tide turned favorable for this novel. “The Wish” is a tale you know isn’t going to have a happy ending, but the mental toughness and physical vulnerability of a body shutting down gave it so much weight and depth. It’s an emotional novel. Just because it’s a fictional one doesn’t lessen the impact of first love or demean the choices that pave the way or make someone wonder what if? It’s bittersweet, but can also be enchanting, though the winter backdrop and Christmas decorations certainly help with that picture. This is a story of love and loss and being found. It may also be a story that makes readers pause to think of their own mortality and their humanity, too.

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 25

Where there is a YA compilation, so, too, will there be an inspirational fiction (InspFic) post following. Presenting my second InspFic post of 2022 as we’re almost at the year’s en

The Beginning (Sept. 7, 2021) by Beverly Lewis. 

*This is a standalone novel with a crossover character.*

Love cannot be unrequited when one doesn’t know love is present. That’s how it’s turning for Susie Mast. She cares deeply for her dear friend, Obie Yoder, but when Obie takes an apprenticeship with a relative 100 miles away, she feels the loss of his presence in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She goes out with Del Petersheim briefly, but the spark isn’t there. She ends things, but doesn’t share the news with Obie, especially after hearing that he’s soon to be engaged. She writes her final letter to Obie and that is that (or is it?). Meanwhile, her Old Order Amish life keeps her continually busy. From busily maintaining the house and homestead so Mamma - whose health has been suffering - need not worry over it and taking her turn with her mom’s little shop and accepting custom orders for her needlework family trees, there’s little time for much else, though concerns loom over her. Concerns regarding her mom, certainly, and news dropped by her older brother, Allen. The deaths of her close-in-age brother, Eli, and their dat continue to cast long shadows. She has her younger sister, Britta, who’s a hard worker, but Britta has been distracted here lately, too.

            Britta is adopted. She’s always known this. Unlike the blonde hair of her family members, hers is a rich brown and can be unmanageably wavy. She has been curious about her origin, though she tries to hide the extent to how desperately she wants information. When Mamma finally shares, Britta is floored. Will learning the truth affect how others view her? Will she become unworthy in the eyes of the People? Will she use her upcoming Rumschpringe to venture into the English world?

            Beverly Lewis’ books continue to enthrall me. I’m always impressed by how Lewis writes her characters with such solid faith, and they share Scripture and lift up prayers so naturally. It never feels forced. A running theme for multiple characters is forgiveness. It’s okay to struggle with it, and it’s okay to be frustrated, but one doesn’t want that frustration to turn to anger. As always, a strong sense of family and community is present. Reading Lewis’ stories are like being gently folded into a dessert; there’s such care. This book - and all of hers - are great for readers who enjoy Amish fiction, light romance and faith-based novels.

The Deadly Shallows (July 5, 2022) by Dani Pettrey.

*This is the third novel in a series.*

A CGIS graduation ceremony in Wilmington, North Carolina, is rocked by a devastating attack with multiple fatalities. CGIS Agent Noah Rowley and his team arrive on-scene to end the violent attack, but he’s injured in the process. Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler witnesses the attack and feels the weight of that trauma, but she jumps into professional mode when she’s needed on medical flights. The first flight carries the only surviving gunman, and he whispers a word to her that is nonsensical to her, but which puts a target on her back. Noah’s hospital room becomes a command center, but he spends most of his time with Brooke when she becomes a patient (he doesn’t want to say she’s a victim). Noah wants to protect Brooke, but the more they investigate, the more they uncover. The shooting may have been a distraction from a grander plan that could have even more horrifying consequences in the wrong hands. It’s not the end. It’s only the beginning.

            When it comes to inspirational, romantic suspense, Pettrey is my favorite. Her thrill rides in literary form take sharp turns and drip with mal-intent, but her protagonists are the types of folks you want to be your friends and your neighbors, members of your church. This contemporary fiction novel is written with intense realism and contains a tight plot. The swings in tension are balanced with calm moments and trauma with the busyness of investigation and research. Burgeoning romance between Brooke and Noah and Caleb Eason and Austin Kelly add a layer of sweetness that bolsters the book’s masterful storytelling. Book Three in the Coastal Guardians series is another exhilarating gem. For me, Pettrey’s books are always five out of five stars!

            Book One: The Killing Tide

            Book Two: The Crushing Depths

To Write a Wrong (Aug. 3, 2021) by Jen Turano.

*This is the second​ novel in a series.*

Though the general public doesn’t know it, Miss Daphne Beekman is a mystery writer by day. She has a nom de plume, as her publisher doesn’t believe her famed mystery novels will sell if readers discover the writer’s a woman. She moonlights as a member of the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency. She prefers to do behind-the-scenes work, well away from any danger. This changes when Mr. Herman Henderson seeks the services of the women of the agency. Herman, too, is a mystery writer, though, as a man, he doesn’t need to hide behind a pen name. While he may have overlooked it at first, he’s decided that someone is definitely trying to do him in. The close call that sends him to Bleecker Street is one in which he was almost run over. Despite the exciting novels he pens, he tends to lead a quiet life, not wanting to tempt himself with his own adventurous lifestyle, lest he perish on an expedition like his parents did when he was a youth. Daphne and her friends and fellow agents go undercover to Herman’s house, posing as Herman’s secretary (Daphne) and household staff, to flush out the person who wants Herman dead. The unfortunate part about working closely with the potential victim is that Daphne and her friends may become victims, too. Even with the danger, a clear attachment is forming between Herman and Daphne. Instead of crafting edge-of-your-seat fictional mysteries, the two must solve their own real-life mystery before they can write their own story. And a love story can be mysterious and adventurous, too.

            In this second installment in the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency, readers are treated to a delightful story featuring female sleuths in a faith-themed, historical mystery that’s also part romantic comedy. It is as entertaining and quick-witted as Turano’s other stories that I’ve read. Like the skilled storyteller she is, Turano seamlessly blends elements of danger, the focus of an investigation, the percolation of new romance and snappy banter with faith and belief in prayer. Daphne prays for courage and wonders if courage has passed her by when, in fact, God has been working on her this entire time. It’s encouraging to see growth like that, even in a fictional tale. And I can always trust that writing a wrong is exactly right when the right writer writing is Jen Turano!

            Book One: To Steal a Heart​

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 24

With 2022 quickly coming to an end, I’m not a moment too soon in sneaking in the third YA compilation post of this year. These are all authors familiar to me.

The Ballad of Never After (Sept. 13, 2022) by Stephanie Garber.

*This is the second novel in a trilogy.* 

“One for luck. One for truth. One for mirth. One for youth.” These are the four stones needed to re-open the Valory Arch. One was found by the previous key. The task now falls to Evangeline Fox, the young woman who used to believe that love was like a house. Now she wonders if love is “more like a war with new foes constantly appearing and battles creeping up.” Love is something to fight for, over and over. And Evangeline is fighting ... to live. Her first love has made a reappearance (as a vampire), her husband has been cursed to kill her (like The Ballad of the Archer and the Fox) and Jacks is as aloof – but sometimes protective – as ever (for his own agenda). She knows that she cannot trust Jacks (a.k.a. the Prince of Hearts), and she swears she won’t look for, rely upon or think about him, but that’s all easier said than done, especially when Jacks always tends to show up. But when a new curse surfaces – one turning Apollo’s eyes a glaring red – Jacks might be the only one she can trust. As much as she desires to loathe him, she also desires him, as says her traitorous heart. But Jacks can only kiss one person without killing her, and that kiss never belonged to Evangeline. With new foes, fresh betrayals by one considered a friend and magic that is as mischievous as it is wondrous, the Magnificent North is a crafty place.

            Amidst the tulle and the beauty are sharp-edged daggers and curses that draw blood. It is, at turns, as gorgeous as a decadent ball, but also dark with menace and violence. Evangeline’s seemingly endless hope grated my nerves, because, from the reader’s perspective, you know she’s making a terrible decision, but I remained drawn to the story with its dangerous allure and graceful edginess. It’s a world that I get lost in with characters that’d be intriguing to interact with, Jacks especially. Despite that he’s a Fate, dazzlingly inhuman, untrustworthily charming and potentially deadly, or perhaps because he is. The middle novel in the Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy manages to glimmer and dazzle with magic, mystery, deceit, passion, hope and danger. The novel’s ending has me wishing I could read the final installment yesterday.

            Book One: Once Upon a Broken Heart

            Note of interest: The original Great Houses: Fortuna, Slaughterwood, Merrywood, Redthorne, Hawkleaf, Casstel, Bloodgrave, Verita, Ravencross, Darling, Havok, Bellflower, and Acadian (p. 131).

            Wondering: How did the Fates come to be? Without giving away spoilers, more than one Fate seems to have ties to the original Great Houses. I’m just putting it out there that I wouldn’t say no to reading a story from Jacks’ POV or even a story of how all the Fates became Fates.

Bravely (May 3, 2022) by Maggie Stiefvater.

*This is a standalone novel, but is marketed as a sequel to Disney’s Brave​.*

Stagnation has come to DunBroch and with it, a threat to the kingdom in the form of Feradach, the god who wears many faces and appears differently to each person he encounters. He demolishes and destroys so that what’s gone stagnant can be made new (“I am not cruel, Merida. I am nature.”). But it’s been so long since change has come to DunBroch. Merida continues to prefer archery to embroidery, the triplets are chaos manifested, King Fergus remains jovial and Queen Elinor is as eternally regal as can be with DunBroch itself looking lackluster. Shingles need replacing, various things need fixing, and DunBroch is falling into neglect, but Merida refuses to watch her beloved home be destroyed along with her and her entire family. A small light of hope surfaces with the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient goddess of creation, the goddess of Scotland (“Bringer of rain, of life, of justice.”). Merida has a year to change her family or be destroyed, but she can talk to no one of this deal outside the three who made it. Feradach must see her work and she must see his. Feradach’s work balances life, which Merida doesn’t at first understand. She only sees him as a destroyer, rather like the Dasachtach, who pillages and gruesomely kills because he’s a violent, vicious tyrant with a god complex. The Dasachtach (Domhnall mac Alpin) will never change, but Feradach, against all expectation, might. Through all of this, Merida will voyage to three kingdoms to inspire those she loves, but she’s forgetting the one Clan member who’s grown the most stagnant. Herself.

            A novel that accepts the movie, Brave, as canon, this is a different sort of fairy tale, one for older readers. Since the movie’s events, Merida and Queen Elinor have negotiated a truce to never discuss betrothals or marriage. Merida has spent a year traveling before having to travel yet again (to save DunBroch). As I expected, Stiefvater has crafted a wonderful world, not only pulling from the familiar movie, but incorporating her understanding of medieval history (see her author’s note) and her own skill at writing. Despite the pressure Merida feels to change those she loves, the novel has a languid quality to the reading. To be fair, stories often journey slower than movies do, but the story does contain adventure and ruin, pluck and tenacity. Central to the story is Merida having to grow up and the growing pains that come along with that. It’s also a story of how saving loved ones can mean altering what one knows and is familiar with. In other words, change can be hard and hard to accept. I love the unexpected depth written for Feradach and Queen Elinor. It had me seeing both of them through a different lens, which feels heavy and notable. Not all will fall under the literary spell the movie started, but it should be a win for readers of YA looking for something familiar but maturing.

The Dragon’s Promise (Aug. 30, 2022) by Elizabeth Lim.

*This is the concluding novel in a duology.*

To uphold the promise she made to her stepmother, Princess Shiori’anma (the youngest of seven and only daughter of Emperor Hanriyu) will journey to Ai’long, the realm of dragons, at the bottom of the Taijin Sea. She has vowed to return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful owner, but Dragon King Nazayun expects her to give the pearl to him when she only stated she’d bring it to him. It doesn’t belong to Nazayun, but to the Wraith. The Wraith’s pearl is unlike other dragons’ pearls and not only because it’s broken. Escaping from Ai’long is harrowing, and Shiori learns that she should trust Seryu’ginan, while also falling victim to betrayal. It is here that she first meets Gen (turning to stone). Being home in the Imperial Palace in Gindara is weighted, not only because she still has the pearl, but because the realm now knows she’s a sorceress in a land that’s not supposed to have magic. As the Kingdom of Kiata’s bloodsake, there are many that would condemn her and harm her. The most frenzied want to kill her, thus keeping the demons sealed in the Holy Mountains of Fortitude. But there’s one demon that won’t be sealed in. He was once an enchanter, turning demon when he broke his oath and killed someone. Fueled by greed and the power of magic, he greedily wants more power from the pearl. He plans, of course, to kill Shiori. To locate the Wraith, Shiori will need to venture across the Cuiyan Ocean and over the enchanted waters of Lake Paduan to the Forgotten Isles of Lapzur. She won’t be alone. She’ll have her six brothers (back in crane form), Bushi’an Takkan (her betrothed) and Kiki (her paper bird). Unfortunately, she’s still got the pearl (thrumming with malevolent, usually unpredictable power) and a powerful demon semi-trapped in an amulet. Shiori’s going to need more strength than she’s ever imagined having if she’s going to survive and defend those she loves.

            A concluding novel in the Six Crimson Cranes duology, this story is a literary work of art, as vibrant and sweeping as a painter with paints on canvas filled with colors bright and bold, graceful and light, but also dark and murky, dangerous and wild. With more than one quest for the heroine, there’s no shortage of adventure in this YA tale. Shiori remains stubborn and impulsive, though her impulsivity is sometimes quelled when listening to others’ advice finally wins out. This is a tale of love and keeping promises (no matter the cost to oneself) and of allies who help grow the main character, just as much as it’s a story that integrates Chinese legends, young love, powerful dragons and treacherous demons. It’s not a relaxing read, but a dramatic one. It’s an adventure that I’m glad to have gone on.

            P.S. For someone who’s read Lim’s The Blood of Stars duology, it was nice to meet Gen before he’s a full-fledged enchanter.

            Book One: Six Crimson Cranes

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 23

Wow! My middle-grade reading is going strong this year. Presenting the third compilation of 2022!

City of the Plague God (Jan. 12, 2021) by Sarwat Chadda.

*This is the first novel in a series.*

As if there isn’t already enough on his plate going to school and helping at his parents’ successful Brooklyn deli while continuing to deal with the grief associated with his older brother, Mo, dying unexpectedly, 13-year-old Sikander (Sik) Aziz suddenly finds himself the target of disease-ridden demons. The demons are the servants of Nergal, the Mesopotamian god of plagues. Nergal believes that Sik holds the key to immortality, but Sik thinks that is absurd. He knows nothing about any of that. It doesn’t stop Nergal and his minions from releasing an incurable plague on New York City with his parents as Patients Zero. Fortunately, Sik isn’t alone. There’s Belet, the adopted daughter of Ishtar, Mesopotamian goddess of love and war, her sword, Kasusu, and Daoud, his late brother’s best friend, a vain, would-be actor who’s been typecast as a terrorist. There’s even the famed hero Gilgamesh, who resides in Central Park, tending his impressive greenhouse. He has no plans to come out of retirement, enjoying his pacifist, vegan-baking lifestyle, though Sik will keep trying to convince him. He desperately wants his help. With grief still pouring over him, New York under attack from a terrible pestilence and his parents’ and their family’s deli specifically targeted by Nergal and company, how will Sik manage to retrieve the Flower of Immortality? Because conquering wily demons, dangerous gods and one’s own deep, dark nightmares isn’t exactly a walk in the park.

            Originally thinking this was a standalone, I’m thrilled it’s the first in a series, because it’s A-MA-ZING. Mythology is so fascinating and to be introduced to Mesopotamian mythology, which isn’t widely recognized like, say, Greek or Norse mythology, drew me in right away. With the novel’s exploration of strong familial connections, the weight of grief and the accumulating responsibilities on a young teen since his brother’s death, the story provided another layer of depth and nuance. The plot is fueled with apocalypse-like drama, multiple skirmishes/battles and the icky, oozing word pictures of Nergal and his demons. The action starts off like a plunge on a rollercoaster and doesn’t stop until the story’s end. The story also benefits from lots of humor and a superb cast with distinctive primary and secondary characters. The story includes instances of Islamophobia, and readers can tell that the Muslim identity is a central theme. The Arabic words and phrases were fun to come across, and there’s a convenient glossary near the back to help with pronunciations and meanings. Chadda’s story of a Muslim hero and the inclusivity he showcases is engaging and certainly relevant to our time, even down to a plague god making his literary debut during a pandemic! We may not have originally known that “City of the Plague God” was on the menu, but I’m glad it’s a Rick Riordan Presents book that I ordered. It is outrageously entertaining.

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Oct. 27, 2020) by Jessica Townsend.

*This is the third novel in a series.*

It’s been a strange and wondrous journey through Nevermoor for Morrigan Crow and her fellow scholars in Unit 919 of the Wundrous Society. No longer is it a secret that Morrigan’s a Wundersmith, she and her friends have helped bring down the Ghastly Market and now she embarks on a new, thrilling challenge. She will begin studying the mysterious Wundrous Wretched Arts with Rook Rosenfeld, she being of the same being as Ms. Dearborn and Mrs. Murgatroyd. Morrigan looks forward to learning to control the Wunder that could otherwise consume her. She doesn’t want that, doesn’t want to become like Ezra Squall. For all that she’s gained since coming to Nevermoor, plenty still mistrust her Wundrous ability to use Wunder. She has her concerns, too, but they will take a backseat to a frightening illness with no known origin that is infecting Wunimals (Wunimals are sentient, self-aware, intelligent creatures capable of talking, etc., as humans are) and turning them into vicious Unnimals, primed to attack anyone in their vicinity. There is someone who says he can help Morrigan, but he’s the one who gave Wundersmiths a bad name.

            The junior endeavor in the Nevermoor​ series is a blockbuster middle-grade tale that’s a simmering pot of magic, adventure and magnificent world-building. It’s a tale that champions bravery and confidence, even as Morrigan struggles to find ease in accessing Wunder and grapples with her emotions. There is suspense, but never anything frightening, and Townsend’s story is detailed and enchanting, but also delightfully zany and charmingly eccentric. I so look forward to the next installment!

            Book 1: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

            Book 2: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

Sal & Gabi Break the Universe (Mar. 5, 2019) by Carlos Hernandez.

*This is the first novel in a series.*

It’s only the third day at Culeco Academy of the Arts (a magnet school in the middle of Miami), Salvador Alberto Dorado Vidón’s new school, and he’s in the principal’s office for the third time. He’s most recently caused a stir by making a raw chicken appear in Yasmany Robles’ locker without anyone seeing him do so, and that incident stemmed from Yasmany bullying Sal. Sal is a magician, but the chicken incident remains suspicious. Gabrielle Reál, student council president/editor of the school newspaper, seems to be onto him, and she tries to trick him with her lie detector test, but when he answers “I ripped a hole in the space-time continuum and borrowed a chicken from another universe,” it acknowledges that Sal’s speaking with honesty. How? After a case of low blood sugar (Sal is a Type I diabetic) manifests Mami Muerta​ (she used to be Mami Viva ... when she was alive), Sal winds up in the ER (not his first rodeo there). When he wakes late at night, famished, he tries to sneak by the nurse’s station, but Nurse Dulce Sotolongo catches him. Fortunately, she brings him to Reina Reál, a Cuban mother, and she feeds him. So. Much. (“I had said the magic word: “starving.” Say that to a Cuban mother sometime. I dare you.”) She treats him like he’s her own, and it turns out she’s Gabi’s mom, and they’re there celebrating Gabi’s baby brother’s one-month-old birthday, Ignacio (Iggy) Reál. With Gabi at the hospital as much as she can – and all of her “Gabi dads,” too – Sal finds himself spending even more time there (outside of being a patient and putting on magic shows for young patients). They create a play for theatre class. When Iggy takes a turn for the worse, and he isn’t going to make it, Gabi prompts Sal to break the universe to fix Iggy. The thing is, Sal doesn’t know how! He doesn’t even know how he brings different Mami Muertas from other universes! But that’s the thing for Sal. The multiverse is real, and he can see them, access them. His dad is a calamity physicist and knows to test for calamitrons, but can Sal figure out a way to access the multiverse without causing rips in it and make Iggy healthy?

            I am annoyed with myself for taking so long to read this story! It’s an amalgamation of humor (including fart jokes) and witty dialogue with compassion and some learning and a storyline that flows seamlessly across the multiverse. Hernandez has created an immersive world of imagination that is balanced with a character who is great at employing magic, is practically magical himself, but deals with Type I diabetes, a very real thing. This was my first story by Hernandez, and he makes telling stories look so easy. This is another win for the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, and I can go right into reading the next story, for I already have it!

            P.S. If I were a “Gabi dad” (because women can be Gabi dads, too), what might my name be?

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 22

This was meant to be a compilation post, but I never got around to reading enough chapter books to compile a second compilation post. The year has almost gotten away from me, so I’m posting this solo chapter book.

Mindy Kim and the Fairy-Tale Wedding (Apr. 5, 2022) by Lyla Lee.

   Dung Ho, illustrator.

*This is the seventh book in a series.*

Talk about the event of the year! Mindy Kim (Korean name: Min-jung) is about to attend her first wedding, and not only is she in it as the flower girl, it’s her dad and Julie that are getting married. Her dad’s relatives have flown into Florida from South Korea, including her school-age cousins, Sung-jin and Sora, while Julie’s family has flown in from New York and China. Mindy wants the day to be perfect, but a perfect day might not be in the picture. There’s rain in the forecast, and the wedding is planned to be outdoors with the ocean as the backdrop. Meanwhile, Theodore the Mutt, whom Mindy is determined will be the ring-bearer, completely misbehaves at the rehearsal. This fairy tale looks like it might be a fairy-FAIL.

            As long as this series continues, I will be one of its readers, because I love that this series features a Korean American character. I don’t care that this is a chapter book; what I care about is that there is representation of a young girl who looks like me, and I know I would’ve loved seeing a series like this when I was young. This is another sweet and fast-reading addition to the Mindy Kim series. It resonates with youthful vibrancy and blends cultures, as Mindy and her dad’s Korean American side joins Julie's Chinese American side. The wedding includes a Chinese tea ceremony, a western ceremony (in which Julie wears a white gown), and a Korean ceremony or paebaek (where they don their hanboks).

            Mindy Kim Books 1-5: A compilation post

            Mindy Kim Book 6: Mindy Kim and the Big Pizza Challenge

Rutabaga's Reads 2022: Part 21

Picture books need to be engaging to capture the attention of their young audiences, but they also need to engage those reading to/with them. This third picture book compilation of 2022 showcases one favorite author and four new-to-me authors. While they are all uniquely wonderful stories, what they have in common is that they are engaging in their prose and illustrations.

Cozy (Oct. 20, 2020) by Jan Brett.

Animals seek refuge from the winter cold, but instead of a cramped hideout, their refuge is a living creature, a young musk ox called Cozy. A family of lemmings, a snowshoe hare, a snowy owl, an arctic fox, a wolverine and a team of huskies with their sea otter musher join Cozy for winter in the Alaskan tundra. He got separated from his family, so is happy for the company. There are; however, house rules: “Quiet voices, gentle thumping, claws to yourself, no biting, no pouncing, and be mindful of others!” But when does a nibble become a bite? What constitutes a hoot that’s quiet or loud? When spring returns, Cozy is gleeful to find his herd, and his winter lodgers move onto their summer homes, but they promise to meet up again “when the snow flies.”

            The Alaskan tundra is no picnic, but Brett’s signature writing and clever illustrating create an idyllic story of sharing, friendship and living in harmony. Sure, it’s fanciful, but it’s a gently-moving tale that is comforting to read. Brett’s illustrations include those trusty side-panel vignettes that give readers hints as to what’s to come. She writes with a keen sense of her audience – the young and the young-at-heart – and illustrates with the finesse of an expert who’s comfortable in her skill and talent. This is another gorgeous tale, one that represents the importance of community, and it has a sequel, released November 2022.

            Oomingmak: Inupiaq word for musk ox, which translates to “the bearded one.” (Source: https://www.alaskazoo.org/muskox)

Danbi Leads the School Parade (July 7, 2020) by Anna Kim.

New to school is Danbi. Being the new kid is always hard, but it’s made more challenging for Danbi, as she doesn’t know English. She has recently emigrated from South Korea. She tries to engage with her classmates in participating in activities new to her, but she is unsuccessful. One thing she knows how to confidently do is pull out her lunch to eat! Her mom has packed her favorites – “Yams in honey, crystal dumplings, sweet-and-sour mini skewers, rainbow drops, and half-moon rice cakes dipped in sweet sesame!” – and her classmates are in awe. She tries to teach them to use chopsticks, which erupts into a cacophony-of-fun, musical parade.

            This is a wonderful story from Kim, who was once that little girl in a new classroom who didn’t yet understand English. Kim’s illustrations are multihued, but soft, and her text paints the story of a young girl who’s resilient and tries not to get discouraged even when no one plays with her. It’s a sweet, expressive story for any child starting at a new school or experiencing big, possibly overwhelming, changes. And it’s an enchanting, gentle and joyous story for all readers looking for something new to read.

            As an adoptee, I was never that child in a new school who didn’t understand English (and, in fact, remained in the same school district from Preschool all through my senior year of high school), but I knew what it was to stand out based on appearance, even though I also felt like my class was one of the more diverse in the rural community I grew up in. I would’ve wanted Danbi as a friend. Yes, because I would’ve seen myself in her with our similar physical, Korean features. But also because I was always taught to be a compassionate human being. I would’ve seen her needing a friend and so would’ve become one!

            Fun fact: According to the author, Danbi means “sweet rain.”

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners (Jan. 5, 2021) by Joanna Ho.

   Dung Ho, illustrator.

The Chinese-American girl in this story notices that her eyes are different from her peers. They have “eyes like sapphire lagoons” and “lashes like lace trim on ballgowns.” Her eyes “kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea.” They are eyes reflected in the face of her Mama’s, Amah’s (her grandmother) and Mei-Mei’s (her little sister). While her eyes are unlike those around her, that is winsome, for they are her eyes, and they are beautiful!

            While not in rhyme, this story is lyrical and reads with the expectation that it should be danced to with graceful movement. It is a story that exudes self-acceptance, a love of one’s ancestral roots and, in this character’s case, Chinese culture. Each of Dung Ho’s colorful and elegant illustrations are breathtaking landscapes that are exemplary complements to Joanna Ho’s prose. I love this story. It’s one I would’ve welcomed as a child. While I am well-loved by my family, I am an adoptee, and my family is entirely Caucasian. There was no one else in my family with “eyes that kiss in the corners,” and sometimes that was tough growing up. This story is poignant, but also strengthening, especially for anyone whose eyes “crinkle into crescent moons and sparkle like the stars.” Love your eyes, but most importantly, love your whole self!

Mommy’s Hometown (Apr. 12, 2022) by Hope Lim.

   Jaime Kim, illustrator.

A young boy is excited to visit his mommy’s hometown in Korea. It’s an area where the “mountains nearby stood like giants” and the “sky was filled with billowing clouds she [Mommy] could watch forever.” But when they arrive, the hometown isn’t what the boy expects. The small village has grown into a big city, new replaces the old, except for an old house on the corner that looks out of place surrounded by shiny new buildings. Fortunately, the river is the same. “Some things change, and some things stay the same.”

            Reading this sweet story that compares and contrasts past and present (rural and urban) with warm, digital illustrations tangibly feels tranquil and safe. The illustrations are lush and detailed; I especially enjoyed the spread of city buildings with shop names in Korean. The prose is gentle, yet full of imagination. The story caught my eye at the library, as it was up on display, one of many diverse books donated by the local Rotary Club. As soon as I saw the cover, I knew it featured Korean characters, and I checked the book out right away. So certainly, this story resonates with me because I share similar features to the Korean characters, but it’s a wonderful, intergenerational story for anyone. It shows readers of all ages that change can be bittersweet, but splendor and optimism arises, too, if one is open to finding it.

Wishes (May 4, 2021) by Mủợn Thị Văn.

   Victo Ngai, illustrator.

If you had to leave everything behind, what would you wish for? In the middle of the night in which the “night wished it was quieter,” a Vietnamese family leaves behind all they’ve ever known. They embark on a perilous journey with a destination in mind, but with knowing how so many things can go wrong between here and there. It’s observed through the eyes of a young girl who is traveling forward until “I didn’t have to wish … anymore.”

            Right away, I am struck by the simple beauty of the story. The prose is scant, but what’s there weaves a timeless tale of fear, hope, determination and resilience and is complemented by the artist’s detailed but soft illustrations. The author and illustrator are well-matched to this story, as the lyrical text and nuanced art are a lovely collaboration. This story is drawn from the author’s personal history, and reading her author’s note had me tearing up. It’s an experience to read, one that is both heartfelt and heart-wrenching. It’s emotional and elegant. The words are few, yet they speak volumes. I purchased the book, and I’m glad to own it. It should be in all libraries (and I’m happy to say that I know my local library has it).

            Personal story: For those that know me, they will know that I’ve never been a refugee. In a previous job, I sometimes worked with Karen-speaking patients. One time, through an interpreter, a patient inquired about my origin. I am always open to sharing that I’m Korean; I was born there, but adopted as a baby and have grown up in the U.S. This patient was a refugee, and sadly, our setting wasn’t one conducive to having a long conversation. She was intrigued by my happy demeanor, but especially, my flawless English. She had the interpreter tell me, “You’re a lucky one.” And you know what? I absolutely agree!