November Reading Wrap-Up! Dark and Twisty Tales.

Hello everybody, and welcome back to another edition of the CW Torch! Today, I will be talking all about the books I read in the month of November. Which is my second favorite month after October! Not just because the leaves start to change color, and the weather gets a little bit chillier. But, because it gives me an excuse to read extremely dark and eerie books, which are my absolute favorite to read! So, without further ado, let's get into this wrap-up!

November 1st-November 6th, 2017

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, presented by James Patterson

Synopsis: "Seventeen-Year-Old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life. Against her father's wishes and Victorian-Age society expectations, Audrey often slips away to her Uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world."- Stalking Jack the Ripper

What I Liked:

-Audrey Rose was such a fun main protagonist to read from, she was definitely not like most girls of the Victorian Era. She was blunt, proactive, and never let things slide past her, because of her gender. I instantly felt connected to Audrey, as she was a female character who I found myself rooting for, every step of the way as she tried solving the Leather Apron case.

-The feminist approach to this book was really fun to read from, but it wasn't too overly feminist by any means. There was a good enough balance of the mystery and the feminist actions this book was trying to convey.

-The scientific methods to this mystery, was very intriguing. I loved the photographic images in the book, which helped provide a clear picture in my head, of the corpses Audrey and her Uncle were autopsying. You could tell that Kerri Maniscalo really did her research on Jack the Ripper, because the autopsy reports were extremely detailed. To be honest, I thought I knew who Jack the Ripper/The Leather Apron was from the beginning, based on the synopsis. But the story completely twisted my prediction, which made the read even better.

-I loved the romance between Audrey Rose and Thomas Creswell, and how the author didn't make the book too romance heavy. It was just enough to keep you interested, and just enough to make you fall in love with Thomas.

What I Didn’t Like:

-Not a thing!

Final Thoughts:

I gave Stalking Jack the Ripper, a 5 out of 5 stars, because there was nothing that I didn't like about this story. I would definitely recommend reading this book, especially around Halloween time, which is when I began reading it. Even if you aren't a big fan of mysteries, I would still pick it up, because of the feminist and scientific approach to the mystery. I will definitely be reading the second book, Hunting Prince Dracula, soon, because I've heard it's even better!

November 8th-November 17th, 2017

The Beast is An Animal by Peternell Van Arsdale

I received The Beast Is an Animal by Peternell Van Arsdale, in my very first Pagehabit box, which was kindly given to me as a gift from my friend Rachel. I've never heard of this story before, but was instantly intrigued by its beautifully dark cover. It was also a retelling of an Old Byd Nursery Rhyme, which was on the back cover of the book. I read the Nursery Rhyme and was instantly hooked.

"The Beast is an Animal. You'd better lock the Gate. Or when it's dark, It comes for you. Then it will be too late. The Beast is an animal. Hear It scratch upon your door. It sucks your soul then licks the bowl. And sniffs around for more. The Beast is an animal. It has a pointy chin. It eats you while you sleep at night. Leaves nothing but your skin." -Old Byd Nursery Rhyme

Synospis: "Alys was seven the first time she saw the soul eaters. Twin sisters, they radiated an energy that excited Alys. Through them she felt the wildness of the forest, and The Beast within it. Too late, she learned of their power to destroy. By the time she is fifteen, Alys knows too much about both the lure and the danger of the soul eaters. She lives in a world of adults who are terrified of their power, and who cower behind high walls and grim rules. Fear of the soul eaters—and of The Beast—rules their lives. Even more, they fear the ways in which The Beast may lurk among them—and within a girl like Alys. For Alys has a connection to the soul eaters, and The Beast. And she hides a truth about herself that she can reveal to no one, for fear she will be called a witch. As the threat posed by the soul eaters grows, Alys must undertake a journey through the wild danger of the fforest. But the greatest danger is not outside her. Alys’s secret about who—and what—she is terrifies her most of all. And in order to save her world, she must also risk losing herself." -The Beast is An Animal

What I Liked:

-The writing of author, Peternelle Van Arsdale was incredibly dark and atmospheric, making it a very chilling read. I felt like I was in Old Byd, throughout the entire time I was reading the book. It read like a Grimm's fairytale, with its creepy yet poetic tone.

-I felt immediately connected to the main character Alys, in the fact that she wasn't able to completely be herself, because of what everybody else would think of her. I had felt that kind of struggle and fear during college, because when I first enrolled into school, I thought I had to put on a different face to get people to like me. I never thought I truly fit in at my school, until I was able to meet some friends who I could finally be myself around. Which is how Alys felt when she was around the soul eaters.

-I appreciated the discussion of fear and hatred, as the author didn't make it too obvious. Based on the nursery rhyme it retold, you could definitely have a guess that this book was going to be about fear. But the author made it very poetic, and really made you think.

What I didn't Like:

-The only thing I struggled with was the pacing of the book, it was a relatively slow read. Mostly, because I was trying to get used to the author's writing style. However, her writing style was still very beautiful and atmospheric, making my reading experience a lot more enjoyable. It was just a bit slow in some parts, making it a little difficult for me to get into right away.

Final Thoughts:

I ended up giving The Beast Is An Animal, a 4.5 out of 5 stars, based on the previous reasons stated. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys eerie fantasy reads, with a Grimm's Fairytale vibe. It's the perfect read for Halloween and the Fall season, because of its atmospheric and dark qualities.

November 6th-November 22nd, 2017

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Ever since I started watching booktube, I felt as if I couldn't get away from the Six of Crows duology written Leigh Bardugo. Who has been deemed Queen Bardugo, across the many booktubers I follow. I was a little hesitant on picking this book up, because sometimes really hyped up books can be a let-down. Then one day, I saw the ebook on sale for only 2.99 on Amazon, and decided to finally pick it up. Although, I didn’t actually read it until November, when one of the booktubers I follow, picked the book for her Book in A Jar, Dark cover pick. Here is a link to her instagram and youtube, @book_roast, if you are interested in following her. After finishing Six of Crows, I was so happy to finally have read it, because it was really really good, for these exact reasons.

Synopsis: "Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he'll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist: Break into the notorious Ice Court (a military stronghold that has never been breached). Retrieve a hostage (who could unleash magical havoc on the world). Survive long enough to collect his reward (and spend it). Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done - and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable - if they don't kill each other first.

What I Liked:

-This book was incredibly diverse with really intriguing and unique characters, and for the first time in a while, I actually loved all the characters in this fantasy novel. They were also very flawed characters, and I loved that Leigh didn't shy away from showcasing their flaws. I mean they are criminals, so why hide their deepest and darkest qualities? The two characters who I enjoyed most were Kaz and Inej, and it wasn’t because of their relationship. I felt like Inej had the most interesting background story out of all six criminals, and was one of the most in-depth characters of the book. Kaz Brekker might've been a stereotypical main protagonist, but I loved his dark humor and quick-witted personality. I also loved the dynamic between Inej and Kaz, this was the one relationship that didn’t make me annoyed. I also enjoyed Nina as a character, even though the author chose to focus on her relationship with Matthias for the majority of the book. I was really intrigued by her addiction to Parem, and thought this plot-line had the most depth to it.

-I loved this take on the Russian setting, and thought it was very unique and different from most YA fantasy novels I have read in the past. This is the second book I have read with this Russian setting, and I absolutely adore it. This one had a more unique turn on the Russian setting, while the other book I read was more of a historical take to it.

-Lastly, I really enjoyed the magic system of this novel, especially when we got more detail of the heartrenders. I thought Leigh did a really good job of explaining the magic system, on how it works, and what all the powers do differently.

What I Didn't Like:

-While I loved the Russian setting to this book, I wish we got more description of the cities within the Grisha-Universe. I felt like the book was very much focused on the characters (which I don't mind at all), and the planning of the heist. I thought it lacked a sense of setting in certain parts of the book. I don’t know if you have to read the author's other trilogy, which is set in the same universe, to get a better feel of the setting. But, I've heard that you don't have to read either series in a certain order, so I did wish that we got more world-building. However, I understand not a lot of readers like a lot of description in books, which is why they choose YA Fantasy over Adult Fantasy. But, I have read plenty of YA Fantasies that do a brilliant job at world building, which is something I missed in Six of Crows.

-I didn't enjoy the fact that each member of this heist, were in a relationship with one another. I felt like the book focused way too much on the romantic relationships, than the actual heist. Which is what I was looking forward to the most, because that is literally the tag-line of the book, "Six Dangerous Outcasts, One Impossible Heist." While I did enjoy each character individually, I didn't really care for the romantic pairings. Except for Kaz and Inej, and in certain parts Jesper and Wylan. When reading the synopsis of this book, I thought we were going to get more of an Ocean's Eleven vibe. Which in certain parts of the book, felt like that, but not as much as I would've liked it to be.

Final Thoughts:

All in all, I really enjoyed the first of this YA fantasy duology, giving it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I thought the cast of characters were extremely deep and tragically flawed, but I still enjoyed them immensely because of that. I also enjoyed Leigh's unique take on a Russian world. And for some reason, this book really reminded me of The Breakfast Club, which is one of my all-time favorite movies. Mainly, because of the characters and this quote, - Leigh Bardugo. It really reminded me of this famous quote from The Breakfast Club, " Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us - in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain... and an athlete… and a basket case… a princess… and a criminal."

I thought there were many parallels between Six of Crows and The Breakfast Club, which I would like to write about in a later post. While I did enjoy all of those things, I did think it lacked world-building in certain parts, and focused way too much on the romantic relationships, which is why I didn’t give it a 5 out of 5 stars. But, I will definitely be reading the second book of this duology, and Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy very soon. And would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Game of Thrones.

November 26th-November 28th, 2017

Blackheath (The Blackheath Witches #1) by Gabriella Lepore

This was another ebook I received for free, from Oftomes Publishing in return for an honest review, to read as a part of Oftomes' November read-a-long. Even though I am a reviewer for Oftomes Publishing, doesn’t mean that I won't give you my honest and true opinion. While I didn't really enjoy this book, I will still recommend any book I read, because I do think other people would enjoy this book, and I will always support Oftomes Publishing. Unfortunately, this was just not the book for me, and here are the reasons why. But, first let's get into the synopsis and what I did enjoy about this book.

Synopsis: "Seventeen-year-old Maggie Ellmes is dogged by a case of chronic bad luck. She figures that’s just her lot in life—that is, until the psychic at Blackheath’s annual carnival reveals that Maggie’s problems are caused by more than just ordinary misfortune; she’s actually been cursed. Desperate to shake the hex, Maggie has no choice but to seek out the help of Joel Tomlins, a rebellious classmate who’s descended from Blackheath’s most powerful line of witches. After breaking all of his coven’s conventions to help her, Joel discovers that the curse isn’t as bad as Maggie fears. In fact, it’s much, much worse." -Blackheath

What I Liked:

-The Setting: I thought the setting was a perfect fit, for this paranormal read about witches. It was very dark and gloomy, which are settings I absolutely love. I thought Lepore's writing did improve from The Witches of the Glass Castle, as I could clearly picture Blackheath in my mind. I also liked the idea of the Carnival, but I didn't really understand why it was so important to Blackheath.

-The Magic: I thought the magic system did improve from The Witches of the Glass Castle, and I also thought it was a much more interesting magic system. I loved the idea of seeing people's auras, and how each different color represented the person's mood. I also felt like we got a better description of the magic, which is something I felt lacked in Lepore's other novel.

-The Family Dynamic: I loved seeing Joel's dynamic with his family, and thought it showed more depth with Lepore's characters. I loved his relationship with his brothers, and seeing how much he cares about him. Family dynamic is the one theme in Gabriella's books, that I truly connect with, and adore.

-The Writing: I felt like Gabriella's writing did improve a ton, after just having read The Witches of the Glass Castle. As I mentioned before, I thought her magic system was explained better, and the setting was described in detail. It was also a very quick and fast-paced read, as I finished this book in two days. However, I felt like there were a lot of connections with Twilight, so did I think this story was very original? Not quite.

What I Didn't Like:

-The Romance: When I was reading this book, I couldn't help but roll my eyes a couple of times, as there were so many tropes that I don't really care for anymore as a reader. For instance, I wasn't too fond of the Insta-Love trope in this novel, I wasn't expecting this to be very romance heavy. Even though, there wasn't a lot of romance in the book, as it was mainly focused on the relationship between MC Maggie and Joel. If that makes any sense? It wasn't filled with lovey-dovey, sexy, slow-burning romance scenes, but it was very focused on Maggie and Joel. Which normally doesn't bother me, but in this book, the relationship between Maggie and Joel was kind of cringe-worthy. They kept going back and forth of loving each other and hating each other, which is I guess how teens act towards each other. But, it was more annoying, because Joel kept talking to his brother about Maggie, and how her aura made him want to kill her. But, then Maggie eventually became his soulmate, and that just didn't sit well with me. Also, I thought the whole deal with Kaden was unnecessary and didn't really make a whole lot of sense. I thought Kaden was only there to create some drama, which is why I thought this book would be better as a script. Because this is the type of book, I could see getting adapted onto Freeform.

-The Chosen One: Another thing that bothered me with this book, was The Chosen One trope. I usually tend to like The Chosen One trope, but this one bothered me a ton. I felt like it was never really explained as to why Joel was The Chosen One, or what he is The Chosen One for. It seemed like he was only there to protect his family and Maggie. I cringed hardcore when Joel was explaining to Kaden, that he was The Chosen One. He just said that he was The Chosen One, but there was no rhyme or reason behind it.

-The Characters: The last thing or person really, I didn't care for all that much, was Maggie, even though she was our main protagonist. For some reason she really reminded me of the main character from The Witches of the Glass Castle. There was just nothing really special to her, and she kind of annoyed me in a lot of parts of the book. I felt like the character's weren't that original, and I am one who loves characters more so than, plot-heavy books.

Final Thoughts:

All in all, this wasn't a terrible book, but it wasn't a great book either, which is why I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars. I wish there were more good things I could've included in this review, since I am a reviewer for this Publishing company. But, I did receive this book in return for an honest review, and that's what I am doing, giving it my full and honest opinions. However, I won't stray you from reading it, because I know there are many people out there, who would love this book. It's just my reading tastes are maturing, and I felt like this book was better suited for preteens. I just thought this book lacked originality, as it reminded me so much of Twilight. However, I did feel as if Gabriella Lepore's writing improved in certain aspects, such as world building and details of the magic system. I don't know if I'll read the second book, but I would recommend it for preteens who are interested in fluffy paranormal reads.

Thank you all for reading my November Reading Wrap-Up, and don't forget to check out my Instagram account @bigleaguephoto, to see more of my bookstagram pics!

TTFN,

Chynna Williams @TheCWTorch