Top Five Wednesday: Favorite Minor Characters

Top Five Wednesday is run by Sam from Thoughts on Tomes. If you are interested in participating, here is the Goodreads page with all of the topics. This was such a difficult topic for me, mostly because even if I really love a minor character, I can't remember their name after I finish the book. I did some digging and came up with this list.

1. Mr. Gray - The Raven Cycle
He's probably more than a minor character, but nonetheless, he's one of my favorite characters in the series. Mr. Gray has a mysterious introduction, but he becomes a beloved and familiar character. He's tough, witty, and no-nonsense.

2. Oberyn Martell - A Song of Ice and Fire
I loved Oberyn in the books and the show. He was so charismatic and confident (which was his downfall). We didn't get enough time with him.

3. Iko - The Lunar Chronicles
Everyone who reads this series loves Iko. She cares so much for Cinder. She's a loyal, happy, fashion-obsessed android with a sparkling personality.

4. Margot & Kitty - To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Lara Jean's sisters can be a little frustrating at times, but I enjoyed their family dynamic. Margot & Kitty are fun characters who love and support their sister and add funny banter to the story.

5. Finnick Odair - The Hunger Games
Another fan-favorite. Finnick was an entertaining guy. I really found myself rooting for him, and to this day he is one of my most favorite minor characters ever.

Book Review: Daughter of the Pirate King

Author: Tricia Levenseller
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2017, Feiwel & Friends
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Alosa allows herself to be captured by a crew of pirates in order to find an important map that leads to unimaginable treasure, as ordered by her father, the pirate king. She must find the map before her captor's ship makes it to her father to avoid failing him, but the ship's first mate is proving to be a bigger obstacle than Alosa expected.

This would've been a 5-star book for me if it didn't take me so long to get into. I found the beginning third to be slow, but once I was invested, it was wonderful. There aren't enough YA pirate books out there. This one definitely delivered the pirate-ness; there was plenty of amoral behavior and stabbing.

Alosa reminded me quite a bit of Jack Sparrow, which is fine because I love him. It was so entertaining reading from the perspective a female pirate. She was clever, strong, ruthless, and also feminine. Riden, the first mate of the crew, was a great character as well. His chemistry and banter with Alosa was incredibly witty and fun. This book did romantic tension amazingly well.

Minor characters were well-developed, too. Riden's brother, Draxen, was someone I loved to hate. The other crew members had distinct personalities also. I liked reading about Alosa's crew, even though we don't see much of them in this book. 

The plot was just the teeniest bit slow, but the great characters and the twists and turns at the end more than made up for it. I read this from my library, but I think this is a book I'd like to own. I cannot wait until the sequel comes out!

Book Review: A Study in Charlotte

Author: Brittany Cavallaro
Genre: Mystery
Published: 2016, Katherine Tegen Books
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes, descendants of the famous Watson and Holmes, meet a prep school in Connecticut that Jamie can only attend because of his rugby scholarship. Jamie wants him and Charlotte to be friends, but their relationship starts out on the wrong foot when their classmate is murdered and the evidence points back to them. As the details of the crime unfold, it appears that the killer is recreating old Sherlock Holmes stories and is attempting to frame Charlotte and Jamie.

I had originally bought this book because of the cover and the summary. Yes, I'm guilty of judging books by their covers. At the time I purchased it, I had heard nothing about it from other reviewers. Right before I picked it up, though, I decided to check what Goodreads had to say. I was a little disappointed to see a lot of mixed reviews, but I still wanted to read it. I ended up loving it. I don't watch any Sherlock-related shows nor have I read the original stories, so I didn't have too many preconceived notions about what the characters and story should be like.

I liked Jamie immediately and Charlotte eventually. Their growth as characters individually and as a duo was impressive; Cavallaro was able to portray significant realistic character development in a fairly short book. Charlotte and Jamie are such complex characters that you really have to read about them to figure them out.

The mystery aspects were smart and entertaining. I was never bored while reading this. I enjoyed seeing the characters work through the mysteries together as their relationship grew. Charlotte continually figured out things that often left Jamie completely baffled, which was amusing to see play out.

Clever girl.

If you're a fan of Sherlock Holmes, try this book. There are some darker topics that might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I feel that they make this somewhat far-fetched story more realistic. I've already ordered the second book and can't wait to read it!

Book Review: Geekerella

Author: Ashley Poston
Genre: Contemporary
Published: 2017, Quirk Books
Rating: 4.25/5 Stars

Classic sci-fi show Starfield means everything to Elle Wittimer, especially after her father passes away. When ExcelsiCon, her father's own geeky convention, announces a Starfield cosplay contest, Elle knows she has to enter and win. Meanwhile, teen heartthrob Darien Freeman must deal with the pressure of portraying Starfield's beloved main character in the new movie reboot. It's the role of his dreams, but fans aren't convinced that Darien understands its importance, despite the fact that he is a die-hard Starfield fan. These two characters cross paths and change each other's lives in the most unexpected way.

This book is a straight-up Cinderella retelling, so if you're not into that, I'd avoid it. Cinderella is one of my least favorite fairy tales, but I read this book because the story sounded so fun and different. Turns out I was right! I never felt like I was getting caught up in the "Cinderella-y" elements of the story; it read like a quick, enjoyable contemporary.

The two main characters were such great protagonists. Elle and Darien come from very different environments, but they both dealt with their own relatable struggles. Elle was hard-working, resilient, and resourceful. Darien was likeable, honest, and charming. The progression of their relationship was believable, much more so than the traditional Cinderella story.

The show Starfield was really interesting to read about, and I wish I could see an episode of it. The author did a great job providing enough details to make the reader care about this fictional TV series. As a fairly geeky person myself, reading about ExcelsiCon was awesome. I have been to Book Con once, but never something fandom related. It makes me wish I could go to one.

If you like contemporaries, cute romances, or fairy tale retellings, then I highly recommend Geekerella. If you're a part of any fandoms, especially sci-fi fandoms, then I think you'd enjoy this book.

Book Review: Sabriel

Author: Garth Nix
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 1995, HarperCollins
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Sabriel's father is the Abhorsen, a mage charged with making sure the dead stay dead on the Old Kingdom side of the Wall. When Sabriel's father goes missing, she must leave her the safety of her boarding school to search for him. She is unprepared and a bit of a novice when it comes to magic, but with the help of a few companions, Sabriel must try to stop an evil that threatens both sides of the Wall.

This book is the first in a series, and it very much feels that way. There is a lot of setup and world-building, but it never felt boring or info-dumpy to me. I read this quite quickly for a fantasy book.

Sabriel was the exact kind of main character that I like. She was level-headed and smart, but she wasn't perfect. She did things wrong, and she didn't know how to get out of every bad situation. I also liked Mogget, her magical cat-companion. Mogget was quite the mysterious character - I'm hoping we find out more about him in future books. He was there to help Sabriel, but he was sarcastic and not always helpful. He was asleep for a decent part of the book, actually. Typical cat.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about Touchstone, the male lead and the love interest, just yet. I thought his relationship with Sabriel was a little odd at first, but I grew to like him more as the story went on. Something I wasn't a fan of was the transformation of their friendship into a romance. It felt out of nowhere to me, but that's my biggest complaint about the book.

The villain and all of the dead zombie-like things were satisfyingly creepy and threatening. I don't have too much to say about Sabriel since it's the first book in a series, but I will be picking up the sequel soon. I look forward to seeing how the plot and characters develop.

April Wrap-Up

Trying to be more consistent here! I've missed posting, and it's something that I can do while watching baseball, since it's that time of the year again (go Cubs!).

Crystal Storm by Morgan Rhodes

4/5 Stars

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

4.5/5 Stars

Descent by Jay Bonansinga

3/5 Stars

Cat Stories by James Herriot

4/5 Stars

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

4/5 Stars

Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen

5/5 Stars

Hunted by Meagan Spooner

4.25/5 Stars

Sabriel by Garth Nix

4/5 Stars

The Cat Who Went to Paris by Peter Gethers

3/5 Stars

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

4/5 Stars

Top Five Wednesday: Favorite SFF Cover Art

I think most readers appreciate a nicely-done book cover, and science fiction and fantasy books tend to have some of the most appealing covers out there. I know this post is a couple days late, but I thought it would be an easy one to get me back into blogging again. Here are five of my favorite SFF covers! Top Five Wednesday is run by Sam from Thoughts on Tomes. If you are interested in participating, here is the Goodreads page with all of the topics.

1. Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey

I have yet to start this series, although I plan to this summer, but every time I see this book on my shelf it catches my attention. The bright fuchsia title and the clean lettering are bold and sharp, and the background image is so deliciously science fiction-y that I can't help but love it. 

2. Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

I, like pretty much everyone else, love all the covers in this trilogy, but the second book's cover is my favorite. There's just something I like about the yellow and blue contrast. This series has covers that reflect the story, too, which I appreciate; the illustrations depict places the characters visit, and the flipped images convey the idea of parallel universes. I originally bought this series because of the covers (plus I liked some of Claudia Gray's other books), but honestly it's become one of my favorite trilogies.

3. The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Again, this entire series has gorgeous covers, but the fourth book has my vote for best cover. I love the softness of the brush strokes, and the colors are just so pleasing to look at. It gives off a feeling of ethereal mystery, which is precisely the vibe of the book.

4. A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi
I have yet to read The Star-Touched Queen (also a gorgeous cover) or this book yet, but they are high on my TBR list. I love this cover mostly because of the colors; that deep green is one of my favorite colors ever. I also really like the shooting stars and the delicate border, as well as the fact that this book is a bit shiny.

5. Reawakened by Colleen Houck
This image does not do this book justice. It's got one of those almost velvety covers. The tiny details are more noticeable, and parts of it are shimmery. This is one of my favorite book covers of all time, but unfortunately, I didn't like the content all that much. I quit this book a few days ago after reading half of it.