Book Review: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

The New Jim Crow

Michelle Alexander

5/5

I think that I speak for many Americans when I say that it's been difficult to find any "national pride" within the last few months. The pandemic has really displayed how inadequate our health services are, the information being pushed to the forefront with the BLM Movement has displayed how utterly we have failed our Black community. This book was written over ten years ago, I'm too young to have comprehended it then, but the information was obviously out there and should have been dealt with far before the nation was pushed to revolt during a global pandemic.

This book brings up valuable facts that I feel like a lot of people have been hearing throughout the last couple of months, or the people who are listening at least. With such direct links between the current system of mass incarceration and the previous system of Jim Crow, how can anyone question why people have reached the end of their tolerance? There are no excuses for the way the American government continues to fail these communities, but there's an obvious need for them to address it and work towards moving forward in a positive direction.

I learned a lot from this book and I believe that everyone could learn a lot from this book. I'm the kind of person who wants to learn though, so I don't know how to emphasize this sort of education for the people who are refusing to see a problem. The burden shouldn't fall upon individuals to learn about the horrible realities of the American system, bigger characters need to get involved. I don't know what the solution is, but it's good to have better facts to arm yourself with when you get into debates with your older relatives.

Book Review: Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)

Lady Midnight

Cassandra Clare

5/5

I really thought that Cassandra Clare was going to mix it up and write a book where the main couple were upfront and honest with each other. I suffered through the issues of legality because I was like they're not lying to each other about their feelings at least. Well I was WRONG and Cassandra Clare has once again made me upset. Though in the best of ways because honestly this book hit me so hard.

Emma and Julian are parabatai, a sacred bond of the shadowhunters. There's a major rule to being shadowhunters, you can't fall in love with each other romantically. And oops, Emma and Julian fell in love with each other. It's throwing a major wrench into all of the other life-threatening things that are happening around them and causing a lot of general emotional turmoil. Also, trying not to spoil but I never expected that first romantic scene from Cassandra Clare- it was like BAM five years of build up just attacked them all at once.

I love the features of the other characters in this series- Magnus, Clary, Jem, and Tessa especially. I love the relationship that Emma and Julian have formed with Clary and Jace. I was afraid to read this book because I didn't want to see my favorites all grown up. I said this with Chain of Gold too, and once I had seen how well Cassie did that one I knew I had to read this one. Absolutely no regrets, I thought I wouldn't be able to handle it but seeing them in this new stage of their life is just amazing and gives me so much happiness.

I need these guys to be happy though. Everyone in the story, I know that the Blackthorns have taken up their own spot in the Shadowhunter universe for me now. Same with Christina, though we didn't get enough of her here. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, the only reason I'm glad I held off on reading these was because I get to read them all at once now!

Book Review: Inked (Cirque de la Lune #1)

Inked

Emma Hamm

3/5

I don't know I don't think I liked this one that much, but it was interesting enough for me to finish it in like one sitting. Irene can see ghosts and demons, she was raised in an intensely religious family and they see this as her being possessed and want to exorcise her. She gets guided by a spirit to Cirque de la Lune where she feels safe etc. She meets Booker, he's thoroughly tattooed and has a questionable past. The complete foil to her very pale and "ghostly" appearance and her sheltered upbringing. He vouches for her and promises to give her the ability to perform in the circus.

There was just so much filler narrative that didn't really contribute to the story line here. I know that Booker was supposed to be the dark character, sometimes his narration went way too far and it felt like psychotic rather than just dark. He like was envisioning causing her pain or something at one point, and I nearly DNFed right there. I though the concept of the tattoos and her being a seer was fun but it wasn't really explained at all. Like, ok his tattoos could move but why were hers able to? He said it was like a curse to be passed on but I don't really understand the curse part of it it just felt like magic without boundaries.

Yeah, 3 stars might be a little high thinking back on it but I really liked the magic. I think it just touched on too many tropes and topics that it wasn't quite developed enough to truly represent. Wasn't a totally horrible read, I just think it could have had more depth if it was going to try to go where it did.

Book Review: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)

Clockwork Prince

Cassandra Clare

5/5

I don't know if it's quarantine or just me going crazy, but this series is just hitting me so much harder than it hit in eighth grade. Like, I was seriously obsessed in eighth grade but I don't think the real magnitude of the situation hit me. I've been putting off getting back into Shadowhunters because it seems overly complex and I felt like I had outgrown that. Clearly, I was just doing that thing that happens a lot where I feel pressured to move on from my YA interests and not re-join fandom but I swear I'm about to get back on Tumblr.

If you haven't read this trilogy, I still think it's got a lot more emotional depth than TMI though I probably should re-read that as well. Tessa doesn't know what she is at this point, she's kind of a warlock but not really because she doesn't have a demon mark. All she knows is that she can shapeshift and that there's a crazy man claiming to have created her who is trying to exterminate all of the shadowhunters. The shadowhunters are a society of warriors with angelic blood who are bound to defeating the demons who have made it to our world. At this point, I see this book as so mainstream that you probably don't need a summary but I don't know what else to say.

It's a great read, even seven years after I originally read it. I'd say if you're bored, this is the way to go. The world has a lot of content but don't feel too intimidated by it, I feel like I'm missing a lot of references but I'm still enjoying the story.

Book Review: Mercy (Deridia #1)

Mercy

Catherine Miller

3/5

Set a couple of decades after humans first arrived on a distant planet, the survivors of the crash have been reduced to living in squalor at a camp provided generously by the Arterians. Prim was sick of living in said camp and offered herself as a wife to an Arterian, most laughed at her but Rykkon saw an opportunity. As the village outcast, he would have remained alone for the rest of his life. With Prim, he could have a family.

It had a lot of awkward moments, and I really feel like it could have benefited from Prim's POV. It made her feel like more of a side character rather than the other half of the romance. Rykkon was a cool character, but it was difficult when we were looking at the events only from his limited viewpoint. It was weird because it was supposed to be about both of their quests to fit in somewhere and yet we're only getting his opinion. It also kind of made Prim feel callous, I understand her life was extremely rough but she just felt so unfeeling.

I also felt as though it dragged at times. I really liked the first two hundred pages, it was interesting to see them both acclimating to this new life and I felt like the central themes of belonging resonate outside of science-fiction. Then it got boring and then I felt like nothing was fully resolved, and if it was it was done in the last twenty pages. A fun premise for science-fiction, like Avatar, but not enough world-building.

It just barely hit three stars for me, it had it's sweet moments but could have been better. If I had gotten Prim's POV I think I would have understood things a lot better. As it is, it wasn't deep enough for me to love it.

Book Review: Murder in Chelsea (Gaslight Mystery #15)

Murder in Chelsea

Victoria Thompson

5/5

So good I'm losing my mind! The fifteenth book in the Gaslight Mysteries truly did not disappoint. If you haven't started these books by now, you're really missing out. When someone inquires about Sarah's "adopted" daughter, she's afraid she'll lose her forever because of legalities. Being a widow in the late nineteenth century, she hasn't been allowed to formally adopt Catherine and there are forces trying to pull her away.

I'm so invested in this series it's not even funny. As I've said before, there's really nothing bad about it. The character arcs? Amazing. The romance? Amazing despite it being the slowest burn I've ever encountered in my entire life. The actual murders? Constantly making me question everything as I go. I don't know enough about how each situation would have played out in the time period to know if it's entirely realistic to think there would be quite so many murders in a singular case, but I'm honestly just enjoying the mystery of it all.

But yes, this is the book to read. The other fourteen books? Completely worth it to get to this point because I can't imagine not reading that final scene. I only finished a few minutes ago but I can't imagine what my life would be like without those last few pages. Like I said, if you haven't started this series yet, you're missing out!

Book Review: Murder on Fifth Avenue (Gaslight Mystery #14)

Murder on Fifth Avenue

Victoria Thompson

5/5

Honestly, I'm ruining my review scores with inflation because of how invested I am in this series. If you haven't gotten it by this point, I love these books and I'm in love with the characters. At this point, there's not a lot that could happen that would make me stop reading.

Malloy and Sarah have these character arcs that are really amazing. Thinking about Malloy from the first book is just really unthinkable, he's a completely different person. Sarah isn't as different, but also has had some serious progress. Her parents? Amazing people and both growing exponentially. The best element here was Mr. Decker and Malloy's growing relationship. He didn't prevent Sarah's first marriage, but holding back his acceptance didn't really help much. He genuinely likes Malloy at this point though, despite his status. That's really amazing and I can't wait to see more of it. (That cliffhanger on their conversation really killed me!!)

So I need more and I'm already a fifth of the way into the sequel. The only thing I'm scared of is getting to the end, I can't imagine waiting twenty years for all these reveals. I need more and I don't think I can stop.