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Cleo's mother is coming home!

She couldn't be more excited about it but upon her arrival, Cleo learns this isn't the mother she remembers.

Are they too different to get along now?

Like with the other diaries in this series there's a big focus on family and friends. Learning how to navigate and balance relationships.

Cleo is really known for putting on a confident mask-she is the school's queen bee- but reading this book you really get inside her head and see what goes on in there.

Again, zero complaints about this book!

Edit: actually, I disliked that this marked the end of the OG Monster High
  
Owl Be Home for Christmas
Owl Be Home for Christmas
Donna Andrews | 2019 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
White Christmas? Check! But Will Snow and a Killer Keep Meg from Being Home for Christmas?
It’s a few days before Christmas and Meg Langslow and much of her family are at the Caerphilly Inn for Owl Fest 2019, a conference being put on by Meg’s grandfather. Unfortunately, the worst winter storm in decades has also decided to visit, trapping the attendees in the hotel and possibly keeping them from going home for Christmas. As the snow continues to fall, tempers continue to rise. Owls are not without their controversy, but Dr. Frogmore seems to be at the center of much of the arguments breaking out. No one much likes him, but for some, the problems with him go much deeper. However, when Dr. Frogmore drops dead, Meg’s father suspects that it wasn’t natural causes. Are they trapped at the inn with a killer? Can Meg figure out what is really happening before the snow ends so the conference attendees fly home?

This novel uses a classic mystery trope – everyone trapped someplace with a killer. I’m a little disappointed since it’s been used twice in a row in the series now, and the result was me beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic while I was reading. The mystery itself was solid. It’s obvious early on who the victim will be, and we learn about motives and suspects even before he drops dead. The further complications after the murder takes place kept me guessing until the end. As much as I enjoy spending time with Meg’s family, they aren’t as funny as they used to be. The new characters do provide some laughs, but there are some serious issues in the book that dampen some of the humor. All told, this is still a fun entry to the series that will please Meg’s many fans.
  
Republic (The Emperor's Edge, Book 8)
Republic (The Emperor's Edge, Book 8)
Lindsay Buroker | 2014 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I've had this book on my Kindle for a long time now. It was a gift from the author after signing up to her newsletter when she'd first released it, for fans of the Emperor's Edge series. And I was a big fan, steaming through all seven (really long) books, following the adventures of Amaranthe and Sicarius - and begging them to get together!

This one starts a few months after the events of Forged in Blood I & II, following just Amaranthe and Sicarius as they travel to a tropical island in a submarine, only things aren't as drama free as they were hoping and they get chased by the islanders after being recognised from a wanted poster of Sicarius. They quickly come up with one of their famous spur-of-the-moment plans and manage to evade them all and escape back to their submarine. Once back on board they get a summons from the newly appointed leader so they head home.

Back home, a giant carnivorous plant has started to grow in the cities harbour and is causing mayhem, growing rapidly and seeming to have a mind of its own. It doesn't like being cut, releasing a black mist with horrible consequences. Also back home, we meet up with old friends like Sespian and Maldynado and it feels like old times with the gang back together.

It was quite easy falling back into this series, though admittedly I couldn't remember half the cast apart from Amaranthe and her gang.

One thing I had forgotten about this was the use of unusual words to replace more boring ones such as 'verisimilitude' instead of...inspection, I guess is its easiest translation? It's a good job my Kindle has a built in dictionary or I'd have been stumped reading half of this book.
  
Let me preface my review by saying that this book has very defined themes that really hit home for me. Things like: Friendship, trial, sacrifice, perseverance, study and reward, defined magic rules, war / training themes, rich history, and how love and grit will get you through tough times. Some of those themes are prevalent in books like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or even things like Mistborn, etc. If you enjoyed those series, you may enjoy this series as well. For me, those themes really resonate with me, and this book is no exception.

I’d like to recommend that you read Arcane – The Arinthian Line Series (Books 1 -5) first. Really, so much is set up before this book that you can’t just jump in blindly now. If you read those books and loved them, then KEEP READING: it just keeps getting more and more awesome. I love these books, and this book in the series just continues to help solidify my feeling that this has got to be one of the best book series I have ever read.

There are many ups and downs in this book. The author does a great job of making you feel like there is no hope, that all is lost, and that there’s no way they can ever get out of what they’re up against. I can’t say too much other than this: the few wins that there are do really hit hard on you: you just FEEL so much for the character’s vindication and justice that everything was worth it.

There were definitely some slow scenes and definitely some exciting scenes. There was rich history woven in a tapestry of friendship and growth and pain. Although the story might slow here and there, I felt it was very cohesive and realistic, and couldn’t find any gaps or issues with it. I felt that the character’s development (emotionally and otherwise) was so satisfying and raw. I love the villains and I love the heroes and everyone in between.

Honestly it’s been awhile since the last book, and since the first 5 books in the series, so I kinda forgot a few of the side characters, but I quickly was able to jump back in, and nothing weird about any side characters ever was enough of an issue to keep me from being engaged in the story.

Sever, keep up the good work. To me, this book and this whole series is the most under-rated gem of the 21st century. (Insert meme of me at a table with a sign that says just that, and underneath says “change my mind”. But then those words “Change my mind” are crossed out as you’ll never be able to do so!)

I hope that there is only 1 more book in this particular series as I think that would be a great way to end things, but realistically I plan on reading ANY book that Sever puts out at this point. It’s just so great that these books, while good for teens, can also hit home for adults as well. Also, as one who is mindful of content, this book is generally between PG & PG-13 rated, mainly due to fighting, and so I’m glad to be able to enjoy quality literature that’s NOT R-rated. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Sever.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review, and I recommend buying this book for an honest-to-goodness great experience.