Paragraph Review: Tunnel of Bones (Victoria Schwab)

Title: Tunnel of Bones

Series: Cassidy Blake, Book 2

Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Scholastic
US Release Date: September 3, 2019
Genre: Middle Grade Paranormal Thriller
Content Rating: Teen (scary and near-death situations, briefly disturbing ghosts)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Indiebound | B&N | BookDepo | Azon
Summary:

Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual.

She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass's parents are filming their TV show about the world's most haunted cities. Sure, it's fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there's true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs.

When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter -- and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger.

And if Cass fails, the force she's unleashed could haunt the city forever.

*          *          *

Series: This is the second book in the Cassidy Blake series. As of October 2020 there are two released books, with a third to release March 2021. You can read my review of Book 1, City of Ghosts, here.

Young ghost-hunter Cassidy Blake returns for another chilling adventure in Tunnel of Bones, the second installment in the Middle Grade paranormal thriller series. This time she, her ghostly best friend, her paranormal investigator parents, and their cat visit Paris, France, a city of light and life aboveground but tunneled with darkness and bones beneath. While taking us on a brief but engaging tour of the city's more ghostly locales, Cassidy accidentally attracts the attention of a young poltergeist and is forced to quickly seek out his long-lost story to send him on and save Paris from his menace and mayhem. Along the way she makes curious new acquaintances, finally learns about Jacob's deadly (and mysteriously intriguing) past, and catches a glimpse of the creepy future that no doubt awaits her in the next book. As with City of Ghosts it was overall a quick and engrossing read with a spooky setting and entertaining story that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I'm so eager for Book 3, Bridge of Souls, that I may just resign myself to reading the hardcover (a great compliment indeed).  

Scribble Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

The Archived by Victoria Schwab
Shutter by Courtney Alameda
The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot

Paragraph Review: City of Ghosts (Victoria Schwab)

Title: City of Ghosts
Series: Cassidy Blake, Book 1
Author: Victoria Schwab
Publisher: Scholastic
US Release Date: August 28, 2018
Genre: Middle Grade Paranormal Thriller
Content Rating: Middle Grade (frightening images and situations involving ghosts)
Format Read: Paperback
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Indiebound | B&N | BookDepo | Azon
Summary:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Schwab comes a sweeping, spooky, evocative adventure, perfect for fans of Stranger Things.

Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.

So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger.

When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift," she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil -- and herself.

And she'll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

*          *          *

Series: This is the first book in the Cassidy Blake series. Two books are presently available, with a third currently scheduled to release March 2021.

City of Ghosts is a spirited middle-grade paranormal thriller with a brisk pace, atmospheric setting, and compelling story. The writing style is brief but engaging with light banter and simple description, the haunted Edinburgh toured succinctly with interesting historical tidbits. The ghostly aspects were pretty canon but for a few unique exceptions, and although there were many frightening moments the horror was quick and light-handed. Cassidy was a good balance of childish bravery and naivete, her actions both bold and foolish and therefore realistic for her age without crossing the line into frustrating stupidity. Sidekick Jacob was a favorite with his playfulness and voice of reason, and the mystery of his power and death are the driving force behind my eagerness to soon continue the series with the next book, Tunnel of Bones. If you enjoy fast-paced ghost-hunting stories set in historical locations then I highly recommend City of Ghosts for a thrilling and chilling read.

For Fans Of: ghost stories

Scribble Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

The Archived by Victoria Schwab
Shutter by Courtney Alameda
The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot

Review: Reticence (Gail Carriger)

Title: Reticence
Series: The Custard Protocol, Book 4
Author: Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Genre: New Adult Alternate Historical Paranormal Steampunk Romance
Told: Third Person Multiple, Past Tense
Content Rating: Adult (violence, innuendo, sensuality)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Azon | B&N | Indiebound | BookDepo
Summary:

Bookish and proper Percival Tunstell finds himself out of his depth when floating cities, spirited plumbing, and soggy biscuits collide in this delightful conclusion to NYT bestselling author Gail Carriger's Custard Protocol series.

Percival Tunstell loves that his sister and her best friend are building themselves a family of misfits aboard their airship, the Spotted Custard. Of course, he'd never admit that he belongs among them. He's always been on the outside - dispassionate, aloof, and hatless. But accidental spies, a trip to Japan, and one smart and beautiful doctor may have him renegotiating his whole philosophy on life.

Except hats. He's done with hats. Thank you very much.

*          *          *

Series: This is the fourth and final book in The Custard Protocol series. Although they feature different point of view characters, the books follow the crew of the Spotted Custard and their consecutive adventures and really must be read in order. You can read my review of Book 3, Competence, here. This is also one of many series set in Gail Carriger's Parasolverse, the scope of which you can check out here.

After attending a shotgun wedding in London and catching up with respective (and disrespective) relations, the Spotted Custard is sent to Japan to (naturally) investigate a new rumored shifter and rescue a missing intelligencer. Parachutes, communal bathing, and broken custard ensue, along with an inevitable romance for eligible bachelor Percy and newest crewmember and resident doctor, Arsenic.

Gail's signature wit and playful style make for another delightful read that I quickly devoured and thoroughly enjoyed with laughter and wonder. The romantically addlepated Percy was absolutely adorkable as he navigated the exasperations of love, and it was interesting to view the paranormal elements from Doctor Arsenic's clinical perspective. Their courtship was also somewhat clinical but perfectly fit the couple and was extremely amusing.

I was thoroughly chuffed to visit beloved country Japan, and with its special shifters and exotic setting it did not disappoint. The new paranormal discoveries and discussions did get rather too technical and complicated for simple me to fully follow, but Gail showcased just how thoroughly she has thought out her historically fantastical universe and the little I did understand was most intriguing. A surprise third point of view added a very unique take on the shenanigans (I don't want to spoil the surprise, but it's a familiar face and favorite flyer) and was highly entertaining to observe so closely.

The end had its share of smiles and sniffles but was ultimately uplifting as always as the crew continues their adventures off-page. Although the series nicely wrapped I was definitely left wanting more, and I shall never give up hope that Gail someday gives in to popular demand for The Further Adventures of the Custard Protocol.

Conclusion: A thoroughly delightful read that was even better than expected, and I expected to be thoroughly delighted! Percy was adorkable, Arsenic gave Sophronia a run for her money as my favorite Parasolverse female, and the surprise third POV was such fun. If you enjoy reads by Gail then this novel cannot be missed, if only for the dozen or more catch-up cameos of previous Parasolverse characters.

Scribble Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles

Series Conclusion: While the Finishing School series remains my favorite of the Parasolverse, the Spotted Custard crew of delightful eccentrics is my favorite team. With Custard's globetrotting adventures and supernatural discoveries I enjoyed learning more about world history through a fantastical lens, and although it could get a little too intellectual at times for simple me the new supernaturals were fun and interesting. I can't wait to see what Gail's vast imagination creates next!

Series Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Manga Review: Pearl Pink Series (Meca Tanaka)

Title: Pearl Pink
Author: Meca Tanaka
Volumes Reviewed: 4 (complete)
Publisher: Tokyopop
Release Date: January 7, 2007 - January 8, 2008
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Content Rating: Teen (some brief sensuality, rambunctious behavior)
Format Read: Paperback (own)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase*: Azon | B&N | RightStuf
Summary for Volume 1:

Buckle up and get ready for a bumpy ride down the road to true love!

When the sweet, bubbly, and somewhat clumsy Tamako sets her sights on the ever-so-serious Kanji, it's more than a struggle to get the romance to spark. But the challenge becomes even tougher- Tamako's mom is the top-money maker at the talent agency run by Kanji's dad! Tamako must conceal her identity to protect her mom's secret, but she's determined to become the perfect "pearl-of-a-woman" and nab the man of her dream...

*          *          *

Pearl Pink is a four-volume contemporary rom-com series about a rambunctious girl who becomes an actress to win the heart of the agent boy she loves. At just four volumes the story only covers her start on the road to stardom and how they fall in love, but it's a sweet, humorous romance with an interesting peek into the Japanese entertainment industry. As one of Meca Tanaka's earlier works (she's better known in the US for Meteor Prince and The Young Master's Revenge) the art can be a little sketchy at times, but the playful action is fun and her character expressions are strong. Overall it's a cute, quick story of love, family, and determination with a charming romance, energetic characters, and an adorable if plot-pointless monkey mascot. Definitely recommend for rom-com readers and Skip*Beat! fans.

Bonus Stories: Volume 2 includes two bonus one-shots. "Destined Lovers" is a cute short about a small girl and a large boy who fall in love and the problems that naturally ensue. "Diamond Half" is, according to the author, about the characters Tamako and Kanji are based on, and is a sweet story of family and how love can change as it ages.

*Purchase Note: While technically out of print, as of July 2019 you can still purchase volumes from Amazon, Barnes & Noble Marketplace, and RightStuf - links all at top.

For Fans Of: Skip*Beat!

Scribble Rating: 

3.5 of 5 Scribbles

Other Reviews That Might Interest: 

The Young Master's Revenge by Meca Tanaka

Paragraph Review: Crudrat (Gail Carriger)

Title: Crudrat
Series: The Tinkered Stars, Book 1
Author: Gail Carriger
Publisher: AWP
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Told: Third Person, Past Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (violence, fighting, brief torture, short discussion of sexual anatomy)
Format Read: Hardcover (gift)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase: Audiobook
Summary:

The Progenitors of The Wheel live high up above the sky, amongst the stars, removed from the petty concerns of mere mortals. Each one designed, engineered, perfect; their imperfect children get left to die.

Ghosts. Cyphers. They do not exist. A lucky few, the Crudrats, scrape out a perilous living cleaning the toxic wastes from the great machines that power the station.

Meet Maura. Cypher. Crudrat. Grown too tall, alone in a spaceport with no use for her, doomed to starve. With only her crud-eating murmel and an alien monster to help her, she must find a way to survive, or escape, before they catch her and blow what’s left of her life, and her companions, into space.

From the mind of Gail Carriger, ArtisticWhispers Productions presents a young-adult adventure tale that brings golden age-style science fiction into the 21st century, stuffs it full of heart, and gives it a finely polished, gleaming edge.

*          *          *

A unique and interesting teen sci-fi read with an engaging story and diverse cast. The broken English writing style took a bit to (mostly) get used to, but it made for a different kind of read and this one came to rather enjoy it, for the most part (all the typos in the print version were painful, though T-T). The intriguing worlds weren't quite as fleshed out as I would've liked, but the lack of details created a very immersive and unpredictable environment that kept me guessing. I absolutely adored Maura - no matter how others thought of her and treated her or tried to fit her into a mold, she was always just herself and totally at ease with who she was. While this book wrapped up the story nicely, it was definitely open-ended for a sequel and this one would definitely be interested in continuing Maura and Fuzzy's story in another book!

Possibly recommended for fans of: The Last Book in the Universe; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Paragraph Review: Competence (Gail Carriger)

Title: Competence
Series: The Custard Protocol, Book 3
Author: Gail Carriger
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: July 17, 2018
Genre: New Adult Alternate Historical Paranormal Steampunk Romance
Told: Third Person Duo (Prim, Percy), Past Tense
Content Rating: Adult (sexuality, violence, werecat mauling, unsettling vampire feeding habits)
Format Read: ARC (publisher)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

Accidentally abandoned!

All alone in Singapore, proper Miss Primrose Tunstell must steal helium to save her airship, the Spotted Custard, in a scheme involving a lovesick werecat and a fake fish tail.

When she uncovers rumors of a new kind of vampire, Prim and the Custard crew embark on a mission to Peru. There, they encounter airship pirates and strange atmospheric phenomena, and are mistaken for representatives of the Spanish Inquisition. Forced into extreme subterfuge (and some rather ridiculous outfits) Prim must also answer three of life's most challenging questions:

Can the perfect book club give a man back his soul?
Will her brother ever stop wearing his idiotic velvet fez?
And can the amount of lard in Christmas pudding save an entire species?

*          *          *

Review copy provided by publisher - thank you, Orbit!!

Series Note: This is the 3rd book in The Custard Protocol Series, but the first from Prim & Percy's POV (Books 1 & 2 are from Rue's POV). This is also one of many series set in Gail Carriger's Parasolverse, the scope of which you can check out here.

A playful and witty adventure from Prim & Percy's point of view that was a pure delight of a read and my favorite of the series so far! While another vampire race is discovered (unnerving but fascinating), most of the book follows the Spotted Custard's general floating adventures exploring the natural and supernatural world as Primrose comes to terms with her sexual preferences. There were a few bits of customary series sexuality (lesbian this time) that had asexual me blushing fiercely, but Tash's possessiveness was adorable. The ending was even more of a delight than the entire read (seemingly impossible but somehow Lady Gail pulled it off) and, given the promises for next book Reticence I am most eagerly anticipating The Custard Protocol's final installment!

Scribble Rating: 

4.5 of 5 Scribbles

Paragraph Review: Geekerella (Ashley Poston)

Title: Geekerella
Series: standalone
Author: Ashley Poston
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: April 4, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Told: First Person (Elle, Darien), Present Tense
Content Rating: Teen (some language, kissing)
Format Read: Hardcover (publisher)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale.

Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad's old costume), Elle's determined to win unless her stepsisters get there first. 

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons before he was famous. Now they re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he's ever wanted, but the Starfieldfandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom."

*          *          *

Review copy provided by publisher for an honest review. Thank you, Quirk Books!

In a Sentence: A fun and fannish Cinderella retelling with great characters and a sweet romance that no geek should miss.

If you're a geek who enjoys retellings, then you are in for a treat with Geekerella! Partially set at a sci-fi convention and fully focused on fandom, this is a playful reboot about embracing who you are and knowing that you are never alone - especially if you're a geek. With a lighthearted style that still wasn't afraid to get emotional (I teared up a few times), I enjoyed following the story from both Elle and Darien's distinct and quirky point of views as, by way of hasty judgments and bad decisions they nonetheless found their footing and found each other. Elle could be just a bit too dense for me considering her hard-knock life upbringing, but Darien was pure gold with his outside actor facade and inside fanboy. Their "happily ever after" romance was sweet and realistic as they didn't fall for each other right away (always a plus with me), instead slowly getting to know each other through witty texts that were the book's highlight. While I never enjoy the darker Cinderella moments in any retelling, I did thoroughly enjoy Geekerella's modern twists on the classic story (the fairy godmother, the pumpkin carriage) as well as the diverse differences like Cal. Granted the book did have a few minor faults (the plot tended to drive Elle more than her actions drove it, and the voices blended near the end), but overall this was a great story of self-discovery and sci-fi conventions that shouldn't be missed.

Conclusion: While I'm not much for Cinderella angst, I really enjoyed this retelling with its modern twists and focus on fandom culture. Although Elle was a little too insecure for me at times, Darien was adorable and their fairytale ending was sweet. I highly recommend Geekerella for geeks everywhere!

For Fans Of: Cinderella retellings, geek culture

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

Paragraph Review: Duels & Deception (Cindy Anstey) | #famous (Jilly Gagnon)

Title: Duels & Deception
Series: standalone
Author: Cindy Anstey
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Release Date: April 11, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Mystery Romance
Told: Third Person Omniscient, Past Tense
Content Rating: Teen (kidnapping, misadventure, kissing)
Format Read: ARC (trade)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

Miss Lydia Whitfield, heiress to the family fortune, has her future entirely planned out. She will run the family estate until she marries the man of her late father's choosing, and then she will spend the rest of her days as a devoted wife. Confident in those arrangements, Lydia has tasked her young law clerk, Mr. Robert Newton, to begin drawing up the marriage contracts. Everything is going according to plan.

Until Lydia—and Robert along with her—is kidnapped. Someone is after her fortune and won't hesitate to destroy her reputation to get it. With Robert's help, Lydia strives to keep her family's good name intact and expose whoever is behind the devious plot. But as their investigation delves deeper and their affections for each other grow, Lydia starts to wonder whether her carefully planned future is in fact what she truly wants…

*          *          *

In a Sentence: A lighthearted Austen-esque mystery romance with entertaining characters and an engaging whodunit.

Duels & Deception was an easy and enjoyable read with writing reminiscent of Jane Austen's gentle yet playful tone that makes even the most mild of subjects engrossing. Although it could get a little too quiet on occasion such is the way with these kinds of stories, and the sedate times made the exciting moments all the more thrilling. The main mystery had me guessing at every turn, although I was all but certain of the correct culprit about halfway through. Several vocal gasps and giggles were easily elicited throughout, and I was grinning broadly by the end. The romance was sweet and perfectly proper, and the characters all unique and engaging from the main players to the villainous henchmen. Overall a pleasant read that I highly recommend for Austen fans, and I look forward to reading more by Anstey soon.

For fans of: Jane Austen

Scribble Rating: 

4 of 5 Scribbles

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Title: #famous
Series: standalone
Author: Jilly Gagnon
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)
Release Date: February 14, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Told: First Person (Rachel & Kyle), Past Tense
Content Rating: Older Teen (innuendo, language, bullying, minor sensuality)
Format Read: ARC (trade)
Find On: Goodreads
Purchase On: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Summary:

Debut author Jilly Gagnon bursts onto the scene with a story equal parts bite and romance, perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Jennifer E. Smith, about falling for someone in front of everyone. 

In this modern day love story: Girl likes boy. Girl snaps photo and posts it online. Boy becomes insta-famous. And what starts out as an innocent photo turns into a whirlwind adventure that forces them both to question whether fame—and love—are worth the price…and changes both of their lives forever.

Told from alternating points of view, #famous captures the sometimes-crazy thrill ride of social media and the equally messy but wonderful moments of liking someone in real life.

*          *          *

In a Sentence: A cliche and somewhat dispiriting #awkward contemporary romance about unexpected fame, bullying, and self-realization that was not the mood lifter I anticipated.

With its adorable cover and "modern day love story" premise I expected a lighthearted romance about finding love through a brush with fame. What I got, however, was an #awkward romance I could barely read due to a lot of cringing, eye-rolling, and sighing over misinterpretations, false assumptions, and the fact that I did not think the two made a good couple. About two-thirds through I did eventually come to understand why they felt they were attracted to each other, but in my opinion while they would make really good friends, they would not make long-lasting romantic partners. As far as the fame aspect, it was a somewhat dispiriting tale of expectations, self-realization, and for me badly handled bullying that soured the story. Thankfully it was a very quick read, and despite an overused misunderstanding of a resolution, the end was sweet and full of promise for the characters' futures. Overall #famous was not the fluffy love story I'd been looking forward to, but if you enjoy more drama in your contemporary romances then perhaps give it a try. 

Recommend if you liked: Broken Hearts, Fences, & Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn

Scribble Rating: 

2.5 of 5 Scribbles