baknata's reviews
110 reviews

This book was so enrapturing. The world that Harrow creates is complex and exciting. There were many points where a new element was introduced and I was completely caught off guard. January is a girl who was raised by a wealthy man, Mr. Locke, who employs her father to find rare treasures. This book covers a good part of her life and her discovery of the doors to other worlds. When her father goes missing, her adventure begins as she attempts to find him. Her journey through worlds and finding out about her father is one of many trials. She is accompanied by her protective dog Sinbad, Bad. Given to her by a childhood friend Samuel, Bad is her one companion in the Locke house, until her father hires Jane to be her companion. I loved the way that January evolved throughout the story. She discovered who she was and took back the power taken from her by those in her life who just saw her as a dark-skinned girl. Her story had adventure, mystery, and romance, but it all centered around January finding out who she was and who she wanted to be. This was a dynamic story that had well-developed, complex characters. I love Harrow's writing style and can't wait to read more of her work. 

This book seemed like it was my vibe from the description but it really wasn't for me. No hate I just couldn't get in to it. I was just bored and didn't feel like the book had any stakes to really develop an overarching plot that would keep me engaged. I enjoyed the premise/magic system but that was about it, and it wasn't explained as much as I would have liked.

I really liked this adorable story. As a fan of the sleeping beauty story, I think this adaptation was a great homage. The main character, Zinnia, was a great take on our sleeping beauty. Not that I've experienced anything like what she has, but her backstory of being terminally ill felt authentic and interesting. I loved her relationships with the people in around her. She was a realistic twenty one year old, and I enjoyed her characterization. I also really liked the message of the book. It was a little cheesy, but in a good way. This was overall a fun, heartwarming book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick read. 

I really liked the concept of this book and I think overall it was a worthwhile read. To start with the negatives, I didn't love the characters. There were three main narrators and while this was a great way to tell the story, these characters were a little annoying. This was probably a personal issue, but like every adult female character was super passionate about being pregnant and having children. And while having children isn't a bad goal, when it is every female character, it gets a little frustrating. The modern narrator, Caroline, was not my favorite. I really liked some parts of her character, like her passion for history, but her relationship with her husband was so difficult to connect with. It was a really realistic portrayal, but not an experience I could relate to. She let go of her own goals and ambitions for the sake of her relationship, which happens a lot but is something I cannot wrap my head around. I guess it wasn't a point of view written for someone like me, which isn't the fault of the author. I liked the jumps between time, and the way that this type of narration is able to reveal things in a dynamic way. I think that Nella, the apothecary, was a disappointing character. Sometimes you just want a character to kill bad people without literally dying of guilt, but Nella was more of a realistic portrayal of the way that someone might be affected by these circumstances. Once again, annoying that she was so overtaken by her inability to have a child. While hers is more understandable as she suffered a tragedy and was dealing with the post traumatic stress that accumponies such an event, I wish that her life was less intrenched with the men around her. I liked Eliza, the young girl who makes a connection with Nella. She was a hopeful and curious character who managed to make an important impact in the story even with the lack of understanding she had due to being a child and being pushed asside by the adults in her life.
I had a moment towards about 3/4 of the way into the book where I couldn't wait for it to be over. The characters were acting afool and I was so done with their shenanigans. As it got towards the end, it got better and I enjoyed the end overall. Like I said, the time jumps serve a great purpose in the story telling. It allows us  to learn about the events of the past both with the narration of those characters and through the research of Caroline. I liked the mystery of the story as well and I think it played out in a satisfying way. 
Overall, this book would be a great read, for someone other than me. 

This was a required reading my freshman year of college, I have never liked a required reading more. As someone going into the criminal justice field, I have done a lot of research on various parts of it. This book provided a totally different lens. It was heartbreaking reading the stories of these people who were being mistreated solely on the grounds of their skin color. There is so much wrong with the idea of a death sentence, and reading the stories of those on death row only solidified my disdain for it. The wonderful part of this book is that it also is telling the story of Bryan Stevenson, who is using his position to help these people. He is reaching those who are mistreated and forgotten and helping as much as he can. There are so many inspiring stories in this book, which helps with those that don't have such hopeful endings. This book gives a full picture look at the problems these people are facing and doesn't sugarcoat what's going on. Part of me wants to say that this book isn't for everyone, because of some of the graphic stories that occur, but really it is for everyone. These things are really happening in our country, and ignoring the problems because they are gory isn't going to stop them from happening or help those who are victims of a terrible system. Everyone needs to hear these stories and then take a good hard look at what kind of country they want to live in and what exactly they can do to make it that way. Overall, I think this is one of the most powerful books I've read and would recommend it. 

I was explaining the premise of this book to a friend, and I'm not going to lie, it sounded super cheesy. I think that's one of the best parts of this book, it takes you by surprise. It seems like it's going to be another cheesy rom-com (not that there's anything wrong with that, romcoms slap), but it is really an evocative story about a woman in an awful situation learning how to be a person again. January is a wonderful main character. She is questioning a lot about her life and her beliefs, but throughout it all, she still feels like a solid and consistent character. I loved the way that the comedy of this book was layered into the more serious plot. I think the romance folded into the story beautifully. I loved that finding Gus didn't "fix" January or the problems in her life. While it helped her find joy and hope in love, it was only through her own confrontation with her father's actions and accepting her feelings about him that she was able to begin the healing process. I think the plot developed in a really satisfying way as well. The pacing of the story was steady. I don't usually like a slow-burn romance, but this one didn't feel like we were just waiting for them to get together already. There was plenty of tension without the frustration. The obstacles preventing the furthering of the romance weren't trivial, they felt like real issues that would stop people from moving forward with a serious relationship. This was also helped by the main focus being on January's growth and acceptance of her situation, and the secondary focus being the relationship. Overall, this was the kind of book I think anyone would enjoy which told a comforting and inspiring story. 

Naomi Novak owes me an apology after the cliffhanger she left me on at the end of this book. 
This book went above and beyond for me. I really enjoyed A Deadly Education, and had high hopes for the sequel. I loved the way that Galdriel's character grew over this book. In the first book, she had to go through a lot in order to begin to accept others and figure out what she really wanted. This one allowed her to really come into her own. Not to mention, her relationships with those around her grew in such a beautiful way. The way her character changed as her friendships did was really natural and enjoyable to read. 
Novak also did a great job creating a realistic conflict in this book. At the end of the first book, there seems to be a distinct resolution to the main conflict of the series, which left the question of what would the conflict be for El and her classmates in this book. It is a narrow line between no conflict and unrealistic conflict, and Novak did a wonderful job walking it. The conflict also built well over the course of the book. It evolves throughout, creating the rising action without becoming stagnant. 
I loved the character development in this book and the way we were able to learn more about the side characters. These characters are so dynamic and each has a unique and interesting backstory, which makes it so interesting to get more of that. We also got to learn more about the magic system and the world. This isn't for everyone, as it is lore heavy and can drag for some. I, however, loved getting to know the universe and the way that the magical society was built. 
Overall, I loved this sequel and am beyond excited for the next book!!

I really enjoyed this book. It was like a love letter to nature and the science of the seasons. The way that the magic system was set up was unique and highly enjoyable. It wasn't hard at all to understand the magic system, as it was highly tied to weather and seasons. The main character, Cara, is complicated. By that I mean she isn't terrible, but she wasn't entirely likable either. She tended to backslide a lot with her character development, which was a little frustrating. It was difficult to dislike her though because her behavior could be explained by the trauma she faced in her childhood. The side characters in this book are really what makes it for me. Her love interest, Sang, was a phenomenal character. He was a full character who wasn't just there to dote on our main character. While he was completely enamored with Cara, he didn't pull punches with her. When she did self-destructive or stupid things, he didn't just let it slide or get overly upset. I also really liked Paige, her ex. I loved the way that the relationship between her and Cara healed over the course of the book and how we got to learn more about Paige as the story went on. She ended up being a great character. The plot of this story is pretty predictable, so it isn't for everybody. It's easy to see where the story is going, but it is still a nice, comforting story. This book made me want to be out in nature and really shows the beauty of each season. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves nature and is looking for a comforting story. 

I always thought I wasn't a short story kind of person but this book is making me think otherwise. These stories were all so easy to get into, they got right down to the interesting part. I loved the characters and how each one was unique and even those with similar stories each had their own specific elements that gave them their special twist. The premise was really compelling and served as a great backdrop to these stories. I am a sucker for a happy ending and having so many in one book was really uplifting. Each story made me grin and laugh and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. A phenomenal job by some amazing authors, highly recommend.