I’m having a bit of a weird time with reading at the moment. I’m way ahead on my reading challenge but I’m no longer over a month ahead with reviews. The majority of reviews I posted this month were written not long before they were posted and I’m not sure how that has happened. Hopefully I can focus on some shorter reads during May and get ahead again.
Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah
This is a slight random pick as I don’t really know anything about it other than the audiobook is available for ‘free’ with Audible Plus. I’ve been on a real audiobook high so far this year and honestly, I’m loving it. I don’t think I’ve ever been so ahead on my reading challenge this early in the year before. I have audiobooks to thank for that. I basically spend any time I’m doing housework listening to books. It’s great.
I’ve also just found out this is a debut so I’m excited to check it out.
Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Koral and her older brother Emrik risk their lives each day to capture the monstrous maristags that live in the black seas around their island. They have to, or else their family will starve.
In an oceanic world swarming with vicious beasts, the Landers―the ruling elite, have indentured Koral’s family to provide the maristags for the Glory Race, a deadly chariot tournament reserved for the upper class. The winning contender receives gold and glory. The others―if they’re lucky―survive.
When the last maristag of the year escapes and Koral has no new maristag to sell, her family’s financial situation takes a turn for the worse and they can’t afford medicine for her chronically ill little sister. Koral’s only choice is to do what no one in the world has ever dared: cheat her way into the Glory Race.
But every step of the way is unpredictable as Koral races against contenders―including her ex-boyfriend―who have trained for this their whole lives and who have no intention of letting a low-caste girl steal their glory. When a rebellion rises and rogues attack Koral to try and force her to drop out, she must choose―her life or her sister’s―before the whole island burns.
She grew up battling the monsters that live in the black seas, but it couldn’t prepare her to face the cunning cruelty of the ruling elite.
Dear Calista by Danielle Keil
I’ve decided to continue this ‘series’ in May as I really need some nice, quick reads. I’ve been having a pretty bad time with reading lately and I know any book in this series will help cheer me up.
The last book I read in this ‘series’ was probably my favourite so far so I’m hoping this one will be just as good. It seems like this one has a girl that’s not so keen on playing the game so I’m very interested to see what will happen.
Synopsis: Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.
The first day of August is Calista Forrester’s seventeenth birthday. Her teal envelope showed up among the gifts at a surprise party.
A party she didn’t want. Just like how she doesn’t want a Secret Admirer.
Panged with guilt, and stuck with a dead phone battery, she accepts the challenge by default.
Her clues come in the form of tickets to different places, each with a task to complete while she’s there. It’s an introvert’s worst nightmare, but at least she’s allowed to bring a friend along.
When school starts, Calista is shoved into the spotlight as the chosen girl. That’s when she decides enough is enough.
Will Calista’s decision impact more than just her?
And will her secret admirer let her give up that easily?
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