You know those books you’re overflowing with love for? This is one of those. Like Home was one of my most a— find this this review and more on my blog
You know those books you’re overflowing with love for? This is one of those. Like Home was one of my most anticipated releases of the month! It’s a story with so much heart, banter, and friendship, and I’m so excited for others to fall in love with this too ...more
Sometimes, you need a soft, fluffy rom-com to cheer you up. And sometimes, you need a dark, twisty thriller to scare the crap out of you. This was oneSometimes, you need a soft, fluffy rom-com to cheer you up. And sometimes, you need a dark, twisty thriller to scare the crap out of you. This was one of the latter.
Ace of Spades follows Chiamaka and Devon, the only Black students who attend the prestigious Niveus Private Academy. But after both are nominated as prefects, their paths begin to tangle as an anonymous force known as Aces makes themself present, bent on not only destroying their senior year, but also on ruining any chance at a future.
I’ve read about five mysteries and thrillers this year so far, which, all things considered, is a lot for me. Ace of Spades is by far the best one. It’s one of those books that, when completed, you can only sit in silence and weakly try to process what you just read, your desire for more tugging at your heart.
This is one of the few times I loved the writing and the characters so much—both are sharp, smart, and brilliantly crafted. The writing isn’t lilting prose or elaborate description, but simplistic and compelling, cutting just as deeply. Àbíké-Íyímídé expertly wields dual points of view to maximize suspense, cleverly jumping from one to the next, ending each character with a brutal cliffhanger, something that left me gasping. Chiamaka and Devon lead very different lives, but I was equally invested in both their stories.
How delicately and detailed white supremacy, classism, and institutionalized racism were portrayed was so heartwrenching and nuanced, and I appreciate how the author doesn’t shy away from the suffering injustice brings.
This review doesn’t even come close to doing this book justice, not with the way it explores relevant themes that appealed to me and had me losing my mind a little bit, and certainly not with its haunting social commentary that will linger in my mind for months to come. This is truly a book I won’t forget, and I can’t recommend it enough....more
i say that i don't cry easily, but that is an absolute lie. and me reading books like this PROVES IT.
"Don't...take time for granted. You have all
i say that i don't cry easily, but that is an absolute lie. and me reading books like this PROVES IT.
"Don't...take time for granted. You have all this freedom and opportunity and people around who love you. Make sure you use the time you have to love them back."
the plot, the banter, the characters--every single thing about this book broke my heart and then sewed the pieces together again.
this is the exact opposite of a fluffy story, but i loved it so much and i'm just SCREAMING. i can actually feel emotions. what a surprise.
the cast of characters in this is one of my favorites. EVER. there's: ✨ james - who battles the memories of his past ✨ tomas - who proudly triumphed over his addiction ✨ blake - who loves because he knows people need it, even though they don't show it ✨ shannon - who understands so deeply and is so compassionate towards others ✨ alexandria - who learns to cope with her loss and open up her heart ✨ ryann - who fiercely cares for those she loves, while being unapologetically herself
"You looked like... the whole world was built just so that you could walk on it. Who could look away from that? Who would want to?"
ryann and alexandria's romance was one of the best i've seen. they're figuring out who they are, one step at a time, while dealing with their own traumas they carry deep down inside. from the beginning, there was so much chemistry between them, but they're unsure of themselves and hesitant to open up to each other. but in the end, they don't give in to their fears. they fight their traumas instead.
"Love is not about holding people where you want them. It is about doing what's best for them because you need them to be okay."
i absolutely loved everything about this book. i will read anything k. ancrum writes and that is a FACT.
all the damn stars (goodreads please add more stars to your rating system, thanks)
4/04/21: posting my review early so i can hype this book up and also not forgot to put this up before the release date !!
If you know me, I rarely read4/04/21: posting my review early so i can hype this book up and also not forgot to put this up before the release date !!
If you know me, I rarely read sci-fi's. They just don't work with me very well. But surprisingly, I've already read two satisfyingly amazing sci-fi's this year, and The Infinity Courts is one of them! Reading TIC was like reading pure brilliance, to say the least. It finished me in a way a book has never done before.*
*I've already read the ending several times over, and I still cannot get over it!! The second book is practically all I need at the moment.
After reading Bowman's debut Starfish, I was in awe of her writing and characters, and after hearing about her fantasy debut, I was very interested and the slightest bit concerned about how she would write in a completely different genre. It turns out I never had to worry. This was only the second book I've read by her, and I'm so excited to say that this did not disappoint at all!
The Infinity Courts follows Nami, a girl who has the perfect life—a supportive family, the boy of her dreams, and a party to get to. It all goes downhill when she's murdered and wakes up in a world known as Infinity, where human consciousness goes after their physical bodies die. From there, Nami discovers that Ophelia, a virtual assistant used by humans, has taken over this twisted afterlife and is forcing humans into mindless servants. In a world devoid of emotion and full of deceivers, Nami soon learns that she can trust no one but herself.
"Infinity was never built for you; it was built for dreamers. I might never be free, [...] but neither will you."
Akemi Dawn Bowman's storytelling is truly unmatched, the world of Infinity rich with the smallest details and backdropped by an atmospheric eeriness that draws you in deeper. She strings together phrases with unimaginable skill, creating a masterpiece of words and stories and pure emotion, and with every word I read, I fell a little bit deeper in love with it. This is written so eloquently, interwoven with prose while captivating you all the same.
Nami was certainly an interesting protagonist to read about, as she learns to cope with being dead, and as her beliefs change. She's one of the most well-written morally grey characters I've read about, her thoughts and opinions clashing with one another and ultimately being torn on which side she is really on.
"I am everywhere and nowhere, belonging to this one single moment in time. And it feels infinite."
But this is much more profound than just characters and worldbuilding; it's a story that boldly points out the flaws of humanity and deftly explores the thin line separating us from AI. And it asks of us to answer a foreboding question: What is it that makes us human? Is it our empathy? Our pride? Or perhaps, our greed? It reaches into you, carves out a place in your mind, brushing against your very soul, and stays long after you turn the final page.
Among this, the ever-present theme of love is a constantly fluid element in the midst of an unchanging world. Not only romance, like any other book, but also platonic friendships and the bonds of found family. I especially admired how compellingly the relationships were written, which captured all the nuances I find in reality—how Nami forges strong connections with the people she wants to hold on to and how each character loves in their own way—it was absolutely breathtaking to read.
It is clear that this is only setup for the next book in the trilogy, but I never found myself bored. I was kept on my toes, constantly making theories and anticipating plot twists (god, they were so good), which only made me more intrigued. (There was one last twist at the end I did not see coming at all, and I could NOT process it.)
The Infinity Courts is a story of contradictions—love and grief, life and death, lies and truths—a story that, once it seeps into your heart, you will truly realize how powerful it is. It left such an impact on me, that when I finished, I felt honored to witness the beauty that is this book. This really was such a solid fantasy debut; I don't think any review I manage to write could possibly begin to do it justice, and I can't wait to see what Bowman will take this series next.
"I draw a girl with arms that reach up to the clouds, but all the clouds avoid her because she's made of nightsome quotes (that I might have cried at)
"I draw a girl with arms that reach up to the clouds, but all the clouds avoid her because she's made of night and not day."
I draw five humans and one skeleton, and it doesn't matter that the skeleton has all the right bones and joints--he will never be the same as the others because he doesn't have the right skin."
"But it's not me. Why doesn't anyone else ever see it? I'm not asking for the world--I just want to be heard, by the one person who is supposed to listen."
"When I look in the mirror, I don't see a fat girl. But after five minutes of pinching my skin and studying every angle in the reflection, I see the fattest person in the world."
"We all have to dream our own dreams. We only get one life to live--live it for yourself, not anyone else."
"I draw a very small fish swimming in the ocean and realizing it's filled with planets and stars."
"I don't have to be white to be beautiful, just like I don't have to be Asian to be beautiful. Because beauty doesn't come in one mold."
"I draw a girl breaking apart the sun until one sun becomes a hundred stars, because she wants to cover the world in beauty."
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i just... CANT FEEL ANYMORE. this book just crushed my emotions and i--i am absolute trash for this.
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