Mare Barrow is one of the Reds. The society is divided between the Silver-blooded with magical abilities and power in society, and the Red-blooded, ordinary people who are the underclass.
She is doing what she can to make money and keep her family safe. One day while thieving in the marketplace, she gets captured and is put to the test in the arena as a spectacle for the Silvers.
This is the first of three books in a YA Dystopian series. Almost from the opening pages, the reader is put into the gritty action.
There are some transitions that seem abrupt and need more explanation, though it helps to keep the story compact and not dragging with detail.
There is a mature tone to the novel as if the harsh politics of the world must immediately understood by the reader, but there are other elements of the writing that is clearly for a younger audience.
Life in the big American city for a Black man, a woman, and their infant son. The story follows Apollo and his wife, and their family and friends, the neighbourhood they live in, the places they travel to by foot, train, and boat.
The writing gives the reader a sense of New York City, the streets and the sidewalks, the apartment buildings and houses, the skyline with the office towers and concrete, the neighbourhoods with people from various cultural backgrounds, personal and family histories they carry with them.
The stories and personal magic that each person carries with them, the stresses and fantasies, the joys and fears, the pain and sorrow, hallucinations, traumas, anxieties about the problems of the world, and the demons that reside in unexpected corners of the city.
What could not be reasonably attributed to an explainable cause, can be attributed to ghosts and spirits. They are delusions of the mind, fantasies made up for fun and as a way to pass the time.
When those stories become something more, they drive the actions of individuals. There are more things out there than can be in one person’s control. We live in a secular world of science and explainable causes. Not everyone lives in this world.
Part of the supernatural world has demons, dark magic, and things to fear. What are the fairy and fae of the old folktales, and why are they getting renewed interest for writers? A look at the fantasy section of the bookstore is a way to see the renewed interest in magic and fairytales, and they are in the adult section.
Originally Published on March 12, 2026
April is here. While there is still snow on the ground, a new month is here and there is promise of warmer weather. I am sitting at my desk looking at the stacks of books I have. There are so many unread books. It will take me a while to get to all of them.
Currently, I am reading Ruin and Rising, the third book in the GrishaVerse trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. I am excited that I will be completing this series soon, then I can go on to read more books by this author.
I am also reading I'm Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Conviction by Denise Mina. Both are contemporary novels with the former a thriller and the latter a mystery.
As with every month, my TBR is fairly ambitious. We'll see how much I will get around to reading.
Hope things are going well for you!
Happy reading!
It took me some time to read it because I have been busy with Lunar New Year. I have a strange reaction to the book. The language used in the book sounded too formal. It put me at a distance from the story. I could understand what was said, and it felt like I lived the life of a servant in an English household with the rules, restrictions, and control over the ways a person could express himself while in employment.
The required professionalism and distance to be a proper butler, and not someone who could be himself in the role he has in the household, even when there were many times that Mr. Stevens could be a more relaxed person, less strict with himself in his conduct. Who is this man? Is he an actual person? What does he think and feel? Does that matter in the role he has?
Mr. Stevens does not reveal too much about himself. The attention is not on him. He is the main character. It is from his point-of-view that the novel is told. There are hints about who he was growing up, his family, and his father who worked in the same household. His physical difference is noted but not made a big deal about. His name is Stevens. He is a number. He is someone who does all the work, and maintains order in the home, when the master of the home is busy with important work.
The butler and the maids are paid to keep the house in order, do the menial tasks. Only the rich and powerful can have live-in help. Today, individuals and families are expected to carry out their own chores. They don’t need anyone. They must manage the home on their own. Chores are split among the household members.
The differences and expectations when income levels are factored into how individuals and families run their households. Class and wealth determines when to do chores, and when to hire someone to do so. Not everyone has the skills and knowledge to run a household, so they will have to pick up the skills as they go along. There are many more resources than there were before, so it is possible to be organized, and put together, but it takes practice, and willingness to maintain the house and home.
Originally Published on Thursday, March 5, 2026
ABOUT ME
JKStar88 Reader is an active community organizer, radio host, avid reader, and self-published poet. Interests include pop culture, current events, literature, and food. Enjoys visiting local book stores, cafes, going to live theatre, and movies. Things to work on are being more social at gatherings, and being a better friend.
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Bunny by Mona Awad had its original release, then it regained life when the book made the rounds on BookTok. It is unclear how some books gain the attention of online micro-vloggers, and how others don't. There must be something widely appealing to a story about a poor kid getting into an MFA program.
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A breakfast of rice roll, congee, and milk tea. With a street food style, the items are simple, and takes care to prepare. The eatery recently renovated so that it can serve savory foods, along with desserts. It would be ideal to linger a bit longer, but only had time to eat everything, then rush to catch the train. There will be another time to try the other flavours.