Emily

The world has been blessed with another Cindy Paul book and once more I am back to tell you what an absolute pleasure it was to read this book.

I'm not going to bore you with a synopsis but rather I want to talk to you about the things I loved most about this book, starting with the main romance. The only words to describe the romance is instantaneous and believable. That is not to say that this book is insta-love; it's not. It's so far from it. Instead, we get this instant connection between the characters that draw them together but doesn't sacrifice the development that comes with depicting a genuine relationship and all its struggles. I was simply captivated by this romance especially with Silas's internal struggle that added a depth I felt deep within my bones. If you want a soulmate book without the cheesy and overdone insta-love and really pays its due to the slow burn, then you need to read this book.

Another thing I adored about this book was just how vivid the characters were. Even the most basic side characters felt alive and real with their own personalities and desires. They existed beyond the confines of the main cast's struggles and drama. And can we just take a second to talk about the abundant amount of representation in this book? If you ready Cindy's For Ever then you know the woman is a master at making her cast diverse and believable and People notice the rain is just another example of how well she carefully includes and depicts a colorful cast of characters from all different backgrounds seamlessly and genuinely.

Words fail me when it comes to describing this book; I should know, I've been trying to write this review for three days now. I got to read it in its early stages and I'm proud to say that rereading it in its completion has only made me fall more in love with it. I for one cannot wait to see where this series unfolds and if you've been thinking of picking up this book, then do it! You Won't regret it in the least.

I forgot how much I adore J.D. Salinger and the ways in which he crafts his characters in a way that make them so alive. Raise High the Roof Beams, Carpenters was everything I wanted going into this (funny, ridiculous, and just a dash of that unique Salinger style). Seymour, An Introduction on the other hand was.... it was rambling with brief moments of profound and striking moments of clarity which I think is all I can hope for on a piece so heavily focused on the Glass family's most elusive member.

Okay my love for this series already knows no bounds from the first book alone but to get a SEQUEL and not only that but one following my FAVORITE character? I was already so deeply invested in the book the moment it landed in my hands.

Now that is not to say that I had no hesitations about People Need a Storm because I did. I loved the first book because I loved Silas and Theo and I was heavily connected to them. For as much as I loved and enjoyed Jack I was wary that I may not connect to him as deeply as I did the others, but let me tell you now, I was WRONG.

Jack's story gives this series a breath of fresh air that not only invigorates the story but feels familiar and comforting in a way that is reminiscent of Silas'. I fell in love with the character all over again and this series and I have no doubt that you will as well!

Cindy Paul pulls no punches in this sequel and you simply MUST give it a read if you adored book 1.

Cindy Paul & Renee Zonneveld are back at it again with another stunning book (seriously you have to get your hands on this book for the artwork alone because Renee clearly didn't hold herself back!). Now this review is later than I wanted simply because I HAD to give it another reread to really sink myself back in the world Cindy & Renee have crafted for us. Much like her Hepdale Rain series Something Awful is an urban fantasy story but instead of werewolves and teenage angst, we got a mysterious monster and teenage identity angst. Jokes aside, Something Awful is really a breath of fresh air as Cindy not only does an absolutely wonderful job of creating characters you will absolutely love (my favorite in this time around is Shelby who is an absolute QUEEN), but the world she creates is absolutely atmospheric with the right amount of spooky needed for a good monster story! Truthfully reading this book reminded me of Saturday mornings watching Scooby Do and other monster of the week cartoons in the best way possible. But what this book did more than those cartoons is that it gave me the representation I never had as a kid. It was truly heartwarming to see Grayson really find himself throughout his adventure and coming to terms not only with who he was as a person but how his heritage played a role in that identity. And of course there is another absolutely sweet romance thrown in the mix to really check off all the boxes for a great YA story.

If you find yourself looking for a quick read with amazing characters with representation up the wazoo, then Something Awful is the book to go!

I am giving this book three stars not because I find fault in it in any way, but I don't think this book was for me at time I had read it. It's a beautifully crafted story that contains an important message about the Archive and the ways in which we obscure voices and stories that don't fit into the confines of this bizarre narrative we have crafted throughout history. I wish I had more to give to this book because it deserves that, but as it stands, I can only say that I enjoyed my time reading it and think others should give it a shot as well

The biggest mistake of this series is trying to contain it in three books. This book in particular felt packed to the brim with lore and plot and character development yet had no time to trace any of them to their fullest extent. Which is extremely frustrating because of how much I love this world Lani Taylor has crafted and it feels like this last book robs it of its full potential.