#natalie c parker book review

[literaryhypewoman]

Book Review: "The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting" by Natalie C. Parker

New Review/ Author Interview: Natalie C. Parker's brand new book, "The Assassin's Guide To Babysitting", is bringing the vibes of John Wick x The Babysitters Club. Check out my full #bookreview and conversation with Natalie here:

2025 is kicking off with some really fun book releases, which is giving me high expectations for the pages we’ll be turning throughout the year. When I saw Natalie C. Parker pop up on Colored Pages Tours’ list, I had to say yes since I’ve heard about her from like 20 different authors. I’m so glad that they were correct on multiple levels. Natalie is kicking off 2025 with The Assassin’s Guide to…

[solreads]

Come Out, Come Out - Review

Title: Come Out, Come Out

Author: Natalie C. Parker

Genre: Horror

Sub-Genre: Paranormal

Audience: Young Adult

Format: Novel

Representation: Genderfluid POV character

Summary: Fern and Jaq hardly know each other. Other than one strange night years ago when they found themselves together in the woods, they’ve only seen each other in passing in the school halls. Until they both begin to see the spirit of Mallory, a girl who vanished that same night. Then, with her cry to WAKE UP echoing in their heads, their picturesque lives begin to unravel. 

Years of lost memories well up – a friendship between the three of them built upon a shared queerness and a shared need to hide it, rage and kinship and self-discovery all erased so completely that neither Fern nor Jaq knew to question their cisgender, heterosexual lives. They are left suddenly at odds with the lives they’d built since and stuck with a secret they had good reason to hide. They neither know how to keep being versions of themselves who have become lies nor how to step back into the identities that are at once shockingly fresh and the domain of children they no longer are. 

While they struggle with their identities, they must also contend with the horrifying mystery of what happened to the three of them that night and what might still be coming for the two of them that remain. 

Reflections: The horror didn’t really come through in this. There are plenty of events and elements that could inspire horror, but for the most part, they weren’t written in a manner that particularly built dread/suspense/fear/disgust in the visceral way of the horror genre.

I was expecting the amnesia to last longer or be a bigger source of tension. There was potential for dramatic irony to put the reader on edge as well as build the nauseating horror of seeing how the characters have been rewritten and twisted to suit somebody else’s fantasies of what they should be. By bringing most of their memories back very early, it put all that out of sight in the past.

The book instead pulls some horror both from the supernatural threat and the sudden knowledge the main characters gain that they are queer in an unsafe environment. The latter is very real, I feel the fear in that situation. Still, it reads in many ways more like a contemporary coming-of-age story than horror.

I also thought the reveal that their safe space had once been the embodiment of the bigotry they needed sanctuary from didn’t have quite the emotional weight it could have had.

That said, I still enjoyed a lot of the book for what it was. It was interesting to see how the main characters reconnect with their identities, and how they didn’t exactly fall back into them in the same ways once they were older teens as they did when they were children. They were in that odd space of knowing they were queer, but not what that meant for them, how to be comfortable with it, or how to decide what parts of their identities to show the world. This discovery phase was written well; I felt for them through it all.

Warnings: Depictions of transphobia, misgendering, dysphoria, magical conversion therapy. Discussions of real conversion therapy. 

Notes on Rep: MC identifies on-page as genderfluid and nonbinary.

[brightbeautifulthings]

Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker

"'Because you don't want to? Or because someone else doesn't want you to?' 'Does it matter?' Jaq asked. 'It's the only thing that matters.'"

Year Read: 2024

Rating: 3/5

Thoughts: Queer horror is quickly becoming one of my new favorites in YA, but for whatever reason, I never quite clicked with this book. I'm not the biggest fan of strong religious themes, and had I read the description more carefully, I might have realized I wasn't the best audience for it. I really struggle with religion as a form of oppression, and quite apart from any supernatural threats, the main characters' home lives are horrorshow enough, to the point it's actually painful at times to watch their parents force them into the personalities they find pleasing. Their very real circumstances are far more frightening than the monster in the woods.

That being said, I did find the supernatural aspect a bit lacking, particularly at the end when it's all finally revealed. I think it's partly that my investment had simply checked out at that point, but the villain/confrontation is a bit lackluster. On the other hand, I very much enjoyed the gender-swapped Grease that Fern is putting on at their high school. 10/10 would go see that, where can I get tickets? Although this wasn't the right book for me, there are plenty of teenagers and young adults who face this kind of oppression and homophobia every day. I hope it finds its way into the hands of its right readers and gives them hope. I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Penguin.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 2/5

Book Blurb:

AN EDGE-OF-YOUR-SEAT THRILLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF GRACE AND FURY " A riveting thriller packed with so many chills and swoon-worthy moments, readers will be tearing through the pages." ―Natalie C. Parker, award winning author of the Seafire Series

"A chilling cat-and-mouse game." ―April Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Girl, Stolen and Stay Dead Jessa has been raised to be the “perfect girl.” She is unfailingly polite, never rocks the boat, and always follows the rules—no matter what. Her friends love to give her a hard time for being such a goody two-shoes, but Jessa likes it this way. She knows what's expected of her, and she's happy to be the person her parents (and society) want.

When a freak storm takes out the power during a sleepover at Jessa’s creepy, old house, things go south before the pizza gets cold. Her friends are at each other’s throats, unexpected guests keep showing up (some more welcome than others), and it’s not just her brother serving up jump scares. A killer looking for the perfect girl has targeted Jessa, and she’ll have to reject everything she’s been taught if she wants to keep herself—and her friends—alive until sunrise.

Who knew perfection could be so dangerous?

Review:

A girl who was raised to be "perfect" finds herself having to test everything she's ever been raised to be when a killer comes after her and her friends at a slumber party... she'll have to break her mold if she wants to survive. Jessa has always been told to be perfect, to follow the rules, and to be agreeable.... yet when a storm happens and Jessa's friends are also over another unexpected guest is there...and is after bodies. The killer wants a perfect girl and Jessa is who he has his eye on. Jessa will have to find a way to stop the killer and break the rules she's followed all her life is she wants to survive the night. This one really wasn't for me sadly, I really wish I could like it more but I just wasn't invested in any of the characters or the story. Jessa just felt so annoying and I get that she has growing to do but she really was a hard character to root for. Ultimately I didn't care all that much for the story and I guessed the killer early on, it definitely felt like a cw teen drama. While this wasn't for me I do think another YA reader might have fun with it.

Release Date: November 19,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[finishinglinepress]

FLP POETRY BOOK OF THE DAY: householes by Natalie Parker-Lawrence

On SALE now! Pre-order Price Guarantee: https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/householes-by-natalie-parker-lawrence/

Natalie Parker-Lawrence, teacher, writer, and editor, received her MA in Linguistics (Dialect and Literacy) from the University of Memphis and her MFA in Creative Writing (Creative Nonfiction/Playwriting) from the University of New Orleans. Now a Training Instructor/Research Assistant for the Caregiver Center at the Lt. Col. Weathers VA Medical Center in Memphis, she was an instructor in the Communication department at the University of Memphis for eight years and taught AP English Literature, AP World History, Theatre, and French in Memphis-area high schools for forty years. Parker-Lawrence’s essays/poems/fiction have appeared in Slice of Life Magazine, The Barefoot Review, Stone Highway Review, The Literary Bohemian, Knee-Jerk Magazine, Prime Number Magazine, Tata Nacho, Orion Magazine, Wildflower Magazine, Memphis Magazine, Persephone Magazine, Edible Memphis, Southern Indiana Review, Unlikely Stories, Alimentum, The Ecotone Exchange, The Palimpsest Journal, The Commercial Appeal, World History Bulletin, and The Pinch. Her nine plays have been produced in Tennessee, Illinois, New York, and Florida. She lives in midtown Memphis with her husband and two shelter dogs, Koba and Yashimaru, but welcomes visits from her daughter, five stepsons (three active US military), and their families. #poetry #haiku #hybrid #caregivers

PRAISE FOR householes by Natalie Parker-Lawrence

“Try picking drops of the ocean with tweezers. Try expressing your grief, rage, fear, love within the tiny, out-of-breath, syllable-stingy form of haiku. Natalie Parker-Lawrence’s poems, concocted from the rushing, halting words of women caregivers of veterans, honor the essence. An image, a sound, a memory, a nightmare: capture it: in so few words.”

–Margaret Edson, author of Wit and winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

“Natalie Parker-Lawrence’s book of hybrid haiku, householes, strikes a delightful balance between delicacy and power. The poet also walks the tightrope between the personal and the universal, and she does so in such a way that the reader follows anxiously along, breathless and captivated. At turns gentle, at times brutal, but always poignant, Parker-Lawrence has the gift of the simple line that says much. I hope this book portends the start of a long career of verse.”

–Corey Mesler, author of Cock-a-Hoop, and Take the Longing from my Tongue

“In short, impactful verse, Natalie Parker-Lawrence, shares the poignant and often gritty stories of Veteran Caregivers from around the country. The traditional haiku form evokes feelings about the natural world using a structure of stanzas and syllables. As if by necessity, Parker-Lawrence departs from the traditional haiku to share first-hand, vivid and heart-breaking accounts of those who’ve survived war and those entangled in its aftermath. Their explosive, shattering and gut-wrenching experiences refuse to be confined by poetic tradition and structure. No one touched by war remains whole. This collection has transformative power, taking us from despair to hope, if only in the knowledge that we are not alone.”

–Virginia Bryan is a retired attorney, arts advocate and free-lance writer. Her work appears in Distinctly Montana, Montana Magazine, Native Peoples and Yellowstone Valley Woman.

“householes stitches the weightless Haiku to the gravity of all that proceeds war with thread borrowed from the women yoked in the collateral damage of the military-industrial complex.”

–C. (Christine) W. Lockhart, PhD: LT, USCG (retired), Disabled Veteran & Caregiver, author of Blanket of Stars: Thru-Hiking the Camino de Santiago and Walking with Buddha: Pilgrimage on the Shikoku 88-Temple Trail

“In householes, Natalie Parker-Lawrence, uses the hybrid haiku form, inspired by the haiku poems Richard Wright produced in the last year of his life, and characterized by rhythmic economy, precision, and surprise. The poems are conversational, snatches of things the women said about their disturbing experiences, selected, arranged, and performed with a spring or turn at the end. The result is the poems linger with authentic power and speak of lives worth knowing.”

–Marcia Aldrich, author of Companion to an Unknown Story

“These poems are portals into the lives and harsh realities (the pills and whiskey and broken bodies) faced by female caregivers. The voices are raw and intimate, and made all the more real by flashes of startling tenderness. In this stunning debut collection, Natalie Parker-Lawrence’s miracle is her ability to conjure entire worlds with a handful of words.”

–Sonja Livingston, author of Ghostbread and The Virgin of Prince Street

“Deeply moving… often tender, painful, sometimes sassy and occasionally funny. Always raw and wise and honest. Some of it felt vaguely familiar. Much of it evoked sorrow and compassion for the lives represented to highlight the deeper challenges, emotions, of the Caregiver/Veteran experience. In many ways it felt very different from my own experiences. Ours, it appears, was a kinder, gentler journey. His PTSD manifested itself in quieter, more subtle ways. As did his dementia. There were definitely moments, increasing as he moved closer to crossing over, when he’d wake confused…still in a dream state…awaiting deployment orders from a Sergeant or some higher up. Often he’d see a young boy running thru a room (his younger self? I could only speculate). Because, the experiences captured felt, for the most part, darker, more painful than what I experienced with dad (with a couple of exceptions …ie, Ringo? … I wondered if the Vet had been a musician… loved that they’d called each other “Brother”)

–Chris Ciccarello, daughter and Caregiver of WWII Veteran

Please share/please repost #flpauthor #preorder #AwesomeCoverArt #poetry #read #poetrybook #poems

[kappabooks]

September, October, November 2024 Wrap-up

Wrap-ups continue to be the harder part of book blogging, what can I say? I wanted to give my thoughts on these books, but that got too cumbersome, so here’s a quick little list! I read 6 books in September and DNF’ed one book. The Devouring Wolf by Natalie C. Parker – 3 stars Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane – 3.25 stars A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft – 3.5 stars (review…

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Quick Review: Vampires Never Get Old (ed.) by Zoraida Córdova & Natalie C Parker Rating: 3.5/5

“Congrats! Mubarak! Badhaaee ho! You’re a vampire now. Welcome to the afterlife!”

This anthology was a lot of fun! Each story is so creative and there are some wonderful diverse perspectives included. My favourite story was definitely "In Kind" by Kayla Whaley where a disabled girl enlists the help of a vampire after her father tries to murder her instead of continuing to take care of her. An excellent read for any fans of our fanged friends. 

Seven Nights for Dying by Tessa Gratton - 4/5 

The Boys From Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse - 4/5

Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy - 4/5

The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig - 3/5

A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed - 3/5

In Kind by Kayla Whaley - 5/5

Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Córdova & Natalie C Parker - 4/5

Bestiary by Laura Ruby - DNF

Mirrors, Windows & Selfies by Mark Oshiro - 5/5

The House of Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton - 4/5

First Kill by VE Schwab - 4/5

[itsmyuniverse-ok]

Libros con más de una perspectiva.

Amamos las historias y adoramos cuando hay más de una sola. Hay libros que tienen varios puntos de vista o que tratan sobre varias historias, por eso hice lista con algunos de esos libros.

Una canción salvaje - V.E. Schawb: este libro (la primera parte de una serie de dos libros) esta narrado por August y Kate, nuestros protagonistas. En un mundo donde hay monstruos y cada vez que los humanos hacemos un acto horrible y monstruoso se crean más, hay gente que se dedica a matarlos. En el medio de una batalla entre los dos lados de Verity, Kate y August se conocen, monstruo y cazadora son los unicos que pueden ver ambos lados de Verity. Ellos son los únicos que podrían hacer algo. Pero ¿cómo te decides a ser héroe o villano cuando es tan difícil distinguirlos?

Alguien esta mintiendo - Karen M. Mcmanus: En thriller que, próximamente, tiene tres partes que esta narrado por cuatro personas en su primera parte y tres en la segunda, trata sobre un grupo de chicos que no tienen nada en común salvo que los cuatro son sospechosos de la muerte de uno de sus compañeros cuando este murió estando en la misma aula donde estaban castigados. Simón tenía su pagina de chismes sobre los alumnos de Bayview y a pesar de que todos lo adiaban, nadie podía hacer nada más que leerlo, hasta que murió enfrente de cuatro alumnos que estaban en dicha página. ¿Qué secretos guardarían para arriesgarse a acabar con Simon? ¿Quién será el culpable?

Porque amas odiarme - Varios autores (editado por Amerie). Este libro es una obre de 13 autores (junto a 13 influentes del mundo de los libros) que cuentan historias de villanos, algunos conocidos, otros nuevos, para demostrar que no todos los villanos son realmente malos y que algunos hasta fueron juzgados incorrectamente. ¿Dónde dibujamos la línea que separa al héroe del villano?

Un regalo de mi gran amor y Días de sol, noches de verano - Varios autores (Editado por Stephanie Perkins). Estos libros editados por Stephanie Perkins son doce historias de amor, uno esta ambientado en invierno y el otro en verano.

Blackout- varios autores (editado (si no me equivoco) por Dhonielle Clayton) . En este libro escrito por seis autores de literatura juvenil se nos cuenta seis historias de amor durante un apagón en una noche de Nueva York. Todas las historias tienen un punto en el que se relacionan para terminar todos en una misma fiesta.

Mención especial: All out, the no longer secret stories of queer teens throughout the ages. Varios autores. Como dice el titulo son historias de personajes queer a lo largo de la historia, todavía no leí el libro, pero le tengo muchas expectativas que creo va a llegar a cumplir.

[lonebooks]

Sorry that I haven’t been posting as much these past couple of weeks, school’s been stressing me out so I’ve been taking a bit of a break. On the more positive side of things however, I’ve been catching up on a lot of reading! One of my most recent reads is Seafire by Natalie C Parker. This book is about Caledonia Styx, a young captain of an all female pirate ship who has sworn to revenge herself on the men who murdered her family and enslaved the kingdom. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, as I had figured that it would be another generic YA fantasy. Around halfway through though, I found myself really caring for the main character and appreciating her bonds with her crew, as well enjoying the fast pace of the plot and the action scenes. There is a large theme of family, both found family and blood family, that I thought was written really well. One of the aspects of the book that I didn’t enjoy as much though is the romance, but I often feel that way when reading fantasy. I’d recommend this book if you enjoy fantasy that implements rarely explored settings into it’s world, atmospheric yet fast paced writing, and well developed relationships between characters,

[thegothiclibrary]

Review of Vampires Never Get Old—Giving the Genre New Life

Review of Vampires Never Get Old—Giving the Genre New Life

“Vampires are dead.” People have been saying this ever since the overwhelming popularity of the Twilight series led to an explosion of young adult paranormal fantasy in the mid-2000s that saturated the market. But as a life-long vampire fan, I’ve always felt that these denizens of the undead still have more to teach us. There is something universally appealing about the vampire that isn’t going…

[amandaklwrites]

Seafire (Seafire #1) by Natalie C. Parker

Genre: YA Fantasy/Adventure

Rating: 3.5/5

Book Review: 

I liked this book! Not as much as I hoped, but I still found myself enjoying much of it! 

The characters were so vivid, and the main character, Cala had such a well developed storyline-- tragedy made her harder and made for revenge. I love these kind of stories. And even the side characters are so intriguing! I loved that aspect about the story. I loved seeing all these women aboard a ship-- without any men!-- and seeing how they all interacted with one another and felt about each other. I thought that aspect was rather lovely. 

The storyline was great, too. I liked the plot, the villain, the whole aspect of what they were doing. However, there were parts that I wasn’t a huge fan on. There were moments where it seemed like things were dragging on and I could skim parts of it. I felt myself lagging a little past the middle of the book. But I still read it until the end because I wanted to see how it went! 

Again, another “pirate” story where they use steam/mechanically powered ships. I’m not a fan of it personally. So I didn’t find that interesting much at all. But still, an interesting idea on the waters! 

I liked this book enough to continue onto the second one and I plan to read the third one when it comes out. It’s definitely a different and intriguing read! 

[theworldsbetweenthepages]

Book Review

Steel Tide by Natalie C. Parker

Genre: Fantasy

The second book in a heart-stopping trilogy that follows the captain of an all-female ship intent on taking down a vicious warlord's powerful fleet.

Caledonia may have lost her crew, but she's not done fighting yet. After nearly dying at the hand of a powerful foe, Caledonia is pulled from the sea and nursed back to health by a crew of former Bullets that call themselves Blades. The Blades escaped Aric Athair's clutches and now live a nomadic existence, ready to disappear at a moment's notice should trouble come their way.

But Caledonia wants to do more than just hide. She wants to find the Mors Navis and her beloved sisters. She wants to continue fighting Aric's fleet and to take back the Bullet seas. She'll need to do everything in her power to convince the Blades that fighting is their only option, that there has to be a life better than the one under Aric Athair's reign, and that finding the women of the Mors Navis is the first step to revolution.

Book 2 of the Seafire series

Book 1 - Seafire

Review

I absolutely loved the first book of this serious, so the waiting time for this sequel was seriously torturous, but to me, it was worth it - I loved this book as much as the first one.

We have the wonderful, close friendship between the girls once again, and Caledonia also gains new friends, the Blades, who shift the perspective of how we look at the big enemy, the Bullets, a little, making them more human and also giving us some more empathy for them.

And right away, they have to test their new trust and go into the lion’s den to save the crew of the Mors Navis - that part was seriously my favourite bit, it developed the whole Bullets part of this world, giving us an insight on how they live and how their society is structured.

The book has a fast, capturing pace, which makes it hard to put the book down, and it was over way too fast… it’s really hard to put into words how much I love this series. It’s just… good. And exciting, and so full with wonderful women that stick together and are brave and badass and vulnerable and loving… Ugh. It’ll be hard to get through the wait for the next book :(

[tcplnyteens]

All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories Of Queer Teens Throughout The Ages Edited by Saundra Mitchell

Written by Anna-Marie McLemore, Natalie C. Parker, Nilah Magruder, Mackenzi Lee, Robin Talley, Malinda Lo, Dahlia Adler, Kate Scelsa, Elliot Wake, Scott Tracey, Tess Sharpe, Alex Sanchez, Kody Keplinger, Sara Farizan, Tessa Gratton, Shaun David Hutchinson and Tehlor Kay Mejia

In this wonderful collection of short stories, you will be pulled into worlds filled with magic and worlds much like ours, where love, in any form, can overcome all. Whether it be two girls becoming pirates and taking charge of their lives, a thief and witch tearing apart a corrupt system or a new years revelation, this book will pull at your heartstrings and is bound to make you want to fall in love.

–SPOILERS–

This book is such a great collection of short stories and I would highly recommend it to all. There are so many important lessons within each and every one of these stories and I think there are valuable pieces of information that I think everyone should have in their repertoire.

Roja: This story was so good, I’m not usually one for historical fiction but it is starting to grow on me, especially when magic and fairytales are involved. I loved this retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. I loved that it involved an accurate trans character, there are real historical accounts of girls dressing as men to fight, although they were not always trans, I did love the accurate historical representation. It was so great that the girl wasn’t ashamed of him and loved him for who he was, she fought for him even though people looked down on her for existing. These people didn’t even care enough to acknowledge her as a human. Her strength, her power, her willingness to fight against those oppressive men is not only representational of the plights of what women have gone through for centuries, but it’s also great to see a powerful female character stand up for what she believes in and for the people she loves. This story was just wonderful and I loved it so much. It is one of the many reasons I would recommend this book.

The Sweet Trade: I feel like this story fits a common theme that appears in some of the books that I’ve read: girls wanting to be pirates, which is awesome. I love that even though Clara is only sixteen she knows what she wants from life and it’s not to be married to some pushover of a man who only wants money. She wants to take control of her life and create her own destiny which is completely badass if you ask me. And then she meets Pearl, who is also running away from her wedding, and they help each other, women supporting women at its finest. It is such a sweet little story of two girls falling in love as they take charge of their lives. I liked it very much, although I wish it were a tad longer.

And They Don’t Kiss At The End: I don’t have a whole lot to say about this story but it did like it a lot. My most prominent reason for enjoying this story so much was that it had asexual representation. You never ever see aromantic or asexual representation and I really loved how this book went about it, it was just wonderful to see. Another reason I loved it was because Vince didn’t pressure Dee into doing anything she didn’t want to, he was completely accepting of her boundaries and that is so important in any kind of relationship. These types of stories are the kind I want to be made into a full out book, it’s so important for teens to know that they have options and whatever they might be feeling or not feeling is normal. Diverse representation in media is so important, and this book does it right.

Burnt Umber: This story was sweet and simple. I love the fact that you don’t really see the end coming. From the beginning, all Constantijn can think of is the handsome boy who works at the docks, it’s very endearing until Joost comes to model for his class. I was so excited that maybe they’d become friends and then something more, but then it turns out Joost is kind of mean and Constantijn loses interest, yes he may be pretty but he isn’t nice to Constantijn’s friends. I think that this is an important story about knowing what’s good for you and what’s not, no matter how appealing it may look on the outside. It is a very sweet little story and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Dresser And The Chambermaid: Again with the wonderful historical fiction! This was such a sweet little story, I don’t have a whole lot of analysis for this one but I will tell you I was so happy in the end when they both got to be dressers and Suzanna got recognition for her hairstyle. It was so funny that when they were kissing in the hallway and the king kind of walked in on them and was just like “whatever, I can’t judge since I’m going to meet my mistress and cheat on my wife” and just left. Like that was a little piece of comic relief and I loved it, what a wonderful upbeat little story.

New Year: Same as the last, I don’t have much to say about this story. I do think however, it was a great way to highlight the adversity that queer people have faced throughout history, especially queer people of color. ‘Minority’ groups have long faced persecution, as well as queer people. When you persecute two groups that sometimes overlap, its an onslaught of discrimination, and although this story doesn’t go very deep into that issue it hints at it. But I also think that this story was a little bit about the main characters queer awakening. She has little exposure to the LGBTQ community but she sees something in it that intrigues her and makes her feel something, and I think it’s important that people realize that exploration outside of the socially accepted “norms” is good and can show you parts of yourself that you didn’t even know existed. At least that’s what I gained from this story.

Molly’s Lips: I love this story, first it is a reference to one of my favorite songs, which is great, who doesn’t love Nirvana(more specifically the Vaselines)? I think it’s great that this story addresses the insane amount of grief the country was feeling over his man’s death. He was an icon loved by millions, and he was just gone. I love this because I totally get what Molly is feeling. When you love someone that much you just want to be enough to make all the hurt go away and make sure they will always be okay, but it’s not always enough to just be there, you have to listen and try to understand because that’s what they need you to do. The way this story played out, however short, was just perfect and adorable, like so many of the stories in this book I wish it were a full-length book.

The Coven: This story also contains something I read about often, witches. I love magic! Magic is so cool, in almost any aspect. I also just love the way this was laid out, I love Dean’s description of Vivi, I’m a sucker for women in cool hats and doing *scandalous* things in eras past. I also love the little easter egg in there, Gertrude Stein was having a conversation with young Ernest Hemingway, cool! But I just love this story, it’s very mysterious and its another piece of historical fiction, a story after my own heart. And who doesn’t love a little magic in Paris? I also liked that Dean had those foggy days because I totally feel that, when you’re a person who tends to take on other peoples problems because of your big heart, you put those problems ahead of dealing with your own pain, it was really great to see her deal with her grief and realize that she can help herself.

Every Shade Of Red: Another take on a fairytale, yay! Everyone knows the classic story of Robin Hood stealing from the rich to give to the poor, most kids my age grew up watching the Disney version with all the animals. But this version has a special place in my heart. I love fairytales and retellings of them, and I love that in this story we have Robin as a leader of a motley crew but he’s also trans which is so cool, we have a trans character where the story isn’t only about them being trans. That is so important, most YA novels and stories that have trans protagonists its only about their journey of self discovery and figuring out what they want to do with this newfound freedom, which isn’t a bad thing, but trans people have lives outside of their transition and dysphoria and I think it’s important that people recognize that. But I also think that this story would ring true for many trans people, their parents disowned them or cut ties completely because of who they truly are and this happened for Robin in this story, although I do like the twist that he used to be Marian, I was kind of suspecting it but it was still surprising. This story gives off Six of Crows vibes, even though there are no trans characters in that book it has similar themes (go read it if you haven’t yet). But I was so incredibly upset with the ending!! Totally unfair of them to do that to Robin, it was a cruel twist of fate that I didn’t see coming, and Will’s father no less, like wow. Did not see that coming at all, not cool, not cool at all. I did love this story but there needs to be more, I need to know if they find their way back to each other because if they never do I’ll be very upset for like, the rest of my life.

Willows: I had mixed feelings about this story. It was interesting and weird but also really confusing. Benjamin was himself, but also other people. And the Return? Like what is that? And if the town knew that he and Sebastian were a thing, why hadn’t they taken care of it yet if they cared so much about maintaining the sanctity village? Also in the end when they run away it was kind of implied that Sebastian knew that the witches were there and teat they could protect them, but it was written in a way that made it kind of hard to understand. Overall this story was intriguing but I think things could’ve been laid out more clearly so that it makes better sense to the reader.

The Girl With The Blue Lantern: I love this tory! Although its a little short for my liking its so cute, although I wonder what Oriana is, is she a sprite? A fairy? A nymph? Who knows but I like her. It sucks that Ella had to live with her father like that it was so awful, I can’t imagine, and then she’s been taking care of him and helping him this entire time and when she finally has enough money to et themselves up for a decent life he takes her money and accused her of stealing from him and selling her body to make money. Like that an awful man she never deserved that. I was a little nervous though when she stepped into the water, I thought something bad might happened but I was so glad that they are able to be together now and will be able to love each other forever, it’s such a nice happy ending. Very cute, 10/10.

The Secret Life Of A Teenage Boy: Again too short! I know this is a book of short stories but I want all for them to be full books, I love all of them too much. I did love this story, its just so sweet and innocent and its kind of a self-realization story, he always knew he was different and was to afraid to say anything but then by fate he meets this guy and it changes his whole life, even though it only took not even an hour, stuff like that just makes my heart melt, because that’s what I want true love to be like, one minute can change your whole perspective on life, and you just gotta roll with the punches but you also have to know what is good for you and what you want from life and I think that this story was a perfect example of that and I really enjoyed it.

Walking After Midnight: I love this era, the ’50s and ’60s are my jam, especially fashion-wise, but the era was so cool in many ways. This story was so sweet, I think it was another little piece of the lgbtq+ spectrum that we don’t usually get to see, maybe demisexual or asexual, but either way it was a super cute story about exploring your options, no matter where you are in life, you’re not stuck, there is a way out and you have options, it doesn’t matter your age or race or gender, you have those opportunities if you look for them they’ll be there. I just really like this story because it was just so hopeful and upbeat and it did have some serious parts but it was very just flowing but it also had a great underlying message.

The End Of The World as We Know It: I love this, I was born two years after the Y2K thing so I totally missed it but it sounded interesting. I also missed the Columbine shooting, the fact that this book brought it up was like a punch in the gut, the way that the characters said it was probably never going to happen again, and here I am in June of 2019 and in the twenty years since the Columbine there have been over 230 school shootings in the US, and although I don’t usually get into politics on this account I think that this is an important statistic that everyone should know. On a different note, I did like this story, it was sweet and simple, another story of self-discovery and young love like many in this collection, it was just super chill and I love the note at the end when it says “sorry I couldn’t stay I had to go break up with my boyfriend” like what a great way to start out the new year.

Three Witches: I love this story although I am a bit confused about the title, I don’t really know what it had to do with the story, I can only assume it is Gracia, Violante, and the unknown woman at the end of the book. This story made me sad but also happy, sad because this woman was being accused of being a sinner for loving a woman, she was being punished because the church said it wrong to love freely. It made me happy because she, in turn, found love in her imprisonment and set both herself and Gracia free. Stories like this really pull at my heartstrings because I don’t understand, and this is my personal opinion, I’m not judging anyone, how you can believe that one superior being makes everything so and he said that loving someone is wrong, I just don’t understand that. But this story made me happy because they both discovered strength in themselves and each other in times of weakness and that’s what love really is.

The Inferno and the butterfly: I love love love this story! It’s so good! Both of these boys had gone through so much and thought they had people who loved them and cared for them and both had that idea ripped from their hearts and minds but they found each other and they found a way to create real love that wouldn’t be taken away by anyone else, and that is beautiful. As I addressed earlier, historical fiction is growing on me, but magic has always been something I loved reading about. This story kind of reminded me of a darker shade of magic, old London and magic are like the best duo ever and this is such a great little love story and the combination is so good, this is probably my third favorite out of this collection.

Healing Rosa: This story is so cool, I have a little bit of an obsession with different cultures and their healing rituals, myths about where they come from interest me so much and I think that’s why I love this story so much. Another reason why I love this story is that it addresses in some aspect, mental illness and how it can affect someone, not only mentally but also physically. Lastly, I love this story because, in the end, Rosa’s dad accepted her for who she was and realised that his own sadness and bitterness was nothing compared to what he would experience if he lost his daughter and that’s what truly pulled me into this story. There are so many people in this world who are disowned and pushed away by their families because they don’t know how to accept their children’s differences and I think it’s important that we address the happier sides of the narrative instead of only the bad ones, it gives hope to those who may not have it, and that goes for everything in life.

Top Three: Every Shade of Red, Roja, The Inferno and The Butterfly

-maren

[shakespeare-and-blue-roses]

Reading Seafire by Natalie C. Parker! 

[moonminho]

SEAFIRE by Natalie C. Parker

Author’s Website | Goodreads Publisher: Penguin Random House - Razorbill | @penguinteen​ Type: Series Series: Seafire (#1) Where to Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookDepository | IndieBound Publication Date: August 28, 2018

After her family is killed by corrupt warlord Aric Athair and his bloodthirsty army of Bullets, Caledonia Styx is left to chart her own course on the dangerous and deadly seas. She captains her ship, the Mors Navis, with a crew of girls and women just like her, whose lives have been turned upside down by Aric and his men. The crew has one misson: stay alive, and take down Aric's armed and armored fleet. But when Caledonia's best friend and second-in-command just barely survives an attack thanks to help from a Bullet looking to defect, Caledonia finds herself questioning whether or not to let him join their crew. Is this boy the key to taking down Aric Athair once and for all...or will he threaten everything the women of the Mors Navis have worked for? [ x ]

Fugitives from Aric, "The Father," who rules the seas in his ships with conscripts taken as young children for their families and raised on violence and drug addiction to become fearsome Bullets, Caledonia and her crew of girls are seeking revenge in the novel Seafire.  Told through the perspective of Caledoniai, the reader learns that years earlier, her mother's ship was set upon by Bullets and everyone killed, except Caledonia and her best friend, Pisces. 

At first, Seafire was slow going.  There was a lot of information to digest from the world building (steampunkish ships and politics) , plus a lot of characters to get used to in a short span of time.  But a oceanic battle starts pretty early on, and the reader gets to see the crew in action.  And the action doesn't stop at one battle. The Mors Navis is chased across the seas by a group of Bullet ships, a bounty on their heads. 

Parker did a good job crafting the friendships between the girls.  It's easy to understand why Caledonia is so against any boys, especially reformed Bullets, joining their crew, and I loved the relationship between Hime and Aramina, but overall, I wasn't too attached to any characters.  Their goals seemed wishy-washy and I found it hard to believe that Caledonia could act so irrationally with her crew at times and not have anyone really challenge her. 

Overall, it was a good read once I got into it, and I recommend it to anyone that enjoys sea-faring adventures and/or stories about girls kicking ass.

Natalie C. Parker is the author of the Beware the Wild duology, the Seafire trilogy, and the editor of Three Sides of a Heart. She earned her BA in English literature from the University of Southern Mississippi and her MA in gender studies from the University of Cincinnati. She grew up in a Navy family finding home in coastal cities from Virginia to Japan. Now, she lives surprisingly far from any ocean on the Kansas prairie where she runs Madcap Retreats with her wife.

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