#skye melki-wegner

[slaughter-books]

Day 1: JOMPBPC: August Goals

My immediate TBR for August, 2024! 🩷

[happytapirstudio]

Tapir Book Review: "Deadlands bk 1: Hunted" by Skye Melki-Wegner

Do you remember when I discovered this book and got super excited that it existed?  Well that's it that's the story.  Was it everything I hoped and dreamed?  I think so!

So this is what the website says: "Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in this action-adventure middle grade debut series by Skye Melki-Wegner about five outcasts—and former enemies—who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom."

First off, every piece of dinosaur media in existence feels the need to evoke Jurassic Park as a selling point.   I'll bitch about JP in a separate post, but needless to say, the only thing Deadlands and that movie have in common is dinosaurs.  And I guess being action/adventure stories.  As for Wings of Fire, I can't say...haven't read it!   Going in I figured it would be a lot like Warriors, what with the whole concept of warring factions of animals.  Surprisingly...it wasn't much like Warriors, either!

You know what it *is* like?  Land Before Time.  It's clearly for kids, but it's still a mature story.  It's told from the perspective of dinosaurs (no humans whatsoever! thank christ.)  And the directors/author clearly did some serious research for it.  The world-building in Deadlands is a bit more involved than LBT--it portrays dinosaurs with a distinct culture, a rich oral history, a political system, and a magic stone-based currency--but in the bigger picture, I'd say the level of anthropomorphism is about the same in each.  These are dinosaurs in their natural habitat, engaging primarily in natural behaviors, by which I mean, their main goal in life is to eat leaves.  Everything built around that--rules, rituals, armies--exists only to support that kind of lifestyle.

Another big LBT parallel is that our protagonists are a motley crew of young, abandoned, herbivorous dinosaurs who band together in the face of serious hardships in order to survive.  In Hunted, an Oryctodromeus named Eleri is cast out of his herd and sent to the Deadlands, a carnivore-infested desert wasteland where dinosaurs chuck all their criminals and traitors.  There, he meets several other dinosaurs (not saying what kind - spoilers!!), and found family ensues.

I am trying soooo hard to avoid spoilers here.  But don’t worry, another post is coming up, chock-full of spoilers and rife with myyyyyyyy opinions.  [link forthcoming]  Here's what I have to say in closing:

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves dinosaurs, especially dinosaurs in their own right, not just as props in a human-centric story (cough, cough...........Jurassic Park.....................) I think the prose is quite lovely, and the premise, themes, and characters are all pretty sound.  That being said, this is, at the end of the day, a chapter book for younger kids.  If you can't hang with that, or the talking animal genre really doesn't appeal to you, then you should probably go back to the library and look for something else.

I had fun reading this--a good before-bed read!--so if you did, too, please hmu and we can chat about dinosaurs together!! <3

[that-glitter-chick]

I highly recommend this to anyone who likes the original Land Before Time movie. Or even anyone who was smart enough to never give up loving dinosaurs just because they grew up.

[judgingbooksbycovers]

The Deadlands: Survival

By Skye Melki-Wegner.

[wc-confessions]

Here's a rapid fire list of non-Warriors xenofiction novels WC fans can read. Will say I haven't read all of these, and in that case, I will not leave a comment. Obligatory Wings of Fire, Guardians of Ga'hoole, Redwall, and Watership Down recommendation. Honorable mentions go to other Erin Hunter series - Seekers, Survivors, Bravelands, and Bamboo Kingdom. Varjak Paw series by S.F. Said. Two books. Geared toward a younger audience like Warriors. I can vouch this as one of my favorites. I can see it being an acquired taste, especially for someone older, though. Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams. One book. Personally, I'd only recommend this book if you're super interested in learning about the inspiration for Warriors. Otherwise, its themes have aged like milk and the story isn't all too special. I will say the plot gets pretty decent and horrifying at the halfway point. The Deadlands series by Skye Melki-Wegner. Three books. I have completed the first and a read a little of the second. Geared towards a younger audience like Warriors. You can tell that the audience is younger due to the dialogue and characters. Descriptions are good and I'd imagine thrilling for the target demographic. In fact, I'd describe the books, that I've read so far, as thrilling in general. However, the "Jurassic Park meets Wings of Fire" comparison is a lie. Wings of Fire is accurate but this series has nothing to do with the Jurassic Park movies or books besides dinosaurs. It'd be closer to say "The Land Before Time meets Wings of Fire." I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for Warriors with dinosaurs. Silverwing series by Kenneth Oppel. I've only read a little of the first book, so I don't have much to talk about. I will tell you that a graphic novel has recently released! Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies. One book. About deer. No comment. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. One book. Horses. No comment. Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker. One book. Utahraptors. No comment. A Black Fox Running by Brian Carter. One book. Foxes. No comment. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien. One book. Mice. No comment. Foxcraft series by Inbali Iserles. Three books. Foxes. No comment. The Tygrine Cat series by Inbali Iserles. Two books. Cats. No comment. The Books of the Named series by Clare Bell, more commonly known as Ratha's Creature or the Ratha series. Five books. Prehistoric Dinaelurus nimravids. No comment. I think I've listed enough in this ask, but I'll drop this xenofiction list https://www.tumblr.com/the-owl-tree/745956715298799616/xenofiction-reading-recommendation-list?source=share in case anyone wants more.

.

[hallowraith]

Finished reading The Deadlands series by Skye Melki-Wegner, here's a few rough sketches of Eleri (& Agostron?) I did. Would love to revisit this design soon + the rest of the characters!

[littlereadsandteas]

Sacrifice by Brigid Kemmerer is a gripping and emotional page-turner that will captivate fans of high-stakes fantasy and romance, particularly those who enjoy stories about family, loyalty, and the unbreakable bonds that hold people together in the face of adversity.

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan is a exhilarating and heartwarming tale that will captivate readers who crave epic adventures, rich mythology, and the unbreakable bonds of found family, making it a perfect fit for fans of fantasy and mythology who are looking for a story that will leave them on the edge of their seats and touch their hearts.

Skyfire by Skye Melki-Wegner is a stirring and emotional ride that will captivate fans of young adult fantasy who crave fast-paced adventures, complex moral dilemmas, and heart-pounding suspense, making it a perfect fit for readers who devour stories of self-discovery, loyalty, and the struggle for freedom.

The Rising by Terra Harmony is a captivating read for young adult fantasy enthusiasts who crave adventurous tales of self-discovery, forbidden love, and the struggle for survival in a world where ancient rivalries and hidden histories threaten the delicate balance of a mystical underwater kingdom.

[theobviousparadox]

Review: Deadlands: Survival by Skye Melki-Wegner

The Deadlands: Survival (The Deadlands #3)Skye Melki-WegnerHenry Holt & Co.Published April 2, 2024 Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads About The Deadlands: Survival Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in the thrilling finale of this action-adventure series about five outcasts ― and former enemies ― who are the only hope to save their warring dinosaur kingdoms from impending doom. As bloody battle…

[genzanxiety]

So am I the only one who knows about the Chasing the Valley book series by Skye Melli-Wegner or are y’all out there 2???

[quietya]

And one last round up post from my instagram, featuring already released books!

Done Dirt Cheap by Sarah Nicole Lemon

The Hush by Skye Melki-Wegner

The Duke of Bannerman Prep by Katie A. Nelson

Queer, There, and Everywhere by Sarah Prager

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein

A Novel Idea by Aimee Friedman

[bookshelfbrunette]

The Hush by Skye Melki-Wegner ☆  ☆    2/5

I’ll start out by saying that I didn’t necessarily dislike this book. I just didn’t particularly like it.

It probably would have been better if I hadn’t predicted every. single. plot twist of the story quite early on (they all just seemed obvious to me). So that greatly lessened my enjoyment of the story, because I was just waiting to get to the end so that I could see if I was correct with my predictions. I was hoping that it would be something more original, or at least there would be something I hadn’t considered, that would really shock me and make it worthwhile. This was not the case.

It was trying so hard to be an adventurous, thrilling sci-fi novel, but in my opinion just missed the mark in that respect.

There was a bit of a love...interest, sort of. I think the characters ended up having feelings for each other, but it wasn’t engaging enough for me. I don’t really think there was an established basis for a romance. And even if it was kind of implied, those feelings weren’t really elaborated on. (There was also a “montage” of sorts that just summarized what happened during a period of time and it was thrown in that they had budding feelings...or something like that.)

For me, it was just okay. Overall I just felt indifferent, and a little bored. It’s not a bad story by any means, I think there would be readers who would enjoy it, and I hope this book finds those readers.

☆  ☆   2/5

[slaughter-books]

My beautiful April, 2024 book haul! 🤎

[happytapirstudio]

August 2024 Book Log

New This Month:

Dragon Magic by Andre Norton

Icefire by Chris D'Lacey

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

My Favorite Thing is Monsters Book Two by Emil Ferris

Continuing:

The Legend of Luke by Brian Jacques (reread) (UNfinished)

The Deadlands Book 2: Trapped by Skye Melki-Wegner

Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher (finished)

No longer listing the books that haven't been touched in over two months....too tedious, too shameful.

Okay I need everyone to know that Andre Norton is a GIRL (*vine boom sfx*) who was born Alice Mary Norton, but had several pen names, including Andre Norton (*vine boom sfx*), Andrew North (*vine boom sfx*), and Allen Weston (*vine bo--) Make of that what you will.

I like her book. I want to read more of her books. I want to read more children's fantasy from the 70's. They were straight-up writing entirely different sentences back then. It's like a breath of fresh air.

I like Icefire a bit more than The Fire Within...D'Lacey's voice feels more consistent; the action is clearer, more natural. And, although I wouldn't say The Fire Within had slow pacing, I was kind of baffled at how little dragon lore we received. The story was primarily focused on those stupidass squirrels, which felt kind of off to me, not just because I was waiting for that Big Dragon Reveal, but also because I felt like the drama and emotion surrounding the squirrel shit was kind of forced. So Icefire is much more balanced in that regard.

I'm kind of going apeshit over Mists of Avalon. I feel like I've been plowing through it, but there's no "plowing through" a text this long and dense. I also know it's kind of a cornerstone text in the fantasy genre, so I'm going to keep my thoughts to myself for now.

RIP Legend of Luke...the kids in Redwall are fucking insufferable to read, lmao.

[mobilepubliclibraryteens]

Chester is on the road, searching every town for clues about his father and why he disappeared. But when he's caught accidentally – and illegally – connecting with the Song as he plays his beloved fiddle, Chester is sentenced to death. Only a licensed Songshaper can bend music to their will. The axe is about to fall . . . But there is someone else watching Chester. Someone who needs his special talents. Who can use him for their own ends. And who knows the secrets of The Hush, where there is no music, only deadly Echoes who will steal your soul. Susannah is that someone. The young captain of the infamous Nightfall Gang, Susannah has plans for Chester. Finally, she will have her revenge.

[paperbackd]

Here’s a masterpost of YA books to be released in June 2017. Check out this month’s new releases below. Feel free to use this as a guide to this month’s releases, but please do not repost it in its entirety elsewhere. If you found this masterpost helpful, a like, reblog, or link back to Paperback’d would be much appreciated!

June 1st

When It's Real by Erin Watt ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Aurabel by Laura Dockrill ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Ballad for a Mad Girl by Vikki Wakefield ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Crimewave (The Seven Signs #5) by Michael Adams ✤ Goodreads

After the Fire by Will Hill ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index by Julie Israel ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moïra Fowley-Doyle ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Truth or Dare by Non Pratt ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

June 6th

All the Stars Left Behind by Ashley Graham ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

And Then There Were Four by Nancy Werlin ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Boy by Blake Nelson ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Breaking by Danielle Rollins ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Broken Ones (A Malediction Trilogy Prequel) by Danielle L. Jensen ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Dividing Eden (Dividing Eden #1) by Joelle Charbonneau ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Firebrand (Steeplejack #2) by A.J. Hartley ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Follow Me Back (Follow Me Back #1) by A.V. Geiger ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Hush by Skye Melki-Wegner ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Internet Famous by Danika Stone ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Liberty: The Spy Who (Kind of) Liked Me by Andrea Portes ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

On Through the Never (The Edge of Forever #2) by Melissa E. Hurst ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Once and For All by Sarah Dessen ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Perfect Ten by L. Philips ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Possible by Tara Altebrando ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Romeo, Juliet & Jim by Larry Schwarz & Iva-Marie Palmer ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

This Impossible Light by Lily Myers ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Unlikelies by Carrie Firestone ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

What I Lost by Alexandra Ballard ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Why I Loathe Stirling Lane by Ingrid Paulson ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Wildman by J.C. Geiger ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

June 13th

Bad Romance by Heather Demetrios ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Be True to Me by Adele Griffin ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Bone Queen: A Pellinor Prequel by Alison Croggon ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2) by Seanan McGuire ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Fallen Kingdom (The Falconer #3) by Elizabeth May ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Hell and High Water by Tanya Landman ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Julia Defiant (The Witch's Child #2) by Catherine Egan ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Leaf Reader by Emily Arsenault ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Little Wrecks by Meredith Miller ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Midnight at the Electric by Jodi Lynn Anderson ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

More of Me by Kathryn Evans ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Murder Among the Stars by Adam Shankman & Laura L. Sullivan ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Obsidian and Stars (Ivory and Bone #2) by Julie Eshbaugh ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity #2) by Victoria Schwab ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Post-High School Reality Quest by Meg Eden ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Roar by Cora Carmack ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Soldier Boy by Keely Hutton ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Suffering Tree by Elle Cosimano ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Summer Unscripted by Jen Klein ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Thief's Cunning (Assassin's Heart #2) by Sarah Ahiers ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

An Uninterrupted View of the Sky by Melanie Crowder ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Want by Cindy Pon ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan & Brian Conaghan ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

June 20th

The Girl in Between by Sarah Carroll ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Maybe in Paris by Rebecca Christiansen ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Such a Good Girl by Amanda K. Morgan ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Trusting You & Other Lies by Nicole Williams ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

June 27th

Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Beautiful Lost by Luanne Rice ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Eden Summer by Liz Flanagan ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Generation One (Logan Legacies Reborn #1) by Pittacus Lore ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Gentleman's Guide for Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Girl on the Verge by Pintip Dunn ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

If Birds Fly Back by Carlie Sorosiak ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Into the Hurricane by Neil Connelly ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Midnight Jewel (The Glittering Court #2) by Richelle Mead ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Now I Rise (And I Darken #2) by Kiersten White ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

Reign of Serpents (Blood of Gods and Royals #3) by Eleanor Herman ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

June 29th

Flight of a Starling by Lisa Heathfield ✤ Goodreads | Amazon

[thebookbinger]

Warcross // Marie Lu

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation. Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

The Hush // Skye Melki-Wegner

Chester is on the road, searching every town for clues about his father and why he disappeared. But when he's caught accidentally – and illegally – connecting with the Song as he plays his beloved fiddle, Chester is sentenced to death. Only a licensed Songshaper can bend music to their will. The axe is about to fall . . . But there is someone else watching Chester. Someone who needs his special talents. Who can use him for their own ends. And who knows the secrets of The Hush, where there is no music, only deadly Echoes who will steal your soul. Susannah is that someone. The young captain of the infamous Nightfall Gang, Susannah has plans for Chester. Finally, she will have her revenge.

The Lies of Locke Lamora // Scott Lynch

In this stunning debut, author Scott Lynch delivers the wonderfully thrilling tale of an audacious criminal and his band of confidence tricksters. Set in a fantastic city pulsing with the lives of decadent nobles and daring thieves, here is a story of adventure, loyalty, and survival that is one part "Robin Hood", one part Ocean's Eleven, and entirely enthralling... An orphan's life is harsh — and often short — in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains — a man who is neither blind nor a priest. A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected "family" of orphans — a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards. Under his tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting. Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld's most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful — and more ambitious — than Locke has yet imagined. Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi's most trusted men — and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr's underworld. With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game — or die trying...