My Favorite Music of 2019

I tried to listen to as much new music as I possibly could in 2019, and I have a number of albums that I’ve added to my regular playlist because of it. So today, I’m going to go over some of the albums, songs, and EPs I listened to in 2019. I don’t have any specific criteria for this list other than the fact that I listened to it this year.

Albums I’ve already talked about…

Breana's picks:

• Sunshine Kitty by Tove Lo
• Saturn by Nao
• Don’t Feed the Pop Monster by Broods
• Cuz I Love You by Lizzo
• We Need to Talk by Tayla Parx
• Songs For You by Tinashe

Albums & EPs 

Breana's picks:

• Hot Pink by Doja Cat: With Doja Cat, I never know what to expect. Her music is versatile and unique in its sound, which is something that was demonstrated on her new album, Hot Pink—released on November 7, 2019. As a whole, Hot Pink has some of Doja Cat’s best music, which is why the album is on this list.
• Hounds of Love (2018 Remaster) by Kate Bush: Kate Bush is an artist I started listening to recently. Her song Running Up That Hill was mentioned by Sherry @ Fundinmental on THIS Music Monday post, which inspired me to listen to the entire Hounds of Love (2018 Remaster) album. It’s now one of my favorite albums to listen to.
• Charli by Charli XCX: Charli was one of my most anticipated albums of 2019, and I liked it. There were a lot of interesting collaborations on it like the ones with Christine and the Queens and Troy Sivan.
• VOLTA by Cirque du Soleil: Cirque du Soleil always has good music. That being said, I really love the VOLTA soundtrack.
• Crush (Ep) by Ravyn Lenae: Ravyn Lenae is another artist I started listening to in 2019. I love the sound of all the songs from Crush. It was worth the listen.
• Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse Soundtrack: I’m kind of late to this one, but oh man, this is probably my favorite movie soundtrack to-date. It fit so well with the movie.
• 85 to Africa by Jidenna: Jidenna’s follow-up to The Chief (2017) was one of the albums I was looking forward to, and it was pretty great. There was a lot I liked about it.
• Whack World by Tierra Whack: Whack World is the shortest album on this list. Sure, it has fifteen songs, but each one is only a minute long. That being said, Whack World is excellent.

Adri's picks:

• Chronologic by Caravan Palace: I was already hyped about this album, and it did not disappoint. 
• Shadow Works by Kerli: I have to admit that I didn't listen to this album much when it first came out. However, when I got back to it, it really grew on me. Now I can't get enough of it. 
• Cosmic Wind by Lion Babe: I was so excited when I saw that Cosmic Wind had fifteen tracks, and I enjoyed every single one of them.

Singles 

Breana's picks:

• Time Flies by Rico Nasty
• Roof by Rico Nasty
• Candles by Angel Haze
• Hot Girl Summer by Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign
• Motivation by Normani
• Good Thing by Zedd and Kehlani
• Hazy Shade of Winter by Gerard Way featuring Ray Toro
• Spoiled on Xmas by Dainá
• All Me by Kehlani featuring Keyshia Cole

Adri's picks:

• Brave New World by The Spiritual Machines
• East by Oshun 

So that’s about it for today. This is just a portion of the music I’ve been listening to throughout the year. I know I missed some stuff, but it is what it is. What is some of the music you listened to in 2019? Tell us about your favorite albums, EPS, or singles down in the comments below.

My Favorite TV Shows & Movies of 2019

Today, I’m going to talk about some of the TV shows and movies I watched in 2019. There were a lot of great releases this year. Some of them were really great. Others were just so-so. And some of them I just haven’t gotten around to yet. Regardless, here are some of my favorite TV shows and movies from 2019.

Stuff I’ve already talked about 

• Raising Dion
• The Dark Crystal
• Klaus

Movies

• Godzilla (2019): I was really looking forward to Godzilla: King of Monsters, and I liked it. It was an intense movie, with a lot of action from start to finish. I liked all the monster designs, as well as the overall story. However, I do think that parts of the movie relied on having some knowledge about the first movie. So I would watch them in order.
• Hobbs & Shaw: It might be a spinoff, but I liked Hobbs & Shaw. There was plenty of action, and the funny dialogue between Hobbs and Shaw was great.
• Venom: I honestly enjoyed Venom. It had a different feel—a bit of an urban grittiness with a touch of horror—that I liked. I would watch a sequel.
• Shazam!: Shazam is one of my favorite DC movies to date. It had a great cast, and generally speaking, I enjoyed the movie overall. The story was concise, with great introductions for the villain and the main character.
• Detective Pikachu: I loved this movie. It made a somewhat simple story go a long way. I liked the story and the cast and their performances, as well as the character design. All of the Pokémon looked great, mainly because of how true to their original designs they were.
• Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse: I loved this movie. It had a great story. I loved the characters and the soundtrack. I also was a complete fan of the animation. It was so stylish, colorful, and atmospheric. It made me think of comic books, and it was great.
• Aladdin (2019): I liked this version of Disney’s Aladdin. The set design was great, and it was like the original but with enough differences to make it its own thing.

TV Shows 

• Discovery of Witches: One of the book-to-TV adaptations I was looking forward to was Discovery of Witches. It seemed pretty faithful to the story. The actors seemed well-suited to roles they were cast in, and I liked their performances. I enjoyed the first season, and I’m looking forward to the next one whenever it gets released in the US.
• Father Brown: I really got into this mystery series on Netflix in the latter half of 2019. I’m not done watching all six seasons yet, but I plan to eventually get through all of the episodes.

Some things I had time to rewatch 

• The Mummy (1999): Pretty much the only version of The Mummy I ever watch.
• Total Recall (2012)
• Men In Black
• Hell Boy
• Coraline
• Corpse Bride
• The Martian
• Independence Day (1996)
• Ready Player One

So that’s it for today. What are some of the movies and TV shows you watched in 2019?

The Cookie Book Tag (Round 2)

It's December 25th, so Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! I hope everyone has a great day with family and or friends. The year is almost over, and today we're going to do a book tag. It has been over a year since Adri and I first participated in the Cookie Book Tag. Today, we're going to do it again to see how our answers do and don't differ. Before we begin, here are the more technical details about the tag.

The Cookie Book Tag was created by Nicole @ Sorry, I’m Booked. And you can check out the original tag post here: Sorry, I’m Booked, The Cookie Book Tag.

The rules…

• Link back to the person who tagged you + the creator of this tag 
• Pick a book that corresponds with the cookies theme 
• Have fun 
• Tag 1-3 people

Chocolate Chip: A Classic Book That You Love or Really Enjoyed (interpret classic how you want, it can be a classic written 100 years ago or 20 years ago)

Breana: I actually have two answers for this one. This year I finally read Dracula by Bram Stoker and Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. They're currently two of my favorite classic novels.

Adri: Oh that's an easy one. My answer is Remember Me by Marry Higgins Clarke. It was just lying on one of my mom's bookshelves, and I thought to myself "Why haven't I read that?". So I did, and I loved it. 

Thin Mints: A Fandom That You Really Want to ‘Join’ AND/OR a Hyped-Up Book You Want To Read (your source(s) of a book being hyped can be from anywhere)

Breana: I'm not looking to join a fandom, but I have a couple of books that I want to read: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow and Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. 

Adri: I don't really have an answer for this question, because the hyped book I was looking forward to is the one I'm currently reading. It's called You're Not Listening by Kate Murphy. 

Shortbread: An Author You Can’t Get Enough Of

Breana: I think the fact that I've read Katherine Arden's middle grade series and fantasy trilogy says a lot about how much of a fan of her work I am. So there's that.

Adri: I have a trio of authors to talk about. I got started with Stephanie Burgis's work after reading the Kat, Incorrigible series and have been interested ever since. Then there's Tony DiTerlizzi who wrote one of my favorite series: The Search for WondLa trilogy. And finally Sandra Burke, who has written several books on fashion, from illustration to business.  I can't get enough of Burke's books.

Samoas/ Caramel DeLites: An Emotional Rollercoaster (this cookie was hard … so any book that made you feel more than one emotion, strongly. The choice of emotions is up to you)

Breana: The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos had so many twists and turns, and that ending gets me every time. 

Adri: If I told you how I felt about The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, it would be a spoiler.

Oreos: A Book Whose Cover Was Better Than The Story OR Vice Versa, Where The Story Was Better Than Its Cover

Breana: In 2019, I didn't really pay attention to book covers like that. I mainly read what I wanted to read.

Adri: Out of everything I read recently, I have yet to encounter this problem.

Tagalongs/ Peanut Butter Patties: A Book That Wasn’t What You Expected (good, bad, or just different, interpret how you wish)

Breana: A Dream So Dark by L.L. McKinney. I went in with no expectations, and it ended up being one of my favorite sequels of 2019.

Adri: Plus Style by Suzan Nanfeldt. Since it's an older book, I really wasn't expecting anything other than basic styling advice. However I did learn some things from it that I hadn't thought of.

Snickerdoodles: A Book You May Never Stop Rereading/ Loving

Breana: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones is such a fantastic story. I reread it earlier in 2019, and I still appreciate it just as much as when I first read it four years ago. 

Adri: My answer for this one is The Theory of Fashion Design by Helen L. Brockman. It was published in 1965, and I actually haven't finished reading it. However it's everything I'm looking for about dresses, and though it is outdated I will always reread it.

Bonus: Choose a cookie I didn’t list and make up a question!

Our question from 2018: Monster Cookies have bold flavors and a long and varied list of ingredients such as M&Ms, chocolate chips, peanut butter, oats, and even sometimes raisins. It’s like a handful of cookie types mashed into one monster of a cookie. So… Monster cookie: name a book with a bold and whimsical title or a book title with four or more words.

Breana: Down Among the Sticks and Bones, A Dream So Dark, The Winter of the Witch.

Adri: The Princess Who Flew With Dragons.

That's about it for today. We tag you to do the cookie book tag to see how your answers differ (if you've done it before), and if you're curious about our original take on the tag visit the post HERE. 

Break Notice

2019 is almost over, and so it’s time for our annual (and extended) break from blogging. All the posts that appear after this one have been scheduled in advance. We’ll still be around (kind of) on social media like twitter, Instagram, and goodreads. We’ll also be here to answer blog comments. See you all in the New Year!

Music Monday (99) The Christmas Edition: Queen, Mariah Carey, and Ella Fitzgerald

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Christmas is right around the corner, so it's finally time for our Christmas edition of Music Monday.

Breana: This year I tried to listen to some different Christmas music besides my usual favorites. So my pick this week is Thank God It's Christmas by Queen. I really like this one. Plus you can never go wrong with music by Queen. 

Adri: First of all, I know we've already done All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey, but she released a new music video for it. So...

My second pick is Sleigh Ride by Ella Fitzgerald. I can't get enough of this song! 

What are some of your favorite holiday songs?

My Favorite Books of 2019

Since the year is almost over, it’s finally time to start discussing all of my favorite things from 2019. Today, I’m going to be talking about the books I read and enjoyed.

New (to me) series & Noteworthy sequels 

2019 was a great year for sequels. A lot of the series I was looking forward to continuing turned out to have great follow-ups. I also got into some new series, and I finally read some of the novellas that had been on my TBR list for a couple of years.

• A Dream So Dark by L.L. McKinney
• A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos translated by Hildegarde Serle
• The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos translated by Hildegarde Serle
• The Wayward Children series (Every Heart A Doorway, Down Among the Sticks and Bones, Beneath the Sugar Sky, In An Absent Dream) by Seanan McGuire
• Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
• Dead Voices by Katherine Arden
• Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay
• The Unkindest Tide by Seanan McGuire
• It Devours! by Joseph Fink and Jeffery Cranor
• Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffery Cranor
• The Girl With the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis
• The Girl Who Flew With Dragons by Stephanie Burgis
• Binti by Nnedi Okorafor 
• Binti: The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor
• Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
• The Consuming Fire by John Scalzi

Standalone novels & Nonfiction + the lone reread 

There were also a number of standalone novels I read this year. There are only a couple of books that came out in 2019 on this part of my list, mainly because in the latter half of the year I started to focus more on the backlist titles I wanted to read.

• Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey
• Well Met by Jen DeLuca
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
• The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Medieval World by Andrew Jotischky & Caroline Hull
• Fashioning Fashion, European Dress in Detail 1700-1915 by Sharon Sadako Takeda & Kaye Durland Spilker 
• Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones

What are some of the books you read and enjoyed in 2019? (They don’t have to be new releases.) Let us know about some of your favorites in the comments down below.

Review: In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire

Title: In an Absent Dream
Series: Wayward Children #4
Author: Seanan McGuire
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor.com; January 8, 2019

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

This fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should. When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well...

Lundy was a character who I always thought of as interesting, even though she only appeared in Every Heart A Doorway. I liked what I saw of her character. So it was nice to get a story from her perspective. In the same vein as Down Among the Sticks and Bones, In an Absent Dream is a prequel story. It told Lundy’s backstory including her adventure behind the door that opened for her: in a world called the Goblin Market. The story was big on being “sure” about many things, with wanting to live in whatever fantasy world that wanted you being one of them—which is a question that most of the characters of the Wayward Children series are eventually asked. It was also about following the rules as well as the consequences of breaking them. The Goblin Market—which is a pretty accurate descriptor for the kind of place Lundy went—was a market, and it was a land ruled by fair value. So even in the Goblin Market there were still rules. It was also uniquely different from some of the other worlds visited in prior books—not just in terms of the landscape and the permanent residents—but for how people, like Lundy, who went there could go back several times before being "sure" had lasting effects. I also liked all the characters who were introduced in In an Absent Dream. They were as interesting as the world they inhabited. All of it made for an entertaining story.

All in all, I enjoyed In an Absent Dream. It satisfied my curiosity about Lundy’s character and the Goblin Market. Now more than ever, I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I Watched Klaus...

When I first heard about Klaus, I knew it was going to be something I wanted to watch, and it was as great a film as I thought it would be. The story was heartwarming and a little bittersweet at times. Overall it was fun and enjoyable to watch, and as a holiday film it worked.

Klaus follows the story of a (very reluctant and arrogant) postman named Jesper who, after disappointing his father, is stationed in a remote artic town called Smeerensburg. This film was kind of like an origin story, with themes of friendship and generational feuds balanced with the beginning of holiday traditions—particularly centered on the characters of Klaus and Jesper. From the start, it was a great premise to build on, and that’s exactly what Klaus does. From start to finish I was thoroughly engrossed in the movie. The voice acting was fantastic, and I can only describe it as expressive and fitting of the characters being portrayed. The attention to detail was something else. The animation was crisp and refined, and there were many scenes that were visually stunning. The style and lighting gave the film an almost hand-drawn feel. For instance, some of the texture found commonly in the background reminded me of pencil. Much of the film was colorful and vibrant, and it excelled at creating atmospheric environments that accurately portrayed the tone of any given scene—and the effect was simply an immersive experience. The character designs were unique and fit the overall style of the movie. The characters themselves were memorable, and at times some of the situations that occurred were on the more humorous side.

Klaus hit all the right notes in terms of animation and story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you’re looking for something to watch this holiday season, then consider giving Klaus a try.

Have you watched Klaus? If so, what did you like about it?

The Friday 56 (169) & Book Beginnings: In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

This fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should. When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well...

Beginning: "In a house, on a street, in a town ordinary enough in every aspect to cross over its own roots and become remarkable, there lived a girl named Katherine Victoria Lundy."

56: "Katherine started to answer. Then she caught herself, remembering her promise to Moon. She closed her mouth and nodded."

Comments: I'm finally caught up with the Wayward Children series. I enjoyed In an Absent Dream, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. What are you reading this week?

Review: The Princess Who Flew With Dragons by Stephanie Burgis

Title: The Princess Who Flew With Dragons
Series: Tales From the Chocolate Heart #3
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Middle Grade; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Bloomsbury Children's Books; November 5, 2019

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Princess Sofia of Drachenheim is sick of being used for her older sister’s political gains. At twelve years old, she’s already been a hostage to invading dragons and a promised future fiancé to a wicked fairy. Her only comfort lies in writing letters to her pen pal and best friend--Jasper, a young dragon whom she's never even met. When Sofia's older sister sends her on a diplomatic mission to far-off Villenne, she's meant to play the part of a charming, smiling princess. But when an accident leads to her exile from the city, Sofia is free to wander as she pleases for the first time in her life. And when Jasper's food-mage sister Aventurine turns him into a human boy, Sofia thinks life can't get any better. Until… the legendary ice giants of the north attack, trying to reclaim the territory that they lost centuries ago. With the dragons and royals frozen in ice, can Sofia and Jasper save their families and kingdom?

Another enchanting and strong-hearted fantasy, set in the same world as The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and The Girl with the Dragon Heart.

The Princess Who Flew With Dragons was an excellent follow up to The Girl With the Dragon Heart. There was less chocolate this time around, and much of the familiar cast of characters wasn’t present. That was because the story was told from Princess Sofia’s perspective and it took place outside of Drachenheim—mainly in Villenne and also the snowy territory of the Ice Giants. However the story was just as fun and adventurous (and full of dragons) as the previous books in the series. Princess Sofia has appeared throughout the series, but she was mostly a side character in the adventures of others. So it was nice to finally get a story from her perspective. Being able to read from Sofia’s perspective was helpful with further understanding her character. The story—and Sofia’s attempts at being diplomatic during her trip to Villenne—put a spotlight on her insecurities and fears about not living up to the title of princess. I appreciated the narrative choices Burgis took with Sofia’s character arch. The lessons, as well as how the situation between Sofia and her old sister, Katrin, played out, was among one of things I liked best about The Princess Who Flew With Dragons. I also liked seeing more of Aventurine’s family—particularly Jasper—as well as all the new characters and places introduced in this book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Princess Who Flew With Dragons. It was a great story, and the ending was satisfying. If you’ve read the other two books in the series, then this one is a must read.

Music Monday (97): Tinashe, Caravan Palace

   Rules:

• Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 

Breana: It has been kind of busy on my end these past couple of weeks, and I’m finally getting back to participating in Music Monday. I’m currently listening to Tinashe’s new album, Songs For You. It’s a solid album, and I have to admit that this is my favorite body-of-work by Tinishe to date. The sound and the feel of it reminded me of some of Tinashe’s earlier music, as well as hip-hop and R&B from the 90’s and early 2000’s. Songs For You has so many good tracks to choose from—like Know Better, Life’s Too Short, Stormy Weather and Hopscotch, just to name a few—so it was a little hard to pick just one to focus on today. I ultimately went with two of my favorites: Save Room For Us and Story Of Us.

I enjoyed all of the songs from Songs For You mainly because of how well it demonstrated Tinashe’s vocal capability. Plus the lyrics and beats were excellent. I recommend giving the whole album a listen.

Adri: So, according to my 2019 Spotify Wrapped, I've listened to Caravan Palace for a total of 74 hours and my favorite song is About You. I can't dispute that, so About You featuring Charles X is my pick for today.

If you have Spotify, what was your most listened to song/artist/album? If not, what are you listening to this week?

The Friday 56 (168) & Book Beginnings: The Princess Who Flew With Dragons by Stephanie Burgis

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Princess Sofia of Drachenheim is sick of being used for her older sister’s political gains. At twelve years old, she’s already been a hostage to invading dragons and a promised future fiancé to a wicked fairy. Her only comfort lies in writing letters to her pen pal and best friend--Jasper, a young dragon whom she's never even met. When Sofia's older sister sends her on a diplomatic mission to far-off Villenne, she's meant to play the part of a charming, smiling princess. But when an accident leads to her exile from the city, Sofia is free to wander as she pleases for the first time in her life. And when Jasper's food-mage sister Aventurine turns him into a human boy, Sofia thinks life can't get any better. Until… the legendary ice giants of the north attack, trying to reclaim the territory that they lost centuries ago. With the dragons and royals frozen in ice, can Sofia and Jasper save their families and kingdom?

Another enchanting and strong-hearted fantasy, set in the same world as The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and The Girl with the Dragon Heart.

Beginning: "I knew it was a bad idea to leave home even before I ever heard about the ice giants. But when your older sister rules your entire kingdom, it's almost impossible to say no to her."

56: "Ouch. I couldn't help wincing at that question, my shoulders hunching defensively as murmurs of approval sounded around the hall."

Comments: The Princess Who Flew With Dragons is just as delightfully fun as the previous books in the series. I loved the story. What are you reading this week?

Review: Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

Title: Beneath the Sugar Sky
Series: Wayward Children #3
Author: Seanan McGuire
Source/Format: Borrowed from the library; Hardcover
More Details: Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor.com; January 9, 2019

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Note: this synopsis contains spoilers for Every Heart a Doorway. 

When Rini lands with a literal splash in the pond behind Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, the last thing she expects to find is that her mother, Sumi, died years before Rini was even conceived. But Rini can’t let Reality get in the way of her quest – not when she has an entire world to save! (Much more common than one would suppose.) If she can't find a way to restore her mother, Rini will have more than a world to save: she will never have been born in the first place. And in a world without magic, she doesn’t have long before Reality notices her existence and washes her away. Good thing the student body is well-acquainted with quests... A tale of friendship, baking, and derring-do. Warning: May contain nuts.

**Note: this review may contain minor spoilers for Every Heart a Doorway and Down Among the Sticks and Bones. You have been warned.**

So far I’m really enjoying the Wayward Children series, and I’m determined to get caught up with all the current books before Come Tumbling Down comes out next year. After I read Down Among the Sticks and Bones, I was more than excited to finally pick up Beneath the Sugar Sky. The synopsis had me excited for all the possibilities the story could hold, and it turned out to be everything I was looking for.

I loved this story. Not only were more of the other worlds visited in Beneath the Sugar Sky—like Confection and The Halls of the Dead—I also got see to all of my favorite characters again including Nancy, Kade, and of course Eleanor West—who had a rule about no quests, and while it finally got broken, it was for a good reason.

No matter how brief it was, it was also great to be back in Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children. Since beneath the Sugar Sky wasn’t a prequel like Down Among the Sticks and Bones, I got more of what I wanted, which was to see what happened to the characters after the way Every Heart a Doorway ended. There were a few new characters, like Cora, who had recently left her own world. I liked her character, and she reminded me a little of Nancy in Every Heart a Doorway. Like her—like most of the students at Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children—Cora had reasons to want to remain in her fantasy world, but ultimately she had to adjust to the sudden changes in her life after that door was shut. One thing that this series does well is how it addresses relevant issues by directly incorporating them rather than shying away from, or only hinting at them. So it often came up as something one or more of the characters had to deal with. Beneath the Sugar Sky also does this with Cora’s character. There was also Rini who, at times, spoke quite frankly, but she was a thoroughly entertaining character (I would take a story entirely from her perspective, I’m just saying).

Beneath the Sugar Sky was an excellent and highly entertaining sequel to Down Among the Sticks and Bones. I plan to read In an Absent Dream as soon as my library hold comes in.