Review: The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell

Title: The Crooked Sixpence
Author: Jennifer Bell
Source/Format: Borrowed from the Library; Hardcover
More Details: Middle Grade; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Crown Books For Young Readers; January 31, 2017
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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Welcome to a world where nothing is quite as it seems…

When their grandmother Sylvie is rushed to the hospital, Ivy Sparrow and her annoying big brother Seb cannot imagine what adventure lies in store. Soon their house is ransacked by unknown intruders, and a very strange policeman turns up on the scene, determined to apprehend them . . . with a toilet brush. Ivy and Seb make their escape only to find themselves in a completely uncommon world, a secret underground city called Lundinor where ordinary objects have amazing powers. There are belts that enable the wearer to fly, yo-yos that turn into weapons, buttons with healing properties, and other enchanted objects capable of very unusual feats. But the forces of evil are closing in fast, and when Ivy and Seb learn that their family is connected to one of the greatest uncommon treasures of all time, they must race to unearth the treasure and get to the bottom of a family secret . . . before it’s too late...

The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell was just one of those books that I don’t really have too much to say about. There are a couple of reasons for that. There’s a lot that goes on and much of it starts in the first couple of chapters. I’m going to quickly go over what I did and didn’t like about the story.

I’m going to start with what I didn’t like about The Crooked Sixpence. Some of the situations seemed almost too convenient and easily solved. These things and situations were supposed to be dangerous, but didn't quite get there.  Also there were a couple of offhand comments made by Ivy and Seb that I disliked. Since the character isn’t mentioned in the synopsis, I won’t give a name. However, I will say that there are more imaginative ways to describe brown skin than with a food analogy,

There were some things that I liked about The Crooked Sixpence, namely the plot and the magic. The story moved along pretty quickly, and the questions introduced at the beginning set up a relatively interesting conflict. The conflict is what kept me reading more than the interactions between the characters. The magic was pretty neat and I liked the idea surrounding ordinary objects that weren’t quite what they initially seemed to be. There was something fun and whimsical about them that was almost humorous but also kind of dangerous given what some of them could actually do.

While I did have a couple of problems with this one, the end left the characters at an interesting place. As such, I would still consider checking out the next book in the series.

Quarterly Recap: January-March

Yes, I actually remembered to do this post on time. I’m not going to do a super long intro since this is just a recap of most of the posts that have been posted to the blog through January, February, and March. However, I included only a few of the weekly meme post, otherwise, they can be found by following the meme label on the features page...

January Reviews:

• Twistrose Key
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

February Reviews:

• Bliss
• Rivals in the City
• A Dash of Magic
• The Girl at Midnight

March Reviews:

• Truthwitch
• Furthermore 
• Ghostly Echoes
• The Wrath & The Dawn

**Weekly Meme labels can be found on the Features page**

Other January Posts:

• Happy New Year
• 2017 Blogging Resolutions
• Most Anticipated 2017 Releases
• Random Weekly questions
• Roseblood Release Day Blitz

Other February Posts:

• February Discussion Post: Nonfiction
• Release Day: Starfall 
• Favorite Types of Book Covers

Other March Posts:

• Blog Birthday
• March Discussion Post: What if the synopsis spoils the book
• What's new? Victoria Scott
• Weekend Tidbits #10 So Much Stuff
• Random Weekly Questions

I’ve gotten a good amount of stuff done across these past three months, but that’s not what this section of the post is about. I’m supposed to be looking ahead to what I’m going to be doing. One of my biggest goals for April is to do another discussion post. So far, I’ve done two, and the once a month thing is working pretty well. As for reading—that’s going pretty well. Over the weekend I read one of my most anticipated 2017 releases—The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Hands down, it’s one of the best books I’ve read all year, and I hope that trend continues.

The Friday 56 (99) & Book Beginnings: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

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...

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life...

Beginnings: "I shouldn't have come to this party. I'm not even sure if I belong at this party."

56: "Momma cuts him a quick glare, then turns to me. "So, you think your up for it, Starr?"

Comments: I don't have much to say about this because I literally just started reading it yesterday. I've only read a couple of pages, but I plan on finishing The Hate U Give before the weekend is over.

What are you reading this week?

March Discussion Post: What If The Synopsis Spoils The Book

Spoilers is the topic of my March discussion post. Spoilers, well, it isn’t really a topic that I would normally have a lot to say about. At the end of the day, spoilers are still spoilers no matter which way you put it. My thoughts on this particular subject stemmed from some of the books I’ve recently read. Lately, I’ve gotten a couple of them that have made me think about what happens when and if the synopsis of a book accidentally ruins an integral part of the plot.

Don’t worry, I’m purely sharing my thoughts about this topic, but I will not name or reveal any spoilers pertaining to the books that prompted this post.

As I stated above, this has happened to me on multiple occasions. Usually, I don’t immediately take notice of this until I’ve finished the book and started to write my review—then I finally get that “Aha!” moment. While this doesn’t seem like it can be much of a problem, it does have an impact on me. I’ve noticed that this is especially the case when it’s the first book in a series. That first book is often the deciding factor of whether I want or don’t want to continue on to later books in a series. It doesn’t have to be the most literary thing in the sea, as long as I end up enjoying the story for what it is. However, knowing certain things about the plot can have a couple of different effects.

Let me explain. If the synopsis happens to spoil something important, and I either know or am unconsciously expecting it, then when I actually get to that part it might not have the impact that was intended. I find that this is especially the case when that reveal happens pretty late into the story. Simply put, that element of surprise just isn’t there. While this might not ruin a story—especially, if there’s more surprising twists and development left to the plot—it’s still something to think about.

So, what to do about it?

As a reader, it's hard to say, because it would be impossible to avoid synopses entirely. However, I still dislike when this happens, because I always think, “Would this book have had a lasting impression if I hadn’t been expecting a specific thing to haappen [insert spoiler here]? Would I have reacted differently?” Which always leads me to the same conclusion: possibly.

Has this ever happened to you?

What's New?: Victoria Scott

Today, I’m going to be mentioning a couple of books. The first is Victoria Scott’s new release, Hear the Wolves, which came out yesterday. The second book is Titans, which is now available in paperback. You can find more information about Titans and Hear the Wolves below...

Title: Hear the Wolves

Author: Victoria Scott

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: March 28, 2017

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

It’s survival of the strongest in a contemporary, girl-versus-wild middle-grade debut from Fire & Flood author Victoria Scott!

Sloan is a hunter...

So she shouldn’t be afraid of anything. But ever since her mom left the family and she lost hearing in one ear in a blizzard, it’s been hard to talk to people, and near-impossible to go anywhere or do anything without her dad or big sister within eyesight — it makes her too scared to be on her own. When they leave her home alone for what should only be two nights, she’s already panicked. Then the snow starts falling and doesn’t stop. One of her neighbors is hurt in an accident. And the few people still left in Rusic need to make it to the river and the boat that’s tied there — their only way to get to a doctor from their isolated Alaska town. But the woods are icy cold, and the wolves are hungry. Sloan and her group are running out of food, out of energy, and out of time. That’s when the wolves start hunting them . . .

Title: Titans

Author: Victoria Scott

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: February 23, 2016

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch. She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them. But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about...

Victoria Scott is the acclaimed author of FIRE & FLOOD, SALT & STONE, TITANS, HEAR THE WOLVES, the DANTE WALKER trilogy, and VIOLET GRENADE (May 2017). She is published by Scholastic and Entangled Teen, and is represented by Sara Crowe. Her latest novel, TITANS, received two starred reviews, and FIRE & FLOOD is a 2017 Spirit of Texas Reading Program selection. Victoria’s novels are sold in fourteen different countries, and she loves receiving reader emails from at home, and across the world...

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