Penguin Random House

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan — SFF Sea Adventure & Jules Verne Retelling

30th Nov 2021 by C.G. @ Paper Fury 1 Comment

Rick Riordan writing a book outside of the Percy Jackson universe?! I needed to read this.

Okay, I know he has adult books as well, so it’s not like he’s only ever written PJO books. But still! Am here for a new aquatic themed adventure 😍🙌🏻 Daughter of the Deep sits nicely in that lower-YA space, with a 14-year-old protagonist named Ana Dakkar who just found out she’s descended from Captain Nemo, yup, the fictional character from Jules’ Vernes books. This story is both a retelling and a continuation of A Thousand Leagues Under The Sea — what if the story was REAL and all of the wild sci-fi advanced technology from the books actually existed?

I have to admit, I don’t actually know the original tale very well, but I still liked how the book approached it. But I do ask how many middle-graders would know the original either? So part of me was like “who is this book for again” but IDK what they teach the kids in school.

When the story takes off Ana is attending a prestigious and exclusive sea-based school called Harding-Pencroft Academy. Basically it trains kids up in marine sciences and to join the navy, etc. But they have this secret rivalry with a land-based school — only Ana thinks it’s just schools disliking each other. But oh no. Ha. No…they try to kill the HP school. When Ana leaves for a training mission/exams out at sea, the whole school is destroyed. Now it’s war. Ana then also discovers her DNA makes her extremely important to unlocking secrets about the infamous Captain Nemo’s submarine. So it becomes a race to get to the sub before they’re caught/controlled by the enemy school.

There’s a lot of weapon tech here, and just good ol’ sci-fi impossible inventions. Iit had the “ancient technology” vibes that are really visually appealing to read about too. Like it boggles the mind that a submarine could exist in the 1800s and move at impossible speeds. Fiction comes ALIVE. Of course 😂 some of the tech was pretty far-fetched, but fun to read about.

A moment to talk about the characters!! Ana Dakker is a fearless heroine, loyal and loving and wise. I also liked the crew dynamics, especially Gemini, Ester and Nelinha! Ester is autistic and was very pleasantly surprised at the fair rep. Gemini was like a body-guard/gun-slinger boy, very forthright and protective. Also tons of diverse rep: with Muslim and Black and Brazilian characters. Ana is Indian-American.

A few things though: (1) I’m not sure if this is a standalone or not, I think it is?? but the characters all felt very one-dimensional. Ana was so perfect she felt flat. (2) I never really understood the schools’ extreme rivalry, but like suddenly all these 14-year-olds are combat ready. (3) Right up front the school is destroyed, so all the kids are suffering extreme grief from that…and it made the jokes and fun moments throughout the book feel off. I just didn’t feel the pizzaz and fast-paced excitement I’d hoped for.

Overall an imaginative ode to Jules Verne, with underwater explorations and plenty of action scenes and the character-group dynamics you know and love from a Riordan story!

Thanks to Penguin Australia for the review-copy!

Title: Daughter of the Deep
Author: Rick Riordan
Date Published: October 5th 2021
Publisher: Penguin Australia
Genre: YA/MG sci-fi fantasy
Purchase: Book Depository, Blackwells
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Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a five-year high school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world. Ana’s parents died while on a scientific expedition two years ago, and the only family’s she’s got left is her older brother, Dev, also a student at HP. Ana’s freshman year culminates with the class’s weekend trial at sea, the details of which have been kept secret. She only hopes she has what it’ll take to succeed. All her worries are blown out of the water when, on the bus ride to the ship, Ana and her schoolmates witness a terrible tragedy that will change the trajectory of their lives.
But wait, there’s more. The professor accompanying them informs Ana that their rival school, Land Institute, and Harding-Pencroft have been fighting a cold war for a hundred and fifty years. But now the heat is on and the freshman are in danger of becoming fish food. In a race against deadly enemies, Ana will make amazing friends and astounding discoveries about her heritage as she puts her leadership skills to the test for the first time.

The Cousins by Karen M. Mcmanus — Rich Messy Families, Estranged Cousins, and Murder

4th Jan 2021 by C.G. @ Paper Fury 6 Comments

Another brilliant McManus book for me to adore!!

I have discovered I have an deep interest in inheriting a large and mysterious fortune, so I will continue to read books about inheritances (and disinheritances) until I, too, find the answer. 😪 I’m so fond of Karen M. McManus’ thrillers, and while this one actually felt more lowkey on the thriller aspect, it has the twists that leave your brain shrieking. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The premise. The messy problematic rich families. The estranged cousins bonding. The mysterious resort island. The REVEALS at the end ahhh.

what if a rich, reclusive grandma disinherited her kids but took a sudden interest in their grandkids…

This definitely has similar vibes to The Inheritance Games, which I loved too! In this one — Mildred Story disinherited her kids 25 years ago and has never seen them, made contact, or even tried to meet their kids. But then one summer she invites the 3 cousins (Milly, Jonah and Aubrey) to her resort island to “work” and get to know her. It’s a really cushy job for a ton of pay, but obviously the parents are like “maybe she’ll give you an inheritance?!?” so they push for the kids to go. But when the three cousins get there, their grandmother doesn’t want a thing to do with them.

It’s very deeply about messed up, privileged and entitled rich families and their dirty secrets. And sorry, but I kind of love reading it 😂 Rich people just are…on another PLANET. They’re so wild and unrelatable. 😂 Of the three cousins, Milly is the most snobbish (her mum bribes her with a DIAMOND NECKLACE to go?!) but they’re still better than their parents. We get flashbacks of their parents youths and oh they were brats. But the whole book is really dramatic and engaging and you feel soft for the good kids and are horrified at what the others get away with.

Of course there’s a little bit of murder… It’s a McManus book, alright, this is what we showed up for. Except this time the cousins are unravelling what happened on the island 25 years ago to get their parents disinherited. WHAT DID THEY DO.

The three cousins were messy, clashing and vibrant.

Milly was forthright and a go-getter, definitely one who likes to be the centre of attention. Aubrey was a quiet pushover people pleaser and so soft. But I loved how they bonded. Milly immediately looking out for Aubrey and Aubrey enjoying having someone not stomping on her. Jonah was the cousin they all hate, snobby and geeky…although he has more secrets than you can imagine and I liked him as the story unravelled.

A thoroughly compelling, mysterious and fantastic read. I really had a good time with this!

Dysfunctional families and cousins learning to bond and family skeletons being dug out of the shadows and muuuuurder. It’s hard to put down and the bombshells drop with absolute perfection. Also the foreshadowing is SO good and glorious but you don’t see it till the ah-ha moment at the end. I love it.

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised… and curious.
Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family’s past is.
The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

Goodreads | Book Depository | Publisher

Thanks to Penguin Australia for the review-copy!

One Of Us Is Next (#2) by Karen M. McManus [Oh I Am Addicted]

27th Jan 2020 by C.G. @ Paper Fury 10 Comments

I am utterly basking in the feels of having just finished a good book.

BASKING, I tell you! The twists in this were so clever, so intricately woven. Getting to the end and discovering how many characters’ lives were tangled up together — not to mention that circular finale!!! — just had me in full appreciation of the story and the author’s cleverness. This is just [clenches fist] a very good book.

I admit I didn’t actually love the first book, but I adored McManus’ second book (Two Can Keep a Secret) so I was interested to try the sequel to One of Us Is Lying…and GAH I’M SO GLAD, because I’m lowkey obsessed.

📖 Find One Of Us Is Lying (Book 1 on Goodreads)
📖 Review of Two Can Keep A Secret (standalone)

Can you read this sequel without having read One Of Us Is Lying?

Technically YES. Because I remember like 3% of OFUIL and I still fully enjoyed this. However you’ll get more references and understand the background characters’ connections better if you’ve read the first book. (Basically I recommend always reading a sequel in order. But if you’re chaotic ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ go for it.)

[a small peek at the plot]

I firmly believe thrillers are best when you know next to nothing about them — so I don’t want to go into details! But basically this story involves:

a deadly game of Truth or Dare (an anonymous person texts you “truth or dare” and if you don’t take the dare, they’ll reveal a horrific life-ruining secret truth about you).
everyday family and teen drama and angst (which I LOVED).
Maeve’s worried about her childhood lukemia coming back; Knox is wilting under his father’s sneers that he’s too soft; Phoebe is losing her connection to her family from grief after her dad died and truth of a terrible secret with her sister.
MURDER, JOHN.

What hooked me the most? The characters. Then I cared more about the plot.

[characters]

We have three narrators: Phoebe, Maeve, and Knox. Each have really complex lives and they three become tightly woven together as they unravel the mystery of who’s behind this life-ruining anonymous game of Truth or Dare. And YES there is murder in this book. There’s also fear-mongering, horrific gossip, and dangerous secrets revealed. It took me a bit to warm up to Phoebe’s chapters, but I reeeally loved Maeve!! And Knox is SO SOFT and I do love the soft boys. Also I loved that he was hounded by toxic masculinity but he didn’t give up and change himself. 😭Bless Knox, I love him.

The only thing that was an issue for me is: so. many. characters. Every main character had a huge circle of minor-characters in their lives, including siblings and friends, ALL with histories and connections. Plus there were the characters from book one returning in the background. I panicked a little that I’d never keep up (my brain melted) but by the end, I was into it and remembering almost all (lol) the characters names.

I just loved how it balanced sibling strife and love + relationship angst and crushes + intense friendships to adore. All the good stuff of a contemporary pLUS muystery and murder. I melt, I am soft butter. I am a fan.

[how thrillery was it?]

Admittedly, it wasn’t very dark. This was more character-centric, but the stakes were high, and I loved the characters so much that even their smallest pain amped up the tension. And how it all fit together, tying in so many characters, was INTRICATELY AMAZING. I am so impressed. I only guessed one twist!

Open for SPOILERS

Just a few quick spoiler thoughts:

I didn’t guess anything except — Owen’s involvement!! I was so proud of myself lolol. And just the horribleness of that circular perfection!? Brandon got away with murder as a child and now Owen gets away with murder as a child. Owen falls to the same sin that Brandon’s family protected him with and !!! It couldn’t be more painful!!! You can SEE how people do horrible things out of love.
I want a sequel, 5 years from now, just about Owen. 😭he was so soft and sweet.
I didn’t guess it was Emma behind the game, because I forgot who she was every time she wasn’t on page LOL. I did suspect Knox once but I’m also dumb. I loved all the bread crumbs at the beginning that didn’t click into place until the end!!!

[honestly just read this book]

It was captivating, tricky, and intriguing, and just left my Slytherin heart smouldering with satisfaction. It wasn’t the darkest thriller ever, but it was addictive and entertaining and stressful with excellent characters to love and sobering plot twists and reveals.

Thank you to Penguin Australia for the ARC!! One Of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus came out January 9th, 2020.

It is a year after the action of One of Us Is Lying, and someone has started playing a game of Truth or Dare.
But this is no ordinary Truth or Dare. This game is lethal. Choosing the truth may reveal your darkest secrets, accepting the dare could be dangerous, even deadly.
The teenagers of Bayview must work together once again to find the culprit, before it’s too late . . .

Goodreads | Book Depository | Penguin

do you like when contemporary-setting books get sequels?! have you read any Karen McManus books yet? and oooh tell me if you often guess thriller twists or are you always surprised?