Sometimes the best books do not need to be love at first sight—it definitely wasn’t with this one! When I turned to page one of Lore by Alexandra Bracken, I was immediately blown away, but not in the best sense of the term. The immediate, heated setting of a boxing ring, combined with a plethora of Greek terms, was enough to thoroughly overwhelm me. That time, I had closed the book, taken a few deep breaths, and left it to collect dust on my bookshelf. By reading in bits and pieces, though, I eventually became enthralled by the convoluted world Bracken had woven through the pages. Lore is a standalone contemporary fantasy that follows the adventures of a young girl named Lore, the last mortal descendant of the House of Perseus. She is haunted by the Agon: an event that takes place every seven years, which forces nine gods to roam the Earth as mortals while being hunted by mortals. Once a mortal kills a god, that mortal gains the god’s power and strength, and because of human greed, the cycle can never end. Lore, however, has escaped the deathly Agon. That is, until an old friend and a goddess come seeking aid, and she must choose whether or not to insert herself back into the situation that killed her parents and two sisters. I genuinely enjoyed this book, what with its multifaceted characters and impeccable world-building. Lore serves as the perfect protagonist for this particular story—her anger is her fatal flaw, and that comes up multiple times in the book. I also liked how the novel emphasized the power imbalance between genders. Where males were seen as the only ones fit to become gods and be in any sort of leadership position, women could only sit still, look pretty, and consider themselves lucky if they were not sacrificed for one reason or another. Lore speaks heatedly about this subject throughout the book, and the conversations she had were very realistic and mature, which I appreciated. At times, the Greek terms and different ancient houses became too much to process—I couldn’t keep track of who was who and what specific Greek words meant. Having to flip to the glossary every time an unfamiliar word popped up was frustrating and deterring. Having studied Greek mythology extensively in my free time, I was able to fare generally well and understand the many references to Greek mythology. However, I would definitely tell those who don’t know much about Greek mythology to beware—it may be overwhelming and confusing. I’d recommend reading something fun and informational, like Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, to get you warmed up if you don’t know much about all things Greek. Also, there were so many components of this world that I would have loved for this book to have a sequel, just so we could tie up some of the loose ends. Besides, I am not a fan of open endings in general. This one, however, did fit with the story and still offered that satisfying, tingling feeling you get when you finish a good book. So, surprisingly, it did not disappoint! Overall, an enjoyable and deep read fit for older readers! Those who have followed Alexandra Bracken’s work since The Darkest Minds, and especially those who have not, will find an irresistible story of gods, monsters, and simmering betrayal within these pages. If I could go back in time, I would thank my struggling self for deciding to power through the novel. It was truly worth it. Lore by Alexandra Bracken. Disney-Hyperion, 2021. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
book review
Love and Gelato, Reviewed by April, 13
For the longest time, I left Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch on my to-read shelf like an ice cream cone in the summer sun. It was too frilly, I reasoned. Too generic. Next to the plethora of suspenseful dystopian and fantasy novels I had yet to read, Love & Gelato didn’t seem like it would be worth my time. But that’s when my friends began to pelt me with book recommendations, a primary one being this book. I was skeptical, but curious. Would it really live up to the hype? In the end, I decided to borrow the novel from my local library just for laughs. Boy, oh boy. Maybe my pediatrician wasn’t ever going to recommend I eat gelato left and right, but this book was exactly what the doctor ordered. In Love & Gelato, the stage is set in Tuscany, Italy, where seventeen-year-old Lina Emerson is on a visit. Under different circumstances, Lina would immediately fall in love with Italy’s shimmering waters, quaint villages, and captivating artwork, but she’s only there to satisfy her mother’s dying wish for her to meet her long-lost father, Howard. Even though Howard tries to make Lina feel comfortable, Lina simply can’t accept him back into her life so quickly. After all, if he really cared, he would have contacted her earlier. Does he really think he can enter the picture sixteen years later without any hard feelings? Then Lina is given the journal her mother kept when she lived in Italy years ago. Suddenly, Lina is reading about bakeries, artwork, and secrets that she’s never known about before. In fact, the diary starts out with the cryptic message, I made the wrong choice, which leaves Lina to ponder: What was this bad decision? Curious for answers, Lina decides to go from city to city with her charming new friend, Ren. At the same time, she deals with family drama and troubles of the heart. The highlights of Italy may be love and gelato, but there is much more to this country than meets the eye. If nothing else, Love & Gelato is incredibly delightful to read! It has just the right balance of character development, suspense, romance, and humor. Lina is a sarcastic, food-loving narrator who sometimes makes rash decisions, but is really just trying to navigate the volatile waters of adolescence: friendship, family, and relationships, just to name a few. The descriptions of Italy are a cinematic experience—the view of Florence is detailed as “a sea of red rooftops under an unblemished blue sky and soft green hills circling everything like a big, happy hug.” I mean, come on; if that doesn’t give you warm fuzzies, I don’t know what will. And don’t even get me started on the food. After this, I’m getting the milk and cream out to make my very own stracciatella gelato! The plot only complements the adorable writing style. The premise of Love & Gelato is very unique and interesting, and it’s highly enjoyable getting to read Lina’s mother’s diary entries and to see Italy from a different point of view. Though the story is mostly predictable, there are some minor twists I didn’t expect. This is one of those books that I don’t mind being predictable, just because it is so fun to read. After reading so many hard-hitting books that often left me feeling pessimistic and despondent, Jenna Evans Welch’s bestselling debut novel gave me the truckful of sweetness I needed, all served with a tangy side of mystery. If you are looking for your next lighthearted summer read, your search is over—Love & Gelato will not disappoint! Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2017. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, reviewed by Pragnya, 12
Sherlock Holmes is one of the world’s most famous fictional detectives. He, along with his accomplice Dr. John Watson, solves mysteries and cracks incredibly intricate cases. In The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, however, Holmes finally meets his match in 15-year-old egotistical Mary Russell in this story of mystery. The novel is an enticing adventure about looking behind the obvious to see what lies behind the seemingly coincidental whodunit. Set in 1915, in Britain, Mary has her nose in a book while accidentally stumbling upon Sherlock Holmes, who, tired of the constant adventure in London, had decided to take up raising bees in a quiet Sussex estate. Over time, Holmes and Mary start to grow closer, creating a mentor-tutor bond between the unexpected duo. Russell, intellectual as much as she was gawky, had been accepted to Oxford in the year of 1917, fresh from Holmes’ lessons. In 1918, the American senator’s daughter Jessica Simpson had been kidnapped and there was no one better to call on the case than Holmes, who takes Mary on her first international case. However, while rescuing her, they start to realize this plot ran much deeper than they thought. They start to follow a mystery that takes them across the world, across cryptic codes for them to uncover a tale intertwined in the middle of forbidden fate. The setting is rich and vivid, filled with lots of details about life in the early 1900s. Every scene is packed with action, either emotionally or physically. I especially enjoyed the point of view and the distinct personalities of the characters, Mary’s especially strong personality resonating with me and many other coming-of-age adolescents, not to mention being especially empowering for young girls such as myself. Being a mystery genre aficionado, I went into this expecting to find many hints and this book failed to disappoint. The foreshadowing towards the end of the adventure was expertly done, with little clues being dropped in the most unexpected of places. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. With its witty conversations and monologue, engaging prose, and relatable characters, The Beekeeper’s Apprentice will leave you hanging tight on to the edge of your cover until the very last reveal. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King. Picador USA, 2014. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
