Buzzword-a-thon 2021 – April

Hello! I’m back today to talk about my April reads for the Buzzword Readathon! **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**

This is the fourth post in my “Buzzword-a-thon” series. In case you’re new here, Buzzword-a-thon is a read-a-thon originally created by Kayla at the YouTube channel booksandlala. It centers around readers choosing books that include specific words or ‘types’ of words. This year, all prompts were selected in advance and it’s been loosely hosted once a month. I’m making a yearly challenge for myself to at least read one book with the buzzword each month, and also include one recommendation and one anticipated read in my monthly post. The theme for April was “words that revolve around space,” – some examples include planet, moon, sun, and stars. I had a nice selection of book from my shelf that I could choose from this month, and now that we’re here, let’s talk about my picks.

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Read in April – Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim
-Back in January of 2020, I received a copy of Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim in an OwlCrate subscription box. All I really knew at the time was that it was a gender-swapped retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. I never had to read the story growing up, and am a little hesitant to pick up the classic now due to its excessive page count, but I was interested in what this retelling has to offer. The story follows Amaya, who wants one thing – revenge against the man who ruined her family and stole the life she once had. When she rescues a mysterious man from drowning, he offers her riches, a new identity, and the opportunity to enact her revenge while helping him avenge his enemy. Amaya finds herself in the coastal city-state of Moray, becoming all too familiar with the son of the man she’s supposed to target, and entangling herself in secrets from her past that have stayed hidden for all this time. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed my time with it. It had its faults, sure, and I didn’t always agree with some character motivations, but for a typical YA fantasy I had fun following the story. Alongside the main plotline of revenge, there are intriguing side stories that deal with counterfeit coins, a mysterious fever, and what really brought Amaya onto the debtor ship, which I’m sure will culminate in the conclusion. It’s diverse and a duology, so while the ending doesn’t leave off on too much of a cliffhanger, you won’t have to wait very long to find out what happens next because the sequel, Ravage the Dark, was just released in March. I, for one, and very interested to see where the story leads next for Amaya, Cayo, and all our supporting leads. Will they be able to find a solution, or has their time already run out? Guess I better find out soon.

Recommendation – Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell
-I wanted to stay away from using the same “space word” twice in this post, but I thought it would be interesting to talk about two books that are both retellings of classics. Sky Without Stars, written by authors Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell, is a sci-fi reimagining of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. It’s the beginning of the System Devine series (which I think will be a trilogy with the final book releasing in August 2021). Set on the planet of Laterre five hundred years after the Last Days, there is a definite divide between the extravagent elite classes (first and second estate) and the common people living on the streets (third estate). Three leads find their way to the center of a brewing revolution – Chatine, a street thief wanting to escape the Regime, Marcellus, a second estate officer and grandson to the General, and Alouette, a girl living in an underground refuge being held safe from more than just the violence outside. Their lives collide and together they must find a way to protect the planet from dangerous forces within. Look, I typically read contemporary or romance novels that average around 350 pages. Sky Without Stars, and its sequel which I just finished Between Burning Worlds, are both over 500 pages. I absolutely LOVE these books. There is such an intricate plot and developed characters, and I felt incredibly validated when one of my predictions in the second book turned out to be correct. The audiobook really helped me get through these tomes, and there is a different narrator for each of the three main leads, all of whom did an amazing job. I am not overly familiar with Les Misérables, but I do recommend this reimagining if you’re looking for a really great sci-fi to occupy your time.
-Other books I’ve read and talked about here on my blog that also fulfill this prompt: A Heart in a Body in the World, Little Universes, The Sound of Stars, Miss Meteor, Skyhunter, and Tarnished are the Stars

Want to Read – Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur
-Last year I got the opportunity to read Alexandria Bellefleur’s debut romance, Written in the Stars, which is a sapphic romance following Darcy and Elle as they navigate a fake relationship that slowly starts to build into something more. I really enjoyed their story (and also have a review of the book which you can find here). So I am really excited to read her next book Hang the Moon, which releases on May 25th, 2021. This book follows Darcy’s brother, Brendon, as he tries to pursue his sister’s best friend, Annie, who he’s been crushing on since they were kids. I thought Brendon was incredibly sweet and deserved his own happily ever after as well, so I’m really glad to get to read his story. I was approved to read an early copy of this book, so I can’t wait to dive in before its release date next month!

In conclusion, apparently I have a look of books with space themed words in the title. This is four months down for the 2021 Buzzword challenge, and I can’t wait to see what the next 8 months have in store.

Where to find all these books:
Scavenge the Stars: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads
Sky Without Stars: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads
Hang the Moon: Bookshop Amazon Goodreads
Authors’ sites: Tara Sim Jessica Brody Joanne Rendell Alexandria Bellefleur