Fond of Fonts

Jenna Evans Welch's second novel, Love & Luck , is an adventurous book filled with spontaneous decisions  and discussions of relatable heartbreak. The story follows a young woman, Addie, who travels with her family to Ireland for a destination wedding. Things take a turn when Addie and her closest brother, Ian, are destined to travel to Italy with each other in hopes to reconcile their construed relationship. The novel holds a good amount of underlying emotion and frustrations between the two siblings, but things are hashed out more towards the middle and end of the novel. Unfortunately, plans for Italy halt when Addie discovered Ian attempting a getaway with an Irish native, Rowan. Ian plans on touring around Ireland with Rowan in hopes to uncover information about his favorite band, Titletrack, and inevitably attend their final concert. Addie tags along in hopes to keep her brother out of trouble and maybe even force him into changing his mind, however, she is accompan...

This sequel to Stephanie Garber's novel, Caraval , was extraordinarily magical. Continuing right from the first novel's ending, Legendary  follows Donatella Dragna this time around. Scarlett was able to win Caraval and follow a love interest in the first novel, but now Tella has the opportunity to play in Caraval and make dangerous decisions to acquire more than just winning the game or finding true love--her mother is alive and waiting to be found. Paloma has a past that neither of the girls are aware of and Tella uncovers just how secretive she was while playing Caraval. There are even more characters added to this sequel, including royalty, love affairs, and some godly individuals. The amount of detail that was paramount in the first novel can't compare to the amount of detail thrown into this one. The costumes and apparel stuck out to me the most while reading--the intricate patterns, delicate colors and descriptive imagery all left a substantial impact on my reading ex...

Stephanie Garber's YA novel,  Caraval,  instantly caught my eye because of the marvelous cover. The magical colors and wisps mirrored what the synopsis of the story was as an overall whole. The setting introduces two sisters, Scarlett and Donatella Dragna, who live on the Isle of Trisda with their father, Governor Dragna. Their mother departed from them when they were children, causing a strain in the relationship between Governor Dragna and his daughters. Due to this relationship between them and a strong will of hope for something to change, Scarlett wrote to Master Legend of Caraval. I'd like to describe Caraval as a sort of carnival-ish, magical world that holds a number of secrets and magic. The descriptions and details are all within the pages of the book and should be explored with great concentration--I put this book down multiple times in order to accomplish other tasks and found myself questioning what was going on when I returned. I don't mean to say this as a n...

Robert Bryndza's thriller novel, The Girl in the Ice , was compelling and riveting from the very first chapter. Initially, it was the cover of the novel that caught me eye, but the synopsis took full effect when I began reading the story. Taking place in London, lead detective Erika Foster pursues the case to find a serial killer who strangles their victims and disposes the bodies in areas of water. The novel is centered around a socialite--a young woman from a very influential, and suspicious, family. Foster has a habit of digging into the backgrounds of multiple characters throughout the story and ends up connecting a series of murders to establish a pattern of the serial killer. There are a number of characters and suspects introduced, making the reader decide which person to suspect even when the story is unfolding before their eyes. Foster has an appealing and relatable attitude, making her an ideal detective and character to sympathize with. Her backstory is explained and dis...

This young adult novel is very well written and relatable to this day and age. Protagonist Norah Dean is a teenager who has a consistent relationship with her antagonist--an invisible illness. Norah suffers from anxiety, but its not that simple and has many forms to it. Norah's everyday routine of introverted seclusion in her home is interrupted by a new neighbor--Luke! A handsome young man who holds interest in a very special young woman. Clearly, this hints towards an eventful plot. This story holds a number of different dynamics: family life, romance, and above all--living and surviving with a mental illness. Louise Gornall introduces another take on a teen-romance novel that holds more than physical barriers between the potential lovers. Gornall's insight of living this herself gave validation for the tone and syntax with the story. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a romance story with non-traditional, but relatable qualities.

  If you're looking for poetry that not only puts your emotions on edge and thoughts in a spiral, but makes you want to tell your own story and experiences, these two are for you! Amanda Lovelace is a phenomenal poet--her words struck me with her first published collection The Princess saves Herself in this One . I found her ability to divulge her past and present experiences by using poetic diction to be so moving and relatable to my own thought process. I've been writing more poetry and Lovelace's first collection inspired me to do so (besides other poets). Her most recent collection came out earlier this month, the second collection The Witch doesn't Burn in this One . This collection holds even more past and present experiences, but also current emotions that I'm sure a number of female poets have expressed as well (along with women in general). I've found Lovelace's voice to be loud in her first collection, but even louder in her second one. I beli...

I walk by your old house and the door is moved from the neighbors drive to the front yard But there is a new path leading to new stairs and I stare and can’t see the old pool because its torn down I remember the feel of the stoned path to your back porch and my bare feet smacking against them. I remember your garage and that damn shed and the broken chain-link fence near it where we used to sneak and hide in the game I remember kick ball and the sensor light that came on at night telling me to go home and return the next day. Now there are foreign cars in the driveway and a woman I don’t recognize decides to sweep the back patio like there’s dirt surrounding it But it’s my memories my past your house your ghost. But you aren’t a ghost because you aren’t dead— just counties away at some school with other friends that aren’t me and we haven’t been friends for nine years since something happened between me and yo...