Tara Sim

This book had a lot of potential but parts of it didn't live up to my expectations.
First off, the world-building. At times it was amazing but other times, it lacked a lot. For example, there were many times when they seemed to not be technologically advanced but that changed by the next page, leaving me confused.
Another thing that I didn't like is that the details often felt forced like the author was trying to be 'politically correct' because it was expected of her. These details often put a little hitch in the reading and I'd have to go back and try to figure out why the author included what she did. I don't want to write too much because of spoilers but there were times when I was going along just reading when there were sudden, there would be paragraphs explaining political opinions and hot topics of today's society.
Amaya was such a complex and interesting character. She was so adaptable to different environments and I loved seeing the changes in her.
However, despite all that, I found the plot intriguing and I'm looking forward to reading the second book someday.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Content: 1 Star for excessive use of language
*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. A positive review was not required and all thoughts are my own.… (plus d'informations)

Thank you to Penguin Teen for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

We Shall Be Monsters by Tara Sim is an Indian-inspired YA fantasy that will appeal to readers who are tired of the typical European-inspired YA fantasies. The story revolves around Kajal, who has the power of resurrection. She tries to resurrect her sister but accidentally turns her into a monster. Then, she tries to resurrect the crown prince, but accidentally resurrects his twin brother instead. Can Kajal find a way to bring the prince and her sister back to life before her mistakes come back to haunt her?

Here is a magical excerpt from Chapter 1:

"THE WORST DAY of Kajal’s life was the day she broke out of her own
coffin.
It wasn’t even a nice coffin. It was one made to burn, reducing unclean
flesh to ash, allowing the soul to return to nature and be reborn. Traditions
such as this reigned strong in Dharati, especially in the town of Siphar, isolated as it was against the crags of the eastern mountains.
Though tradition did not specify what to do when a girl’s fist broke
through rotting wood, terrifying the humble crowd assembled to witness
the burning."

Overall, We Shall Be Monsters is a YA fantasy that takes aspects of Hindu and Buddhist mythology and then leaps off into the fantasy realm. One highlight of this book is how this book is inspired by Indian culture and religions, which is something that is not often seen in the YA fantasy space. However, as the author wrote at the end of the book, there are things in the book that are inspired by various religions, but this book is strictly fantasy and uses those aspects in a fantastical nature only as opposed to a religious one.

I did take off 1 star because I felt that the book grew more confusing as it went on. It wasn't because of the unfamiliar terminology. I felt that there were a lot of fantasy elements that I didn't understand and then the motivations of the characters became muddled because I didn't understand the fantasy elements. I also found it hard to identify with many of the characters. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in June!… (plus d'informations)

An Indian mythology-inspired take on Frankenstein that leans into the body horror of resurrection.

When Kajal accidentally kills her sister while testing the extent of her powers, she will stop at nothing to bring her back. She believes she can find the answer, testing her theories on animals. When she successfully brings back a dog - a delightful good boy! - she begins to attract attention. After she's arrested, she receives an unexpected offer: help the rebels bring a crown prince back to life and maybe she can stop the magic rot attacking her homeland. Kajal's willing to go along with their plans, as long as it ends with her sister coming back to life.

This is set in an Indian mythological world where demons and other creatures roam freely. The author introduces it nicely, even for a reader unfamiliar with the mythology. I enjoyed the introduction to the concept of the asura and deva - twin souls representing light and dark that provide balance to the world. I also enjoyed the light touch of romance, and how the book brought everything back full circle.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and BookishFirst for the advance review copy of this book.… (plus d'informations)

I just received this book in the mail and devoured it! I believe this book is supposed to be a retelling of Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein! Which I actually just read some of Mary Shelly’s literary work so the authors work is fresh on my mind. While I don’t think this book is similar to Mary Shelly’s work I think this author is brilliant in their own way! This was a one sitting book for me and I really enjoyed it the aspects of loss, love, and that being human you have to go through these experiences. The writing style of this author is engaging and she has you questioning your own thoughts at times. I think that the characters were beautifully written and had very nice character growth. The atmosphere of this book over all is very nice I am intrigued to read whatever else Tara comes out with as I know she is a wonderful author. I will be recommending this book to my friends as the writing just flows and was beautifully done.… (plus d'informations)