The Knife and the Butterfly by Ashley Hope Perez

Martin Arevalo, or Azael as his gang calls him, is a Salvadoran immigrant's son living in the projects of Houston. He has made a name for himself in the local sect of the infamous MS-13. With his knack for graffiti and his ability to be a strong ally in battle he fits in well with the gang and represents it with pride. However, one day he wakes up in a cot behind bars. To make matters worse, no matter how hard he tries he can't remember how he got there and no one is willing to give him a straight answer. The last things he can recall are vague images from a gang fight in the park. All he knows about his case is that it has something to do with the fight and this girl the prison keeps making him observe while her case gets figured out. Inspired by true events, Azael gives you a fascinating look into the real hardships and consequences of living on the street today.

Reviewed by David Downes

The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

     Rick Yancey's sequel to The Monstrumologist once again follows the exploits of Doctor Pellinore Warthrop and his "indispensable" assistant Will Henry. This time however the monster they face based on legend instead of science. Will Henry and his master are brought to the edge of sanity and back making them question what is myth, and what is reality. The Curse of the Wendigo brings in a whole new set of characters, each with their own backstories, and takes a deeper look into the human side of Doctor Warthrop. Rick Yancey once again delivers a captivating read that ties mystery, action and morality into one neat package.

Reviewed by David Downes

“What Happened to Cass McBride?” is a chilling novel by Gail Giles. Giles created an intense thriller that kept my full attention. In alternating views of the kidnapper, the kidnapped (Cass McBride), and the detective, this book is a quick read and good for all types of readers with its short chapters and alternating views of female and male. “What Happened to Cass McBride?” is about popular girl, Cass McBride who only dates popular boys. When a boy named David Kirby kills himself after being turned down by Cass, David’s brother, Kyle, blames Cass for David’s suicide. Kyle seeks revenge in way that will make Cass hurt as bad as David did. I was sucked right into this book; it is so raw yet so real, it left me thinking about it for days.

Reviewed by Cheyenne Newberry

Melissa Marr’s “Faerytales and Nightmares” is full of short stories of things that go bump in the night and follow-ups on characters from Marr’s “Wicked Lovely” series about the lives and politics of faeries living amongst humans. I thoroughly enjoyed reading what the characters I loved from “Wicked Lovely” were doing after the last book in the series “Darkest Mercy.” The mini tales of nightmares and fairytales were nice little breaks in between the short stories. If you love to read fantasy books I highly recommend this one and others by author Melissa Marr, though I do suggest you read the “Wicked Lovely” series first or else you may not understand some things in the “Wicked Lovely” short stories.


Reviewed by Cheyenne Newberry