Mini Reviews and a Coding Fix

IMPORTANT NOTE: Blogger has recently done something tricksy with its template, and it appears a lot of Blogger blogs won’t let you center your images anymore. But there’s a really simple fix. If you’re not familiar with coding and have been wracking your brains trying to make your blog look all pristine again, just scroll to the bottom of this post and I’ll walk you through it. 

A DROP OF NIGHT

Click the cover for the Goodreads description 

Rating: Five Stars—ajklsdflk (when words fail to describe how wonderful a book is)

I’ve been a fan of Stefan Bachmann’s writing ever since I stumbled on his blog several months before his first book, THE PECULIAR, hit the shelves. Needless to say, I have not been disappointed with any of his work. While A DROP OF NIGHT features somewhat different subject matter than his previous books, it still has his distinctively intricate and creepy style. 

While I love all the main characters, Anouk is my favorite. She not especially likable, but I love her sass, and I love her unique way of explaining her world. She is her own, distinctive person, and she has had to figure out how to cope in the face of emotional negligence, guilt, and all that fun stuff. (It may be apparent to you, if you’ve followed this blog long enough, that I have something of a soft spot for unlikable characters.) As for the other characters, I love how different they all are—how some are outgoing and feelings-oriented while others are sullen or silent or secretive or selfish. I love the glimpses we get of their backstories and their driving motivations for joining this expedition into the depths of an underground palace. I also love the dual storylines—one in the present, one in the past—and the slow, frightening way they converge. 

As for the writing, it is as gorgeous as ever. Bachmann uses words like splashes of color on the dark canvas of his stories. A DROP OF NIGHT is atmospheric, strange, and magical, and if you haven’t read it already, you’re missing out. Just saying. 

CHIME

Click the cover for the Goodreads description

Rating: Five Stars—ajklsdflk (when words fail to describe how wonderful a book is)

CHIME is another book written in a very distinctive tone. I’ll admit, the style in this one was so odd it threw me off for a bit (I was also not a huge fan of the audiobook’s narrator at first, although she really grew on me). But the strangeness quickly became a selling point for me, and I’m confident that the book just wouldn’t be as good were it written in a different style. 

I love the themes this story deals with—themes of self-discovery, false guilt, real guilt, and abuse, among others. I also love the romance (which is out of the ordinary for me). So often I find that the romance in YA literature hogs the stage at the expense of everything else, but in CHIME, the romance is very sweet and well-balanced with the rest of the story. On top of that, the magic in this book is creepy and atmospheric and just a little bit melancholy. 

JELLICOE ROAD

Click the cover for the Goodreads description 

Rating: Five Stars—ajklsdflk (when words fail to describe how wonderful a book is)

This. Book. Is. So. Good. It is one of the rare books that has succeeded in almost making me cry. I could count on one hand the number of books that have had that effect on me, so when I say JELLICOE ROAD is special, I am not exaggerating. 

JELLICOE ROAD follows the events of two successive generations and shows the effects of the past on the present. It shows hope and brokenness and the sort of pain I don’t typically come across in YA (I would be more specific, but I really don’t want to spoil it for you). Although JELLICOE ROAD is not lacking in plot or action, it focuses more on the people, the relationships, the tangible history, and the atmosphere of the setting, and it reads like poetry. Also, it's set in Australia and there’s a minor plot thread that involves a serial killer, so now you definitely have to read it. 

Grandmotherly Warning: There is some slight sexual content, so be forewarned. 

IMPORTANT NOTE ON CODING CONTINUED: Okay, still with me? Still need to fix your image alignment on your blog? This is really easy and will take about two minutes, so no sweat. I would recommend backing up your Blogger template first to be on the safe side, but you don’t have to be too concerned since you’re not editing the HTML or doing anything that could cause irreversible confusion/damage. Just go to your Blogger dashboard, click on Template, then Customize, then Advanced, then Add CSS. In the white box, on a new line beneath any code you already have in there, paste this: 

.post-body img {display: inline-block !important;}

That should clear it up for you, but if it doesn’t, just let me know. (And if my instructions are too confusing, please don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. Also, this doesn’t apply to Wordpress, to my knowledge, so if you have a problem with Wordpress coding, you’ll have to find someone more qualified. Sorry.) 

What about you, my little coffee beans? Have you read any of these books? What are some books you’ve especially enjoyed this year? Has your blog had the same random formatting issue?