Shadowshaper (The Shadowshaper Cypher, Book 1) | 
pickA fantastic and magical book, first in a trilogy I look forward to reading the next book. Shadowshaper is a book about family, culture, secrets, and history. The audiobook narrator was phenomenal, definitely recommend this book in audio format.
so-soPretty generic YA fantasy plot—teenage girl has powerful magic in her family history, no one will tell her about it until it starts to cause her problems, a boy she likes is involved. I liked the digs against gentrification and that the villain is basically cultural appropriation taken to an extreme. @TheAromaofBooks My #doublespin for July! I‘m totally keeping up with my picks! 🙌🏻
pickWow! I really loved this! The magic system is super interesting, based on ancestry and spirits, and the setting, a diverse NY borough, was perfect. A bit slow to start, but a really fun read! I'm definitely interested in checking out the rest of the series.
pickI really enjoyed this magical YA. Sierra can shape spirits through art! A diverse and magic filled story! Daniel José Older is an imaginative creator and the audiobook narrator Anika was excellent ! Yes
• Spent some time outside today in the bright January sunshine. 'Twas pretty chilly but wholly refreshing. The boy slept in his stroller after a brief walk through the neighborhood. Except for a nagging headache and OCD symptoms from hell, it's been a decent Wednesday. For some reason, Wednesdays are notoriously difficult for me •
#brain #OCD #ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorder #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #today
so-soIt‘s a so-so because I feel about 35 years too old for it, but I know I would have loved it and Sierra when I was 15! Well written urban fantasy
And completed my #pocmcparanormal and #booked2019 overall 🎉🎉 now I can plan some of next years.
pickI thought this was a fun YA story about family and heritage and tradition and magic. I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes!
pickThis was an easy read with diverse characters and a great MC. I like that the author combined the spirit world with the art world, and there was enough creepy to keep my interest.
#booked2019 #pocmcparanormal
Today‘s author spotlight: Daniel José Older! The 39-year-old Cambridge, Massachusetts, native has one sibling, an older sister. He was an emergency medical technician in #NYC, working on his writing when he had free nights, until 2014. He started the successful campaign to have the World Fantasy Award statuette changed from H.P. Lovecraft‘s image to Octavia Butler‘s because of Lovecraft‘s racism. #AuthorPotpourri #TheMoreYouKnow
I am glad to prove myself not crazy for thinking there was a third book. It has just been so long since book 2.
January 7, 2020
#CoverLove
#YAedition
pickI was drawn to this book from just the cover, but then digging into the story kept me just as interested. Anything dealing with art will always catch my attention, but throwing in a little bit of magic and slight horror movie elements was right up my alley.
I loved the layers to Sierra‘s character and all of the shadowshaping scenes were described so beautifully, I could see them in my head.
#popsugar2019
May/June Wrap-up 📚
I only managed to get a few books checked off of my list here and there over the past two months, but they were all pretty great picks. My TBR stack still seems to be growing (🙈), so hopefully I can knock some more off in the next month or two 🤞🏾
pickShort but action-packed, this story deals with the things we inherit whether we know them or not.
This was a re-listen. While it held my attention more the second time around, I think I can say this is probably not the series for me.
panLatest book for our library‘s YA book club for adults: Young At Heart. Not my favorite. Grounded in PR Brooklyn, but hard to know what is relative to PR traditions, culture, etc. or what is souped up to support the wild and slightly incoherent plot. Characters seem representational, with nothing to make me care about them. Would have put it down early had I not been expected to help lead the discussion. #librarylife
I've read/listened to this before but really don't remember a thing. I'm trying again.
so-soI thought that this was a good urban fantasy. The side characters are all really likable. I had a harder time with the main characters Sierra and Robbie. It had a very unique concept to how magic works in our world.
Been listening to this at work. It is very interesting the way they put magic in this modern world. Who doesn‘t love art.
I'm listening to the audio book & this passage was so sweet to hear this morning. Slight spoiler...
pickA really fun read! Also a diverse YA book with Puerto Rican and Dominican leads. The story has some issues but the storytelling is fast, fun and full of adventure. Where the story lags is the abundance of characters who aren‘t fully developed. It was hard to track.
I‘m enjoying this soooo much! It‘s supernatural. It‘s diverse. It‘s a little scary. It‘s also funny. 🇵🇷 🇺🇸 👻
My kid‘s friend came over in the summer to borrow a book and i butted in and loaned her a few faves of mine. Including several hard covers. I was immediately filled with the warm, squishy feeling of INSTANT REGRET. I just found the picture documenting the books. Urgh. ⚰️#YALit #KindnessOrStupidity?
so-so#BlackCatChallenge Day 8: The supernatural aspect in this fantasy novel had a touch of folk legend wrapped around it. This unique ability of Sierra as #Witch, passed down in her family across generations, is believed to be part of her ancestry, with her comatose abuelo perceived as the once-leader of this community of artists able to sense spirits, serving as conduits through spellbinding stories, art, and music. My review: https://wp.me/pDlzr-bBt
pickA rollicking good start to a new (to me) YA fantasy series.
Sierra Santiago has to rethink her summer plans when weird stuff starts happening. She sees a painting cry, and then her comatose grandfather starts apologizing for putting her in danger.
Sierra discovers that she is a Shadowshaper, a person whose art can host spirits who will do her bidding. Meanwhile, someone is killing other Shadowshapers. And that someone is after Sierra.
Listening on audio at work today for 6 hours. Engrossing. Two hours to go!
pick🎧📖🤓 #Audiobook #AudioWalk #DiverseReads #Fantasy #LibrarianLife #WorkPerks
Solid 3🌟's.
Much like the diversity of produce that I saw at last week's farmer's market held in front of my work building, I thoroughly enjoyed the rich cultural diversity & expression in this well narrated audiobook. I only wish that Older had given us more exploration into the mysterious history & past of both Sierra's mom & her grandfather. I would've loved more!
Today‘s #worklisten. Though I am having trouble focusing since it‘s Friday, so I may switch to music for the afternoon. This is a really good audio production and I want to give it more of my brain.
pickThis took me forever to read. Not because it was bad but because life and so yeah! Regardless, this was really fun read. The characters are great! I love that this story brims with culture and tradition and family! My pet peeve with this novel is one that I have had with plenty of other novels and it has to do with the way secrets are kept and how that does/does not drive the plot.
I feel like I‘ve had this for a while and always kept it in the back of my mind. I feel like now is the perfect time to dive in!
pickLoved this one!! The magic is so wonderful and the setting just adds to it so well. A great diverse fantasy read! First book down for #readathon!
so-soI think this is a case of “it‘s not you, it‘s me.” I‘ve enjoyed Daniel José Older‘s work in the past so I went in to this one with some high expectations. This is a good book with fun characters and great storytelling, but it didn‘t blow me away like I expected it to. Some day I‘ll learn to go into books with no expectations! I still recommend checking this one out (and DJO‘s other work), especially if you like your fantasy mixed with reality.
pickThis was a free audiobook last summer from that program @LibrarianRyan shared. Puerto Rican heroine who was spunky and relatable. Throw in art and spirits and BOOM! Yes, some parts were predictable, but that happens! Great YA! Narrator of audiobook did a good job.
Candle from @Robothugs and it smells amazing. #mtTBR
Hoping this is a good as this cover looks. #PrettyCover #WeekendsAreForReading #BookishBabe #BookLover
pickGood action-packed fantasy novel. It‘s YA and I think teens will like it even more than I did.
Finished. First book of #tbrFebruary. YA diversity, urban fantasy
#tbrfebruary Currently reading Shadowshaper and The Third Man. Blonde is at 33%
