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My Brother's Spare
WINNER OF THE 2020 LOST ISLAND WRITING CONTEST • #1 AMAZON NEW RELEASE • “Behore has crafted a well-penned and intricate young adult mystery novel with all the makings of a massive hit.” —Readers’ Favorite Valeria Anson has always been one in a set, her and her twin brother sharing everything from clothing and toys to their mother's womb.
But the one thing they didn't share was the searing image of their mother's brutal murder, one that haunts Valeria every night without fail.
Almost a decade has passed since their mother's untimely demise, and despite their father's role as Viscount and Chief of the King's Imperial Force, the masked killer has never been caught, still free to roam the snowy streets of Nieve.
Although her father and brother have given up hope of locking the killer behind bars, Valeria refuses to let the case go. But the road to the truth is a lofty one, her secret investigation leading her to Alias Black, the most infamous hitman in the kingdom. While associating with the dreaded killer goes against every one of her beliefs, the heartless assassin may be the key to finally tracking down the masked murderer that lurks in her dreams.
Lying to her family by day and working with Alias Black by night, Valeria must now walk the thin line between right and wrong, justice and revenge, dreams and reality. As the unlikely pair slowly crack the case, they unravel a truth they never could have imagined—not even in their darkest nightmares.
“In My Brother’s Spare , Behore crafts an engaging mystery, a glorious cast of characters, and a world I can’t wait to visit again and again. The writing is sharp, the humor is on point, and the themes are deep and powerful. It’s everything I could have hoped for.” —N.J. Andrews, advanced reader
Explore this powerful, heart-wrenching debut by the rising young adult author Shira Behore. Riddled with tragic discoveries, painful revenge, and unrighteous friendships—this book has something for everyone.
But the one thing they didn't share was the searing image of their mother's brutal murder, one that haunts Valeria every night without fail.
Almost a decade has passed since their mother's untimely demise, and despite their father's role as Viscount and Chief of the King's Imperial Force, the masked killer has never been caught, still free to roam the snowy streets of Nieve.
Although her father and brother have given up hope of locking the killer behind bars, Valeria refuses to let the case go. But the road to the truth is a lofty one, her secret investigation leading her to Alias Black, the most infamous hitman in the kingdom. While associating with the dreaded killer goes against every one of her beliefs, the heartless assassin may be the key to finally tracking down the masked murderer that lurks in her dreams.
Lying to her family by day and working with Alias Black by night, Valeria must now walk the thin line between right and wrong, justice and revenge, dreams and reality. As the unlikely pair slowly crack the case, they unravel a truth they never could have imagined—not even in their darkest nightmares.
“In My Brother’s Spare , Behore crafts an engaging mystery, a glorious cast of characters, and a world I can’t wait to visit again and again. The writing is sharp, the humor is on point, and the themes are deep and powerful. It’s everything I could have hoped for.” —N.J. Andrews, advanced reader
Explore this powerful, heart-wrenching debut by the rising young adult author Shira Behore. Riddled with tragic discoveries, painful revenge, and unrighteous friendships—this book has something for everyone.
350 pages, Paperback
Published August 24, 2021
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315 people want to read
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June 3, 2021I've had the pleasure of working with Shira throughout the editing process of My Brother's Spare. I'm so excited for more people to read the story!
June 9, 2021
Pretty good debut novel.
Valeria is looking for the masked man who killed her mother but finds a whole other assassin in the process. The assassin isn’t what he appears to be and they decide to team up and find her mother’s killer. But the assassin has an agenda of his own. She quickly finds out that they share something which binds them together. A thirst for vengeance.
The story starts off hot with the brutal murder of Valeria’s mother but it quickly fizzles out. The thing is, to me, Valeria’s story is only truly interesting when she’s paired with her assassin partner as that’s when the main murder mystery plot is actually moving forward. The plot twist at the end is interesting and executed well, ending the story in a rather satisfying way.
The main character is fleshed out well, her assassin partner occasionally feels more like a caricature instead of a character at times to be honest. This is especially obvious in the dialogue, which could have used a little more editing.
A good idea with a lot of potential which got a bit lost in the execution at times but is kept afloat by a cool plot twist and a strong main character. The one thing to remember from her debut novel is that Shira Behore is talented. She has a lot of potential and I think the experience she gained here might help her writing evolve to a whole other level.
Valeria is looking for the masked man who killed her mother but finds a whole other assassin in the process. The assassin isn’t what he appears to be and they decide to team up and find her mother’s killer. But the assassin has an agenda of his own. She quickly finds out that they share something which binds them together. A thirst for vengeance.
The story starts off hot with the brutal murder of Valeria’s mother but it quickly fizzles out. The thing is, to me, Valeria’s story is only truly interesting when she’s paired with her assassin partner as that’s when the main murder mystery plot is actually moving forward. The plot twist at the end is interesting and executed well, ending the story in a rather satisfying way.
The main character is fleshed out well, her assassin partner occasionally feels more like a caricature instead of a character at times to be honest. This is especially obvious in the dialogue, which could have used a little more editing.
A good idea with a lot of potential which got a bit lost in the execution at times but is kept afloat by a cool plot twist and a strong main character. The one thing to remember from her debut novel is that Shira Behore is talented. She has a lot of potential and I think the experience she gained here might help her writing evolve to a whole other level.
July 19, 2021
I really, really enjoyed this book! It took me a while to get into it (hence the four stars instead of five), but once Alias Black showed up I was HOOKED.
Coming as no surprise to anyone, Alias was my favorite character. I absolutely loved him. Although I will admit, his line of work is *questionable* and he should maybe consider a career change. XD While I liked Valeria too, I just wasn't as emotionally invested in her character at the beginning? *shrugs* That was probably just me.
The plot was mysterious, fast-paced, and TRIPPY AS HECK. Without getting into spoilers, let me just tell you that if you think you know what's going on, you actually don't. The plot twists at the end left me reeling.
And the ending. THE ENDING. I teared up during the last few chapters. So bittersweet and so good.
If you're a fan of Purple Hyacinth, shadowy mysteries, and sarcastic assassins, I would highly recommend this book! (And please listen to the Purple Hyacinth soundtrack while you read it - it fits perfectly. :D)
Coming as no surprise to anyone, Alias was my favorite character. I absolutely loved him. Although I will admit, his line of work is *questionable* and he should maybe consider a career change. XD While I liked Valeria too, I just wasn't as emotionally invested in her character at the beginning? *shrugs* That was probably just me.
The plot was mysterious, fast-paced, and TRIPPY AS HECK. Without getting into spoilers, let me just tell you that if you think you know what's going on, you actually don't. The plot twists at the end left me reeling.
And the ending. THE ENDING. I teared up during the last few chapters. So bittersweet and so good.
If you're a fan of Purple Hyacinth, shadowy mysteries, and sarcastic assassins, I would highly recommend this book! (And please listen to the Purple Hyacinth soundtrack while you read it - it fits perfectly. :D)
August 24, 2021
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The writing in this book is AMAZING. It was so beautiful and intriguing. It kept me turning pages. The descriptions were lovely too.
It started off with a prologue, which I’m not usually a fan of, but I read it and I didn’t mind it.
I know I read an ARC copy, but the frequent typos and mistakes pulled me out of the story a lot.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the world it was set it. It felt like the fantasy aspect added close to nothing to the plot. It was just like a mystery story was thrown into a fantasy setting when it could have easily been told in the real world.
I really really liked Rowan. He was super interesting and I wanted to know more about his character and backstory as the story went along. He had a lot of really good quotes too. I appreciated the way the author handled writing him because he’s an assassin and she didn’t gloss over any of that or the terrible things he’d done.
Valeria was alright. She wasn’t super interesting, but it was ok. She was a little selfish at times.
The beginning was sort of slow but it picked up and then I couldn’t stop reading.
I loved watching Valeria and rowans relationship develop. It was very interesting.
That plot twist at the end had me so surprised, and it was beautifully written.
The ending was so sad and had me feeling very emotional, but it had a sweet epilogue and the resolution wrapped up everything nicely.
Another thing, I disliked was the title. It made sense after reading the book because it was part of a quote, but it felt too insignificant and unsatisfying. I felt like a better option could have been chosen—one that reflected the genre better.
All in all, a solid debut from Behore, a very talented author!
The writing in this book is AMAZING. It was so beautiful and intriguing. It kept me turning pages. The descriptions were lovely too.
It started off with a prologue, which I’m not usually a fan of, but I read it and I didn’t mind it.
I know I read an ARC copy, but the frequent typos and mistakes pulled me out of the story a lot.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the world it was set it. It felt like the fantasy aspect added close to nothing to the plot. It was just like a mystery story was thrown into a fantasy setting when it could have easily been told in the real world.
I really really liked Rowan. He was super interesting and I wanted to know more about his character and backstory as the story went along. He had a lot of really good quotes too. I appreciated the way the author handled writing him because he’s an assassin and she didn’t gloss over any of that or the terrible things he’d done.
Valeria was alright. She wasn’t super interesting, but it was ok. She was a little selfish at times.
The beginning was sort of slow but it picked up and then I couldn’t stop reading.
I loved watching Valeria and rowans relationship develop. It was very interesting.
That plot twist at the end had me so surprised, and it was beautifully written.
The ending was so sad and had me feeling very emotional, but it had a sweet epilogue and the resolution wrapped up everything nicely.
Another thing, I disliked was the title. It made sense after reading the book because it was part of a quote, but it felt too insignificant and unsatisfying. I felt like a better option could have been chosen—one that reflected the genre better.
All in all, a solid debut from Behore, a very talented author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2021
My Brother's Spare is a book that talks about revenge and family more than a mystery .It makes you live with the characters one by one see the phycological side of them .I like how characters were written I predicted the mystery of the killing so it's not a strong mystery but a strong character writing in my opinion.I loved knowing that even a hitman can have a soft side of him too not only a dark side .Most importantly I loved the message of the book that not every person that care for you could be a good person .For me it's a character driven more than a plot driven because I predicted the mystery so I had plenty of time to live with the characters emotions.
October 8, 2021
"You didn't commission Alias Black to commit murder—no, it was more like paying the devil himself to crawl out from underneath the cobblestones and drag unfortunate souls back with him to hell."
Shira Behore's debut, "My Brother's Spare", introduces us to what's left of the Anson family. After their mother died at the hands of a mysterious masked killer, Valeria and Victor Anson have been trying to move on. Their father being the Chief of the King's Imperial Force, the Anson siblings have been able to get a job serving Nieve's justice; and Victor has more or less been able to leave the past behind, but Valeria simply can't let go. She can't stop looking for the person who murdered her mother in cold blood. When this puts her at risk of being sent away by her father, who's worried about his daughter's unrelenting obsession with solving a murder that happened over a decade ago, Valeria is forced to change her approach. To keep looking for her mother's killer, she'll have to go lengths she never thought herself capable of; including striking a deal with Alias Black, the most infamous and dangerous killer in all of Nieve.
"Take off that pathetic noble mask, and give me a taste of that vicious human heart."
This book has a Victorian England taste to it that makes it incredibly addictive! I adored watching the plot unfold on cobblestoned streets and in dark alleyways, among nobles and beggars and thieves. Fans of the gritty atmosphere in Six of Crows' Ketterdam will definitely enjoy going for a walk in the different neighbourhoods here. They will also enjoy the dark plot, in which Valeria Anson has to descend into the gloomiest corners of society to seek justice. Even though she starts out as a girl who has her set of beliefs and principles very clear, what she sees once she steps out of her privileged life makes her question everything she thought she trusted. This was a really interesting thing to see, as she constantly struggled to reconcile her need for closure on her mother's case with her morals.
"Aren't you a lovely little ray of pitch black."
Unsurprisingly enough, Alias Black was by far the most interesting character, and did wonders to bring the book to life! He had a magnetic personality, and a very interesting mindset, and I loved his interactions with Valeria so, so much! They complemented each other in their quest for a common goal, and I adored the way they slowly warmed up to each other. Alias Black was a bit... Nikolai Lantsov takes a ride to the dark (and murderous) side. Or, to be clear, an absolute new bookish boyfriend!
"Reality is the truth that we choose to accept (...). Fantasy is the limitless sky above that."
The plot was really intriguing, and kept me guessing. Even though I could see the main plot-twist coming, I still loved gathering the clues and trying to make sense of them alongside Valeria. From the moment Alias Black entered the scene, we didn't get a moment to catch our breath, and that made this novel be such a thrilling story! I absolutely adored it. Can't wait to see what Behore comes up with next!
March 27, 2025
My Brother´s Spare is a great book!
I immensely enjoyed this one, especially at times when Rowan Marrow appeared on the scene. Yeah, he is a hitman, but I loved him anyway. He is not a saint and he 100% owns this fact. He´s charming and witty which makes it impossible not to fall at his feet. I was intrigued by this dark-haired morally grey guy from the first moment. Yes, I got smitten by this sarcastic assassin. In the end, I guess I loved him more than our heroine Valeria did. Talking about his background would be spoiler-ish so let me just say that I wanted to give him a big hug.
Let´s talk about Valeria, the Viscount's daughter, now. She was great. I rooted for her. I admired how persistent she was. She´ll do anything to avenge her mother´s murder. She´s a fierce young independent woman who greatly values her morals. She is a heroine fighting for justice at all costs which isn´t always so easy thing to do. Read the book and you´ll see what I mean. I loved to follow her journey, figuring out what is justice and that people are not black and white.
THE ENDING destroyed me. Without getting into spoilers... I can say that I expected the murder mystery plot twist so I was not shocked at all. At the same time, I got surprised by the other thing which... looking back... should not surprise me either. Overall, it was bittersweet, heartbreaking, satisfying, and refreshing. Not what you usually expect from YA books with two young people from the opposite sides of society. I feel like I won´t stop thinking about the ending for a while. It broke my heart but absolutely made sense. It was the best!
While it took me a little while to get deeply invested - I was invested but not forced to turn pages fast - the second half of the book really picked up. It was a ride! As I said, I expected the plot´s conclusion, I started to have a feeling somewhere in the middle, but it only forced me to read faster and verify all my suspicions. I loved the twists and turns in the second half.
Read it if you want a solid YA murder mystery book with interesting characters and an original ending. It includes a 1920s London and New York-inspired setting, a charming hitman, a fierce heroine from high society, forced allies, secret identities, a bit of violence and arsony, investigation, drugs and their "magical" influence, enjoyable twists and turns. Plus, look at that GORGEOUS cover!
This author has a lot of potential indeed and I am already excited about any of her books that will come in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley & Lost Island Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I immensely enjoyed this one, especially at times when Rowan Marrow appeared on the scene. Yeah, he is a hitman, but I loved him anyway. He is not a saint and he 100% owns this fact. He´s charming and witty which makes it impossible not to fall at his feet. I was intrigued by this dark-haired morally grey guy from the first moment. Yes, I got smitten by this sarcastic assassin. In the end, I guess I loved him more than our heroine Valeria did. Talking about his background would be spoiler-ish so let me just say that I wanted to give him a big hug.
Let´s talk about Valeria, the Viscount's daughter, now. She was great. I rooted for her. I admired how persistent she was. She´ll do anything to avenge her mother´s murder. She´s a fierce young independent woman who greatly values her morals. She is a heroine fighting for justice at all costs which isn´t always so easy thing to do. Read the book and you´ll see what I mean. I loved to follow her journey, figuring out what is justice and that people are not black and white.
THE ENDING destroyed me. Without getting into spoilers... I can say that I expected the murder mystery plot twist so I was not shocked at all. At the same time, I got surprised by the other thing which... looking back... should not surprise me either. Overall, it was bittersweet, heartbreaking, satisfying, and refreshing. Not what you usually expect from YA books with two young people from the opposite sides of society. I feel like I won´t stop thinking about the ending for a while. It broke my heart but absolutely made sense. It was the best!
While it took me a little while to get deeply invested - I was invested but not forced to turn pages fast - the second half of the book really picked up. It was a ride! As I said, I expected the plot´s conclusion, I started to have a feeling somewhere in the middle, but it only forced me to read faster and verify all my suspicions. I loved the twists and turns in the second half.
Read it if you want a solid YA murder mystery book with interesting characters and an original ending. It includes a 1920s London and New York-inspired setting, a charming hitman, a fierce heroine from high society, forced allies, secret identities, a bit of violence and arsony, investigation, drugs and their "magical" influence, enjoyable twists and turns. Plus, look at that GORGEOUS cover!
This author has a lot of potential indeed and I am already excited about any of her books that will come in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley & Lost Island Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 2, 2021
4.5 stars
"There are things far worse than death."
"Well aren't you a lovely little ray of pitch black."
It took me some time to formulate my thoughts about this book. While reading, there were moments when I hated it and moments when I just couldn't stop reading, but ultimately, I loved this story.
This is a crime mystery like I've never read it before. Many interesting questions arose in my mind when I was reading it, notably about the humanity of killers and how its truly impossible to judge someone without knowing everything. I did not agree with all the moral judgements our protagonist, Valeria, made; I did find her too judgemental and categorical in some of her judgements and decisions, always quick to criticise and setting her mind arrogantly on her opinions. But I feel like she did evolve throughout the book, and I got to terms with her in the end. She wasn't my favourite character in the book though, her brother Victor was. I got so attached to him throughout the book—he was done perfectly in my opinion. And Flint... Let's just say he's a lovely little ray of sunshine and a cinnamon roll I need in my life— although those squishy words don't quite fit with the atmosphere of the book.
This story was definitely on the darker side (the author says so herself), so mind this when you get into the story: it will leave you emotionally bruised, feeling like you've been through loss and pain yourself. This is not something to take lightly, but I personally love this in books, it shows me the book really did suck me in and I find that awesome.
As I mentioned, I did not agree with all the messages poured out through this book, but it was a tremendously captivating read that kept me on my toes at every page. I read the book mostly at night (going to sleep at 2am, yes) and I think that was just the right atmosphere. At times I was horrified, I gasped (sitting on a public bench no less), I felt sorrow and I cried (I am not kidding. Bittersweetest ending ever). This is definitely making it to my list of 2021 favorites!
Overall, considering this was Shira Behore's début novel, I think it was tremendously well done. There were very few moments when the writing felt stilted and I spotted very little grammar mistakes or typos.
Content warning
There was no romance in this book, only potential hints in the very end... However, there are murders, descriptions of the modus operandi (method of murder—gruesome sometimes). One of our characters has questionable morals to say the least. There were two instances where there was a light innuendo (they go inside a brothel (nothing happens) and they see cabaret dancers), but notthing graphic.
Conclusion? If you're into crimes, mysteries, alliances between police and criminals, revenge and gasp-inducing plot twists, do yourself a favor and go grab your copy of My Brother's Spare coming out 24 August!
Thanks to Shira Behore and Lost Island Press for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
"There are things far worse than death."
"Well aren't you a lovely little ray of pitch black."
It took me some time to formulate my thoughts about this book. While reading, there were moments when I hated it and moments when I just couldn't stop reading, but ultimately, I loved this story.
This is a crime mystery like I've never read it before. Many interesting questions arose in my mind when I was reading it, notably about the humanity of killers and how its truly impossible to judge someone without knowing everything. I did not agree with all the moral judgements our protagonist, Valeria, made; I did find her too judgemental and categorical in some of her judgements and decisions, always quick to criticise and setting her mind arrogantly on her opinions. But I feel like she did evolve throughout the book, and I got to terms with her in the end. She wasn't my favourite character in the book though, her brother Victor was. I got so attached to him throughout the book—he was done perfectly in my opinion. And Flint... Let's just say he's a lovely little ray of sunshine and a cinnamon roll I need in my life— although those squishy words don't quite fit with the atmosphere of the book.
This story was definitely on the darker side (the author says so herself), so mind this when you get into the story: it will leave you emotionally bruised, feeling like you've been through loss and pain yourself. This is not something to take lightly, but I personally love this in books, it shows me the book really did suck me in and I find that awesome.
As I mentioned, I did not agree with all the messages poured out through this book, but it was a tremendously captivating read that kept me on my toes at every page. I read the book mostly at night (going to sleep at 2am, yes) and I think that was just the right atmosphere. At times I was horrified, I gasped (sitting on a public bench no less), I felt sorrow and I cried (I am not kidding. Bittersweetest ending ever). This is definitely making it to my list of 2021 favorites!
Overall, considering this was Shira Behore's début novel, I think it was tremendously well done. There were very few moments when the writing felt stilted and I spotted very little grammar mistakes or typos.
Content warning
There was no romance in this book, only potential hints in the very end... However, there are murders, descriptions of the modus operandi (method of murder—gruesome sometimes). One of our characters has questionable morals to say the least. There were two instances where there was a light innuendo (they go inside a brothel (nothing happens) and they see cabaret dancers), but notthing graphic.
Conclusion? If you're into crimes, mysteries, alliances between police and criminals, revenge and gasp-inducing plot twists, do yourself a favor and go grab your copy of My Brother's Spare coming out 24 August!
Thanks to Shira Behore and Lost Island Press for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 19, 2021
#girlboss moves but make it 19th century
3/5 stars
thank you to netgalley/lost island press for the e-arc!
i thought this was a pretty interesting novel but it just didn’t fully captivate me
i wasn’t super emotionally invested in victor and valeria’s twin relationship - i just felt like we never got to see a ton of that
world building was a bit lacking - i was confused at some points on the locations/positions and tools they used
alias black and valeria’s scenes were by far the most superior
everything else felt a bit flat
i liked the ending twist but all the pacing felt a bit off
no character pissed me off too much so i say it’s a win in my book
3/5 stars
thank you to netgalley/lost island press for the e-arc!
i thought this was a pretty interesting novel but it just didn’t fully captivate me
i wasn’t super emotionally invested in victor and valeria’s twin relationship - i just felt like we never got to see a ton of that
world building was a bit lacking - i was confused at some points on the locations/positions and tools they used
alias black and valeria’s scenes were by far the most superior
everything else felt a bit flat
i liked the ending twist but all the pacing felt a bit off
no character pissed me off too much so i say it’s a win in my book
December 6, 2021
I listened to a short YouTube video where the author mentioned she was inspired by Six of Crows, dark academia, Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch), Legend by Marie Lu and Inception. I can definitely see these in this book.
Valeria and her twin brother witnessed her mothers death when she was a child. Now as an adult and her father the Viscount who is in charge of all the cases for the Crown, she is trained at detective work and has been trying to find her mothers murderer. She runs into a masked man and thinks she has found him only to run into an even more ruthless assassin, Alias Black. He will keep her secret if she lets him help her since he needs some information as well.
This search for the truth is uncovering a lot about themselves and the difference between justice and revenge. That line can definitely blur when it is personal.
I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. The story was smooth and was fast paced and just kept moving. The mystery was intriguing. Valeria's pain was palpable and I wanted her to find the killer. Though that ending was not what I was expecting, goodness!!
Definitely add this to your TBR if you like any of the books/shows mentioned in the inspiration on the first paragraph!
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Thank you @lostislandpress for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
Valeria and her twin brother witnessed her mothers death when she was a child. Now as an adult and her father the Viscount who is in charge of all the cases for the Crown, she is trained at detective work and has been trying to find her mothers murderer. She runs into a masked man and thinks she has found him only to run into an even more ruthless assassin, Alias Black. He will keep her secret if she lets him help her since he needs some information as well.
This search for the truth is uncovering a lot about themselves and the difference between justice and revenge. That line can definitely blur when it is personal.
I really enjoyed the writing style in this book. The story was smooth and was fast paced and just kept moving. The mystery was intriguing. Valeria's pain was palpable and I wanted her to find the killer. Though that ending was not what I was expecting, goodness!!
Definitely add this to your TBR if you like any of the books/shows mentioned in the inspiration on the first paragraph!
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Thank you @lostislandpress for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
September 5, 2021
First of all, a huge thanks to @lostislandpress for giving me this digital ARC, in exchange for a honest review!
I just finished it a few minutes ago, and I feel like I might cry. THAT ENDING.
While it definitely took me some time to get into it, I grew to be so invested in this book and these characters, and ended up loving the book a lot.
At this point I also have to honour the GORGEOUS cover, and that incredible prologue!
I'm definitely in love with the author's writing, which was fast & easy to read, but nonetheless had such beautiful & elegant phrases at times, which fitted the setting & atmosphere of the book perfectly.
The story is set in the (fictional) city of Nieve, which is divided into 7 districts, the First being the wealthiest one in the center, and the Seventh being the poorest one on the outskirts of the city. I loved the setting a lot!
Now, the characters.
Valeria is our MC, the Viscount's daughter.
Her mother was killed when she was younger, and she watched her being murdered, so ever since, Valeria has been trying to find the killer, but she's never found a solid lead. Until she meets Rowan Marrow, the most famous assassin of Nieve. A hitman. The two strike a deal, and start hunting the killer together.
VALERIA
While it definitely took me some time to love Valeria and get really invested in her, I definitely did in the end. She was SUCH a well written, independent MC. I thought her struggle with wanting justice at all costs (& how that also affects her relationships), but at the same time having to find out what justice really is, was extremely well portrayed. I loved to follow her on her journey, as she "realizes" that no one is inherently evil.
For me, that's also the true message of this book, that no one is inherently evil. People grow to do horrible things, but even though for example Rowan kills for a price, he's got good in him too.
ROWAN
I was intrigued by him from the very first second they met. I do always love myself a dark-haired, sarcastic guy with a questionable job-choice. No, really though, from the first moment on I was very invested in him & the mystery of his past. In the beginning he sometimes felt more like a "character act" than a real person, but since we read the story through Valeria's eyes, I actually really liked the fact that we only grew to know his more human side + his backstory later on in the book.
I loved their relationship so much. SO MUCH. First of all, I want to thank Shira for NOT TURNING THIS INTO A LOVE STORY. While it can be very enjoyable to read, we have enough stories where there's a love story with a shady guy who grew up poor & a girl who grew up privileged. So THANK YOU for not turning this book into that. Besides, Valeria is a person who values her morals over almost everything, so them getting together at some point while they're working together would've just been VERY unrealistic.
I loved to see their relationship develop, loved to see them learn more about each other and 'grow more comfortable together'. Both of their conflicts with the other and also with themselves were so very well portrayed, and seeing them learn to work together & care about each other over the time, during their investigation, was just so much fun.
For the side characters, some were definitely more interesting than others, and I wished a few of them (= Lou) would've had some more personality, which would've made them feel a little more 'real' (I'm talking about Valeria's friends here). But I did like how her brother Victor was portrayed, and everything that happened with him later on... I'm not gonna comment on another very relevant side character here, so I don't spoil anything...
Now finally, the plot. WOW. While it (as I said) took me a while to get invested, because it felt rather a little slow-paced at first, IT DEFINITELY PICKED UP PACE LATER ON. At first, just their investigations got way more exciting, but them SO MANY UNPREDICTABLE THINGS HAPPENED. I was honestly just internally screaming the whole time while YET ANOTHER plot twist happened. It was such a wild ride. But SO GOOD.
The plot (in the second half of the book) was just so well written and exciting and got me SO INCREDIBLY INVESTED, which I really didn't see coming. I'm seriously impressed by all the twists in the 2nd half of this book.
Now I was VERY torn between giving this 4 or 5 stars, but I ended up deciding on 4, because (this may just be a personal thing) it took me some time to get invested in the story.
Does this offer completely new ideas, that we've never seen before in YA fantasy? Definitely not, but the plot grew to be SO WELL WRITTEN, and in the end it became such an exciting read, so I would definitely recommend it to anyone out there who loves a good, thrilling murder mystery!
@Shira, such a great read!
I just finished it a few minutes ago, and I feel like I might cry. THAT ENDING.
While it definitely took me some time to get into it, I grew to be so invested in this book and these characters, and ended up loving the book a lot.
At this point I also have to honour the GORGEOUS cover, and that incredible prologue!
I'm definitely in love with the author's writing, which was fast & easy to read, but nonetheless had such beautiful & elegant phrases at times, which fitted the setting & atmosphere of the book perfectly.
The story is set in the (fictional) city of Nieve, which is divided into 7 districts, the First being the wealthiest one in the center, and the Seventh being the poorest one on the outskirts of the city. I loved the setting a lot!
Now, the characters.
Valeria is our MC, the Viscount's daughter.
Her mother was killed when she was younger, and she watched her being murdered, so ever since, Valeria has been trying to find the killer, but she's never found a solid lead. Until she meets Rowan Marrow, the most famous assassin of Nieve. A hitman. The two strike a deal, and start hunting the killer together.
VALERIA
While it definitely took me some time to love Valeria and get really invested in her, I definitely did in the end. She was SUCH a well written, independent MC. I thought her struggle with wanting justice at all costs (& how that also affects her relationships), but at the same time having to find out what justice really is, was extremely well portrayed. I loved to follow her on her journey, as she "realizes" that no one is inherently evil.
For me, that's also the true message of this book, that no one is inherently evil. People grow to do horrible things, but even though for example Rowan kills for a price, he's got good in him too.
ROWAN
I was intrigued by him from the very first second they met. I do always love myself a dark-haired, sarcastic guy with a questionable job-choice. No, really though, from the first moment on I was very invested in him & the mystery of his past. In the beginning he sometimes felt more like a "character act" than a real person, but since we read the story through Valeria's eyes, I actually really liked the fact that we only grew to know his more human side + his backstory later on in the book.
I loved their relationship so much. SO MUCH. First of all, I want to thank Shira for NOT TURNING THIS INTO A LOVE STORY. While it can be very enjoyable to read, we have enough stories where there's a love story with a shady guy who grew up poor & a girl who grew up privileged. So THANK YOU for not turning this book into that. Besides, Valeria is a person who values her morals over almost everything, so them getting together at some point while they're working together would've just been VERY unrealistic.
I loved to see their relationship develop, loved to see them learn more about each other and 'grow more comfortable together'. Both of their conflicts with the other and also with themselves were so very well portrayed, and seeing them learn to work together & care about each other over the time, during their investigation, was just so much fun.
For the side characters, some were definitely more interesting than others, and I wished a few of them (= Lou) would've had some more personality, which would've made them feel a little more 'real' (I'm talking about Valeria's friends here). But I did like how her brother Victor was portrayed, and everything that happened with him later on... I'm not gonna comment on another very relevant side character here, so I don't spoil anything...
Now finally, the plot. WOW. While it (as I said) took me a while to get invested, because it felt rather a little slow-paced at first, IT DEFINITELY PICKED UP PACE LATER ON. At first, just their investigations got way more exciting, but them SO MANY UNPREDICTABLE THINGS HAPPENED. I was honestly just internally screaming the whole time while YET ANOTHER plot twist happened. It was such a wild ride. But SO GOOD.
The plot (in the second half of the book) was just so well written and exciting and got me SO INCREDIBLY INVESTED, which I really didn't see coming. I'm seriously impressed by all the twists in the 2nd half of this book.
Now I was VERY torn between giving this 4 or 5 stars, but I ended up deciding on 4, because (this may just be a personal thing) it took me some time to get invested in the story.
Does this offer completely new ideas, that we've never seen before in YA fantasy? Definitely not, but the plot grew to be SO WELL WRITTEN, and in the end it became such an exciting read, so I would definitely recommend it to anyone out there who loves a good, thrilling murder mystery!
@Shira, such a great read!
August 29, 2022
This didn't grab me right away. I did pick this up and put it down several times. I'm glad to move on, and won't shy away from Behore's future works. (This is the author's debut novel.). I was invested enough to continue through slow parts.
The synopsis is clear and I'm not going to repeat it or give spoilers. The main character, Valerie is a twin and Her Grace's father is The Viscount. The significance is that her twin brother inherits. Of note, Valerie witnessed her mother being murdered. At roughly 16, she sets about finding the murderer. The times are different for women. While Valerie is young, the author has been kind. While reasonably naive in some areas of life, she is well-versed in others.
This is a hidden gem: Mystery YA, 3.5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Long Island Press for accepting my request to read and review My Brother's Spare.
The synopsis is clear and I'm not going to repeat it or give spoilers. The main character, Valerie is a twin and Her Grace's father is The Viscount. The significance is that her twin brother inherits. Of note, Valerie witnessed her mother being murdered. At roughly 16, she sets about finding the murderer. The times are different for women. While Valerie is young, the author has been kind. While reasonably naive in some areas of life, she is well-versed in others.
This is a hidden gem: Mystery YA, 3.5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Long Island Press for accepting my request to read and review My Brother's Spare.
Read
October 21, 2021Review to come
July 24, 2021
My Brother's Spare starts off with a murder. Valeria Anson is just a little girl when she sees her mother getting murdered by a man in a wolf mask. Years later, she works at a police station during the day, but teams up with hitman Alias Black during the night to find her mother's killer. While they are coming closer to the truth, they find out more and more about each other and an unlikely friendship unfolds.
I think the idea for this book and the big revelation in the end were great. Unfortunately, the writing didn't fully captivate me. The dialogue is quite simple and the rest of the text contains a lot of gerunds. After a while, I started noticing all these -ing forms and they started bothering me, as almost every sentence contains one (or more) of them. I didn't mind the spelling mistakes, because this is an ARC, but those gerunds are part of the writing style and this writing style is just not for everyone.
As I mentioned before, the plot twist in the end was great, and it was my favourite part of the book. The search for Valeria's mother's killer was a bit slow and then felt somewhat rushed in the end, but I think the whole mystery part was cleverly done. I truly did not see that plot twist coming!
One other thing I thought was well done was Valeria's struggles with working with a hitman. This went against everything she stands for and she found it hard to be reminded of his crimes, but she also couldn't help seeing him as a friend after getting to know him better.
As the daughter of a viscount, Valeria doesn't know much about the poor parts of the city and so Alias Black introduces her to those districts and the city like he knows it. I would've loved for a bit more world building here, as it wasn't quite clear what kind of technologies the characters had access to and how the districts worked exactly.
Overall, I think the idea for this mystery was good, but the story was lacking in some areas.
I think the idea for this book and the big revelation in the end were great. Unfortunately, the writing didn't fully captivate me. The dialogue is quite simple and the rest of the text contains a lot of gerunds. After a while, I started noticing all these -ing forms and they started bothering me, as almost every sentence contains one (or more) of them. I didn't mind the spelling mistakes, because this is an ARC, but those gerunds are part of the writing style and this writing style is just not for everyone.
As I mentioned before, the plot twist in the end was great, and it was my favourite part of the book. The search for Valeria's mother's killer was a bit slow and then felt somewhat rushed in the end, but I think the whole mystery part was cleverly done. I truly did not see that plot twist coming!
One other thing I thought was well done was Valeria's struggles with working with a hitman. This went against everything she stands for and she found it hard to be reminded of his crimes, but she also couldn't help seeing him as a friend after getting to know him better.
As the daughter of a viscount, Valeria doesn't know much about the poor parts of the city and so Alias Black introduces her to those districts and the city like he knows it. I would've loved for a bit more world building here, as it wasn't quite clear what kind of technologies the characters had access to and how the districts worked exactly.
Overall, I think the idea for this mystery was good, but the story was lacking in some areas.
August 5, 2021
Thank you to @Netgalley and @LostIslandpress for providing me with an ARC of “My Brother’s Spare” to read and honestly review!✨
Wow. It’d been a while since I’d read such an amazing book that I could barely collect my thoughts to write a review. “My Brother’s Spare” managed to capture me from its very first line. After that, I was hooked, flipping pages, only to realize it had been hours since I’d first started reading. The writing was absolutely beautiful, flowing smoothly, making me float through the story, and the world and plot so perfectly constructed, that I became acquainted with it almost instantly, sucked in by the delightfully encompassing story!
I loved our main heroine Valeria. Strong, resilient and unique, her narration made the story all the more engaging and riveting. Rowan Marrow, our morally gray character managed to capture my heart (he still has his hold on it!) and he was a perfectly complex character, whose story I enjoyed watching unravel more than anything, as the plot and the story progressed!
By the last pages I was shedding bittersweet tears! This book really was one that I did not want to finish, since I could not wrap my mind around the fact that I would have to say goodbye to all these lovely characters! Still, this book ending did not disappoint one bit. I loved every single second of it. This book really was a brilliant debut novel, one that has managed to make its way up my top three favorite reads of the year! Twisty, compelling, with an enemies-to-friends-to one of my favorite character relationships, and oozing with tension and mystery, “My Brother’s Spare” is a book every book lover (especially the mystery ones!) should read.⭐️
Wow. It’d been a while since I’d read such an amazing book that I could barely collect my thoughts to write a review. “My Brother’s Spare” managed to capture me from its very first line. After that, I was hooked, flipping pages, only to realize it had been hours since I’d first started reading. The writing was absolutely beautiful, flowing smoothly, making me float through the story, and the world and plot so perfectly constructed, that I became acquainted with it almost instantly, sucked in by the delightfully encompassing story!
I loved our main heroine Valeria. Strong, resilient and unique, her narration made the story all the more engaging and riveting. Rowan Marrow, our morally gray character managed to capture my heart (he still has his hold on it!) and he was a perfectly complex character, whose story I enjoyed watching unravel more than anything, as the plot and the story progressed!
By the last pages I was shedding bittersweet tears! This book really was one that I did not want to finish, since I could not wrap my mind around the fact that I would have to say goodbye to all these lovely characters! Still, this book ending did not disappoint one bit. I loved every single second of it. This book really was a brilliant debut novel, one that has managed to make its way up my top three favorite reads of the year! Twisty, compelling, with an enemies-to-friends-to one of my favorite character relationships, and oozing with tension and mystery, “My Brother’s Spare” is a book every book lover (especially the mystery ones!) should read.⭐️
September 4, 2021
My Brother's Spare is about Valeria who is still looking for her mother's killer, 10 years after her murder. To fulfil her thirst for vengeance, she unexpectedly teams up with a notorious assassin, Alias Black, and the story goes on from there.
The book was slow at the beginning and hard to get into but it definitely gets more interesting as details start to unfold. I really liked the author's writing style and the plot twist at the end was pretty interesting.
HOWEVER, the characters felt quite underdeveloped to me and I didn't particularly like any of them. Except, maybe, Alias Black, a classic morally grey character. So if you're a sucker for morally grey characters, you'll definitely enjoy reading about him.
Overall, it's a good debut novel and can be a great read for readers who like plot-driven mystery books!
The book was slow at the beginning and hard to get into but it definitely gets more interesting as details start to unfold. I really liked the author's writing style and the plot twist at the end was pretty interesting.
HOWEVER, the characters felt quite underdeveloped to me and I didn't particularly like any of them. Except, maybe, Alias Black, a classic morally grey character. So if you're a sucker for morally grey characters, you'll definitely enjoy reading about him.
Overall, it's a good debut novel and can be a great read for readers who like plot-driven mystery books!
June 29, 2021
I don't think I'm mentally stable enough to write this review because I just finished the book but anyways. WOW
1) I feel really proud of myself because I knew the plot twist
2) I love Shira. A lot. She had flaws but she was so strong, so realistic.
3) THE WRITING. This is Shira's debut novel and I can't wait to experience more of her works. She is truly so talented
4) And lastly the ending. Now that I calmed down a bit I think I love it. Maybe it's because I love books that leave a hole in your heart. I will for sure remember this book for a long time though.
If you are not sure if you should read it, GO BUY IT. Even the cover is awesome.
1) I feel really proud of myself because I knew the plot twist
2) I love Shira. A lot. She had flaws but she was so strong, so realistic.
3) THE WRITING. This is Shira's debut novel and I can't wait to experience more of her works. She is truly so talented
4) And lastly the ending. Now that I calmed down a bit I think I love it. Maybe it's because I love books that leave a hole in your heart. I will for sure remember this book for a long time though.
If you are not sure if you should read it, GO BUY IT. Even the cover is awesome.
August 22, 2021
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Independent Book Publishers Association for providing me this arc via Netgalley!
I really tried with this book. The beginning was weak, but just when I thought it would get better, it got worse.
Ths world building was terrible and it got me really confused, not to mention the whole concept of a viscount police officer and the name of the drug - dream stitching - was appalling.
Rowan was an interesting character but the bittersweet ending and lack of some romantic closure was disappointing.
I did like the twist, and the plot wasn't bad, although, in my opinion, it was not well executed.
Thank you to Independent Book Publishers Association for providing me this arc via Netgalley!
I really tried with this book. The beginning was weak, but just when I thought it would get better, it got worse.
Ths world building was terrible and it got me really confused, not to mention the whole concept of a viscount police officer and the name of the drug - dream stitching - was appalling.
Rowan was an interesting character but the bittersweet ending and lack of some romantic closure was disappointing.
I did like the twist, and the plot wasn't bad, although, in my opinion, it was not well executed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2021
WOW WOW WOW.
This book was fantastic, especially for a debut novel. In this novel we follow Val, who always feels that she is in her brother's shadows and just isn't quite good enough to live up to the family name. Determined to find her mother's murderer, Spider Lily pairs up with antagonist Alias Black to solve the mystery. The way their relationship develops is amazing and I think the only thing that could've made it better is some steamy scenes...(but I'll take the bickering). The character development and growth was great! Truthfully I did NOT see that ending coming and I was on the edge of my seat until the very end to see what was coming next.
**I was provided a free copy of this book for an exchange for an honest review**
This book was fantastic, especially for a debut novel. In this novel we follow Val, who always feels that she is in her brother's shadows and just isn't quite good enough to live up to the family name. Determined to find her mother's murderer, Spider Lily pairs up with antagonist Alias Black to solve the mystery. The way their relationship develops is amazing and I think the only thing that could've made it better is some steamy scenes...(but I'll take the bickering). The character development and growth was great! Truthfully I did NOT see that ending coming and I was on the edge of my seat until the very end to see what was coming next.
**I was provided a free copy of this book for an exchange for an honest review**
July 28, 2021
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a mystery and I felt like the book was a pretty good one. As a reader, I felt like the main character Valeria as she was trying to piece things together to solve the mystery.
I was also surprised by the author’s writing because I felt that she did a good job in pulling me into the story. She’s also very descriptive.
I did also enjoy that none of the characters really felt like “side characters.” You get a good glance at the history of each character.
I did feel like the assassin character needed a bit more work though. I also think I would have been satisfied if the book would have ended with the last chapter. The epilogue wasn’t really needed and left me feeling like some explanations were missing.
But overall, it kept me wanting to read more and I rate it a 4/5.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a mystery and I felt like the book was a pretty good one. As a reader, I felt like the main character Valeria as she was trying to piece things together to solve the mystery.
I was also surprised by the author’s writing because I felt that she did a good job in pulling me into the story. She’s also very descriptive.
I did also enjoy that none of the characters really felt like “side characters.” You get a good glance at the history of each character.
I did feel like the assassin character needed a bit more work though. I also think I would have been satisfied if the book would have ended with the last chapter. The epilogue wasn’t really needed and left me feeling like some explanations were missing.
But overall, it kept me wanting to read more and I rate it a 4/5.
August 22, 2021
3.5/5 stars
In a city of nightmarish morals, an alliance forms between a merciless killer and a young woman tethered to the law. With lives and principles as different as night and day, yet as similar as the thirst they share for justice—or, some may argue, revenge—they are thrust into a world of betrayal, drugs, and death.
In My Brother's Spare, Shira Behore questions morality, brings into light the unjust world in which the rich and the poor live, and argues that in the end, we are all human, no matter where we were born or how much we can afford.
Before I get too far into this review, I would like to mention that I received an eARC of Shira Behore's My Brother's Spare by Lost Island Press, a publishing company found by the the novelist and young author Mel Torrefranca.
This novel will be officially published on August 24, 2021—only two days away if you're interested!
Lastly, congratulations to Shira Behore on her debut novel! If you haven't heard the story behind the writing process of this unfortunate tale, I'll be the one to tell you that Behore finished her first draft in a month and two weeks, which is quite the endeavor. Patience, discipline, and routine are fundemental in writing. Having the drive to start and finish a project of such importance is truly inspiring, especially when accomplished by a young or first-time author.
Without further delay, here's a review on Shira Behore's My Brother's Spare.
Trigger Warnings: death, arson, described murder, blood, drugs, drugging someone against their will, crime, trauma, violence, scars
And there you have it!
Thank you for reading my review, and thank you once again to Lost Island Press for the eARC.
Have an amazing read, and an even better day.
In a city of nightmarish morals, an alliance forms between a merciless killer and a young woman tethered to the law. With lives and principles as different as night and day, yet as similar as the thirst they share for justice—or, some may argue, revenge—they are thrust into a world of betrayal, drugs, and death.
In My Brother's Spare, Shira Behore questions morality, brings into light the unjust world in which the rich and the poor live, and argues that in the end, we are all human, no matter where we were born or how much we can afford.
Before I get too far into this review, I would like to mention that I received an eARC of Shira Behore's My Brother's Spare by Lost Island Press, a publishing company found by the the novelist and young author Mel Torrefranca.
This novel will be officially published on August 24, 2021—only two days away if you're interested!
Lastly, congratulations to Shira Behore on her debut novel! If you haven't heard the story behind the writing process of this unfortunate tale, I'll be the one to tell you that Behore finished her first draft in a month and two weeks, which is quite the endeavor. Patience, discipline, and routine are fundemental in writing. Having the drive to start and finish a project of such importance is truly inspiring, especially when accomplished by a young or first-time author.
Without further delay, here's a review on Shira Behore's My Brother's Spare.
Trigger Warnings: death, arson, described murder, blood, drugs, drugging someone against their will, crime, trauma, violence, scars
And there you have it!
Thank you for reading my review, and thank you once again to Lost Island Press for the eARC.
Have an amazing read, and an even better day.
December 17, 2023
"But if it doesn't lead you to the light, Valeria -- I will sit with you in the dark."
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Netgalley and Lost Island Press for a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content warnings: death/murder, drug use (including nonconsensual), blood/gore, death of parent (explicit, on page), vomit, fire, physical abuse
I discovered this book some time ago while I still actively browsed the Teen & YA category on Netgalley. I was very intrigued by the cover and thought this would be some sort of royal political intrigue mystery book. I was finally able to read this for the Jokes on Me reading challenge as "least popular" because no one else on my GR friends list has read it!
My Brother's Spare follows Valeria, the second child of the viscount, who (despite perhaps being the more qualified one) is nothing more than the spare to the heir of the viscount position. She is expected to aid her brother as he trains and then eventually choose someone to be married off to. Instead, she spends her nights obsessing over attempting to solve the murder she witnessed as a child, when an anonymous murderer in a wolf mask killed her mother. Will she ever manage to find a clue to this case, or has it been far too many years?
Throughout the book, we don't actually learn much about the characters' interests or anything other than a key personality trait or two. I also struggled because the male characters were generally referred to as "the boy", leaving me wondering whether they were eight or fifteen or nineteen. I did really enjoy the atmosphere and found the classism of the multiple numbered districts easily imaginable and intriguing. The writing was better than many tradpub books I've read recently, and was surprised to know this is a debut! I had so many bookmarked quotes and am excited to see the author appears to have been working on another story as of this summer. I hope to try another book by this publisher soon while I wait.
The plot was full of plenty of twists and turns, and while a few details seemed to have been dropped, it did hold my attention for the vast majority of the book and I felt like the pacing was great. My intrigue for this book was rather high as well, it's the main book I wanted to read for the last few weeks. The logic was okay! I felt like some scenes (such as visiting the mask store vendor and her obsession with eyes that turned out to not matter?) seemed a bit off or like some follow-up chapter was deleted, but overall it was decent. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it might be my favorite book I read in November!
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy dark romance books where the romance is so slow burn you can't really call it a romance, mysteries, and villains who don't want redemption.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Netgalley and Lost Island Press for a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content warnings: death/murder, drug use (including nonconsensual), blood/gore, death of parent (explicit, on page), vomit, fire, physical abuse
I discovered this book some time ago while I still actively browsed the Teen & YA category on Netgalley. I was very intrigued by the cover and thought this would be some sort of royal political intrigue mystery book. I was finally able to read this for the Jokes on Me reading challenge as "least popular" because no one else on my GR friends list has read it!
My Brother's Spare follows Valeria, the second child of the viscount, who (despite perhaps being the more qualified one) is nothing more than the spare to the heir of the viscount position. She is expected to aid her brother as he trains and then eventually choose someone to be married off to. Instead, she spends her nights obsessing over attempting to solve the murder she witnessed as a child, when an anonymous murderer in a wolf mask killed her mother. Will she ever manage to find a clue to this case, or has it been far too many years?
Throughout the book, we don't actually learn much about the characters' interests or anything other than a key personality trait or two. I also struggled because the male characters were generally referred to as "the boy", leaving me wondering whether they were eight or fifteen or nineteen. I did really enjoy the atmosphere and found the classism of the multiple numbered districts easily imaginable and intriguing. The writing was better than many tradpub books I've read recently, and was surprised to know this is a debut! I had so many bookmarked quotes and am excited to see the author appears to have been working on another story as of this summer. I hope to try another book by this publisher soon while I wait.
The plot was full of plenty of twists and turns, and while a few details seemed to have been dropped, it did hold my attention for the vast majority of the book and I felt like the pacing was great. My intrigue for this book was rather high as well, it's the main book I wanted to read for the last few weeks. The logic was okay! I felt like some scenes (such as visiting the mask store vendor and her obsession with eyes that turned out to not matter?) seemed a bit off or like some follow-up chapter was deleted, but overall it was decent. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it might be my favorite book I read in November!
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy dark romance books where the romance is so slow burn you can't really call it a romance, mysteries, and villains who don't want redemption.
August 24, 2021
This novel had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I read it. It's full of mystery, crime, wonderful friendships, and enemies working together to bring justice for two horrendous crimes that were committed when they were both young that wrecked both of their lives.
The setting of this story is a wonderful mix of fantasy and realistic elements that create a world much like our own in some aspects, but also quite different due to the fantasy elements.
From the very first page I was immediately captivated by the story that was starting to unfold. The writing of this novel was beautifully done, and the imagery was splendid. Valeria and Victor's sibling bond is absolutely precious and so heart warming. They look out for one another constantly, and have each others backs always.
I usually always want a little romance with the books I read, and while this one didn't truly have any I still absolutely loved it. There seemed to be little hints of something between Alias (also known as Rowan) and Valeria, but nothing concrete in the romance department happened. I adored their banter and genuine friendship that formed between them. They went from hating each other to being close which was so precious. If there is ever a sequel written (which I would drop everything to read) I could see more developing between them. When they first meet was one of my favorite scenes in the book.
I also loved so many of the side characters including Victor, Flint, Oliver, and Lou. They are all so uniquely amazing in their own way and hold a part of my heart just as Valeria and Rowan do.
The ending was so unexpected, and parts of it had me sobbing while other parts had me smiling. I truly never wanted this book to end.
For anyone who loves mystery and crime within a novel that has an undertone kind of like the mystery and crime in Stalking Jack the Ripper you should check this out! The story line and characters will capture your heart and have you never wanting to put it down. That's how it was for me.
The setting of this story is a wonderful mix of fantasy and realistic elements that create a world much like our own in some aspects, but also quite different due to the fantasy elements.
From the very first page I was immediately captivated by the story that was starting to unfold. The writing of this novel was beautifully done, and the imagery was splendid. Valeria and Victor's sibling bond is absolutely precious and so heart warming. They look out for one another constantly, and have each others backs always.
I usually always want a little romance with the books I read, and while this one didn't truly have any I still absolutely loved it. There seemed to be little hints of something between Alias (also known as Rowan) and Valeria, but nothing concrete in the romance department happened. I adored their banter and genuine friendship that formed between them. They went from hating each other to being close which was so precious. If there is ever a sequel written (which I would drop everything to read) I could see more developing between them. When they first meet was one of my favorite scenes in the book.
I also loved so many of the side characters including Victor, Flint, Oliver, and Lou. They are all so uniquely amazing in their own way and hold a part of my heart just as Valeria and Rowan do.
The ending was so unexpected, and parts of it had me sobbing while other parts had me smiling. I truly never wanted this book to end.
For anyone who loves mystery and crime within a novel that has an undertone kind of like the mystery and crime in Stalking Jack the Ripper you should check this out! The story line and characters will capture your heart and have you never wanting to put it down. That's how it was for me.
November 4, 2021
I absolutely loved this book! Behore's writing is just so beautiful, and I was engaged from the very beginning. Even though he is definitely not a good guy, I loved Alias Black. I wish Victor had been in the story a little more, especially as he and Valeria are so close. Same with Oliver and Lou and Flint. Valeria has all these close relationships, and we get glimpses of them, but I wanted more. I loved the world that Behore created, and the ending was just spectacular. My jaw stayed dropped pretty much the entire last five chapters or so. What a great read. Will definitely recommend :) Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to review #MyBrothersSpare. I received a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review.
August 22, 2021
What a stunning debut! This book is definitely a new favorite. I found it scrolling through Netgalley one day and, after the cover popped up and I read the description, I knew that I had to read it! So, thank you Netgalley for providing me with this copy :)
I don't know how Valeria survived on so little sleep, but I loved how it helped move the plot along as all of her sleepless nights brought us one step closer to the truth. I also loved the relationship that Valeria and Rowan had. It was hilarious, but also surprisingly heartbreaking at times. I liked how, even though Valeria couldn't bring herself to fully accept his crimes, they shared a really beautiful trust. Though romance was beginning to be hinted at near the end between the pair, it never developed into anything and I was really glad that the main focus was on the thrills of the mystery and not anything else.
As for the plot, it was amazing! As I said above the action never stopped as we watched Valeria struggle to keep her cover through the day and ran around the city in the night with Rowan. It all flowed together so well and I was really impressed by the mystery! It was complicated enough that I never guessed who was responsible but easy to understand once everything was revealed. The one and only thing that I feel like could have been developed more was the relationship between Valeria and her brother. I feel like it should have been a pretty main point of the book but it fell a little flat for me. Other than that, this is an incredible book that I would highly recommend to any mystery/thriller lovers out there! Happy Reading :)
I don't know how Valeria survived on so little sleep, but I loved how it helped move the plot along as all of her sleepless nights brought us one step closer to the truth. I also loved the relationship that Valeria and Rowan had. It was hilarious, but also surprisingly heartbreaking at times. I liked how, even though Valeria couldn't bring herself to fully accept his crimes, they shared a really beautiful trust. Though romance was beginning to be hinted at near the end between the pair, it never developed into anything and I was really glad that the main focus was on the thrills of the mystery and not anything else.
As for the plot, it was amazing! As I said above the action never stopped as we watched Valeria struggle to keep her cover through the day and ran around the city in the night with Rowan. It all flowed together so well and I was really impressed by the mystery! It was complicated enough that I never guessed who was responsible but easy to understand once everything was revealed. The one and only thing that I feel like could have been developed more was the relationship between Valeria and her brother. I feel like it should have been a pretty main point of the book but it fell a little flat for me. Other than that, this is an incredible book that I would highly recommend to any mystery/thriller lovers out there! Happy Reading :)
August 24, 2021
My Brother's Spare is Shira Behore's debut YA fantasy novel. This novel did not disappoint! If you're a fan of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows, I think you'll love MBS. The writing is beautiful, and the characters are each so unique. The story is full of twists that will keep you turning the pages. I can't wait to see what Shira does next, and after reading her debut, I think you'll be eagerly awaiting her next book as well!
Thank you, Lost Island Press and Shira Behore for the ARC! I really enjoyed this one!
Thank you, Lost Island Press and Shira Behore for the ARC! I really enjoyed this one!
March 10, 2023
I received a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
***
I am… speechless.
And not in a good way.
I began this book with so, so much hope for it. I’ve been following Lost Island Press for at least a year now and pretty much every other book I’ve read from them has been absolutely incredible, and I had such high standards for My Brother’s Spare, and it was nothing even close to what I expected.
Purple Hyacinth. Ever heard of it? Published in 2019, it’s (in my opinion) one of the best Webtoons ever made and I’ve been reading it obsessively for a little under two years, falling in love with the characters and the music and the art. It’s my weekly dose of serotonin at this point, and I swear to god, My Brother’s Spare is basically a Purple Hyacinth rip-off.
Before I get into the nitty gritty of it, I’m going to make one thing very, very clear; this is not an attack on the author. As a writer myself, I understand how easy it is for ideas to worm into your subconscious and project onto the page, and often those little things slip through even the most vigorous of editing. I believe that no idea is truly original, just the same concepts borrowed and recycled and reused, and it’s the author’s responsibility to make them unique. I also believe in coincidences, but they can only be taken so far until it becomes a problem.
Both Purple Hyacinth and My Brother’s Spare spoilers to follow.
***
Let’s start with the characters, shall we?
The main character of Purple Hyacinth is a young woman in the police force, once a detective but demoted after she let her emotions get the best of her. The main character of My Brother’s Spare, on the other hand, is a young woman in the police force, once working in the field but demoted to desk work after she let her emotions get the best of her. Both also have a very close family member high up in the force; Lauren of PH has her uncle, Valeria from MBS has her father. Sensing a pattern here?
Both love interests are infamous, dark-haired assassins, both main characters are hunting a killer because they murdered someone they loved. The assassin from PH is Kieran White, while the assassin from MBS is known as Alias Black. The two best friends from MBS are taken straight out of PH, with the exact same dynamic between the two and the exact same personality. It’s, frankly, unnerving. There are so many similarities between the main characters and the love interests and the side characters that I can’t read a single page of MBS without thinking of some of the most beloved characters in Purple Hyacinth.
I won’t go too deep into specific scenes that stood out to me as taken directly out of Purple Hyacinth because then this review would be too long, but there are several lines that stood out to me in particular. Take Season 1, Episode 10, for example. After Lauren from PH sees Kieran White, she says, “But I saw your face. How could you be so certain I wouldn’t bring the whole police squad here tonight?” He responds, “Darling, you’re not the only one to have seen it. I waltz around in broad daylight with this face and yet miraculously no one runs away screaming.” MBS has a similar situation. In Chapter 4, Valeria says, “If you don’t hide your face, then how haven’t you been caught?” The assassin responds, “Sweetheart, I run circles around these districts every day, and I have yet to be put in handcuffs.” I just… no.
I’ll be honest - this book is good. The writing is well done, the setting is consistent, the characters are a little flat and underdeveloped, but otherwise decently likable. But the plot twist was predictable, maybe because that’s what I would have done if I’d written it, and I simply can’t overlook the painful similarities between PH and MBS. If this was anything else, it would have easily been a four-star book. It’s a little sad, really.
***
I am… speechless.
And not in a good way.
I began this book with so, so much hope for it. I’ve been following Lost Island Press for at least a year now and pretty much every other book I’ve read from them has been absolutely incredible, and I had such high standards for My Brother’s Spare, and it was nothing even close to what I expected.
Purple Hyacinth. Ever heard of it? Published in 2019, it’s (in my opinion) one of the best Webtoons ever made and I’ve been reading it obsessively for a little under two years, falling in love with the characters and the music and the art. It’s my weekly dose of serotonin at this point, and I swear to god, My Brother’s Spare is basically a Purple Hyacinth rip-off.
Before I get into the nitty gritty of it, I’m going to make one thing very, very clear; this is not an attack on the author. As a writer myself, I understand how easy it is for ideas to worm into your subconscious and project onto the page, and often those little things slip through even the most vigorous of editing. I believe that no idea is truly original, just the same concepts borrowed and recycled and reused, and it’s the author’s responsibility to make them unique. I also believe in coincidences, but they can only be taken so far until it becomes a problem.
Both Purple Hyacinth and My Brother’s Spare spoilers to follow.
***
Let’s start with the characters, shall we?
The main character of Purple Hyacinth is a young woman in the police force, once a detective but demoted after she let her emotions get the best of her. The main character of My Brother’s Spare, on the other hand, is a young woman in the police force, once working in the field but demoted to desk work after she let her emotions get the best of her. Both also have a very close family member high up in the force; Lauren of PH has her uncle, Valeria from MBS has her father. Sensing a pattern here?
Both love interests are infamous, dark-haired assassins, both main characters are hunting a killer because they murdered someone they loved. The assassin from PH is Kieran White, while the assassin from MBS is known as Alias Black. The two best friends from MBS are taken straight out of PH, with the exact same dynamic between the two and the exact same personality. It’s, frankly, unnerving. There are so many similarities between the main characters and the love interests and the side characters that I can’t read a single page of MBS without thinking of some of the most beloved characters in Purple Hyacinth.
I won’t go too deep into specific scenes that stood out to me as taken directly out of Purple Hyacinth because then this review would be too long, but there are several lines that stood out to me in particular. Take Season 1, Episode 10, for example. After Lauren from PH sees Kieran White, she says, “But I saw your face. How could you be so certain I wouldn’t bring the whole police squad here tonight?” He responds, “Darling, you’re not the only one to have seen it. I waltz around in broad daylight with this face and yet miraculously no one runs away screaming.” MBS has a similar situation. In Chapter 4, Valeria says, “If you don’t hide your face, then how haven’t you been caught?” The assassin responds, “Sweetheart, I run circles around these districts every day, and I have yet to be put in handcuffs.” I just… no.
I’ll be honest - this book is good. The writing is well done, the setting is consistent, the characters are a little flat and underdeveloped, but otherwise decently likable. But the plot twist was predictable, maybe because that’s what I would have done if I’d written it, and I simply can’t overlook the painful similarities between PH and MBS. If this was anything else, it would have easily been a four-star book. It’s a little sad, really.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2022
4/5
“I’d much rather be an honest killer than a self righteous liar”
Nieve's Viscount’s daughter wants to find the person who murdered her mother in front of her eyes and bring him to justice. The Viscount and his officials (the Silvers) have been carrying out the investigation of the murder of the Viscount’s wife for more than a decade. Valeria’s need for closure and justice brings her to join hands with the kingdom’s most infamous hitman, Alias Black. As the pair go further in their investigation, they uncover truths that would rather be hidden in the darkest pits of the underworld.
This book is pretty dark and deals with subjective themes such as right and wrong, good and bad, justified and guilty, trust and betrayal, justice and vengeance, love and loss. It also deals with corruption and how deep rooted it is in society. The age rating I would give this novel is 14 to 15+ but mature preteens can read it as well.
I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A friendly piece of advice, binge it in a day, two at most, but don’t read it at night if you don’t want the hair at the back of your neck to stand at the faintest of sounds, especially if you happen to live in a remote secluded place with a forest in your backyard and crickets whistling at night.
The pacing of the story in the beginning was pretty slow, the plot developing and new leads being thrown back and forth in their investigation. But towards the last 150 pages, the speed of the story increased a great deal and the increase in pace reached its peak in the last 50 pages. The plot was really well thought of, I was always at the edge of my seat, at no point knowing what would happen next, and I especially loved the plot-twist in the end! The two main characters were pretty well developed but the others felt kind of flat, especially Oliver and Lou, but since they are not there much, it’s not a big deal. My favourite character without doubt is Rowan, he is witty and sarcastic and extremely resourceful. The world building is not as detailed as it could be, but it works well nevertheless and I could imagine the world just fine.
This novel does not necessarily fall under the genres I generally read, (I generally prefer light and flowery writing, even if it doesn't have a happy ending) so it took me the prologue and the first chapter to get a hang of it, but after that I enjoyed it to the core! This novel got me questioning some values and virtues I believed were true, and although the ethics promoted in the book don’t necessarily align with some of the morals I subscribe to, it still aligned with most of them and got me thinking on the rest.
My Brother’s Spare is a thrilling mystery, crime and dark-fantasy novel with conspiracies and alliances in a kingdom in the late 19th century. I will definitely recommend this to someone who likes books in these genres or someone who is trying something different. I would also recommend this to someone who has no plans on a cold winter weekend.
My sincere gratitude to Shira Behore and the LIP ARC team for letting me read this outstanding work of fiction.
Have a great day!
“I’d much rather be an honest killer than a self righteous liar”
Nieve's Viscount’s daughter wants to find the person who murdered her mother in front of her eyes and bring him to justice. The Viscount and his officials (the Silvers) have been carrying out the investigation of the murder of the Viscount’s wife for more than a decade. Valeria’s need for closure and justice brings her to join hands with the kingdom’s most infamous hitman, Alias Black. As the pair go further in their investigation, they uncover truths that would rather be hidden in the darkest pits of the underworld.
This book is pretty dark and deals with subjective themes such as right and wrong, good and bad, justified and guilty, trust and betrayal, justice and vengeance, love and loss. It also deals with corruption and how deep rooted it is in society. The age rating I would give this novel is 14 to 15+ but mature preteens can read it as well.
I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A friendly piece of advice, binge it in a day, two at most, but don’t read it at night if you don’t want the hair at the back of your neck to stand at the faintest of sounds, especially if you happen to live in a remote secluded place with a forest in your backyard and crickets whistling at night.
The pacing of the story in the beginning was pretty slow, the plot developing and new leads being thrown back and forth in their investigation. But towards the last 150 pages, the speed of the story increased a great deal and the increase in pace reached its peak in the last 50 pages. The plot was really well thought of, I was always at the edge of my seat, at no point knowing what would happen next, and I especially loved the plot-twist in the end! The two main characters were pretty well developed but the others felt kind of flat, especially Oliver and Lou, but since they are not there much, it’s not a big deal. My favourite character without doubt is Rowan, he is witty and sarcastic and extremely resourceful. The world building is not as detailed as it could be, but it works well nevertheless and I could imagine the world just fine.
This novel does not necessarily fall under the genres I generally read, (I generally prefer light and flowery writing, even if it doesn't have a happy ending) so it took me the prologue and the first chapter to get a hang of it, but after that I enjoyed it to the core! This novel got me questioning some values and virtues I believed were true, and although the ethics promoted in the book don’t necessarily align with some of the morals I subscribe to, it still aligned with most of them and got me thinking on the rest.
My Brother’s Spare is a thrilling mystery, crime and dark-fantasy novel with conspiracies and alliances in a kingdom in the late 19th century. I will definitely recommend this to someone who likes books in these genres or someone who is trying something different. I would also recommend this to someone who has no plans on a cold winter weekend.
My sincere gratitude to Shira Behore and the LIP ARC team for letting me read this outstanding work of fiction.
Have a great day!
July 28, 2021
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Brother’s Spare was the first mystery book I’ve read in a really long time. It is not a genre that I would typically pick up on my own and I found that I did enjoy it overall.
The story draws you in especially because of the twists and turns and I enjoyed the fact that I never really knew what to expect. However, I did feel like the characters needed a bit more development and I also found it difficult to keep up with the dialogue at times. Since there was so much description in between, I would often get lost and have to go back to remember who was speaking. However, the story is excellent and the book is definitely worth picking up.
My Brother’s Spare was the first mystery book I’ve read in a really long time. It is not a genre that I would typically pick up on my own and I found that I did enjoy it overall.
The story draws you in especially because of the twists and turns and I enjoyed the fact that I never really knew what to expect. However, I did feel like the characters needed a bit more development and I also found it difficult to keep up with the dialogue at times. Since there was so much description in between, I would often get lost and have to go back to remember who was speaking. However, the story is excellent and the book is definitely worth picking up.
April 13, 2022
What an enjoyable read! My Brother’s Spare is a book that centers around revenge and family. I really liked how the characters were written and developed throughout the entire storyline. We also see a touch of mystery and a hitman who has both a soft side and darkside. Overall, a solid read four stars out of five.
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