A Good Week in Books (116)

I had a nice little vacation week. My mom was in town and I of course had to show her some of my favorite little, local bookstores. I bought two books for myself this week (both signed)!  One’s YA and one’s adult. The adult one is by one of my favorite adult authors who does sometimes write YA too. I love that I was able to find two signed books this week.

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman

How was your week in books?

Waiting on Wednesday (154)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week I am waiting on The Siren by Kiera Cass (1/26/16):

Description on Goodreads:

From Kiera Cass, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Selection series, comes a sweeping stand-alone fantasy romance.

A girl with a secret.
The boy of her dreams.
An Ocean between them.

Years ago, Kahlen was rescued from drowning by the Ocean. To repay her debt, she has served as a Siren ever since, using her voice to lure countless strangers to their deaths. Though a single word from Kahlen can kill, she can’t resist spending her days on land, watching ordinary people and longing for the day when she will be able to speak and laugh and live freely among them again.

Kahlen is resigned to finishing her sentence in solitude...until she meets Akinli. Handsome, caring, and kind, Akinli is everything Kahlen ever dreamed of.

Falling in love with a human breaks the Ocean’s rules. But for the first time in a lifetime of following the rules, Kahlen is determined to follow her heart.

Why I’m Waiting:

So, it looks like this book was actually published a long time ago, but HarperTeen has now picked it up and republished/redesigned it. And I think it looks so pretty. Of course, I have to read all of Cass’s books. They are all so addicting and fun. And how addicting and fun does this one sound too?

What are you waiting on this week?

Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Summary (from Goodreads):

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Review:

I had a feeling I’d love this book, and I did. I remember posting it for a Waiting on Wednesday post way back when I first heard about it. I was super excited to meet Julie Murphy at BEA this year and pick up this ARC. The pub date is really soon (9/15), so you won’t have much of a wait on it.

I’ve never read a YA book or any book actually, where the main character was fat and not working hard to loose the fat. I needed this book. I think America needs this book. A book that says beauty comes in all sizes and that any girl should be able see herself as beautiful, confident, and worthy of love.

I was expecting it to be a bit different. The summary had me thinking that Willowdean would be confidant all the time. And she’s not. She’s very self-conscious. I was also expecting the whole story to be about the beauty pageant, and the pageant only took up a few pages toward the end, really.

The book was more about love and acceptance. I loved having a character who thought about her body so often. She thought about how she didn’t want the boy she was making out with to touch her back fat. She hated Halloween because costumes didn’t fit her. She hated the mall, where 90% of the stores there had clothes that also wouldn’t fit her. She hated that she was the center of attention all the time for something people generally seemed disgusted by. Girls assumed she was Ellen’s (her skinny best friend) charity case.

Yet, this main character is also strong. She doesn’t want to be a charity case or a secret. She wants it all. And she goes for it, even if she thinks about giving up along the way.

I’ve struggled with my weight my whole life, and while I don’t think I’ve had it as bad or struggled with it as much as Willowdean, it’s something I super related to. So many of her arguments with her mother about food rung true for me. And I also liked that this was realistic too. Willowdean’s much-loved aunt died super young from a heart attack because of her obesity. Health issues aren’t ignored. They just aren’t the most important thing here. Most important is believing in yourself.

The only times I’ve read about a main character that was overweight was in a book where she would work really hard to lose the weight. And the only overweight side characters in books usually are ones we’re not supposed to like (like the Dursleys). So it was so nice to have this book.

There were some things I was not a fan of, like the ending, and the best friend. I wanted more to the ending. That’s all I’m going to say. I don’t want to spoil a thing. I also never really liked Ellen much. I didn’t care one way or another if they made up at the end because the girl seemed to care way too much what others thought of her for me to respect her.

This book also had so much charm. There were after school jobs, first kisses, school dances, the beauty pageant, new friends, old friends, drag queens, confidence boosters, family drama, and so much more. Seriously, normally, I’d be focused more on what I didn’t like than I am. It’s just such a nice book that I can’t seem to focus on anything but the good. I give it a 9/10.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Summary (from Goodreads):

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they'll retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night will lead them to friends and family, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

This new must-read novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that must be made when life and love lead in different directions.

Review:

I love this author. This was a book I would not let myself leave BEA without. I was beyond excited to meet her this year. She, I believe, is one of the best YA contemporary writers out there today. That being said, this wasn’t my favorite book of hers.

It was such a brave book. I’ve never read a YA that covers what this does. So, I give Smith major kudos for accomplishing something so big. Normally, contemporary romances are about falling in love. This, was about the end of falling in love. It’s about a couple getting ready to move away to separate colleges on opposite ends of the country. It’s about knowing they need to break up, but being so unwilling to do so.

This is the ultimate break up book. Who hasn’t been in the place of these characters? It’s such a universal topic that it’s kind of crazy to think that there aren’t more books centered on it. This book had me thinking of past goodbyes and past moments. Some things seemed so big and important and other things didn’t seem important enough. I remember hanging out with two friends of mine one night before we took are separate paths to our own respective colleges. And I remember knowing, like Clare, that everything was about to change. That this very well could be the last time the three of us would hang out. And it was.

Going away to college is such a dramatic occasion. And watching the characters of this book go through it all in one night brought back so many memories for me. Really, what a great idea for a book!

However, I never fully loved the characters. I related to Clare, sure. I know what’s it’s like to be going away to college, knowing everything will be different, knowing what I want will change. But, she just never stood out to me. What did she like to do for fun? What was she interested in, besides parties? So much of her inner turmoil seemed vague and typical, and I guess I wanted more pieces of her to shine through. I just didn’t feel like I knew who she was at all.

I think I liked Aidan a little more. He wasn’t afraid to say what he was thinking or do crazy things on his last night. He loved playing lacrosse and he knew where he wanted to go. He just seemed more solid to me. It wasn’t hard to picture who he was.

The best friend characters didn’t seem all too developed either. I felt for Aiden’s best friend, I really did. But, again, I just didn’t feel like I knew him that well. And Clare’s best friend was kind of fuzzy too.

The idea for this book and the journey Clare and Aiden go on are magnificent. I just wish the characters were as good as they were in Smith books of past. I’m also not a fan of the prologue. I feel like it was bit of a cop-out. However, I couldn’t put this book down. The whole concept of it kept me going. And I needed to know how it would all turn out. I give it an 8/10.

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 3: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson

Description on Goodreads:

Love is in the air in Jersey City as Valentine’s Day arrives! Kamala Khan may not be allowed to go to the school dance, but Ms. Marvel is! Well sort of — by crashing it in an attempt to capture Asgard’s most annoying trickster! Yup, it’s a special Valentine’s Day story featuring Marvel’s favorite charlatan, Loki! And when a mysterious stranger arrives in Jersey City, Ms. Marvel must deal with…a crush! Because this new kid is really, really cute. What are these feelings, Kamala Khan? Prepare for drama! Intrigue! Romance! Suspense! Punching things! All this and more! The fan-favorite, critically acclaimed, amazing new series continues as Kamala Khan proves why she’s the best (and most adorable) new super hero there is! Plus, see what happens when SHIELD agent Jemma Simmons goes undercover at Kamala’s school!

Review:

I continue to be more and more impressed with these comics. I love Kamala. She’s such an awesome teen girl superhero. I love that’s such a normal teen girl, falling for boys and not realizing one of her best friends in love with her. Yet, she’s also the force to be reckoned with. So many things happen to her in this book. She’s messed with, fought, captured, and bossed around. Yet, she doesn’t need to be rescued any more. She fights her way though all of it, and is getting better and better at believing herself.

I like that it takes place in Jersey. And besides the common high school setting, there’s the bodega her friend works at, there’s the mosque her family and her pray in, and there’s all the normal modern-day teen life things that exists in all YA. I also love that all the normal life things keep getting interrupted by various known super heroes and villains. Loki at the Valentine’s dance had me laughing out loud. This book was loaded with humor.

I find Kamala’s normal life just as interesting as her super one. I’m fascinated by her best friend and her brother. I love the snip-bits of Muslim culture. I love that she’s strong and clearly her own person. She’s a comic book nerd and a gamer. And how many superheroes are those things? How many teen girls in books, movies, tv, etc are those things period?

The romance side stories made this a fun volume. I liked that Kamala finally had a crush of her own. And I love that she was able to make up her own mind about him. It was interesting and sad watching her learn that more and more people aren’t who they say they are. And it’s so nice seeing her friendships evolve with other side characters too. It wasn’t all about the romance. The fights with the new super powers in town were interesting too. How many of them are there? I have so many questions.

These comics are smart, funny, brave, and addictive. And I can’t wait for future installments. This was the most entertaining one yet, if not my favorite. I give it a 9/10.

Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally

Summary (from Goodreads):

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

Review:

This wasn’t my favorite Kenneally book, and I knew it wouldn’t be. But, it was still so magically addicting and fun, how could I not love it? I knew it wouldn’t be my favorite because it was a celebrity YA romance. Those are almost always too cheesy for me. And I loved that Kenneally had this whole girl power athlete thing going for her past books. I wasn’t as excited for another girl singer romance. It just wasn’t as unique as the others.

That being said, I still loved this typical YA celebrity romance story. I love that it all started with the high school’s shadow day. Who’d ever imagine spending a shadow day with a country star? And I loved that Maya was so willing to make the most of it even though she’s not into country music. She still has so much to learn and she knows she can benefit from learning from a pro in the field.

I even ate up the romance. I could tell right away that she and Jesse had tons in common. They both were so afraid of repeating past mistakes. They were both so afraid to trust the other and it was fun watching them learn that they could.

Maya wasn’t my favorite main character. She was so afraid to sing because of her flaws. She was so afraid to sing by herself. And I guess I’ve gotten used to Kenneally’s girls being a little bit braver to start. Maya does grow to be braver by the end, but she still never felt as strong as past characters to me. And I guess I need my main characters to have a little more confidence in themselves.

One of the best things about this book was you got to see Jordan and Sam! They’re bickering and living together and there’s all this talk about a future proposal. They’re in the background of Maya’s story because Sam is Maya’s big brother. My face would light up though every time they entered a scene. I loved the sense of family, in general, in this book. You see the good. And you see the bad. And most important, you see all the struggles each member goes through to help the others.

All in all, this wasn’t my favorite by the author. I still ate it up in practically one sitting. It was very much like a lot of other teen celebrity romances. However, the cuteness and fun of all Kenneally books shone through. Plus, Jordan and Sam were there! I give it an 8/10.

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan and read by Joshua Swanson

Summary (from Goodreads):

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the "Argo II, " she can't blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon figurehead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket, Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving command: "Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. "Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader—but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Review:

Yes, a book that centers on Annabeth! Yes!

So, technically, the book is still about the seven (demigods) of the prophecy. And it was super amazing to see them all finally working together. After two books of the separate demigods going on separate adventures, it was so much fun to see them all finally interact with each other. But really, I was most excited about Annabeth.

I loved the macho rivalry going on between Percy and Jason. There was so much top 3 competition going on between them, I kept waiting for one of them to get hurt. I also loved Leo’s connection to Hazel (though Leo is still my least favorite character and I was slightly bummed to have more time in his point of view). I also, of course, finally got to see my ship in action! Percy and Annabeth together again, and going on adventures. This was definitely one of the biggest highlights for me.

I loved all the chapters in Annabeth’s point of view. Her side mission to follow the mark of Athena was so scary and intense that I literally yelled out loud to my audiobook when her chapters went to a different character’s point of view. I could have easily read a whole Annabeth book. I liked that Percy knew to let her go on this mission alone. And I loved seeing him grow up a little more just by being around Annabeth so much.

There were still so many side adventures along the way. There’s a creepy aquarium in Atlanta with another son of Poseidon. There’s Hercules, who’s so not as cool as I was expecting him to be. There’s the horn of plenty. And there’s even help from the most unlikely of places: Mr. D. I missed some of the other characters from past books that weren’t here, like Mrs. O’Leary and Grover and Tyson, but I mostly see why the story stayed focused more on the seven.

The setting was also super fun, as always. When the group weren’t on the awesome dragon flying ship, escaping Roman fleets, they were making pit-stops at new US cities, and then finally making their way to Rome. It was fun comparing the Roman camp to Rome, itself. And I’m hoping the next book will have plenty of scenes in Greece. Riordan is so good at incorporating real-life places with the magical/mythological. This has become one of the things I look for in all his books. And I’m never disappointed.

I’m so ready to start House of Hades. This book had the worst cliffhanger yet. It was so good, I had to literally take a moment to silently give Riordan points. I literally said out loud, “And that is how a cliffhanger is done, folks.” Thank goodness the whole series is finished already and I don’t have to wait a year to dive into book 4. I give this book a 10/10. I think it’s my favorite so far. I can’t wait to keep going with the series.

Waiting on Wednesday (153)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week I am waiting on Hunter by Mercedes Lackey (9/1/15):

Description on Goodreads:

Centuries ago, the barriers between our world and the Otherworld were slashed open allowing hideous fantastical monsters to wreak havoc; destroying entire cities in their wake. Now, people must live in enclosed communities, behind walls that keep them safe from the evil creatures constantly trying to break in. Only the corps of teen Hunters with lightning reflexes and magical abilities can protect the populace from the daily attacks.

Joyeaux Charmand is a mountain girl from a close knit village who comes to the big city to join the Hunters. Joy thinks she is only there to perform her civic duty and protect the capitol Cits, or civilians, but as cameras follow her every move, she soon learns that the more successful she is in her hunts, the more famous she becomes.

With millions of fans watching her on reality TV, Joy begins to realize that Apex is not all it seems. She is forced to question everything she grew up believing about the legendary Hunters and the very world she lives in. Soon she finds that her fame may be part of a deep conspiracy that threatens to upend the protective structure built to keep dark magic out. The monsters are getting in and it is up to Joy to find out why.

Why I’m Waiting:

This story sounds amazing. Also, this author is pretty awesome. I don’t think I’ve read a Mercedes Lackey book in about 10 years, but every one I have read was amazing. Plus, my wait is not that long. It comes out in a couple of weeks, and I may have to give in and purchase this pretty.

What are you waiting on this week?

The Accident Season by Mora Fowley-Doyle

Summary (from Goodreads):

It's the accident season, the same time every year. Bones break, skin tears, bruises bloom.

The accident season has been part of seventeen-year-old Cara's life for as long as she can remember. Towards the end of October, foreshadowed by the deaths of many relatives before them, Cara's family becomes inexplicably accident-prone. They banish knives to locked drawers, cover sharp table edges with padding, switch off electrical items - but injuries follow wherever they go, and the accident season becomes an ever-growing obsession and fear.

But why are they so cursed? And how can they break free?

Review:

I really enjoyed this one. It had been a while since I read something so creepy. It’s the kind of paranormal YA I love. I knew there’d be a twist, and I had no idea what direction it would be coming from. This book is already being compared to How I Live Now and We Were Liars, two books that managed to shock me. So, I was waiting for that shock moment. It also felt like no one was safe. In the accident season, people have died. And this kept me on my toes the whole time.

My expectations were high with the two great books this one was compared to. And my expectations were met. Besides needing to know what the inevitable twist would be (which was still a surprise!), there’s the beautiful, lyrical language that reminded me very much of E. Lockhart. The writing style reminded me sometimes of classic mythology stories. The description was just so fluid and pretty.

Then there’s the unique setting: middle of nowhere Ireland! I loved getting to see some place different. I was jealous of the scenery, the trees, the river, and the walk home from school. My commute to high school, and teen years were absolutely nothing like Cara’s and I loved this. It was a nice, little window into the lives of teens in a different country.

The characters were neat too. I loved the big sister, Alice. I also loved the best friend Bea. Sam was cool too. And I see why it was compared to How I Live Now. There’s straight relationships, gay relationships, and forbidden relationships here. And while so much romance can sometimes irritate me and become too much romance, I loved it here. The whole Irish backdrop, the made up ghost stories, the fairy fantasies, and the hidden sadness just all melded together perfectly with all the romance. It was that kind of story.

This book was a lot more than I was expecting, and certainly it was a lot darker. Some seriously sad and intense subjects are covered. The relationships and friendships are amazing. The family history is fascinating. The setting is awesome. And I can’t really come up with anything negative to say. Except, I wish this came out in October, when the accident season takes place. This is the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy autumn afternoon. I read an ARC, but it comes out today (the 18^th). I give it a 10/10.

A Good Week in Books (115)

I had a nice book week. Mostly, I’m shocked as to how many books I read in one week. The things a girl can accomplish when she is between shows on Netflix. Seriously, one week with no tv (besides SYTYCD) and I read 5 books. One was a graphic novel, but still. 5 books in one week! I have a lot of reviews to write. Also, I picked up three new books at Barnes and Noble. It was tax-free weekend in MA this past weekend and the boyfriend and I had a little time to waste before our movie. So of course, we went to the bookstore. I’d been seriously wanting all these, so I gave in and bought them:

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh
Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

How was your week in books?

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L.Holm and Matthew Holm

Summary (from Goodreads):

From the groundbreaking and award-winning sister-brother team behind Babymouse comes a middle-grade, semi-autobiographical graphic novel.

Following the lives of kids whose older brother's delinquent behavior has thrown their family into chaos, Sunny Side Up is at once a compelling "problem" story and a love letter to the comic books that help the protagonist make sense of her world.

By sister-bother team Jennifer and Matthew Holm. A 200-page, full-color graphic novel in the vein of Raina Telgemeier's Smile.

Review:

This was not what I was expecting at all. I was expecting a light-hearted tale from the creators of Babymouse. Instead, I got something totally different, a lot more emotional, and completely heartfelt. I can’t talk too much about the plot without giving something major away, but I have to say it was so refreshing to get this perspective (from the younger sibling) in regards to this issue.

Sunny is shipped off to live with her grandfather in Florida for the summer. She was going to spend the summer at the beach with her best friend, but because of something that happens with her big brother, all the plans change. Poor Sunny is stuck in a retirement center, on an uncomfortable sleeper sofa. She’s surrounded by senior citizens and just isn’t having the summer she wanted.

But, then she meets a boy named Buzz, who introduces her to comic books. And the two friends make the best of the situation. The find golf balls, save cats, and even save a person too (like the heroes they read about). And Sunny slowly comes to turns with what happened with her family.

If you’ve read these authors before, the illustrations will come off as kind of familiar. Though, they’re bright and sunny (like the character). And the facial expressions of the characters are spot-on. The illustrations really make this book fantastic.

This book seriously spoke to me. I related to Sunny on so many levels. I have an older brother who went through something similar. And I remember being sent to spend time with my cousins (who I love and am so glad I was able to grow up with). But this sense that things aren’t meant to be talked about, rung true to me. Also, the need to blame yourself for things that aren’t your fault. And then of course came the comic books. I didn’t get into comics until way later in life, but when I was Sunny’s age, I found YA books.

I loved this book. I’m not sure everyone will. It spoke to me on a personal level and I get that it won’t be that way for everyone. I don’t think other people will expect its level of seriousness either. It’s a wonderful intergenerational story. The relationship that grows between Sunny and her grandfather is so sweet. I love her friend for the summer too. I love that reading comics helps Sunny be who she needs to be. I give it a 9/10.

Waiting on Wednesday (152)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week I am waiting on Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins (4/12/2016):

 
Description (from Amazon –Goodreads needs to catch up):

Just as Harper Price starts coming to terms with her role as David Stark's battle-ready Paladin, protector, and girlfriend—her world goes crazy all over again. 

Overwhelmed by his Oracle powers, David flees Pine Grove and starts turning teenaged girls into Paladins—and these young ladies seem to think that Harper is the enemy David needs protecting from.  Ordinarily, Harper would be able to fight off any Paladin who comes her way, but her powers have been dwindling since David left town, which means her life is on the line yet again.

Now, it’s a desperate race for Harper to find and rescue David before she backslides from superhero to your garden-variety type-A belle.
 
New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins brings the fun once again in the finale of this pitch-perfect romantic paranormal comedy series.

Why I’m Waiting:

This series is just so much fun. I don’t like it as much as the author’s first series, but I still can’t get enough of it. Sometimes I just crave a funny paranormal romance, and Hawkins just always delivers. These books have me laughing out loud. And they also have me seriously wishing for more time to re-watch Buffy. I can’t wait to see how it all ends.

What are you waiting on this week?

Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray

Summary (from Goodreads):

After a supernatural showdown with a serial killer, Evie O'Neill has outed herself as a Diviner. Now that the world knows of her ability to "read" objects, and therefore, read the past, she has become a media darling, earning the title, "America's Sweetheart Seer." But not everyone is so accepting of the Diviners' abilities...

Meanwhile, mysterious deaths have been turning up in the city, victims of an unknown sleeping sickness. Can the Diviners descend into the dreamworld and catch a killer?

Review:

If you’ve read my blog before, you know Libba Bray is my favorite author today. I got to meet her for a second time this year at BEA. She came to do a special talk in the librarian’s lounge just for librarians. And I was in the front row…I’m an extremely lucky person. I love what I do for a living. And I love blogging on the side. I get to meet a lot of authors. For some reason though, I always find myself stumbling in Libba’s presence. I’m pretty sure I said something like, “You’re the best,” and then looked at the floor like an idiot.

All embarrassment aside, I have loved everything this woman has written. Everything is different. And each story has such fantastic characters. I read her books, and wish I could write like her. Needless to say, I’ve been waiting for this one for some time. The pub date kept getting pushed back further and further (it officially comes out in a couple weeks). I practically pounced on this ARC when it was handed to me at that librarian’s lounge. And I’ve definitely hugged this thing a few times.

Again, came this magnificent New York setting. I felt like I was there, listening to the 20’s slang. Everything was Jake while I watched my favorite characters sipping soup in China Town, partying in famous hotels, and sipping sodas in Harlem. The city, itself, is a character, and I never forgot about it.

There were some new characters and more supernatural-related deaths. While book 1 involved a serial killer and I didn’t think this could get much darker, this one involved a ghost who killed people by asking them to dream. People would fall into an endless nightmare and die in the real world.

All the love triangle elements I loved from book 1 were still there. So were the mysteries about an enormous conspiracy. Throw in some seriously creepy folks who have their eye on all the diviners, a diviner radio show, a fake engagement, plenty of illegal booze, budding romances, serious twists, and even more questions about Evie’s uncle and just exactly how he’s involved in everything.

There’s so much I still seriously need to know and I can’t wait for the next book, which I have a feeling will deal a lot more with the conspiracy. It was also great getting to know the other characters better. While the book didn’t center too much on Theta, I feel like I know her a lot better. I certainly know and love Henry more. Ling was an amazing addition to the cast. Sam became even more interesting. And a little more was explained for Jericho’s behavior too. I also can’t forget the amazing Memphis (who has a super evil diviner living in his home and making friends with his kid brother).

There are so many layers to this book. There are so many characters and points of view. I felt like a fan girl by the end when they all got together. I couldn’t believe they were all in one spot. It was such a fun ending. I wish it lasted longer. And that’s saying something. This book is a monster at 690 pages (or at least the ARC is).

This is one fun, beautifully written story. It was hard to put down, yet at the same time I had to put it down after a time to soak it all in. The characters were amazing. The city was amazing. And the mystery has me asking so many questions. I love the darkness and the romance of it all. I can’t wait for the next one. I give it a 10/10.

Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater

Summary (from Goodreads):

From bestselling authors Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce comes an exciting new series full of magical creatures, whimsical adventures, and quirky illustrations.

Pip is a girl who can talk to magical creatures. Her aunt is a vet for magical creatures. And her new friend Tomas is allergic to most magical creatures. When things go amok—and they often go amok—Pip consults Jeffrey Higgleston’s Guide to Magical Creatures, a reference work that Pip finds herself constantly amending. Because dealing with magical creatures like unicorns, griffins, and fuzzles doesn’t just require book knowledge—it requires hands-on experience and thinking on your feet. For example, when fuzzles (which have an awful habit of bursting into flame when they’re agitated) invade your town, it’s not enough to know what the fuzzles are—Pip and Tomas also must trace the fuzzles’ agitation to its source, and in doing so, save the whole town.

Review:

Maggie Stiefvater has proven herself to be a trump author for me. I’ll read anything she writes and I’ll mostly likely read it before all the other books in my TBR shelf. I haven’t read books by Jackson Pearce before, though I’ve heard great things. I was excited to see what this duo would do in a middle grade book.

I was not disappointed. This book was adorable! Everything from the illustrations to the weirdly interesting characters was just so much fun. I was expecting more of a fantasy novel and I got more of a contemporary book mixed with fantastical creatures. The mixture provided fantastic humor. This middle grade book had me laughing out loud, sometimes in public. I wasn’t expecting it to be so funny.

I loved Pip. She’s so curious and ready to learn as much as she can. She’s strong and brave too, even though no one takes her seriously. It was weird reading a book that takes place in a world where things like unicorns and griffins are normal, but a girl who can talk to them is not. Most people found Pip to be crazy or childish. And she was a little bit, but she was so smart too. I loved that she learned that not all animals can be classified the same. There are different characteristics about each magical creature she meets.

I loved her friend with all the allergies. He reminded me of the little boy in the movie, My Girl. And I even loved her kind of bratty cousin that complained all the time. I found her to be a very realistic element to the whole story.

The story was good. The characters were great. The humor was fantastic. I just wish there was a little bit more. I wanted a tiny bit more to the resolution. Though, I liked that okay. I wanted to see more of the results of the problem. I know I’m being vague. I just don’t want to give anything away. All in all though, this was great. I give it a 9/10.

Waiting on Wednesday (151)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that allows bloggers to share which books we are most anticipating.

This week I am waiting on Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan (2016):

Description on Goodreads:

Tell the Wind & Fire is about a young girl called Lucie who lives in a New York very different from the New York we know: the city is torn between two very different kinds of magic, and Lucie’s own family was torn apart years ago by that conflict. Lucie wears magic rings and carries a burden of guilt she can’t share with anyone.

The light in her life is her sweetheart boyfriend Ethan, but it turns out Ethan has a secret too: a soulless doppelganger created by dark magic, who has to conceal the face identical to Ethan’s with a hood fastened by a collar nobody but a Light magician with magical rings can take off… and who introduces himself to both of them by, for reasons nobody can understand, saving Ethan’s life…

Why I’m Waiting:

I will always be waiting for the next Sarah Rees Brennan book. I love her books. I recommend them to teens all the time. And I feel like I have been waiting forever for news of more books. Also, doppelgangers? Yes, please. I like the city setting too. I wish I had a more specific date for its release. But, at least I know it’s some time next year.

What are you waiting on this week?

A Good Week in Books (114)

I had a nice week in books. But, I’ve had an interesting couple of weeks in general. There was one week in July where I was MIA and I wish I could say it was because I went on vacation. Instead, it’s because I had an emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder. I couldn’t blog, or do much reading for a week or so. I did bring up my audiobooks from the car and that helped a lot. I’m all good now. Apparently, we don’t need gallbladders, so no big loss.  I went back to work last week, just in time for our big Harry Potter Birthday Party. This is me decked out and ready to celebrate:

We had edible potion making, a coloring/crossword/sorting quiz station, guess how many jelly beans in jar game, birthday cake, and we watched the first movie. It was a great time.

And I was good enough this past weekend to make it to Boston Comic Con. I have a few pictures to share. I'm a big Wonder Woman fan.

These are some geeky prints I picked up. I’m a big Miyazaki fan so I loved the poster that’s a homage to him. Also, how cool is the Hogwarts Express poster? And I picked up such a fun, candid photo from The Walking Dead set (I’m a big fan of that show too.) Also, so much Sirius love.

I went to the con with my wonderful boyfriend, who picked up these goodies for me. I’m so lucky to have a boyfriend who spots the booth selling Harry Potter jewelry and then says he wants to buy me some. Also, when I was too tired to geek out any more and went to sit down for the last bit of the con, my boyfriend found me a Wonder Woman Lego mini figure. He’s the best.

These are the books I got this week. The two comics are also from the boyfriend. He gave me his copy of the The Walking Dead graphic novel, so I could have Tony Moore sign it! And I’m a big Arrow fan. I’m feeling spoiled. Also, I got two new books to review courtesy of Macmillan.

 How to Say I Love You Out Loud by Karole Cozzo
Public Enemies by Ann Aguirre
The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirman and Tony Moore
Green Arrow Year One Special Edition

How was your week in books?