Waiting on Wednesday (252)

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 Summer of Us by Cecilia Vinesse (6/5/2018):

Description on Goodreads:

A swoon-worthy story about five best friends on a whirlwind trip through Europe, perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Stephanie Perkins, and Jennifer E. Smith.

American expat Aubrey has only two weeks left in Europe before she leaves for college, and she's nowhere near ready. Good thing she and her best friend, Rae, have planned one last group trip across the continent. From Paris to Prague, they're going to explore famous museums, sip champagne in fancy restaurants, and eat as many croissants as possible with their friends Clara, Jonah, and Gabe.

But when old secrets come to light, Aubrey and Rae's trip goes from a carefree adventure to a complete disaster. For starters, there's Aubrey and Gabe's unresolved history, complicated by the fact that Aubrey is dating Jonah, Gabe's best friend. And then there's Rae's hopeless crush on the effortlessly cool Clara. How is Rae supposed to admit her feelings to someone so perfect when they're moving to different sides of the world in just a few weeks?

Author Cecilia Vinesse delivers a romantic European adventure that embraces the magic of warm summer nights, the thrill of first kisses, and the bittersweet ache of learning to say goodbye to the past while embracing the future.

Why I’m Waiting:

Perfect for fans of Jenny Han, Stephanie Perkins, and Jennifer E. Smith? Yes, please! This sounds so good. I love books that take place in other countries. I also love friendship stories and summers away. The romance drama of this sounds amazing. Really, this just sounds like the perfect book for me. It’s made up of so many of the things I love. I just have to wait all the way to June to read it.

What are you waiting on this week?

Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

Summary from Goodreads:

Rowan and Citra take opposite stances on the morality of the Scythedom, putting them at odds, in the second novel of the chilling New York Times bestselling series from Neal Shusterman, author of the Unwind dystology.

Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid, and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—“Scythe Lucifer”—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames.

Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish” so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?

Review:

Wow! That ending! In the span of 10 minutes, I was outraged, I shed one tear, I laughed out loud, and then my jaw dropped. Neal Shusterman is a genius for coming up with this, and he expertly manipulates all my emotions. I need the next book now!

Above the ending, this was just a purely fun, adrenaline rushing kind of read. It’s a rare occasion that my boyfriend and I will read the same book, let alone love the same book. It’s even rarer that he will read a YA book before me. He beat me to this one. We were both super excited for this second installment. And thankfully, it did no disappoint.

It was basically one plot twist after another, and there was never one truly good moment to put the book down. It’s one of those books that made me dread going to work, not because there was anything to dread there, but because I wished I could devote all my time to reading. 

The story moved along super fast. I loved getting to know the Thunderhead, and through the Thunderhead, the world. A lot of plot holes and important questions were answered from this point of view. It was also super fascinating. It was like continually getting the point of view of God (if God were actually a super computer). Needless to say, there was never a dull moment.

I did continue to feel worse and worse for Rowan. He never seems able to catch a break. Between the events of the last book and this one, it’s shocking to see that he still has so much hope. Also, in true Shusterman fashion, there was one element to the story where I was just appalled that something happened. It reminded me of Unwind, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. It had me second guessing things, and wondering where the ethical line was. 

All in all, this was a fast-paced, intense, plot-twisty book.  Lots of plot holes and questions from book 1 were answered. The ending was one crazy, finale of action. The politics and Thunderhead character were super interesting. It was well worth the wait. I give it a 9/10.

A Good Week in Books (178)

I had a nice book week. I finished a sequel I was highly anticipating. I read a new graphic novel. And I’m in the middle of a really great mystery, and a fun fantasy audio book. I also received 2 new graphic novels for review (Thank you, Macmillan).

The pretty new books:

Wires and Nerve Vol. 2: Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer and art by Stephen Gilpin

Mary’s Monster: Love, Madness, and How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein by Lita Judge

How was your week in books?

The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz and read by the author and a full cast

Summary from Goodreads:

1242. On a dark night, travelers from across France cross paths at an inn and begin to tell stories of three children. Their adventures take them on a chase through France: they are taken captive by knights, sit alongside a king, and save the land from a farting dragon. On the run to escape prejudice and persecution and save precious and holy texts from being burned, their quest drives them forward to a final showdown at Mont Saint-Michel, where all will come to question if these children can perform the miracles of saints.

Join William, an oblate on a mission from his monastery; Jacob, a Jewish boy who has fled his burning village; and Jeanne, a peasant girl who hides her prophetic visions. They are accompanied by Jeanne's loyal greyhound, Gwenforte . . . recently brought back from the dead. Told in multiple voices, in a style reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales, our narrator collects their stories and the saga of these three unlikely allies begins to come together.

Beloved bestselling author Adam Gidwitz makes his long awaited return with his first new world since his hilarious and critically acclaimed Grimm series. Featuring manuscript illuminations throughout by illustrator Hatem Aly and filled with Adam’s trademark style and humor, The Inquisitor's Tale is bold storytelling that’s richly researched and adventure-packed.

Review:

As I said on Goodreads, this is probably one of the best middle grade books I have ever read. The storytelling component was unbelievable. The story was unlike any other middle grade book out there. The closest thing this resembles is the classic, Canterbury Tales. It actually has very similar humor to Canterbury Tales, filled with fart jokes and other things sure to make kids laugh out loud. It's both weirdly kind of religious, and kind of not religious at all because it's really about accepting all different people with all different faiths.

This was magical. I almost didn't read it because of the initial sad story of the dog. But, the dog comes back to life and I'm so glad I didn't stop. I also had the pleasure of listening to the audio (read by a full cast) and it was like seeing an amazing play. I highly recommend this one, especially the audio.

This wasn’t what I was expecting. It was better. I knew it would be about 3 special kids. I had no idea the scope of what this author was trying to accomplish. He really made a story about three underdog saints interesting to an Atheist Jew. Granted, one of the saints was Jewish. And another was a peasant girl (loosely based upon Joan of Arc). And a major plot point was them attempting to prevent the burning of thousands of Jewish texts.

It was a story really about 3 drastically different people learning to see beyond their differences. It was a story of friendship. And it was also a story of faith (faith in whatever God the character believed in), but also faith in knowing to do the right thing.

There’s also the ever-present mystery of who the narrator is. I had no idea! And how on earth the nun could know so much information. And how exactly was it possible for the greyhound to come back from the dead. You learn all these things at the end. And I was genuinely surprised. I loved that the author was not who I thought at all. And there are enough twists in here to keep any plot reader pleased.

I loved the setup for the stories and how different characters got to share their piece of the pie. I loved seeing how different people in France viewed and felt about the children. I love books that have stories within stories. It really highlights the significance of storytelling.

All in all, this was a masterpiece. The plot was action-packed and moved at a nice pace. The characters were mysterious and fascinating. The world was scary, yet real. The humor was over-the-top, but in a delightful way. The strong emphasis on story was super appealing to me. I also loved that it was a friendship and acceptance story at its core. The research that must have been involved is nuts. I’m extremely impressed here. I give this a 10/10.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Summary from Goodreads:

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Review:

Oh, how I’ve missed Holly Black. I wish it didn’t take so many years for her to write books. This book had been on my radar for some time, and I was number 1 on the list at the library for it. That being said, I don’t know why I was so hesitant to start it. I always second-guess my love for this author, and I have to stop doing that and accept the fact that I will probably always love her books. I love how dark they are. And I love how strong her characters are.

This one did no disappoint. The darkness was at an all time high. The stuff the main character endured at the hands of the court and the mean fairies was just awful. And for some reason that’s even worse than her watching her parents be murdered at a young age. I guess the memory of that was more abstract than the every day bullying and demeaning behavior.

Jude is just so strong! I wish I had half of her fierceness. She was probably the fiercest Holly Black character yet. I found her and all of the political background of this world to be utterly fascinating. This is a book for people who love great world building. The plot started off kind of slow (after the initial moments of remembering her parents’ murder). But, it picked up and escalated rather quickly later.

I liked the different aspects to all the characters. No one was purely bad or good. Well, maybe some of the fairies were pure evil, but mostly they weren’t. The character I loved to hate the most wasn’t even a fairy; it was her twin sister. I really hated her twin and I was secretly glad each time Jude talked about not seeing her again. Seriously, there wasn’t anything that redeeming about her. She was cowardly, easily manipulated, prone to ignoring mean things happening to her twin, and way too okay with the idea of marriage to someone not nice. Ugh. I hated her. I did like the older sister (who was only half human). She was both interesting and had redeemable qualities.

I also loved the plot twists in this book. The final one actually surprised me. I loved the ending. It reminded me of the ending to Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan (one of my all time favorite books/and cliffhanger endings).

All in all, I loved this. It was dark, twisty, violent, and surprising. I loved the characters (most of them any way). And I loved the messed up world this all takes place in. I cannot wait to see what happens next. Hopefully, I won’t have to wait a few years for book 2. I give this one a 9/10.

Waiting on Wednesday (251)

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 Royals by Rachel Hawkins (5/1/2018):

Description on Goodreads:

Meet Daisy Winters. She’s an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair; a part time job at a bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who’s nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond.

While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince’s roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes, and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown–and the intriguing Miles–might be trying to make Daisy into a lady . . . but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.

Why I’m Waiting:

I love this author. Sometimes a girl just needs something a little over the top and fluffy to read, and this author never disappoints. I always love her characters. Add that to the royal setting and well, this might as well be wrapped in corgi themed wrapping paper with a card that says it’s just for me. I can’t wait to start a new series by this author. Is it May yet?

What are you waiting on this week?

A Good Week in Books (177)

I had a decent book week. I received 2 new books for review, courtesy of Macmillan. I finished one awesome fantasy novel and one amazing Middle Grade audio book. I also had the wonderful opportunity to book-talk (convince others to read) a couple of YA books at work this week. All in all, it’s a good week.

The new books:

The Forgotten Book by Mechthild Glaser (It has such a pretty cover!)
All That Was by Karen Rivers

How was your week in books?

Always and Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han

Summary from Goodreads:

Lara Jean is having the best senior year. And there’s still so much to look forward to: a class trip to New York City, prom with her boyfriend Peter, Beach Week after graduation, and her dad’s wedding to Ms. Rothschild. Then she’ll be off to college with Peter, at a school close enough for her to come home and bake chocolate chip cookies on the weekends.

Life couldn’t be more perfect!

At least, that’s what Lara Jean thinks…until she gets some unexpected news.

Now the girl who dreads change must rethink all her plans—but when your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

Review:

This is what I said on Goodreads as soon as I finished this book: “Finishing this series was like taking a deep contented sigh after finishing a hot drink on a cold day. Maybe I need to track down everything this author has ever written. Really, so much love for this!”

I took my time reading this one. Aka: I didn’t finish it in one sitting or one day even. I think it took a few days. I just really didn’t want this to end. I was also super nervous going into the book because I was so afraid of what the “unexpected news” would be. I was also a little weirded out by how much time had passed between this book and the second one.

I am clearly way too involved in this story. But, I am also so surprisingly pleased with the way it all ended. I thought there’d be no way this book can be both believable and have the ending I was hoping for. I was wrong. It can definitely accomplish both.

I loved how much more developed Peter and Lara Jean’s relationship was. They both had definitely grown up a lot since the previous book. I loved that Peter’s ex and Josh were barely even mentioned much at all. And Lara Jean just seemed so much more confident and strong. The decisions she had to make and the way she came about making them felt so genuine. I loved her road trip with Chris and how that helped her make up her mind. I loved her need to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie. And I even loved watching Lara Jean and Kitty be the mature sisters and help teach Margot to want their father’s happiness.

Margot was kind of a snot, but in a believable way. I just wanted to slap her a couple of times. But, Lara Jean’s wisdom eventually got through to her. I loved how Margot handled things at the bachelorette party. Watching Lara Jean get drunk for the first time weirdly reminded me of Anne of Green Gables, a book this series has quoted in the past. Oh, and I love that Peter read books for Lara Jean. He read all of the Harry Potter books!

I never stopped being nervous that they would break up. I know how seriously Lara Jean takes her older sister and her mom, who both made clear that you don’t want to be crying over your high school boyfriend in college. And the suspense of that drove me crazy and kept me reading into the late hours of the night.

All in all, this was amazing. The characters have come a long way –especially Lara Jean. I wish there were more books in this series. Yet, I also love how things ended. I definitely need to track down more Jenny Han books.  And I know this will be a series I will read over and over again. I give this one a 10/10.

Waiting on Wednesday (250)

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 Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente (4/3/2018):

Description on Goodreads:

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets Eurovision in an over-the-top science fiction spectacle from bestselling author Catherynne M. Valente, in which sentient species compete for glory in a galactic musical contest—where the stakes are as high as the fate of planet Earth.

A century ago, the Sentience Wars tore the galaxy apart and nearly ended the entire concept of intelligent space-faring life. In the aftermath, a curious tradition was invented—something to cheer up everyone who was left and bring the shattered worlds together in the spirit of peace, unity, and understanding.

Once every cycle, the civilizations gather for Galactivision—part gladiatorial contest, part beauty pageant, part concert extravaganza, and part continuation of the wars of the past. Instead of competing in orbital combat, the powerful species that survived face off in a competition of song, dance, or whatever can be physically performed in an intergalactic talent show. The stakes are high for this new game, and everyone is forced to compete.

This year, though, humankind has discovered the enormous universe. And while they expected to discover a grand drama of diplomacy, gunships, wormholes, and stoic councils of aliens, they have instead found glitter, lipstick, and electric guitars. Mankind will not get to fight for its destiny—they must sing.

A band of human musicians, dancers, and roadies have been chosen to represent Earth on the greatest stage in the galaxy. And the fate of their species lies in their ability to rock.

Why I’m Waiting:

I need this book in my life. This just sounds so ridiculously amazing. It sounds epic and hilarious. I know it will be smart too because this author is one of the smartest out there. I adore her other books. I also love sci-fi. And I love humor. I know this will have to be an amazing mixture of those two things. It’s already being compared to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I must get my hand on this one. I must.

What are you waiting on this week?

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Summary from Goodreads:

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

Review:

I am so lucky to read these books with the whole series being out. Waiting between them would have been torture. They are just so good. Jenny Han just has this magical YA writing charisma. Like, I could not put them down or stop looking at them or stop thinking about them. I devoured this second installment in one day. And then I moved on to book 3 immediately.

Currently, I’m going over the events of both books in my head all over again because when you read them like I did, they blend together a bit. I fell so hard for Peter in the events of this book. I loved Lara Jean with Peter. I love how he stood up for her. I love how honest they are with each other. I love their banter. I just seriously shipped them in this book even more than I did in book 1.

This book was also a bit darker than book 1 for me. There was some seriously Veronica Mars type cyber bullying going on that was rather difficult to read about and not cringe over. I may have even shed a tear or two because of it. And I may have shed another tear or two when stuff went downhill for the couple. However, I felt like the downhill element was totally believable, given the situation.

And I know people probably hate him, but I loved John Ambrose McClaren too. The scene with the two of them in the snow was just beyond adorable. I kept thinking of that moment in Beauty and the Beast when the two “lovebirds” are throwing snowballs at each other. He was just so sweet and charming. I love what he added to the story and the confidence boost he gave Lara Jean. I feel like for a long time that Lara Jean just didn’t feel good enough for Peter. She continued to compare herself to his ex. And having the interest of two guys seriously boosted her confidence (as it would for any girl). But, I also know the poor guy just didn’t stand a chance. And I love how honest Lara Jean is to both guys. She tells Peter everything. And John knows it all too.

I also love watching Lara Jean’s and Kitty’s relationship strengthen. I guess this started happening in book 1, but I love where they are at in this book. There’s less bickering and more mutual respect and love. I loved watching the two of them try to find someone for their dad. And I loved getting more of the prodigal daughter’s relationship with everything too. Margot definitely made it interesting.

I also seriously loved the focus on Lara Jean and her best friend Chris. I love their friendship. I love how different they are from one another, but how this doesn’t matter. They have each other’s backs in a way that felt almost sisterly –like Chris is just another Song girl.

I ate this book up like a bag of Cape Cod potato chips (no kidding, those are the best chips in the world). I give it a 10/10. I only wish there was a fourth book to look forward to.

Ms. Marvel, Volume 8: Mecca by G. Willow Wilson

Summary from Goodreads:

An enemy from Ms. Marvel's past resurfaces and begins targeting those closest to Kamala. As the world around her is spinning out of control, it becomes clear that this time there's something more sinister at work...Kamala's no stranger to fighting for what's right, but in facing down this challenge, everything she is will be called into question. Not just as a super hero, but as a human being.

Review:

I am a big Ms. Marvel fan. Ms. Marvel has restored my love of comic books. I love the mixture of classic super hero story with YA coming of age drama. And this installment has plenty of this mixture, with the added bonus of present day politics.

There’s a definite an X-Men vibe here with a government group rounding up people with abilities and people who are different. But, there’s also serious current day political events being mirrored –with racism, laws against immigrants, and the theft of human rights. I love how the writers were able to translate this all into comic book form.

And I love Kamala even more for standing up against such hatred. She fights for what’s right, even when it seems as though the whole world is against her. I think she learns a lot about people and herself in this installment. And I’m really hoping this storyline will result in her mending her friendship with Bruno.

I also love the role family plays in Kamala’s story. At first, I felt like they were a plot device used to hold her back, but now, they are the spark that keeps her fiercer. I love their support of her. And I love her relationship with her brother. It’s both sweet and believable with their bickering.

All in all I give this installment an 8/10. It would be higher, but I felt like that one part with the train just took way too long. I love these comics though and I can’t see where the brave writers take things next.

Sun Kissed by Jenny McLachlan

Summary (from Goodreads):

Kat can't believe her family is sending her to Sweden for the summer. But without her friends Bea and Betty, or even a phone signal, can Kat make it on her own?

In a land of saunas and summer sun, Kat soon realizes she has nowhere to hide. It's time to let go of what she thinks people want her to be, so she can embrace who she really is. Especially if she's going to win the heart of the cute Swede Leo.

Kat soon finds that when you're surrounded by phosphorescence and wonder it's easy to sparkle. Or maybe you only shine when you're true to yourself.

Review:

These books were meant to be fun, short, fluffy reads to end off my reading year. And they were just that. This installment might even be my favorite so far. Again, I read it in one sitting. They are rather short books, so this isn’t some remarkable feet. But, still.

I wasn’t expecting to love Kat like I loved Bea and Betty. Kat was the not so good friend of book 1. She’s the one who sided with the bully and even still defends the bully. I was expecting her character to be the weak link. I was not expecting to love her so much. In a way, she’s not as dedicated as Bea or as tough as Betty. She’s certainly not as fierce as the mean Pearl. But, she is entirely her own person. And I loved every girly moment.

I loved watching her see the positive side of things. She did some serious growing up in Sweden. And I’m a sucker for a book where the girl travels for the summer and learns some things about herself (Can you say Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants?). I came to see Kat as a strong, girly fighter who refuses to back down from a challenge.

I also loved the romance here. I love how innocent it was. I mean the two lovebirds barely even touched –but their relationship was sizzling.  The sense of humor from the previous books was still there. So were my favorite characters (via letters). I also loved Kat’s aunt and all the quirky people on the island who she grew to love.

All in all, I loved this book. I cannot wait to get Pearl’s story. I love reading stories that explain why people are the way they are, and I have a feeling Pearl will have a lot of stories like that. If you’re looking for something, fun, flirty, and light this is your series. There’s a strong emphasis on family and girl friendships. There’s always romance too. I give this one a 9/10.