Waiting on Wednesday (166)

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 Wax by Gina Damico (8/2/16):

Description on Goodreads:

Paraffin, Vermont, is known the world over as home to the Grosholtz Candle Factory. But behind the sunny retail space bursting with overwhelming scents and homemade fudge, seventeen-year-old Poppy Palladino discovers something dark and unsettling: a back room filled with dozens of startlingly life-like wax sculptures, crafted by one very strange old lady. Poppy hightails it home, only to be shocked when one of the figures—a teenage boy who doesn’t seem to know what he is—jumps naked and screaming out of the trunk of her car. She tries to return him to the candle factory, but before she can, a fire destroys the mysterious workshop—and the old woman is nowhere to be seen.

With the help of the wax boy, who answers to the name Dud, Poppy resolves to find out who was behind the fire. But in the course of her investigation, she discovers that things in Paraffin aren’t always as they seem, that the Grosholtz Candle Factory isn’t as pure as its reputation—and that some of the townspeople she’s known her entire life may not be as human as they once were. In fact, they’re starting to look a little . . . waxy. Can Poppy and Dud extinguish the evil that's taking hold of their town before it’s too late?

Fans of Gina Damico’s creepy Croak trilogy and the acclaimed Hellhole will be wowed by Wax!

Why I’m Waiting:

I loved the Croak books. Seriously, I think they are some of the most underrated gems. They were sarcastic, interesting, hilarious, and so much fun to read. I need to read this one so bad. Also, clearly, I need to get Hellhole because I didn’t know that was out too…Why don’t these books get the hype they deserve? Seriously, this sounds so creepy and fantastic. I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

What are you waiting for this week?

Re-Read 2015: The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket and read by Tim Curry

Summary from Goodreads:

Dear Customer,

This story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire orphans spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle. But don't be fooled.

The three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible odour, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the reappearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again.

I have made a solemn vow to present this information to the public, but there is nothing stopping you from pretending you've never heard of the audiobook. Then you can buy something that is less unpleasant.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

Review:

I know I’ve said this before, but I’m so glad I decided to make my challenge this year a re-reading one. I have completely forgotten what gems these books are. I first read them when I was child.  And I wasn’t sure what it would be like re-reading them as an adult. But, really, I think a lot of the humor went over my head in my first reading. I’m so entertained by the sarcastic humor.

I’m also in love with the narrator. Lemony Snicket is so interesting. I’m so lost in the mystery of the narrator. I need to know all there is to know. I forgot how fun it can be to have a narrator be a character. Why isn’t this done more often?

The poor Baudelaire orphans really do not ever get a break. The story picks up right from where the previous one left off. And the narrator, right away, lets us know there is no happy life awaiting the children. A lot of the story is over-the-top. But, that’s part of what makes it so fun. And Tim Curry again is the perfect over-the-top narrator for such an over-the-top plot. Also, I loved the special Reptile Room song, that I never heard before.

This was never my favorite book in the series. Though, I think I enjoyed reading it more this time. I loved the snakes (particularly the Incredibly Deadly Viper). I loved the teamwork amongst the children. I also enjoyed watching the children learn from their mistakes. I hate that Mr. Poe couldn’t learn from his mistakes though. Why couldn’t he believe the children? I was so frustrated along with the kids. So frustrated.

I’m starting to kind of remember where the story is heading, and I’m so excited to get there. I’ll be starting the next book soon. And I cannot wait for things to really get started with the overarching plot a bit more. I really enjoyed this installment, though it still isn’t my favorite of the stories. I give it an 8/10.

The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman and performed by a full cast

Summary from Goodreads:

A thrillingly reimagined fairy tale from the truly magical combination of author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell – weaving together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic, which will hold readers spellbound from start to finish.

On the eve of her wedding, a young queen sets out to rescue a princess from an enchantment. She casts aside her fine wedding clothes, takes her chain mail and her sword and follows her brave dwarf retainers into the tunnels under the mountain towards the sleeping kingdom. This queen will decide her own future – and the princess who needs rescuing is not quite what she seems. Twisting together the familiar and the new, this perfectly delicious, captivating and darkly funny tale shows its creators at the peak of their talents.

Lavishly produced, packed with glorious Chris Riddell illustrations enhanced with metallic ink, this is a spectacular and magical gift.

Review:

This was so entertaining. I wish it was longer. It’s a very short book (1 disc on audio). Though, reading that summary made me want to go back and look at the physical book too because clearly I missed out on the illustrations. However, what I got was one beautifully performed play. I’ve never listened to an audiobook like this before. Each character was read/performed by a different voice actor.

First off, the story is a lot of fun. I’m a sucker for retold fairytales. And who better to write one then Neil Gaiman? I love Neil Gaiman and when I saw he had a new YA book, I quickly put a request in for it at my library. Then I saw the audiobook had a full cast and well that was it.

This story was part serious, part joke, and part epic storytelling. Seriously, I was laughing the whole time. I loved getting dwarves as main characters. They were loud, wise, vocal, and hilarious. This was not a book that held back on language. Those dwarves had mouths on them. The Queen (other main character) was so epically awesome too. She left her soon-to-be prince to go rescue a town of innocent people. She never seemed too afraid. She marched strongly into a cursed town and really was such a hero.

Also, the dark, almost creepy elements of the story were so pure Neil Gaiman. It was easy to forget that this was his story and not some BBC special. But then, there’s evil spells that allow the sleeping townspeople (of the Sleeping Beauty Tale) come to partial life and go after the main characters as sort of sleeping zombies. And I went, oh yea, this is Neil Gaiman. There was jus the right amount of adventures and twists too.

I highly recommend this one. I can’t think of anything negative to say, besides the fact that I wished there was more. I’m sure the book is beautiful, but if you listen to audio at all and love a good comedy, I’d go for the audio for sure. I give it a 10/10.

A Good Week in Books (124)

So many good book weeks in a row. Nothing could make me happier to have all these weeks in a row. I purchased two new ones (with a coupon). I’m helpless. I also received three pretties for review. Thank you, Disney Hyperion. They really are so pretty. I have some amazingly awesome reading in my future. This is good because I tend to read a lot more when the weather gets colder. I have been on a reading streak. I may have read 5 books this week…that’s a lot, even for me.

Any way, here’s my new gorgeous haul:

Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Jackaby by William Ritter
Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Alistari Grims’s Odd Aquaticum by Gergory Funaro
Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

How was your week in books?

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

Summary from Goodreads:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book. I’m not sure I loved it as much as everyone else seemed to. But, it was one of those books that kept me up late. I needed to read until I finished. And lately, those have been rare. I read this in one day. That does say something.

That being said, I loved this until about the 80% mark. I can’t really talk about what happens after that point without seriously spoiling the whole book, so I won’t talk about it. However, that last 20% drastically effected my overall enjoyment and rating. It was kind of a hard book to rate for me. I literally loved it until that point.

I loved the idea of this story. I was so curious to see how a story about a girl this sick, so sick she literally was never able to leave her house, could end up being in a love story. I loved Madeline’s relationship with her mother and her nurse. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to only ever see my mom and a nurse every day of my existence. I felt so bad for all the things Madeline could not see, feel, experience, and love.

I also fell in love with Olly, along side her. They developed their relationship over the internet, with emails and instant messages. And I loved that they got to know each other that way. Their banter and back and forth dialog was some serious YA contemporary gold. I loved every second of it. This book had some definite John Green and Rainbow Rowell vibes going for it, and honestly, is there a better compliment?

That being said, I was very disappointed about where things went at the end. Sometimes I feel like authors have two choices: the easy route and the hard. And this author definitely picked the easier route. She did set it up from the beginning. It didn’t come out of nowhere. I just wish she took the harder route and emphasized the importance of one thing over another.

Vagueness aside, I did mostly fall in love with this book. I read it in record time. I loved the dialogue, wit, and romance. The characters and relationships were fantastic. I was not a fan of the end. I give it an 8/10. It was a good debut and I will definitely have to check out more from this author in the future.

Waiting on Wednesday (165)

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 Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh (5/3/16):

Description on Goodreads:

I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.

While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.

Why I’m Waiting:

I fell in love with book 1. It was definitely one of my favorite reads of 2015. It was also one of the most cliffhanger-iest reads I’ve had the pleasure to read in a long time. I need to know what happens next. Now. Right now. Not in May. May is so far away, I’m not sure how I’ll be able to wait that long. Any way, book 1 was a beautifully written retelling of Shahrzad’s story, and I know book 2 will be just as beautiful. I cannot wait.

What are you waiting on this week?

Re-Read 2015: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket and read by Tim Curry

Summary from Goodreads:

Make no mistake. The Bad Beginning begins badly for the three Baudelaire children, and then gets worse. Their misfortunes begin one gray day on Briny Beach when Mr. Poe tells them that their parents perished in a fire that destroyed their whole house. "It is useless for me to describe to you how terrible Violet, Klaus, and even Sunny felt in the time that followed," laments the personable (occasionally pedantic) narrator, who tells the story as if his readers are gathered around an armchair on pillows. But of course what follows is dreadful. The children thought it was bad when the well-meaning Poe bought them grotesque-colored clothing that itched. But when they are ushered to the dilapidated doorstep of the miserable, thin, unshaven, shiny-eyed, money-grubbing Count Olaf, they know that they--and their family fortune--are in real trouble. Still, they could never have anticipated how much trouble. While it's true that the events that unfold in Lemony Snicket's novels are bleak, and things never turn out as you'd hope, these delightful, funny, linguistically playful books are reminiscent of Roald Dahl (remember James and the Giant Peach and his horrid spinster aunts), Charles Dickens (the orphaned Pip in Great Expectations without the mysterious benefactor), and Edward Gorey (The Gashlycrumb Tinies). There is no question that young readers will want to read the continuing unlucky adventures of the Baudelaire children in The Reptile Room and The Wide Window. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Revew:

I’m so happy that my challenge set for 2015 was a re-reading one. Re-reading old favorites has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. And truthfully, I had mostly forgotten about the Lemony Snicket books. I read them all many years ago, but never took the time to go back to them. The reason I went back now was because two different friends highly recommended the audio (read by Time Curry!). Besides, I’ve already re-read the Harry Potter and the Percy Jackson books this year, so why not throw in more middle grade favorites?

I cannot believe I’ve never re-read these books. They are so wonderful and hilarious, and smart, and sad, and scary, and addicting. The writing style is so unique. There is so much wit and sarcasm written between the lines of this book, I always found myself smiling –despite the sad plot line. And who better to read hidden sarcasm and wit, than Tim Curry? Why am I only realizing now that he’s the voice of all these audio books. He’s fantastic. Seriously, what a perfect pairing. Tim Curry reading this book is like the perfect red wine paired with a perfect steak, cooked exactly as you ordered.

As a kid, I remember loving how the narrator explained what the harder words meant as he went along, and I took this as a learning tool. As an adult, I realize the sarcasm and humor behind each time this happens in the story and I love this even more. I love that instead of using simpler language (as many middle grade authors are want to do), this author uses the language he wants, but then explains some of the things a younger audience might not understand. He doesn’t dumb it down. And even better, he can teach a thing or two in the process.

I also thoroughly love the characters. I love that the girl character (Violet) is the one into engineering and inventing. She creates the devices that save the day, or at least attempt to save the day. And the boy character (Klaus) is the bibliophile, who’s knowledge and fast reading is required to also save the day.  Though, all the children are in love with books. And this is another special things about these books. The author is full wisdom and quotes about how amazing books and libraries are.

And yes, as is described in the description, the book is rather dark. The orphans never have it easy. However, the humor in here is never endless. I particularly loved all the moments when Sunny (the baby) would say something in gibberish/baby talk, but then the narrator would explain what she was actually saying (sometimes in many sentences). There’s a lot to these books. Also, there’s the fantastic narrator. Lemony Snicket is so interesting and mysterious. I remember needing to know more about him as the books went on. And I already feel that way now just after book 1.

I can’t wait to start book 2 on audio. I already requested it from my library, and I’m sure I’ll delve into it soon. As far as this first book goes, I give it a 10/10. I loved Tim Curry’s reading of it. I loved being immersed in the story again. And I’m so excited for more.