You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) {A Little of the Book Life Review}

 

Title: You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)
Author: Felicia Day
Publisher: Touchstone
Publication Date: August 2015
Source: Library audio book (own paperback)
Rating: FIVE STARS

From online entertainment mogul, actress, and “queen of the geeks” Felicia Day, a funny, quirky, and inspiring memoir about her unusual upbringing, her rise to Internet-stardom, and embracing her individuality to find success in Hollywood.

The Internet isn’t all cat videos. There’s also Felicia Day—violinist, filmmaker, Internet entrepreneur, compulsive gamer, hoagie specialist, and former lonely homeschooled girl who overcame her isolated childhood to become the ruler of a new world... or at least semi-influential in the world of Internet Geeks and Goodreads book clubs.

After growing up in the south where she was "home-schooled for hippie reasons", Felicia moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and was immediately typecast as a crazy cat-lady secretary. But Felicia’s misadventures in Hollywood led her to produce her own web series, own her own production company, and become an Internet star.

Felicia’s short-ish life and her rags-to-riches rise to Internet fame launched her career as one of the most influential creators in new media. Now, Felicia’s strange world is filled with thoughts on creativity, video games, and a dash of mild feminist activism—just like her memoir.

Hilarious and inspirational, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is proof that everyone should embrace what makes them different and be brave enough to share it with the world, because anything is possible now—even for a digital misfit.

 

So I've said this before. Audio books and I don't really mix all that great. It's not that I can't hear or don't want to listen to them. It's that I lose focus. So typically I only listen to audio books for rereads, just in case. And the reader of the book matters immensely. Rebecca Gibel, who narrated the Splintered series by AG Howard was amazing. Will Patton, narrator of The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater? Superb. Whoever it was that attempted to narrate The Hunger Games? Um... no. But Felicia Day? Narrating her own memoir? A-freaking-awesome. And it wasn't a re-read. I was on a road trip all by my lonesome and needed company.  :)

I can't say enough good things about this book. I've seen Felicia Day in a few things - the first few episodes of The Guild (time hasn't allowed me to continue, but I plan on it), Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer... but I've never really 'followed' her, per se. But this book... this book, despite all of our actual differences, made me feel like someone got me. And I still feel that's a little weird to say, given that it's not like we actually had a conversation. And we are ENTIRELY different people with different life styles and ambitions. But there was something about her openness, her honesty, that struck a chord with me. And I love her for it.

I'm not a gamer. I'm not "into" mass-multi-player-online-role-playing-games (see, I'm sure that's not even right... that's how much I'm not "into" it). I haven't the slightest what Felicia was talking about when on those subjects. But she made it relatable and did not come across as being put out by someone reading/listening to her book who didn't know the ins and outs of gaming.

I want to sit down with her and have coffee and pancakes and talk about life. #lifegoals  :)

If you've read it, do you share my enthusiasm? If you haven't, I really suggest you look into it. You might just be surprised. 

Smiles,
B

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley {A Little of the Book Life Review}

Title: Lies We Tell Ourselves
Author: Robin Talley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: September 2014
Source: Library
Read in May 2015... this review has been sitting in my drafts... whoops! lol

In 1959 Virginia, the lives of two girls on opposite sides of the battle for civil rights will be changed forever.

Sarah Dunbar is one of the first black students to attend the previously all-white Jefferson High School. An honors student at her old school, she is put into remedial classes, spit on and tormented daily.

Linda Hairston is the daughter of one of the town's most vocal opponents of school integration. She has been taught all her life that the races should be kept separate but equal.

Forced to work together on a school project, Sarah and Linda must confront harsh truths about race, power and how they really feel about one another.

Boldly realistic and emotionally compelling, Lies We Tell Ourselves is a brave and stunning novel about finding truth amid the lies, and finding your voice even when others are determined to silence it.

 

I really loved this book. I cared about the characters from page 1. I wanted to cry, cringe, throw things... I hated that I was reading a fiction story based on facts. That these types of things, and worse, happened to anyone. The writing just pulls me and I feel like I'm there. Like I'm going through what these young women are going through. And I definitely wasn't there. I've never lived in Virginia, I didn't live through  desegregation; I never experienced any of that. But this author made me feel like I did.

If I had rated the book 2/3 of the way in, it probably would have been a resounding five stars. I loved it that much. I felt it. But then it started to feel rushed. And slightly... preachy, maybe. And it all wrapped up so neatly with a pretty bow on top... and not that I don't like happy endings. I do. I really do. But it didn't feel as real to me with that bow.

Then there's the issues. While it's a book essentially about racism, about segregation/desegregation and what it meant to those kids who were experiencing it, the issue of sexuality was brought in, as well as abuse. It's obvious very early on that Sarah experiences feelings for girls that she "should" be experiencing for boys. By the end of the book, I kinda felt like the author was saying "How many issues can I throw into one book and make it work?" Most of it did. And while I get that Sarah is a God-fearing Christian who is highly involved in the church, the Bible quoting and relentless thoughts/talks about sin could have been pared down some for my tastes.

Overall, though, I found it to be a very enlightening and engaging read. So, despite a few minor hangups, I'm going with four (really four and a half, probably) stars. I loved the characters, and even though it seemed to me (again, I wasn't there in that time period, so there's that) that some of the romantic (for lack of a better, more proper, word) elements were a bit far-fetched, I rooted for them to survive, to believe in themselves, and to develop their own beliefs and not just regurgitate what their elders and peers were always saying.

This is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone who:

• loves a good story
• enjoys historical fiction
• wants likeable and hateable (is that a word?) characters
• like authors who drag them along with their writing
• needs a supplemental historical fiction book when teaching about Civil Rights

Have you read it? What'd you think?

The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey {A Little of the Book Life Review}

Title: The Girl With All the Gifts
Author: M.R. Carey
Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: April 2015
Source: Own
Rating: 4 stars

NOT EVERY GIFT IS A BLESSING.
Melanie is a very special girl. Dr Caldwell calls her "our little genius."

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh.

The Girl With All the Gifts is a groundbreaking thriller, emotionally charged and gripping from beginning to end.



I am so shocked. Seriously. So this book came to my attention via Maggie Stiefvater's Twitter feed a while back. She said, "The most sure-footed novel I've read all year. A dystopian thriller with a real, beating heart. Recommend. Recommend. Recommend." I added it to my TBR list that moment. On a whim I suggested it to my book group and they said it sounded "promising"... so here I am on the other side of the beginning.

I'm going to attempt to talk about this book without any spoilers. I knew nothing other than the synopsis from GoodReads and what Maggie had said about it. I want to leave you all with that same experience should you choose to read it. If I had known more, I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much as I did.

From page one I was drawn into the story. I love that it started with Melanie. I'm not sure it could have been done any other way and been as intriguing. Why is she in a cell? Why does she have to be strapped into a wheelchair? I'm SO confused!!! Eventually I caught on, of course. 

I can't say I loved it like I did in the beginning. But I enjoyed it. It started to lag for me about halfway through, but it picked up again toward the end. I liked Carey's take on a subject that doesn't typically appeal to me. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a well-told story in a dystopian setting. 

Have you read it? What'd you think?

Smiles,
B

Carry On {A Little of the Book Life Review}

Title: Carry On
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: October 6, 2015
Source: Own
Rating: 5 stars (or 20... whatever...)

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

 

OH, MERLIN!

Seriously. Rainbow Rowell has super powers. For real. The way she can weave a story... the way she can suck me in and make me forget the world exists outside of her pages... I can't even begin to imagine a book world without her in it. 

It doesn't seem to matter what she is writing about - normal teenage drama, magickal teenage drama, adult drama... I'm there. I'm feeling it all. And I FREAKING LOVE IT.

I loved watching Simon grow and learn about himself. I loved watching Baz struggle with who is - not only as a person, but as a vampire. The dynamics between all the characters leap off the page. The voices of each were so distinct there was no confusion as to who was narrating the part I was reading. And the intensity of the story, the tension between characters... whew! She writes it better than real life usually presents it.

More, please. Not necessarily Simon/Baz/Penelope/etc, just more. More writing, more stories, more characters I can fall in love with and wish were really in my life. More.

Ensnared {A Review}

Title: Ensnared
Author: AG Howard
Series: Splintered #3
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Source/Format: Own/Hardcover
Rating: 5 freaking stars

After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She's determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world--a parallel dimension filled with mutated and violent netherling outcasts. In the final installment of the wildly popular Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that's gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But if they succeed and come out alive, can everyone truly have their happily ever after?

 

I finished this series with a heavy heart. I have immensely enjoyed my stay in this world that AG Howard has created and was very sad to know that it was ending.

Starting the end of a series that I love is always so emotional for me. It's going to either make or break the love for me, as far as my undying love and devotion goes. But I usually trust the author to do what feels right, to have to story end true to the characters, to the plot. And this one? AG Howard succeeded... far beyond any expectations I could possibly have. I had no inkling which of many routes her characters would choose to make her take. But I was not disappointed.

I want to tell you all everything I loved about this book. But to do so would be to ruin some of it for you if you haven't read it. So here's what I can say (which mostly applies to the series as a whole):

1. The imagery. Howard gave herself the task of creating vastly different worlds. And that's not like moving a setting in a story from Paris to the United States. We're talking going from the human realm, with which we are all familiar, to Wonderland, and then to Any Elsewhere. And each world had its own feel to it. They were characters in and of themselves. I could see them, I could feel them, I could touch them. I was there.
2. The characters. They were 100% real... realistic. They could my brother, sister, parents, friends. I wanted them to be those things. I wanted them all to be happy, to be loved, to find themselves, to discover their own abilities, to cherish each other and what they had with one another.
3. Chemistry. I have read very few authors who can write a scene so sizzling hot yet entail very little detail (for lack of a better word at this moment). Where a touch in the book can send shivers down my spine. A mere kiss being shared can make my own lips tingle.
4. I'm not sure of a "heading" for this one, but everything that happened felt true to the story, to the characters. There were times I felt my heart ripping in two. There were times I cried. Times I laughed out loud (making the hubs look at me strangely, per usual). A few times I wanted to reach through the pages and strangle people, hug them, slap them, love them. 

Needless to say, I will be reading anything AG Howard decides to write. Going on blind faith... I'll just buy them without a care as to what they're even about. Even if it turns out to be her own take on the alphabet or dictionary, I won't care. She's that awesome. ;)

To keep it completely and utterly spoiler free, that's all I shall say. Other than if you haven't read this series, WHAT IN ALL THE WORLDS ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

Keeping the Moon {A Review}

Title: Keeping the Moon
Author: Sarah Dessen
Publisher: Speak
Publication Date: September 1999
Source: Own
Rating: 3 stars

The Scoop from Goodreads:

Colie expects the worst when she's sent to spend the summer with her eccentric aunt Mira while her mother, queen of the television infomercial, tours Europe. Always an outcast -- first for being fat and then for being "easy" -- Colie has no friends at home and doesn't expect to find any in Colby, North Carolina. But then she lands a job at the Last Chance Cafe and meets fellow waitresses Morgan and Isabel, best friends with a loving yet volatile relationship. Wacky yet wise, Morgan and Isabel help Colie see herself in a new way and realize the potential that has been there all along

 

I found this in my drafts. Wrote it when I read the book back in October, just never completed the actual post. So... yeah... here ya go. :)

So I was looking for something to read over the weekend. Ever since I finished Blue Lily, Lily Blue, I've had a hard time with finding something I liked. I read, and disliked, Gone Girl (feel free to throw things at me... and it wasn't just the ending I didn't like). I tried to get into Girl of Fire & Thorns, but just couldn't. I read a good portion and realized I just wasn't that into it. Some day I may revisit it. I tried Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, and found myself just simply not caring. I thought it was strange and uninteresting. I tried a few pages of a few other books, but nothing was grabbing my attention. As I was browsing my bookshelf, I realized I had a Sarah Dessen book on there I hadn't read. I thought "I can always get into these, no problem." So I picked it up.


And I did enjoy it. I really like Dessen's writing. It's simple and beautiful. And, for the most part, I really liked the characters in this one. Let's start with Colie (actually, it's Nicole. Sparks. Nicole Sparks. I wonder if that similarity was done on purpose?). She's a lost soul. Truly. Once she and her mom finally settled down in some place, her mom and her both lost weight. But while her mom went on to be a successful weight loss-related product spokesperson, Colie is left feeling alone and broken. She's only ever had people be mean to her and she doesn't know how to cope/deal/let go of it all and just be herself. She is sent to live with her eccentric Aunt Mira in Colby. She meets Norman, who is a collector of all things with which he uses for his artistic creations. He's also a painter and a really sweet guy. She also becomes friends with her neighbors and coworkers (she gets a job at a restaurant where Norman is a cook and these two gals are waitresses), Morgan and Isabel. Morgan is a peacemaking, trustful person, while Isabel is a straightforward, tell-it-as-it-is type person.


So, there's a brief description of the main characters. There's no major drama, just your typical run-of-the-mill type things. But there's a lot of self-discovery and realizing what's important and what's not. And while all of those things are done well, there were a few hiccups for me with this one.


One: The Fat Years. Maybe it's my own sensitivity, but Colie loses 45 pounds. And I'm by no means saying that being 45 pounds overweight is a good thing. It can wreak havoc on your health. But, calling it "The Fat Years"? I don't know. For some reason that phrase just made me cringe... every time I read it. Every. Single. Time.

Two: Preachiness. There's always a lesson in a Sarah Dessen book. Always. But I just feel like this one was a little preachy in that sense. Not-so-subtle. I like subtle when reading a novel when it comes to lessons. So Mira had a conversation with Colie and it was obvious she was specifically trying to point things out to her to help her along. And same with other characters. Not that these things didn't need to be said, I just felt like it was a bit too "out there." Make sense? (In all fairness, I think Dessen has improved on this tremendously throughout her writing...)

Three: Cluelessness. There was quite a bit of it. Mostly on the part of Colie. This is VERY minor and has no bearing on how I feel about the book as a whole, tho. Just something I wanted to point out. I'm sure I was pretty clueless at that age as well, but dang. Sometimes I wanted to reach through the pages and just spell it out for her. (That goes against how I feel above, tho, doesn't it?)

All in all I really enjoyed this one. Mostly it was the second hiccup. It just took me out of the story more than I'd like. Keeping in mind it's one of her earlier works, I will still get excited over new ones she has comes out. Like Saint Anything. (Out May of this year... woot-woot!)

Between Here and Forever {A Review}

Title: Between Here and Forever

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Published: 2011

Rating: 2 stars

THE SCOOP

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...


Add To GoodReads

Geez... and I thought I had self-esteem issues. This girl... man. Poor Abby. I wanted to snuggle and hug her and tell her she's perfect in her own way and strangle her at the same time. Her incessant "woe is me" attitude seriously started to wear on me. And really... she is totally not perceptive at all. I feel I'm a pretty unobservant person and that I don't read people all that well, but c'mon.

So that might've been my biggest issue with the book. Which is bad since she is the main character and everything is from her point of view. But I, as a reader, knew more than she did. I picked up on the 'clues' long before she did. I saw everything she didn't. It seemed everyone had a little bit of the 'woe is me' attitude going on tho. Except for Claire. Claire was pretty awesome. She knew who she was and had no problems with how people saw her. But everyone else? They were so intent on caring about and only seeing what they thought everyone else saw. A LOT of assuming was going on, which was quite annoying.


I think the premise of the story was really good. It hooked me and I wanted to know how it all went down and turned out. And although there was some growth in Abby, I felt it took a lot of hitting her over the head with things to knock her out of herself.


Overall not a bad read. I don't know that I would *highly* recommend it to anyone and everyone, but if someone is looking for a slightly sad, self-discovery type book, then I might suggest it. :)

Blue Lily, Lily Blue {An e-ARC Review}

Title: Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Raven Cycle #3
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Source: NetGalley
Format: eArc
Rating: 5 stars

There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up.

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.

The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.

 

I am SO grateful that NetGalley exists and that Scholastic was awesome enough to grant me access to an e-arc of this. For real, I was SO excited that I was rereading  The Raven Boys & The Dream Thieves. For the third and second time, respectively. I love this series... I feel so connected to these characters, which is a feat considering I have VERY little in common with any of them. Seriously.

So, where to begin. First, if you haven't read TRB or TDT, obviously I highly recommend doing so. *If* for some odd, crazy reason you don't want to and you want to start BLLB, then go to Recaptains to read Maggie's recaps of her own stories (TRB & TDT).

Maggie Stiefvater creates a realistic world with impossible scenarios. But nothing is impossible. But it's still believable, which is really an accomplished feat, let's be honest. I've loved watching (well, reading) this story as it unfolds and seeing how the characters develop, change, and grow as it goes along.

I'm not going to say ANYTHING about ANYTHING, so as not to spoil it for ANYONE. Just know that you get more of your Raven Boys, more Blue, more of 300 Fox Way, more Mr. Gray, more... EVERYTHING. It's interesting how it mimics real life. No matter what happens - death, disappearance, changes - life goes on. So does this story. At the end of TDT Maura vanishes. But, true to reality, life for everyone goes on. The mundane, the good, the bad; no matter how irrelevant it seems in light of everything that is and has happened, life continues as the Earth makes its way around the sun.

Again, no spoilers, so this is very NON-specific... regarding every little thing. I want to go on and on about details, specifics, what happens to people, to Cabeswater... the twists Maggie throws in. Oh! But, I won't. I hate spoilers, as do most people. And at the risk of saying something that SOMEONE views as one, I'll just play it safe and not mention a single solitary thing. :)

Super excited for this baby to be on my shelf next to the first two. It's on pre-order, so it will come to my house in the next monthish. Woo-hoo!

Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor {A Review}

Title: Dreams of Gods & Monsters
Author: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke & Bone #3
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Publication Date: April 2014
Source: Own
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars

By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

  

So during my hiatus from here, I still updated Goodreads as I read. Here's what I wrote there:

While overall I really love this story, this writing, I struggled with this one. It took a while to get into and I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I had before. I could attribute that to the fact that there was such a long time between the reading of the second one and the reading of this one. Or my lack of big chunks of time to dive into the novel. The many different pieces of the story - all the details, the different races/species/etc, the characters, the worlds, the connections to be made... I sort of wished I had taken notes from the start so I could remember it all. All that being said, though, it still adds up to me not loving this as much. I definitely intend to reread this entire series, back to back, and see if that makes a difference. I really think it would. *And*, I imagine I would see so many things I missed before. It's a very richly told story... it's not too detailed by any means, but there's SO much going on and SO much to keep track of.

I definitely look forward to reading lots more by Laini Taylor.

All that definitely still stands. Taylor's storytelling abilities are stellar and definitely love her writing. There was just so much to this story that I wish I had waited until all three were out before reading them, so I didn't have a huge gap between the second and the third. But I'm more of an instant gratification person. I'm not good at the waiting thing if I want it now. I definitely wouldn't have gotten the factory in Willy Wonka... I would've gone down the bad egg chute. Or the juicing room.

Anyway.

Have you read the series? Did you enjoy it?

Smiles,
B

Landline {A Review}

Title: Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Series: No
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: July 2014
Source: Own
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 stars

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems beside the point now.

Maybe that was always beside the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

 


Another that I read during my unintentional blogging hiatus. Here's what I wrote on Goodreads:

A-freaking-mazing.

It's no secret that I love Rainbow Rowell. I'll recommend her to nearly anyone. I love her writing style, her characters... everything seems so real. Even when I've never experienced it myself, it feels like I am. Right then. And oftentimes, I've found myself wondering if she has somehow stalked me, gotten into my head, and made my thoughts appear in her books. I realize that's probably not in the realm of possibilities, but still. Sometimes... I wonder.

So we meet Georgie. We meet Neal. We meet Seth. It goes back and forth, from the past to present, and we get glimpses into the lives of these characters, to how they got from there to here. And it felt so seamless. Rowell does an excellent job of providing back story without taking you out of the current story.

I was barely halfway through it when I got sad that it would end and I would be forced to wait for another book to be published by Rowell. I, for one, cannot wait to see what she does next.

Yeah. I'm a Rainbow Rowell fan, for sure. :)  I definitely feel like her writing has come into its own and I'm super excited to see how it continues to evolve.

Have you read this one? Did you like it?

Smiles,
B

We Were Liars {A Review}

Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: May 2014
Source: Own
Format: Hardcover
Rating: Five Stars

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.
Read it.
And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

  

So I read this when I inadvertently took a break from blogging. And I loved it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all, tho. I closed the book, thinking, "How the hell did I miss it?" Looking back I see it. I see it all. But it was so well done, imo, that it slid right by me. Maybe someone more in tune with these sorts of things would have caught on, but I'm apparently oblivious. Very, very interesting. 

Here's what I wrote on Goodreads right after reading it:

Love this. Definitely worth the hype that accompanies it. I loved the characters, the story.

Cadence is a great narrator. I loved how she was straightforward about things. I hated to see her and her family go through everything they went through. But it was heartbreakingly and awesomely told.

Don't ask me how it ends though... I'll lie.

Have you read it? Did you love it? Like it? Hate it? 

Smiles,
B

Shiver {A Review}

 



Title: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls (#1)
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: August 2009
Source: Own
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.

Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.




I wanted to love this one more than I did. I did like it, but I just felt it was lacking in some ways. I really feel like, since this novel, Maggie's writing and story/character development has really grown. In her more recent novels, which I have loved, I have definitely felt more attached to her characters and more "in" the story. I'm curious to see where the rest of this story goes, though.

That being said, I really liked it. I would have liked to have seen a little more character development for some, though. Like Olivia, for instance. I didn't really truly care one way or the other what happened to her. And Rachel. But Grace, and Sam, the main characters, I was pretty much in. It took a while to really get there, though, which was a little frustrating. I actually picked this up three different times before *finally* getting into it. I would always get about 40 pages in and give up.

Thankfully I got past that wall and was able to enjoy the story. I still feel there could have been more to it, more to the characters themselves, but we'll see where Linger takes us.

And, on a sort of side note, talk about a READING FAIL. So I put Shiver back on my shelf and grabbed the next one off the shelf. Started reading and thought "Wait a sec," and looked more closely at it. Yep. I had picked up Forever, the third in the series instead of the second. Can you say spoiler? Ugh. Such is life, I guess. But, when I started Linger, I discovered it wasn't as much of a spoiler as I thought, so there's that.

The Impossible Knife of Memory {A Review}

Title: The Impossible Knife of Memory
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Publication Date: January 2014
Source: PLA
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4 stars

For the past five years, Hayley Kincain and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

 

Let me start by saying how I got the book. I honestly lucked into it. I was at the PLA (Public Library Association)  conference, in the exhibit hall. I knew Laurie Halse Anderson was going to be there between the brochure and the fact that she tweeted about it. I did not, however, know that the line to meet her and get a book signed included a book... free of charge. Plus, I got to meet her. And I love her books, so I was super excited. 

Anyway. All that aside. I was really looking forward to reading this one. And it didn't disappoint. I realize the lack of a fifth star might make it seem otherwise. But that has nothing to do with the writing or the characters. I think, mostly, I wasn't left as emotionally wrung out by it as I wanted to be. So I think it really boils down to my highest of high expectations. Not that I didn't like the way things went. And it's not like I *wanted* tragedy, etc etc... I just wanted more feels, I guess? Hard to explain.

But. I loved Hayley. I loved that she wasn't a reliable person;  you never knew how she was going to react to something. And we get so much information, in snippets, about her past, her father, her life. And her father. I'll admit, I've never had any experience in my life with PTSD, but from what I *do* know about it, it seems like Halse really did her research. And I felt like I was there, right alongside Hayley, for all the ups and downs of the entire story. I felt the struggle between love, fear, and caring that Hayley had within her. 

The supporting characters of Gracie and Topher nearly seemed unnecessary by the end of the story. I think, while it was good to see that Hayley could, in fact, be a fairly normal teenager with Gracie, they didn't really do much for the story. But Finn, on the other hand. He was pretty awesome in his own imperfect ways. And I think Trish served her purpose well as not only bringing background to the story, but giving light to a possible future as well. 

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is already a fan of LHA, as well as anyone who likes contemporary fiction, especially with a side of heavy topics. Halse handles both superbly.

Want to read it? Have you read it? What'd you think?

Smiles,

B

Twenty Boy Summer {A Review}

Title: Twenty Boy Summer
Author: Sarah Ockler
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 2009
Source: Own
Format: Paperback
Rating: 4 stars

"Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it."
"Okay."
"Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?"
"Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?"

According to Anna’s best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie–she’s already had her romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

TWENTY BOY SUMMER explores what it truly means to love someone, what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every beautiful moment life has to offer.

 

This one has been on my shelf for more than a year. I had read Fixing Delilah and enjoyed it, so I was pretty sure I was going to like this one. What I didn't expect was all the emotions I would feel!

We meet Anna and immediately find out about her and Matt, and the cake-induced romance. And then the unthinkable happens... Matt dies. From page one I was on the verge of tears. Losing someone is so hard, no matter your connection to that person. And to have to mask your pain from others because no one quite knows the depth of your relationship? That had to be so much harder on Anna. And then comes Zanzibar Bay, and her and Frankie's plan for twenty boys - one a day. How can Anna not feel guilty? Not feel like she is betraying Matt? Moving on, letting go... it's not an easy task. 

I really enjoyed reading this story. There were some downsides, though, which is why it wasn't a five star read for me. Mostly, that would be in some of the characters. Frankie seemed very much an one-dimensional character... where was her depth? It comes, eventually, but I would have loved to have seen more of it. I realize we meet her after Matt's death, and while Anna talks about the *before* Frankie vs the *after* Frankie, it's not really shown well. And then there's Jake. I couldn't really tell what his purpose was, other than someone for Frankie to make out with off and on (mostly on). And Sam. While I did like Sam, and I think he was a good guy and good for Anna, I didn't really feel like we got to know him like I would have liked.

All in all, I definitely think it was worth the read. And for it being her first novel (I didn't realize that going into it...) I think it was great.

Have you read it? What'd you think? Wanna read it? 

Smiles,

B

Ignite Me {A Review}

Title: Ignite Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #3
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: February 2014
Source: Bought
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 4.5 stars

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew - about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam - was wrong.

Yeah, I'm going four and a half stars here. I absolutely love this series, though. And I'm super sad it's over. For real.

Let's start off with something Mafi knows how to do: chemistry. If you've read any part of this series, you have to give that to her. My goodness. We'll start with a quick recap of the first two... so if you don't want that, skip two paragraphs. :)

Okay. So quick recap of Shatter Me: Juliette has been imprisoned in an asylum for nearly a year when she is joined by Adam. Who, we later find out, is working with the Reestablishment/Warner. Warner leads Juliette to believe he wants to use her as a weapon of torture. After a bunch of stuff happens, she and Adam escape the headquarters of Sector 45. It ends with Juliette and Adam (who apparently has been working against the Reestablishment and can touch Juliette, which is the first human contact she's ever had, given how she seems to kill/maim anyone she does touch) escaping with Kenji, nearly getting caught/killed, and Juliette shooting Warner with his own gun. Kenji takes them to Omega Point, headquarters for a resistance movement.

Quick recap of Unravel Me: Juliette discovers she's not alone in having supernatural powers and begins training on how to control them. Turns out Adam has a power as well. He can disable the power of others; that's why he can touch Juliette. But if he lets his guard down, he will be hurt... *dun-dun-dun* Some of Omega Point's men are taken captive and Juliette meets with Anderson, the Supreme Commander, to get them back. She shoots him, and they take Warner hostage. Juliette is supposed to interrogate him, but he has her journal from the time she was imprisoned, and they just end up talking about their feelings. Turns out, he has the power to borrow other's energy without getting hurt; so... he can touch Juliette, too! There's a bunch of kissing and whatnot to follow. And then, Warner escapes and the Resistance makes its move. Juliette is taken hostage, Anderson plans to kill her. He brings Warner in to watch (because he (Anderson) is a sick bastard), and then shoots Juliette in the chest. She is on the verge of death when Warner makes Sonja and Sarah (the healing twins) help him to save her. She wakes up in Warner's arms, ready to fight.

Whew. A lot more happened, obviously, but that's the gist of it. Overall I love love love love this series. I love characters, the chemistry. There were even quite a few times I was neither "team Warner" nor "team Adam." I was all "TEAM KENJI"! Seriously. That boy is pretty flippin' awesome. Smart-ass, funny, bad-ass, sensitive, great friend... I just assume he's good lookin' to boot. ;)  If you'd read my Shatter Me review, you'd know I despised Warner. Like, seriously hated the dude. I couldn't get past his seeming inhumanity, his cruelty. But then... then came Destroy Me. And my, oh my. And then Unravel Me. And I was leaning totally toward Warner. This broken, loving man... sheesh. I hated Mafi for making me love him. I wanted to continue hating him. I really really did. And then I read Fracture Me, and I wanted to kill Adam. On the one hand, his brother's safety is extremely important. I mean, James is only ten. But still. He just seemed so put-off by the idea of getting Juliette back.

All that being said, I did really like the way Mafi played out the relationships, and I'm completely on board with how they all came together in the end. I love these characters and her writing so so much. The reason, however, that I knocked the stars down a teeny bit, is that the ending fell a smidgen for me. It seemed a little lackluster for me... after all this buildup... it was a little anti-climactic. Like, oh... ok. That happened. All in all, though, a satisfying read.

I feel like I talked "around" the entire book. I can't say a lot without spoiling things. I want to talk about ALL the THINGS... and I CAN'T! At least, not openly here, due to spoilers and all. ;)

Have you read it? Did you feel strongly one way or the other about the ending?

Smiles,
B

Allegiant by Veronica Roth {A Review}

Title: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #3
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication Date: October 22, 2013
Source: Bought
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 Stars

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.
 

I really don't even know what to say at the moment. I bought this book on it's release day. Back in October. I actively avoided anything Allegiant related. I'm always nervous reading series enders... are they going to hold up? How's the author going to wrap it all up? Who will live? Die? Will I like it? So I put it off. I had heard of some angered readers, but I didn't know why, other than they weren't happy with the way Roth ended things. That made me even more nervous. And then, by complete accident one day toward the end of December, I saw one sentence... one sentence! And I knew a major plot point. I won't say what, or where it happens, but I truly was afraid it was going to ruin my book reading experience (if you've read it, I'm sure you know what that point is...). So I procrastinated even longer on reading it. It's what I do.

Then my friend read the entire series and I started getting antsy to know what she knew. I thought I would skim Divergent and Insurgent, to refresh myself, but Roth's writing and story just sucked me right in... I couldn't just skim. I read them both, in their entirety. Slowly, savoring every detail. And I enjoyed them just as much as I did the first time. So I moved onto Allegiant with high hopes. Thankfully, Veronica Roth didn't disappoint.

I was excited to get started, despite my previous apprehension. Getting back into the series by actually rereading the first two probably contributed to it. It was great to continue getting to know these characters, to feel like I was walking next to them as they learned, watched, grew, fought.

I really liked watching as Tris and Tobias grew together, apart, together, apart... like most real life relationships work. They're never easy-peasy 100% of the time. It's refreshing to see how they learn about each others faults and strengths and become better because of one another.

There was a part toward the beginning where I was a bit confused... I wasn't sure where the story would go, at all, and I was really worried it would go in a science direction that I wouldn't enjoy... thankfully, it didn't. But I think, given how much I enjoy Roth's writing, that even if it had gone all sciency, I wouldn't have minded all that much. (I'm not a science person... I don't mind some, but too much makes me breaks out in hives...)

I still haven't read much in the way of Allegiant reviews/posts/what-have-you... but I imagine there's quite a few haters, some lovers, and a lot of on-the-fencers. I'm a lover. I feel that may be a minority group to be in, but that's okay. I've been there before (with Requiem by Lauren Oliver). I think Roth took brave actions, just like her Dauntless characters. While I was an emotional mess for a while after reading, despite knowing certain things, I wouldn't have it any other way. And while I teetered between four and five stars, I finally settled on five. Overall, I enjoyed it too much.

I can't wait to read more of Veronica Roth's work, whenever she gets around to it. In the meantime...

Be Brave.

Smiles,
B

Fracture Me {Review}

Title: Fracture Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me (#2.5)
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pub Date: Sept 2013
Source: Bought
Format: eBook
Rating: 4 stars

In this electrifying sixty-page companion novella to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, discover the fate of the Omega Point rebels as they go up against The Reestablishment. Set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel Me, Fracture Me is told from Adam's perspective.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam's newly discovered half brother, won't be that easy. The Reestablishment can't tolerate a rebellion, and they'll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Fracture Me sets the stage for Ignite Me, the explosive finale in Tahereh Mafi's epic dystopian series. It's a novella not to be missed by fans who crave action-packed stories with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu.




In case you didn't know, I *loved* Shatter Me, and I *loved* Unravel Me. I am DYING for Ignite Me to come out (in 7 days from when I'm typing this... it'll be 5 when I post, so I'll be even more anxious by then...). So I was pretty excited to read something from Adam's point of view. Especially after reading from Warner's in Destroy Me. I wanted another side of things.

Danielle and I were talking about how excited we were for the upcoming release of Ignite Me, and we got to talking about Unravel Me. That night, I went back and read from *the* chapter (ch 62) until the end. So I was really geared up to read Fracture Me. Which worked out great, given that it starts nearly at the same place as chapter 62 ended. :)

I was really hoping to fall for Adam all over again, like in Shatter Me. Mafi has created such flawed, dimensional characters, and I was hoping to get more to Adam. Which we do. We get to see how things look from his perspective. I was left feeling a bit unsure, though. While I completely understand Adam's decisions throughout this short story, I wasn't left feeling anything different toward him. He's still a good guy. He still loves Juliette, his brother, and, begrudgingly, Kenji. He still risks his life to protect them. But I'm still just not sure...

What I am sure of is how much this little novella made me want Ignite Me in my hands now... sooner, rather than later. I mean, I get that authors need time to write and edit and all that jazz, but c'mon. ;)  I'm really curious to see how it all culminates in the end. Plus, the writing, the world she has created in this series, has yet to disappoint.

What do you think of this series? This particular book?

Smiles,
B

The Transfer {Review}

Title: The Transfer
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent (0.1)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pub Date: Sept 2013
Source: Bought
Format: eBook
Rating: 5 stars

More Four! Fans of the Divergent series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth will be thrilled by "The Transfer," the first of four new short stories told from Four’s perspective. Each brief story explores the world of the Divergent series through the eyes of the mysterious but charismatic Tobias Eaton, revealing previously unknown facets of his personality, backstory, and relationships.



Mini-Rant, first...

Okay, I hate to admit this. Allegiant has been sitting on my shelf since like two days after the release date, back in October. I have been putting off reading it for varying reasons. I don't want it to be over, I'm nervous about how Roth will end things, I didn't have anyone to talk to about it (IRL)... but then, in December, I totally accidentally, after TWO MONTHS of successfully avoiding *anything* Allegiant related online, saw a spoiler. It was a complete fluke that I saw it (I was scrolling through a blog, and a sentence jumped out at me). Now I don't know the context of said spoiler, or who it truly referred to (although I have an educated guess to that), but it really pissed me off. So I put it off even longer. Then, my friend Danielle read the entire (and yes, the entire) series in less than a week. And I was SO SO SO jealous that she had finished it already and knows what happens. My other friend, Malissa, and I were supposed to read a book "together"... so I finished Mockingjay and Malissa wasn't *quite* ready to start. So I read The Transfer. And The Path to Allegiant. And Fracture Me. And then I read Fangirl because she still wasn't ready. After reading The Transfer and The Path to Allegiant, I really wanted to read Allegiant. But, Malissa was ready right before I finished Fangirl. So... yeah. Allegiant is next. I think I'm ready.

:)

As far as The Transfer goes, I really enjoyed seeing how Tobias became Four. Yeah, we got some backstory in the first two books, and we knew he wasn't treated well at all by his dad, and his mom left. But we didn't get that from his perspective. I loved seeing the story through his eyes. We get to know what he was thinking, feeling... and how he decided to make himself a stronger person - mentally and physically. I really look forward to reading the other stories Roth has written about Four.

What have you thought of Divergent and its counterparts? (No spoilers for Allegiant, please... yet... :) )?

Smiles,
B