tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58576012444762654012024-03-05T12:54:08.924-05:00Books Are BetterA book blog by a YA obsessed twenty-something.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.comBlogger289125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-73512220065511545892017-11-01T16:30:00.000-04:002017-11-02T19:55:30.459-04:00What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold
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<i>When Nina Faye was fourteen, her mother told her there was no such thing as unconditional love. Nina believed her. Now Nina is sixteen. And she'll do anything for the boy she loves, just to prove she's worthy of him. But when he breaks up with her, Nina is lost. What if she is not a girlfriend? What is she made of?
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Broken-hearted, Nina tries to figure out what the conditions of love are. She's been volunteering at a high-kill animal shelter where she realizes that for dogs waiting to be adopted, love comes only to those with youth, symmetry, and quietness. She also ruminates on the strange, dark time her mother took her to Italy to see statues of saints who endured unspeakable torture because of their unquestioning devotion to the divine. Is this what love is?</i>
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Okay, so this book is descriptive. Really descriptive. But in a raw, honest, heartwrenching, best way possible. I've read things that I've never read in a book before--YA or adult--and it was incredible. It was impactful and unputdownable.
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Nina is a scared girl, who is trying to stay afloat. Her life only has one shining light--her boyfriend, Seth--but even their relationship has a set of rules. So when the relationship ends, suddenly and with no real reason, she has to find understanding in her life somewhere else. I really loved her as a character. Sometimes I didn't understand her, and sometimes I saw myself in her--which was both wonderful and terrifying. But she made this book. She was crafted to perfection, and this novel wouldn't be as poignant without her as the epicenter.
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This book wasn't perfect, and sometimes I wanted more explanation than I got, but I could not stop reading and I never wanted to. I can absolutely see why it was nominated for the National Book Award. We need to shed light and attention on these kind of unprecedented books.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-6375265875207532542017-10-24T15:23:00.000-04:002017-10-27T15:23:51.389-04:00Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>A cannon. A strap.
A piece. A biscuit.
A burner. A heater.
A chopper. A gat.
A hammer
A tool
for RULE
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Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun.
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The whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator.</I>
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This novel was incredible. Like, wowowoowowowoow, can't-stop-thinking-about-it incredible. I don't feel any hesitation to say that if you only read a handful of books this year, this one should be one of them.
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It's a verse novel, which exist to make me cry and feel too much. It has beautiful rhythm, heart wrenching quotes, and an honest, hard storyline. I have no doubt that Will's life is not uncommon; that being a child who's surrounded by dead friends and family is realistic. And I devoured this unique, smart, sad story and enjoyed it with all of my heart.
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Please read this book. It's not very long, it's written beautifully, and you will never forget it.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-43744005463951176662017-10-14T12:52:00.000-04:002017-10-16T12:52:29.973-04:00Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned - from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.
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Enter Mia Warren--an enigmatic artist and single mother--who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
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When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town--and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.</I>
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It feels like it's been a long time since I've read a book that was as well crafted as this one. Every sentence, every chapter, every digression had a purpose; every facet fit together like a crisp, new puzzle. In the end, the book leaves you wanting and desperate, yet satisfied.
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My favorite part of the book was the multidimensional characters and the poignant voices. There were so many to keep track of, yet it wasn't difficult at all. Particularly, I loved following Mia. She made some decisions and life movements that I don't approve of or wouldn't make myself, but I was eager to learn more about her and her history. She was dynamic and complex. I also loved Pearl and her science brain and self-assurance.
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This review is not refined like the book is, but basically, you should read this. It's about family, it's about privilege, it's about our histories. It's simply fantastic.
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-89730906784262156282017-10-10T20:45:00.000-04:002017-10-16T12:24:51.223-04:00One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>The battle for the Crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?
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With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.
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In this enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Times bestselling <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28374007-three-dark-crowns">Three Dark Crowns</a>, Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other.</i>
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I destroyed this book in a matter of hours--as I did with the first one. I don't know what it is about this series, but I can't put the books down. As soon as I start, I need to finish.
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Anyway, I really liked this! It's pretty unusual that a sequel is as good as the first book, but One Dark Throne was just as enjoyable as Three Dark Crowns. I liked that Katharine was no longer the forgettable, unintimidating sister; instead, she was creepy and dark and, generally, pretty fucked up. I lived for her chapters. Arsinoe and her newly discovered talents were interesting as well, and I liked her chapters more than I did in Three Dark Crowns. I still don't care about the Jules plot, but it's something I tolerate. But Mirabella was a tad boring in this sequel. She just wasn't as active in the plot. This story is mainly about Arsinoe and Katharine.
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This book had some explosive scenes and some MAJOR surprises, so now I'm even more eager for what for the next book. Hopefully, we don't have to wait too long!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-32254812906105348332017-10-04T18:59:00.000-04:002017-10-11T20:20:28.042-04:00The Best YA Book Adaptations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRimJCTrjC9Tlp8586d9TCuVGpJMoKS0ATwKQwPjq31onSoL_Z4_Vic7Gak3DOE4b-O439XDEkCtuieXFSSkn-z_cOmFA9GF-hxI2xslrcxqqrbdatxipu2VHwj5NTCmi3jN9wg6Var0nI/s1600/favoriteadaptations.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRimJCTrjC9Tlp8586d9TCuVGpJMoKS0ATwKQwPjq31onSoL_Z4_Vic7Gak3DOE4b-O439XDEkCtuieXFSSkn-z_cOmFA9GF-hxI2xslrcxqqrbdatxipu2VHwj5NTCmi3jN9wg6Var0nI/s640/favoriteadaptations.png" width="640" height="245" data-original-width="691" data-original-height="264" /></a></div>
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I think when a movie adaptation is announced, there is immediate, overwhelming excitement. SOMEONE ELSE LOVES THIS SERIES AS MUCH AS I DO!! But quickly after that fangirl moment, comes the panic. What if the casting is horrible? What if the script is even worse? What if the casting is fine, the script is fine, but the acting is horrible? Or worst of all: what if they change it? So for the next 9 months - 4 years, you live in excitement and fear, waiting for the news and the trailers and the movie to come out. There are a lot of failures (*cough* Vampire Academy *cough*), but there are a lot of successes too. And that is what this post is about. Below are some of my favorite adaptations.
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And that's it! There are a lot more adaptations that I have enjoyed, but these are my favorites. What are some of yours?
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To wrap this up, here are a couple future adaptations I am looking forward to:
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-71901708783388477082017-10-01T20:53:00.000-04:002017-10-12T20:54:47.186-04:00Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>Moxie girls fight back!
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Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes and hallway harassment. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.
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Viv’s mom was a punk rock Riot Grrrl in the ’90s, so now Viv takes a page from her mother’s past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She’s just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. Pretty soon Viv is forging friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, and she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution.</i>
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THIS BOOK IS SO IMPORTANT. PLEASE READ IT.
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That is basically my review. I went into this expecting to love it, and I did. It's smart and funny and powerful and I loved all of characters. It was sometimes really heavy-handed, but I liked that too. We need to shove feminism down people's throats, because equality for all is NECESSARY. Yet, we live in a world were it isn't guaranteed.
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Vivian was a great protagonist, and I loved the dynamic relationships she had with her mother, her friends, her crush. It was honest. Just like the rest of the novel was. I love the idea of creating a feminist zine to fight back against the sexism you see every day. I wish I had something like that at my high school/college.
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Just...read this. You'll like it.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-37886987546149010882017-09-29T19:25:00.000-04:002017-10-12T19:32:44.210-04:00There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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Scream <i>meets YA in this hotly-anticipated new novel from the bestselling author of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6936382-anna-and-the-french-kiss">Anna and the French Kiss</a>.
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It's been almost a year since Makani Young came to live with her grandmother in landlocked Nebraska, and she's still adjusting to her new life. And still haunted by her past in Hawaii.
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Then, one by one, the students of her small town high school begin to die in a series of gruesome murders, each with increasing and grotesque flair. As the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, Makani will be forced to confront her own dark secrets.
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International bestselling author Stephanie Perkins returns with a fresh take on the classic teen slasher story that’s fun, quick-witted, and impossible to put down.</i>
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Okay, so I'm going to put mark most of this review as spoiler, because I don't want to hint at anything in this book. When it comes to mystery/thriller, the slightest detail could potentially spoil or give something away, and I don't want to do that. Also, I have some thoughts about the BIG THINGS in this book.
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So here are my vague, non-spoilery thoughts: I really enjoyed this. I liked the characters--though there were a lot of them and I sometimes forgot who was who--and I liked the construction of the story and the simple, classic Stephanie Perkins writing style. And I really liked the romance and the diversity of characters. It wasn't the best thriller I've ever read, and I wasn't scared or frightened literally at all, but I liked it and I could see myself reading it again some day.
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Okay, now for my spoilery thoughts. Beware:
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I thought this was going to pretty incredible, and while I wasn't blown away, I really liked it. I thought it was interesting (not bad!) that the killer was revealed relatively early in the book--about half way. I was expecting the tension to build and build and build and then GASP! The killer is ____??!?!?!!! And I didn't get that. I liked what she did, but it was unexpected; it also made the book not spook/scary at all.
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The only thing I did not like <I>at all</I> was Makani's "secret". It was ridiculously dramatic, and honestly, stupid. With all the foreshadowing, I was expecting something darker, but it wasn't dark at all. Hazing and cutting off someone's hair? Not dark or scary or creepy or anything. Just a little stupid.
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Overall, I enjoyed this! It's not by favorite Stephanie Perkins' novel--it does not compare at all to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6936382-anna-and-the-french-kiss">Anna and the French Kiss</a>--but it was fun.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-57143892540509428342017-09-26T09:30:00.000-04:002017-09-26T09:30:26.921-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: September 26th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4uulSy8SZc3c_O0oCGiAcgjEwjjhNTjrqe7gquDvCpPyJ5Of7EMJiKFDdBbW2kcTIgfkimhWQoCo8UbYhXTb_w7S5IKKCGVnqK8YJW4rHYe5gcCiL3H1EWwNEDKm1R0S1MHIgA4LdenB/s1600/topten.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4uulSy8SZc3c_O0oCGiAcgjEwjjhNTjrqe7gquDvCpPyJ5Of7EMJiKFDdBbW2kcTIgfkimhWQoCo8UbYhXTb_w7S5IKKCGVnqK8YJW4rHYe5gcCiL3H1EWwNEDKm1R0S1MHIgA4LdenB/s640/topten.png" width="640" height="320" data-original-width="450" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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I am a loud, proud, active feminist. And I love that more and more minorities in this world today are standing up for equality, and are done being silenced. I wholeheartedly encourage it. So for this <a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html">Top Ten Tuesday</a>, I decided to highlight some of my favorite feminist YA novels and characters. I mean, doesn't everyone need a kick-ass female or two in their TBR?
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-31262311964581736602017-09-19T08:49:00.000-04:002017-09-19T08:49:48.706-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: September 19th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4uulSy8SZc3c_O0oCGiAcgjEwjjhNTjrqe7gquDvCpPyJ5Of7EMJiKFDdBbW2kcTIgfkimhWQoCo8UbYhXTb_w7S5IKKCGVnqK8YJW4rHYe5gcCiL3H1EWwNEDKm1R0S1MHIgA4LdenB/s1600/topten.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4uulSy8SZc3c_O0oCGiAcgjEwjjhNTjrqe7gquDvCpPyJ5Of7EMJiKFDdBbW2kcTIgfkimhWQoCo8UbYhXTb_w7S5IKKCGVnqK8YJW4rHYe5gcCiL3H1EWwNEDKm1R0S1MHIgA4LdenB/s640/topten.png" width="640" height="320" data-original-width="450" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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I want to buy all of the books, that's just a fact. So it's hard to narrow down the choices. And when I think about it, no matter the <a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/p/top-ten-tuesday-other-features.html">Top Ten Tuesday</a> topic, I always struggle to choose only 10. That's another fact about me. Anywoo, I tried to select my ultimate anticipated TBR for this list, and I'm pretty proud of the end result. Some are obvious (HELLO, THERE'S A NEW JOHN GREEN BOOK!!!), but some are a little less expected. Let me know if you plan to read any of these too!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498733248l/33799302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498733248l/33799302.jpg" width="265" height="400" data-original-width="315" data-original-height="475" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-30818538825888106722017-09-16T09:06:00.000-04:002017-09-19T09:06:46.147-04:00Fireblood by Elly Blake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>Against all odds, Ruby has defeated the villainous Frost King and melted his throne of ice. But the bloodthirsty Minax that was trapped inside is now haunting her kingdom and everyone she loves. The answers to its demise may lie to the south in Sudesia, the land of the Firebloods, and a country that holds the secrets to Ruby’s powers and past…
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Despite warnings from her beloved Arcus, Ruby accompanies a roguish Fireblood named Kai to Sudesia, where she must master her control of fire in a series of trials to gain the trust of the suspicious Fire Queen. Only then can she hope to access the knowledge that could defeat the rampaging Minax—which grows closer every moment. But as sparks fly in her moments alone with Kai, Ruby no longer knows whom to trust. The fates of two kingdoms are now in her hands.</i>
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I really enjoy this easy, addictive, devourable, predictable series. It hooks me and I never want to stop reading. Is it a unique, unbelievable, must-read series? Maybe not. But I enjoy the hell of out it.
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I think I liked the first book a little more, as you were introduced to the world and characters, and that's always more exciting and interesting. But I think this was better written and constructed. It flowed really well, and at no point did I feel that a scene was rushed or dragged out. I liked the new world of Sudesia, and all of the new characters it introduced.
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I even thought the new "romance" was done really well. When the description of this sequel was first announced, I was immediately hesitant. I didn't want a love triangle; I love Arcus will all of my heart. But Kai played a really important part in Ruby's journey towards finding out about her past and her finding herself. He's the first Fireblood that she's met and they bond instantly over their shared feisty personalities and short tempers. But I like that he didn't become her new love interest--not really. No matter what happens, even though she cares about him, he's not Arcus. Her heart cannot be swayed. AND I AM HERE FOR THAT.
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I don't think this series is going to change your life, and it is very predictable, but I still really recommend it for anyone who's looking for a light fantasy novel that you can easily read and enjoy.
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-45751974659714281882017-09-09T12:30:00.000-04:002017-09-13T19:53:09.631-04:00Feral Youth by Shaun David Hutchinson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>At Zeppelin Bend, an outdoor education program designed to teach troubled youth the value of hard work, cooperation, and compassion, ten teens are left alone in the wild. The teens are a diverse group who come from all walks of life, and they were all sent to Zeppelin Bend as a last chance to get them to turn their lives around. They’ve just spent nearly two weeks learning to survive in the wilderness, and now their instructors have dropped them off eighteen miles from camp with no food, no water, and only their packs, and they’ll have to struggle to overcome their vast differences if they hope to survive.
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Inspired by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2701.The_Canterbury_Tales">The Canterbury Tales,</a> Feral Youth features characters, each complex and damaged in their own ways, who are enticed to tell a story (or two) with the promise of a cash prize. The stories range from noir-inspired revenge tales to mythological stories of fierce heroines and angry gods. And while few of the stories are claimed to be based in truth, they ultimately reveal more about the teller than the truth ever could.</i>
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This was a really good collection. Shaun David Hutchinson can seriously do no wrong in my opinion, and this was no exception. His narration fit perfectly with the full length stories, and tied everything together. The stories themselves...like always, there were some that I liked more than others. Here is my breakdown:
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<B><i>The Butterfly Effect</i> and <i>The Chaos Effect</i> by Marieke Nijkamp: 4 Stars</b>
I liked <i>The Chaos Effect</i> better than <i>The Butterfly Effect</i>, but they were both pretty good. There's something about Nijkamp's writing that I don't love, but I'm not sure what it is--I noticed it when I read <i>This is Where it Ends</i>. But overall, very solid and heart-wrenching.
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<b><i>A Duthless Dame</i> by Tim Floreen: 5 Stars</b>
This was one of my favorites! It was funny and amusing and dramatic. It definitely reinforced that I need to read some Tim Floreen.
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<b><i>Look Down</i> by Robin Talley: 4 Stars</b>
This was super creepy. There was a great build-up to the end and I was quaking it my boots a little bit. I regretted reading it late at night.
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<b><i>Big Brother, Part 1 & 2</i> by E.C. Myers: 4 Stars</b>
This was a strange one, and I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first, but I ended up liking it. It's a little gross, but still interesting? I'm confused about why I like it, but I do.
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<b><i>The Subjunctive</i> by Alaya Dawn Johnson: 2 Stars</b>
This was my least favorite story. I was bored and confused, and just wanted it to be over. Maybe I would have liked a longer version of it, but I'm not sure.
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<b><i>A Cautionary Tale</i> by Stephanie Kuehn: 3 1/2 Stars</b>
Talk about a surprising tale! I loved most of the story, but the ending shocked me a little too much--I'm not sure if it matched the rest of it. But overall, really enjoyable.
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<B><i>Jackie's Story</i> by Justina Ireland: 2 Stars</b>
I was a little bored by this one as well, though it did have some good quotes. I just feel like it was extremely forgettable.
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<b><i>Self-Portrait</i> by Brandy Colbert: 5 Stars</b>
This was my other favorite. I would die of happiness if this was a full novel. I just wanted to know these characters more and live their lives. I think Brandy Colbert is a phenomenal writer.
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<b><i>A Violation of Rule 16</i> by Suzanne Young: 4 Stars</b>
A story of female empowerment and equality is always going to be my jam. It was a good story of justice against the ridiculous dress codes many teens have to deal with every day.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-23478533726824892082017-09-06T19:36:00.000-04:002017-09-13T19:37:22.016-04:00Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.
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But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.
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The last queen standing gets the crown.</i>
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This book surprised the hell of out me. I thought I would like it, sure, but wowza. I am kind of in love. It's not perfect by any means, but I devoured it in less than four hours, desperate to learn more about the characters and to find out how it was going to end. AND NOW I NEED THE SEQUEL IMMEDIATELY.
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There were a lot of characters, and at the beginning it was confusing to keep track of everyone (and I'm still a little confused, tbh). But my favorite queen to read about was Katharine. From her very first chapter, I needed to know her and I loved what I read. Also, as a bonus, my shipper heart EXPLODED.
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That ending, though. I'm a little confused, but mostly excited. I need some answers! Luckily, I only have to wait a couple weeks to get some.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-87793763944460668872017-09-01T18:26:00.001-04:002017-09-01T18:26:50.944-04:00The Secret History of Us by Jessi Kirby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>Olivia wakes up to realize she doesn’t remember. Not just the accident—but anything from the last four years. Not high school. Not Matt, the guy who is apparently her boyfriend. Not the reason she and Jules are no longer friends. Nothing.
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That’s when it hits her—the accident may not have taken her life, but it took something just as vital: her memory. The harder she tires to remember things, the foggier everything gets, and figuring out who she is feels impossible when everyone keeps telling her who she was.
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But then there’s Walker. The guy who saved her. The one who broke her ribs pumping life back into her lungs. The hardened boy who keeps his distance despite Olivia’s attempts to thank him.
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With her feelings growing for Walker, tensions rising with Matt, and secrets she can’t help but feel are being kept from her, Olivia must find her place in a life she doesn’t even remember living.</i>
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I am a huge Jessi Kirby fan. I discovered her a little over two years ago, and I have read all of her books. She is one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. So it hurts me to say that I wasn't super impressed with <I>The Secret History of Us.</I>
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I'm not saying it's bad--it's good. I liked Olivia as a narrator, and Matt and Walker were great side characters. But, as a whole, it felt unoriginal and underdeveloped. First of all, the amnesia plot is overdone. There have been soooo many YA books that have been published and are still being published that have this plot, and there isn't really anything unique that can be brought to it--and that was the case with this book. Nothing new. Also, the book is short. Most of Jessi Kirby's books are short, but this one felt <I>too</I> short. The Walker side of the story wasn't developed enough and it wrapped up too quickly. He seemed like a really interesting character, but he's barely in it. I wanted more.
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Overall, I liked this, but I didn't really like it. Also, and this is small, I love the cover but it doesn't match the book at all. It protrays the book as a dark mystery or something, when it's a contemporary romance. Anyway, I still love Jessi Kirby and I still can't wait to see what she does next.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRkwUeiQDHO0iCtRirewNbFeH1qofMe7F6FIYW3uUTWuwPwse6iBVqYITDM0PlPmfkTxsX4HAdsPcLo2x-tq7JfcTmfwujJ7CEr73Ri44Ch0pF95VH5XrS1z5S605ddwjHR7w39GTwQ7h/s1600/pinkstar3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRkwUeiQDHO0iCtRirewNbFeH1qofMe7F6FIYW3uUTWuwPwse6iBVqYITDM0PlPmfkTxsX4HAdsPcLo2x-tq7JfcTmfwujJ7CEr73Ri44Ch0pF95VH5XrS1z5S605ddwjHR7w39GTwQ7h/s640/pinkstar3.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-2210087827413793662017-08-28T18:17:00.000-04:002017-09-01T18:17:36.542-04:00Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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I read <i>Shadow and Bone</i> almost five years ago, but I recently decided to pick up the sequels and finally finish the series. It took me a minute to get back in the story, but once I did, I remembered how much I liked it.
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Throughout the series, Alina morphs into a complex character. She is powerful lost and trying to save the world because she is the only one who can. Mal is her strong and loyal best friend/love of her life, who has been with her before she mattered. Honestly, they aren't unique characters; I have read many books with characters exactly like Alina and Mal. But I still love them to pieces. And the Darkling has my heart. I know he's evil and all that, but every time he pops up in a scene, I scream "YES!" in my head. I fell for his tricks at the beginning of the series--just like Alina--but unlike her, I was never able to break from his hold. In <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17406539-siege-and-storm">Siege and Storm</a>, Nikolai joined the show, and I instantly fell in love. He was a great addition to the story as a whole. He added some humor and lightness to the novel, and a new dynamic to Alina's power and "sainthood".
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There are some parts of this series that I don't like as much. Plot points that I don't think are necessary; like Nikolai turning into a darkness creature for seemingly no reason except for drama, and the tendency to drag and add scenes that mean nothing to the overall story. But it's still a strong series that I recommend to fantasy fans. I laughed, I cried, and my shipper heart exploded a handful of times.
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Is in on my OMFG Must Read Series list? No. But that doesn't mean that it isn't fantastic. And if you think this series is good, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23437156-six-of-crows">Six of Crows</a> blows it out of the water.
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-39585617091342552332017-08-22T09:00:00.000-04:002017-08-22T09:15:25.252-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: August 22nd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4uulSy8SZc3c_O0oCGiAcgjEwjjhNTjrqe7gquDvCpPyJ5Of7EMJiKFDdBbW2kcTIgfkimhWQoCo8UbYhXTb_w7S5IKKCGVnqK8YJW4rHYe5gcCiL3H1EWwNEDKm1R0S1MHIgA4LdenB/s1600/topten.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4uulSy8SZc3c_O0oCGiAcgjEwjjhNTjrqe7gquDvCpPyJ5Of7EMJiKFDdBbW2kcTIgfkimhWQoCo8UbYhXTb_w7S5IKKCGVnqK8YJW4rHYe5gcCiL3H1EWwNEDKm1R0S1MHIgA4LdenB/s640/topten.png" width="640" height="320" data-original-width="450" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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I am a huge fan of classics. I didn't realized this until I started high school; it turned out a lot of those Required Reading books that most of my classmates complained about, I actually loved. Needless to say, it was hard to narrow down my list of favorites, but I did--including some more modern reads. So without further ado, here they are:
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-52809446226438675502017-08-17T13:23:00.000-04:002017-08-20T13:23:36.099-04:00What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i><B>KIT:</b> I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.
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<b>DAVID:</b> In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her.
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When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?</i>
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I reeeaaaalllllly enjoyed this book. I liked <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25893582-tell-me-three-things">Tell Me Three Things</a>. I really did. But <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30199656-what-to-say-next">What to Say Next</a> blows it out of the water. It's more complex and multi-faceted and diverse and dynamic than <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25893582-tell-me-three-things">Tell Me Three Things</a>--which, really, is just a contemporary romance when you boil it down. But not this book.
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There is a romance, which was very cute, but it's so much more. Particularly, because of David. I haven't read an incredibly honest and unique character like David in a long time. His POV made the book. Kit was interesting, but I was always eager to get back to David. He was the star. YA, and every genre in the world, needs as much diversity as it can get, and David's narration is a fantastic addition.
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I can't think of anything that I didn't like about the book. Sometimes it leaned too heavily on high school tropes and stereotypes, but that is a small issue that doesn't compare to the greatness of the whole. And the writing was simple, yet elegant, and never felt clunky or clichéd.
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All I can say, is that I'm officially a fan of Julie Buxbaum. And I can't wait to see what she writes next.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-16314615846083174732017-08-10T11:30:00.000-04:002017-08-20T13:25:05.017-04:00Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn't sure if she'll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (along with her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support.
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But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new...the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel's disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself--or worse.</i>
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I think books like this one prove that the YA genre is intricate and relevant and great for both teens and adults.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25062038-little-lion">Little & Lion</a> was jam-packed with social issues; it dealt with sexuality, race, mental illness, non-traditional families, religion, etc. Sometimes, I felt like it was too much, but most of the time, each issue was handled accurately, delicately, and honestly.
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I loved the Suzette (Little) and Lionel (Lion) and their relationship. The flashbacks showed you how they used to be, how they became siblings and best friends, and how Lion's bipolar diagnosis affected their bond. The romantic relationships they each had made me want to keep reading, but sometimes, again, it was too much. I wish there was a little less focus on that and more focus on their sibling relationship. But overall, the novel balanced all the relationships and the social issues pretty well.
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I definitely plan on reading more by Brandy Colbert, and I hope everyone picks up this book!
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Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-44661766794585642992017-08-06T11:00:00.000-04:002017-08-06T11:00:26.564-04:00Vivian Apple at the End of the World by Katie Coyle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>Seventeen-year-old Vivian Apple never believed in the evangelical Church of America, unlike her recently devout parents. But when Vivian returns home the night after the supposed "Rapture," all that’s left of her parents are two holes in the roof.
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Suddenly, she doesn't know who or what to believe. With her best friend Harp and a mysterious ally, Peter, Vivian embarks on a desperate cross-country roadtrip through a paranoid and panic-stricken America to find answers. Because at the end of the world, Vivan Apple isn't looking for a savior. She's looking for the truth.</i>
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The book was a pleasant surprise! I had zero expectations going in, and I was wonderfully amazed by the heartfelt, complex story and the often hilarious, honest characters.
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Vivian was by far my favorite character; she felt so concrete and dynamic. She was dealing with a lot of grief, as well as fighting alongside her friends against the oncoming apocalypse, and she handled them both in a very realistic way. I thought that Harp and Peter were great side characters as well; Peter the shy love interest and Harp the loud, confident best friend.
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This book did feel very long, even though it's barely over 250 pages. It dragged a bit. Also, and this is small, I have a problem with books where the main characters have unrealistic, over-the-top names (Fantasy and Sci-Fi excluded), so "Vivian Apple" was a little annoying to read whenever it popped up.
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Overall, I <i>really</i> enjoyed this. But I'm not sure if I feel the need to read the sequel.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRkwUeiQDHO0iCtRirewNbFeH1qofMe7F6FIYW3uUTWuwPwse6iBVqYITDM0PlPmfkTxsX4HAdsPcLo2x-tq7JfcTmfwujJ7CEr73Ri44Ch0pF95VH5XrS1z5S605ddwjHR7w39GTwQ7h/s1600/pinkstar3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRkwUeiQDHO0iCtRirewNbFeH1qofMe7F6FIYW3uUTWuwPwse6iBVqYITDM0PlPmfkTxsX4HAdsPcLo2x-tq7JfcTmfwujJ7CEr73Ri44Ch0pF95VH5XrS1z5S605ddwjHR7w39GTwQ7h/s640/pinkstar3.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-12652151773319418672017-08-04T16:39:00.000-04:002017-08-04T16:39:00.852-04:00Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of </i>Monstrous Sea,<i> a wildly popular webcomic, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she’s worked for begins to crumble.
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In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, smart, and friendless. Online, Eliza is LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of a popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. With millions of followers and fans throughout the world, Eliza’s persona is popular. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves her digital community. Then Wallace Warland transfers to her school, and Eliza begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart. With pages from Eliza’s webcomic, as well as screenshots from Eliza’s online forums, this uniquely formatted book will appeal to fans of Noelle Stevenson’s </i>Nimona<i> and Rainbow Rowell’s </i>Fangirl.
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I am a person with zero artistic talent, so I love reading about artistic characters. This book obviously had that, but it had so much more. It had passionate and relatable characters, and smart and honest writing. Both Wallace and Eliza were beautifully crafted. And I felt like drowning in Francesca Zappia's words so many times. She made me feel so much, and me made me feel like I was part of the story.
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The second half wasn't as solid as the first half, and I found myself "powering through" some scenes that were boring me, but I still really loved the novel as a whole and all that transpired. I highly recommend it.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-72866800483344782552017-08-02T15:00:00.000-04:002017-08-02T19:44:11.661-04:00One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.
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Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to police, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.</i>
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I...sad. I think this book had SO MUCH potential. Then that last 25% just threw it in the garbage.
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The first 75% was not perfect by any means; all the POVs sounded the same and there was a lot of worthless character drama. But I still really enjoyed it and was really excited to see who was lying. But <B>[SPOILERS BELOW]</b>:
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NOPE. Instead, none of them did it and it was suicide. Are you kidding?!? I wanted a psychological thriller where one of them turned out to be an unreliable narrator. But I got insensitive cop out. Also, there was stupid relationship drama between Nate and Brownwyn for no reason! Because they got back together(ish) literally 15 pages later.
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I was not a happy camper, to say the least. This book was becoming a four star read, and then it took a nosedive.
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<i>Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.
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Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is.
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Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. If Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss & she’ll get her twin back.
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There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?</i>
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I was excited to read this. I really was. <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19547856-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda">Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda</a> was an adorable novel and one of my favorite reads of last year. If you haven't read that yet, I highly recommend it.
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But oh my god. OH. MY. GOD. I liked this even more. Sooooooo much more.
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I honestly don't know if I've ever related to a character as much as I relate to Molly. She was high school me. Seriously. But the secondary characters, the romance, the writing, the comedy, the romance, the diverse cast, the sister relationship, and oh, THE ROMANCE, are impeccable.
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The book feels effortlessly told. It's relatable to everyone, because there is a character for everyone. I think it's the perfect representation of the average teenager, one who doesn't have a tragic history, but who is living day-to-day and experiences the struggles of just being alive.
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I can't get over how much I loved this. I'm DYYYYYINNNNNGGGGGG.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrwsCBcma2aqCakIvQVDRgbigy7TslF_rCZAUAKmU1-eHZ1DgJIFk1LiDVkethGV-5Lq8HtHpGDf7_IXVJq374zpfuCJ3XRzWTRcKChWFtraby8FUHBE70PA0XrCeGIsFUsy82bFVXz4t/s1600/pinkstar5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrwsCBcma2aqCakIvQVDRgbigy7TslF_rCZAUAKmU1-eHZ1DgJIFk1LiDVkethGV-5Lq8HtHpGDf7_IXVJq374zpfuCJ3XRzWTRcKChWFtraby8FUHBE70PA0XrCeGIsFUsy82bFVXz4t/s640/pinkstar5.png" width="640" height="190" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-68667848620540273502017-07-13T11:05:00.000-04:002017-08-02T11:06:16.454-04:00The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CUd3hObkBOtsa15cedGx2xyo6_g1hzoqLg31uqa6I4Cgq9q1YaiyDsTgW3wnGAsNcpqA1f3iejgMZzw9CrXlI5gLc41fcmJ7dqUBtDebu6nwiEtWW549rtL3XvOOQIfkzbkk3CBiQ9QX/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0CUd3hObkBOtsa15cedGx2xyo6_g1hzoqLg31uqa6I4Cgq9q1YaiyDsTgW3wnGAsNcpqA1f3iejgMZzw9CrXlI5gLc41fcmJ7dqUBtDebu6nwiEtWW549rtL3XvOOQIfkzbkk3CBiQ9QX/s400/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="400" height="201" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica.
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Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something more extraordinary in store—for both of us.
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The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?</i>
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I feel like I am an outsider when it comes to Nicola Yoon. I love her as a person (from what I've learned on Twitter) and I love that she is bringing diversity to the YA genre. But her books just...never quite work for me.
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I enjoyed this, but I didn't love it. I did like it more than <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18692431-everything-everything">Everything, Everything</a>, so that makes me happy. And loved Daniel and Natasha--they were wonderfully crafted. I loved Natasha's cynical, science brain and Daniel's hopeful and hopelessly romantic spirit.
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But it took me over a month to read. I couldn't get into it. The coincidental nature of the book felt forced and it was instalove galore. I liked the little side chapters that were from random people's POVs, but sometimes I was like "IS THIS OVER YET?" because it caused some dragging.
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Overall, I liked it, I just wish I liked it more.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuPNh0Lg-K_bC0GITDC0cuN6i7czFAq9A0cZbhklXMqycHoBjoYYP_aFQ3VQj-Kt4Kcbo5yOV0p5VVduex-dFYvlrUha2XiUxud1yLcxXgbGANP9hpszVC8t1or8hwipjYQ8j4Uj2h1m_/s1600/pinkstar3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipuPNh0Lg-K_bC0GITDC0cuN6i7czFAq9A0cZbhklXMqycHoBjoYYP_aFQ3VQj-Kt4Kcbo5yOV0p5VVduex-dFYvlrUha2XiUxud1yLcxXgbGANP9hpszVC8t1or8hwipjYQ8j4Uj2h1m_/s640/pinkstar3.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-53422240373872850572017-07-03T09:59:00.000-04:002017-07-06T10:12:09.621-04:00Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<I>Parker Grant doesn’t need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That’s why she created the Rules: Don’t treat her any differently just because she’s blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.
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When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there’s only one way to react—shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that’s right, her eyes don’t work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn’t cried since her dad’s death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened—both with Scott, and her dad—the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.</I>
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This book surprised me. I ended up liking it so much--way more than I thought I would. It's smart and insightful and funny and sad and honest. I could go on with more adjectives, but I'll stop now. I loved all of the characters, especially Parker. Though, sometimes she was <I>so</I> blunt that I cringed. It was a little shock to the system. But she was always believable as a character.
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I do think the last third of the book slowed considerably. There was too much back and forth with the love interest and I was like JUST DATE ALREADY. I understand that you want to create will-they-won't-they tension and that they both had a lot of baggage they needed to work through, but it was still too much. Overly dramatic and whiplash-tastic.
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Overall, this was a really fantastic, diverse YA contemporary novel, and I plan on reading more Eric Lindstrom.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s1600/pinkstar4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHvNJyGo91lsM1P1fm6CVaVnbLszo0YpEektFeu97o5urvrGLIN5UUutndPXrhwhxDtig53a6lrXlLuG1ziqzgXIVnTqD7ljYhR_Q_g0hW4rEOQUu51_hpnrUywbvOvSJChRivoePfv5D/s640/pinkstar4.png" width="640" height="190" data-original-width="252" data-original-height="75" /></a></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-31435768601706694532017-06-27T09:12:00.001-04:002017-06-27T09:12:58.088-04:00Top Ten Tuesday: June 27th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4uulSy8SZc3c_O0oCGiAcgjEwjjhNTjrqe7gquDvCpPyJ5Of7EMJiKFDdBbW2kcTIgfkimhWQoCo8UbYhXTb_w7S5IKKCGVnqK8YJW4rHYe5gcCiL3H1EWwNEDKm1R0S1MHIgA4LdenB/s1600/topten.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4uulSy8SZc3c_O0oCGiAcgjEwjjhNTjrqe7gquDvCpPyJ5Of7EMJiKFDdBbW2kcTIgfkimhWQoCo8UbYhXTb_w7S5IKKCGVnqK8YJW4rHYe5gcCiL3H1EWwNEDKm1R0S1MHIgA4LdenB/s640/topten.png" width="640" height="320" data-original-width="450" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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I've read some really good books this year. Which is good, because I've had some disappointments too. But each wonderful book was unique and powerful and sometimes adorable. Beware: It's mostly tragedy below. I love being broken by books. Let me know if you loved them too--or even if you hated them. And let me know which books you've loved this year.
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Heartbreaking, honest, and unforgettable. I devoured it less than three hours.
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I enjoyed this collection even more than the first. I love the plot progression and the development of characters. I also ship Archie/Betty so hard, and I need them back together. On the whole, this new run reminds me of why I loved Classic Archie when I was a kid, but it's more modern and believable. Also, if you aren't watching <i>Riverdale,</i>change that IMMEDIATELY.
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The book focuses on the complicated relationship Sherman Alexie had with his mother, his family, his tribe, his culture, his identity. It was relevant and a revelation.
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I honestly don't know if I've ever related to a character as much as I relate to Molly. But the secondary characters, the romance, the writing, the comedy, the romance, the diverse cast, the sister relationship, and oh, THE ROMANCE, are impeccable too.
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I ended up loving it WAY MORE than I anticipated. It was incredible. My favorite stories were <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23381003-nothing-but-shadows">Nothing But Shadows</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23381012-born-to-endless-night">Born to Endless Night.</a>
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This was just SOOO ADORABLE. And not just the romance, but everything. And I loved Lily. She was weird in a really authentic way.
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SOOOOO WONDERFUL. I couldn't put it down. It was full of powerful characters and captivating stories. Also, Shahrzad and Khalid 4ever.
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Julian is the love of my life. And everything else was pretty damn incredible. A wonderful addition to the Shadowhunter world. I can't wait to see what happens in this series.
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This is raw and heart wrenching and poetic. It's 250 pages of tragic wonderfulness.
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I expected to like this. But I didn't expect to sob my face off like I did. It's just so incredible, and has a lot of important messages about grief, acceptance, and finding your own path in the world.
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5857601244476265401.post-65536495357876877102017-06-24T17:53:00.000-04:002017-07-06T10:11:55.943-04:00Radio Silence by Alice Oseman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s1600/bookreviewheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbWHlpcxZILT5hQH5OBnNDbJmTQ9imu84IR49PVW-B_pGDWF1ZyOhWecjEAJ9CCfD1b7rsyGzEHubDF1GoRiOWHzYvnJWSoH03OaP45hRmtQNI3rMqt8GwIMqeDx_uoppYNhY5FzWN8Iq/s640/bookreviewheader.jpg" width="640" height="321" data-original-width="448" data-original-height="225" /></a></div>
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<i>Frances Janvier spends most of her time studying. When she’s not studying, she’s up in her room making fan art for her favorite podcast, Universe City.
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Everyone knows Aled Last as that quiet boy who gets straight As. But no one knows he’s the creator of Universe City, who goes by the name Radio Silence.
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When Frances gets a message from Radio Silence asking if she’ll collaborate with him, everything changes. Frances and Aled spend an entire summer working together and becoming best friends. They get each other when no one else does.
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But when Aled’s identity as Radio Silence is revealed, Frances fears that the future of Universe City—and their friendship—is at risk. Aled helped her find her voice. Without him, will she have the courage to show the world who she really is? Or will she be met with radio silence?</i>
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There were a lot of things I liked about this book: the diversity, the characters, the emotions those characters made me feel. But I didn't like it as much as I wanted or expected to.
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First of all, it's way too long. I can't think of a particular section I would cut out, and it read quickly, but it should and could have been 100 pages shorter. And, while I liked the idea of the characters, I didn't feel <I>that</I> connected to them or the story as a whole. I think that there were a lot of inclusionary characters, just there to check off so the book could be categorized as diverse. I don't think that they were probably constructed or well rounded. They were all very flat and inconsistent.
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Also, the second half dragged so much and I found myself constantly checking to see how much longer I had to go until it was finished; and it was overly dramatic. It particular, the drama between Alend and his mother, Carol, really had my eyes rolling. She became this villain who was unrealistic and artificial. It was drama for drama's sake, and a reader should be able to spot that from a mile away.
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Again, I think this story could have had some wonderful aspects that are important to include in YA and in fiction in general, but it was missing a lot.*
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<I>*Note: On 7/6/17, I updated this review after giving the book more thought, and dropped my rating to two stars.</I>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16644219775188484988noreply@blogger.com0