This wasn’t the best MG I’ve read ever but it is a whole lot of fun and a quick read. Kid me woul***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
This wasn’t the best MG I’ve read ever but it is a whole lot of fun and a quick read. Kid me would have gobbled this up and had so much fun with the mystery element. This book features, secret societies, alternate histories unknown to the rest of the population, and MAGIC (kind of… it is really just fancy science things.) So basically, this book is brain candy in a pretty package (except for that bug on the cover, but don’t mind the bug.) My biggest issue is that the book might be ~too~ quick because there wasn’t enough buildup or development. We’re thrown right amidst this mess, which is fine, but I like knowing about secret society histories and I love me a well-developed villain (both of which the book seemed to lack.) ITS FINE THOUGH. The Lost Property Office is a whole lot of fun and I cannot wait to read more of this series.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book for review....more
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I KNOW IT’S TOO EARLY to be reading Christmas-y books but I am already getting into the mood f***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I KNOW IT’S TOO EARLY to be reading Christmas-y books but I am already getting into the mood for the holidays and I really wanted to be reunited with Dash & Lily so I READ THE BOOK and it was 100% worth it. Also, to be fair, this book comes out this month so I am allowed to read a christmas-y book in October.
The biggest issue I had with this book (because rarely is a book perfect) is that it was a lot more angsty than the original Dash & Lily. Lily was justified in being angsty but the lack of communication between Dash & Lily was so off-putting given that they had been good at in the first book. If Dash & Lily just talked to each other, there would be no need for half the drama that occurred.
The other half was mostly just Lily acting out and rebelling against something I didn’t quite understand. She was tired of being Lily but she also wanted to be Lily. There was a whole lot of internal conflict going on with her throughout the book because of the kind of stress she was under (her grandpa wasn’t doing so well).
Dash was a lot more put together in this book. He was a great boyfriend and you could see him really trying to reach out to Lily during such a stressful time in her life but he also failed to understand what it was that Lily needed.
They hadn’t been dating long when the whole incident with her Grandfather took place but I would have thought that they would know each other well enough to know what it was the other was looking for. Seriously.
My mini-rant makes it seem like I didn’t enjoy the book at all but I DID. It was heart-warming and so very Christmas-y that I literally cannot stop singing Christmas carols and dreaming about hot chocolate. In fact, I am probably going to get myself some once I am done writing this review because it’s FALL goddamnit it and nobody can stop me from drinking all the hot chocolate ever.
Read this book: if you are trash like me and enjoy reading Christmas books in October. But also, more seriously, read this book because it is fun, adorable and a great book to have on your holiday season TBR.
Note that I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review...more
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I just started my last-ish year of college and the main character of Frazzled starts middle sc***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I just started my last-ish year of college and the main character of Frazzled starts middle school in this book yet despite the clear age difference, never has a book been more applicable to my life.
Frazzled is absolutely adorable, quotable and extremely relatable. It’s about many things. Familial relationships, changing friendships and the need to find your “thing”. I think we can all agree that finding your “thing” is not as easy as it seems. It is actually quite stressful and Abbie Wu would agree with you.
Abbie is not at all excited to start middle school (I mean who would be?) because it is “the middle of all middles” and is thus guaranteed to suck. When school starts, she struggles with the change but her friends find themselves fitting right in as they get more invested in their “things.” Abbie Wu doesn’t have a thing though (NEITHER DO I) and is stuck in study hall. Even worse, Abbie is stuck being her brother’s younger sister and she feels like she’ll never be as good as he is. All her teachers know her as Peter Wu’s sister and they forgot that she is more than just HIS SISTER.
Over the course of the book, Abbie Wu takes charge as everyone revolts against bad cafeteria food (this is also 100% relatable for me) and organizes an underground food trade. She grows into middle school as she finds her people.
Abbie’s struggle to find her place in the world and in her social environment is accessible to a wide audience and I really enjoyed watching her grow as a human being over the course of the book.
I would recommend Frazzled not only to younger readers but literally anyone who reads Middle Grade because this book IS SO SO CUTE. It has so many wonderful illustrations and I am pretty sure I yelled YAAAS every other page because I feel this book on so many levels.
Reasons to read this book: Single parent who is awesome, adorable MC, food porn (there are SO MANY delicious baked goods in this book), cute relationships, fun illustrations, BECAUSE IT’S A BOOK.
Note that I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review...more
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I have a weird thing about sequels that aren’t about the main characters from the first book b***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I have a weird thing about sequels that aren’t about the main characters from the first book but since Illuminae was the bomb.com, I was still pretty excited for
Gemina
. I didn’t love it as much as
Illuminae
but that’s also probably because I missed the sh██ out of Kady and Ezra. I MISSED THEM SO SO MUCH because they are so wonderful together and I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS FOR THEM.
As a result of the mentioned weird thing I have, it took me a lot longer to warm up to Nik and Hanna but when I finally did, I was able to appreciate the fact that they were wonderfully well-rounded characters who were pretty darn easy to like. They are both funny and sarcastic like Kady and Ezra were but they also feel completely different from the pair in terms of their personalities. Hanna is a serious kick a██ and Nik is a criminal mastermind (sorta).
If you are a fan of opposites attract/hate to love sort of romance, their relationship will probably be kryptonite for you. I definitely enjoyed watching their relationship bloom as they came to understand one another while working together under desperate circumstances.
For others like me who have a hard time wrapping their minds around the fact that Kady and Ezra are no longer our main kiddos, they do make a cameo and Kady is name dropped a bunch so they aren’t completely forgotten about. Hanna and Nik’s story also works perfectly alongside Kady and Ezra’s and it’s so interesting to see all the ways in which they connect. I HAZ some questions though and I guess I’ll just have to wait until book 3 to get all the goody answers.
The sci-fic elements in this book are actually a lot more interesting than the ones in Illuminae. For me, Illuminae was a little more space opera and Gemina is a little bit more sci fic because more black holes/wormholes involved. Also some really f███ing cool s███ that I cannot elaborate one because spoilers (like actual major spoilers) but just beware of page 505 and make sure you have tissues on hand.
Most people know the BIG news by now that Marie Lu has a hand in some of the illustrations in this book and while those weren’t included in the ARC, you can see a couple
here
and they look absolutely GORGEOUS. I cannot wait to have a final copy in my hands so I can flip through and see all the amazing things I missed out on.
I do want to mention that it might be helpful to flip through Illuminae before diving into Gemina because the timeline stuff confused me at first and it took a while (and lots of flipping through Illuminae) to jog up my memory and have pieces fall into place.
So pick this s███ up, kids. Especially if you loved Illuminae because s███ really hits the fan in this one and I am READY to read book 3. GIVE IT TO ME NOWWWWW.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...more
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I literally don’t know how to start this review because there are a lot of things to say but t***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I literally don’t know how to start this review because there are a lot of things to say but they can all just be covered with a big NO. There is potential in this book but it’s all potential that is unrealized. From the spoilt MC who is a cardboard cutout to the world building, this book is just lacking. It isn’t BAD but it isn’t GOOD which is especially disappointing because I was really looking forward to reading this book.
The MC was a clear let down but I was really upset that the MC’s cutting is not at all talked about in ways that isn’t a character trait. It’s used as a description of the MC in the way an adjective might be used.
There are some interesting relationships that I could have gotten behind but all of them are toxic. There are bad parents, bad friends and there is no positive relationship in the book. I get it, this is not the kind of book you’d read if you wanted cuteness but that doesn’t mean that literally everything has to be awful in the book. It doesn't make sense, in my opinion, for every single thing to suck with no positive things in sight.
On top of that the entire synopsis is a giant spoiler for the book. It takes 2/3rd of the novel for something to happen and that is way too long given how short the book is. This also meant that all the cool things that actually happened in the last 1/3rd were rushed and just make me ask more questions.
To sum up this very short review, I am not entirely sure I would recommend this to anyone unless they were looking for a quick read with some scary but not a whole lot of substance. It might work for some readers but unfortunately did not do much for this one.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...more
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I read The Dead House last year and immediately fell in love. It was eerie, scared the bejezus***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
I read The Dead House last year and immediately fell in love. It was eerie, scared the bejezus out of me, and twisted my mind into a pretzel. I LOVED the thriller aspects, the mystery and just the plain horror of it so I was excited to dive into And the Trees Crept In. While I definitely enjoyed the novel, I wasn't as blown away by it as I was by The Dead House.
This novel starts with a happily ever after. Silla and Nori have escaped their abusive household and are ready to start over at their aunt’s but then things go downhill. Kurtagich is the queen of building tension. When I was half-way through the novel, I had no idea how things could get any worse but holy shit did they get worse. I had to take breaks and walk around and just calm down because I was freaked out.
Besides the lovely (HA) tension, this book also features some great familial relationships. Nori, Silla and her aunt are so great together even when they are not perfect. The romance however did not work at all. Silla and Gowan's relationship reads more like insta-love even though they have a backstory of sorts. The timeline and Silla's unreliability as a character make it hard to really understand the kind of relationship they have and it also doesn't allow for a slow burn romance which I am all about. I guess it might just come down to personal preference but as a couple they were a no-go for me.
My biggest problem with this book was the final twist. Kurtagich is great with twists but I don’t think this one worked--at least for me it didn’t. It left me feeling unsatisfied. To be fair, lots of endings can do that for people but there was just something about this one that made me feel like it didn’t do the amazing story justice. I felt let down and yet I am not sure what ending would actually suit the story.
Basically, the biggest reason this book didn’t live up to Kurtagich’s debut novel for me was that last twist at the end of the novel. Otherwise, it was a fantastic book with wonderful pacing and a whole lot of scary. If you're looking to pile up on some reads for Halloween (or you just love yourself a good horror), I'd definitely recommend And the Trees Crept In.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...more
THIS BOOK
The truth is that this book was
A M A Z I N G.
Displaced children are a common theme in a lot of
middle grade novels but this one was special.
And not just because it is Sharon
C
R
E
E
C
H
(although she really knows what she is doing)
Two children are taken out of their metropolitan setting and forced to
Adapt to a more rural one.
They are out of place, outside of their comfort zone
Yet they adapt. And they make friends
Animal friends
Human
F
R
I
E
N
D
S
And they grow as characters
As people
And transform.
There is s a d n e s s and heartbreak
and change but these kids come out on top and win your
HEARTS.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...more
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
Things to know about Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang
1. It's for a much younger audience. I did***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
Things to know about Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang
1. It's for a much younger audience. I didn't realize this at first but while I was reading it, it become clear that I was not the intended audience of Secret Coders. This didn't mean that I didn't enjoy the graphic novel, it just meant that it took me longer to get involved in the novel.
2. It isn't just about coding and computer science-y stuff. If that isn't your thing, don't worry. It isn't my thing either but I definitely enjoyed Secret Coders. There is a mystery element that makes itself known towards the end of the novel and that is what tied the knot for me. I want more Secret Coders because I needs to know the answers.
3. The illustrations are AMAZING. They aren't in full color but they are so much fun to look attttt.
4. Themes. Okay, so now I feel like I am writing a book report a la 8th grade but THE BOOK HAS SOME REALLY GOOD THEMES relating to identity, family and such. Also there is one really amazing friendship that made me super happy to read about.
Basically, I don't know how much someone over the age of 12 would enjoy the book but I am definitely not 12 any more and enjoyed it so I'd still say it's worth giving a shot or recommending to a younger kid you know! Also, can I haz book 2? I want more time with these kids.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...more
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
Here is the thing about this book, it would have hands down been a favorite oActual Rating 3.5
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
Here is the thing about this book, it would have hands down been a favorite of the year were it not so flipping confusing. I am not the kind of person that is immediately turned off from a book when something doesn’t make sense to me. In fact, I enjoy it when my mind is being twisted into a pretzel because everything is SO COMPLICATED but that isn’t
Vassa in the Night
.
Vassa in the Night
has beautiful writing, an interesting plot and a gorgeous atmosphere but the problem is that the world building needs a LOT of work. I don’t understand at ALL how the world works. This book is trying so hard to be whimsical and eerie that the bare bones are kind of just forgotten about. I need at least some things to make sense so I can get behind other things that don’t and that’s basically the problem here. NOTHING makes sense. NOTHING AT ALL. I don’t how how the story gets from point a to b. I DON’T KNOW THINGS and it is bothersome.
But I did say this book would have been a favorite of the year if it hadn’t been confusing and the reason for that is that this book is exactly the kind of fantasy that draws me in. It's got so many things going for it. Vassa is a great character and easy to get behind, the book is structured like a fairy tale even though it is set in a more urban setting, so it basically wins (or would have won) and there are some great relationships in this book even though Vassa considers herself a lone wolf.
I really did want to love this book and I am not entirely sure that I didn’t not love it. There is just SOMETHING about this book that makes me want to cuddle with it and declare it a masterpiece even though I was unhappy with the amount of confusion I experienced. You could say that I am confused about my feelings ;) (I KNOW I AM TRASH)
Whatever else I might say, I can say that I did enjoy this book and might even recommend it to an actual human who is willing to deal with all the confusion to immerse themselves in this beautifully written fairy tale. I also made a mood board for it because this is the kind of book that inspires lots of confusions and a mood board. This mood board has been approved by a friend who has read the book but is probably biased because she is my friend.
I have always been morbidly fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials so when I came across thi***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato
I have always been morbidly fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials so when I came across this book, I was instantly drawn to it. I think a lot of things about this book seem a little far fetched but reading the author’s note did help me understand a little about some of the decisions that were made and where she was coming from.
For example, it seems unreasonable that people in a town would still hold ancestor actions against teens. Like that teen didn’t do the deed, so chill the fuck out. It was pretty hard to wrap my head around or even let go of my skepticism while reading so I decided to read the author’s note and it turns out her father experienced similar things growing up (she is a descendant of Cotton Mather.)
One of my favorite parts about this book was how the paranormal and suspense elements worked together to suck me in. Mather has clearly done her research and she brought history to life in such a captivating way in the book. I loved connecting dots and I loved the history of the curse and how everything was spread out throughout the book.
I also liked that the “mean girls” plot was dropped pretty quickly after the first initial bitchy counters because again, holding grudges against people for what their ancestors did (like 200+ years ago) is silly. I mean there was still a mean girl but she wasn’t really a big part of the book so she doesn’t count.
What was kind of upsetting though is that there really weren’t a lot of great relationships to be found in this book. Sam tends to push people away and has never had
real
friends because she is bad luck (which by the way, was never really explored so I didn’t understand the whole her being bad luck for people around her.) She makes a friend (very quickly might I say) who she also pushes away for his own good. And then there is her relationship with her step mother. I am getting tired of the evil stepmother trope and while her stepmother isn’t the actual worst, I wish there was at least one ~real~ positive adult/kid relationship in the book.
Sam as a character is not the best because she was a little whiny and occasionally one-dimensional but I also think she worked for the purposes of the book. I wasn’t that annoyed with her and was invested in her future but I also didn’t love her.
Overall though, the book was a pretty addicting and fast read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is fond of family curses, the paranormal, and a quick book. AND THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL apparently so I am excited to see where things will go for Sam and her fam (isn't that a great rhyme? I should be a poet.)
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review...more
Rashika (is tired)
>
Books:
bea-2016
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