Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Where Am I? (+ Travel TBR)


By the time you're reading this I will be on a plane. (And very tired!)

So, for the next two-ish weeks I will be traveling to Boston and England to check out colleges (or *ahem* universities). I'm really excited but a little nervous.

I can't believe I am so close to being an adult. It's absolutely unbelievable... but I am so stoked to check out schools. Therefore, I won't be blogging or replying to comments etc. as much. :(

But, don't worry... with all the planes, trains, and metro rides I'm sure I will be doing plenty of reading!

Here's the books I'm bringing with me: 


Of course, I also have the habit of buying books in the airport and at any and all bookstores I pass by... especially when I'm taking long trips. So I might come back with more than this??

Bye! I'll be back soon :) 

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Sarah J Maas Mini Reviews

So, a while ago I wrote this little appreciation post with mini reviews for all of the Maas books out at the time. Well, now there have been more released and I have read them all! Here's what I thought:

A Court of Wings and Ruin
Goodreads

This was an epic, fast-paced conclusion to one of my favorite trilogies. There were lots of amazing parts. However, A Court of Wings and Ruin was still my least favorite addition to the series. Why? Firstly, I felt a disconnect from Feyre and Rhysand. Secondly, I think I loved the second book (ACOMAF) way too much. ACOWAR just didn't stand a chance. What I loved about ACOMAF was how brilliantly plotted and unexpected it was. I felt like ACOWAR was a bit more predictable. And  I know this sounds like I didn't like it... but I did! There were so many iconic scenes. And I still love this world. (I actually generously rated it 5 Stars)



Tower of Dawn 
Goodreads

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. I give this all the stars. Tower of Dawn is now a top contender for my favorite Maas book (along with QoS, ACOMAF, and HoF). This book made me love Chaol, who I used to be "meh" about. Also, Nesryn kicked butt and became one of my new faves. And I loved all the new characters in this new setting like Yrene and Sartaq. Don't even get me started on all the amazing, beautiful ships in this book! Plus, I loved all the diversity and rep in this addition. Here's my public service announcement: EVERY Maas fan should read this before the last Throne of Glass book. There is vital info for book seven. *drops mike*


A Court of Frost and Starlight 
Goodreads

Okay. I was disappointed by this book. (It's the first Maas book I've rated less than 4 stars.) ACOFAS felt unnecessary and redundant. There were parts I liked - yes - but they didn't feel critical. The fun parts could have easily been turned into simply a 100 page novella (or 50). I feel like this short 230 page novelette took me longer to read than other books by Maas that are like 700 pages. I'm ready to say goodbye to Feyre's arc/plot line and focus on other characters. I am SO excited for the spin off book/book four though. I loved the sneak peak. Although I'm not a huge Nesta fan so we'll see if I change my mind... (Mini rant: she was such a horrible sister to Feyre.)

Monday, June 25, 2018

My Summer TBR


So I've decided to try to make more banners for the blog with Canva! This is my first attempt so I'll get better...  Anyway, now that it's summer and school is over, hopefully I'll have tons more time to read for pleasure. Here is my TBR:



1) When Dimple Met Rishi 
Goodreads

This sounds so adorable and hilarious; I mean just look at that cute cover! And, if you every have a chance to check out the back cover of the hardcover, please do - it's so comical. Also, I love following the author, Sandhya Menon, on twitter. She's super awesome. In fact, I can't believe I haven't read When Dimple Met Rishi already! I'm bringing it with me this week when I go on my trip to check out colleges and stuff. Perfect airplane read maybe??



2) The Weight of Feathers
Goodreads 

The Weight of Feathers looks like such a beautiful read. I've seen some wonderful reviews so I'm excited to start it! Apparently it has lots of magical realism in it... and I either love or hate books with that element. Hopefully I'll love the magical realism in this one. Also, the author's other book, When the Moon was Ours, has also been on my TBR forever. There's just so many TBR books!

3) Strange the Dreamer
Goodreads

Am I ashamed for having not read this yet? Yes. Very. However, maybe this was a good decision on my part now that we are closer to the release date of Muse of Nightmares? See, I was just being clever and saving past me pain. (Or I just totally forgot to pick this up and was a bad book lover.) Anyway, I know whatever Laini Taylor writes will be spectacularly breathtaking. Her Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy is such a classic.


4) Nevernight 
Goodreads
So apparently this is really dark and gory. And has lots of adult themes. In fact, just go to Kristof's twitter to see how not-summery this book is. Now, you might be asking, Emily why did you put this dark, bloody fantasy about assassins? Well, I just really want to read this big book so I can justify buying the second one. And it had such amazing reviews. (The overall Goodreads rating is like 4.3. Wow.)

So, there we go!!! Well, actually there's like twenty more books on my summer TBR but these four are the ones I feel most ashamed about. And I am determined to read them although I *might* get distracted by new shiny things. We'll see.

The book worm life is hard I tell you.

Thanks for stopping by!


Friday, June 22, 2018

Mini Review: Leah on the Offbeat

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli 
Publication Date: April 2018
Goodreads
Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.




I'm very conflicted over my rating. Parts of this book were amazing and worthy of 5 stars! Other parts I had serious issues with... 

*Spoilers*
What I liked:

1) Simon and Bram (obviously) <3
2) College talk! (Seeing these character going on campus tours while I'm at the same stage in my life was so cool)
3) The Leigh Bardugo and other fandom references (Nina and Inej. My heart!)
4) How the story handles racism (A girl makes a stupid, horrible racist comment after a rejection and this was treated with the levity it deserves. My heart broke for Abby.)
5) I love Leah's mom 
6) The American Girl Store Debacle 
7) I just love Albertalli's writing style and sense of humor

What I didn't like:

1) Leah's treatment of her mom
2) Leah's treatment of Garrett
3) Leah's treatment of people in general 
4) Prom felt very unrealistic. Very romanticized almost? And over dramatic? 
5) Okay... confession time: I just wasn't really feeling or shipping Leah and Abby together at all. This was a major issue considering they're the main focus. 

I'm overall glad this book is out in the world and it's a worthy addition to the Creekwood universe - but it isn't at all comparable to the masterpiece that is Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda.





Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Review: Restore Me

Restore Me by Teherah Mafi
Shatter Me #4
435 pages
Publication Date: March 2018
Goodreads

Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she's got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?



Shatter Me is one of my all time favorite trilogies. It's fast paced, beautifully written, and has some of the best character development I've ever seen. It's fun and compulsively re-readable. The original trilogy is almost like comfort food to me. 

That said, I was very nervous when Mafi announced she would be adding three more books onto the original series. I was excited, yes, but wary. 


I am happy to say that Restore Me was the perfect fourth book. It seamlessly picks up just after Ignite Me left off. Juliette is struggling as supreme commander, which is realistic and honestly what should be expected. We see that there has been no happily-ever-after, and I love it. Mafi's world is scary and fixing the whole world isn't (and shouldn't be) easy. 


I also loved seeing old favorites (like my beloved Kenji) and meeting new awesome characters (like Nazeera). And of course Warner was wonderful as always. Although he and Juliette definitely have stuff to work through. 


And, boy, were there plot twists galore! I cannot wait for book 5 after that ending. Please give it to me now! 


Mafi is such an expressive, beautiful writer. And this continuation does the original trilogy proud. I am so relieved! 


4.5/5 Stars


Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Review: This Song Will Save Your Life

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
Pub date: September 2013
Goodreads
A powerful coming-of-age story about an outsider who finds herself when she enters the underground music scene.

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski's strong suit. All throughout her life, she's been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up.

Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.



This book physically hurt to read. Elise's struggles weren't fiction or fantasy; they were real. The bullying, the awareness of being odd, and the silent, friendless days at school are realities for many. Her feelings of loneliness and hopelessness were acute like a knife wound. Sometimes the scariest books are the ones that take place in the world we live in. 

This Song Will Save Your Life is not all doom and gloom though. There is music and dancing! And, most importantly, there's hope. Elise's voice is charming and witty. Her little sister and her newfound friends at Start were all so lovable. In fact, Elise's journey to becoming a DJ was so inspiring and fun. 

The end isn't rosy and perfect, but it holds a bright promise for all the teenagers who have felt out of place. While the book had sad parts, the book itself is not sad. Sure, there is no epic revenge against the bullies. There is no whirlwind romance with a happily ever after. There are mean girls and douche bags. That won't change. However, music and friends and family can make up for all the bad. Sales' book is a story of life and all its ups and downs. 

I am amazed at how Leila Sales has so realistically portrayed the life of a so-called misfit. One just has to look at the various Goodreads reviews to see how much Elise has resonated with readers. The wonderfully written book was an eye opening experience. 



Monday, June 18, 2018

Review: Jeweled Fire

Jeweled Fire by Sharon Shinn
Pub Date: November 2015
Goodreads
As one of the four princesses of Welce, Corene always thought she might one day become queen. Only circumstances changed, leaving fiery Corene with nothing to show for a life spent playing the game of court intrigue—until a chance arises to become the ruler of a nearby country.

After stowing away on a ship bound for Malinqua with her loyal bodyguard, Foley, Corene must try to win the throne by making a play to marry one of the empress’s three nephews. But Corene is not the only foreign princess in search of a crown.

Unaccustomed to being anyone’s friend, Corene is surprised to find companionship among her fellow competitors. But behind Malinqua’s beautiful facade lie many secrets.

The visiting princesses are more hostages than guests. And as the deadly nature of the court is revealed, Corene must rely on both her new allies and Foley’s unwavering protection—for the game she has entered is far more perilous than she ever imagined…
 



YES! I can barely contain myself. This is my new favorite in the series! I absolutely love Corene and Foley. I loved having a new setting and a mostly new cast of characters in Malinqua. There's so much to discuss. 

First of all, if you haven't read the first books in the series, I would definitely recommend starting with those. Yes, each story has a new protagonist and a new plot, but the background knowledge is pretty important. 
So, with that out of the way, let's continue singing Jeweled Fire's praises. So why was this my new favorite in the series? 

1) Corene and the fun cast 

Corene is my favorite by far. She is spunky, fiery, and not perfect. Also she has survived so much and I have major respect for her. And I loved her relationship with those around her such as Liramelli and Melissande and Jiramondi. There were so many interesting friends. And we are also introduced to Leah the spy. (She's the protagonist for the 4th book!) 

2) The world building 

It's time to say goodbye to Welce and its elemental blessings. Malinqua doesn't have hunti, coru, torz, elay and sweela affiliations. Malinqua has a different sort of philosophy. Everything in the city is split two ways: between smoke and fire. There are two towers. One half of the city is red and the other white. There's this belief in balance but the Malinquans also acknowledge no one is ever solely one thing. It was all very interesting and I could tell Shinn put effort into fleshing out this new land. 

3) The plot

First of all, there is a definite murder mystery element going on in the Malinqua Court. And I'm such a sucker for murder mysteries. I couldn't help but try to guess the murderer. And tied in with the murders was political scheming and conflicts with the crown. The political intrigue was so fun as always. I love how the plot is so intricately weaved with all these different strands. And everything that happens in Malinqua is also important to Welce (the original setting of the series). 

4) The romance

So it's a barely-there romance but I still shipped it SO hard. I always love slow burn and this was no exception. Also, the characters are just perfect for each other. 

I apologize for my incoherent, ramble-y review. This book is just chalk full of good things! Jeweled Fire was a fun, intelligent, high-stakes ride. I could easily root for Corene and her friends, and I loved slowly devouring and savoring this fantasy tale. Sharon Shinn has done it again!