tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89434204350996041682024-02-07T16:11:54.872-08:00Reader RisingEmily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.comBlogger438125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-24654657713910447732023-04-30T12:14:00.000-07:002023-04-30T12:14:05.917-07:00My Favorite Books of 2022 <p>Hello, yes, I have indeed risen from the dead to write this blogpost. (Believe it or not, the last time I posted on this website was April 2019.) </p><p>What have I been up to the past four years? Well, I'll keep that a mystery. </p><p><b>Without further ado, here are my favorite books I read in 2022: </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1473838008i/32043953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="362" height="217" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1473838008i/32043953.jpg" width="143" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597866407i/55030832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="201" height="217" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1597866407i/55030832.jpg" width="141" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1501103597i/31574747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="216" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1501103597i/31574747.jpg" width="144" /></a></div></div></div></div><p><b>1) The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren </b></p><p>This funny, flirty treat is a wonderful novel about 'enemies' turned lovers. I read<i> The Unhoneymooners</i> while at the airport on a long layover and it was the perfect distraction. I flew through the pages of this impeccably cute romance that (mortifyingly) had me laughing out loud. </p><p><b>2) New Grub Street by George Gissing </b></p><p><i>New Grub Street</i> is a lesser known classic that is addicting, clever, and piercingly observant. An examination of the London literary scene, this masterpiece is tragic, humorous, and still relevant today. </p><p><b>3) Dear Cyborgs by Eugene Lim </b></p><p><i>Dear Cyborgs</i> is the strangest novel I read this year; I enjoyed every second of the unique experience. Exceedingly creative and futuristic, Lim's experimental work is an unforgettable critique of capitalism. Moreover, Lim examines the value of art and the connections that bind humans together. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476533572i/32613366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="231" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476533572i/32613366.jpg" width="151" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1450291363i/28227005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="344" height="230" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1450291363i/28227005.jpg" width="158" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441087673i/2807199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="329" height="233" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441087673i/2807199.jpg" width="153" /></a></div></div></div><p><b>4) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomson </b></p><p> Undoubtedly, everyone has read or at least heard of<i> The Hate U Give</i>. This book is an essential contribution to the BLM matter for good reason. Thomson's masterful novel is hard-hitting, emotional, and topical — and still digestible for teens. It should make every reader feel rage, yet still inspire hope. </p><p><b>5) American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld</b></p><p><i>The American Wife</i> is a long, long novel with a daunting amount of pages, yet I loved and savoured every minute. Loosely inspired by the life of Ex-First-Lady Laura Bush, <i>The American Wife</i> is smart, meticulously crafted, and heartfelt. </p><p><b>6) Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld</b></p><p>Unlike the more serious (and depressing) <i>American Wife</i>, <i>Eligible</i> is more light-hearted and comical. Still, this modern day <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> retelling tackles serious subjects and left me very attached to its lovable cast; I couldn't put the book down. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1649982198i/109726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="314" height="224" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1649982198i/109726.jpg" width="141" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628463066i/20564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="455" height="223" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1628463066i/20564.jpg" width="145" /></a><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1605761138i/55275757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="441" height="218" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1605761138i/55275757.jpg" width="142" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p><b>7) You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry </b></p><p>I read <i>You and Me on Vacation</i> while I had Covid for the second time and was unfortunately bedridden. I laughed, I cried, and I loved the characters to bits — Emily Henry never disappoints. </p><p><b>8) The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot</b></p><p>This well-known classic by Eliot deserves its status in the literary canon. The writing is gorgeous, the characters come alive and jump out of the pages fully formed, and the ending is both tragic and beautiful. Maggie Tulliver is an excellent, spirited, and, at times, frustrating heroine. </p><p><b>9) The Beautiful Room is Empty by Edmund White </b></p><p>I read<i> The Beautiful Room is Empty </i>for my 'American Carnage' course at university. I am very grateful we were assigned to read White's stunning work. Exceedingly lyrical and artistic, I felt like this novel was a comforting home — despite its depressing topics and heavy subject matters — and the imagery and metaphors in this book were mesmerising. </p><p><b>Here's to 2022... may 2023 bring many more good reads. </b></p><p>(Want to place bets on the next time I post? Will it be another four year absence?) </p></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki1rUn76nS2321iRMGQKRfAAWgAuguPhTYx4trYc5vPh6K4wsE1IDNH8VtH_-ORTqavjuBtzdnOxPQr4OSnaixFmaajgiovrUy-HpGgcnDg0SGQsF3vDcfcgezJqTLuwGJtXJIGa4Vt4zVpNKO3tW8P5FBzmJ02Oi0I2dC54WZ-4Gky-XwcKpquk2/s360/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="360" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki1rUn76nS2321iRMGQKRfAAWgAuguPhTYx4trYc5vPh6K4wsE1IDNH8VtH_-ORTqavjuBtzdnOxPQr4OSnaixFmaajgiovrUy-HpGgcnDg0SGQsF3vDcfcgezJqTLuwGJtXJIGa4Vt4zVpNKO3tW8P5FBzmJ02Oi0I2dC54WZ-4Gky-XwcKpquk2/s320/PostSIG_zpsab7da860.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-46474617983130781892019-04-23T07:29:00.001-07:002019-04-23T07:29:37.230-07:00Books I read on Planes and Trains <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Long time, no see? Sorry for my extended absence. I was traveling for several weeks and, upon my arrival back home, was inundated with school work and ballet rehearsals (which I admittedly love.)</div>
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Never fear. During my weeks away for Spring Break and College visits, I read plenty of books. Here are the ones I read while clouds floated outside my airplane window and sheep grazed on hills by the train tracks:</div>
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<b>1. The Death of Ivan Illych and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy</b><br />
Leo Tolstoy is surprisingly readable. His short stories were perfect for a day of traveling and I can see why Chekhov pronounced Tolstoy his favorite author. Next time maybe I will be brave and pick up War and Peace.<br />
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<b>2. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid</b><br />
I did not expect to fall in love with this book. I have enjoyed all of Reid's previous works, yet this one stood out as a crowning jewel among the others. Reid tugged at my heartstrings and caused some inconvenient tears on the public train. It is a masterpiece and truly original.<br />
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<b>3. My Oxford Year by Julie Whelan</b><br />
Julie Whelan's novel undoubtedly charmed me. Still, I was never completely drawn in or invested. It felt more like a plot to a Hollywood movie than a novel. However, Whelan's personal story as to how this novel came to be is fascinating and I would not hesitate to recommend this little love story to a friend.<br />
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<b>4. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard</b><br />
At first, I was unsure. Then, by the time Rosencrantz proclaimed he didn't "believe" in England, I was howling with laughter and realized I had been enjoying the ride all along. This play, first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, is terrifying and dark while being hilarious and clever. Bravo.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for stopping by! Let's hope I can get some reading done while <b>not </b>on vacation now...</span></div>
Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-54101051269339114302019-01-03T17:49:00.001-08:002021-02-12T04:28:47.993-08:00Best Books of 2018 (in the opinion of yours truly)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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2018 has been hectic. And amazing. And challenging. </div>
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I read 76 books.</div>
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These were my favorites: </div>
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<b>1. The Idiot by Elif Batuman </b><br />
I wrote an entire review raving about this masterpiece. <i>The Idiot</i> was such an "Emily" book and I never wanted it to end. Batuman's genius astounds me.<br />
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<b>2. Circe by Madeline Miller</b><br />
Greek mythology is my kryptonite. I blame Percy Jackson (my gateway drug) for forever ruining me. I loved Miller's <i>Song of Achilles </i>but, impressively, I think that<i> Circe </i>is even better. Miller's tale of the magnificent Circe was unputdownable.<br />
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<b>3. Scythe by Neal Shusterman </b><br />
<i>Scythe </i>was such a surprise. It deserves the award on its cover and all the praise it has received. Shusterman has made me look at death from a new angle. And I still ponder the questions he raises. I cannot wait to continue the series. </div>
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<b>4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern </b><br />
Morgenstern writes such beautiful, elaborate descriptions that miraculously do not bore me in the least. She makes the circus come alive.<br />
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<b>5. All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Anders</b><br />
Anders is now permanently on my authors-to-watch list. She writes with such cleverness and zealousness. <i>All the Birds in the Sky</i> was my favorite sci-fi of the year.<br />
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<b>6. Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto</b><br />
This is the one book from my school reading list that qualifies as a 2018 favorite. <i>Kitchen</i> was tragic at parts but, in the end, hopeful. Mikage's voice was conversational and endearing; and I am now grateful for my own kitchen. I have neglected to acknowledge its power. I can't wait to read more of Yoshimoto. </div>
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<b>7. The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld </b><br />
<i>The Child Finder </i>was disturbing and scary; yet, in the end, I felt hope instead of despair. Wow, it's actually a very similar reading experience to <i>Kitchen</i> in that regard. The Oregon setting was particularly atmospheric.<br />
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<b>8. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Armin </b><br />
I adore Italy with all my heart. I visited once nearly a decade ago and I still dream of its splendors. <i>The Enchanted April</i> was an immersive experience that had me rooting for all the characters to blossom into themselves and enjoy their freakin' castle.<br />
(I'm not bitter at all.)<br />
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<b>9. Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn</b><br />
Sharon Shinn continues to be one of my favorite fantasy authors. <i>Troubled Waters</i> and the rest of the books in the quartet were a joy to devour. Her world building is unparalleled.<br />
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<b>10. The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker </b><br />
Brutal. Horrifying. Briseis narrates her view of the Trojan War and Pat Barker pulls no punches. It was a somber and powerful way to end my reading year.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I can't wait to see what 2019 brings</span></b><br />
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-19197732124953004772018-11-25T20:59:00.001-08:002019-01-13T15:50:47.942-08:00Review: The Child Finder <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld </span><br />
Published: September 5th, 2017<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062659057/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062659057&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a>/<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33385438-the-child-finder?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span id="freeText17569068226397523581" style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Three years ago, Madison Culver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. She would be eight years old now—if she has survived. Desperate to find their beloved daughter, certain someone took her, the Culvers turn to Naomi, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing. Known to the police and a select group of parents as <i>The Child Finder,</i> Naomi is their last hope.<br /><br />Naomi’s methodical search takes her deep into the icy, mysterious forest in the Pacific Northwest, and into her own fragmented past. She understands children like Madison because once upon a time, she was a lost girl too.<br /><br />As Naomi relentlessly pursues and slowly uncovers the truth behind Madison’s disappearance, shards of a dark dream pierce the defenses that have protected her, reminding her of a terrible loss she feels but cannot remember. If she finds Madison, will Naomi ultimately unlock the secrets of her own life?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I discovered a used copy of The Child Finder at my little local bookstore. At first, I was wary (missing children stories are always disturbing) but I ended up absolutely loving the tale of Naomi Cottle. Rene Denfeld shows that in the face of indescribable horrors, humans have a talent for resilience. And good can blossom from horrific circumstances. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">First of all, the setting and atmosphere of The Child Finder is unlike anything I have ever encountered. It's lush and dangerous and romantic and twisted. The snow and the trees are fairytale-like while also striking fear and being a reminder of evil. Being set in Oregon, I felt Denfeld did my state justice. (Although I am now scared of dying of hypothermia in the Oregon snow while looking for a christmas tree.) In fact, her observations about America itself was full of jaded insight. </span><br />
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">"America was an iceberg shattered into a billion fragments, and on each stood a person, rotating like an ice floe in a storm" (66). </span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">This book is also an almost love-letter to every child who has been lost. Denfeld's repeating motif is that everyone can be found. And these found children will go on to do great things. Naomi Cottle, the child finder, wants only the best for the children she brings home; and she knows they are capable of flourishing. It's empowering. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">There is a cast of memorable characters, many mysteries, and a lot of tears. The Child Finder is an absolute gem and I can't wait to read more by D</span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">enfeld</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span></span>Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-82030112798293518302018-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:002019-01-03T17:59:53.109-08:00Blog Tour: This Cruel Design <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hosted by the FFBC</div>
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Check out the tour schedule <a href="https://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2018/09/tour-schedule-this-cruel-design-by.html">here</a>!</div>
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Let's start out with my review for the action-packed first book! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada </span></div>
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Release Date: November 2017 </div>
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Publisher: Simon Pulse </div>
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Genre: YA Science Fiction<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-Mortal-Coil-Emily-Suvada-ebook/dp/B06ZXWGQ3Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540405604&sr=8-1&keywords=this+mortal+coil">Amazon</a>/<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33876440-this-mortal-coil?from_search=true">Goodreads</a></div>
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<span id="freeText2958086609525040853" style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.<br /><br />That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.<br /><br />When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.<br /><br />Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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Wow. This Mortal Coil was indescribably clever, fun, and brilliant. </div>
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I am prefacing this review with a small confession; I am not the most science-y person. However, I really, really loved this book and thought Suvada did an amazing job keeping me interested in all the genetics and coding. There was never a dull moment and I found myself turning the pages in anticipation and continued shock. </div>
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First of all, the world imagined in this book is so scary and creative. A virus that causes victims to explode and makes people resort to eating each other's flesh for immunity? That's a grim future that Suvada imagines. And I loved reading about the virus despite the fact that it is terrifying. </div>
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Also, Suvada's cast of characters was super memorable. Cat was a character I could root for and the romance had some fantastic tension. The dynamic between characters such as Cat and Lachlan was fascinating and disturbing. The mystery of the missing Jun Bei and the elusive vaccine also kept me on my toes. </div>
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However, the twists in this book may be my favorite part. I won't spoil you though. Go find out for yourself! </div>
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4/5 Stars </div>
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*received for free in exchange for an honest review*</div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518658972l/38316465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="182" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1518658972l/38316465.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">This Cruel Design by Emily Suvada </span></div>
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Release Date: October 2018 </div>
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Publisher: Simon Pulse </div>
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Genre: YA Science Fiction<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-Cruel-Design-Mortal-Coil-ebook/dp/B07CL61663/ref=pd_sim_351_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07CL61663&pd_rd_r=5e5b2319-d7ba-11e8-be04-2d6d4ad679d7&pd_rd_w=JDPa7&pd_rd_wg=7seYx&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=18bb0b78-4200-49b9-ac91-f141d61a1780&pf_rd_r=Z9WB5FYQSWE68JP7S4SZ&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=Z9WB5FYQSWE68JP7S4SZ">Amazon</a>/<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38316465-this-cruel-design">Goodreads</a></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"><span id="freeText13989316930180897837" style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><b>Cat thought the Hydra epidemic was over, but when new cases pop up, Cat must team up with an enemy to fix the vaccine before the virus spirals out of control in this thrilling sequel to This Mortal Coil, which New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman says “redefines ‘unputdownable.’”</b><br /><br />The nightmare of the outbreak is finally over, but Cat’s fight has only just begun.<br /><br />Exhausted, wounded, and reeling from revelations that have shaken her to her core, Cat is at a breaking point. Camped in the woods with Cole and Leoben, she’s working day and night, desperate to find a way to stop Lachlan’s plan to reprogram humanity. But she’s failing—Cat can’t even control her newly regrown panel, and try as she might to ignore them, she keeps seeing glitching visions from her past everywhere she turns.<br /><br />When news arrives that the Hydra virus might not be as dead as they’d thought, the group is pushed into an uneasy alliance with Cartaxus to hunt down Lachlan and fix the vaccine. Their search takes them to Entropia, a city of genehackers hidden deep in the desert that could also hold the answers about Cat’s past that she’s been searching for.<br /><br />But when confronted with lies and betrayals, Cat is forced to question everything she knows and everyone she trusts. And while Lachlan is always two steps ahead, the biggest threat to Cat may be the secrets buried in her own mind.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> </span></span></div>
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This sequel is just as good, if not better, than This Mortal Coil. My review will be short and sweet as to avoid spoilers from both books. But please note that I am positively bursting to talk to someone about the endless plot twists. There's not just one; I swear there's like sixteen. </div>
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Anyway, so what <i>can</i> I say? First of all, I grew even more attached to the characters in this one. Catarina was such a dimensional character and watching her struggle was hard. She cannot catch a break! Leoben remained one of my faves as well. And I'm also a big fan of Cole (I think). However, I also was impressed by the addition of new fascinating characters to the cast such as Anna and Mato. I can't say anymore about those two without spoilers... </div>
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The whole tone of the book is dark and ruthless. I mean, it's called This Cruel Design. Don't go in expecting kittens and butterflies. This book is an intense study of the dark side of humanity. And also Suvada delves deep into the scientific possibilities for our future. It's made me think. A lot. </div>
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Also, that ending! I NEED the third book now and it won't release for at least another year. This is the problem with reading books early *sigh* </div>
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4/5 Stars </div>
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*Recieved for free in exchange for an honest review*</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">About the Author </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Emily Suvada was born and raised in Australia, where she went on to study mathematics and astrophysics. She previously worked as a data scientist, and still spends hours writing algorithms to perform tasks which would only take minutes to complete on her own. When not writing, she can be found hiking, cycling, and conducting chemistry experiments in her kitchen. She currently lives in Portland, OR, with her husband.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And Here's a Giveaway!</span></span></span></div>
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-28828393022763483482018-10-07T21:05:00.000-07:002019-01-03T17:58:01.528-08:00Blog Tour: The Geography of Lost Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hosted by the FFBC</div>
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<a href="https://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2018/09/tour-schedule-geography-of-lost-things.html">Check out the tour schedule here!</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Geography of Lost Things by Jessica Brody </span><br />
Publisher: Simon Pulse<br />
Release Date: October 2nd, 2018<br />
Young Adult Contemporary<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1481499211/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1">Amazon</a>/<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38355173-the-geography-of-lost-things">Goodreads</a><br />
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<b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">In this romantic road trip story perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson, a teen girl discovers the value of ordinary objects while learning to forgive her absent father.</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">After Ali’s father passes away, he leaves his one and only prized possession—a 1968 Firebird convertible—to his daughter. But Ali doesn’t plan on keeping it. Not when it reminds her too much of all her father’s unfulfilled promises. So when she finds a buyer three hundred miles up the Pacific coast willing to pay enough money for the car to save her childhood home, Ali can’t wait to get going. Except Ali has no idea how to drive a stick shift. But guess who does?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Ali’s ex-boyfriend, Nico. And Nico has other plans.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">He persuades Ali that instead of selling the car, they should “trade up” the items they collect on their trip to eventually reach the monetary amount Ali needs. Agreeing with Nico’s crazy plan, Ali sets off on a unique adventure that is unlike anything she ever could have expected.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">And it’s through Ali’s travels, through the strangers she meets and the things that they value—and why they value them—that Ali eventually comes to understand her father and how his life may not have been as easy and carefree as she previously thought. Because just like the seemingly insignificant objects Ali collects, not everything is exactly as it appears.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Wow, that was sublime. The Geography of Lost Things was such the right read for me! I have read a few Jessica Brody books before but this is by far my new favorite. I'm so glad I signed up for this blog tour and I can't wait to read what Brody writes next. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay, first of all, I feel like this is the perfect contemporary book. It feels raw and real, yet still hopeful and cute. Ali is dealing with heavy stuff and I viscerally felt her pain. The flashbacks with her father and all the family issues were executed so well. Also, the tension and issues between her and Nico also felt realistic and nuanced -- not just concocted for teenage drama. I highlighted many quotes in my copy of the b<span style="font-family: inherit;">ook. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">Still, despite all the heavy emotion, I laughed and smiled at so many parts. I love the little "quizzes" that Ali gives herself. And her rules for the road while she was driving with Nico made me laugh (although I wanted her to break all of them). Speaking of Nico, I loved the banter between them. However, if I start using Fungicide or Shih tzu as swear words, I'm blaming this book. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">Also, the most impressive part of this book is that I loved the road trip aspect. I was a little nervous going in because normally road trip books are not for me. However, I felt that the road trip was so vital to the story - to the metaphor of Ali's growth - and it was so fun seeing them go on adventures on the Pacific Coast. As a California-born Oregonian, this coast has been my home my whole life and I loved having a book set where I'm familiar. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">Pick this book up. I can't recommend The Geography of Lost Things enough. There's a wonderful romance, an excellent look into family dynamics and grief, music, adventure, and a 1968 Firebird. What's not to like? </span></span></div>
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*Received for free in exchange for an honest review*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">About the Author </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Jessica Brody is the author of more than 15 books for teens, tweens, and adults including Addie Bell’s Shortcut to Growing Up, A Week of Mondays, Boys of Summer, 52 Reasons to Hate My Father, and the three books in the sci-fi Unremembered trilogy. She’s also the author of the Descendants: School of Secrets series, based on the hit Disney Channel original movie, Descendants. Her books have been translated and published in over 23 countries and Unremembered and 52 Reasons to Hate My Father are currently in development as major motion pictures. She lives with her husband and four dogs and splits her time between California and Colorado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Visit her online at <a href="http://jessicabrody.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">JessicaBrody.com</a>. Follow her on <a href="http://twitter.com/jessicabrody" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a> or <a href="http://instagram.com/jessicabrody" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">Instagram</a> @JessicaBrody</span></div>
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-73341666141269120252018-09-20T00:30:00.000-07:002018-12-12T18:31:36.185-08:00Blog Tour: Perfect Harmony <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2018/08/tour-schedule-perfect-harmony-by-emily.html">Here's the full tour schedule!</a><br />
Hosted by FFBC Tours</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Perfect Harmony by Emily Albright </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Amberjack Publishing </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">September 18, 2018 </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Young Adult Contemporary Romance</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38214104-perfect-harmony">Goodreads</a>/<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/194499582X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=sl1&tag=thaartreagir-20&linkId=be65b9adf14ccba21f86c9daffc36a5a&language=en_US">Amazon</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Pippa Wyndham is a top cellist―she’d never settle for anything less. Determined to get into the nation’s most prestigious music college, nothing’s going to stand in her way . . . Until her senior year of high school when a new guy from a fancy New York conservatory transfers to her school. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Declan Brogan’s cocky, and he knows how amazing he is at the cello. He has every intention of knocking Pippa out of first chair and showing her who really belongs on top. Forced together when assigned a duet, their personal competition and mutual dislike transform into a teasing friendship.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Torn between her childhood crush and the boy who threatens her dreams, Pippa finds herself at risk of losing her best friend, her future, and the boy who makes her heart melt. Struggling to make things right, Pippa discovers that sometimes the thing you want the most doesn’t always end up being the thing you need.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Perfect Harmony by Emily Albright was such a <b>cute, feel-good read</b>. I read it super fast over the course of a day and had a huge grin on my face the whole time. If you're looking for a light but super adorable read I can't recommend this enough! </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">One thing I really loved about the book is how it was set in Portland, Oregon. I'm an Oregonian so <b>I loved reading about my home state.</b> It was so cool! Also, Albright's little details about Oregon, such as the PDX carpet, really made the book feel authentic. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Also,<b> I loved all the scenes in NYC!</b> I recently went there and I loved revisiting some of my favorite spots while reading. I was living vicariously through Pippa. Additionally, all the college talk was super relatable. Every time OSU or U of O was mentioned I was like "look there's my state schools!"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">I loved the music aspect of the book. I was in school orchestra (as a violinist) myself for seven years and my best friend is a talented cellist. <b>Having the importance and power of music highlighted was fantastic. </b>All the orchestra scenes really struck the right note with me ;)</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">I'll warn you right now that there's a love triangle in the book. I didn't mind it in the least (although it helped that I felt it was very clear the whole time who she really liked). In fact, <b>the romance was so sweet and I was rooting for the characters the entire time. </b>Also, Declan wasn't a jerk - even though they had a little musical competition going - and he treated Pippa amazingly. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">All in all, <b>I had a ball reading Perfect Harmony.</b> The romance is sweet and exciting, the friendship and family dynamics were complex, and I loved seeing Oregon and school orchestra represented! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">4/5 Stars </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">*received for free in exchange for an honest review*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">About the Author</span></div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1431288809p5/13955925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1431288809p5/13955925.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">Emily Albright is the author of </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">EVERYDAY MAGIC </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">and </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">THE HEIR AND THE SPARE</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">, both available now from Simon Pulse. Her next novel </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">PERFECT HARMONY</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"> will release 9.25.2018. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">She's a writer, a major bookworm, a lover of romantic movies, a wife, a mother, an owner of one adorable (yet slightly insane) cockapoo, and uses way too many :).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">And here's a Giveaway! </span></div>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="d9681b86319" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d9681b86319/" id="rcwidget_4h62enlv" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
Enter to win one of three (3) copies of Perfect Harmony (USA only) </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Good Luck and Happy Reading :)</b></span></div>
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-79614958218968328972018-09-10T20:47:00.000-07:002018-09-10T20:52:09.683-07:00Top Ten Tuesday: Hidden Gems <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hosted by <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl </a></div>
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There are so many books that deserve more publicity and love. Here are a few of my beloved books I picked up on a whim. They deserve more readers! </div>
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<b>1. Otherbound by Corrine Duyvis</b></div>
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So I've talked about this one a lot but I couldn't not add it! Otherbound is such a fun, diverse fantasy from 2014 that deserves so much more hype. </div>
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<b>2. Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn</b></div>
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This is my absolute favorite Sharon Shinn book of all time. I am so glad I picked up this older gem on a whim. </div>
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<b>3. Roses and Rot by Kat Howard</b></div>
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Rose and Rot blew my mind. If you're an artist or a performer (or if you like magical realism) read this! </div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1400621980l/16081758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1400621980l/16081758.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388592909l/345660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="288" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388592909l/345660.jpg" width="121" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462518531l/23524322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1462518531l/23524322.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<b>4. Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens</b><br />
Murder Most Unladylike is a middle grade book that I absolutely adore and think more YA fans should pick up. I had such a blast reading this clever first book in an amazing kid's mystery series. </div>
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<b>5. Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff</b></div>
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This is such an underrated book that surprised me so much. It was incredible! </div>
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<b>6. The Season by Sarah MacLean</b></div>
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I picked this book up many years ago at my local library and it started my love for regency era london! </div>
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<b>7. Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith</b></div>
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A while ago, while I was at Powell's, I picked up a used copy of Crown Duel. I had so much fun reading this treasure!</div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394039050l/18070753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1394039050l/18070753.jpg" width="129" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461770914l/26067507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1461770914l/26067507.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1297370321l/3751593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="301" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1297370321l/3751593.jpg" width="126" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1360507771l/21060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="285" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1360507771l/21060.jpg" width="120" /></a></div>
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<b>8. Up to this Pointe by Jennifer Longo</b></div>
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As a ballet dancer, I'm pretty picky about what ballet books I read. But this was so realistic and amazing and unique!<br />
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<b>9. On the Edge of Gone by Corrine Duyvis</b></div>
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Yes, I know. This is another book by Duyvis. I just love her books.<br />
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<b>10. The Idiot by Elif Batuman </b><br />
This is another book I just picked up on a whim. I read it while on my England trip and on the plane rides back. I was so immersed and was laughing and awe-struck the whole time. </div>
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-55712747094275558352018-09-01T14:05:00.005-07:002018-09-01T14:08:06.241-07:00Review: All the Birds in the Sky <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Anders </span><br />
Published: January 2016<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25372801-all-the-birds-in-the-sky">Goodreads</a><br />
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<b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">A novel about the end of the world--and the beginning of our future</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Childhood friends Patricia Delfine and Laurence Armstead didn't expect to see each other again, after parting ways under mysterious circumstances during high school. After all, the development of magical powers and the invention of a two-second time machine could hardly fail to alarm one's peers and families.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">But now they're both adults, living in the hipster mecca of San Francisco, and the planet is falling apart around them. Laurence is an engineering genius who's working with a group that aims to avert catastrophic breakdown through technological intervention into the changing global climate. Patricia is a graduate of Eltisley Maze, the hidden academy for the world's magically gifted, and works with a small band of other magicians to secretly repair the world's ever-growing ailments. Little do they realize that something bigger than either of them, something begun years ago in their youth, is determined to bring them together--to either save the world, or plunge it into a new dark ages.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">A deeply magical, darkly funny examination of life, love, and the apocalypse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">All the Birds in the Sky is such a delight. It's weird and imaginative and smart. There's not any book that I feel is similar. <b>It's incomparable.</b> Also, I have a feeling this will be taught in many, many literature classes. There's symbols and passages that could be analyzed over and over.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">But don't worry, it's also a super fun read. You don't have to be a student or a super genius. I am a YA lover primarily and <b>I feel a lot of other YA lovers will enjoy this.</b> I love the quirkiness and continuous excitement that Anders incorporated into her story. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">The love story is the best part. Both Patricia and Laurence were weird children - outcasts - and found a bit of solace in each other. However, along with their similarities come extreme differences. Patricia is a witch while Laurence has a great talent for technology and science. And, when they meet again in San Francisco I was so <b>rooting for them to end up together.</b></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">So, I can't not mention the birds. The birds that talk to Patricia as a child are such personalities that really set the tone for the story. However, my personal favorite character that wasn't human was the super computer that Laurence makes. It's wonderful and I can't wait for future readers to meet it. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">I feel as if this was such a hard book to review. <b>I recommend just picking it up and experiencing it for yourself.</b> There's so many specific scenes I want to talk about - but I don't want to spoil it for you. Just enjoy the ride!</span></span></div>
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P.S. Anders is such a one-of-a-kind witch with words. I can't wait to see what she writes next! And, if you disliked the Avatar: The Last Airbender movie as much as the rest of the world did, <a href="https://io9.gizmodo.com/5576076/m-night-shyamalan-finally-made-a-comedy">read her hilarious review here</a>. </div>
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-52339133037648436792018-08-30T15:10:00.004-07:002021-02-15T00:13:21.855-08:00Review: The Night Circus <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern </span><br />
Published: September 2011<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11506091-the-night-circus">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeText12519179742495315459" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;"><b>Two starcrossed magicians engage in a deadly game of cunning in <i>The Night Circus,</i> the spellbinding bestseller that has captured the world's imagination. </b><br /><br />The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.<br /><br />But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">Yes, I know I’m behind the times. But I FINALLY read The Night Circus and I can now say with a great deal of conviction that this beautiful piece of art is worth all the hype. The world Erin Morgenstern has created drew me in with its tantalizing descriptions and magi<b>c</b>. So, if you’re one of the few people left who hasn’t had the pleasure of reading The Night Circus, please do. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">The book spans many years and journeys many places. We meet so many wonderful characters and experience such highs and lows. And, from the moment I met little Celia and her magician father, I was invested. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">Actually, scratch that. From the very first sentence I was hooked. From the very first description of this elegant, mysterious circus, I knew I had found my next favorite book. The circus itself is a living, breathing character in the story. And with each description of its magical tents and delicious aromas, I felt an increasing sense of longing to go there myself. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, there is a constant tension throughout the story. The story is about a competition after all. And it’s </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">exciting and scary and mysterious. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, this competition breeds romance. And the romance between Celia and Marco is </span>exquisitely<span style="font-family: inherit;"> breathtaking and fairytale-esque. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">But Celia and Marco aren’t the only wonderful characters. The whole cast is extraordinary. Herr Friedrick, a clockmaker, was a dearly beloved character to me. Of course, as a ballet dancer myself, I had a certain fondness for Ana Padva. I had so much fun with Poppet and Widget. And Bailey Clark is the unsung hero of the story.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">When I finished the book, I felt as if something had been taken from me. I felt like a resident of some town in Europe who had experienced the wonders of Le Cirque de Rêves, and went back eagerly the next night to discover it gone - relocated to some new lucky place. </span></span><br />
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<br />Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-7154831127761526302018-08-27T20:54:00.000-07:002018-08-28T17:03:58.593-07:00Blog Tour and Review: A Room Away from the Wolves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521132181l/18046369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1521132181l/18046369.jpg" width="275" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Room Away from the Wolves by Nova Ren Suma </span><br />
Release Date: September 4th, 2018<br />
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers<br />
Genre: Young Adult, Magical Realism, Mystery<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18046369-a-room-away-from-the-wolves?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a>/<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Room-Away-Wolves-Nova-Suma-ebook/dp/B079VXBZ72/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535428422&sr=1-1&keywords=9781616208738">Amazon</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Bina has never forgotten the time she and her mother ran away from home. Her mother promised they would hitchhike to the city to escape Bina’s cruel father and start over. But before they could even leave town, Bina had a new stepfather and two new stepsisters, and a humming sense of betrayal pulling apart the bond with her mother—a bond Bina thought was unbreakable.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Eight years later, after too many lies and with trouble on her heels, Bina finds herself on the side of the road again, the city of her dreams calling for her. She has an old suitcase, a fresh black eye, and a room waiting for her at Catherine House, a young women’s residence in Greenwich Village with a tragic history, a vow of confidentiality, and dark, magical secrets. There, Bina is drawn to her enigmatic downstairs neighbor Monet, a girl who is equal parts intriguing and dangerous. As Bina’s lease begins to run out, and nightmare and memory get tangled, she will be forced to face the terrible truth of why she’s come to Catherine House and what it will take for her to leave...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Nova Ren Suma is such an amazing writer. One of my favorite books of all time is her book The Walls Around Us. You should definitely go pick that one up! While A Room Away from the Wolves didn't quite reach the awesomeness of TWAU, I still immensely enjoyed it. It was an <b>exquisitely crafted story</b> that left me hanging onto each and every word.</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">So, first of all, I love the inspiration for one of the parts of this book. Suma visited an old house with a portrait with eyes that followed her. The portrait became the inspiration for Catherine de Barra's portrait in Catherine House. Isn't that <b>deliciously eery? </b>The whole book is full of easter eggs like that. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">The characters are amazing. Bina (Sabina) is such a tricky narrator, but I still grew attached. And the mother-daughter dynamic explored was so interesting. And dark. In fact, the <b>thriller/mystery qualities of the book were so visceral</b> and made me want to keep reading. There's also so many side characters such as Anjali and Lacey. Oh and, by the way, this is a ghost story... a strange, bizarre ghost story. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">The ending of the story is a bit confusing, but it's <b>beautiful and haunting</b> and makes me want to read the book all over again so I can understand it better. Perfection. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">Overall, I would recommend this book to those willing to be lost at points. You have to be willing to have things revealed slowly. Just read the pages and enjoy the beautiful words. This book is not for the faint of heart; it's not a book where everything is straightforward. <b>It's so much more fun!</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">4/5 Stars</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); text-align: left;">*Received for free in exchange for an honest review*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">About the Author</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-3GR2vJ-TT1Y1sOk7OXiwg3_BRBOboaEzx3RMXD5rVqq2EScPC7ZZ5sCb51QsD1RXAF7-w6qgaufg-M6hdCVRK9k3CUagawwf-qhvMyZT82CtOFU55l2qXopv0sFZdcRMKRPgCnZ1sY/s200/nova+ren+suma.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: poppins, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-3GR2vJ-TT1Y1sOk7OXiwg3_BRBOboaEzx3RMXD5rVqq2EScPC7ZZ5sCb51QsD1RXAF7-w6qgaufg-M6hdCVRK9k3CUagawwf-qhvMyZT82CtOFU55l2qXopv0sFZdcRMKRPgCnZ1sY/s200/nova+ren+suma.jpeg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nova Ren Suma is the author of the YA novels THE WALLS AROUND US as well as the YA novels IMAGINARY GIRLS and 17 & GONE, which were both named 2014 Outstanding Books for the College Bound by YALSA. Her middle-grade novel, DANI NOIR, was reissued for a YA audience under the title FADE OUT. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She has a BA in writing & photography from Antioch College and an MFA in fiction from Columbia University and has been awarded fiction fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, the Djerassi Resident Artists Program, the Millay Colony, and an NEA fellowship for a residency at the Hambidge Center. She worked for years behind the scenes in publishing, at places such as HarperCollins, Penguin, Marvel Comics, and RAW Books, and now she teaches writing workshops. She is from various small towns across the Hudson Valley and lives and writes in New York City</span><span style="font-family: poppins, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://novaren.com/" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/novaren" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/novaren/" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2741432.Nova_Ren_Suma" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.1s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">And Here's a Giveaway!</span></div>
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for one copy of A ROOM AWAY FROM THE WOLVES (US only)</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Good Luck and Happy Reading!</b></span></div>
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-79538004134377209262018-08-10T23:22:00.003-07:002018-08-10T23:22:58.396-07:00Review: Scythe <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Scythe by Neal Shusterman </span><br />
Publication Date: November 2016<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28954189-scythe">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span id="freeText15506352565012431896" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Thou shalt kill.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;"><br /></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;"><br /></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Woah. I was not expecting to love this book so much. I had avoided it for so long but finally the hype got to me - and I'm glad it did! Scythe was so well crafted, original, and addicting. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">The world Shusterman built was so believable even though I was skeptical from the description. This utopian (if you discount the scythes) world was so interesting. I can't wait to find out more about the Thunder Head - the creator of this utopian world in our future. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Now, onto the most interesting part: the scythes. Wow. They were scary, disturbing, and horrifying. Some were downright evil and others I grew to respect. Shusterman really got into my head and I couldn't stop think about the ethics of death. From the very first Scythe journal entry, I was fascinated.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"> </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">The characters are also well developed and I was rooting for each one. I won't say much more but I was majorly impressed with the morals and conscience of both Citra and Rowan. (Although there were definitely times I was worried about Rowan.) And there's a hint of romance! And, although the main characters were awesome, I was also blown away by the complexity of the older scythes such as their mentor, Scythe Faraday. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">I really would just recommend this book to everybody. There isn't a book on the market quite like it; you are in for a harrowing but amazing experience. Don't worry about the synopsis and just give Scythe a go! You won't be able to stop flipping the pages. </span></span><br />
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-78827892202325806892018-07-30T22:21:00.003-07:002021-02-12T04:38:19.078-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: Popular Books That Lived Up To The Hype <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hosted by <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/2018/07/five-books-that-i-hope-live-up-to-the-hype-five-books-that-did/">That Artsy Reader Girl </a></div>
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Picking up a popular book with glowing goodreads reviews and a rabid fanbase is nerve-wracking. Those books seem doomed from the beginning and that's why I often would rather read a book that's lesser known or only recently released. However, some live up to the hype. These are those impressive finds: </div>
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459349344l/23437156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1459349344l/23437156.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402915678l/19547856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402915678l/19547856.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480717416l/68428.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480717416l/68428.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<b>1) Six of Crows </b></div>
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I waited forever to read Six of Crows. I was so scared! I wasn't the biggest fan of the Grisha trilogy but all my friends seemed to love SoC. However, when I finally read the duology, I was so mad at myself for waiting so long. It was absolutely amazing and now I myself am a rabid fan. </div>
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<b>2) Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda</b></div>
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I waited until this was out in paperback because I was terrified it wouldn't be for me. However, Simon Vs. was an amazingly perfect book and it even exceeded the hype. (Sadly, the movie was fun but it did not live up to the book)</div>
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<b>3) Mistborn </b></div>
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I was reluctant to start this adult fantasy series. They looked so dense! But all the glowing reviews convinced to finally give it a try and I am so glad I did. Mist born was such a clever, exciting adventure. I am ashamed to say I still need to read the second and third books though... </div>
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<b>4) Saving Francesca</b></div>
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So this book didn't have quite the same level of hype as the others... but I do know many, many devoted fans of Melina Marchetta. Thankfully, I adored Saving Francesca. And I'm no longer scared to read Marchetta's books now.</div>
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<b>5) An Ember in the Ashes</b></div>
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Sabaa Tahir rocks. I was tentatively expecting An Ember In The Ashes to be another sub-par, over-hyped dystopian let-down. It wasn't. This series is incredible and addicting. </div>
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<b>6) Scythe </b></div>
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I just finished this book yesterday and now I need Thunderhead! I wasn't expecting to like a series about death... but it was so good. I would definitely have never picked it up if there hadn't been sooo much hype. I'll have a review up soon. </div>
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<b>7) Vampire Academy </b></div>
These books have terrible covers and are about vampires (not my favorite). Yet this series has become one of my most beloved of all time. I'm glad for its enormous popularity.<br />
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<b>8) The Book Thief </b><br />
This beautiful, heart-wrenching novel deserves all its praise. This is on my list of books that I think everyone should read. Everyone.<br />
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<b>9) Big Little Lies</b><br />
I grabbed this at the airport during a long layover. It was on the one of those "bestsellers" stands. I was hesitant - thinking it would be silly - but the book was the perfect mix of entertaining and nuanced.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for stopping by! </span><br />
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<br />Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-10541315415823061912018-07-26T19:43:00.001-07:002018-10-16T23:25:50.338-07:00Book Review: The Fragile Ordinary <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>*<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">I received an e-arc for free in exchange for an honest review*</span></b></span><br />
Publication Date: June 26th, 2018<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075QZLWML/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B075QZLWML&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a>/<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36269878-the-fragile-ordinary">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">I am Comet Caldwell.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">And I sort of, kind of, absolutely hate my name.</span></div>
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<span id="freeText1280228294277636144" style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">People expect extraordinary things from a girl named Comet. That she’ll be effortlessly cool and light up a room the way a comet blazes across the sky.<br /><br />But from the shyness that makes her book-character friends more appealing than real people to the parents whose indifference hurts more than an open wound, Comet has never wanted to be the center of attention. She can’t wait to graduate from her high school in Edinburgh, Scotland, where the only place she ever feels truly herself is on her anonymous poetry blog. But surely that will change once she leaves to attend university somewhere far, far away.<br /><br />When new student Tobias King blazes in from America and shakes up the school, Comet thinks she’s got the bad boy figured out. Until they’re thrown together for a class assignment and begin to form an unlikely connection. Everything shifts in Comet’s ordinary world. Tobias has a dark past and runs with a tough crowd—and none of them are happy about his interest in Comet. Targeted by bullies and thrown into the spotlight, Comet and Tobias can go their separate ways…or take a risk on something extraordinary.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; text-align: left;">So I seem to be in the minority that didn't love this book. The Fragile Ordinary didn't have much blatantly wrong about it; I just felt like I wasn't emotionally impacted or invested. So, let's dig into some of my problems and what I thought was done well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">What I liked:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><b>1) The Parent-Daughter Dynamics</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Comet's relationship with her parents was complex, heartbreaking, and well-done. Her mom basically ignored her and her dad wasn't much better... and we see all these interesting </span><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">conflicts arise from this. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><b>2) Stevie</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Stevie - the character who would normally be the villain - was three dimensional and shown as an actual human being. Yes he did some bad things at the end, but I was invested in his story and sad about his ending. His story was also well-done.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">What I didn't like:</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><b>1) Comet</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">I just couldn't connect to Comet. She's supposed to be relate-able to readers but it sounds forced. She says things like "I'm such a geek" and in general just seems unauthentically quirky? And this critique is coming from ME (a person who is maybe a little quirky). It's not the quirkiness I have a problem with; it's the less-than-genuine portrayal of it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><b>2) The Romance</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">The romance was lacking. So I didn't care a whit about Tobias and I didn't care if he ended up with Comet. There's a problem there. </span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">3) The pacing/writing </span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">I was occasionally bored and I felt like the writing was a tiny bit juvenile. It was easily readable though - I just felt like the plot was slower and kind of bland. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">I mean it looks like I hated this book (I didn't!). I definitely liked parts. I just wasn't majorly impressed. But many people loved it so don't just take my word for it.</span><br />
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-58204664634151635922018-07-23T07:32:00.001-07:002018-07-23T20:23:41.047-07:00Review: The Idiot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The Idiot by Elif Batuman </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30962053-the-idiot?from_search=true">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<span id="freeText13428738819526467191" style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Selin, a tall, highly strung Turkish-American from New Jersey turns up at Harvard and finds herself dangerously overwhelmed by the challenges and possibilities of adulthood. She studies linguistics and literature, and spends a lot of time thinking about what language – and languages – can and cannot do. Along the way she befriends Svetlana, a cosmopolitan Serb, and obsesses over Ivan, a mathematician from Hungary.<br /><br />Selin ponders profound questions about how culture and language shape who we are, how difficult it is to be a failed writer, and how baffling love is. At once clever and clueless, Batuman’s heroine shows us with perfect hilarity and soulful inquisitiveness just how messy it can be to forge a self.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeTextreview2464655805" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">I picked up The Idiot while in Britain on a summer trip. I had never heard of it before but something inexplicably drew me to it. I then read the synopsis and the blurbs and was sold; it was about a Harvard student and I was going to go see the campus while on a trip to Boston. The book came at the perfect time. Vanity Fair called it<b> "masterfully funny"</b> on the front cover so I thought I was in for a lighter read.<br /><br />And it was hilarious; there's no doubt about it. There were so many parts that made me laugh out loud. SO many. <b>Batuman, with her dry humor, has quite a talent for unexpectedly witty sentences. </b>And there were so many thoughts of Selin's that resonated with me - so many quotes that I plan to write down and keep somewhere.<br /><br />However, I really wouldn't classify this as light reading. There's reference after reference to famous literature, art, people etc. Selin is a student at Harvard, and while she is clueless about some things, she is also extraordinarily smart in academic areas. <b>My brain definitely grew a bit after reading this </b>(kind of like how the Grinch's heart grew in the 1966 movie... that's what it felt like) .<br /><br />Also, while this book was funny, there were parts that were (kind of) depressing. And it wasn't like unbearably dreary stuff; <b>Batuman simply portrayed life as it is - with all its ugliness and sharp edges. </b>And what's amazing is that she doesn't even dwell on many horrible tidbits.<br /><br />For example, Selin's friend Svetlana (who I found so interesting that I could easily write a ten page paper on her) divulges that she had an eating disorder and, upon finding out, her mother's only response was to tell her there were pills for making her skinny. And then her family continued to harangue her about her weight. Isn't that horrible? And all this information only took up like a small paragraph or two.<b> It's grittily realistic.</b> This is one of many examples of these breathtaking bombs Batuman surprises us with.<br /><br />Another one of the more realistic (but not fun) parts of the book is seeing Selin struggle. She doesn't sleep, she lives in books, she's judgey etc. (she's going to get a B in Russian maybe... oh no) One of my favorite scenes is when she sees a therapist (I think... or some sort of counselor-type) and he diagnoses her flaws. Although she is still such a lovable character.<br /><br />Then there's Ivan. Ohhhhhhh, he was one of Selin's worst decisions (and she made quite a few). I knew he was incredibly bad news from the get-go. <b>And Selin discovers what it's like to get her heart broken and it sucks.</b> But their relationship was weirdly intellectual; and their bond was so fascinating.<br /><br />There's two parts of The Idiot in my mind: Harvard and Hungary. And both of these parts were just jam packed of things. I know "things" is a bad word (too vague) but that's what it felt like: <b>so many people and classes and stories and anecdotes and thoughts.</b> It was so stimulating. The section is Hungary was particularly a roller coaster of new people (which Selin herself comments on).<br /><br />At the end Selin has less answers than she wanted, but I think she has more answers than she think she has. And, yes, she's still young and frustrated and confused... but please show me a college student who isn't. I'm sorry if I rambled during this review; but I could have rambled on for pages. So I guess you also should be thankful for my attempt at brevity at this late hour?<br /><br />5/5 Stars</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-13146917292622550312018-07-13T14:58:00.001-07:002021-02-12T04:40:55.939-08:00I'm Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I'm back from my trip to visit colleges! There were definitely colleges I loved and others that I axed off the list. I have to now start thinking about applying and writing my essays. Isn't that strange?<br />
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Sadly, I only managed to read like 2.5 books on my trip. Although, I also journaled everyday, walked a lottttttt, and took notes on prospective schools. So, it was a pretty productive venture.<br />
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Here's what I read on my trip:<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488l/28458598.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488l/28458598.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474782288l/30962053.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474782288l/30962053.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<b>When Dimple Met Rishi</b> was cute, and I love the author (I stalk her on twitter), but I definitely had a few issues. I'll do a review soon and try to articulate my thoughts.<br />
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<b>The Idiot</b>, however, was absolutely amazing. Elif Batuman is an author to watch for sure. I'll definitely have a review for this since I cannot stop thinking about it.<br />
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So, what's next? I have my home studio ballet intensive to look forward to (along with the regular 5 days/week of classes all summer), a week-long family trip, college prep and extended essay writing, and hopefully lots more reading!<br />
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<b>Ciao!</b><br />
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<br />Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-78201796563020676822018-06-27T12:00:00.000-07:002018-06-27T12:00:10.440-07:00Where Am I? (+ Travel TBR) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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By the time you're reading this I will be on a plane. (And very tired!)<br />
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So, for the<b> next two-ish weeks</b> I will be traveling to Boston and England to check out colleges (or *ahem* universities). I'm really excited but a little nervous.<br />
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I can't believe I am so close to being an adult. It's <b>absolutely unbelievable</b>... but I am so stoked to check out schools. Therefore, I won't be blogging or replying to comments etc. as much. :(<br />
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But, don't worry... with all the planes, trains, and metro rides I'm sure I will be doing plenty of reading!<br />
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<b>Here's the books I'm bringing with me: </b><br />
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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??</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Bye! I'll be back soon :) </span></div>
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-43926250063481033922018-06-26T00:53:00.000-07:002018-06-26T01:16:01.105-07:00Sarah J Maas Mini Reviews So, a while ago I wrote this<a href="https://countinginbookcases.blogspot.com/2016/09/sarah-j-maas-appreciation-post.html"> little appreciation post</a> 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:<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485355662l/31938963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1485355662l/31938963.jpg" width="262" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>A Court of Wings and Ruin</b></span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31938963-a-court-of-wings-and-ruin">Goodreads</a><br />
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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)<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497973101l/31450852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497973101l/31450852.jpg" width="262" /></a><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tower of Dawn </span></b><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31450852-tower-of-dawn?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a><br />
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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*<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1517328945l/31076583.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1517328945l/31076583.jpg" width="263" /></a><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Court of Frost and Starlight </span></b><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31076583-a-court-of-frost-and-starlight?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a><br />
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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.)Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-18412359879519547142018-06-25T10:45:00.001-07:002018-06-25T10:45:59.744-07:00My Summer TBR <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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:<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488l/28458598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488l/28458598.jpg" width="211" /></a><b></b><br />
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<b><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">1) When Dimple Met Rishi </span></b></b><br />
<b><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28458598-when-dimple-met-rishi?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a></b></b><br />
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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??<br />
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<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498056987l/20734002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498056987l/20734002.jpg" width="211" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>2) The Weight of Feathers</b></span><br />
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20734002-the-weight-of-feathers?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a> </b><br />
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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!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">3) Strange the Dreamer</span></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28449207-strange-the-dreamer?ac=1&from_search=true">Goodreads</a></b><br />
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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.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">4) Nevernight </span></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26114463-nevernight?from_search=true">Goodreads</a></b><br />
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.)<br />
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So, there we go!!! Well, actually there's like twenty more books on my summer TBR <b>but</b> 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.<br />
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The book worm life is hard I tell you.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Thanks for stopping by!</span></div>
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-36484290531951144852018-06-22T22:16:00.000-07:002018-06-22T22:16:26.636-07:00Mini Review: Leah on the Offbeat <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1510886704l/31180248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1510886704l/31180248.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli </span><br />
Publication Date: April 2018<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31180248-leah-on-the-offbeat">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">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.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">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... </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">*Spoilers*</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><b>What I liked:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) Simon and Bram (obviously) <3</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) College talk! (Seeing these character going on campus tours while I'm at the same stage in my life was so cool)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3) The Leigh Bardugo and other fandom references (Nina and Inej. My heart!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) I love Leah's mom</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6) The American Girl Store Debacle</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7) I just love Albertalli's writing style and sense of humor</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><b>What I didn't like:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) Leah's treatment of her mom</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) Leah's treatment of Garrett</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">3) Leah's treatment of people in </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">general</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">4) Prom felt very unrealistic. Very </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">romanticized</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"> almost? And over dramatic? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5) Okay... confession time: I just wasn't really feeling or shipping Leah and Abby together at all.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> This was a major issue considering they're the main focus. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">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.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><br /></span>Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-56297244232193939962018-06-20T23:11:00.002-07:002018-10-16T23:16:17.211-07:00Review: Restore Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Restore Me by Teherah Mafi</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Shatter Me #4</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">435 pages</span><br />
Publication Date: March 2018<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34992929-restore-me">Goodreads</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">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?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">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. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">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. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">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. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">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. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">And, boy, were there plot twists galore! I cannot wait for book 5 after that ending. Please give it to me now! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">Mafi is such an expressive, beautiful writer. And this continuation does the original trilogy proud. I am so relieved! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);" /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">4.5/5 Stars</span></span><br />
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-63566018846986716282018-06-19T11:31:00.002-07:002018-06-19T11:32:28.663-07:00Review: This Song Will Save Your Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales<br />
Pub date: September 2013<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21469098-this-song-will-save-your-life">Goodreads</a><br />
<b style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">A powerful coming-of-age story about an outsider who finds herself when she enters the underground music scene.</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">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.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">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. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">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. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">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 </span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">whirlwind</span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> romance with a happily ever after. There are mean girls and douche bags. That won't </span>change<span style="font-family: inherit;">. However, music and </span>friends and family can make up for all the bad.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Sales' book is a story of life and all its ups and downs. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">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. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><br /></span></span>Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-25261437635324931122018-06-18T16:34:00.003-07:002018-06-18T16:39:07.895-07:00Review: Jeweled Fire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jeweled Fire by Sharon Shinn</span><br />
Pub Date: November 2015<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21528313-jeweled-fire?from_search=true"><span style="color: black;">Goodreads</span></a><br />
<span id="freeText2076378743116567849" style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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…</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">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. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white;">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. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">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?</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>1) Corene and the fun cast </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">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!) </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>2) The world building </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">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. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>3) The plot</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">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). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><b>4) The romance</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">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. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">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!</span></span><br />
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Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-61808518380740945612018-04-22T22:04:00.002-07:002018-05-17T16:30:46.786-07:00Review: Royal Airs <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Royal Airs by Sharon Shinn</span><br />
Pub Date: November 2013<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13578466-royal-airs">Goodreads</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Josetta is a princess of one of the Five Families. But she is far from the throne, so she is free to spend her days working in the poorest sections of the city. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Rafe Adova, an outcast since he was born, lives the life of a career gambler in those slums. He has no ambition other than cheating at the card tables—until the night he decides to help a girl named Corene, who looks like she's stumbled into the wrong bar. She, too, is a princess—sister to Josetta, who finds her with Rafe. He fascinates her. </span><br style="font-size: 14px;" /><br style="font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Josetta has never encountered anyone like him—someone seemingly devoid of elemental blessings. He is drawn to her, though he thinks they are unlikely to ever meet again—but their connection grows strong when she nurses him back to health after he is assaulted by foreign mercenaries. </span><br style="font-size: 14px;" /><br style="font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">And when they learn the reason he's being hunted, they know that the truth about his history could endanger not only their love but also their very lives...</span></span><br />
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Royal Airs was a <b>royal let-down</b>. I am sad to say it, but it's true. This was by no means terrible! In fact, I still enjoyed it and rated it 3 stars. Put simply, this book was such a disappointment only because I loved Troubled Waters so much. </div>
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Josetta and Rafe simply paled in comparison to Zoe and Darien. They seemed like nice people but they were bland and boring. Rafe was supposed to be exciting (he's a gambler and a pilot!) but he still <b>lacked a personality</b>. And the so-called plot twist about why he was so special seemed trite, unlikely, and unoriginal. It felt like Shin kept trying to yell at us "RAFE IS SO SPESHUL" to make up for his aforementioned lack of personality. </div>
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Josetta was also nice; I liked that she ran a shelter in the slums. She was pretty low-key. She almost seemed too perfect; and <b>perfect is boring</b>. (The most interesting part about her was her past.) And the characters together made a "blah" couple. There was <b>no build-up, no fire</b>, and I was actually rooting for them to NOT end up together. And the plot was boring as well. Phooey. </div>
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However, now that we're done with the bad, let's go over the good things:</div>
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1) The Setting: I established in my review of Troubled Waters that I LOVE Welce and all the Elemental Blessings. <b>The world simply comes alive when you read. </b> </div>
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2) Side Characters: <b>I loved seeing Zoe and Darien again.</b> And all the primes and Corene. AND there are cool NEW side characters like Steff.</div>
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3) The sub-plots: I liked the sub-plots involving the royal succession, Alis, Corene, and other beloved characters. I liked learning about the other countries beside Welce like Malinqua. Basically I liked all the plots not heavily involving the main couple. </div>
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4) The ending: The end leaves off with Corene, my favorite character, doing something drastic. Corene is so much more spunky and interesting than Josetta. And she's the protagonist of the next book. <b>I have a feeling Jeweled Fire will be amazing.</b> I can't wait!</div>
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<br />Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8943420435099604168.post-26357553672137783332018-04-11T20:39:00.000-07:002018-04-13T10:07:12.140-07:00Review: Troubled Waters <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Published: May 10, 2010</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10662507-troubled-waters">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<span id="freeText3927488148664077323"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Zoe Ardelay receives astonishing and unwelcome news: she has been chosen to become the king’s fifth wife. Forced to go to the royal city, she manages to slip away and hide on the shores of the mighty river.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It’s there that Zoe realizes she is a coru prime ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood — and the secrets of the royal family — she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court.<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After I read the stunning, spectacular Summers at Castle Auburn I knew I needed to pick up another Sharon Shinn book. I decided to start with the Elemental Blessings series. I actually bought the whole series without reading a single book. It was pretty risky. I know. I'm living on the edge. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thankfully, Sharon Shinn did not disappoint. At all. The whole time I was entranced by the intricate world of elemental blessings and the slow-burn romance. I didn't want the book to end! It has everything: court intrigue, magic, romance, mystery, a wonderful cast of characters... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So the first amazing thing about Troubled Waters is the heroine Zoe Ardelay. Her story is set into motion by a visit from the infuriating Darien Serlast. Her </span>journey and character<span style="font-family: inherit;"> is ever-changing and evolving (part of her coru blood). However, she is also powerful and smart. She has morals and values that set her apart from a lot of the schemers at court. Her three blessings are beauty, power, and love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Speaking of blessings, the world of Welce was so creative. The people of Welce have a system of blessings; three are given at birth and random ones can be drawn anytime. The people also believe in the power of numbers and balance. Every part of the world was thought out. There are even car-like vehicles called elay-motives. Also, there</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> are five primes for each element. Zoe is the coru prime and has tremendous control over water and blood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first part of the book is pretty slow but I loved falling into Zoe's life. I loved reading about her time living by the river in the city, </span>Chialto, <span style="font-family: inherit;">fending for herself and making invaluable friends. I really got to know the world and the people. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The second part of the book is at court. The intrigue at court and the plot twists were all very entertaining. Let's just say Zoe's ability to read blood lines uncovers a lot of scandals. And I have a feeling Queen Alys is going to cause more problems in future books. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The ending was satisfying and left our main characters in a happy place. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, there are a lot of loose ends for the realm of Welce and I can't wait to read Josetta's story. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can bet I immediately picked up Royal Airs after this. I have a feeling this series will be a new favorite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Emily Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07849751296048757677noreply@blogger.com0