The Passage by Justin Cronin

An epic and gripping tale of catastrophe and survival,The Passage is the story of Amy—abandoned by her mother at the age of six, pursued and then imprisoned by the shadowy figures behind a government experiment of apocalyptic proportions. But Special Agent Brad Wolgast, the lawman sent to track her down, is disarmed by the curiously quiet girl and risks everything to save her. As the experiment goes nightmarishly wrong, Wolgast secures her escape—but he can’t stop society’s collapse. And as Amy walks alone, across miles and decades, into a future dark with violence and despair, she is filled with the mysterious and terrifying knowledge that only she has the power to save the ruined world.

I have mixed feelings about this book.  It's been on my to-be-read list since it was published, and for some reason, I just kept putting it off.  Now that I've read it, I can't help but wonder if somewhere my brain knew that I would feel very 'meh' about it.

The good of this novel includes the monsters and the base characters of Amy, Lacey, and Wolgast.  The post-apocalyptic world built here is also good.  My issues lie with the massive complexity of this novel.  There are so many characters (many whom I didn't care one lick about).  Right about the time I started investing in their story, I was ripped away to a whole new character and didn't see the old one for a long time. 

This novel made me feel tired.  I must admit I slogged through it.  And while there were moments when I did lose myself in the story, it was few and far between.

3/5

785 pages     

Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West

Summary: "Seventeen-year-old Abby Turner’s summer isn’t going the way she’d planned. She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to show her paintings Abby isn’t going to take any chances.

Which is where the list comes in.

Abby gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3) to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that if she can complete the list she’ll become the kind of artist she’s always dreamed of being. But as the deadline approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as straightforward as it seems… and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself."

Kasie West's latest book was the perfect vacation read, as usual! I laughed out loud multiple times, Abby is quite the witty MC. I loved every minute of reading this book :) 

384 pages

American Panda by Gloria Chao

American Panda by Gloria Chao
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a good story, overall. I enjoyed it, though the end definitely didn't blow me away.

I liked taking a peek at cultural differences, though I feel like this fed into all the expected stereotypes, when I was really hoping for something fresher or a bit different. I've already read the overbearing-Asian-parents- insist-their-teenager- has -to-become-a-doctor trope so many times that I confess I'm a bit tired of it. There has to be more diversity in parents' attitudes than this. In that regard, this isn't a particularly original story, though I enjoyed Mei. She had a unique voice, and I found her journey to be interesting, overall.

Book 191 read in 2018

Pages: 311

Breaking the Ice (Juniper Falls #2) by Julie Cross

Summary: "Haley Stevenson seems like she’s got it all together: cheer captain, “Princess” of Juniper Falls, and voted Most Likely to Get Things Done. But below the surface, she’s struggling with a less-than-stellar GPA and still reeling from the loss of her first love. Repeating her Civics class during summer school is her chance to Get Things Done, not angst over boys. In fact, she’s sworn them off completely until college.

Fletcher Scott is happy to keep a low profile around Juniper Falls. He’s always been the invisible guy, warming the bench on the hockey team and moonlighting at a job that would make his grandma blush. Suddenly, though, he’s finding he wants more: more time on the ice, and more time with his infuriatingly perfect summer-school study partner. 

But leave it to a girl who requires perfection to shake up a boy who’s ready to break all the rules."

I adored this second novel in the Juniper Falls series. Haley and Fletcher are well-rounded characters, with believable flaws and natural character development. Their romance is slow but still sizzling. 

 341 pages

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

When Dougless Montgomery is left alone and weeping at a church in the English countryside, seemingly abandoned by her boyfriend and his daughter on their tour of England, she wishes for a knight in shining armor to come and sweep her off her feet. However, she never dreamed that Nicholas Stafford, a real sixteenth century knight, would materialize in front of her very eyes. Sent forward in time to change what is set to become his future, Lord Nicholas has much to learn. Fortunately for him, Dougless is willing to help, and together they embark on a journey to prevent a turn of events that, if unchanged, will end with Lord Nicholas's beheading.

469 pages.

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is absolutely fabulous, and I would expect nothing less from Becky Albertalli. It's heartfelt and humorous, and it grabbed my attention right from the start. Simon makes appearances throughout the story, which I enjoyed, as he's so lovable and adorable. Leah is pretty different. She's not as cuddly as Simon, but I enjoy how raw and honest she is.

I want there to be so many books like this available that I don't feel the need to point out how great it is to have a well-written YA novel about an overweight girl who is bisexual. Currently, I feel like I still need to keep pointing it out and acknowledging how much I appreciate the diversity in YA novels these days, but I hope that one day, characters like Leah will be so common that all I do is focus my review on how amazing and sweet the story is, regardless of the appearance or sexuality of the MC.

Book 190 read in 2018

Pages: 339

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oliver reappears after being kidnapped ten years ago. He has to reconnect with his friends and family. He realizes that his family has changed and he has a hard time figuring out where how to get over the past. His neighbor Emmy was his best friend, they begin very quick that they still have a great connection. She begins to help him get past all things that happened to him while he was gone. 

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352 Pages

Castle in the Air by Diana Wynne Jones

Abdullah was a young and not very prosperous carpet dealer. His father, who had been disappointed in him, had left him only enough money to open a modest booth in the Bazaar. When he was not selling carpets, Abdullah spent his time daydreaming. In his dreams he was not the son of his father, but the long-lost son of a prince. There was also a princess who had been betrothed to him at birth. He was content with his life and his daydreams until, one day, a stranger sold him a magic carpet.

In this stunning sequel to Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones has again created a large-scale, fast-paced fantasy in which people and things are never quite what they seem. There are good and bad djinns, a genie in a bottle, wizards, witches, cats and dogs (but are they cats and dogs?), and a mysterious floating castle filled with kidnapped princesses, as well as two puzzling prophecies. The story speeds along with tantalizing twists and turns until the prophecies are fulfilled, true identities are revealed, and all is resolved in a totally satisfying, breathtaking, surprise-filled ending.

This is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle (somehow I read number three before this one, but it's all good).  I am all-in for Diana Wynne Jones.  Seriously.  I love these books so much that I purchased copies to add to my personal library.  Of the three, this one is probably my least favorite, but it's still a 5-star.  I finished it in one sitting and loved every minute.  They're just plain fun.

304 pages

5/5

Go: A Coming of Age Novel by Kazuki Kaneshiro

Go: A Coming of Age Novel by Kazuki Kaneshiro
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a YA story about a Korean student, who goes to a Japanese school. I think the translation is solid (no complaints about the writing), and the audiobook is good.

This started out okay and had my attention, but it quickly lost steam. I confess, I don't even recall how it ended, and I just finished reading it yesterday. It felt more like a character study, or a window view at a certain kind of character, rather than a truly cohesive story. There were some interesting parts, but I just don't love this.

Book 189 read in 2018

Pages: 172

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a cute little story about a couple of teenagers that find a unique way to realize that  they have a lot of common. I loved her family, they are funny and her two little brothers are so cute. 

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330 Pages

Misadventures of a Backup Bride by Shayla Black
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been hearing from a friend that the "Misadventures Books" are funny. This was the  first one that I read and I am happy to say that I will be checking into other books like this. 

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280 Pages

Truth North Series

Bittersweet by Sarina Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book, but it was very slow going for me. It took a little before I really got into it. Griffin and Audrey had first met in college. Than Audrey had to go to Vermont for work which is when she begin to hang out with Griffin again. I will move onto the next book, because I did like some side characters and I am hoping to get to hear their stories. 


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348 Pages

Book 2: Steadfast
I was excited to hear Jude's story. I was very curious to see what happened really that nigh. I didn't see the way the story was going to end. I was very shocked but still happy that it worked out for them. 

On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Rereading this one left me feeling so frayed around the edges. I remembered the difficult story line, the Australian charm, and the fascinating, nonlinear approach in which 20+ years were woven together in what feels like a random fashion (but is definitely not random) to create one story. The unique way in which the story is told has always stood out to me.

I did not remember (or chose not to) how much it actually hurts to read this one, nor how much of the story is composed of grief and misunderstanding. There's also a lot of joy here, but I think that only a span of 4 years has made a difference in how I absorbed this story. I think it's still a great read, but the feels wrecked me this time.

Book 187 read in 2018

Pages: 290

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
Later. I will find all the words later, but you should be reading this. Right now

Shadows on the Moon by Zoë Marriott

Shadows on the Moon by Zoë Marriott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Let’s start with a positive. The audiobook narrator is excellent.

There are some other things I enjoy about this one (setting, world building, mostly decent writing), despite the pacing issues and unnecessary length, but there’s a lack of honesty in character actions and intentions that really bothers me throughout. Characters do not behave in ways that are true to themselves, and their motivations often feel lesser than their actions and words, which interferes with how much I believe their intentions.

There’s some instalove, but I confess I don’t mind instalove, since that’s quite frankly how some people operate. The problem is that it doesn’t feel like it’s how Suzume operates as a person, though I do like the guy (what little I know of him, since he has very little useful character development). There’s just something about it that rings false, and they spend too much time together having long winded conversations about each of their backstories, which I also didn’t enjoy very much. It leaves their “relationship” feeling flat, instead of 3D. So basically, I like both characters, but I’m underwhelmed by their connection which feels a bit false or forced.

One thing I like, though maybe I should not, is that this starts as a fantasy novel. Next, it becomes something of a revenge story, though the MC (Suzume) is unconvincing and never feels very emotional or vengeful to me (again her words and actions/intentions do not align). Then, around the 65-70% point, it suddenly becomes Memoirs of a Geisha, which is a book I happen to love a lot, so I totally caught... (click below to read on)

Book 183 read in 2018.

Pages: 464

Stage Dive Series

Lick by Kylie Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 Book 1: Lick
 Evelyn wakes up in Vegas realizing that she got married to some guy the night before. She has no idea who he is or what happened. For the next few weeks she gets to know the man that she married. This is the second book that I have read where someone wakes up in Vegas after getting married. Makes me wonder how often this really happens. haha                                                 
286 Pages

Book 2: Play
I was so excited that book two was Mal. He is just the person that I wanted to hear about next. After how well he treated Evelyn in Lick, I know that he was going to be a great guy. Omg, they where so funny playing house, like nothing would come of it.                       
 294 Pages

Book 3: Lead
I was very pleased that this book was about Jimmy. I didn't know that I wanted to hear about him much at first from book 1. He wasn't a good guy and did things that where just awful. However, in this book he was working on his issues and turned out to be a much better guy than I was thinking. 
305 Pages

Book 4: Deep
I could see these two happening since book 2, and I am so happy about it! I don't get why Mal and Evelyn where not happy with the way things worked out. I wish there was more books in this series. Sad that they are all over. 
271 Pages

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

This is one of my favorite YA novels, and I don't throw the word favorite around easily. If you told me to grab 10 novels, before stranding me on a deserted island, this would be one of the 10 I grab. No hesitation.

I thought I'd revisit this beauty on audio this week, but the reality is that once I began, there was no turning back. I read it straight through, staying up far too late, even though I already knew how it would all work out. This story is so gorgeous, awkward, and emotional, and I love the use of art and creation to express and uncover truth.

The previous review still stands, and this time, I'll give it the sun, and the moon, and all the flowers, too.

Book 185 read in 2018

Pages: 371

PREVIOUS REVIEW:

All Lined Up by Cora Carmack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The beginning of this book was my favorite part. They way that she met him was so funny. The way the football team treats Dallas is just awful, but also how I was felt like they would act. 

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305 Pages

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book 1: Gives you the setting of what happened to these three teenagers. This book is more about Jenna and what she goes through to remember what happened to her and deal with what she has become now. 

Book 2: Helps give the understanding of what the other two teenagers went through. Locke and Kara, where trapped in a dark world for over 200 years. Once they are able to escape that dark world, they come back to a whole new world that they need to learn how to live in. Locke handles the changes and the fact that Jenna escaped the dark world years ago. Kara doesn't handle it as well. 

Book 3: Locke begins to learn who he is and starts to help others. He is asked to help save someone that has been a prisoner for 16 years. He also starts to figure out who he is in the new world. 

I loved the first book. With the second book I loved the new world but felt like the story took a little longer to get there. However, this needed to happen for you to get  a better understanding of the new world. I had to finish the third book right away because at the end of book two I needed to know what would happen next. 

The Adoration of Jenna Fox 266 Pages
The Fox Inheritance 304 Pages
Fox Forever 304 Pages

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Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I guess I’m the odd woman out on this one, because for me, this read like a rough draft, with a lagging plot, poor characterization, and waaayyyyyyyyyyyyy too much telling.

If you struggle with unique worlds and need the kind of story where instead of being shown how the magic works, the characters endlessly tell you how it works and explain everything to you through lengthy dialogue (things they already have known for years but waited until that convenient moment to impart to others), then this might work for you.

It doesn’t work for me, because everything is too easy, and the telling is too boring and tedious. I’m smart, and so are others readers. Just show us your world. If it’s too complex to show it effectively, bit by bit, then the writing style needs work. Because in my opinion, worlds are rarely boring or broken. It’s just how they are presented to readers that either rises up or crashes and burns. This crashed and burned for me, but I think it had potential, had it gone through some additional edits and rewrites. This draft just wasn’t ... (click below to read more)

Book 183 read in 2018

Pages: 297

Rescue My Heart by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my favorite of all 3. This couple was the best and they had a past that they needed to work out as well.

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304 Pages

Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall

Sugar by Deirdre Riordan Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is very upsetting, until the point where it becomes EVEN MORE UPSETTING.

This is the story of an obese teen who grows up in an extremely abusive situation. I spent 50% of the book mentally pleading with the MC to run away. RUN AWAY, SUGAR, JUST RUN AWAY.

I desperately wanted her to flee the terrible situation, because I couldn't take reading about it. This is something I normally wouldn't advocate for with a teen, as even though it seems like nothing can be worse than staying in a terrible situation, the reality is that things usually can get worse for young runaways. But the heart wants what the heart wants.

Also, did I mention there's an EVEN MORE UPSETTING thing that you should prepare yourself for? Unfortunately, it was something Sugar couldn't have even run away from. Life came and just gave her another big punch in the gut, as if she wasn't able to become who she would be without hitting rock bottom. That's why this gets 4 stars, instead of 5, as I don't love the whole, take everything away from the MC, in order for her to become her best self mentality. I think people can become their best self with a little love and support, too. But overall, it's a good read if you don't mind being depressed throughout, with small flashes of beauty and hope.

Book 182 read in 2018

Pages: 276

Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have thought about starting this series many times, this weekend I decided to actually start reading them. I loved them!! They remind me a lot of Julie James books. 

The first book will help give you an idea of who the other two books will be about. I enjoyed this couple and I was happy to see how things worked out. 

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295 Pages



Animal Attraction by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was really excited to read this second book. After meeting these two in the first book I was looking forward to hearing their story. 

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293 Pages