Rebel by Marie Lu

I read this series years ago, but the ending was left so open ended. I was excited when I heard Marie Lu was writing a follow-up novel. I love how she expanded both on the characters' past and future lives beyond the original three novels. We see Eden develop his own personality and connections to the Republic, and we finally get to learn how Daniel survived all those years on his own in the streets. Seeing the gamification society of Antartica fleshed out more was great, and the story, as ever, is that cinematic drama Lu is so good at! Daniel slowly gets his memories back and finally comes back to June. *yasssssss* The ending was so amazing, I cried a bit when it was over!


Fantastic series. Great final addition!

378 pages

Read Harder Challenge Task #9

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Haters gonna hate, and the rest of us are just going to reread Twilight, enjoy it for exactly what it was intended to be, and then visit Forks and La Push (baby!) with our besties and have one heck of a fun time.





















But on a separate note, this is technically my least favorite Twilight novel, and I'm still Team Jacob, forever, which I'll get into further once I reread and review New Moon.



Book 193 read in 2018

Pages: 498

View all my reviews

Arcana Chronicles #2-4: Endless Knight, Dead of Winter, Arcana Rising by Kresley Cole

I'm not sure where to start with this series.  Seriously.  It's a roller coaster of good and bad with some superb loop-de-loops and some serious slow downs.

My main complaint in the first book was the extreme idiocy and weakness of the main female character.  That did change (thank God) in the second book.  She's still rather naive sometimes, but at least the stupidity has stopped.

As in the first book, the world is by far the strength of this series.  Having people personify tarot cards is a great premise, and I like the Hunger Games feel of the whole thing.  The action scenes are well written and the side characters definitely steal the show.  The love triangle, however, is overdone and SO simpering.  This series would benefit from removing the romance of the main character immensely.

There is a fifth book.  I don't think I will be picking it up.  I didn't like the twist at the end of book four, and there is a definite increase in the amount of romance and sappiness throughout the series.  I also wish I could remind the author that she is writing about teenagers.  They seem to be less and less so as the books move on.

Endless Knight - 4/5, 320 pages

Dead of Winter - 3/5, 336 pages

Arcana Rising - 3/5, 280 pages

Paper Princess by Erin Watt

Paper Princess by Erin Watt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What. Happened.

Did I actually just read that?

This book is like going on a bad date with pretty eye candy. You know you should call it off halfway through dinner, but you just can’t look away long enough to gather your brain to do it.





I feel almost the same way about this book as I do about the show, The Bachelor. I hate that I love it. I also love how much I hate it.

I seriously can’t believe I wasted all that time reading this story, and yet I immediately picked up book two like a starving person grabbing for a single crust of bread. Feed me, Seymore! Feed me!

This book is a midlife crisis in progress and probably the reason why half of Goodreads now needs therapy. I’m up, then I’m down. I’m hot, then I’m cold. I’m in, then I’m out. It’s an *expletives redacted* pop song.





It’s like everything I never needed, and something I’ve always wanted, except when I don’t want it at all, which feels like most of the time, until suddenly I desperately want it all again.





The only thing that makes less sense than this review is this book, and yet there are moments when it feels like it’s ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING and I’m so all in I can’t even fathom turning away. Then I turn away and take a deep breath of normalcy, only to seconds later start whisper singing Total Eclipse of the Heart while clutching this book to my chest (Turn around) and ugly crying (every now and then I fall apart).

This is a mess.

(Once upon a time I was falling in love)

But I kind of want to lay down inside the mess until it swallows me up and I can live inside it.

(Now I'm only falling apart)

This book has turned me into a mess. This is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for the critical, intellectual reader. You’re going to have to just take what comes at you and try to hold on with this one, while squashing down judgment, and releasing reality to the wind.

Goodbye, expectations of some kind or princess or royalty story. Hello strippers and machismo and what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, even though this story isn’t even set in Vegas.

I feel I have no other choice here but to do some crazy combination of fangirl and hater math to determine a score for this Beautiful Disaster:

Inner Hopeless Romantic Says: 5 stars with heart eyes

(Turn around)

Logical Head Says: 1 Star and a tragic head shake

(Turn around, bright eyes)

Emotions Say: *%&^$#*&*

(Every now and then I fall apart)

Inner-Drama Queen Says: 10 stars

(And I need you now tonight)

Average score: 4 of the weirdest and most uncertain stars I’ve ever awarded

(And I need you more than ever)

Except when I don’t need you. Because, just no, on so many levels, for so many reasons, it’s a no. No, no no. Except when I forget that it’s a no and I’m all yes again. Yes, yes, yes!





Book 93 read in 2018


Pages: 370

Altered by Jennifer Rush

Summary: "They were made to forget. But they'll never forgive. Everything about Anna's life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There's Nick, solemn and brooding, Cas, light-hearted and playful, Trev, smart and caring, and Sam, who's stolen Anna's heart. When the Branch decides its time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape. Anna's father pushes her to go with them, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch at all costs. On the run with her fathers warning in her head, Anna begins to doubt everything she thought she knew about herself. She soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if there both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away." - Amazon

I had really high hopes for this book as a few people have recommended the series to me as great YA Sci-Fi.  It did not meet those hopes. :( 

This novel has potential.  The premise is good, but the characters are flat in the most extreme sense.  The main problems with this book, however, lie within the overall plot and with the decisions and qualities of the characters.  I found the twists predictable and felt the big reveal about Anna did not support her choices and traits.  In fact, my main issue with this book is Anna.  She is supposed to be the heroine, but she is naive, rather weak, and extremely inconsistent.  There is nothing that will turn me off of a book faster than a whiny, simpering, lead female character.  

That being said, a whole lot of people like this series, so I am pretty sure I am the outlier.  My recommendation is to read the summary, read some reviews, and decide for yourself if this is a book for you.

2/5

323 pages

Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There are a few emerald gems in this collection (sorry, but diamonds = meh), but there are also some major bombs that are barely readable. Overall, that makes this collection disappointing. If you want YA short Stories, grab Let it Snow, My True Love Gave to Me, or Geektastic, which are all superior to this collection.

There are a few stories that I really love in here, but the fact that some of the stories are written in 2nd, not because they need to be but for the whole gimmick effect, is infuriating. The stories in 2nd are all pretty poorly written, and it’s very jolting and disruptive to the reader. It’s hard to pull off 2nd in the first place, so when someone writes in 2nd for the purpose of variety or a gimmick, instead of that being what the story truly demands, it’s really unpleasant. After a while, I could barely stomach it anymore, and it almost made me quit the whole anthology. This is the point where I should say that I have read things in 2nd before that I have enjoyed, in case you think I’m just an outright 2nd person hater. I confess, I don’t tend to love it, but I think that’s because people who choose to write in it rarely do so for the correct reasons and/or don’t do it well.

It’s also a bit frustrating, because each story is predicated on the concept of how potential new couple meets, which sounds adorable and fantastic. I was so excited, because I love meet cutes, but you don't get that in every story. Some of the stories aren't even remotely "meet cute" worthy, in my opinion. So sometimes this is sweet/ charming/ funny/ fun. Other times, the story ends right where you kind of wish it would begin, and you feel like you wasted all that time waiting to get to the interesting stuff and then were cut short. I guess it’s a concept that is a challenge for writers, because there’s an excellent list of authors tied to this project, authors I typically love, yet I’m still frustrated and disappointed by this one, overall. When meet cutes aren’t handled well, then the reader is left with a constant feeling of dissatisfaction, and what was supposed to be charming or adorable or quirky starts to become irritating.

However, if you are really intrigued by gimmicks, enough to overlook the need for strong storytelling, you might find something of interest here. There’s definitely a ton of diversity, which I appreciate. And I confess I loved a few of the stories so much that I desperately wished the author would go back and write a full story for those characters. Unfortunately, the imbalance was too great between the number of stories I loved vs. the number I just tolerated, which means I don't recommend this one...or I recommend it with the suggestion that you just skip the stories that aren't cutting it. You'll be able to tell right away, with most of them. When you get that terrible pit in your stomach, right at the start, and nothing seems to be going well with the storytelling, just skip ahead. You won't be missing anything, because the duds were obvious from the start and never got better.

Also, the cover is hideous, which should have probably been a warning sign, but I was hoping it was going to blow me away anyway.

Book 49 read in 2018

Pages: 320

The Selection Novellas by Kiera Cass

The Queen by Kiera Cass  (Book 0.4)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

This was a fascinating look into how the Kind and Queen came together during their selection. I confess that I hate the King and often don't respect the behaviors and choices of the Queen. All the same, I think their story is very interesting and provides a lot of insight.

Book 28 read in 2018

Pages: 72

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The Prince by Kiera Cass  (Book 0.5)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

So far, this is my favorite of the novellas, probably simply because it digs deeper into who Maxon is and what he thinks.

Book 28 read in 2018

Pages: 64

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The Guard by Kiera Cass  (Book 2.5)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

I enjoyed this less on the second read, mostly because I have lost a bit of interest in Aspen. I couldn't help wishing it was more about Lucy. That being said, it should still be read by those who adore the series, as it contributes more to who Aspen is.

Book 29 read in 2018

Pages: 64

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The Favorite by Kiera Cass  (Book 3.5)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Okay, I was wrong before. This is my favorite novella in this series, because it's about Carter and Marlee, whom I adore. Their love story came out of the blue in the actual series, since they aren't the main characters, so it was great to see how that developed here.

Book 31 read in 2018

Pages: 58

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

The Heir by Kiera Cass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

I enjoyed this just as much the second time. I really like that initially, it's hard for me to like Eadlyn, and it takes some getting to know her (and her getting to know herself) for her to grow on me. It's kind of a reminder that if you judge people on first impressions, you really do miss out on a lot.

Book 26 read in 2018

Pages: 368

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
When I started this book, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like it, despite enjoying the original series. I had trouble understanding the main character and didn't particularly like her. However, I don't feel it's necessary to like a character, as long as I can love their story.

The more I read, the more this grew on me. I actually started to understand the MC more and more, and I appreciated the ways she changed and grew throughout the story. I also really enjoyed the wide variety of guys and all of their interesting personalities.

If you secretly love the bachelor, this book is probably for you. If you haven't read the original trilogy though, I recommend you do that first. It's a bit light on the dystopia and heavy on the romance and drama, so I often wish that balance was reversed. However, it's a different, fun read. I'm happy I kept going long enough to give this story and its characters a chance.

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The Crown by Kiera Cass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Yep. Still love this. It's just fun on so many levels, though on this second read, I would have liked a bit more resolution at the end, even though it ends well, overall. That may just be me being greedy.

Book 27 read in 2018

Pages: 288

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
This was a great finale to a series that's perfect for anyone who is secretly or publicly addicted to The Bachelor on ABC.

Also, I think while the first book had some weaknesses (particularly in world building), despite being enjoyable, I could really see how the author has grown and improved her writing across the series.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

I started rereading this book 30 minutes before bedtime, having forgotten what a compulsive read it truly is, which means I was up late and am tired today, though I don't regret having stayed up to read the book straight through (again).

This story is full of drama and intrigue, a lot like The Bachelor, which is another guilty pleasure. It amuses me how the characters mirror behaviors you see from women thrown into the live version of this story, but it is still a compelling piece of fiction.

Is it fluffy?  

Absolutely.

Is if fun?   

Definitely.

Is it dramatic?

IS LIFE DRAMATIC? Oh, sorry. I mean yes. 

Yes, it is dramatic. 

Is the dystopian aspect of the story pretty weak?

Yep.

Do I care about that?

Nope. It's not why I showed up. I'm just along for the ride, which is always twisty and fast-paced.

I mean, come on. I already know how the story ends up, but I still found myself stressing out over what would happen with America and Maxon in the middle of the night. And that's what I want from a story--something that drags me in and won't let me go.

Also, just like I do while watching The Bachelor, I couldn't help shouting at the both of them a few times, to try to get them to comply with my wishes, which they rarely did. That's unfortunate, because I feel sure I could have helped them avoid a few errors and delays along the way. ;)

Book 23 read in 2018

Pages: 336

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The Elite by Kiera Cass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

Somehow, I didn't review this book the first time I read it. I suspect that was because I was too busy picking up book 3 to stop and write one. The same thing happened this time. As soon as book 2 ended, I immediately flipped to book 3. This series is so delightfully compulsive. I suspect I'll revisit again, from time to time, because it makes me happy.

Book 24 read in 2018

Pages: 336

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The One by Kiera Cass
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#BecRereads2018

This was just as much fun as when I read it the first time, perhaps more so, because I had some amount of certainty that it would end on a good note. Yes, I say some, because the best stories always make you worry, even when you logically know there's no need.

Book 25 read in 2018

Pages: 368

PREVIOUS REVIEW:
WARNING: Stupid grins, swooning, crying, racing hearts, yelling at the story, and flailing may occur (In the best of all possible ways).

I loved this final novel in the trilogy. It was exciting and satisfying in all kinds of ways. I was very worried, as I often am about a final book, but it was all for nothing. This book sucked me in from the moment I glanced at the first page until I read the very last words...which were perfect.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a good story, ideal for someone who loves books and words and who can handle a story about grief. It had some spectacular moments, but it fell shy of perfection for me. While I enjoyed the majority of the story, I would not be likely to pick it up and read it again, which is why I've gone with 4 stars on this one.

There are some things in this story that went unexplored that I wish had been explored. I think that's what is lacking for me, even though it was interesting overall. The end is probably what brought it down for me, and I don't mean any specific thing that happened at the end of the book. I just mean that it lost ground for me in the last 20% or so of the story, despite having held my full attention up until that point.

Pages: 273

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that is beautiful in a painful sort of way. I would definitely reread this, as it approaches grief in a way that feels so honest, and some of the perspectives are refreshingly different from other YA Contemporary stories centered around grief and loss.

The writing is excellent, and I adore the characters. There was even something that took me by surprise, because I was so buried in the story that I didn't even bother making predictions or assumptions while I read. I was just completely along for the ride on this, and I think that was the right way to experience it. Because, after all, grief itself is rather unpredictable.

Pages: 320

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This novel has so much voice, the kind that’s funny and unapologetic. I really do want to hug this book, which is problematic since I listened to the audiobook.

The MC is a charming rake who gets himself into mess after mess, and I adore the fact that one of the side characters is his sister. That’s so rare in YA these days…to have a really relevant character be a sibling, and for that sibling to go along on the adventure. It added a nice dynamic.

These teenagers were appropriately teenagery, and I loved how the dated time period still felt so fresh and easy to exist within. These are the kind of characters who steal away little pieces of your heart, and you don’t even mind.

Pages: 513

(PS: This story has pirates, really inept pirates, but they’re relevant to the storyline.) 

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely adorable. I read it straight through and didn't regret a second. The audiobook, in particular, is excellent, with two fantastic narrators in Sneha Mathan and Vikas Adam. I would definitely recommend this to others.

The premise: Dimple's parents allow her to go to a 6 week summer coding class the summer before college only because they want her to meet Rishi, her potential future husband. Needless to say, Dimple's not very interested in marriage or looking pretty, when she could be coding.

There are a few things about this delightful book that I felt could have been even better (the pacing, particularly in the last half), which would have made me love it at 5 star power. Those of you who know I typically rate high might realize that a 4 can be a bit of a flat rating for me, but this is not a flat book.

For a book set in such a fascinating world (in my mind) as Insomnia Con, I would have loved to see some actual world building there. Basically there was almost none, outside of the basics of getting started. We didn't even get to see the depths that participants went to in order to complete their apps (including Dimple and Rishi who spent more time dancing than coding), and there were tons of other students in the program who we never really got to meet or understand.

Some of the main side characters didn't really seem like the types to attend such a long, intensive summer camp. They were more interested in their wealth and popularity than actual coding, so I'm slightly disappointed in the fact that Insomnia Con could have been the most exciting and fascinating world of intellect, diversity, and nerdery ever and... it just wasn't. Instead, it was more of a romantic plot tool, and the majority of scenes weren't even really about the summer camp or the project, both of which were more interesting to me than the characters going out for dinner over and over again.

So it lost a star for world building failures, and it should probably lose a second star, in all honesty for the last 1/3 of the book, which had major pacing issues and a few moments that made me reconsider if I actually knew and liked Dimple. I know they were there again for "plot" tools, but I hate seeing a character bring out a particularly bad, unflattering behavior/quality at the end of the book and then not really address or atone for it.

However, I did think this was a fun, fast, lighthearted read that made me smile. A lot. So it still gets 4 stars, even though I just overthought it so much I almost reduced a star. There's still a lot of good here. There's still a lot to enjoy in the different ways both Dimple and Rishi consider and react with their cultures, both as Indian-American and as Indian. I enjoyed the culture of this book in general and thought that was a real strong point. It showed the different ways people feel and react, when they're born into one culture/place but raised mostly inside another.

Yes, that helped. Now I do feel it definitely deserves those 4 stars. Just realize that you have to enjoy it for the overall journey, rather than the plot and world building, which both are lacking, particularly as the story progress. I still think the interesting main characters will see you through to the end, so give it a go.

Pages: 380

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Becky Albertalli is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

First off, she has a fantastic name, which is completely irrelevant to people not named Becky.

Second, this book was so much fun to read that my face aches from smiling so much.

Third, Simon was one of my favorite 2015 reads, and I didn't think anything new could touch that adorable, huggable book. But I was wrong. This story was so enjoyable and relatable.

Fourth, a lot of YA gets heavy, regardless of genre. Albertalli's books have a way of tackling real issues in a way that's fresh and easy. It doesn't take anything away from the seriousness of a topic, but she also doesn't try to pulverize my heart, which I appreciate.

Fifth, the characters are authentic and delightfully teenagery. That should be a word. Just roll with it.

Sixth, the writing is funny.

Seventh, the pacing is solid.

Eighth, the parental units, actually most of the adults in the story, are decent, layered, and running the show as is typical of the real world.

Ninth, the depictions of neurotic first love/crush behaviors are amusing and spot on.

Tenth, Molly's voice is so earnest and honest, even when she's being unreasonably hard on herself. It's nice watching her grow, but it's realistic in showing that people change and grow slowly. It's more about the process, and evolving, not about achieving perfection.

Pages: 338

Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland

Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this story a lot, but it totally gutted me.

This book is about the fallout that occurs when love finds you at the wrong point in your life, and you aren't able to handle or accept it (due to grief and guilt in this case). If you've ever been on either side of a situation like that (or perhaps both at different points in your life), then I think you'll find something to relate to.

Even if you haven't, there are a lot of good comments about love and relationships here that aren't commonly heard opinions in YA, especially in the contemporary genre. Also, the characters have fresh voices, and I particularly adore the side characters.

(view spoiler)[It's very realistic and doesn't follow a formula, so if you need a certain outcome, or an HEA, to be satisfied with a story, then this probably isn't for you. A lot of the obstacles in this story are overcome in the same way real life is resolved...by not actually working out at all, and the characters have to pick up and continue on their own paths, despite all that. (hide spoiler)]

Pages: 320

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book had so much potential, so the fact that the last 1/4 of the book was so unfathomable unacceptable has shocked me to my very core. I was sure this was going to be a 4 star book with occasional, sparkles of 5. Everything about it showed a depth and sweetness that drew me right in. The writing was solid, and it had some things to say that I haven't heard very much in YA.

WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS MAY OCCUR IN THE VAGUE RANTINGS THAT WILL FOLLOW. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

Then blamo. The most ridiculously out of the blue incident occurred. That was okay, because these moments occur in every contemporary romance, and it gives the characters a chance to rise up and overcome obstacles to become stronger people and/or couples. Blah, blah, blah.

But nope. That's not what happened here. Instead, characters behaved in ways that are so uncharacteristic of themselves that I couldn't even recognize them for the characters I had known and loved for hundreds of pages. Also, to make matters worse, really big, overwhelming issues were resolved, after extended periods of ugliness, with just a few sentences and a kiss. . . or hug? Can't even remember. BECAUSE NO. JUST NO. Teenage lust does not resolve life-altering events.

Finally, the resolution is weak, unsatisfying, and reeks of mistruth. For realistic fiction, it definitely misses the realistic mark in a disappointing and frustrating way. Then la-di-dah, everyone lives happily ever after, except all the side characters and the reader who invested way too much of her time caring about what happened to all of the characters (which she'll never known, because none of their subplots were resolved. NONE OF THEM).

AND MAJOR SPOILER:
A completely inhumane and intentional criminal act (okay, technically 3 criminal acts, because that's how bad it was) perpetrated by what should be a responsible adult is completely brushed under the rug, after the selfish individual throws a sum of money at the issue, that in my opinion was quite pathetic and not nearly enough to account for the damage that was done, both financially and in terms of quality of life and life expectancy, especially considering this villain showed a complete lack of believable remorse.

Basically, I'm leaving the book angry, offended, and extremely disappointed in everyone. The whole heart of the story was sacrificed to this unnecessary and unsatisfactory plot twist. Due to the extremely poor resolution of both the plot twist and the story, I might hesitate to pick up another book by this author, even though I like her writing style overall. She creates interesting characters and really develops the world, but there's something lacking here in terms of story structure, particularly in the way she fails to wrap up so many of the subplots. If all you want in the ending of a romance novel is for the two characters to be together, then this delivers that, just nothing else that you spent hundreds of pages wondering about and/or hoping for.

Pages: 394

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I guess this is kind of NA, but it definitely reads like YA...

It's either bizarre or surprisingly unique, with way too many POVs in first person narrative, including a squirrel and a bench. While that is quirky and sometimes amusing, the extra POVs are overwhelming and confusing in the beginning, and the non-human POVs are completely unnecessary to the storyline. I'm a reader who loves multiple POVs (just throwing that out there for a baseline). This kind of works but could be better. I think perhaps this was written in the wrong perspective, and the story could have been better accomplished in some form of 3rd, maybe 3rd omni.

If you like to drown in endless existential angst and enjoy tediously drawn out romantic drama, while seeing very little forward motion or character growth, through many different perspectives, you'll probably love this. If that sounds like your worst nightmare, take a slow step backwards, don't make any sudden moves, and quietly slip into the darkness before this book hooks a claw in you.

This is basically a "will they ever get together" story with the two shyest, slowest moving, and most oblivious characters ever. Some will find that endearing, while others find it epically frustrating. I land in the middle of the spectrum, finding it both frustrating and a bit endearing, the same as I find the writing choices to be unexpected in a way that is both interesting and perhaps a bit misguided.

Pages: 272

Starfall by Melissa Landers

Starfall by Melissa Landers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It breaks my heart to rate this so low, as I typically love Landers. This is actually a 2.5 for me. I confess there were times when I just wanted it to end.

It’s a situation where there are caricatures, instead of characters. People who should be dynamic feel flat, including the much beloved couple from Starflight. They become side characters in this novel, and I barely recognized them. In fact, I only became sure it was actually them when I looked it up online to reconfirm it. They were so one-dimensional that nothing but their names seemed familiar.

I struggled to pay attention and push forward throughout this story. Something just went wrong here. I suspect this story did not go through as much rewriting and editing as it truly needed. There was some good stuff hidden between the mess and the blah, but it was not enough to hang a story on.

What sucks the most is that I adored this pair until they got their own story. Then they become boring, and their love story felt trite and full of clichés. I finished this book yesterday, and I can't even remember how it ended.

Pages: 368

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It took me longer to settle into this one than it did Everything Everything, maybe partly because the fast changes of POV at the start, but it did suck me in, once I wrapped my brain around who the characters are and why I should care about them.

Basically, Natasha (17) meets Daniel on the same day her family is to be deported to Jamaica for being illegal immigrants (came to America at age 8), and they have an immediate, shocking connection. Despite being so different, and almost opposites in many ways, they are drawn to each other in a way that surprises them both. As a result, they become part of each others' lives through a very difficult day.

The story shares some interesting thoughts and messages, especially in light of recent politics, and the writing is beautiful, as you would expect of Nicola Yoon. The characters are individual and diverse, and even though the story takes place in the span of a day, you get to watch them evolve.

Overall, it's a mash-up of many different commentaries and small story lines on love, race, culture, and the fine line between fighting for your dreams and being responsible to and for those who love you. It gave me different ways to think about life, which is harder for a book to accomplish than you would think, considering I'm an avid reader.

I like it a lot. I just don't love it enough that I need to clutch it to my chest and begin immediately rereading it, which is why it only got 4 stars, instead of 5, despite being an excellent story.

Pages: 384

The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia

Summary: "Romeo and Juliet meets The Fast and the Furious in this edgy romance set in the suburbs of Washington, DC."

Well, I LOVE The Fast and the Furious, so I was quite anxious to get my hands on this one! The Lovely Reckless was also recommended by Katie McGarry, and I can see why! The angst and romance were very similar to Katie McGarry's plot and story-telling style. While I enjoyed myself throughout this book, it left a little to be desired.  

I'm sure you could predict the entire thing!



374 pages