ARC Review: Blood Moon

June 17, 2020June 11, 20202 Comments

I don’t remember requesting this book on Edelweiss, but I guess I did since I got an email saying I was approved for this title. I received an eARC of Blood Moon by Lucy Cuthew from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This book releases on September 1st, 2020, so be sure to preorder a copy!

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

A timely feminist YA novel in verse about periods, sex, shame and going viral for all the wrong reasons.

BLOOD MOON is a YA novel about the viral shaming of a teenage girl. During her seminal sexual experience with the quiet and lovely Benjamin, physics-lover and astronomy fan Frankie gets her period – but the next day a gruesome meme goes viral, turning an innocent, intimate afternoon into something sordid, mortifying and damaging.

This was a book I didn’t know I needed. I related to Frankie, our main character, so much that I found myself crying when she cried, laughing when she laughed, and overall understanding her journey. The thing that was hardest to read was her fall out with her best friend Harriet (Harry). We’ve all been in that situation before, when we need our best friend most but they’re not there, either because of a fight or you’re simply no longer friends anymore. It made the emotional impact of this book much greater and I found myself getting into the story.

This book is written in prose, similar to an epic, but no rhyming. I usually am not a fan of prose because it can be distracting, but this suited the story so well I can’t imagine reading it any other way. The creativity and emotional impact of the writing hit home in a way that I didn’t think was possible. It was so empowering too. I loved getting to read a story in this way and it made it easier to get through, honestly.

I didn’t expect to like this book, but after the first few pages, I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down and ended up reading the book basically in one sitting. I think any menstruating person and anyone who was a teen will relate to this story, especially if they have been a teen within the last ten years. Nowadays, going viral, especially over something embarrassing, is a common occurrence. Teens will definitely relate to this story because I know I did.

And I loved the message it rings out.

So even though I didn’t think I would enjoy this book, this is, without a doubt, // 5 stars. I wish I had this book when I was in high school.

If this book sounds interesting to you, check out Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin.

If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!

This Book Is Not Yet Rated

February 21, 2019February 21, 20192 Comments

I received an advance copy of This Book Is Not Yet Rated by Peter Bognanni from a giveaway on Goodreads. The book is available on April 9, 2019 so only two more months!

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Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

A smart and funny contemporary YA novel about 17-year-old Ethan who works at the crumbling Green Street Cinema and has to learn, along with his eccentric, dysfunctional work family, that fighting for the thing you love doesn’t always turn out like in the movies.

The Green Street Cinema has always been a sanctuary for Ethan. Maybe it’s because movies help him make sense of real life, or maybe it’s because the cinema is the one place he can go to still feel close to his dad, a film professor who died three years ago. Either way, it’s a place worth fighting for, especially when developers threaten to tear it down to build a luxury condos.

They say it’s structurally unsound and riddled with health code violations. They clearly don’t understand that the crumbling columns and even Brando, the giant rat with a taste for sour patch kids, are a part of the fabric of this place that holds together the misfits and the dreamers of the changing neighborhood the cinema house has served for so many years.

Now it’s up to the employees of the Green Street Cinema–Sweet Lou the organist with a penchant for not-so-sweet language; Anjo the projectionist, nicknamed the Oracle for her opaque-but-always-true proclamations; Griffin and Lucas who work the concessions, if they work at all; and Ethan, known as “Wendy,” the leader of these Lost Boys–to save the place they love.

It’s going to take a movie miracle if the Green Street is going to have a happy ending. And when Raina, Ethan’s oldest friend (and possible soul mate?), comes back home from Hollywood where she’s been starring in B-movies about time-traveling cats, Ethan thinks that miracle just may have been delivered. But life and love aren’t always like the movies. And when the employees of the Green Street ask what happens in the end to the Lost Boys, Ethan has to share three words he’s not been ready to say: “they grow up.”

This Book Is Not Yet Rated is the story of growing up and letting go and learning that love can come in many different forms and from many different sources like the places that shape us, the people who raise us, the lovers who leave us, and even the heroic rodents who were once our mortal enemies.

Going into this story, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Let me say that I was blown away by how deep this story was. The author discusses serious topics such as death, identity, self worth, and finding our place in this world – something I didn’t expect to be hit with. It was a pleasant surprise, but a surprise nonetheless.

The beginning was a bit boring for me and I had a bit of trouble getting into it, but once I was invested, it was an engaging story. I did have an issue connecting with the main character though, although I’m not sure what about him made him distant for me. His personality seemed odd, but it makes sense as the story progresses why it might come across that way, so I’ll excuse it.

The biggest issue I had with the story in general was the relationship between Ethan and Raina. It was a weird love story between them that I’m not sure was resolved, which was irritating because I felt so much of the book was Ethan avoiding his feelings for Raina and once he accepted them, the tension dissipated and I’m left with nothing. I wanted more out of this love story between them and I felt a bit disappointed in it. Besides that, the interaction between Ethan and Raina were a mix of sad and emotional to fun and light hearted – it was a good, realistic mix.

Besides that, the story is engaging, funny, and deep. The other characters, like Anjo, Sweet Lou, Griffin, and Lucas helped lighten up the story and make it more entertaining and less emotionally scarring, especially in regards to the fact that this theater is going to be torn down. I also think Ethan’s friendship between these characters helped make him seem less lonely and whiny, like he does with Raina at times, and makes him appear more like a normal teenager.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and it was a good, fast read. I’m excited to read the finished result in April! For my rating, I would rate this book a /5 stars. It was a good contemporary read and I would definitely recommend it!

If you like this book, I would recommend To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

July 23, 2018July 20, 2018Leave a comment

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han is a contemporary young adult novel about Lara Jean, the girl who’s secret love letters are now, not so secret.

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Personally, I’m not a fan of contemporary novels, especially romance novels, but this one seems to have found a special place in my heart. Going into this story, all I knew was that Lara Jean’s love letters were sent to her past crushes without her knowledge, and now all five boys know she likes them, including her sister’s boyfriend.

Here is the official synopsis from Goodreads:

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

To be completely honest, this book was so cute. I only read the book because I am buddy reading it before the show debuts on Netflix and I assumed I wouldn’t be that into it. I was wrong! It’s hard not to grow to love Lara Jean’s quirkiness or Kitty’s (Lara Jean’s younger sister) spunk. I really wanted to not enjoy this book, but I couldn’t. It was good and cute and I’m dying to read the next two books!

My favorite thing about the story line is that it’s not relationship based. On the contrary, Lara Jean’s motivation to avoid relationships made me interested in this story line and want to figure out 1) why and 2) is this actually going to remain like that? I also enjoyed the fact that our main character is not a popular girl or an absolute freak. She’s – normal. She has friends but isn’t a known somebody in the school. She has a close relationship with her family, but not too close. That’s one thing I can definitely appreciate! The trope of the popular girl or outcast is too over done and this story brings a refreshingly interesting main character.

Another thing I enjoy about this story is that it shows a family that realistically loves each other. It’s not all perfect sunshine and rainbows. There are fights and arguments and other things going on that occur but don’t utterly destroy the relationships. This realistic family makes me actually smile, instead of rolling my eyes. As I read about Margot (Lara Jean’s older sister), I’m reminded of myself. As an older sister I have to take care of my younger sisters and make sure they’re on the track to success – not because I have to, but because I love them and I want to. It was so refreshing to see an older sibling that cared, but wasn’t overly involved.

Another factor that made this book so enjoyable was the humor. I loved the inside jokes, or jabs at friends/family, or snarky comments that occurred between different characters. It not only kept the conversation interesting, but made it realistic. I’m a sucker for realistic characters and conversation!

I also really enjoyed how short the chapters were. It made the book fly by for me; I read it a lot faster than I would have assumed for a 350 page book.

Overall, I would give this book stars! I thought it was a cute, romantic read that wasn’t your ordinary contemporary romance! I’m very excited to continue the series and read the next two books!

If you like this book, or this review sounds interesting, be sure to check out The Selection by Keira Cass!

They Both Die at the End

July 22, 2018July 19, 20184 Comments

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera is a heartbreaking story about two boys that receive a death call notifying them that within 24 hours they are going to die.

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Here is the official synopsis from Goodreads:

Adam Silvera reminds us that there’s no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day.

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.

This story was so sad, but so incredibly good. I think I learned more life lessons from this book than anything I’ve read recently. I learned a lot about life, death, happiness, and what it means to truly live, which is rough on someone in general, but I was on vacation (cue the sobbing).

Overall, I loved the fact that Adam uses different POVs throughout the book, not just Mateo and Rufus’ view of things. We get to see other perspectives from friends and strangers which makes this book even more well rounded. When we do hear from our main characters, I love the distinct differences in their personality – I don’t feel like I’m reading the same thoughts just under a different name. Mateo’s personality is radically different from Rufus’ and we see them change over time, just in that one day.

Adam’s narration skills are also amazing. Every scene has a purpose and is detailed enough to make me feel like I’m there, without being told too much. I also really enjoy the conversations between characters; like personalities, each has their own distinct voice and it makes it so enjoyable to hear them talk to each other, even about something as morbid as death.

While this book is mostly realistic fiction, I do love the bit of science fiction thrown in through Death Cast. As explained in the book, Death Cast is the system that keeps track of when people die. Between 12:00am and 3:00am the company calls people that are going to die that day. There is not time stamp on when or how, just that within the next 24 hours, that person is going to die. I think this idea is not only horribly morbid, but an amazing technological advancement that I’m not sure I would want.

As the two boys go on with their day, knowing they’re going to die, it was hard for me to not get attached to them (I totally got attached). Their new friendship made their experiences and journey bittersweet: I didn’t want it to end, but everyone knew it was going to.

Besides the slight science fiction of Death Cast, this book is purely realistic fiction and it terrified me. The book frequently talks about death, what happens after death, and how they don’t want to die. Honey, me neither. It was so hard for me at some points to read through their speculations and fear, but it was honestly a genuine way of looking at life. The death conversations lead to some heart wrenching moments savoring life and those were the moments I cherished in this book.

When I saw reviews of this book, I was told that I was going to bawl my eyes out at the end. I mean, the ending is literally in the title, although the how and when are still a mystery. I was so ready to sob when it came time for the ending, but I didn’t. There were certain parts in the book before the end that I cried ridiculously hard (maybe too much) but when the book ended, I felt, nothing. Why? Because I was confused on what happened!

The ending kind of confused me, and maybe it’s just me and I need things to be spelled out, but I wasn’t sure what happened. Now, I won’t spoil the ending, but for anyone that has read the book and knows how it ends, please don’t judge me. Besides the ending, the book is a scary look on life and death and will leave you with an existential crisis. At this point, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing!

Overall, I would give this book stars! I’m not a huge fan of contemporary, but this book was thought provoking and heart breaking, it definitely deserves 4 stars!

If you like these books, or this review sounds interesting, be sure to check out The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas! Another young adult thought provoking book on police brutality in America.

Escaping From Houdini

July 21, 2018July 19, 20182 Comments

Escaping from Houdini is the third book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco and will debut on September 18th, 2018. I received this as an ARC at BookCon and nearly died from it! (Seriously, I was almost trampled getting in line for this!) But, it was totally worth it! If you haven’t read Stalking Jack the Ripper or Hunting Prince Dracula, I will link their description on Goodreads so you can check them out!

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Here is part of the synopsis from Goodreads:

In this third installment in the #1 bestselling Stalking Jack the Ripper series, a luxurious ocean liner becomes a floating prison of scandal, madness, and horror when passengers are murdered one by one…with nowhere to run from the killer. . .

(Please follow the link attached to read the rest of the synopsis!)

I read both Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula last winter (I know, I know, I’m late to the party!) and absolutely adored them! If you have not read Stalking Jack the Ripper yet, here is the synopsis from Goodreads and here is the description for Hunting Prince Dracula on Goodreads.

These books are historical, young adult fiction and they are fantastic! They are all murder mysteries (I think I’m starting to see a trend here with my taste) but are so creative and witty at the same time. Audrey Rose is one of my favorite characters as she embodies the sass of the late 1800’s with grace and side eyes.

Meanwhile, Thomas, her uncle’s assistant and Audrey Rose’s soulmate (in my opinion) is hilariously sarcastic and witty with Audrey Rose, while also being aloof and professional. I loved both of them in the first two books and I loved them in this one too!

Just like books one and two, the plot leaves me questioning what the heck is happening! Every time someone is murdered, I find myself examining the scene along with Audrey Rose and trying to piece together the clues. I think Kerri does an amazing job hinting at who the killer is without making it too obvious, but not making it so hard that we’re all dumbfounded at the reveal.

The characters are all amazing and spunky, including the new ones introduced in this story. I thought each of their backstories and arcs were well defined and heartbreaking, while also being completely realistic. It was so refreshing to get to know these characters and add another layer to Audrey Rose’s character.

The one thing about this book that I disliked was the ending! Now, Kerri has confirmed that the ending is different in the final draft and the book is overall 40 pages longer. So, I am not going to talk about the ending, since it is being changed anyways and I am disregarding it in my review and rating until I’ve read the finished copy.

I honestly adored this book and I am so sad to hear we only get one more book after this and then it’s done! I want to keep following Audrey Rose and Thomas on their murder mystery journeys and see where their life goes. Unfortunately, my dreams will not come true and I am stuck enjoying these four books from Kerri.

Overall, I would give this book stars and I would definitely recommend it to a friend!

If you haven’t read Stalking Jack the Ripper yet or Hunting Prince Dracula, make sure you do so before September 18th because you do not want to miss out on this book!

If this book sounds good to you or you enjoy historical fiction, I would suggest A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee!