Tag: books

• Book Review: “PS I Still Love You” by Jenny Han

  Posted at 6:13 am by Laura, on July 8, 2015

  PS I Still Love You by Jenny Han

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9781442426733
  Goodreads: 4.23
  Rating: ★★★★

  Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.
  She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.
  When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

  Back when they were pretending to be in love, it was easy for Lara Jean and Peter to be a couple. But now they’re not pretending, it’s for real, and Lara Jean struggles to navigate her first relationship without comparing herself to Peter’s last. But a letter arrives in the mail from the fifth and final boy she wrote a letter to and her sister Kitty mailed off, and Lara Jean becomes more confused than ever. How is she supposed to navigate the world of love without her mother or Margot to guide her? And what exactly do all these feelings mean?

  To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before was fantastic, and I truly felt like Han must’ve been my best friend when I was in high school because Lara Jean felt hauntingly similar to me (then and, in some cases, now). The same can be said with this companion book, only instead of the hilarity, confusion, and closeness of the sisters as the focal point of the novel, this book delves into stumbling through first relationships, what it means to be in love, and finding confidence in who you are without relying on others.

  Lara Jean becomes her own person in this book. Instead of comparing herself to her older sister Margot and being a Margot to her younger sister Kitty, Lara Jean wonders what her mother would do. She wonders what her mother would say and do and talk about in various situations Lara Jean encounters with Peter and John — sex talks, jealousy, the line between just-friends and possibly-cheating. She isn’t alone in this, though. Margot has some tearful moments, wishing for their mother; Kitty, too young to remember much, just wants Dad to be happy and dating again. The lack of a mother in this book — from the perspective of having a mother once and then suddenly losing her — is so prevalent it made me wonder how I would’ve dealt with my high school friendships and relationships without my own mother. It made my heart break.

  Part of Lara Jean’s navigation in this new relationship involves sexism topics. Which I loved. Lara Jean is curious about sex — who wouldn’t be, really? — but there’s a rather shocking event that plagues her throughout the novel. When a guy’s caught expressing his sexuality, it’s considered okay; when a girl is caught, she’s considered a slut (or, on the flip side, if she doesn’t express it at all she’s a prude). The double-standard keeps cropping up in discussion with many people in Lara Jean’s life, and I enjoyed how she soaked it in and applied it to her own situation.

  And, on a slightly unrelated note, I love how much she enjoys fashion, baking, and crafting — all very feminine things — and still be one of the most feminist characters in YA. Reminds me a lot of Zooey Deschanel’s character Jess on New Girl — super girly, super feminist. You can totally be both.

  As for the relationships navigated in this story…[highlight to read, spoilers ahead!] I was very much a Lara-Jean-and-Peter-forever girl, and while he certainly does explain himself at the end, I was a little saddened to see her give up on John so easily. In hindsight, I know I would’ve gone back to Peter (I mean, I had a Peter and I did go back to him), so maybe it’s my adult perspective telling Lara Jean to forget him and actually be with John, the better fit, instead. In my head canon, Lara Jean and John will be together in college, later years, and get married shortly thereafter. Cause they can last. The end.

  If you haven’t already, you need to read this book. Although my reading funk only lasted a week, it felt like ages. Han certainly knows how to make someone sit and read and good story about love, friendship, family, and growing up into your own self.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Top Ten Tuesday: Hyped Books I’ve Never Read

  Posted at 6:15 am by Laura, on July 7, 2015

  Top Ten Tuesday, a concept started by The Broke and the Bookish, is a themed post that connects bloggers to bloggers, bloggers to readers, and readers to readers. Every Tuesday has a special topic, and this Tuesday is Top Ten Hyped Books I’ve Never Read.

  

  Classics

  Books I Know So Much About (Thanks Lit Classes) I May as Well Have Read Them

  

  

  

  

  

  Today

  …Sorry

  

  

  

  

  

  Which books do we have in common? What books made it to your list?

  Posted in books, Top Ten Tuesday | 22 Comments | Tagged books, top ten tuesday

• Flipping Through the Pages: Spring Rewind 2015

  Posted at 7:45 am by Laura, on July 1, 2015

  

  Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!

  Through the Lens

  

  

  

  Meeting Jenny Han at her book launch party in Brooklyn for PS I Still Love You was definitely the perfect launch into BEA. Also, I’m featuring this food post because ohmygod it was delicious. I ate breakfast for lunch (during lunch hour, so it’s technically not brunch, right?) with my friend Evan and his girlfriend at Another Broken Egg. Not quite pictured: a pancake I also devoured. YUM. Finally, a photo that’s still getting a lot of attention on instagram: my summer reading list!

  Life Highlights

  In the last week of April, I met five spectacular authors. Jennifer Niven (All the Bright Places), Sharon Biggs Waller (A Mad, Wicked Folly), Trisha Leaver (The Secrets We Keep), Shannon Lee Alexander (Love and Other Unknown Variables), and Lisa Aldin (One of the Guys) came to the bookstore for signings.

  Now, it may not be in my personal life, but I’d definitely say the birth of HRH Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge ranked as a pretty good highlight. *waves English flag*

  At the end of May, I traveled back to Virginia to see Lindsey and she, Ashley, and I went to BEA! We met loads of bloggers, made contacts in the industry, and gathered several books. I’m so glad I finally got to experience BEA first hand, and I’m looking forward to Chicago next year. Lindsey and I capped off the trip by attending a beach concert and seeing Andy MacMahon (and it was on the date of our official friendiversary! May 30th was the day we first emailed each other about our guest blog posts (here and here)).

  In June I signed my first contract to have one of my authors publish a book! Be on the lookout for Tara Sim’s Timekeeper in Fall 2016!

  Tunes on Repeat

  Every time I hear Heartbeat Song by Kelly Clarkson I think of one of my friends rocking out in his car so hard it shook. Now we run around like crazy kids, hopping up and down during the chorus and belting out the lyrics.

  Better Than Words by One Direction, because ever since Lindsey showed me this video (1:30) I can’t help but crack up and squeal in a disgustingly tweeny fashion.

  Really, the entire Mumford & Sons album. I was concerned, but I should know by now to trust those men. I can still speed down the highway with their music.

  Signs by Brett Eldridge. Or, again, the entire album.

  Raised by a Good Time by Steven Lee Olsen has a story behind it, a connection to my agenting. One of my authors has a wonderfully tense and heartbreaking YA Southern fiction manuscript, and this song reminds me of the male protagonist…if he had a better upbringing, that is. It fits his “would have been” character so well.

  Bookmarked in the Community

  There was a lot I enjoyed these last few months, bookish and not so bookish…

  1. 2015 Bookish Trends @ Love at First Page — Danielle talks about cover design trends in 2015. I’ve also seen more drawn artwork/typeface, a la Fangirl, and I’ve really liked that too.
  2. “Time Travel To” Feature @ Alexa Loves Books, So Obsessed With, and Belle of the Literati — These three ladies decided to transport readers through time by showcasing some of their favorite books written in/about a certain historical time period, and sharing books they plan to read as well. Alexa covers romantic Regency England, Hannah the American Civil War, and Kelly the exciting Tudor England.
  3. Matching songs to books with #UKYADay: Taylor Swift Meets UKYA @ Pretty Books and Tunes & Tales: Four @ Alexa Loves Books — Stacey’s post focuses solely on Taylor Swift songs and which books they’d go well with, while Alexa’s post was inspired by One Direction’s news (*sobs*) and thus 1D songs.
  4. Why I Won’t Stop Taking Pictures of my ARCs @ Lily’s Book Blog — What an interesting read. I used to think, years ago, that the mark of a great blogger meant how many ARCs you received from publishers. And while that’s a great asset to have, that’s not what blogging is about.
  5. Tune in Tonight: Belle @ So Obsessed With — BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T KNOW THIS ALREADY, BELLE IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE EVER EVER EVER. And I died when I saw Hannah’s post.
  6. Four Bookish Blogs I’ve Added to My Reader Recently @ Perpetual Page-Turner — Jamie discusses blogging friendships coming and going, the community and culture, and features four blogs (Scribbles & Wanderlust included!) she’s added to her to-visit list.
  7. 5 Classics I Want to Read Before August 1 @ LvsBks — Ashley was inspired by the BEA trip to revitalize her blog, and what better way than to discuss classics she plans to reread or discover in the summer. What are your favorite classics?
  8. Let’s Discuss Little House @ So Obsessed With and Little House Lit @ Alexa Loves Books — If you haven’t caught on yet, Hannah and Alexa have the best discussion posts. Seriously. Plus, Little House is what my mother lives and breathes. I couldn’t hide from this discussion.
  9. The Status of All Things: It’s Complicated @ Rather Be Reading — Estelle makes some excellent observations about online identities becoming a brand, how sometimes your online identity prevents you from sharing other aspects of yourself, and how we rely so much on technology we forget about living in the moment with friends and family.

  Popular Posts on Scribbles

  1. The Accidental April Book Haul — April was nuts. Absolutely nuts. Not only did I have a billion ARCs to read, but I accidentally won galleys, received books from editors, purchased books with my tax return…It was quite a lot, and apparently worth sharing!
  2. Stepping Back for the Summer — As a result of April madness, I decided to step back and read all those backlist titles I own. Several of you are doing the same thing, either with book-buying bans, stepping back from ARCs, or just plain reading what’s already on your TBR shelves.
  3. First Book Expo America Experience — Instead of gushing about what I did, I wanted to share my expectations, the reality, and the small (compared to others) book haul I gathered from the event. First BEA = success!
  4. Book Review: The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan — I can definitely see why this was popular. The book’s publication was timed perfectly with the Duke and Duchess’s wedding anniversary and birth of Princess Charlotte. Also, come on, the book was awesome.

  Cherished Reads

  

  

  

  

  Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee ★★★★★

  The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan ★★★★★

  Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman ★★★★★

  A Court of Thorns and Roses by SJ Maas ★★★★★

  Cherished Quotes

  Maybe what matters is not so much the path as who walks beside you.
  –Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

  I wasn’t faerie, but I was part of this earth, and the earth was a part of me,
  and I’d be content to dance upon it for the rest of my life.
  –A Court of Thorns and Roses by SJ Maas

  Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?
  —Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

  Don’t feel bad for one moment about doing what brings you joy.
  –A Court of Thorns and Roses by SJ Maas

  Progress Update on Reading Challenges

  Library Books: 6 / 10
  Odditorium || The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency || Emma
  Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? || The Girl With the Glass Bird
  Murder is Bad Manners
  

  #ReRead2015: 3 / 10
  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire || Fangirl
  Anna and the French Kiss

  Overall Challenge: 42 / 50

  Random Obsessions

  On TV: Gilmore Girls — WHY DIDN’T I WATCH THIS WHEN IT AIRED. I mean, really. If I were to leave a note to my YA self, I’d tell her to listen to Audrey and Mrs. A and watch Gilmore Girls. And I’m in that lovely middle age between Rory and Lorelai that I can appreciate all ends of the drama and love and laughter. As I’m typing this, I’m in the first third of the 6th season, so no spoilers! (Feel free to follow #LauraWatchesGG.)

  On Film: Far From the Madding Crowd was amazing. It’s hard to adapt Thomas Hardy novels, and this movie nailed it. Perfect score, brilliant cinematography, stunning costumes, and fantastic acting. I knew Carey Mulligan would be wonderful (I’ve got such a girl crush on her), but toss in those British men and wow Matthias Schoenaerts and I was a goner. Where’s my Gabriel Oak? Seriously. Let’s cover some hay stacks together.

  In the Shopping Bag: *snort* Nothing. I have to avoid my usual haunts (ModCloth, Book Depository, BookOutlet, Abe Books, Target, Etsy) because I’m on an everything-except-necessities-buying ban.

  Miscellaneous: Adagio’s Harry Potter Tea. Guys, this is amazing. Stina is amazing. She showed up to the Jennifer Niven event with a bag filled with different kinds of tea (including a chocolate tea!) and I’m still excited about it. They’re delicious, distinct flavors, and they come in really neat tins that I fully plan on keeping.

  Looking Towards the Future

  There’s really only one massive event for July through September, and that’s my childhood friend Amanda’s wedding. Apart from that, there are some neat events going on at my B&N, including an Outlander Day and Harry Potter Day. September is also the kick-off for the Indianapolis Children’s Choir’s 30th Anniversary season, and as VP of the Alumni Association I have to help coordinate some alumni events surrounding that.

  What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts! 

  Posted in books, This Season's Rewind, Update Post | 6 Comments | Tagged books, personal, recap, rewind, this season's rewind

• Advance Excitement at a Glance XVI

  Posted at 5:30 am by Laura, on June 30, 2015

  

  A monthly meme to keep up with the latest publications, featuring at least two advance copy reviews to look forward to reading.

  Last month I began my summer reading plans, which included cutting back on ARCs. July’s ARC requests were quite minimal, and so this is all I have on my list! It feels so liberating.

  

  Model Misfit by Holly Smale
  (HarperTeen, July 21)

  Harriet knows that modelling won’t transform you. She knows that being as uniquely odd as a polar bear isn’t necessarily a bad thing (even in a rainforest). And that the average person eats a ton of food a year, though her pregnant stepmother is doing her best to beat this. What Harriet doesn’t know is where she’s going to fit in once the new baby arrives.

  Modelling in Japan seems the perfect chance to get as far away from home as possible. But nothing can prepare Harriet for the craziness of Tokyo, her competitive model flatmates and her errant grandmother’s ‘chaperoning’. Or seeing gorgeous Nick everywhere she goes. Because, this time, Harriet knows what a broken heart feels like.

  YES! The sequel to the hilarious Geek Girl. Gimme gimme gimme!

  Some other books I’m excited about and hope to read soon: Rebel Mechanics by Shawna Swendson (July 14) and The Wild Girl by Kate Forsyth (July 7).

  What books are you looking forward to in July?

  Posted in Advance Excitement, books | 0 Comments | Tagged advance excitement at a glance, advance reading copy, books

• Mini Reviews III

  Posted at 7:00 am by Laura, on June 29, 2015

  Mini Reviews

  Quick, bite-sized reviews of fast, enjoyable reads!
  A penny for thoughts, a snappy two-cent reflection! 

  Love Likes the Movies by Victoria Van Tiem

  Publisher: Panmacmillan
  Published: February 2014
  Genre: women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9781447269731
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Kenzi Shaw knows the plot of her life down to the last line – the career she’s building as a marketing exec, the gorgeous fiancé she’ll marry in a fairytale wedding, the children they’ll raise in her dream home. But when ex Shane comes back into her life, life starts going off the script. Not only is her head in a spin over Shane, but now her job is on the line. With her perfect sister-in-law showing up every tiny thing Kenzi does wrong, she feels like she’s permanently in the corner. One thing’s certain: she’s not so sure who her leading man is…

  Mini Review: When Shane comes back into Kenzi’s life as a potential client with her firm, he really rocks the boat. He gives her an ultimatum (re-enacting all their favorite rom-coms) that puts her job and future life with Bradley on the line. Kenzi was an overanxious, self-conscious character around everyone except Shane, so whenever he was in the picture I liked her a lot. Her mother’s horrible, her sister-in-law sucks, and her best friend is scum. I wanted nothing but happiness for Kenzi! This read more like a blend of cutesy chick lit and Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments. I thought I’d be roaring with laughter, and while that never really happened, it was good read.

  Magnolia by Kristi Cook

  Publisher: Simon Pulse
  Published: August 2014
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9781442485341
  Rating: ★★★.5
  Summary: In Magnolia Branch, Mississippi, the Cafferty and Marsden families are practically royalty. Neighbors since the Civil War, the families have shared vacations, holidays, backyard barbecues, and the overwhelming desire to unite their two clans by marriage. So when the families finally have a baby boy and girl at the same time, the perfect opportunity seems to have arrived. Except Jemma Cafferty and Ryder Marsden have no intention of giving in to their parents’ wishes. They’re only seventeen — oh, and also? They hate each other. But when a violent Mississippi storm ravages through Magnolia Branch, it unearths feelings Jemma and Ryder didn’t know they had. And the line between love and hate just might be thin enough to cross.

  Mini Review: This felt like a mix of Anna and the French Kiss (focus on a love story more than anything else) and Second Chance Summer (underlying serious issues), and just what the doctor ordered. I wouldn’t say Jemma and Ryder hate each other — “hate” is a strong word for what Jemma feels (and boy, she’s quick to temper) and Ryder is frustrated by that temper — but their tension is perfectly reasonable. It would be quite annoying to have parents planning every inch of your life together simply because you’re of the opposite sex of the BFF family. The hurricane that blows through Mississippi felt so real, and I think I enjoyed the story more in that third of the book than anything else. The writing was at its best there. And, no matter how many flaws this book had, the story was still well-told, and I’m glad this was a gradual attraction instead of instantaneous. They’ve been in each other’s lives since birth. I liked that establishment from the get-go. This is a nice, light read, a book you can breeze through on a summer afternoon.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, mini review

• Book Review: “Rook” by Sharon Cameron

  Posted at 5:45 am by Laura, on June 22, 2015

  Rook by Sharon Cameron

  Publisher: Scholastic Press
  Published: April 2015
  Genre: young adult, science fiction, romance
  ISBN: 9780545675994
  Goodreads: 3.82
  Rating: ★★★.5

  History has a way of repeating itself. In the Sunken City that was once Paris, all who oppose the new revolution are being put to the blade. Except for those who disappear from their prison cells, a red-tipped rook feather left in their place. Is the mysterious Red Rook a savior of the innocent or a criminal?

  Meanwhile, across the sea in the Commonwealth, Sophia Bellamy’s arranged marriage to the wealthy René Hasard is the last chance to save her family from ruin. But when the search for the Red Rook comes straight to her doorstep, Sophia discovers that her fiancé is not all he seems. Which is only fair, because neither is she.

  As the Red Rook grows bolder and the stakes grow higher, Sophia and René find themselves locked in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse.

  The French Revolution meets The Scarlet Pimpernel in this daring, futuristic adventure. Technology is banned, and for a good reason: polar shifts caused technology to malfunction and satellites to fall from the sky, effectively ruining the lives of the Ancients. To adapt to a new way of living, the surviving humans vowed to never use machines again. Race forward a couple centuries, and this new regime works a step further to punish dissenters. The Sunken City, once Paris, is filled with “criminals” locked away in the Tombs. One vigilante, the Red Rook, saves these unjustly imprisoned citizens and leaves behind a rook feather tipped in red. But soon the Red Rook’s nighttime rescues come knocking on Sophia Bellamy’s door, bringing danger, high stakes, split-second decisions, spies, double agents, and one René Hasard.

  This feels like historical fiction thanks to the French Revolution atmosphere (rich versus poor, unjust law, and the philosophy that religion should be dropped for chance or Fate), but very clearly set in the future (the characters uncover shiny plastic discs (CDs), cross-shaped handles with buttons (Nintendo game controls), and space debris (NASA)). We, today in 2015, are considered the Ancients, the population intensely connected to and dependent on technology to function day to day. I loved reading Cameron’s Author’s Note, all the “what ifs” meeting “history repeats itself.” Seriously, when you’re done reading this book, you’ll begin to wonder, too…

  While I found the world at first difficult to wrap my brain around, I was really into the characters and their individual stories. Especially when I was trying to figure out who was on what side and double-crossing whom, and seeing what was happening to one person in this ten-minute time frame while something else was happening to another (the last 150 pages, for example!). This was probably the most intricately plotted book I’ve read this year, and now I’m very curious to see what The Scarlet Pimpernel is like!

  Sophia is definitely a girl you want on your side. She’s daring and compassionate and wicked intelligent. Her steamy scenes with René were fantastic, too, though it took me much longer to like him the way Sophia did. Must’ve been that skepticism and inability to trust anyone I experienced while reading.

  Read this when you’re mentally prepared for a thriller, for espionage, for a book so detailed you can devote hours to it just following the strings. I was not prepared for what this turned out to be! I think, with another reread, I may bump my rating up to 4 or 5 stars. In the meantime, check out Lindsey @ Bring My Books‘s post (especially if you’ve read Cameron’s other books) and Morgan @ Gone With the Words‘s post (especially if you want to look at her character casting)!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 6 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: romance, genre: sci-fi, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Finding Audrey” by Sophie Kinsella

  Posted at 7:00 am by Laura, on June 19, 2015

  Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

  Publisher: Delacorte BFYR
  Published: June 2015
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780553536515
  Goodreads: 3.89
  Rating: ★★★★ 

  An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

  Audrey has a host of anxiety issues, and her mother’s helicopter nagging the entire family isn’t helping. Audrey wears sunglasses all day and watches QVC in a dark room, avoiding all aspects of The Incident that triggered her mental state. When Dr. Sarah gives her an assignment to film her life like a fly on the wall, Audrey watches the life around her through a lens and slowly ventures out to the Starbucks around the corner. With her brother Frank taking a hit with Mum’s fanatics, Audrey is able to branch out and rediscover the world on her own.

  “[Bloody] is in the Harry Potter films, OK? Harry Potter. How can it be swearing?”
  “What?” Mum sounds wrong-footed.
  “Harry Potter. I rest my case.”

  The publisher synopsis annoyingly makes it sound like Linus swoops in and saves the day and erases Audrey’s multitude of serious, severe anxiety issues. That’s not the case. He certainly helps her deal with it, come to terms with it, and tackle it. He doesn’t treat her like a science experiment or an animal in the zoo — her constant use of sunglasses and tendency to dash out of a room mid-sentence only to cower in a closet corner can make normal conversation difficult — and Audrey recognizes this and finds a way to speak to him about her issues.

  “So you’re allergic to eye contact.”
  “I’m allergic to everything contact.”
  “No you’re not,” he says at once. “You’re not allergic to brain contact. I mean you write notes. You talk. You still want to talk to people, you just can’t. So your body needs to catch up with your brain.”
  I’m silent for a while. No-one’s put it like that before.

  That being said, Linus and her family help her take steps back into the world as well as accidentally pushing her back to invisibility. She grows so much through this book on her own terms, fighting against her “lizard brain” that’s constantly on high alert, doing things that feel daring to her and normal to others. She watches Mum grow paranoid about computer games and their effects on her older brother Frank. She cuddles younger brother Felix and works on eye contact through his innocent gaze. She observes her dad grow more and more tired as the months wear on. All of this is recorded on her camera that she shares with Dr. Sarah, so she can get a better idea of Audrey’s environment, home life, and progress.

  We sip our drinks and smile at each other. Thoughts are racing through my head, crazy thoughts like I’ve made it! I’m in Starbucks! Go me! But there are other, weird, random thoughts popping up, like Everyone’s looking at me and I hate myself. And then suddenly I wish I was home right now, which is just weird. I do not wish I was at home. I’m out with Linus! In Starbucks!

  Though we never find out exactly what triggered Audrey’s severe anxiety, we do get a good idea of what happened. (I also have a theory Mum was a huge contributing factor because WOW I wanted to box her ears and shut her up on a lot of issues. This is when I’d pull out my nonexistent pom-poms and cheer on Frank’s responses to everything she said and did.) And this book is so damn funny. Her situation isn’t funny, but the events happening around her, outside of her inner world, are so hilarious I couldn’t stop laughing. It made her moments with Dr. Sarah even more meaningful. I’m so relieved to finally see a mental illness story with a therapist that’s not a stereotype or unhelpful, with a protagonist that wants to make progress.

  I’ve never read Kinsella’s adult books, but if they’re anything like her YA debut, I’m definitely going to give her a read!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 6 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Emmy & Oliver” by Robin Benway (ARC)

  Posted at 6:35 am by Laura, on June 17, 2015

  Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Publishing Date: June 23
  Genre: young adult, contemporary, romance
  ISBN: 9780062330598
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life. She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

  Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart. He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

  Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

  Emmy’s life has always been in relation to Oliver. It began when they were friends, and then it took a terrible turn when he was kidnapped. Emmy understands why her parents have such strict rules, but it means she has to lie to them about surfing and applying to UCSD — and she doesn’t like doing that to them. But when Oliver returns home, she realizes just how much everyone focused on wanting him back but not the after. And Oliver finds a friend in Emmy, a healer to combine his childhood, his disappearance, and his reappearance together, without judgement or stress. But how will he come to terms with understanding the man who raised him was also the man who committed a crime?

  This is unique in topic, and I think that’s why I enjoyed this so much. While there are books on Stockholm Syndrome, that’s not exactly what happened to Oliver. He was 7 when his father picked him up from school for a three-day weekend, and then he never returned. His father, a man he already loved and saw as an authority figure, then raised him and taught him everything he knew. But when Oliver discovers his mother was looking for him all this time, he decides to go back to California and live with her and new family — and that’s when it really hits him that his father is a criminal. To everyone in town, Oliver’s dad is a monster. But to Oliver, his dad is his dad. That’s a tough situation right there — toss in the fact his father said, all the way back when Oliver was 7, that his mother didn’t want him anymore, and you’ve got 10 years of resentment and longing built up.

  While the story is told in Emmy’s point of view, I couldn’t help but look forward to Oliver’s shattering facade moments. The moments when he’d break down a bit more and reveal how he felt and what happened all those years. I wanted to hear what he had to say, to try to put myself in his shoes — and let me tell you, it was an emotional wreck for such a good guy. He does the best he can to be as normal as possible, to look to the future and see the positive in everything. He’s so dimensional and really stuck with me.

  That’s not to say Emmy’s voice wasn’t memorable. She’s the first teen protagonist I’ve seen in a while that’s a good girl but not a doormat. She actually speaks her mind when she gets frustrated with her parents. They’re (understandably) protective, and all it takes is a letter from UCSD for them to see the extent of the damage panicked decisions can do.

  Emmy and her friends Caro and Drew were a riot. I loved them. They were easy-going and fun and supportive, and absolutely adored their humor and back-and-forth attitude. Even in the moments when they had rough patches, it felt genuine and true to life. Nothing is hunky-dory in their world, and they certainly have their own home lives to deal with, but they make the most of it. Oliver always belonged with them — and of all the emotional stories, it was their open arms bringing him back into the fold that made me tear up.

  If you love the friendship stories of Emery Lord, the family stories of Sarah Dessen, the psychological undertone of Lucy Christopher, and coming-of-age of Morgan Matson, you’ve got to read this book.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from HarperTeen for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 8 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by SJ Maas

  Posted at 6:05 am by Laura, on June 15, 2015

  A Court of Thorns and Roses by SJ Maas

  Publisher: Bloomsbury
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: young adult, fantasy, retelling
  ISBN: 9781619634442
  Goodreads: 4.36
  Rating: ★★★★★

  When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

  As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

  Feyre is a hunter by necessity. Her family depends on her to bring back meat for food and hide for money. But one snowy evening in the woods changes her future forever. The night after she kills a gigantic wolf, a beast arrives at her family’s cottage and drags her into the magical realm of the faeries, a place Feyre has been taught to fear her whole life. But once at the Spring Court, Feyre learns the beast is not a creature, but a High Lord, a faerie named Tamlin. Tamlin shows her compassion, brings her art and peace each day she dwells in Prythian. But an ancient magic haunts Tamlin and hinders his powers, and Feyre is swept up in a deadly game plaguing the faerie lands.

  Move over, folks, because I need a spot on the SJ Maas bandwagon. Though I own Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight, A Court of Thorns and Roses ranked higher on my priority list because, hello, Beauty and the Beast retelling! Instead of a beautiful girl obsessed with books swapping her father’s life for her own (and a whole mess of Stockholm Syndrome that I like to ignore), we’ve got an artistically talented and illiterate young woman who chose to spare her family’s slaughter by agreeing to cross into faerie lands for eternity. And the beast? He’s all terrifying when he storms into her home, but the second they cross into Prythian he’s not a person to fear. He’s nothing but kind to her, no masks (well, except for the one permanently glued to his face — part of the curse) or bickering dialogue.

  Tamlin and Feyre really have chemistry. Not love-at-first-sight chemistry, but a steady, growing attraction that is so deep as well as steamy. That’s what made her friendship with Lucien feel genuine, too. No love triangles here. And her connection later with Rhys? I don’t see a triangle on that end either, at least not reciprocated by Feyre, but it made me like Rhys’s character as well when he helped her during the torturous trials.

  Favorite scenes: the starlight pond, the gallery showing, Feyre’s sister Nesta’s reveal, Feyre’s fae maid Alis explaining the curse, the frightening mud scene in Amarantha’s mountain . . .

  I don’t know how to review this book without doing this

  

  There’s action, romance, adventure, faerie lore, retelling parallels, excellent characters, depth and plotting. It’s a book.

  Now, I’ve had this conversation with Morgan and Lindsey before, about how we can’t seem to cast characters as we’re reading but it makes sense in hindsight when we see an actor with those physical features. The characters are hazy, blurred. Well, Kelly solved all of these issues with her excellent ACOTAR casting. Not only do I approve of all those yummy men (especially Shuegs), I also approve of the roles they’d play.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 5 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: fantasy, genre: new adult, genre: young adult, review

• Book Review: “Murder is Bad Manners” by Robin Stevens

  Posted at 6:30 am by Laura, on June 12, 2015

  Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens
  also published under Murder Most Unladylike in the UK

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / Corgi Children’s
  Published: April 2015 / June 2014
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781481422123
  Goodreads: 4.05
  Rating: ★★★★

  Deepdean School for Girls, 1934. When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own deadly secret detective agency, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t, really.)

  But then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She thinks it must all have been a terrible accident – but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now the girls know a murder must have taken place . . . and there’s more than one person at Deepdean with a motive.

  Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove a murder happened in the first place. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally), Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning, scheming and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?

  Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, best friends and co-starters of several societies at Deepdean School for Girls, are smack dab in the middle of a murder case before the rest of the school realizes what’s happened to two of their teachers. Hazel discovers Miss Bell, the science teacher, dead in the gym, and Daisy launches an investigation by starting up the Wells and Wong Detective Agency. By listing suspects, motives, and gathering evidence, the girls seek out ways to prove teachers’ innocence, and are on the right track to sniffing out the murderer when another teacher winds up dead. Soon, the murders seem too real to the girls, and their friendship is stretched thin.

  Daisy liked rushing headlong into things and triumphing, and I liked waiting
  and thinking — but why should that make her right and me wrong?

  If you want a good middle grade mystery for a young Holmes or Marple in your life, look no further. This has that classic Doyle or Christie feel, and the characters — Hazel, in particular — are so well-rounded I felt like I was in school with these girls in 1930s England.

  Daisy and Hazel occasionally let their emotions guide them to their conclusions, but they conduct their investigation like a detective would: writing down possible suspects, sniffing around for evidence to cross suspects off the list — rather than pinpointing a person and blindly ignoring evidence that suggests otherwise — sneakily discover information by creating diversions or running off somewhere in the school late at night, and even confronting the criminal when they’ve finished their work. What’s extra wonderful is that the girls solve the basic part of the mystery halfway through, and quickly realize they’re not necessarily wrong, just that there was more to it than they expected, and they continue the investigation before bringing it to the police’s attention.

  That’s not to say the murder doesn’t bother them. Daisy tries very hard to see the crime as something in her detective novels, but there’s a scene in here where she buries herself under a pile of coats (kind of like a comfort tactic) and admits to Hazel they may be in over their heads. Hazel is bothered by the case from the get-go, having seen the victim firsthand. Several middle grade mysteries lack this haunting psychological element, so I was very happy to see Stevens write this into the story. It was also refreshing to see the friends work hard together, but still have some bumps along the road that tests their friendship. There are moments when Hazel’s “otherness” gets in the way as well, and I liked how she handled these situations.

  A satisfying ending that works as a standalone and a promise for more (and I know there’s more — the perks of watching UK books come to the US!). I’m thrilled I read this book! I can’t wait to read the other adventures Daisy and Hazel experience!

  This qualifies as book #6 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015. 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

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• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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