Tag: goodreads

• Book Review: “Everything, Everything” by Nicola Yoon

  Posted at 2:17 pm by Laura, on December 16, 2015

  Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

  Publisher: Delacorte BFYR
  Published: September 2015
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780553496642
  Goodreads: 4.03
  Rating: ★★★.5

  My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

  But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

  Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

  Maddy is allergic to everything. She only interacts with her mother and Carla, her nurse. Everything other contact must go through a decontamination chamber for an hour and not be sick/have been around sick people, cannot touch Maddy, and cannot introduce new foods or clothes or fabrics to Maddy. No open windows or doors. Shaded spaces. Cleanliness. But then a family moves in next door, and Maddy’s interest in the world outside reawakens. Her curiosity over this noisy, rather abusive family is heightened when their son, Olly, manages to find a way to interact with Maddy. He clearly wants to find a way out of his own cage, and Maddy is the answer. For Maddy, Olly is her answer, too.

  I was drawn far more to Maddy’s experience of the world — seeing everything through her eyes and wondering how much of her life was a ticking clock — than the romance. The romance was a great way to propel her out of her house (talk about an even faster, heart-pounding ticking clock!), but I was not drawn to the romance mostly because I wasn’t drawn to Olly. It seemed real enough, sure, and they discuss whether she loves him because she genuinely loves him or because he’s the only one she’s interacted with — but even still, if it weren’t for the romance, for that enticing slice of the Outside, Maddy wouldn’t have left her home.

  Or discovered all the shocking things after leaving home. *dun dun dun*

  Not only was Maddy’s situation an interesting and unique one — absolutely fascinating, this “bubble baby” scenario — but this book is another good tool to discuss mental illness and the impact it has on everyone outside of the primary individual. YA is loaded with mental illness books through the eyes of the mentally ill, rather than the friend or family member witnessing it and experiencing it from another perspective. Maddy, Olly, Carla, and Maddy’s mother all express and experience love in different ways. It’s amazing how love can inspire or hinder us. Love is worth everything, and everything is worth love. It’s how we act upon it that define who we are in this world.

  Enhanced with the supplementary images, charts, tickets, and IM convos, this novel will send you for a spin across two extremes in environment: experiencing a pristine, glass world, and a world of chaos and vibrancy.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Boundless” by Kenneth Oppel

  Posted at 4:33 am by Laura, on November 30, 2015

  The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: middle grade, adventure, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781442472891
  Goodreads: 3.87
  Rating: ★★★

  The Boundless, the greatest train ever built, is on its maiden voyage across the country, and first-class passenger Will Everett is about to embark on the adventure of his life! When he ends up in possession of the key to a train car containing priceless treasures, he becomes the target of sinister figures from his past.

  In order to survive, Will must join a traveling circus, enlisting the aid of Mr. Dorian, the ringmaster and leader of the troupe, and Maren, a girl his age who is an expert escape artist. With villains fast on their heels, can Will and Maren reach Will’s father and save The Boundless before someone winds up dead?

  The Boundless is the longest train in the world, and it’s taking its maiden voyage across Canada with Will’s father as the driver. Will and his father weren’t always first-class passengers though. Mr Everett was once a breakman, assisting on the railroad  and hopping between cars. He and Will lived through a devastating avalanche, one with events that’s coming back to haunt Will on The Boundless. To save himself before he or his father gets murdered, Will must join the traveling circus on the train before it’s too late.

  There’s something about train stories I find fascinating and incredible. It’s both a stable and moving setting, a character on its own. When you have a train that’s 7 miles long like The Boundless, you know suspense is going to be a part of the story. Any time the train is moving, so is the plot. Any time the train stops, an insurmountable build-up of tension occurs, and you can’t help but hold your breath in anticipation of what’s to come. This book is steeped in Canadian cultural history, so that and the mountains and forests the train zooms past is as much of a character as the train, too.

  Will and Maren, a girl in the traveling circus, are caught up in two different plots that have one ultimate goal: to save or kill Will’s father. They’re busy running from the villains — disguised breakmen angered by events that happened three years prior in the avalanche — as well as nabbing a unique, magical canvas for the ringmaster Mr. Dorian (I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a bizarre Dorian Gray connection…there isn’t). If they can find the canvas, they can save Will’s father. If they cannot, the breakmen just might harm all the passengers on The Boundless.

  One issue I had with the book is how black-and-white the villains were. They’re your standard big bulky bullies with guns and knives and clubs, chasing after children and grunting and refusing to shave or clean up. Gruff, scruffy men. Your typical DANGER, I AM BAD kind of character. I was hoping for something with a bit more depth, so I’m not sure if it’s the thriller part of this novel that prevented the full potential, or if it’s because this is middle grade. However, there was something about this novel I absolutely adored: Will’s love for art. He sketches and paints, he’s an artist with ambitions to study art in school and receive an art education. He’s a sensitive soul with a curious mind in awe with the world around him. While Mr Everett tries to dampen his son’s artistic spirit, saying it’s “feminine” and not “masculine” enough of a profession, Will refuses to listen and chases after his dreams. That was absolutely lovely to read.

  A good middle grade thriller with a dash of magic and a whole lot of great Canadian history. Definitely pick this up if you need a speedy read in the cooler months. Time will zoom by!

  This qualifies as book #3 in my autumn reading challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Velvet Undercover” by Teri Brown

  Posted at 4:45 am by Laura, on November 16, 2015

  Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Published: October 20
  Genre: young adult, historical fiction, mystery
  ISBN: 9780062321275
  Goodreads: 3.71
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Samantha Donaldson’s family has always done its duty for the British Crown. In the midst of World War I, seventeen-year-old Sam follows in their footsteps, serving her country from the homefront as a messenger for the intelligence organization MI5. After her father disappears on a diplomatic mission, she continues their studies of languages, mathematics, and complex puzzles, hoping to make him proud.

  When Sam is asked to join the famed women’s spy group La Dame Blanche, she’s torn—while this could be an unbelievable adventure, how can she abandon her mother, who has already lost a husband? But when her handlers reveal shocking news, Sam realizes she can’t refuse the exciting and dangerous opportunity.

  Her acceptance leads her straight into the heart of enemy territory on a mission to extract the most valuable British spy embedded in Germany, known only as Velvet. Deep undercover in the court of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Sam must navigate the labyrinthine palace and its many glamorous—and secretive—residents to complete her assignment. In a place where personal politics are treacherously entangled in wartime policy, can Sam find Velvet before it’s too late?

  Samantha is a knack for languages and mathematics, skills her father taught her ever since she was a little girl. She is approached after a competition by a member of MI5, and offered a position within a secret women’s spy group La Dame Blanche. With her intelligence and skill set, she could be an asset to her country in this endless war. But once Samantha reaches Berlin and is immersed in the kaiser’s court to find and rescue another agent under the codename Velvet, she realizes there are more conspiracies, lies, and hidden agendas than she could ever comprehend.

  Safety of any kind is just an illusion.

  My mind is blown. Samantha Donaldson is a wonderful character to narrate this intense journey. She’s intelligent and quick, similar to Hermione Granger, but she has a sense of warmth and empathy that reminded me so much of Gretchen in Anne Blankman’s Prisoner of Night and Fog. There are several layers and threads and plots in this book, and Samantha’s wicked-fast brain is able to see the evidence before her and tries to bring the clues together like solving a code. Her moments of weakness as a spy are quickly realized — and I was very grateful to see that she did slip as often as she did (we’re only human! And she’s only seventeen!) — and her strengths create heart-pounding scenes and urgently move the plot along. She’s the star of the novel through and through and kept me on the edge of my seat!

  “…people are human beings no matter where they’re from.”

  WWI — its purpose, its beginnings, the endless years, the advancements in warfare technology, and everything that comes with spying at the turn of the century — was an absolutely perfect and frightening setting for this. The future of the world felt palpable as well, with the distrust of the Germans and the rocky foundation of figuring out whom to confide when news begins to travel so quickly. If I were a teacher, I could easily create a whole lesson around Velvet Undercover (WWI); Prisoner of Night and Fog and Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke (Germany 1930s); Book Thief, Code Name Verity, and Between Shades of Gray (WWII); and The Boy on the Bridge (Cold War).

  I feel as if I’m losing who I really am. 

  Imagine being a spy! You could be caught at any moment, tortured and/or put to death instantly. You could find your information rather quickly (in which case, is that good or bad? Is it valid?) or it could take ages and require an immense acting stamina. How do you know the people you’re informing are telling you the truth, that they’re on your side? Or, on the other hand, how do you know the people you’re obtaining information from is on your side? Who is an innocent civilian versus another spy? The blending of information and personalities takes a toll on Samantha, and watching her come apart at the seams (much like Cassie did in Tana French’s The Likeness as an undercover cop) can only give us a glimpse into the true horrors of that position.

  You must read this book.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: mystery, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Mini Reviews IV

  Posted at 7:12 am by Laura, on October 15, 2015

  Mini Reviews

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

  

  A Little in Love by Susan Fletcher

  Publisher: Chicken House
  Published: August 2015
  Genre: young adult, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780545829601
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Paris, 1832. A girl lies alone in the darkness, clutching a letter to her heart. Eponine remembers being a child: her swing and the peach tree, and the baby brother she loved. But mostly she remembers being miserable. Taught to lie and cheat, and to hate the one girl, Cosette, who might have been her friend. Now, at sixteen, the two girls meet again, and Eponine has one more chance. But what is the price of friendship—the love of a boy?

  Mini Review: Eponine’s story in Les Mis is probably my favorite, only because life is both wonderful and tragic for her. She manages to find love and passion in the midst of hatred, hunger, and revolution. A hopeless romantic to the core. Fletcher’s book shares Eponine’s childhood up to her death, her life with a cold, harsh family and how she is both jealous and admiring of Cosette. She’s a complex character, and through Fletcher’s simple writing Eponine manages to convey so much emotion. You want nothing but love for this poor creature.

  This qualifies as book #7 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015. 

  The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray 
  Published: March 2010
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780061791109
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must eliminate their canine tendencies. But who are these three wild creatures? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance’s holiday ball? 

  Mini Review: This felt like a child’s version of Jane Eyre meeting Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Wood occasionally talks to the reader, explaining grammar and offering nuggets of wisdom as little asides, before diving back into Penelope’s journey with the three wild children on this vast estate. What I loved most — and found a great deal of humor in — was Penelope’s teaching method for the children (Pavlovian method, anyone?), and how the children worked so hard to be tame while Lady Constance falls to pieces and turns wild. This is an excellent autumnal read, too, and it ends right at Christmas. A quick read, entertaining, and I’m curious to see what’s in store in the next book!

  This qualifies as book #1 in my autumn reading challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: young adult, goodreads, mini review

• Book Review: “Ice Like Fire” by Sara Raasch (ARC)

  Posted at 4:45 am by Laura, on October 12, 2015

  Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Publishing Date: October 13
  Genre: young adult, fantasy
  ISBN: 9780062286956
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★.75

  It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

  Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

  Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

  As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.

  Winter is free, but there’s a price to pay for the assistance from Cordell. While that is difficult enough, Meira and Mather must come to terms with their new roles in the kingdom: her a queen, he a soldier. Meira’s instincts are that of a soldier, and she’s furious when Theron unearths Primoria’s lost chasm of magic and tells his father, the king of Cordell. Meira can feel the magic surge through her, and she knows the safety of her kingdom is best kept with the chasm locked away. Under the guise of searching for the key to unlock the magic, Meira seeks assistance from nearby kingdoms to loosen Cordell’s grip on Winter and greed for magic.

  Though the book suffered from second book syndrome, I did enjoy it. Not as much as Snow Like Ashes, and not in the same way. While Snow Like Ashes (I’ll refer to my review of that book several times throughout this review) felt like a breath of fresh air in YA fantasy, Ice Like Fire felt a bit more run-of-the-mill, with the complicated world, the magic, the war, the deception, the harried heroine, and the two vastly different love interests. It was not a bad book. In fact, it was a great read all on its own. But because Snow Like Ashes was so incredibly beautiful and already felt like a stand-alone, this book fell flat in comparison to its predecessor.

  Meira was a different character. In my first review, I called Meira “strong-willed, determined to find her place, anxious to prove that she has a purpose for the restoration of Winter, funny, insightful, emotional,” that it was “so wonderful to read about an independent warrior-lady who’s not all about sacrifice,” and that “she felt real.” Take those little nuggets, and take them far away. Her world has turned upside down now that she knows she’s the royal child, the one with the crown, the queen of her kingdom. She’s not trained for politics but for battle. However, that does not explain why her personality shifted so much and in three short months. The shift between the books and the “I must sacrifice everything” mentality keeps her at a distance from the reader.

  The dynamics of Mather and Theron shifted. Political moves were made in the first book to bring Meira and Theron together, but their relationship always felt more like lust than love anyway. I wasn’t too concerned. Mather and Meira are more right for one another, and inevitably, with their switch in station, they would have several rough patches in this book. But there was something about the way Meira treated the two of them that I disliked. It was as if she was using them for her own emotional gain. A weakness, yes, but it was almost done heartlessly, and she’s not a heartless character (old or new Meira). The love triangle, which wasn’t much of one in the first book (and therefore I was a happy reader), felt forced in this one.

  I’m positively torn. I enjoyed the read. The world-building is still lush and the tone was a realistic shift from the first book. Establishing freedom and maintaining liberation are two different political moves, and this was successful in Ice Like Fire. When I think about it as the second book or compare it to its first book, I’m a little saddened. Nicked off quarter of a star for that reason only. I will definitely read the final installment, because I will not give up on Meira or Winter!

  Thank you, Balzer + Bray, for providing this book for review!

  This book fulfills 5 of 7 #ARCAugust reads.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Lake House” by Kate Morton (ARC)

  Posted at 5:35 am by Laura, on October 7, 2015

  The Lake House by Kate Morton 

  Publisher: Atria Books
  Publishing Date: October 20
  Genre: adult fiction, historical fiction, mystery
  ISBN: 9781451649321
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Living on her family’s gorgeous lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, clever, inquisitive, innocent, and precociously talented fourteen-year-old who loves to write stories. But the mysteries she pens are no match for the one her family is about to endure…

  One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest son, Theo, has completely disappeared. Vanished without a trace. What follows is a tragedy that tears the family apart in ways they never imagined, leaving their estate as empty as their sunken hearts.

  Nearly sixty years later, having enjoyed a long, successful career as an author, Alice is now eighty years old and living in London. Theo’s case has never been solved, though Alice still harbors a suspicion as to the culprit. Miles away, Sadie Sparrow, a young detective in the London police force, is staying at her grandfather’s house in Cornwall. While out walking one day, she stumbles upon the old estate—now crumbling and covered with vines, clearly abandoned long ago. Her curiosity is sparked and sets off a series of events that will bring her and Alice together and reveal shocking truths about a past long gone…yet more present than ever.

  Alice Edevane is a mystery writer in the making, plotting out stories and taking notes in a tiny journal she carries with her everywhere. But she could never conjure — let alone solve — the mystery that would plague her family for the rest of her life. The youngest Edevane, Theo, disappears in the middle of a massive Midsummer’s Eve party, never to be seen again. Generations later, Sadie Sparrow, a London detective on leave for overstepping boundaries in a child abandonment case, stumbles across the estate in Cornwall while visiting her grandfather. The mystery of the missing Edevane fills her mind, bringing her right to award-winning mystery writer A.C. Edevane’s doorstep.

  First off, all hail Kate Morton. Lindsey, Morgan, Jessie, Katie, and I had a wonderful readalong with this book. Feel free to browse #KMflails! Morton delivers a fantastic novel yet again, only more intricately plotted, more points of view, more timelines than ever before. While House at Riverton and The Secret Keeper are still my favorites, Morton would never disappoint me.

  The surprise narrator of the story was Eleanor, Alice’s mother. She was a surprise because, well, she’s not mentioned once in the publisher summary. Yet her part in the mystery is key, and she’s an incredibly intriguing character. Her own growth across the book was palpable, and my heart ached for her, the poor mother with the missing boy. What a fantastic storyline for her. Pay attention to Eleanor!

  Alice’s narrative, at least in her teen years, was rather irksome. She reminded me of Briony in Atonement — self-entitled author-in-the-making, devising up plots and stories behind every individual and muddling it within a crime scene. I nearly wanted to wring her neck when her young narrative popped up. But older Alice? Quietly hilarious and witty. She’s that sassy grandmother I’m sure everyone wants in life. I nearly envisioned her as a modern day Agatha Christie.

  Sadie’s narrative was frustrating at first — why is she on leave? why does she feel guilty? who are these people she keeps mentioning? what do they have to do with the case that got her into trouble? why does the Edevane story bother her so much? — but, as Morton always does, you’re brought around to understand all the hidden layers when Sadie feels its appropriate to expose them.

  I can’t say too much without exposing the mystery. But this is a classic Morton piece, where a family mystery tied to a beautiful home all come together in the end. It’s never picture-perfect, but it’s bound to break your heart. It’s such a joy to experience reading all these parallel narratives and how that interconnect up to the final conclusion. I’m looking forward to this hitting the shelves!

  Thank you, NetGalley, for providing this book from Atria Books for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 3 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: fiction, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “George” by Alex Gino

  Posted at 6:00 am by Laura, on September 14, 2015

  George by Alex Gino

  Publisher: Scholastic Press
  Published: August 2015
  Genre: middle grade, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780545812542
  Goodreads: 4.10
  Rating: ★★★.5

  When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she’s not a boy. She knows she’s a girl.

  George thinks she’ll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte’s Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can’t even try out for the part . . . because she’s a boy.

  With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte — but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

  George would love nothing more than to play Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web for the class play. Charlotte is smart and bold and caring, but George wants to play her because it would mean showing the world who she really is. George is a girl. But it’s hard for people to understand that when, to them, George is a boy.

  I’ve seen this book compared plenty of times to Gracefully Grayson, another wonderful transgender book for middle grade and young adult readers. Whatever your take may be, you can’t deny that it’s a beautiful day and age we live in to finally have books like these on the shelves for readers. The first books will, of course, be about how to express oneself to family and friends. They are the stepping stones to what lies ahead, and I’m beyond excited to see that!

  George is the perfect book for lower middle grade readers. Or anyone, really, to better understand the mind of a child coming to terms with who they are and how they want to express their individuality. I absolutely loved the way Gino used pronouns in here, how they expressed others’ reactions to George’s confession. Kelly, George’s best friend, is a bit confused (who wouldn’t be at that age?), but completely accepting. George’s older brother Scott is your typical icky teenage boy — I laughed at a lot of the things he’d say because he reminded me so much of my own brother at that age — and when he learned that George is a girl, it was as if his world clicked into place. Bless him. Mom was a tougher nut to crack, but at the same time she wasn’t hurtful. Now, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. There are bullies. There are accepting as well as disappointed adults. George experiences it all, and expresses her frustration and anxiety in a way any fourth-grader would.

  If you haven’t already, you should follow Gino’s projects. They’re a true human rights advocate, and I hope to one day see love like this from everyone!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: LGBTQ, genre: middle grade, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Beastly Bones” by William Ritter (ARC)

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on September 8, 2015

  Beastly Bones by William Ritter

  Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
  Publishing Date: September 22
  Genre: young adult, fantasy, historical fiction, gothic, mystery
  ISBN: 9781616203542
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer R. F. Jackaby are called upon to investigate the supernatural.

  First, a vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens, and a day later, their owner is found murdered with a single mysterious puncture wound. Then in nearby Gad’s Valley, now home to the exiled New Fiddleham police detective Charlie Cane, dinosaur bones from a recent dig mysteriously go missing, and an unidentifiable beast starts attacking animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Charlie calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.

  Several weeks after Abigail Rook and her odd employer, detective of the supernatural R.F. Jackaby, solve a strange case, another bubbles underneath the surface. What appears to be kittens turns out to be shape-shifters, and the owner of these poor creatures turns up dead. Meanwhile, police detective Charlie Cane (now Barker) calls upon the duo to help solve a similar murder that occurred around a strange paleontology site on a farmer’s land. As Abigail and Jackaby hunt for a culprit, the finds of the dig soon take precedence and something much larger than they ever expected looms over the case.

  At times Beastly Bones feels like it’s carrying three different mysteries — the strange kittens, the dig, the murders — when in reality, there are two. The first ties the seemingly three mysteries together, and the second involves Jenny, and what’s surely to come in Book Three, tying the three books together. (Ha! Didn’t know there was another mystery underneath in Jackaby, did you?)

  The same wit, humor, and banter found in the first book is back again, only Jackaby takes a more introspective role and lets Abigail shine. She is especially involved in this case due to her background in paleontology. Only what she finds, she’s having trouble believing. Myth and fact collide, and even the famous scientists involved in the case are baffled. The scientists’ rivalry, coupled with an entertainingly forceful reporter, take over the humor end of the narrative, nearly distracting Abigail and Jackaby from the stakes.

  Let’s just say… “Here, there be ___.” Beastly bones, indeed. But how are they tied to the murders (if they’re indeed tied at all)? Something strange is afoot, and that something links back to Abigail and Jackaby’s first case together. But why? And how?

  If you think this wonderful genre-bender is going to be another standalone mystery, then you are wrong. In true Sherlockian fashion, Ritter brings the reader to an explosive ending that will make you want to reread Jackaby and Beastly Bones, because there’s a Moriarty lurking, and it will blow your mind.

  Thank you, Algonquin, for providing this book at BEA for review!

  This book fulfills 2 of 7 #ARCAugust reads.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 1 Comment | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: mystery, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Dumplin'” by Julie Murphy (ARC)

  Posted at 6:45 am by Laura, on September 2, 2015

  Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  Publishing Date: September 15
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780062327185
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

  Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

  With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.

  Willowdean is a fat girl and perfectly fine with that, thank you very much. She doesn’t see “fat” as a negative word, just a descriptor like “tall” and “brown-haired.” But the summer she starts working at Harpy’s makes her incredibly self-aware of her size, because now hot boy Bo has his eyes set on her. It’s obvious why she likes him, but she can’t help but wonder what he sees in her. Her confidence declines, her beautiful best friend Ellen fades away from her life, and Will misses her aunt so much it hurts. So she decides to do the one thing that would shock her beauty-queen mother most: enter the Miss Clover City beauty pageant along with several other outcast girls. Nowhere on the application does it say “fat, crippled, and buck-teeth girls need not apply,” and every girl deserves a chance at a pageant. Navigating, friendship, body talks, grief, confidence, Dolly Parton songs, and strutting with drag queens, Will’s life turns upside down and back on track as she embraces her strengths.

  Rarely do I read a book that I connect with on so many levels and yet be completely disconnected from as well. I’m not a big girl by any means. In fact, I’m a little underweight for my height and age. That doesn’t mean I don’t understand body shaming. At the same time, I couldn’t help but think of my gorgeous, talented, hilarious, intelligent, active friend…who also happens to be a big girl. She’s got the perfect fat girl figure, and I’m so jealous of that — because she owns it, she’s confident, and she very much reminds me of Willowdean. Sometimes she wonders what men see in her, and I can’t help but give her this look like, “Honey? Seriously?”

  Will’s dilemma throughout the book isn’t that she’s fat, not really. She doesn’t hate her body, and she’s not unhealthy. She’s living life like every other teen girl: she’s good in school, she’s got a job, and she’s obsessed with Dolly Parton. It’s the other factors in her life that make her wonder how to navigate being fat. It never occurred to her that a gorgeous former jock (whose jaw can cut glass) would like her, and when he does she’s both thrilled and disgusted (because if he likes her, he’ll want to kiss her, and then touch her, and hold her hand, and the thought of the two of them touching and holding hands freaks her out because look at him and then look at her and how does a guy like him get a girl like her — you see where this distructive thought process comes in?).

  It also never hit her till she signed up for the pageant that all the beauty queens were tall and thin and Western definition of beauty. But the application doesn’t say a girl of a certain height and weight and bone structure can’t join the pageant. So she signs up — and her mother, who runs the event, nearly tells her not to. Will calls her out on it, saying if her own mother and pageant judge says she can’t sign up, then she’s also saying her daughter isn’t good enough and beautiful enough.

  By fighting the stigma, Will grows more confident in her skin. Watching this blossom throughout the book is so incredibly heartwarming, it makes me want to hug her and strut a runway alongside her. It’s no wonder Bo’s in love with her, or why Ellen depends on her so much. As a reader, you can see why people like Will, even if she doesn’t see it herself. It’s never about her body to the outsider (how many times did Bo say this to her? A million? And how many times did I fall in love with him? A million and one?), but she makes it about her body. Joining her on this journey of body acceptance and body confidence was encouraging, uplifting, and so universal to every girl of every size.

  Positive. Hilarious. Sweet. Sassy. Deep.

  This book is like a cool glass of sweet tea on a hot Texas summer evening. It’s refreshing and perfect and just what you didn’t know you needed.

  Thank you, Balzer + Bray and HarperCollins, for providing this book at BEA for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 10 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, genre: young adult, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Uprooted” by Naomi Novik

  Posted at 6:45 am by Laura, on August 26, 2015

  Uprooted by Naomi Novik

  Publisher: Del Rey
  Published: May 2015
  Genre: adult fiction, fantasy
  ISBN: 9780804179034
  Goodreads: 4.24
  Rating: ★★★.5

  Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.

  Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.

  The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.

  But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.

  Agnieszka is worried for her best friend Kasia — it’s clear she’s the one the Dragon will choose to keep in his tower for ten years. He’s not really a dragon, but a powerful wizard that protects her village and the surrounding area from the malevolent Wood. Agnieszka’s life changes when the Dragon chooses her instead, and she’s whisked away to his tower and taught how to explore, grow, and harness her magic, abilities she didn’t even know she possessed. But Kasia is taken into the Wood, and Agnieszka will stop at nothing to rescue her — and the consequences are dire.

  First, hello Polish fairytale retelling. Second, hello malicious forest. Third, hello incredibly vague book jacket that only summarized the first twenty pages instead of what the book is actually about. (The third part I am a little peeved over, and yet I can see why marketing would do such a thing! Uprooted is complex and beautiful and should not be spoiled.)

  I’d heard great things about this book, especially after Gillian @ Writer of Wrongs freaked out about it. Even New York Times and Slate had great things to say, and Twitter was all agog over the “Jane-Eyre-and-Mr-Rochester” romance. So after reading the reviews, watching the freak outs, and staring at the vague book jacket, I decided to give in and read it. It’s nothing like I expected (which I’m only slightly disappointed over) and still tremendously stunning.

  Uprooted has a very classic fantasy feel to it. Novik uses long, lush descriptions of just about everything you could think of — scenery, spell-casting, battles and skirmishes, emotions —  which I thoroughly enjoyed. I felt like I was a part of Agnieszka’s world. Her character was deeply relatable as well, with a quiet, sly sense of humor and immense love for her friends and family. I admired her and cheered her on when she decided to rebel against the Dragon (countless times), when she’d tinker with spells and experiment with variations. Her time in the tower was my favorite, followed by her scenes with the Dragon and with Kasia. Gosh, even when she’s in the Wood on her own, I was enthralled.

  Let me take a moment to discuss the Wood. What a breath of fresh air, a villain that has no face, a villain that is neither human nor creature, but an entity on its own! That’s what I found most frightening about it. The Wood can take whomever whenever it wants, expanding across the land and destroying whole villages. People are trapped inside with no hope of escape, and corruption is inevitable. How intense and original is that? Thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the fantasy!

  But this wasn’t like I expected, as I stated previously. I thought this was going to be a more solitary sort of book. Yes, something would be done with the Wood, but I wasn’t expecting as much traveling as Agnieszka and the Dragon embarked upon, or as much courtly politics or as battle-intensive (gosh, the battles really weren’t splattered across the pages like I’m making it sound — it was just one or two scenes too many for my “I’m not into fight scenes” self). And when the writing is descriptive, well…it can get a little weary in these passages.

  I liked the Dragon (or Sarkan, as we later learn). He was an amusing character, and I know plenty of people who are grouchy and stuck in their ways just like him. But I didn’t love him. Agnieszka’s curiosity and infatuation with him is a completely natural response, but there was no way I could love him. He could be a bit abrasive and insulting, neither of which I find conducive to a healthy relationship, let alone a romance. So while there were some steamy scenes (I’m looking at you, page 353!), I wasn’t in love.

  Please don’t throw tomatoes at me.

  Uprooted is enjoyable, beautiful, intricate, powerful, unique, and magical. It’s the kind of story you want to take some time to sink into and savor.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 8 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, 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 knit, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm obsessed with popcorn. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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