Tag: rock my TBR

• Book Review: “You and Me, Always” by Jill Mansell

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on February 27, 2017

  You and Me, Always by Jill Mansell

  Publisher: Sourcebooks
  Published: July 2016
  Genre: adult fiction, chick lit, contemporary
  ISBN: 9781492638858
  Rating: ★★★.5

  On the morning of Lily’s twenty-fifth birthday, it’s time to open the very last letter written to her by her beloved mother, who died when she was eight.

  Learning more about the first and only real love of her mum’s life is a revelation. On the same day, Lily also meets Eddie Tessler, a man fleeing fame who just might have the ability to change her world in unimaginable ways. But her childhood friend Dan has his own reasons for not wanting Lily to get too carried away by Eddie’s attentions.

  Before long, secrets begin to emerge and Lily’s friends and family become involved. In the beautiful Cotswold village of Stanton Langley, nothing will ever be the same again…

  With her mother’s final letter, Lily and her friends’ lives are about to change forever. Lily’s mother passed away when Lily was a child, and every year on her birthday she receives a letter from her mother. In this last letter, her mother mentions a man, Declan, who was the only real love her life. Lily sets out to find Declan and befriend him on the same day she runs into Eddie Tessler, a movie star hiding away in her friend Patsy’s house till the most recent scandal calms down. As Lily and Eddie grow closer, her childhood friend Dan comes to grips with his secret feelings. But Dan’s not the only one with secrets in the village of Stanton Langley, and the summer is about to change for everyone.

  If you’re a fan of Win a Date With Tad Hamilton, this book is for you!

  I enjoyed the glimpse of Cotswold village life, how everyone knows everyone in some way or another, and yet the secrets keep on building. Unlike many novels I’ve read recently with secrets that just lead to massive amounts of frustrating miscommunication, these secrets are ones we everyday folks keep from family and friends: one night of regret that would never ever ever be mentioned or brought up again ever, harboring a secret crush or love, or surprising a sibling with Beyoncé tickets. What was entertaining was seeing how even these tiny secrets created a snowball all when Declan and Eddie come to town.

  Though it comes across as a love triangle, I promise you it’s not. It’s clear from the beginning, even if it’s not clear to Lily, that Dan is the one. Their banter was the kind I enjoy — not hate-to-love, but one of familiarity, friendship, and excellent witty comebacks. A genuine friendship and love underneath it all. Eddie’s glamorous life and lifestyle made him seem more appealing, yet I didn’t see much going for him. He was nice, don’t get me wrong, but I had a hard time being convinced Lily liked Eddie for Eddie rather than Eddie the Movie Star, if that makes sense. This was a good, clean, funny romance all in all.

  Shout out to Patsy, who is — I swear — my soul sister.

  Cozy up with this great afternoon romcom, and enjoy the banter, the dates, the village life, and the glamor!

  .

  This qualifies as book 2 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “Caraval” by Stephanie Garber (ARC)

  Posted at 5:15 am by Laura, on February 6, 2017

  Caraval by Stephanie Garber

  Publisher: Flatiron Books
  Published: January 31
  Genre: young adult, fantasy
  ISBN: 9781250095251
  Rating: ★★★

  Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

  But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

  Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

  Scarlett and Tella have wanted to see Caraval, a once-a-year circus-like show with audience participation, ever since they were little girls. But their cruel father has viciously prevented them from ever leaving their home. When Scarlett is betrothed to a man she’s never met, she mysteriously receives three tickets to Caraval from the mastermind himself, Legend. The sisters attend the game, but Tella is kidnapped. Finding her means the participant won. Racing against the clock, Scarlett plays the mind-bending, elaborate game with other participants and actors, and everything that seems real is not. After all, nothing at Caraval is as it seems.

  This was such a tough read! I wanted to love this book. I heard wonderful things from the editor (I adore her to pieces) and I’ve been looking forward to it since BEA last May. While I do ultimately believe this is a good book and certainly one worth reading, I also have some personal qualms with it.

  Let’s do some compare and contrast. The atmosphere was divine! While the writing was hard to get into in the opening chapters, it ultimately helped develop the surreal and magical elements of the game Caraval itself. Somewhere between Oz and Narnia, with some twisted elements like in the Harry Potter maze, Caraval is a place I’d love to participate for fun (and not forced into like the sisters. Whoooooo boy). I can see why this was pitched as the YA version of Night Circus, as it seems there are no rules that govern the game and the twists and turns really kept me on my toes.

  That said, the lack of rules started to get to me. This was very much an anything-goes world, full of lies and trickery and bizarre, mind-boggling situations. Unlike the Night Circus (which does have grounding rules in the magical elements and capabilities), Caraval lacked any sense of reality. Yes, I know it’s part of the game, but when the “rules” are contradictory, and the “reality” is twisted constantly, it makes it hard to follow the plot and sympathize or trust the characters.

  The characters were vast and varied. I felt for them, to some extent, especially the sisters under their abusive father (TRIGGER WARNING for anyone who has experienced emotional or physical abuse). It’s hard to read abuse books, even though it’s true to life. That said, the father was almost too Disney-villain, not quite executed the way he should have been in order to frighten me. The sisterly bond, while admirable, lacked the intensity I was promised. The reader is told several times the girls are close, but it felt like a one-way street, with Scarlett ready to die for Tella and Tella just messing with Scarlett’s head. (I loathed that. I cannot stand when characters use one another like this, and it made it very hard for me to care what happened to Tella. (For a good sisterly bond story, read the Lara Jean series by Jenny Han.))

  Now, again, the main characters left something to be desired, but the secondary characters were shining in here! I still don’t know what to think of Julian or Dante (though I won’t go into my thoughts on their relationship with Scarlett), or even Aiko and Jo, but I do want to know more! And I would love to dive back into Caraval with a different set of characters — maybe ones who genuinely wanted to be there and play the game. How about the girl who was turned to stone outside the dress shop? Tell me more about her!

  I’m torn. The plot and setting was there, but the characters and last little bit of world-building needed a bit more development. With some tightening of the prose, this could’ve been something truly astounding. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the game, the premise, and I’ve no doubt this book will stay in my mind for months.

  Thank you, Flatiron Books, for providing this book at BEA for review. 

  .

  This qualifies as book 1 of 12 in the Rock My TBR challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2017, Rock My TBR | 8 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: young adult, review, rock my TBR

• 2017 Bookish Resolutions and Reading Challenges

  Posted at 9:15 am by Laura, on December 19, 2016

  

  Major Goals

  READ 50 BOOKS || To quote last year’s post, “easy peasy.” Though it has become a bit more of a challenge the last couple years , I’m looking forward to reading 50 published books.

  READ 5 LIBRARY BOOKS || I’ll automatically read 24 books this year with the library (12 for the book club I run, and 12 for the genre study book club I’m in), but I want to read (deeply, for fun and entertainment) books that aren’t assigned to me that I’ve been curious to read.

  READ MARILLIER & GABALDON || Flights of Fantasy by Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books || This harkens back to an epiphany post from a few weeks ago. I want to get back to my bookish roots, which involved a lot of binge-reading — of authors, of series, of genre. Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters series, her new Blackthorn & Grim series, and finishing Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (of what’s published, at least) are at the top of my reading list. This automatically qualifies for Alexa’s fantasy challenge, too!

  Bonus Goals

  READ CLASSICS & REREAD FAVORITES || I was woefully terrible at this last year, and I still aim to read more classics in general. I also didn’t reread many of my favorite novels. Instead of putting a number goal on there (and potentially disappointing myself at the end of 2017), I’m aiming to at least read one of each!

  READ MORE FROM TBR, LESS FROM ARCS || Rock My TBR by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler || I don’t have a general number for this one, but I do want to make more of an effort to read all those books I’ve purchased and was very excited for. This means being pickier about ARCs as well. While I didn’t read as many ARCs in 2016 (which was a goal), I did end up neglecting many ARCs I received.

  What are some of your goals for 2017?

  Posted in books, Flights of Fantasy, Rock My TBR | 7 Comments | Tagged books, flights of fantasy, personal, resolutions, rock my TBR

• On Reading Epiphanies and Getting Back to Bookish Roots

  Posted at 3:30 am by Laura, on November 23, 2016

  For several months now, many bloggers (myself included) have talked about reading fatigue, both on their blogs and through social media conversations. Apart from making the time to read each day, it’s been difficult diving into books because we haven’t felt excited to read them. For some people, it’s the pressure of reviewing ARCs over backlist titles. For others, it’s not finding enjoyment in one’s usual go-to genres. For many, it’s something unidentifiable, but it leaves an emptiness nonetheless.

  Reading is my job. Reading is, quite truly, my life. I am an agent, so I read lots of manuscripts and decide whether or not I want to represent them in hopes of selling them and getting them published. I am a librarian, so I read lots of backlist titles in the collection to recommend to patrons as well as books chosen by the book group I run. And I am a blogger, and I [attempt] to read a mixture of ARCs, re-reads, and books on my TBR to share my enthusiasm with you.

  But somewhere along the line, my consumption of reading published books diminished. Reading was still enjoyable, but it felt like a chore.

  After staring at my TBR bookcase — packed so full with books I’ve purchased and haven’t read yet — I had an epiphany. And of course, that meant sharing it with Lindsey and Morgan, who also had similar epiphanies.

  I have to go back to my reading roots.

  

  With that light bulb flash, I decided to come up with a loose reading plan. In 2017, I’ll have to read at least 24 books for the library. With my goal to read 50 books a year every year, that leaves at least 26 spots to fill. Why not fill it with books pre-chosen from my TBR case?

  Then it became easy. I would read the books by authors whose writing I’ve enjoyed, authors I know will not disappoint me, authors I would’ve continued reading even if I never had the agent job, the library job, or the blogging hobby. I’ve forgotten how to properly binge-read, the way I would with Harry Potter and Narnia and yes, even Cassandra Clare. I lost the art of binge-reading after Book of Life, because my own life in books took off. I miss that. I want that back.

  Thankfully, I have several copies of books by two authors with series that fit this bill. It’s about time I’ve finished Juliet Marillier’s Sevenwaters series (Daughter of the Forest is so amaaaaaaaazing, as is the Shadowfell trilogy!) and started her new Blackthorn & Grim series. I also haven’t read Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series in a while (March 2015, in fact), and I want to finish the rest of her [published] series before the last book (or two) comes out.

  When I made this little announcement on instagram, Alyssa was quick to remind me of some other novels by Juliet Marillier I should try, and I’ve already checked out Heart’s Blood. It should get me back into Marillier’s style easily, as it’s thankfully a standalone.

  So now what? I have 11 books from my TBR bookcase to read in 2017, leaving 15 other books — new authors, other TBR books, ARCs — to fill the void. I think that’s an excellent start to my vague reading goal.

  ~

  Have you experienced reading fatigue? What did you do to get out of the slump?

  Have your reading habits changed since you started blogging? What other factors in your life have changed your reading habits?

  Do you have any books or series you’re dying to start or finish?

   

  Posted in books, Rock My TBR, Update Post | 10 Comments | Tagged books, personal, reading, reading habits, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “First & Then” by Emma Mills

  Posted at 3:15 am by Laura, on September 28, 2016

  First & Then by Emma Mills

  Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
  Published: October 2015
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9781627792356
  Rating: ★★★★

  Devon Tennyson wouldn’t change a thing. She’s happy watching Friday night games from the bleachers, silently crushing on best friend Cas, and blissfully ignoring the future after high school. But the universe has other plans. It delivers Devon’s cousin Foster, an unrepentant social outlier with a surprising talent for football, and the obnoxiously superior and maddeningly attractive star running back, Ezra, right where she doesn’t want them: first into her P.E. class and then into every other aspect of her life.

  It’s Devon’s senior year, and her counselor is pushing hard for her to be more active in her school for the sake of college applications. But Devon likes being exactly where she is: somewhere in the middle of the popularity pool, best friends with Cas, a high school football fan, and general friendly person. When her awkward cousin Foster arrives after a family crisis, Devon’s plans for senior year derail. What’s more, the school seems to be obsessed with new football star Ezra, and he has taken a liking to the surprisingly athletically-inclined Foster. Devon and Ezra’s lives soon become intertwined, and senior year is starting to become something wholly unexpected.

  I should not have been wary about this Pride & Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights retelling/expansion/-inspired novel. But I was! I couldn’t help it. I’m not interested in football, classic retellings tend to not do so well with me (except for this year…I’ve actually been doing pretty well with them!), and the cover actually made me think this was going to be some sort of tragic sob-fest. I’d heard Foster was potentially autistic, and that was another red flag to me too (unfortunately these characters are treated as if they’re weak, and I loathe that!).

  So when I opened up to the first chapter and immediately connected with Devon’s voice, I knew I had nothing to worry about. Mills is a gem of a writer. Devon is snarky, witty, sassy, and it’s so easy to fall in friend-love with her. Her voice alone demonstrated the perfect execution of “show, don’t tell” when it came to her friendliness with others in the school, how she was something of a chameleon while still being effortlessly DEVON. Her journey to finding other things to beef up her college applications — topics for her essay, stuff to pad her resume — felt just right for her, rather than forced. And, as an extra bonus, they kept her connected to football!

  Ezra’s character was just the right balance of friendly and broody. The best part was that he was broody for a very good reason, one that advanced the plot and added some heft to the story. Foster, likewise, is so authentic, fun, young, a great contrast to Ezra and Devon’s personalities. Almost like a bouncing puppy standing between the two of them at times, Foster just saying what’s on everyone’s minds, with Ezra frowning and Devon scolding him on proper social etiquette.

  The parallels to Pride & Prejudice actually felt like a mixture of that and Sense & Sensibility. Mills was able to make this book feel like Austen without sticking to any one particular plot. Reading it, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities (without pinpointing which Austen story it belonged to, except that it FELT SO AUSTEN) and acknowledge that this book was wholly unique on its own. If Austen wrote YA today, Mills nailed it.

  The only thing I wanted more of was the rest of Devon’s senior year! How did everything work out?! Mills, why must you torture me like Austen did?!

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  This book qualifies as book 13 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes

  Posted at 5:35 am by Laura, on July 21, 2016

  Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

  Publisher: Penguin Books
  Published: July 2013
  Genre: adult fiction, contemporary, women’s fiction
  ISBN: 9780143124542
  Rating: ★★★★★

  Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life-steady boyfriend, close family-who has never been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life-big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel-and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

  Will is acerbic, moody, bossy-but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

  A love story for this generation, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common-a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

  Louisa, an average girl from an average family living in an average English village, desperately needs a job to keep her family afloat. When she becomes the caretaker to Will Traynor, a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic man who used to take the world by storm, she begins to have second thoughts as to how desperately she needs employment. Will’s ever-changing moods soon become a welcoming challenge to Louisa, and their time together increases drastically. His carefully built walls fall, and she glimpses a bit of the man he used to be — and what he can still become. But Will has other plans for his life, and Louisa is torn between giving him exactly what he wants and showing him that life is still worth living.

  “Live boldly.” Those two words slayed me every time Will said them to Louisa. Here is a man hell-bent on ending his own life, advising a sheltered girl to take life by the horns and seize it at every opportunity. That, I think, is the heart of Louisa’s dilemma. Will isn’t being hypocritical. He’s reminding her that he once lived boldly, with no regrets, and would have continued to do so had he not been the victim of a terrible accident. Life in a wheelchair, after the way he’d lived, is far too debilitating to continue.

  From the very beginning you know how the book is going to end. Soon enough all the tension, the foreboding atmosphere, and racing against the clock builds up to such an emotional climax that by the time I reached the last fifty pages, I sobbed and sobbed and needed to take a break from reading to clear my eyes. It’s such an emotional release. This book sheds light on a remarkable dilemma. I’m not even sure I’d have Louisa’s strength by the end of this.

  Me Before You isn’t a full-blown romance. It’s about two individuals from very different worlds, experiencing life in very different ways, coming together and finding love in the most unlikely circumstances, and, belatedly, navigating the effects of that love and their diverging life plans. It’s not sudden and sweeping, but slow, heartbreaking, tense. The characters don’t even know what they’ve gotten into until it’s too late. I enjoy these books. It’s natural.

  While I’m aware there’s a sequel to this book, I don’t plan to read it. I enjoyed the book as is, I know where things stand, and I want to keep it that way. The characters live on powerfully enough in my mind and heart.

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  This book qualifies as book 12 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: adult fiction, genre: contemporary, genre: romance, review, rock my TBR

• Mini Review VII

  Posted at 5:30 am by Laura, on July 6, 2016

  13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Published: December 2010
  Genre: contemporary, young adult
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket. In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat. The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist. Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again? Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it’s all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

  Mini Review: This was a good mix of Just One Day / Just One Year and PS I Love You. Following the letters of a dead loved one and backpacking through Europe, not knowing what may happen next, and making new friends in new cities (like Carrie and the Australian gang, the Knapp family, Richard, and Keith). I’ve traveled to Europe five times now and I still don’t think I could do what Ginny did: following letters blindly and managing to get by. Ginny managed her quest, and it’s full of art, self-discovery, and love. In a hippie, wanderlust sort of way, I enjoyed the light read. This book shows why it’s important for you to travel. It really changes you in a million different ways!

  Sing by Vivi Greene

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Published: May 2016
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★.5
  Summary: After getting her heart shattered, pop star Lily is taking herself out of the spotlight and heading to a small island in middle-of-nowhere Maine with her closest friends. She has three months until her fall tour starts to focus on herself, her music, and her new album. Anything but guys. That is until Lily meets down-to-earth local Noel Bradley. Suddenly, Lily’s “summer of me” takes an unexpected turn, and she finds herself falling deeper than ever before. But Noel isn’t interested in the limelight. Come August, Lily may be forced to choose between the boy and her music.

  Mini Review: It started off as a fun, cute, contemporary summer YA read. It was easy to imagine Lily as Taylor Swift, especially because Lily is thinking of changing up her music style and song topics. I was all for this sweet read, especially with her best friends Sammy and Tess — I even thought of this book as a lighter version of Emery Lord. But about halfway through the book it became too predictable. It’s a short read, so if I’m already feeling like the plot is unnecessarily drawn out, there’s a hitch somewhere. That’s when I noticed it had more telling than showing, and relied heavily on dialogue to keep the plot moving. It almost had me! Almost!

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

  Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here by Anna Breslaw

  Publisher: Razorbill
  Published: April 2016
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  Rating: ★★
  Summary: When Scarlett’s beloved TV show is canceled and her longtime crush, Gideon, is sucked out of her orbit and into the dark and distant world of Populars, Scarlett turns to the fanfic message boards for comfort. This time, though, her subjects aren’t the swoon-worthy stars of her fave series—they’re the real-life kids from her high school. And if they ever find out what Scarlett truly thinks about them, she’ll be thrust into a situation far more dramatic than anything she’s ever seen on TV.

  Mini Review: I thought I was going to be reading a self-deprecating version of Cath from Fangirl — with all the uber nerdy internet lingo. In fact, I know some really funny people who are basically Scarlett in real life, with the same investment in stories and TV shows and sarcastic comebacks. But I didn’t find Scarlett funny. And to be honest, I didn’t see the point of the story. What was I supposed to get from that? I enjoyed her chat interactions with her internet friends, and I liked her relationship with Ruth, the old feminist neighbor across the highway. But when it came down to it, the writing and humor just weren’t my cup of tea.

   

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 0 Comments | Tagged books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, mini review, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow” by Katherine Woodfine

  Posted at 4:15 am by Laura, on June 27, 2016

  The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine
  

  Publisher: Egmont
  Published: June 2015
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781405276177
  Rating: ★★★★

  You are cordially invited to attend the Grand Opening of Sinclair’s department store!

  Enter a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and MYSTERIES around every corner. WONDER at the daring theft of the priceless CLOCKWORK SPARROW! TREMBLE as the most DASTARDLY criminals in London enact their wicked plans! GASP as our bold heroines, Miss Sophie Taylor and Miss Lilian Rose, CRACK CODES, DEVOUR ICED BUNS and vow to bring the villians to justice…

  Sophie is thrilled to start her first job at what the newspapers are calling the finest department store in London, opening in just a few more days. On the night before the grand opening, a priceless jeweled clockwork sparrow is stolen from one of the exhibition rooms, and Sophie is the last person seen in that room. With evidence piling up against her, Sophie seeks help from porter Billy and model Lil to solve the mystery.

  I adore middle grade mysteries! They’re so much fun, and English authors know just how to write enjoyable detective fiction for the young and young-at-heart. I hope the US audience will get a chance to read Woodfine’s work, because it’s such a delight!

  This felt like a mixture of the quick wit in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and the glittering eye-candy of Mr. Selfridge and The Paradise. Sophie is a sweet character and determined to do well in the department store, but she’s met with opposition everywhere she turns. She used to live in a fine home, but circumstances have brought her down to the working class. She doesn’t mind, but she wishes the other shopgirls would treat her as an equal. When it came time to defend herself, Sophie was reasonably distraught, but the majority of the legwork in the mystery-solving was conducted by Billy (who is sweet on her and loves detective comics) and mannequin (model) Lil, who is very much like Phryne Fisher in how she goes about cracking cases! Even Joe, the homeless “lost boy” trying to escape a gang (which comes into play later, of course!) has clues to share to solve the mystery.

  I cannot write a review without mentioning the setting! Sinclair’s is a beautiful and fascinating department store. Pets, food, clothes, toys, trinkets, you name it and it’s there! Department stores aren’t quite like this anymore — a full-on experience and assault to the senses. It makes the mystery even more intriguing and electrifying when a tiny but important clockwork sparrow is stolen. Of all the sparkling items and expensive china and luxurious fabrics, this sparrow is what turns the department store upside down. In the author’s note, Woodfine suggest the store is a bit like the 6-story Waterstones in Piccadilly. Having been there twice now, I’d have to say that’s exactly how I picture Sinclair’s!

  If you get the chance, you need to get your hands on this adorable MG mystery. It’s a must-have for your detective collection.

  EDIT 10:45am: Just heard from Woodfine that the book will be published in the US!

  .

  This book qualifies as book 8 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 3 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “Assassin’s Apprentice” by Robin Hobb

  Posted at 4:45 am by Laura, on April 27, 2016

  Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

  Publisher: Del Rey
  Published: April 1995
  Genre: adult, fantasy
  ISBN: 9780553573398
  Rating: ★★★

  Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father’s gruff stableman. He is treated as an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz’s blood runs the magic Skill–and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family.

  As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.

  Fitz can’t remember too much of his early life, apart from working as a stable boy and bonding really well with the animals. When King Shrewd acknowledges Fitz is the bastard son of Prince Chivalry, he has a plan sorted just for Fitz, one that marks him above a commoner but not quite nobility. Fitz will be a trained assassin, using his Skill to assist his mission. But as raiders attack the kingdom’s coast, Fitz’s assignment becomes all too real, and a complicated web of deceit may be his undoing.

  This book seems to have followed me around for the last few months without any intention on my part! It was a gift from my Secret Santa, Samantha, it was one that a friend eyed and purchased over the holidays, and it was chosen as the Flights of Fantasy Book Club pick for March. MARCH. It is now April and I’ve finally finished it. A belated review for this book club pick. And hopefully I can shed some light as to why.

  Hobb’s writing style is one that begs to be absorbed across long sittings. Once you’re involved with Fitz’s narrative, the prose becomes engrossing and the story picks up its pace. But if you’re a chapter-before-bed kind of reader, you may be out of luck with this one. Reading small portions each day made the book feel slow and plodding.

  This first book in the Farseer trilogy is also full of character development and insight. We watch Fitz grow from about six years old to early young adulthood, and experience a whole spectrum of events with him. He’s an outcast because he’s a bastard child, but he’s neither commoner, servant, nor noble. He’s of royal blood but cannot be given special privileges, yet there’s no denying he has the Skill, which runs through royal families. He’s in quite the predicament, and the King, as well as his subjects, treat Fitz as such.

  Overall, I did enjoy the book, but it took me two months to get through it. If I had time to sit across a weekend and be completely immersed in it, I’m sure I would’ve loved it. I am curious to see what happens to Fitz, and the writing really is beautiful — so I plan to read the second book too.

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  This qualifies as book 5 of 5 of the “Flights of Fantasy” Challenge, hosted by Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books and Rachel @ Hello, Chelly.

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  This book qualifies as book 7 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Flights of Fantasy, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 2 Comments | Tagged book review, books, flights of fantasy, genre: adult fiction, genre: fantasy, review, rock my TBR

• Book Review: “Picture Perfect” by Holly Smale

  Posted at 4:10 am by Laura, on April 22, 2016

  Picture Perfect by Holly Smale

  Publisher: HarperTeen
  Published: January 2016 (UK: June 2014)
  Genre: young adult, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780062333636
  Rating: ★★★★

  Since she returned from her last modeling job, Harriet’s biggest worry has been the wait between phone calls from her perfect boyfriend, Nick.

  Then Harriet’s dad gets a job in America. In New York City, land of skyscrapers and taxicabs. A place so exciting that Harriet isn’t even upset to leave her friends and her plans behind, especially since she’ll be able to see Nick while she’s there.

  Except…when her parents said they were moving to “New York,” they meant Greenway, New York, two hours away from the city by train. Which means no glamorous apartment, no geeking out at museums, and no romantic dates with Nick.

  Harriet is eager to escape into the now-familiar world of fashion. But modeling in New York is nothing like what she’s used to. Will this geek be able to stand out in the big city—or will she get left behind?

  Read my reviews of Geek Girl and Model Misfit!

  Shortly after Harriet receives her A Levels and before her birthday, her family announces they’re moving to New York for six months for her dad’s job. Harriet’s beyond excited to move to NYC temporarily, because she’ll finally live out all her American TV- and movie-dreams and she’ll get to spend loads of time with her boyfriend Nick. Except her family isn’t moving to New York City — they’re moving to Greenway, over an hour outside NYC. Desperate for friends, adventure, and excitement, Harriet jumps at a chance to be back in the modeling world again, only to find herself just as lost and confused as before.

  If Geek Girl was a riot of good fun and Model Misfit a journey in social development, then Picture Perfect is much more of a coming-of-age and self-love kind of book. Harriet depends on lists that mostly detail dreams and expectations rather than feasible realities, and she’s constantly disappointed by the outcomes. She’s lonely and doesn’t know how to tell anyone that because she either expects them to know how she’s feeling without saying anything, or she doesn’t want to put a damper on the situation.

  Her biggest fear, and one I’m sure many of us can relate to, is being left behind. Abandoned. Forgotten. In a way, she was abandoned by the modeling world and thought she came to terms with it. It’s not until Wilbur appears that Harriet realizes just how much she missed modeling — and she thrusts herself into that world again, only to realize she’s clinging to thin threads here as well. She can’t make friends in the US, she fears losing her friends back home, she’s worried she’s losing Nick, she feels she’s lost her parents — so she scrambles in the fashion world, too.

  Smale’s style is snappy and quick, making the pages fly by. Facts are flown about, numerous stumbles and falls, high-action roller coasters and molasses-slow pity walks from the neighborhood station — Harriet experiences it all in New York. While the first book focused on the intriguing, glamorous world of fashion, and the second book on Harriet’s fascination with Japan and her growing social skills, Smale took a step back and dug deep into Harriet’s character with this third book. What makes Harriet Harriet? How can she stand out? Does she need to stand out? Can she learn to love herself exactly the way she is? I enjoy books that focus on the introspective character, and Smale holds nothing back!

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  This book qualifies as book 4 of 12 of the “Rock My TBR” Challenge, hosted by Sarah @ The YA Book Traveler, in an effort to read more books off my overflowing TBR bookcase.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2016, Rock My TBR | 4 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: young adult, review, rock my TBR

• 

• 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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