REVIEW--Rebel Belle

Today's post is a review on Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins.  The cover alone should cause you to stop--isn't it gorgeous?!  Even with a dagger on it!  I listened to this book on audio in November and it was fun and suspenseful.  I can't wait to read the sequel!

• First book in the Rebel Belle series
• Fantasy

The Gist:
On Homecoming night, all Harper Price can think about is how she forgot her lip gloss and will need it when she's crowned queen.  But as she's fixing herself up in a bathroom, a custodian and history teacher burst in, fight to the death, and pass the Paladin superpower on to Harper.  A power that makes her super-strong, agile, and lethal.  Not necessarily the most ladylike skill.  And as a Paladin, Harper has to protect David--her everyday enemy.

What I Loved:

• This book is adorable, fun, and surprising.  The villains are fun and the action is buys.
• It should be mentioned again that this book is fun.  Who knew killing bad guys could be so fun?  I even laughed out loud.
• The Southern scene with the Southern characters really came through.  This setting added so much to the plot.
• If you're going to have a nemesis, it should be someone who beat you in the spelling bee...just saying.

What I Didn't Love:

• I saw the poisoned punch coming...but I don't think younger readers will.
• Maybe it's because I was listening to it instead of just reading, but I got a little confused at some of the Paladin/Effers/etc rules and system.  I probably should have re-listened to some parts.   

A really fun read and I can't wait to read the sequel, Miss Mayhem!

REVIEW--Hollow City

YOU GUYS.  I got back from Y'ALLFest yesterday and it was amazing!  I loved every single second of it!  Overall I met 38 authors and got signatures from all--that's huge!  I'll be making a video recap for you, so watch for that on my YouTube channel.

Today I'm reviewing Hollow City by Ransom Riggs, the second book in the Miss Peregrine series.  I absolutely love this series!  It's killing me that I haven't read the third book in the series yet, but I'm waiting until I'm done teaching Hollow City in an English class (I don't want to get the two confused).  So let's get more into the specifics--

• Fantasy
• Second book in the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series

The Gist:
Following the events of the first book in the series, the peculiar children leave for London with Miss Peregrine stuck in the form of a bird.  They need to find help for Miss Peregrine, themselves, the other ymbrynes, and the rest of the peculiar world.  

What I Loved:

• You get to see the minor characters in larger roles in this book.  I loved seeing their personalities and back stories, especially Bronwyn, Enoch, Hugh, and Millard.
• Speaking of Millard, I LOVE him!  The soft side of him really came through in this book.
• The ending!!!!  What a shock!
• There are crazy action scenes just full of suspense.  I kept wondering how in the world they would make it through certain scenes.

What I Didn't Love:

• There was a slow start to the book.  My friends and I have been telling our students that you just have to "get across the water."  That's when the momentum picks up.
• I miss that the photos in this book weren't photos that Jacob found; they were photos that just showed what Jacob was seeing in the moment.  It took away a little bit of the magic of the photographs. 

It's hard to list anything I didn't love in this book, because it really was a fun, suspenseful, crazy read! 

Have you read Library of Souls yet?  What did you think?

REVIEW--Shadow and Bone

My friend Emily (from The Gnoming Librarian) has told me over and over to read Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo.  I'm not sure what was stopping me--too many books on my TBR list, maybe?--but now I regret waiting so long!  What a fun read!  Let's jump into the review!

• Fantasy
• Book One in The Grisha series

The Gist:
Mal and Alina are orphans.  And they're normal, which means they serve in various roles in the military while the powerful Grisha use their magical skills to serve the King and the Darkling. 
As they try to cross the Fold, a dark and very dangerous area roaming with human-eating Volcra, Mal is hurt and Alina shockingly saves him.  She saves him with a power that only Grisha have.  Which means Alina is a Grisha after all.  And everyone wants to use her power for their good.

What I Loved:

• This book was so unique.  I loved the characters, the plot, the mystery.  The bad guys and good guys are all so good in their parts.  I was totally invested.
• Who can be trusted is unknown and often changes.  I loved not knowing what to expect.
• Mal and Alina's relationship is believable and beautiful.  Love them both.
• There were big, intense moments that I couldn't predict.  So exciting!

What I Didn't Love:

• I didn't really understand the function of the priest/spiritual adviser--whether he could be trusted or not was unclear.
• How exactly Alina worked her powers was a little confusing.

My favorite line:
"There's nothing wrong with being a mapmaker."
"Of course not.  And there's nothing wrong with being a lizard either.  Unless you were born to be a hawk."

I loved this book!  Quick, exciting, and just plain fun!  I can't wait to see where the series leads.

An outfit fit for the Grisha tomorrow--see you then!

REVIEW--Throne of Glass

It's time for another review!  I'm a little behind on the Throne of Glass bandwagon, but nevertheless I read the first in the series back in June.  This series is SO popular and everyone is anticipating Sarah J. Maas's newest book (coming out in September, I believe).  So let's jump right in!

• First in the Throne of Glass series
• Fantasy

Gist:
Celaena is an assassin--a REALLY good assassin.  But after being forced to work in a labor camp for her crimes, she has the chance to free herself.  She will compete against 23 other killers, thieves, and warriors so that the last standing can serve as the king's champion.  Celaena definitely needs to win in order to find her freedom.
But this is no easy competition, and soon Celaena's competitors start getting murdered.  And if Celaena doesn't discover what's happening, she is likely to be the next victim.

What I Loved: 

• This book could easily have been straight-up dystopian, but it has fantasy all over it.  That kept it unexpected and exciting!
• Celaena's characterization was very well-done--she's a kick butt assassin but still has vulnerabilities, like her fear of the king.
• The love triangle in this book is so good!  I love both Chaol AND Dorian...I don't know which one Celaena should choose!
• I was definitely in suspense as to where this book was headed.  I couldn't figure out where it was going nevertheless how it would end.   

 What I Didn't Love:

• This book was long.  It took me a long time to read...a lot of words.
• I didn't really get to know many of the other competitors, so that part fell a little flat for me.
• I got a little confused as to what was happening in the fantasy part of the book.  Especially at the end, I just wasn't following what the spiritual world was doing.
• The cover is too futuristic to me.  She looks even a little Manga-ish on the cover.
• And the title...I always have to think to myself "Throne of Glass not Game of Thrones."  Gets me every time.

I hate to say it, but I think this book was a 3/5 for me.  So many people absolutely rave about the series, but maybe it's because I'm not completely into the fey world...?

But I'll still be designing and outfit inspired by Celaena!  Check back for that soon!

REVIEW: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender

I hope you all had a wonderful July 4 weekend!  We had a great time with friends--shooting off rockets, grilling out yummy food, and watching the city's fireworks.  It was a great weekend of relaxation and family focus!

Today's review is on The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton.  And I think the title describes this book completely--strange and beautiful.  So different than anything I've read and a story so beautiful that I still think about it.

Have you seen the movie Big Fish?  Sort of like that.  So strange, so different and unique, yet so beautiful.

• Standalone novel
• Fantasy/Magical Realism

The Gist:

Ava Lavender is unique--she was born with bird wings.  And her family heritage is just as strange, too.  At age 16, Ava just wants to fit in, but she simply doesn't know how to do that in our world. But you can't escape who you are, and sometimes you can't escape how others react to you.

What I Loved:

• I feel like the gist that I'm giving you for this book just doesn't even cover the surface.  This book is so intricate and very character-focused, and there are just so many layers to it.  So many great layers.
• The writing style is beautiful.  Lyrical.
• I love the characters in this book; some have a deep love for each other that goes beyond saying "I love you."
• A climactic ending that is even a bit of a nail-biter.
• The cover fits the story beautifully.

What I Didn't Love:

• The story does tend to jump all over the place, which can even be a tad confusing at times.  A lot of characters to keep up with.

An easy four stars for me!  A story that simply pulls you in and keeps you thinking.

REVIEW: Red Queen

If you watched my June TBR video, you saw that I wanted to finish Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard at the beginning of the month...and I did!  Fairly quickly, too.  Can we just pause for a moment and look at this cover?

Oh my goodness.  It is gorgeous and twisted and scary all at the same time.  I love it.
This was such an interesting read for me--mostly fantasy, a dystopian world, some romance and history thrown in.  Made for a fun and mysterious read!

Let's jump into my review!

• Fantasy (with a Dystopian setting)
• #1 in the Red Queen series

The Gist:

The world is split between two kinds of people: silver bloods and red bloods.  Silver bloods have power, literally.  They are the wealthy, the elite, the government, the money.  And some of them have superpowers, like being able to heal, control water, control fire, turn to stone, read minds, etc.  The red bloods are the poor, the common, the "normal."  Mare Barrow is a 17-year-old Red Blood girl living in The Stilts, a poverty-stricken area.  And she's expecting to be sent to serve in the military like her older brothers when instead she is thrust inside the Silver palace.  It is there that she (and everyone else) discovers that she too has a power, just like a Silver blood.  And instead of being a nobody girl in The Stilts, Mare is a secret of the kingdom--and if she plans on surviving, she has to learn how to control this secret.

What I Loved:

• Ok, I already mentioned the cover.  But it should be noted again.  When I met Robyn Schneider on her book tour recently, I also met author Maggie Lehrman, and she and I gushed over this cover for a moment together.
• I kind of want silver blood now (I mean, how cool would it be to have silver blood?!).  
• I love the mix of genres in this book.  Definitely a fantasy with the amount of magic in the book, but it's thrown in a dystopian world with contemporary technology and medieval connections.
• The villains are VILLAINS.  When you hope they'll have a change of hope, they don't.  Just as real villains would be.
• The ending had some big twists and surprises.  It was my favorite part of the book.
• Some heavier questions underline this book, like how willing you would be to sacrifice yourself for the greater good.  And is it ok to sacrifice a few for the good of the whole?

What I Didn't Love:

• I just couldn't grasp the layout of the world in this book.  It seemed a bit complicated to understand the land, where everything was located, etc.
• Speaking along those lines, I could not keep straight all of the families/houses/colors associated with the people.  In Harry Potter, I totally understood the four Houses at Hogwarts.  In The Hunger Games, I grasped the 13 districts.  I just don't get any of these.
• And there are a LOT of powers held by people.  It was superpower heavy.  Again, just a lot to figure out.

I really enjoyed this book.  A great debut by Victoria Aveyard, and I'm definitely ready for the sequel!  I have a really fun nail polish look coming up on Thursday based off the book...you'll definitely want to give it a try!

Tomorrow I'll have video of my favorite things from June!  A lot of fun things to share!

REVIEW: Atlantia

Happy Monday, everyone!

What a beautiful weekend we had here in Indiana!  Well, half-weekend since it rained all day on Sunday.  But we were fine with the rain because we had seeded our lawn on Saturday and needed it watered!  I read a GREAT book this weekend (will be telling you about it soon!) and just feel like I'm in my reading groove.

Today I have a great review to share with you--Atlantia by Ally Condie.  Condie wrote the Matched trilogy which was a lot of fun to read.  This is a unique, fantasy read that took me into a world I definitely hadn't read about.

 

• Standalone novel
• Fantasy

The Gist:
Rio has always wanted to live Above.  But she lives in Atlantia, an underwater city that requires at least one member of each family to stay in Atlantia forever.  Rio has always known that she will go Above, but when her parents die, Rio agrees to stay in Atlantia with her twin sister Bay so they won't be separated forever.  But then Rio's worst nightmare happens--Bay tricks her and takes her spot Above, meaning Rio is stuck in Atlantia forever.  And now she's trying to figure out two things--why Bay deceived her and how she can get Above.

What I Loved:

• The first chapter had me hooked.  Bay tricked Rio!  Why?!  Does she have a plan?  Is she evil?  
• I LOVE that this is told from Rio's point of view, because I shared all the questions that Rio had.  It made the story so much more intense being in first person.
• I also love that this is a standalone novel.  I knew that questions would be answered and there would be resolution.
• Such a unique setting--the underwater city of Atlantia--with Sirens and religious corruption.  It all had me fascinated.
• I loved Rio's secret of being a Siren and having to hide her real voice.  

What I Didn't Love:

• The resolution was a little too fast for me.  I thought that the final few chapters could have been expanded/explained so much more.  
• The second half was slower than the first, and I always find it too convenient when certain characters are immune to others' power. 

A fun read!  So different than the norm and nice to know I don't have a sequel to catch up on!
Can't wait to show you the outfit I designed--coming up tomorrow!

REVIEW: Belzhar

Wow, it's Thursday already!  This week is flying by (no complaining here) and on this rainy Indiana day I have a FANTASTIC book to encourage you to cuddle up with.

Today's review is on Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer, a little-realistic, mostly-fantasy book that will keep you curious and committed to the last page.  So let's jump in!

 

• Standalone novel
• Fantasy

The Gist:
Jam fell in love with Reeve, a foreign exchange student with the most adorable accent.  And then he tragically (and mysteriously) died, leaving Jam in a complete pit of mourning and despair.  In fact, her despair is so bad that her parents send her to The Wooden Barn, a therapeutic boarding school for students who need closer attention to help them handle their emotional state.
Jam doesn't care much for the teachers or other students, but when she gets registered in an exclusive English class called Special Topics, everything changes.  Studying Sylvia Plath for the semester, the class receives journals that take them to Belzhar, a land where they can each interact with the source of their problems.  And Jam gets to see Reeve again, talk with him, and feel his arms around her.
But Belzhar can only last for so long before Jam has to start talking about his death... 

What I Loved:

• I loved the setting, the situation, the characters.  I can definitely see a camp-like school exist to help students with emotional problems (maybe not ones with magical journals...) so I was invested into the story early-on.
• There were multiple student situations flowing through the book; you find out why Jam's classmates are at The Wooden Barn, and it just adds so much depth to issues students may be dealing with today.
• The twist at the end--oh man! Added a whole other layer to Jam and really up'd the WOW factor for me.
• I was definitely satisfied with the book's ending.  

What I Didn't Love:

• The cover.  While I like the look of everything that Jam would have packed in her room, the cover looks a little 1950s.  Yes, I know there are headphones on the cover but the black-and-white feature dates it too far back.
• The word "Belzhar" itself was a little cheesy.   

I'm giving this 5 stars!  I just loved it--it was unique, kept me engaged, and tied up loose ends.  Well done, Wolitzer!

I'll have an outfit designed for Jam tomorrow--see you then!

REVIEW: Landline

Happy Monday, everyone!  I SO hope you are having the lovely weather that we're having in Indiana right now!  Our family spent the weekend exploring the creek behind our neighborhood, going on "tractor" (lawn mower) rides, and just soaking in that beautiful sun.  I feel refreshed and energetic to start another week.

Today's review is on Landline by Rainbow Rowell.  I met Rainbow at an author event a few years ago and she was exactly as I pictured her--both bubbly and quiet, appreciative, and genuine.  With a little bit of flower power mixed in. :)

Last fall, Landline was ALL that I was hearing about from so many readers.  Although it's one of Rowell's adult novels, readers of all ages were eating it up and singing its praises.  And that's what's so great about Rowell...she takes something like a magical yellow phone and turns it into an engrossing, can't-put-down story.  So let's jump right into my review!

 

• Standalone novel
• A mixture of realistic/fantasy/romance

The Gist:

Georgie McCool (yes, that's her real name!) has finally hit her big break in Hollywood--she is about to pitch her own sitcom to the network.  The only problem?  The network needs multiple scripts in just a few days and it's the week of Christmas.  The week when Georgie is supposed to fly with her husband Neal and two daughters to Omaha to visit Neal's family.  And even though Neal and the girls allow Georgie to stay behind in California, Georgie knows that this might be the one thing that pushes her marriage over the edge.  And that by gaining a sitcom, she might be losing a husband.

When Georgie tries to call Neal from her mother's old yellow landline phone, she gets Neal to answer.  But not present-day Neal.  Neal from their dating days, when his father was still alive and Neal and Georgie were in the midst of an argument.  And Georgie realizes--if she's talking to Neal in the past, she may have the chance to fix their later marital problems.

What I Loved:

• Like I said, this is a book about a magical phone.  So to most people, that might sound too silly to read.  But Rowell has a way of making this a nonstop read.  Her writing makes her characters (and even a magical phone) real.  I can completely picture this family living today.
• This isn't straight-up romance.  There's bittersweet moments, arguments, frustration, questioning...but there's also romance.
• I love the wittiness of the characters.  It makes me want to be friends with them in real life.
• The secondary characters are so good.  I want to work with Georgie's partner or eat pizza with her sister...maybe even babysit her mom's dogs!
• I had no idea how it would end...and it ended greatly.

What I Didn't Love:

• Like with so many other things, I think this book got hyped up to me SO MUCH that I expected it to change my life.  It was a great read, but I just know that I'm less enthusiastic about it than just about everyone else.
• I'm sad to say this...but I just wasn't in love with Neal.  He seemed so moody, and at times I felt like he darkened Georgie from her bright, bubbly self.  
• I couldn't stop picturing Georgie as Rainbow Rowell herself...is it just me that did this?  Every time I read about Georgie's physical description, I just kept thinking about Rainbow herself.  Hmmm.

Rowell never disappoints, and this was a great one!  A great read for teens and adults alike!

An outfit for Georgie coming up this week, a review and outfit for the book Belzhar (so good!), and I'll show you TWO ways that I recently styled denim and LOVED it! Catch you back here tomorrow!

REVIEW--The Last Dragonslayer

Happy Halloween!!!!  I have to admit--it doesn't really feel like Halloween to me.  Our city's trick-or-treating got moved to tomorrow night due to weather, so I'll probably feel the Halloween spirit more then.

But today's review is on a book that I thought could inspire a great Halloween costume--The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde.  Doesn't a dragon make a GREAT costume?!

This book is the first in The Last Dragonslayer series; the second in the series just recently came out in the U.S., so I'm sure I'll be reviewing that one soon!  I loved this book!  It was so different than most fantasy books I read, but if you know much about Jasper Fforde, this was right up his alley!

 

• First book in The Last Dragonslayer series
• Fantasy

The Gist:

Jennifer Strange, our protagonist, lives in the Ununited Kingdom.  In this kingdom, magic used to be huge but is now fading away (Have a flying carpet?  That used to be an exciting part of magic but now means you're a pizza delivery boy).  Jennifer manages a magic agency to help the few magic-users find work.

She hears a Prophecy that the Last Dragonslayer will kill the final dragon that exists; and once this is done, everyone will be clamoring to claim the land left by the dragon.  If this isn't crazy enough, Jennifer finds herself caught up in the Prophecy.

What I Loved:

• This book was SO FUNNY!  Seriously--Laugh Out Loud funny!
• This is such a unique, unexpected, and quirky world with crazy world-building.  So Jasper Fforde!
• The book introduces us to some new characters that I've never seen before.  Like a Quarkbeast--what in the world does a Quarkbeast look like?!
• The characters are so loveable, especially Jennifer and Tiger.  I'm just rooting for them all the way.
• A very well-paced novel.  Moved at just the right speed for me so that I was constantly entertained.
• The themes of greed, destiny, and staying true to yourself were so well portrayed!

What I Didn't Love:

• There was a lot to take in at times--a lot of characters, positions, titles, etc.  If you're not used to fantasy, this could be a little overwhelming.
• The difference between "Big Magic" and "Old Magic" (and even their definitions in general) was a bit hard to understand.

My favorite quote:  
"But still money was short, and he was forced to do the one thing that sorcerers should never do.  An act of such gross betrayal to his art that if it were made common knowledge, his reputation would be destroyed forever, and he would die a broken man, humiliated and shunned by his peers."
"You mean ---?"
"Right.  He did children's parties."

 

I just loved this book!   A super-fun read that is about an eighth grade reading level.  Pick it up--you'll love it, too!