Review: A History of Glitter and Blood

Title: A History of Glitter and Blood
Author: Hannah Moskowitz
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQIA
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Release Date: August 18, 2015

I received an eARC of A History of Glitter and Blood from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (via Goodreads)

Sixteen-year-old Beckan and her friends are the only fairies brave enough to stay in Ferrum when war breaks out. Now there is tension between the immortal fairies, the subterranean gnomes, and the mysterious tightropers who arrived to liberate the fairies.
But when Beckan's clan is forced to venture into the gnome underworld to survive, they find themselves tentatively forming unlikely friendships and making sacrifices they couldn't have imagined. As danger mounts, Beckan finds herself caught between her loyalty to her friends, her desire for peace, and a love she never expected. 
This stunning, lyrical fantasy is a powerful exploration of what makes a family, what justifies a war, and what it means to truly love.

I wish I knew how I felt about this book. Even days after I finished, I am still a whole mix of emotions. Part of me is confused, frustrated, and a little bored with it, but then there is another part of me that enjoys the characters that were slowly revealed, the societal questions the book highlights by using fairytale creatures, and the way it is a little grotesque in an almost postmodern Brothers Grimm sort of way (if that even makes sense). Yeah, it is a weird book that probably won't be for everyone.

A History in Glitter and Blood has a rocky start. The beginning is confusing and out of order and very, very difficult to follow. There is no slow introduction to this book or easing into the world. You get thrown in the pool and are forced to either sink or swim in a world that is not really explained.  If I didn't feel so guilty about DNFing a book, I probably would have given up very quickly . Really it wasn't until I was whole 45% into it before I actually started to understand what was going on and get into it.

The story follows a group of four fairies--Beckan, Scrap, Josha, and Cricket--who are caught in a war between fairies, gnomes, and tightropers. When the rest of the fairies leave the city, these fairies do what they have to do to survive, and some of them don't. The characters are very complex and damaged, and because of the jumbled nature of the writing, it takes a while to really get to know them. However, after sticking through it, I ended up really appreciating characters that I wasn't even a fan of in the beginning, such as Scrap.

The world is created very slowly, which is part of why it is difficult to get into the book. For the first half, it feels like not a whole lot really happens. It is in some form of introduction to the fairies' situation and flashbacks to the other events before and during the war. So it is all feels like a very long set up for the events happening in the second half. Also I feel like I only got bits and pieces about the different races and never really got the full picture. Honestly I wish that more of the world was explained. But I guess that is part of the history that this book tries to imitate, that no one knows everything and that history is just one person or race's point of view. 

This book tries to do a lot. The book is a commentary on history using the races of mainly fairies, gnomes, and tightropers. (Also don't ask me what a tightroper is. From what I get, they have two toes, spit ropes from their mouths, and apparently spin taffy in their mouths? I don't even know.) The book is written by an unreliable narrator, a fairy named Scrap. Throughout the book, we learn just how much of an unreliable narrator he is, and it is all done in a very unique way of writing a history book. So even though I thought "why is there someone saying they need to add a map or take this part out" at first, this strange writing style becomes clearer. Eventually. It takes a while.

Okay so fair warning, this book is weird. Like really weird. But I kind of like how strange it was. Many stories with fairies and such are too sparkles and good feelings for me. A History of Glitter and Blood is not. Most fairies have bits that have been eaten by gnomes (and even more creepy is that the fairies are so nonchalant about it), three of the main characters work as prostitutes for the gnomes, and racism of these fairytale creatures is a huge part of the story. This is not a happy little story about fairies. It is gritty and grotesque, and I enjoyed that. Though not going to lie, I really am still a little creeped out by the fact that fairies still feel their body parts after they have been cut off or eaten by gnomes. So gross! Mad respect for the idea process that crafted that, but still it gives me the heeby-geebies.

One detail about A History in Glitter and Blood was how surprisingly open it was with sexuality. In fact, sexuality doesn't even seem to be an issue at all! It was actually quite refreshing, and I loved the way it was handled in the book. Relationships between both genders seemed normal, and there was no issue with characters being intimate with both genders. It was very interesting how this was incorporated into the story seamlessly. 

Rating: 3 out of 5. A History in Glitter and Blood is a book that you have to muscle through to really understand. You may want to give up on it because it is weird as hell at first, but when you start to understand it's weirdness, you learn to appreciate it. So while I still feel a bit confused and a bit weirded out by the book, I am glad that I kept reading.

Review: Silver in the Blood

Title: Silver in the Blood
Author: Jessica Day George
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Release Date: July 7, 2015

I received an ARC of Silver in the Blood from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (via Goodreads)
Society girls from New York City circa 1890, Dacia and Lou never desired to know more about their lineage, instead preferring to gossip about the mysterious Romanian family that they barely knew. But upon turning seventeen, the girls must return to their homeland to meet their relatives, find proper husbands, and—most terrifyingly—learn the deep family secrets of The Claw, The Wing, and The Smoke. The Florescus, after all, are shape-shifters, and it is time for Dacia and Lou to fulfill the prophecy that demands their acceptance of this fate... or fight against this cruel inheritance with all their might.

With a gorgeous Romanian setting, stunning Parisian gowns, and dark brooding young men, readers will be swept up by this epic adventure of two girls in a battle for their lives.


I had such high hopes for this book. I even featured it in a WOW, and I was pumped to read it! Because looking at that description and cover, it seems like a book that would be right up my alley. The thing is that the general story is interesting. It really is. In a sentence: these two cousins, Dacia and Lou, travel to Romania and discover that their family is hiding an ancestry of shape shifters and are up to no good. Sound pretty good, right? The mystery and motives of the family were what kept me in the story, and the background of the girls' heritage and the powers of The Claw, The Wing, and The Smoke were incredibly fascinating. (Especially The Smoke! So awesome!)  Add the gorgeous setting, and it should have a home run! But I just could not get into it.

I think that the main problem that I had was the slow pacing. This story just seemed to drag through the girls' narratives and all of the events just moved at a slow zombie-like crawl. So when action actually started to happen, it felt...off, like it was part of different book. Even when things started to pick up, the pacing in the writing still made these parts seem less exciting than they should have been. However, all of this might be the author's attempt to keep to the historical style, and it just didn't mesh with me. Because I do recognize that the style of writing the letters and the way the girls spoke was most likely historically how girls in this upper class society would write and talk. But it just took a toll on my appreciation of the book.

There was also something off about the character development. At one point there is such a change in the girls' personalities that it seems as if they did a Freaky Friday style personality swap rather than went through any thorough character development. It was jarring to read. Though I will say that I liked Lou's character and personality after her shift. She became more self assured and bold once she got her powers, and it made for some pretty awesome and hilarious situations. Also a lot of the supporting characters were a bit wishy washy especially the girls' cousin, Radu, and it was difficult to understand any characters' actions because they never seemed to be constant. Were they acting out of character? I honestly couldn't tell you.

The "romance" in the book was a bit lackluster. Again, this could be the historical aspect and was how things worked in this time and society. Relationships just seemed so flat. Dacia seemed to show interest in everyone, but it all seemed very superficial. Even with her relationship with Lord Johnny, I really had a hard time understanding if her feelings were, well, real feelings. The only relationship that seemed interesting or developed was Lou and Theo Ardacky, and even then that could have had a bit more chemistry.

There is one aspect that I did really enjoy: references to Dracula and that whole part of the story. I mean it is set in Romania so a Dracula reference should be pretty essential! I loved the way the author morphed the Dracula book and Vlad the Impaler's history into her story background. The Dracula fan in me adored it!

Rating: 2 out of 5. This book was a bit disappointing and just not for me mostly because of the slow pace, but someone who enjoys more historical books might enjoy it more. 

Review: Alive

Title: Alive
Author: Scott Sigler
Genre: YA, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: July 14, 2015

I received an eARC of Alive from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (via Goodreads)

A young woman awakes trapped in an enclosed space. She has no idea who she is or how she got there. With only her instincts to guide her, she escapes her own confinement—and finds she’s not alone. She frees the others in the room and leads them into a corridor filled with the remains of a war long past. The farther these survivors travel, the worse are the horrors they confront. And as they slowly come to understand what this prison is, they realize that the worst and strangest possibilities they could have imagined don’t even come close to the truth

I was hesitant to write this review. Not because I didn't have anything to say about Alive because that is totally not the case. I could probably talk about this book all day. It is because saying anything might give something about this great story away! Reading this book was such an experience, and I couldn't let any spoiler slip by to ruin that. But this book was so amazing that I couldn't just let it go without raving about it!

I will admit that I didn't start this book with the best attitude. "Oh god, not another teen trapped in someplace with no memory and trying to figure it out why he/she is there. Someone call the press. We got a revolutionary idea right here, pal." Yup, I am big enough to admit that. But the story wouldn't let me keep that attitude! After a few chapters, the story really took off. (And I can tell you that I had to flip back to those beginning chapters to see how interesting they were once I got so much more information.) The story is full of twists and turns and shocks and revelations that kept me in a state of riveted confusion/excitement the entire time. It is an intense roller coaster of a story, and when you get to the big reveal moment, it will be worth it!

Is that vague enough for you? Here are a few little tastes to make sure you read this beauty of a book. The story explores: leadership, survival, self discovery, society, growing up, religion, interesting characters galore, and that is all just scratching the surface. And the diversity in the book gets a nice high-five! The protagonist is fascinating and complicated, and I loved exploring the world of Alive through her eyes and watch her piece together what she is given and deal with the consequences of her and others' actions.

My advice about reading this book: Don't look for spoilers or flip to the end of the book. Don't read reviews that talk about it too much. Don't even talk to friends that have read it because a clue might slip! Just take that vague summary of the girl waking up in a box and devour that book in one sitting. And then come talk to me because I need someone to talk about it with while I wait for the next book in the series!

Rating: 5 out of 5. Reading this book was such a pulse-racing fun experience that explores so much. Pre-order or keep an eye out for this book!

Review: The Witch Hunter

Title: The Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter #1)

Author: Virginia Boecker
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 2, 2015

I received a eARC of The Witch Hunter from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (via Goodreads)

The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.
Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.
Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.
Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.
But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.
Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.

The Witch Hunter is a quick fun adventure. It was so easy to get pulled into the story with the fast paced and gripping writing, the world filled with tension over witchcraft, and the snarky characters. While there were definitely some darker and serious parts, the story played out as more of an adventure book with a little bit of romance and funny characters thrown in. The plot had a little bit of everything that I love: mystery, families of choice, self discovery, and a good dose of magic.

Elizabeth Grey lives in a world were magic is illegal and witches are hunted. And she is one of the ones doing the hunting. However, the world she knows changes when she is accused of being a witch and finds herself saved by Nicholas Perevil, essentially the rogue version of Merlin. Soon she is learning things to make her question her life before and Blackwell, the country's head inquisitor and leader of the witch hunters.

Elizabeth went through so much character growth during the book. Growing up in a society where witchcraft is seen as evil and working as a witch hunter, she has to completely change all the way she thinks and explore every idea she has been taught when she is helped by the reformists, a group of pro-magic people led by Nicholas. She has to look over her upbringing, her family group, her crush, and even her society's history in order to determine what is real about witchcraft. I loved being apart of her struggle to make sense of this new world and to see her resistance and discoveries when faced with these new ideas. The world that Elizabeth saw at the beginning of the book was a completely different one by the end.

Also drunk Elizabeth is my favorite!

Elizabeth and John's relationship was sweet. It felt a little bit rushed over such a short period of time, and there is this thing with a bird and a tree that I still don't really understand. All that being said, they were so cute with their glances and growing relationship. John is such a kind with a sad family past guy that it is very easy to like him.

I loved the supporting characters especially George and Fifer. Though they may have not been as fully developed as I would have liked, I thought they added a lot to how much I enjoyed the story. I really loved George. As the King's Fool and a reformist, he was an interesting and hilarious character that started to form a friendship and understanding with Elizabeth. While his character wasn't fully explored in this book, I am hoping for more of him in the second book. (Also we got backstory on almost every character but him! I mean am I the only one who saw the reference to him being gay that just never got brought up again?) Though I didn't seem to like Fifer when she was first introduced, I adored Fifer by the end of the book. Most of it probably has to to with her relationship with Schuyler, a revenant brought back from the dead. They just remind me of those couples that just bicker all the time but really care for each other. Surprisingly super sweet.

The ending sort of fell a little flat for me. As usual in these types of books, the big showdown happened, but then there was this last chapter that ended kind of "eh." I actually didn't know that it was the beginning of a series and not a stand alone, but even then the transition into the next book was still a little lackluster. Still definitely going to read the next book because I want to see what happens in this world and to Elizabeth and John and my lovely George.

Rating: 4 out of 5. The Witch Hunter is such a page turner! I would totally recommend it.

Review: The Wrath and the Dawn

Title: The Wrath and the Dawn (The Wrath and the Dawn #1)
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retelling, Romance
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: May 12, 2015

I received a eARC of The Wrath and the Dawn from Penguin First to Read in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (via Goodreads)

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. 

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

What a powerful book! Powerful love story. Powerful friendships. Powerful adventure and intrigue and mystery. But most of all this book is all about powerful secrets.

("Say powerful, again." "Powerful.")

If you can't already tell, I am such a fan of this book. It was a fun and gorgeous read that kept me entertained all the way through. The Wrath and the Dawn is a retelling of A Thousand and One Nights but it expands on the main story that is used as a framework for all the tales in the original. Shahrzad, or Shazi, volunteers to marry the Caliph of Khorasan, Khalid, and though she is supposed to die at dawn like all of his wives before, he extends her sentence to hear the rest of the story she tells during the night. She is adamant to tell this story and extend her life, in order to discover Khalid's weakness and to take revenge on his killing her best friend. But there are secrets behind the Caliph and his actions, and he might not be the monster the city thinks he is. Or maybe he is. 

My love for this book may have to a lot with how much I adored Renée Ahdieh's writing. The writing is both gorgeous and easy to read, and it really just sucked me into the story. The plot had a comfortable pacing was a told in third person, giving insight into the actions of many characters such as Tariq, Shahrzad's father, and of course Shahrzad herself. Her descriptions were so phenomenal and really brought the Middle Eastern setting to life. Everything from the guard's eye to a bit of food was had these amazing concisely accurate descriptions. Honestly, I could listen to her describe things all day. Her vivid descriptions are what gave this story life because it immersed me into this beautiful setting and drew me to the characters.

Shahrzad is such an amazing character. Loved, loved, LOVED her. She is bold, strong, and determined like no one would believe, and quite a few times stubborn to a fault! Directly from the beginning, she is determined to discover Khalid's weakness and shows herself as an equal to him even in the life threatening position she put herself in. Shahrzad has such a quick mind and amazing wit that keeps her alive essentially and navigates her through life in the Caliph's palace.

The relationship between Shahrzad and Khalid is probably one of my favorite love stories of all time. It was so complex and full of levels of trust/distrust, secrets, and love. Shahrzad doesn't want to fall in love with Khalid. In fact, that is the opposite of her whole plan to avenge her best friend's murder! But as the story goes on she sees that man behind the king, almost in a Beauty and the Beast sort of way of learning to love a beast. And I was right there with Shahrzad about my confused feelings toward Khalid and their relationship. He has his reasons as you discover, but there is still the cold hard fact that he killed all of his previous wives. But damn it if I didn't love Khalid too! Khalid is such a complex character who I respected so much by the end.

Also my heart nearly beat out of my chest every time he called Shahrzad "my queen." I swooned big time.

I am a sucker for great friendships, and this book had two amazing ones: Shahrzad and Despina and Tariq and Rahim. Shahrzad and Despina, her handmaiden, were so snarky with each other, and their stubborn attitudes made them such even matches. I loved their interactions, and I ended up copying down so many quotes from their conversations:

Shahrzad smiled at this in spite herself. "You're arrogant." 

"As are you, my lady Shahrzad. But I do not see this as a shortcoming. For without a measure of arrogance, how can one attempt the impossible?" (ARC 42)

They are put into this position of queen and handmaiden where they have to be close, and it was so interesting to see them grow from distrusting to being more open with each other. 

Tariq and Rahim is another friendship that makes this book. Tariq is Shahrzad's childhood sweetheart and Rahim is their childhood friend, and they are resolute in finding a way to save Shahzrad from the same fate of the Caliph's pervious wives. I am pretty sure that they have matching BFF tattoos somewhere because what bros. These two were so funny together! Sure, there were lots of serious moments between them as they search for a way to help Shahrzad, but I just loved their familiar little jibes at each other.

"Well, if anyone can talk their way out of a beheading, it's you." 

"I thank you, Rahim. As always, your abiding confidence in me casts any possibility of doubt astray" (ARC 122).

Also while Tariq does give this story a little love triangle action, for once it actually didn't bother me too much. I usually loathe anything love triangle related, and I thought this one was done very well so far. I think because Ahdeih establishes such an interesting relationship between Shahrzad and Khalid while also giving insight into Tariq's perspective of the situation that it helps the story along.

The only thing I would say is that the ending seemed a little rushed. So much happened in so few pages that I was just like: "Well this got out of control quickly." Despite that, I feel like it did set it up well for the next book though, which I need right now!

Rating: 5 out of 5. I enjoyed every gorgeous word of this book. The writing, the characters, the relationships! I can't wait to read The Rose and the Dagger.

Review: Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Title: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Author: Becky Albertalli
Genre: YA, LGBTQIA, Contemporary
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: April 7, 2015

Summary (via Goodreads)

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met. 

I had been so pumped to read this book. I mean, just read that description! Looks amazing, right? But when I started to read it, I was a bit disappointed at first. I just felt a bit lost as to what was going on. There wasn't really an introduction or description of some characters, so when I got a fact about them a was a bit confused. Was I supposed to know who this person was? Did I miss something? There is a fine line between too much description and not enough, and Simon is just on the side of not enough. I felt like I knew nothing about the characters so their actions seemed completely random to me.

However, after about fifty pages of a rocky start, I got into the book. Like really got into it! I don't know what happened because I just did a total 180 and loved it. While I would have liked some more information about some of the characters still, the writing is pretty simple and easy to read, and the story was a good mix of heartwarming, truthful, and hilarious.  Simon is so sarcastic and snarky, and I just loved reading all the thoughts going through his head. Plus his love of Oreos is legendary. Reading his Oreo diet meal plan was amazing and left me super hungry (and at the same time a bit sick at the thought of all those Oreos). Simon really comes into his own during the course of the book, going through this whole blackmail scenario and other events to grow and explore the relationships with his friends, family, and Blue. While this could be labeled as a "coming out" story, it's way more than that. He is sure about who he is and his sexuality, but the thought of coming out just seems like such a huge and unnecessary deal to him. I love how this book really questions the idea of "coming out."

The whole blackmail thing with Martin was very frustrating to me probably just as much as it was to Simon. Because at times, Martin does seem like a good guy, but I also bitterly just wanted him to go away. I'm still a bit frustrated at everything that happened with him, and I won't give anything away but I thought that the ending to that situation was very realistic. But I still want to punch him...

Oh Simon and Blue. I love that we spend the book not knowing who Blue is right along with Simon. It's this big mystery that makes you wonder "Is that guy Blue?" and "Is that something that Blue would do?" Their emails back and forth were so sweet and funny, and I love how they got to know each other so well before they even considered meeting each other. I'm not surprised that Simon fell in love with Blue through his emails because I did too. Also I just want to say that I am psyched that I guessed who Blue was! 10 points to me!

Rating: 4 out of 5. I really love Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Slow start but the rest of the book made up for it. I would probably suggest that you not read this book in public because it causes a lot of uncontrollable smiling and very odd happy noising. Such a good book.

Review: A Magic Dark and Bright

Title: A Magic Dark and Bright
Author: Jenny Adams Perinovic
Genre: YA, Romance, Paranormal
Publisher: Bookish Group Press
Release Date: April 28, 2015

I received an e-ARC of A Magic Dark and Bright through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (via Goodreads)

She meant to help a ghost...not unleash a curse.

Amelia Dupree hasn’t seen the Woman in White since the night her brother died.  

The ghost seems to have disappeared from the woods surrounding Asylum, Pennsylvania—that is, until Charlie Blue moves into the creepy old MacAllister House next door. Amelia can’t help liking him, even though she spent her childhood thinking his grandmother was a witch. And she definitely can’t ignore the connection between his arrival and the Woman in White’s return. 

Then Amelia learns that the Woman in White is a prisoner, trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead. Devastated by the idea that her brother could be suffering a similar fate, Amelia decides to do whatever it takes to help the Woman in White find peace--and Charlie agrees to help her. 

But when Amelia’s classmates start to drown in the Susquehanna River, one right after another, rumors swirl as people begin to connect the timing of Charlie’s arrival with the unexplained deaths. As Charlie and Amelia uncover the dark history of Asylum, they realize they may have unleashed an unspeakable evil. One they have to stop before everything they love is destroyed.

Let's judge a book by it's cover, shall we? Because A Magic Dark and Bright is book that is exactly like its cover: mysterious, romantic, magical. When I saw the cover and the word ghost in the description, I knew I was already going to be pretty sold.

The writing was great, at times even gorgeous. It had a good fast pace which made it a quick read. Though sometimes it could be a bit too quick, like events happened and were gotten over in an unrealistically short amount of time. The plot was so engaging that there was never a point where it dragged. I really enjoyed how the mystery of the ghost and all the murders blended with Amelia's teenage life, getting a taste of each without one pulling more focus. The small town vibe really highlighted the supernatural story line with all of the finger pointing and almost mob mentality. Honestly, sometimes small towns freak me out more than ghost stories! 

One thing that I really found interesting about this book is the way it deals with grief and guilt. With Amelia's brother dead, the reader gets to see the hole it left in her family's life and the guilt that eats away at her. While it is mostly ghosts and romance, the story really explores Amelia's grief and how to rebuild a life after a tragic death. Way to pull at my heartstrings.

I loved Amelia and Charlie! Pretty much Charlie is the ultimate book guy. He's sweet with a fun curiosity and a really frustratingly hot habit of brushing Amelia's ear with his lips when he whispers to her. Seriously, I dare you to read this book and not end up doodling "Mrs. Charlie Blue" in the margins of your notebooks during class. And what is even more adorable than just Charlie is Amelia and Charlie together. They are so awkward and sweet and have so much tension.  The build up of their friendship and relationship is done at such a good pace that it was more like a real relationship than most books portray.

My main turn off from this book was the many times where events took a turn for the cliche, even a few moments that had me rolling my eyes. While they furthered the plot, some situations and reactions didn't seem believable. For example, an actual note that I wrote while reading was: "Since when is a Ouija board a good idea? Let alone twice in one book!" Some things just threw me off and took me out of the story. Toward the end there was one particularly angry eye roll at a pretty cliche and soft of out-of-left-field plot twist. But even with all of these cliche moments, I still really enjoyed the book.

Which brings me to to the end with: Holy cliffhanger, Batman! There are cliffhangers, and then there are cliffhangers. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book to see what happens!

Rating 4 out of 5. Great read with plenty of ghostly mystery and romance. I really need the next book to find out what happens to Amelia and Charlie!

Review: The Art of Being Normal

Title: The Art of Being Normal

Author: Lisa Williamson

Genre: YA, Contemporary, LGBTQIA

Publisher: David Fickling Books

Release Date: January 1, 2015

Summary (via Goodreads)

Two boys. Two secrets. 

David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.   

On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.  

When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…

The Art of Being Normal was awesome! I blasted through it in a day because I just could not put it down. The writing is so fun and easy to read, and it really puts you right into the minds of David and Leo, two very distinct voices and characters. It's very rare that I find a book with two narrators and am completely 100% interested in both of their stories equally. Both David and Leo's stories are written with such care and then blend seamlessly into one another without any disjointed feeling. It made it almost effortless to read because it just dragged me in and suddenly two hours had passed! 

I was really excited to read a book with transgender main characters, and I was totally not disappointed. Especially in YA, there are so few, and many transgender stories focus on a sibling or friend reacting rather than the transgender person's experience (i.e. Luna, which was a good book but lacked something for me). But Lisa Williamson did this story justice! I really thought it was a great portrayal of transgender characters, both MTF (male to female) and FTM (female to male). Really amazing.

The characters! I feel like even taking about them would give the book away! Because it's these characters that really make this book amazing. David is such a sweet character who is struggling with hiding his true self and telling his parents, but by the end he really comes into his own. And gruff, stand-offish Leo is a bit of a mystery at the beginning of the book. But as he opens up to David and goes through so much, you really see him become a more hopeful person.  Both were such well developed characters that really stuck with me.

Seeing the growth in Leo and David and their friendship together just made me so happy. Honestly, I think about it, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry because their friendship made me do both while I was reading it! It was definitely a rocky friendship at first, but they way that they supported each other was fantastic. 

Honestly, this book has everything. Friendship. Family. Personal growth. Diverse characters. A bit of romance. A bit of heartbreak. A good dollop of hope. I am almost tempted just to start reading it again.

Rating: 5 out of 5. I loved this book, and it now has a fixed place in my heart and my bookshelf. Go read it! It is definitely worth it.

Review: The Haunting of Sunshine Girl

Title: The Haunting of Sunshine Girl
Author: Paige McKenzie
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Publisher: Weinstein Books
Release Date: March 24, 2015

I received an e-ARC of The Haunting of Sunshine Girl through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Usually I just let Goodreads to the plot summarizing (I am the worst at summaries), but the description over there actually tells you nothing about the story. And it uses "adorkable" in a serious way. So I can't possibly use it.

Summary (via me)

Sunshine, a quirky girl with a love of old things,  moves from sunny urban Texas to gloomy small town Washington when her mother gets a new job. After already feeling uneasy about the move, she discovers that her new house is a bit creepy. Well, majorly creepy. Haunted creepy. With her mom acting strangely, a new friend Nolan being the only one to believe her, an odd art teacher listening into her conversations, and the ghost in her house becoming more terrifying, Sunshine tries to understand what is happening to her house. And to her.

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl was a pretty fun read. I had never heard of the YouTube channel that the book is based on, but it seemed like a good read so I gave it a shot. In the end, I was surprised about how much I enjoyed this book. For the most part, this is a well-written, gripping story. This book was nothing like the description that I read, and I'm glad! The story's plot becomes more and more complex that it just drags you in and had some pretty good twists that take it beyond the average ghost story.

While this book isn't scary per se, some moments were just bone-chillingly good! (Though I was reading it at 1am on a rainy night in the pitch dark. So the ambience may have been a factor.) These were my favorite parts of the story! Paige McKenzie really shows some storytelling talent in leading the reader through some great spine tingling suspense. I still have chills from the bathroom scene.

Honestly I only really liked Sunshine about 40% of the time. She just really annoyed me. While I love unlikeable narrators, it takes a lot for me to get past an annoying one. Sunshine has this focus on being "not like everyone else" which is fine, but she repeats it over and over again. I get it! You are odd and quirky! Give it a rest already! And yet she keeps going on and on. It just hit on a major character pet peeve that I have.

But I did enjoy her character when she interacted with people. Her relationship with her mom is so sweet and at times super heart-wrenching. In the beginning of the book, you can definitely see how adorably close they are, and it just makes it harder when their relationship shifts during the haunting. Sunshine and Nolan's friendship is a lot of fun too. They are both a little odd but make friends with each other. I loved watching their friendship grow and how Sunshine became more confident around Nolan. But one of my favorite relationships is between Sunshine and the little girl ghost. I don't want to give too much away, but it is really interesting to see how their interactions with each other change over the course of the story.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Good story! If I wasn't annoyed with Sunshine, I would have enjoyed it more, but the plot and ghost parts were fantastic. 

Review: Ask the Dark

Title: Ask the Dark
Author: Henry Turner
Genre: YA, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Clarion Books
Release Date: April 7, 2015

I received an eARC of Ask the Dark through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (via Goodreads)

Billy Zeets has a story to tell.

About being a vandal and petty thief.

About missing boys and an elusive killer.

And about what happens if a boy who breaks all the rules is the only person who can piece together the truth.

Gripping and powerful, this masterful debut novel comes to vivid life through the unique voice of a hero as unlikely as he is unforgettable.

I am honestly shocked about how much I enjoyed Ask the Dark. Shocked, guys. Because this book was just that good. It's been weeks after I have read it, and I am still thinking about it!

I will admit that I had a rocky start with it. Ask the Dark is written in first person with a fairly strong dialect, and it took a long time for me to get used to the accent that Billy's voice is written in. But once I got really into the story, it became a lot easier to read because I got used to how Billy talked. You see, there is one detail that is included at the end that makes the book's writing style way more understandable: Billy is telling the story into a tape recorder. So the writing is exactly like how he spoke. I sort of wish this was included in the beginning.

Since the very beginning of the story, the reader knows that Billy is the one that finds the killer, and this just adds to the immense suspense in this thriller. And that suspense is what really makes this book. I actually found myself talking out loud in the dark while I read this. Lots of "Don't go in that house!" and "No, Billy! No!" and simply "Oh my god." It was like when you are watching a movie and you cover your eyes because know that something is going to happen, but you can't because it is a book! As Henry Turner's first book, I am honestly excited about any other thrillers that he creates in the future. Because wow that is some awesome storytelling.

Let's talk about Billy, shall we? We shall because he is so damn interesting. Billy is a young boy who used to be a major trouble maker in the neighborhood--trashing cars, egging houses, stealing--until he promised his dying mother that he would stop acting that way, stop looking for trouble. But the reputation stuck with him. So when he starts when he starts to piece together who is taking the boys from his neighborhood and what is happening to them, he knows that no one would believe him. In fact, some people blatantly tell him so.

The main reason why I love Billy is because he is such a real and dynamic character. He is labeled as trouble, and I will admit that he does get himself into a lot of it, but he secretly has such a big heart. He has so much going on in his life: he is the only one trying to save his family's financial problem. But the problem is that Billy is still just a fifteen year old kid and can only do so much. He is stressed and just trying to do all that he can, even debating breaking the promise he made to his mother about staying out of trouble. So when Billy starts noticing odd incidents and clues, he has so much going on that he doesn't fully realize just what he has found. The reader gets to go along with Billy through these discoveries and struggles, and it was nail-bitingly good.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5. It was really fucking good. Szcuse my language.

Review: Hinges: Book 1 Clockwork City (Hinges #1)

Title: Hinges: Book 1 Clockwork City (Hinges #1)
Author: Meredith McClaren
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: March 10, 2015

Summary (via Goodreads)

HINGES is a fantasy webcomic, turned graphic novel, about a doll named Orio and her troubling companion Bauble. New to the city of Cobble, Orio must depend on help where ever she can find it, but her assigned familiar Bauble has other interests. And as the two explore the walls of their city, they find that they are not the only new arrivals. In a place that runs like clockwork, it only takes a little disruption to upend a city.

I am very excited to be reviewing a graphic novel today! Yes my blog is young, but this is my first graphic novel on here, and I am very VERY excited. I have such a deep love of graphic novels, and I am psyched to be starting out with a good one.

Hinges is gorgeous. Seriously, so gorgeous. The line art is simple but elegant, almost cartoony but so intricate, which is just something that I love. The characters and backgrounds are beautifully drawn. Each character's face is so expressive, which really works well in such a quiet comic. Also there is the coloring, which adds so much to the tone of the graphic novel. I love it's nice subtle hues that make the entire comic look delicate and sometimes mysterious.

This being the first book in the Hinges series, the story centers around introducing Orio to the city of Cobble and finding her a job. Also the main focus is the growing relationship between Orio and her odd--a companion type creature--Bauble. Where Orio is silent and meek, Bauble is rambunctious and causes Orio a lot of trouble while she is trying to find work. Bauble also has some questionable intentions when it comes to Orio's clock, a pocketwatch inscribed with her name that given to her when she was created. But by the end of the book, they develop an understanding that is heartwarming.

All that being said, I was a bit confused about some of the plot. Like Orio, it is very quiet book. The only dialogue we get is from other characters. So the scenes with Orio and Bauble rely very heavily on actions. While I did enjoy that, I just felt like I didn't fully grasp why certain things happened, even after a second reading. However, it might be explained in later books.

Rating: 4/5 I really loved Hinges. It was very beautifully done, and I am going to search for the webcomic just so I can continue the story!

Review: Emissary

Title: Emissary (Legends of the Realm #1)
Author: Thomas Locke
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
Release Date: January 6, 2015

I received a copy of Emissary through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (via Goodreads)

Hyam is a likeable lad who will make a fine farmer someday. But he carries a burden few can fathom. As his mother slips toward death, she implores him to return to Long Hall, where he spent five years as an apprentice. It was there that Hyam's extraordinary capacity for mastering languages came to light--and soon cast him into the shadows of suspicion. How could any human learn the forbidden tongues with such ease? When Hyam dares to seek out the Mistress of the Sorceries, her revelation tears his world asunder. 

He has no choice but to set out on the foreboding path--which beckons him to either his destiny or his doom. An encounter with an enchanting stranger reminds him that he is part hero and part captive. As Hyam struggles to interpret the omens and symbols, he is swept up by a great current of possibilities--and dangers.

Emissary is was a good fantasy read. It didn't exactly blow me away, but I did enjoy it. The beginning was incredibly rushed, and information was sort of just thrown at me. But once I got into the story, it was flowed fairly well and was entertaining. Hyam's world is a fascinating world of different races, kingdoms, and forms of magic. The descriptions of the settings were gorgeous, especially the elf kingdom. Seriously, I want to live there. The world was probably my favorite part. Locke does an amazing job of building an in depth world with interesting magic systems and complex kingdoms.

However, there were times when I just got so lost in the plot. There were some details that just didn't make sense or were not fully developed. After Hyam's first battle, I got really confused by what happened actually happened. So I actually reread the entire chapter over just to see if I missed some explanation. I didn't. It just wasn't there. Later, it was sort of explained but it just wasn't enough. And that is how I feel about a lot of the plot: sort of explained but just wasn't enough. Plot details are introduced and dealt with, without any aftermath or something to make it feel resolved. Even now, I am a bit frustrated remembering all the points.

Hyam is a honest but incredibly intelligent farmer, but of course that isn't all he is. As he discovers his powers and his hidden ancestry, Hyam still keeps his honest and hardworking spirit, always treating people fairly and testing the boundaries of his power to understand it. I really loved how Hyam showed so much respect toward other people and brought them into his group. I especially loved his interactions with Trace, a wise but hilarious mage, and Meda, a tough female soldier.

Originally, I loved Hyam and Joelle, and I thought they would be great together. During the first part of the book, Hyam and Joelle switched off as narrators for each chapter, telling their own stories while separated. Once they met, however, Joelle's narration was phased out. I loved reading Joelle's sections and thought she was so amazing and strong, trying to build up her powers to escape the long hall. But once Hyam and Joelle actually met, I didn't understand their dynamic and saw less of the Joelle I saw in earlier chapters. All of a sudden, she is whining and chasing after Hyam, and then just constantly reduced to a love interest role. Who is this person? There were times when she was training and I could see the original character that I saw shining out a little, but then POOF she was gone. Add that to how their entire relationship is treated in the book. Ugh. It was just disappointing.

On a final good note, Dama! Dama is Hyam's wolfhound in the story, and she was amazing. But that might be my extreme love of the giant, gorgeous animals showing.

Rating: 3/5 Overall, Emissary was a good read. I wasn't a huge fan of the plot problems and Joelle's vanishing personality, but the world was intricate and the story was engaging. Plus wolfhounds.