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!

Stuff and Things: When It Rains, It Pours

“He had noticed that events were cowards: they didn't occur singly, but instead they would run in packs and leap out at him all at once.”-Neil Gaiman

I didn't know that when I posted that quote a few weeks ago that it was going to come back to bite me. Because in these last few weeks a bunch of things have been hitting me all at once, just one after another.

So you may have noticed that I haven't posted in a while, and that is because I am super sick with the flu. Curled up on the couch, not moving out from under the blankets ever kind of sick. (Which is of course, when my landlord decided to install solar panels on my roof, so that there are loud guys with boots clomping around above my head. Such a soothing zen environment, right?) So while being sick is the worst, the thing that bugs me the most about being sick is that I can't really read. My brain is too fogged up, and I'm too tired to focus on anything. I read the same page for 15 minutes and then fall asleep or zone out. Spending all that time in bed would be perfect for working through my TBR pile, but I just can't do it. And writing? Yeah that's not going to happen. Forming coherent sentences is a little rough for me right now.

Then topping off all that, my computer decided to keel over. White screen of death. Which is bad because I have papers to do and my job is pretty much all computer. And I am pretty much live off my computer. Talk about a couple of bad days.

So in a nutshell: I haven't been posting because I have been sick and now I can't really post now because everything is on my computer. Hopefully it will be fixed soon, but until then I guess I will be on a bit of a break unless I can find a way to post and edit properly.

Hope you all have been having a better week!

Top Ten Inspiring Quotes from Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

I love quotes! I am always a sucker for words that really pack a punch. I like to make note of quotes that are gorgeous or funny, so that I can look back on them later because there are just some quotes that leave me slightly out of breath and whispering, "Wow." So while only some of these quotes are "inspiring," they are ones that I really love and have made an impact on me. Warning that I am going to get a bit sentimental because sometimes that is what a good quote does.

ONE

So before I share some of my favorites from books, I want to share my favorite quote ever. It's from the TV show The Fades, and though it's said by a relatively unimportant character, it really caught my attention. I was struggling with managing my anxiety at the time, and it just applied so well to how I was feeling and how I wanted to live. It's a quote that has an impact on how I live my life daily and has become a sort of mantra for when I am feeling anxious.

TWO

I tend to hoard what I write. Very rarely my work sees the light of day. But I always loved this quote and the importance of it in writing. It's good to write by yourself, but feedback from others can make the work stronger. One day I will actually follow that advice!

THREE

I loved when Prof said this in Steelheart. In some books and movies, it gets glossed over, immediately jumping into action. Sometimes it happens in life too. I think it's really important to think of the consequences of actions. 

FOUR

I really loved this quote because it applies to everyone all the time. It's not just about the coming out in an LGBTQIA sense. It's about that every person is constantly changing and reintroducing themselves over and over again. Life is just a massive series of redefining ourselves and having to coming out to friends and family as just slightly new people.

FIVE

This is just soooooo true, right? Okay, so maybe it's not inspiring, but it is just so freaking true! When something happens, it really does feel like it all happens at once, no matter if it is good things or bad things. Plus it's Neil Gaiman so the words are gorgeous.

SIX

I love this quote! It really says something about the personal cages that people put themselves in. Also if you have never read Breakfast at Tiffany's, do yourself a favorite and read it. I do love the movie, but it has a completely different tone than the book. 

SEVEN

Lolita is a pretty messed up book, but it is my favorite exploration of the unreliable narrator and the way it is sort of a meta about reading and fiction. I also just love what the quote says about reading and how important the reader is in the experience.

EIGHT

Just such a gorgeous quote. The Monster in Frankenstein has such a place in my heart for the love of life and the way he was treated. This quote just shows how important life is.

NINE

This is part of a much larger speech by Ender about loving his enemy, but I really love this line specifically. It just makes me smile.

TEN

Oh Remus, Remus, Remus. Indeed, sometimes that does make you feel better when you are feeling down or moody. Especially when it's chocolate after facing dementors.



What do you think about these quotes? What quotes have made an impact on your life?

Stuff and Things: Surviving the Book to Movie Adaptation

So last week I got the great news that one of my favorite books, Ready Player One, is going to be made into a movie directed by Steven Spielberg. That's right, the director of some of the best films ever and my personal all time favorite movie, The Goonies, is going to be in working on this adaptation. Honestly, I couldn't imagine better hands to treat this book with the respect that it deserves!

But many, many, MANY times books to movies turn out completely different from the book or just plain awful. Just think: Eragon. Yikes, I just got a shiver of pure terror down my spine at the thought. As a book lover, I tend to get attached to how the story is set up and how the characters are portrayed and, you know, everything that makes that book great. Seems reasonable, right? So when this starts going down hill while watching a movie adaptation, I tend to panic and look for the emergency exits.

Here is a step by step method how to survive the book to movie adaptation:

1. Don't Reread the Book

This is the worst mistake you can do! And it's a mistake I make a lot! But by having the book so fresh in your mind, you can only think: "Oh no that's wrong." Doesn't exactly make for a pleasant movie viewing experience.

2. Lower Your Expectations

It's sad but true. They can't do everything perfectly. But if the expectation bar is set fairly low, it can only go up from there!

3. Realize that Casting Choices are Out of Your Control

When you spend a lot of time reading a book, you tend to get a mental image about what the characters look like. It's natural. And while you can fancast a book as much as you want, it is sadly someone else's job to do the real casting. Sometimes they nail it! And then other times...

4. Buy Lots of Popcorn to Eat Your Emotions When Your Favorite Scene is Cut

It's going to happen. With cutting down a book to fit into two hours, the likelihood is pretty high. So splurge on that overpriced popcorn at the theatre and stuff your mouth so you don't yell at the screen. Just remember that even with your mouth full your facial expressions can still show your horror.

5. Appreciate Some of the Scenes that Were Added

I actually really love when the movie gets a few little new additional scenes. Sometimes. When they are still in character. They can add scenes that expand on the characters past or show hilarious joking between the main character and his/her friend or even put in a touching moment with a character's family. I can totally appreciate those bits.

6. Just Watch the Movie!

It can be rough watching a book to movie because you can spend the entire time picking it apart. So just kick back and just watch it. Save the analyzing until after it's over. Try to enjoy it!

Good theory, yes? Is that typically what I do in practice? Not so much.

How do you guys survive watching book to adaptations? Is it even possible? Which are your favorites that got the transition right?

Top Ten Characters I'd Like To Check In With

Top Ten Tuesday is a blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Woah this is a big question: which characters would you like to check in on? The world after a book ends is something we all think about. A lot. Sometimes for hours after we finish and sometimes years. So asking which characters to check in on is a really big question. Narrowing it down was not easy, especially because TV and movie characters kept popping in my head too! And that only prompted questions that I would want to ask each character. It just spiraled from there. I mean after a book or movie ends, what's the worst that could happen?

Beware that these may contain some spoilers. Just fyi.

Books

1. Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter
First off, congrats on your being a Herbology professor. Seriously, fulfilled my headcanon dreams with that bit. But Neville, buddy ol' pal, why didn't you end up with Luna? Do you realize how emotionally invested I was in you two ending up together after the last book? Even the movie had you two wanting to ride off into the sunset! What happen, bro? Here have a treacle tart and a butterbeer and tell me all about it.

2. Wade Watts from Ready Player One
There are so many things that I need to know. What happened after you won? I mean your world was still a post-apocolyptic mess that essentially lived in the OASIS. Oh and did IOI and the sixers stop trying to kill you? And are you and Art3mis dating now? How is Aech?! Thank god there is going to be a sequel because I can't handle these questions not being answered!

3. Nobody Owens from The Graveyard Book
I am just so curious about what the rest of your life is like. Like you grew up in a graveyard. Raised by ghosts! How can you possibly function like a normal person?

4. David Piper and Leo Denton from The Art of Being Normal
It may be the "just finished this book" fever talking, but I need two more books detailing your lives.  I need details from your fifteen/sixteen year old now until you both are best friends in rocking chairs. Because you two have to be friends forever. I demand it.

5. Gold-Eye and Ninde from Shade's Children
I just want to know if you guys are okay. How is the world like without the overlords? H-h-how are the kids? Oh gosh I want to cry! Just be good to each other.

TV/Movies

6. Allison Argent from Teen Wolf
I just wanna know how France is. How are the baguettes? Is Issac doing well? Is there a place to shoot crossbows in Paris or are you in the country? When you say your last name, does it feel weird knowing that everyone knows your name actually means Allison Silver? Because she's just in France.  Right, guys? SHE'S JUST IN FRANCE!

7. Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori from Pacific Rim
No more Kaiju! Now what! Did Raleigh and Mako move into a cute apartment together so they can be awkward little badasses together? Did they find some other professions to be complete badasses without the Jeagars? Did they find a way to put Jeagars in space to fight other nasty aliens? Come on, guys. Give me the 411.

8. Paul, Mac, and Anna from The Fades
This show is amazing! It won a BAFTA! Yet it only has one glorious season that I watch religiously about twice a year. I literally have too many questions to fully form a coherent check in. Just tell me what happens after episode 7? The world is pretty much ending and everyone is pretty much dead AND THEN WHAT? Oh god, this is going to haunt me because I will never ever get an answer.

9. Martha Jones from Doctor Who
First off, you are amazing. Second, what are you doing now? Are you still working with UNIT? And finally third, how did you and Mickey get together? I love you both, and the two of you together just made my life. I am going to need to know the full story. Don't leave out any details.

10. Nathan from Misfits
Nathan, bud, I was just wondering where you even are? I mean you go to Vegas in a webisode and get put in jail. Then "Save me, Barry!" is the last we hear from you? Seriously, what on earth happened? Are you still in jail? What about Marnie and the baby? Did you hear about the other Misfits? Yet more questions that will never be answered, and each eats a whole in my soul.

I feel like I need a bit of a breather after writing all of that. Hit too many emotional nerves, and more keep going through my head: Moses from Attack the Block, Teddy Lupin from Harry Potter (Does everyone say amazing things about your mom and dad? Do you need a hug?), Kieren Walker and Simon Monroe from In the Flesh, Lyra from His Dark Materials! Being emotionally invested in characters is a struggle!


Which characters would you check in with after they left a gaping hole in your heart? What questions have been gnawing at you about these character?

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.

Monthly Rewind: March

Monthly Rewind is a monthly blog feature that looks back on each month, including a bit about each month from me, blog posts, books I've read over the month, and my five monthly favorites.

March was for the most part a pretty chill month. I got a lot of reading done, did a lot of school work and work work, and hung out with my friends. The usual. Then for spring break I when to the UK to check out some grad schools that accepted me so that I could decide which was the right fit. It was a great trip with a lot of walking and traveling, a lot of great food, and even a book festival that I just happened to be in town for. Here are a few pictures from my trip: 1) Drank lots and lots of tea on this trip. Even one while sitting by the Thames. 2) Okay I know this sounds weird as hell, but I love the graveyards in the UK. They just look so spooky and old while graveyards here in California look so cookie cutter. It's a weird thing. 3) This was the marquee tent at the Oxford Literary Festival, and I just loved all of the cute bunting and the books everywhere. 4) Saw this at The World's End in Edinburgh and thought it was hilarious!

 

Pretty sweet month I would say!

Books read this month: 4
Ask the Dark, Hinges, The Haunting of Sunshine Girl, Steelheart

Book reviews: 3
Favorite book of the month: Uh that's too hard this month because I read too many good books. It's a tie between Ask the Dark and Steelheart

TV: iZombie
iZombie just got started this month, and I am really digging it. When I first heard the premise of the show, I was not interested. I think it was the name that made me totally roll my eyes. But wow was a wrong. It's like a ya zombie cop show if that makes sense. Which is perfect for me because I love paranormal shows and i love cop shows. Win win, right? Also you can totally tell that Rob Thomas is behind it because it totally has a Veronica Mars feel to it. (If you don't know, he created Veronica Mars. Hence the vibe.) I know it has just started, but I am so into it. Give me more episodes!

Food: Tea
Tea and I have been best friends this month. I have been really loving Earl Grey and Gunpowder Green tea, which is surprising because I am not usually a fan of green teas. There is something just so comforting about a cup of tea to take a break with during a long day. Ah a moment of relaxation.

Beauty/ Fashion: Leather Sk8-Hi Slim Vans and Elizabeth and James's Black perfume
New love of my life: Leather Sk8-Hi Slim Vans. Oh man, they are just so pretty. I got them because I thought they would be much more comfortable than walking around in boots, and they totally were! They have these awesome zips in the back which make taking them off and on super easy too. Plus, did I mention they are pretty? Because they really are.

Another favorite is the Elizabeth and James's Black perfume. I don't normally wear perfume, and if I do, it's a very light scent. But I got a sample of this perfume, and I am obsessed. It smells warm and comforting, maybe a little like a guy's cologne but very subtle. I am almost out of my tester because I have been using it so much, which has never happened before.

Music: Ska and July Talk

Two bits of music that I have been obsessed with this month. The first is ska. I have always been a fan, but this month I went a bit nuts listening to it.  I just love all the different waves of ska from the popish punk of Reel Big Fish to what I like to label as very skater/stoner music of Sublime. Such an awesome genre with so much variety! It is just the combo on the bass and sometimes horns that just makes it so good! Particularly been loving listening to Streetlight Manifesto.

Just in the last week of this month, I found this band called July Talk, and wow are they addictive. I think their album was released earlier this month, and it's so good. The music is like this catchy but sometimes a little dark alternative combo. The two singers have this amazing pairing of a gruff male voice and light female voice. My description probably doesn't even do it justice but go give them a shot!

Person/Thing: Hawkeye Funko Pop Action Figure
Finally a Hawkeye Funko Pop figure! I love Hawkeye, and I have been waiting so impatiently for one of these figures. He is going to hang out with my little collection of Funko Pop toys in my favorite characters: Captain America, Starlord, Crowley from Supernatural, and Mikey from The Goonies. Now if I could get my hands on a Donald Duck figure...


How was March for you all? Any favorite you want to share?