Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Recent Reads: Here's What I've Loved

Hello, friends!
Today I just wanted to talk about three books (or book series!) I finished reading recently. 2017 has been such a fun reading year for me- lots of new authors discovered, good books read, and even more books that I've fallen in love with. So- let's do a little book gushing now:


1) "A Conjuring of Light" by V.E. Schwab

The finale to Schwab's Shades of Magic series came out earlier this year, and it is one action-packed behemoth of a novel! Now that I've finally finished it...I'm a little broken hearted. I'm going to miss this series so MUCH! Kell and his coat, Lila's spunk and determination, adorably swaggering Alucard- these characters have made such an impact on me and I love them (even Holland. Especially Holland. Fight me.) Also, seeing everyone on the ship together had me rocking with laughter- Schwab writes the connections and relationships between characters so well; it was incredible to see everyone clash against one another.
I'm also super pleased with how everyone's arc ended. Each one made sense and flowed well with the narrative Schwab had established throughout the previous books. Yeah, each ending made me sob but it was a solid, contented kind of sob. The ending was heartbreakingly perfect.


2) "Death Note" volumes 10, 11, & 12 by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata

Okay yes, that's technically three books right there, but I'm grouping them together because I read them all back-to-back. These three make up the final fourth of the "Death Note" story, a series I have been reading since last year. I tried to read them slowly but I finally got to the point where I needed to see how things ended!
On the whole, I definitely loved how the series wrapped up- it was dark and complicated, just like the rest of the books. My mind was racing as I tried to keep up with everyone and all the layers of deception! Despite Vol. 12 being a little bit too "let's explain everything!", the sheer amount of thought placed into the plot planning of "Death Note" had me reeling.
The only downside to these final books was that there was a disappointing lack of Ryuk or any other shinigami. Ryuk and Sidoh (bless his lil soul) are my favorite characters and I find the shinigami as a whole the most fascinating to read about.
Shinigami aside, I'm totally collecting this whole series and will be rereading it again very soon!

3) "Warcross" by Marie Lu

"Warcross" has lots of action, a healthy dose of mystery, and some very vibrant and intricate characters. This book is already incredibly hyped despite it's release date still being three months away. The hype is real! I inhaled this book in a couple days. "Warcross" is an addictive read that left me eager to find out more. Lu has created a story that effortlessly blends sci-fi and YA alongside a world that could easily be our near future. The inclusion of technology was seamless with the narrative, and I loved seeing all the cool creations Lu had written.
The only thing I wish there could have been more of was the actual gameplay. We get to see a handful of cool moments in the Warcross game (the ice world was very cool- pun intended) but when an author creates a world where so many levels of play are possible, I really expect to be WOW'ed by the game and the different worlds inside the game- but it was not as epic as I think Lu could have made it.

Those are three books I've read recently and loved- what about you? Leave me a comment with you favorite recent read so I can check it out! :)

Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books

Sci-fi and fantasy books (especially fantasy!) were really my first true book loves. This genre was definitely what made me love reading so much, and to this day, a large portion of what I read are still SF/F novels! Everything from middle grade fantasy to adult sci-fi epics, I adore a good fantastical read, preferably with dragons. 
For the purpose of sharing books that aren't super well known, I decided to exclude three series from this list because basically every reader has heard of them before. So "The Lord of the Rings", "The Chronicles of Narnia", and the "Harry Potter" books are not on my list, despite the fact that I love them! I just wanted to talk about a couple books that are not quite as famous (although some are pretty close)...

1) The Starbound trilogy by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

This trilogy kicks off with "These Broken Stars", a YA sci-fi book that follows the story of Tarver and Lilac, two passengers aboard a giant starship. Although two very different people, Tarver and Lilac find themselves together in a way they could have never predicted. The two young adults end up in a drastic situation and uncover a phenomenon that could threaten the entire universe. 
One of the best parts of this series is the way each book builds upon the previous book with brand new characters but weaves the plots and people back together in unexpected ways. The series as a whole is focused on unraveling the phenomenon discovered in the first book; however, Kaufman and Spooner tie in new narratives which address other issues, too. My favorite book in the trilogy is book two, "This Shattered World"- the narrative on war and the effects of war is incredible and deeply moving. I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for some epic sci-fi adventure, romance, and great character development! 


2) "The Time Machine" by H.G. Wells

A classic! I read this for the first time in a British Literature college course. I thought I would enjoy
it, simply because it seemed liked a quirky little science book, but I didn't guess just how much I'd like it! While part of my enjoyment of "The Time Machine" certainly stemmed from having been studying it at the time of reading, it's a whirling read even without academic knowledge of it.
 The story is about a man in Victorian England simply referred to as the Time Traveler, who is telling his dinner guests about the fantastic machine he has. Later, the actual time traveling occurs and the Traveler is thrown into the year 802,701 AD and meets two races known as the Eloi and the Morlocks. These creatures act as a symbol for the upper and working classes of Victorian England, and the text is saturated with Well's narrative on his opinions of such. 
"The Time Machine" is a short and deceptively simple read; a novella that is a must read for any sci-fi fan. 

3) The Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull

Right after LOTR and Narnia, this middle-grade fantasy series was the one that had the greatest impact on me as a young reader. Full of vain fairies, shadowcharmers, ancient artifacts, dragons, enchanted preserves, and an utterly delightful cast of characters, "Fablehaven" is a marvelously crafted series that is certain to entertain. Seriously. 
The basic premise is this: two youngsters, Kendra and Seth Sorenson, are stuck staying with their rarely-seen grandparents while their parents are on a cruise. Turns out that the acres and acres of land the Sorenson's grandparents live on is actually a preserve for magical creatures. Chaos and spells ensue after the discovery of this hidden supernatural world. 
Although the first book is fairly simple, each consecutive book builds greatly upon the last to culminate into a whirling series finale. Along the way, Mull crafts a storyline that is unpredictable and addictive. I also want to shoutout his "Beyonders" trilogy, which has some of the best world building I've seen in a middle-grade series. I will read every one of Mull's books without question!

4) "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

This YA fantasy combines two of my favorite things- first: a Roman-inspired atmosphere and world,
and second: a high stakes competition. The reason "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is my fave HP book is because of the TriWizard Tournament. I love books with competitions or hunts like that (see also: "Ready Player One") and "Ember" is no exception. Told in a dual perspective narrative, Tahir's stunning debut novel tells the story of Laia, a lower class girl who has just lost her family, and Elias, a soldier in a harsh training facility. The two of their stories begin to clash together as they each try and hunt for answers and truths- Laia thinks she may be able to get her brother back, and Elias is questioning his loyalty to the realm.  I don't want to say too much about this and spoil it, but I will say that it is an epic, rich, and exhilarating story that had been reading late into the night. Heads up: this one is a little bit intense with the violence, so just take heed. This is a good choice if you liked "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo or "The Valiant" by Lesley Livington. 

5) The Inheritance Cycle (aka "Eragon") by Christopher Paolini

Step aside, George R.R. Martin- when it comes to massive fantasy books that involve dragons and spells and treachery, I prefer Paolini's sprawling saga of magic. These books were like crack to me as a teenager. My Tolkien-loving self was delirously happy whenever I immersed myself in the land of Alagaesia, the land in which the Inheritance cycle takes place. This story begins with a boy named Eragon finds a mysterious blue rock in the forest. Well, the "rock" turns out to be a dragon egg, and Eragon just hatched himself something he never expected. 
As I alluded to, this series is very Tolkien-y in my opinion. There are dwarves, elves, long treks, a wonderful magic system...Paolini is a masterful storyteller who builds the world up slowly but surely, and gives readers a host of characters to root for and curse at. Don't let the massive size of these books put you off, either. If you like "traditional" fantasy and strong characters, pick up "Eragon"! 


That's it for T5W this week! Thanks for reading! :)

Favorite Book Quotes // Part 1

This post is the first in a series where I'll be sharing my favorite book quotes. I've found myself thinking about several of these quotes more and more lately, and I hope someone else can find or be inspired by one of these!
What is your favorite book quote?
         * * * * *

"And how shall I think of you?' He considered a moment and then laughed. 'Think of me with my nose in a book!"
-Susanna Clarke, "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell"

 "There is only one page left to write on. I will fill it with words of only one syllable. I love. I have loved. I will love."
-Audrey Niffenegger, "The Time Traveler's Wife"

 "Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia."
-C.S. Lewis, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"

 "Rule Three of beekeeping: never cease to feel wonder."
-Laurie R. King, "Beekeeping for Beginners"

 "Look, this is a loan. I don't know if love is something I will run out of one day. I don't know if I should be giving it all to you guys or not. Today, I feel like maybe I should have kept some for myself for days when no one else loves me."
-A.S. King, "Ask the Passengers"

 "I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who lives to see such times. But that is not for us to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
-J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Fellowship of the Ring"

 "The field of battle is my temple. The swordpoint is my priest. The dance of death is my prayer. The killing blow is my release."
-Sabaa Tahir, "An Ember in the Ashes" 

 "Sometimes I can feel my bones straining against the weight of all the lives I'm not living."
-Jonathan Safran Foer, "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"

 "It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart."
-Anne Frank, "The Diary of a Young Girl"

 "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."
-J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit"

 “I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race—that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.
None of those things, however, came out of my mouth.
All I was able to do was turn to Liesel Meminger and tell her the only truth I truly know. I said it to the book thief and I say it now to you.
I am haunted by humans.” 
-Markus Zusack, "The Book Thief" 

 "To define is to limit."
-Oscar Wilde, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" 

Top 5 Wednesday: Books To Get You Out Of A Reading Slump

As many of you know, Top 5 Wednesday is a Goodreads group created by GingerReadsLainey on Youtube; it's a group where each Wednesday, bloggers and vloggers and whatnot all put out their Top 5 of a certain subject. It's a great way to find new book suggestions and meet new bookworms- you can check out the group here if you're interested!

So as I looked over my list here, I realized all of these are books that I have rated 5 stars on Goodreads. They are here for a reason- all of them are dynamic in their own right, and have a very distinct feel to them! All of them are books that have impacted me, and I hope if you're ever in a reading slump you can find a way out with one of these gems.

1) "Through the Woods" by Emily Carroll
Graphic novels are almost always my go-to when I'm not feeling meh about other reading choices. "Through the Woods" is a collection of five short horror stories drawn in rich selection of colors that range from the jewel tones of the story "A Lady's Cold Hands" to the muted woodland colors of "The Nesting Place" (which is one of my favorites stories within this book!). Seriously, the artwork alone is worth checking this out. The writing kind of reminds me of RL Stine's writing combined with the Brothers Grimm. These are unsettling and atmospheric tales that will certain hold your attention, and probably creep into your mind and settle in for a stay...

2) "Amy and Roger's Epic Detour" by Morgan Matson
This one's for anyone who needs a contemporary, whimsical, and yes, epic read. I see this on a lot of 'Summer Reads' lists due to the highway-blazing road trip duo of Amy and Roger, and the relationship that develops between them (no spoilers, but I will say this: NO INSTALOVE! YAH! ). This novel deals has themes of grief, family, romance, and finding oneself, all woven together as Amy and Roger trek across North America. This includes bear lockers, diners, Elvis, and a solid cast of supporting characters. There are also playlists and little photos included throughout which make for an awesomely immersive reading experience. Reading this just amplified my wanderlust and made me crave more Morgan Matson books!

3) "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline
This book could go on so many lists of mine- I recommend it quite a bit to people, especially if someone wants a sharp and adventurous read. It's very nerdy (lots of 80s pop culture and gaming references) but if you're not a gaming person, don't worry! One of the blurbs on the book says "Ready Player One" is like Willy Wonka meets The Matrix and that's super accurate: this is a great read that throws the reader right into the action and intrigue, so there's no waiting around for the fun stuff to start! This is a plot-driven novel where virtual reality gamers in the OASIS are all competing to find clues to where the OASIS creator hid his fortune. Despite being heavily plot-driven, the cast of characters in here are phenomenal and full of surprises, too! And the ending...dude. It's one of the best book climaxes ever.

 4) "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chobsky
I'll be honest- I didn't read this book in high school like most people. Sure, I had seen the movie (because Emma Watson) but I read it for the first time last year and was emotionally gutted afterwards. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is an epistolary novel that tells the story of Charlie, a teenage boy who is very quiet and introverted and dealing with the loss of his best friend who recently committed suicide. Charlie is one of the best parts of this book- he is a fleshed out, hopeful, and relatable character, and I just wanted to become friends with him as I read his story. Besides Charlie, this books has lovely writing, a raw narrative on friendship and sexuality, and characters who leap off the pages with life.
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

5) "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Truman Capote
First of all, this is a good pick for a reading slump because it's super short. Like under 100 pages short. I didn't know this the first time I read it, but when I finished all I could do was wish it was longer! Truman Capote has a delightful, limpid voice that crafts a story as sparkling as a Tiffany diamond. It's sad. Sweet. Melting. Brief. Feminine. It's not fully like the film adaptation either, so don't think just of Hepburn and Peppard when you see this book. This has a voice all its own! Due to the time this was written there are some parts that are a bit racist, so just be warned. However, there are some lovely quotes in here, including one of my favorites:

"If you let yourself love a wild thing. You'll end up looking at the sky." 

Top 5 Wednesday: Favorite Non-Written Novels

Here's the prompt for the Feb. 15 T5W: "This is all about books that are not 'written' novels! So graphic novels, comics, manga, audiobooks, etc. Shed some light on books in other forms."
I'm pumped for this one! Although I don't really use audiobooks too much, I love all kinds of graphic novels and comics, and equally love getting recommendations from others. Can't wait to check out other videos and posts this week!

So, in no particular order, here are my favorite non-written novels:

#1: "Hyperbole and a Half" by Allie Brosh

 Drawn in a computer paint program with rounded out stick figures, "Hyperbole and a Half" is Brosh's
credit to Allie Brosh
part memoir-part guide to dealing with depression. I read this book a couple years ago, and I remember it as being the first book I had laughed with while reading for a looooong time. I had needed that book. Some parts of this book are hilarious stories (like a young Brosh attempting to steal and eat an entire birthday cake) and other are accounts of how Brosh handles life when life seems too much. The chapter where she talks about 'the dead goldfish' situation was incredibly helpful to me personally.
(hey, even Bill Gates liked this one! READ THIS BOOK)

#2: "Giant Days" by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, & Whitney Cogar

I kept seeing this on my Goodreads dashboard, so I picked up the first volume of it from my library. Then I immediatley went back two days later to find the second volume because this series is fantastic. "Giant Days" follows three university students, Susan, Esther, and Daisy, three very different women, as they handle college life. This includes wayward romances, sexist websites, a rampant flu, and academia among others. It's a story about being a twentysomething young woman trying to handle whatever life throws at you while not completely losing it. Plus, the female friendships in here are so so SO well done, and these three girls are one of my favorite fictional groups to read about. I'm also a big fan of the artwork- it's vibrant and distinctive, and the facial expressions are spot on.

#3: "Supermutant Magic Academy" by Jillian Tamaki



 To be perfectly honest, this right here is probably my favorite standalone graphic novel of all time. I bought this at my local comic shop after hearing Ariel Bissett rave about it in one of her videos. At the shop, I flipped through it a little hesitantly, because the art style seemed a little bland. But, I almost always like Ariel's recommendations so I went for it- and it was excellent. "Supermutant Magic Academy" is a bit nonlinear: almost every couple pages flips back and forth between different student sho have crazy abilities or qualities. The plot? Life. School. Crushes. Existential crises. Magic powers. It's beautifully subtle, humorous, and surprisingly relatable.

 #4: "Death Note" by Tsugumi Ohba

I've slowly been expanding my manga reading over the past couple years, and have a couple series that I not only read but also buy to add to my personal collection. Among those are "Bakuman", "Tokyo Ghoul", "Princess Jellyfish"- and "DEATH NOTE". Boy, lemme tell you- this is not a series I expected to enjoy as much as I do now. The basic premise is that a young man finds a notebook called a Death Note that a shinigami (Japanese god of death) purposely dropped into the human world. The shinigami was bored and wanted to see what would happen. I'm not going to say more on the plot but I will say that this 12-book series is darkly humorous, edgy, and full of the pushing of morals that had me reading these non-stop. I'm currently on Volume 8, so I don't have an opinion on the series ending yet, but at this point, it's going to take a lot for me to became disappointed by "Death Note".

 #5: "Hark! A Vagrant!" by Kate Beaton

This book is a collection of comic strips that offer up a slightly (sometimes very) skewed yet hilarious look at notable historical and pop culture figures and events. There's Batman, Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, Nancy Drew, Gatsby, and others. No event is safe from Beaton's witty hand as she calls out Canadians, or pens a bromance between Poe and Jules Verne (those are some of my favoriteeee). I will admit, a handful of the historical references went over my head, but I was laughing my butt off for 95% of this book. Like, tears in my eyes, side hurting laughter. It's that good! I would recommend this to any history or literature buff, but I'm sure anyone can get a chuckle out of this book.
credit to Kate Beaton
In case anyone wants to check out future T5W topics, here's the link to to Goodreads group!

Top 5 Wednesday: Book Trends You're Tired Of

Top 5 Wednesday (T5W) is a collaborative group started by Lainey (gingerreadslainey on YouTube) and every Wednesday, bloggers and video makers all share their Top 5 of a topic announced the month before. I shared the link to the group and topics at the bottom of my list in case anyone wants to take a look.
(Also, I know I'm posting this one day late- let's pretend I'm not)
Here we go!

Trend #1: Author names being bigger than book title

Okay, I know this one is  little weird and nitpicky, but it's T5W so I get to be a little picky. :) I noticed this trend with a lot of David Baldacci books (no shade at DB, just pointing out the book design)- the first thing you see when looking at the book is the author's name written in a HUGE font at the top of the book, towering over the actual title of the book.
And I do understand this- there are big name authors whose names are so well known that someone looking around a store will see the name and have a tendency to gravitate towards said name. 
But I personally think this makes the books look more like an ad or too "loud". I just don't think it flows as well visually!

Trend #2: "Major Motion Picture" labels

It's generally well known that many book lovers (especially those who collect books) don't like stickers on their book covers. To be honest, removable stickers don't both me too much. But what really gets under my skin is when publishers re-release a book right before/after a book has been
(photo from Penguin Teen)
adapted into a film with a GOSH DANG BUILT IN LABEL THAT CAN'T BE REMOVED. 
For example: I read JoJo Moyes "Me Before You" as a library book, and didn't buy a copy right away. I loved the book but decided I'd wait to buy it until I wanted to do a re-read. 
Aaaaaand then the movie was announced. Which, by the way, I also loved, but every single copy of the book after that had a label across the top that proclaimed the movie's impending release.
Again, like Trend #1, it's just a visual and marketing thing for me. I don't think it looks nice, and it feels like part of what I'm buying is an advertisement. 

Trend #3: YA Retellings

It just seems like every other YA book hitting the shelf nowadays is a retelling. And that's not to say that these retellings are bad; I've read a few and some are great (see: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer). But it's getting to the point where I think the YA section is just oversaturated with another Alice in Wonderland or Beauty & the Beast "revamped" story. If someone new to YA came browsing for a retelling, it's almost a little overwhelming at this point! Part of me feels like writers are jumping onto some sort of bangwagon of cheap writing instead of coming up with fresh ideas. Again, I'm sure a lot of these stories are great, but I'd much rather see some more original content.

Trend #4: "Dystopian Girl Is the CHOSEN ONE and Must Overthrow Evil Government"

@DystopianYA Twitter account is the BEST young adult
parody account ever! 
I mean, that basically says it all?
Dystopian books can be really fun, and I definitely have some on my favorites list. But time and time again, I'll crack open a new one to see that it follows this same basic formula without much deviation from the norm. Some people have argued that many fantasy books also do this by taking a Tolkien/CS Lewis plot and just moving things around. I won't argue that Tolkien and Lewis really laid some much-followed groundwork in their books. BUT I think overall, YA dystopian works, while they might introduce new dystopian settings and races, rarely offer a plot that doesn't involve a young protagonist ending up on a mission to Destroy Evil Leader.
And yes, I'm saying specifically YA dystopian here, because adult books seem to have a more broad selection (check out "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel).



Trend #5: Superimposed faces on book covers
"Delirium", ilu but this
cover is awful

I thought this trend died with the old covers of Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies" series?? I guess not. This one is pretty self explanatory: it's aesthetically disturbing and usually feels like a lazy design choice to me. I also don't like seeing someone's idea of a character until after I've read about the character myself, because then I have the book model's face in mind the whole time. Some of these covers can be fairly close to how I picture the character- but usually, they're not!


nope nope and nope
So, there you have it! My top 5 book trend I'm tired of. :)

For anyone who wants more info about the T5W group, click HERE. You can post your T5W's in blog, video, or photo form, and the topics are always fun! Check it out! 

Boston Photo Blog & Meeting Adam Silvera!

Because my friends and I are obsessive book nerds, we decided to make the drive from Maryland to Boston, Massachusetts recently to see Adam Silvera on his tour for "History Is All You Left Me" (for those of you not familiar with the East Coast, that's a 8+ hour drive).  It was somewhat of an impromptu decision, but it wasn't as if we hadn't done something similar before. Last year, we went to NYC a couple times for other book events, including an ungodly 1AM Megabus ride to get to meet Maggie Steifvater. But that's another story..
Anyway, the whole trip was a remarkable! We explored parts of Boston, visited three different bookstores and a comic shop, did some shopping, and of course, had front row seats to hearing authors Adam Silvera and Jaye Robin Brown speak about their books. 

the coolest neon welcome from Boston's Primark
yeah, we're all a little touristy ;)
We basically took pictures of everything that said "Boston". I had never been here before, so I was pretty excited!

Boston has some of the prettiest and eclectic buildings I've ever seen! 
Seriously! Turning a corner meant seeing a whole new street full of dark brick houses with elegant trim, or an edgy looking shop with huge glass windows and warm lighting. The architecture in this city was unreal.
hashtag OOTD
"BEHOLDER"
There are all kinds of little bits and pieces of street art through most cities, and Boston was no exception.

the rare book section of Brattle Books

It was definitely a bookish kind of day...
Brattle Books was the second bookstore we stopped at. There were two crammed levels of used books, with peeling covers and yellowed pages. Then there was a third equally crammed level where the rare books resided. It was like a little museum of gilded spines and weathered covers.

it was rainy on and off, but we didn't let that stop us

litte decorations inside Brookline Booksmith

this needs to find its way onto my bookshelf!

this little book painted alley was iconic!

NASTY WOMEN FTW
*click click click*

this meal at Trident Books was DELICIOUS! 10/10 would recommend 

Everyone smile! :) Here we are with authors Jaye Robbin Brown (second from left)
and Adam Silvera (second from right)
Ah yes! This is why we came! Adam Silvera is the author of "More Happy Than Not" and "History Is All You Left Me". Jaye Robin Brown has also written two books, "Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit" and "No Place To Fall".
The event was held at Trident Books & Cafe and was moderated by one of their lovely employees. They spoke about a variety of topics, from inspiration of their characters to diverse representation. Adam mentioned he was currently writing two books, one called "They Both Die At The End", scheduled for fall 2017 publication, and another sci-fi novel! Ah, I'm super pumped for that one! They both also took questions from the audience, and then took their time signing books and answering even more questions. 
When we walked up, Silvera recognized us from the tweets we had been sending him of our trip up to Boston. They were both immensely lovely people who were clearly passionate about their writing. Brown also told us about NOVA Teen Book Fest, a YA literature event that she would be attending later this year (we're already planning on going!) 
I gotta say: one of the coolest parts of this? Adam took the time to doodle a little sketch inside my copy of "History Is All You Left Me":
All hail the mighty #GayDragon!
It was a magnificent event! I'm looking forwards to reading more from these authors, and I already want to go back to Boston for some more exploring. 

And then Adam rewarded us House Points for trekking up to the event ;) BOOYAH! 

Top 8 Anticipated YA Book Releases 2017

Alright, here we go! I know it's already a month into 2017, but most of my most anticipated YA books are still not out yet, so this post is still relevant! :D There are dozens and dozens of books coming out in 2017 that I'm pumped to read, and a good chunk of those are Young Adult reads. It's been quite awhile since there have been this many teen books I'm excited about. Really: usually there are a handful, typically fantasy, but this year just seems to be teeming with promising new stuff books (and only a couple are fantasy). Here are my Top 8 I can't wait for!
"A Tragic Kind of Wonderful" by Eric Lindstrom

Even though the rest of my list is in no particular order, I just felt like placing this one at the top because I have a particularly noticeable anticipation for it. In my last post, I mentioned how much I loved Lindstrom's debut novel, "Not If I See You First" and was beyond hyped to find out about his newest work!
This is a book about a young girl with bipolar disorder. I don't think I've ever read a YA book where the MC is bipolar, but I had also never read a teen book with a blind MC before Lindstrom's first book either. So I have real faith that this will prove to be an engaging read either way! YA literature seems to be steadily growing more and more diverse each year, and that's a really exciting thing to see! Mental illness and different disorders are greatly underrepresented in teen books, so I'm glad to see this change. (Um, also , I'm lovingggg this cover! <3 The weepy watercolors and pastel theme is so pretty!)

"Always and Forever, Lara Jean" (To All The Boys I've Loved Before #3) by Jenny Han

Despite the fact that I've only read the first book in this soon-to-be trilogy, I'm really excited about the prospect of a continuation of this series! I thought the first one was very cute and super well written, with a family aspect that is rare is YA books. Lara Jean is also one of my favorite contemporary protagonists (and also one of my top bookish fashion icons). To be honest, I got most excited about this book when I saw Jenny Han's tweets about the photo shoot for the book cover- it looked so cool!

"The Gatlon School for Vigilantes" by Marissa Meyer

Okay: we have Marissa Meyer, author of the amazingly epic Lunar Chronicles; we have two different schools for superheroes; we have a plot that seems to promise questioning of hero/villain, hero/sidekick norms. I'm pumped to see more than one YA superhero book releasing this year (Bardugo's is down below, too!) and can't WAIT to read this one. I'm picking up on some X-Men/Quantum Prophecy vibes from this book. Side note: The Quantum Prophecy books are severely underhyped? Ugh, I loved them as a teen! But yeah, I have very high hopes for this one! (also- super curious to see the final cover)


"Our Dark Duet" by Victoria Schwab 

"This Savage Song" was the second VE Schwab book I read ("Vicious" was the first FYI) and I enjoyed it immensely. Kate and August are both compelling characters to read about, and I liked both of their perspectives in TSS. I'm usually a fan of dual perspectives anyway, but I thought Schwab did a particularly good job of weaving together two distinct voices in a lovely manner. I don't know if Schwab is planning on keeping this as a duology or trilogy or even more, but I'm kinda hoping it's gonna just be two books. For some reason, I feel like the story can be finished in one more, and as much as I love series, two just seems right here. But anyways, series aside, this is one I'm buying as SOON as it releases!

"Wonder Woman: Warbringer" (DC Icons #1) by Leigh Bardugo


Not gonna lie: I saw talk about a Wonder Woman book last year, and was a little interested, but not too much. It wasn't until I read Leigh Bardugo's "Six of Crows" that I becameaddicted to her writing! My interest in this book went up 100x after the magnificence of the SoC duology. Bardugo's storytelling skills are sharp, witty, and elegant, and she brings such a brilliant and tangible life to her characters. Wonder Woman is a favorite superhero of mine, and I'm elated to see her in the hands of such a master storyteller.

 "All The Crooked Saints" by Maggie Stiefvater

I became a pretty hardcore Steifvater fan last year after starting The Raven Cycle at the recommendation of a friend. Her writing is atypical and lyrical, her characters lifelike and full of emotion. Although Steifvater has said she can't release much info about the plot, my love of her work on TRC and as a person is enough to make me super interested in reading it. I met her last year in NYC and she was so clearly passionate about her work that I truly believe this new book will be something to talk about.

"Meg & Linus" by Hanna Nowinski

I came across a mention of this book on Twitter when I was looking for diverse 2017 releases. The title sounded cute (I know it's just names, but still!) so I looked it up on Goodreads. Here's part of the summary:
"Meg & Linus by Hanna Nowinski, a fun friendship story about two quirky teens who must learn to get out of their comfort zones and take risks—even if that means joining the drama club, making new friends, and learning how to stand on your own."
This two sound like such nerdy, steadfast best friends that I just couldn't help but be intrigued! It sounds a little bit like "The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love" by Sarvenaz Tash, which I've read and enjoyed. And apparently there's also a heavy emphasis on the non-romantic friendship of the two main character's, which isn't terribly common in YA lit, so again, I'm interested in checking this out!

 "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

 Ahhh, I keep seeing reviewers and bloggers getting ARCs of this, and I just want one!! :O This is
another one I found out about while looking for diverse reads, and just like "Meg & Linus" there's a real geeky, sweet vibe around it that's calling my name! "When Dimple Met Rishi" focuses on two Indian-American teens whose parents have set them up to be married. From what I can tell, these two characters are attending the same web development summer camp, but are two vastly different people whose personalities clash. It looks geeky, romantic, and hilarious! I've heard some very positive early reviews on this one. Ah, it looks like such a cute read!! <3

Diversity Bingo 2017: January Update

At the end of 2016, I came across the #DiversityBingo2017 hashtag on Twitter and was immediately excited about it! I consider myself a fairly well-read person, and I read a fairly broad array of books- fantasy, biography, classic literature, YA, etc, but this seemed liked a real chance to make a point of reading book with and written by a truly diverse cast of people.
The bingo sheet contains 36 slots, so I figured if I read a minimum of 3 books towards the challenge a month, I'll be right on track!

To keep myself accountable and to share my selections, I thought I'd make a monthly #DB2017 post to show what I've been reading towards it. (I'm also adding these reads to my Goodreads shelf "Diversity Bingo 2017" if you'd like to view them there).
Here's what I read in January!

1) Square: Non-Western (Real World) Setting
    Book: "The Undertaking of Lily Chen" by Danica Novgorodoff
    Rating: 4.25/5

This graphic novel has some of the loveliest watercolor artwork, and it made the reading experience very enjoyable. Although I wasn't a huge fan of how the characters were drawn (think watercolor Tim Burton but with very gangly limbs) but they grew on me a little as the story went on. Novgorodoff's use of color to portray the time of day was particularly nice.
There were a couple parts of the story I think dragged a little bit (like the monk's temple) and I felt could have been more fulfilling.
Overall, it was a very entertaining tale, and I thoroughly enjoyed the folklore-feel of it. The story also prompted me to look more into the eastern tradition of "spirit marriages" like talked about in "Undertaking". It is a fascinating Chinese tradition and I really ended up learning some interesting history. If you read this, I would recommend doing a little research, too! It makes the story even better.

2) Square: Own Voices
    Book: "More Happy Than Not" by Adam Silvera
    Rating: 5/5

My Goodreads review for this is much longer (you can read it here) and I had a lot of emotions reading this! I listened to a little over half of this in audiobook format, and then read then remainder physically. This book is incredibly well written with a cast of characters who made me howl with laughter, cry nonstop, and gasp out loud. It has one of the most distinct voices I've read in YA literature, and I was super eager to read more of Silvera's books after this.
It's a mature read (includes themes of suicide, descriptions of suicide, teenage sex, drug use) and a little angsty at times. It's a very "meaty" read, however: the grit and roughness is balanced out by the eloquence with Silvera weaves a story of growing up, identity, friendship, and and loss.

3) Square: Visually Impaired MC
    Book: "Not If I See You First" by Eric Lindstrom
    Rating: 5/5 and I added it to my GR "Favorites" List

To my knowledge, this was the first book I read that had a visually impaired main character, and I was very interested to dive into this story. I had no idea it would so quickly become a favorite of mine! I absolutely loved this book! Parker, the main character, is a blind girl who has a set of rules by which she lives her life and holds others around her. She is also still quite reeling from the death of her dad, someone she was immensely close to.
The characters in "Not If I See You First" are so wonderfully created, each with a distinct voice and personality that really shines through, with some solid character development. It also has some fantastic female friendships, which I adored!
All in all, a moving, unique, and rereadable story that I would highly recommend.

4) Square: Practicing Jewish MC
    Book: "How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less" by Sarah Glidden
    Rating: 3.75/5

I have a weakness for non-fiction graphic novels, especially biographical and travel ones- and this book is both! Sarah Glidden tells her story of her Birthright Tour to Israel with an honest, questioning voice and a palate of dusky, desert colors. I felt very present throughout this- Glidden does a good job of pulling the reader right into Israel with her, and immersing them in the areas she travels to. Israel is a country I have always personally wanted to visit, particularly the city of Jerusalem, so I got a lot out of the travel parts.
My main con of this book is that I think someone reading it who had little or no knowledge of the current, or even recent history, in Israel might be a bit lost. I have a good grasp of the Israel/Palestine situation, but even then, I found myself having to look quite a bit of information up to understand parts of the book. There also is a bit of an ambiguous ending. To an extent, I understand this because the book is nonfiction, but I think it felt a bit unfinished.


I'm looking forwards to continuing #DiversityBingo2017 and have already began reading my picks for February. It so exciting to see this community of readers coming together to participate in some a great challenge! If anyone wants to recommend a book to me for this, let me know! :)
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