I'm going to leave this page up so that people can still see the reviews I've previously posted, but from now on this blog will not be active, and I'll be posting my reviews on the other one!
Thanks!
HEY THERE! So I moved blogging platforms! You can now follow my reviews and book shenanigans over at https://thelittlebookaffair.wordpress.com/ !
I'm going to leave this page up so that people can still see the reviews I've previously posted, but from now on this blog will not be active, and I'll be posting my reviews on the other one! Thanks!
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I was watching some booktubers over on YouTube and I noticed that a lot of them do these things called book tags where they have to match books to bookish type questions and/or answer some bookish type questions. I thought it would be fun to do some book tags over on my blog. So I decided to go to my trusty friend Google and see what he came up with. I found these questions from Lauren Reads YA and I thought they seemed fun. So here we go!
What is your favorite book? This is actually pretty difficult, but I'll have to go with The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. Who is your favorite author(s)? Ellen Hopkins, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Laurie Halse Anderson, Cassandra Clare, Richelle Mead, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and Gayle Forman. What genre do you prefer? I'll read mostly anything pertaining to YA. What is your favorite book series? I'm not sure if I have a favorite book series because I usually give on series before I actually complete them. What books did you hate reading in school? I have this annoying habit where once a book becomes assigned reading I lose interest in it. That being said I didn't really enjoy most books I read for school. Although I do remember really hated A Wrinkle in Time. What is the first book you remember reading as a child? Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss Bookstores or libraries? Bookstores! How many books do you own? I'm unsure of the exact number but I know it's well over 200 if you include eBooks and physical books Do you read before bed? Usually What is your most comfortable reading position? Sitting if I'm reading a regular book, laying on my tummy if I'm reading on my Kindle What is the most recent book you read? Finished: Song of Summer by Laura Lee Anderson. Currently reading: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson What quote from any book will you never forget? Why is it significant? Stay gold, Ponyboy. Science Fiction or Fantasy? Fantasy although I have been getting into Science Fiction a bit What books do you regret reading? I don't think I've ever regretted reading a book. How large is your bookshelf? Average sized, I think On average, how many books do you read per year? Well last year (2014) I read 36 books and so far this year (June 2015) I've read 39. What book can you read hundreds of times and never get tired of? The Outsiders Do you like to read outside? Sure, why not? What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from a book? You're never as alone as you think you are. Of the past year, what is the greatest book you’ve read? Probably The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer or Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher Title: Song of Summer
Author: Laura Lee Anderson Published: July 7, 2015 Blurb (taken from Goodreads): The thirteen qualities of Robin’s Perfect Man range from the mildly important “Handsome” to the all-important “Great taste in music.” After all, Westfield’s best high school folk musician can’t go out with some schmuck who only listens to top 40 crap. When hot Carter Paulson walks in the door of Robin’s diner, it looks like the list may have come to life. It’s not until the end of the meal that she realizes he’s profoundly deaf. Carter isn’t looking for a girlfriend. Especially not a hearing one. Not that he has anything against hearing girls, they just don’t speak the same language. But when the cute waitress at Grape Country Dairy makes an effort to talk with him, he takes her out on his yellow Ducati motorcycle. Note: I received an early copy of the book from Bloomsbury through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 4 stars Review: I've wanted to read a book with a deaf character ever since I read Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover. When I seen that Song of Summer had a deaf character I knew I wanted to read it. When I found out that Song of Summer had alternating perspectives I knew I needed it ASAP. This book is too cute! I actually thought it was going to kill me with its cuteness. I loved the writing in the book, it was breezy and easy to read. I liked how the author handled writing a deaf character, I thought she did a very nice job. I liked the characters in the book, except for Robin's ex-boyfriend - he got on my nerves. I liked seeing Carter and Robin interact with each other. Song of Summer made me laugh and had me rooting for Robin and Carter since the very beginning. I give this book 4 stars because there were a few grammatical errors and I felt like the ending was little abrupt. That aside, I really enjoy this book and I recommend this if you're looking for a quick summer read. Buy this book from Amazon | Barnes & Noble *It appears that this book is only available as an eBook so you can only purchase the book if you have a Kindle or a Nook. Title: From a Distant Star
Author: Karen McQuestion Published: May 19, 2015 Blurb (taken from Goodreads): Seventeen-year-old Emma was the only one who hadn’t given up on her boyfriend, Lucas. Everyone else—his family, his friends, his doctors—was convinced that any moment could be his last. So when Lucas miraculously returns from the brink of death, Emma thinks her prayers have been answered. As the surprised town rejoices, Emma begins to question whether Lucas is the same boy she’s always known. When she finds an unidentifiable object on his family’s farm—and government agents come to claim it—she begins to suspect that nothing is what it seems. Emma’s out-of-this-world discovery may be the key to setting things right, but only if she and Lucas can evade the agents who are after what they have. With all her hopes and dreams on the line, Emma sets out to save the boy she loves. And with a little help from a distant star, she might just have a chance at making those dreams come true. Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Rating: 1 star Review: I didn't finish this book at 20% - Chapter 8. I thought the plot sounded good, and I thought it would be an awesome alien novel. Unfortunately, I was wrong. While the premise of the book seemed exciting, the writing of From a Distant Star was boring and juvenile. The alien absorbed into the dog and then transferred into Lucas... that sounds like something my little sister would read. I also felt emotionally distant from the character and found myself not caring for any of them. I didn't like the character interactions. I also felt the writing was a little tacky. Maybe I'll pick this book up later on a give it another go, but for now I really didn't enjoy it. Buy this book from Amazon | Barnes & Noble Title: The Girl at Midnight (The Girl at Midnight #1)
Author: Melissa Grey Published: April 28, 2015 Blurb (taken from Goodreads): Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known. Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act. Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants... and how to take it. But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire. Rating: 4 stars Review: When I first started reading The Girl at Midnight I wasn't that enthralled, and I remained that way for about the first 100 or so pages. Don't get me wrong, I loved the main character Echo right away, I just didn't really care for the story. But by chapter 15 (page 109 in the hardcover US edition) the book really picked up for me. The story picked up in pace and I became increasingly more interested in the other characters, especially Caius. I thought all of the characters where unique in their own way. I loved Echo's voice and thoughts. I really liked how she was written. The relationship and the interactions between Caius, Dorian, and Jasper reminded me of the relationship and interactions between Jace, Alec, and Magnus from the Mortal Instruments series; I really enjoyed it. I also began to appreciate the switching POV's, and I started to understand the fantasy elements a lot more. I breezed through the rest of the book and finished it in one sitting. I just had to know what was going to come next. I became so interested in finding the firebird. By the way I felt with the beginning of the book I was pretty certain that I wasn't going to continue the series, but now I'm really anticipating it. The only issue I had with this book was it was hard for me to imagine how the characters looked. The author does a good job at describing them, I'm just confused as to if they're supposed to be bird-people and dragon-people? I'm not sure, but that's eventually how I pictured them. I thought this was a great debut novel by Melissa Grey. The second book, The Shadow Hour, is due out June 2016. Buy this book from Amazon | Barnes & Noble Title: Maybe Someday
Author: Colleen Hoover Published: March 18, 2014 Blurb (taken from Goodreads): At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be. Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Review: This was my first Colleen Hoover book and after hearing so many wonderful things about her I was a little upset with how flat this book fell for me. I had some pretty big issues with this book. First I'll start off on a happy note and tell you what I enjoyed about Maybe Someday. I liked the characters in the book, for the most part. I liked Sydney and Ridge together - I'd wanted them together since the very beginning of the story. I liked Ridge's character a lot because I thought it was original and unique. Ridge is deaf and it was great to read a book that contained American Sign Language. That's not something I had ever read before and I loved it. I also loved that the book is told from alternating POVs - Sydney and Ridge's. And the ending - SO GOOD. Now on to what I didn't like. There may be spoilers so continue reading at your own risk. I hated how when Sydney finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her the girl was a huge slut to Sydney. And then when Sydney turns around and kisses Ridge - who has a girlfriend for the majority of the book. I also didn't like how throughout the book Ridge had this whole internal monologue about what was considered cheating and what wasn't. It just irked me to no end. There was a part in the book where Ridge is talking to his girlfriend Maggie and I skimmed the crap out of the whole part of the book because, honestly, I just didn't care about Maggie at all. Maybe Someday was good. It's a definite 3 star book. I just thought it would be better with all the hype surrounding Colleen Hoover. I still look forward to reading other Colleen Hoover books in the future, I just have slightly lower expectations. Buy this book from Amazon | Barnes & Noble Title: An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir Published: April 28, 2015 Blurb (taken from Goodreads): Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They've seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia's brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Review: I really enjoyed myself while I was reading this book. I'm in a huge fantasy kick right now, and I started off my fantasy marathon with An Ember in the Ashes. I wasn't disappointed. This book doesn't waste any time and gets right with the action and the mystery within the first three chapters. I appreciated the switching point of views between Elias and Laia. I'm a sucker for books with multiple perspectives. I found both Elias and Laia's characters to be unique and interesting. I liked how complex their family lives were, and I couldn't wait for the moment where their lives intertwined with each other. I also really enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Helene. There were times where I did feel a little detached from the characters, and sometimes it was hard for me to envision just what Sabaa Tahir was trying to convey. I also found it very easy to put the book down and not really think or wonder about the characters, but for the most part I found this story to be completely enthralling. The last, and probably biggest, issue I had with this book was that Laia and Elias were supposed to be seventeen and twenty years old, but I thought that they both seemed younger - Laia acting more around fifteen and Elias more around eighteen. I still feel this was a great debut novel and I look forward to more books by Sabaa Tahir in the future! Buy this book from Amazon | Barnes & Noble Title: The Start of Me and You
Author: Emery Lord Published: March 31, 2015 Blurb (taken from Goodreads): It’s been a year since it happened—when Paige Hancock’s first boyfriend died in an accident. After shutting out the world for two years, Paige is finally ready for a second chance at high school . . . and she has a plan. First: Get her old crush, Ryan Chase, to date her—the perfect way to convince everyone she’s back to normal. Next: Join a club—simple, it’s high school after all. But when Ryan’s sweet, nerdy cousin, Max, moves to town and recruits Paige for the Quiz Bowl team (of all things!) her perfect plan is thrown for a serious loop. Will Paige be able to face her fears and finally open herself up to the life she was meant to live? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Review: First things first, can we talk about how beautiful the cover of this book is?! Seriously, it's gorgeous. Now, on to the review. I went in to this book not knowing what to expect. I've never read anything by Emery Lord before, in fact I never even heard of her, so I went in to this book with no expectations, high or low. I did, however, think this was going to be set during the summer, but it turns out it's set during Paige's junior year of high school. I feel like Lord has a strong Sarah Dessen vibe. Her writing is very easy to read and digest. The words just flow together. The Start of Me and You was a cute, but sometimes sad, story of a sixteen year old girl who had to endure the traumatic loss of her first boyfriend. She's trying to start living her life again without feeling guilty for being happy, so she develops a plan to feel better. The plan consists of 1) date a boy; 2) attend parties; 3) join a club; 4) travel; and 5) swim. I liked all of the characters, I thought that they were believable enough. Originally, I was going to give The Start of Me and You 3 stars but the friendship and the romance in this book pushed it up to 4. This book was cute and simple. Was it the best writing in the world? No. But it was decent. I thought it was the perfect book to start my spring/summer off with, but it's also the perfect book for the end of summer. Buy the book from Amazon | Barnes & Noble Title: The Outsiders
Author: S.E. Hinton Published: November 1, 1997 (originally published in 1967) Blurb (taken from Goodreads): In Ponyboy's world there are two types of people. There are the Socs, the rich society kids who get away with anything. Then there are the greasers, like Ponyboy, who aren't so lucky. Ponyboy has a few things he can count on: his older brothers, his friends, and trouble with the Socs, whose idea of a good time is beating up greasers. At least he knows what to expect - until the night things go too far. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Review: The Outsiders is probably my favorite book. Sometimes I find it hard to connect to a male protagonist but I didn't have that issue here. When I first read this book I was fourteen and in 8th grade and this book just blew my mind. I try to read it at least once a year. Ponyboy and his older brothers, Darry and Sodapop, are orphans. All they have is each other and their group of greasers. Along the way Ponyboy manages to befriend a Soc (pronounced Sosh) who helps him see that the greasers and socs aren't very different people. Of course, though, trouble between the greasers and socs hits an all time high when a fight goes down at the park, and Ponyboy and his friend Johnny have to run away. It's such a great book about loyalty, friendship, and family. Buy this from Amazon | Barnes & Noble Title: Kissing Doorknobs
Author: Terry Spencer Hesser Published: March 10, 1998 Blurb (taken from Goodreads): During her preschool years, Tara Sullivan lived in terror that something bad would happen to her mother while they were apart. In grade school, she panicked during the practice fire drills. Practice for what?, Tara asked. For the upcoming disaster that was bound to happen? Then, at the age of 11, it happened. Tara heard the phrase that changed her life: Step on a crack, break your mother's back. Before Tara knew it, she was counting every crack in the sidewalk. Over time, Tara's "quirks" grew and developed: arranging her meals on plates, nonstop prayer rituals, until she developed a new ritual wherein she kissed her fingers and touched doorknobs.... Disclaimer: This book is about a young girl who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder. If this is something you're bothered by then I don't recommend this book to you. Rating: 2 out of 5 stars Review: I had to read this for school. Normally I would never pick up a book about a girl that suffers from OCD, mostly because I never thought that would be something I could relate to. I also never would have picked this book up due to the hideous cover. I'm definitely a person who will buy a beautiful book without knowing anything about it, just because the cover is beautiful, and the cover of this book is ugly with a capital 'U'. I found this book to be incredibly boring and hard to read. The characters in this book were unbearable. I usually really enjoy books that help spread the word about mental illness, but this book was just not good. The mother in this book was abusive, and did not act the way I felt a mother would act in a situation like this. The only thing that saved this book from being a 1 star was the occasional good one-liners. Other than that, I found this book to be really mediocre. |
A Bit About The BlogI'm Emily and this is my book blog! This blog will consist of reviews*, recommendations, book announcements, and other bookish things. Categories
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Rating Scale5 stars: I loved the book. I definitely recommend it.
4 stars: I really liked the book. I will probably recommend it. 3 stars: I thought the book was really good. I might recommend it. 2 stars: I thought the book was decent. I probably won't recommend it. 1 star: I hated the book. I won't recommend it. Archives |