Sunday Review: 11.29.15

Title: Signs Point to Yes

Author: Sandy Hall

Pages: 288

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Date Read: 11.21.15

Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3

Jane, a superstitious fangirl, takes an anonymous babysitting job to avoid an unpaid internship with her college-obsessed mom. The only problem? She's babysitting the siblings of her childhood friend and new crush, Teo.

Teo doesn't dislike Jane, but his best friend Ravi hates her, and is determined to keep them apart. So Teo's pretty sure his plans for a peaceful summer are shot. His only hope is that his intermittent search for his birth father will finally pan out and he'll find a new, less awkward home. Meanwhile, at Jane's house, her sister Margo wants to come out as bisexual, but she's terrified of how her parents will react.

In a summer filled with secrets and questions, even Jane's Magic 8 ball can't give them clear answers, but Signs Point to Yes.

"Just because you're smart doesn't mean you can't fail." - Jane

This was such an adorable read! I had no idea Sandy Hall was writing another book, so when I happened to see it sitting pretty on a display, I just had to pick it up. If you liked "A Little Something Different", you'll definitely enjoy this! :)

I cannot wait for Summer 2016 when her new book Can't Kiss, Won't Tell is released! If it's anything like her previous two, I'll fall in love with it. <3

It's Thanksgiving Break....!

...which means it's TBR "marathon" reading time!! (And reviewing time, of course! ^-^) I have been counting down the days for Break just so I can get some serious reading done. My bookshelves have been screaming my name and I feel like I've been a bad mommy to the books I've kinda-sorta started. So, day 1 of T-day Break and already one book done - WOO!

First Time for Everything!

Just had to share the awesome day at work (school) today! A colleague and I combined our class to have a Pumpkin Day and I carved my first pumpkin - EVER! Having spent my childhood in Europe, we didn't celebrate Halloween, so no need to carve pumpkins; and by the time we moved to the States, I was too old for that. So, now with a class of my own (and an amazing co-teacher), I carved my first pumpkin and it was SO. MUCH. FUN! It's days like this that I absolutely love my job!

Pics of the fun (and icky) experience are below:

(Belated) Sunday Review: 10.11.15

Title: Siege and Storm (Grisha Trilogy #2)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Pages: 432

Publisher: Square Fish

Read: 10.2.15

Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3

“I tend to be overfond of risk.” – Sturmhond

            Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past – or her destiny – for long.

            The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her – or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

“Huh. I thought the end of the world would be more exciting.” – Sturmhond

            I really enjoyed Shadow and Bone, so I just had to finish the series. It just took me a while to get to that part of my TBR pile (it seems so endless these days… read one, ten get added…). Anyway, I was not disappointed. The second (and third) book were just as intense and full of twists and turns.

“My mother was an oyster, and I was the pearl.” – Sturmhond

            As you can tell by all the quotes I’ve chosen thus far, my favorite character (by far) was Sturmhond. He was just … I can’t even properly describe him. He always had a witty comeback and an answer for everything. I couldn’t believe some of the things he said and scenes with him always made me laugh. At first he’s mysterious and you wonder who he really is and all that other stuff; and then all is revealed and WOW! I want one like that!

            I had many conversations with my colleague about Alina’s character developments in this book. She became so obsessed with getting all 3 amplifiers, and it wasn’t just for the good of Ravka. It was for the hunger she felt for more power. It was interesting to see that she wasn’t just all about the good (like most heroes are written), but that she had a little bit of a dark side that wanted things just because it would make her the bigger and badder thing. As she went through this change, her distancing from Mal made my heart hurt. I will say, that I think both of them did it to each other *rolls eyes*, but I felt her obsession kinda set everything into motion. And then it didn’t help that Mal was to do the stupid noble thing and let her whatever with Prince Nikolai. (Although on a sidenote: Nikolai, I thought was a better choice for alliance, good looks, and wittiness – among other great qualities.)

            I still had hopes for the Darkling in this book. I don’t know what it is about this villain, but I felt myself sympathizing with him (in some cases; in others not so much). Originally, he just wanted a place where his people (the Grisha) could be free – no judgment, no prejudice. His new powers in this book are crazy scary and vicious. Also, it may have just been me, but I felt sorry for the Volcra.

“Like calls to like.”

            Needless to say, I could not wait to start the final book. I barely closed this one and the other one was already open in my hands. No time to ponder and reflect; just dove right in. It was a crazy Grisha weekend marathon.

"Scars make good reminders." - Alina

Oops!

I may have been a teensy bit over-ambitious this evening when I said I was going to write and post five reviews. I am super tired and tomorrow is an early teacher workday for me (yay, report cards!); so I must beg forgiveness. But I will return tomorrow night to post the last two reviews. Hopefully, the three posted tonight will tide you over until then. For now, sweet dreams and good night, fellow readers. 

Sunday Review: 10.11.15 (Part III)

Title: The Tailor (Grisha Triology #1.5)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Number of pages: 18

Publisher: Square Fish

Date read: 10.8.15

Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3

“You decide.” – The Darkling

       This novella was a snippet from Shadow and Bone in Genya’s point of view. It takes place when she is Alina’s “friend” at the Little Palace. I like that we get a more in depth view of what life for Genya was at the Little Palace and as part of the Queen’s court. How she went from the favored little girl to someone the Queen could barely stand. It’s easy to see that the Queen became jealous of Genya’s youthful beauty while she herself was getting older with each passing year. It made my heart break to see her flashbacks of how Genya never really fit in with the rest of the Grisha, but she never really belonged to the Queen’s court either. She was isolated from both worlds and desperate for affection.

       Speaking of desperate for affection… in the brief scenes involving the Darkling, I felt he was manipulating her. My collegue and I discussed this at length, and neither of us agrees with the other. She believes the Darkling has a soft spot for Genya, and as I mentioned above, I think he took advantage of her loneliness and played her so that she’d betray Alina’s friendship.

"It hurts, but I can bear it. Because I am a doll, and a servant. Because I am a pretty thing and a soldier all the same." - Genya

Sunday Review: 10.11.15 (Part II)

Title: The Demon in the Wood (Grisha Trilogy #0.5)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Number of pages: 30

Publisher: Square Fish

Date read: 10.8.15

Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

“There is no safe place. There is no haven. Not for us.” – Baghra

            This is the prequel to the Grisha Trilogy; the story of how the Darkling became who he was and what motivated him. I thought I had all the feels for him in the third book when I bawled like a baby over his death (sorry, spoiler alert). But this short story brings it all home again and makes you feel his loneliness and desperation for companionship all over again. Not to mention, his drive to make a safe place for his people.

“There will be. I will make one.” – The Darkling

Sunday Review: 10.11.15 (Part I)

Title: Devoted

Author: Jennifer Mathieu

Number of pages: 326

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Date read: 10.11.15

Rating: ★★★★★

“And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

A godly girl keeps a cheerful countenance.

  A godly girl never tempts a boy.

    A godly girl always keeps sweet.

Rachel Walker is devoted to God. She prays every day, attends Calvary Christian Church with her family, helps care for her five younger siblings, dresses modestly, and prepares herself to be a wife and mother who serves the Lord with Joy.

                  But Rachel is curious about the world her family has turned away from. What is she to make of the boy recently returned from camp Journey of Faith with newfound piety? Or of her mother’s miscarriage and resulting depression? And how should she respond to Lauren, the girl who left the church several years ago and who has recently returned to town?

                  Rachel knows she should find solace in her beliefs, but she can’t shake the feeling that her devotion might destroy her soul. – Book Jacket

“Tell Me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

                  I originally saw this book pop up on my FB feed from one of the book publishing companies I follow. The little caption intrigued me enough to look it up on goodreads. I became more interested in it, because I’d never come across a YA book that dealt directly with religion – especially this kind. Maybe It’s because I haven’t been looking hard enough, but when it came out, I made sure to buy it. I can’t believe I waited this long to read it. I bought it the day it came out and it’s been sitting on my TBR shelf, patiently waiting for me to open its pages.

“I’m Still Here.” – Lauren

                  There Honestly isn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. I instantly fell in love with it. It made me SO angry the whole time I was reading it. I know that doesn’t make sense, but when you read it, you’ll understand. It’s about this Christian cult-type group that just … Grr! I can’t even put it into proper words!

                  Let’s try again… Rachel is from a Christian group that is controlled by men. The man of the family rules the home. The women are told what to do, say, think, and feel. Everyone must be happy all the time because that is what Jesus Christ wants from his loyal servants. Our main character, Rachel, feels different from everyone else. She loves God, but has a difficult time believing that she is only meant to be a “good wife, mother, and helpmeet”. The entire time I read this book, I was shouting, or grumbling, or shaking my head in disbelief. Sometimes, I could only read a few sentences before having to put the book down and just pace in frustration. I mean, I “know” people/Groups like this exist, but my brain still shrieked “There are people who believe like this?!?!?!” Baffling. My brain just couldn’t wrap itself around it. They way the community represses its women … I have no words. This book made me want to stand up and shake my fist at the injustice.

                  Being a Catholic, I get the whole strict lifestyle of religion, but this was a whole other level.

                  This is how into this book I was. Usually, I just mention books to my parents as I’m reading them when I go to their house for Sunday dinner. This evening, we had an entire HOUR LONG DISCUSSION revolving around this book and the points it brought across. Even my Dad, a person who really doesn’t like reading and doesn’t really include himself in conversations about books, was actively discussing it.

                  Trust me, People, READ THIS BOOK!

                  Now, on to other things: Like characters. Rachel is the main character and this book is about her journey to self-discovery. I love that while Rachel has come from an oppressive culture, her journey doesn’t lead her away from her faith. She still believes in Jesus Christ and God, but is trying to find a way to worship him that fits to how she perceives a healthy relationship with them should be. I love that she didn’t lose faith and become bitter.

                  I also like Mark Treats (what an awesome last name, right?!). He doesn’t pretend to understand what Rachel is going through or what her life was like before she ran away. But he is always kind to her and listens when she tries to find the words to explain how “complicated” her previous life was. Not to mention, he LOVES reading; and “watching” him and Rachel talk books or have their SAT Vocabulary Challenges is just too cute!

The Mother of All Sunday Reviews

I am finishing up several reviews and will be posting them shortly. You will not just have 1 or 2 or even 3 reviews tonight, ladies and gents, but 5! That's right, FIVE! Two were novellas, but they still count. So, be on the lookout.

Starting October Off Right!

Just bought these yesterday and I can't wait to start them soon-ish! By soon, I mean Christmas break (69 days and counting!), but who's counting, right? ^_^ I spent less than $3.00 on each of these. Wow, I know! I can't believe I keep finding all these amazing books for dirt-cheap!

        

Now, this one I didn't pay $3.00 for, but it was still discounted (YAY for teacher discounts!). I have been waiting for Simon and Baz's story for what seems like forever and now I have my hands on it! I am reading it alongside Devoted. So it'll be a busy reading weekend/week! Thank goodness it's a 3-day weekend. ^-^

Carry On