Short and Simple Printz Reviews: Dig, Skellig, & Damsel

This is a place for books that I didn't fully review.

Maybe I listed my likes and dislikes, had a little short paragraph, or a few sentences to convey my feelings on the book, but whatever the "review" is, all of them are short and simple. (hence the clever name)

Today I have some short reviews for Printz award winners (including honor books)! I have made it a goal of mine to read every Printz award winner. The main reason why I decided to do this is because the Printz award is for literary excellence in YA literature, which I am familiar with, but it also pushes me a little bit out of my comfort zone to books I would not normally pick up. 

So far I have read 48 Printz books. These three books are some of the ones I've read recently.

The Shoveler, the Freak, CanIHelpYou?, Loretta the Flea-Circus Ring Mistress, and First-Class Malcolm. These are the five teenagers lost in the Hemmings family's maze of tangled secrets. Only a generation removed from being simple Pennsylvania potato farmers, Gottfried and Marla Hemmings managed to trade digging spuds for developing subdivisions and now sit atop a seven-figure bank account, wealth they've declined to pass on to their adult children or their teenage grand children.

"Because we want them to thrive," Marla always says.

What does thriving look like? Like carrying a snow shovel everywhere. Like selling pot at the Arby's drive-thru window. Like a first class ticket to Jamaica between cancer treatments. Like a flea-circus in a doublewide. Like the GPS coordinates to a mound of dirt in a New Jersey forest.

As the rot just beneath the surface of the Hemmings precious white suburban respectability begins to spread, the far flung grand children gradually find their ways back to each other, just in time to uncover the terrible cost of maintaining the family name.

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Review

I have mixed feelings for this book. It took me a while to even get into this book. We follow multiple characters, some of which without names, and we only see bits and pieces of their lives. I was confused and I just couldn't fully get into the writing. Once I got into the book, I did start to appreciate the writing style. I loved how each character had their own distinct voice, I loved the different imagery throughout, and I loved the weirdness. I was just waiting for everything to come together and when it did I was slightly disappointed. I think it came down to the ending being a little too preachy. There are literal capital letters spelling things out for us and for a book full of interesting symbols to spell things out instead of simply hinting, it just read oddly.

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it

Ten-year-old Michael was looking forward to moving into a new house. But now his baby sister is ill, his parents are frantic, and Doctor Death has come to call. Michael feels helpless. Then he steps into the crumbling garage. . . . What is this thing beneath the spiders' webs and dead flies? A human being, or a strange kind of beast never before seen? The only person Michael can confide in is his new friend, Mina. Together, they carry the creature out into the light, and Michael's world changes forever. . . 

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Review

I mostly read this one audio, although I finished this by ebook. I liked that the audiobook was narrated by the author, although I sometimes felt lost because he does have a thick accent (at least to me). The writing was beautiful and I loved the touches of magical realism. Not much seemed to happen in the story at times, which is one of the reasons why I couldn't rate this a full four stars. Even now, as I am writing this review, I cannot recall much of the story and it's only been two months since I've read the book. Still, I can see why this book was nominated for the Printz Award (unlike other books *cough* Why We Broke Up *cough*). The book itself was also highly creative and different from many other books I've read. There is a sort of prequel, My Name is Mina, but I don't think I will be reading that one. Though the author has written another book on the Printz list, so I will be reading more from him.

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: It was almost amazing, but not quite

The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.

However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.

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Review

I have conflicting feelings towards this book. It really belongs in the "I don't know what to think of this" category.
This book has an interesting plot, but I guessed a major plot-point within the first chapter [highlight to view spoiler]that the girls are dragons [end of spoiler], but that was never resolved until the second to last page. So, I spent so much of the book just waiting for the reveal. This book doesn't pull punches and discusses a lot of difficult subjects, within a fantasy setting. I think this was a different way to talk about these subjects, but I felt like I was forcing myself to read this book. To put it lightly, this is not a fun book, and I knew that going in.
The ending was a bit of a let-down. The climax is the second to last page, so there is really no falling action. It is just a REALLY HUGE MOMENT WITH LOTS OF REVEALS then its THE END.
Overall, I do think this book has an interesting premise. The writing was fantastic and there were many well-written scenes, but there were also scenes that pulled me out of the book and I often felt like the book was going nowhere.

I hereby give this book

??? 

Meaning: I'm not sure how to rate this one

REVIEW: Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter

“A fast-paced thrill ride of a book. . . it’s Batman meets Annie.” —Stuart Gibbs, New York Times best-selling author of the Spy School series

“An adventure-filled read with a twisty mystery and spunky friendships. I loved it!” –Melissa de la Cruz, New York Times best-selling author of The Descendants series

April didn't mean to start the fire. She wasn’t the one who broke the vase. April didn’t ask to go live in a big, creepy mansion with a bunch of orphans who just don't understand that April isn’t like them. After all, April’s mother is coming back for her someday very soon.

All April has to do is find the clues her mother left inside the massive mansion. But Winterborne House is hiding more than one secret, so April and her friends are going to have to work together to unravel the riddle of a missing heir, a creepy legend, and a mysterious key before the only home they’ve ever known is lost to them forever. 

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MY THOUGHTS

I love Ally Carter's books and I adore reading middle grade, so I was definitely excited for this book! I didn't enjoy this book as much as I expected, but it was still a fun read.

April doesn't have parents. Years ago, when she was a baby, her mother left her only with a key and a claim that she would come back. April still holds onto that hope, and when a museum trip leads her to a chest that seems to match her key, she thinks she may find her answers. But, instead, she accidentally sets the museum on fire. And that somehow sends her to the Winterborne House and under their care. The house is great, and the other children are nice, but April can't help but wonder if her key, and her mother, are connected to the Winterbornes, but she ends up stumbling on an even bigger mystery.

I'll start off with some positives: I loved the mystery. That's what drew me to this story in the first place. The book has plenty of mysterious elements. There's April's past, the mysterious key, and the supposedly dead heir. The Winterbornes themselves are really a mystery! There is even an almost superhero/villain vibe to the book, which is even more evident further into the book. The mystery really reminded me a little of the earlier Gallagher Girls books, and it carries a little bit of that nostalgia. Still, the mystery is new and it's own story. Some things felt predictable to me, as an adult, but there are many things that I just don't know how they will be resolved.

I loved the characters and I thought that their interactions with each other in the house were fantastic, although it takes a while for the characters to team-up together. I did have issues with their characterizations. I felt like most of the characters weren't that well-developed. They were known for doing one thing and that was their one thing. Sadie, for example, is a smart inventor and that's really all she does in the book. When the child characters were all together, I would sometimes mix-up their dialogue. April, our MC, was really hard to read at times and I felt like I couldn't always connect with her. Usually, I feel like characters grow and change throughout a book and I guess we get that with April, but the book felt like an introduction to the cast without me really getting to know who they are besides surface-level interests.

I found the setting to be fantastic, creepy mansions are always fun in middlegrade, but it wasn't quite what I expected from the synopsis. I think I expected this to take place at a school/orphanage, but it wasn't really either. It could technically be an orphanage, but there are only five kids (and all five are on the cover). The cover really made me think it was a school because of the matching outfits. I kind of understand why it wasn't a school-esqe setting, since Ally Carter already has the Gapagher Girls series, but it took me by surprise. Although, having a small cast of characters was better for this book and made the mansion feel that much more vast.

As for pacing, there were plenty of moments where I couldn't wait to read what would happen next, but there were also moments where I felt like the plot was moving slowly. We have intense action scenes, along with scenes of characters just wandering around the mansion. As for the ending, the ending was very intriguing. I don't think I fully understand what happened and I won't until book two (I hope there is a book two), but I wasn't really expecting the connection between the two [highlight to view spoiler] The Sentinal and the Winterbornes. I honestly did not expect the Sentinal to be such a big part of the book.[end of spoiler]

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I have mixed feelings. I liked the mystery and despite my issues with the characterization, I do think there are some great characters in this book. It is a fun middlegrade book and I think middle schoolers will enjoy this book. I think this book felt like an introduction to a series rather than the actual first book. I didn't really get enough answers, even for a first book, and the characters weren't developed enough. Still, I hope to read more in this series.

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it

REVIEW: The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

Two siblings. Two brilliant talents. But only one Mozart.

Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish—to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she'll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age—her tyrannical father has made that much clear.

And as Nannerl's hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true—but his help may cost her everything.

In her first work of historical fiction, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu spins a lush, lyrically-told story of music, magic, and the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.

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MY THOUGHTS

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year! Everything about this book just sounded fascinating! Little known history + magical realism + Marie Lu, it seemed like a recipe for a great book. I don't know if I over-hyped this in my mind or what, but I was disappointed by this book. Don't get me wrong, I did like the book and it gets a solid three stars, but I was expecting to love this book and I just didn't.

This book has two main components: the historical side, and the fantasy side. One was done well, one not so much. The historical storyline follows Nannerl Mozart, who is the lesser-known of the Mozart siblings, but also incredibly talented. We see her grow up from a young girl to a teenager as she tours with her brother. She is overshadowed by her brother and resents the fact that, as a boy, her brother is able to openly compose and Nannerl is not. Still, she has lots of love for her brother and has to handle the conflicting emotions. I loved how this book focused on Nannerl. I remember learning a little about her in my Music Appreciation class, but many people never learn about her. But even the focus on the Mozarts themselves was interesting as I have never read a YA book, or any fiction book, about the Mozarts!

Now, as for the fantasy aspect, I felt that it was really lackluster. It started out interesting enough, we have the magical world blurred into the real world slowly. Nannerl's interactions with the Kingdom of Back at first felt unreal, in a good way. As the book progressed, though, I noticed that we never really got worldbuilding for the Kingdom of Back, which made me less intrigued by the realm. Instead of seamlessly blending with the real world, it felt jarring whenever we traveled there because I never felt like I had enough information to understand it or its connection to our world. What disappoints me is that there were so many opportunities to show us this wonderful world but instead, we were told about things, or everything was just meant to be an obvious allegory. I did like Marie Lu's author's note where she mentions that the Kingdom of Back was a story the real Nannerl and Wolfgang (or Wolferl as he is called in the book) told each other while they were on tour. I found that to be incredibly interesting, but it made me wish I really connected with the world.

As for characters, I do feel like both Nannerl and Wolferl were well-developed characters. I especially loved how the book showed their relationship. Despite the gap in ages, they are incredibly close from traveling together. Nannerl does resent Wolferl, but it less because of him and more because he has more freedom than she does. This is difficult for Wolferl to understand and throughout the book he seems to be closer to Nannerl than she to him, which made some of Nannerl's decisions frustrating. I did feel like the gender elements were heavy-handed in the book because it was understood the struggles that Nannerl had as a girl in the 18 century the first few times she thought it. It did frustrate me that for a book that was discussed gender, Nannerl often goes off with a guy in the Kingdom of Back but I don't think this was romantic? I have a question mark there because it wasn't all that clear.

The book does have a middle grade feel throughout, namely because Nannerl is a pre-teen/young teen for most of the book. The atmosphere also reminded me of middlegrade. I was surprised by this, as the book is marketed as YA, but I adore reading middlegrade so I actually loved that it had that feeling to the story.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I did like the book but I really wish there was more worldbuilding in the fantasy sections. It was a fairly interesting read overall, and a highly creative story at that, even if I wasn't fully engaged in the story. I really liked the historical inspiration. This book did make me wonder if I am outgrowing Marie Lu's books. She used to be an auto-buy author for me, but both this book and Rebel have kind of let me down.

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it

Waiting on Wednesday: Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

Waiting on Wednesday (or Can't Wait Wednesday) is a weekly meme, hosted by Wishful Endings, where we talk about the books we're waiting (a bit impatiently) for!

This week I am waiting for...

War between the devas and the demons is imminent, and the Otherworld is on high alert. When intelligence from the human world reveals that the Sleeper is holding a powerful clairvoyant and her sister captive, 14-year-old Aru and her friends launch a search-and-rescue mission. The captives, a pair of twins, turn out to be the newest Pandava sisters, though, according to a prophecy, one sister is not true.
During the celebration of Holi, the heavenly attendants stage a massage PR rebranding campaign to convince everyone that the Pandavas are to be trusted. As much as Aru relishes the attention, she fears that she is destined to bring destruction to her sisters, as the Sleeper has predicted. Aru believes that the only way to prove her reputation is to find the Kalpavriksha, the wish-granting tree that came out of the Ocean of Milk when it was churned. If she can reach it before the Sleeper, perhaps she can turn everything around with one wish.
Careful what you wish for, Aru . . .

Release Date: April 7th, 2020

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Why am I waiting?

I really enjoy this series so I look forward to reading this book!
What book are you waiting for this week?

New Releases in YA! (March 22nd-28th)

Every week I list all (or almost all) of the YA books (and the occasional MG) that are coming out within that week!

P.S. Click on the book's cover for the Goodreads page!

Did I miss any books?

What books, if any, do you plan to read?

Short and Simple Reviews: Goldie Vance Series

This is a place for books that I didn't fully review.

Maybe I listed my likes and dislikes, had a little short paragraph, or a few sentences to convey my feelings on the book, but whatever the "review" is, all of them are short and simple. (hence the clever name)

Today I'm reviewing volumes 1-4 in the Goldie Vance series!

GOLDIE VANCE IS ON THE CASE

Sixteen-year-old Marigold "Goldie" Vance has an insatiable curiosity. She lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place, and it's her dream to one day be the hotel's in-house detective. When Walter, the current detective, encounters a case he can't crack, together they utilize her smarts, skills, and connections to solve the mystery...even if it means getting into a drag race, solving puzzles, or chasing a helicopter to do it!   Goodreads / Amazon  / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / IndieBound

Review

Lately, I have been wanting to read more graphic novels and comic books and this one popped up on my radar. I enjoyed reading this volume but I didn't love it as much as I expected to. This is a fun book and I loved the cast of characters. The art was also great. What I wasn't as wowed by was the mystery. I didn't feel like I was solving the mystery with Goldie, and that's what I normally look for in mystery books. The book also went a strange direction in the last half and some parts weren't as believable. I did like how it included the space race. Overall, this was a fun read. 

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it

Nancy who? Goldie Vance is on the case! The adventures of the teen sleuth continue in this second volume of the hit comic book series.

The adventures of Goldie Vance, teen super sleuth, continue in the second volume of this hit comic adventure. Collects issues #5-8 of the series.

Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place. Her mom, who divorced her dad years ago, works as a live mermaid at a club downtown. Goldie has an insatiable curiosity, which explains her dream to one day become the hotel’s in-house detective. When Charles, the current detective, encounters a case he can’t crack, he agrees to mentor Goldie in exchange for her help solving the mystery.

Eisner Award-winning writer Hope Larson (A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel) and artist Brittney Williams (Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat!) present the newest gal sleuth on the block with Goldie Vance, an exciting, whodunnit adventure.

  

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Review

My feelings toward this book is pretty similar to volume one, that while I liked it, I didn't love it. This is again a fun book with a fantastic cast of characters, but the direction the volume went was, again, a little far-fetched. The mystery was very unique, but it didn't fully keep my attention. Like the last book, I like how it features the space race a little and how it both feels anchored in the past, but in a whole new timeline. Overall, it was still a fun read.

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it

Catch up with the coolest new girl detective on the block, Goldie Vance.

Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance has an insatiable curiosity with dreams of one day becoming a detective. Luckily, she lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place, and with a rotating roster of guests and events, there’s bound to be some mystery afoot! With the Prescription One race in town, Goldie and her biggest rival, Sugar Maple, find themselves in an unlikely alliance to find who is sabotaging the drivers before the big event.

Eisner Award-winning writer Hope Larson (A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel) and artist Brittney Williams (Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat!) are joined by writer Jackie Ball and introducing artist Noah Hayes in another exciting whodunnit adventure!

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Review

This is my favorite of the series so far. There was so much more character development in this book than in previous books and the mystery felt classic and not as far-fetched as the previous two volumes. Goldie and Diane's relationship showed up a little more too, though it still feels like it is in the background. I overall enjoyed this one. I want to read volume four but it's currently "missing" from my library! Well, I'll just have to see when I'll get the chance to read it.

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing

The adventures of precocious teen sleuth Goldie Vance continue!

Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance has an insatiable curiosity and dreams of one day becoming a detective. Luckily for Goldie, with the St. Pascal Rockin’ the Beach Music Festival coming to town, there’s plenty of inexplicable shenanigans keeping her gumshoe brain busy, from mysterious power outages, to missing musicians, to Russian spies hiding in the shadows.

New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning writer Hope Larson (A Wrinkle in Time: the Graphic Novel) along with co-writer Jackie Ball, and artist Elle Power bring you a rockin’ new mystery!

  

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Review

I did finally get this book from my library, though this is probably my least favorite volume in the series. It's still fun, the artwork is colorful, and the characters are adorable, but the story just lost me. Like the other books in the series, it was a little far-fetched, but I think I also didn't enjoy it much because I didn't quite understand the stakes and when the tension was meant to be high, the dialogue explained what was going on rather than the images. I found myself lost on more than one occasion. I did like that this book showed Diane and Goldie more. Granted, they were fighting most of the book, but Diane isn't included in the books as much as she should. I like how the plot mainly revolved around music and I like the overall '50s, almost pulp, vibe the whole series has (but with more diversity and without the sexism, racism, and any other -isms! So, much better than the actual '50s). The ending has a bit of a cliffhanger, but I have no clue when the next volume will be released. 

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it

REVIEW: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

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MY THOUGHTS
I'm trying to make my way through the Printz award list so I decided to pick this book up. I've read mixed reviews on the books and it seems that most people either love it or hate it. I, for one, found it to be very disappointing.

Min and Ed were together, were being the keyword here. Fed up, Min writes a letter to Ed, detailing their relationship, and boxes up all of the items that remind her of their relationship. She'll drop the box on Ed's doorstep, and then she will be done.

This book seems more for people who are somewhat nostalgic for high school relationships rather than actual teenagers. I mainly get that from the praise on the book which is entirely just comments from authors about their own high school relationships, or reviews that claim this book "will remind you of your own heartbreak". I've never been in a relationship and never want to, so that aspect of the book completely disinterested me. The relationship in this book just annoyed me. I couldn't understand why Min was in this relationship in the first place. Yes, they're teenagers so logic isn't always there when it comes to relationships, but it just felt like a superficial relationship from the get-go. The conversations between Ed and Min just felt awkward rather than sweet or just fun.

The book is supposedly written like a letter from Min to Ed, but it never felt like a letter. It's in 2nd person, but we are supposed to believe that Min wrote over 300 pages on the way to Ed's house? And just happened to include dialogue as well? It just wasn't believable as a letter, which is disappointing because I was excited about that aspect. I thought the book was going to be a mix of files, a bunch of letters from their relationship bound together (Maybe I thought it was going to be like the Illuminae files but contemporary), but no that wasn't what it was. There were illustrations of objects from the relationship and the illustrations were great, but it did not add much to the story.

I switched between reading this in hardcover and listening to it on audio. I actually preferred the audio to the hardcover. It was much more theatrical at times and it also made the dialogue more interesting. The dialogue on page barely had any tags so it grew confusing when there were long conversations.

As far as characters, I did not like any of them. Ed is just not a great guy. He kind of fell under a lot of stereotypes, like the jock that is too obsessed with sports to care about anything else. We aren't really supposed to like Ed because this is a break-up letter and of course we are hearing Min's side, not Ed's. But I would've expected that he would have at least been likable in the beginning, but no. He's shown as a jerk. He makes a lot of homophobic comments. Everything that came out of his mouth was just cringy. I couldn't see why Min even liked him in the first place. I guess he was supposedly attractive? But his personality sure wasn't.

As for Min, we are supposed to like Min. We are supposed to feel sorry for her. But she really just annoyed me. I get that she's a teen, so she's bound to have flaws, but my biggest issue with her is that she claims that she has grown when she hasn't. She is "not like other girls" and that is clear from her attitude. She constantly gets called "different" and "arty" from people. She constantly references movies that no one else has heard of and she's a little quirky. Throughout the book, it was clear that she felt superior to her other classmates because she's not like them. She doesn't like sports and she doesn't like parties. Oh boy, isn't she different?! We do find out that she hates being called different because she feels average. She doesn't feel like she is anything more than a girl that likes movies BUT when she has this realization, she still puts others down. She still claims she's not like her classmates.

“And the truth is that I'm not, Ed, is what I wanted to tell you. I'm not arty like everyone says who doesn't know me, I don't paint, I can't draw, I play no instrument, I can't sing. I'm not in plays, I wanted to say, I don't write poems. I can't dance except tipsy at dances. I'm not athletic, I'm not a goth or a cheerleader, I'm not treasurer or co-captain. I'm not gay and out and proud, I'm not that kid from Sri Lanka, not a triplet, a prep, a drunk, a genius, a hippie, a Christian, a slut, not even one of those super-Jewish girls with a yarmulke gang wishing everyone a happy Sukkoth. I'm not anything, this is what I realized ... I like movies, everyone knows I do -- I love them -- but I will never be in charge of one because my ideas are stupid and wrong in my head. There's nothing different about that, nothing fascinating, interesting, worth looking at.”

Even though she claims she's not different and tells us her own self-doubts, she still groups everyone together based on their interests when she is telling us how much she hates being categorized! There's also the fact that the language she uses puts down others, like calling someone a slut. And the way she voices this is almost like she thinks that none of these people have any problems! Do you not think that the "gay and out and proud" teen has any self-doubts too, Min? All of these people have their own struggles and they shouldn't be categorized either! By the end of the book, it still felt like Min saw herself as better than her classmates.

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was a very disappointing read. The characters were just unlikeable and I just didn't care about anyone. I don't see why this is a Printz honor book. The only thing interesting was the artwork, but even the narrative style didn't work. Maybe the judges were just nostalgic for their own heartbreak. At Scorpio Races got a Printz Honor the same year. Now that book deserves it.

I hereby give this book

2 Stars

Meaning: It was okay

Waiting on Wednesday: Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen

Waiting on Wednesday (or Can't Wait Wednesday) is a weekly meme, hosted by Wishful Endings, where we talk about the books we're waiting (a bit impatiently) for!

This week I am waiting for...

Seventeen is nothing like Codi Teller imagined.

She’s never crashed a party, never stayed out too late. She’s never even been kissed. And it’s not just because she’s gay. It’s because she and her two best friends, Maritza and JaKory, spend more time in her basement watching Netflix than engaging with the outside world.

So when Maritza and JaKory suggest crashing a party, Codi is highly skeptical. Those parties aren’t for kids like them. They’re for cool kids. Straight kids.

But then Codi stumbles upon one of those cool kids, Ricky, kissing another boy in the dark, and an unexpected friendship is formed. In return for never talking about that kiss, Ricky takes Codi under his wing and draws her into a wild summer filled with late nights, new experiences, and one really cute girl named Lydia.

The only problem? Codi never tells Maritza or JaKory about any of it.

From author Kelly Quindlen comes a poignant and deeply relatable story about friendship, self-acceptance, what it means to be a Real Teenager. Late to the Party is an ode to late bloomers and wallflowers everywhere.

Release Date: April 21st, 2020

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Why am I waiting?

This book sounds nothing like my high school experience (I'm really late to the party because I'm an adult and still haven't done a lot of these things), but I keep coming back to this book. It sounds intriguing and I have heard some very positive things.
What book are you waiting for this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Spring TBR

Hosted each week by That Artsy Reader Girl, it's a meme for listing the top ten for everything bookish.

I'm so glad that spring is here! I'm ready for the warm weather! Here are some books I am hoping to read this spring!

What are you reading this spring?

New Releases in YA! (March 15th-21st)

Every week I list all (or almost all) of the YA books (and the occasional MG) that are coming out within that week!

P.S. Click on the book's cover for the Goodreads page!

Did I miss any books?

What books, if any, do you plan to read?

Short and Simple Reviews: Smile, Sisters, Guts

This is a place for books that I didn't fully review.

Maybe I listed my likes and dislikes, had a little short paragraph, or a few sentences to convey my feelings on the book, but whatever the "review" is, all of them are short and simple. (hence the clever name)

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there’s still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama.

  Goodreads / Amazon  / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / IndieBound

Review

I've seen this book around quite a lot but I never picked it up! This was a quick read, but an enjoyable one. The story, while not something that many kids go through, carries a lot of elements that kids do go through (braces, awkwardness, friendships, etc.). Raina does a great job of telling her story and I loved the art. I do plan on reading more from her.

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

Meaning: I liked it, but it wasn't quite amazing

Three weeks. Two sisters. One car. A True Story

Raina can’t wait to be a big sister. But once Amara is born, things aren’t quite how she expected them to be. Amara is cute, but she’s also a cranky, grouchy baby, and mostly prefers to play by herself. Their relationship doesn’t improve much over the years, but when a baby brother enters the picture and later, when something doesn’t seem right between their parents, they realize they must figure out how to get along. They are sisters, after all.

Raina uses her signature humor and charm in both present-day narrative and perfectly placed flashbacks to tell the story of her relationship with her sister, which unfolds during the course of a road trip from their home in San Francisco to a family reunion in Colorado.

  

  Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / IndieBound

Review

I did not enjoy this one as much as Smile but it is still a great book. The story felt shorter and I finished it pretty quickly. The book flashes between past and present, and I liked how it was depicted, though I found the present a little more interesting (mainly because the past scenes weren't very long). The story is very relatable to anyone who grew up, or is growing up, with a sibling. I do plan on reading more from Raina Telgemeier. 

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it

Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it's probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, where she's dealing with the usual highs and lows: friends, not-friends, and classmates who think the school year is just one long gross-out session. It soon becomes clear that Raina's tummy trouble isn't going away... and it coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships. What's going on?

Raina Telgemeier once again brings us a thoughtful, charming, and funny true story about growing up and gathering the courage to face -- and conquer -- her fears.

  Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / IndieBound

Review

Like the previous two books, this was a fairly quick read. This book discusses some subjects that are not so often candidly discussed, such as IBS, anxiety, and therapy. I liked how the book shows therapy positively and I also think that this book discussing these topics is very important, especially considering the target demographic. The art also did a great job of portraying anxiety, which isn't easy considering how it's not something others can usually visually see. I think because there wasn't a main plot arc that I had difficultly fulling getting into the book, but I do think that it's important that these topics are discussed.

I hereby give this book

3 Stars

Meaning: I liked it