REVIEW: Yesterday by C.K. Kelly Martin

THEN: The formation of the UNA, the high threat of eco-terrorism, the mammoth rates of unemployment and subsequent escape into a world of virtual reality are things any student can read about in their 21st century textbooks and part of the normal background noise to Freya Kallas's life. Until that world starts to crumble.

NOW: It's 1985. Freya Kallas has just moved across the world and into a new life. On the outside, she fits in at her new high school, but Freya feels nothing but removed. Her mother blames it on the grief over her father's death, but how does that explain the headaches and why do her memories feel so foggy? When Freya lays eyes on Garren Lowe, she can't get him out of her head. She's sure that she knows him, despite his insistence that they've never met. As Freya follows her instincts and pushes towards hidden truths, the two of them unveil a strange and dangerous world where their days may be numbered. Unsure who to trust, Freya and Garren go on the run from powerful forces determined to tear them apart and keep them from discovering the truth about their shared pasts (and futures), her visions, and the time and place they really came from. 

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MY THOUGHTS
I read this book for my TBR challenge in which I read the oldest books on my to-read list. I added this book to my to-read list in 2012, the same year this book came out. The copy that I have in my possession is an ARC copy which I found at a used book sale a couple years back. I mention this only because I hope that some of my complaints about this book got solved before it was officially published but I doubt it.

The book begins with a prologue where the main character, Freya, is struggling because she and her mother are being taken somewhere and she is trying her hardest to make sure her brother, Latham, does not disappear from her memory. Then, in the next chapter, Freya wakes up in the year 1985. Her, her mom, and her sister have just moved back to Canada from New Zealand after her father dies from an odd gas explosion. She is starting at a new school but can't help but feel distanced from her reality. Nothing feels real to her and she starts to question her own memories and the world around her. During a trip to a museum, she sees a stranger outside, but he doesn't seem like a stranger to her. She has a nagging suspicion that she knows him and this suspicion will cause everything she thought she knew about her life to be upended.

One of the factors that were fascinating about this book was the concept. Taking a dystopian premise but placing it within 1985 is one I had not read before and was likely why I wanted to read this book in the first place. Besides the prologue, the entirety of the book takes place in 1985. We spend a better part of the book following Freya around as she tried to remember things. This dragged the plot along a bit, but I did not mind it too much because I liked the friends she made and it did create a mystery on what exactly was happening with her memories. What I had trouble with is that roughly 200 pages in Freya goes is hypnotized to remember her past and we end up with a very very long info-dump. Freya actually gives us a whole entire chapter in which she discusses world history from the 2020s to 2063. That is a lot of world history and I was unable to process it all. Then, after this info-dump, she refers to some of these events, but I had no clue what she was talking about because 4o years of world history dumped onto me in one chapter is a lot to process!

The information I did process from the info-dump was really interesting. Martin uses some really interesting ideas and does create a frightening and technology-based future, but it was too much all at once. Why couldn't there have been alternating chapters between 1985 and 2063? That would have been easier to process and would have held my attention a lot more. From the prologue and synopsis, I already knew that the future would come into play at some point so it would not have ruined the suspense, it may have actually added suspense. After the info-dump, the pacing really sped up, but now it was too fast because I hadn't processed everything and other points of interest <highlight to view spoiler> such as Freya's visions of the future and her future self making a cameo<end of spoiler> were passed over too quickly.

Freya did work as a main character. There is definite growth in her character throughout the book as she tries to grapple with what her memories tell her about herself and what she really believes about herself. She also has to deal with who she is as a person if she grew up in a different environment without the freedom she has in 1985. There is a turning point where her character changed because her childhood memories have changed.

There is romance in this book which is not all too shocking. I liked how they worked as a team to overcome the challenges they faced and tried to understand what exactly was happening. I did not have any particularly strong feelings towards their relationship, although at points it did seem too fast. Part of this is because I did not quite understand what their relationship with each other was before they were placed in this situation. The book wasn't really clear on that.


IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I loved the concept and idea behind this book but I did not love how the idea was executed. I was not a fan of the info-dump and I think just that info-dump alone caused further problems in the pacing in the book. The ending of this book was pretty open-ended, which I actually think worked for this book. There is a sequel to this book but I will not be reading it. This book seems like it does better as a standalone.

I hereby give this book

2.5 Stars

Meaning: I almost liked it, but not quite

REVIEW: Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

Julie Buxbaum mixes comedy and tragedy, love and loss, pain and elation, in her debut YA novel filled with characters who will come to feel like friends.

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MY THOUGHTS
I picked up this up after hearing some raving reviews and reading the description! It sounded like a powerful contemporary with a little bit of mystery. This book was what I expected, and more. It had sad parts to it, but this was also a really cute book and I'm glad that I picked it up!

It has been two years since Jessie's mother died. Her father has married a women he met online and they moved LA to live with her family. Not only does her new stepbrother make her feel unwelcome in her new home, but she's friendless in her new school. That is, until she receives an email from Somebody Nobody (SN for short). SN become Jessie's friend, and tells her the ins and outs of her school. They begin to have many online conversations with one another, but Jessie doesn't know who SN is.

I read this book while on a road trip. Here's the thing about me: I have a hard time reading in cars. I don't know why, but I just feel too distracted to read and ,sometimes, I even get carsick. For some reason, that was not the case for this book. Once I started it, I read on until the last page. I couldn't help but get sucked into Jessie's story and the mystery surrounding SN.

As far as SN, I loved their relationship. Sure, it sounds a bit sketch that Jessie in a relationship with someone online, but in this book it actually works. They have such a fabulous online friendship. They're so snarky and witty with each other! There were so many times where their conversations made me smile. Though many of their conversations were fun, they also have more serious, heartfelt conversations.

The only thing that bothered me as how long it took for Jessie to figure out who SN was. I knew quite early on who SN was, it wasn't hard to figure it out, but it took until the very end of the book for her to figure it out. So I spent a large portion of the book yelling at Jessie while she kept making mistakes on who was SN. Though her mistakes did lead to some interesting circumstances. I can't really fault her for taking so long, it's hard to see what's right in front of you.


IN CONCLUSION
Overall, I enjoyed this book! It was realistic, both heartfelt and fun! I loved the relationships and, even though it took awhile, I loved the mystery! This is a great contemporary read and I do recommend it!

I hereby give this book

4 Stars!

Meaning: It was amazing!

REVIEW: A Totally Awkward Love Story by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison

The summer before college, Hannah swears she’s finally going to find The One. And for five perfect minutes, Hannah does find him. He’s cute and makes her laugh like crazy. She just wishes she’d caught his name, because Toilet Boy Cinderella really lacks sex appeal.

For Sam, the summer is off to a bad start for a million reasons. But for five minutes his luck changes: in a fancy restroom painted purple like it belongs in a Bond villain hideaway, Sam falls head over heels for some strange and hilarious girl. Of course, he doesn’t know her name. With his luck, he’ll never see her again, and he’ll remain a girlfriendless, moony-eyed virgin. Forever.

But another chance meeting brings them together, only to have a chance misunderstanding drive them apart . . . and then the cycle starts all over again. Madcap mishaps, raunchy hilarity, and deep romance follow these two wherever they go. For two people so clearly destined for each other, they sure have a hell of a lot of trouble even getting together.

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MY THOUGHTS
I kind of just ended up with a copy of this book and decided to give it a try. I didn't really know much about it, just a quick glance at the synopsis, but I was in the mood for a fun contemporary. This book wasn't as fun as I expected. There was a lot more drama and the characters annoyed me, but the book does give a more realistic, and awkward, take on first love.

Hannah and Sam meet each other at a party, in the bathroom. After a witty, and short, conversation, the two are both convinced that the other is the one for them. But neither of them knows the other's name. Of course, their story isn't over yet, after another chance meeting, misunderstandings, and drama, maybe their love story can actually start.

I have some issues with this book, but despite my issues, I must say that this book does have a realistic and honest feel to it. Now, I've never been in love, never really want to be, but I know that first love and love, in general, is not as picture perfect as the movies. First love is awkward and this book shows that (though there may be more misunderstandings and drama than some real-life situations...). The characters are also very awkward and felt like real teenagers, though they did annoy me at times.

I did have trouble with this book though. I felt like a majority of this book was just the two main characters whining about them still being virgins. I myself am a virgin and I'm older than the two of them, but these two are acting like everyone but them has had sex. Yeah, I understand that (most) teens think that, but it still bothered me. I admit that when I was their age, and still, I didn't care about being a virgin because I actually want to stay that way (and not for religious reasons. relationships just don't interest me). So, I couldn't relate to them and they just seemed like a bunch of whiners. Now, while I wasn't a fun of some of this, I do think it's great that this book does touch up on sex. I may not care about it, but, again, I know that it is a topic on a lot of teens minds and having a book that doesn't shy away from it is a good thing. (Yeah, I know I'm sending mix signals here. Sorry about that).

This book also has a lot of drama in it. I guess I figured there would be some, most contemporary books have some, but I didn't expect this much drama. I have such a hard time with drama in books. It's okay when there's some, but sometimes the drama is too much for me. Drama in books always causes me to be frustrated by all of the bad decisions the characters are making. This book really did push that, the characters would seem to be doing okay, but then they would turn around and ruin things. Blah.

IN CONCLUSION
Honestly, this just wasn't my kind of book. I like fun contemporaries, but this book was not one. I do not think you should base whether you should pick up this book on my review (you never should). My problems with this book were mostly due to personal preference rather than quality. I don't like drama in books. The story did have "funny" moments, but it was not my kind of humor. The book did feel real in the way it touches on first love and the characters were also real, but I couldn't relate to it. At all. Anyway, this wasn't my cup of tea and I seem to be the black sheep. Bah.

I hereby give this book

2 Stars

Meaning: It was okay

REVIEW: Illuminae Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

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I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS

I was so excited to read this book!! I love both of the authors' other book series and add the fact that the book sounds fantastic, this book needed to be in my hands! I am glad to say that this book is the ultimate sci-fi! It tells a new story in an entirely unique way!

This book takes place in the far future. Kady and Ezra just broke up this morning and that means like the worst that can happen, until their small planet is attack. Their small planet ends up in the middle a war and ultimately destroys the planet. Three ships are able to rescue a few thousand people, Kady and Ezra included, but their problems are not over. The ships must travel through space towards help while an enemy ship is on their tail. That's not all. There's something deadly afoot in these ships...

What is very interesting about this book is how the story is told. It's told completely by various documents. Interviews, emails, IMs, camera footage transcripts, etc. It was a bit odd and confusing at first, but after awhile I got so used to it! And, really, it's such a unique way to tell the story and I became completely absorbed! First of all, you would like it would be hard to connect to the characters or really anything with this type of format, but no, it really wasn't. The characters were spectacular and while it took me awhile to understand the world, it didn't take that long. Really, the whole futuristic world was done very well. I know I'm raving here, but everything worked!

I really just want to mention the emotions that this book caused. I kind of knew that this would happen as both these authors have a history of it. I think this is something that I just loved, even if it may have ruined me. I just think it's amazing when authors can get me to connect with the book and the characters so well. Also, SO MUCH HAPPENS! That's part of why I'm being so vague in my review. Yeah, the synopsis gives a whole lot away, but I think it's for the best that you guys find things out through the documents.

Lastly, there are plot twists. Round of applause for plot twists!

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, my review is a mess, but just read this book! I was expecting awesome, but I was still blown away! This is going to be an entire series, so I am very excited to read more!

I hereby give this book...

5 Stars!

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

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I received an ecopy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

MY THOUGHTS

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year! I am so glad to say that this book exceeded my expectations! This was a wonderfully unique novel!

Madeline never leaves her house. She dreams of it, but Madeline has a rare disease in which she is allergic to everything and going outside can kill her. Madeline is used to staying indoors with only books, movies, and board games to keep her company, even if she wishes she could go outside. It's when a new family moves next door that her small world changes. She falls for the son, Olly, and they keep contact with each other, despite the fact that she much never leave her home. But meeting Olly makes Madeline realize that she's not living and more than anything, Madeline wants to live.

I really don't know how to talk about this book without full-on gushing! Everything (ha-ha) was perfect! I started this book late at night, I only meant to start it, but I had to keep going! I adored the writing, the characters, the story, everything. I picked up this book originally after reading the intriguing synopsis! A girl who is allergic to everything is certainly a new idea in the book and a perspective I wanted to see. Add the complicated relationship and I was curious to see how things would work out. The premise was very well-incorporated! It was precisely what I expected and more. The story was enormously realistic, in a new environment. I know I'm just gushing and repeating myself a lot, and I'm sorry for that.

I would also like to mention a nice surprise in the book. There are illustration, notes, and whatnot all throughout the pages. I'm a sucker for these things, so they made me very happy.

Now, Madeline is a fabulous MC. Also, she's a POC, which I feel weird mentioning, but it's so rare in YA and books in general that this just made me very happy. Anyway, Madeline is a very realistic character. Yeah, she has a rare disease, but she felt so real, as with her thoughts and actions. She also has her own flaws, like a normal human being. She makes many mistakes, but all of them are understandable is that makes any sense. It's interesting too, how this book is also a coming of age tale. She has lived a very sheltered life and the introduction to Olly gives her the realization that there's more to life and she's not really living it. I'm having a hard time describing more about her, but she's really a fabulous and strong character, and I love how real she is, while still being a character that stands out from other YA MCs.

As for romance, some people have described it as insta-love, but it's not. Keep in mind that Madeline hardly ever sees anyone and she's immediately interested in this odd boy moving in next door. This only escalates when Olly actually begins communicating with her and doesn't judge her for her disease. Also, their relationship starts as a friendship and then the feelings grow and instead of being cheesy, it's just real (there's that word again). Olly was also kind of adorable and just a fantastic guy!

The ending, though, was a bit odd. There was a twist that I wasn't expecting, but its still made sense and gave the book a very satisfactory ending.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I strongly recommend this book! Everything is amazing about this book! If you want to read a new contemporary that is wonderfully unique, then pick up this book! As for me, I'm looking forward to more books by Nicola Yoon!

I hereby give this book

5 Stars

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: The Lovely and the Lost by Page Morgan

For readers of Lauren Kate's Fallen series comes the sequel to The Beautiful and the Cursed,The Lovely and the Lost finds the Waverly sisters in mortal danger and able to trust no one.

   Ingrid and Gabby Waverly moved to France expecting a quiet reprieve from London gossip, but the truth they face in their new home has a sharper--and deadlier--sting.

   Paris is plagued by an underworld of demons and gargoyles who all seem to want something from the Waverly girls. Saving Ingrid's twin, Grayson, from the fallen angel Axia nearly killed them. And they're still being hunted--only this time, demons aren't their only predators.

   Ingrid's blood is special: it bestows the power to command gargoyles. It's an ability no other human has, and in the wrong hands, it could be used to send her cursed guardian, Luc, and his fellow Dispossessed to extinction. There are those who will do anything to get Ingrid's blood--and they see no value in human life.

   The Alliance has vowed to protect the Waverlys, and a new gargoyle has been assigned to guard their abbey home alongside Luc. But no one can watch over Ingrid, Gabby, and Grayson all the time--which means the three must learn to fight for themselves.

   Because darkness follows the Waverlys. And sometimes darkness comes in the form you trust the most.

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NOTICE: THIS IS A SEQUEL FOR ANOTHER BOOK. THERE MAY BE SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOK.

MY THOUGHTS
This book takes place shortly after book one. The Waverly's are still living in France, but now about the Dispossessed and The Alliance. Ingrid and Grayson have to come to terms with their mixed blood, as well as their new abilities, trying to find ways to control them. Ingrid is also trying to fight off her attraction to Luc, their dispossessed, as a relationship between them not only is forbidden, but won't work. Gabby on the other hand is trying to train to fight demons and wants to join The Alliance, but they won't take her. But there are secrets that The Alliance is hiding...

It's been awhile since I read the first book, so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to understand what was going on. Thankfully, I was able to jump right into this book and I was honestly surprised by this book! The idea behind this entire series is very unique (I mean, gargoyles!) and I feel like the world was crafted brilliantly. I felt like I was able to get a full understanding on all the paranormal elements, even though I read book one so long ago!

This book is also from multiple perspectives. Ingrid, Grayson, Gabby, Luc, and others all give insight on what's going on as well as what's happening with them. I'm not a fan of third person perspective usually, but I liked seeing all their points of view and it was easy to tell who you were following.

Because of all the characters, there are a few romances to follow. Ingrid is probably the main one, but I wasn't a big fan of hers, since she was kind of in a love triangle. Though, it's kind of obvious who she really likes. Gabby's romance was actually a big surprise for me and I really liked that one!

IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this was a great sequel! A lot actually happened in this book, there's no middle-book syndrome here! I already have book 3 on hold at the library so I expect to read it soon!

I hereby give this book

3.5 Stars

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

REVIEW: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?

GoodReads 

I originally read this book in 2012 but when book two came out I did not read it. Flash forward six years and I still hadn't read the sequel and had forgotten everything that happened in this book except that I found some parts mildly funny. In order to complete this series, I had to reread it. my feelings for the book have not changed much since 2012 but I think there were so many positive reviews when this book came out that I was afraid to voice why I could not give it five stars, so I am writing a much more detailed review. Though I am keeping my awful review from 2012 on here at the very bottom, like an embarrassing time capsule.

MY THOUGHTS
Unspoken is essentially about a Kami Glass, an aspiring reporter and a bit of an oddball in her small town. This is in part because she is often seen talking to herself. This habit is because she still has her imaginary friend, Jared, and he talks to her in her head. When the most prominent family in her town of Sorry-in-the-Vale, the Lynburn family make their return, Kami wants to use the opportunity to investigate. This gets tricky when she finds mutilated animals in the woods and her once imagery friend makes a real-life appearance.

The "imaginary friend" aspect of the book was what originally caught my attention and it was done very well and uniquely. The character's personalities were also fantastic! They played so well off of one another and they all had their own details that were uniquely their own. Since the book does occasionally follow other characters, this was helpful. Kami as the main character was very strong-willed. By "strong-willed" I do not mean that she was a warrior girl, but she was not afraid to jump into odd situations and investigate. Even though she did not seem to see herself as a sociable person, she was also extraordinary at getting others to help out and rally. She was also extremely witty.

This book includes many humorous moments in part because of the witty characters. Since I've read other books by Sarah Rees Brennan and have met her in person, I know that this is very much how she is and writes. Sometimes this added entertainment value to the story and helped relieve tension, but other times it made it very difficult for me to take the events happening seriously because the characters kept being witty. Even though the characters were dynamic, this also for some reason made me feel distant from the characters. It's hard to explain, but their oddly humorous reactions and ability to crack a witty retort with ease made then feel less like real people.

Likewise, there were multiple occasions when something seemed important, but again the character seemed to be chill about it or it was never mentioned again. For instance, magical creatures start to appear in the woods slowly through the book, but the characters react indifferently to them and after continuing the series, I saw no further instances of this happening nor was there a sufficient explanation.

There was little to no romance in this book. There were hints of possible romance, but there was no acting on them in this book and there was a strong focus on friendship, which I prefer. I will say that the next book does include romance. That's all I'll say.


IN CONCLUSION
Overall I am okay with this book but it did not pull on my emotions like it did with other readers. The premise and the characters were interesting, I just had trouble with some of the oddities in the novel.


MY ORIGINAL REVIEW
When I first saw the cover I was like this...

It's so pink and original!
It's both awesome and creepy AT THE SAME TIME!!!!
AND THE IDEA!!!
Two people that can read each other's minds?! That are basically imaginary friends of each other?!!

But then I realized that the book wasn't out yet...

(I should get points for having 2 doctor who gifs!)
A few months of impatiently waiting and I FINALLY GOT THE BOOK!!!!

And it was worth it!! (although, I would've have been much happier if I had gotten the book earlier *glares at release date*)

This was a fun book!
It was FULL OF funny moments! XD
And I loved the characters, Kami wasn't afraid of people thinking that she's insane! Now that is the right way of thinking!
You might be wondering though...
"Why did you give this book 4 stars?
If you liked it so much, why not give it 5 or 200?
Well, first off, sometimes this book got too fun (yes, there is such a thing) so when something serious happened you just couldn't take it seriously.
Secondly, there were a lot of moments that made you go "What was the point of that?" because there was no point to that moment, it was just some random thing thrown in there for the heck of it!

BUT IN CONCLUSION!!!!!!
This was a really fun read XD

I hereby give this book...

3.5 Stars

Meaning: It was not quite amazing