REVIEW: A Week Without Tuesday by Angelica Banks

A charming adventure full of magic and mystery, set in the land where stories come from.

Something is broken in the land of story. Real and imaginary worlds are colliding—putting everything and everyone in grave peril. Tuesday and Baxterr, at the request of the Librarian, and with the help of Vivienne Small, venture to find the Gardener—the one person who can stop this catastrophe. On their way, they'll meet friends and foes, and discover strengths they didn't know they had. Will they be able to save the land of story?

A Week Without Tuesday by Angelica Banks, with illustrations by Stevie Lewis, is the charming sequel to Finding Serendipity, a middle grade novel full of all the magic, mystery, and adorable illustrations readers have come to expect from this series.

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NOTE: This is a sequel to another book. To see my review for book one, look here.

MY THOUGHTS

After reading Finding Serendipity, I immediately put this book on hold at my library because I enjoyed it so much. I am happy to say that I enjoyed this even more than the first book and that this is my first 5 star read of 2020!

Just as Tuesday is becoming a writer, writing is taken away from her. Famous writers across the world are disappearing and then appearing in remote places far from home. So, Tuesday's father has forbidden her and her mother from writing, in fear of the same happening to them, but you cannot avoid writing and the place stories come from. Vivienne Small, the main character of Serendipity's books, is noticing that something is wrong with her world and calls for Tuesday and Baxterr. There is something wrong with the land of stories and if Tuesday doesn't fix it, that means no more stories can be written.

I absolutely loved the premise of the first book, Finding Serendipity. I loved how it was a book about books, but it focused on the craft of writing, and it was an imaginative take on how authors create their stories. But the adventure in the last book didn't fully capture my attention. I loved it, but I still felt the need to take breaks. I did not want a break from this book! I read it beginning to end in one afternoon because the adventure was so compelling!

This book really expanded the universe of writing from book one. We only really got to see the library and Vivienne's world before, but now we see how all of the writers' worlds are spaced together, and the danger that occurs when they get too close! It made for a very thrilling story! We also learn more about the Librarian, as well as who helps run the land of stories. It was just so imaginative, seeing how the land of stories functioned. I still have a few questions in regards to the worlds: Do screenwriters and playwrights create worlds here too? What about fanfiction? If someone writes fanfiction, do they create their own world or does it combine with the original world? I can't help but be curious about this world!

As thrilling as this book was, it was also quite amusing! The world is not as fun as the first book (although, there were also dangers in book one!), and there were very deadly situations, but it was all written in a rather amusing way. This book is written with that classic middle-grade charm that makes reading fun, even if you are anxious about the characters surviving a situation. Like the last book, this book also followed multiple characters, occasionally showing the real world while events happened in the land of stories. In the last book, I didn't feel as tense because we found out early on that the mother was okay. This book has tense moments on both sides, so the switches between worlds added tension and made me really want to keep reading!

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I loved this book and I already put the next book on hold at my library! I honestly wish this land of stories would exist, because how fun would it be to be literally taken to another world, a world you have created (of course this sounds more fun when you're not writing a dangerous book)! But I'll just have to not-so-literary be taken to another world when writing.

I hereby give this book

5 Stars!

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

Four children have been chosen to compete in a national competition to find the tastiest confection in the country. Who will invent a candy more delicious than the Oozing Crunchorama or the Neon Lightning Chew?

Logan, the Candymaker's son, who can detect the color of chocolate by touch alone?

Miles, the boy who is allergic to merry-go-rounds and the color pink?

Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy like it's a feather?

Or Philip, the suit-and-tie wearing boy who's always scribbling in a secret notebook?

This sweet, charming, and cleverly crafted story, told from each contestant's perspective, is filled with mystery, friendship, and juicy revelations.

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MY THOUGHTS

Wendy Mass was one of my favorite authors when I was in middle school. This book came out after I left middle school and while I added it to my TBR, for some reason did not get read until now. I mainly listened to this on audiobook but I read the last portion of this in physical form because I really wanted to keep reading! I'm happy to say that this was a fantastic book!

The summary does a great job of summarizing the main point of this book, so I'm not going to give a big rehash, but basically, four twelve-year-olds come to the Life is Sweet candy factory in order to come up with the perfect candy for a national competition. Each character is given a point-of-view, but instead of switching the POV every other chapter, we are given multiple chapters from one perspective, and then it switches. We start with Logan, the candymaker's son, so excited to meet the other kids. We follow Logan until we get to an incident. A really intriguing incident. Then the book rewinds and follows Miles, as he is coming to the factory and meeting the other kids. We follow him until the incident, then rewind to show Daisy (who is not who she seems), until the incident. The same goes for Phillip. So with each perspective we see the same days, but with a different perspective. I've never read a book that dealt with perspectives this way and it was done so well! I loved seeing how each character saw the day, each other, and learning more about them. Each POV ended in a cliffhanger that made me want to see how everything comes together and with each perspective, you see the small details that add up to that one moment. It was just so exciting by the time I got to Phillip's perspective because it felt like everything was coming together! Even though it was tense, I was filled with joy!

The characters in this book were fantastic and I felt like I really got to know them. Logan is such a nice guy and he really knows everything to know about candy making, but he's also anxious about the competition and making friends. But even though he is feeling unsure about himself, he does his best at talking to the others and making his dream candy. Miles is obsessed with the afterlife, has his own language, and is on the watch for signs. I felt bad for him at times because he was so scared, but I loved how he tries to look at life. Daisy, well I can't say much about her due to spoilers, but I can say that I was really surprised by her character. I was also surprised by Phillip because from the first time we meant him (in Logan's perspective) he comes off as obnoxious, but I ended up really liking his perspective. Partially because everything comes together, but also because he's not a bad guy, he's actually a nice guy, but he always has a barrier up towards others. The best part with the characters, though, was them all together. One of the reasons why I love MG books is that there is such a strong focus on friendship and by the end of this book the friendship warmed my heart.

This book is also a wonderful blend of reality and magical. There are some things you may have to suspend disbelief for, but it's so gosh darn fun! And even within the improbable, the characters and their stories bring real and relatable problems. That's another one of the reasons why I loved the characters so much, because I really felt like I understood them and they still felt realistic.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, this was such a wonderful book. I loved the characters, the mystery, the unique layout. When I closed this book I felt like a ball of emotions and I knew I had just finished a great book. Wendy Mass is a great writer and I can still call her a favorite author. There is a sequel and you bet I'm going to read it!

I hereby give this book

5 Stars!

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: The Program by Suzanne Young

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.

Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

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MY THOUGHTS

I recently reread this book so that I could finish the series and this was just as good the first time I read it!

When suicide is announced as an epidemic, a disease, in teens, The Program is implemented in select schools. The Program has a 100% success rate of curing teens, but at a cost. Sloane is well aware of The Program as well as the suicide epidemic. She has known people who have committed suicide, her brother one of them, but she can never show signs of sadness lest she be "flagged" and taken to The Program. The Program does more than cure teens, they erase their memories for any sign of the contagion. Sloane tries to stay strong and her boyfriend James, who was her brother's best friend, helps her stay afloat, but when he succumbs to Depression, can she keep them both up?

I admit I was worried that I would not like this book the second go-round because this is a dystopian book and I'm a bit tired of dystopians now. While this book is technically dystopian, it does not fall into the tired tropes that made me sick of reading dystopian books. It takes place in the near future, very similar to our own, and it takes very real aspects of our world and worsens the scenario. Not only that, it shows the real human emotion behind it. This is what a dystopian book should show, not just trying to piggyback on the popularity of The Hunger Games. This book asks legitimate questions about memory, like how much of our memories make up our personality. And throughout this whole book, it questions whether suicide is really an epidemic or if The Program makes things worse. Many teens in this book commit suicide when they know they are about to be sent to The Program. The big thing too that makes this so different from the typical dystopian is that this is not a battle using weapons to gain freedom, but an inner battle to have the right to your own memories and actions. You also get a divide between the adults and the teens because the adults see the research and the success rate but they don't see the mental damage The Program causes. It's hard at times because to us, the reader, it is clear that this is wrong and why are these adults unable to have empathy for these teens? Why don't they step back and imagine what it would be like to lose their memories of childhood? Taking away bad memories is also erasing the good.

This book had such a realness to it. Despite the book having science fiction elements, this book has a lot of contemporary elements. It is in the very near future with The Program (and the science behind it) the only real difference between our world and theirs. A lot of the book is made up of Sloane thinking back to memories of James or her brother. The flow between the memories and the present worked wonderfully for the book, even if it carried sadness. It also made some scenes even more difficult to read because we remember moments that Sloane does not. One of the things that also bothers me about YA books at times is that when we call for strong female characters we always seem to forget that a strong female character does not just mean physical strength. Sloane has to be mentally strong in this book, as well as strong in spirit. She doesn't always succeed, but she is in such a difficult situation. Even before things progressed in the story, Sloane felt like she had so much weight on her shoulders. She can't even properly grieve for her brother because being sad can have her sent to The Program. She simply has to pretend and try to support others around her to make sure they don't break. That takes a lot of strength.

I also want to talk about the romance. It is really difficult for me to like romance in books. It is so easy to get wrong or for it to bog down the story. There is romance in this book but it felt realistic. There is still a sense of the couple wanting to be together forever, but it is shown more in a way that they want to support each other. I loved that it was depicted as a more realistic relationship rather than overdramatic and while Sloane is oftentimes thinking of James, it still does not bog down the story (and it also makes sense for the situation).

IN CONCLUSION

I'm also incredibly impressed with this book because, before reading this book, my only experience with Suzanne Young's books was the A Need So Beautiful series. While it had a unique idea, I was not the biggest fan of that book because it used romantic cliches. Now, it's clear that Suzanne Young has really grown as a writer and is tackling more difficult subject matter. Overall, this is a fantastic book and I'm glad that I'm diving into this series! I definitely plan on finishing the rest of the series this time!

I hereby give this book

5 Stars!

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: Finale by Stephanie Garber

Welcome, welcome to Finale, the third and final book in Stephanie Garber’s #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series! 

A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…

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MY THOUGHTS

Reviews seemed to be mixed when it comes to this book, either you absolutely loved it, or you don't. I, for one, absolutely loved this book! Once I entered this world I didn't want to stop reading it!

This book is divided into two POV's, Tella's and Scarlett's. To be honest, I preferred Tella's viewpoint. This may be because I loved Legendary more than Caraval, but at the beginning of the book there wasn't really a whole lot going on with Scarlett's POV. She was mainly reacting to things and acting upset with Julian in the beginning. As the story progressed, she did actually become a major player, but I was still more interested in Tella's perspective. Tella's chapters oftentimes had more agency, more heart, and I couldn't always guess what she was going to do. Tella is also so much more outspoken and I felt like her emotions were more complex. With Scarlett, I knew that she was going to end up with Julian, with Tella... there was a lot more going on. I will say that with both characters there has been a lot of change and one of my favorite parts about this series is that it is focused on a pair of sisters.

Now, I gotta talk about the romance, because you know there's romance. Again, with Scarlett, there wasn't much of a mystery there. There was kind of a love triangle, but not really. With Tella, there was a lot going on. When it came to the romance in Tella's POV I had no clue where it was going to head. She is still upset with Legend throughout most of the book and Jacks is also hanging around. I wouldn't call this a love triangle because there is a lot more complicated emotions here than a typical love triangle. Jacks, as a Fate, is not exactly a great guy, but he and Tella are connected together in some way. This book really played with my emotions and the Tella and Jacks situation was certainly one such case. I did not want them to be together, but I also was really interested in some of the scenes in which they interacted. A lot of confusing emotions in this book. I like Dante in the last book, but he is more Legend in this book than Dante. He has quite a few flaws and I don't really agree with some of the things he did, but, yeah, still wanted to ship it.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I really loved this book and I didn't want to stop reading it! This was so much different than the last few books, the events were on a grander scale, and I just loved following these characters. There is a hint in this book that made me wonder if there will be a spin-off series, and I really hope there is, but whether there is a spin-off series or not, I do want to read more from Stephanie Garber.

I hereby give this book

5 Stars!

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world... 

When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years -- a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.

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MY THOUGHTS

I've read all of Jessica Khoury's books, and enjoyed them, but this one is by far my favorite. Honestly, I loved this book! It's such a fantastic retelling and really, I loved everything about it! I'll try to write this review without flailing.

Zahra's been trapped in her lamp for hundreds of years, ever since she betrayed her best friend and an entire kingdom was lost because of it. Then she is awakened by Aladdin. She's awakened into a world where Jinni, like herself are considered monsters and she has to remain hidden. As she waits for Aladdin to make his wishes, she begins to fall for him, which becomes a problem. Not only because in order to be free, she has to betray him, but the last time she loved someone, an entire kingdom was destroyed.

This may be a retelling, but the story was still very imaginative. You can still see parts of the original tale, but Khoury really did build her own world and it was fantastic! I loved how the Jinn were represented and how there was a history included in the story. Honestly, I was so immersed in this story and this world that I couldn't put it down.

I loved Zahra and I loved her perspective. She interesting in general because she's a powerful Jinni that's hundreds of years old, but she's also tough and just downright amazing. She's also obviously troubled by her past and struggling with how much she wants to be freed, so she's not without her flaws, but she was still so strong and I felt like her character growth shone in this book.

I usually am annoyed with romances in most books. It's just so hard for me to actually like the romance in a book! But in this book, I loved it. I shipped it! There was no cheesiness, insta-love, and other common factors in YA. The romance was slow and felt real, as odd as that sounds for a fantasy book.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, this was an amazing book! I thought it was an imaginative retelling and I absolutely couldn't put it down! I loved everything! The characters, the world, the writing, the romance, everything! I strongly recommend this book! And now I'm just going to cry a little because this book is a stand alone and, boy, do I want a sequel.

I hereby give this book...

5 Stars!

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes.

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.

She also has a secret.

Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.

The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush-era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift.

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MY THOUGHTS

I've had such luck with books lately! This book has been yet another anticipated read that met, maybe even exceeded my high expectations!

Lee has always been able to detect gold, enough gold to keep her family safe. She's kept it a secret, but someone knows and will do anything for the gold, and to have control of her. To escape, Lee decides to flee to California and meet her best friend along the way. But it's not easy, not at all, and she certainly can't travel as a girl.

The entire premise of this book is just so interesting! It's about a girl who can detect gold, during the Gold Rush Era. This was all done really well, and the plot did revolve around Lee's ability, but the setting actually felt more important. That sounds bad, but I actually loved it. This book includes Lee's journey to California, that's the majority of the book. While in some other books, I find traveling a bit boring, this was actually very interesting! Lee has to go through a lot to get to California, so there's not a dull moment, and the historical element was incredible! It really did feel like I was in that period!

I didn't realize this while going into this book, but it has one of my favorite tropes: a girl dressing as a boy. Major props in general for having my favorite trope, but it also was done in a very satisfactory way. Meaning: She was a boy for the majority of the book. Anyway Lee is a great MC. She's obviously strong and resourceful, she's able to go through so much and make it. Jeff is her best friend and he's also an amazing character! Actually, all the characters in this book are so well-developed, even the horrible ones!

Lastly, there isn't really a romance in this book. This is a shame because I was shipping things, but I expect romance in the next book. Maybe just a little bit?

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I loved this book! It was as amazing as I expected! The plot was unique, the historical elements were fantastic, and all of the characters were incredible well-developed! I admit I am very curious what will happen next in this series!

I hereby give this book...

5 Stars!

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

What if you aren’t the Chosen One? The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshipped by mountain lions.

Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.

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MY THOUGHTS

Mikey is just an average guy. Sure, his family is a mess, but all Mikey wants is to graduate high school, leave this town, and get the courage to finally ask his crush out. That's it. Yeah, weird things are happening in his town, glowing blue eyes and whatnot, but that;s not Mikey's problem. Mikey just wants to finish his last school year with his friends before the indie kids blow up the high school. Again.

There are times when you just know you're going to love a book. I knew I was going to love this book to second I found out that Patrick Ness was writing yet another book. Part of that was because Patrick Ness is an author god, but also, the premise is just too amazing! A book about a main character who is not the chosen one? Who just has to deal with the crap that the chosen one creates? YES PLEASE! I am so glad to say that this book exceeded my expectations. Yes, it's that good.

My favorite part of this book has to be how it just pokes fun at all the YA tropes. First off, I need to explain some things. In the 'world' that this book takes place in, there are indie kids. Indie kids are basically the main characters of YA novels. They have weird names, are too cool for prom, and die a lot. Also, all the weird things that happen always seem to be related to them. There's been soul-sucking ghosts, zombies, whatever, and the indie kids are always related to it. There was also mention of a few years ago where everything was vampires and romance (*cough* Twilight *cough*) and another mention of indie kids "dying beautifully of cancer". Seriously, it hits all the tropes. I haven't even hit all of them.

Mikey and his friends are essentially the classmates of the indie kids. They go to school with them and know them, but it's like how you know your classmates. Still, they have to deal with the things the indie kids do. I really liked this unique perspective on this because it gives you an idea of what the 'extras' have to go through in books. Yeah, they notice the vampires, the zombies, and whatever. Mikey and his friends do have run-ins with the weirdness going on in fact, and some of it really affects them (some doesn't. Because the weird things always go after the indie kids).

The main thing, though, is while this perspective is unique in the YA world, it's really just normal. Mikey is normal. His friends are (mostly) normal. This book is mainly just about Mikey and his friends and I enjoyed reading about a normal group of friends just trying to have average lives, in their weird world. It also felt just so real. The characters have real problems. Mikey and his sister(s) have problems with their family, but Mikey also struggles with anxiety and OCD. Other characters also have very real struggles shown (though, Jared had some out-of-ordinary ones). And it was all shown realistically! It seems like it would be boring to read about, but I really liked it and I thought it was amazing!

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I loved this book so much! It's just so weird, so unique, so gosh darn interesting, and yes, very amusing at times. Please just pick up anything that this man writes.

I hereby give this book...

5 Stars!

Meaning: A new favorite!

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: A Sky Unbroken by Megan Crewe

The rebels have been disbanded, their plans ruined. Betrayed by those she trusted most, Skylar finds herself herded, along with a small group of Earthlings, into a living museum—a human zoo—on the Kemyates’ space station, subject to her captors’ every whim. Any move Skylar makes could result in the extinction of her people—but giving in means losing any hope of freedom.

Meanwhile, Win returns home and evades punishment by pretending to be loyal to Kemya. But he can’t bear knowing that Skylar is imprisoned or watch his fellow Kemyates swallow the Council’s lies about Earth. He must bring the truth to the Kemyate public and see the Earthlings freed—even if it means openly challenging his world’s rulers.

In this final book of the action-packed Earth & Sky trilogy, neither Skylar nor Win knows they are about to uncover an even deeper conspiracy—one that could push the future they’re fighting for completely out of reach.

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NOTICE: THIS IS THE THIRD INSTALLMENT OF A SERIES. THERE MAY BE SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS. 

Review of book one/ Review of book two

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

MY THOUGHTS

Yet another great sci-fi series comes to a close. I absolutely adore this series and after that cliffhanger in the last book, I was more than ready to pick this one up! I am glad to say that this was a fantastic conclusion and did not disappoint.

Skylar had been betrayed by someone close, and even worse, the entire rebellion has been betrayed. Their plans have failed and Earth has been destroyed. And the rebels are being blamed for the destruction. Skylar and a few others are the sole remaining humans left and are being kept either in human zoos or as pets. Any wrong move and all of them will go extinct. At the same time, Win, and what's left of the rebellion, are trying to get the Kemyates to believe what truly happened to Earth, as well as understand that humans are not so different than Kemyates.

This book wasn't fast-paced, for the most part, but I felt like so many things of importance happened. Also, I still couldn't help but kept turning the pages! I wanted to see how they would be able to get out of these horrible situations. And while it wasn't incredibly fast-paced, there was definitely a lot going on in this book!

There is another thing that I love about this series, an odd thing, which is how different the settings and overall tone of the books are. For example, the first book took place on Earth and had a large focus on time travel, the second was sent on the station with Skylar as a pet, and the third was still on the station, but half of it was spent in a human zoo.

I felt that this book was hugely focused on the rebellion, even more so than the last book. I think one of the big reasons we see this as suc a huge part is because we actually get to see two rebellions from both sides. Yep, this book has dual perspective. We get to see Skylar and her fellows humans trying to prove to their captors that they are just as intelligent as the Kemyates and we see Win trying to convince his people of the same thing, in a different way. I loved the dual perspective and I also liked how the rebellion wasn't an all-out war like most dystopian novels.

And yes, there is a romance in this book. And yes, it's great. And no, it doesn't take over the book.

IN CONCLUSION

So, I have to stop myself here because I think I'm basically just going on and on about how I love this series. I would love to say more, but my reviews don't generally have that many paragraphs. Anyway, this is a fantastic series and I think this was a great conclusion. I've had so many great series end recently and I'm sad to say goodbye to another so quickly, but I'm glad that I decided to pick this series up. I've yet to read Mega Crewe's other books, so I'll just have to pick those up now!

I hereby give this book

5 Stars

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: Fractured Suns by Theresa Kay

We came in peace. Lie.
We had no role in the Collapse. Lie.
I have always been honest. Lie.
I never lied to her. Truth.

Reunited with her brother, and surrounded by Flint, Peter and her new-found grandfather, Jax Mitchell has still never felt more alone. The choice to follow Rym back to the city to find answers and see Lir is an easy one, but their reunion is cut short and Jax is forced to leave Lir behind. She finds herself traveling with some unexpected companions and heading back toward a place she’d hoped to never see again.

After being imprisoned—and tortured—on the orders of his uncle, Lir hasn’t seen daylight or linked to anyone in weeks. After a lifetime of connection, the pain and loneliness is almost too much to bear. Elated that Jax actually came, Lir finds renewed hope and strength to continue fighting his uncle's influence over the E'rikon, even when things look hopeless and Lir’s been branded a traitor by the very people he’s trying to save.

While Jax and Lir fight separate battles, their missions have more in common than they realize. It’s a race against time to stop men driven only by greed and power. But the people they trust the most might be the very people working against them—and "family" doesn't mean what it used to. Will they recognize their friends from their enemies in time to save the people they love or will they lose each other in the process?

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

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

MY THOUGHTS

This book takes place shortly after the events of the last book. Jax is still reeling from Lir's possible betrayal and coming into terms with her new abilities. With foreboding news, Jax must travel back to the town she intended to never go back to. At the same time, Lir is back in the city, being tortured by his uncle. But neither know who to trust and secrets will come to light, as well as the start of possible war.

This book definitely doesn't have middle book syndrome! So much happens! My crummy synopsis doesn't give this book justice. This book has event after event, and is definitely action-packed! I'm being extremely vague, mostly because I want you to be surprised, but there are so many twists! My mind was blown! Also, you find out so much more about Jax's abilities and the E'rikon!

I may be remembering wrong, but this book has a dual perspective, which I don't believe was in the last book. A majority of the book was from Jax's perspective, but every once in awhile we got to see from Lir's perspective. This really helped move the story. More stuff happened with Jax, but we really needed to see what was going on with Lir! I still love them both! They're great characters and very well-developed! In fact, all the characters, good and bad, and very well-developed! I also liked how we get to see new characters in this book as well as getting more of an understanding of all of them!

As for romance, there wasn't much. This book may not have middle book syndrome, but it does follow the aspect of most middle books where the couple is separated during the entirety. Not that there's no romance at all, Jax and Lir do see each other occasionally, but it's in the background, which is just the way I like romance. 

IN CONCLUSION
I loved Broken Skies, so I was excited to dive into this one! This is a fantastic sequel! I felt like so much happened and the characters were great! If you're a fan of sci-fi and/or aliens, please read this series! All the while, I will be waiting for the next book!

I hereby give this book

5 Wheels

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: Spellbinder by C.C. Hunter

When magic, romance and family secrets collide, the result is spellbinding!

Miranda Kane has always felt like a screw up–at least when it comes to her ability to wield magic. Her only sanctuary is Shadow Falls camp, where she’s learning to harness her powers as a witch. But thanks to her shapeshifter boyfriend who called it quits and ran off to Paris, both her heart and powers feel broken.

When she unexpectedly lands a top spot in a spell casting competition in France, she flies out with her best friends Kylie and Della. But her trip takes her straight into the heart of a dangerous supernatural mystery–and a heated romance. What Miranda doesn’t expect is for her investigation to unleash shocking revelations…about herself, her family, and her arch enemy. Now Miranda must step up and show everyone that she’s a witch to be reckoned with….before it’s too late.

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NOTICE: THIS IS A NOVELLA FOR THE SHADOW FALLS SERIES. THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS, BUT YOU MAY BE CONFUSED IF KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE SERIES

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

I adore the Shadow Falls series, so I grabbed this book right away when I realized it exists! 

What I find really interesting about this novella is that it's like a novel. Sure, it's short, but most novellas are only filler. They are intended to give more info, get inside of a different characters head, or just make the wait for the next book more bearable. All of these are probably true of this book, but unlike most novellas, there was an actual plot and conflict. 

This novella focuses on Miranda and I'm quite happy that we finally get to hear things from her perspective. Miranda has to compete in a spell competition and surprises herself with her success. As it turns out, Miranda is in danger. Someone has already killed off two girls in the competition and Miranda might be next. If that wasn't enough, she also has to deal with her ex-boyfriend Perry, another boy who might want to be in the picture, and some unexpected revelations. 

I really think that this was such a great addition to the series! So much happened and while it's up to choice whether to read this, I feel like so many important things happened! So, all in all, I recommend this novella to any Shadow Falls fans!
Now, I'm hoping that Miranda is going to get her own series!

I hereby give this book

5 Wheels

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

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

MY THOUGHTS
I adored the first book! It was the perfect contemporary, but thee ending just wasn't an ending! I was happy to know that the story would be continued! I didn't love this as much as the first book, but I still love this book!

This book takes of where the last book left off. Lara Jean and Peter broke off whatever they were, but Lara realizes that she loves him and writes the letter. Lara Jean and Peter get back in a relationship, but it's a bumpy road. First, a videotape of their hot tub make-out goes viral at their high school. Then, Peter still hangs out with her ex, who Lara Jean is pretty sure sent out the video. Add in an old love that Lara Jean gets in contact with again and things get complicated.

One of the things that I love about these books, and Jenny Han's books in general, is how real they are. There is a lot of focus on the conflict between Lara Jean and Peter, but that's to be expected. Really, it only made things more real. This book is also very slow-paced. While this usually bothers me in books, it works so well for this book. It made me feel like I was following Lara Jean's life. I would also like to mention that the romance isn't everything bout this book. There's also sisters, nostalgic elements, and just everyday things in Lara Jean's life. And I loved it. I loved the realness of it.

I was really worried going into this book at first. "When another boy from her past returns to her life" What? No! We already had two boys in the first book and now there will be three?! I shipped Lara Jean and Peter heard in the first book, I didn't want anything ruining their relationship. Thankfully, it wasn't that big of a problem. I actually liked the other guy and he added many nostalgic moments. I'm a sucker for those things (I liked the game by the way!). Peter was a bit of a jerk at times, when he kept choosing Guinevere. It made sense later, but it was still upsetting at the time. Also, he was still a nice guy and stood up for Lara Jean when the video went viral.

IN CONCLUSION

Overall, I loved this book! This is such a great contemporary book! It's so real, with wonderful characters and a great story! I really recommend Jenny Han's books. In fact, I'm tempted to reread The Summer I Turned Pretty now.

I hereby give this book

5 Wheels

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang

On the day Liz Emerson tries to die, they had reviewed Newton’s laws of motion in physics class. Then, after school, she put them into practice by running her Mercedes off the road.

Why? Why did Liz Emerson decide that the world would be better off without her? Why did she give up? Vividly told by an unexpected and surprising narrator, this heartbreaking and nonlinear novel pieces together the short and devastating life of Meridian High’s most popular junior girl. Mass, acceleration, momentum, force—Liz didn’t understand it in physics, and even as her Mercedes hurtles toward the tree, she doesn’t understand it now. How do we impact one another? How do our actions reverberate? What does it mean to be a friend? To love someone? To be a daughter? Or a mother? Is life truly more than cause and effect? Amy Zhang’s haunting and universal story will appeal to fans of Lauren Oliver, Gayle Forman, and Jay Asher.

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MY THOUGHTS

I went into this book fully knowing that I would cry, and cry I did. I cried tears of sadness, because this book is so sad for every character, but this book was also so raw and beautiful.

Liz Emerson tries to take her own life by driving her car off the road. She miscalculates and ends up in the hospital in critical condition and will most likely survive the night. Throughout this book we get to see the perspectives of her friends, family, and peers. But we also see the moments leading up to Liz's decision and why she decided that she had to take her own life.

I can go on and on about how tragically beautiful this book is, but I'll start with the writing. The writing takes a bit to keep used to, but I adored it. The story jumps around in the timeline, in short chapters, as well as following numerous different people. The jumping around in the timeline let us showly understand Liz. It slowly lead into the crash as well as giving flashbacks of her life and regrets. We also see the multiple people that Liz affected in her life, both good and bad. All the jumping around seems really confusing, but it also makes the book more raw, emotional, and, strangely, makes perfect sense. I would also like to mention the narrator. We are never really told outright who the narrator is, but it's fairly simple to guess as the story goes on. The narrator is not only very unique, but it adds so much more meaning to the book!

Despite the narration, Liz is the main character of this book. The entire story focuses on her life and her decision to end it. Liz is the popular girl in school and everyone sees her as untouchable, and invincible, so they're shocked to know that sees possibly dying. By the way, they don't know that she attempted suicide. The truth is that Liz has realized that she has become the person that she despised, the person that she promised to never be as a child. Yes, Liz is a mean girl. Liz realizes that she has ruined many people's lives, even those closest to her. Liz is most definitely a flawed character, all the characters in this book have flaws, but this is make makes this book so realistic.

IN CONCLUSION

I really can't do this book any justice! I read this book in one sitting, reading this horribly beautiful story, and I cried. If you don't like books that make you cry, then you might not want to read this, but I strongly suggest you to rethink that! This book is a new favorite of mine and I will recommend this book to everyone!

I hereby give this book

5 Wheels

Meaning: A new favorite!

REVIEW: The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

MY THOUGHTS

This was such a fantastic read! I was expecting awesomeness, based on the synopsis, but I wasn't expecting it to be this amazing!

This book takes place in a society where the Church runs everything. After demons destroyed life as their knew it a century ago, the Church was the savior and now they dictate people's lives. Nina has to protect her sister and make sure that the Church doesn't know how little their drug addict mother cares for her. One day, though, Nina faces a demon attack by a boy in a hoodie. A boy with the ability to exorcise demons. It's when Nina's sister is threatened by her own secret and Nina discovers truths about herself, but her reality begins to explode.

In a world where all dystopians merge into the same story, comes a book that's entirely unique! Not only is this book a dystopian, but it's also paranormal with hints of fantasy. This merging might seem odd, but instead it was absolutely stunning! The society and world-building is fantastic, horrifying, but fantastic. The idea of a demon apocalypse and a Church takeover was interesting and I was able to get the complete history. Don't even get me started on the exorcism and Finn.

I really liked Nina. She's our MC and she's a very strong characters and obviously cares for her sister. She also has the proper reaction to what's going on. Really, you'd be surprised at some of the MC's in YA. Sure, she has her flaws, but they only made her more real and I get the feeling that she will only grow stronger as the series goes on.

As for romance, it was unusual. I didn't like how quick it happened. It wasn't insta-love, as Nina was not attracted to him at first glance, but I was very thrown when the first kiss happened. I just wasn't expecting it to happens so soon. Now, the rest of the romance was very interesting. I can't give details, but trust me that you've never seen a romance like this before.

IN CONCLUSION

I ADORED this book! It's such a unique dystopian with paranormal elements, great characters, and overall fantastic! I had such a hard time putting this down! Now, if only I didn't have to wait for the next book...

I hereby give this book

5 Wheels

Meaning: A new favorite!