Between Shades of Gray

Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Pages: 344
Rating: 4/5 Stars
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Lina led a normal, teenage life in Lithuania, when one day Soviet officers marched into her home and threw her whole family on board cramped train cars where they traveled over 6,000 miles to the Arctic Circle. As Lina is forced to pay the price for crimes she never committed, she struggles to stay alive.

---

When you hear about the Holocaust, you probably instantly think of Hitler, and all the people he killed. What most people don't know is that Joseph Stalin was responsible for just as many ruined lives. In an attempt to get Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania off the map, he rounded up anybody who was linked to anti-soviet beliefs, and sent them to labor camps in Siberia and other remote places. This novel tells the untold story of the many, many people who suffered under Stalin's rule.

This was an amazing, powerful novel about a will to live, a will to survive, and a will to spread the word. Ruta Sepetys herself has Lithuanian heritage, and that's what inspired her to write this novel. Most of the people imprisoned didn't get to share their story in fear of being arrested, and I think it's really great that Ruta wants to show the world just how awful things were for those Latvians, Lithuanians, and Estonians.

But besides the fact that this book has a very emotional origin, let's discuss how great the plot is. It's full of dark, dark detail. Death and sickness is around every corner. But between all the despair, there is hope and a will to survive. While this book seems quite dismal at first glance, it has a hidden ray of happiness and warmth. I enjoyed how complex many of the characters were. There were many angels in disguise, and it was really heartwarming.

 Something I've always liked about historical fiction novels that take place during WWII is how we get to put real people next to the statistics. Yes, we know lots of people died in the Holocaust, but until you read a book about an individual who experienced it all, you don't realize that those people actually had lives. Suddenly, it makes the whole thing a lot more personal. 

So I would greatly suggest you read this novel if you'd like to learn about the unknown heroes of World War II. 

Click here to view Between Shades of Gray on Goodreads

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Title: Me and Earth and the Dying Girl
Author: Jesse Andrews
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 295
Rating: 4/5 Stars
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Greg Gaines, senior, had everything down. He knew just how to slip into the world of high school with no enemies, no friends, and no commitment. Of course the only way for his set up to be ruined would be the result of intervention from his mother. When childhood friend Rachel was diagnosed with cancer, Greg's mother forced him to rekindle their friendship in an attempt to give the girl something happy in the last moments of her life. And also, there's an Earl involved.

---

This is not a sad book. I don't think it was ever meant to be a sad book either. From the beginning it's made clear that this is not supposed to be your typical YA contemporary. So if you're expecting a tearjerker, Fault in our Stars lookalike, look again. This isn't it. In fact, this book is anything but sad- it's funny. Part of that may be due to the title putting everything out there in the open. You're aware Rachel is a dying girl from the get go. But truthfully, this was a really funny, lighthearted book.

I feel the need to introduce Greg's friend Earl, as he does have a spot in the title. Earl is hilarious. His raw humor and grim outlook on life always left me laughing, and his default mood is grumpy, which makes for a snarky and sarcastic character. So he's a huge part of the comedy in this novel. 

I actually listened to this book via audiobook, and I highly recommend you do to. I don't think I'd have liked it as much if I had read it instead of listened to it, because the narrator is so talented. He gets each voice so perfect, and it really contributed to the overall quality of the book. I don't think I would have read Earl's dialect in his accent if I'd been reading it physically, so hearing the narrator mimic his accent pulled his humor and dialogue together completely, allowing me to truly appreciate his comedic taste. 

I found Greg to be a somewhat relatable main character in the sense that I do strive to have no quarrels with people in school. However, that's where my ability to relate to him stops. I would much rather have friends and a couple people I didn't get along with than have no friends and no enemies. Greg's strategy to having no enemies is to have no close friends, and I don't think I could go through life like that. And Greg and Earl are not much of overachievers when it comes to school. In Greg's defense, he was a bit of an achiever before he began devoting all his spare time to visiting Rachel, but we don't really get to see pre-Rachel-Greg. I just find it difficult to relate to people who just don't care. Whether that be about school or just things in general. 

But I did find this book extremely funny, touching, and fun, and I'd recommend it to everyone, because it's truly an exciting book to read. 

Click here to view Me and Earl and the Dying Girl on Goodreads 

Gemina

Title: Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2)
Authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Pages: 659
Rating: 5 Stars
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Hanna and Nik are celebrating Terra Day on the space station they live on, Heimdall, when it is attacked by terrorists from BeiTech. Fortunately, (or unfortunately- depending on how you look at it) the two were separate from the rest of the civilians when BeiTech locked everyone in. The two are pressed to find help in escaping their attackers as they're hunted down.

---

Of course this book was phenomenal. I gave Illuminae five stars, and Gemina was just as good. For those of you who have read Illuminae, be prepared for a new set of main characters. Hanna is the daughter of the station captain, and lives a life of luxury. Nik is part of a notorious crime family and does not. I was somewhat worried that I wouldn't like having new characters, but I instantly fell in love with them and became invested in the story. Plus, their story still connects to the characters in Illuminae, and we get to see a little bit of them here and there.

Like with Illuminae, Gemina is told through IMs, transcripts, journal entries and more. In fact, the lovely Marie Lu did the sketches inside Hanna's journal, and they are absolutely fantastic. The typography, graphics, and images found in Gemina are so gorgeous and powerful. It really adds much more feeling to the story. True, it was a little awkward having to turn the book upside down and sideways to read some pages, but it was worth it. (Mini arm workout am I right?) 

Also! On the pages with "random" names, (lists of casualties and whatnot) I highly recommend you actually read through the names. You'll recognize many beloved YA authors scattered here and there!

If there's anything negative I have to say, it would be that I find the dialect of the characters a little too similar to ours. This book takes place five centuries into the future, and I feel like some of the things they say would be different. Like, the references they make are so... earthly. I don't know if the characters actually understand their references, or if they've just become old sayings at this point in the future. I'm not sure. Also, I'd love a little more worldbuilding. I understand that wouldn't really work with the story and format, but I really, really want to know more about what life is like in this world. What is Terra Day? What happened to Earth? How far into space have we colonized? However, these are so insignificant that I can't even dock down any stars for it. 

Gemina was an incredible book. The plot had my mind whirling- I couldn't believe the roller coaster it had me on. If you're even debating not picking this series up, please do. It's such a great read. And don't be intimidated by the size- the format allows you to read it quickly. 

Click here to view Gemina on Goodreads

Other books in this series: 

Illuminae

Crooked Kingdom

Title: Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: YA High Fantasy
Pages: 536
Rating: 5 stars
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In this conclusion to the Six of Crows Duology, the team has escaped the Ice Court and now has to deal with Jan Van Eck. With Inej being held hostage, and the young Kuwbei wanted by multiple parties, the team has to work swiftly and quietly to finish the job.

---

Oh. My. Gosh.  Can I direct your attention to that little word up there that says "rating". Do you see what's next to it? FIVE STARS PEOPLE. I'm so happy I dove into this book. I read Six of Crows back during finals earlier this year, so it took me a solid month and a half to get through the book. Because of that, I was concerned this one would take me forever, too. But nope! I finished it in a week, and dang was it a good week.

I rated this book a half star higher than Six of Crows, and I think I did honestly like it a little better. Mostly, though, this is because you get to skip the heavy world building and jump right into the story. I had a hard time getting into Six of Crows at first, mostly because it does take a lot to set the plot up, but with Crooked Kingdom, I instantly fell into the world and the story. 

Speaking of the story... I really, really appreciate the complexity of this plot. I feel like a lot of books (especially YA) have this standard form of -conflict- make a plan- act out plan- plan succeeds- story ends. However, in Crooked Kingdom, it's so much more complex than that. Bits and pieces of the scheme are revealed to you as it happens. You think you know what's going to happen and then bam! you realize you never knew the full picture. It's just so great.

Another amaaaazing part of the story, as I mentioned last time, is the characters. Typically speaking, I don't like a story having multiple perspectives, but I love how it's done in here- and there's six perspectives! Each character truly has their own, unique voice, and you get to know them all on a deeper level. 

For my Hamiltrash out there who've read this one- did any of you see a handful of Hamilton lines scattered throughout the story? I definitely saw the thing about "guns and ships", the "outgunned- outmanned" thing, and the "see you on the other side" thing. 

So anyway, I loved this book on such a deep level, it's really not okay. I'm so angry this is only a duology. I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters! And after goodreads-stalking Leigh Bardugo, I can confirm her next project is totally unrelated to the Grisha. It's not even high-fantasy! :(

That said, please, please pick this duology up! I wouldn't say it's necessary to read the Grisha Trilogy beforehand, but there are some references and things you won't entirely understand if you don't. (Nothing essential to the plot though.) So go! Read away! And if you've already read Crooked Kingdom, let me know your thoughts! 

Click here to view Crooked Kingdom on Goodreads

Other books in this series: 

Six of Crows

Twilight

Title: Twilight (Twilight #1)
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy
Pages: 498
Rating: 3/5 Stars
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Upon arriving in the rainy, small town of Forks, Washington, Bella sparks the interest of the mysterious, secluded boy, Edward Cullen. However, Bella doesn't know the half of what Edward really is. Because if she did, she wouldn't be so intrigued- she'd be appalled.

---

I think I know what you're probably thinking. It's something among the lines of, "What?! You haven't read Twilight yet?!" Okay, I confess, I haven't felt the need to even touch this book until I decided I wanted a genuine opinion on this novel. So many people love it, and I felt like I was missing out on something. Plus, I mean, I love Urban Fantasy, I should love this, right?

I mean, yes and no. I have mixed feelings about this one. It was better than I expected it to be. Of course, I think I pictured it to be two people, sitting in a room staring at each other, so I'm not sure how much that says. But I did enjoy reading it. However, I have a couple problems with it. 

Firstly, there's Bella. I can't decide if she's a good role model or not. She's really studious, she takes all honors classes, gets good grades, and never intentionally is late for class. In the beginning, I couldn't figure out why so many people considered her to be a bad literary influence. But then Edward. I get that this is supposed to be a romance novel, so of course it's going to center around two people in love. Who wants a romance story where the main character isn't interested in the love interest? But I was hoping that the independent, strong, and powerful Bella that's introduced would remain the same. She doesn't. As soon as Edward shows up, she's at his beck and call. She literally does anything he asks of her, and she ignores everybody else. Plus her relationship with Edward isn't even all that healthy. I would feel violated if someone staked out in my room all night to watch me sleep- with or without my knowledge. 

And the romance is pretty artificial. It's definitely instalove if I've ever seen it. I think within the first day of meeting Edward Bella is confessing her love in her sleep. And I hated how irrational she was being. This guy was literally telling her that if she got a paper cut he'd probably eat her, yet she wasn't afraid- she didn't want to leave him. I mean, I suppose love wins all, but still! I don't think Twilight accurately represents a healthy relationship.

I'm taking off quite a bit from my rating simply for the horrendous writing. I don't care how you look at it, the writing is not good. And Edward chuckled and smirked way too much. I was severely annoyed by the fifteenth chuckle-smirk. 

Okay so now I'm going to defend Twilight. 

Near the climax, when Edward was away, it got infinitely better. I was honestly actually invested in the plot at that point, I was actually concerned about Bella's safety. 

And I don't think it's fair to compare Twilight to big franchise competitors such as Harry Potter. They're just completely different. As my dad would say, it's like comparing apples to oranges. Twilight isn't supposed to be better or worse than Harry Potter, it's supposed to be different. And Bella isn't supposed to be a heroine like Hermione. She's supposed to be a girl in love.

However, I could really relate to Bella. She faints at the sight of blood, and as someone who does that as well, it was nice seeing a character who isn't invincible. You get used to these fantasy characters who can literally do anything, but Bella's not like that. She faints at the sight of blood. And I appreciate that. 

I'll be continuing this series. I want to see how this creates a four part series, and if Meyer can maybe write a little better, but I can only award Twilight three stars. 

           

Click here to view Twilight on Goodreads

We Were Liars

Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 242
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
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Cadence spends the summers on a private island owned by her family with her three closest friends who also happen to be her cousins. Summer after summer things go smoothly, Cadence spending her days lounging on the beach, sleeping in her mom's mansion, and eating food prepared for her by the kitchen staff. But everything changes one summer when... well, Cadence doesn't exactly remember what happened, but she knows something did.

---

This book was something completely crazy. In a good way. I was truthfully left trying to figure out what to do with myself after finishing this novel.

As you know, it takes place on a luxury island that Cadence's rich Grandfather owns. Being someone who does not, in fact, own an island, I thought it was fun to read about this lifestyle. This lifestyle where you can sleep in until noon, go to bed as late as you want, never have to do the dishes or cook your own meals. A lifestyle where you sleep in one of three mansions on the island. A lifestyle where you can spend your days with your closest companions, on the beach, in the sun. 

Honestly, Cadence has it pretty good. 

But besides me loving the summer vibes I got from this book, I really did enjoy reading it. It's the type of book that you go into thinking the book's going to be a nice, easy summer read, and then BOOM, it's not. 

Of course, I don't want to tell you too much, but I will say that there is a mysterious atmosphere, and you're not quite sure what's going on, but you are sure that you want to know exactly what left Cadence's memory. 

I'm giving We Were Liars four and a half stars for being a suspenseful, heart breaking story that was also somehow fun to read? Anyway, please go and read We Were Liars. I put it off for so long, and I wish I'd picked it up sooner. It truly is an amazing read. 

Click here to view We Were Liars on Goodreads

November 9

Title: November 9
Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Pages: 310
Rating: 5/5 Stars
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The day is November 9, and mere hours away from moving all the way from LA to NYC, Fallon sits down at a table in a restaurant to talk to her self-obsessed father. However, things take a turn when 18 year old Ben slips into the booth next to her, completely altering her life.

Despite how enamoured the two are with each other, they agree that it'd be best if they both only meet each other once a year, on November 9th, allowing each to live a full life, distraction free, until Fallon has reached the age of 23. Because she'll have her life figured out by the time she's turned 23 according to her mother, and 23 is the only safe age to fall in love.

---

You ever open a book, just kind of reading it to tick something else off your TBR, and it ends up blowing your mind. That's November 9 for me. This book was absolutely heart stopping. I've never read any Colleen Hoover before, but this novel has definitely convinced me to try out some more of her works. (Any suggestions?) 

We start off with 18 year old Fallon, explaining to her movie star father that she's moving all the way across the country to start up a career in Broadway. Fallon was an actress for film/TV before she got seriously injured in a fire while sleeping at her dad's house exactly two years prior. The fire scorched her skin, giving her long scars that marred her left side. At the time, she'd been staring in a big TV show, jumpstarting her career as an actress. However, after the fire, the company broke her contract and she found herself unable to land a role. 

So she's talking to her father about how she wants to take up theatre, and he has the audacity to tell her she's no longer pretty enough to act professionally. Infuriated from the nearby booth, Ben slips into their table and goes off on Fallon's dad. Afterwards, they sort of fall for each other. With the prospect of Fallon moving away looming ahead, they agree to meet every year on that same day- November 9. 

I thought it was such a unique idea. I literally knew nothing about this novel going into it, but my interest was immediately grasped- right from the start. From Fallon's interesting condition to the crazy agreement the two set up, this book is a completely new and unique storyline. 

And it was just completely addicting, I couldn't stop reading. It wasn't your typical, straightforward romance novel- it was something completely new and completely original. Nothing was predictable. Plus it was kind of cool reading about Fallon trying to cope with having her self confidence stolen away, as a subplot to the actual story. And watching her relationship develop with her movie star father was another subplot I enjoyed.

I highly, highly recommend you read November 9 by Colleen Hoover. It was an absolutely amazing read, and it fully deserves the five stars I'm giving it.

Click here to view November 9 on Goodreads

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Authors: J.K Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 308
Rating: 5/5 Stars
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Nineteen years later, the story of Harry Potter continues. This time though, it's told by the next generation. On Platform 9 3/4, both Albus Potter and Rose Granger-Weasley are preparing themselves for the beginning of their Hogwarts careers. Neither of them knows just how crazy their lives will get the moment they board the Hogwarts Express.

---

Can I just begin this review by saying that the authors of this novel sound like they could be in, like, a band or something.

"Introducing.... the Jays! J.K Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jaaaack Thorne!" 

Okay now that that's been said...

This novel/script thing was amazing. I read in in, like, 3 hours or something. I couldn't put it down. I was reading a mile a minute, and it was all very emotional. I mean, it's been years since any of us have cracked open a Harry Potter book for the first time, and I know that I thought it was all over when I read the last page of the last book. It was almost like Deja Vu, opening up this book. Of course, there are a few major differences. 

Firstly, this is a new gang. Yes, our original characters are featured, but for the most part, this story follows Albus Severus Potter, and his best friend Scorpius Malfoy. And then, of course, there's the fact that this isn't told in novel format. It's told through mostly dialogue, because it's in script format. 

I was originally worried that the whole script thing would be difficult to read, but I found that it actually flowed really well. It goes pretty fast given that you don't have to read a "he said" followed by a description every time someone talks.  Are there a few holes in the story that are only filled through visually seeing the play? Yes. Did it completely ruin my reading experience? No. 

I can see why some people don't like this book. Some crazy, unbelievable stuff happens. We just got a lot of new canon information. And yes, some things do seem a little too fanfiction-y. However, I still gave this one five stars, because when you brush all the technicalities and analytical stuff aside, you're left with a suspenseful, emotional, gripping story that left me in a state of complete disarray. 

The characters are fantastic. The dynamic between the characters is perfect. The dialogue is full of witty, clever, humorous lines, and the book brought back so many different emotions. This is something for fans that never really finished the last book. This is something for people that have wanted the world of Harry Potter to live on and on and on. Always. 

So just go into this one with an open mind, and don't try to attach it to the series. It's its own thing. Five stars. 

Click here to view Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Goodreads

Six of Crows

Title: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 465
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
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In the dirtiest, grimiest depths of Ketterdam, Kaz Brekker makes a deal. Or perhaps a death wish is a better word.

In the dirtiest, grimiest depths of Ketterdam, Kaz Brekker makes a death wish. And he brings a handful of companions with him.

For 4 million krunge apiece, Kaz agrees to break into the Ice Court, the most heavily fortified court in the world, and find the man responsible for creating a drug that's killing Grisha. Of course, there's the matter that the Ice Court has never been successfully broken into.

---

I. Love. Six of Crows. Oh my gosh. I mean, I was expecting to be let down given how long it took me to get through it (a month), but I LOVED it. It was beautifully written, beautifully executed, and beautifully done. But where do I start?

Characters. My favorite part of this book was the characters. For the most part, our main characters are Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias. They're the team breaking into the Ice Court. And I know, usually 6 characters is quite a bit to keep track of, but each one is truly different and special. Each character is developed, complex, and flawed. We have Kaz, the head of the Dregs, which is the thievery group the six come from. Kaz is the brains of the group. Inej is Kaz's right hand, and she's an acrobat. There's nothing she can't scale. Jesper's the one who'll crack a joke whenever he deems appropriate (or inappropriate), and he's a good shot. Wylan's super smart, and I'm high-key shipping him with Jesper. We have Nina, the Grisha Heartrender who's sassy, saucy, and sarcastic. And then there's Matthias, stone cold, stiff hearted, and grudgingly in love with Nina. Who's my favorite? I'm still unable to decide between Jesper, Wylan, and Inej. 

So the characters do make up a great bit of my love for this book, but something else I appreciated was how Leigh Bardugo didn't make having LGBT+ characters that big of a deal. I feel like some authors tend to make it seem like having said characters is an enormous thing, and they act like they need to be hugely recognized for being so "forward" and "out there". But Leigh Bardugo didn't even make it seem like anything was different from any of the (start of any) heterosexual relationships. And I don't know, I liked how she made it just another part of the story, just another part of life. 

Moving onto the actual plot, I loved the twists and turns. It was completely unpredictable. And while I did take a half star off for being a little slow moving at parts, I feel that's often inevitable in high fantasy. But especially at the end, I was on the edge of my seat, clutching the book in terror as we ran through the storyline. 

I would highly recommend you read Six of Crows. It's not necessary that you read Leigh Bardugo Grisha Trilogy beforehand. They're completely unrelated, and I would've been fine skipping over the trilogy and jumping right into this amazing story. 

Click here to view Six of Crows on Goodreads

Things Are Not What They Seem

Title: Things Are Not What They Seem
Authors: Anne Rothman-Hicks and Kenneth Hicks
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Fantasy
Pages: 268
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Source: Received from the authors in exchange for an honest review
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It's just your typical, hot summer day in Central Park when a strange pigeon lands next to Jennifer as she sat watching her younger brother. To her complete bewilderment, the pigeon spoke to her (in nothing less than a posh British accent). Moments later, a hawk threatens Jennifer and the pigeon. And so begins a mad chase across the city as Jennifer tries to help the pigeon regain his human body and escape the evil, talking hawk.

---

This book had its ups and downs for me. Let's start with the ups.

The story was hilarious, engaging, and fun. The characters were unique, and each had an individual personality. The character of the speaking pigeon was a humorous little bird, leaving me laughing upon multiple occasions. And the other characters involved in the story: Jenny's brother James, James' friend Sleepy, and Jenny's friend Kaytlyn all brought interesting things to the story. 

And I thought the story itself was an interesting one. The plot wasn't completely predictable, and I did feel emotionally connected to the characters and what happened to them. Something else I really enjoyed was Jenny's passion for Latin. A now extinct language, it's not exactly a normal hobby for a young middle school girl. Recently, Emma @emmmabooks on YouTube uploaded her #WENEEDDIVERSEHOBBIES video. In this creative video she talks about how the majority of main characters in stories don't have interesting, diverse hobbies. It's all the same stuff, and usually plays an enormous role in the plot. Seeing someone so passionate about something so unique was really refreshing, and reminded me of Emma's video. (So check it out if you haven't!) 

However, I must say that a few things annoyed me. Firstly, parts of the story seemed way too easy. I hated how some things just came together out of pure luck. I'd be more okay with it if it had only been a couple times that events were a little too convenient, but it seemed like every potential challenge was evaded because the characters lucked out. 

Another small annoyance was how everybody was convinced the talking pigeon was a ventriloquism act! I'm sorry, but there's no way for it to be ventriloquism if the pigeon is 12 feet away and nobody's lips are parted. I get that the authors were trying to make people disbelieving of something that shouldn't exist, but literally every single person was assuming it was ventriloquism when it's honestly more likely that the pigeon is actually talking. It just got so annoying how nobody would accept that the pigeon was talking. 

Other than the stated problems with the novel, I did enjoy it. I thought it was funny, fast moving, and unique, and I'd recommend it to anyone seeking a fun, light, middle grade fantasy! 

Click here to view Things Are Not What They Seem on Goodreads

The Summer That Melted Everything

Title: The Summer That Melted Everything
Author: Tiffany McDaniel
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 320
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review
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Everything changed for Fielding Bliss the summer of 1984, the summer the worst heat wave he'd ever experienced swept over the small Ohio town of Breathed. 1984 was also the year Fielding found himself friends with the Devil. But that's really a small thing, considering just what went down that blistering hot summer.

---

Published by St. Martin's Press, The Summer That Melted Everything is author Tiffany McDaniel's debut novel. I'm just going to repeat that- debut novel. This is the first thing she's ever published, and I am truthfully blown away.

I finished this novel sometime around midnight, and I was honestly so stunned. How had a debut novel managed to leave me speechless, unable to move I was so emotionally affected. I'm not the type of person to hand out 5 stars to books left and right. If I give something all 5 stars, it means I really liked it. This novel completely deserves each of those 5 stars. This is definitely a new favorite book for me. 

I love books that take place before the 90s. That era just speaks to me- the simplicity of it all makes me feel at home. I could list off plenty of books I've enjoyed through my life as a reader that takes place during the 20th century that I've just completely loved. This novel, as mentioned in the synopsis, is about Fielding Bliss looking back at his summer in 1984. That particular summer is the summer that Fielding's father invited the Devil to town. And the Devil arrives, along with a nasty heat wave that makes national news. However, the Devil isn't anything like anyone expects. He's just a boy. Innocent, youthful, and wise. Fielding's family adopts the boy, who goes by the name Sal, and he joins the Bliss family. However, when you go around telling people you're the Devil, people start to believe you. And people liked having someone to blame for their misfortunes and wrongs. 

The Summer That Melted Everything deals with many issues that are sometimes difficult to talk about. Sal's race (black) causes prejudice in the town. People are even faster to judge and dislike him. And there are a couple homosexual characters as well, who also get judged by the townspeople. It was interesting to see how these aspects intertwined with the themes of prejudice and hate throughout the story. 

If you've read To Kill a Mockingbird (one of my all-time favorites) you'd get a similar vibe reading this book. Just the way it handles race and law reminded me of that particular novel ( in a good way). This debut novel is extremely powerful, leaving me in tears more than once. The writing is absolutely beautiful, and it's been a little while since a book has so emotionally affected me. Its fast moving plot, along with the way in weaves subplots together to create one complete novel calls for something truly amazing. It's difficult for me to describe how I was feeling after finishing the story. Speechless, perhaps would be a good word. Because I honestly couldn't function. I couldn't believe the novel was over- I couldn't believe everything that'd happened- happened. 

So please, please read The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel. It'll be released July 26th, so mark your calendars, because this is one story you do not want to miss. I'm so, so thankful to have been given a copy to review. I have no clue if I would have picked this one up if I hadn't, and that means I'd never have read one of my new favorite books. I'll be rereading this one. 

Click here to view The Summer that Melted Everything on Goodreads 

Click here to watch the book trailer

Gifted

Title: Gifted (The Hayven Series #1)
Author: Jessica George
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 339
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review
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Ava Grey happened to be the one to find the old woman withering on the floor, seconds away from death on her way to meet a friend for dinner. And because Ava was the one to find this woman, she was given mysterious powers that seemed to be transferred over from the woman to herself. When someone close to the old woman figured out that Ava had been Gifted, he takes her into a fantasy world, filled with millions of people just like her. But it isn't all sunshine in the land of Hayven, for an evil woman is gaining power, and it looks like Ava might have to be the one to stop it. What luck?

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Gifted was truly a magical book to read. Everything about it was mystical and enchanting. I mean, how amazing is a world that is accessible by simply meditating? I would love to be able to sit down, close my eyes, breathe, and open my eyes to find myself in a world where people can fly, read minds, and turn invisible. Ava Grey, the main character, is the lucky girl who gets all this and more.

This story is a classic 'good versus evil' story, with a bit of twist. Ava wasn't destined to save the world of Naveya, she isn't the chosen one, or anything like that. She was simply caught up in a mess she was never meant to be in. 

So while I found the plot to be fantastic, and I enjoyed reading about everyone and all their different powers. My favorite part was definitely all the major and minor characters you encounter throughout the novel. Ava met quite a few people in the new world of Hayven, and made lots of friends. I enjoyed reading about each unique relationship she had. I think my favorite character would have to be Baleigh, who starts off as a cold, stiff, and distant person, but begins to melt as she becomes closer to Ava. Personally, I was not emotionally connected to Ava and Theo, the boy who finds her in the shop. Ava thinks about him constantly, and I was slightly annoyed, but it didn't drive the story to the point that it ruined the book for me. (Which romance has ruined books for me before- I'm not making this up!) Plus the relationships she keeps up with her friends overrules the forced love between her and Theo. 

I think that Gifted is a fantastic read for anyone who's in the mood for a really nice 'good versus evil' story. I enjoyed getting into the vibe that I had while reading Harry Potter, with a tangible villain and its dark supporters, and I'm looking forward to reading the next novel. 

Landline

Title: Landline
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Contemporary
Pages: 310
Rating: 4 Stars
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Georgie McCool loves her job. She loves what she does. And she and her partner in crime (or rather, in script writing) have a dream for their job that's about to come true. Except... well, except the only way they can make their dream come true is if Georgie skips her family trip to visit her mother in law to stay and work. To her relief, her husband doesn't get mad at her when she informs him that she couldn't spend Christmas with his family. To her horror, he decides to go on his own, with their two daughters.

And as Georgie watches her marriage crumble away from 1500 miles away, she discovers a magical telephone where she can speak to the 20 year old version of her husband, who was then her boyfriend.

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Surprisingly, I enjoyed this novel. I listened to this book on audio on a long car ride, and that's pretty much the only reason I decided to read this. It was one of the only things I had checked out on audiobook, so I figured I'd go ahead and give it a shot. And as a reader of YA, I'm pleased to say I liked my small venture into adult literature. (Of course, it probably helps that it's Rainbow Rowell.)

I must confess that bits of it were very slow moving, and I got bored a couple times while listening, but the fast moving parts really made the book worth it. It was an 8 hour car ride, and every time we stopped to eat or rest, I never wanted to get out of the car and turn off the book. Plus it was very humorous. I was often trying to hide my smile or laugh so I wouldn't seem like a lunatic while listening, but the story along with the narrator's amazing acting put me in fits of laughter.

I did have a couple problems- mainly with how many loose ends were left untied by the end of the story. And I didn't like how passive Georgie could be. There were plenty of things I personally think she should've been upset about concerning her husband, Neal, but she always let it slide. And considering how feisty Georgie's personality is (or at least is supposed to be) I would expect her to stand up for herself. 

But aside from those things, I did really like this novel. 

Something I rather enjoyed was how Georgie's iPhone couldn't function unless it was plugged into a power source. So anytime she was talking to someone or just on the phone, she had to walk around with her computer or stand by an outlet. I found it ironic, because of how similar it is to a landline. When using a landline, you're restricted to how far the cord on the phone can stretch. 

I really appreciated the characters in this book, too. Each one was unique and different. My favorite was Georgie's 18 year old sister, Heather. I thought Heather was a hilarious, fun character to read about. I liked Georgie's mom, too. She made me laugh. 

So should you read this novel? While it may be more new adult than young adult, I really liked it, and found it to be a fun, light summer read. Four stars. 

The Hidden Oracle

Title: The Hidden Oracle
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 376
Rating: 5 Stars
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After being cast down to Earth as a sixteen year old mortal boy, the great god Apollo is forced to make his way through New York as he tries to figure out how to get his old, powerful being back.

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I loved this book. Everything about this novel was fantastic. I was a little skeptical about reading it, because while I did enjoy the Sword of Summer, I didn't love it as much as the originals. This novel though? This one might possibly be my favorite Riordan book yet. Of course, some of that might have to do with the fact that you do finally get to see what's been going on with the characters we met earlier on.  Which, I must warn you, the nostalgia is a little powerful during this book. 

Anyway, I don't know if anyone of you did this, but back when I first read Percy Jackson and the Olympians, I chose my own godly parent. I was a self-acclaimed daughter of Apollo, blessed by Athena. I know, it's a mouthful, but I had trouble picking a favorite between Athena and Apollo. But in the end, Apollo was my favorite god, because he was just so light-hearted, and I felt like at times he was the most normal god. (Which isn't saying much, but still.) 

So the point of me telling you all that was to show you that Apollo is my favorite Greek god. And as you can imagine, I was quite thrilled when I found out a whole series was being released about him- from his perspective. 

That brings up another interesting point. I believe this is the first time we've read from a god's point of view. The gods and goddesses are known for their eccentric tendencies, and I was always wondering what was going on in their minds when they did the crazy things they did. Now we have a whole novel, told in first person, from the perspective of a god. It was just fun (and quite comical at times) to read from a god's point of view. 

And to my delight, this book continued in Rick Riordan's beloved humorous tone, and I found myself laughing at multiple points in the novel.

So if you're at all skeptical about reading The Hidden Oracle, don't be. It's well, well worth your time. A well deserved 5 stars to this one. 

Oh! And watch out for chapter 15! Each chapter title is a famous, Apollo haiku, and chapter 15 happens to be my personal favorite. 

Five Seven Six

Title: Five Seven Six (The Boy with Words #2)
Author: C.E. Wilson
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy
Pages: 200
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review
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White Frost can't stand being confined to her underground colony. She longs to live and breathe in the world above her- in Kes' world. But it soon becomes apparent that she must choose either or. She cannot continue to split her time between above and below. She cannot continue to lie to keep herself safe, for the truth has seeped out.

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This is the second book in C.E. Wilson's series The Boy with Words. I reviewed the first book, Five Seven Five, back in December, and I really liked it! The conclusion was no different. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Five Seven Six. In order for me to substantially review this novel, though, I will be including some minor spoilers for Five Seven Five. If you've not read part one and do not want any form of spoilers, I would refrain from reading this review.

Like before, I find the whole concept of this novel to be very unique. I've never read anything before where the protagonist is a tiny, teeny human- but isn't aware of it. Watching everything from White's point of view was very interesting, considering we, the readers, are more like Kes. I enjoy the pacing of the plot. I finished it pretty quickly, and enjoyed every moment of it. I found every plot twist believable and every cliffhanger addictive. 

I'll say that I think I prefer White and Kes as friends as opposed to in a romantic relationship. I just find that they seem a lot closer when Kes is looking out for White as a brother, not a boyfriend. Of course, the way C.E Wilson writes this, I feel like you're able to form your own opinions and allow them to actually apply to the book. 

Once again, I have to appreciate White's love for the little things in life, as well as her no-nonsense, confident aura. She's a very independent character who doesn't take "no" for an answer. The other characters are also nicely crafted. Kes continues to be the dorky, sensitive boy we loved in part one. And Salt is still one of those characters who seems good, but when you look closer, is a little more complicated than that. But on top of these characters we met in part one, we meet a few other characters. For example, we meet Kes' father- which introduces an interesting conflict that involves a complicated father-son relationship. (It reminded me of the relationship we saw between Park and his father in Eleanor and Park.) Anyway, I enjoyed the new and old characters in this book. 

If I had one complaint to make, it would just be that the dialogue got a little repetitive. Like, characters tended to over-reiterate themselves. But that was it, and honestly, it wasn't a big problem for me. 

Being a conclusion novel, I must give my thoughts on the actual conclusion. Which is to say that I was definitely satisfied with it. Often times books with dystopian qualities (such as this one) end with a vague, ambiguous ending that doesn't really leave me feeling like I just completed a series. This one did. I won't tell you anymore (spoilers!) but I definitely enjoyed it. 

So you should definitely read Five Seven Six, and if you've not read Five Seven Five at all, then I would certainly recommend starting it! It's a fantastic book, and I really did enjoy it. Four stars to C.E Wilson. 

Ruin and Rising

Title: Ruin and Rising (The Grisha #3)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 417
Rating: 4 Stars
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Alina knows that Ravka will be at unrest as long as the Darkling remains in power. So, she and her makeshift army travel across the country, searching for the third amplifier that will give Alina the power to defeat the Darkling once and for all. However, nothing is as simple as everyone thought, and as events unfold, Alina's plan begins to unravel.

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This concluding novel really resonated with me. I was hit with so many different emotions when I turned the last page that I wasn't really sure what to do next. I'll just tell you that I was very satisfied with this conclusion. It felt complete and whole. (Even if I didn't like everything that went down.)

I was really pleased with how all the characters have developed through the series. If you read any of my previous reviews for this trilogy, you'll know that I wasn't all that big of a fan of Mal's. I still don't like him with Alina, but I do like him as a person. (Team Nikolai!) I finally see Mal's purpose as a character, and I do appreciate his friendship with Alina. I liked some of the new characters we meet as well, for example, Harshaw was an adorable little character and I loved his devotion to his pet cat, Oncat. And the Darkling remained ever the complex character that nicely symbolizes Alina's dark side. 

This novel was really epic, too. If I had to sum this book up in one word it would be epic, because it is! There were times during the book that I honestly felt like standing up and cheering because it was just so awesome. (But of course, I had to be content with mentally cheering. ((Which didn't keep a smile off my face.)) I found all the fight scenes to be action packed, and every plot twist tore my heart in two. 

I've honestly been so surprised by how much I've enjoyed this series. I truly expected to find these to be less than average, for all my reviews to be three stars, and for me to ultimately dislike them. I checked out the whole trilogy from the library, because that's how sure I was that I wouldn't enjoy them. However, that evidently was not true. And I must say that for a high fantasy series, it's really not all that hard to get into. It takes off running from the get-go. 

Would I recommend this book to you? Yes! A hundred yeses because it was really, truly great. I had so much fun reading this entire series, and I'm super excited to jump into Six of Crows and immerse myself back into this world that I've grown to love. A solid four stars to Ruin and Rising. 

See other reviews from this series:

Shadow and Bone

Siege and Storm

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Take me to a random post! 

Siege and Storm

Title: Siege and Storm (The Grisha Trilogy #2)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 432
Rating: 4 Stars
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Plagued with guilt for the lives she helped in taking on the fold, Alina finds herself sailing the true sea on an unknown ship. She begins to form friendships and alliances, but soon discovers that not everyone has been entirely truthful. All the while, she suffers from an uncontrollable connection to the Darkling, thanks to the collar she wears around her neck.

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With trilogies, I think many of us can agree that the second book tends to be the worst. I actually found that I liked Siege and Storm better than book one! My hopes are high for book three, and that it will be my favorite of all. I found this novel to be even more enjoyable, fast paced, and developed than Shadow and Bone. 

Of all the characters newly introduced in this novel, my favorite had to be Sturmhond, the captain of the ship Alina wakes up on. He was so witty, confident, snarky, and complex. I really enjoyed every interaction we got with his character. If you read my previous review of Shadow and Bone, you know that I really wasn't that big a fan of Mal. I have to say that that statement is still pretty much true. I liked him a little bit more, but honestly he's such an underdeveloped character. I feel like he has the potential to be so much more, for his friendship with Alina to become much stronger and prevalent- but he just kind of exists in the background and is annoying. I just can't bring myself to like him all that much. I am quite interested in the sibling duo we meet though- Tamar and Tolya. I feel like they'll have a bigger role in the next book.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It full of unexpected twists and awesome characters. I find the whole concept of the Grisha, and the political aspect to be very entertaining as well. I do love YA books with political conflict- and this is choke full of it. I feel like in lots of these books with two groups of people- the gifted and ungifted- the people with powers (so the Grisha in this trilogy) are automatically superior to the ungifted. However, it's not that black and white in this series. In some places, the Grisha are revered. In others, they are burned at the stake. Other than that, though, there's not much more for me to say. I would recommend this book to you if you're interested in continuing on with the series, and if you've yet to start it, what are you waiting for? It's a great high fantasy series that's fairly easy to get into and nicely paced!

Shadow and Bone

Title: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 356
Rating: 4 Stars
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Alina and Mal have been a duo since the two ended up in an orphanage around the age of 8. Some amount of years later, neither could imagine ever leaving the other. But, when Alina begins to show signs of being a Grisha, she's whisked away from Mal into the world of these gifted people, where the Darkling, the second most powerful man in the kingdom, takes a special interest in her.

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I truly do love going into books with low expectations, because I always seem to like them more than I thought I would. I've heard countless mediocre things about this trilogy, but I actually really enjoyed Shadow and Bone. High fantasy is always so fun to read. Sure it can be a bit of work, but starting a new high fantasy series is full of excitement and novelty. Learning all the new terms, laws, and customs is just so fresh and fun! 

So I did really like reading this book. I thought the plot was unique and new. Unlike plenty of fantasy novels, the main character, Alina, isn't really the chosen one. It's more complicated than that. Her position is the chosen one. Whoever is in her position becomes the one who's supposed to destroy the fold. It couldn't matter less whether it's Alina or not. Plus, the whole concept of her destroying the fold isn't quite so straightforward. And I feel like I prefer plots that aren't all black and white. When the conflict is more complex, more complicated, than bad guy/good guy or us against them, it's much more interesting to read, and allows for more plot twists. 

And I did like the characters. Alina is a good main character- she's not without flaws, but her intentions do seem to be good. Mal, I feel, you are supposed to like, but I'm honestly not that big a fan of. It bothered me how he never showed how appreciative he was of Alina until later on. She loves him so much, and he just kind of blows her off. I did, however, like the friendship Alina has with Genya, it's a really genuine, lovely female friendship. (And I'm a huge fan of genuine female friendships.) And finally, I want to give Bardugo her props for the character that is the Darkling. Of all her characters, the Darkling is the most complete, complex, and developed character. He's a complicated character, and complicated characters are the most realistic, in my opinion. 

If you're into a quickly paced, enjoyable, intelligent high fantasy novel, you should definitely give Shadow and Bone a try. I really liked it! (Now I'm going to go read Siege and Storm!)

The Retribution of Mara Dyer

Title: The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3)
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
Pages: 470
Rating: 3.5 Stars
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In this conclusion novel, Mara Dyer wakes up trapped in a research facility. Just as Dr. Kells attempts to kill her, Mara manages to escape with Stella and Jamie. The trio makes their way through the country, searching for answers to their many questions about who they are, and how they got to be in the state that they are. For they aren't just your average mental patients. No. This trio has special powers.

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I personally dislike it when the first two books in a series are actually pretty good, and then you get to the last book and it's all very underwhelming. Don't you? That's how this book was for me. I found a lot of it to be quite far fetched, and the rest simply to be filler stuff that didn't really come back into play the rest of the book. 

I won't spoil the book or anything, but the ending was so disjointed, and everything that went down simply didn't add up. None of it was credible. Plus, there were plenty of loose threads that never get tied up. It just wasn't a very good conclusion.

But the thing is, this book probably could've been a nice conclusion. You'd think with 470 pages the author would be able to wrap everything up and get the point across, but she really didn't. The whole beginning of the book was Mara being rather stupid and robot-like. She wasn't snarky, witty, or anything like the Mara we know and love. Then we get to the end, which is pretty much a series of conveniently easy and rather incredible events. There was a lot of this book that just A.) didn't need to happen or B.) shouldn't have been able to happen at all. 

Anyway, why don't we move onto why I gave this book a 3.5 star rating. For me, three stars means that the book was okay, and that I don't really lean either way with it. Anything lower than a three star means I didn't like it, anything higher than a three star means I at least somewhat enjoyed it. I gave The Retribution of Mara Dyer a 3.5 star rating because the whole trilogy, all and all, was good. When I look back at my experience of reading this trilogy, I look back at it positively. I feel like the final book deserves that half a star more. Plus, I did like Jamie's Harry Potter/ Hunger Games/ Lord of the Rings references. And to be fair, I did appreciate the last two pages of the book, and how they tied in to the very beginning of the first book. 

So would I recommend this book to you? Well, assuming you've actually read the first two books, yes. I would recommend you finish up this series. You've already invested in two books, you might as well see how it ends. Would I recommend this trilogy to you? Yes, I would. It's very unique, very new, and very fascinating. 

Other books in this series: 

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

The Evolution of Mara Dyer

Ready Player One

Title: Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 372
Rating: 4.5 Stars
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Living in the brutal world of 2044, Wade isn’t exactly content with his life. His parents dead, he lives with his indifferent aunt in the stacks, and his only escape is the OASIS. Wade isn’t the only one who loses himself in the Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation, which is essentially a simulation where the world works, attends school, shops, communicates, and lives. With greenhouse gases suffocating the atmosphere, pollution destroying food supplies, and litter spilling over the brims of landfills, most people prefer to enter the made up world created by multi-billionaire James Halliday and act like the world isn’t bursting at the seams. So, the economy in such disarray that people care more about the OASIS currency than the actual world’s money, James Halliday has succeeded in ensnaring the human race.  Wade had been convinced he’d be living with his aunt in a trailer park all his life, until one day, while he was watching TV, breaking news interrupted his show, announcing the death of the idolized James Halliday. But the breaking news wasn’t the death, it was the inheritance, and the fact that Halliday hadn’t left his billions of dollars to a single soul. Instead, he created a contest. James Halliday hid an easter egg deep within the depths of the OASIS, and the first person to find it would be granted his entire fortune. Five years later, Wade is still searching for this egg, and he isn’t any closer to finding it than anybody else.

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Whoops- long synopsis. Sorry! Anyway, this book is pretty darn powerful. It is a futuristic novel, and it definitely makes you think about where we're heading. The environment is completely destroyed; the supply of oil has dwindled down to a minimum, and the economy is so unbalanced that the credits used in the OASIS have more importance than actual money. Before I continue telling you how messed up the world is, let's just breeze through the OASIS.

The OASIS stands for the Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation. It's a mouthful, I know, but it essentially a simulator that allows you to immerse yourself in a virtual world where your senses still function. And the OASIS is where the world spends literally every last drop of its freetime. On the train going to work? Log on to the OASIS. Sitting down to eat at a restaurant? To the OASIS. Running early? Quickly jump on to the OASIS. Most students attend school on the OASIS, and many people work from home via the OASIS. I'm sure you can see some up sides to this- but the world has actually chosen to ignore all their problems by immersing themselves in a virtual world. They are choosing to ignore reality.

Ok but where does James Halliday fall into all of this? He's simply the creator of the OASIS. Yes, it is by his hands this monster was created. I'm sure you can guess how much money he's attained through this, as well. To put it simply, he's a multibillionaire. And then one day, James Halliday died. Oddly enough, he didn't leave his fortune to anyone. Not a single soul. Instead he launched a wild hunt for the egg that represented his billions of money, as well as control of the OASIS itself. So our main character, Wade, has dedicated his life to becoming a gunter. (A.K.A a person who hunts for the egg.)

But what did I think of this masterpiece of a novel? It was brilliant! I loved it! It really, truly touches on some important topics. And does show you how people are starting to think- how we're often turning to a world trapped in a device rather than the real one we have. How ignoring our problems never actually makes them go away- it just makes them less of a bothersome.

But not only are the deeper subjects beautifully incorporated- it was a good story! I was drawn in from the start, and after that I was never bored. There were so many unexpected twists and turns. It was just such a captivating, powerful story.

So really, if you haven't already read Ready Player One, add it to the TBR pile. Because you won't be disappointed.