Blog Tour: The Stand-In Boyfriend by Emma Doherty

[Review + Giveaway] Only A Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

[Blog Tour: Review] Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

 

 
   Title: Eliza and Her Monsters

   Author: Francesca Zappia

   Publisher: HarperCollins
   Release Date: May 30, 2017

   Goodreads | Amazon

Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of Monstrous Sea, a wildly popular webcomic, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she’s worked for begins to crumble.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, smart, and friendless. Online, Eliza is LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of a popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. With millions of followers and fans throughout the world, Eliza’s persona is popular. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves her digital community. Then Wallace Warland transfers to her school, and Eliza begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart. With pages from Eliza’s webcomic, as well as screenshots from Eliza’s online forums, this uniquely formatted book will appeal to fans of Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl.

 

You've ever had the feeling like you want to cry after reading a book? Not because it's terrible or there's an intense cliffhanger, but because it's just flat-out amazing? And when I say cry, I don't really mean quiet tears streaming down your cheeks either - I mean loud sobbing complete with that tightness in your chest. And you don't want to cry just because you enjoyed the book either - rather, it's also because you find yourself relating so much to the main character. Well, folks, this all is how I feel about Eliza and Her Monsters.

The plot of Eliza and Her Monsters is pretty straightforward - high school senior Eliza is LadyConstellation, the creator of wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea (thus making her someone famous in the interwebs), but in school, she has become a master of keeping her head down, and making herself invisible around her peers. A tale of opposites, if I do say so myself. Also, other than Eliza's family, no one knows that she creates this comic and this story that has millions of fans because Eliza keeps her two worlds separate. This notion however gets challenged when Eliza meets Wallace, a transfer student who is a Monstrous Sea fan, and who quickly becomes her friend... and something more.

I feel like Eliza's story is something most of us living in the 21st century can relate to, with keeping your online activities separate from your day to day life. I don't think it's as pronounced now in 2017 as it was 15 years ago, but back then, practically no one on forums and communities you are a member of know what your real name is. You are known by your username, and while your username can be traced to to a blog, that one doesn't have your name either. The only people who know are those you consider your friends, and not just people you talk to every now and then on the forums. I remember being especially meticulous about this when I was younger - I wasn't a BNF (big name fan) by any means, but there were only a handful of people whom I met online who both know my username and who I also text or email. It's the same way that only people I consider good friends know my mobile number and my address. It's about being private and careful about personal details. I really understood where Eliza was coming from, and I related to her from the get go.

Another recurring plot line in Eliza and Her Monsters is how her parents may know about Monstrous Sea and her online life, they don't really understand it, and I would go as far as to say that they didn't try to understand it either. They're always encouraging Eliza to live in the real world, to play outside, and to spend more time with her family without the presence of her sketchpad or her smartphone. I get why they're concerned, and I do think that some of their worrying is valid, but I do believe that this is the generation gap rearing its head. Eliza's parents believe that she has no friends, and despite Eliza constantly telling them about her two best friends whom she met online, Max and Emmy, her parents don't consider the two Eliza's 'real' friends. This is something that really frustrated me. In our world today, we talk to most of our friends all over the world via different apps, so it really bothers me that there are people who don't think that people you meet on the internet are 'real' just because you don't bump into them when you're walking your dog or whatever. Eliza's parents' hearts are in the right place, however, and I like how they gradually started communicating with Eliza and actually getting to know who she is and what she does instead of subconsciously judging.

We have a handful of characters in the book, but the two I connected to the most are Eliza and Wallace. I truly feel like I've gone through what Eliza went through in the book (though I'm nowhere near a creator of something that has millions of fans) because I was immersed in fandom from a very early age. I also loved reading about how both Eliza and Wallace used fandom to help them through both everyday life and tragedy because I have done the same. Fandom is an important part of life for many people, and it truly was a pleasure to read about two people who feel the exact same way. From reading the blurb alone you know what's going to happen well into the book and to whom it will bring tension to, and reading how Eliza and Wallace's relationship progressed was elating, pain-inducing, relaxing, and frustrating at different points, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

I have yet to find a book that I've read this year that I have related to so much. This is YA at its best, and Francesca Zappia has made me a fan of hers for life. I recommend this book to everyone who has ever been in a fandom, and anyone who enjoys a good book, really. Oh, and if you're a fan of beautiful drawings? This book is for you.

Rating: 5 Stars

[Blog Tour: Review] Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse

 
Title: Seven Days of You

Author: Cecilia Vinesse

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 7, 2017

Goodreads
Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | TBD | iTunes

Sophia has seven days left in Tokyo before she moves back to the States. Seven days to say good-bye to the electric city, her wild best friend, and the boy she’s harbored a semi-secret crush on for years. Seven perfect days…until Jamie Foster-Collins moves back to Japan and ruins everything.

Jamie and Sophia have a history of heartbreak, and the last thing Sophia wants is for him to steal her leaving thunder with his stupid arriving thunder. Yet as the week counts down, the relationships she thought were stable begin to explode around her. And Jamie is the one who helps her pick up the pieces. Sophia is forced to admit she may have misjudged Jamie, but can their seven short days of Tokyo adventures end in anything but good-bye?

 

Seven Days of You has a simple premise - Sophia is about to leave Tokyo for good in seven days, and in those seven days, the boy she doesn't like thinking about - the boy she has all these unresolved issues with - will be coming home to Tokyo for good. As much as she would like to avoid Jamie until she leaves, it's clear from the get go that everything she knows will change during these seven days.

This book is such a quick, easy read - I finished it in one sitting, and I don't recall myself being bored at any part of the story. One particular aspect that I loved is that the writing is authentic. Throughout the entire novel, Sophia went through so much emotionally, and the writing reflects that. Her confusion, her elation, her anger, her disappointment - you feel all of them through every word. I really like that this story isn't just about Sophia and Jamie, and not just Sophia and circle of friends. A large part of the story, rather, focuses on Sophia and how her notion of home. For the most part of the book, Sophia considers home to be the permanent place that she lives in. It was engrossing to read how Sophia's perspective slowly but surely changed, and I like how it was her sister who helped her see what's she hasn't been seeing all these years.

The dynamics of Sophia's circle of friends was also interesting - albeit a little frustrating. Both Mika and David see Sophia - or "Sofa" - as a little girl who knows nothing, and while it's only during the events of the novel that all of Sofia's resentment explodes, it clearly has been building for a long time. The friendship between the three is full of tension, secrets, and hidden feelings, and was what made this book a compelling read, and Jamie returning only pushes everyone to his or her tipping point.

A section of the book primarily focused on Jamie and Sophia setting things straight and renewing their friendship, and exploring what might have been... or what was always there, and this was another part of the story that I really liked reading. I liked Jamie's character, and how kind, open and honest he was to Sophia. Sure, there was a bit of push and pull, but he was always there to help Sophia whenever she needed him the most.

I know that the story is set in Tokyo, but I have to say that it didn't feel that way to me. I know that a lot of famous places, buildings and what-nots were mentioned, but I feel like that deterred from the story instead. It really felt like a first-time tourist in Japan was our main character. I never got the feeling that Sophia lived in Tokyo for years - rather, I felt like she was a tourist, ticking places off her check list, and not going to the places that she actually frequents. Tokyo wasn't a convincing setting - take out all the places that Sofia or the people around her name drop, and she could be anywhere else. Moreover, I can't help but be surprised that there aren't a lot of Japanese characters in the story, given that the entire book takes place in Tokyo.

All in all, I enjoyed Seven Days of You and the different relationships that were explored, and I feel that this its strongest asset.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

 
Title: Nevernight
Author: Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: August 11, 2016

Goodreads

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

 

To be perfectly honest, I haven't cracked open a book in months. Nope, I'm not exaggerating. Months. MONTHS. And it's not just your regular slump either. The main reason why I haven't been able to bring myself to read is... well... life (the past two months have just been crazy!)... but there's a also the fact that I haven't been able to find a book that has successfully piqued my interest.

And then enter Nevernight.

You see, I have a lot of friends who adore Jay Kristoff, his Stormdancer series, and EVEN MORE friends who can't get enough of Illuminae. Me? Well... I have yet to read a Jay Kristoff novel. So there was a lot of curiosity with this one - one of the most hyped books of 2016, and an author that so many people are a huge fan of. If you happen to read my blog regularly, you should know by now that I'm one of those reviewers who always, always checks out the hype.

So. What did I think?

Heh. Read on. (You didn't think I was going to summarize what I thought in one sentence, did you??? Come oonnnnn!)

First things first (and I noticed that practically all bloggers say the same) - the writing of Nevernight is a wee bit intense. Intense in the sense that it's just a bit too flowery, a bit too melodramatic, and a tad too wordy. And hey, this is coming from someone who loves Cassandra Clare's writing! I honestly couldn't help but feel overwhelmed at the beginning - there's just too many metaphors! So, was the writing a DNF factor for me? Nope. The writing was indeed jarring at first, but as I read on, I got used to it. It  became part of the magic.

Um and okay how brilliant was the beginning? That whole compare-and-contrast that basically set up the entire book? Amazing, wasn't it? (As much as I would like to talk about it, I can't. Spoilerrrrr!)

Also, Nevernight is one of those YA books that is not quite like the YA that we're used to - this book is DARK. There are a whole bunch of graphic scenes, violent scenes, but don't worry - they're not out of place, and they're not there just to shock you. I do think that the dark overtones worked - I mean come on, how can a book be about an assassin if it's all fun and games?

Mia. Mia Mia Mia. I was prepared not to like our main character just because she clearly has a chip on her shoulder (I mean she did watch her father die in front of her) and because she's a freaking assassin but hey guess what? She's not that different from you and me, and she makes do with what she has. Sooo I did end up liking her, and rooting for her. Also, it took a while for the plot to unfold, but damn - once it did... the twists and turns are enough to take your breath away!

All in all, I do understand why some people didn't like Nevernight, but hey, between you and me, give the book a shot. Read it until you get the writing, and then allow the story to engulf you. You won't regret it.

Rating: 4 Stars

[Blog Tour: Review] Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

 
Title: Tell Me Three Things
Author: Julie Buxbaum
Publisher: Delacorte Press

Buy from: Fully Booked 

ISBN: 9780399552939
Release Date: April 5, 2016

Goodreads

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

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

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

Okay. Wow. I literally just stopped reading Tell Me Three Things about ten minutes ago and I still have this ridiculously huge grin on my face! (And I really don't think that it will be disappearing any time soon...) There were actually parts wherein I had to stop and pause because FEELINGS and I needed a squealing break! I've come into this book expecting A LOT - I've yet to encounter someone who didn't like it, after all - and boy, oh boy... my expectations were exceeded BIG TIME. Yes folks, Tell Me Three Things is THAT GOOD. I've been stuck in a reading slump for maybe one to two weeks now and for a book to make me feel so much is just the best feeling IN THE WORLD.

So many all caps. Sorry for that. But let me back up a bit...

The premise of Tell Me Three Things is relatively simple - Jessie and her father move to LA to live with her new stepmother (whom her father eloped with with no prior notice whatsoever) and stepbrother, and after a few days at her new school, Jessie receives an email from someone called Somebody Nobody - SN - who offers to help her navigate the murky waters of high school. Jessie is initially unsure if she should accept help from someone she doesn't even know, but a after a particularly tough day, she gives in, emails SN back, and they start to forge a friendship that quickly becomes a constant in Jessie's new life.

Most contemporaries these days tend to be more on the heavy side, but what immediately drew me to Tell Me Three Things is that while it tackles serious issues, it didn't lose this freshness and lightness that made it a quick read that is so easy to lose yourself into. Let me elaborate - Tell Me Three Things is not just about Jessie dealing with her mother's death, her father's sudden marriage, or her moving to a completely different city - it also explores how she finds herself in this new city, both her old and new friendships, and the mystery of who SN really is. Tell Me Three Things has plot points that have either light or heavy undertones, but instead of overpowering each other, they complemented each other perfectly. Buxbaum was able to brilliantly juggle the different aspects of the novel brilliantly; she was able to form a coherent story that is engaging from start to finish.

At the heart of it all, Tell Me Three Things is largely about Jessie picking up the pieces of her own life, and learning how to move forward. The death of her mother is something that she can't completely wrap her mind around, and her father, consumed by his own grief - hasn't been able to support and comfort her when she needed him the most. You can't help but empathize with Jessie for all that she has gone through, and all that she is going through. Her relationship with her father is practically non-existent, and she's not entirely comfortable with her stepmother either. As if all that is not bad enough, some classmates at school have also made it their mission to make life terrible for Jessie. But you know what? She may not see it or believe it, but Jessie is one heck of a strong girl. Her tenacity - her will and determination - allow her to keep on getting up even when life hasn't exactly been easy, and to say that I rooted for her is one massive understatement. Jessie has fast become one of my favorite YA heroines simply because she is both so relateable and unique!

Another selling point of Tell Me Three Things is how Buxbaum took great care in exploring the different relationships that she introduced. There's Jessie's relationship with her father and her stepmother, as well as her relationship with her stepbrother, Theo, which personally quickly became one of my favorites from the novel, and her friendship slash romance with SN. Another laurel in Buxbaum's cap is how she was able to depict healthy (complete with unwavering support and unavoidable misunderstandings) and realistic friendships between young girls (which I find has been missing in contemporary YA lately). I loved reading through Jessie's IMs with Scar, her best friend, and her budding friendships with Dri and Agnes.

Ah, but of course, how can we not talk about the romance? Because that was also one of the best things about Tell Me Three Things! There's the thing between Jessie and SN that I mentioned a while back, and Jessie also has tell-tale interactions with Ethan, her partner in English, and Liam, the son of the owner of the book shop she works at. And then there's also Caleb! I wasn't only hooked with the story and Jessie's character growth - at the back of my mind, I feel like I was also doing my damned hardest in trying to figure out who SN is (and I enjoyed every minute of it!)

All in all, I LOVED Tell Me Three Things. It has all the components I look for in my contemporary reads - it has both lightness and depth, and its main character is someone whom I adored from start to finish. The characters all feel authentic and genuine, and the writing just flows. I already know that this is a book that I will read again, just like I know that Tell Me Three Things is on my list of my favorite contemporaries of ALL TIME.

Rating: 5 Stars

[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] The Natural History of Us by Rachel Harris

 
Title: The Natural History of Us
Author: Rachel Harris
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Source: eARC for review
Release Date: April 5, 2016

Goodreads
Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

One class assignment. One second chance at love. The school player is all in. Now he needs to win back the sweet commitment girl who's forever owned his heart.

Justin Carter has a secret. He's not the total player Fairfield Academy believes him to be. Not really. In fact, he used to be a one-woman guy...and his feelings for her never went away. Too bad he broke her heart three years ago and made sure to ruin any chance she'd ever forgive him.

Peyton Williams is a liar. She pretends to be whole, counting down the days until graduation and helping her parents at the family ranch. But the truth is, she's done everything she can to get over Justin, and salvation is just around the corner. With graduation one short month away, she'll soon break free from the painful memories and start her life fresh. Of course, she has to get through working with him on one last assignment first.

For Justin, nothing ever felt as right as being with Peyton, and now that fate's given him a shot at redemption, he's determined to make the most of it. And for Peyton...well, Justin Carter has always been her kryptonite.

Rachel's one of the first YA authors I got to interact online with - I adored both My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century and The Fine Art of Pretending, and when I saw that Rachel has another YA set to be released this year, I knew that I had to get my hands on it!

The Natural History of Us is the companion book of The Fine Art of Pretending, and its male MC, Justin, had a pretty big role in the aforementioned book. While you can read The Natural History of Us as a stand-alone, I would recommend that you read The Fine Art of Pretending first. It will allow you to familiarize yourself with the world of these characters, and at the same time, it will give you the chance to know Justin better. Justin was one my favorite characters from The Fine Art of Pretending, and finding out that we would get to read his story made me thrilled beyond belief! Also, a second chance romance? SOLD.

Justin was introduced in The Fine Art of Pretending as your quintessential bigger-than-life jock - he's cool and confident, and he couldn't be bothered with serious relationships with girls. He does end up getting knocked down a peg or two when things don't exactly go his way with a girl, and that, I believe, sets up The Natural History of Us perfectly. Graduation is around the corner, and when Justin is partnered with Peyton - the only girl he has ever had a serious relationship with, and also the exact same girl whose heart he has irrevocably broken - he grabs the chance to set things right, and to try again with the one girl he has never forgotten.

Peyton, meanwhile, has steered cleared of Justin for the past three years. To say that she is not pleased at being partnered with Justin for this final assignment is an understatement. A lot has changed in Peyton since she and Justin broke up, and Justin quickly realizes that he needs gets to know her once more, just like he did during their freshman year. Through flashbacks of the times Peyton and Justin were together, we find out that Peyton previously suffered from a rare illness, and this is what makes her willing to always take life by the horns. Some time after Peyton and Justin's break up, however, Peyton suffers from a riding accident, and as a result, she's a bit more apprehensive, and even a little scared. She now lets fear dictate what she should do, as opposed to who she was before. Justin gets to know this new Peyton, and at the same time, he does what he can to support her.

I'm not saying that the way Justin treated Peyton in the past was not horrible and callous, because it was. However, I have seen that Justin has matured and changed for the better. As I mentioned earlier, this was spurred in part by what happened between him and Aly in The Fine Art of Pretending, and I can't blame him for wanting Peyton back again in his life. Also, it is so apparent from the beginning that Justin and Peyton bring out the best in each other - when the people in Peyton's life hold her back, Justin believes in her and her capabilities. Peyton also never sees Justin just as some cocky jock, she knows and realized that there is more to him that meets the eye. Their interactions never failed to make me smile while reading the book, and I was rooting for them to work through their issues - which they did - and to give what they clearly still have between them another shot.

All in all, The Natural History of Us was just the light read I was looking for. While it was a sweet and fun read, it also had just the right amount of angst and depth to keep me on the edge of my seat. The book was also told in dual timelines and dual POVs to flesh out the story more, and while I would agree that these aspects made the book it was, the were still moments wherein I had trouble keeping track of what timeline I was in. Nevertheless, what I learned about Peyton and Justin I loved, and I finished The Natural History of Us with one big smile on my face.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

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[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

 
Title: Walk the Edge (Thunder Road #2)
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Source: eARC for review
Release Date: March 29, 2016

Goodreads
Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Indiebound
Katie's Website | Katie's Twitter

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here

Wow. Wow wow wow. First thought after finishing Walk the Edge? I've forgotten just how good of a writer Katie McGarry is. Second thought? Nowhere but Here is a strong book and a great beginning of a series (and if you know me there's a good chance that I have raved about it to you), but Walk the Edge blows it completely out of the water. Yes, folks - it's THAT good. I myself was shocked at how quickly this book drew me in - it was such a quick read for me (mainly because I couldn't make myself stop no matter what), and I was able to finish it in one sitting. The words flowed, and it was so easy to lose myself in Breanna and Razor's story. Third thought? Heck, what did I expect? This IS Katie McGarry - author of Pushing the Limits - after all!

To sum it all up? This is a book that you need.

While reading Nowhere but Here, I always thought that we would get Chevy's story next, so color me surprised when I saw a sneak peek at Razor's story instead. Why is this, you may ask? Well, if you read Nowhere but Here, you would know that Razor has always been painted as young man who is very much troubled, and even a little bit unhinged. This was a character who has already experienced so much in life despite his young age, and he didn't seem like the heroes we always see in YA. I honestly didn't think that we would get the chance to explore his character; I thought McGarry would be content for him to remain in the background - an integral but small part of the series - but damn, I couldn't be more wrong. McGarry challenged herself and her writing in telling us a story about such a damaged character who is fifty shades of imperfect and who is beyond flawed... and kicked ass in doing so.

One of McGarry's strong suits has always been her unflinching portrayal of all sorts of filial relationships, and we get those in droves in Walk the Edge. Breanna, our female MC, is the middle child in a large family, and she has never felt at home with her parents and siblings. Her eldest sister treats her with thinly-veiled contempt, and she doesn't exactly have close relationships with the rest of her siblings either. Her parents already feel stretched thin with all that they have to do, and they're not exactly able to provide the emotional support that Breanna badly needs. It was difficult to read about Breanna's situation - you can't help but have a lump in you throat when you see how callously her siblings treat her, and how her parents seem to take her for granted. She can't count on their help and support, and all these was just so heartbreaking to read. What's even more sad about it all is that you know that Breanna's suggestion is not unique - this is a situation that a lot of people find or have found themselves in.

Meanwhile, our male MC, Razor, doesn't have the easiest of relationships with his father either. His mother passed away a few years ago, and the talk of the town is that she chose to take her own life because of how miserable she was. Razor's father seemingly starts a new relationship, and Razor doesn't stomach this is so easily either. Add in the fact that new evidence has recently come to light that Razor's mother may have been murdered by the rival motorcycle club, and shit basically hits the fan. Razor feels like his father is not honest enough with him, and as a result, their relationship suffers under the strain of the secrets of the past. Reading through Razor and his father's interactions was heartwrenching, to say the least. Here you have Razor who just wants his father to talk to him, and he can't even have that. McGarry did an amazing job in exploring the nooks and crannies of Breanna and Razor's relationships with their families, proving time and time again what a multi-faceted author she is.

I also loved how McGarry took her time in building and developing the romance between Breanna and Razor - before anything else, they are friends, and they don't lose that throughout the course of the book. When Breanna becomes the victim of blackmail and cyberbullying, it's Razor she leans on, and it's Razor she asks for help. Razor stands by Breanna when she most needs it, and he exerts his utmost effort in helping her. While yes, the attraction was there during their first meeting, the fact that everything came after was thoroughly explored and not rushed made you root for Breanna and Razor - at the end of the day you just want them to be happy! They sooo deserve to be happy!

All in all, I can't say it enough - I am blown away at how McGarry has outdone herself. I didn't think it would be possible for a book to even equal Pushing the Limits in my heart (I love Noah and Echo oh so much), but Walk the Edge has done just that. Not only has McGarry created two characters that will have captured your heart from the get go, she also tackled the concept of cyberbullying astoundingly and respectfully. I honestly can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Rating: 5 Stars

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[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] Remembrance by Meg Cabot

(Check out the rest of the tour stops HERE!)

 
Title: Remembrance (The Mediator #7)

Author: Meg Cabot
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: February 2, 2016

Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes and Noble

You can take the boy out of the darkness.

But you can’t take the darkness out of the boy.

All Susannah Simon wants is to make a good impression at her first job since graduating from college (and since becoming engaged to Dr. Jesse de Silva).

But when she’s hired as a guidance counselor at her alma mater, she stumbles across a decade-old murder, and soon ancient history isn’t all that’s coming back to haunt her. Old ghosts as well as new ones are coming out of the woodwork, some to test her, some to vex her, and it isn’t only because she’s a mediator, gifted with second sight.

From a sophomore haunted by the murderous specter of a child, to ghosts of a very different kind—including Paul Slater, Suze’s ex, who shows up to make a bargain Suze is certain must have come from the Devil himself—Suze isn’t sure she’ll make it through the semester, let alone to her wedding night.

Suze is used to striking first and asking questions later. But what happens when ghosts from her past—including one she found nearly impossible to resist—strike first?

What happens when old ghosts come back to haunt you?

If you’re a mediator, you might have to kick a little ass.

[Blog Tour: Review] Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit

 
Title: Anna and the Swallow Man
Author: Gavriel Savit
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: January 26, 2016

ISBN: 9780399553042
Goodreads

Kraków, 1939. A million marching soldiers and a thousand barking dogs. This is no place to grow up. Anna Łania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father, a linguistics professor, during their purge of intellectuals in Poland. She’s alone.

And then Anna meets the Swallow Man. He is a mystery, strange and tall, a skilled deceiver with more than a little magic up his sleeve. And when the soldiers in the streets look at him, they see what he wants them to see.

The Swallow Man is not Anna’s father—she knows that very well—but she also knows that, like her father, he’s in danger of being taken, and like her father, he has a gift for languages: Polish, Russian, German, Yiddish, even Bird. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced. She follows him into the wilderness.

Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man will dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgment, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous. Even the Swallow Man.

I don't usually read Middle Grade books, but upon seeing the blurb for Anna and the Swallow Man, how could I not give this one book a shot? The blurb is short, simple, and sweet - one day, seven-year-old Anna's father left for the day... and he never came back. Wait... what!? I know, right!? How can you NOT be intrigued? How on earth can you not even be the littlest curious as to what happened to Anna's father... and most importantly, to what will now become of Anna? Also, I was a bit surprised to find out that this book was marketed towards young adults (and even as a YA book) even though the main character is seven. Hmmm... makes you wonder, right? And well, once my curiosity was piqued... well, I had to satisfy the damn thing.

We get right to the thick of the story from the beginning - the first few pages describe Anna's father, their relationship, and ultimatlely him leaving her for a while. It didn't take long for Anna to realize that her father wasn't coming back, and she had no one to care for her. Simply put, she had no one. This all changes when one day, Anna comes across a gentleman that enthralls her.  She follows him, and soon enough, the two travel together. This gentleman never reveals his name to Anna - rather, he asks her to call him Swallow Man, and at the same time, for her to not use hers unless the two of them are alone. Journeying together for years, the Swallow Man teaches Anna how to live without her father, how to fend for herself, and how to survive.

To be completely honest about it, Anna and the Swallow Man is a confusing book to read. More often than not, I feel like there were two Lyras reading the book - one Lyra who appreciates the beautiful prose and writing and just reads along; and one Lyra who sees every sentence as a metaphor and a hint of what terrible thing is to come as the story progresses. It was hard not to feel this way - while the book was told through the eyes of young Anna and we are more often than not engulfed in her naivety, there were also times wherein there were snippets that gave us a peek of how things really were. After all, Anna and the Swallow Man is not just a story of little Anna losing her father and journeying with her new friend - it's also a story of war.

What I appreciated the most about Anna and the Swallow Man is that while the war is definitely an aspect of the story, it didn't overpower the other facets of the novel. At the heart of the book is still Anna growing, maturing, and starting to see the world as it really is. Little by little, the layers of Anna's innocence are peeled away, and we start to understand Anna as a character. As early as the first page of the novel, a recurring theme of Anna and the Swallow Man is Anna trying to figure out who she is amidst all the lying she has to do in order to survive, and amidst the chaos that has continuously threatened the peace that she once knew.

Easily the most intriguing character of Anna and the Swallow Man is the Swallow Man. We have no idea who he is, and what we know of him, we only know because of Anna. We only see the parts of him that Anna sees, though of course there are those tantalizing all-knowing snippets that I mentioned earlier that hint at something more. The Swallow Man is the chameleon of all chameleons - he can be anyone he wants to be, and he's a master of making people see only what he wants them to see. I understand why Anna found him so fascinating in the first place, and why she's ready to follow him wherever. (I won't lie though - I need to learn MORE about the Swallow Man!)

As I have mentioned earlier, there is something so hauntingly beautiful about how this book was written. The prose is captivating, and while it was hard to wrap my head around it at first, I couldn't get enough of it in no time. Savit is an incredibly talented wordsmith - he says so much in one sentence, and he has no problem painting a picture of what he wants you to imagine. I've also touched upon this before - I think it takes a great deal of talent to be able to tell a story set in war without the war overpowering the other themes of the story. Instead of overshadowing Anna, the war instead complemented her character growth.

People say all the time that sometimes, it's not about the destination, but rather, about the journey. I know you see where I'm going with this... but yes, I do this that this the case with this book. Anna and the Swallow Man travel together for two years with no clear destination in sight, and we see how much they grow and change during this time. While the ending may be a bit perplexing, try to instead focus on how the Swallow Man - and most especially Anna - arrived at that point. At the end of all, Anna's new beginning on the last page just might be the closure - the ending - that she (and maybe we) needed.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

[Blog Tour: Review] Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling

 
Title: Why Not Me
Author: Mindy Kaling
Publisher: Crown Archetype
ISBN: 9781101905579
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Goodreads
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Buy from Fully Booked

In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it’s falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you’re constantly reminded that no one looks like you.

In “How to Look Spectacular: A Starlet’s Confessions,” Kaling gives her tongue-in-cheek secrets for surefire on-camera beauty, (“Your natural hair color may be appropriate for your skin tone, but this isn’t the land of appropriate–this is Hollywood, baby. Out here, a dark-skinned woman’s traditional hair color is honey blonde.”) “Player” tells the story of Kaling being seduced and dumped by a female friend in L.A. (“I had been replaced by a younger model. And now they had matching bangs.”) In “Unlikely Leading Lady,” she muses on America’s fixation with the weight of actresses, (“Most women we see onscreen are either so thin that they’re walking clavicles or so huge that their only scenes involve them breaking furniture.”) And in “Soup Snakes,” Kaling spills some secrets on her relationship with her ex-boyfriend and close friend, B.J. Novak (“I will freely admit: my relationship with B.J. Novak is weird as hell.”)

Mindy turns the anxieties, the glamour, and the celebrations of her second coming-of-age into a laugh-out-loud funny collection of essays that anyone who’s ever been at a turning point in their life or career can relate to. And those who’ve never been at a turning point can skip to the parts where she talks about meeting Bradley Cooper.

I haven't watched a single episode of The Office or The Mindy Project, but I feel like I've kind of always known who Mindy Kaling is. I often see her tweets retweeted on my timeline, and snippets of her interviews shared all over Tumblr, and I find myself saying 'Heck yeah! You got it right, girl!'. I've always found her... well... perfectly imperfect. Relateable. A role model. She knows when to crack jokes, and she knows when to stand up for something important. Also, I've found it extremely difficult to not pay attention to something that comes out of Mindy's mouth - she oozes confidence, and she is just hilarious! It may be weird for some that I consider myself Mindy's fan even though I have never seen her act, but simply put, that's what I am. I couldn't be more excited to read and review Why Not Me (which I finished in one sitting - yes, it's THAT good) and share my thoughts with you all!

Usually, my reviews are pretty straightforward - in paragraph form, I talk about the characters, the plot, what I liked and what I disliked, but for my review of Why Not Me, I'm going to do a little something different. I listed down my favorite quotes from my favorite parts of the book (oh and believe me - there were A LOT, but I managed to pick just a few), and I'll talk about how I was able to relate to Mindy at that point in her life. (I keep fangirling but I adore how relateable Mindy is! Never mind that she's famous and a celebrity and I'm.. well... not... but she gets me! She really does!) So without further ado, here I go!

 "Because talking about looks isn't important. It's just supposed to be fun."

Yes. YES YES YES. I feel like a lot of people have forgotten that fashion is supposed to be FUN, and that it's a way for people to express themselves. It shouldn't be a way for people to sneer at each other; it shouldn't be a means for people to look down on each other... and Mindy GETS that. Fashion is supposed to make you feel better about yourself - it sure as hell should not make you feel horrible about who you are, and how you look.

"Until I realized: this long expanse of free time to rekindle friendships is not real. We will never come home to each other again and we will never have each other's undivided attention. That version of our friendship is over forever."

"It's traumatizing to think that a best friend could become just a friend. That's because there is virtually no difference between an acquaintance and a friend. But the gulf between a friend and a best friend is enormous and profound."

Ahh... now this is something I really can relate to. I graduated from high school six years ago, and back then, I was always so sure that all of my friends then would be the people I'd grow old with. Things got a little bit harder when the day for us to start college arrived - we were all in different schools, studying different things, and we didn't get to see each other everyday. It was so easy to say "Don't worry about it - we'll see each other next weekend!", but next thing I know, 'next weekend' never came. Now, we're all adults out in the real world, and I've come to realize that we will never be the same friends we were in high school. I couldn't help but tear up when I read this bit, because I always thought that I have all the time in the world to rekindle friendships, but I don't. Some of those ships have already sailed, and some people whom I consider really good friends are now just acquaintances. Heartbreaking but true.

"But as any woman reading this will attest to, there are not many relationships more powerful that that of two women who fall fast and deep into a friendship. It was heartbreaking to be loved and left."

Easily one of my favorite parts of Why Not Me is the part where Mindy talks about her friendship with her ex-BFF, Greta. They fall fast and hard into a friendship, and I'm sure so many women will agree with me here, we've all had that friendship before. The one where we thought that we've found that girl who gets the person we are now. The one who introduces us to new things; the one who we are kind of in awe of; the one we couldn't get enough of. And one day... she's gone. She's moved on, and we're left to pick up the pieces.

"Sometimes a story just needs an ending, and I used to not be a creative enough person to think of an ending to a romantic story that isn't a wedding or death. .... I could have made fireworks, but I chose to make a nuanced memory of a person who is neither a hero nor a villain in my life."

Will. WILL WILL WILL. I CANNOT be the only one who googled 'Mindy Kaling White House' after reading Why Not Me because DAMN IT her whole fling with the mysterious Will, a White House aide, is what romantic novels are made of. I was giggling, (even squealing sometimes), and I loved when Mindy talked about how she and the writers of The Mindy Project used to discuss her budding romance. She also talked us through the highs and lows of the pseudo-relationship, and how hot and cold Will was. One minute he seemed really into her... and then poof - looks like he isn't after all. Mindy explores how her own feelings changed as a result (with me furiously nodding in the background and saying 'you go, girl!').

"Confidence is just entitlement. ... But entitlement in and of itself isn't so bad. Entitlement is simply the belief that you deserve something. Which is great. The hard part is, you'd better make sure you deserve it."

This is the BEST advice ever. Like if people come up to me asking for advice, THIS is what I will say (I will credit Mindy though, don't worry!). Recently people always associate confidence with arrogance, but sometimes that isn't the case. If you know you've worked your ass off and you produced great results, why on earth won't you be confident about it? I love how Mindy takes care to point out that you HAVE to work hard though - you can't just feel entitled simply because your parents are rich, or whatever. If there's anything I learned about Mindy while reading Why Not Me, it's how ridiculously hard she works. Her schedule is INSANE!

"People do not get scared when you're failing. It calms them. ... But when you're winning, it makes them feel like they're losing, or, worse yet, that maybe they should've tried to do something too, but now it's too late. And since they didn't, they want to stop you. You can't let them."

There are a lot of nuggets of wisdom in Why Not Me, but if you can make yourself remember only one thing about it, make sure it's this one right here. I had to pause for a moment after reading this part because I was blown away by how true it was, and I thus felt immediately saddened after. People are always so eager to criticize the accomplishments of others, and I myself remember how many times I would end up with the wind knocked out of my sails after people around me casually put down what I have achieved. Such a crazy world we live in, isn't it? But true to what Mindy says, we have to stand tall, and continue pushing forward. We can't let these naysayers stop us.

If it's not obvious from the incredibly long essay above, I enjoyed every page of Why Not Me. This is not one of those autobiographies where the author seemingly just preaches and preaches; rather, this is Mindy telling you about her life, what she has learned so far, and what she hopes you can learn from her. She may have been previously obsessed with getting people to like her, but now, she just wants us to know her. The real her. She makes you laugh out loud with her anecdotes, and at the turn of a page, she has you a little melancholy with her realizations about life. I honestly felt like I was chit-chatting with a friend while reading - that's how personal Mindy's writing was!

If I had to pick my favorite parts of Why Not Me, I would have to go with the chapter about Greta, the chapter about Will, the chapter where Mindy explains her relationship with BJ Novak, and finally, the chapter where Mindy imagines what her life would have been like had she not moved to LA and instead become a Latin Studies teacher. (Damn - Mindy is a genius. She even managed to add a little bit of fiction in her autobiography! How cool is that!?) Anyway, again, like it isn't obvious enough, if you're a fan of Mindy's, this book is for you. Heck, even if you're not a fan of Mindy's, this book is still for you!

Rating: 5 Stars

[Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway] Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Goodreads

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they'll retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night will lead them to friends and family, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

This new must-read novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that must be made when life and love lead in different directions.

EXCERPT:

When Aidan opens the door, Clare rises onto her tiptoes to kiss him, and for a moment, it feels like any other night.

"Hi," she says, once she's stepped back again, and he smiles.

"Hi."

They stare at each other for a few long seconds, neither quite sure how to begin.

"So," Clare says eventually.

Aidan attempts a smile. "So."

"I guess this is it."

He nods. "I guess it is."

"The last night," she says, and he tilts his head at her.

"You know it doesn't have to be."

"Aidan. . ."

"I know, I know," he says, holding up his hands. "But you can't really blame me, right? I've still got a little bit of time to change your mind."

"Only twelve hours," she says, glancing at her watch. "I can't believe that's all we have left."

"And that's only if we don't sleep."

“We're definitely not wasting any time on sleep,” she tells him, pulling a folded piece of notebook paper from the pocket of her dress. “We have way too much to do.”

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[Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway] Jesse's Girl by Miranda Kenneally

Title: Jesse's Girl
Author: Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Indigo | iTunes

Practice Makes Perfect.

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

EXCERPT:  

As much as I love music, I am generally not a fan of country. I don’t like banjos. I don’t like sappy lyrics about trucks and hauling hay. Dolly Parton is my mortal enemy—my mom plays “Jolene” over and over and over and over, and it makes me want to chop my ears off like van Gogh. Yeah, yeah, I’m from Tennessee, where it’s a crime if you don’t love country, but I like deep, rumbling beats and singing loud and fast and hard. I do not like closing my eyes and crooning to a cow in the pasture. Yet here I am at a Jesse Scott concert, getting ready to meet him and to see if he’ll let me shadow him next Friday.

My school requires every senior to “shadow” a professional for a day. It’s their way of helping us figure out what kind of career we want. Like, if you want to be president when you grow up, you might get to shadow the mayor. Want to be a chef? Have fun kneading dough at the Donut Palace. When I said “I want to be a musician,” I figured they’d send me to work in the electronics section at Walmart.

I certainly never expected to shadow the king of country music.

It turns out that Jesse Scott is my principal’s nephew. Jesse won TV’s Wannabe Rocker when he was ten and has gone on to become very successful. In sixth grade, every girl in class—myself included—took the Teen Beat quiz: “Would Jesse Scott Like Your Kissing Style?” (Obviously the answer was yes.) In middle school, I had a Jesse Scott poster on my ceiling. It’s hard to believe he’s only eighteen, because he’s already won three Grammys. When he was younger, his songs were about family, fishing, and playing baseball, but lately they’re about love and making love and all things sexy.

I wouldn’t say I’m a fan anymore, but I would never give up an opportunity to learn from a professional with such a gorgeous, pure voice. I want to learn what it’s like to perform day in and day out. Despite what everyone and their mom says—that I’ll struggle as a musician—all I want is to play guitar in front of a crowd and hear people cheer for me.

I can’t believe I’m backstage at the Grand Ole Opry! I bounce on my toes. Jesus, is that an archtop Super 4, the model Elvis played? I’ve never seen one in real life. It probably cost more than my house. I’m ogling the guitar when Jesse Scott comes out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. He pads across the room to the couch, wearing nothing but a pair of rugged jeans with more holes than Swiss cheese. The lighting is dim, and he doesn’t seem to notice I’m here, which is good, because I’ve moved from ogling the guitar to ogling him.

Who wouldn’t? He was one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People,” and it is a truth universally acknowledged that you should stare at people who’ve made that list. The guy’s gorgeous. Like in the boy-next-door way. His wet, wavy, brown hair curls around his ears and nearly hits his shoulders, and while he doesn’t have a six-pack or anything, his body is fit. I wish he’d look my way so I can see his famous brown eyes. They always remind me of those caramel chews Poppy gives me when I visit. Jesse has some sort of Gaelic symbol tattooed on his left shoulder blade. I want to reach out and trace the design. 

God, get ahold of yourself, Maya. Don’t be a horndog. Besides, he’s so not my type. I don’t do pretty boys.

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[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] Mia and the Bad Boy by Lisa Burstein

(Check out the rest of the tour stops HERE!)

Title: Mia and the Bad Boy (Backstage Pass #2)
Author: Lisa Burstein
Publisher: Entangled: Crush
Release Date: May 19, 2015
Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

This good girl’s about to meet her match…

Ryder Brooks is living the dream—he’s famous, loved by millions of girls, and miserable. All he really wants is to write his own music, not Seconds to Juliet’s sugary sweet pop. In order to do that, though, the “bad boy” of the band will have to play by the rules. And that includes behaving with his new—and super cute—über-good-girl tutor.

Mia Reyes is in fangirl heaven. Tutoring her favorite member of her favorite band? It’s a dream come true…until it turns into a complete nightmare. Ryder is nothing like she thought. He’s crude, arrogant, and pretty much a total jerk. And the worst part? She’s roped into pretending to be his girlfriend so that no one finds out he’s being tutored. Fake kisses, plenty of PDA, and even sharing his hotel room…

But sometimes even the baddest of bad boys needs a little redemption.

THOUGHTS:

A bad boy - every band has one. There's that one member brooding in the background of all the videos, and that one member that makes your breath catch whenever he stares straight at you. (Well, he's actually looking at the camera, but you get my drift!) He may or may not be covered in tattoos, but one thing is for sure - he is shrouded in mystery, and every single detail you find about him, you devour. He doesn't even have to be your favorite, you just want to know more about him!

After reading Mia and the Bad Boy's blurb, I knew deep in my heart (whoops who's getting a wee bit dramatic here) that I had to have this book... because I have to find out just who on earth Ryder is. I just have to know who he is beneath that bad boy persona, and I really wanted to see how his story would unfold. It's always interesting to get a behind the scenes look at how famous people act without the cameras shoved in front of their faces, and just who are the people responsible for their very fame.

Also... isn't its premise the cutest thing ever!? Come on - just imagine getting the chance to tutor your favorite member of your favorite band. I would have erupted in squeals... and I would have probably made him fail even more at that subject he's already failing...

And other than that.. a fake relationship. A FAKE RELATIONSHIP. 

MY FAVORITE TROPE OF ALL TIME.

But I digress.

From the first few chapters, we find out straight away that Ryder is not so different from the rest of us. He has big secrets that he's desperate to keep, and he's unable to do that one thing he really loves - he just wants to perform his own music, but he can't really do that when the music that made him a household name is so different from his own. He wants to go to college to learn more about music and writing, and to do that, he needs to graduate high school first. Mia is hired to help him, and the two slowly learn that things are never as simple as they seem...

I liked how the romance between Mia and Ryder player out. It was properly built up but not too drawn out, and the serious conversations and the flirty banter balanced each other out. The dual POVs helped flesh out the development of both Mia and Ryder, as well as how their relationship progressed. We learn so much more about their dreams about the future, and at the same time, we learn about their fears that have stemmed from expectations. Both Mia and Ryder are relateable characters that I had no problem connecting to.

While Mia and the Bad Boy works as a stand alone, I think it would be best that you read the first book in the series. I hadn't had the chance to do so, and as a result, I felt that I was missing out on a few things here and there. There were times wherein something that happened in the first book was touched upon, and while I did understand the general gist of what occurred, I still think that nothing beats actually reading something as it actually transpires. Nothing that vital, let me hasten to add, but ultimately, I feel like reading the previous book would have had me enjoy Mia and the Bad Boy more.

All in all, If you're looking for a cute, fun read with a little drama (AND ONE HOT ROCK STAR), Mia and the Bad Boy is the book for you. It's the perfect book to read after that difficult exam, or even after that long, hard day at work. I had no problem breezing throught it in one sitting, and I can't wait for the rest of this addicting series! 

Rating: 3.5 Stars

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[Blog Tour: Review + Q&A] Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Red Queen (Red Queen Trilogy #1)
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: February, 10 2015
Goodreads | Read the first seven chapters

Graceling meets The Selection in debut novelist Victoria Aveyard’s sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the king’s palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?

Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood–those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard–a growing Red rebellion–even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

THOUGHTS:

Beautiful cover? Check. Intriguing blurb that piques your curiosity? Check. Hype? Check. Friends left and right recommending that you read this book? Check.

See, like almost everyone on the blogosphere, I've been wanting to read Red Queen for months now, and this is mainly because of the monstrous hype surrounding it.. Almost a year before its release, there were already talk about how it was going to be YA's next big thing. I remember downloading it off edelweiss on the existence of my friends and fellow bloggers (*waves at Kai and Leslie*), and the when I finally had the time to sit down and start reading, I was instantly hooked. Like, let me finish reading instead of sleeping because who really needs sleep anyway hooked. So yes, I bet you guys can just imagine how excited I was when I was asked to be part of the blog tour!

The main premise of Red Queen explores the relationship of the red-blooded - those deemed of low status and without magical capabilities - and the silver blooded who can do magic and are considered the most important members of society. Simply put, who you are and what you do in life is decided by the color of your blood. The Reds serve the Silvers, and while there is unrest at how unjustly the Reds are often treated, no one can really do anything about it because of the silvers' powers. All this changes, however, once seventeen-year-old Mare discovers that she has magic of her own... despite being red-blooded. To avoid political mayhem, the king and queen decide that Mare is to pretend to be a Silver, and is subsequently engaged to Prince Maven, second-in-line to the throne.

Those who know me know that I don't usually like fantasy and that dystopia is most often a miss rather than a hit for me, but what I really liked about Red Queen is that it straddles the line between the two genres. As a result, no aspect about each genre is too heavy - there aren't too many headache-inducing concepts, and since the book didn't just focus on the government and political unrest, it was easier as a whole to just.. go with the story, if you get what I mean. There were no moments wherein I had to turn back a page a or two because I could not for the life of me understand what was going on - instead, we have a book that is easy to lose yourself into.

Moreover, Mare, our heroine, is undoubtedly one of the best aspects of Red Queen. I love her determination, her sense of justice, her undying desire to right all the wrong she sees, and her unwavering love for her family. Things were never easy for Mare, but never did I get the sense that she was close to giving up and throwing all her dreams away. She knew that she was her people's only shot for a peaceful life without servitude, and that's something that was in the forefront of her mind with every decision that she made. She fought tooth and nail (and damn she fought hard) to achieve all that she she had set out to do. Mare's grit and persistence remained constant throughout the book, and that's something I really like. As a matter of fact, some of my favorite parts in Red Queen were the parts wherein she was being taught how to harness her magic properly, and how to be a fighter, simply because it was here where Mare's strength and firm resolve were showcased excessively.

I also loved seeing the story unfold through Mare's eyes. Here we have Mare, while possessing a secret that has the potential to topple the current political standing thrust into this world of power struggles and deceit. I loved how were privy to Mare's innnermost thoughts while she danced around the members of the royal household and all the elite families, attempting to find just who it is who she can trust. It was also a treat to see how Mare's relationships with Prince Maven, her betrothed, and Prince Cal, heir apparent and someone who has saved Mare in the past, evolved. Who can she trust between the two brothers - strong Cal who is already more than capable to lead the country, or kind Maven, who has always been in the shadow of his older brother?

Full of action and with its fair share of lies, deceit, and betrayal, Red Queen is a tale that will keep you guessing until the very end. There will be points in the book wherein you will think that you know the characters and what they're capable of, but trust me when I say that you don't. All in all an engrossing read that will make you want more, I can't recommend Red Queen enough!

Rating: 5 Stars

Here's an exclusive Q&A with Victoria for all of you as well!