Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

 
Title: Rebel of the Sands
Author: Alwyn Hamilton
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March 8, 2016

Goodreads

She’s more gunpowder than girl—and the fate of the desert lies in her hands.

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mystical beasts still roam the wild and barren wastes, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinni still practice their magic. But there's nothing mystical or magical about Dustwalk, the dead-end town that Amani can't wait to escape from.

Destined to wind up "wed or dead," Amani’s counting on her sharpshooting skills to get her out of Dustwalk. When she meets Jin, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome foreigner, in a shooting contest, she figures he’s the perfect escape route. But in all her years spent dreaming of leaving home, she never imagined she'd gallop away on a mythical horse, fleeing the murderous Sultan's army, with a fugitive who's wanted for treason. And she'd never have predicted she'd fall in love with him...or that he'd help her unlock the powerful truth of who she really is.

 

As a blogger (or a reader in general, come to think of it), one of my favorite things to do in the world is to read books that generate a lot of hype before publication. Sure, there's a lot of excitement mixed in with a little trepidation and wariness involved, but I've always been one of those people who want to know why a certain thing (in this case, a book) is so often talked about, and so I go and grab myself a copy. This what what happened with Rebel of the Sands - I saw all the glowing, positive early reviews and I just know that I owe it to myself to give this one a shot as soon as possible. Do you know what another of my favorite things is? When said book manages to actually live up to the hype, and fast becomes something that you are incredibly glad to have taken the time to read.

GUYS. Give me a few minutes to freak out here because lately I have been on a huge fantasy binge (but I have to admit that so many of them are of the same vein and have similar premises) and I am in love at how unique and one of a kind Rebel of the Sands is! IT IS SOOO GOOD.

I'm sure that we all know that world-building can make of break a fantasy novel, and I honestly am at awe at how rich Hamilton's writing is. I found myself completely hooked from the get go, and I knew from the first page that I was in for a wild ride with Amani. Hamilton's world is beautifully crafted and excruciating detailed; every nook and cranny explored - Rebel of the Sands is set in the desert, and believe me when I say that I could practically feel the sand stuck all over my body and the desert heat as I read through this book. As I have previously mentioned, I also found myself intrigued at Rebel of the Sand's premise and setting - we rarely encounter YA novels set in the Middle East and that delve into its culture, and I LOVE that we are getting more and more of them this 2016.

The heart of Rebel of the Sands is Amani and her desire to to find a better tomorrow. After the untimely death of her mother, she is then sent to live with her aunt and uncle where she isn't exactly treated well. After Amani overhears a conversation wherein her uncle decides that it would be best to marry her off - maybe even to himself - Amani realizes that time is running out, and that she needs to escape from her village fast. She decides to join a gun shooting contest that will provide her with enough money to get her life started should she win. Amani ends up meeting a mysterious foreigner - Jin - who gives her the help she so desperately needs, and together, they set out to cross the desert.

I don't know if you guys know this but I am huge sucker for slow-burn romances. Rebel of the Sands isn't exactly romance-centric, but we do get little hints and telling moments between Amani and Jin every now and then. I loved the fact that Hamilton took care in building up the developing relationship between Amani and Jin, and that nothing was ever rushed. I also appreciated that we were shown through interactions how the trust between them grew, and how they learned to support and lean on each other through the tough times experienced while in the desert. At the end of the day, Rebel of the Sands is about Amani and her journey, and I believe that Hamilton choosing not to give unnecessary attention on the budding romance between Amani and Jin made the real focus of the story shine.

The plot pacing of Rebel of the Sands is more on the slow side for first half of the novel, and this first half of the novel centered around Amani's escape and growth, and how she and Jin learned to stand together and with each other. It was more about character growth and development, which is something I greatly appreciated. The latter parts of the novel, however, shifted its focus to more intriguing supporting characters, and the role of magic and mythology in the story. I didn't think it possible but I found myself even more hooked to the story!

All in all, consider Rebel in the Sands one of your must-reads of 2016, most especially if you're a fantasy fan. I found myself enthralled at this majestic world tat Hamilton has allowed us to be a part of, and I already can't wait for the sequel! Oh, just a quick note - you'll be glad to know that Rebel in the Sands does not end in a cliffhanger, so that's always a plus!

Rating: 5 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] Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling

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