Beyond the Break: A Book Review

Three words to describe this book: Christian, cutesy, and conventional. Lovette (what a name) is banned from swimming and surfing in the ocean after her brother's near-fatal surfing accident. She also loves God a lot and signed a purity pledge when she was twelve, saying she doesn't want to kiss anyone until the preacher says, "You may now kiss the bride." But then hunky Jake Evans walks into her life, and she knows she's toast. 

First of all, you have to be really Christian to enjoy this book. There's lots of religious theology, lots of quoted scripture, and lots of "if you have sex before you're married, you're damned" talk. For me, it was too much. Too didactic. A little too problematic, especially with views about sex and kissing. (I don't care what people's views are on this, religious or not, but it drove me crazy that Lovette judged others for their actions.) In general, Lovette just felt like a judgy, Christian teenager who thought she was better than everyone else because she's good at surfing and has a great relationship with God. 

There were also other small things I didn't like. The first chapter is horrible and has really nothing to do with the entire book. There's also a scene in the book that's a carbon copy of a scene in the book/movie A Walk to Remember (which is also Christian, so I'm pretty darn sure the author "borrowed" the scene). Also, Lovette makes a huge deal about how she hates lying in the first couple chapters, but proceeds to do it throughout the whole book without a second thought. And the plot just moves really slowly. This book just wasn't for me. 

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 3
Plot/Movement: 2
Character Development: 2
Overall: 2

Thank you Penguin Workshop and NetGalley for the review copy!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Queen's Peril: A Book Review

I'm such a Star Wars nerd and a big fan of Padmé, so this book was perfect for me.  This book really boils down to Padmé and her relationship with her handmaidens, and how their training helped them win the war against the Trade Federation. It was also my first Star Wars book, and I'm surprised how much I liked it. I've always avoided Star Wars books because I was afraid of them ruining the movies, but I loved the behind-the-scenes details in this book.

As for the writing of the book, I liked the shifting points of view from several characters, and I liked how E.K. Johnston summarized the parts that are in The Phantom Menace and went deeper into the parts of the plot we don't see in the movie. It kept the story moving and made it interesting. I do wish we had more details into what Padmé thought about Anakin though—there's barely anything in the book about them meeting and becoming friends. But what a great book. I think I'll be reading more Star Wars books from now on!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you Disney Lucasfilm Press and NetGalley for the review copy!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Beach Read: A Book Review

This book? Definitely worth the hype. Let me give you three reasons why:

1. This book has the BEST writer's/character's voice I've read in a while. I was completely sucked into January's life from the first sentence: "I have a fatal flaw." She's a totally relatable character, and even when she's not relatable, you can't help but watch the train wreck that's inevitably going to happen. She's clever, witty, salty, and she strikes a perfect balance of naivety and realism. Honestly, she's one of my favorite character I've had the pleasure of stalking. I didn't want to un-stalk her at any point.

2. If you're looking for a new OTP, you need only pick up this book. I don't want to say too much, but the passionate tension between January and Gus is strong enough to exist off the page and make you remember their witty and sometimes-deep conversations when you're doing all the mundane things in your life. Also, the whole deal with them both being writers is something so fascinating to me, and them swapping genres for the summer and teaching each other about their genre tropes made my writing-nerd heart sing. I can't say enough about January and Gus (besides the fact that I still feel like their names belong in some YA romance novel that involves cancer or another life-threatening disease).  

3. If my number two reason didn't cook your grits, this one better. This book isn't just about romance. Obviously there's other plot-lines, but get this: they are interesting plot lines not because unique and crazy things happen but because January seems like a real person, and you want to be involved in every detail of her life. Her character growth (and Gus's, actually) is incredible.

These three reasons should be enough to encourage you to pick up the book, especially if you already like romances and reading about angsty writers who live somewhat solitary lives. It's a perfectly lovely book that dives deeper than just romance, and really makes you wonder if you're the optimist or the pessimist in life. I promise, it's enjoyable to read this book. 

(Some may wonder why I'm not giving it five stars. It takes an incredible contemporary/romance/non-fantasy to make me give something five stars. While I really enjoyed this book, I can't imagine I'd read it again anytime soon, and it didn't make me feel as much as I wanted to. It's just an incredibly good book. Hence the longest review I've ever written.)

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 5
Overall: 4

*Content Warnings: f-words, a couple explicit sex scenes

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Forged in Fire and Stars: A Book Review

What instantly drew me into this book was the idea of the Loresmith: a blacksmith blessed by the gods who defends kings and queens through the ages. The story starts out with high stakes: the kingdom's Loresmith killed during a battle to overthrow the regency, and everyone thinks that the Loresmith becomes extinct. But the Loresmith had a daughter no one knew about. In short, the story follows Ara as she becomes involved with the lost prince and princess to restore their kingdom. 

The most unique thing about this book is the writing. It feels similar to J. R. R. Tolkien's writing; it has that similar fanciful feel like some old bard is telling the story over a campfire. Because of this, I struggled to see into the characters' hearts and minds and connect to them. I was constantly reminded that this is simply a story being told. I couldn't escape into the world like I normally do when I read fantasy. 

Andrea Robertson sets up a nice series with this one, so a lot of the book is spent on world-building while the characters continually travel. The plot meanders a lot, and some things just don't make sense at first. But I still felt mildly interested in the plot and characters, so it wasn't hard to finish. In sum, this book simply wasn't remarkable enough for me to fully engage with it. But I may pick up the sequel. 

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 3
Plot/Movement: 3
Character Development: 3
Overall: 3

Thank you Philomel Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Tigers, Not Daughters: A Book Review

What a thriller. The story starts out with four daughters trying to escape from their confining house and tyrannical father, and then shifts entirely when Ana, the oldest daughter, dies and comes back as a ghost. However, this book isn't really about the plot. It's about the daughters—their unique and maybe even strange personalities. And it's about their relationships with each other, which is probably why other reviewers draw the connection to Little Women.

When I learned that this book was inspired by the line "tigers, not daughters" in King Lear (by Shakespeare, and perhaps my most favorite play), my entire perception about this book changed. I agree with Samantha Mabry that these words have such power, and I think this book encapsulates what that phrase means in a modern setting. I felt empowered reading this book because I realized that the characters that aren't just daughters. Similarly, we aren't all confined to one title, one descriptor. We are much more, and can be much more—as much as we want. We can be tigers. It's a powerful message to explore in a book, and Mabry does it very well.

Clearly, this book made me think, and then it made me be all theoretical, and then it made me never forget. It's a haunting read filled with perfect character sketches, underlying meanings that I'm still teasing out, and an uncanny atmosphere. I absolutely loved it.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4.5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Algonquin Young Readers, for the review copy!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Joy's Summer Love Playlist: A Book Review

Looking for the perfect summer read? Honestly, this book has it all: a fake relationship, pop-culture references, singing, and a carefree summer before college starts. This book honestly reminded me of my own summer after graduation (though without the fake relationship, thank goodness), when you still feel like a teen, but you're about to become a full adult. It's a fun, light read that you can easily finish it in an afternoon because it definitely pulls you in.

Okay so first, Joy has a great character voice. You get right in her head and right in her heart, and her voice stays true throughout. She is incredibly loyal and selfless, even to a fault. Cale and Jin are also amazing characters. You've got Cale's humor and easy friendship, and Jin's sexiness and soft-heartedness. I'm totally #teamjin myself, but I loved both of them and their relationships with Joy.

Piper Bee has written a solid debut. There's definitely tension with the plot and subplots weaving together, and it's easy to get lost in the story and keep turning pages. The characters are solid, and the themes are hopeful and inspiring. There were a few small things that distracted me from the story, but Piper's writing is overall funny, relatable, and delightful. I can't wait to read more from her!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Piper Bee, for the review copy!

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!

Of Silver and Shadow: A Book Review

Jennifer Gruenke has written a solid fantasy debut, Of Silver and Shadow. While there's really nothing crazy new with forbidden magic, secret rebellions, enemies-to-lovers romance, and a messed-up royal family, I still enjoyed reading this book. I mostly enjoyed all the points of view we get (I think there's four?). The differing views kept the pace moving pretty quickly, and I liked seeing all the characters' developments, especially Kellen's and Adley's. Also, this book is pretty dark. Often, YA fantasy is a bit cushy, not showing too much violence and gore. But this book doesn't hold back, and all the violence is tastefully done and helps you remember the stakes. This book just felt different from a normal YA fantasy for that reason, and it was plenty entertaining. Perfect for fans of Night Spinner, Flame in the Mist, and The Shadows Between Us.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, NetGalley and Flux, for the ARC! This book will be released on May 26, 2020.

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!