Month: March 2018

Inside cover blurb:

“Charlie likes to stand out. She’s a vlogger and actress promoting her first movie at SupaCon, and this is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star Reese Ryan. When internet-famous cool-girl actress Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with her best guy friend Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about a fan contest for her favorite fandom, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.”

-from publisher

Thoughts:

This book is so friggin’ cute, it hurts.

Allll of the characters and their storylines are great- Charlie, struggling with how to be in a relationship and still be herself, and Taylor, struggling with change and self-acceptance.

At first, I thought the book would be kind of shallow. And it did kind of give me some Famous in Love feels (the show…I haven’t read the book, which I know, shame on me) in the depiction of Charlie and Reese’s relationship. But the comparison ends there.

This book covers all your bases: feminism, mental health awareness, sexuality, race…there’s actually a lot of depth packed into this gem!

And all of the fandom references made my heart so happy. Any book that mentions Supernatural is automatically getting a high rating from me.

Plus: Fandoms! Fantastic depiction of social anxiety disorders. And adorable geek romance. It’s the perfect storm.

Minus: Reese is a total douche! But he’s supposed to be that way, unfortunately.

If you like this book, try:

Geekerella by Ashley Poston- A fandom-filled take on Cinderella! This book promises just as much cheese and adorable romance as Queens of Geek.

Inside cover blurb:

“Inspired by Mrs Dalloway and Judy Blume’s Forever, Release is one day in the life of Adam Thorn, 17. It’s a big day. Things go wrong. It’s intense, and all the while, weirdness approaches…

Adam Thorn is having what will turn out to be the most unsettling, difficult day of his life, with relationships fracturing, a harrowing incident at work, and a showdown between this gay teen and his preacher father that changes everything. It’s a day of confrontation, running, sex, love, heartbreak, and maybe, just maybe, hope. He won’t come out of it unchanged. And all the while, lurking at the edges of the story, something extraordinary and unsettling is on a collision course.”

-from publisher

Thoughts:

Apparently no relevant gifs appear when you Google “Bookception,” so I had to make do.

Two storylines! But woven together so wonderfully…

Adam’s storyline sparks a supernatural journey of vengeance and, you guessed it, release. Both storylines mirror each other in the most fantastic way.

A lot is happening here and it’s crazy to think that it’s all in one day! Adam is a really relatable character, trying to differentiate between what he had, what he has, and what his future will hold.

I will say there is a lot of sex in the book. Which is weird considering Adam makes a point of saying that his and his best friend’s sex lives are underwhelming or typical or something like that….but I’m going to go ahead and disagree with that statement!

This is my second Ness book this year and I’d never read anything by him before. But I’m kind of thinking I need to go read everything he’s ever written because both books were amazing!

He has such a gift for exploring everyday life by juxtaposing it to the supernatural/magical. It’s probably not for everyone, but I just find it so intriguing!

Plus: So many important things in such a short book! It’s just beautiful and strange and great.

Minus: A little TMI on the sex life at some points…but maybe that’s just me. I do give major props for freely writing about a gay main character’s sex life- that is something we don’t see a lot of.

If you like this book, try:

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson- In which a teenage boy has to decide whether or not to let aliens destroy the planet. I have yet to read any of Hutchinson’s books, but they sound just as enchanting and bizarre as Ness’. The covers even look similar…

Inside cover blurb:

“There’s nowhere to hide.

Not when you’re an Effigy. No matter where they go, Maia and the other Effigies can’t escape the eyes of the press—especially not after failing to capture Saul, whose power to control the monstrous Phantoms has left the world in a state of panic. It’s been two months since Saul’s disappearance, and there’s still no sign of him, leaving the public to wonder whether the Sect—and the Effigies—are capable of protecting anyone.

When Saul suddenly surfaces in the middle of the Sahara desert, the Sect sends Maia and her friends out after him. But instead of Saul, they discover a dying soldier engineered with Effigy-like abilities. Even worse, there may be more soldiers like him out there, and it looks like the Effigies are their prime targets.

Yet the looming danger of Saul and this mysterious new army doesn’t overshadow Maia’s fear of the Sect, who ordered the death of the previous Fire Effigy, Natalya. With enemies on all sides and the world turning against them, the Effigies have to put their trust in each other—easier said than done when secrets threaten to tear them apart.”

-from publisher

Thoughts:

Not sure if I’ve already compared this series to Suckerpunch, but it’s totally Suckerpunch– a group of powerful girls coming together to save the world and themselves.

There’s very little Saul in this book actually, which I found surprising. The whole plot of the book revolves around the Sect, the organization which controls the Effigies.

The girls, particularly Maia, are in a precarious position. They face attacks from within, certain that there are traitors in the Sect. Then a new threat emerges- soldiers who appear to have Effigy powers.

I wonder if it’s a coincidence that the initials of this title are SOS….

I think I preferred the first book because the plot felt more compelling, but I am enjoying learning more about the origins of both the Phantoms and the Effigies.

A very unexpected cliffhanger ending! I don’t know how we’re coming back from that, but I’ll be here to read all about it!

Plus: The plot thickens! I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Minus: Maia was a little obnoxious at times- should she trust the pretty boy, should she not…it got a little old.

If you like this book, try:

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess- This main character can also control flames, just like Maia. But unlike Maia, she happens to be the only female sorcerer in Victorian London.

Inside cover blurb:

“Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym, Truly Devious. It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.”

-from publisher

Thoughts:

You know that feeling, when you start a book and automatically know you’re going to love it? I got that with Truly Devious.

A private school for the gifted, a murder mystery from the 30s, secret passageways, secrets galore! Yup, this one had my name written all over it.

I would pack my bags and go to Ellingham Academy right this very moment if I could. There’s an amazing library, tunnels, lots of nooks and crannies to explore. If I can’t go to Hogwarts, I’d settle for Ellingham.

Stevie is fabulous, in fact, all of the characters are distinct and just the right amount of quirky. And if the Ellingham case isn’t enough, we also get a new mystery! I have my theories about both, but I’m definitely still guessing.

My only  problem with it- we still don’t know what happened! Because…wait for it…it’s going to be a TRILOGY.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that at first, but now I’m just thanking my lucky stars that I get to read more of this story. Something big is happening here and I can’t wait to find out what!

Plus: Love stories, secret histories, spooky mysteries. This book has them all!

Minus: That I won’t get to know the whole story for two more books! But still, I’m looking forward to them.

If you like this book, try:

Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller- An oldie, but a goodie about snooping and sleuthing through the New York Underground. Reading Truly Devious reminded me of this childhood favorite.

Inside cover blurb:

“Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.”

-from publisher

Thoughts:

Boy, oh boy…552 pages? Really unnecessary if you ask me.

This book is long and you can feel it. Things are overly drawn out throughout the entire book. I discussed this issue with my coworker and one scene in particular really stood out. I went back to count the pages- the scene is 90 pages.

Nope.

The plot is mildly entertaining- I like the concept of superheroes vs. super villains, but the super villains were definitely more intriguing and they take a back seat due to the nature of the plot. I feel like I would rather read a history of the Age of Anarchy (the period before superheroes took control).

And I am entirely uninterested in the love story. There was just nothing there that made me really invest in them.

Overall, I’d say this book is basically a really drawn out Romeo/Juliet retelling where everyone has super powers.

Plus: Cool concept, fairly good world building overall.

Minus: Needs editing! No single scene should be 90 pages!

If you like this book, try:

Dreadnought by April Daniels- Now this is how I prefer my superheroes- revolutionary! When is the last time you read a book about a trans superhero??