Book Review: Glitter

What grabbed my attention when I read about this book on Netgalley was the quote:

"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel—Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it's the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life."

What could beat a novel that put together Breaking Bad with Marie Antoinette? In my mind nothing! And I had to read this book!

So the beginning started a little slow to me and didn't get going until she does in fact decided to sell drugs to escape a crazy engagement to the crazy king.  Not to mention a little romance it thrown in at that point too. I couldn't put the book down after that. And it's not fair that this is a series, the ending set up the next book and I loved it so much I hated it. I can't wait for the next book.   

You can find this book:

Amazon

Books-a-Million (Nook)

Banes and Noble (Nook)

Goodreads

Book Review: Last Seen Leaving

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

I loved the first line of this book. It's drew me in and I wanted to know a little more. But I didn't finish this book. The writing stood out and it's a great story but not my kind of story. My guess if you loved Gone Girl you'll love this story. I wanted so bad to love this story but I didn't.

If better to form your own options so you can find this book here:

Goodreads
Amazon 
Books-a-Million
Barnes & Noble

Book Review: Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen

When Kai is cursed by a magic mirror, he can no longer perceive goodness in anything - not his best friend Gerda, nor the roses in the garden. One wintry evening, he is kidnapped by the wicked Snow Queen and swept away to live for ever in her kingdom of ice. Friendless and shoe-less, Gerda must travel through inhospitable lands, with only crows to guide her and bandits for company, in order to find her beloved friend. And when she gets there, how will she melt the ice in his heart? Nearly two centuries after its first publication, The Snow Queen endures as a tale of love and loss, good and evil, and loyalty in the face of great hardships. 

From Goodreads 

This classic fairy tale had one element I loved, it has a strong and brave heroine in Gerda. Her name meant guardian. It's a fitting name for the heroine of this story. She refused to believe that Kai, her friend, was died when he didn't return home, and went out into the "wide world" to find him. With this decision she declared herself Kai's guardian.

I liked that Gerda's adventure was split into seven stories, each one I think symbolic to her growing up.

The story started out slow but the story picked up when Gerda met the crow and he took her to the princess's palace.

I couldn't help but wonder if the Snow Queen inspired the witch in C.S. Lewis "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and if Gerda didn't inspired parts of Lucy's character development.  

Netgalley provided and Pushkin Children 's Books provided my copy. 

Book Review: To All the Boys I Loved Before & P.S. I Still Love You

To All the Boys I Loved Before is a sweet story about having a pretend boyfriend to forget about a crush. It's a book I recommend taking to the beach. I love the exchange between Lara Jean and Peter.

P.S. I Still Love You is a more serious book. It's show how a video can start a hurtful rumor and how everyone no matter who they are can be drawn into being a cyber bully.

The Author's Information:
Jenny Han's Twitter
Jenny Han's Website
Where to find these books.
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
Books-a-Million (Nook)
Goodreads 

I haven't given the descriptions of these books because I don't want to give anything away. If you buy To All the Boys I Loved Before do yourself a favor by buying P.S. I Still Love You while you are at it. 

Book Review: You Were Here

I'm having a hard time coming up with what to say about this book. It's that intense and that good. The hard core emotion of grief and each characters' reaction to their grief drive this story from beginning to end.

From Goodreads:

On the anniversary of her daredevil brother's death, Jaycee attempts to break into Jake's favorite hideout—the petrifying ruins of an insane asylum. Joined by four classmates, each with their own brand of dysfunction, Jaycee discovers a map detailing her brother's exploration and the unfinished dares he left behind.

As a tribute to Jake, Jaycee vows to complete the dares, no matter how terrifying or dangerous. What she doesn't bargain on is her eccentric band of friends who challenge her to do the unthinkable: reveal the parts of herself that she buried with her brother. (less)

This story is told from five different point of views: Jaycee, Mik, Zach, Natalie, and Bishop.  Ms. McCarthy wrote amazing, intense characters. I could imaging that each one of them alive somewhere in the world going on these incredible trips to these abandon places.

My favorite characters are Jaycee and Mik. I relate to Jaycee's blunt and honest need for the truth. I also relate Mik's select muteness, his shyness. Plus this guy of very few words has the best point of view in the whole novel. It's in graphic novel style. It's a wonderful surprise to turn the page and see the black and white drawings.  I also like Bishop's drawings as his point of view. Jaycee, being the main character and the one with the strongest grief is written in first person. Natalie and Zach, who are boyfriend and girlfriend was written in third person. (Bishop is Zach's best friend)

Sourcebooks Fire approved a digital copy of this book for me to review through NetGalley.  

Book Review: The Girl From Everywhere

So far this year this book is one of my favorite reads. It's has a little of everything, adventure, romance, and mystery.

The protagonist is Nix, she's a good mix of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Elizabeth from The Pirates of the Caribbean. With her amazing knowledge of mythology she become an unforgettable character.

Her father can navigate his black ship, The Temptation, through time with the help of maps. He want to get back to back to Nix's mother but her mother died giving birth to her. Nix's worried that if he succeed she might no longer exist, but with her wealth of knowledge about map, history, and mythology he need her help. When she refuse he threaten to leave her best friend and possibly her love where she can't return. Will she refuse risking being like her father or help him?

I love the mix of opposites in this story, facts and fiction (Mythology) Everything in this story is itself and its opposite (Once you read the story you'll understand, I promise) Even Nix's name has this principle.

After reading this I wish I could visit 19th century Hawaii. Heidi Heilig made it sound magical.

I did think the beginning was a little confusing and slow. Keep reading it get better. I wonder if it would be more interesting if it started where Nix's running through the market with the bird instead of trying to explain the bird's importance while she trying to bargaining for it.  It might have been confusing but I would had the question of why running through my head.

Anyway I still love this book, and it's coming out February 22, 2016 buy this book!

Buy here 

Book Review: Ali Novak's The Heartbreakers

The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak was an awesome book. I loved all the characters.

Stella would do anything for her sister - ever wait for hours to get her sister's favorite band's autograph. Lucky for her she met a cute boy at the Starbucks so her trip had some perks until she realized that she had met the lead singer of the band, Oliver. A band by the way she hated. And that just the beginning of the adventure.

Stella was a spunky girl with a nose ring who's must learn a few things about herself.

Oliver... well I don't really want to give anything away about Oliver.

I loved the relationship between the band's members and how it's introduce in one crazy night with Stella and her brother. This was one of my favorite part, the whole night from the elevator to the meeting the band's manager, Courtney. 

I wished Ms. Novak would write a story for Alec. He was my favorite secondary character. I also kind of want JJ to have a story too.  I didn't want this book to end, but I loved the ending. It was perfect.   

This book would be a perfect beach read or the book to read if you want to pretend you're at the beach on a snow day. 

Book Review: Melanie Dickerson's A Spy's Devotion.

Melanie Dickerson's A Spy's Devotion 

Melanie Dickerson's A Spy's Devotion

Book Review

It's evident that God blessed Melanie Dickerson with the gift and passion to write and to write well. Her story telling grow stronger with each book. The Spy's Devotion -- Well I have already recommended it to two people, my best friend and my mother. I think women of all ages will love this book. I wanted to read this book because I really liked Ms. Dickerson's retelling of fairy tales and I wanted to see how she would write an Regency's historical romance novel. I am so glad I did. I wasn't disappointed in this book. In the past I would have said I loved Ms. Dickerson retelling of fairy tales but her Regency's historical novel blow those out of the water... it is my understanding that her next retelling is a take on the little mermaid. The Spy's Devotion has risen the bar for what I expect from Melanie Dickerson. Well done, Ms. Dickerson. By the way I can't wait to read your retelling of the little mermaid.


From Goodreads:
"In England’s Regency era, manners and elegance reign in public life—but behind closed doors treason and tawdriness thrive. Nicholas Langdon is no stranger to reserved civility or bloody barbarity. After suffering a battlefield injury, the wealthy, well-connected British officer returns home to heal—and to fulfill a dying soldier’s last wish by delivering his coded diary.

At the home of the Wilherns, one of England’s most powerful families, Langdon attends a lavish ball where he meets their beautiful and intelligent ward, Julia Grey. Determined to maintain propriety, he keeps his distance—until the diary is stolen and all clues lead to Julia’s guardian. As Langdon traces an evil plot that could be the nation’s undoing, he grows ever more intrigued by the lovely young woman. And when Julia realizes that England—and the man she is falling in love with—need her help, she finds herself caught in the fray. Will the two succumb to their attraction while fighting to save their country?"