Friday, April 30, 2021

DNF&Y [36]

 
DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative! If you would like additional information, please click on the DNF&Y tab at the top. If you want to join, you can link up at the bottom!

The Light at the Bottom of the World (Light the Abyss, #1) by London Shah

Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Hope had abandoned them to the wrath of all the waters.

At the end of the twenty-first century, the world has changed dramatically, but life continues one thousand feet below the ocean's surface. In Great Britain, sea creatures swim among the ruins of Big Ben and the Tower of London, and citizens waver between fear and hope; fear of what lurks in the abyss, and hope that humanity will soon discover a way to reclaim the Earth.

Meanwhile, sixteen-year-old Leyla McQueen has her own problems to deal with. Her father's been arrested, accused of taking advantage of victims of the Seasickness—a debilitating malaise that consumes people, often claiming their lives. But Leyla knows he's innocent, and all she's interested in is getting him back so that their lives can return to normal.

When she's picked to race in the action-packed London Submersible Marathon, Leyla gets the chance to secure his freedom; the Prime Minister promises the champion whatever their heart desires. The race takes an unexpected turn, though, and presents her with an opportunity she never wanted: Leyla must venture outside of London for the first time in her life, to find and rescue her father herself.

Now, she'll have to brave the unfathomable waters and defy a corrupt government determined to keep its secrets, all the while dealing with a secretive, hotheaded companion she never asked for in the first place. If she fails, or falls prey to her own fears, she risks capture—and her father might be lost forever.



I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I really wanted to like The Light at the Bottom of the World, but ughhh. I thought it had an interesting premise and the cover was intriguing (plus I love books that take place underwater), but the main character was impossible to like. Additionally, the pacing was slow and the secondary characters were dull. I DNFd the audiobook after two(ish) hours, because I felt like the story hadn't really gone anywhere (although the author did go into GREAT detail about Leyla's daily life). I wanted to know more about what happened before, and how the world started living in the ocean's depths. It seems like that would be something that's really hard to pull off, so I would have appreciated more information regarding their living conditions, but the setting was skimmed over and only briefly explained.

We quickly learn that Leyla's father has been arrested and she doesn't know why. She's been making inquiries and keeps getting ignored, and I hated how little we actually knew about her and her family. I thought her grandfather sounded interesting, but his interactions were brief and not at all enlightening. However, I do feel like she should have moved in with him when her father was taken away, since she's still a child and shouldn't be trying to "make it" on her own. 

Basically, Leyla was a terrible protagonist. She wasn't likable, her actions rarely made sense, and my breakfast had more personality than she did. She's 16 and thinks she can take care of herself, which is ridiculous. People are dying from some sort of sickness (something that has to do with a lack of sunlight, or was related to them no longer being aboveground), yet this girl thinks she has everything under control. There are literal robot terrorists hunting humans, buildings collapsing from the pressure they're constantly under (how they were still standing and functioning is a mystery to me), but she thinks she can do everything alone (or at least with her rich friends just giving her everything she needs). The book and the main character were both constantly stating how dangerous the world was, which made her carefree attitude all the more exasperating. She also contradicted herself all the time, and everything seemed to happen exactly how she wanted it to.

I think the pacing suffered from too many unnecessary details, and the story suffered from ridiculous characters who behaved unrealistically. I wanted to like this book - truly - but too much eye-rolling is bad for your health. (★★☆☆☆)


Two books I wish I had DNFd: The Toot Fairy & Cheesemaker Durdsden by Mark Huffman, Dawn Davidson (Illustrator)

Synopsis for The Toot Fiary (via Goodreads): 
Since Jessa was little, her goal has been clear: 
To trade quarters for teeth for her fairy carreer!
But when plans for the future go horribly wrong
Here comes Poobums the Pungent to help her along!

Synopsis for Cheesemaker Durdsden (via Goodreads): 
Cheesemaker Durdsden was bad at his tradeSo he packed up his bag and went searching for aid
His new cheese was proved a delicious success
But when asked how he made it, he had to confess...


I was asked to review these books for a blog tour and declined, yet they somehow ended up in my mailbox anyways. I knew they wouldn't be books that I would enjoy, but I also feel like I need to tell you how terrible they were so you don't unknowingly buy them for your children. 

Cheesemaker Durdsden was just gross. Clearly this author likes to write about topics most people would avoid, and for good reason. This book actually made me sick to my stomach. The main character makes bad cheese, leaves to learn how to make better cheese, comes back and somehow makes cheese that everyone loves. We have no idea where he went or what he did, only that he ran into something that's the secret ingredient for his new recipe. IT'S SO DISGUSTING. I think it was supposed to be funny, but I honestly expected the townspeople to spear him with a pitchfork for pulling that nonsense (Durdsden, not the something). I was actually really disappointed by their lack of a reaction.

Surprisingly, they were weirdly okay with how Durdsden made his cheese. I know it's a children's book, but it still has to make sense. The author also went into great detail about how his new cheese was made - excuse me while I vomit - and it was just too much. The illustrations just added another layer of repulsiveness to the book. (★★☆☆☆)

The Toot Fairy was VERY INAPPROPRIATE. A skeevy old fairy opens children's pants and puts money inside. That is not okay. It's not funny, and it's definitely not something that should be done or joked about in a children's book. Kids should not expect a creepy man to come by and give them money for farting (ugh, I hate that word), especially since someone REACHES INTO THEIR PANTS TO DO IT. Even the illustration shows the child with a VERY weird look on their face (see below). 

The story itself was also uninteresting. A lot of the rhymes felt forced which affected the story's flow. I honestly hate that I read this one with my kids, but they thought the title was hilarious (kids, right?) I'm just relieved that they were disinterested and didn't notice when I skipped several pages of the book (read them to myself, just not aloud). (★☆☆☆☆)

*this post has been backdated

*Share your DNF&Y post! Please leave the direct link to your DNF&Y post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson
[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway]

 
Halito! Welcome to the next stop on the Take Me Home Tonight blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks for stopping by today, and don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom! For the full tour schedule, please visit the Rockstar Book Tours website.

About The Book:
Title: TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT
Author: Morgan Matson
Pub. Date: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 416
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off meets Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist in this romp through the city that never sleeps from the New York Times bestselling author of Since You’ve Been Gone.

Two girls. One night. Zero phones.

Kat and Stevie—best friends, theater kids, polar opposites—have snuck away from the suburbs to spend a night in New York City. They have it all planned out. They’ll see a play, eat at the city’s hottest restaurant, and have the best. Night. Ever. What could go wrong?

Well. Kind of a lot?

They’re barely off the train before they’re dealing with destroyed phones, family drama, and unexpected Pomeranians. Over the next few hours, they’ll have to grapple with old flames, terrible theater, and unhelpful cab drivers. But there are also cute boys to kiss, parties to crash, dry cleaning to deliver (don’t ask), and the world’s best museum to explore.

Over the course of a wild night in the city that never sleeps, both Kat and Stevie will get a wake-up call about their friendship, their choices…and finally discover what they really want for their future.

That is, assuming they can make it to Grand Central before the clock strikes midnight.


I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Take Me Home Tonight was my first Morgan Matson book, so I was really excited to dive in! I've heard wonderful things about this author their books, which is why I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this blog tour. I liked that this story was about Kat and Stevie's friendship, and enjoyed seeing the two of them become closer friends by the end. They had to take different paths, but both needed to learn certain truths about themselves. There were just a few things that irked me about the book, which is why I didn't give it more stars.

I think Kat was a crutch for Stevie and vice versa. Stevie never wanted to feel like a burden, so she always said things were fine even when they weren't. If Kat was around, she wouldn't let Stevie suffer in silence, and oftentimes forcefully took charge of a situation. Stevie's coffee was made wrong? Stevie says it's fine, but Kat ignores her and has the barista remake the drink. When Kat is obsessing over a casting or wanting to run lines for a play, Stevie indulges her instead of telling her she's being insane. I completely understood Kat's dedication, but hated how consumed she was by one thing. She didn't allow herself to have other hobbies or a life outside of theater.

Of the two characters, I preferred Stevie. Her problems were more relatable and she was easier to tolerate. They both were incredibly frustrating characters, and it took the better part of the book for them to grow on me. I think losing each other in the city was a much needed wakeup call for them both. They may have initially jumped to the wrong conclusions, but their experiences helped bring certain aspects of their lives into perspective. 

Unfortunately, I had to suspend my disbelief for this book to work. Everything that happened was either too convenient or too unbelievable. I can understand certain things happening unexpectedly (like running into someone you JUST met at a bodega later on). It wasn't likely to happen, but still possible. However, there were a lot of these moments peppered in throughout the book. Like what happened to Stevie after getting off the subway (super weird and not at all believable), or how they both kept running into people they knew in a city that was as unfamiliar as it was large. The characters were confronted with coincidence after coincidence, and everything seemed to work out for the best. 

I also hated Teri's storyline and wish it didn't exist. We don't know enough about her as a character for her to have this strange subplot. What happens to Teri is totally unexpected and hits you in the face like a foul ball off a broken bat. It was as shocking as it was painful to read. I cringed every time we flashed to what was happening with her while Kat and Stevie were off on their separate life-changing adventures. It made absolutely no sense and wasn't even remotely realistic. I would say more, but I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who want to read the book.

I always struggle with books when I don't like the main character(s) or have trouble relating to them. Kat and Stevie were interesting enough to read about, and I also think the author captured their ages and level of maturity really well, but there was something off-putting about them both. They're still young and figuring themselves out, and I think that's what this book is really about. Kat and Stevie have an authentic high school friendship, one that grows and changes over time. They aren't the same people they were four years ago, but they're also not the same people they were yesterday. They both say things to each other that cut deep, but that are also true and come from a place of love. It's hard to hear sometimes, but I have hope for their friendship after the end of this book. They've both learned so much about themselves in a single night, and hopefully that means certain changes will take place in the future. 

I absolutely loved Cary and all of his various jobs! However, there's a REALLY BIG spoiler for Top Gun, if you haven't seen the movie. I also liked Mateo (Matty) and thought his friends were funny. I would've enjoyed seeing more of them.

Did I absolutely love and swoon over this book? No. Was it an authentic portrayal of teenagers lost in New York City? Eh. Was it fun to read? Mostly. I may not have liked Kat and Stevie, but I do think they are characters people will be able to relate to (especially people around their age). Additionally, the formatting for this book was weird, but you get used to it. The random flashes to Teri (ugh), the fact that we only get Kat's perspective for the first part of the book and then randomly get Stevie's POV (though much needed), made this book feel unorganized and all over the place. Again, you get used to it, but you really have to pay attention the the chapter headers. 

I honestly can't say whether or not I would recommend Take Me Home Tonight, because I don't have strong feelings about it either way. I didn't love or hate it, but did enjoy it enough to keep reading. You should see my copy of the book - so many sticky notes! Maybe I'll post pictures later, haha. If you've liked the author's previous books, you might like this one, but I don't have anything to compare it to. If you've already read this one, I'd love to chat about it. (★★⋆☆☆)


About Morgan:

Morgan Matson is a New York Times bestselling author. She received her MFA in writing for children from the New School and was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start author for her first book, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, which was also recognized as an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. Her second book, Second Chance Summer, won the California State Book Award. She lives in Los Angeles. Visit her at MorganMatson.com.

Website | Twitter |Facebook | Instagram | Spotify | Goodreads | Amazon 


Giveaway Details:
4 winners will receive a finished copy of TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT, US Only.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

My Weekly Pull [165] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [140]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Shadecraft #2 by Joe Henderson, Lee Garbett, Antonio Fabela
Miles Morales Spider-Man #25 by Saladin Ahmed, Cody Ziglar, Carmen Nunez Carnero, Daniel Acuna, Rob Liefeld 
Once & Future #18 by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora

Jacob's comics for the week (and one for the kiddos)!

My Little Pony Transformers Friendship in Disguise II #1 by James Asmus, Sam Maggs, Jack Lawrence, Casey Coller, Tony Fleecs
Savage Avengers #20 by Gerry Duggan, Patrick Zircher, Valerio Giangiordano


Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Never Saw Me Coming by Vera Kurian
Expected publication: September 7th 2021 by Park Row

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Meet Chloe Sevre. She’s a freshman honor student, a legging-wearing hot girl next door, who also happens to be a psychopath. Her hobbies include yogalates, frat parties and plotting to kill Will Bachman, a childhood friend who grievously wronged her.

Chloe is one of seven students at her DC-based college who are part of an unusual clinical study for psychopaths—students like herself who lack empathy and can’t comprehend emotions like fear or guilt. The study, led by a renowned psychologist, requires them to wear smart watches that track their moods and movements.

When one of the students in the study is found murdered in the psychology building, a dangerous game of cat and mouse begins, and Chloe goes from hunter to prey. As she races to identify the killer and put her own plan into action, she’ll be forced to decide if she can trust any of her fellow psychopaths—and everybody knows you should never trust a psychopath.

Never Saw Me Coming is a compulsive, voice-driven thriller by an exciting new voice in fiction, that will keep you pinned to the page and rooting for a would-be killer.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

My Weekly Pull [164] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [139]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Women of Marvel #1 by Various Artists, Amanda Conner (cover)
Champions #6 by Danny Lore, Luciano Vecchio, Toni Infante
Specter Inspectors #3 by Bowen McCurdy, Kaitlyn Musto

Jacob's comics for the week!

Carnage Black, White & Blood #2 by Various Artists, Marco Checchetto (cover)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #116 by Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman


Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales, Cale Dietrich
Expected publication: December 7th 2021 by Wednesday Books

Synopsis (via Goodreads): If This Gets Out is an absolute showstopper! Equal parts edgy and adorable, this bright, joyful book has everything I look for in a queer YA romance.” —Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

Eighteen-year-olds Ruben Montez and Zach Knight are two members of the boy-band Saturday, one of the biggest acts in America. Along with their bandmates, Angel Phan and Jon Braxton, the four are teen heartbreakers in front of the cameras and best friends backstage. But privately, cracks are starting to form: their once-easy rapport is straining under the pressures of fame, and Ruben confides in Zach that he’s feeling smothered by management’s pressure to stay in the closet.

On a whirlwind tour through Europe, with both an unrelenting schedule and minimal supervision, Ruben and Zach come to rely on each other more and more, and their already close friendship evolves into a romance. But when they decide they’re ready to tell their fans and live freely, Zach and Ruben start to truly realize that they will never have the support of their management. How can they hold tight to each other when the whole world seems to want to come between them?

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

Sunday, April 18, 2021

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
๐ŸŽง Narrated by Jorjeana Marie & Xe Sands

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A showrunner and her assistant give the world something to talk about when they accidentally fuel a ridiculous rumor in this debut romance.

Hollywood powerhouse Jo is photographed making her assistant Emma laugh on the red carpet, and just like that, the tabloids declare them a couple. The so-called scandal couldn't come at a worse time--threatening Emma's promotion and Jo's new movie.

As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a "source" is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is "no comment".

With the launch of Jo's film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all...but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames?


I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Something to Talk About was a S L O W B U R N romance that I mostly enjoyed. I thought their conflicts (they never really argued with each other) were petty and didn't warrant the level of avoidance and annoying childlike behavior that occurred, so that alone was super frustrating. One of my biggest bookish pet peeves is when something can be resolved with a simple conversation, so I hated that these two managed to make a misunderstanding - or maybe just a lack of shared information - last for weeks. It felt unnecessary and didn't really add anything to the overall story. 

Emma gets her feelings hurt and doesn't tell Jo why she's upset. I'm still not convinced what she was upset about was really that big of a deal. It's not Jo's fault Emma never went to a baseball game, and her relationships outside of work really weren't any of Emma's business. Emma feeling slighted by not being told Jo was sitting at games with her sister... ugh, it was obnoxious. She ignored Jo and acted like a recalcitrant child. If the author didn't want us to think the age difference between the two was a big deal, Emma shouldn't have had the maturity of a teenager going through puberty. Jo eventually apologizes for not telling Emma, but it's still not something I think she should have had to do to appease her assistant. Additionally, Emma kept mentioning that she "deserved better," which is why she waited for Jo to apologize a second time (apparently the first time wasn't good enough), and it made Emma seem pretentious. 

I also didn't like how long it took for the two of them to acknowledge their feelings for each other and actually act on them. Everyone can see that they're attracted to each other. We know what they're both thinking and feeling because of the dual POVs, but they don't discuss those feelings with each other because of their work relationship and power dynamic. Jo doesn't want to seem like she's taking advantage of her employee, and Emma doesn't know what her feelings really are until the very end. Despite her making awkward comments and being clumsy around her boss, she remained oblivious until the last few chapters. The thoughts were there, but it took her sooo long to admit anything to herself. 

This book would have ended much sooner if Jo and Emma had been able to have honest conversations with one another. I really liked their relationship and the setting for the story (though I wish we'd seen more from the secondary characters), and thought their romance was sweet and subtle. However, I wanted more romance between the two of them, not restraint and unvoiced thoughts and feelings.

I really liked the concept Jo had for helping women who have been sexually harassed in the workplace (Hollywood specifically), and wish that had also been expanded on. I wanted to really dive into how that would work, and what it would take for women to feel safe coming forward with their experiences. I felt like it was mentioned for a few pages, but then never really addressed again.

Also, other than Evelyn and Avery, the secondary characters were flat and mostly off-the-page. Emma and Jo mention people occasionally, but it's mostly about Emma and Jo. If we were going to be stuck in their awkward, not-going-to-address-the-elephant-in-the-room brains, it would have been nice to see things outside of their immediate circle. A few times it felt like the author was going to branch out in a different direction, but then we'd come right back to all of the things Emma and Jo weren't saying to each other.

I thought the narrators (Jorjeana Marie and Xe Sands) were amazing! They really brought Jo am Emma to life and made me want to keep listening despite being annoyed with what was happening in the story. It's a short audiobook (a little over nine hours), which is probably why I listened to the whole thing. Wilsner created wonderful characters, but Emma's childlike behavior, their reluctance to talk about their feelings, and how long it took for the two of them to get together really diminished my overall enjoyment. (★★★☆☆)

Friday, April 16, 2021

Sunrise Summer by Matthew Swanson & Robbi Behr (Illustrator)
[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway]

 
Halito! Welcome to the next stop on the Sunrise Summer blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks for stopping by today, and don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom! For the full tour schedule, please visit the Rockstar Book Tours website.

About The Book:
Title: SUNRISE SUMMER
Author: Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr (Illustrator)
Pub. Date: April 20, 2020
Publisher: Imprint
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 48
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

When a girl and her family travel four thousand miles from home, it's not your typical summer vacation. Everything is different on the Alaskan tundra--where the grizzly bears roam and the sockeye salmon swim--including the rules. A girl can do things she wouldn't, and couldn't, do at home.

She can wake up at midnight to work with her mom on a fishing crew. She can learn what it means to be an essential part of a team. She can become a braver, stronger, and ever-more capable version of herself. She can take her next big step.

She's ready for her first real sunrise.


Sunrise Summer was an enjoyable read from start to finish; however, I wish I had known the character's age since some of the story was a smidge unbelievable for someone that appeared to be so young. For example, she and her mom were eating cold spaghetti on the bluff while rain blew sideways up their noses, and I had a hard time believing a young child would be okay with either of those things (especially after waking up at 2:30 AM). The synopsis says midnight, but that's not true. 

This book was about family and teamwork (and sometimes chocolate). It was about a girl learning life lessons and taking initiative. It was also about a community coming together and helping one another. I thought the concept for the story was wonderful, and still can't believe that this is what some people actually do during the summer months. It's a lovely idea! Leave your life behind for weeks and spend it fishing and being surrounded by family? Yes, please! The lack of amenities might be annoying, but I'm sure the experiences would more than make up for it. The last four pages of the book - the ones with extra information about the author and illustrator (and their kiddos) - were an awesome addition. I felt like those few pages really added another layer to the overall story, because it showed you that the characters were real people. They were speaking and drawing from experience, and I think that's why this story was so remarkable. 

I was a little bummed by the fishing at first (and the jellyfish poking), but they did clarify that people needed permits in order to be there, and they talked about the Alaska Department of Fish and Game being very involved throughout the entire process to prevent overfishing. They want to make sure enough fish make it up the river so there will be more the following year. Go biologists!

Overall, I really liked Sunrise Summer and enjoyed the illustrations. I thought the pictures complemented the story, and definitely helped bring the author's words to life. (★★★★☆)


About Robbi & Matthew:

When Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr aren’t making books (Babies Ruin Everything; Everywhere, Wonder; and the Real McCoys series) and raising kids (four, so far, which is probably enough), they run a commercial salmon fishing operation on the Alaskan tundra, where Robbi has spent every summer since she was two years old. Website | TwitterFacebook | Instagram

Praise for Sunrise Summer:

“[The narrator’s] eagerness and pride over being part of this work is palpable, and each moment feels important, locked in Behr’s artwork as an individual frame among many or as a sweeping two-page spread that captures its magnitude and beauty. The excellent back matter reveals that this story is about the creators’ own family, laying out their history as commercial salmon fishers, protections in place to prevent overfishing, and how some Alaska Natives continue to catch salmon according to their traditions. Eye-opening and awesome.” —Booklist, starred review

“With irrepressible enthusiasm and an astute sense of detail, the child recounts the elaborate preparations (almost all supplies have to be brought in), the connection to nature and a close-knit community, and the grueling but exciting work itself. . .Readers may not be ready to sign on, but they’ll feel grateful for being afforded a spectacular front-row seat.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Paired with ebullient first-person prose, the illustrations immerse readers in the changing colors of the sky and waves throughout the thrilling event . . . An informative first-person story that combines family history with STEM concepts for a summer to remember.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Detailed and vibrant illustrations . . . This is an engaging tale about a summer vacation that is far from ordinary.” —School Library Journal

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of SUNRISE SUMMER, US Only.


*this post has been backdated

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

My Weekly Pull [163] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [138]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Young Hellboy The Hidden Land #3 by Mike Mignola, Thomas Sniegoski, Craig Rousseau, Matt Smith
Daredevil #29 by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto
Proctor Valley Road #2 by Alex Child, Grant Morrison, Naomi Franquiz

Jacob's comics for the week!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Jennika II #6 by Ronda Pattison, Jodie Nishijima
Spider-Man Spider's Shadow #1 by Chip Zdarsky, Pasqual Ferry


Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan
Expected publication: May 18th 2021 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In this YA contemporary queer romance from the author of Hot Dog Girl , an openly gay track star falls for a closeted, bisexual teen beauty queen with a penchant for fixing up old cars.

Morgan, an elite track athlete, is forced to transfer high schools late in her senior year after it turns out being queer is against her private Catholic school's code of conduct. There, she meets Ruby, who has two hobbies: tinkering with her baby blue 1970 Ford Torino and competing in local beauty pageants, the latter to live out the dreams of her overbearing mother. The two are drawn to each other and can't deny their growing feelings. But while Morgan--out and proud, and determined to have a fresh start--doesn't want to have to keep their budding relationship a secret, Ruby isn't ready to come out yet. With each girl on a different path toward living her truth, can they go the distance together?

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

My Weekly Pull [162] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [137]

 

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Silver Coin #1 by Chip Zdarsky, Michael Walsh
Seven Secrets #7 by Tom Taylor, Daniele Di Nicuolo
Last Witch #4 by Conor McCreery, VV Glass, Jorge Corona

Jacob's comics for the week!

King in Black #5 by Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman
King in Black Planet of the Symbiotes #3 by Rodney Barnes, Steve Orlando, Danilo Beyruth, Gerardo Sandoval
Venom #34 by Donny Cates, Iban Coello, Ryan Stegman
Transformers Beast Wars #3 by Erik Burnham, Josh Burcham

The Amazing Spider-Man #63 by Nick Spencer, Federico Vicentini, Mark Bagley


Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly feature that's hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings. It highlights the upcoming releases we're really excited about reading! CWW is a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday (WoW), that was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Bright Ruined Things by Samantha Cole
Expected publication: October 26th by Wednesday Books

Synopsis (via Goodreads): "A deftly-plotted tale about ambition and belonging, Bright Ruined Things takes Shakespeare’s The Tempest and brilliantly reimagines its themes of family and love. Cohoe writes with a magic that dazzles and cuts right to the core." - Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

Forbidden magic, a family secret, and a night to reveal it all...

The only life Mae has ever known is on the island, living on the charity of the wealthy Prosper family who control the magic on the island and the spirits who inhabit it. Mae longs for magic of her own and to have a place among the Prosper family, where her best friend, Coco, will see her as an equal, and her crush, Miles, will finally see her. Now that she’s eighteen, Mae knows her time with the Prospers may soon come to an end.

But tonight is First Night, when the Prospers and their high-society friends return to the island to celebrate the night Lord Prosper first harnessed the island’s magic and started producing aether – a magical fuel source that has revolutionized the world. With everyone returning to the island, Mae finally has the chance to go after what she’s always wanted.

When the spirits start inexplicably dying, Mae starts to realize that things aren’t what they seem. And Ivo, the reclusive, mysterious heir to the Prosper magic, may hold all the answers – including a secret about Mae’s past that she doesn’t remember. As Mae and her friends begin to unravel the mysteries of the island, and the Prospers’ magic, Mae starts to question the truth of what her world was built on.

In this YA fantasy, Samantha Cohoe wonderfully mixes magic and an atmospheric setting into a fantastically immersive world, with characters you won’t be able to forget.

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Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Almost There and Almost Not by Linda Urban

Synopsis (via Goodreads): From acclaimed author Linda Urban comes the funny, bittersweet story of a girl and her ghosts—and the welcoming home they find where they least expect it.

California Poppy has been dropped off, yet again, with an unsuspecting relative. This time it’s her eccentric Great-Aunt Monica, a woman she’s never even met. Aunt Monica has no idea what to do with an eleven-year-old, so she puts California to work researching their ancestor, the once-famous etiquette expert Eleanor Fontaine.

California soon discovers that Great-Great-Great Aunt Eleanor is...not exactly
alive and well, but a ghost—and a super sensitive one at that. The grand dame bursts into clouds of dust whenever she loses her composure, which happens quite often. Still, an unexpected four-legged friend and some old-fashioned letter writing make this decidedly strange situation one that California can handle.

Just as California’s starting to feel like she’s found a place for herself, life turns upside-down yet again. Thankfully, this time she has some friends almost by her side... 

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

For the most part, I really enjoyed Almost There and Almost Not. Unfortunately, I felt like it glazed over all of the important conversations and topics, and I wish those has been expanded on throughout the story. California talks about not liking her name - people making fun of her for it or making sexualized comments - but we never learn who named her California or why. She starts referring to herself as "Callie" in some of her letters, but she never asks anyone else to call her that. 

California also talks about an "Official Meeting" that was held between different people at different times, and I'm assuming she has a disability of some kind based on the outcome of those meetings. (A teacher stops criticizing her handwriting, her father looks pale after another, and people generally treat her differently once there is one.) There was also one sentence that made me think something had happened to her, and then there's the fact that people have to "look for the eleven-year-old in her." (This is said all the time.)

"We just talked about me cracking against the kitchen counter like the force behind that was my own." 

That is a really heavy sentence, yet it's never fully addressed. Did California fall? Was she pushed? Did something traumatic happen to her? I think the author wanted to explain the way California thought (the wording and organization was unusual, but not difficult to follow), but all Urban did was create more questions. Later on California mentions strange people being in her house (usually when her dad had been drinking), and there was an incident in the kitchen with an older man putting his finger in her mouth (trying to make her smile), which resulted in a hospital visit, but that was for her arm. I'm not sure what head trauma she suffered (if any), but it is something that's mentioned very early on. Obviously, something has happened to the main character, and I wish the author hadn't been so subtle about it. 

"When you are tall and need a bra that is not just for training, a lot of people expect you to do stuff you can't."

Initially, I was going to comment on the character's voice - which isn't hard to follow, but is definitely different. California has an amazing vocabulary and remembers everything she reads, but the way she talks had me mentally reading this book with a southern accent. I'm not sure if that was intentional, or just the way the wording flowed together. Even after the Official Meetings were mentioned, we don't really get any more information on California's health. The girl sees ghosts, and I have no idea if that's related or not. There were just a lot of things California did that I questioned (like being able to walk to a grocery store, but unable to start a conversation about dirty laundry), and wish her thought process had been better explained. 

Several aspects of this book were unbelievable and I had to suspend my disbelief in order for this book to work. At first California didn't mention the ghost of Eleanor to her Aunt Monica, because she said she's used to strange people just showing up and being around. However, once she realized Eleanor was transparent and occasionally turned into a pile of dust, I felt like that was something worth mentioning to someone. California simply seemed content to carry on normal conversations with a dead person, and didn't really give the how and why much thought. 

I'm also not sure if Eleanor previously lived in the house California is now staying in, and the author's explanations for her coming and going were vague. California would simply say she didn't understand how death worked, but this is what she's learned about her personal ghosts so far. Eleanor seemed to be at home in their home, so I was curious if it used to be hers, or she was just accustomed to haunting it. Additionally, I have no idea why Eleanor was there or what she wanted, and I felt like her resolution was underwhelming. She's such a huge part of California's story, and then she's simply gone. The Dog (also a ghost) had a better ending. 

"Somebody can be nice and gentle to you one time and mean the next, and Dog seemed like the type to know that."

That statement feels like it has a darker meaning, but we never get an explanation. Did something happen to her when she was with her dad? What about the traumatic event that makes her question a person's intentions, and also avoid men in general? Her father seemed neglectful, but never harmful, although he did allow less-than-stellar people into his home and around his daughter. Also, if he was so devastated by the loss of his wife, why did he do some of the things he did? People handle their grief in different ways, yes, but he also seemed very protective of his daughter. How could he put her in danger while simultaneously being the one to rescue her? 

I did like that the author chose to address feminine hygiene (videos and products), and discussed making them more accessible to people (told through the lens of an eleven-year-old). California writes letters to various people, and the president of the Playpax Corporation was one of them. She tells them her idea of letting girls "sign up in school like they do for discount lunch and put money in an account like that too and give you their address, and you could just mail some to their house every month instead of having those girls have to ask their dads to go buy pads or tampons." I also really liked her second idea, which is that boys should have to watch the "girls" video in puberty class too. "They should know about girls having periods too, because 1. that's biology, which is science, and 2. not telling is not very fair to boys, who probably would be fine if people weren't so weird about things."

Speaking of letters, California can supposedly do calligraphy (and even explains what certain letters looked like), and I wish the book had shown that. (Maybe the final copy does?) There are a lot of letters in this book, and I think showing California's calligraphy writing would have been an amazing addition to the book. Instead, it's just an italicized font, which doesn't convey the beauty or talent that she's so proud of. "Dear Aunt Isabelle, See how I made that A in "Aunt"? That is modern copperplate style. This is a C. That C is the best thing about my name. In calligraphy C is always pretty, if you take care with it." I think a visual of her writing would had benefitted the overall story, since it's something she does the entire book. 

I always struggle to review books that I liked but found lacking. There was so much to like about Almost There and Almost Not, but a lot of the story felt too vague. Important aspects were glossed over or only briefly mentioned, and I felt like those were the things this book should have addressed and talked about in more detail. It's a sweet story about a girl finding her place when she doesn't think she has one, although I wish her budding friendship with Salma had been more prominent, but we only see California befriending the non-living. I think it offered her some closure, but if she related to Eleanor it wasn't explained very well. All in all, I thought this book had a wonderful premise, but like the author only scratched the surface of what this story could have been. The potential is there, but the execution could have been better. (★★★☆☆)