My Weekly Pull [32]

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, leave a link in the comments. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Amazing Spider-Man #3 by Nick Spencer, Ryan Ottley
Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows #22 by Jody Houser, Scott Koblish, Eduard Petrovich

Domino #5 by Gail Simone, David Baldeon, Greg Land
Hunt for Wolverine Adamantium Agenda #4 (of 4) by Tom Taylor, R.B. Silva

Jacob's comics for the week!

Optimus Prime #22 by John Barber, Kei Zama

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop and Rocksteady Hit the Road #2 (of 5) by Ben Bates, Nick Pitarra
Transformers Unicron #3 (of 6) by John Barber, Nick Roche
Daredevil #606 by Charles Soule, Phil Noto
Spider-Man Annual #1 by Bryan Edward Hill, Nelson Blake II, Kris Anka
Spider-Man Deadpool #37 by Robbie Thompson, Jim Towe, Dave Johnson

I haven't actually started the new Amazing Spider-Man, but I have the first two issues lined up to read this week. I've been working on getting through my stack of comics since getting back from visiting relatives. I always plan on reading while I'm away, but it never works. I think I read ten pages of a book while I was gone, so I've been trying to catch up the last few days. 

I've always enjoyed Spider-Man, which is one of the reasons I like Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows so much, but I've always thought that jumping into the ongoing series for Amazing Spider-Man would be too daunting of a task. However, now there's a new writer (used to be Dan Slott), so the story is getting a new start. I'll let you know how that goes!

Domino is flipping fantastic! I love her humor and the randomness of her ability. Luck isn't always lucky, but she makes it work. Her history is also really interesting. Now that I know more about the villains, it's hard to hate them as much. They've suffered for their differences, too. They're trying to make things right the only way they know how -- through violence. It's all they've ever known, and it's hard to remain unaffected by so much cruelty. Their relationship to Domino is bizarre and fascinating, but really unfortunate. It's not her fault, but she's their target nonetheless. 

I'm actually really worried about Domino's posse. Her friends are trying to do the right thing, but I think they acted impulsively (out of love for their friend), and now bad stuff is inevitable. These villains are nasty, and I don't see how this story will end well for everyone. If you're looking for a new comic to start, I cannot recommend this one enough. (I'm so using this as my review for Domino on Goodreads and Amazon, haha!)

This is the last issue of Hunt for Wolverine Adamantium Agenda! I honestly have no idea how this group is going to get through everything unscathed. Someone is bound to lose something... All of the Hunt for Wolverine comics should be concluding, so I guess we'll see if anyone actually found the Wolverine. It's been fun to watch the different groups get together to search for him/his body.

Echoes by Alice Reeds

Synopsis (via Goodreads): They wake on a deserted island. Fiona and Miles, high school enemies now stranded together. No memory of how they got there. No plan to follow, no hope to hold on to.

Each step forward reveals the mystery behind the forces that brought them here. And soon, the most chilling discovery: something else is on the island with them.

Something that won't let them leave alive. 

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I received an ARC from the publisher via 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 love how simple the synopsis is! It says just enough to make you curious, but not enough to give anything away. That's definitely a good thing with this one, because there is a lot going on. I had so many questions and only a vague idea of what was happening. I felt just as lost as Miles and Fiona.

However, the romance felt forced and unnecessary. They were two teens that disliked each other but found themselves tossed together under dire circumstances. Flirting, feeling zings of electricity, and doing anything even remotely romantic felt wrong. They were stranded and fighting for their lives, unreliable hormones should have been the furthest thing from their minds. Although, a truce that turned into a friendship would have been understandable and more likely in their situation.

I also didn't like how many times Fiona made a reference to her kickboxing. Yes, you have fighting skills and know how to stay calm in stressful situations, but you do not have to compare every single scenario with how it related to your training. I loved how strong and determined Fiona was, but I felt like that fact was thrown in my face way too often. Miles is an arrogant asshole, Fiona is strong and quick on her feet... I grasped the concept in the beginning and didn't like how frequently it was repeated.

There were a few times I had to go along with something I didn't believe or agree with, but it was necessary to keep the story moving forward. Miles and Fiona did a few things that likely would not have worked in real life, but needed to work to get them out of one situation or another. Most adults wouldn't be that gullible or oblivious.

Echoes was a weird, trippy story that left me guessing the entire time. The information we're given was vague and only enough to keep me curious about the ending. I wanted to know why these two teenagers were abandoned and unable to reach anyone that mattered. From the beginning we know something creeptastic is going on, but it isn't until the very end that we discover exactly...

Exactly what? What happened at the end? I have no idea. I think I have more questions now than I did at the beginning. Have you seen Lost? It feels a lot like a YA version of Lost, but the ending isn't really an ending... or is it? I don't know if this was intended as a stand alone (it should be), but the ending was ugh. I did not go through that mindfuck to get to an ending that wasn't an ending. It didn't even feel like a cliffhanger, but like the story was left unfinished.

In the end, Echoes will make you question everything and everyone. The characters were okay, but I never felt attached to them. The author tells you a lot about who they are and why they act a certain way, but I would have liked drawing those conclusions for myself. I like it when I'm able to discern things based on how a character acts, rather than being told what makes them who they are.

I don't think I'll read the second book (if there is one), but this was a quick read with a somewhat interesting story. I did want to know what happened to them, but since that wasn't really answered, I feel like I wasted all the time I invested in this book.

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Narrated by Rebekkah Ross

Synopsis (via Goodreads): “I made the wrong choice.”

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

“Turns out there's a reason they call it falling in love, because when it happens - really happens - that's exactly how it feels. There's no doing or trying, you just let go and hope that someone's going to be there to catch you.” 

This was the perfect summer read! Lina's story really resonated with me, and I could definitely see myself doing the things that she did. I wanted to both speed through this one and savor the experience, so it's a good thing I listened to the audiobook with a set pace. I think I might have devoured it too quickly on my own and it would have been over too soon. (Also, the narrator was phenomenal!)

Lina lost her mother and was tossed into an unfamiliar world with a father she didn't know, a country she had never been to, and a culture she was unprepared for. I enjoyed watching Lina navigate her new life, and the journal she inherited from her mother was just icing on the cake. Lina's mother was a prominent character, and we mostly only see her through journal entries. Despite that, the author makes Hadley (her mother) stand out and claim part of this story as her own. I loved listening to those entries and trying to solve the mystery along with Lina and Ren.

Ren was the sweetest guy and was eager to help Lina find her footing in Italy. They ran into each other on accident, but their relationship made me believe in fate. They were meant for each other, and I liked watching their relationship grow despite some obvious problems. I'm happy Lina decided to share her mother's journal with him, because adventures with Ren were infinitely better than sulking solo.

I also adored Howard (her father). He didn't know Lina existed until shortly before she came to live with him. He did everything he possibly could to make sure she felt welcome and was comfortable. He didn't try to force her into conversations she wasn't ready for, or try to be an overbearing parent, but simply let her live and gave her room to breathe. Howard knew she was hurting and needed time to adjust before they tried to move forward.

Lina keeps in touch with her best friend by making random phone calls and video chatting. Again, the author brilliantly portrays a secondary character with very little information. It was like we'd all been friends forever.

It was such a wonderful reading experience on so many levels. I've never had a strong desire to visit Italy, but now I have an itch. Jenna Evans Welch has successfully made me want to traverse Italy and see every site mentioned in this book. Love & Gelato is my own version of Lina's mom's journal. It will be my map to secret bakeries, interesting sculptures, and the best gelato in the world. I cannot recommend this one enough!

“So... Italian gelato. Take the deliciousness of a regular ice-cream cone, times it by a million, then sprinkle it with crushed-up unicorn horns.” 

“A life without love is like a year without summer.” 

Mini Reviews [12]

Watermelon Madness by Taghreed Najjar,

Maya Fidawi (Illustrator), Michelle Hartman &

 Tameem Hartman (Translators) 

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Noura only wants to eat watermelon, until the night she sneaks a watermelon into her room and dreams of having all the watermelon she could ever want. 

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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 thought this book had a very James and the Giant Peach vibe, but that feeling didn't last very long. Noura was rude and extremely ill-tempered. She yelled at her mother with no consequence, and I thought her behavior should have at least been addressed.

At the end the mother tells her daughter that they will discuss the "magical watermelon" the next day, but then the story ends. Why tell the readers your going to talk about Noura's dream, if you're not going to?

The story was an okay read for me, and my son enjoyed it because of the watermelon theme (he's obsessed with them). I just feel like the story could have been more that what it was (a few more explanations, Noura being told that her behavior was unkind, etc.).

∕

Fish-Boy by Vanita Oelschlager, 

Mike Blanc (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): The Arctic region of North America is a land of long days, icy cold, hardy people and peculiar creatures. The Inuit people there have made traditional use of remarkable folk tales to find truth and explain the mysteries of an astonishing world.

In Fish-Boy, An Inuit Folk Tale, Vanita Oelschlager retells a tale passed down by a wise old Inuit. It's an origin story involving a little magic and a very odd boy with a large heart for friendship. On a journey with his new father, he must confront misfortune and the malice of cold hearted villagers. But he has a way.. and a lesson for all in the virtues of kindness and hospitality.

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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 enjoyed this one! It was a little more in-depth than some of the others we've been reading, but my son didn't mind. I had to explain a few things that went over his head (like why this boy wanted a stranger to be his father), and he was happy to go along with it. 

The illustrations were beautiful and the story was fascinating. Fish-Boy is a story within a story, and I liked how they used an elaborate tale to explain why so many birds flocked to an island. They turned a simple question into a life lesson.

State of the ARC [3]

This is a new meme started over at Avalinah’s Books for tracking your ARC progress. I actually really love this idea and think it will help me better manage my current reads! 

At the end of July 2018:

Phoenix Unbound (Fallen Empire #1) by Grace Draven
I Do Not Trust You by Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz 

The Raging Ones (The Raging Ones #1) by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie 

Rule (Rule #1) by Ellen Goodlett

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
Keeper of the Bees (Black Birds of the Gallows) by Meg Kassel

I used July to get caught up on my review copies, and I'm very happy with the results! I'm pretty prepared for August, and I even went back and read some of the books that were missed the last few months. I can't promise things will stay this way, but I'm definitely going to try!

I think I'm most excited for Christina and Lauren's Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating. I really enjoyed Autoboyography, and I hope this one makes me smile just as often. I've seen Keeper of the Bees around, and I think the reviews have been mostly positive. The others sound really interesting...

Which book would you read first? I need suggestions! 

Letting Go of Gravity by Meg Leder Blog Tour: Book Review & Giveaway

Hello! Welcome to the next stop on the Letting Go of Gravity blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. I'm really happy to share my thoughts on this book with you!

Title: LETTING GO OF GRAVITY
Author: Meg Leder
Pub. Date: July 17, 2018
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 432
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD

Twins Parker and Charlie are polar opposites.

Where Charlie is fearless, Parker is careful.

Charlie is confident while Parker aims to please.

Charlie is outgoing and outspoken; Parker is introverted and reserved.

And of course, there’s the one other major difference: Charlie got leukemia. Parker didn’t.

But now that Charlie is officially in remission, life couldn’t be going better for Parker. She’s landed a prestigious summer internship at the hospital and is headed to Harvard in the fall to study pediatric oncology—which is why the anxiety she’s felt since her Harvard acceptance is so unsettling. And it doesn’t help that her relationship with Charlie has been on the rocks since his diagnosis.

Enter Finn, a boy who’s been leaving strange graffiti messages all over town. Parker can’t stop thinking about those messages, or about Finn, who makes her feel free for the first time: free to doubt, free to make mistakes, and free to confront the truth that Parker has been hiding from for a long time.

That she keeps trying to save Charlie, when the person who really needs saving is herself. 

A gorgeous, sad, funny, and wise book about letting go and finding your place in the world. Meg Leder has written a story about a brother and sister that will break your heart and have you whispering 'I got you' long after you've closed the book." –Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces

“For readers who love and appreciate a good coming-of-age story, a realistic romance, and a novel where every character gets to be a hero.” –Kirkus

“A poignant and carefully crafted story…. A compelling coming-of-age novel sure to appeal to those who love realistic fiction.” –School Library Journal

“Effectively shows how illness affects families and how a person can get stuck acting out a persona and end up knowing very little about herself.” –Publishers Weekly

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I received an ARC from the publisher via 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’m still processing this one, so I’m going to start with some pros and cons. I’ll be back to elaborate later!

Pro: I loved that this was a book about twins. They were trying to figure out who they were together and individually, because Charlie’s illness changed the rules.

Pro: I think the author does an excellent job portraying Parker’s anxiety. It felt realistic, and I’m sure a lot of people will be able to relate.

Con: Things slowed down at the end and there were a few things I didn’t agree with.

Pro: The were some amazing secondary characters! Em was golden.

Pro: Wonderful, thought-provoking story.

Edit 08/18/18: Full review here.

My Weekly Pull [31] & Can't Wait Wednesday [4]

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, leave a link in the comments. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Ant-Man and the Wasp #4 (of 5) by Mark Waid, Javi Garron, David Nakayama
Hunt for Wolverine Weapon Lost #4 (of 4) by Charles Soule, Matteo Buffagni, Ron Garney

Jacob's list for the week!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Bebop and Rocksteady Hit the Road #1 by Ben Bates, Kevin Eastman

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe #25 by Ian Flynn, Nelson Daniel

Deadpool #3 by Skottie Young, Nic Klein

Infinity Wars #1 (of 6) by Gerry Duggan, Mike Deodato

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely

by Brigid Kemmerer

Expected publication: January 29th 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer.

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin. 

I'm not always a fan of retellings, but this one sounds amazing! I already have high expectations since the synopsis says "perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer," and love Meyer's books (The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless & Renegades). Also, that cover is stunning and I want it!