tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52632601885543885702024-02-07T02:56:47.206-08:00I'm Going to Read Your Mind NextBook reviews for fun and profit... minus the profitCaitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.comBlogger390125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-55986521163457717672022-01-30T13:07:00.001-08:002022-01-30T13:07:28.785-08:00All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0-GGnIAWuRwluEXLHUsM1Q3pMw_h2l-YHsvkAd5syKzBDUBITQPsE2YXZBIG5Xl4HFA8yYPJBS0MRRIk7w0QWh65G3BKTqDu5D1k9ZakJazjMQxbVzu2381a7ZpMUVuI0uplP2K-fA1jFgmcLW1tlwUmq4tWSpcyL-p67u1EvgNE5ugl2NlE6J81bNQ=s1109" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="740" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0-GGnIAWuRwluEXLHUsM1Q3pMw_h2l-YHsvkAd5syKzBDUBITQPsE2YXZBIG5Xl4HFA8yYPJBS0MRRIk7w0QWh65G3BKTqDu5D1k9ZakJazjMQxbVzu2381a7ZpMUVuI0uplP2K-fA1jFgmcLW1tlwUmq4tWSpcyL-p67u1EvgNE5ugl2NlE6J81bNQ=s320"/></a></div>
<i>All of Us Villains</i> was presented to me as the Hunger Games with magic, so I was of course there for that combo. It's about a curse that affects seven families who each have to enter a champion into a tournament. Whichever champion wins the tournament, their family gets control over the only stores of high magic in the world. The tournament takes place every twenty years, but the newest tournament has a twist. Someone released a tell-all book called <i>A Tradition of Tragedy</i>, so now the tournament isn't a closely guarded secret. The entire world knows, and this years champions are being hounded by paparazzi and reporters.
The book is narrated by four of the champions in alternating chapters. Isobel Macaslan was the first champion to be announced. Her family is known for attending funerals to collect raw magic and her father's unsavory dealings. In spite of their low status, Isobel is actually a powerful spellcaster and could end up winning...until she casts a spell that puts her at a severe disadvantage. Alistair Lowe has trouble with his family's high expectations. The Lowes have won the most tournaments, so Alistair is definitely favored to win. Yet, in spite of years of being conditioned to be a monster, Alistair might not be all that bad inside. Briony Thorburn's family is known for perfection and overachieving. She is strong and athletic, and expects that will guarantee her to be her family's champion. What actually happens is just as surprising to Briony as to everyone else. Finally, we have Gavin Grieve. The Grieves have never won a tournament, in fact they are usually the first to be killed. Gavin wants to change his family history. He's smart and strong, but he knows he needs more in his favor. He finds a way to get power, but at a very high cost.
It was nice to get some insight into many characters instead of one main character. Imagine how interesting it might have been to read the Hunger Games from multiple points of view. There are still three characters left out, so...just don't grow too attached to them. It's an exciting story, and I definitely want to see how everything ends in the second book. Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-6279753968866180592021-05-19T13:23:00.000-07:002021-05-19T13:23:03.967-07:00Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses by Kristen O'Neal<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJr35OgM1Cgoxgqu00nTOoYjrldTbdwr2It_xIrRdtmyLm_adjLqGhbJpvFFRPTrxT4EeB-dG-ON3SH_0vJO5Zh1M9DmsQ8_N6t1y9DDtVmO7vk_AV0Smq3YNnZuAzEO8NeOBKniWL9lP/s1256/lycanthropy.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="828" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJr35OgM1Cgoxgqu00nTOoYjrldTbdwr2It_xIrRdtmyLm_adjLqGhbJpvFFRPTrxT4EeB-dG-ON3SH_0vJO5Zh1M9DmsQ8_N6t1y9DDtVmO7vk_AV0Smq3YNnZuAzEO8NeOBKniWL9lP/s320/lycanthropy.jpg"/></a></div>
<blockquote><i>"You can't ignore the truth just because you don't like it. It's true whether or not you want it to be. It's true even if you think it's impossible..."</i></blockquote>
Priya has had a difficult year. She had been on the road to greatness, enrolled in medical school across the country at Stanford. After a bout with Lyme disease, Priya moves back home to recover. Even though the bacteria is gone, the effects of the disease still linger. She deals with joint pain, swelling, and brain fog that makes it difficult to even get out of bed, let alone complete all her courses and eventually the gruelling work needed to become a doctor. Basically, Priya feels lost.
Thankfully, our girl is not alone thanks to the internet. Some of her buddies form a support group/group chat for those experiencing chronic pain, "oof ouch my bones." Priya becomes pretty close with one of the members, Brigid. They even end up exchanging addresses and find out they only live an hour apart. After some scary morbid postings, Priya and the group are concerned about Brigid's wellbeing. They know he illness comes about once a month, but otherwise it doesn't have an official diagnosis. Priya becomes so concerned that she takes her brother's car and drives to Brigid's house.
Once there, she finds a messy house, a bunch of spoiled steaks in the fridge, and a giant dog that tries to attack her. Priya ends up calling animal control, but when they arrive, all they find in the bathroom where she locked the dog is...Brigid. It turns out that Brigid's illness is lycanthropy, and she has been changing more frequently and unpredictably. It's up to Priya, Brigid, and animal control guy Spencer (Team Werewolf) to find a cure or at least a way to get Brigid semi-normal.
This was a pretty fun story, although a lot of the werewolf details are kinda gross. The chronic pain issues are valid, and it's funny how lycanthropy isn't all that different from normal illnesses. Part of me was frustrated with Brigid through a lot of the book because she's very unpredictable and gets upset, angry, etc...but I think it's pretty realistic. Priya and Spencer are trying to help her, obvs, but they also treat her like a sick person, a fragile person, and it's got to suck. There's also a lot with Priya having to accept her new normal, that even though she may feel better sometimes, her illness will still flare up and never completely go away. Also, this doesn't really fit but I don't know how to end this, here's a quote from one of their friends on medical diagnoses for women:
<blockquote>"sppokyspoony:
A lot of chronic illnesses are considered female illnesses, which is honestly why we don't know enough about them
Women are just expected to live with their pain
I was actually talking to Lee about this recently, you know what she said?
paranormaldetective:
What?
spookyspoony:
She said that being a woman means that everyone hates your body, and your body hates you..."</blockquote>
Yeah, I'm still here trying to finish this thing...I dunno, just read this book if it sounds cool to you? It's this quarter-life crisis, chronic illness, internet nerd, werewolf lore thing. Go for it!Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-24290516721513925492021-05-19T12:32:00.003-07:002021-05-19T12:35:30.318-07:00House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-RwGkFu5zb06BMNhdBjj0umu-6cZ1rRwMebwLs3AOQQ_kiW8jzJNl2k541_BzjXhBp-HMyUIliGqTxRG-ny89Wt_MLOLv9eY7iZudG2BqK4giKurD3F8Lz-WqpZo3dqvRgt91oaSGtW5/s2048/houseofhollow.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-RwGkFu5zb06BMNhdBjj0umu-6cZ1rRwMebwLs3AOQQ_kiW8jzJNl2k541_BzjXhBp-HMyUIliGqTxRG-ny89Wt_MLOLv9eY7iZudG2BqK4giKurD3F8Lz-WqpZo3dqvRgt91oaSGtW5/s320/houseofhollow.jpg"/></a></div>
<blockquote><i>"We all knew too well what could happen to girls on poorly lit streets at night, because it had happened to us.
Then again, all girls knew that..."</i></blockquote>
It happened on New Year's Eve years and years ago. The three Hollow sisters were walking down the street. The clock turned to midnight, and their parents looked away to kiss, just a moment. When they looked back, the girls were gone. They searched high and low, but they couldn't be found. One month later, the girls were found right where they disappeared. They were naked and had half-moon scars at the base of their throats. Their eyes turned black, and their hair soon turned white. They didn't remember where they had been or what had happened to them.
The sisters now live separate lives, though they share a freakish connection. The oldest, Grey, became a model. She started her own fashion line with beautiful, frightening dresses that contain little vials of her perfume in the hem. Their mother is terrified of Grey, even hates her. The middle, Vivi, cut all her hair off and ran off to tour with a punk group. Iris, the baby, is quite timid and bullied at her school. She takes the abuse in hopes of graduating, attending university, and becoming a doctor.
When Grey goes missing, it's up to her sisters to search for clues to figure out where she went. They also encounter a man with a minotaur skull, a dead body, and a lot of mold, corpse flowers, and ants...it's a lot scarier than it sounds. With Grey's ex-boyfriend Taylor (Who I <i>love</i>, cause he's awesome), they work to find Grey and learn the truth about what happened when they disappeared.
<i>House of Hollow</i> sounded deliciously creepy, so I just had to read it. I know a lot of lore about changelings, and the book does touch on that a lot, but it's also doing it's own creepy thing. It has a couple twists that it employs well, and though I expected where it was going, it still sort of surprised me. There's not really a happy ending, and it makes me a little uncomfortable, especially if there's a sequel like they implied...but, all's bleak that end's bleak, amiright?Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-25600353713085884532021-04-22T16:04:00.002-07:002021-04-22T16:41:31.560-07:00The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKFq8-nsa4W-5yYy-HET2pBxg6BvvJi1wXJwiLNbxzLXF-Tvgnuoluk7q7GPIvVZwS1zM5RhWQpg7QQ8cvFthHrheFnSRtgO9ocDPPzn8eRefvk3DVnA65YVKaFk2jx0rEYgVqw49HlFI/s475/houseinthesea.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKFq8-nsa4W-5yYy-HET2pBxg6BvvJi1wXJwiLNbxzLXF-Tvgnuoluk7q7GPIvVZwS1zM5RhWQpg7QQ8cvFthHrheFnSRtgO9ocDPPzn8eRefvk3DVnA65YVKaFk2jx0rEYgVqw49HlFI/s320/houseinthesea.jpg"/></a></div>
<blockquote><i>“Humanity is so weird. If we’re not laughing, we’re crying or running for our lives because monsters are trying to eat us. And they don’t even have to be real monsters. They could be the ones we make up in our heads. Don’t you think that’s weird?” </i></blockquote>
Linus Baker lives a dull, ordinary life. He works at DICOMY, the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, where his job is to ensure that the magical children living in state run homes are being cared for properly. The <i>RULES AND REGULATIONS</i> hanbook for the job is always close at hand, and Linus follows it religiously. Yet Linus himself is a bit of a pushover, letting his landlady, coworkers, and even his cat treat him with no respect.
One day, Linus is called into the Extremely Upper Management office. He fears the worst, but is surprised to be given a top secret assignment. They want him to spend a month at the DICOMY orphanage on Marsyas Island to observe the children and their master, Arthur Parnassus. Linus is chosen because of his ability to remain impartial and avoid personal attachments in his previous reports.
Linus travels by train, and upon arriving at the town near the island, he finds that the residents do not care for the orphanage on Marsyas Island. The town is plastered with "See something, say something" posters that encourage citizens to report those with magical abilities. Even Linus becomes frightened when he decides to learn about the children he will be meeting, and opens the first folder to find one is the literal antichrist.
The charges of Marysas Orphanage are:
-Lucifer, better known as Lucy, the 6-year-old antichrist
-Talia, a crabby female gnome
-Phee, a wood sprite
-Chauncey, a...well, noone really knows what he is. He is sort of slimey and has tentacles and eyestalks
-Theodore, a winged, rare wyvern
-Sal, who transforms into a Pomeranian when he becomes frightened
This motley crew is cared for by Arthur Parnassus, a very kind but mysterious man. Linus is intrigued by him, but isn't given a lot of information. Once he gets over his initial fear, Linus begins to understand and love the children and Arthur. Lucy is a bright child who loves music and occasionally says evil things to get a reaction. Talia grows the most beautiful garden. Phee grows the tallest trees. Chauncey dreams of becoming a bellhop. Theodore has a horde of buttons and his own unique language. The most difficult to access, Sal, writes beautiful poetry.
After spending so long on Marsyas, it becomes Linus' home more than his actual house. The residents become his family. This makes it that much harder for him to leave. This book was lovely to read. There were countless times when something so adorable happened that I just had to stop and cry for a second. The kids were super cute, but especially Lucy, he was just the cutest little antichrist. It took me forever to finish, but it was truly a joy to read and such a sweet story.
Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-68229770238615741432021-04-18T11:56:00.002-07:002021-04-18T11:56:39.394-07:00This Is Not the Jess Show by Anna Carey
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNyR3O8FDuUP0x3ts7ZuZrTZTHRJ5zW5C9iwP_K2LfgrlAliICABh164djwFF2aKesc4AEmqG4TnGKBuFrgcsIf5Zgksz7F6BgGeiy4WdNB2KE3Bbupr5gvXDsPVZQpU_7l1oQXXrjthx/s1522/thisisnot.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="1522" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNyR3O8FDuUP0x3ts7ZuZrTZTHRJ5zW5C9iwP_K2LfgrlAliICABh164djwFF2aKesc4AEmqG4TnGKBuFrgcsIf5Zgksz7F6BgGeiy4WdNB2KE3Bbupr5gvXDsPVZQpU_7l1oQXXrjthx/s320/thisisnot.jpg"/></a></div>
It's going to be pretty difficult to talk about this book without spoiling the big twist, although the twist is pretty obvious from the beginning. It's advertised as a cross between <i>Black Mirror</i> and <i>My So-Called Life</i>, which partially gives it away to me. Anyways, I'll try my best to toe the line...
Jess Flynn is your typical late-1990s high school girl. You know, the late 90s, Spice Girls and BSB, <i>Titanic</i>, TGIF, Doc Martens and babydoll dresses, <i>Clueless</i>, pagers, inflatable furniture and lava lamps...that aesthetic. Jess has a lot on her plate dealing with her sick little sister and overbearing parents. At school, she is finally starting to act on her crush on her childhood friend. Jess starts to notice odd things happening. There are strange words being chanted outside in the morning. A lot of classmates and teachers are out sick with the flu. Her best friend drops a strange object out of her backpack, a small rectangle with a glass screen and an apple with a bite out of it on the back.
These random, small, weird things start to snowball. Jess notices that her dog has been replaced with one that growls and bites her. Eventually, she is told the truth, and her reality completely shifts. The book moves from a YA contemporary novel to an action story as Jess is on the run, being pursued by those who want to push her back into her ordinary unknowing life. By the end, I still wasn't sure how I felt about the book, but I am interested to see how the sequel handles the story. I guess I will hold of my judgment until I can see how the story continues.
Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-22892237731087395372021-03-06T18:59:00.001-08:002021-03-06T18:59:41.244-08:00Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mGRc7kwwGKfy5KX8IMONxOpBeNACfW3vmxryfJjwXirziPvCITR3p-7GWmDZcrFzxZr5cFgu8JmiZWFsPnFX2DGQ1x3CtOTAjizOSrzm9Xbb8FyTmj40s6vPWga45nM5h6ReZ8Cq9__W/s475/verona+comics.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mGRc7kwwGKfy5KX8IMONxOpBeNACfW3vmxryfJjwXirziPvCITR3p-7GWmDZcrFzxZr5cFgu8JmiZWFsPnFX2DGQ1x3CtOTAjizOSrzm9Xbb8FyTmj40s6vPWga45nM5h6ReZ8Cq9__W/s320/verona+comics.jpg"/></a></div>
<i>Verona Comics</i> is yet another modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The two star-crossed kiddos in this story meet at a comic convention prom. Jubilee is dressed as a peacock character from her step-mother's indie comic when she encounters a young man in a button down shirt wearing a Batman mask. Jubilee was tasked with leaving her comfort zone to add some life experience to her cello playing, so she spends the evening talking with Office Batman. Afterwards, even though it was supposed to be a one night encounter, the pair end up texting each other. Bats and Peak have a good back and forth banter going on that could be spoiled if Peak/Jubilee knew who she was texting.
Bats is in actuality Ridley, son of the owner of a major chain of comic book stores. He learns who Peak is but keeps texting her because he likes her. When his dad finds out, Ridley tells him that he's using Jubilee to get inside information on Verona Comics, the small comic book store her step-mom owns and that his dad has been trying to partner with for a long time. Ridley feels terrible about the deception, but he still has a desire to win his horrible, abusive father's approval. So Ridley stays with his father instead of flying back home to the other side of the country and poses as a new Verona Comics customer. Soon, Ridley is one of their regulars, then part of their family. Jubilee is even torn between Ridley and Bats for her affection, not realizing they are one and the same.
I felt really badly for Ridley. His father was incredibly abusive, and there was a very upsetting scene in the beginning of the book where he was drunk and lashes out at Ridley. Ridley's mother wasn't much better, as she ignored him constantly and never sent his things from their house. Poor Ridley also has an inner monologue in his chapters for when his anxiety gets to him, and I just really worried about this boy and needed someone to save him from his horrible parents and give him some therapy and a hug.
I went into <i>Verona Comics</i> expecting a fluffy romcom story, but it took a sort of unexpected mental health issue twist. As I read more, I also remembered that the actual Romeo and Juliet story wasn't very fluffy or romcom, and I got very worried for my little nerdy babies. Poor Ripley, on top of his issues with anxiety and his horrible parents, had gotten into some trouble in the past where he tried to kill himself by jumping off a roof. Thankfully, the book doesn't end THAT way here, though things do get a little bleak. The conclusion is a little bittersweet, but hopeful. Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-55972299913567319552021-01-06T16:33:00.004-08:002021-01-06T16:39:51.625-08:00Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTry9PJH0Rapdn4V5rIaTGDmEGr7zmZIq0A6LI_R4n6XYBBxWY0KEKpyL8yygwREROh35rmpYqW7wM6JD0Q2CVfr-1XpFJzPSNunIAhjmPyubYg_kH0JSoHVTYDSYuWVwf276B0JYrLKVh/s2048/bookish.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTry9PJH0Rapdn4V5rIaTGDmEGr7zmZIq0A6LI_R4n6XYBBxWY0KEKpyL8yygwREROh35rmpYqW7wM6JD0Q2CVfr-1XpFJzPSNunIAhjmPyubYg_kH0JSoHVTYDSYuWVwf276B0JYrLKVh/s320/bookish.jpg"/></a></div>
For my first review of 2021, I'm revisiting the world of Ashley Poston's Once Upon a Con series. We started with <i>Geekerella</i>, the story of a fangirl who ends up getting a direct line to the star of the movie version of her favorite TV show...but she doesn't know it's him. Then we ventured to <i>The Princess and the Fangirl</i>, wherein a normal girl switches places with a famous actress to uncover a sabateur. Now, we visit a young lady who wins over a beastly young disgraced actor in <i>Bookish and the Beast</i>.
Rosie is the Beauty in the pairing, she who wants much more than this provincial life (That was actually directly quoted in the book, as well as a few other memorable lines from the Disney movie). Her plan is to get into NYU, although the admissions essay is giving her trouble. She doesn't have a lot to make her stand out, and she refuses to use the recent death of her beloved mother as inspiration.
She is being pursued by Garrett, the most popular boy in school. Garrett thinks that if he wins Homecoming King, Rosie will have to attend the dance with him. Rosie isn't interested, and tells him so. Unfortunately, Garrett doesn't believe in taking no for an answer.
Meanwhile, Vance Reigns is an actor in the <i>Starfield</i> movies. He recently encountered a scandal with Elle/Geekerella that ended with a car in a pond and broke up Elle and Prince Carminder/Darien. Vance was exiled to stay in a small town to get out of the spotlight, at least until he turns 18.
The pair meet when Rosie follows a dog into a castle-like large house. She thought the place was abandoned, but was surprised by the library that contains a massive collection of sci fi, including the entire <i>Starfield</i> series, the books her mother used to own that they were forced to sell to pay for her hospital bills. Suddenly, Vance appears and startles Rosie, who runs away into the backyard...straight into the pool...while holding one of the very valuable books.
In order to make up for the $1500 book, Rosie agrees to work in the house, arranging and cataloguing the library as a surprise for the owner. The two don't get along, and Vance isn't very agreeable to helping with her task. After some mishaps on Rosie's part, eventually Vance softens to her and realizes what an a-hole he has been. There's also he fact that the two of them met at a convention not too long ago and had a great night getting to know each other. Vance worried that Rosie would exploit all his secrets, while Rosie thought that Vance was disappointed to meet the real her
Of course, they eventually come to like, then even like like each other. It is nice how Vance knows how to take no for an answer, when he's all famous and isn't even used to hearing the word. There's still another misunderstanding and need for more reconciliation, but these are fairy tales. Of course they're going to live happily ever after.
P.S. These books are fantastic in how inclusive they are, lots of great LGBTQ+ characters. In this book, Rosie's non-binary friend runs for Homecoming Overlord in order to save her from Garrett, and it's awesome. Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-44128493731471590002020-12-29T13:54:00.001-08:002020-12-29T13:54:29.664-08:00The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipORqb8_etRFWSHx2RtKbg4OzP3Al9VLGd8bnLCzxQyfHClCVZCbIIXfRFVequiz6Fg7_5lguQJolR5UNV3137LEivWeSA9xO2IlwGKQUcmkIIhbYpAdhmB91pq8ihWjNyxRmKQTT0Rfvj/s475/ballad+of+songbirds.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipORqb8_etRFWSHx2RtKbg4OzP3Al9VLGd8bnLCzxQyfHClCVZCbIIXfRFVequiz6Fg7_5lguQJolR5UNV3137LEivWeSA9xO2IlwGKQUcmkIIhbYpAdhmB91pq8ihWjNyxRmKQTT0Rfvj/s320/ballad+of+songbirds.jpg"/></a></div>
When I heard that Suzanne Collins was writing a prequel to the Hunger Games, I was excited. What would we get to see? Haymitch's times in the arena? A view into another district? The times before the war? There were so many exciting possibilities to choose from. When I found out it would be about a young President Snow, I was disappointed. We don't really need to know more about him because we know he is the worst, and we don't really need to hear any more tales of sad white man woe leads to justification for murder. I still decided to read the book because I loved the original trilogy, I love Collins' writing, and I was curious about what we'd get to see and about the girl from District 12 that was featured in the book trailer.
<i>The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</i> takes place shortly after the end of the war between the districts and the Capital, right before the 10th Hunger Games. Even in the Capital, things are not good. People are poor, hungry, and suffering. Coriolanus Snow is a young student about to graduate. His once great family is in dire financial trouble after his father died in the war. They try to keep up pretenses, but Snow, his cousin Tigris, and his grandmother are often hungry, eating nothing but cabbage soup and beans to survive. He still aspires to succeed and hopes to find a way to get to university and help his family become great once again.
The interesting thing we find out is that even the Capital isn't a fan of the Hunger Games. In order to generate more interest, students from Snow's school are paired with the tributes. They will plan strategy, train them, introduce them, etc. Snow hopes to get a strong tribute, preferably from 1 or 2, but is disappointed to receive the female tribute from District 12. Lucy surprises him by making a splash at her reaping, and Snow decides he might be able to use her just yet.
Throughout the book, we see the starts of the Hunger Games we know from the original series come into shape. Katniss was treated to luxury when she entered the Capital, but these tributes are starved and kept in an old zoo while surrounded by rats. Snow ends up coming up with the ideas of betting on the tributes and sponsoring the tributes throughout the games.
Telling the origin story of a known villain is always going to be tricky. Make them too sympathetic, and it might not be believable, but there also has to be something that started it all. Nobody is born evil, right? Snow has some moments of decency, but he is ultimately shifty and calculating even when good. He's motivated by purely selfish gain, all that "Snow rises on top" stuff he spews. In the end, I hate him just as much, though I do wonder if maybe the obsession with roses was also to cover up the smell of all his inevitable cabbage farts. Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-78440508362617661762020-12-29T11:47:00.003-08:002020-12-29T11:47:30.425-08:00Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4G2rK1CdxrzgHJ-841k5tMFZHbtGT6QDlT71EAegBpCyXJXEutFa_29CKCt_Rc1FluzDtyIVnhmyYoxEXJE7Q2sXgHrIVAzxlzmf09armcZITO7kUwPvOVDEcj8AdiBTX4DyKFq7gDU6/s2048/clown.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG4G2rK1CdxrzgHJ-841k5tMFZHbtGT6QDlT71EAegBpCyXJXEutFa_29CKCt_Rc1FluzDtyIVnhmyYoxEXJE7Q2sXgHrIVAzxlzmf09armcZITO7kUwPvOVDEcj8AdiBTX4DyKFq7gDU6/s320/clown.jpg"/></a></div>
Kettle Springs, Minnesota seems like your average Midwest town. It's very rural, surrounded by a lot of corn fields and farms. The town is small and dying after the local corn syrup factory, Baypen, closed its doors. A lot of residents blame the problems on one thing: teenagers. These kids these days are always filming crazy pranks on their phones, disrespecting elders and traditions, commiting arson (Okay, that one actually is bad). Certain members of the community have had enough, but they came up with a plan that will get rid of the kids and save Kettle Springs at the same time.
Quinn and her father just moved to Kettle Springs. He is taking over the medical practice after the previous doctor moved away, and they both need a change after her mother died. On her first day at school, Quinn is lumped in with Cole and his gang of troublemakers after they are punished by a vindictive teacher. Cole is the son of the owner of Baypen, rich but also sad and troubled. He was basically abandoned by his father after the accidental death of his sister.
At Founders Day, Cole's friends set off firecrackers during the parade. It was supposed to be a harmless prank, but it snowballs into a disaster. After that, the plan is set in motion. Cole's friend Janet planned a big Founder's Day party out in a corn field while the owners are on vacation. There's music, bonfires, and lots of alcohol. It's an amazing party...then the clown attacks.
Frendo, mascot of Baypen and beloved icon of Kettle Springs, takes out teenagers left and right with a crossbow. When they run for cover in the barn, Frendo sets the building on fire and shoots anyone who tries to escape. After they manage to take the clown out with some very helpful guns courtesy of Quinn's neighbor Rust, they discover there are more Frendos trying to kill them, armed with more weapons. There's no cell service out in the corn fields, and all the cars have had their tires slashed and engines removed. It comes down to teenagers versus killer clowns as the kids have to fight and kill for survival.
<i>Clowns in a Cornfield</i> was definitely appropriate for spoopy season (Note: I read it in October). It's like reading one of those teen slasher movies. There's some suspense and a fairly good amount of gore and death. I was pretty surprised to find myself siding with the teenagers in this story, because like the band My Chemical Romance, teenagers scare the living sh*t out of me. But the adults in this story are dumbasses, with their stupid murder plan and their "Make Kettle Springs Great Again" slogan, and yes, it is meant <i>that way</i>. So, yeah, it's a bloodbath, and a good portion of Kettle Springs' youth are murdered, but in the end, they *SPOILER* still win, the young still come out on top, although they are left with raging amounts of PTSD and a bunch of therapy all around. I also really appreciated the resolution of the Quinn/Cole/Rust triangle thing...that was fun.
Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-81625541338050271562020-10-11T12:06:00.006-07:002020-10-11T12:06:59.897-07:00Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IfqTERpRSukOp7Ff47veMF3FIJ25Qb2heCM7leFHy5DNsNT86f6v-RoxifsGZ-JPPAGep_09nz_ZSH6fUBiQMO2HphCrPD6KtAPNYuUYMhXyyldFULmEXEBE6zmwh67nQyKRKzu6MFIP/s2048/ever+cursed.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; clear: left; float: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IfqTERpRSukOp7Ff47veMF3FIJ25Qb2heCM7leFHy5DNsNT86f6v-RoxifsGZ-JPPAGep_09nz_ZSH6fUBiQMO2HphCrPD6KtAPNYuUYMhXyyldFULmEXEBE6zmwh67nQyKRKzu6MFIP/s320/ever+cursed.jpg"/></a></div>
Five years ago, the princesses of Ever were placed under the Spell of Without by an impulsive young witch. Every year on their 13th birthday, the princesses will be cursed to go without one vital thing. The eldest Jane was cursed to be without food. Therefore, she hasn't eaten or drank in five years. Nora is cursed not to love, Alice is cursed not to sleep, Grace is cursed not to remember. Now that the youngest princess, Eden, is turning 13, the witch will tell them how they can break the spell.
The witch, Reagan, had not been of age when she cast the spell. Young witches can only cast Slow Spells, which means that the curses will not kill the princesses until Reagan turns 18, when the spell becomes True. She recklessly cast the spell in hopes of punishing the King on behalf of her mother. Reagan expects to see the King suffering and in pain, but he is none of those things. In fact, he is fairly happy. She starts to regret casting the spell, especially when she realizes there are only four days between Eden's 13th birthday and her own 18th.
It seems daunting, but the princesses and Reagan must work together to break the curse. She tasks them with gathering four items: a thimble of tears from the saddest person in Ever, a clock from the oldest, a lock of hair from the most handsome, and the crown of a King. The last seems fairly simple. After all, their father must want them to break the spell. The other objects are trickier. The princesses have never left the castle. A moat separates the royals from their subjects, and once they get to the other side they are in for a rude awakening. The kingdom has been suffering. Worst of all, their father may not be the Good and Gentle King they thought he was.
<i>Ever Cursed</i> is pretty heavy with allegory. You have your princesses and their spell, plus their mother who was cursed into a glass box with the same spell. What's kind of perverse is how princes and princesses from other kingdoms fetishize the cursed princesses, saying how rare they are because of the curse, because of what they are lacking. Then we get to the King, who seems like a good man and a good father at first glance. He didn't even mind that Alice was originally a prince or that Grace wants to marry a princess. Then Jane and the others start to see what was always in front of them, what they had been looking away from the whole time.
<blockquote>"Kings and princes have been doing the same things to princesses and witches for ages...
It was a king's kingdom and we all suffer for it..."</blockquote>
They want a quiet and pretty Queen stuck in a glass box. They want a Princess who can't eat who wastes away to nothing. They want a witch who protects the kingdom from the top of the highest mountain. What they don't understand is that all the girls are witches and queens/princesses all at the same time. They have the ability to be vulnerable, but they also have power. That power scares them.
The front cover of <i>Ever Cursed</i> looks like a typical YA fantasy. The pretty flowers don't convey the feminist fairy tale within. It definitely made me angry as a woman, especially the aforementioned scene where the sisters and Reagan are assaulted by the other princes and princesses. I'm even more motivated to smash the patriarchy now.
<blockquote>"It would be nice, to be given everything we deserve.
But it's not necessary. And if he won't give it, we'll just take it.
We're goddamn witches. Don't tell us we can't..."</blockquote>Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-19819116797047005432020-08-23T14:07:00.001-07:002020-08-23T14:07:22.557-07:00The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dsiw_ySN3UbxX4pHykSJspMDVJtSA-UjJdOlXn6LruRZG6vwUYptcYeS-OgWyTB1mflDjIG6J3S2x9_UpwpZIrjNZ7aKWztRkNmVvcmzd59mPyz7JTdlewwzMfcGJCd20hAtS8-B9XPi/s475/starless+sea.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: left;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dsiw_ySN3UbxX4pHykSJspMDVJtSA-UjJdOlXn6LruRZG6vwUYptcYeS-OgWyTB1mflDjIG6J3S2x9_UpwpZIrjNZ7aKWztRkNmVvcmzd59mPyz7JTdlewwzMfcGJCd20hAtS8-B9XPi/s320/starless+sea.jpg"/></a></div>
It's rather daunting to approach a review of <I>The Starless Sea</I>. It's a winding story that weaves inside and out, and I've heard (and personally believe) that it benefits from multiple reads. Alas, I am approaching this review having only read the book once. Still, I shall try my best.
Zachary Ezra Rawlins once discovered a door painted on the side of a building. He did not go through the door that day, but he remembered it. When he finds a mysterious book in his university's library, called <i>Sweet Sorrows</i> with no author and donated by a particular person, he is surprised to find that he is featured in the story. There are also tales of acolytes and guardians and keepers, bees and keys and swords.
He is lead to a party in New York where he meets an intriguing man who calls himself Dorian, a man who tells him stories and talks him into helping steal back another book. He also meets a pink-haired woman called Mirabel, though Zachary calls her Max. Max rescues Zachary when their heist goes bad and takes him to the Harbor, an underground series of rooms full of books and cats. The Harbor (And Max) is responsible for the doors, for leading people to the Starless Sea. There are also people, led by a woman named Allegra, who paint over the doors to keep people out. Thus, the central conflict.
Anyways, it's all very complicated. There is the main story, and every other chapter are different stories from <i>Sweet Sorrows</i> and <i>Fortunes and Fables</i>, stories that have nothing to do with the main storyline <i>until they do</i>. Yeah, it's one of those books. I loved <i>The Night Circus</i>, so I was extremely excited to finally get a new book from Ms. Morgenstren. Despite the complicated nature of the story, I enjoyed <i>The Starless Sea</i>, and I look forward to understanding it even better when I finally get around to reading it a second time.
Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-72450723557675558972020-05-31T19:05:00.003-07:002020-05-31T19:05:37.462-07:00P.S. I Still Love You and Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VurexIQXLhyehNtbr04AXB5dGa1CFys1f-yaTnxvHVl3qGJ_IcoMMKqrF_KlkdDCxUoAfver2hbVO1Z7Rs8RgieIMN0eluiMDavxcGFufUQkWgVFBdEUXaWZEQhcEf-Z5ipJR_y2xfwf/s1600/p.s..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VurexIQXLhyehNtbr04AXB5dGa1CFys1f-yaTnxvHVl3qGJ_IcoMMKqrF_KlkdDCxUoAfver2hbVO1Z7Rs8RgieIMN0eluiMDavxcGFufUQkWgVFBdEUXaWZEQhcEf-Z5ipJR_y2xfwf/s320/p.s..jpg" width="212" height="320" data-original-width="314" data-original-height="475" /></a></div>In <I>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</I>, Lara Jean Song Covey's life is turned upside down when her younger sister sends out a series of love letters that she had written to the boys she had overwhelming feelings towards. One letter, to the popular and handsome Peter Kavinsky, led to a fake relationship that sparked real romance. The second book starts with Lara Jean deciding to make a play for Peter, for real this time. They get back together, or rather finally get together, and all is well...or is it?<br />
<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, another letter finally reaches its recipient: Jon Ambrose McClaren. He used to live in their neighborhood when they were in junior high, and he and Lara Jean start a correspondence. In these letters, she conveniently never mentions that she is dating Peter now. For his part, Peter is always hanging out with his ex, Lara Jean's former friend Gen. He claims that she is going through something, a family issue that he doesn't want to divulge. To make matters worse, Peter and Lara Jean's infamous hot tub video from the school ski trip is still circling around. Lara Jean is certain that Gen is responsible for putting out the video, but Peter denies it.<br />
<br />
<br />
In less dramatic news, Lara Jean starts to volunteer at the local nursing home. She spends a lot of time with a sassy resident named Stormy. Stormy is always trying to set Lara Jean up with her great-grandson, who turns out to be none other than Jon Ambrose-McClaren! They have some romantic moments between them, especially when Peter and Lara Jean break up for a bit. <br />
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I also watched the Netflix version of <I>P.S. I Still Love You</I>. I really enjoyed their <I>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</I>, especially Noah Centineo as Peter Kavinsky. The second movie was a pretty decent adaptation. The kids are still cute, and I enjoyed the romance. Jordan Fischer made for a charming Jon Ambrose, and made it a little hard to be completely Team Peter, though I still completely am. Even though the movie won't be released for a bit, I also read the third and final book in the series, <I>Always and Forever, Lara Jean</I>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhD0JQstcJCY670tdmf4WFOuT95E6if8ox-aN36m1kf-7QiH1WEX6oxvWRw2KGXCFao3uGeKiV1DVL8deUHgDWcqTjMCEfz8hlSJd2sMpZgHeMQ5K2ejKp93HpXnU8408dvZNmiGAVanZ/s1600/always+and+forever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhD0JQstcJCY670tdmf4WFOuT95E6if8ox-aN36m1kf-7QiH1WEX6oxvWRw2KGXCFao3uGeKiV1DVL8deUHgDWcqTjMCEfz8hlSJd2sMpZgHeMQ5K2ejKp93HpXnU8408dvZNmiGAVanZ/s320/always+and+forever.jpg" width="211" height="320" data-original-width="313" data-original-height="475" /></a></div>At the start of the third book, Lara Jean and Peter are together and better than ever going into their senior year. They even plan to stay together in college. Peter was accepted to UVA to play lacrosse. UVA is also Lara Jean's top choice, her dream school since childhood. It seems inevitable that she'll get in...but she doesn't. <br />
<br />
Lara Jean decides to go to her second choice school, William and Mary. It's a bit of a drive, but still somewhat manageable. Plus they decide that Lara Jean can always try to transfer to UVA after Freshman year, and everything will be perfect again...then Lara Jean finds out she got into UNC. She had been waitlisted at first, so she never gave it a second thought. He best friend makes her take a road trip to check out the campus. They end up having a big adventure with a concert and burritos, and Lara Jean falls in love with the school. <br />
<br />
Alas, UNC is much farther than William and Mary. What should Lara Jean do? Their mother told Margot (LJ's older sister) not to go to college obsessing over your high school boyfriend. Margot keeps telling Lara Jean to give whichever college she picks a fair chance, to choose what's right for her and not what's best for her relationship. Peter's mom even secretly asks her to break up with Peter. She worries that Peter will give up his full scholarship to stay with Lara Jean, and Lara Jean would never let him destroy his future for her. <br />
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It's sort of nice that there is less "I'm worried you're going to cheat on me" drama in this book. It adds a certain maturity. Part of me was very proud and excited for the kids heading off to college, but I was also jealous because they are young, in love, and looking forward to the future while I am none of those things. Anyways, my sad life aside, I am looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation when it comes out and more of my inappropriate crush Noah Centineo. <br />
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Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-76851604829449699842020-05-05T14:37:00.000-07:002020-05-05T14:37:51.026-07:00Sick Kids in Love by Hannah Moskowitz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcsRzlsZaw4BeJjfDO1zTL-Q3Mv7OyuXRklcoX6HeTqg-GPbejjxBg78DlVRDh8bzxr2tm0T90kSa_7pVhViBG7iCFrHE52SBVVnoQUNP4Y_ehZRAsPPYMKMF4_AI2GZb7vjOF6Qr33a1/s1600/sickkids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcsRzlsZaw4BeJjfDO1zTL-Q3Mv7OyuXRklcoX6HeTqg-GPbejjxBg78DlVRDh8bzxr2tm0T90kSa_7pVhViBG7iCFrHE52SBVVnoQUNP4Y_ehZRAsPPYMKMF4_AI2GZb7vjOF6Qr33a1/s320/sickkids.jpg" width="210" height="320" data-original-width="312" data-original-height="475" /></a></div><i>Sick Kids in Love</i> boasts the tagline, "They don't die in this one." This snort-inducing line was a big selling point for me, along with how much I enjoyed Moscowitz's <i>Teeth</i>. It sounded like a refreshing change of pace from weepy dramas about terminally ill teens from <i>Five Feet Apart</i> to vintage Lurlene McDaniel to <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> (Although that book is amazing and I love it, and I will hear nothing bad about it or John Green). <br />
<br />
Isabel, AKA Ibby, is sixteen years old and has rheumatoid arthritis. It's not fatal, but it is a lifelong illness. She writes an advice column for her school newspaper where she asks her friends, family, and even strangers questions and compiles all the answers. Her pseudonym for the column? Sick Girl. One person she always gets an answer from is Claire, her imaginary best friend who died of cancer. It's a little strange, but it makes sense later. Otherwise, Ibby is normal, and has normal friends and a normal dad who works too much at his hospital.<br />
<br />
One day at her treatment for RA, Ibby meets a boy. Sasha is receiving treatment for his Gaucher disease. It's a not very fun genetic disorder that means fatigue, easily broken bones, and a possible future ruptured spleen, but is mostly not fatal. They have a very charming encounter, but don't exchange contact information. Ibby counts out how long until their paths cross again when they come in for future treatments, but is surprised to meet Sasha while volunteering at the hospital. She brings him water, and they talk and make plans. Of course, Ibby has to warn him that she doesn't date. <br />
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Soon, though, they are "not dating" a lot. The two are in the same boat in that they are sick. Ibby's normal friends don't understand how difficult her RA can be. They invite her to go skiing, even though she can't do a lot of physical activity without suffering for it later. She counts out how far she has to walk to get from the subway to her apartment, how many stairs to climb, etc. She wants to just take a taxi sometimes, so she can just be dropped off at her building, but she never does. Her legs sometimes give out under her, and Sasha urges her to get a cane to help, but she can't do that. She can't let other people see her with a cane, can't let her dad see her with a cane, because she doesn't want a big billboard letting people know she is sick. <br />
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The saddest part of Ibby's story is how long it took her to get diagnosed. Doctors said it was growing pains, even accused her of lying. That uncertainty was where Claire came from, a proxy who had a defined illness and was always the same age as Ibby when she died. Sasha was diagnosed much earlier than Ibby, though his doctors believed he had leukemia. As if it wasn't bad enough that Ibby has to pretend to feel okay for her dad and her friends, she also doesn't feel as though she can complain about being sick because Sasha is always sicker. <br />
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<i>Sick Kids in Love</i> was a very good book that brought up a lot of important issues. The romance could be sweet, but those kids were also very cringe-inducing at times. I very much liked how Ibby ended up growing through the book. She learned to stand up for herself with her friends and with her dad. True to the tagline, neither one of them dies. What more can you ask for?<br />
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Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-81600597988853709772020-01-27T19:09:00.003-08:002020-01-27T19:09:48.626-08:00Carry On and Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSwxNiluxk8hjcZMMDeA6j5pgXrAFUhTYhGXL2aEj0P8KNL7ckPjGTYcsPAD20MtwAU7xn-jNvSqLsxOLD4Bao3MpagF0BBbyNnziWzWOGH33MQLvkjbbNLF2KVphLmpDlb3274xs6MvE/s1600/carry+on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSwxNiluxk8hjcZMMDeA6j5pgXrAFUhTYhGXL2aEj0P8KNL7ckPjGTYcsPAD20MtwAU7xn-jNvSqLsxOLD4Bao3MpagF0BBbyNnziWzWOGH33MQLvkjbbNLF2KVphLmpDlb3274xs6MvE/s320/carry+on.jpg" width="214" height="320" data-original-width="317" data-original-height="475" /></a></div><br />
I've been working on this review for a while, and I was finally going to polish it and publish it, but I ended up deleting it, so I'm going to quickly do a new one. I read <I>Carry On</I> back when it first came out (I would normally link to my review, but I never actually reviewed it). I loved it back then, so now that the sequel was being released, and with a bit of time to kill waiting for my fancy copy to arrive from England, I decided to do something I never do: reread the first book. *Gasp* *Scream* *Sirens* I enjoyed it just as much the second time, maybe even more! *Reader faints* And I'd read it again too!<br />
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Okay, now that all that silliness is out of the way, Simon Snow is a character from the Simon Snow series that Cath and Wren read in Rainbow Rowell's <I>Fangirl</I>. <I>Carry On</I> isn't those books, and it isn't Cath's fan fiction. It's basically Rowell's own fan fiction, but since it's her universe, it's canon. <br />
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Simon Snow is the Chosen One, the one the prophecy says will save magic. He was a skinny little orphan when he came to Watford School of the Magick Arts, and now he is the Mage's Heir. Over the years, he has gone on countless adventures and quests, defeated enemies, slain dragons. He has done all this with the help of his best friend, genius Penelope "Penny" Bunce, and with his loyal girlfriend Agatha waiting for him. These adventures were somewhat complicated by his roommate and nemesis Baz. <br />
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Now that their final year at Watford is started, Baz is nowhere to be found. Simon believes that he is off plotting against the Mage, or something equally dastardly. He was actually kidnapped so that his mother's ghost couldn't reach him. Instead, she reaches out to Simon and asks him to find Nicodemus, find the person responsible for letting the vampires into Watford, the person responsible for her death. <br />
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Once Baz is back at school, he teams up with Simon and Penelope to solve the mystery. It's during the Baz-narrated chapters that we learn that while Simon sees Baz as an enemy, Baz is in love with Simon. He's also a vampire, turned as a child during the attack that killed his mother. Can two enemies ever have a future, especially a vampire and the Chosen One? It might be more likely than you'd think. <br />
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I really liked the world Rowell created in <I>Carry On</I>, the spells created out of song lyrics, movie quotes, nursery rhymes, etc. Using famous magicians as curse words also made me laugh. I remember having trouble keeping track of the narrators when I first read the book, so it was easier the second time. It was a lot of fun hearing about all the adventures Penny and Simon have been on over the years, and I wish I could read those books too. The characters are all great, from brave Simon to pining Baz to awesome, feminist Penny to poor, confused Agatha. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OiZ37Yeg8ZXQPVjBwM1uyHX7oAt5YA3PY7Hc7lCwyr_fJqUPr-tpF4T0QWWDRHJ0jjFb8FEPjCWVC6Cc51ajqn1IHLFDN86qieK39vktmCzPM4kUc43HS0BT7S9t4c_f0hyphenhyphen1UPI5uDQJ/s1600/wayward+son.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OiZ37Yeg8ZXQPVjBwM1uyHX7oAt5YA3PY7Hc7lCwyr_fJqUPr-tpF4T0QWWDRHJ0jjFb8FEPjCWVC6Cc51ajqn1IHLFDN86qieK39vktmCzPM4kUc43HS0BT7S9t4c_f0hyphenhyphen1UPI5uDQJ/s320/wayward+son.jpg" width="209" height="320" data-original-width="310" data-original-height="475" /></a></div><br />
<I>Wayward Son</I> takes place not too long after <I>Carry On</I>. Simon and Baz are dating, and they share a flat with Penny. Penny and Baz go to university, but Simon is a bit lost. He's no longer the Chosen One, and he's stuck with dragon wings and a long tail. He has plans to break it off with Baz before Baz breaks up with him, but it's put on hold when Penny decides they should all travel to America. She has been keeping in touch with Agatha, and she senses that something is wrong. They will fly to Chicago to visit her boyfriend, and then the three will drive out to California to check on Agatha. <br />
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Once they get to America, Penelope is devastated to learn that she no longer has a boyfriend. He thought he broke up with her, but she didn't listen. They set off in their fancy rental convertible for a much longer trip than anticipated. Along the way, they encounter some unfriendly vampires and are helped by a non-magical young man named Shepard. He offers his guidance for their trip, and the three witches accept his help, then proceed to wipe his memory and dump him. He comes back, because the memory wipe didn't take. <br />
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Shephard has travelled the United States seeking out all sorts of cryptids and magical creatures, and making friends with them. One of these friend points them towards Agatha, who has gotten involved with something called NowNext. On the surface, it seems like some New Age business seminar, but it's really a group of vampires with a goal: to learn how to wield magic. They travel to the city of vampires, Las Vegas, so that Baz can cozy up to some vampires and get some information.<br />
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Baz does cozy up to a vampire, much to Simon's displeasure. He also comes dangerously close to drinking human blood, a line he has never crossed before. America ends up surprising all of them. Spells are different there- the words come from non-magical people, and people talk differently in America. There are all sorts of dead spots they accidentally wander into, and threatening new enemies they encounter. What started as a fun vacation gets super intense! I'm very excited to read the third book to see what's next with Baz, Simon, Penny, Agatha, and Shepard. <br />
Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-22140842123373019212019-12-08T18:09:00.000-08:002019-12-08T18:09:02.182-08:00The Haunted by Danielle Vega<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJl3FBtsgi-Zd8WdJZtVlpTnyqO5C98v-ED9leEoCf2qWXm1wn_Z6jhcbl-RRvTAyMzL4iMdrRMSwQbEhO1GOA2Ig1QjnSJqOBT6X4Bcd68-_uYtr6Y3ohU1CABNo1ecVB-6IYWSM791qV/s1600/haunted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJl3FBtsgi-Zd8WdJZtVlpTnyqO5C98v-ED9leEoCf2qWXm1wn_Z6jhcbl-RRvTAyMzL4iMdrRMSwQbEhO1GOA2Ig1QjnSJqOBT6X4Bcd68-_uYtr6Y3ohU1CABNo1ecVB-6IYWSM791qV/s320/haunted.jpg" width="212" height="320" data-original-width="315" data-original-height="475" /></a></div>I've never read any of Danielle Vega's books, but I've heard she writes some pretty scary stuff. I decided to give her newest book a shot to see if it scared me. Unfortunately (Or should I say fortunately?), the book was not very scary for me. <br />
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Hendricks and her family- mom, dad, and baby brother- just moved to their very small town. Her parents flip old houses for a living, sell them, then move on to the next. Something about Steele House makes them decide to stay. For Hendricks, it's a chance to start over.<br />
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We find out through the book that they moved to get Hendricks away from her ex-boyfriend. They had to get a restraining order, they changed phone numbers, and finally decided to move away. So when the weird stuff starts happening in the new house, Hendricks is more focused on the past that's still haunting her...when she should be focused on the ghosts haunting her now. <br />
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Through her new friends, Hendricks finds out that a young girl was found murdered in the cellar of Steele House. That girl was the sister of Hendricks' neighbor, Eddie. His brother was the one who killed her. So...that's awful. Now, there are invisible cats jumping through walls, ghosts destroying wine bottles, stabbing doors, and throwing babies around. A desperate Hendricks seeks help not from her cool new friends or the sweet boy who wants to date her, but from the loner-next-door, as you do.<br />
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The two crazy kids end up visiting a New Age store in a nearby town to seek help to perform a séance. They perform the rituals and fight back as the ghosts continue to terrorize them, but emerge victorious...or do they? There are still more secrets to be revealed, plus a very abrupt and strange ending. <I>The Haunting</I> didn't end up "haunting" me very much at all. I liked the characters and Hendricks' trauma stemming from her ex-boyfriend was affective. The parallels between the physical haunting and emotional haunting were interesting, and I sort of thought it would be more psychological than actual ghosts. Alas, the actual haunting was not as satisfying. <br />
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Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-52075778572831378402019-09-27T19:08:00.000-07:002019-09-27T19:08:46.076-07:00Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5dkpIzLJGWyfkrupAr4AjM2m3UOFkglgtOZQxrUozd52ZEzE_if6ZKWQN9a1RZq0YYjKcvX794rYXXSgLGZUb3BB6vKwGEi2ShsM81IQbM4c0mxfJ3FGmNzj3-OyTDM7-N3V8OVwxe9U/s1600/hotdoggirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE5dkpIzLJGWyfkrupAr4AjM2m3UOFkglgtOZQxrUozd52ZEzE_if6ZKWQN9a1RZq0YYjKcvX794rYXXSgLGZUb3BB6vKwGEi2ShsM81IQbM4c0mxfJ3FGmNzj3-OyTDM7-N3V8OVwxe9U/s320/hotdoggirl.jpg" width="206" height="320" data-original-width="306" data-original-height="475" /></a></div><br />
It's the summer before senior year, and Elouise/Lou is determined to make it the best, most epic summer yet. This plan centers on winning over long-time crush Nick. They work together at Magic Castle Playland, a small local amusement park. Nick is one of the diving pirates, but Lou has spent her two years serving as a hot dog outside the food stands. Unfortunately, Nick has a girlfriend, the pretty, nice, literally-plays-Cinderella Jessa. How is a hot dog supposed to compete with that?<br />
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Other than her tragic lack of love life, Lou has to face the unfortunate truth that Magic Castle Playland will be closing. The owner has announced it will be the last year. The park she loves, where she grew up, will be torn down and turned into a factory. This is unacceptable, of course, so Lou brings her coworkers together to come up with some fundraising ideas to save the park. <br />
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Unfortunately, plans on the love life front don't work out so well. Because she can't get close to Nick, Lou plots to find love for her best friend Seeley. She schemes to get her to go out with fellow ride operator Angie. Unfortunately, things don't work out on that front. Then Eloise comes up with the "bright" idea of pretending to date Seeley. Then she can get close to Nick without making Jessa think she's a threat, she can feel out their relationship, she and Seeley can fake break up, and Nick and Lou can get together. <br />
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Thankfully, it's not a case of pretending to be gay to impress the boy. Seeley is a lesbian, Lou is bisexual. This plan is still problematic for a LOT of reasons. Most important and biggest of these reasons being that Seeley is <I>obviously</I> in love with Lou. She just can't see it until it's too late.<br />
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The majority of <I>Hot Dog Girl</I> is cute and fun. Lou could be a little annoying, especially when she was too obsessive over Nick and making every little thing between them have to mean something, and when she was being rude to Jessa for no reason. I'm really not sure I actually liked her, to be honest. I will say that I was surprised to have a bisexual main character. I thought it would be the story of Elouise trying to get the boy while her lesbian friend also tried to find love in the background. The story ended up going in a different direction, and I really liked the change from what I expected. <br />
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Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-47076764523787042822019-09-27T18:12:00.002-07:002019-09-27T18:12:52.548-07:00What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXneiFrdMz1r4sahrRXO-FlWqxpMU0gUSdrJfjL4HE-8pO4oEUi3poYxaii3ggAXmSXpwCoD-ZsIeaBxLA3L4aNcrZhXCNHvTQGikCqIsmXVmBmTDYIs8JurkGmCRzDUx0WEd5F2tS6KGd/s1600/36341204._SY475_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXneiFrdMz1r4sahrRXO-FlWqxpMU0gUSdrJfjL4HE-8pO4oEUi3poYxaii3ggAXmSXpwCoD-ZsIeaBxLA3L4aNcrZhXCNHvTQGikCqIsmXVmBmTDYIs8JurkGmCRzDUx0WEd5F2tS6KGd/s320/36341204._SY475_.jpg" width="212" height="320" data-original-width="314" data-original-height="475" /></a></div><blockquote><i>“I believe in love at first sight. Fate, the universe, all of it. But not how you’re thinking. I don’t mean it in the our souls were split and you’re my other half forever and ever sort of way. I just think you’re meant to meet some people. I think the universe nudges them into your path.” </i></blockquote>Arthur is staying in New York for the summer while interning at his mom's law office. While out getting coffee one day, he runs into the boy of his dreams at the post office. This boy is going to send a package back to his ex-boyfriend, but the postage is more expensive than anticipated. Before they can exchange names, the dream boy is gone. Some might give up at this point, but Arthur knows that the universe brought them together, and the universe will bring them together again. <br />
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Meanwhile, dream boy, AKA Ben, is not having the best summer. He has to attend summer school with his ex. Ben's best friend Dylan, who is girl crazy, has a new girl he is seeing. So Ben is feeling both stupid and lonely. <br />
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To help Fate along, Arthur decides to post a Missed Connections notice at a coffee shop. Dylan's girlfriend finds the notice and gives it to Ben. Arthur and Ben find each other and everything is perfect! Well, maybe not <I>perfect</I>. They come from very different backgrounds- Ben's family is poor and Arthur's is rich, Arthur will be headed to Yale next year, Ben is in summer school and has no idea what he'll do after graduation, <I>if</I> he graduates. They also have to deal with slightly clashing personalities and end up having to redo their first date a couple times to get it just right.<br />
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The worst of it is when the constantly late Ben plans the date of Arthur's dreams but accidentally ruins it with his flakiness. That one hurt. The universe brought them together, but their relationship has a lot of obstacles, biggest of which is what will happen when Arthur leaves the city after the summer. <br />
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I really love Becky Albertalli's books, and while I haven't read any Adam Silvera, I definitely have his stuff on my To Read list. So, I was psyched for <I>What If It's Us</I>, and I really enjoyed the story. The characters are a lot of fun, not just Ben and Arthur. It's a really sweet love story, and I'm glad I read it. <br />
Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-29648312594892796662019-06-24T18:30:00.001-07:002019-06-24T18:30:14.638-07:00With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOijPX7XISxpbNnzolpTktlA0nzwzlYj8DhzHSv9c_ImhusD15W21gZ-t4baLHOmBpn6bq_iid6X0BFisgVH2zTo-ghoxkVAXpwt17JeCt-GK6UDmlUsLZ2cYf6YvzhyphenhyphenMMCv1icGcH9yU/s1600/with+the+fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOijPX7XISxpbNnzolpTktlA0nzwzlYj8DhzHSv9c_ImhusD15W21gZ-t4baLHOmBpn6bq_iid6X0BFisgVH2zTo-ghoxkVAXpwt17JeCt-GK6UDmlUsLZ2cYf6YvzhyphenhyphenMMCv1icGcH9yU/s320/with+the+fire.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><blockquote><i>"</i></blockquote>Emoni has always had a passion for cooking. Ever since she was young, she had an instinct for adding extra flair to her recipes, almost never making the same dish the same way twice. Some even claimed that her cooking is magic, even brings back forgotten memories. Emoni isn't sure about that, she just likes to cook. <br />
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During Emoni's senior year, her school finally introduces the perfect elective: culinary arts. This class will focus on Spanish cuisine, and there will be a special trip to Spain. It's an exciting opportunity, but also challenging for Emoni, who will have to work very hard to make sure she graduates while also juggling a part-time job at a burger restaurant and the full-time job of raising her two-year-old daughter. An extra class, and an expensive foreign trip, seem out of the question. Yet, Emoni still signs up for the course.<br />
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Culinary Arts is amazing, seeing all the kitchens and utensils finally put to good use. Unfortunately, starting with the basics gets Emoni feeling a little antsy. When the teacher criticizes her for adding a little extra flair to a dish instead of sticking to the recipe, Emoni starts to skip the class. It seriously worried me because I cared about her and worried about her academic future, and it also worried her new friend Malachi. Emoni doesn't have much time or interest in boys, but new student Malachi shows a lot of interest in her. Despite her initial protests, Emoni eventually warms up to him. <br />
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<i>With the Fire on High</i> was a really great book. It was really hard not to care about the characters, especially Emoni. I rooted hard for that girl. I would love to try her cooking! <br />
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Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-84511423535126891102019-06-24T14:48:00.002-07:002019-06-24T14:48:55.184-07:00The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWMfvC9NXd6-OuWPnjvlQGPZsZVcJuAnbf9nCqoWeHIYKUzY0pcOWiJuIX7G0OytmlGgeXJnmez_89xzimgVIl2h89_tdg8aw1h4xuPhU2m0j5YcBP1BwNnkDhJ3s6JUO5bcd8E8rGV-r/s1600/princess+fangirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWMfvC9NXd6-OuWPnjvlQGPZsZVcJuAnbf9nCqoWeHIYKUzY0pcOWiJuIX7G0OytmlGgeXJnmez_89xzimgVIl2h89_tdg8aw1h4xuPhU2m0j5YcBP1BwNnkDhJ3s6JUO5bcd8E8rGV-r/s320/princess+fangirl.jpg" width="210" height="320" data-original-width="312" data-original-height="475" /></a></div>I very much enjoyed Poston's <a href="https://imgoingtoreadyourmindnext.blogspot.com/2017/07/geekerella-by-ashley-poston.html"><i>Geekerella</i></a>, so I was excited to get back into that world with <i>The Princess and the Fangirl</i>. It's set in the same universe, but focuses on different characters at the same convention in a time far, far away...or maybe like a year or so. <br />
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At the latest ExcelsiCon, the new Starfield movie was a smashing success. Now, they are gearing up for a sequel. The only person not excited is leading lady Jessica Stone. Her Amara was killed off in the first film, and Jessica hopes she stays that way. Jessica had been a "serious" actress, and she wants to get back to indie films that earn Oscars, not sci-fi popcorn flicks. She also has a tendency to read every tweet and negative post about her, and the fandom is not kind. <br />
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Meanwhile, Imogen Lovelace practically grew up at ExcelsiCon. Her top priority is the #saveamara campaign she started. She even rented a booth with her online friend Harper so she can hand out buttons and get more signatures on her petition. The trouble starts when Imogen is mistaken for Jessica and pulled onstage during a Q&A. Nobody can tell that she isn't the actual actress, although her positivity towards Starfield makes some people suspicious given how much everyone knows Jessica Stone hates Starfield. <br />
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That should be the end of Jess and Imogen's encounter, but Jessica needs a stand in. The director of Starfield gave her some important documents, and Jessica threw them in the garbage. It turned out to be a copy of the script to the Starfield sequel. Now, someone is leaking the script on twitter, and it's only a matter of time until someone finds out it was her script. Imogen will take over as Jessica, doing meet and greets for the fans, while Jessica mans her booth with Harper and investigates the leaker. <br />
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The girls learn valuable lessons from switching lives; Imogen finally feels seen, but learns some of the downsides to celebrity, and understands why Jessica doesn't want to be Amara. Jess appreciates the anonymity of being Imogen, and starts to understand what the Starfield movies, and Amara, mean to a lot of fans. Of course, they both also fall in love. Imogen clashes with Jessica's prickly assistant Ethan, but anyone can tell it's one of those love to hate you/hate to love you things. Jess, for her part, falls for Harper. There's even a big declaration of love scene that is adorable. <br />
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All in all, <i>The Princess and the Fangirl</i> wasn't quite as good as <i>Geekerella</i> but it was fun and it helped me out of my reading slump. I liked that we got to see more of Elle and Darien. I also liked that Jessica fell in love with a girl, and it wasn't a Big Deal. It's a pretty good time, and I hope to see more Once Upon a Con books in the future. <br />
Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-44958338212479362472019-03-31T20:47:00.001-07:002019-03-31T20:47:47.203-07:0099 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5Xt5zRSYybSEs13cTuHSNJjq299fRTzx4qRtCfvr0xMk1saBifm7x4jKuXgtS-gB2p6B75Uv5MUSKjE0WctVlScRQImzBSDq5W4lPw8wTgZBGmu4JOv-W3KWfnOHqDstTs-KQ2Or9ohh/s1600/99+percent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5Xt5zRSYybSEs13cTuHSNJjq299fRTzx4qRtCfvr0xMk1saBifm7x4jKuXgtS-gB2p6B75Uv5MUSKjE0WctVlScRQImzBSDq5W4lPw8wTgZBGmu4JOv-W3KWfnOHqDstTs-KQ2Or9ohh/s320/99+percent.jpg" width="214" height="320" data-original-width="317" data-original-height="475" /></a></div>I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying Sally Thorne's <i>The Hating Game</i>. It had that sexy back and forth, love-hate thing going. It wasn't perfect, but it was a lot of fun, plus nicely steamy and romantic. So it comes as little surprise that I would be excited for Thorne's newest book, <i>99 Percent Mine</i>. The sad reality is that I'm not that into this book. <br />
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Our heroine is Darcy Bennett, bartender and former award-winning photographer. Darcy is one of those rebellious young ladies who acts first and thinks second, someone who tends to leave the country when things are going badly. She is madly in love with Tom Valeska, her twin brother Jamie's best friend. Darcy and Tom never seemed to get their timing right- he told her he loved her, she flew to Europe for the first time. Now, he is engaged to a perfect woman named Megan, and Darcy is alone with her candy and her casual flings. <br />
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The twins are about to renovate their grandmother's old house so they can put it up for sale. Tom is just starting his own construction business, and they hire him to take on the job. Darcy plans to pitch in, despite her heart condition. When Tom finally admits that he is no longer engaged, she comes on a bit too strong, to put it delicately. <br />
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When it seems like they will never be anything more than friends, it suddenly changes. He's really jealous and overprotective when she's around his crew. They go out for drinks, one thing leads to another, and it seems like Darcy finally has Tom 100 percent. That's the perfect time for Jamie to show up. <br />
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<i>99 Percent Mine</i> isn't bad, but it's not as good as I wanted it to be. I don't really like any of the characters, except maybe Patty the dog. But I also don't hate them. A lot of the romance seems a little unearned, or maybe I just don't get how it moves from point A to point B, which probably explains a lot about my actual love life. Overall, it's well-written and sort of sweet. I'm always a sucker for a happy ending. <br />
Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-43947953254114483242019-02-27T20:16:00.000-08:002019-02-27T20:16:27.495-08:00Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbtSLxldyc82ifmbOoRgtka6iuxfuhqbMMGM9sawTw2UsLhUJCEII5qE-8UL-a9lwDuwGePRVIppPyI6lO7XeZVMY5WqudidJ70IHDBVEEFfLL3OoIu6Kop2vG9fR__1FBBKbLB33BoJK/s1600/Dear+Evan+Hansen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbtSLxldyc82ifmbOoRgtka6iuxfuhqbMMGM9sawTw2UsLhUJCEII5qE-8UL-a9lwDuwGePRVIppPyI6lO7XeZVMY5WqudidJ70IHDBVEEFfLL3OoIu6Kop2vG9fR__1FBBKbLB33BoJK/s320/Dear+Evan+Hansen.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><blockquote><i>"We start with stars in our eyes/We start believing that we belong/But every sun doesn't rise/And no one tells you where you went wrong..."</i></blockquote><br />
Fresh off my obsession with the musical Hamilton, I decided to check out the show Dear Evan Hansen. As I am a poor woman who doesn't live anywhere near Broadway, I did this by listening to the soundtrack. It's sad and amazing and so emotional. When I received the <i>Dear Evan Hansen</i> novelization from Pajiba Krampus Exchange, I was excited for more insight into a show that I've only heard in song form (And once I decided I wanted to know what the song "Words Fail" looked like on stage and looked it up on YouTube and it was a mistake, I cried, it was traumatizing).<br />
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<i>Dear Evan Hansen</i> is a story based upon a lie. Evan is a normal kid, a little overlooked and a lot anxious. His mom is a nurse and enrolled in night classes, so she doesn't have a lot of time to spend with him, but she tries. She tries a little too hard sometimes, but Evan can be hard on her. Evan's dad lives far away and is busy with his new wife and a new son on the way. Evan is starting his junior year of high school with zero expectations and a newly broken arm from his internship at the local park- he climbed a tree and fell out of the tree.<br />
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Evan's therapist gives him an assignment to write letters to himself as a way to get to know his mindset. They always start "Dear Evan Hansen." One day, Evan is printing out a letter at school to take to his appointment when Connor Murphy takes it from him. Connor is an angry young man, and a bit of a burnout. In the letter, Evan mentioned Connor's sister Zoe, Evan's crush, and thought Evan was trying to make fun of him. Connor runs off with the letter, and Evan panics. He doesn't know what Connor plans to do with the letter, but he knows it won't be good. <br />
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All that worry was for nothing, because the next day is normal. Connor isn't even at school, and neither is Zoe. They don't show up for several days, and then Evan gets called into the principal's office. Connor and Zoe's parents want to tell him in person that Connor killed himself. They found Evan's letter on him, a letter addressed "Dear Evan Hansen" that concludes with "Your best friend." Evan tries to tell them that Connor wasn't his friend, that he was the one who wrote the letter. They don't listen, especially when they see Connor's name on his cast. <br />
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Evan still wants to clear the whole thing up, but he eventually sees that by continuing he can give the Murphys some comfort. He asks his (family) friend Jared to help write some emails that establish Evan and Connor's secret friendship. He makes up a story where they were at an old apple orchard when Evan broke his arm, that Connor was the one who found him after he fell. Soon, overachiever Alana urges Evan to start the Connor Project, a website in Connor's memory. They plan a fundraiser to reopen the orchard as a memorial. <br />
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Evan's life ends up improving quite a bit because of the lie. He starts dating Zoe. He doesn't need his anxiety meds any more. The Murphys even offer to pay for his college tuition, though Evan's mom refuses. In fact, she is surprised to hear about Evan and Connor's friendship. Evan has been lying to so many people for so long that it just can't last, and won't end well, no matter how good his intentions were. <br />
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I really enjoyed the novelization of <i>Dear Evan Hansen</i>, though I thought it might be unnecessary. I've heard the songs, so I thought I knew basically the whole story, but there was more the songs don't tell you- more story, plus some insights from Connor's ghost. I very much hope to actually see the entire show live someday. This book was almost as good as seeing the show, and made me cry almost as much too. Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-59206126096149774682019-01-29T19:06:00.001-08:002019-01-29T19:06:28.628-08:00The Umbrella Academy Volume 1: The Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way, Gabriel Ba, Dave Stewart, Nate Piekos, and Tony Ong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oUm1lz9x5WL-vb2V4XkZBibps2IW9rAKgUrMgbmqR8yJnqyEdPH5Z2i3supD-QOIRTpdHu4G5jvN13JDUCssd_GObe4LHvKgeuCFf0Q05wWZZjjdw3GMEOtIXdMyjtn6uby5JmWLZvgf/s1600/umbrella+academy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oUm1lz9x5WL-vb2V4XkZBibps2IW9rAKgUrMgbmqR8yJnqyEdPH5Z2i3supD-QOIRTpdHu4G5jvN13JDUCssd_GObe4LHvKgeuCFf0Q05wWZZjjdw3GMEOtIXdMyjtn6uby5JmWLZvgf/s320/umbrella+academy.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br />
I became interested in reading this series after watching the trailer for the upcoming Netflix series. It looks very fun and Wes Anderson-esquely quirky. So, I figured it was a good excuse to read the graphic novels first. <br />
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In a mysterious worldwide event, forty-seven women, most of whom had not shown signs of pregnancy, gave birth. Of these children, millionaire inventor Reginald Hargreeves, AKA the Monocle, managed to track down and adopt seven. His reason for collecting the children? "To save the world." The children are gifted with powers that they use to fight villains and save the day, though it seems that their upbringing leaves something to be desired. Twenty years after saving the world from a murderous Eiffel Tower controlled by zombie robot Gustave Eiffel, the Umbrella Academy returns home for their father's funeral. <br />
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The Academy consists of:<br />
Number 1, Spaceboy, AKA Luther, is basically the leader and has powers of strength. He spends most of his time in outer space with his robots. The Monocle forced him to have his head attached to the body of a gorilla after an accident (I'm not sure when that happened- it wasn't in the books, I read it online). He has a thing for Allison, but thinks she wouldn't love him because of the gorilla body.<br />
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Number 2, the Kraken, AKA Diego, tends to fight with Number 1 and is sort of abrasive in general. He spends his time underwater and can hold his breath a long time. He does have a thing for Vanya.<br />
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Number 3, the Rumor, AKA Allison has powers of manipulation. We learn that she was married and has a daughter. <br />
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Number 4, the Séance, AKA Klaus can communicate with the dead, possess people, levitate, and move objects with his mind. He is very goth and kind of dramatic. <br />
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Number 5, AKA the Boy, disappeared after the Eiffel Tower incident. He emerges at the funeral looking the same age he was back then, claiming to have travelled through time and seen the end of the world. He took a very long time to figure out how to make his way to the past to warn them, and though he aged normally in the future, when he returned to the past he was ten years old again. He is very fast and very violent. <br />
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Number 6, the Horror, AKA Ben, passed away at some point...or did he?<br />
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Number 7, AKA Vanya, is the only child without powers. Because of this, she was treated differently from her siblings, not special. As an adult, she wrote a memoir about growing up like this, My Life as 00.007. She is a talented violinist and is asked to play with a Orchestra Verdammtem. At first she turns them down, but after a disastrous meeting with her siblings, she changes her mind. Vanya is turned into the White Violin, who can kill with a single note, and will be used to bring about the end of the world.<br />
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I liked The Umbrella Academy, but I can't help feeling as though I'm missing parts of the story. It feels a little like this was an established series that expects you to have some prior knowledge coming in, but it's actually a new thing. There's still a third volume coming out later this year that might improve things, and I'm definitely going to check out the show next month.<br />
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Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-73539226808695310072018-10-03T12:39:00.000-07:002018-10-03T12:39:01.710-07:00To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMtoJyY8EYHhwqmIYmJra5RglCtMNNy4qC_eo0N9H56r_tYGmd-0sPVP5j3aVsoYafcm20o6BWV2me6OVrflyoCFLEEe4HSbxE_w3EZtT1J57FYvkggkXuFCivcQtpkDhfVpz9h94Nt8C/s1600/to+all+the+boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMtoJyY8EYHhwqmIYmJra5RglCtMNNy4qC_eo0N9H56r_tYGmd-0sPVP5j3aVsoYafcm20o6BWV2me6OVrflyoCFLEEe4HSbxE_w3EZtT1J57FYvkggkXuFCivcQtpkDhfVpz9h94Nt8C/s320/to+all+the+boys.jpg" width="212" height="320" data-original-width="315" data-original-height="475" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote><i>“Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared anymore...”</i></blockquote><br />
I admit it: I watched the Netflix movie before I read the book. I have a weakness for teen rom-com cheesy goodness, the waiting lists at the library were massive, and I really wanted to know what all the Buzzfeed stories were about. Of course, I absolutely loved the movie. Lara Jean was adorable, Peter Kavinsky was adorable, they got up to adorable shenanigans and developed an adorable romance. I almost didn't want to read the book, but I figured it would be a good chance to compare and contrast, and also fill out another square in my Cannonball Bingo card. <br />
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<i>To All the Boys I've Loved Before</i> is about Lara Jean Song Covey, who is the middle sister, a dreamer, and a romantic. Her older sister Margot has stepped into a mother role since their mom died years ago. She takes care of everyone and keeps everything running. Margot is about to go to school in Scotland, so Lara Jean will have to step up to take care of their father and the youngest sister, Kitty. Kitty is sassy, fights with Lara Jean a lot, and obsessed with getting a dog. <br />
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Lara Jean has a habit of writing letters to the boys she has crushes on. She has a hatbox with five letters in it, none of which are meant to be read. Then someone sends the letters. Lara Jean only finds out when she is confronted by Peter Kavinsky, one of the coolest boys at school, who was just broken up with by Lara Jean's former friend Gen. She had a crush on him back in middle school, and he was her first kiss. <br />
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Peter and Lara Jean agree to pretend they are dating. Peter wants to make Gen jealous and get her back. Lara Jean is using Peter to show that she is over her crush on another letter recipient: Josh. Josh is the boy next door, and also Margot's boyfriend, recently ex-boyfriend. So, yeah, it's one of those complicated faking it things where the lines become blurred and then emotions become real, etc. <br />
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I preferred the movie over the book version. The characters were more likeable, especially Kitty and Peter. Peter especially seemed kind of not great in the books, whereas he was a lovable little muffin in the movie. It was nice to have a book and movie starring a half-Korean heroine. It was sweet how their father tried to cook Korean food to celebrate his daughters' heritage (Even though he wasn't great at it). I'm probably going to have to buy <i>P.S. I Still Love You</i> because those waiting lists are still a bit much for me, but I am interested in seeing what comes next in the series before the next movie comes out. Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-11592568851799546272018-08-06T20:05:00.002-07:002018-08-06T20:05:07.327-07:00Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMM8YGOt2L3m9GKZLR86DX7qEeXidWczrWWpj1dE3XSvDGkZyqNUPhJ3PCLrrWxBNK50uKw93iON5BI8YPu_hVo5Vfvx0Scl4VdYPH4Ova5smFSoqV7JaBeMoPgYR3vCRzIylvaONiDMLG/s1600/leahontheoffbeat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMM8YGOt2L3m9GKZLR86DX7qEeXidWczrWWpj1dE3XSvDGkZyqNUPhJ3PCLrrWxBNK50uKw93iON5BI8YPu_hVo5Vfvx0Scl4VdYPH4Ova5smFSoqV7JaBeMoPgYR3vCRzIylvaONiDMLG/s320/leahontheoffbeat.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><blockquote><i>“Imagine going about your day knowing someone’s carrying you in their mind. That has to be the best part of being in love- the feeling of having a home in some else’s brain...”</i></blockquote><br />
I loved <i>Simon Vs. the Homosapiens Agenda</i> and <i>The Upside of Unrequited</i>, so of course I wanted to read Albertalli's newest book. <i>Leah on the Offbeat</i> is more of a direct sequel to <i>Simon</i>, as <i>Upside</i> focused on different characters on the very outskirts of the universe. Here, Simon's friend Leah deals with high school drama of her own. <br />
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Leah knows who she is; she's fat, she's a Slytherin, she's a drummer. She's a little self conscious about not being as rich as her classmates, as she was raised by her single mother. What she hasn't told any of her friends, including Simon, is that she is bisexual. It changes her feelings towards Abby in the previous book. Where it seemed that she didn't like the new girl because of a crush on mutual friend Nick, Leah had actually been struggling with an attraction to Abby. <br />
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It turns out that those feelings haven't gone away. What's worse is that it makes every interaction with Abby awkward. Not that it matters if Leah likes Abby because Abby is dating Nick and Abby is straight. But Abby and Leah are going to the same college, and Abby wants Leah to go with her for a campus visit. Then she breaks up with Nick because she doesn't want a long distance relationship. Also, it turns out that Abby might not be as straight as she thought she was.<br />
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I love the characters in Albertalli's books. In general, teenagers make me nervous and frightened, but these kids are so sweet and funny. I want to help them with their homework and give them hugs and bake them cookies and help them with their complicated love lives (Although, at least they <i>have</i> love lives...maybe they can help with mine!) <i>Leah on the Offbeat</i> is another excellent book and I'm excited to read more from Albertalli. <br />
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Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5263260188554388570.post-89982836898286287382018-08-06T13:07:00.000-07:002018-08-06T13:09:26.246-07:00The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgVVw-g8xoKp2iXqM5xb78fQlGdRPS9syMKSLPVhhMaTQGWoAhGiMH50Ymr6ei_MqhjlOhdzUGr7sch_otWMnkxA1-NjVG00-muoL7h1T2UBZ5fb5KF6dhptVXnGDOVk6vL3IxUDfHKSA/s1600/kissquotient.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhgVVw-g8xoKp2iXqM5xb78fQlGdRPS9syMKSLPVhhMaTQGWoAhGiMH50Ymr6ei_MqhjlOhdzUGr7sch_otWMnkxA1-NjVG00-muoL7h1T2UBZ5fb5KF6dhptVXnGDOVk6vL3IxUDfHKSA/s320/kissquotient.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
I believe I have stated this before on here, but I'm not much of a Romance girl. There seems to be a stereotype of women loving their little mass market paperbacks of billionaires seducing young ingenues or Fabio with an open shirt kissing a woman with a heaving bosom. Of course, not all women are into these things, and if they are, that's their business and they aren't hurting anyone, so who cares? But I digress...romance isn't my thing, which is why I surprised myself by enjoying the Cannonball Read recommended <i>The Hating Game</i> last year. This year, I was intrigued by the new release, <i>The Kiss Quotient</i>, so I decided to give it a try. <br />
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<i>The Kiss Quotient</i> is about econometrician Stella. She is really good with math and great at her job. Of course, because she is a single woman of advanced age (She is 30 years old, the hag! #eyeroll), her parents are hounding her to marry a nice man and have some babies. Unfortunately, the situation is a bit complicated because Stella has Asperger's and is very awkward in social situations. When her douchebag coworker (Who her parents think would make a great match, which: ew) suggests that she could land a boyfriend by learning to be better at sex, she thinks he might be on to something. Stella decides to hire an escort to practice her skills. <br />
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Michael is said hooker with a heart of gold. He turns tricks to pay off his mother's medical bills, but his true passion is fashion design. When Michael meets Stella, he immediately falls in love with her. He doesn't understand how such a beautiful, sweet young lady would need to hire someone like him. During their bedroom time, he starts to realize that she has had some bad encounters in the past. Her other paramours didn't care that she was tense and scared. Michael takes it slowly, gets her to relax and open up. They don't actually have sex, but it is a very positive encounter. <br />
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Stella wants to hire Michael again. He has a strict policy against repeating clients, but she threatens to hire another escort, and Michael worries about her. After some more sex practice, she decides what she needs is to hire him as a pretend boyfriend. She will pay him $10,000 to be her boyfriend for a month. After that, she will be able to snag a real boyfriend. Of course, by now Stella really wants Michael but thinks that he couldn't possibly want her. Michael in turn wants Stella but thinks she couldn't possibly want him. <br />
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I'm a little torn because I liked <i>The Kiss Quotient</i>, it's a pretty sweet romance. But there is a LOT of sex. So. Much. Sex. It's a bit much for someone more used to YA books and fade to black sex encounters, especially given how graphic it is. Here's a question for more experienced romance readers: do men always come off creepy when doing dirty talk/sex lessons? Because Michael's bedroom instruction sounded a little condescending to me. Also, is it normal for him to call her vagina a sex? Is that a thing? Part of me does wish that Stella wasn't described as tiny, pretty, perfect body. Some love for a taller, lumpier girl with Asperger's would have been nice. It still gets extra points for switching up traditional gender roles, the whole reverse <i>Pretty Woman</i> thing. All in all, I recommend <i>The Kiss Quotient</i>, but prepare yourself for some very intense reading that could possibly embarrass you in public. Caitlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16300752640193070370noreply@blogger.com0