This week's Top Ten Tuesday post was about finding books that have less than 2000 ratings on Goodreads that we enjoyed reading this year. As someone who has struggled to find the time to read (that is, until now) I noticed that a lot of the books that I have listed here have also appeared in other blog posts and Top Ten Tuesdays that I made.
I guess that is what you get when you read some really great books.
In all honesty, these books are all amazing. The fact that they have been mentioned on the blog several times and included in several posts should show their value! I've also included links to my reviews of all of these books too, in case you want to know some of my more "in-depth" thoughts about them. Just click on the title of the book to be taken to my review!
Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YA. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Monday, July 4, 2016
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl | Moodboard Monday
If you read my post on Friday, you would know that I recently finished reading the book Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. I thought this book would be a great book to post a mood board for, so I made my own!
If you want to read my review of the book, you can click here! I actually really enjoyed reading this book. If you haven't read the book, I'll include the summary below.
"Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.
Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.
Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.
And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight."
Do you not know what "Moodboard Monday" is? Check out this post that explains it!
Who was your favorite character in the book?
My favorite character was, without a doubt, Rachel!
Did you pick any specific characters or scenes to be represented in your Moodboard?
I didn't really pick any specific "scenes", but I kind of wanted to capture the essence of the characters. Greg is the boy in all of the shots, I have two of him with a camera because his passion is creating films. The middle picture is supposed to represent the book that he is writing. For Rachel, I wanted to capture her "style" by picking an outfit that I think she would wear.
Did your Mood Board take a specific color scheme? If you actively chose one, why did you chose that specific color?
I didn't actively choose a color scheme, but it seems like all of my pictures have a yellow tint. Maybe that's fitting, because it seems like you are looking through a film cell. Yellow to me also represents happiness, and even though there are a lot of sad things happening in this book, there are also a lot of great happy memories that Greg reflects on.
Was there a picture that you just couldn't find to incorporate into your mood board? If you can answer it with little to no spoilers, tell us how it related to the book!
Oh goodness, I really wanted to find a picture that looked like Rachel while she was in the hospital. I just couldn't find a picture that captured the mood I wanted. I can't say too much about that mood without spoiling the book though, so I guess you have to read it!
If you read the book, what was your rating for it? Link us to your review if you have one! :)
Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.
Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.
And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight."
Friday, July 1, 2016
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews | Review
Publish Date: March 1 2012
Page Amount: 295 pages
Price: $17.95 Hardback
ISBN: 1419701762 (ISBN13: 9781419701764)
Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.
Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.
And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin | Waiting on Wednesday
Publish Date: October 4th 2016
Page Amount: 416 pages
Price: $17.99 Hardback
ISBN: 0062408887 (ISBN13: 9780062408884)
Is there anything special about this book that you are looking forward to?ISBN: 0062408887 (ISBN13: 9780062408884)
This book reminds me a lot of Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I know that the story doesn't really have any similarities, but the thought of biomechanically enhanced or altered (?) humans and cyborgs pulled me in yet again. I'm looking forward to seeing that aspect being developed/explained in the book. I know the synopsis mentioned an epidemic hitting the city too, which I believe serves as the background for the story. I love books that involve medical information in any way, shape or form - I think it adds to the complexity of the plot and depth of the story as a whole.
In terms of the entire book, I'm very excited to learn about Nell and her father, specifically, the experiments that he has been keeping to himself!
In terms of the entire book, I'm very excited to learn about Nell and her father, specifically, the experiments that he has been keeping to himself!
How did you hear of this book? From a Goodreads Search, Blogger Buddies, Twitter, etc.?
I actually just went through Goodreads looking for 2016 books that I haven't heard of before. I came across this one in a fellow blogger's list of anticipated releases, and I knew instantly that I have to get this in my hands once it comes out.
Have you read any of the author's works before?
Nope! I can see on Goodreads that she has published other books, but I haven't read them.
What do you think about the cover? What about the title?
The cover is what drew me in to investigate the rest of the story. There is something just so technical and interesting about it that it captures the eye. It definitely fits with the mood of the book and I'm so excited to actually read the pages between the end covers! I love how there are a bunch of appliances laid out around the cover and that it's also an artsy cover. I also love the color of the cover - I don't think I have a book that matches it! It will be a nice edition on my shelf.
As for the title, I really like it! I know I can't understand the full significance of the title until I read the book, but it definitely connects to the plot from what I can see. The title sparked some curiosity within me too, so I guess it is doing it's job! :)
As for the title, I really like it! I know I can't understand the full significance of the title until I read the book, but it definitely connects to the plot from what I can see. The title sparked some curiosity within me too, so I guess it is doing it's job! :)
When is the release date for this book? Do you think you can wait that long to read it?
This book comes out on October 4th. I'm excited to read it, and I think I can wait. After all, that's the only choice I have, isn't it? :)
This book comes out on October 4th. I'm excited to read it, and I think I can wait. After all, that's the only choice I have, isn't it? :)
What do you think of this week's pick? What are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments below!
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Top Books I've Read So Far This Year
So, for those of you that have been following the blog, you know that I haven't really had a chance to read this year (at least, read as much as I would like to). I've been bogged down by the ending of my senior year, my International Baccalaureate exams in May, and just trying to readjust after all of the stress and chaos (and, don't get me wrong, a very amazing school year) has ended.
With that being said, I don't think I have enough 2016 releases to fill this Top Ten Tuesday to my liking. The topic this week was supposed to be "The Top Ten Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year", but I haven't read enough 2016 releases.
Instead, I'm going to morph the topic a little bit. I'm going to talk about the Top Books I've Read So Far This Year, even though I know that might be a topic in the future. I'm just going to do it now, and if this topic comes along in the future, I'll pick a topic that I haven't done before. See? I have this figure out :)
Without further adieu, here are the summaries (and links to reviews if I have published them on the blog) of the Top Books I've Read So Far This Year!
With that being said, I don't think I have enough 2016 releases to fill this Top Ten Tuesday to my liking. The topic this week was supposed to be "The Top Ten Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year", but I haven't read enough 2016 releases.
Instead, I'm going to morph the topic a little bit. I'm going to talk about the Top Books I've Read So Far This Year, even though I know that might be a topic in the future. I'm just going to do it now, and if this topic comes along in the future, I'll pick a topic that I haven't done before. See? I have this figure out :)
Without further adieu, here are the summaries (and links to reviews if I have published them on the blog) of the Top Books I've Read So Far This Year!
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
RoseBlood by A.G. Howard | Waiting on Wednesday
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publish Date: January 10th 2017
Page Amount: 464 pages
Price: $18.95 Hardback
ISBN: 1419719092 (ISBN13: 9781419719097)
ISBN: 1419719092 (ISBN13: 9781419719097)
In this modern day spinoff of Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.
At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.
A. G. Howard brings the romantic storytelling that Splintered fans adore to France—and an entirely new world filled with lavish romance and intrigue—in a retelling inspired by a story that has captivated generations. Fans of both the Phantom of the Opera musical and novel, as well as YA retellings such as Marissa Meyer’s Cinder, will devour RoseBlood.
Is there anything special about this book that you are looking forward to?
Of course!
I absolutely love re-tellings. Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles Series (which features several retellings of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel to name a few) is one of my favorite series. I love how authors are able to take well-known stories and put their own twist on them. Even if two authors wrote two re-tellings of the same story, both books would end up drastically different. I'm excited for this book because I really want to see A.G. Howard's interpretation of The Phantom of the Opera and see how The Phantom of the Opera plays into the story.
Another reason why I am super excited for this book is that RoseBlood is a spin-off/modern retelling of The Phantom of the Opera! I used to think that authors only wrote re-tellings of fairytales, Imagine my surprise and delight when I stumbled across RoseBlood!
I used to watch The Phantom of the Opera all of the time when I was younger. One of my friends had a gigantic celebrity crush on Gerard Butler, so I would watch it with her almost every time I was over at her house. Not to mention, we were (and still are) giant musical theater lovers, so this movie quickly became one of our favorites. I think that we eventually could recite the entire production by heart. (Okay, maybe I wasn't at that level, but my friend definitely was!).
I honestly was shocked when I discovered RoseBlood, but I guarantee that this was in a good way! Reading the synopsis brought back a flood of childhood memories for me, and made my need for this book so much stronger!
I also love the synopsis, as always. It's a rarity to find a re-telling that isn't inspired by a fairy-tale, let alone a book that features a seventeen-year old musical prodigy. I have a strong love for music and I'm excited that I finally found a character that feels the same way about music.
I also know that RoseBlood has been compared to Marissa Meyer's works, so I'm very excited to read this book, since I loved Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles!
I absolutely love re-tellings. Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles Series (which features several retellings of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel to name a few) is one of my favorite series. I love how authors are able to take well-known stories and put their own twist on them. Even if two authors wrote two re-tellings of the same story, both books would end up drastically different. I'm excited for this book because I really want to see A.G. Howard's interpretation of The Phantom of the Opera and see how The Phantom of the Opera plays into the story.
Another reason why I am super excited for this book is that RoseBlood is a spin-off/modern retelling of The Phantom of the Opera! I used to think that authors only wrote re-tellings of fairytales, Imagine my surprise and delight when I stumbled across RoseBlood!
I used to watch The Phantom of the Opera all of the time when I was younger. One of my friends had a gigantic celebrity crush on Gerard Butler, so I would watch it with her almost every time I was over at her house. Not to mention, we were (and still are) giant musical theater lovers, so this movie quickly became one of our favorites. I think that we eventually could recite the entire production by heart. (Okay, maybe I wasn't at that level, but my friend definitely was!).
I honestly was shocked when I discovered RoseBlood, but I guarantee that this was in a good way! Reading the synopsis brought back a flood of childhood memories for me, and made my need for this book so much stronger!
I also love the synopsis, as always. It's a rarity to find a re-telling that isn't inspired by a fairy-tale, let alone a book that features a seventeen-year old musical prodigy. I have a strong love for music and I'm excited that I finally found a character that feels the same way about music.
I also know that RoseBlood has been compared to Marissa Meyer's works, so I'm very excited to read this book, since I loved Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles!
How did you hear of this book? From a Goodreads Search, Blogger Buddies, Twitter, etc.?
I actually found this book through Twitter. I can't remember which user sent out a tweet about it, but it linked to the synopsis. I was immediately hooked on this book and I determined that I need to have this book in my life.
Have you read any of the author's works before?
Nope! I know that A.G. Howard has other books, but I haven't read them yet! I'm so excited that I discovered her though. I will definitely have to get my hands on her other books.
What do you think about the cover? What about the title?
If there was a perfect example of insta-love, this would be it. The cover is not only beautiful and mysterious in it's own right, but it also ties in The Phantom of the Opera beautifully. I love the blue in the cover and how it contrasts with the red of the roses. Also, I think it's extremely clever to feature roses and their thorns.
Of course, the cover and the title go beautifully together. I just love that your eye is drawn to the roses in the cover and the title has "Rose" in it! I absolutely adore the title!
Of course, the cover and the title go beautifully together. I just love that your eye is drawn to the roses in the cover and the title has "Rose" in it! I absolutely adore the title!
When is the release date for this book? Do you think you can wait that long to read it?
This book comes out in January of 2017, according to Goodreads! That release date is so far away! I would love to read this book earlier if I had the opportunity!
This book comes out in January of 2017, according to Goodreads! That release date is so far away! I would love to read this book earlier if I had the opportunity!
What do you think of this week's pick? What are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments below!
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Zenith: The Androma Saga #1 by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings | Review
Publisher: Mirabel Inc.
Publish Date: June 21 2016 (Part One)
Page Amount: Not Completed
Price: $1.99 eBook (Part One)
ISBN: 1311167609 (ISBN13: 9781311167606)
"There is darkness sweeping across the stars.
Most know her as the Bloody Baroness, the captain of a fearsome glass starship called The Marauder. Androma and her crew strike terror in the hearts of those who cross them amongst the many corners of the Mirabel Galaxy.
When a routine mission goes rogue, the all-female crew is captured by a bounty hunter from Andi’s past and forced into a job that could, quite literally, start a war that will devour worlds.
Meanwhile, on the far side of the galaxy, the ruthless ruler Nor waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time. The final pieces are about to fall into place, liberating a plan that will tear Mirabel in two.
As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, there is one lesson that proves to be true: No one can be trusted in a galaxy that runs on lies and illusion.
From internet sensation Sasha Alsberg and multi-genre author Lindsay Cummings comes a new serialized space opera, full of action, intrigue, and steamy star-crossed romance.
Perfect for fans of Hugh Howie, Sarah J Maas, and Beth Revis."
Most know her as the Bloody Baroness, the captain of a fearsome glass starship called The Marauder. Androma and her crew strike terror in the hearts of those who cross them amongst the many corners of the Mirabel Galaxy.
When a routine mission goes rogue, the all-female crew is captured by a bounty hunter from Andi’s past and forced into a job that could, quite literally, start a war that will devour worlds.
Meanwhile, on the far side of the galaxy, the ruthless ruler Nor waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time. The final pieces are about to fall into place, liberating a plan that will tear Mirabel in two.
As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, there is one lesson that proves to be true: No one can be trusted in a galaxy that runs on lies and illusion.
From internet sensation Sasha Alsberg and multi-genre author Lindsay Cummings comes a new serialized space opera, full of action, intrigue, and steamy star-crossed romance.
Perfect for fans of Hugh Howie, Sarah J Maas, and Beth Revis."
Zenith is a stellar space tale full of action, suspense, and romance that will leave you thirsty for more!
Sasha & Lindsay, you guys did an amazing job with this first part of Zenith.
I just want to give a little bit of background on my interest in this book, just because it's origins are meaningful and important to me, and I think we all have a little something to learn from them. If you don't know this already, I'm a teen blogger. I've been blogging for almost two years now, and even before I was doing that, I was watching Youtube videos about books, following authors on Twitter and engaging in friendly, book-related chats with pretty much anyone on the internet.
I discovered Sasha's channel right around the time when I was getting started with blogging. It had been a few months since I made my first post on my blog, and I didn't really know what I was doing or how to schedule a blog post so that my readers didn't see seven posts in one day. (Yes, that really did happen!). Needless to say, I fell in love with her channel. Seeing a then high-school student around my own age talk about the books that she loves spoke volumes to me. It was something I had never seen before. I was inspired. I was there for the majority of Sasha's senior year - I saw everything from amazing book talks to exciting news about where she is headed to college. In fact, without her channel, I wouldn't be a part of the Emerson College Class of 2021. I wouldn't have found it to begin with.
I found Lindsay on Twitter, like I did most authors at the time. Though I didn't own any of her books then (I remedied that situation) I loved seeing her interactions with other people. She just seems like she is an extremely nice person who loves what she does, and we all need more happiness in our lives like what Lindsey promotes. Though my only real "interaction" with Lindsay has been liking her Instagram posts here and there, I still feel like we value a lot of the same things. I want to be an author too, and I'm battling my own physical limitations every day. Though it doesn't affect my writing as much as it does my mentality and physical state, it's still something I have to work through, and seeing Lindsay work through that has given me the strength I need to work through that too.
As you can tell, I have a lot of emotional investment in this book. When I first heard that Sasha and Lindsay were writing a book together, I was so excited! I could instantly tell that this book would be a hit.
After reading the first part of Zenith: The Androma Saga, I have to say that most of my doubts were lifted. I actually ended up enjoying this read a lot more than I thought I would. I was mainly worried due to the fact that this book had two authors. I was worried that the writing styles of Sasha and Lindsay might not mix very well, that there would be a very clear distinction between Sasha's writing and Lindsay's writing, not because of experience, but because of their individuality and voice. I had worried that the "switch" between writing styles would be too much to handle and that it would distract me from the plot of the book as a whole.
But, to be honest, I can't tell you who wrote which parts of the book. I don't even know if they switched off writing in this part, because the flow was that amazing.
I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this book. Sure, I had read the synopsis on Goodreads and seen a few tweets here or there about Zenith, but other than that, there was a very minimal interaction. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but when I read the first page I was instantly blown away. Who knew you could fit so much ACTION into nine chapters of a book? I don't want to say too much for the sake of spoilers, but the pacing of this action-fueled plot was absolutely perfect. Nothing seemed to drag, there was just enough introduction to all of the characters, and then, the action begins.
The one thing I didn't like about this information-loading is that, in the first few chapters, there seemed to be too much world-building. It seemed like conflicts and names of these places were being dropped on me one after the other, and I didn't really get a chance to comprehend or understand it before another piece of world-building was added into the equation. I definitely felt that I could understand the characters based on what I learned about them and their interaction with others, but I still don't feel like I can understand the world as much as I want to. The world-building development seemed way too fast for me, but hopefully in the next installments of Zenith, I can catch up!
Speaking of characters, I love the all-female crew of The Marauder! It was very refreshing to see that each of the crew members had very distinct and different personalities. I loved how none of the crew members adhered to a certain literary trope, but had their own unique "quirks" in their personality. I can't say much about the other characters yet, because I don't know too much about them at this point, but I'm definitely interested to see where this adventure will take them.
Zenith: The Androma Saga is the young adult book you have been waiting for. I read Part One in less than 30 minutes and I couldn't put it down! This has to be one of the best science fiction novels of 2016. I have never heard of a young adult book with a story as unique as this one. This dynamic group of spunky female space pirates is sure to hold a special place in your heart, and on your bookshelf. I cannot wait to see what is in store for Andi and her crew!
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
GIVEAWAY!
Want to read Zenith? Now is your chance! Familiarize yourself with my giveaway policies page (located at the top of the blog) and then enter the giveaway!
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Waiting on Wednesday | Glitter by Aprilynne Pike
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: October 25th 2016
Page Amount: 384 pages
Price: $17.99 Hardback
ISBN: 1101933704 (ISBN13: 9781101933701)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike comes a truly original new novel—Breaking Bad meets Marie Antoinette in a near-future world where the residents of Versailles live like it’s the eighteenth century and an almost-queen turns to drug dealing to save her own life.
Outside the palace of Versailles, it’s modern day. Inside, the people dress, eat, and act like it’s the eighteenth century—with the added bonus of technology to make court life lavish, privileged, and frivolous. The palace has every indulgence, but for one pretty young thing, it’s about to become a very beautiful prison.
When Danica witnesses an act of murder by the young king, her mother makes a cruel power play . . . blackmailing the king into making Dani his queen. When she turns eighteen, Dani will marry the most ruthless and dangerous man of the court. She has six months to escape her terrifying destiny. Six months to raise enough money to disappear into the real world beyond the palace gates.
Her ticket out? Glitter. A drug so powerful that a tiny pinch mixed into a pot of rouge or lip gloss can make the wearer hopelessly addicted. Addicted to a drug Dani can sell for more money than she ever dreamed.
But in Versailles, secrets are impossible to keep. And the most dangerous secret—falling for a drug dealer outside the palace walls—is one risk she has to take.
If I say everything, I don't think that counts as an answer. In all honesty, I read the synopsis for the first time and I just thought that it was so unique! For one, I have never read a YA book where "the past" and "the future" are intertwined so closely. If you know me well, you also know that I love reading historical fiction and dystopian books, so this seems like the perfect fit for me.
After reading the synopsis several times, this reminds me of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. Not necessarily due to the plot, but the mindsets of the main characters (Danica and Mere) are extremely similar. I absolutely loved Red Queen so I'm interested to see if I will love this one too.
How did you hear of this book? From a Goodreads Search, Blogger Buddies, Twitter, etc.?
Nori from ReadWriteLove28 actually sent me an opportunity to spotlight this book on the Sunday Street Team. I suppose that the "Blogger Buddies" category fits the bill for this one! I just learned about this book today (about the middle of June) and I am shocked that I didn't hear about this one earlier through the grape vine!
Have you read any of the author's works before?
Nope! I've seen a lot of her books around, especially in my bookstores, but I've never read one myself! You should let me know what book of hers is your favorite in the comments - maybe I'll read a few before this book comes out!
What do you think about the cover? What about the title?
The cover is absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. I really hope this is the final cover because I think this cover is the definition of perfection. I love the colors, I love the model, I love the font used too...this cover for me is like a match made in Heaven.
The title and the cover definitely go together too! I don't have anything negative to say about the title because it ties into the synopsis very well! I love how the title pops on the cover too.
When is the release date for this book? Do you think you can wait that long to read it?
This book doesn't come out until October. I think I can wait that long to read it, only because I have some books that are already on my shelf that I would really like to get to (like The Raven Cycle series) But, if this book magically appeared in my hands tomorrow, I think it would shoot to the top of my to-be-read pile!
What do you think of this weeks pick? What are you waiting on? Let me know in the comments below!
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