A copy of this novel was provided through Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
I've never read anything by Katie Cotugno but I have always heard good things about her work. After almost constantly hearing nothing but sweet things about her writing, and finally picking out something of hers to try, I can see why she has such steady fans. Fireworks is a breath of fresh air and pleasantly surprised me when it comes to its genre--it could have gone horribly wrong but something about her prose just makes the experience all the more good.
What made me enjoy Fireworks so much was the nostalgia of it all--Cotugno captured an era I remember fondly and did it a solid. I'd say it falls right smack dab in the middle of clichéd and not. Somehow, it all worked and tangled together spotlessly and kept me feeling a kind of warmth to it. I'm not going to lie and tell you guys this is the most moving novel you'll ever read but it is worth a second look. It reminded me of a lot of childhood memories but it also stays connected with its target audience--while it will feel nostalgic to people my age, it will feel just as captivating and relevant to a younger audience, too. A lot has changed from the 1990s to today--that is time itself--but not enough to make teenagers feel disconnected to the general story.
The Amateurs by Sara Shepard | Rating: ★★★★☆Raise your hand if you're utterly addicted to anything that Sara Shepard writes! ME! That's me. I'm a self-proclaimed uber fan of Sara Shepard's work and probably always will be. She is one of the few authors that I've carried over from my teenage years (has it REALLY been ten years since PLL was first published?!) and still frequently return to. There's something so devilishly feel-good about her indulgent mysteries. From Pretty Little Liars to The Lying Game and everywhere in between, Shepard dominates her genre and has continued to show us her story telling skills.
The Amateurs is no different and may be her best release in recent years. Fans who found themselves disappointed in The Perfectionists will find their Queen of Stylish Suspense once more with this delightful young adult mystery that reminds us why she's been a bestselling author for so long. I think we all know by now that nothing is ever what it seems in Shepard's books and The Amateurs will slap you down with a huge plot twist, I promise you: your head will be spinning.
I love that the pace was really solid: quick but not too quick, the relationships were set up perfectly. And the typical Sara Shepard signature "I've got you now, don't I?" because, let's face it. It's Sara Shepard's world and we're just living in it.
Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell | Rating: ★★☆☆☆*To clarify, this is a rewrite of an old review, as my thoughts of the novel have changed through the years.
Ages and ages and ages ago, I loved this book. It is still something I appreciate, on some level, even if my feelings have changed in the years. I certainly loved it all those years ago. Perhaps not as much as the hit HBO television series of the same name, but, it was still up there. Sex and the City was something of a stepping stone for a lot of women through the years and still, I think, holds true even in the years its been off the air. Certainly it's a pop culture phenomenon that still stays highly relevant in popular culture.
I'm always going to appreciate it, and the show, for what they are and how they shaped some aspects of who I became as an adult. I applaud it on many levels but somehow, somewhere along the way, the novel and show have lost their sparkle to me. I don't think I'll feel inclined to reread the book again, in the future, which is strange given I still love the characters from both the novel and show, and have some sense of attachment towards them, but there you have it. It's not that it's a bad novel, it just feels like the older I get the more boring and unappealing it is to me.
As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Net Galley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
"People trim their truth the way they want it, my love."
Navigating a thriller can be an incredibly difficult thing to do for both writer and reader. You have so much you have to work with when it comes down to treading those waters: likable characters, suspicious ones, high stakes and suspense, and of course conclusions as you wrap up the mystery of it all. Stormy Cove, although not my favorite read this year, manages to hit all those marks and then some.
This, entirely, has to do with the vivid setting and the sparks of mystery within. Bernadette Calonego creates a delightfully unique thriller for us to get lost in and I can guarantee many moments in which the reader will be on the edge of their seats wondering what's next and who the bad guy really is. Toss in the complexities of a small town and the way its residence entwine with one another, as well the gossip that comes in tow of such.
The Haters by Jesse Andrews | Rating: ★★☆☆☆As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
The thing about The Haters is I wanted to love it--I really and truly wanted to because A.) the plot sounds incredibly fun and promising in theory and I could really use a laugh an a road trip plot. B.) Jesse Andrews is hugely talented and made me fall in love with Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and his writing. And C.) Amulet's promotion of the novel was the cutest I've seen in the last few years and I'm a sucker for cute things. So when I flipped the book to read its summary I was pumped.
But the problem was that it didn't live up to expectations at all and felt equal parts lackluster and try hard. Jesse Andrews could have done so much better in my eyes but the simple matter is that it is likely just not my cup of tea personally. Because while it wasn't awful, awful, awful and had some bright spots, it just wasn't all that great in my view. I wanted so much more from it and it was just not meant to be.
Alas!
Bucky F*cking Dent by David Duchovny | Rating: ★★★★★ Can you, man, find the poetry to keep the sun from rising, like a mountain, blocking its inevitable ascent for a few more moments? Can you, who call yourself a writer, find the words that will have an actual influence on the real and natural world? Magic passwords-shazzam, open sesame, scoddy waddy doo dah–warriors lurking in the Trojan horse of words. The implicit answer to Coleridge’s question was: Hell, no. If the answer were yes, he would never have asked the question. The writer will never make something happen in the real world. In fact, the act of writing may be in itself the final admission that one is powerless in reality. Shit, that would surely suck.
Bucky F*cking Dent is more than just an attention grabbing title. It is more than just a small novel about life, and its hits and misses. Most importantly, the novel introduces us to David Duchovny, novelist, instead of David Duchovny, actor. You may know David Duchovny from his many iconic roles throughout his career: Fox Mulder (The X-Files), Hank Moody (Californication) or currently Sam Hodiak (Aquarius) or the like. Or you may only know him in passing from his prolific career.
But what many people don't realize is that Duchovny is a skilled writer--a talent that is often unacknowledged.
Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate | Rating: ★★★★★ "We are always moving forward--I can see it now. We are hurtling through our lives. We are never standing still."
As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
Newcomer Riley Redgate knocks things out of the park with her debut novel, Seven Ways We Lie. It’s the sort of story you pick up and somehow, within pages, know that it’s bound to be something special. Seven Ways We Lie tackles touchy topics of sins and coming of age and each of our narrators speaks to us on a personal level.
It was a privilege to read it.
Why? Because of the characters. Because of the beautiful prose and the excellent development. In so many ways, we all have a part of each of them and it’s something we can’t miss. It’s an instant classic amongst the crowded young adult contemporary genre and a delectable one at that, which isn’t a term I like to use often.
But it’s the only title I’ve found fitting.
Reflected in You by Sylvia Day | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)Sylvia Day’s bestselling Crossfire series continues in the second installment, Reflected in You, picking up right where the first book left off. Where Bared to You explores the physical attraction and obsession our leading couple have with one another, this one explores the emotional aspects of it all and leaves us begging the questions: are these two meant for each other? Or not?
And is it all too much?
We know one thing right away: Eva and Gideon are as hot for one another as ever, so the sex is mind blowing and the chemistry reaches an all time high. These two are wild, pure passion and it’s so indulgent to read. If anything, if one is looking for a spark filled erotic story, Sylvia Day’s steamy series should be at the top of your list due to its delicious chapters and encounters.
But beyond all of that, the novel itself promises to explore their dynamic on an even deeper level; toying with our emotions, bringing us the knowledge of past trauma (trigger warning: sexual abuse and such) as well as the reappearance of people from their past and an event that threatens to tear the two apart for good.
We’ll see just how far one will go to keep the other safe. After all, if the one you loved was in danger – how far would you go?
Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen | Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5)“For as long as I could remember, other people had either overshadowed me or left me out in the open, alone. But Mac, as Layla had said all those weeks ago, was always somewhere nearby. He left me enough space to stand alone, but stood at the ready for the moment that I didn’t want to. It was the perfect medium, I was learning. Like he was my saint, the one I’d been waiting for.”
Saint Anything marks the twelfth (I know!) book released by the wonderful Sarah Dessen, otherwise known (in my mind) as the Queen of Young Adult and shows us once more why she is so beloved in the literary world. I cannot get enough of her stories and the way the worlds flow in a raw, beautiful manner. Each story is completely different but completely beautiful and undeniably Sarah Dessen.
Saint Anything is an instant Dessen classic in all its fluffy, realistic to the bone and romantic glory. It’s wise, it’s heartfelt, it’s an important story with a voice that needed to be heard in our narrator Sydney who seems wise far beyond her teenage years.
Life isn’t a cakewalk for Sydney, per say, because her life is clouded with quite a few complications, brought out mostly in the form of her older brother Peyton who has his fair share of addictions and the struggles which come with it. After he makes his biggest, most massive mistake yet by hitting a young boy with his car (who thankfully doesn’t die but is, unfortunately, paralyzed) he is forced to, at last, pay for his behavior.
The Heir by Kiera Cass | Rating: ★★★★☆ "I think you're mistaking comfort for joy."
The Selection trilogy is one of my favorite novel series in the young adult genre solely based upon how sweet and fluffy it is. There's something so easy about this series to escape into that it reminds me how fun reading is. It’s a simple read that doesn’t slack on entertainment. While it isn’t the best, most creative novel series in a life changing way; there’s [still] something utterly light, intriguing and action packed about this world that Kiera Cass has given us.
The Selection series is certainly reminiscent to the reality shows of our modern times, except with a futuristic and royal twist filled with a rich history of its own. It is no secret that the series has a massive following and with that comes a batch of those who dislike it for one reason or another.
Often compared to The Hunger Games and The Bachelor; the original series focused on the life of a young woman named America Singer as she struggles to fit into this world of romance and luxury; leaving behind a boy from home as she joins the competition to become the next queen of this fictional land. She never expected to fall in love, but she did -- and the decision of who she is, who she wants to be and who she cannot live without is ever so present throughout the series' original run.
Dangerous When Wet by Jamie Brickhouse | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)
As a note, this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
Dangerous When Wet is a laugh out loud, side splitting, piece of humour in literature that was desperately needed. The voice projected in the narration is both dark, real and humorous -- in all the right ways. Jamie Brickhouse's memoir rings true and unique in the way he tells his story. It's honest, it's hilarious, it's the way many people need to approach their past and future, even if it's not of the lightest quality. Jamie's thoughts, his narration of memories, are so fun to read that I'm willing to bet that even people who aren't all that fond of memoirs will find themselves enjoying this one.
As we read his thoughtful and hilarious looks into his downward spiral, we root for him and cringe when he makes decisions that are unfortunate. I saw quite a lot of one of my best friends in Jamie, and I'm willing to bet that you will too -- his struggles are very, very real and it's a remarkable thing that he's able to tell us his story now.
We see a larger than life woman -- his mother Mama Jean and she's an intriguing addition to his memoir. There's something about her that is a swirl of a lot of things -- all I can say, really, is intense.
The Marauders by Tom Cooper | Rating: ★★★☆☆As a note, this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for a review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
It's hard to believe this is Tom Cooper's first published novel. Tom does an excellent job in his writing -- you can feel the effort he put into creating this story and I must applaud him for that. It's virtually perfect when you consider that this is his debut novel. The Marauders is an excellent stepping stone and I hope it's just a show of what's yet to come from him, because his writing has the chance to be huge.
We're given a pretty standard and great starting point for the novel itself. We see a familiar world. Tom sets the scenes perfectly, a rich description and atmosphere, a fascinating cast of characters and a plot that flows steadily throughout. There's a great deal of humor that isn't overbearing and there are hints of mystery within the plots. He has a way with letting the story unfold that is both quick and fulfilling, it doesn't seem to skip over much and keeps you intrigued throughout your session.
While it is a great read, it perhaps just wasn't completely my cup of tea. Although it had sparked my interest and I finished it rather quickly, it isn't one that I, personally, will reread again and again. I didn't connect with it quite as well as I wanted to, but that's okay -- it was still enjoyable and entertaining. There was so much in the story that I liked and did not like.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn | Rating: ★★★★☆ "There’s something disturbing about recalling a warm memory and feeling utterly cold.”
You've heard all the buzz, haven't you? If you haven't, you're clearly just not listening. Gone Girl is one of the books in recent years that everyone is talking about. It's dishy. It's twisted. It's over the top. It's creepy. It's crazy. It's a blast that will leave you scratching your head in wonder. Gillian has cemented her place in pop culture references by penning a novel that has spawned the phrase: "I'm going to Gone Girl myself!" and has delighted readers in a frightening-soap-opera-chills sort of way.
It leaves you cringing as it takes you into the mind of a dull-incredibly-jerky husband and his out of her mind, yet completely clever, wife. Although it may drag at times, although you won't necessarily like the characters a good chunk of the time, it's a still an entertaining and oddly disturbing read. Gillian Flynn writes in a manner that can be, at times, too much but still is quite the ride. It'll throw you flat on your ass several times only to draw you right back into the plot without much of a chance to breathe.
For a lot of people, myself included, it was impossible to put down. Some of the narration had my eyes rolling to the maximum and other parts left me with chills. It's not always frightening in the horror sort of way, but it does leave you reeling psychologically -- especially when you step into the mind of Amy Dunne. Amy is one terrifying, excellent, intelligent villain and it's refreshing for me to see such a character.
The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan | Rating: ★★★★☆
“We’re so young. We’re so young. We’re twenty-two years old. We have so much time. There’s this sentiment I sometimes sense, creeping in our collective conscious as we lie alone after a party, or pack up our books when we give in and go out - that it is somehow too late. That others are somehow ahead. More accomplished, more specialized. More on the path to somehow saving the world, somehow creating or inventing or improving. That it’s too late now to BEGIN a beginning and we must settle for continuance, for commencement.”
I wanted to write more for my review for this, but nothing seemed quite appropriate; not good enough for what I wanted to say about this beautiful book. Therefore, my thoughts will be rather quick and to the point when it comes down to it. I cannot stress enough that this collection of work is something you need to read in order to form an opinion on it.
The Opposite of Loneliness is a series of essays and short stories written by the late Marina Keegan; a young woman who had recently graduated from Yale and, like most 22 year old women, had a promising future. As you’ve heard by now, within the buzz surrounding this publication, just days after her graduation, Marina was killed in a car accident. Just like that, an entire and bright future was wiped out and the world lost a potential literary star.
It’s moments like this that remind us how fragile life truly is and how quickly something can be taken away from us all. Marina, like many young people, has something in her writing that projected the idea that we all find ourselves feeling invincible. Even still, her tone was mature and realistic; bringing us the knowledge that although there’s still so much more to explore, she had a great understanding of the world around her.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold | Rating: ★★★★★
“Murderers are not monsters, they’re men. And that’s the most frightening thing about them. / These were the lovely bones that had grown around my absence: the connections-sometimes tenuous, sometimes made at great cost, but often magnificent-that happened after I was gone. And I began to see things in a way that let me hold the world without me in it. The events that my death wrought were merely the bones of a body that would become whole at some unpredictable time in the future. The price of what I came to see as this miraculous body had been my life.“
Years and years ago, I had almost overlooked The Lovely Bones, while book shopping after school. In fact, I had picked it up more than a few times and skimmed through it before setting it back and then repeating the process. I was very indecisive on whether or not the story was something worthy of my time and of course, often as a teenager, I had a superior attitude about whether or not I should like things that were popular.
(Yuck!)
The hype was undeniable and it followed us everywhere for a couple of years, as many of you will remember. And I’m glad I didn’t ignore it because not only is it colorful in its haunting flow, it’s one of the best books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Somehow, within a few chapters, The Lovely Bones captured by attention and I just knew it would go on to become one of my favorite books.
