Review: Let it snow

It's never a bad time for some Christmas cheer!! This anthology compiles stories from some of YA greatest writers teaching us valuable lessons in love. Although each author focused on different characters, all three stories combined in each short (about 100 pages each). Sadly, this factor made it easier to pick favorites and judge each writers ability to hold the anthology together.

4/5 The Jubilee Express
After Jubilee's parents get arrested during a Christmas Village sale event, she gets shipped off to spend the holidays with family members. But when her train breaks down, she must go find shelter somewhere else or most specifically with someone else. Will meeting the right guy on Christmas Eve break the spell her mean boyfriend has on her?

Despite of the grand events happening all in one night, this was the most credible story of all three. The characters were believable and the narration humorist enough to hook the reader. 

3/5 A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle
Stuck during a snow storm, three friends must go to a Waffle House to meet some cheerleaders for a twister game. Can a car breaking down, allow two of these friends to share their true feelings?

Frankly, this story was painful to read. One of the three friends was being treated like one of the guys despite of her desire to be seen as a girl. On top of that, she got coerced into going with her crush to see him pick up cheerleaders. During a snowstorm!! 

3/5 The Patron Saint of Pigs
A retelling of It's a Wonderful Life, about an angel helping Addie discover the true meaning of helping others.

The dialogue was realistic, but the story as a whole made little sense. Addie didn't really get a lesson from that angel, instead the angel's actions just seemed cruel and unnecessary.

Feature and Follow Friday : Fa la la

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

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Q: What is your favorite book with a winter world?

Little Women  by Louisa May Alcott



It's been my favorite for as long as I can remember. i have reread it five times so far, and sit each winter to watch the movie, always stopping before Jo declines Laurie's proposal.

What is your favorite winter book?

Review: The Gilrs

Poor girls. The world fattens them on the promise of love. How badly they need it,and how little most of them will ever get it. Evie's an introvert. Her parents divorce and mom's constant search for a lover, keeps Evie absent from home. It feels like fate when she meets Suzanne, a nineteen year old girl who loves her willingly for who she is. But being close to Suzanne means staying with Russell,a self-proclaimed genius, and his community of followers. How far will Evie go for love? Cults have always fascinated me. Although, to be fair, I didn't see the appeal any of them had in Russell. His speeches were kept short. And the girls pasts, particularly Suzanne's, were hidden from the reader. Unfortunately this stops us from caring for the girls the way Evie does, making us mostly fear for her, rather than sharing her enthusiasm. I hope the author had left that decision up to us.

Review: Walk two moons

Sal is an only child, living with her single dad. Her mom left them without saying a word. After a few days, her dad determined that she wasn't going to return. So when her best friend's Phoebe's own mother vanishes (she left a letter saying she needs a few days to sort some things out) Sal warns her ''She might not come back.'' But Phoebe insists that her mom wouldn't leave her, that she must have been abducted. And hence begins both girls investigation as Phoebe tries to figure out if certain notes can lead to her mom, and Sal tries to make peace with the incident that made her mom go away. 

To be honest, I did not feel inclined to read this book -- the premise seemed a bit confusing at first -- but I have to say I'm glad I did. The author made sure to give us sympathetic characters with well written backgrounds that make it easy to understand why they act certain ways. Mothers are often seen as the glue that holds families together, but they are also human beings with their ups and downs, and need time for themselves too.

Review: Anything you want

What would happen if Napoleon Dynamite had a child?

Dingus, life just ain't fair for Taco. Ever since his mom died from cancer, his dad took off leaving him in the care of his older brother Darius, who is an alcoholic. But before you think that this is a sad story -- I must warn you -- Taco is an extremely positive person. He has problems with the law, works nights, volunteers on the weekend, goes to school and is dealing with a pregnancy (he had no idea she could get pregnant unless they did it with that intention at heart) Can all these responsibilities turn Taco from teen to adult before the baby comes?

My first impression was to criticize Taco, I mean, which 17 year-old doesn't know about sex ed these days? But then I found that many underprivileged or religious towns don't teach it. Taco doesn't act like he's computer savvy, his innocence and naivety shines through the pages, his family is absent -- it makes perfect sense that he didn't know. 

All in all, I just wish the author hadn't thrown problem after problem on Taco. It would have allowed the story to breathe, and for his girlfriend's character to be more developed. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Give thanks

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TOP THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR

Thanksgiving is on its way for my fellow Americans. I've been to a few American gatherings here in Montreal and must say that I love the turkey, ham and pumpkin pie menu. 

This year has been great. I'm thankful for family, health and friends. My boyfriend, for whom, I sacrifice reading time because he is 100% worth it. And in book related matters, I can't think of a better way to close on 2016, than with a new Hogwarts movie. Thank you.  

What are you thankful for this year?

Graphic Monday: Locke & Key

Keys that open magic realms -- how far would anyone go to get their hands on them? Set in Lovecraft Massachusetts, we meet the Locke family at their worst. The father was just murdered (crazy gory illustrated images) and they have no other choice but to move to an old mansion filled with special locked doors. Little Bode is the first one to discover the house's mysteries. But there is a reason Mr. Locke kept this whole house a secret... too bad they have to figure it out the hard way. Filled with impacting graphics, a compelling story and brave characters -- I've got nothing but great things to say about this comic. Looking forward to reading next issues!

Feature Follow Friday : Fear the ripper

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

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Q: What is your favorite scary story?

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Sheperd



After all this time!! I try reading horror as often as I can. Heck I even wrote and published a horror. Yet I must admit, that this story managed to keep my romance and thrilling needs meet. It even contained a love triangle.

Sadly, I couldn't get into the sequel.

What is your favorite scary story?

Review: The One that got Away

After a nasty fall, Abbey's dream of riches comes true. She wakes up married to Alex Van Holt, a congressman who once approached her for a date, with her ''real'' children (the ones she had before the fall) by her side. This paranormal universe lasts for days, and pretty soon Abbey stars moving on as Alex's wife, forgetting Jimmy her ''real'' husband and adapting to nannies, fake friends and picking up dry cleaning. But when she realizes how many problems being rich brings (bratty children for one) Abbey begins to miss home. Himes did a good job at demonstrating the dark side of living with money. Abbey's family in law is not easy to bare, her husband is either never home or constantly tired, plus other women chase him because of his status. If that isn't enough to worry about, her daughter slaps her in front of a class filled with children. Although it's sad to see Abbey stuck in a life she no longer wants, she needs the life lesson desperately so she can stop daydreaming so much about 600$ purses and understand the real treasures in life.

Review: The King Slayer

''There are different kinds of strength. The kind that wields swords and slays monsters but there's another kind too; one that comes in quiet but in the end is stronger and harder and more powerful. The kind that comes from within.'' While trying to save her love, John, Liz transfers to him the one thing that makes her a powerful witch: her stigma. But now that Blackwell has claimed the throne of Anglia, the consequences of that action haunt her. Is she willing to sacrifice her own life to stop him? I felt like this book was written in two parts, the preparation and the war itself. There was no character growth and the interesting love quadrangle had to stay on pause due to the pressing political matters (this is why I dislike politics). Having said that, Boecker still gave us the one thing that we desire when we open an action book, that's right, trills. The story was packed with revenants, jealous bickering, gruesome fight moves and the motivation to remind us that sometimes we have to do what is right despite, of who gets hurt in the process.

Review: Future Chefs

This cook book, featuring teen chefs (mostly bloggers aged 10-15), took me by surprised. With shows like Master Chef Kids on the television, it shouldn't be a shock that young people can cook. But I was still surprised by the healthy variety that these chefs offered. Even the desserts were gluten free. 

I considered the short biographies a plus, as it was interesting to note their different background and how they started down this path. But my novice self would have loved more how-to illustrations.

Graphic Monday: Fairest vol.2

Rapunzel fights dirt. In a boxing ring, my money is on her. Once again, the series changed the Disney image I had of a princess. This time Rapunzel isn't only a survivor, but an entrepreneur who sells hair extensions for a living. But behind that peaceful exterior, Rapunzel suffers. Her newborn babies were stolen from her and she cannot miss an opportunity to find them, even if it means risky her life. The action was fast-paced, introducing a change of scenery as we traveled with her to Japan. What I found less attractive, was the seductive covers on both sides. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with erotica, but it makes it very hard to read on a subway near children or seniors. Sadly, my hair isn't as long as Rapunzel to hide the covers and read in peace.

Graphic Monday: Revival

Should we overlook the abundant cuss words?

Dana is a well-regulated cop (never reaches for her gun) and a part-time mom due to her workaholic tendencies. But we shouldn't judge her. After all she works in a world inhabited by revivers (disfigured revenants). These creatures aren't contagious and, unlike zombies, they don't bite. When a biologist, Ibrahaim, arrives in town to study them, the revenants start to rebel, killing their loved ones without realizing it. What exactly are they? 

First off, I'm no saint. During frustrated situations I can cuss like a road-raged driver. But this is a comic, and when everyone cusses all the time, it's difficult to discern the characters personalities. Frankly, it gave the impression that Seeley was doing it to make the writing more aggressive as a whole, which he didn't need to since the action was constantly on fast-paced mode. There are lots of characters with their own interesting backgrounds, four love affairs, media/religious crazed characters -- all in all a good gory show

Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

It's the long awaited return of Harry Potter, yet to my dismay (admit it, you were nervous too) Rowling isn't the only writer on board. Albus Severus, Harry and Ginny's son, has grown and must now face the shadow of his father's name. The fact that he is placed in Slytherin or that his best friend is a Malfoy only adds to the list of things that differs him from Harry. How can he possibly win his father's love and make him proud? The Potter series always carried a touch of sentimentality. Whether it was Lily's sacrifice for Harry, Snape's unrequited love, and who can forget Dobby!! Of course, this play had to be emotional as well as filled with action and plot twists. Not only did Rowling bring us back to Hogwarts, but she (and the other authors) found a way to include the majority of our beloved characters. Soulfood for the fans, but I just don't see this as a movie.

Review: This Shattered Wolrd

What a mess of feels

This second book in the series introduces us to Lee and Flynn; a captain (girl power) and a soldier from different sides of the conflict who uncover a hidden conspiracy. Crew members are changing personalities, people are dying, and the only way these two can solve the puzzle is by uniting. 

Although Lilac and Tarver returned for a quick cameo, I felt cheated in terms of the action in the story. The outer space background was rarely felt, until the 3/4 when the characters go to see the stars. And the over the top flashbacks were difficult to follow. 

''She casts her gaze down, burning with embarrassment, and finds the photo in her hands is bleeding.'' 

I couldn't tell if the authors wanted to gain sympathy for Lee or simply tried to keep the action pace going (the reason why can be found in the 4/4 of the story). But the most difficult part was seeing Flynn turn his instalust feelings for Lee into I would die for you love. 

All in all, these new characters were difficult to get attached to. I kept wondering if one of them dies in this prewar, would I be really care?

Review: Fairest

And the most villainous alien Queen award goes to Levana. Not only does she impersonate ex-lovers to seduce her prey, she's also manipulative, possessive, selfish and makes a horrible babysitter.

After an incident left her disfigured, Levana is forced to use a glamour 24/7 in order to communicate with others. Regardless of how beautiful she appears or how helpful she tries to be -- no one wants her around. Until Emret, a palace guard, gives her a pendant. The only gift she will receive that year. Instantly, Levana vows to marry him at any cost. Why is it so hard to make someone love her? How long can she keep forcing herself on others until they fight back. As Levana says ''Love is a war'' (Or a battlefield if you prefer Benatar's version)

Meyer provided enough background to help us understand why Queen Levana embodies such a cruelty in Lunar. I loved seeing glimpses of Winter, Cress and Selene. And can now move on to the final book with a more in-depth perspective.

Top Ten Tuesday: Beach reads

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TOP BEACH READS 2016

It's beach season (or pool season for those of us in Montreal). But regardless of whether you are toasting your toes on the sand or tanning on the boiling concrete, here's my top ten beach reads for this 2016 summer.

The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne

This book won a few awards for its thrilling plot story, and the goosebumps you'll get from reading it might be a great way to keep cool on the sand. 

Bad Karma by David Safier

I recommend this one to chick-lit fans. There's character growth, laugh out loud moments, and irresistible characters that make karma fun to experience. 

Along for the ride by Sarah Dessen

A heartfelt story that takes place in a small town during summer. 

Sculptor by Scott McCloud

Because it's great to meditate by the waves. It has romance, action, plot twists... this graphic novel has it all. 

A thousand nights by E. K. Johnston

The desert gives a nice setting to this book, and I can't think of a better place than to read this on the beach with a nice cool drink. 

The red tent by Anita Diamant

My first bible retelling so far. I enjoyed seeing the biblical characters through different eyes. The author did try to keep the story as realistic as possible. Also a desert setting.

   

Dear Emma by Katie Heaney

A romance for the brokenhearted. This novel answers so many relationship questions such as ''why didn't he call me back?'' without turning into a self-help book. 

We were liars by E. Lockhart

My final pick for the beach has to be this small novel from Lockhart. Although, it's not her typical high school story, she make sure to add several plot twists and a warm small town feel that will make you wish you were on near the water. Oh wait, you are!   

Which books would you take to the beach?

Review: My best friend's exorcism a novel

Promising idea that needed a better editor.

Since elementary school, Abby and Gretchen have been inseparable. From sleepovers, to cafeteria lunches, vacations -- you will never find one without the other. But after an acid trip (it was the 80's) gone wrong, their friendship will be tested when a demon follows them home. 


The story began with an older Abby, now divorced and wiser, telling us about her friendship with Gretchen. Sadly, the author never really returns to this voice, but rather continues the story in a linear form, allowing us to accompany the girls from elementary to high school. In fact, the horror takes such a long time to appear, that the plot felt more contemporary than anything. The details about the girls families, friendships and Abby's acne filled skin are numerous, and worse, the author prolongs the story way too much after said possession. None of the characters ever take responsibilities for their actions, and the police and school investigations regarding the possession just didn't seem plausible. 

All in all not for me, although I did enjoy the 80's song list titles. 

Review: Dear Emma

''I wanted to come up with the perfect text, and the perfect time to send it, and to know what the exact right move was to keep him from just ... ignoring me.'' Girls night often (if not always) brushes the topic of relationships. Why didn't he text me back?, He seems weird lately, and yeah, odd sex moves (like last time this dude put his hand on my throat while... sorry TMI). This book dissects all of that. Heaney inspired herself from Jane Austen's Emma, and delivered us a modern female college columnist who provides love advice once a week to her readers. Sadly for ''Emma'' (she uses a pen name) her love life is chaotic. Her dating partner, Keith (I wish and so does she that we could call him boyfriend), has stopped texting her. Even in person, he downright ignores her. And worse, social media suggests that he's seeing another girl who Emma works with. Can Emma give this girl relationship advice, and most importantly, what can she do to stop missing Keith? I love how this books makes us feel human. How we are not alone in going through these things. But most of all, Emma's column was extremely well written with powerful advice for college students, people in the dating pool, and friendships.

Book and Movie Challenge: Room

It's no wonder Room got so much praise at the Oscars.  

If you`ve read the book, then you expected the tears that this movie would undoubtedly cause. However, the book was written under the voice of 5 year-old Jack, making it even more realistic in the tone. Let's face it, a five-year-old child can't lie or embellish the truth. Therefore the captivity that him and his mom were forced into by Old Nick appeared even more gruesome in the hardcover.

That is not to say that the movie lacked in tone. Being character driven, it relied on Jacob Tremblay(Jack) and his mom played by Brie Larson (Joy) to impress us with their acting. I have no clue how the director coached Jacob into performing so well, but they really do pull us into the story and allow us to experience what it would be like to overcome an abduction.

All in all, an amazing adaptation that deserves to be watched and read.

Caught my arrow #49

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

Honestly can't seem to put this book down. It's so similar to something myself and many of my friends have experienced in terms of relationships breakups that it feels like looking in a mirror. Katie certainly knows how to create convincing characters.

Received from Publisher

Une photo publiée par natalia (@natyuniverse) le 10 Mars 2016 à 14h47 PST

Dear Emma by Katie Heaney

What are you reading this week?

Review: Imogene of the Pacific Kingdom

Imogene was forced to live with her aunt after her parents leave, promising to return when she turns ten. But the birthday passes, and Imogene receives no news. Then one day, her pendant begins pointing her to the sea, and as she plunges in the water and swims to her destiny, she comes to realize she is in fact a mermaid. A princess! And her parents hid her because her evil uncle wants the throne and will stop at nothing to get it. Schapansky used easy vocabulary for middle-graders to understand, but gave us a witty and smart ten-year-old in the process. Imogene acted mature for her age, making wise decisions that helped the kingdom in great ways. It was interesting to see the concept of day and night under the sea as well as funny little details such as volcano rocks to cook food.

Graphic Monday: Tomboy

Just be yourself.

For as long as she could remember, Liz has always felt comfortable in boys clothes. She loved baseball, and videogames, even comic books excited her more than fashion magazines. Of course, her classmates bullied her. They ignored her, called her names or just simply referred to her as a boy. But Liz was a tomboy. And why is that so wrong? Why are girls and boys stuck with labels placed on by society?

If there's anything that this memoir proves, is that Liz was just like any normal human girl. She had feelings, went through fun times and quarrels with friends, crushes... and was wrongfully judged for all the wrong reasons (Liz was a great friend, always being there for them, including Phyllis and her rebellious teen phase). 

A bit repetitive at times.

Review: Best Hair Book Ever

Falling into routine is a slow death. This book illustrates several ways girls can alter their hairstyles and be fashionable. If you want to profit this tutorials to the max. I advise you have some dry shampoo, sea salt spray, volume powder (Got2B makes an excellent one) elastics, hair accesories, hair chalk, and if possible, an extra pair of hands. Even though, the pictures were of excellent quality (large, taking over the whole page), styling your head is not as simple as it looks. Except for braids, the hair dos simply came with written instructions. Like: Remove a lock of hair from a tied ponytail. But how -- the whole thing falls apart when I do? Also, how am I supposed to keep the little fly airs from going wild? Too bad this book couldn't come with a how-to DVD.

Review: Red Queen

Anyone can betray you, becomes a warning to hold on tight in this new YA fantasy series. In Mare's world, citizens not only bleed red or silver, but the color of their blood affects their reign as well as magical powers. Red's are considered worthless. But when Mare is given the chance to work at the palace and discovers her magical gift to control lightning everything changes. She's immediately betrothed to prince Maven, and plans are set in motion for her to become a Red Queen. But why are they so keen on keeping her at all? Can Mare really stop the Reds from rebelling against the royals? Aveyard added a lot of tension and quickly turned this fantasy into a thriller. We had a group of rebels that helped carry the story along, as characters were divided by right and wrong. Although I did enjoy the love triangle between Mare and the princes, I found the action and magical abilities of some (like Queen Elara) to be even more entrancing. Looking forward to the sequel.

Caught my arrow #48

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

Finally get to read this book. My precious!!

Received from Publisher

Une photo publiée par natalia (@natyuniverse) le 24 Nov. 2015 à 18h02 PST

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

What are you reading this week?

Graphic Monday: Page by Paige

Paige was forced to relocate from Virginia to New York with her mom. She doesn't know anyone, and spends most of her time talking to museum paintings and drawing in her notebook. Her art is gorgeous, but she is so afraid to share it. Until she meets some new friends that inspire her to be free. The Graphics kept me turning the pages, as the author found clever ways to put text everywhere. It really felt like I was staring at a piece of art and not a book. Particularly, because the story dragged as Paige dealt with her insecurities. Just when I thought she was moving on, she would shield herself back into her cocoon. Some similarities with Plain Janes, although, I must say the drawings in this one really take the cake.

Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

I finally understand why Charlotte married Mr.Collins out of the blue.

I have seen the numerous movies based on Pride and Prejudice novel, and was looking forward to reading the zombie adaptation. Would it linger toward the horror genre or humor -- I did not know what to expect. But after reading it, I must say it definitely belongs to the latter. 

Grahame-Smith changed lots of the dialogue to incorporate the zombie theme as the Bennett girls are well trained in combat. Yes, their mother is still obsessed with marriage (regardless of the plague) and all the characters are there. Although, I must say that Grahame-Smith karma the heck out of all of them, whether by giving them even more egotistical personalities or crippling them. 

Review: This song is (not) for you

Sad to say, this book was not for me. Ramona and Sam have been bandmates for a long time. And to both of their dismay, the relationship has crossed the friendzone. Then one day Tom appears in the picture and gets added as a new member. But will Ramona's crush on Tom bring out everything that has been left unsaid between her and Sam? Despite the author's efforts to add subplots about bullying, cancer, and teen/parents issues -- the main focus remained on the romance. Lack of sex motivation is not commonly seeing in YA books and I'm glad that it gets some spotlight. I mean how many of us have dated someone that just couldn't get it up or didn't want more than to hold hands? Not everyone has a high drive. The problem is the author dragged it. Giving us the impression that a huge revelation will explain his condition (gay, asexual, molested, alien...) And if that wasn't bad enough, she then ended the climax with a dried up solution to try to make every character happy. Life doesn't work that way.

Review: Firsts

Although one night stands are no longer frowned upon as before -- 15 of them with guys from the same school -- will not go unnoticed 

Following a bad breakup, Mercedes decides to take control of her body. She quickly becomes the school "devirginizer", sleeping with other girls boyfriends to teach them how to respect girls needs in bed. As one guy after another leaves her bedroom, Mercedes goes sloppy. No longer checking if the virgins have girlfriends or not -- or if they are virgins at all. How long can she keep doing this? Doesn't she realize that this is the opposite of self-control?

The author made sure to compliment Mercedes character with selfish parents. The mother was present throughout the novel, which made it even more cruel that she never tried to stop her child from casual sex. The book kind of dragged for a while, as Mercedes accumulated partners, but once everything unraveled Flynn provided an amazing conclusion, making sure to fit as many lessons as possible for young girls everywhere. 

Review: VIP I'm with the Band

Who can resist boy bands?

Certainly not Mac who has been a huge fan of Perfect Storm (PS) before they were a hit. Mac knows everything about them -- from eating habits to favorite colors -- and dreams of going to her Spring Fling dance with the lead singer, Zander. But when a sudden turn of events causes Mac's mom to get hired as PS' tour manager, Mac will not only get to daydream about the band, she will spend the next two months with them 24/7. Will this personal encounter change her image of them? What if Zander is not so dreamy as she pictured in her head?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although, I did find it a little lengthy for Middle-Graders at first, I soon began to see various drawings, blank pages to separate chapters, and graphic novel entries (Mac's alter ego), encouraging me to quickly changed my mind. Mac was heartfelt and quirky/clumsy making it easy to get attached to her character. She also acted like a mature twelve-year-old. Aside from the romance, the author added Lola, a rich spoiled fifteen-year-old ready to challenge Mac's favorite fan status. 

All in all a fun read with an open ending. Do I sense a series?

Feature and Follow Friday: Desires

Parajunkee / Alison Can Read

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY

Once you answer be sure to leave me your link so I can follow you back

Q: What books are you most excited for in 2016?

Glass Sword!!



Granted, I haven't put up my review of Red Queen yet ( I have been on a vacation lazy slump) I must admit to love the setting, the characters, and the writing style of the series. I can't wait to see what Victoria Aveyard comes up with next.

What book are you anxious for?