Book Review: Teen Titans Raven by Kami Garcia

I was granted a digital copy of the book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When a tragic accident takes the life of seventeen-year-old Raven Roth's foster mom--and Raven's memory--she moves to New Orleans to live with her foster mother's family and finish her senior year of high school.

Starting over isn't easy. Raven remembers how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can't remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. When strange things start happening--impossible things--Raven starts to think it might be better not to know who she was in her previous life. 

But as she grows closer to her foster sister, Max, her new friends, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she's ready to face what's buried in the past...and the darkness building inside her.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Beautiful Creatures Kami Garcia, and artist Gabriel Picolo, comes this first graphic novel in the Teen Titans series for DC Ink, Teen Titans: Raven.

I didn't know much about this book by Kami Garcia except the I really liked Teen Titans and that I really liked Kami Garcia. First, let me say that this book was beautifully illustrated. I have found that the more interested I am in the illustrations of a Graphic Novel, the longer it'll take me to read it because I was to take in each panel individually and appreciate it's contribution to the whole story.

The beginning of Raven's story finds us with Raven and her foster mother driving down a stormy road. Raven has just learned some frightening truths about herself and is struggling to adapt. As her foster mother does what she can to provide Raven with comfort, tragedy strikes. While trying to emerge herself in a new life, as well as trying to remember the old one, Raven begins to have frightening dreams, hear voices, and is followed by a strange shadow. With Raven's memory loss and these strange encounters, Raven struggles a bit to form bonds with those around her, except for Max, her new foster sister. It's when Raven opens up to Max that we really being to see bits of Raven's story unfold. We also begin to see that Max and her mother are full of secrets as well. By the time we finish this Kami Garcia title, we're struggling to trust those around us.

For those of us who watched Teen Titans (or read the comics I assume) we already knows Raven's big secret, but this graphic novel takes us on a journey different from what we were use to and full of fun and splendor. I loved seeing Raven gush over the boy who really wanted to get to know her, and Max struggle to take a friendship to the next level. I loved watching the girls pick out prom dresses and get to know each other. It was also interested to see New Orleans culture mentioned throughout the book. There were some great side characters and moments that fleshed out the book, and made it new and different, as opposed to and exact replica of what we already know about Raven.

I look forward to re-reading this book when it is released to take in the final illustrations and pass it along to the avid teen readers who make regular visits to the Graphic Novel section of my library!

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Review: The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert

Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Nicola Yoon comes a novel about first love and family secrets from Stonewall Book Award winner Brandy Colbert.

Dove "Birdie" Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she's on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past...whom she knows her parents will never approve of.

When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family's apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded--she's also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she's known to be true is turned upside down.

*I was given this ebook by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.*

4 Stars

Oh Birdie, I get it. I promise you I do. 

You guys, Brandy Colbert has done it again. She brought us a black female character with depth, emotion, imperfections, and love, and she has provided a different narrative for a black female, similar to what she did in Little and Lion, check here to see my review. 

Readers follow Birdie as she learns that people aren't their past mistakes, as she learns that appearances aren't always what they seem, as she learns that it's okay to make mistakes, and as she comes to learn the secrets of her family. 

I loved this book. I definitely felt a connection to Birdie. As the oldest, the pressure to be perfect, or as near as possible, haunts me to this day even though my siblings are older. I can't make super big mistakes, or fall apart because that's their job. That being said, Birdie's mom was... a bit much, to say the least. Stop hovering mom. 

I loved that we really got to see how Birdie interacted with those in her life, her best friend, her mom, dad, aunt, and sister. Honestly, if there was anyone I hoped to see Birdie delve deeper with, it would have to be Booker, weird as that sounds. I feel like we saw them together, I knew that they had strong feelings for each other, but... I don't know... I just wanted to see more. I can't wait to re-read this book once it's finished. 

I'd recommend this book to older teens because there are a few... steamy moments, but recommend it I will!

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Book Expo 2019

One of the perks of being a Librarian, or a Professional Reader as I've heard us called, is being able to go to Book Expo almost every year. Two day (I went Thursday and Friday) of books, tote bags, authors, book marks, and sore feet. This year I came back with two suit cases full of joy and wanted to share them with you dear readers, who I abandoned temporarily while I dealt with my reading funk, summer read prep panic, and general life anxiety. Don't worry friends, I'm back in the reading groove for the most part. Here's what I got!

And yes... 22 of those books are sitting on my bookshelf right now, waiting to be read, but the rest have joined our giveaway pile for our summer reading program. I can't wait to start reading. I can't wait to see the looks on kids faces when they get to take some of these books home "to keep forever". This is a great start to the summer chaos. With these books and a cold drink, summer's going to be cake!

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Review: If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann

"High school finally behind her, Winnie is all set to attend college in the fall. But first she's spending her summer days working at her granny’s diner and begins spending her midnights with Dallas—the boy she loves to hate and hates that she likes. Winnie lives in Misty Haven, a small town where secrets are impossible to keep—like when Winnie allegedly snaps on Dr. Skinner, which results in everyone feeling compelled to give her weight loss advice for her own good. Because they care that’s she’s “too fat.”

Winnie dreams of someday inheriting the diner—but it'll go away if they can't make money, and fast. Winnie has a solution—win a televised cooking competition and make bank. But Granny doesn't want her to enter—so Winnie has to find a way around her formidable grandmother. Can she come out on top?"






5 STARS!!!!!!!!!

I've given myself about 24 hours to absorb this book, and here are my thoughts. I F**KING LOVE CLAIRE KANN, I KNEW SHE WAS BOMB!!!!!

Listen folks, I read Let's Talk About Love right after it came out, check out my review of that gem here. I'm still so emotional about it all. First, technically, I guess Kann could be considered a "New Adult" writer. As a side bar, here's how I feel about that. I haven't found many new adult titles that I like. They're too... sex driven for me. I'm not talking down on books that are chalk full of people getting it on, but when I want that type of content I'll go get it. The reason that I like new adult authors like Claire Kann, and Colleen Hoover (I know some people hate on her but I don't care) is because I'm an almost 32 year old lady with no spouse, no significant other, no kids, and no cats. I'm basically a 24 year old with better morals, weaker joints, and more student loan debt. I can't relate to the story of the 30 year old divorce with a screaming toddler. The closest I come is to the 23 year old still trying to pull it together.

Winnie loves herself and her body. She is black, big, and beautiful. Just look at the cover of the book if you don't believe me. Does she have anxiety? Yes. Does she sometimes care what other people thing? Yes. Does she want to please the people around her? Yes. And while some of these attributes can be looked at as a downfall, that does not take away from the fact that Winnie is confident and comfortable in who she is as a bigger woman, and who she is as a black woman. At the same time she's human. She has the same insecurities that plague us all. That's what I love about Kann's characters, (something that we're admittedly beginning to see more in female black characters) they show a vulnerability due to the normal hardships of life, not self hate.

Winnie is a particularly great because she has that vulnerability, but she also has a fiery temper and will only put up with so much of someone's s**t. In case you're wondering, exactly like yours truly. Kann, in both this book and Let's Talk About Love has created full, real, well rounded female black characters, and THANK ALL THAT IS GOOD IN THIS WORLD that we're finally getting to a point where we can find these books.

I'm not gonna lie though, I'm dying to learn more about the cranky grandma.

Yall, I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of everything that makes this book amazing.

If you want to see black females depicted as real people, read this book.
If you want to see sibling love, read this book.
If you want a great, real, slow burning romance, read this book.
If you wan to see someone interested in alternative romantic lifestyles, read this book.
If you're a human being, read this book.

That is all.

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Review: Symptoms of a Heart Break by Sona Charaipotra

Fresh from med school, sixteen-year-old medical prodigy Saira arrives for her first day at her new job: treating children with cancer. She’s always had to balance family and friendships with her celebrity as the Girl Genius—but she’s never had to prove herself to skeptical adult co-workers while adjusting to real life-and-death stakes. And working in the same hospital as her mother certainly isn’t making things any easier.

But life gets complicated when Saira finds herself falling in love with a patient: a cute teen boy who’s been diagnosed with cancer. And when she risks her brand new career to try to improve his chances, it could cost her everything.

It turns out “heartbreak” is the one thing she still doesn’t know how to treat.

3 Stars

(I was provided a copy of the book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

16 year old Saira is the Girl Genius. She was in college by age 12 and by 16 has finished medical school and is a hospital resident in the children’s oncology ward, and she’s off to a rough start. She’s late her first day, her supervisor seems to hate her, and she’s beginning to develop a relationship with one of her patients.

I liked this book. I liked learning about Saira, her culture, and her family. The descriptions of food were divine! Seeing the family interact at pizza hut did a great job of painting a picture of the family dynamic quickly and easily. Although a clear picture of Saira’s family was painted for us, I wish we’d had more intimate moments with Saira and her family.

With regards to Saira’s “friends”, they were hard to read about. Saira has spent her whole life working hard toward her goals. She chose to skip high school and the socialization it teaches, she chose to spend most of her time with her family watching Bollywood movies, and of the kids she knew before she joined the gifted program, she chose to only retain two friendships, Vish and Lizzie. While I hated that Vish put Saira into a position where she was forced to life for him every day, I thought he was a great character, I don’t think we saw enough of Lizzie though. When Lizzie and Saira got into a fight, I felt like I was supposed to have some sympathy for Lizzie but I didn’t. I don’t know if it was because her character wasn’t developed enough, or what, but I didn’t feel much.

Saira’s coworkers were full of surprises, and by coworkers I mean Jose, he was my favorite character in the book. I liked Saira’s interactions with her patients and their families and although I feel like everything happened very quickly. It feels like Saira met with each patron maybe 4 times. I just didn’t feel for them the way I think I should have.

Reading this book was interesting because I thought I was going to be reading a book about doctor who happened to be a teen genius, but I think I read about a teen who happened to be a genius and a doctor.

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Review: Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Her story is a phenomenon. Her life is a disaster.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try.

Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.

But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.




4 STARS

Man did I connect with Eliza. Eliza would rather live her life through a computer screen. She has friends but she doesn't need to meet them to consider them real. Her parents mean well, but the tactics that they concoct to "connect" with Eliza seem to have more to do with their own needs and interest than hers. Her younger brothers are... younger brothers, and the kids at school treat her like she's been infected by the Black Plague. Eliza has dedicated herself to keep her head down, her mouth closed, and to pray for graduation.

Amidst her issues and avoidance's at school and at home, Eliza is the creator of one of the most popular web comics around. She has fans, merchandise, and people doing fanfics and fanart about the world and characters that she's created. And while one would think that the popularity of her web comic would drip over into real life, it doesn't, because aside from her parents, only two other people know that Eliza created Monstrous Sea (sort of).

When Wallace enters the picture, Eliza, for the first time, meets a fan of her comic in real life! She meets someone who not only connects with her through her work, but understands her goals, ambitions, and her reserved nature.

It takes a while before the book tells us but Eliza has pretty intense anxiety. She hates crowds, avoids as many conversations as possible, and the idea of the notoriety that may accompany her identity as Monstrous Sea's creator seem to be almost too much to bear.

While reading about Eliza I understood her 100%. I also grew up in a family of sports addicts, and all I wanted to do was read books, write stories, listen to show tunes, and be left alone. It hard for people to imagine because I'm so chatty and bubbly and sassy. But fun fact, that's also a "super fun" way some people handle anxiety. So even though Eliza could be obnoxious and unfair and downright mean to her family sometimes. I get it. It's an almost uncontrollable reaction sometimes and can result from feeling panicked.

Between Eliza and Wallace, who struggles to speak in front of crowds I felt like this book was necessary. I wish there were most stories like this when I was in middle school and high school. I Will say that Wallace's actions at the end of this book were very out of character and almost didn't seem to fit with this book, but aside from this few chapters at the end, I call this book a win!

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Review: The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory

Maddie and Theo have two things in common:

1. Alexa is their best friend
2. They hate each other
After an "oops, we made a mistake" night together, neither one can stop thinking about the other. With Alexa's wedding rapidly approaching, Maddie and Theo both share bridal party responsibilities that require more interaction with each other than they're comfortable with. Underneath the sharp barbs they toss at each other is a simmering attraction that won't fade. It builds until they find themselves sneaking off together to release some tension when Alexa isn't looking, agreeing they would end it once the wedding is over. When it’s suddenly pushed up and they only have a few months left of secret rendezvouses, they find themselves regretting that the end is near. Two people this different can’t possibly have a connection other than the purely physical, right?

But as with any engagement with a nemesis, there are unspoken rules that must be abided by. First and foremost, don't fall in love. 

2.5 STARS
 
When I read the description of this book, I was eager to read it. Because books are not just my hobby, but my job, sometimes I like to set aside the middle grade and young adult, and pick up a cozy romance read, and if the main character migrate from enemies to lovers, all the better!!

The Wedding Party had great bones. We've got two people who can't stand each other, but they share a best friend (never read a book with that particular twist). Maddie, a personal shopper, thinks that Theo is pompous and conceited. Theo knows that he didn't portray himself in the best light when he met Maddie, but doesn't think there's much he can do about it now. When Maddie and Theo end up in bed together, they're both kind of horrified. After a second "encounter" they decide that they can continue their sexual realtions, as long as they don't tell their best friend Alexa (who is the protagonist in Guillory's first book in this series The Wedding Date).

As expected, the more time Theo and Maddie spend together the more their feelings for each other grow. Then begin to spend time together as friends, not just lovers. I loved the concept, it's like... the bullet points of the this book were LOVELY. Meet at birthday party, meet at engagement party, margaritas in the backyard, wedding dress shopping for the best friend, lost keys with no one else to call, this book rang all the right bells.

My struggle with the book was the writing. And let me say I'm not a writer. I have no aspirations of publishing my own book, I'm a Librarian and that's all I want to be. But the writing was... all over the place. I felt like I was reading the first draft of a book and the author didn't do any proof reading. There were passages such as "Refill? My mom insists on doing a toast, so everyone needs some champagne to be prepared." It just doesn't roll of the tongue, it doesn't feel organic. Something like " 'Refill? My mom insist on doing a toast,' Alexa sighed rolling her eyes and reaching for another bottle of champagne."(Again, not a writer) Or how about "They kissed, and kissed, and kissed..." I mean there had to have been another way, even if we stopped after the first kiss. There's a section in the book where (spoiler) Theo gives Maddie a key to his apartment and tells her she's welcome to let herself in. Her response is "Okay, sure, I anticipate a lot of 'I need to get into Theo's apartment or else the dinosaur on the loose might capture me' emergencies." I understand what was suppose to happen here, that was suppose to be a quirky, sassy, cute comment, but it just didn't work for me.

Like I said above, I did get this book from Netgalley, so it hasn't been published, but this is the first Netgalley book I've ever gotten where I read sentences like the ones I mentioned above. There was a section of the book where a protest got out of control and someone was attacked. Maddie, our main character, has with random mental aside, amidst the chaos that immediately takes me out of the action of the scene. It didn't fit, it wasn't appropriate

I recognize that I might be one of the few people who didn't fall head over heals for this author and book series, but trust me, I wanted to.  I want nothing more than a cozy romance with two black characters. Roxanne Gay reviewed a book in this series and gave it a high star rating, so feel free to ignore this review if you want to, but I was give a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and this is what I've got.

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Review: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.  

3 STARS

I read the Belles with my friend Ericka who runs the YouTube series Java and the Librarians on her channel Life of a Bibliophile, and we decided that we kind of liked the book... and we were kind of indifferent to it. The Belles is about a group of woman who have the power to beautify a population that is born grey, wrinkled, and "not beautiful". Belles are coveted members of Orleans society, and the most coveted is chosen by the Queen of Orleans to be the Favorite. Camillia's mother was the Favorite during her time as a Belle, and Camillia hopes to be chosen as well. It doesn't take long before we realize that being a Belle isn't all is cracked up to be, and being the Favorite is probably the worst position of all.

I felt a lot of feeling around this book. At first I wasn't super exited to read it. I struggle to read book that center around appearance. It's just so darn exhausting to think about. When I started reading the book, I realized that it wasn't as shallow as I'd portrayed it to be in my mind, and then when I read Clayton's authors note, the book took on a whole different view. I almost wish the authors note was in the beginning to the book because I think I would have read it differently.

If you choose to sit through at least half of the hour and forty-five minute video that Erick and I recorded on Saturday, you'll learn that characters in the book are pretty one dimensional. Strangely enough, aside from the crazy princess who we watch slow boil into one of the craziest maniacs I've read about in a while, everyone basically is the same at the end as they were in the beginning, our exception might be Remy the bodyguard, but we don't see enough of him for that to have a huge impact, although I do hold out a lot of hope for him in book two.

Overall I liked this book, there are so many questions and so much intrigue that I think it would be a great read for reluctant readers. Princess Sophie, is CRAZY, and such an interesting character to read about, and the secretes that are revealed about the Belles are pretty off the wall, and clearly just the beginning

While this wasn't my favorite read, and, if you watched the video, I predict an unnecessary love triangle for book too, I do plan to read it.

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Chapter Break Bingo! January 2019

This challenge sounds like so much fun and suuuuuuuuper simple. Chapter Break Bingo is hosted by Lynn and Julie of Chapter Break Book Blog. 

Here's how it goes.

"Welcome to the easiest challenge you’ll find all year! Read books. Mark off squares. That’s all it takes to participate in Bookish Bingo! Play along with us!

Here are the rules:

Each month we will upload a new bingo card. You download the bingo card and mark off squares as you read books each month. At the end of the month, we will post our own bingo cards. Link up your post or post your own bingo card in the comments.

The monthly winner will be the person with the most marked squares. None of that across, diagonal, up and down, corners stuff. Just the number of squares. Be sure to include the books you’ve read for each of the squares. Only books read during the current month count. You may use the same book to fill multiple squares. We’ll announce the winner the following month to allow everyone time to link up their posts."

Here's what the bingo board looks like click here to see the January post, and download the board yourself. 

~~~~~

I've already finished two books this year so here we go:

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander- Siblings, Competition, Read a physical book, Diet/ Fitness, Library book,

A Blade so Black by L.L. McKinney- Superhero/ Powers, YA/NA, In a Series, Read a Physical Book, Start a Series, Magic, New to You ( and everyone I think) Author, Library Book, Multi-word Title

Don't Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno- Library Book, Not in a Series, Multi-Word Title,  Free Book,

Total squares=17 including free space

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Review: For Blood & Glory by Cassandra A. Hendricks

Sefira Carrington is no stranger to tragedy. The death of her father as well as the curious mental decline and subsequent imprisonment of her mother, have left her truly and utterly alone. Despite her misfortune, she has managed to carve out a decent life for herself. She’s found a good family, friends and at sixteen, she’s finally realizing a semblance of normalcy.

That is, until she moves to Southern California. Strange things begin to happen. Things that become increasingly difficult for her to ignore. Suddenly, she finds herself thrust into a supernatural underworld that defies human comprehension. In this new world, a war is raging and in a cruel twist of fate, Sefira is somehow at the center of it. Something’s coming, and it will force her to reevaluate everything she’s ever been told and unearth the demons she thought she’d left behind.

Once she travels down this road, there’s no turning back….



 
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

For Blood and Glory, was a roller coaster of a book. The story begins with a group of people finding a woman adrift in the middle of a large body of water. Shortly thereafter, our character Lyrica wakes up in the hospital and this book really begins to draw our attention. There are new born babies, secrets, deception, and displays of power normally reserved for the X-Men. Our story then flashes forward and we see a bit more into the mystery of Lyrica's life.

Our story then takes a quick turn and we no longer follow Lyrica's story, but her daughter Sefira. The switch was pretty abrupt and at first I was confused, but as we dove deeper in Sefira (love that name by the way) and her past, we were able to glean more into Lyrica's story and the journey that the first few chapters began for us. We follow Sefira as she makes new friends who were an interesting squad that I would have loved to see more of. Sefira even meets, a boy who takes her FISHING!! It's a small spoiler but it is now by dream date idea and I had to share it. While we spent a lot of time with Sefira's friends, high school enemies, and love interested Kaetano (our fisheman!), we also get to know Sefira's new family. I really love Sefira's relationship with her mom and sister, but man that brother of hers. I do wish we, as readers, could have spent a bit more time with Sefira's family, the relationship between Sefira and her mother was pretty solid, but I wish we could have had flashbacks or something to help us understand the hatred her brother had for her and how she came to bond with her sister.

One of the biggest characters that come in to play is Blythe. What a handful, and I say this knowing that I would probably act a lot like her. Like Sefira, Blythe is also going through some strange developments, but she's come to understand them better than Sefira has. It's almost a slight stretch of the imagination how well shes come to adapt to these changes with so little knowledge, but it didn't bother me too much. Sefira was definitely the protagonist of this story but I would kill for Blythe's backstory. I don't even feel like I can tell you why without revealing some truths that are better left read about in the book.  But I have a feeling we'll read more about her past in the sequel.

I liked this book. I'm a fan of urban fantasy so this was right up my alley. One of my favorite aspects of this book is that it's appropriate for younger teens, something that's been an important topic in the Teen Librarian world.

For more information on the author Cassandra A. Hendricks:

Website: https://www.cassandrahendricks.com/

Twitter: @casstheauthor  

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Review: A Blade so Black by L.L. McKinney

The first time the Nightmares came, it nearly cost Alice her life. Now she's trained to battle monstrous creatures in the dark dream realm known as Wonderland with magic weapons and hardcore fighting skills. Yet even warriors have a curfew.

Life in real-world Atlanta isn't always so simple, as Alice juggles an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA. Keeping the Nightmares at bay is turning into a full-time job. But when Alice's handsome and mysterious mentor is poisoned, she has to find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she'll need to use everything she's learned in both worlds to keep from losing her head . . . literally. 

3.5/4 stars

Guys, I'm not going to lie to you. The cover got me 100% and I'm currently saving up to by a red leather (pleather) jacket, and I am not ashamed that my clothing choices are dictated by fictional characters in a book. If I could get my hair that big, I might consider that too.

So A Blade so Black is a fairytale retelling of Alice in Wonderland. I’ve read a few Alice in Wonderland retellings and typically I’m underwhelmed. I loved this book from the very beginning. Alice has what could be a fatal encounter on what was already the worst day of her life. When the boy who saves Alice (his name is Hatta… get it!!) realizes that she can see him, he takes her on as an apprentice.

Hatta teachers Alice about Wonderland, the Nightmares (the cross over to the human world and destroy things), and how to defeat them.

So first, I loved that Alice was a HUGE nerd. She said Moon Crystal Power when she needed a boost of confidence, made her own cosplay, and was authentically herself. That being said some of her code switching was a little weird. She was slip into this dialect that didn’t fit and felt a bit unnatural.

What I liked about this book that I wasn’t a huge fan of in other retellings such as, Heartless (sorry friends) was that the ties between this contemporary novel and the fairytale weren’t so on the nose. Our sleepy mouse wasn’t a mouse but a bartender who could whip up a potion to cure darn near everything. There were no talking cats. The Tweedles, were weird ball looking guys that were probably too “stranger danger-y” for young children. They were twin Russians who also fought Nightmares, and our Princess was (Spoiler alert)

LGBT which we KNOW Disney wouldn’t have done.

I liked this book, although it wasn’t perfect, it’s the best Alice in Wonderland retelling I’ve read so far, and I will read the second one. I’m hoping that the second book will go deeper into building Wonderland. I want to know what happened to Chess because I’m going to be honest I was a little confused. I want to hear more about Brionne’s and how her story plays out. I thought this book was an appropriate blend of the social issues of 2018 and the fairytale retellings many of us enjoy.

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Review: Don't Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno

For fans of GILMORE GIRLS and TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE, this effervescent love story from debut author Nina Moreno will sweep you away.

Rosa is cursed by the sea--at least that's what they say. 

Dating her is bad news, especially if you're a boy with a boat.

But Rosa feels more caught than cursed. Caught between cultures and choices. Between her abuela, a beloved healer and pillar of their community, and her mother, an artist who crashes in and out of her life like a hurricane. Between Port Coral, the quirky South Florida town they call home, and Cuba, the island her abuela refuses to talk about.

As her college decision looms, Rosa collides—literally—with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy with tattoos of the ocean whose family owns the marina. With her heart, her family, and her future on the line, can Rosa break a curse and find her place beyond the horizon?

2.5/3 stars

I received a digital copy of Don't Date Rosa Santos from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think the best way I can describe my experience with this book was it was solidly okay. I didn't dislike the book, but with tight library budgets I don't think I'm going to rush to order this. I liked the concept of Don't Date Rosa Santos. Similar to the movie Practical Magic the Santos family is cursed and any man that they love (who is some way shape or form connected to the sea??) will die. While we have that story line, we also have Rosa who is desperate to go to Cuba, the one place her grandmother refuses to talk about. One top of that the community pier is in danger of being bought out by a huge company which would probably kill some of the culture that I really loved reading about by the way. Then, on top of all of that, we have the romance angle.

My biggest issue with the book was that I was easily lost and distracted. There were a lot of side characters who confused me. I wanted more from the "curse" angle, the mom seemed to be pretty tortured by the curse, but the grandmother, who was apparently the beginning of it all, seemed to struggle more with her memories of Cuba than her lost husband. That action "diluted" the curse a bit which made it seems a bit ridiculous when Rosa panicked about it. 

What I did like was how fleshed out Rosa was as a character. She was meticulous, she was organized, she was driven, she loved her family, she loved her culture. she was a peace maker. and she was a do-er. I could picture exactly who Rosa was and I think that pushed me to read through this book.

I wouldn't say that I didn't like Don't Date Rosa Santos, I'm just not necessarily in my top 10 books to recommend. As I said, it is 100% okay. 

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Happy Martin Luther King Day everyone!

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Chapter Break Bingo- January 2019

This challenge sounds like so much fun and suuuuuuuuper simple. Chapter Break Bingo is hosted by Lynn and Julie of Chapter Break Book Blog. 

Here's how it goes.

"Welcome to the easiest challenge you’ll find all year! Read books. Mark off squares. That’s all it takes to participate in Bookish Bingo! Play along with us!

Here are the rules:

Each month we will upload a new bingo card. You download the bingo card and mark off squares as you read books each month. At the end of the month, we will post our own bingo cards. Link up your post or post your own bingo card in the comments.

The monthly winner will be the person with the most marked squares. None of that across, diagonal, up and down, corners stuff. Just the number of squares. Be sure to include the books you’ve read for each of the squares. Only books read during the current month count. You may use the same book to fill multiple squares. We’ll announce the winner the following month to allow everyone time to link up their posts."

Here's what the bingo board looks like click here to see the January post, and download the board yourself. 

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I've already finished two books this year so here we go:

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander- Siblings, Competition, Read a physical book, Diet/ Fitness, Library book,

A Blade so Black by L.L. McKinney- Superhero/ Powers, YA/NA, In a Series, Read a Physical Book, Start a Series, Magic, New to You ( and everyone I think) Author, Library Book, Multi-word Title

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Most anticipated reads of 2019!!

So on occasion I post my Can't Wait Wednesday reads but I figured I'd go ahead and curate a list of books that I'm dying for in 2019! My Goodreads goal it set and I'm READY! Without further ado...

1. What Momma Left Me 

by Renee Watson

Serenity is good at keeping secrets, and she's got a whole lifetime's worth of them. Her mother is dead, her father is gone, and starting life over at her grandparents' house is strange. Luckily, certain things seem to hold promise: a new friend who makes her feel connected, and a boy who makes her feel seen. But when her brother starts making poor choices, her friend is keeping her own dangerous secret, and her grandparents put all of their trust in a faith that Serenity isn't sure she understands, it is the power of love that will repair her heart and keep her sure of just who she is.

Renée Watson's stunning writing shines in this powerful and ultimately uplifting novel.

2. Black Enough 

Edited by Ibi Zoboi

Black is...sisters navigating their relationship at summer camp in Portland, Oregon, as written by Renée Watson.

Black is…three friends walking back from the community pool talking about nothing and everything, in a story by Jason Reynolds.

Black is…Nic Stone’s high-class beauty dating a boy her momma would never approve of.

Black is…two girls kissing in Justina Ireland’s story set in Maryland.

Black is urban and rural, wealthy and poor, mixed race, immigrants, and more—because there are countless ways to be Black enough. 

Contributors:
Justina Ireland
Varian Johnson
Rita Williams-Garcia
Dhonielle Clayton
Kekla Magoon
Leah Henderson
Tochi Onyebuchi
Jason Reynolds
Nic Stone
Liara Tamani
Renée Watson
Tracey Baptiste
Coe Booth
Brandy Colbert
Jay Coles
Ibi Zoboi
Lamar Giles 

3. Color Me In 

by Natasha Diaz

A YA novel based on the author's own story, is about a mixed-race Jewish girl as she faces coming-of-age issues before she has decided who she is and where she fits within her two very different worlds—one in Harlem and the other in Westchester County. Publication is set for spring 2019.

4. Symptoms of a Heart Break 

by Sona Charaipotra

Fresh from med school, sixteen-year-old medical prodigy Saira arrives for her first day at her new job: treating children with cancer. She’s always had to balance family and friendships with her celebrity as the Girl Genius—but she’s never had to prove herself to skeptical adult co-workers while adjusting to real life-and-death stakes. And working in the same hospital as her mother certainly isn’t making things any easier.

But life gets complicated when Saira finds herself falling in love with a patient: a cute teen boy who’s been diagnosed with cancer. And when she risks her brand new career to try to improve his chances, it could cost her everything.

It turns out “heartbreak” is the one thing she still doesn’t know how to treat.

5. Opposite of Always

by Justin A. Reynolds

Jack Ellison King. King of Almost.

He almost made valedictorian.

He almost made varsity.

He almost got the girl . . . 

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. Jack’s curse of almost is finally over.

But this love story is . . . complicated. It is an almost happily ever after. Because Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Beautiful, radiant Kate. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do—and let go—to save the people he loves.

6. What we Buried 

by Kate A. Boorman

Siblings Liv and Jory Brewer have grown up resenting one another. Liv—former pageant queen and reality-TV star—was groomed for a life in the spotlight, while her older brother Jory, born with a partial facial paralysis, was left in the shadows. The only thing they have in common is contempt for their parents.

Now Liv is suing her mom and dad for emancipation, and Jory views the whole thing as yet another attention-getting spectacle. But on the day of the hearing, their parents mysteriously vanish, and the siblings are forced to work together. Liv feels certain she knows where they are and suspects that Jory knows more than he’s telling . . . which is true.

What starts as a simple overnight road trip soon takes a turn for the dangerous and surreal. And as the duo speeds through the deserts of Nevada, brother and sister will unearth deep family secrets that force them to relive their pasts as they try to retain a grip on the present.

Told from the split viewpoints of Liv and Jory, What We Buried is a psychological thrill ride that deftly explores how memories can lie, how time can bend, and ultimately, how reconciling the truth can be a matter of life or death.

7. With the Fire on High 

by Elizabeth Acevedo

Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions—doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.

8. Internment

by Samira Ahmed

Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.
With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp's Director and his guards.
Heart-racing and emotional, Internment challenges readers to fight complicit silence that exists in our society today. 

9. A Place for Wolves

by Kosoko Jackson

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets Code Name Verity in this heartbreaking and poignant historical thriller.

James Mills isn't sure he can forgive his parents for dragging him away from his life, not to mention his best friend and sister, Anna. He's never felt so alone.

Enter Tomas. Falling for Tomas is unexpected, but sometimes the best things in life are.

Then their world splits apart. A war that has been brewing finally bursts forward, filled with violence, pain, and cruelty. James and Tomas can only rely on each other as they decide how far they are willing to go―and who they are willing to become―in order to make it back to their families.

10. I Wish You All the Best 

by Mason Deaver

When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they're thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents' rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school.

But Ben's attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan's friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life.

At turns heartbreaking and joyous, I Wish You All the Best is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love, and a shining example of hope in the face of adversity.

11. The Wicked king

by Holly Black

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

12. Children of Virtue and Vengeance

by Tomi Adeyemi

After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But the ritual was more powerful than they could’ve imagined, reigniting the powers of not only the maji, but of nobles with magic ancestry, too. 

Now, Zélie struggles to unite the maji in an Orïsha where the enemy is just as powerful as they are. But when the monarchy and military unite to keep control of Orïsha, Zélie must fight to secure Amari's right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy's wrath.

With civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.

Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the stunning sequel to Tomi Adeyemi's New York Times bestselling debut Children of Blood and Bone, the first title in her Legacy of Orïsha trilogy.

13. The Girl King

by Mimi Yu

Sisters Lu and Min have always understood their places as princesses of the Empire. Lu knows she is destined to become the dynasty's first female ruler, while Min is resigned to a life in her shadow. Then their father declares their male cousin Set the heir instead—a betrayal that sends the sisters down two very different paths.

Determined to reclaim her birthright, Lu goes on the run. She needs an ally—and an army—if she is to succeed. Her quest leads her to Nokhai, the last surviving wolf shapeshifter. Nok wants to keep his identity secret, but finds himself forced into an uneasy alliance with the girl whose family killed everyone he ever loved…

Alone in the volatile court, Min's hidden power awakens—a forbidden, deadly magic that could secure Set's reign…or allow Min to claim the throne herself. But there can only be one Emperor, and the sisters' greatest enemy could turn out to be each other. 

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Alright friends, I can literally do this all day but eventually you have to put down the pen. 2019 looks like it's full of greatness and I can't wait to take it all in. What are you looking forward to this year???

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