Book Review: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

What it's about:

         It's Christmastime. Dash (a Christmas hater) stumbles across a red Moleskine notebook on the shelves of the Strand containing a set of rules and a dare, written by Lily (Christmas enthusiast). Cue the adorable romantic scavenger hunt that takes the reader stomping all over the Christmas landmarks of NYC, from Madame Tussaud's to a late-night/early morning klezmer club concert.

What I thought:

        So this was pretty adorable, in my opinion, though more than a little unrealistic. Like...I would LOVE to meet a cute quirky-but-slightly-surly bookish guy by connecting through a series of uniquely charming dares....but the chances of this happening in any way are zilch.  

But I digress.  Dash did a Christmas ditch and told both parents he was staying at the other parent's house, while Lily's home alone with her brother and his boyfriend Benny.  AKA these teenagers are legit running around NYC with none the wiser and having a scavenger hunt romance of epic proportions.  Lily uses her family connections (a cousin with keys to the Strand, her uncle the Macy's Santa Claus, and a Great Aunt who moonlights as a guard for a wax museum) to lead Dash through each dare, and his dares get her out of her manic pixie dream girl comfort zone and allow her to experience life and the beginnings of love. 

Overall, this was a super cute Christmas romance that I could TOTALLY see being made into a movie.  The ending felt a little lackluster, but I know there's a second book so I will probably end up reading that just to see what's going on in the lives of Dash and Lily.

Rating:  3.5 stars.

Book Review: When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

*I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.*

What it's about:

       

       In a small, quaint town lives a girl named Miel and a boy called Sam. Miel came out of a water tower one day and roses grow from her wrist, and Sam (known as Moon for the moons he paints and hangs all over town) became her instantaneous friend and next-door neighbor.  Cut to years later when the friends are teenagers, and are faced with a quartet of sisters who seem to have mystical powers over the population of the town. The Bonner sisters want Miel's roses, and are willing to give up every secret they know about the friends in order to get what they want.

What I thought:

       So firstly, I want to say that this book was absolutely beautiful. The language and metaphor were gorgeous. It was like a feast for the imagination--colorful and descriptive and magical. I could see the fields full of jewel-colored pumpkins and imagined myself sitting in Miel's kitchen chatting and wandering around town gazing at the fantastic moons Sam created.  

The story is so real yet steeped in magic and wonder all while exploring the many facets of the characters it is home to.

Sam is transgender, which plays a major part in plot (it's one of the secrets that the Bonner sisters hold against Miel), but it was portrayed in a positive and accepting way, which I thought was really lovely.  The plot also brings in some Latin folklore--I got seriously strong La Llorona vibes from the way Miel's mom was depicted, and it TOTALLY added to the richness of the story (like...if it was done right, I would watch a movie version of this in a HEARTBEAT.)

Actual footage of Miel's wrist. (Just kidding...sort of)

I loved Sam and Miel.  Though they both have somewhat mystical characteristics (Miel literally grows roses out of her wrist, and their color/smell/size depend on what she's thinking/feeling at the time, and Sam...the moons. Even the chapters are named after moon-related things and they're so pretty I could cry), they feel so true and authentic that you can't help but commiserate with them--the feels are real in this one, guys. The journey they go through in the story to understand themselves and each other (as well as the Bonner sisters and some of the other characters around them) just sort of spoke to me in a quiet but meaningful way.

In this book, you'll find romance and intrigue and magic, but mostly you'll find a beautiful and enchanting story about a pair of friends on a journey of discovery.  

Oh, and an excellent Autumn read, as well!

Rating: 4.25 stars.

Book Review: Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen

**This review contains spoilers. To read what I think without being spoiled, head over to my Goodreads review here!**

What it's about:

          Cecile dreams of becoming a famous and adored singer, like her mother before her.  Her dreams are dashed, however, when she is kidnapped and sold to the ruling family of the underground troll kingdom of Trollus.  Here, she is expected to marry the prince in order to break the curse set upon the city centuries ago by a witch.  When things don't go as planned, her life changes forever and as she discovers more about the trolls she has been forced to live with, it turns out that first impressions aren't always the way they seem.

What I thought:
          I really liked this! It was imaginative and unique and I liked the relationships that developed throughout the story and how the ending set up for the next book.

          The relationship building in this story was super adorable. Tristan and Cecile go from hating each other to pretending to hate each other to just totally being in love (just how I like it, haha).  The development of their relationship is one of my favorite parts of the book.  At first, they're both disappointed and not super willing to take part in the Bonding (but I'm glad they did, because count me in on a romance with a psychic-style link. I love that shizz), but eventually they realize that they're on the same side and not only learn to work together but LIKE each other! And it's adorable.

Yes, this gif is supposed to be here. CONNECTIONS, GET IT? BECAUSE THEY'RE BONDED? 

I also really loved the relationships between the main characters and Marc and the twins--they made for some pretty amusing and heartwarming scenes in an otherwise pretty dreary plot.

           The worldbuilding was super cool! The whole reason why the trolls are stuck under the mountain is really interesting and unique and had a very cool sort of old fashioned fairy tale vibe.  I love a good witch's curse story and this one is done well.  I like that though we know the jist of what happened, we aren't quite privy to the whole story yet (though I'm sure it comes out in the next few books).  The only thing I didn't enjoy was that the trolls lived in a place called....Trollus. Like...really? That's the best you could come up with?

          The story itself moved a bit slowly for me at first, and some of Cecile's reactions to things seemed a little off to me (like...I would have been WAY more ticked off if Luc had kidnapped me and sold me to trolls. Like...who died and made him her owner? Gross.), but once the story got going it was really engrossing and I didn't want to put it down.  This book could have been a one-sitting read for me if I had read it on a day off. You know a book has you in its clutches when you can't stop thinking about it, even when you're not reading!

           The ending of the story twisted my heart and gave me a lot of feels. I worried about Tristan then Cecile then Tristan again, and I was just a little compact ball of emotions.  I didn't enjoy it, but I accepted that it sets up the second book beautifully.  I can't wait to see what happens next in this story, but I've heard that it gets really depressing, so I'm not sure I'll pick the next book up right away, if at all.

Rating: 4.25 stars

Book Review: Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

**This review contains major spoilers. To skip the spoilers, see my Goodreads review here!**

What it's about:

           The fifth instalment of the Throne of Glass series, this book continues the story of Aelin Galathynius and her court on their journey to take back the Kingdom of Terrasen and ultimately save the world from the evil Valg King Erawan.

What I thought:

          I loved this book. It was a rollercoaster of feelings and hopes and dreams and wishes and tears and sadness and love. I had ALL THE FEELS at ALL OF THE TIMES.

          We got to see so much in this book. We learned more about Erilea and the kingdoms we haven't seen before, including but not limited to a mysteriously familiar-seeming swamp land (*coughDeadMarshescough*). It's great, and and I adored the presumed homage to some of the classics.  I am so sad we didn't get to see more of Ellwye, and that Maeve pretty much ruined it for everyone, because she's evil incarnate.

          We got to meet new characters and learn more about our old favorites. I adored getting to know the cadre, Elide, and Lorcan better, as well as Manon and pretty much everyone. GUYS. THE SILENT ASSASSINS. (*quiet sobbing*) And Ansel, and FREAKING KASIDA THE ASTERION. (I'm so glad I just happened to finish Assassin's Blade RIGHT before I read this.) That ending scene with all of the forces coming together after Maeve carted our beloved Aelin of the Wildfire off--I just actually cannot think about it without tears coming to my eyes. Like...fantastic and so heartwarming and hope-inducing yet just *after* perfect timing. Abraxos and Lysandra are my new two fave characters. Lysandra is amazing and badass and so brave. Abraxos is the most majestic and loyal flower-scented wyvern ever and I love him forever.

          The action scenes were so stressful yet exhilarating. I think my favorite was the epic sea wyvern/sea dragon!Lyandra battle. It invoked so many emotions in me because all the stuff from all of the characters' perspectives were just so poignant and like real feelings. THESE GUYS LOVE EACH OTHER and it both warms and breaks my heart because I don't want any of them to be hurt but I know it will be inevitable because drama.  The battle with the Ilken at the Stone Swamps was so freaky but showed that the cadre amazingly is so willing to work with the Court and they can be a fantastic unit. God, Maeve ruins EVERYTHING! She's like the Dolores Umbridge of Erilea--we know Erawan is the big evil baddie, but then someone on the inside who we would expect to be good turns out to be a total selfish bitch. (Show us how you REALLY feel, Emma!)

YEAH. GO TO HELL, MAEVE!

          The romances were adorable. I know people don't like that fact that the majority of the characters are paired up neatly, but...it's fiction, and I enjoy good romances, and these are good romances. I was kind of iffy about the whole Elide/Lorcan thing happening, but seeing how she changed his character for the good and softened his Maeve-induced hardness (no pun intended, yikes) made me change my mind about that.  I enjoyed seeing their relationship develop, and somehow that made me feel not as mad when Lorcan decided to be a dumb-ass and accidentally-on-purpose call for Maeve.
         Lyandra and Aedion is so tragic yet realistic. I love that they obviously have strong feelings for each other, yet still respect boundaries and are the closest of friends. 
         Manon and Dorian is like...whoa. I like it, because I've been shipping them for a while, but to see it finally come to fruition, and the way it came to fruition was sexy as all hell and fitting for their relationship.
          Last but not least, WAY TO ABSOLUTELY DAMAGE YOUR READERS WITH THE AELIN/ROWAN STUFF, SARAH.  It was so great and romantic and freaking hot but also adorable and my heart just cracked when it was confirmed that they were mates and that they got SECRETLY MARRIED AND WHAT AELIN HAD PLANNED BECAUSE SHE'S A SNEAKY GENIUS.  OTP status gained, OTP BROKEN UP AGAINST THEIR OWN WILL.

DAMN YOU, MAEVE! (She needs to DIE a HORRIBLE FIERY DEATH)

           I read the Target exclusive edition and the little "deleted scene" from Heir of Fire was really interesting. We haven't really met any other Doranelle Fae other than the cadre and now Rowan's cousins, so it was a good perspective into what Fae royalty is like.  And believe you me, I'm about 99% positive the three characters from the excerpt are going to show up in the sixth book.  Essar especially, seeing how she seemed kind, against Maeve's tyranny, and is A FREAKING FIRE MAGIC WIELDER. Oh yeah. It's going DOWN.
          All in all, this book was fantastic. It dragged me in and had me both grinning with happiness and crying tears of hopelessness on public transportation (yeah, it was as awkward as it sounds). 

With that ending, I CANNOT WAIT to see what happens. I know they'll get Aelin away from Maeve, because Rowan and the cadre (ex cadre now, AND THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU, MAEVE) are sure to succeed in getting her back.  HOWEVER, I think the end game, at this point, could be up in the air.  It feels hopeless, and that Aelin is sure to die, but I think there are still options out there and I think that with all the twists and unexpected events/Aelin's sneaky plots that we've come to expect, I just have a feeling.  Right now I feel heartbroken, but I remain hopeful that things will turn out acceptable, if not the exact way I want them to.

Rating: ALL THE STARS. (Ok, ok. 5 really big stars)

Book Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

What it's about:

         Nyx's world is ruled by a bargain-making trickster demon known as the Gentle Lord.  Before she was born, her father made a bargain and was fooled into giving up one of his daughters on her 17th birthday--to become the Gentle Lord's bride.  He chose Nyx and has been raising her to defeat the demon ruler and get revenge for the death of her mother.  However, once she gets inside her bridegroom's mysterious residence, things start to change, and Nyx has to figure out how to end the ruler's hold on the land while also reconciling her growing feelings towards him.

What I thought:

         First off, I'd like to say, Hi, my name is Emma, and I'm a sucker for mythology, fairytales, retellings, and lore. 

This book had all of that, which is why I think I liked it so much. I literally read it within 24 hours.

It's sort of a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it brought in elements of Greek mythology like Pandora's Box, mentioned the Kindly Ones (another folklore name for fairy/fae/fair folk), and I'm pretty sure it referenced both the poem Tam Lin AND one of my favorite creepy fairy tales, Bluebeard.

The worldbuilding in this story is really cool. I liked that they incorporated that into the history and ended up explaining how and what and why the world was the way it ended up. I adored Ignifex's tower and all the exploring and discovering that Nyx did. I would *love* to go exploring in this house (sans demon-blob, of course).

I was a little more iffy about the characters. At first, Nyx was a little too obsessed with how coddled her twin sister was. Like..we get it, your dad's a jerk and you're mad about it. Move on. She does eventually move on and gets a little better. I really liked Shade and Ignifex, though. The whole dynamic there had me guessing about who was who and what ended up happening was really neat. The relationship building was cute and I liked trying to solve the mystery before we actually figured it out in-story.

The magic system also intrigued me, and I liked how it was described and explained. It reminded me of alchemical-based magic systems, and I thought it was really unique and gave the world an interesting vibe.

Overall, I did really enjoy this. I didn't love some of the characterization, and sometimes the plot was paced a little unevenly, but that was easy to ignore due to the engaging story and mystery!

Rating: 4.25 stars

Book Review: Fellside by M.R. Carey

Fellside by M.R. Carey

What it's about:

Jess is convicted of starting a fire that accidentally killed a young boy living in her apartment building.  She is sent to Fellside, a correctional facility on the Yorkshire moors, to a ward where the worst of the worst reside under maximum security.  It looks like she's there for life when something happens that gives her hope--Alex, the boy who died in the fire, is trying to make contact, and he's not sure that she is the one who killed him after all.

What I thought:

Firstly, I'd like to say that I love the way M.R. Carey writes. It's concise and descriptive and just very well done.

However, the majority of this book did disappoint me. Now, I suppose that a little more research into the plot or already existing reviews would probably have given me a little bit of a clue as to what this book is really about, but with authors I've read (and liked) before, I read the blurb and accepted the story as something I would like to read.

So here I was, expecting some mysterious and intriguing supernatural story taking place in a prison, and to some extent, this story was just that. However, it came along with a whole other plot arc that had very little to do with the "main plot" until they solidly converged...at about 60% through the book.

Jess's pov was interesting to me, and what she was doing kept me invested enough to keep reading to find out what was happening with her side of the story, but the other chapters followed other inmates/employees of the prison and their convoluted drama with a drug smuggling ring gone awry.

Now, I appreciate that the secondary arc makes sense. We're in a prison, things like this are bound to happen. I'm not sure if the author was trying to make a point about corruption and power inside a correctional facility, but to me, it felt like this part of the story had sort of been thrust upon me without my approval. It felt a little like a non-comedic version of Orange is the New Black, and frankly, if I had any desire to read something like that, I already would have. 

These bits dragged on for me and *literally* put me to sleep (no, really. I fell asleep multiple times during these chapters. Possibly a result of reading in bed, but if it had been engaging, I would have felt more awake, right?).

That being said, I really liked the supernatural aspect of the story. The Other Place was a really unique in-between world and I liked that we learned about it as Jess & Alex remembered/traveled through it. This part of the story had twists and turns that I wasn't expecting, and once the two storylines came together, I think it worked out well.

It just didn't happen soon enough for me.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Book Review: Love From Boy: Roald Dahl's Letters to his Mother--Roald Dahl & Donald Sturrock

Love from Boy edited by Donald Sturrock

*Disclaimer: I received an early copy of this book through Penguin's First to Read program.*

Now I know what you're thinking. 

"Emma, a contemporary book, non fiction, no less?! This doesn't really seem like your kind of thing."

Well, see, here's the thing. 

I adore Roald Dahl.  I read his children's books voraciously as a kid and LOVED his childhood autobiography, Boy. So, when scrolling through the First to Read selections and finding this as an option, I naturally jumped at the opportunity to try and get my hands on a copy. I was selected, and the rest is history.

 

What it's about:

Throughout his life, Roald Dahl was in constant snail-mail contact with his mother, Sophie Magdalene.  This is a compilation of the letters he wrote throughout his adventures in boarding school, living/working in Africa, his experiences in the Royal Air Force, and beyond.

What I thought:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I tend to really like stories told through correspondence, and even though we only saw one side of the conversation, I think it was a lively and interesting tale.  I learned so much about a beloved author (Roald did SO MUCH STUFF before he became a writer that I never knew about!), and I thought it was an interesting dialogue on the era in which he grew up and lived most of his life.  It was really enjoyable to watch him grow up and see how his relationship with his mother changed solely through letters.

After reading this I felt as though I knew him better, and could definitely see the development of his writing from school boy joking to more mature storytelling (with an occasional joke about balls thrown in for the fun of it).  

One of my favorite bits was reading about his experiences working with Walt Disney on Gremlins.  Knowing now that this sort of paved the way for his works to not only become classics, but also to allow movie adaptations of some of his stories--movies that I grew up watching and loving.

I think that if you enjoyed Dahl's written works and want to know more about the method to his madness, I'd definitely give this a read!

Rating: 4 stars