Wednesday, September 28, 2016

kids of appetite: stardust reviews

Kids of Appetite by David Arnold

☆☆☆☆

goodreads/b&n/amazon

The bestselling author of Mosquitoland brings us another batch of unforgettable characters in this tragicomedy about first love and devastating loss.

Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell.
It begins with the death of Vic’s father.
It ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle.
The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it.
But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.

This is a story about:

1. A coded mission to scatter ashes across New Jersey.
2. The momentous nature of the Palisades in winter.
3. One dormant submarine.
4. Two songs about flowers.
5. Being cool in the traditional sense.
6. Sunsets & ice cream & orchards & graveyards.
7. Simultaneous extreme opposites.
8. A narrow escape from a war-torn country.
9. A story collector.
10. How to listen to someone who does not talk.
11. Falling in love with a painting.
12. Falling in love with a song.
13. Falling in love.


full review under the cut! 

waiting on wednesday: gemina

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted over at Breaking the Spine!

This week's pick:

Gemina (The Illuminae Files #2)
by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

release date: October 18th by Knopf

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless


~~~
I absolutely loved Illuminae, and that is saying something because sci-fi usually doesn't do shit for me. But I did love that book, and I think a lot of it has to do with how cool the format that Kaufman and Kristoff have chosen for their books is. Reading a book in the form of emails and system updates and IM's is faster and draws you in so quickly. So I can't wait to see what else is going to happen in this universe! 


What are y'all waiting on this week?

xx
Caroline

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

top ten tuesday: fall tbr

Hi everyone! Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, hosted over at the Broke and the Bookish. This week's theme is: "September 27: Books On My Fall TBR List." These weeks are my favorites, because I just love talking about what books I want to read and seeing everything y'all have on your lists too!

Top Ten Books on my Fall TBR

1. CROOKED KINGDOM by Leigh Bardugo – I don't even know how to describe how excited I am for this one. Six of Crows was one of my very top favorites of last year, and though I'm going to be sad to see these characters go, I cannot wait to see what happens next. 
~~~
Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz's cunning and test the team's fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.  

2. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake– I bought this the other day, and I cannot wait to read it. Based on the first couple chapters that I have read, I think it's going to be awesome. Dark and twisty, but AWESOME.
 ~~~
Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.
 
3. A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess – Sorcerers and magic and victorian England all rolled into one sounds like my perfect afternoon, and that is exactly why I can't wait to dive into this one! Some of my favorite authors have said great things about it, so *squeeeee* 
~~~
 I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?

4. Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige – I wasn't crazy about her Dorothy Must Die series, but I've read the first bit of this one and I think it is something that I am definitely going to be into. I love fairy tale retellings, and I can't wait to see what edginess Paige gives to the Snow Queen. 
~~~
Seventeen-year-old Snow has spent her life locked in Whittaker Psychiatric—but she isn’t crazy. And that’s not the worst of it. Her very first kiss proves anything but innocent…when Bale, her only love, turns violent.

Despite Snow knowing that Bale would never truly hurt her, he is taken away—dashing her last hope for any sort of future in the mental ward she calls home. With nowhere else to turn, Snow finds herself drawn to a strange new orderly who whispers secrets in the night about a mysterious past and a kingdom that’s hers for the taking—if only she can find her way past the iron gates to the Tree that has been haunting her dreams.

Beyond the Tree lies Algid, a land far away from the real world, frozen by a ruthless king. And there too await the River Witch, a village boy named Kai, the charming thief Jagger, and a prophecy that Snow will save them all.
  

5. The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst – This book looks like the high fantasy dream that I've been waiting for. I have also read a couple non-spoilery reviews and loved what I've seen... especially that there's a city in the trees? or something like that... whatever it is, sign me up. 
~~~
An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.

With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.
 
6. Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall – Sandy Hall's contemporaries make me swoony happy. A Little Something Different is still one of my absolute favorite contemporaries ever. I really need to get my hands on her new one, which looks just as promising as her other two.
~~~
Gideon always has a plan. His plans include running for class president, becoming head of the yearbook committee, and having his choice of colleges. They do NOT include falling head over heels for his best friend and next door neighbor, Kyle. It’s a distraction. It’s pointless, as Kyle is already dating the gorgeous and popular head cheerleader, Ruby. And Gideon doesn’t know what to do.

Kyle finally feels like he has a handle on life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, a best friend willing to debate the finer points of Lord of the Rings, and social acceptance as captain of the basketball team. Then, both Ruby and Gideon start acting really weird, just as his spot on the team is threatened, and Kyle can’t quite figure out what he did wrong…
 
7. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan – Rick Riordan + any mythology ever = me reading it. I enjoyed the first book in this series and am excited to pick it back up :) 
~~~
Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon--the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost, it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin. The Nine Worlds will burn. Unfortunately, the only person who can broker a deal for the hammer's return is the gods' worst enemy, Loki--and the price he wants is very high.



 
8. This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills – LOVED First & Then. Heard amazing things about this, her next novel. Commenced the impatient waiting. STILL impatiently waiting. Cannot wait to get my hands on this one. 
~~~
Sloane isn't expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that's exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera's twin brother and the most serious person Sloane's ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins' late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins' lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.
 
9. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin – I have been meaning to read this for forever, and it just sits on my shelf, mocking me because I know it is going to be amazing, I just balk at picking it up. Do y'all ever do that? I annoy myself. In any case, I really want to read this one so that I can read the second one as well, and I've heard incredible things about it. 
~~~
The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule. To commemorate their Great Victory, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor’s Ball in Tokyo.

Yael, a former death camp prisoner, has witnessed too much suffering, and the five wolves tattooed on her arm are a constant reminder of the loved ones she lost. The resistance has given Yael one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year’s only female racer, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin’s brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael’s every move.

But as Yael grows closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

From the author of The Walled City comes a fast-paced and innovative novel that will leave you breathless.
 
10. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – would y'all believe I've never read this book???? I've seen the movie and loved the cartoon tv show when I was little, but fall feels like a perfect time to dive into this one :) 
~~~
Everyone's favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over.









what's on your lists this week? 

xx
Caroline

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

furthermore: stardust reviews

Furthermore – Tahereh Mafi

☆☆☆☆

goodreads/b&n/amazon

blurb: The bestselling author of the Shatter Me series takes readers beyond the limits of their imagination in this captivating new middle grade adventure where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.

There are only three things that matter to twelve-year-old Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn't miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. The day Father disappears from Ferenwood he takes nothing but a ruler with him. But it's been almost three years since then, and Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she's about to embark on one to find the other.

But bringing Father home is no small matter. In order to find him she'll have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver whose own magical ability is based in lies and deceit--and with a liar by her side in a land where nothing is as it seems, it will take all of Alice's wits (and every limb she's got) to find Father and return home to Ferenwood in one piece. On her quest to find Father, Alice must first find herself--and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss.


full review under the cut! 


Tuesday, September 13, 2016

the movie version: stardust arc reviews

The Movie Version

Emma Wunsch

☆☆☆

release date: October 11 by Amulet Books

goodreads/b&n/amazon

A whip-smart, heart-wrenching debut YA novel about first love, first loss, and filmmaking that will delight fans of Jandy Nelson and Jennifer Niven

In the movie version of Amelia’s life, the roles have always been clear. Her older brother, Toby: definitely the Star. As popular with the stoners as he is with the cheerleaders, Toby is someone you’d pay ten bucks to watch sweep Battle of the Bands and build a “beach party” in the bathroom. As for Amelia? She’s Toby Anderson’s Younger Sister. She’s perfectly happy to watch Toby’s hijinks from the sidelines, when she’s not engrossed in one of her elaborately themed Netflix movie marathons.          

But recently Toby’s been acting in a very non-movie-version way. He’s stopped hanging out with his horde of friends and started obsessively journaling and disappearing for days at a time. Amelia doesn’t know what’s happened to her awesome older brother, or who this strange actor is that’s taken his place. And there’s someone else pulling at her attention: a smart, cute new boyfriend who wants to know the real Amelia—not Toby’s Sidekick. Amelia feels adrift without her star, but to best help Toby—and herself—it might be time to cast a new role: Amelia Anderson, leading lady.


full review under the cut! 

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

waiting on wednesday: foxheart


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted over at Breaking the Spine.


This week's pick:

Foxheart by Claire Legrand

release date: October 4 by Greenwillow

Orphan. Thief. Witch.

Twelve-year-old Quicksilver dreams of becoming the greatest thief in the Star Lands. With her faithful dog and partner-in-crime Fox, she’s well on her way—even if that constantly lands them both in trouble. It’s a lonesome life, sleeping on rooftops and stealing food for dinner, but Quicksilver doesn’t mind. When you’re alone, no one can hurt you. Or abandon you.

But the seemingly peaceful Star Lands are full of danger. Witches still exist—although the powerful Wolf King and his seven wolves have been hunting them for years. Thankfully, his bloody work is almost complete. Soon the Star Lands will be safe, free of the witches and their dark magic.

Then one day a strange old woman and her scruffy dog arrive in Quicksilver’s town and perform extraordinary magic. Real magic—forbidden and dangerous. Magic Quicksilver is desperate to learn. With magic like that, she could steal anything her heart desires. She could even find her parents.

But the old woman is not what she seems, and soon Quicksilver has to decide—will she stay at home and remain a thief? Or will she embark upon the adventure of a lifetime and become a legend?


~~~
I read Claire Legrand's middle grade, Some Kind of Happiness, earlier this year, and I was totally blown away by it! When I read about this one, I put it on my TBR so fast, because I cannot wait to see what else Legrand comes up with! 

What are you waiting on this week? 

xx
Caroline

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

top ten tuesday: fall tv edition

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature over at the Broke and the Bookish, and this week's theme is: "September 6:  In honor of Fall Tv, do a tv-themed topic! Top ten favorite tv shows of all time, ten new shows coming out this Fall that are on my radar, tv shows I wish never got cancelled, tv shows I would recommend to book characters, books I wish would be tv shows, ten favorite shows from the late 90's or early 2000's, ten tv shows for every fantasy lover, etc." I AM SO PUMPED for fall shows to return, so I felt like I could do a hybrid book/tv theme this week. So here are five tv shows that I can't wait to get back on TV and five books that I wish I could make into a TV show. :)

Top Five Shows I Can't Wait to See Again




1. New Girl - aka my favorite show ever on all of television... ever. I cannot contain my excitement for season six!


 

 2. The Flash– The Best Science Dorks on TV!! Diverse cast and really nice family and found family relationships. Grant Gustin is the cutest person alive.

 



3. Shadowhunters – You guys KNOW I had to use the Malec kiss for this one. I suppose it is a bit of a cheat because I don't know exactly when this one is coming back, but I'm trash for it and not ashamed to admit it... <3 nbsp="" p="">




4. Supergirl– More amazing superheroes!! Superman is going to be on this season! Melissa Benoist is the other cutest person alive! GIRL POWER!








5. Brooklyn 99  – literal funniest shit on TV.








Top Five Books/Series that I wish were TV Shows




1. Percy Jackson and The Olympians by Rick Riordan – Don't hold it against me guys!!! If The Mortal Instruments can have a terrible movie and then come back as a *much better* TV show, then I have hope for PJO too.... I JUST WANT HIGH QUALITY PERCY OKAY??







2. Vicious by V.E. Schwab – Imagine with me a gritty antihero drama with a daredevil-esque aesthetic and some truly kickass characters. That is what I envision Vicious the TV show to be. Obviously, this is only one book, but I feel like they could easily make it into a show, especially in drawing out the backstories of the characters. 






3. Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – I'm thinking like, a little bit of Gossip Girl mixed with Atlanta as the backdrop, stirred in with some One Tree Hill/Dawson's Creek vibes but with more eclectic and diverse characters... an updated high school drama, if you will. I would watch the shit out of it





 


4. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo– I'm sorry, but if you don't think this team of heisting teens, some of whom have superpowers, set against a beautiful high fantasy world would make an amazing show, I don't think I have anything to say to you.








 5. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer– I've talked to a bunch of people about how awesome of a series I think the Lunar Chronicles would be. If it had the right budget and the right vision from the people making it, I think that it would be a total smash






Whats on your list this week?

xx
Caroline
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