2015 Book Round-Up

Happy New Year, everyone! I didn't read as much as I would have liked in 2015, but I still found some wonderful books throughout the year. So, I decided to join in on the recap fun and post my own favorites of 2015, plus throw in my 2016 current to-read pile and anticipated reads. I'll link to my own reviews on the favorite list and goodreads links on the unread ones. Onward!

Nikki's 2015 Favorites

• I read Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi before I started this blog, so I never got a chance to review it here. I can tell you though that the Shatter Me series is one of my absolute favorites. Mafi's writing is poetic and beautiful and Juliette, the main heroine, is an incredibly inspiring young woman. It's a YA dystopian read that I would highly recommend!

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer is also one I read before the blog. I'm a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings, and I loved the imaginative, new world in this series. It's futuristic and compelling and there's lots of adventure. I haven't gotten a chance to read through the whole series, but I've heard only good things about the last book, Winter. I would also highly recommend it!

• My review for The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski is here. Kestrel is an amazing character that is the epitome of badass princess trope.

• My review for Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen is here. I'm more of a fantasy than contemporary reader, but I'm always first in line for Sarah Dessen novels.

• My review for The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh is here. I loved this novel, an Arabian Nights re-telling, and I absolutely can't wait for the sequel in 2016 because there are so many questions I need answered.

• My review for Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo is here. This novel was hilarious, intricate, complex which made for a very entertaining ride.

• My review for A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is here. This novel was massive and packed with great writing, romance, and adventure.

Nikki's 2016 To-Read Stack

And this is just currently—it'll triple by the end of the year!

• Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier 

• Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

• All I Know: Wonderings and Reflections on Growing Up Gracefully by Carrie Hope Fletcher

• The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

• The Rose Society by Marie Lu

• Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

• Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

• An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Nikki's 2016 Anticipated Reads

• Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

• A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

• A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

• Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

• The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh

• The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

• Passenger by Alexandra Bracken

• Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers

And that's a wrap! Look out tomorrow for a new review. I got an ARC of one of the above 2016 anticipated reads! Here's to 2016.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo | Spoiler free review

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone... 

A convict with a thirst for revenge. 

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager. 

A runaway with a privileged past. 

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. 

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. 

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Rating: 4.5/5
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Adventure, Romance

I have a love-hate thing going on with novels and why-didn't-I-see-that-coming twists. Like Harry Potter being a horcrux? And having to "die" in order to destroy it? I don't think I'll ever get over those two especially. And I'm adding more to that list because Six of Crows was so clever it made me feel inadequate. But then again Kaz, the mastermind main character, just has a way of inspiring that in people.

But seriously, this book is a delicious, layered cake of twists and turns and complicated yet organic relationships that make it so fun to read. It's easy to lose yourself in the smooth pacing and suspenseful moments that lure you in for more. The world-building is pretty solid as well, but I've heard that Bardugo had a whole other series to practice on beforehand. The Grisha Trilogy, from what I've gathered off of other bloggers, is set in the same or similar world. Either way, it's done well in Six of Crows.

And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really enjoyed the multiple points of view. Each character has such a distinct voice and unique story that I was somewhat grateful we got a glimpse into all of their heads. It really allowed a personal connection to grow between book and reader. The best way I can explain this is that it almost felt like there were no minor characters. Which, in many cases could go horribly wrong, but in this case it just worked. It's like when your favorite supporting character upgrades to a series regular and you go with it because you're just so excited you'll be able to see their face more. You get me? It was just nice to read, okay.

My only complaint is that I really think this book could be a standalone—at least it had the feel of one. The epic quest plot came pretty much full-circle, with just a few loose ends that alluded to sequels, and I think it could have been great even if those lingering questions were taken out. To put it simply, the ending felt kind of forced, but I can still see all the connecting dots that led to it.

So, I'll leave you guys with this: if someone demanded a one word definition for Six of Crows, I would pick "thrilling." If anything, Bardugo knows how to capture her readers with memorable characters. And maybe, in retrospect, using that word is a bit worrying since most of the characters are young, gang members who have killed lots of people, but I'll take what I can get. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a captivating adventure tale with terrific characters and who is comfortable with a good amount of violence.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black | Spoiler free review

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave. 

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

Rating: 3/5
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

There were enough unanswered questions and wishes for more information that while I enjoyed this novel, I still wanted more. The plot Black had in mind fit very well for a stand-alone, but there was potential for more—especially because of how little the characters developed but how intense some relationships between them became. Which isn't to say that development needs to happen for relationships to work, but people naturally change, learn more about themselves and others, and that's how relationships become stronger. So it was all a bit jarring and a whole lot of skeptical.

The pacing and scene cuts first of all were awkward—I felt like there were more background and flashback scenes than there were present ones. It could be an exaggeration since I didn't actually count the number of present and past scenes, but it's still an issue if it felt like it dragged that much. The traveling that happened felt more like aimless wandering even though there was a destination in mind. And strangely enough, even with all that, it still seemed too rushed. Things would slow down, then pick back up going twice as fast in present scenes. It's all a bit hard to explain, but expect some pacing issues if you read it.

The best thing about this novel is the vampiric world Black made up. The biting and turning process is different than the usual ones we see in novels, and the small pieces of the vampire world discussed also make it unique. The influence it had on the present human world was intriguing and creative as well; Coldtowns are an interesting concept, and I'm still not completely sure how I feel about them. But it seemed like it was a cool setting to play with since it was fun (but a bit horrifying) to read.

Lastly, I wanted to talk about Tana. She was a well-flushed out character, and we were given lots of scenes to understand how her personality came to be, but there wasn't much change that happened past that. So I wish we could have seen more of how Tana changed after all that happened, especially after the last chapter, but I still appreciated her character. She's loyal to her family and friends, tries to be tough on the outside but is scared at heart, and that's something I've always found appealing in a character. It really shows the perseverance of a person, and I'm always interested in how an author spins that character trait in their own way.

Overall, the creativity and the Black-style of flowing and magical writing helps the novel tremendously, but there were a lot of other aspects that were lacking. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a new take on the vampire genre.

Senior Year Update

Long time no see! Sorry for the complete lack of updates or reviews. I'm going to try and change that, but honestly going from summer time to school time is a big adjustment—especially since it's my senior year. I'll try to use my weekends for reading and reviewing, but overall things will just be a lot slower. Oh, the curse of education—I can't do the things I love because I'm trying to earn a degree that will hopefully allow me to earn money doing the things I love. It's a little twisted, but that's life. I'll be posting one review this weekend thanks to Labor Day break, and then things will take off a little from there. Hope you all have a relaxing holiday! Or if you're not in the US, then I hope you still have some time to relax.

Nikki

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh | Spoiler free review

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi's wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch...she's falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. 

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and to break the cycle once and for all.

Rating: 4.5/5
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction

First of all, I have to appreciate and gush about the diversity in this novel. While I love fairy tale retelling/inspired stories, I recognize that the most popular ones are from Western Europe, the capital of historical colonization. Their stories are great and all, but that's partly because we're so used to them due to Europe prioritizing their culture over others. There are so many beautiful, creative fairy tales/folk tales around the world, and they deserve just as much attention. So, The Wrath and the Dawn is heavily inspired by One Thousand and One Nights (or what we more commonly know it as: Arabian Nights) in a way that is new-ish to the YA community, and it's amazing.

Going a little deeper, the writing is phenomenal. When you have a storyteller for a narrator, it's pretty obvious that the language needs to be smooth, poetic, but not too over the top. It's a tricky balance, but Shazi's voice was exactly how it should be, with a little more sass added in for character purposes. Actually, when I really think about it, several characters had some sassy element to their personality; the only difference was whether it was based on confidence, cleverness, or arrogance. And you can definitely tell the difference, which showed how strongly developed and unique Ahdieh's characters were. (Also sarcastic, take-no-shit characters are my weakness which made this novel heaven on earth, really.)

Something else I really appreciated in the book was that while there were a couple different points of view, they were always minor but necessary. Shazi still had full reign of the narration, but sometimes there were some outside scenes that needed to be done since there was so much happening both in and outside of the palace. I kind of thought of it like The Hunger Games movies; although the novel was told from Katniss' view, which meant the movie should focus solely on her, I really enjoyed the small, independent scenes they included with President Snow. It gave us a little more perspective into The Capital outside of Katniss' view, which made it personal to the viewer, and it was always to benefit the plot and theme. It all shows how when an author/producer has a complete understanding of the novel, they are always aware of how a scene becomes useful whether it's for plot, character development, or theme.

And while a lot happened plot-wise, there was so much more set up for the next book (which is killing me because I need to know what happens). To be honest, I'm a bit unsure as to how it will all be able to fit into a duology (or a two-book series). There's a lot of layers happening and a lot of people making plans, so I'm very interested in how it will all play out in the sequel. I trust the author, however, so I'll be eagerly awaiting what's next for Shazi and the gang.

Overall, The Wrath and the Dawn was beautifully written, culturally refreshing, and incredibly captivating—there was always some foreshadowing, adventure, suspense, or romance happening, but it was never over-stimulating. If you pick up this book don't expect to put it down for awhile.

Photo Challenge Update

Thanks to a vacation with barely any wifi, I got way off track for the challenge, so I've decided to scrap it for this month. I did manage to read 3 books on vacation, however, so I should have some more reviews posted soon!

Nikki

July Book Photo Challenge | Set One

I couldn't decide between these three books—their titles are all so unique. I just reviewed A Court of Thorns and Roses, but I have not read the other two. I've heard good things about The Wrath and the Dawn and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, but I'm saving them for a vacation this month.

The humor in Anna and the French Kiss is so natural and witty thanks to her vibrant characters, and I will always love it for that. This book feels like when you meet someone who clicks with you right away.

My True Love Gave to Me is the perfect thing to get you into the holiday mood, or just make you happy when you need it. Christmas in July anyone?

Decided to do all three for some 4th of July spirit. I would recommend all of these books except for The Queen of the Tearling and Seriously...I'm Kidding since I have not read those two yet. But, once again, I have heard good things about them. The Bone Season and Unravel Me are excellent fantasy/paranormal YA fiction, while Dessen writes YA contemporary. My first review on this blog was of Saint Anything.

This is actually a graphic novel, but it's so amazing I had to include it. I'm not normally one for horror stories since they don't appeal to me in a storytelling way, but I love the short stories in Through the Woods. "A Lady's Hands are Cold" was my favorite one.

(You can find the challenge here.)

New Challenge

Happy July! Since this month will be a pretty chill and awesome one since my birthday is soon, I thought I would try something new. There are challenges that go around the internet that often revolve around literature: reading challenges, writing challenges, one word challenges, ect. The one that caught my eye, however, involved both literature and visual art. The popular book blog, Books & Cupcakes, hosts a Book Photo Challenge every month. Every day has a prompt for a photo to take, and I find that very fun and artistic. So, I decided to join! To try and not clog up the page too much, I'm going to post my photos every five days. My first set will be posted soon, and I hope it can serve as a kind of mini recommendation/about me thing since it will feature books old and new from my collection. Here's to new challenges!

Nikki

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas | Spoiler free review

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. 

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it...or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Rating: 5/5
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance, New Adult

As I've said again and again, I love fairy tales, and I love the new twists that writers can pull out of them. So, that's what I mostly look for in novels inspired by fairy tales: originality and voice. Luckily, A Court of Thorns and Roses excelled at that.

The world building was spectacular and elaborate, and it left the readers with just enough to know the basics, but there's obviously a lot more to learn in the rest of the series. And while some of plot was already set up thanks to the Beauty and the Beast influence, there was so much more to it. At some point in the novel I realized the original fairy tale plot had just about expired, but there was still a good amount of the book left. Don't worry, though, Maas does just as well on her own.

The pacing was particularly nice. I'm a somewhat patient person when it comes to pacing, and I don't mind things slowing down when it feels natural. Relationships need time to develop, characters need to explore, and tragic events need healing, so I get it. This book was fairly long at 416 pages, and I felt like it really was a complete journey—there was only one large part of relaxation, and the rest was pretty even on adventure and normality.  In some stories you just feel the smallness of it all, the lack of a full adventure, but this novel closed everything splendidly.

Overall, the thing I'll remember and appreciate most about this novel is Feyre. She is so many things at once: vulnerable and strong, fearful and courageous, intelligent and ignorant. But overall, she is selfless and determined, and it all makes her so real. The other characters were also well-written, but Feyre always shone the brightest. She recognizes and embraces her humanity in a world of immortality, and it doesn't make her weak for doing it.

Oh, and an extra plus: this novel pushed a little on the New Adult side, and it was delightful. For those who are unaware of what New Adult is, it's basically a new genre created for those who want all amazing-ness of YA along with sexy times. Yes, you heard me right. So if you're uncomfortable at all with sexual themes, I would be wary if you want to read this! Nothing too explicit, but it is definitely there.

A Court of Thorns and Roses is the first in a series (unsure how long), and the second should hopefully be out sometime next year. One last note: I wish there were more women present—when I see an author can write strong female characters, I always want more.  Love is great and all, but frienship is just as important, and especially female friendship. I want Feyre to have a kickass female friend she can go to, and I really hope it happens in the sequel.

P.S. Look at that gorgeous cover!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater | Spoiler free review

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.” 

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. 

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. 

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. 

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. 

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Rating: 3/5
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

I enjoyed the characters and the overall idea of The Raven Boys a lot, and I think a good amount happened for the first in a series, but for some reason I never truly got excited about this book. There was something about it that didn't hook me, and I think it mostly centered around the pacing, narration, and point of view.

Firstly, I began to lose a bit of interest thanks to the slow pacing towards the first half; things were slowed down in order to introduce all the characters and their goals, which took a good amount of time. Also, the first meeting scene, in my opinion, could have been taken out and replaced by an event that was already being set-up. It did add a bit more to a later scene because characters were somewhat-kinda acquainted, but not enough that I think it was truly needed. The pacing was better throughout the rest of the book, but it still seemed a bit disjointed overall.

Moving on to the characters and narration, I think this was what bothered me the most. There were multiple narrators in this book, and sometimes it wasn't obvious at first who was telling a chapter. I'm not a fan of more than two narrators in books anyway because even though we do gain more information from different characters that way, I also think we lost a bit of the authenticity. Even if I know that the narrator is biased, and shouldn't be trusted, I could at least trust that their voice is true. That trust gets harder once you throw in four different eyes to see through.

Similarly, I know characters are layered, and that makes them interesting and real, but I struggled to find the true character beneath these ones. They all were well-developed in a checklist sort of way, but I wasn't 100% sure of their true personality. I questioned the actions and thoughts of them too much to be comfortable, and thus began to lose interest.

Overall, the creative setting and theme of the novel may be enough to continue the series, but I'm sadly not too impressed with The Raven Boys. The series is a quartet known as The Raven Cycle, and the third book came out last year. If you're interested in paranormal YA, I would still recommend this to those who want to try it out.

Youtube Web Series Adaptations

Hey, guys! Fun update for today because I just recently re-watched the amazing web series, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. If you can guess from the name, yes, it is a modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and it is amazing. So amazing it actually won an Emmy award. AN EMMY. It's a new frontier for literature, and it's extremely entertaining.

So, if you haven't heard about this phenomenon, let me introduce you:

In an age of rapidly evolving technology and rapidly consuming viewers, it's no surprise that adaptations have taken on a new form in web videos. People like to say that our generation has no attention span, yada yada, but I'm thoroughly convinced it's because we have higher expectations. Sure, I can't stand Mark Twain's long-winded writing, but that's because authors now-a-days can write a perfectly solid novel with less boring, droning details. It's efficient and we still achieve the same stories that make authors like that famous. Example #1: Jo Rowling. Anyway, keeping up with that evolution, classical adaptations were brought to the computer screen these past few years, and it's amazing.

Here's some web series that I thoroughly enjoy, and I hope you will too:

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (Pride and Prejudice adaptation)
Emma Approved (Emma adaptation)
The March Family Letters (Little Women adaptation)
The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy (Peter Pan adaptation)
Nothing Much To Do (Much Ado About Nothing adaptation)

If I'm not mistaken, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Nothing Much To Do are finished, Emma Approved and The New Adventures of Peter and Wendy have wrapped one season, awaiting a next, and The March Family Letters are ongoing. But don't let that stop you from getting started on them now!

And remember, at the end of the day we're still experiencing the same story and characters. The medium you choose to appreciate it with doesn't make you any better or worse of a person.

Happy watching! And sorry for the new addictions. Sorta.

Nikki

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black | Spoiler free review

Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for. 

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once. 

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking. 

Until one day, he does… 

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

Rating: 4.5/5
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale

If anyone ever asked me to recommend them some modern fairy tales, this novel would be at the top of my list. The writing was such a perfect blend of classic and modern that I had no trouble being completely fluent with the language (since sometimes the classics have phrases or dialects that disconnect our flow because we have to pause and translate). There's a lot of telling rather than showing like with the usual fairy tale formula, but while that would typically be a sign of the writer giving away too much, I was constantly surprised with the twists and turns.

Sometimes I figured out a twist before the reveal, sometimes I didn't, but every time I just thought to myself: Son a bitch she got me again. There were so many layers to this plot that I would have absolutely hated writing it, which basically means I was thoroughly impressed.

The relationship between Hazel and Ben, as a key component of the novel, spectacularly showed Black's handle of her characters. While I think there was some development missing from some characters, or I just wished for a bit more, those two siblings made up for it.

Overall, this novel was quite simply right up my alley. The dark theme of magic is something I've always loved in fairy tales. When you strip away the Disney filter we've all gotten so used to (bless your heart Disney but I like some creepy, sinister stories sometimes), fairy tales are pretty messed up. But we still love them, and keep re-writing them, which I imagine as the perfect metaphor for the town of Fairfold; there's always a threat of dark magic, yet people still continue to live there.

If you're a fan of fairy tales in any way, then this book is for you. Prepare to feel like reality has suddenly evolved, because magic and modern have mixed seamlessly in this novel and it's a wild trip.

Quick Tip: Twitter

I've been in a bit of a reading slump, so I thought I would just share a quick tip!

Kind of going off of a small comment I made in one of my reviews, I think Twitter has become an amazing platform for authors and readers. If you haven't already, follow the authors of some of your favorite books. You get to see small tidbits of their lives, be updated on their book things (like tours and the like), and interact with them sometimes as well.

There's also a lot of giveaways that authors/publishers/bloggers do, and Twitter is one of the main platforms that they share them on. There's always lots of love for the book community! So go follow authors, publishers, agents, literary magazines, independent bookstores, and twitters dedicated to books!

And to finish up, here's some general, bookish Twitters I would recommend:

We Heart YA
Buzzfeed Books
Pub(lishing) Crawl
Waterstones Oxford Street (their tweets are hilarious!)
Goodreads

Nikki

Joining a Book Club

Hey, guys! Just wanted to post an update that could be beneficial to some people if they're interested in joining a book club.

If you didn't know already, Tumblr has a large book community (which they call booklr), and they host lots of readings and clubs. The one that attracted my interest is Summer Reading Book Club. It's hosted by four people, and they each pick a book to read for an allotted time. You can read just one of the books from their picks or maybe all four--it's up to you! They're currently reading The Girl on the Train, Obsidian, Snow Like Ashes, and Gone. I'm a bit late to join the party since this set is done June 14th, but I think I'll use it as a way to finally get my hands on Snow Like Ashes. Since I'm already behind, and I've already read Gone a couple years ago, I'm going to just stick to reading that one.

So, to anyone looking for something to inspire them to start reading, here's an idea! They have voting open right now for what books will be in the next set, so you can always vote now and wait for what's next.

Check it out if you have time and/or are interested! Hopefully I'll have a review for Snow Like Ashes out in the next week.

Nikki

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han | Spoiler free review

Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. 

They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control. 

Rating: 3/5
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance

While I don't read as much contemporary literature as I did in my early high school years, I still like t0 visit the genre when a recommendation is thrown my way. I had read Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty awhile ago, but could never quite get into the story--it didn't seem very alive to me. I decided to try out this series, and hoped for the best, but unfortunately I still wasn't impressed.

Lara Jean, as a character, is meant to be imperfect and immature, but I still expected some growth, which I sadly did not see. In my opinion she also wasn't the most enticing narrator to follow, but those kinds of things are more personal than fixable. I found Lara Jean's family much more interesting to read about--especially Kitty. The plot also takes a long break in the middle of the novel, and then the climactic events seem almost thrown together in the end. The "break" I talk about was mostly used for relationship growth between characters, which is necessary, but it didn't feel natural. I felt disconnected from the story and instead of being engrossed I wondered instead what significance the event had to the plot/characters.

Overall, it had all the usual elements of a contemporary YA novel, but I personally couldn't connect with it--I'm guessing something with the voice is pulling me away since it also happened with Han's previous series. It's still a nice read if you're looking for something this summer, and it has a cute factor to it that can give you that happy-bubbly feeling. It wasn't my cup of tea, but there's plenty of others who are in love with this book.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before is also a part of a series, and the sequel just came out a couple days ago. I'm not sure if there will be more, but you can always ask the author on twitter!

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski | Spoiler free review

They were never meant to be together. As a general's daughter, seventeen-year-old Kestrel enjoys an extravagant and privileged life. Arin has nothing but the clothes on his back. Then Kestrel makes an impulsive decision that binds Arin to her. Though they try to fight it, they can't help but fall in love. In order to be together, they must betray each other. 

Set in a new world, The Winner's Curse is a story of rebellion, duels, ballroom dances, wicked rumors, dirty secrets, and games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Rating: 5/5
Genres: YA, Fantasy, Romance

While I had heard good things about this book, I will admit I was doubtful because of the preview on the back. Truthfully, it does not do the book justice. While The Winner's Curse does include the romance heavily implied on the back, it is so much more. Its cleverness almost oozes out of the pages, and its dark subjects are never glazed over--this is as much a war story as it is a romance. The plot is sound, the characters are vibrant, and voice/language have no flaws.

And while relationships develop, we are introduced to two different cultures and societies, and those are given just as much focus as the budding romance. It plays an important part in it all, and Rutkoski knows her readers--we crave the background information just as much as the present drama. Just like her high society characters, we want to know everything that's happening. It's a very satisfying read, overall, and I would recommend it to those who wish for a love story filled with all of the twists and turns of a Shakespearean play--with a more surprising ending.

The Winner's Curse is also the first in a trilogy. The second book was published this March, so if you're someone who likes to have the whole series in front of you when you're reading it, then I would save this for later.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen | Spoiler free review

Sydney has always felt invisible. She's grown accustomed to her brother, Peyton, being the focus of the family's attention and, lately, concern. Peyton is handsome and charismatic, but seems bent on self-destruction. Now, after a drunk-driving accident that crippled a boy, Peyton's serving some serious jail time, and Sydney is on her own, questioning her place in the family and the world. 

Then she meets the Chatham family. Drawn into their warm, chaotic circle, Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance for the first time. There's effervescent Layla, who constantly falls for the wrong guy, Rosie, who's had her own fall from grace, and Mrs. Chatham, who even though ailing is the heart of the family. But it's with older brother Mac--quiet, watchful, and protective--that Sydney finally feels seen, really seen, at last. 

Saint Anything is Sarah Dessen's deepest and most psychological probing novel yet, telling an engrossing story of a girl discovering friendship, love, and herself.

Rating: 4.5/5
Genres: YA, Contemporary, Family, Romance

I first discovered Sarah Dessen's books about 8 years ago. I was 13, maybe a bit too young for her intended audience, but I loved her writing instantly. I'm a character development kind of gal, and Sarah's novels have always spoken to me in that way. Sure, her novels can get repetitive and slow at times, but I've always been able to look past it because of her narrators. First person can be tricky to write because the reader is put directly into the head of a character--if the reader can't connect, then they're done--but Sarah has got the right formula. The writing and voice are very approachable, and I'm constantly impressed by it.

Her newest novel, Saint Anything, will most definitely be one of my favorites of hers. Putting aside some personal connections, it's a wonderful book that can speak to everyone. It's got her classic family issues/romance theme to it, but this novel seems like a new and improved version. It's a little darker, more organized, and has better focus. Sydney comes first in all aspects (which I find ironic since Sydney personally thinks she's invisible), and the romance or drama doesn't take away from that. Every character is given at least some focus and background, but it's never unnecessary. And even though Sydney puts other before herself, the reader is always on her side like her own guardian angel. A fierce connection is created between Sydney and the reader, and it's hard to let her go.

There were some symbols or reoccurring ideas that I wasn't quite sure were needed, or they seemed a bit too cliche, but they were small enough that it didn't take too much away from the story.

Overall, I will admit some bias when it comes to Sarah Dessen, but I truly believe Saint Anything is one of her best yet.

(And yes, that is my personal signed copy in the picture above that I ordered online from Flyleaf Books.)

Hello! I'm Nikki and I'll be blogging about books. I am a huge fan of YA literature, so that's mostly what I will be focusing on. This blog is just a way to get all my bookish thoughts down, and to connect to the book community on the internet. Since this will be a personal blog as well, there may be some unrelated posts on here, but the focus will always be on books.

Enjoy.