Review: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Genre: Contemporary
Publication: 4/7/2015 by Balzer + Bray
Pages: 320 Pages
Format: eBook
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
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Summary
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.


With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

My Thoughts
I have heard so much about this book over the last 2 years, so it was finally time that I picked it up. I did enjoy this book, but it followed the same kind of story line as a lot of YA contemporaries that I have read. This book is diverse in that it is a M/M romance, which is awesome for someone who is looking for a story that represents them. But for me, it was still pretty predictable. I was much more invested once Blue and Simon met in real life. They were very adorable and I was really rooting for them.

One thing that did throw me off about this book was the description on masturbation. I like that it was normalized (because let's me real we all do it) but I felt uncomfortable reading about a 16 year old doing it. I am much older than 16 and it just felt uncomfortable. However, it was nice to see it normalized, so I am still conflicted about it.

In the end, this was an enjoyable read. I read it on vacation by the pool and I just flew through it. I would recommend if you are looking for a cute contemporary. It was pretty predictable but if you want a book that represents you better, check this out.

Review: Adnan's Story: The Truth for Truth and Justice After Serial by Rabia Chaudry

Genre: Nonfiction, True Crime
Publication: 8/9/2016 by St. Martin's Press
Pages: 410 Pages
Format: eBook
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
In early 2000, Adnan Syed was convicted and sentenced to life plus thirty years for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, a high school senior in Baltimore, Maryland. Syed has maintained his innocence, and Rabia Chaudry, a family friend, has always believed him. By 2013, after almost all appeals had been exhausted, Rabia contacted Sarah Koenig, a producer at This American Life, in hopes of finding a journalist who could shed light on Adnan’s story. In 2014, Koenig's investigation turned into Serial, a Peabody Award-winning podcast with more than 500 million international listeners


But Serial did not tell the whole story. In this compelling narrative, Rabia Chaudry presents new key evidence that she maintains dismantles the State's case: a potential new suspect, forensics indicating Hae was killed and kept somewhere for almost half a day, and documentation withheld by the State that destroys the cell phone evidence -- among many other points -- and she shows how fans of Serial joined a crowd-sourced investigation into a case riddled with errors and strange twists. Adnan's Story also shares Adnan’s life in prison, and weaves in his personal reflections, including never-before-seen letters. Chaudry, who is committed to exonerating Adnan, makes it clear that justice is yet to be achieved in this much examined case.

My Thoughts
I knew I needed to read this book as soon as I finished listening to the podcast, Serial. I am a Forensic Science student and we spent a lot of time discussing people who are actually innocent of the crimes they were convicted of. Adnan's story is so similar to many of them but at the same time very different, especially considering that the ones I learn about generally contain DNA evidence. After listening to Serial, I needed to hear more evidence so that Adnan is actually innocent. This book did help give some clarity to the case and gave a much more personal recount of what happened.

I did have to put this book down the first time I tried to read it. However, I think that was because I was in the middle of school work and this story felt too much like school work at the time. I finished it on vacation, and did really enjoy it. There were some dry parts and at times I felt all 400 pages of it. However, if you loved Serial and want to know more I highly advise you check this book out. If you know nothing about this case, go listen to Serial.

Review: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Genre: Mystery
Series: Cormoran Strike #1
Publication: 4/30/2013 by Little Brown and Company
Pages: 455 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
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Summary
After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.


You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.

My Thoughts
Mystery generally isn't a genre that I read a lot in; however, when J.K Rowling writes one then I have to give it a try. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I found the mystery compelling and it kept me guessing until the end. I didn't know who the suspect was until it was properly revealed which was awesome. This might have something to do with me not reading a lot of mystery books, but I am a forensic sciences student so I have looked into my fair share of real life crime.

This book gets a thumbs up from me. It was fun to read but it wasn't anything super groundbreaking or magnificent. I liked it but it just didn't blow me away. It's definitely a good series when I need a break from fantasy. I will be checking out the next book in the foreseeable future. All-in-all, it was a well written and a good mystery but just didn't wow.

Review: The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

Genre: Memoir
Publication: 9/18/2016 by Blue Rider Press
Pages: 257 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
When Carrie Fisher recently discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved—plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Today, her fame as an author, actress, and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a (sort-of) regular teenager.


With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, The Princess Diarist is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time—and what developed behind the scenes. And today, as she reprises her most iconic role for the latest Star Wars trilogy, Fisher also ponders the joys and insanity of celebrity, and the absurdity of a life spawned by Hollywood royalty, only to be surpassed by her own outer-space royalty. Laugh-out-loud hilarious and endlessly quotable, The Princess Diarist brims with the candor and introspection of a diary while offering shrewd insight into the type of stardom that few will ever experience.

My Thoughts
This book made me absolutely fall in love with Carrie Fisher, however due to obvious circumstances was a very bittersweet experience. I listened to the audiobook, that she narrated herself, which brought you so much closer to the story. I always try to read memoirs through audiobook because they are pretty much always narrated by the author themselves which is the best experience.

Anyone who might know me will agree, I am a Star Wars nerd. I shamelessly cried during the opening crawl of The Force Awakens. Han Solo was always my favourite character, but I am strongly considering changing it to Leia. This book gave me all the awesome Star Wars behind the scenes which was funny and interesting. You also get a glimpse of Carrie's affair with Harrison Ford. Just the way that she wrote those sections was hilariously relatable.

Obviously, this book is a bittersweet experience due to Carrie's passing. The world lost an incredibly badass lady. She is so relatable in this book, which I loved. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is missing Carrie Fisher right now. I will definitely pick up some of her other books soon.

Review: The Girls by Emma Cline

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication: 6/14/2016 from Random House
Pages: 355 Pages
Format: Audiobook/eARC
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
Northern California, during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park, and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon. Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be accepted. As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable violence, and to that moment in a girl’s life when everything can go horribly wrong.

My Thoughts
Time to play so review catch up. I listened to The Girls on audiobook to finally get this review out in the world, only a year late! (We've all been there). The Girls has a fantastic premise, cults are one of my reading buzzwords so I had to check this one out. However, I found I was just mediocre about this story. It was neither bad nor was it fantastic. I often just felt distant from the story and had a hard time focusing on what was going on. I also found that I got confused when the story just back to the present, in the audiobook there wasn't really a break to show the change of time so I definitely got a bit lost.

I found myself siding with Evie's parents, which I definitely don't think you're suppose to do. I kept thinking you're 14-15 years old, go home! I often didn't know what her motivations were and I honestly didn't find her overly likable enough to care about. In the end, this is just an easily forgettable book.

Review: Witch's Pyre by Josephine Angelini

Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Series: Worldwalker #3
Publication: 8/20/2016 by Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 352 Pages
Format: Hardback
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
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Summary
Lily Proctor has come a long way from the weak, sickly girl she used to be. She has gained power as a witch and a leader, found her way home, chosen to face battle again, and (after losing her first love and being betrayed by her new love) she has learned more about loss and grief than she ever wanted to know.


Thrust once again into a society different from anything they have ever seen, Lily and her coven are determined to find answers―to find a new path to victory, a way to defeat the monstrous Woven without resorting to nuclear weapons or becoming a tyrannical mass murderer like her alternate self, Lillian. But sometimes winning requires sacrifices . . . and when the only clear path to victory lies at Lillian's side, what price will Lily be willing to pay?

My Thoughts
This is the final novel in the Worldwalker series, but to me it almost felt like it came from a completely different series. The plot of this series book a weird turn that felt very different from the first 2 books and it was not my cup of tea. I found this book sat in an awkward place between fantasy, science fiction and dystopian. I didn't know what the story wanted to be anymore. I felt like it was trying too be too many things at once. I would have DNF'd this book if it wasn't the last book in a series. I cared enough to know how it ended but I found myself putting off reading because of this book.

This was just a 2 star series for me. I do think I would recommend it, because there are many other series out there that are fantastic and this one just fell flat for me. I am happy I get to add it to my read series shelf but that's about it. I also noticed in the last book there might be some weird representation of native american's, I haven't seen anyone else talk about it but I would look out for that.

Review: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication: 8/2/16 by Doubleday
Pages: 306 Pages
Format: Hardback
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. Life is hellish for all the slaves but especially bad for Cora; an outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood - where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Matters do not go as planned and, though they manage to find a station and head north, they are being hunted.


In Whitehead's ingenious conception, the Underground Railroad is no mere metaphor - engineers and conductors operate a secret network of tracks and tunnels beneath the Southern soil. Cora and Caesar's first stop is South Carolina, in a city that initially seems like a haven - but the city's placid surface masks an insidious scheme designed for its black denizens. Even worse: Ridgeway, the relentless slave catcher, is close on their heels. Forced to flee again, Cora embarks on a harrowing flight, state by state, seeking true freedom.

My Thoughts
I had to power through this book to get it back to the library on time, even then it was a day late. However, that late fee was well worth it. It's always important to remember the atrocities of the past and this book does it extremely well. I loved how it was an alternative history where the underground railroad was a real thing. Even though it was fictionalized for this story, it felt like it was so real. I was worried that it would feel too fantastical but it was executed perfectly.

This is a story that is quite far from my regular wheelhouse and I am very happy that I picked it up. I do feel like I have heard similar stories to this, but they are all still important to read. I liked how you got to see different parts of the country and what was going on in those areas. But at the same time, it was harder to connect with other characters from that area because you only got a short amount of time with them. I highly recommend this book.

Review: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Genre: Mythology
Publication: 2/7/2017 by W.W. Norton & Company
Pages: 304 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman fashions primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds; delves into the exploits of the deities, dwarves, and giants; and culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and the rebirth of a new time and people. Gaiman stays true to the myths while vividly reincarnating Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki, the son of giants, a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator. From Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerges the gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to dupe others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.

My Thoughts
I am going to start by saying that this book was definitely not for me. There will be lots of people that will love this book, I am just not one of them. If this audiobook wasn't as short as it was I would have DNF'd it. I was just lost the whole time I was listening to it. I couldn't follow any of the stories which was really disappointing. I would have probably understood it better if I had actually read the book but Neil Gaiman narrates the audiobook himself which is something I usually really love (and he is a fantastic audiobook narrator).

I did like how the Gods talked to each other, it was funny but still suited the myths they were in. I did chuckle a time or too. I could tell it was well written but it just didn't mesh with me. I would recommend that you read the physical copy of this one and if you think this kind of thing is up your alley check it out. It just wasn't for me unfortunately.

Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication: 04/03/2011 by Speak
Pages: 352 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
It's 1941 and fifteen-year-old artist Lina Vilkas is on Stalin's extermination list. Deported to a prison camp in Siberia, Lina fights for her life, fearless, risking everything to save her family. It's a long and harrowing journey and it is only their incredible strength, love, and hope that pull Lina and her family through each day. But will love be enough to keep them alive?

My Thoughts
I want to start by saying that I had not heard about this piece of history before. I am very thankful that this book helped open my eyes about a part of history a lot of us don't know about. This book was very emotional and it's quite heartbreaking to hear Lina's story. I really don't know what to say about this book. The writing was simple but in it's own way it packed an emotional punch. It didn't hold back from the horrors that they experienced and saw. I listened to this on audiobook and I wasn't sure about tone the narrator read this story in. The story still came through but I am not sure if all of the events made me as emotional as they could have been if I had read the physical copy. Her voice just didn't suit the tone of the story and pulled me out of the story in a few places. I still highly recommend this book, especially if you are into historical fiction.

Review: A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

Genre: Fantasy
Series: Shades of Magic #3
Publication: 2/21/2017 by Tor Books
Pages: 642 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary: 
Witness the fate of beloved heroes - and enemies.

THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...
The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.

WHO WILL CRUMBLE?
Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?

WHO WILL RISE?
Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.

WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?

And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.

My Thoughts
This book is everything. I am obsessed with this series and this finale exceeded my expectations! I was on the edge of my seat the entire book, hoping that all my babies make it through. Everything comes to a head in this last book and stakes are raised. It's been ages since I have been obsessed with a series like I am with this one.

The characters in this series are amazing. I loved every single one of them. I even came to love one character that I didn't think was even possible to love. V.E. Schwab knows how to write a character that you shouldn't love but you just do. This book also has great representation of LGBT characters and their romance was everything you want in a good romance.

I listened to this book on audiobook. The narrators for this book were fantastic and I highly recommend it. I finished listening to this book as I walked into school and I let out an audible squeal. Which everyone around me heard and looked at me like I was crazy. I will recommend this series until the cows come home. I can't wait to start re-reading it.

Review: Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Genre: Memoir
Publication: 04/17/2012 by Putnam
Pages: 318 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives—the ones we’d like to pretend never happened—are in fact the ones that define us. In the #1 New York Times bestseller, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor. Chapters include: “Stanley the Magical, Talking Squirrel”; “A Series of Angry Post-It Notes to My Husband”; “My Vagina Is Fine. Thanks for Asking”; “And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane.” Pictures with captions (no one would believe these things without proof) accompany the text.


My Thoughts
I loved Jenny Lawson's second book so I had to pick up the first one. I relate so much to Jenny, it's hilarious. I love the way that she mixes humour with her anxiety. I also have anxiety and I think it's hilarious when she finds the humour even in those situations. Plus, she get's herself into the most ridiculous situations. I can't help but die laughing just listening to this book. She combines heart-felt stories and funny ones so well. I highly recommend both of her books. Especially on audiobook, just hearing Jenny tell her own stories is 100% the way to go. I found myself laughing on public transit and getting looks from the other people on the bus. But I didn't really care because this book was so good.

Review: Windwitch by Susan Dennard

Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Witchlands #2
Publication: 01/10/2017 by Tor Teen
Pages: 394 Pages
Format: Hardback
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary:
Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…

After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.

When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?

After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.

My Thoughts
This series is exactly what I am looking for. It's my favourite kind of fantasy and I have been very much enjoying it. I was so excited to get back into this word and get to know our characters more. We have 5 different points of view in this instalment and I was interested in reading from all of them. The one character I am having a hard time connecting to is Merik. Especially in this book, I felt him to be distant and his sections were my least favourite. Dennard is doing something really interesting with his character though and I am excited to see where she takes him.

I really liked hearing from Merik's sister Vivia. Getting her point of view really helps to see a different side to the politics. She is a strong female leader, her father is still king but she is making most of the political decisions. I really loved her character and can't wait to see more.

I was happy with this instalment in the series. It was a strong sequel and I enjoyed it more than the first book for sure. I attached to many of these characters and can't wait to see what happens next. There are is still a long way to go in the series and I really want to know what happens to these characters right now!

Review: Wenjack by Joseph Boyden

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publication: 10/18/2016 by Hamish Hamilton
Pages: 112 Pages
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
An Ojibwe boy runs away from a North Ontario Indian School, not realizing just how far away home is. Along the way he's followed by Manitous, spirits of the forest who comment on his plight, cajoling, taunting, and ultimately offering him a type of comfort on his difficult journey back to the place he was so brutally removed from.

Written by Scotiabank Giller Prize-winning author Joseph Boyden and beautifully illustrated by acclaimed artist Kent Monkman, Wenjack is a powerful and poignant look into the world of a residential school runaway trying to find his way home.

My Thoughts
If you are a Canadian, read this book. Seriously.
This story is based on the true story of Chanie Wenjack who tried to walk home from his residential school in Norther Ontario. This story is absolutely heartbreaking, I felt sad just from opening the front cover. This book is so important because we don't talk about residential school enough. This is a terrible thing that happened in Canadian history (modern history even!). As a Canadian my whole life, I didn't learn anything about residential schools until fairly recently. Not in school, not anywhere. I even found out the town I grew up in had a residential school and I had no idea until a few weeks ago. I think we all need to learn more about this, and this is a good place to start.

Review: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

Genre: Fantasy
Publication: 10/2/2012 by Disney-Hyperion
Series: The Heroes of Olympus #3
Pages: 586
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
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Goodread Summary:
In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?
The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land--Greece itself--to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophecy remains a mystery...

With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvellous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

My Thoughts
I have been working on finishing this series and it's been fun so far.  However, this series hasn't blown me away but I reach for it because it's always a super fun adventure that I know I will like it. All of the characters are different and diverse. I feel they are growing through every book and it was awesome to finally have everybody together in this book.

I always want to rate these books higher than I do but for some reason I just can't. They are like a person you really want to fall in love with but just find those feelings. I don't know why I don't love them as much as I want to. Don't get me wrong I have fun when I read them but I just can't make myself fall in love with them. I am still going to finish it because I enjoy the characters and the adventures. I also want to know how this series ends before I continue with Magnus Chase.

If you love Percy Jackson and Rick Riordan's books you'll love this one too. The characters are relatable and the story is always non-stop. I am curious about how this series is going to end and I hope the next two books excite me more than the first 3 have.

Review: Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore

Genre: Paranormal, Humour
Publication: 09/25/2015 by William Marrow
Series: Grim Reaper #2
Pages: 335 Pages
Format: Hardback
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
In San Francisco, the souls of the dead are mysteriously disappearing—and you know that can't be good—in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore's delightfully funny sequel to A Dirty Job.

Something really strange is happening in the City by the Bay. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone—or something—is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Death Merchant Charlie Asher is just as flummoxed as everyone else. He's trapped in the body of a fourteen-inch-tall "meat" waiting for his Buddhist nun girlfriend, Audrey, to find him a suitable new body to play host.


To get to the bottom of this abomination, a motley crew of heroes will band together: the seven-foot-tall death merchant Minty Fresh; retired policeman turned bookseller Alphonse Rivera; the Emperor of San Francisco and his dogs, Bummer and Lazarus; and Lily, the former Goth girl. Now if only they can get little Sophie to stop babbling about the coming battle for the very soul of humankind...

My Thoughts
I have been a fan of Christopher Moore for quite a few years now, so naturally when the sequel of one of my favourite books ever comes out I had to have it. Then somehow a year and a half went by, before I picked it up. I was super excited to go back into the lives of Sophie, Charlie and the other Death Merchants. The characters are the reason I feel in love with A Dirty Job, so naturally they were also the best part of Secondhand Souls.

However, I didn't love it as much A Dirty Job. I missed some of the magic from learning about who the Death Merchants are and falling in love with the characters for the first time. There also wasn't enough Sophie and her goggies. She may only be 7 years old, but I still love her the most. I also thought that the story wrapped up really quickly, and I wish some more time was spent flushing out the ending.

All-in-all, I really enjoyed myself. Sequels can be hard when the first book is one of your all time favourite books. I think if you are a Christopher Moore fan and you liked A Dirty Job, you'll also enjoy this one. I may have had some criticism but I loved getting to be back with some of my favourite characters. 2-thumbs up for Secondhand Souls.

Review: The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication: 11/20/2007 by HarperCollins
Series: The Luxe #1
Pages: 433 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn. Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions. White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups. This is Manhattan, 1899. Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone--from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud--threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future. With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear... In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

My Thoughts
I should probably have just unhauled this book. I knew when I started listening to it I wasn't going to enjoy it but I was on a long drive with nothing else to do so I just kept listening. It had also been on my physical TBR pile for years and I was time I took it off. I bought it when I was just starting in the community and bought every book off Book Outlet that I recognized. If I didn't have it on my shelf, I wouldn't have read it.

I will say that it was readable. It wasn't the worst thing I ever read but it was certainly cringy. If you are into guilty pleasure books that follow relationships and general drama then this book would be for you. I however wasn't a huge fan of it. Maybe a few years ago I would have enjoyed it more but now I am much more critical of what I am reading. I was confused by some of the motivations of the characters, like how did Elizabeth and Will fall in love? Why was Lina so obsessed with Will and why does she hate Elizabeth so much? I just didn't get it.

In the end, I was hoping it would be more of a guilty pleasure. What I got was less romance than I wanted and more boring plot lines. Also, you already know how the book ended after reading the prologue so what was the point? I rated it 2 stars because it was okay enjoy to make it through but I don't care about what happens in the sequels. I am at least happy to have another book off my TBR.

Review: Misery by Stephen King

Genre: Horror
Publication: 6/3/1988 by Signet
Pages: 338 Pages
Format: eBook/Audiobook
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
Paul Sheldon. He's a bestselling novelist who has finally met his biggest fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes and she is more than a rabid reader—she is Paul's nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house. Now Annie wants Paul to write his greatest work—just for her. She has a lot of ways to spur him on. One is a needle. Another is an ax. And if they don't work, she can get really nasty...


My Thoughts
It took me forever to read this book. I started it on eBook and the beginning was so slow that it took me forever to even get halfway. This may have also had to do with the amount of school work I had but I also wasn't driven to pick this book up. However, I didn't want to give up so I picked up the audiobook and finished it up that way. And boy did the story ever pick up! It may have started slow but the second half became wildly disturbing.

This is a very closed story. It pretty well takes place inside one room and occasionally it'll adventure a few feet outside the room. I found that this closed situation didn't keep me super engaged. Which surprised me because I love movies that are enclosed thrillers, but for some reason that same enjoyment didn't translate to this book. I did find I enjoyed it more once I started the audiobook, but I think it's mostly just due to the fact I was getting to the parts with more thrilling elements.

I do think this was a good book. It did get pretty disturbing in the end so be wary of that. I found the disturbing aspects made the ending more engaging because I just needed to know what was going to happen to Paul and Annie. You can never tell where King is going to take a story so I had to know how this story ended. If you like Stephen King and classic horror, then check this out.

Review: Redshirts by John Scalzi

Genre: Science Fiction
Publication: 6/5/2012 by Tor Books
Pages: 320 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that:
(1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces
(2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations
(3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.


Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

My Thoughts
This book is ridiculously meta. At some points I absolutely adored it, and at others it left me a bit confused. But in the end I did generally really enjoy this book. I found myself laughing and enjoying the parallels to Star Trek. I am typically not the biggest Science Fiction reader but this one really won me over. What I deducted stars for was the extra codas (which I think just means extra chapters). They followed 3 of the side characters and helped to tie up some loose ends but in the end the book wouldn't have been different without them.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has seen Star Trek (original series or otherwise). If you have no idea what Star Trek is or don't like it at all, stay away from this book. Some background knowledge of Star Trek really makes this book better and without it I even think you may be a bit lost. I give this one a thumbs up, and will be checking out some of John Scalzi's stuff in the future.

Review: The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

Genre: Nonfiction; Memoir
Publication: August 16, 2016 by Gallery Books
Pages: 323 Pages
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary
In The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy mines her past for stories about her teenage years, her family, relationships, and sex and shares the experiences that have shaped who she is - a woman with the courage to bare her soul to stand up for what she believes in, all while making us laugh.

Ranging from the raucous to the romantic, the heartfelt to the harrowing, this highly entertaining and universally appealing collection is the literary equivalent of a night out with your best friends - an unforgettable and fun adventure that you wish could last forever. Whether she's experiencing lust-at-first-sight while in the airport security line, sharing her own views on love and marriage, admitting to being an introvert, or discovering her cross-fit instructor's secret bad habit, Amy Schumer proves to be a bighearted, brave, and thoughtful storyteller that will leave you nodding your head in recognition, laughing out loud, and sobbing uncontrollably - but only because it's over.

My Thoughts
I didn't think I would relate so much with Amy Schumer. I picked this up, not really knowing a whole lot about her. I have seen a few things she has done but I haven't really followed everything she has done. However, this book really surprised me. I feel a lot of the same things that she feels. I got her humour and her struggles. This book just caught me at the right time, where I could relate.

I do think that this isn't the book for everyone. Not every comedian is funny to everyone so if you already know that you aren't a fan of Amy's humour then this book isn't for you. On that same token, if you love Amy Schumer then this book is definitely for you. I loved how she mixed humour in with some very serious topics. Life isn't perfect, and she shows you that. I just really related to most of her stories. I think that if your a young female dealing with the world, then you'll be able to at least relate to some of this. I especially like when she talks about her body, not being the perfect "hollywood" body type.

I listened to this book on audio, and that is the way to go with this story. It is told my Amy herself so you get how she meant it to be read. You get the humour more and her serious stories are also more impactful. Like I said earlier, if you like Amy Schumer, check this one out. I enjoyed it a lot and nodded my head in agreement quite a bit. I laughed out loud and even got a little chocked up. I recommend.

Review: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

Genre: Fantasy
Publication: September 20, 2016 by HarperTeen
Series: Three Dark Crowns #1
Pages: 398 Pages
Format: eBook
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
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Goodreads Summary:
In 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.

My Thoughts
This was a nice change of pace for me, it was refreshing and I fell in love with the world. I have been burned out on YA Fantasy lately and this really got me excited to pick it up again. What I enjoyed most was the characters. They were very different from one another and you can really see their distinctive personalities and motives. I love that they are all the antagonists to one another and are morally grey in their own ways.

It was a slower read and I felt it was more character driven than action driven. However, I liked that aspect of it as well. It gave me time to learn about the island and how it works. It gave me time to figure out which queen I am cheering for the most. (*Arsinoe*) However, sometimes portions of the book did drag and I am confused what was going on the one of the relationships. I think I know why but there wasn't any confirmation or reason, at least in this book.

When I did get to the end, I wanted to get my hands on the next book right away but I have to wait until September. One Dark Throne is now on my most anticipated books of 2017 list! I am happy this was my first book with the year, started 2017 off right. If you are into a character driven, slow building fantasy this book is for you.