The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid | BOOK REVIEW

Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Pages: 388 pages
Release Date: June 13th, 2017
Source: Hardcover from Book of the Month
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5 stars

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the '80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn's story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique's own in tragic and irreversible ways.

Written with Reid's signature talent for creating "complex, likable characters" (Real Simple), this is a mesmerizing journey through the splendor of old Hollywood into the harsh realities of the present day as two women struggle with what it means—and what it costs—to face the truth.

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I find it extremely refreshing to step away from the Young Adult genre I'm so used to reading. I always find it so comforting to come back to writing reviews after taking a semi-long hiatus. I don't think I'll ever forget how to write reviews, however, if I did I'd trust that you'd call me out on it.

I don't really know why I decided to start this book. I had heard a tremendous amount of buzz when it first came out, but it all kind of died down after that. Now this book is regarded as a cult classic and only those who have read it will ever know of its greatness. As soon as I started reading, I was captivated. I guess you could say I was as captivated with this book as the whole world was captivated with Evelyn Hugo (well in the book). Reid wastes no time getting into the story. This book is truly a testament to exquisite writing. I found it incredible how she could fit Evelyn's entire life story into 388 pages.

It's safe to say that this book has made me fall in love with historical fiction all over again. The last time I read historical fiction was when I read Secrets of Nanreath Hall by Alix Rickloff, and that was at the beginning of 2017. I am a stranger to this genre. I don't know how Reid makes old Hollywood look so illustrious and also so mysterious like you desperately want to be a part of it. This book will have you panting for answers because the book hints at this massive reveal at the end of the book but it literally doesn't get revealed until the last few pages. I hate that I had to wait so long, but I love how a book made me feel that way; like I couldn't physically put it down. I was tortured every time I had an assignment and it kept me from reading. It's also the whole lure of entering the glamorous and secretive world of Hollywood. This book is incredibly addicting.

Evelyn Hugo is one of the most complex characters I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. At some points, I just wanted to scream through the pages and throw this book on the floor in frustration at her. In others, I wanted to console her. Either way, Evelyn Hugo is a fucking legend. She's a badass woman who was very misunderstood, but this book gives you all the information and lets you make the final call about what kind of person she was. I loved that!

Yes, everything that everyone's saying about this book is true. Don't you just want to read it and be apart of the club that has experienced this book's magic? With a dazzling and diverse cast of characters in a secretive world of Hollywood, this book is likely to change the way you think about historical fiction novels. To put it simply, if there was such a thing as the Book Oscars, this book would go home with Best Novel. I can't wait to see what else Reid has in store for historical fiction.

Wildcard by Marie Lu

Title: Wildcard
Author: Marie Lu

Release Date: September 18th, 2019

Pages: 352 pages 

Source: Hardcover 

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side. Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price. Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?

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Marie Lu has done it again,

Whenever I begin a new book by Marie Lu, I clear out my day’s schedule and prepare myself for the rush of adrenaline that’s sure to follow, because I already know that it’s going to be out of this world. It’s sort of like getting ready for a special occasion. I started and finished Wildcard in a little over a day and good gracious, even my dreams started happening in Warcross.

The characters in Wildcard are as witty and as clever as they were in Warcross, and the world building was just phenomenal. In this duology, Marie Lu has not only triumphantly constructed an incredibly vibrant game universe--that is easily accessible--but has also reimagined a mystical future. Marie’s descriptions of the Warcross realm are detailed enough that the foundations feel sturdy, yet also loose enough that it allows for the reader to cultivate their own interpretation of the game’s many details.

Going back to the cast, I felt that all of the characters’ arcs grew tremendously throughout this finale. There were so many motives and faces to Marie’s characters, that I was constantly torn between whose side to choose. Ultimately, it took getting through a good chunk of the novel to realize who the true villain was--and what a classic plot twist! We learn so much more about Hideo’s backstory in this sequel, which almost made this story feel more like Hideo’s than Emika’s. I loved (almost) all of the new characters whom we were introduced to and despite the book being of an average novel length, I felt that the character descriptions were sufficient enough to provide a solid understanding of even the newest characters.

This conclusion packed so much emotional torment and adrenaline into 300-some pages that I didn’t regret losing sleep to finish it. As much as it took out of me to read Wildcard, every minute that I spent with this book was totally worth it. I loved Wildcard way more than Warcross, because it was so much more emotional with twists that no one could have predicted. Although I was left satisfied with the ending, I was certainly also left wanting more of the story, more of Emika and Hideo, and more details regarding the technologies.

Every time I read a new Marie Lu book, my expectations are that this new read could not possibly top the last one. And every time, I’m left with a new favorite. Marie Lu’s stories are always filled with incredible amounts of fine details and creative plots. Her characters are dimensional and their personalities are easily relatable. After Wildcard, I simply cannot wait for what Marie Lu has in store for us next.

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon

Title: From Twinkle, With Love
Author: Sandhya Menon
Pages: 328 pages
Release Date: May 22nd, 2018
Source: Hardback from the library
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: 4/5 stars

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy—a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man “N” begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

Buy it now!

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Unpopular Opinion: I did not like A Court of Frost and Starlight

Title: A Court of Frost and Starlight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 229 pages
Release Date: May 1st, 2018
Source: Hardcover
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young/New Adult
Rating: 2.5 stars

Hope warms the coldest night.

Feyre, Rhys, and their close-knit circle of friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve.

Yet even the festive atmosphere can't keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated--scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.

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I wanted to like A Court of Frost of Starlight, but I'm fairly certain I'm at the point where I'll be hesitant about purchasing another Sarah J. Maas novel. Although I was abroad when ACOFAS was released, I was luckily near a Waterstones Bookstore and was able to obtain a copy on release day. But when I started reading it on the plane the next morning, I wasn't entirely sure if it was the story I had been waiting so eagerly for.

To be frank, ACOFAS was disappointing in the way that not only was there hardly any plot, but it read so much like a piece of fanfiction that I rolled my eyes more times than there were even number of pages. The "story" takes place months after the events of ACOWAR, during the Winter Solstice, which also happens to be Feyre's birthday. Our beloved characters spend the majority of the book shopping for gifts, being unsure of what to shop for, and finally opening the presents they received from each other.  There is a small side story that dives a bit into Cassian's past and another pertaining to reaching out to Nesta. But otherwise, it was like a classic Hallmark Christmas movie featuring the Inner Circle and friends (minus conflict).

As a fluffy read to purely kill time, ACOFAS could have been enjoyable. But throughout the read I couldn't help but wonder where the intrigue and suspense from a "classic" Sarah J. Maas story had gone. For years, her stories have always had a way of slipping beneath my mind and keeping me on my toes until the final page. And despite the enormous lengths of some of her work, there was never a second where I could let out my breath. With ACOFAS, I only managed to finish it while reading on my multiple flights last month. Needless to say, this book hardly held on to my attention.

But I wouldn't have been quite so bothered, had this novella been more about the underlying story (the one with Nesta and the big reveal) and less about the sexual tension between Feyre and Rhysand that was crystal clear on every. other. page. Not to mention the sexual tension between all the ships in this book. Is sex the only thing the most powerful people in the Night Court seem to think about during their gatherings and free time? And I'm pretty sure I would lose my mind if I ever heard another bloody mention of the word MATE. and...gentlemales ? ...question mark ?

Overall, this book makes me quite anxious about the upcoming Kingdom of Ash and the spin off trilogy to the ACOTAR series. If the bulk of Kingdom of Ash is anything like ACOFAS, I might just read the final chapter of it at a bookstore and wave goodbye to Sarah J. Maas books for good. It's said to be nearly 1000 pages and I probably won't be surprised if the word 'mate' makes an appearance a minimum of 800 times.

Notes On A Book: Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian

"Notes On A Book" is new series on the blog hosted by blogger Gabrielle (Gabby). These post-it notes resemble real notes that she took while reading the book. This series will provide a quick, succinct review that will give readers insight into what Gabrielle was thinking at the exact moment of reading each page of the book. 

Title: Stay Sweet
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Pages: 368 pages
Release Date: April 24th, 2018
Source: Hardcover
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

A summer read about first love, feminism, and ice cream.

Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…

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ARC Review: What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Title: What If It's Us
Author(s): Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera
Pages: 448 pages
Source: ARC from Bookcon
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Romance
Rating: 4.5/5

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?
Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.
Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.
But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?
What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?
What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?
But what if it is?

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What If It's Us definitely lives up to the hype that has been building. Usually, I tend to wait a few months before diving into a book that's super-hyped, unless it's by one of my all-time favorite authors. I was lucky enough to obtain an advance copy of this Albertalli-Silvera masterpiece at Book Expo, and as my first Adam Silvera read, I was certainly not disappointed. 

As a gal who grew up in New York City, my favorite part about this book was definitely being able to instantly recognize the places our cute couple visits in the city. This story cracked me up and knocked me down emotionally, so many times. It's the kind of love story that tugs at all your heartstrings and makes you believe in fate, in the universe, and in love. It's the kind of love story that makes you wish you were in love right now and had someone who would take you to have fun spontaneous dates.

The story begins immediately with a meet-cute and progresses into a whirlwind of adventures. For a story that ultimately takes place over the course of two months spent in the city, it felt as if time simply flew right by. I loved Arthur and Ben like they were my best friends. They're both cute, quirky, hilarious, and also relatable with their flaws. The chemistry between them feels so incredibly real that I could almost imagine seeing them sitting over coffee at a cafe in the Village. The dynamic between ALL of the characters is also real and raw. There were awkward friendships that didn't sugarcoat the reality of relationships. And the story reminds us that it's always important to acknowledge that no relationship-whether romantic, familial, platonic, or other-is ever perfect and it takes obstacles and hurdles to build the foundation of a relationship. It is also okay for friendships to be rocky and unstable.

I also became much more appreciative of New York City after finishing this book. Arthur and Ben's dates make me want to explore this city, while I still have the opportunity and appreciate the beauty and whimsy that simply radiates from it. Sometimes, after living in the same place for all your life, you grow to take it for granted. Throughout these years, I've definitely taken for granted the ease of transportation, the daily endless adventures, and the bustle of the city far too many times that I've forgotten at one point or another, NYC's magic has touched everyone who now call themselves a New Yorker.

What If It's Us comes out on October 9th and I cannot recommend this book enough! Go preorder it so you'll have it in your hands on release day because this is a book that can be read multiple times over for its sensational cuteness and incredible characters. Seriously, this book manages to describe the spirit of an entire city within a 400-page novel. But one more thing... I couldn't help but wonder if Adam and Becky intentionally gave their characters' the same initials as their own...

ARC Review: Dry by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman

Title: Dry
Author: Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman
Pages: 352 pages
Release Date: October 2nd, 2018
Source: ARC from the publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Rating: 5/5 stars

When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions for her family in this harrowing story of survival from New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman.

The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers.
Until the taps run dry.

Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbors and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life—and the life of her brother—is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.

Pre-order the book now! 

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A book about the harrowing effects of climate change? Fuck yeah. Finally, even modern Young Adult literature is calling attention to the most important environmental issue of our decade that won't just affect one certain group of people. Oh no, climate change is coming for us all. Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman's all-too-real portrayal of the amplified effects of climate change is horrifying and upsetting. You will feel mad. You will feel sad. But most importantly you will feel so helpless while reading this book because you realize how much we as humans have no control of a situation that we are responsible for causing. You will also come to realize how some forces, such as water, have power over humans.

While reading this book, I realized how small I was in this whole wide world. You want to believe that when things go downhill, the government will be looking out for you. But yet, how can they help you when they can't even help themselves. The authors expose this startling fact in the most brutal way possible- by following the POV of a group of teens who must fend for themselves in a world without water.

"The only difference is that we're the victims now, rather than the ones sitting comfortably in our homes, sending five bucks on a charity app and patting ourselves on the back because we're so goddamn generous."

- from an uncorrected galley of Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman 

I went into this book with the knowledge of Neal Shusterman's world-building mastery. He can create worlds with such a complex and well-developed foundation, and it feels like the world actually exists. In this case, he didn't really create a new world but it's like he created a new reality in our world. A reality in which our environment has been devastated by climate change and the resources that we thought would be around forever have been completely exhausted. It is a world in which we cannot comprehend right now, but one that is in our near future if we continue on this path. He has essentially predicted the near future in such great detail and precision, thinking of every single thing. If I were you, the world-building alone is a reason to pick up this book.

What I loved most about this book was how it was written. It is written in multiple points of views, however, these characters' perspectives are often interrupted with what the authors call 'snapshots'. These snapshots, ranging from about a page to two pages in length, were glimpses into the lives of other people who were also being affected by the Tap-Out. I think this was an ingenious idea on the authors' part because when you're writing a story like this that has such an incredible impact and call to action, it's important to illustrate the stories and testimonies of as many people as you can.

Reading this book was like living through the apocalypse, which is something I hope and pray I'll never have to experience in this lifetime. Dry has to be one of the most terrifying books I've ever read. None of the horror books I've read compare to the amount of dread you'll feel while reading this book (and I've read multiple Stephen King books .-.). For me personally, the idea of living without water, a basic necessity, scares me more than any zombie apocalypse.

"Sometimes it's the monsters who survive. And now I am the monster."

- from an uncorrected galley of Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

This title is very relevant to what's been happening around the world. Because of the subject matter and the authors' ability to tell this story, Dry will be one of the most memorable books you read this year. I implore you to read this not because I am an environmentalist, and I strongly want to share my fear of climate change with you but because I think that this is what the world needs right now in order to make a change. Sometimes people need a scare to push them in the right direction. If you've read Scythe and enjoyed it, I am positive you will enjoy this one too. Please check out my page on Instagram (@thebooksbuzz) because I will be giving away a copy of this wonderful book!

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi | Mini Review + GIVEAWAY!

Title: Emergency Contact
Author: Mary H.K. Choi
Pages: 391 pages
Release Date: March 27th, 2018
Source: Hardcover from Simon Teen
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Rating: 4/5 stars

For Penny Lee high school was a total nonaevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she somehow managed to land a boyfriend, he doesn’t actually know anything about her. When Penny heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.

Sam’s stuck. Literally, figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.

When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable, sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating weirdness of having to see each other.

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Emergency Contact is a mature and adorable novel about two young people falling in love. Don't let the pink and light ambiance of the cover fool you. This book touches upon topics like alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual assault, and anxiety. I wasn't expecting it to be as hard hitting as it was, and it made every minute of reading this book completely worth it.

We usually read books to get off our cell phones and escape this age of mass texting and social media. Because people have become so consumed with their cell phones, communicating through text and social media has since received a bad rep. There has long been a debate over whether cell phones are doing more harm than good to users. Sure, it distracts students from schoolwork and diminishes the chances of face-to-face interaction. But it also brings communities of people together and connects long-distance relationships. Also, I'm not the first to admit that meeting people face to face can be daunting.

At the beginning of the book, Sam has a panic attack. As someone who has experienced what it's like to have a panic attack, it was incredibly hard to read. But after I made it through that part, I was grateful that Choi added it in the first place. It's an experience everyone should be familiar because it's incredibly hard to understand what someone goes through during a panic attack. And of course, Sam's experience will mirror everybody's, but it's a start to talking about mental health in young adult literature.

Emergency Contact is not your topical meet-cute contemporary novel. Penny's fear of confrontation and her awkwardness makes her such a relatable character in the story. The fact that this book also took place in a college setting was just the cherry on top. I feel like we don't get enough college YA's that actually have scenes where the character is in a class! If you're even in the slightest bit interested in picking this one up, consider entering my giveaway below!

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BLOG TOUR | To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo + Book Review

Title: To Kill A Kingdom
Author: Alexandra Christo

Pages: 384 pages
Release Date: March 6th, 2018

Source: ARC from Macmillan
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Rating: 4.5/5 

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

Purchase it now!

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2018 is the year of mind-blowing and spectacular Young Adult fantasy books, I just know it! First Everless by Sara Holland blew me away with its unique plot and well-executed world-building and magic system, and then To Kill A Kingdom steals the spotlight with a dark spin on the classic, The Little Mermaid. I wonder what's next...

In the short time that I've been reading avidly as a book blogger, I don't think I've ever actually read a good Young Adult mermaid book. There is a scarcity of really popular YA mermaid books, so I think that the pitch that this book has going for it- "dark Little Mermaid retelling" - is going to help this book sell really well. Not to mention, that the cover is drop dead gorgeous. And thankfully in this case, looks are not deceiving. This book is beautiful both inside and out.

With every chapter, I was enticed to read more and more even if that meant sacrificing sleep. There was no shortage of adventure and intrigue. I don't think the world was so difficult to understand that the author had to fill the reader in that much, but there were a lot of rules that were cleared up in the first 50 pages. I think the only critique is that I wasn't able to get a sense of how far or close the kingdoms were to each other. There might be a map of the world in the hardcover copy, which would really help. What I liked especially was the clear distinction the author drew between mermaids and sirens.  Although mermaids and sirens bow down to the same Sea Queen, they are very different. Our main character Lira is a siren, not a mermaid.

Anyone who is a huge fan of The Little Mermaid (me me me!) will appreciate the small things that the author kept in the novel to keep the authenticity and the classic tale alive, but with dark and deadly twists. It was really intriguing, and I was just honestly blown away by how the author was able to take the infamous classic and make it her own. I won't spoil anything, but she takes really big elements of the classic Little Mermaid story and completely turns them around. It's very unexpected and simply refreshing.

A note to make: there is a lot of verbal and physical abuse from Lira's mother, so please be cautious. Like shit, it gets really intense. Trigger warning for verbal and physical abuse! 

We've got a host of fabulous leading ladies, and of course your occasional prince charming. But Prince Charming be damned, I wanted to take all the strong females in this book and put them in a all-female singing group. Lira, the main character, is a ruthless and ambitious siren. There's Madrid, another fearless female who holds a high rank on the Prince's fleet. Let's not forget Kahlia, Lira's siren cousin.

A lot of people will read the synopsis and simply dub it as a "mermaid book". What people don't expect though, is a pirate adventure filled with mischief, mayhem and a LOTTA romance.

I think one of Christo's biggest challenges with writing this book was to try and set her book apart from all the other Young Adult mermaid novels out there. And she did just that. Her writing is something that can only be experienced by reading this book. She's so descriptive, and she was really able to capture the beauty of the ocean and what it holds.

"With it comes the smell of dawn as the pink-lipped sky barely stays tucked behind the line of the ocean."

"When I open my mouth to sign, the air caramelizes on my tongue."

- quoted from an uncorrected proof of To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

For all you folks that love the trope of hate-to-love romances, you will eat this book up. It was steamy and just...

Take whatever preconceived notion you have of this book and throw it out the window! This 2018 debut is already turning heads with the promise of being a book about "mermaids", and I'm glad to say that it lived up to my expectations and more. It's already out, so don't forget to get your hands on it. 

American Panda by Gloria Chao | Book Review

Title: American Panda
Author: Gloria Chao
Pages: 320 pages
Release Date: February 6th, 2018
Source: Hardcover from Amazon
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

An incisive, laugh-out-loud contemporary debut about a Taiwanese-American teen whose parents want her to be a doctor and marry a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer despite her squeamishness with germs and crush on a Japanese classmate.

At seventeen, Mei should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents' master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.

With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can't bring herself to tell them the truth--that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.

But when Mei reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?

Buy the book!

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I am so touched to see someone that looks like me on the cover of a highly promoted book in the Young Adult genre. When I first heard about this book, I was too excited to get my hands on it. I preordered the book, which is something I don't do anymore and it just shows how excited I was. I'm so delighted to be featuring this book on my blog and to be part of getting this book into the hands of other readers.

That being said, I really wanted to love this book. I don't read contemporary often, but when I do its usually diverse contemporaries. American Panda took me a little more than over a week to get through. While it was a pretty short book, I noticed that I wasn't that eager to pick up the book from time to time. Maybe that's why it took me so long to finish it! I'll be honest and say the book was slow and the plot didn't entice me as I originally hoped it would.

17-year-old Mei Lu knows that when she grows up she's going to be a doctor, marry a pre-approved Taiwanese man, have lots of male babies and provide for her family. What her parents don't know is that Mei doesn't want to follow the path they've carefully constructed for her. However, there is even more pressure on Mei to do what's expected of her because her brother shamed the family. Mei struggles with appeasing her family's age-old traditions while also trying to follow her own dreams.

Although I am Asian American, I have yet to face some of the things that the main character faced in this book. I think that's such an important thing to note- just because I come from the same background as a character, doesn't mean I'm going to have the same experiences. This is extremely important and something I stress because we can't judge a book based on how similar the character's experience was to our own. We must value all experiences. Fortunately for me, my parents did not push the notion that I had to be a doctor or a lawyer when I was growing up. They told me that I could be anything I ever wanted, as long as I was happy. Even though I didn't really grow up with the same experience, I could totally relate to Mei.

If you're looking for an authentic representation of what it's like to live under the pressure of cultural traditions, I would highly recommend this book. I think that a lot of Chinese traditions are very misunderstood and could even be considered cruel. This book explores what it's really like for someone to live under the pressure of these traditions and how difficult it can be to reconcile your own life with your parents expectations of you.

I enjoyed this book. It won't be making my list of top books any time soon, but I appreciated it for the representation and the storytelling. I just know this book is going to help a lot of people who feel the same way as Mei- pressured by her family's expectations and her culture to follow an already set path in life. The author said she wished she had this book when she was in school. I'm very grateful that I was able to read it at this stage in my life. So please, I encourage you to read and share it for others who might be experiencing the same thing.

I Finally Read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern...

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Pages: 512 pages
Release Date: September 13th, 2011
Source: Paperback
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway - a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

Buy it now!

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**This review is formatted a little differently as it's one I wrote for my school newspaper. Thought I would share it with you guys anyway!**

Erin Morgenstern published her book The Night Circus 7 years ago, but the international bestselling novel just recently caught my attention and instantly became one of my favorite books of the year. Despite all the praise that this book received from fellow reviewers and acclaimed authors, it sat on my shelf for three years before I decided to pick it up. Now after finally completing the novel, I can say that it is worth all the hype. 

The circus arrives without warning. When it arrives, circus-goers line up at the front gate anxiously waiting for the sun to set and the doors to open. Striped tents, breathtaking circus acts and sweet-smelling popcorn stands furnish the circus grounds. It is called Le Cirque des Reves, and it is only open at night. 

Behind the curtains, two magicians, Celia and Marco, duel to become the last one standing in an ancient challenge that stems back to their mentors that trained them. As the two meet and begin to develop feelings for each other, the challenge only becomes more burdensome. Meanwhile the circus, sustained on the lives of the two magicians that hold it together with their magic, is transforming beyond the audience's eyes. Read more to find out what happens next. 

Out of all the books I've ever read, The Night Circus has the best writing. It's very atmospheric and descriptive, without being too lyrical or obnoxiously metaphoric. The imagery is so intense you will feel like you're walking through the curtains with the audience, watching the magic unfold. The use of dramatic irony gives the reader a sense of control over the characters when the stakes are life and death.

One of my only reservations with the book was that the story was not told in a linear sequence. As the story jumped from year to year non-chronologically, my understanding of when the events happened became hazy. A few chapters in, however, I got used to it. 

The story actually has quite a dark tone to it. Betrayal, deception and even death characterize this seemingly lighthearted tale of two magicians falling in love. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a book that undermines their initial expectations and brings a new and adventurous twists to what might have been a simple love story. Lovestruck magicians at odds, chocolate mice and clocks that come to life? Sounds like the perfect read to me. If you're still torn over the fact that the Harry Potter series has ended, I'd recommend this book to any HP fans out there! Both The Night Circus and the Harry Potter series will make you want to run away to an imaginary world! 

Sadly, this is Erin Morgenstern's only published book, leaving her readers anticipating for more of her work. However, not to fear because theres a good chance she is working on something huge as we speak!

BLOG TOUR | Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao Q&A + GIVEAWAY!

Title: Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
Author: Julie C. Dao
Release date: October 10th. 2017
Pages: 384 pages
Source: ARC from publisher
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

An East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl's quest to become Empress--and the darkness she must unleash to achieve her destiny.

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins--sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

Buy it now! 

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Hello everyone, welcome back to the blog. I know I'm really lagging on these blog posts but trust me, I have some fun stuff coming up in the next few months starting with this blog tour featuring Julie C. Dao's debut novel,  Forest of a Thousand Lanterns. I was lucky enough to have interviewed Julie thanks to Penguin, and I just think her answers are interesting to read.

FOTL was unique in the sense that I had never read a book with an 'evil' or villainous type character. This is not a female heroine story, in fact, we meet a character who has quite malicious and spiteful intentions. Reading about how Xifeng clawed her way to her destiny was a thrilling and intriguing ride, one I hope you all decide to take part in. I'm so honored to kick off this book's release with a Q&A from the one and only Julie C. Dao.

Q&A with Julie C. Dao

What's Next & Inspiration

1. A lot of authors spend time planning what they want to include in their book before they start writing the book. Was there anything you knew you wanted to include in A Forest of A Thousand Lanterns before you even got into actually writing the book?

I knew I wanted it to be a reimagining of Snow White that was completely original and like nothing I had seen before in YA, but still held on to elements of the old fairy tale. So there had to be a magic mirror, an apple, a stepmother/stepdaughter dynamic… even if I twisted these concepts to fit my own purposes! I had to find ways to make the reader still recognize the inspiration behind the story, to ground them in the fairy tale feel, but at the same time make the elements my own so FOTL would feel fresh and new.

2. What’s more important to you when it comes to writing fantasy, the plot or the characters? Is there another attribute of writing you think aspiring fantasy writers should focus on?

Both plot and characters are important, of course, but I think when it comes fantasy, world-building is right up there on the list as well. The world needs to feel real to the reader, even if it has fantastical and magical elements. There need to be laws, rules, and a shared history between the lands of a fantasy world, just as there are in the real world. As a big fantasy reader myself, I love it when I feel like the world of the book is a place I can go.

3. Let’s talk about diversity! Can you recommend some of your favorite fantasy books written by Asian authors/include Asian characters.

I read ASH by Malinda Lo many years ago and loved her compelling F/F version of Cinderella. The prequel, HUNTRESS, is another fantastic read. I picked up SERPENTINE by Cindy Pon at a book festival last year and it was my gateway to everything Cindy has ever written. It’s a gorgeous fantasy rooted in Chinese mythology with a brilliant female friendship at its core. Recently I bought the Dragon King Chronicles trilogy by Ellen Oh, which is set in a fantasy world inspired by Korea and starts off with PROPHECY, and I cannot wait to read it!

4. Congrats on the publication of your debut novel! I know it’s probably too soon to ask, but your readers are dying with anticipation. What are your plans for book two in the Rise of the Empress series? Any mythical creatures you couldn’t put into book one but have saved for the sequel?

Thank you so much! This is so kind! I've always intended for the Rise of the Empress series to be a duology, and for FOTL and Book 2 to be two halves of the same story, with two different women telling it. So you'll see a brand-new main character narrating Book 2. The format is also quite different and you'll get to visit different lands throughout Feng Lu. There is also more magic and mythology, and folktales play a crucial part in the plot. I can't wait to share it with you! 

Giveaway!

Enter for a chance to be one (1) of three (3) winners to receive a hardcover copy of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie Dao. (ARV: $18.99 each).

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Enter between 12:00 AM Eastern Time on October 2, 2017 and 12:00 AM on October 27, 2017.  Open to residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who are 13 and older. Winners will be selected at random on or about October 30, 2017. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

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Author Info

Julie C. Dao (www.juliecdao.com) is a proud Vietnamese-American who was born in upstate New York. She studied medicine in college, but came to realize blood and needles were her Kryptonite. By day, she worked in science news and research; by night, she wrote books about heroines unafraid to fight for their dreams, which inspired her to follow her passion of becoming a published author. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns is her debut novel. Julie lives in New England. Follow her on Twitter @jules_writes.