Book Review: History is All You Left Me

TITLE: History is All You Left Me
AUTHOR: Adam Silvera
PUBLISHED: January 17th, 2017
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Contemporary
PREMISE: A boy tries to get over the death of his ex-boyfriend. The only one that seems to understand is the guy his ex-boyfriend dated after they broke up...
MY REVIEW: This is actually my first foray into Adam Silvera's writing. I have not yet read More Happy Than Not. After this, I'm definitely picking that one up sooner, rather than later, because this was GOOD. I have to say, contemporary lately, particularly some of the ones I've been reading this past year have been knocking it out of the park. I used to never really bother with contemporary, but nowadays, that's definitely not the case. So far some of the top books I've read this year have all been contemporary.
One of the things that really impressed me about this: it actually admitted the relationship between these two boys was not healthy. Like...thank you. I have read way too many books where the relationship is clearly not healthy, but author went ahead and tried to make them a happy ending sort of couple anyway. Silvera did not go that route and I'm very grateful for that. More authors need to do this. Both main characters manage to move on and deal with their grief, but it's not a "your love helped save me!" sort of situation like so many of these kind of books tend to turn into.
So this book was definitely a very present surprise. I won't lie and say it's an utter joy to read. It's good, but it is very sad. If you're dealing grief this will possibly trigger you like whoa. But the writing is good, the characters are fully developed (also yay for present parents in YA!) and it dealt with things honestly and realistically. This book will very likely wind up on my top ten list of the year, or at least be close if I happen to read things better in the second half of the year (completely possible, there are a lot of good looking books coming out this year).
WHO SHOULD READ: fans of More Happy Than Not, David Levithan fans, John Green fans
MY RATING: Four out of Five incredibly satisfying books

Book Review: Rebel Mechanics

TITLE: Rebel Magisters
Book 2 in the Rebel Mechanics series
AUTHOR: Shanna Swandson
PUBLISHED: July 2016
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Steampunk/Alternate History
PREMISE: Verity tries to bridge the gap between the wealthy Magisters who are ready to rebel and the Rebel Mechanics already having a rebellion under way...
MY REVIEW: I will be forever sad that this series didn't take off more than it did among the YA crowd. It is a tad generic, true, but the world created here is great. Swandson really expanded that part in the second book.
Not only did she expand on the world, but she developed characters as well. This book took things in directions I wasn't expecting and that to me, is the mark of a great middle book of a trilogy. My favorite part, surprisingly is the way the author handled the love triangle. This is the most mature way I've seen a love triangle handled in a YA trilogy.
Is this a brilliant series? No. I've seen ideas like this done before. But, if you're like me and hooked on these steampunk books, this series is one of the better ones to come out of YA.
WHO SHOULD READ: those that have read Rebel Mechanics, steampunk fans
MY RATING: Four out of Five huzzahs, because this improved things from the first book

Notable Releases: 6/4-6/10

So...yeah...this is late. Sorry. Real life and all of that. Anyway, here are last week's notable releases:

MG/YA

Dividing Eden Book 1 by Joelle Charrbonneau

New fantasy trilogy debut. The comparison to Maas and Aveyard is giving me slight pause because...well, I'm not a huge fan of either author. But I'm hoping it's just a case of the publisher comparing it to popular fantasy and not because there any actual similarities (which lets face it, is something that happens in publishing A LOT).

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee

I can't wait to get my hands on this one. A book with a asexual main character. FINALLY. Not a background character, the actual main character. Now if we can just get some damn demi-sexual representation out there...

Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill

Mystery that looks pretty good.

Song of the Current Book 1 by Sarah Tolcser

Fun-looking fantasy that is the latest one to involve pirates.







Adult Fiction

The Crime Writer by Jill Dawson

Historical fiction about Patricia Highsmith.

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

One of these days I will actually read a Horowitz book. I keep making note of his books because they look fun, but then I always forget about them for some reason or another...

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy

Big June release that probably doesn't need me to plug it, but here you go. Once again, I advise ignoring the low rating it has. Most of it seems to be people whining about how she's an activist now.

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

WWI/WWII historical fiction novel that's giving me some Code Name Verity vibes.







Non-Fiction

Rwandan Women Rising by Swanee Hunt

Non-fiction about how Rwandan women have come to hold over sixty percent of their Parliament seats. Perhaps US women should take notes.






Comics/Manga Releases
Giant Days Vol. 5 TP
Valerian The Complete Collection Vol. 1
Fate Zero Vol. 5 TP
Mother Panic Vol. 1: A Work in Progress TP
Nightwing Vol. 2: Back to Bludhaven TP
Teen Titans Vol. 1: Damien Knows Best TP

Book Review: The Sun is Also a Star

TITLE: The Sun is Also a Star
AUTHOR: Nicola Yoon
PUBLISHED: November 2016
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
PREMISE: A girl and a guy meet on a very important day in their lives, but it seems their romance is doomed due to circumstance...
MY REVIEW: So here's the thing about Everything Everything for me: I liked it...but it was mostly just okay for me. I have too many issues with that ending to ever really love it. But this book? This book I love. I actually think this one is ten times better then Everything, Everything.
Everything about it is much more realistic. There's a less cringe-worthy ending. It also touches upon so many issues in just a short span of time. Also, I like this romance more for some reason. Yes, it was insta-love, but...it was realistic insta-love, if that makes sense (it probably doesn't and won't till you get to the end of the book). Characters were also much better developed. Everything was just...much better and far more polished for me then Yoon's first book was. NOW I'm definitely a fan.
If you're looking for a sweet (but realistic) romance that touches upon social issues, this book is definitely a good one to pick up.
WHO SHOULD READ: fans of Everything Everything, contemporary romance fans
MY RATING: Four out of Five realistic endings

Book Review: Yesternight

TITLE: Yesternight
AUTHOR: Cat Winters
CATEGORY: Adult
PUBLISHED: October 2016
GENRE: Historical Fiction/Magical Realismish
PREMISE: A young woman comes to a town to help children and discovers one child might be remembering a past life.
MY REVIEW: Why didn't I know Cat Winters had branched out into adult fiction? Seems very strange for me as I enjoy her books quite a bit. This is apparently her second adult book. Who knew. Everyone but me, I guess.
This is very much like Winters' YA books. It has top notch historical details, interesting plot that you don't see every day, and an interesting conclusion. What I love about Winters' stuff is she mixes real events in with her plots and her writing is very atmospheric.
As always, I enjoyed this one. The ending is not my favorite thing in the world. It ends rather abruptly. But overall, this was a very interesting read, as usual with Winters. Not my favorite of hers (so far, the best I've seen from her is A Steep and Thorny Way), but definitely memorable.
WHO SHOULD READ: Cat Winters fans, those that like spooky fiction
MY RATING: Four out of Five reincarnated lives

Book Review: Take the Key and Lock Her Up

TITLE: Take the Key and Lock Her Up
Book 3 in the Embassy Row Trilogy
AUTHOR: Ally Carter
PUBLISHED: December 2016
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Adventure
PREMISE: Grace goes on the run after learning a shocking secret about her family's history.
MY REVIEW: Embassy Row has definitely been a wild ride of a series. This last book, was no exception. If you're familiar with Ally Carter's books, you probably already know what to expect from this series. It has lots of action, some romance, teenagers getting shit done, and some surprise twists.
I will say, I kind of with the Embassy Row series was a bit longer. I sort of felt like this one wanted to be four books instead of three. I felt like there were two books in this last one that had to get squished together because that was all the contract was for or something. As result the plot goes like it's one of those hundred meter dash races at the Olympics. I was getting whiplash from all the plot developments.
Ultimately, this did end in a satisfying way that mostly made sense. I just wish we'd maybe have had some more time to process things. All in all though, this was a successful trilogy. I don't love it as much as Gallagher Girls. but it is on par with Heist Society quality wise. In other words: it's adventurous fun as I've come to expect from Carter.
WHO SHOULD READ: Ally Carter fans, those that have read the first two Embassy Row books
MY RATING: Four out of Five high-speed plot paces

Graphic Novel Review: Power Man and Iron Fist Vol. 1

TITLE: The Boys Are Back in Town
Vol. 1 in the new 2016 Power Man and Iron Fist series
AUTHOR: David F. Walker
ARTISTS: Sanford Greene, Flaviano
SERIES START: October 2016
COLLECTS: Issues 1-5
PREMISE: Luke Cage and Danny Rand have been on a very long break from Heroes for Hire and are fine with that. Really. Unfortunately, they have one hang out session and one incident and everyone's convinced the team is back together. But they aren't...really.
MY REVIEW: I adored this series with every fiber of my being. It's everything I've come to expect with Marvel: lots of action, utter silliness, some amusing fun at its own expense (I love that Marvel makes fun itself), and just lots of fun. The plot...is a bit here and there. This is mostly the first arc so not much happens but there are a lot of utterly hilarious moments in it.
Full disclosure: I'm pretty new to both these characters. I've seen their shows on Netflix (loved Luke Cage, am lukewarm towards Iron Fist). I've seen them in a handful of appearances in other comics. I'm aware of their history and the whole Heroes for Hire thing, even if I maybe don't know the full details. So I can't tell you all the easter eggs or how this series compares to older series and whatnot.
I can tell you, if you've just seen the Netflix shows, then you should be able to grasp what's going on. I mean, probably the only thing you may be confused about is the fact that in the comics Luke and Jessica have a kid together.
WHO SHOULD READ: Iron Fist and Luke Cage fans, Marvel fans
GOOD FOR NEWBIES?: Sort of. If you've seen Luke Cage and Iron Fist and know they hung out a lot in the past, you should be good.
MY RATING: Four out of Five brotps

Notable Releases: 5/28-6/3

Here are the notable releases from this past week:

MG/YA

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

Debut that looks like it might fill the hole the ending of the Lara Jean series has left in my heart.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Debut that promises a Breakfast Club like scenario with a murder mystery added in. I'm intrigued.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Contemporary Romance that has been getting quite a bit of buzz.

Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts

Interesting looking fantasy.








Adult Fiction

London Underground 1: From Duke Till Dawn by Eva Leigh

For those like me, who can't get enough of these silly but fun historical romances about dukes/rakes/earls, here's a new series by Eva Leigh.

Beren and Luthien by J. R. R. Tolkien

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. There is a new Tolkien book out. Apparently they found yet another manuscript somewhere.







Non-Fiction

Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong-And the New Research That's Rewriting the Story by Angela Saini

For you science nerds out there, here's a book going into some of the myths about women sexist science has perpetuated. Looks both interesting but also maddening at the same time.

Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002

Into journal collections? Check out this newest one from essay writer David Sedaris.

Book Review: Between the World and Me

TITLE: Between the World and Me
AUTHOR: Ta-Nehisi Coates
PUBLISHED: 2015
CATEGORY: Non-Fiction
GENRE: Essays/Letters
PREMISE: A man talks about things like race in a series of essays written as letters to his son.
MY REVIEW: When it comes to books like this one or Letters to a Young Muslim and whatnot, I'm never really sure how to go about reviewing them. These are books that need to be read by people regardless of how good I or anyone else actually thinks they are. Plus, I'm still very new to essays so I'm still not exactly sure about what qualifies as a good essay or not. I just tend to judge them based on whether or not it made me think. Pretty much all of them tend to do that to some extent.
This one especially did. I'm slightly familiar with Coates from his appearances on various things. Plus, I've been reading the Black Panther comic run he's been writing. This goes into his life and his own various experiences with race and race relations. There is a lot of food for thought in this one. I can't say I related to any of it. I am a white woman, I will never experience things like this. But I'm of the firm opinion that you don't have to relate to every piece of writing out there, and just because you don't relate to it, doesn't mean the piece of writing isn't good or important.
This is a very quick book. I read it in an afternoon. But the things it talks about will stay with you for quite a bit.
WHO SHOULD READ: Essay fans, Letters to a Young Muslim fans, those looking for books that talk about race
MY RATING: Four out of Five essays to make you think

Book Review: The Upside of Unrequited

TITLE: The Upside of Unrequited
AUTHOR: Becky Albertalli
PUBLISHED: April 11th, 2017
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Contemporary, Romance
PREMISE: A girl's love life gets complicated when her sister starts to seriously date someone and push her to actually date as well.
MY REVIEW: I'm not going to lie: I had some pretty high expectations for this one. I adored Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda last year. I tried to keep expectations in check, because sophomore slump happens to the best them. But, I'm pleased to say, it did not happen to Albertalli. In fact...I actually might like this one more then Simon.
I will admit, there is a bit of a nostalgia bias on my part. Because it turns out this takes place in the DC suburbs. Guess who grew up in the DC suburbs? In fact, that Giant Foods store in Silver Spring that Molly and her guy flirt at? I actually lived down a few blocks from that store. It's where my family got our groceries every week. So I was overcome with nostalgic memories while reading this like whoa (shout out to the Long Street Branch librarians who did not judge me one bit during that period where I read nothing but BSC/Sweet Valley High/or Nancy Drew books). It made reading this even more fun for me.
Honestly, even if there hadn't been that factor, I'd have probably loved this. All the characters are great. It's got that great middle ground between romantic, funny, and heart that Simon VS the Homo Sapiens had. It was frankly just delightful. Like, the only bad thing I can say about is, that being a contemporary romance, it's rather predictable in how things turn out. But honestly even in how things turn out it subverts tropes a bit (there's no slut-shaming! Even when guy is flirting with another girl, Molly never slut shames said girl. THANK YOU, AUTHOR). There's just so much to love about this book. I'm pretty confident that this one is going to be in my top ten of the year.
WHO SHOULD READ: Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda fans, John Green fans, you're looking for cute romances with great positive representation in it.
MY RATING: Four and a half out of Five books that just make you happy