Book Review: Stonefield

Taken from Goodreads
(how pretty is this cover??)

Stonefield by Christy Lenzi

Released: March 29th, 2016
Read: February 2016
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Format: Paperback ARC, 320 pages
Series: N/A
Source: McNally Robinson Two Thumbs Up Program

Description from Goodreads:
In a small town on the brink of the Civil War, Catrina finds a man making strange patterns in her family’s sorghum crop. He’s mad with fever, naked, and strikingly beautiful. He has no memory of who he is or what he’s done before Catrina found him in Stone Field. But that doesn’t bother Catrina because she doesn’t like thinking about the things she’s done before either.
Catrina and Stonefield fall passionately, dangerously, in love. All they want is to live with each other, in harmony with the land and away from Cat’s protective brother, the new fanatical preacher, and the neighbors who are scandalized by their relationship. But Stonefield can’t escape the truth about who he is, and the conflict tearing apart the country demands that everyone take a side before the bloodbath reaches their doorstep.

Review:

I chose this book because I absolutely love retellings of classic novels. This one is a retelling of Wuthering Heights, but not in the here and now (as most retellings are), but during the Civil War. I was excited, and so eager to read the result. But I was disappointed. Although the plot was sort of already written, it felt mish-mashed, and a little overwhelming. You could tell that the author was trying to emulate the writing style of Bronte, but it came across as forced, and almost sarcastic. It was a struggle trying to interpret what was actually being said. Another thing, was that the characters had very little development, (especially the main character)  so you never really connected with Cat. I wasn’t rooting for her to be happy in the end. I also had a problem with the romance in it. I love reading books where the main characters fall slowly in love. But SLOWLY! They literally were totally in love by page 50. Not even kidding. It was so fast! It was way too quick, and then Bible verses were added to make it sound as if it was less promiscuous. It was weird.  I also didn’t like the fact that they were able to somehow speak telepathically. That was never really explained. It was a weird book, all in all and unfortunately, not my favorite.  

Rating: 4.5/10

Reccomended for people who enjoy: retellings, romance, lots of descriptive language

Happy Reading,

Mari

Book Review: H.E.A.R.

H.E.A.R by Robin Epstein

Release Date: December 29th, 2015
Read: January 2016
Publisher: Soho Teen
Format: Paperback ARC, 272 pages 

Description from Goodreads:
Expelled from high school months shy of graduation—her acceptance to Columbia revoked due to vigilante justice gone awry—Kassandra Black is sent to work in her great-uncle Brian’s lab at Henley University. She’s helping with his HEAR (Henley Engineering Anomalies Research) program, and hopefully getting him to put in a good word for her to attend Henley instead. She’s got to go somewhere, after all.But as she gets to know the other HEAR students, it becomes clear that she overlooked the “Anomalies” part of their acronym—these kids are here to help Brian run experiments that gauge ESP capacity. They’ve each been selected and recruited, including, to her astonishment, Kass herself. But ESP? She doesn’t buy any of it. And even if it were real, she definitely isn’t psychic.Yet with each new test, she finds herself more frightened. Kass really can communicate telepathically; she can even glimpse the future. When one of her fellow HEAR students is murdered, Kass must try to forget everything she knows about herself and her family and learn to trust those who share her remarkable gift.


Review:
What really got me into this book was the main character. Kassandra is strong, and doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. I loved the growth of her powers, and it feels realistic (well as realistic as supernatural powers can be!). I loved that she did what she wanted, when she wanted, and said what she wanted. She is the type of girl everyone wants to know, and everyone wants to be. This book was a refreshing break from the normal dystopian/supernatural genre. It wasn't just about saving the world. It had a deeper story line and plot to it. I really liked getting to know the other recruits of the program. It was almost like X-Men or something. It even had the history to it, about shady ex-colleagues and an untrustworthy government agency. Everyone's power was unique to them, and their character development was interesting, and never dull. Of course the romance between two of the characters (won't say which ones, spoilers!) is a great addition to the story, and adds depth to the characters involved. One of the best parts of the story was the twist at the end. It came out of nowhere, and finished the story perfectly! I can't wait to get my hands on book number two!

Favorite Quote: "Keep my mind open. Keep an open mind. How hard could it be?" -H.E.A.R. by Robin Epstein

Rating: 8/10 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: scifi, adventure, romance, strong female leads

Happy Reading,
Mari  

Book Review: The Girl from Everywhere

The Girl From Everywhere, by Heidi Heilig

Released: February 16, 2016
Read: January 2016
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Format: ARC, 464 pages

Description from Goodreads:
    Heidi Heilig’s debut teen fantasy sweeps from modern-day New York City to nineteenth-century Hawaii to places of myth and legend. Sixteen-year-old Nix has sailed across the globe and through centuries aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. But when he gambles with her very existence, it all may be about to end. The Girl from Everywhere, the first of two books, will dazzle readers of Sabaa Tahir, Rae Carson, and Rachel Hartman.
    Nix’s life began in Honolulu in 1868. Since then she has traveled to mythic Scandinavia, a land from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, modern-day New York City, and many more places both real and imagined. As long as he has a map, Nix’s father can sail his ship, The Temptation, to any place, any time. But now he’s uncovered the one map he’s always sought—1868 Honolulu, before Nix’s mother died in childbirth. Nix’s life—her entire existence—is at stake. No one knows what will happen if her father changes the past. It could erase Nix’s future, her dreams, her adventures . . . her connection with the charming Persian thief, Kash, who’s been part of their crew for two years. If Nix helps her father reunite with the love of his life, it will cost her her own.
    In The Girl from Everywhere, Heidi Heilig blends fantasy, history, and a modern sensibility with witty, fast-paced dialogue, breathless adventure, and enchanting romance. 

Review: 
   Filled with action and devilishly handsome characters,  the Girl from Everywhere takes place literally everywhere and at every time. Aboard the Temptation, Nixie has a troubling role to play. She tries to help her father bring back his dead wife, even though there's a chance she might not exist if her mother lives.
   The novel took me by surprise. I honestly didn't know what to expect at first; the description on the back of the ARC was extremely vague. All I knew was that it involved a time-travelling ship and was from the perspective of the captains daughter, but the novel turned out to be about much, much more.
   Only having Rotgut, Bee and Kashmir as friends, Nixie lives a seemingly lonely life. All she wants is to learn how to navigate (travel through time), and run away. She doesn't care if her mother comes back to life, or about finding a map to get to her. She's a strong character and has a personality that is her own. She has opinions, an attitude and makes witty remarks. Nixie is well developed and is someone people can compare themselves with.
   Kashmir and Blake are my favourite to read about. Their perspectives of life are mesmerizing and the way they act is cute and funny. Kashmir is romantic without trying to be, even if he is just giving gifts he stole from other people. He is graceful for a pirate, and reminds me a lot of Puck from the Iron King. He has a sort of mysterious air about him. Well, whatever it is, I'm glad he has it.
   And then there's Blake. Siggggghhhhh. He is definitely unlike the other characters; he has self confidence, and wants to stay in one place instead of travel the world. He is balanced and knows what he wants to do with his life. He's the guy you wait your whole life to meet, because everything is more fun when you're with them.
   Anyways, both Blake and Kashmir have unique personalities that leave you dying to meet them.
   Overall, the Girl from Everywhere teaches you a lot about history and how far people will go to change the past.


Favourite Quote:

• "I don't need help looking good. All you're doing is making it seem like I keep unfashionable company." -Kashmir, (Heidi Heilig) 

Rating: 8/10

Recommended if you like: time-travel, learning about history, witty banter, strong female leads, reading about family issues, love stories

A recipe for disaster,

Lauren

Book Review: The Killing Jar

The Killing Jar by Jennifer Bosworth

Released: January 12, 2016

Read: December 2015

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Format: ARC, 352 pages

Description on GoodReads: 

“I try not to think about it, what I did to that boy.”

Seventeen-year-old Kenna Marsden has a secret.

She’s haunted by a violent tragedy she can’t explain. Kenna’s past has kept people—even her own mother—at a distance for years. Just when she finds a friend who loves her and life begins to improve, she’s plunged into a new nightmare. Her mom and twin sister are attacked, and the dark powers Kenna has struggled to suppress awaken with a vengeance.

On the heels of the assault, Kenna is exiled to a nearby commune, known as Eclipse, to live with a relative she never knew she had. There, she discovers an extraordinary new way of life as she learns who she really is, and the wonders she’s capable of. For the first time, she starts to feel like she belongs somewhere. That her terrible secret makes her beautiful and strong, not dangerous. But the longer she stays at Eclipse, the more she senses there is something malignant lurking underneath it all. And she begins to suspect that her new family has sinister plans for her…

Review:
   The Killing Jar was nothing like I expected it would be. It completely took me by surprise. When I first saw the cover, I have to admit, I thought it would be a typical love story with a twist. Oh, I was sooo wrong.
Constantly battling her inner demons and pushing her emotions to the side, Kenna had a troubled childhood. She couldn't fully enjoy any situation and was always at risk of killing someone. She had to grow up by the time she was ten, and take care of not only herself, but her twin sister who was dying from many different conditions. Her family life was a mess; between barely knowing her mother and the chance of her sister falling dead at any moment. It's details like these that set the stage for a fantastic novel.
   As soon as Kenna arrived in Eclipse, I knew something weird was going on there. How was Anya, Kenna's mom, so familiar with the town? Why didn't they want visitors there? What were they hiding? Why did Jennifer Bosworth describe everyone with a wide age-range?
   All my questions were answered in the end, but slowly, over time, which made me all the more intrigued in finishing the book. I haven't read anything that compelling in what has felt like ages, and I am extremely glad that I had the chance to read this novel. 

Favourite Quote:

• "I walk the world alone without fear." -Jennifer Bosworth

Rating: 9/10

Recommended if you like: thriller, murder scenes, mystery, supernatural (I mean beings, not the TV show, even though you can still read the book if you do ;) ), music, aliens

A recipe for disaster,

Lauren

Book Review: The Impostor Queen

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

Release Date:January 5. 2016

Read: November 2015

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Format: Paperback ARC, 336

Description from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.
Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

Review:

I was really excited for this book. I love high-fantasy, and after reading the synopsis, I got really pumped. The world building was amazing. Fine payed incredible attention to the details of this new world. You could picture the world in your mind as you read. I also really
loved the concept of the Valtia, and the magic she wields. The whole magic idea that surrounds the world they live in is perfectly thought out. What I had problems with was the main character. Elli's problems don't come across as heroic and tragic, but slightly whiny. While her story arc is an interesting one, she herself really isn't. Luckily it got better after the halfway point, because that's when the plot itself got really good! Another part that was interesting was the intrigue surrounding the Elders- and what they REALLY do in the Temple (very creepy). It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire book long. Although it had a slow start to it, it was an interesting read, and I'll watch for the sequel.

Favorite Quotes:
"Our lives aren't ours, darling," she murmured. "We are only the caretakers of this magic. We don't use it to protect ourselves - we use it only to protect the Kupari. They call us queens, but what we really are is servants." The Impostor Queen

Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: fantasy, romance, adventure stories, magic

Happy Reading,

Mari

Book Review: On Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve by Ann M Martin

Release Date: October 1. 2006
Read: Christmas 2009 (a reaaaaally long time ago, but I've reread it since)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Format: Paperback, 160 pages

Description from Goodreads:
Eight-year-old Tess is convinced this is the year she will finally meet Santa, and experience "the Christmas magic." She also wishes with all her heart that her best friend's ill father will recover. Tess' faith in the season results in a Christmas Eve so wondrous, so sparkling, readers won't be able to help but feel transformed. Like trimming the tree and "It's a Wonderful Life"; baking cookies and "White Christmas," ON CHRISTMAS EVE is sure to bring new holiday magic to readers' lives.

Review: 
Although this book is geared towards younger readers, I still feel like this book is applicable to all ages. Reading this book was uplifting to say the least. Hope and joy have big roles, which make it perfect for Christmas. This book was sparkling with that "Christmas magic." The main character (Tess) is so hopeful about every trial that comes her way. This book unfolds over an entire year (one Christmas to the other). This was a really good choice for telling the story, as it really gets you to care about the various characters. It was heartbreaking to see that interaction between her and Santa towards the end. The way he has to break to her that there is nothing he can do for certain people, that there are some gifts that can't be given, makes me tear up every time. Although it is at times very sad, you still come out with a renewed faith in Christmas. This is why I try to read this every year during the holiday season!

Favorite Quotes: 
"Christmas and Santa are all about hope.."
  - Ann M. Martin, On Christmas Eve

Rating:
4/5 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: hope, Christmas, fiction, best friend stories

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

Taken from Amazon.com

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Release Date: December 2. 2010
Read: November 2015
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Format: Paperback, 372 pages

Description from Goodreads:
Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 
But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

Review: 
This book is just so cute! From the very first chapter I couldn't get enough. The way Perkins writes is so light and breezy it's a treat to read. Anna is portrayed realistically, as any student would be if they moved to Paris. She is a great protagonist, and the year she spends in Paris is great to follow. A great bonus is that her love interest is the guy that everyone wishes was in their lives. He's so romantic and swoon-worthy! I just wish that Anna would have "discovered" more of Paris, and that she would've seen more of the city. I felt like it was an opportunity wasted, that Perkins had a chance to write an epic "city tour" and didn't take it. However that is really my one complaint. This was simply a solid read through and through. I can't wait until I can get my hands on the next one, and I'm intrigued at how Perkins binds all three books together!

Favorite Quotes: “I mean, really. Who sends their kid to boarding school? It's so Hogwarts. Only mine doesn't have cute boy wizards or magic candy or flying lessons.” 
― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

“I wish for the thing that is best for me.” 

― Stephanie Perkins, Anna and the French Kiss

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: Sarah Dessen, romance, YA fiction, travel, funny heroines

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Rules For 50/50 Chances

Taken from Goodreads

Rules for 50/50 Chances by Kate McGovern

Release Date: November 2015
Read: October 2015 (I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this novel)
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Format: Paperback ARC, 342 pages

Description from Goodreads
A heartrending but ultimately uplifting debut novel about learning to accept life's uncertainties; a perfect fit for the current trend in contemporary realistic novels that confront issues about life, death, and love.
Seventeen-year-old Rose Levenson has a decision to make: Does she want to know how she’s going to die? Because when Rose turns eighteen, she can take the test that will tell her if she carries the genetic mutation for Huntington’s disease, the degenerative condition that is slowly killing her mother. With a fifty-fifty shot at inheriting her family’s genetic curse, Rose is skeptical about pursuing anything that presumes she’ll live to be a healthy adult—including going to ballet school and the possibility of falling in love. But when she meets a boy from a similarly flawed genetic pool, and gets an audition for a dance scholarship in California, Rose begins to question her carefully-laid rules.

Review: 
This book was a great number of things. At times it's light and at others it hits a little deeper. Rose (our main character) has tough decision to make - whether or not to find out if she will get her mothers Huntington's disease. It's a touchy and hard subject, but McGovern approaches it with a gentle touch, really showing all the sides to this disease. She tries and shows the good in it, and through Rose we see that the illness is not all there is to life. With Rose we see her flourish during the bad times, whether being with Caleb (her potential boyfriend) or dancing ballet. It's hard for Rose to see her mother deteriorating, but for such a (at times) sad subject, McGovern really shines a light on it. 

Favorite Quotes: "... the music starts, and then I give in to it, and nothing else matters. And then I'm soaring." -Page 262

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Recommended for people who enjoy: Sarah Dessen, romance, YA, fiction, contemporary literature

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Graceling

Taken from Goodreads

Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Release Date: October 1. 2008.
Read: Fall. 2012
Publisher: Harcourt

Format: Paperback, 471 pages

Description from Goodreads:
Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight - she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away... 

Review: I was told to read this because of my love for high fantasy. I was a little skeptical, but I decided to read it anyway. What I got was a mixed bag. The idea that some people have "Graces" (where they have a special power) is very interesting and unique. But I sorta had a small problem with Katsa (the main character). She seemed a little whiny at times, and it made me hard to feel sympathetic for her. But the story line made up for it. It was exciting, and took many twists and turns. Her counterpart Po is a great gentleman, willing to protect Katsa and his niece Bitterblue at all costs. It's a great adventure story line, but personally I like the sequel/prequel Fire better.

Favorite Quotes: “When a monster stopped behaving like a monster, did it stop being a monster? Did it become something else?” 
― Kristin Cashore, Graceling

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Recommended for people who like: YA, fantasy, fiction, romance, adventure

Happy Reading,
Mari

Book Review: Say You Will

       Say You Will by Eric Walters

  Release Date: May 19th, 2015

  Read: August 2015

  Publisher: Doubleday Canada

  Format: Paperback, 192 pages

Description from GoodReads:   
    Sam is not exactly what you'd call a regular guy: while his IQ is stratospheric, his social skills don't quite rank as high, and his dating history: well, there's no history to speak of... yet. But Sam has set out to finally fit in. He's resolved to get some answers wrong in class; to stop getting perfect marks on his assignments; to get to know some people other than Ian and Brooke, his two closest (okay, only) friends--and find himself a prom date. And the prom is on everyone's mind: Sam's school has become swept up by promposals--in other words, very elaborate, very public scenes in which someone is asked to the prom. Sam thinks he might have found the inspiration he needs to ask the girl of his dreams out for a perfect night at the prom--as well as the unforgettable way to do it.

Review: From beginning to end, this book is adorable. The characters made me laugh, smile madly, and give many awww's. Based on the first chapter of the novel, you have a general idea of how the book will end. That's part of the greatness; the book is just a little romance novel that cheers you up, no matter how you're feeling. It's just a short, sweet ride on a tandem bicycle.

Quotable Quotes:
"I'm hoping there will always be something between us, maybe a wall, a restraining order, or a continent." - Brooke (Page 165)
"It always was you. It always has been you. It always will be you." - Sam (Page 183)

Rating: ✬✬✬✬✬ (5/5)

Read this if you like: romance, short stories, John Green, Eric Walters, general cuteness

Optimistically yours, Ola ❤

Book Review: Secret Diamond Sisters

Taken from Goodreads

Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow

Released: February 24th, 2014
Read: August, 2015

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Format: Paperback, 382 pages

Description taken from Goodreads:
   Savannah. Courtney. Peyton. The three sisters grew up not knowing their father and not quite catching a break. But it looks like their luck is about to change when they find out the secret identity of their long-lost dad—a billionaire Las Vegas hotel owner who wants them to come live in a gorgeous penthouse hotel suite. Suddenly the Strip's most exclusive clubs are all-access, and with an unlimited credit card each, it should be easier than ever to fit right in. But in a town full of secrets and illusion, fitting in is nothing compared to finding out the truth about their past.

Review: This was definitely a book that I've never read before. It had a very unique story line, and the idea was definitely original, and that was what grabbed me. What I loved the most was the attention Madow had. When she was describing the casinos and clubs that the girls visited, you  actually felt as if you were there. And when she was describing the various outfits, you could see the very fabrics that they were wearing. However, the characters were not as rounded as they could've been, and they felt, at times, flat. I felt as if she could've delved a little harder into Peyton's character especially, and told more about what made her act this way. However, the plot was intriguing, so I will definitely read the sequel!

Favorite quotes: "“For Courtney’s whole life, seeing the world had only been a dream, but now, as Adrian Diamond’s daughter, it could be a reality.” 
― Michelle Madow, The Secret Diamond Sisters

   “The people who say New York never sleeps must have never visited Las Vegas.” 
― Michelle Madow, The Secret Diamond Sisters

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Recommended for people who like: Gossip Girl-type stories, gossip, intrigue, romance, fashion

Happy Reading,

Mari 

Book Review: Me Before You

                                                               

                                                                                         

www.womanaroundtown.com 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Release Date: January 5th, 2015
Read: July, 2015
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Format: Paperback, 480 pages

Description from Goodreads:

       Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

   What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

   Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

   What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Review: Where to start? From the very first page I was hooked. Lou Clark is such a funny and relate-able character, that charms you from the moment you first meet her. Her journey alongside Will is a great one, and by the end of the book you care deeply for her. She is the character that we all want to be, because she is not the selfless heroine that we so often read. The supporting characters only add to the heartbreak of this novel. Each one gets their own chapter, where you discover what has led them to this difficult situation dealing with quadriplegia. Moyes does an excellent job of weaving a beautiful story, filled with laughter and tears. I like to call this one "The Fault in our Stars" for adults - so have a lot of tissues on hand. It is easy to read, and really grabs you until the last page. It deals with some difficult issues, that even now are still being discussed. It is worth the read, and it's a memorable one.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Favorite Quote: “All I can say is that you make me... you make me into someone I couldn't even imagine. You make me happy, even when you're awful. I would rather be with you - even the you that you seem to think is diminished - than with anyone else in the world.” 

― Jojo Moyes, Me Before You (Taken from Goodreads)

Recommended for people who enjoy: Sad romances, hard choices, love, quadriplegia and inspiring endings

Happy reading,
Mari