Amy Powis's Blog, page 18
September 20, 2018
The WIP (Work In Progress) Tag
So I haven't really spoken about my book much on the blog but I am writing a YA book so I wanted to write about it on here! This was created by Jessi Elliot I think so feel free to check out her video. Let's get started...
1) What is the working title of your book?
My working title is To Be Continued. I'm not really sure if I could call it something else but I like this title so far.
2) Where did the idea come from for your book?
I've had the idea for the longest time since I was about 16 and honestly, I have no idea where it came from but I'm happy that I discovered it.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
It is a YA contemporary but some of the characters are a little older being 19 up to 21.
4) Which actors would you choose to play in your movie rendition?
I literally have no idea. I've always had an idea that I would want someone unknown to play Emily who is the main protagonist but I have no idea for the other people involved.
5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
A story of a lot of endings and a lot of new beginnings.
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
When I finish it I hope that I will be traditionally published but this is such a long way off yet. I need to get writing and editing first.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I have been writing the WIP for about two years but I really want to finish it this year. I am determined!!!
8) What other books would you compare this story to?
I don't know if there is anything massively similar but for the friendship and ace relationship, I feel like it is close to Radio Silence by Alice Oseman.
9) Who or what inspired you to write the book?
I think that I love the story and I really want other people too. It has lots of subjects that I care about throughout so I really want to talk about them. This book gives me that the opportunity to do that in what I hope turns out to be a happy and lovable story!
10) What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It has a strong focus on platonic love especially friendships and family. It also has an asexual main character with many other LGBTQIA+ characters. There are lots of adventures which are set around the UK and London. It has a coming of age feel which deals with leaving home and exam stress and mental illness.
Have you got a WIP? Let me know what it is about in the comments!
See you soon,
Amy
1) What is the working title of your book?
My working title is To Be Continued. I'm not really sure if I could call it something else but I like this title so far.
2) Where did the idea come from for your book?
I've had the idea for the longest time since I was about 16 and honestly, I have no idea where it came from but I'm happy that I discovered it.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
It is a YA contemporary but some of the characters are a little older being 19 up to 21.
4) Which actors would you choose to play in your movie rendition?
I literally have no idea. I've always had an idea that I would want someone unknown to play Emily who is the main protagonist but I have no idea for the other people involved.
5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
A story of a lot of endings and a lot of new beginnings.
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
When I finish it I hope that I will be traditionally published but this is such a long way off yet. I need to get writing and editing first.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I have been writing the WIP for about two years but I really want to finish it this year. I am determined!!!
8) What other books would you compare this story to?
I don't know if there is anything massively similar but for the friendship and ace relationship, I feel like it is close to Radio Silence by Alice Oseman.
9) Who or what inspired you to write the book?
I think that I love the story and I really want other people too. It has lots of subjects that I care about throughout so I really want to talk about them. This book gives me that the opportunity to do that in what I hope turns out to be a happy and lovable story!
10) What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
It has a strong focus on platonic love especially friendships and family. It also has an asexual main character with many other LGBTQIA+ characters. There are lots of adventures which are set around the UK and London. It has a coming of age feel which deals with leaving home and exam stress and mental illness.
Have you got a WIP? Let me know what it is about in the comments!
See you soon,
Amy
September 18, 2018
Book Review: Puddin' by Julie Murphy
* I am reviewing this book that I received from the author but this in no way affects my review *
Title: Puddin'Authors: Julie MurphySource: From the publisher (Harper360)Publisher: Balzer & BrayRating: 4/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
It is a companion novel to Dumplin', which follows supporting characters from the first book in the months after Willowdean's star turn in the Clover City pageant.
Millie Michalchuk has gone to fat camp every year since she was a girl. Not this year. This year she has new plans to chase her secret dream—and to kiss her crush. Callie Reyes is the pretty girl who is next in line for dance team captain and has the popular boyfriend. But when it comes to other girls, she’s more frenemy than friend. When circumstances bring the girls together over the course of a semester, they will surprise everyone (especially themselves) by realizing they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
Book Review:
I read Dumplin' when it first came out and really loved it. It was a great read and was one of the first books that I read about a plus-size protagonist. I was, therefore, super excited to read Puddin' which is the sequel/prequel to Dumplin'. I really enjoyed Puddin' with its strong focus on female friendship.
Although I really did like the story when I started it, I read it around exam time so this impacted how I first saw the story. I felt like the beginning was a bit slow and I didn't really get what I needed from it. I know that had I read it at a different time, I could have loved this much more than I did but the end. It is a great heartwarming story that I devoured once I got into it. As mentioned this book focuses on the friendship of Callie and Millie after they are kind of forced into each other's lives. It is definitely an enemy to friends type deal and what Callie does to Millie and makes them closer is quite bad but I think that from this their friendship is just a lot purer and realistic. I think that by the end of the book it is clear how great their friendship is and the lengths that they would go to each other which I loved.
Like with Dumplin', Puddin' does deal with being plus-sized and dreams. This was a part that I loved and I think as a person who is plus-sized themselves, I felt like Puddin' was deeply personal to me and I learnt so much about my body from reading it and have wanted to change how I see my own body since reading the book. I love Julie Murphy for including this as part of the story and for continuing to include fat characters in the story as this is the only time where I see myself on the page. She does it well and I love it!
The Verdict:
Puddin' is a prequel that will please Dumplin' fans but should be pushed into the hands that need it. Julie Murphy is a great writer and this book proves it.
Have you read Puddin'? Did you like it? Do you want to read it? Let me know in the comments!
Title: Puddin'Authors: Julie MurphySource: From the publisher (Harper360)Publisher: Balzer & BrayRating: 4/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
It is a companion novel to Dumplin', which follows supporting characters from the first book in the months after Willowdean's star turn in the Clover City pageant.
Millie Michalchuk has gone to fat camp every year since she was a girl. Not this year. This year she has new plans to chase her secret dream—and to kiss her crush. Callie Reyes is the pretty girl who is next in line for dance team captain and has the popular boyfriend. But when it comes to other girls, she’s more frenemy than friend. When circumstances bring the girls together over the course of a semester, they will surprise everyone (especially themselves) by realizing they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
Book Review:
I read Dumplin' when it first came out and really loved it. It was a great read and was one of the first books that I read about a plus-size protagonist. I was, therefore, super excited to read Puddin' which is the sequel/prequel to Dumplin'. I really enjoyed Puddin' with its strong focus on female friendship.
Although I really did like the story when I started it, I read it around exam time so this impacted how I first saw the story. I felt like the beginning was a bit slow and I didn't really get what I needed from it. I know that had I read it at a different time, I could have loved this much more than I did but the end. It is a great heartwarming story that I devoured once I got into it. As mentioned this book focuses on the friendship of Callie and Millie after they are kind of forced into each other's lives. It is definitely an enemy to friends type deal and what Callie does to Millie and makes them closer is quite bad but I think that from this their friendship is just a lot purer and realistic. I think that by the end of the book it is clear how great their friendship is and the lengths that they would go to each other which I loved.
Like with Dumplin', Puddin' does deal with being plus-sized and dreams. This was a part that I loved and I think as a person who is plus-sized themselves, I felt like Puddin' was deeply personal to me and I learnt so much about my body from reading it and have wanted to change how I see my own body since reading the book. I love Julie Murphy for including this as part of the story and for continuing to include fat characters in the story as this is the only time where I see myself on the page. She does it well and I love it!
The Verdict:
Puddin' is a prequel that will please Dumplin' fans but should be pushed into the hands that need it. Julie Murphy is a great writer and this book proves it.
Have you read Puddin'? Did you like it? Do you want to read it? Let me know in the comments!
September 13, 2018
Book Review: The Iron Web by Kristin Ravelle
* I am reviewing this book that I received from the author but this in no way affects my review *
Title: The Iron WebAuthors: Kristin RavelleSource: AuthorPublisher: Self-PublishedRating: 3/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
Based on themes from the mystic Nag Hammadi texts, ancient Egyptian texts that speak of mysterious, unseen intruders in the human condition; themes expounded in many online sources.
“Original and Compelling Dystopian Read.” Tina Williams
Penrith, Wales.
Bryn is turning 22 and must register for One Earth Dynamic ID.
Buried in the mysterious N800 texts is a horrifying secret, an ancient evil that Bryn feels compelled to unearth. A secret that may underpin One Earth, the global agency that monitors and tracks everyone.
Curran, gorgeous, tortured OED fugitive, finds sanctuary with Penrith’s underground, Luxent, and discovers Bryn and her strange ability to throw condensed light. And unexpected love in a world suddenly seeming to go mad.
Can Bryn’s primaeval earth magic help Luxent overcome other-worldly forces and the OED or will her growing feelings for Curran and learning the horrifying reality of the OED only lead down the road that goes straight into its ancient and evil web?
Book Review:
I was really excited to read The Iron Web novella as the author was proud of the work and I am always in the mood for a good dystopia. I really enjoyed the first in this series and would love to read more.
Although on the whole, I did enjoy this novella, I did have some problems with it. I found that many of these came from the setting. I believe that the author is not Welsh but this is the main setting for the book. There were some minor errors in the book that took me out of the series. This was the use of the cell phone (which in England is a mobile phone) and words like Mom threw me off. The main setting is also not in Wales in real life. I am not sure whether to take this with a grain of salt as it is a fantasy setting but it did take me out of the story.
Although there were inaccuracies within the story and the setting, I am always a fan of any book which is set in Wales as I don't see this often even though I read a lot of UKYA. This is even more special due to the fantasy setting as I don't tend to find reads which are based in the UK and are not contemporary.
The protagonists in the story are also in their 20s which definitely make for a more interesting read as much of the YA read focuses on characters who are 16-18 and as someone in their 20s, I want more stories that are based on people in my age range so I really loved this. The characters themselves were really interesting and I enjoyed reading about them. I did get confused about them at some points but I don't think that this impacted my overall enjoyment of the story.
This is only a small part of a much wider story so I would love to continue on to read about what happens next. It seems like we have only just touched the surface of the world so it could go to a completely different place.
The Verdict:
The Iron Web is a fast-paced novella that dips it's toes into a much wider world that I would love to explore.
Do you want to read The Iron Web? Let me know!
Title: The Iron WebAuthors: Kristin RavelleSource: AuthorPublisher: Self-PublishedRating: 3/5 stars( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
Based on themes from the mystic Nag Hammadi texts, ancient Egyptian texts that speak of mysterious, unseen intruders in the human condition; themes expounded in many online sources.
“Original and Compelling Dystopian Read.” Tina Williams
Penrith, Wales.
Bryn is turning 22 and must register for One Earth Dynamic ID.
Buried in the mysterious N800 texts is a horrifying secret, an ancient evil that Bryn feels compelled to unearth. A secret that may underpin One Earth, the global agency that monitors and tracks everyone.
Curran, gorgeous, tortured OED fugitive, finds sanctuary with Penrith’s underground, Luxent, and discovers Bryn and her strange ability to throw condensed light. And unexpected love in a world suddenly seeming to go mad.
Can Bryn’s primaeval earth magic help Luxent overcome other-worldly forces and the OED or will her growing feelings for Curran and learning the horrifying reality of the OED only lead down the road that goes straight into its ancient and evil web?
Book Review:
I was really excited to read The Iron Web novella as the author was proud of the work and I am always in the mood for a good dystopia. I really enjoyed the first in this series and would love to read more.
Although on the whole, I did enjoy this novella, I did have some problems with it. I found that many of these came from the setting. I believe that the author is not Welsh but this is the main setting for the book. There were some minor errors in the book that took me out of the series. This was the use of the cell phone (which in England is a mobile phone) and words like Mom threw me off. The main setting is also not in Wales in real life. I am not sure whether to take this with a grain of salt as it is a fantasy setting but it did take me out of the story.
Although there were inaccuracies within the story and the setting, I am always a fan of any book which is set in Wales as I don't see this often even though I read a lot of UKYA. This is even more special due to the fantasy setting as I don't tend to find reads which are based in the UK and are not contemporary.
The protagonists in the story are also in their 20s which definitely make for a more interesting read as much of the YA read focuses on characters who are 16-18 and as someone in their 20s, I want more stories that are based on people in my age range so I really loved this. The characters themselves were really interesting and I enjoyed reading about them. I did get confused about them at some points but I don't think that this impacted my overall enjoyment of the story.
This is only a small part of a much wider story so I would love to continue on to read about what happens next. It seems like we have only just touched the surface of the world so it could go to a completely different place.
The Verdict:
The Iron Web is a fast-paced novella that dips it's toes into a much wider world that I would love to explore.
Do you want to read The Iron Web? Let me know!
September 11, 2018
BLOG TOUR: Song For A Lost Kingdom by Steve Moretti Book Review
* I am reviewing this book that I received for a blog tour but this in no way affects my review *
Title: Songs For A Lost KingdomAuthors: Steve Moretti Source: Digital Blog ToursPublisher: DWA MediaRating: 3/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
Music is not bound by time...
Adeena Stuart is a struggling cellist ready to give up on her dream of landing a spot with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. All that changes when she receives a musical score, lost for almost 300 years in a Scottish castle, sent by her dying grandmother. When the score is played on the oldest surviving cello ever made in the UK, the music connects Adeena directly to the past as Katharine Carnegie, struggling to find words to complete her symphonic tour-de-force in the midst of 18th Century political rebellion that is tearing apart Scotland and England. But Adeena is not a scientist or historian. What she wants more than anything is to create and compose. As she is buffeted back and forth between the past and present, she grows to want more of the past, even though the promise of her most yearned-for professional dream is coming true. With a clear voice that sets us in modern-day Ottawa and old world Scotland, Song for a Lost Kingdom, Book I, begins a journey of discovery between two women who share the same musical soul and love for the same doomed man.
Book Review:
A Song For A Lost Kingdom was a book that I wouldn't typically read as most of you know I mainly read YA but I have tried reading a wide variety of books this year to expand my reading taste. A Song For A Lost Kingdom is a good read that definitely proves that I can like more than one type of book.
First off I do want to talk about some things that I didn't love about the book. One of the big ones is that it could be edited more. I ended up finding some spelling errors throughout the book and with a more careful read through these would have been spotted and it would have made the story read better. I also don't like that the Scottish people read like Scottish people on the page so there is an adaptation of dialect. I don't typically like this in books and sometimes it took me out of the story. I also couldn't tell which parts were set in the past and present day which could be fixed in editing.
Although there were some errors I did like the writing style in the book. It was really easy to read and I found it really easy to be immersed in the world and with more editing, Moretti could be a really great writer who tells really great stories. I would love to read more of his work in the future, in this series or in other books that he writes.
I think the thing that I really did like is the way that music is used in the book. You can tell that Moretti knows what he is talking about regarding music and he has clearly done his research. I feel like he makes it really easy to understand for the reader and I didn't really feel confused over it when in the plot.
I also really liked the setting of both Scotland and Canada as I don't find many books set in these locations so this made it really interesting to read about and learn more about these places. Moretti is also Canadian himself and I don't also read that many Canadian authors and this book gave me a chance to.
This book definitely had some things that I really enjoyed in it and I am glad that I had a chance to read it even though I did have some problems with it.
The Verdict:
Song For A Lost Kingdom is an interesting and entertaining read. A great first read of the series.
Do you want to read Song For A Lost Kingdom? Have you read it? Let me know in the comments!
Title: Songs For A Lost KingdomAuthors: Steve Moretti Source: Digital Blog ToursPublisher: DWA MediaRating: 3/5 stars( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
Music is not bound by time...
Adeena Stuart is a struggling cellist ready to give up on her dream of landing a spot with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. All that changes when she receives a musical score, lost for almost 300 years in a Scottish castle, sent by her dying grandmother. When the score is played on the oldest surviving cello ever made in the UK, the music connects Adeena directly to the past as Katharine Carnegie, struggling to find words to complete her symphonic tour-de-force in the midst of 18th Century political rebellion that is tearing apart Scotland and England. But Adeena is not a scientist or historian. What she wants more than anything is to create and compose. As she is buffeted back and forth between the past and present, she grows to want more of the past, even though the promise of her most yearned-for professional dream is coming true. With a clear voice that sets us in modern-day Ottawa and old world Scotland, Song for a Lost Kingdom, Book I, begins a journey of discovery between two women who share the same musical soul and love for the same doomed man.
Book Review:
A Song For A Lost Kingdom was a book that I wouldn't typically read as most of you know I mainly read YA but I have tried reading a wide variety of books this year to expand my reading taste. A Song For A Lost Kingdom is a good read that definitely proves that I can like more than one type of book.
First off I do want to talk about some things that I didn't love about the book. One of the big ones is that it could be edited more. I ended up finding some spelling errors throughout the book and with a more careful read through these would have been spotted and it would have made the story read better. I also don't like that the Scottish people read like Scottish people on the page so there is an adaptation of dialect. I don't typically like this in books and sometimes it took me out of the story. I also couldn't tell which parts were set in the past and present day which could be fixed in editing.
Although there were some errors I did like the writing style in the book. It was really easy to read and I found it really easy to be immersed in the world and with more editing, Moretti could be a really great writer who tells really great stories. I would love to read more of his work in the future, in this series or in other books that he writes.
I think the thing that I really did like is the way that music is used in the book. You can tell that Moretti knows what he is talking about regarding music and he has clearly done his research. I feel like he makes it really easy to understand for the reader and I didn't really feel confused over it when in the plot.
I also really liked the setting of both Scotland and Canada as I don't find many books set in these locations so this made it really interesting to read about and learn more about these places. Moretti is also Canadian himself and I don't also read that many Canadian authors and this book gave me a chance to.
This book definitely had some things that I really enjoyed in it and I am glad that I had a chance to read it even though I did have some problems with it.
The Verdict:
Song For A Lost Kingdom is an interesting and entertaining read. A great first read of the series.
Do you want to read Song For A Lost Kingdom? Have you read it? Let me know in the comments!
September 6, 2018
Book Review: Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio
* I am reviewing this book that I received from the publisher but this in no way affects my review *
Title: Empire of SilenceAuthors: Christopher RuocchioSource: NetGalley/PublisherPublisher: GollanczRating: 4/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
Hadrian Marlowe, a man revered as a hero and despised as a murderer, chronicles his tale in the galaxy-spanning debut of the Sun Eater series, merging the best of space opera and epic fantasy.
It was not his war.
On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe started down a path that could only end in fire. The galaxy remembers him as a hero: the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a monster: the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human lives--even the Emperor himself--against Imperial orders.
But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier.
Fleeing his father and a future as a torturer, Hadrian finds himself stranded on a strange, backwater world. Forced to fight as a gladiator and into the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, he will find himself fight a war he did not start, for an Empire, he does not love, against an enemy he will never understand.
Book Review:
I was actually really excited to read this as I had seen a lot of hype about the book up to its release and after. This made me really interested as I don't read as much sci-fi as I would like to but I wanted to push myself out of my YA comfort zone and try this one. If you hadn't seen by the rating I was so glad that I did as Empire of Silence is a thrilling and exciting sci-fi read that more people should read.
I think that I was shocked by the size. I had had this book for the longest time before pre-publication but I was daunted by it. I then decided that I should split up the book by reading four chapters a day. This definitely helped ease me into what can be a confusing world with so many planets but Christopher does an amazing job of building up the world and making everything so easy to understand that it did not hinder my reading experience. I also got 100 pages deep into this book before I was completely sucked in and needed to know what was going to happen. The other 600 pages were great from that point. (I believe that the finished edition is around 600 pages long whereas mine was around 700.)
Hadrian is such an interesting and likeable character and is someone that is so easy to empathise with throughout the story. I thought that he was going to be a completely dislikable due to the situation that we find the story as it is told with him looking back on his life before he is going to be killed. This was not the case and I really loved him as a character and at times I feel like he was really out of his depth which makes for some interesting plot developments as the story progresses. This is the first book in the series so I would love to see where his character develops in the rest of the series and to see who he interacts with. The side characters were also really fleshed out and I fell in love with them too but the plot does cover a lot of ground so I wish we would see more from others.
I felt like the plot moved at such a fast pace and I loved this. I feel like Christopher really wanted Hadrian to suffer in the book which means that this makes for really interesting storytelling. I also love the scope of this book. It shows the idea that this world is massive but only gives us smaller details which leave the reader wanting so much more and wanting the next book. There was just so much to love from this book and I loved so much from it. I can't wait to read the sequel but for now I can just live in how good this one is.
The Verdict:
Empire of Silence is a great sci-fi read with immersive world-building and lovable characters trying to their way in a very complex world.
Have you read Empire of Silence? Do you want to? Let me know!
Title: Empire of SilenceAuthors: Christopher RuocchioSource: NetGalley/PublisherPublisher: GollanczRating: 4/5 stars( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
Hadrian Marlowe, a man revered as a hero and despised as a murderer, chronicles his tale in the galaxy-spanning debut of the Sun Eater series, merging the best of space opera and epic fantasy.
It was not his war.
On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe started down a path that could only end in fire. The galaxy remembers him as a hero: the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a monster: the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human lives--even the Emperor himself--against Imperial orders.
But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier.
Fleeing his father and a future as a torturer, Hadrian finds himself stranded on a strange, backwater world. Forced to fight as a gladiator and into the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, he will find himself fight a war he did not start, for an Empire, he does not love, against an enemy he will never understand.
Book Review:
I was actually really excited to read this as I had seen a lot of hype about the book up to its release and after. This made me really interested as I don't read as much sci-fi as I would like to but I wanted to push myself out of my YA comfort zone and try this one. If you hadn't seen by the rating I was so glad that I did as Empire of Silence is a thrilling and exciting sci-fi read that more people should read.
I think that I was shocked by the size. I had had this book for the longest time before pre-publication but I was daunted by it. I then decided that I should split up the book by reading four chapters a day. This definitely helped ease me into what can be a confusing world with so many planets but Christopher does an amazing job of building up the world and making everything so easy to understand that it did not hinder my reading experience. I also got 100 pages deep into this book before I was completely sucked in and needed to know what was going to happen. The other 600 pages were great from that point. (I believe that the finished edition is around 600 pages long whereas mine was around 700.)
Hadrian is such an interesting and likeable character and is someone that is so easy to empathise with throughout the story. I thought that he was going to be a completely dislikable due to the situation that we find the story as it is told with him looking back on his life before he is going to be killed. This was not the case and I really loved him as a character and at times I feel like he was really out of his depth which makes for some interesting plot developments as the story progresses. This is the first book in the series so I would love to see where his character develops in the rest of the series and to see who he interacts with. The side characters were also really fleshed out and I fell in love with them too but the plot does cover a lot of ground so I wish we would see more from others.
I felt like the plot moved at such a fast pace and I loved this. I feel like Christopher really wanted Hadrian to suffer in the book which means that this makes for really interesting storytelling. I also love the scope of this book. It shows the idea that this world is massive but only gives us smaller details which leave the reader wanting so much more and wanting the next book. There was just so much to love from this book and I loved so much from it. I can't wait to read the sequel but for now I can just live in how good this one is.
The Verdict:
Empire of Silence is a great sci-fi read with immersive world-building and lovable characters trying to their way in a very complex world.
Have you read Empire of Silence? Do you want to? Let me know!
September 4, 2018
ARC August Wrap Up
It is finally September which means that August is over and for me, that means that ARC August is over. ARC August was the idea that you could catch up on all of your ARC whether they had been released or not.
I used this opportunity to catch up on both reviews and ARCs and although the first half of the month was going so well. The second half of the month did not. I'm a mood reader so I read a lot of books that I was in the mood for which was good because I really wanted to read some of the books. I did, however, get all the reviews I wanted to post out which means I am a lot less behind than I was before. So overall it was a good month and I read 13 books I think. So let's get started...
Book I Wanted to Review and Did
Purple Hearts by Michael Grant (Link)
Out Of The Blue by Sophie Cameron (Link)
Final Draft by Riley Redgate (Link)
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui (Link)
Ascension by Victor Dixen (Link)
She Must Be Mad by Charly Cox (Link)
Bone by Yrsa Daley-Ward (Link)
Secrets for the Mad by dodie (Link)
Starstruck by Jenny McLachlan (Link)
Wild Embers by Nikita Gill (Link)
Pardon My Heart by Marcus Jackson (Link)
The Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles (Link)
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Link)
Golden Skies by Juan Zapata (Link)
Books I also reviewed:
Floored by Various YA authors (Link)
Books I want to read:
Floored by Various YA authors
The Hidden Face by S. C. Flynn
Keeper of the Dawn by Dianna Gunn
The Iron Web by Kristin Ravelle
Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio
Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine
The Search Of Us by Ava Dellaria
Everything All At Once by Steven Camden
Clean by Juno Dawson
A Pocketful of Crows by Joanna Harris
Giant Days by Non Pratt
Puddin' by Julie Murphy
Golden Skies by Juan Zapata
Books I Read On My TBR:
Puddin' by Julie Murphy Rating: 4/5 stars
Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio Rating: 4/5 stars
Floored by Various YA authors Rating: 5/5 stars
The Iron Web by Kristin Ravelle Rating: 3/5 stars
Golden Skies by Juan Zapata Rating: 3/5 stars
(Look out for reviews on these coming soon except Floored and Golden Skies which are already on my blog!)
Books I Read That Were Not On My TBR:
Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes by Holly Bourne
Rating: 5/5 stars
I really did love this book. It was a great look into mental health and continues my love for Holly Bourne. In my eyes, Holly can do no wrong. I loved the whole concept and found Olive to be a great character. Just remember #KindnessisContagious.
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
Rating: 4/5 stars
The only way that I can describe this book is weird but I really enjoyed it. It is basically a book that explores witchcraft and zombies. It is a unique premise that is done so well that I really liked it. The characters were great to read about. I felt like the first 20 or so pages were not as captivating but the rest was a fast and likeable read.
Breadfruit by Malika Booker
Rating: 3/5 stars
A short but powerful poetry collection. I really enjoyed it and would love to read more of their work.
Ginder Kid by Steve Hofstetter
Rating: 4/5 stars
I didn't really know what this was about when I picked it up at YALC but I ended up really enjoying it. It was a great memoir that looks at Steve's experiences in high school and growing up in school and is definitely worth the read.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Rating: 4/5 stars
Due to The Darkest Minds not being released in the UK until last year, I had kind of lost interest in reading it but I saw they had signed copies at YALC and picked one up. I ended up really enjoying it and as a person who still reads dystopia books, I still connected to it. I just feel like if I had read it a few years ago it might have got 5 stars but I am happy to continue with the series.
Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
Rating: 5/5 stars
I wasn't a massive fan of Lady Midnight but I still really liked it but I finally wanted to read Lord of Shadows. Lord of Shadows is just so good. I have so many feelings that I have not got over. I do just want Queen of Air and Darkness now.
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
Rating: 4/5 stars
I feel like Queens of Geek is the one that I want to talk the most about. I feel like it is just a nerdy and cute story but it is also wildly diverse. I think that so many people will get so much about and from this book. It is definitely worth the read.
Half A Creature From The Sea by David Almond
Rating: 4/5 stars
I was mainly interested in this one for the cover and also because I really enjoyed a short story that I read from David Almond last year. I did really like this one too, it showed how David was really inspired by his childhood and all the stories were set in the North of England which I liked to read about. It was a quick and interesting read.
What did you read this month? Did you do ARC August? Let me know!
See you soon,
Amy
I used this opportunity to catch up on both reviews and ARCs and although the first half of the month was going so well. The second half of the month did not. I'm a mood reader so I read a lot of books that I was in the mood for which was good because I really wanted to read some of the books. I did, however, get all the reviews I wanted to post out which means I am a lot less behind than I was before. So overall it was a good month and I read 13 books I think. So let's get started...
Book I Wanted to Review and Did
Purple Hearts by Michael Grant (Link)
Out Of The Blue by Sophie Cameron (Link)
Final Draft by Riley Redgate (Link)
The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui (Link)
Ascension by Victor Dixen (Link)
She Must Be Mad by Charly Cox (Link)
Bone by Yrsa Daley-Ward (Link)
Secrets for the Mad by dodie (Link)
Starstruck by Jenny McLachlan (Link)
Wild Embers by Nikita Gill (Link)
Pardon My Heart by Marcus Jackson (Link)
The Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles (Link)
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Link)
Golden Skies by Juan Zapata (Link)
Books I also reviewed:
Floored by Various YA authors (Link)
Books I want to read:
Floored by Various YA authors
The Hidden Face by S. C. Flynn
Keeper of the Dawn by Dianna Gunn
The Iron Web by Kristin Ravelle
Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio
Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine
The Search Of Us by Ava Dellaria
Everything All At Once by Steven Camden
Clean by Juno Dawson
A Pocketful of Crows by Joanna Harris
Giant Days by Non Pratt
Puddin' by Julie Murphy
Golden Skies by Juan Zapata
Books I Read On My TBR:
Puddin' by Julie Murphy Rating: 4/5 stars
Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio Rating: 4/5 stars
Floored by Various YA authors Rating: 5/5 stars
The Iron Web by Kristin Ravelle Rating: 3/5 stars
Golden Skies by Juan Zapata Rating: 3/5 stars
(Look out for reviews on these coming soon except Floored and Golden Skies which are already on my blog!)
Books I Read That Were Not On My TBR:
Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes by Holly Bourne
Rating: 5/5 stars
I really did love this book. It was a great look into mental health and continues my love for Holly Bourne. In my eyes, Holly can do no wrong. I loved the whole concept and found Olive to be a great character. Just remember #KindnessisContagious.
Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
Rating: 4/5 stars
The only way that I can describe this book is weird but I really enjoyed it. It is basically a book that explores witchcraft and zombies. It is a unique premise that is done so well that I really liked it. The characters were great to read about. I felt like the first 20 or so pages were not as captivating but the rest was a fast and likeable read.
Breadfruit by Malika Booker
Rating: 3/5 stars
A short but powerful poetry collection. I really enjoyed it and would love to read more of their work.
Ginder Kid by Steve Hofstetter
Rating: 4/5 stars
I didn't really know what this was about when I picked it up at YALC but I ended up really enjoying it. It was a great memoir that looks at Steve's experiences in high school and growing up in school and is definitely worth the read.
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Rating: 4/5 stars
Due to The Darkest Minds not being released in the UK until last year, I had kind of lost interest in reading it but I saw they had signed copies at YALC and picked one up. I ended up really enjoying it and as a person who still reads dystopia books, I still connected to it. I just feel like if I had read it a few years ago it might have got 5 stars but I am happy to continue with the series.
Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
Rating: 5/5 stars
I wasn't a massive fan of Lady Midnight but I still really liked it but I finally wanted to read Lord of Shadows. Lord of Shadows is just so good. I have so many feelings that I have not got over. I do just want Queen of Air and Darkness now.
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
Rating: 4/5 stars
I feel like Queens of Geek is the one that I want to talk the most about. I feel like it is just a nerdy and cute story but it is also wildly diverse. I think that so many people will get so much about and from this book. It is definitely worth the read.
Half A Creature From The Sea by David Almond
Rating: 4/5 stars
I was mainly interested in this one for the cover and also because I really enjoyed a short story that I read from David Almond last year. I did really like this one too, it showed how David was really inspired by his childhood and all the stories were set in the North of England which I liked to read about. It was a quick and interesting read.
What did you read this month? Did you do ARC August? Let me know!
See you soon,
Amy
August 30, 2018
Book Review: Purple Hearts By Michael Grant
* I am reviewing this book for a blog tour but this in no way affects my review *
Title: Purple HeartsAuthors: Michael GrantSource: NetGalleyPublisher: Egmont/Electric MonkeyRating: 5/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
T hird and final instalment of this critically acclaimed young adult alternative historical series that began with Front Lines and Silver Stars
It's 1944, and it feels to everyone like the war will never end. Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr and Rainie Shulterman have all received accolades, been 'heroes', earned promotion - in short, they've all done 'enough' to allow them to leave this nightmare and go home. But they don't.
D-Day, June 6th 1944. On that day, many still doubted the American soldier.
By June 7th no one did.
Book Review:
This review has been a long time coming since I love the other two book in the series it was no surprise that I devoured this one. Purple Hearts is a wonderful end to this series. I laughed. I cried. It was just great.
I think that why I am so attached to this series is because I adore all of the characters. They are just so great. I wanted them to be OK throughout the whole thing which is probably why I was close to tears by the end. Scratch that I think I did let out a couple at the end. The finale of this was just so heartbreaking and if it would have ended like that I would have been very annoyed but we are given obituaries for all of the characters after which I loved. I felt like their journeys were complete and we had gone full circle and their character development was so great.
The story was also told with an unknown narrator from the first book which was finally revealed in this book and I was happy to say that I got it right. I was actually happy that I got it right as they were one of my favourite characters and deserved all of the hype. They were still all important but I really like that they were given their time.
I also enjoyed the plot in this book especially Rainey's arc because at the end it was so raw and emotional, I can't get over how good it was. All of their arcs were really strong and I do love Jenou and Rio's arc especially as it touched on cowardice which is something that is not explored in WWII stories so I loved this. Of course, there was a lot of action and violence which is Michael Grant's trademark. This is obviously done well and I loved it especially as my faves were in danger and I wanted them to survive. Basically, I love the Soldier Girl series and Purple Heart is no except. It is one of my favourite books of the year and I loved it.
The Verdict:
Purple Hearts is a perfect finale to the series. I just wish there were more books so I can live with all the characters forever.
Title: Purple HeartsAuthors: Michael GrantSource: NetGalleyPublisher: Egmont/Electric MonkeyRating: 5/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
T hird and final instalment of this critically acclaimed young adult alternative historical series that began with Front Lines and Silver Stars
It's 1944, and it feels to everyone like the war will never end. Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr and Rainie Shulterman have all received accolades, been 'heroes', earned promotion - in short, they've all done 'enough' to allow them to leave this nightmare and go home. But they don't.
D-Day, June 6th 1944. On that day, many still doubted the American soldier.
By June 7th no one did.
Book Review:
This review has been a long time coming since I love the other two book in the series it was no surprise that I devoured this one. Purple Hearts is a wonderful end to this series. I laughed. I cried. It was just great.
I think that why I am so attached to this series is because I adore all of the characters. They are just so great. I wanted them to be OK throughout the whole thing which is probably why I was close to tears by the end. Scratch that I think I did let out a couple at the end. The finale of this was just so heartbreaking and if it would have ended like that I would have been very annoyed but we are given obituaries for all of the characters after which I loved. I felt like their journeys were complete and we had gone full circle and their character development was so great.
The story was also told with an unknown narrator from the first book which was finally revealed in this book and I was happy to say that I got it right. I was actually happy that I got it right as they were one of my favourite characters and deserved all of the hype. They were still all important but I really like that they were given their time.
I also enjoyed the plot in this book especially Rainey's arc because at the end it was so raw and emotional, I can't get over how good it was. All of their arcs were really strong and I do love Jenou and Rio's arc especially as it touched on cowardice which is something that is not explored in WWII stories so I loved this. Of course, there was a lot of action and violence which is Michael Grant's trademark. This is obviously done well and I loved it especially as my faves were in danger and I wanted them to survive. Basically, I love the Soldier Girl series and Purple Heart is no except. It is one of my favourite books of the year and I loved it.
The Verdict:
Purple Hearts is a perfect finale to the series. I just wish there were more books so I can live with all the characters forever.
August 28, 2018
Book Review: Out Of The Blue by Sophie Cameron
* I am reviewing this book for a blog tour but this in no way affects my review *
Title: Out Of The Blue Authors: Sophie Cameron Source: PublisherPublisher: Pan Macmillian/ MyKindaBookRating: 5/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
Sometimes, I imagine alternate endings to the story: last-minute miracles, touches of magic. I picture how things might have gone, if I wasn’t there. If I’d left just a few minutes later. If I hadn’t been alone. It doesn’t make any difference. One way or another, the crash always comes.
Ten days after Jaya Mackenzie’s mum dies, angels start falling from the sky. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single one has survived.
Hysteria mounting with every Being that drops, Jaya’s father uproots the family to Edinburgh intent on catching one alive. But Jaya can’t stand this obsession and, struggling to make sense of her mother’s sudden death and her own role on that fateful day, she’s determined to stay out of it.
When her best friend disappears and her father’s mania spirals, things hit rock bottom and it’s at that moment something extraordinary happens: An angel lands right at Jaya’s feet, and it’s alive. Finally she is forced to acknowledge just how significant these celestial beings are.
Set against the backdrop of the frenzied Edinburgh festival, OUT OF THE BLUE tackles questions of grief and guilt and fear over who we really are. But it’s also about love and acceptance and finding your place in this world as angels drop out of another.
Book Review:
I was really excited to hear when Sophie was publishing a book. I had been following her on Twitter for a while so when I heard about Out Of The Blue I was really excited to read it. Out of the Blue was a wonderful read with its diverse character and a great story, OotB is worth the read.
One of the things that struck me about Out of the Blue is the Edinburgh backdrop as I am just really interested in that as a setting. I think that it was increased due to the setting being as part of the Edinburgh festival. This gave it a bustling city which added to the idea of the story. Also with UKYA many of them are set in London so with this being set in Scotland this made it different and stand out.
I also love the characters in the book, Jaya and the relationship with her sisters and her dad. The relationship with her Dad is complex and the way that it progresses is interesting as she deals with the situation at hand as he is the main reason that they are there. The relationships that Jaya also forms in the book especially with the love interest in this book is great and I love finding lesbian romances elements in the book. The romance was done really well and I loved that she had cystic fibrous as this isn't seen in YA a whole lot so I love that it explored this topic. The book is also diverse with a biracial main character and family which again is something that I love to seek out in books.
The whole concept of this book is also great and it is a great combination of magical realism. Sophie makes the whole idea of angels falling from the sky believable and I especially love that she was inspired by the Lynx advert where angels fall from the sky. The character of Teacake who is the angel that falls from the sky is so great and I think that for a character who can't understand the language, Sophie did a great job of exploring this. This book also deals a lot with grief which was explored really well and I loved how it was dealt with. I can't fault this book it was just so great.
The Verdict:
Out of the Blue is a magical and whimsical YA novel that wonderfully explores grief and the supernatural. It is a wonderful read and was one of my favourite books of last year!
Have you read Out Of The Blue? Did you like it? Do you want to read it?
Title: Out Of The Blue Authors: Sophie Cameron Source: PublisherPublisher: Pan Macmillian/ MyKindaBookRating: 5/5 stars
( Goodreads |Amazon)
Book Summary:
Sometimes, I imagine alternate endings to the story: last-minute miracles, touches of magic. I picture how things might have gone, if I wasn’t there. If I’d left just a few minutes later. If I hadn’t been alone. It doesn’t make any difference. One way or another, the crash always comes.
Ten days after Jaya Mackenzie’s mum dies, angels start falling from the sky. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single one has survived.
Hysteria mounting with every Being that drops, Jaya’s father uproots the family to Edinburgh intent on catching one alive. But Jaya can’t stand this obsession and, struggling to make sense of her mother’s sudden death and her own role on that fateful day, she’s determined to stay out of it.
When her best friend disappears and her father’s mania spirals, things hit rock bottom and it’s at that moment something extraordinary happens: An angel lands right at Jaya’s feet, and it’s alive. Finally she is forced to acknowledge just how significant these celestial beings are.
Set against the backdrop of the frenzied Edinburgh festival, OUT OF THE BLUE tackles questions of grief and guilt and fear over who we really are. But it’s also about love and acceptance and finding your place in this world as angels drop out of another.
Book Review:
I was really excited to hear when Sophie was publishing a book. I had been following her on Twitter for a while so when I heard about Out Of The Blue I was really excited to read it. Out of the Blue was a wonderful read with its diverse character and a great story, OotB is worth the read.
One of the things that struck me about Out of the Blue is the Edinburgh backdrop as I am just really interested in that as a setting. I think that it was increased due to the setting being as part of the Edinburgh festival. This gave it a bustling city which added to the idea of the story. Also with UKYA many of them are set in London so with this being set in Scotland this made it different and stand out.
I also love the characters in the book, Jaya and the relationship with her sisters and her dad. The relationship with her Dad is complex and the way that it progresses is interesting as she deals with the situation at hand as he is the main reason that they are there. The relationships that Jaya also forms in the book especially with the love interest in this book is great and I love finding lesbian romances elements in the book. The romance was done really well and I loved that she had cystic fibrous as this isn't seen in YA a whole lot so I love that it explored this topic. The book is also diverse with a biracial main character and family which again is something that I love to seek out in books.
The whole concept of this book is also great and it is a great combination of magical realism. Sophie makes the whole idea of angels falling from the sky believable and I especially love that she was inspired by the Lynx advert where angels fall from the sky. The character of Teacake who is the angel that falls from the sky is so great and I think that for a character who can't understand the language, Sophie did a great job of exploring this. This book also deals a lot with grief which was explored really well and I loved how it was dealt with. I can't fault this book it was just so great.
The Verdict:
Out of the Blue is a magical and whimsical YA novel that wonderfully explores grief and the supernatural. It is a wonderful read and was one of my favourite books of last year!
Have you read Out Of The Blue? Did you like it? Do you want to read it?
August 23, 2018
BLOG TOUR: Golden Skies by Juan Zapata Book Review
*I am reviewing this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *
Title: Golden SkiesAuthor: Juan ZapataPublisher: Owl Hollow PressSource: Digital Reads Blog Tour Rating: 3/5 stars
(Amazon|Goodreads)
Book Summary:
As a boy, Malik watched an army of religious zealots swarm his hometown, slaughtering his people and running his beloved grandfather through with a black sword. Nine years later, Malik still believes there's peace...somewhere. At least that's what he tells himself as his body is ripped apart by whips at a conversion camp. That's what his best friend whispers as he frantically creates new force technology and jetpacks to rescue Malik. Yet when war bursts through the skies and the sky troopers, assassins, and heroes fall, when the world comes crashing down, Malik Zzoha stands amidst the sands to lead a band of friends and revolutionaries to face his tyrannical, zealot father, determined to free the people he loves.
Book Review:
When I first heard about Golden Skies, I was interested in the premise as it was definitely unlike any sci-fi book that I had read before and this was something that translated on the page. Golden Skies is a unique and deeply fascinating sci-fi story that is worth the read.
Although there were many positives about the book there were also things that I didn't love. From the get-go, I felt kind of uncomfortable with the links with Islamic extremism that I saw in the book. Maybe this was not the point but I did see it in the story and I don't know it didn't sit right with me but I know the author had beta readers so it might have been for this reason. I also had problems with the writing at times a lot of the sentences were short which threw me off and I didn't love some of the language used but it did not affect the story that much.
I also did like the writing at times especially for a debut author, it was good sometimes and I do think that it was there for the characters who were flawed and would have used the language that was written. I also did like Malik as the main character and he was a complex character in his actions and he believed in all the actions that he took. The book also really doesn't have a focus on romance which I also really enjoyed and it didn't take away from the story at hand that didn't need and have time for romance.
The story is also captivating and is fast-paced. I wanted to continue reading as I had no idea where the story was going and this is quite unusual for me as I find a lot of plots to be predictable. I really also enjoyed the end, it ended neatly and didn't really need a sequel so if it is a stand-alone then that is great as you don't find many of them. If there is a sequel I would be more than happy to read it and find out where the story progresses.
The Verdict:
Golden Skies is a book that captures the mind and is a great first debut book with few flaws.
Have you read Golden Skies? If so, did you like it? Do you want to?
Title: Golden SkiesAuthor: Juan ZapataPublisher: Owl Hollow PressSource: Digital Reads Blog Tour Rating: 3/5 stars
(Amazon|Goodreads)
Book Summary:
As a boy, Malik watched an army of religious zealots swarm his hometown, slaughtering his people and running his beloved grandfather through with a black sword. Nine years later, Malik still believes there's peace...somewhere. At least that's what he tells himself as his body is ripped apart by whips at a conversion camp. That's what his best friend whispers as he frantically creates new force technology and jetpacks to rescue Malik. Yet when war bursts through the skies and the sky troopers, assassins, and heroes fall, when the world comes crashing down, Malik Zzoha stands amidst the sands to lead a band of friends and revolutionaries to face his tyrannical, zealot father, determined to free the people he loves.
Book Review:
When I first heard about Golden Skies, I was interested in the premise as it was definitely unlike any sci-fi book that I had read before and this was something that translated on the page. Golden Skies is a unique and deeply fascinating sci-fi story that is worth the read.
Although there were many positives about the book there were also things that I didn't love. From the get-go, I felt kind of uncomfortable with the links with Islamic extremism that I saw in the book. Maybe this was not the point but I did see it in the story and I don't know it didn't sit right with me but I know the author had beta readers so it might have been for this reason. I also had problems with the writing at times a lot of the sentences were short which threw me off and I didn't love some of the language used but it did not affect the story that much.
I also did like the writing at times especially for a debut author, it was good sometimes and I do think that it was there for the characters who were flawed and would have used the language that was written. I also did like Malik as the main character and he was a complex character in his actions and he believed in all the actions that he took. The book also really doesn't have a focus on romance which I also really enjoyed and it didn't take away from the story at hand that didn't need and have time for romance.
The story is also captivating and is fast-paced. I wanted to continue reading as I had no idea where the story was going and this is quite unusual for me as I find a lot of plots to be predictable. I really also enjoyed the end, it ended neatly and didn't really need a sequel so if it is a stand-alone then that is great as you don't find many of them. If there is a sequel I would be more than happy to read it and find out where the story progresses.
The Verdict:
Golden Skies is a book that captures the mind and is a great first debut book with few flaws.
Have you read Golden Skies? If so, did you like it? Do you want to?
August 21, 2018
Two Book Reviews: Final Draft by Riley Redgate and The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
* I am reviewing this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. *
Title: Final DraftAuthor: Riley RedgatePublisher: Abrams & Chronicle Source: PublisherRating: 5/5 stars
(Amazon|Goodreads)
Book Summary:
Laila Piedra doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, and definitely doesn’t sneak into the 21-and-over clubs on the Lower East Side. The only sort of risk Laila enjoys is the peril she writes for the characters in her stories: epic sci-fi worlds full of quests, forbidden love, and robots. Her creative writing teacher has always told her she has a special talent. But three months before graduation, Laila’s number one fan is replaced by Nadiya Nazarenko, a Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist who sees nothing at all special about Laila’s writing. A growing obsession with gaining Nazarenko’s approval―and fixing her first-ever failing grade―leads to a series of unexpected adventures. Soon Laila is discovering the psychedelic highs and perilous lows of nightlife, and the beauty of temporary flings and ambiguity. But with her sanity and happiness on the line, Laila must figure out if enduring the unendurable really is the only way to greatness.
Book Review:
When I first heard about Final Draft I was so excited about the concept as it kind of reminded me of Whiplash one of my favourite films. Although this is kind of similar Final Draft is so much more than being compared to Whiplash. Both are amazing in their own right and should be read and watched by many. Final Draft is one of my favourite books of the year. I devoured it. I loved it. I want everyone to read it.
I think that one of the main reasons why I loved Final Draft was because I loved the idea of a book centred around writing and to me, this really works. Laila is told by her teacher that her writing is perfect but this changes when something happens and her teacher is replaced. Her writing then has flaws. It's not perfect. Seeing Laila realise this and see how she deals with making the novel so engrossing and captured my heart. I think that in doing so Laila discovers more about herself which is obviously so great. She also discovered rejection which as an aspiring writer you know that this is the ultimate obsactle in writing so seeing her fix this was highly relatable to me.
I also loved the relationships in the book especially between Laila and her teachers. The relationship between Laila and her first teacher was so great and seeing their relationship change and adapt is the main driving force behind the novel so is the main lynchpin. This being so great therefore makes the book great. I also like the different relationship between her teacher Nadiya as it highlights the idea that different teachers can achieve different things and have different styles. It was complicated and I liked that.
Her other relationships are also well done and Redgate's characters are extremely diverse which is always a great thing in reading YA books. Laila is also biracial and as someone who actively likes reading books with POCs, this is definitely a good one. This book is also so short but Redgate manages to achieve so much is such a small space. I did just love this book!
The Verdict:
Final Draft is a great piece of YA that captured my heart and imagination and should capture yours too.
Title: The Best We Could DoAuthor: Thi BuiPublisher: Abrams & Chronicle Source: PublisherRating: 4/5 stars
(Amazon|Goodreads)
Book Summary:
An intimate and poignant graphic novel portraying one family’s journey from war-torn Vietnam from debut author Thi Bui.
This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves.
At the heart of Bui’s story is a universal struggle: While adjusting to life as a first-time mother, she ultimately discovers what it means to be a parent—the endless sacrifices, the unnoticed gestures, and the depths of unspoken love. Despite how impossible it seems to take on the simultaneous roles of both parent and child, Bui pushes through. With haunting, poetic writing and breathtaking art, she examines the strength of family, the importance of identity, and the meaning of home.
In what Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen calls “a book to break your heart and heal it,” The Best We Could Do brings to life Thi Bui’s journey of understanding and provides inspiration to all of those who search for a better future while longing for a simpler past.
Book Review:
I was really excited to read The Best We Could Do after reading other graphic memoirs in the same vein. The Best We Could Do definitely lived up to the hype surrounding it as well as other memoirs surrounding similar topics. It's emotional, interesting and definitely worth the read.
For me, a graphic novel has to do three things, have great artwork, have a great story and have great writing and The Best We Could Do has all three. The story captivated me detailing Bui life from Vietnam to America. It details the struggles that they have in America especially when it comes to parenthood as well as detailing her struggle of coming to America. I enjoy reading books like this as they show me how much privilege I have and the struggles of others. I hope that by reading more books like this it will benefit me and allow these stories to be heard.
I also really enjoyed the writing of the story and how it was told. Obviously, a graphic novel format is different from a typical novel but I think that this worked perfectly for this memoir. Bui's writing is great and gets across the struggles that she had. It makes it so much more real and thus more personal to read about. You get a feel for her struggle and people can feel for the story at hand.
I also really enjoy the artwork. It has a more ethnic style that is kind of rough around the edges but I really like this style as it shows that it is more real and is not as polished. I don't know I just really like it and it does add to the book at hand.
The Verdict:
The Best We Could Do is a great graphic memoir that is sweet and emotional which is all the best parts of a book.
Have you read Final Draft or The Best We Could Do? Do you want to?
Title: Final DraftAuthor: Riley RedgatePublisher: Abrams & Chronicle Source: PublisherRating: 5/5 stars
(Amazon|Goodreads)
Book Summary:
Laila Piedra doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, and definitely doesn’t sneak into the 21-and-over clubs on the Lower East Side. The only sort of risk Laila enjoys is the peril she writes for the characters in her stories: epic sci-fi worlds full of quests, forbidden love, and robots. Her creative writing teacher has always told her she has a special talent. But three months before graduation, Laila’s number one fan is replaced by Nadiya Nazarenko, a Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist who sees nothing at all special about Laila’s writing. A growing obsession with gaining Nazarenko’s approval―and fixing her first-ever failing grade―leads to a series of unexpected adventures. Soon Laila is discovering the psychedelic highs and perilous lows of nightlife, and the beauty of temporary flings and ambiguity. But with her sanity and happiness on the line, Laila must figure out if enduring the unendurable really is the only way to greatness.
Book Review:
When I first heard about Final Draft I was so excited about the concept as it kind of reminded me of Whiplash one of my favourite films. Although this is kind of similar Final Draft is so much more than being compared to Whiplash. Both are amazing in their own right and should be read and watched by many. Final Draft is one of my favourite books of the year. I devoured it. I loved it. I want everyone to read it.
I think that one of the main reasons why I loved Final Draft was because I loved the idea of a book centred around writing and to me, this really works. Laila is told by her teacher that her writing is perfect but this changes when something happens and her teacher is replaced. Her writing then has flaws. It's not perfect. Seeing Laila realise this and see how she deals with making the novel so engrossing and captured my heart. I think that in doing so Laila discovers more about herself which is obviously so great. She also discovered rejection which as an aspiring writer you know that this is the ultimate obsactle in writing so seeing her fix this was highly relatable to me.
I also loved the relationships in the book especially between Laila and her teachers. The relationship between Laila and her first teacher was so great and seeing their relationship change and adapt is the main driving force behind the novel so is the main lynchpin. This being so great therefore makes the book great. I also like the different relationship between her teacher Nadiya as it highlights the idea that different teachers can achieve different things and have different styles. It was complicated and I liked that.
Her other relationships are also well done and Redgate's characters are extremely diverse which is always a great thing in reading YA books. Laila is also biracial and as someone who actively likes reading books with POCs, this is definitely a good one. This book is also so short but Redgate manages to achieve so much is such a small space. I did just love this book!
The Verdict:
Final Draft is a great piece of YA that captured my heart and imagination and should capture yours too.
Title: The Best We Could DoAuthor: Thi BuiPublisher: Abrams & Chronicle Source: PublisherRating: 4/5 stars
(Amazon|Goodreads)
Book Summary:
An intimate and poignant graphic novel portraying one family’s journey from war-torn Vietnam from debut author Thi Bui.
This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves.
At the heart of Bui’s story is a universal struggle: While adjusting to life as a first-time mother, she ultimately discovers what it means to be a parent—the endless sacrifices, the unnoticed gestures, and the depths of unspoken love. Despite how impossible it seems to take on the simultaneous roles of both parent and child, Bui pushes through. With haunting, poetic writing and breathtaking art, she examines the strength of family, the importance of identity, and the meaning of home.
In what Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen calls “a book to break your heart and heal it,” The Best We Could Do brings to life Thi Bui’s journey of understanding and provides inspiration to all of those who search for a better future while longing for a simpler past.
Book Review:
I was really excited to read The Best We Could Do after reading other graphic memoirs in the same vein. The Best We Could Do definitely lived up to the hype surrounding it as well as other memoirs surrounding similar topics. It's emotional, interesting and definitely worth the read.
For me, a graphic novel has to do three things, have great artwork, have a great story and have great writing and The Best We Could Do has all three. The story captivated me detailing Bui life from Vietnam to America. It details the struggles that they have in America especially when it comes to parenthood as well as detailing her struggle of coming to America. I enjoy reading books like this as they show me how much privilege I have and the struggles of others. I hope that by reading more books like this it will benefit me and allow these stories to be heard.
I also really enjoyed the writing of the story and how it was told. Obviously, a graphic novel format is different from a typical novel but I think that this worked perfectly for this memoir. Bui's writing is great and gets across the struggles that she had. It makes it so much more real and thus more personal to read about. You get a feel for her struggle and people can feel for the story at hand.
I also really enjoy the artwork. It has a more ethnic style that is kind of rough around the edges but I really like this style as it shows that it is more real and is not as polished. I don't know I just really like it and it does add to the book at hand.
The Verdict:
The Best We Could Do is a great graphic memoir that is sweet and emotional which is all the best parts of a book.
Have you read Final Draft or The Best We Could Do? Do you want to?
