Our July Favorites & August TBR

Hi friends!! Hope you've had some good reading in July! Here's what we loved and what we are looking forward to next month!

JULY FAVORITES

Jamie's Pick

God Shaped Hole
If you are wondering if this is a religious novel because of the title, not at all. You'll see what the "god-shaped hole" is that they talk about but the main characters aren't religious. But wow wow wow this book! This book WRECKED me and had me up until 2am reading (and sobbing) which is BIG for me. It's an adult fiction pick and just a great story about love. Read my full review!

 

Lauren's Pick

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

This book was just too cute and was exactly what I needed at the time. It was light and I blew through it in just a few days. You will fall in love with all of the characters without even realizing it.

Bridget's Pick

Orphan Number Eight by Kim van Alkemade

This book had so many great elements: history, horror, a little bit of romance (just enough to be sweet and not barfy)—sooo good. If it sounds like something you'd be interested in, check out my other blog in a few days for my review and an ARC giveaway!

ON OUR TBR FOR AUGUST

Jamie's Pick

Legacy of Kings
I am so excited for this historical fantasy -- ALEXANDER THE GREAT! The author knows her crap too when it comes to history so it's very promising!

 

Lauren's Pick

The Circle by Dave Eggers

This book has been on my TBR list for way too long and it seems like I would that I would just adore. It's time to shove some books aside and make this one a priority!

Bridget's Pick

Early One Morning

I think I might keep with my historical fiction theme after reading Orphan Number Eight and loving it. In the past, historical fiction hasn't really been my "thing," but it's been tickling my fancy recently. This one sounds really good! 

Tell us your favorite book you read in July and a book you are planning to read in August!

Lauren Reviews An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir 
Published: April 2015 by Razorbill
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 Stars

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do. But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

I did a buddy read on this book with some fantastic ladies I met on Instagram. We all had the book and had kept putting it off and so we banded together to tackle this one. I really enjoyed this book. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars from me is because of Laia. She has done everything so she can save her brother, but at the same time she kind of half-asses it. If you're going to spy, then spy. Don't tip toe around it. 

Other than that, the world building aspect of the novel was on par, as were the characters' personalities. I could easily understand and feel the emotions that each character portrayed, which is something I think every book needs. I do wish I could've known more about Helene. She isn't mentioned in the summary of the book or even in most reviews that I've read. She is not one of the two main characters, but I believe she had a HUGE role in this book and overall... she was just badass. She's like the female equivalent to Braveheart's William Wallace. 

This was a wonderful debut and everyone is excited that this will not be a stand-alone novel. I admit.. I'm excited too. I just know I'll forgot everything and have to re-read this before the sequel comes out. This gets taxing, but more often than not.. it's worth it. 

Ten Characters Who Are Fellow Book Nerds

For future Top Ten Tuesday topics & info on how to participate, click here!

This week's topic is inspired by Jamie's Top Ten Characters Who Love Words.

Lauren's Picks

1. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

The main character, Diana, in this book has centered her entire life around books. Albeit old ones, but fascinating books none the less. She studies them for a living and loves her job. Actually, I'm kind of jealous. 

2. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Tyrion Lannister from this series is the witty, mostly drunken, bookish man with smarts. He just may be one of the smartest characters in the series and he credits his intelligence to books often. 

Jamie's Picks

3. Celaena from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

There are MANY things I love about Celaena but I freaking loved that she was a reader. She feels sad that nobody reads the books in the library and uses her charm to get Dorian to allow her to read them (he gives her his favorite and wants to discuss them!!). She stays up too late reading and devours books left and right…all while waking up the next morning and being a badass.

4. Paige from Emery Lord’s The Start Of Me & You

She’s a writer and has aspirations to go to a summer screen writing program. She’s been dubbed “Grammar Girl” (a nickname she isn’t too fond of). She’s a bookworm who love to reread and when she was younger would sneak off to read at slumber parties (I FEEL YOU GIRL)! And she won’t back down from a debate about Jane Austen.

5. Liesel from Markus Zusack’s The Book Thief: 

Liesel is a voracious reader who even did some breaking and entering to get some reading material.

Julia's Picks

6. Hermione from Harry Potter

How can we make a list of book nerds and not include Hermione who is almost literally always reading? I loved that she was a reader and could relate a lot to her bookish tendencies as I grew up reading Harry Potter. Book nerds unite!

7. Isaac Vainio from Libriomancer

Isaac is a Libriomancer which means he is entrusted with the sacred art of being able to pull things out of books and use them in life. There are of course strict rules, but the rules are meant to be... bent right? By nature of his job, Isaac would have to be a reader if only to catalog all of the cool shit you could pull from stories, or the things that should be avoided.

Bridget's Picks

8. Quentin from The Magicians

Quentin is an Ivy League-bound high school senior who discovers, much to his surprise, that he is a magician, and is admitted to a secret college of magic in upstate New York called Brakebills. Since childhood, he's been obsessed with a Narnia-like series that takes place in a land called Fillory—but after graduating from Brakebills, he and his friends discover that Fillory is real, and it's in trouble.

9. Madeleine Hanna from The Marriage Plot

An English major in her senior year of college, Madeleine is writing her thesis on Jane Austen and George Eliot, purveyors of the marriage plot that is the central conceit of many of the greatest English novels. So—English major, loves Austen and Eliot...how could she not be a book nerd?!

Kimberly's Picks

10. Jess from Ink and Bone

In a world where owning books is illegal, Jess knows the true value of the printed word. To him, a book is almost literally priceless. (His father has a different opinion.) I've only just started this book, but it is already a love story to book nerds.

Who are some of your favorite book nerds in fiction??

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly link-up in the community where we provide a prompt and other lovers of listmaking join in on it with their own top ten list. Feel free to have less than 10 or more if you need to at times and put a spin on the topic if you need to! Just please link back to us if you are participating :)

To join, link up below with the URL to your blog POST (not your blog), your name and your email (which will remain hidden). Then bounce around the Linky!

	Brooke @ Brooke Reviews		Lina @ IKari		KissinBlueKaren
	Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook		Charleen @ Cheap Thrills		Jo @ Once Upon a Bookcase
	Marie @ Pages to Explore		Alyson @ Harry, Jane and John		Giselle @ Perks of Being a Reader
	Adrienne Gear		Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense		Eclectic Alli
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	Charlie @ Girl of 1000 Wonders		Ally @ The Scribbling Sprite		Brittany @ Brittany's Book Rambles
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	jill @ days at home		Julie @ Smiling Shelves		Christina @ Books and Prejudice
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	Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library		Wendy @ Falconer's Library		JJ@bookloversblog
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	Ryley @ The Paperback Princess		Elizabeth @Book YAbber		Melissa @ Around the World in Books
	Mikayla @ Mikayla's Bookshelf		Christina @ christina writes		Jess @ Jess So Nerdy
	Elly @ A Hufflepuff's Thoughts		Shelumiel @ Bookish and Awesome		Broc's Bookcase
	Danielle @ Bookish in Texas		Kimberly		La Coccinelle @ The Ladybug Reads...
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	A ROOM OF MY OWN		Chloe @ The Page Starts Here		Ronnie @ RonnieReadsandReviews
	Kerr & Rachel @ Paein-and-Ms4Tunes book blog		Charlie @ A Books Eternal Glory		Beth @ Perpetual New Girl
	Laquesha @ We're All Bookish Here		Kym @ Just A Second		Jenna @ Reading with Jenna
	https://lifewithcassandra.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/top-ten-characters-who-are-fellow-book-nerds/		The Once Lost Wanderer		Krista @ Krista's Dust Jacket
	Jaime @ Two Chicks on Books		Lisa @ Loca For Language		Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog
	Gaby + Lisa @ Bookish Broads		Ashley @ Bookaholics Anonymous		Carlisa @ Confessions of Carlisa
	Ilina @ Screen Busters		Didi @ Pretty Doesome Books		Page Turners Blog
	Alison @ Hardcovers & Heroines		Rachel @ The Reading Rose		Bri
	Kritika @ Snowflakes and Spider silk		Jacque @ Jacque's Book Nook		Cee @ The Novel Hermit
	Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity		legolegislegimus		Hilary
	Amy @ Read What I Like		Katie @ Sherlockianbooklover		Chrissi Reads
	Cait @ Paper Fury		Fi @ Bookish Outsider		brenda@proseandkahn (mg & ya)
	Selah @ A Bibliophile's Style		Marina @ BookPoisoning		Sonia @ Generación Papel
	Julie @ Hippie Book Reviews		lize bronwen reviews		Jessie
	Kaitlin @ Reading is My Treasure		Aimal @ Bookshelves & Paperbacks		Shannon @ For the Love of Words
	Kara @ Diary of a Teen Writer		Leslie @ Books, in other words		Jess @ Reading Nook Book Reviews
	Kim @ Bibliophilia, Please		Rina @ Rina Reads Books		Amber @ The Reading Addict
	Silicon @ Silicon of the Internet		Lacroque-livres		Dawnie @beautificatinglife
	There will be books		Ann and Clare @ Dual Reads		Jocelyn @ 52 Letters in the Alphabet
	Kei @ The Lovely Pages Reviews		Maddes bokblogg		Nicole @ Boundless Bookaholic
	Nicole @ Nicole's Novel Reads		Nicole @ Quality Fangirls		Emma @ Testy Badger
	Rebekah @ Wordsmithing and Worldbuilding		Brin's Book Blog		Carrie @ Reading Is My SuperPower
	Maria @ Teen Ya Book Nerd		Emily @Wholly-Books		Jessica Claire
	Emma @ Emma's Bookery		Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight		Amy @ Pages of Starlight
	Tiara @ Bibliosanctum		Jane @ greenish bookshelf		Lauren @ Always Me
	Kaitlyn @ One Night Book Stand		Tabrizia @ cup of tea with that book, please		Trisha @ eclectic/eccentric
	Jenna @Jinkies Books		Tiffany @ The Bookish Thought		Stefani @ Caught Read Handed
	Tiffani @ The Book Venom		Rachel @ Go Read A Book		Heather @ Based on a True Story
	Caroline @ Just Another Bookish Blog		Annemieke @ A Dance with Books		Amy Writes
	Tracy @ Cornerfolds		Nicole @ Always Reiding		Lisa @ I'll Tumble for YA
	Marie's Reads		Mara A. @ The Reading Hedgehog		BelleInfini
	Chelsea @ Books for Thought		Katherine @ Neon Yeti Reads		Lauren @ My Expanding Bookshelf
	Amy @ Every Book You Need To Read And More		Nessa @ October Tune		Elsa Maria
	Alyce @ Everything Alyce		Laura @ What's Hot?		Maureen E @ By Singing Light
	Wren @ Books in My Suitcase		Lisa @ Reading, Writing, and Random Musings		Shayna @ Bibliophilia: A Love Story
	eli @ the (book) supplier		Girl with her Head in a Book		Lipsy @ Lipsyy Lost & Found
	Connie @ hoot reads books		Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination		Nattie @ Book Rambkes
	Melanie @ Reviews of a Self Proclaimed Bibliophile		Shelley @All The Wandering Colours		Lindsay's Library
	Nazareth @ Viviendo dentro de las páginas		Ben @ Ben's Bookshelf		Helle @ Bookish Utopia
	Rebecca @ The Library Canary		Caroline @Big Book Little Book		Conny @ Study. Read. Write.
	Jess, Loren, & Aleya @ Such a Novel Idea		Kar @ Pause Time		Christina
	Leela@ My world in English		Lynn		Jennifer @ YA Book Nerd
	Abbi@Christian Novels		Lazy Lady		Andrea @ Bookish Lifestyle
	Mariah @ Vibin With Books		Anastasia @ Read & Survive		Zhana @ Confessions of an addict
	jen7waters		The Amazing Life of a Bookworm		The Bookworm (Norway)
	Krista @ Of Love & Wanderlust		Sara @ Amorous Reads		nevillegirl @ Musings From Neville's Navel
	Erica		Jayne VS Books		Jane @ the bookdragon
	Tiffany @ I Was Angelized_1st		Lois@You, Me, and a Cup of Tea		Jaina @ Read Till Dawn
	M | RAIN CITY READS (BACKLIST BOOKS)		Corrina @ Mrs. Allen's Teaching Files		Alex @ The Book Banner
	Bhramori @ thecrazyperfectionist		Lory @ Emerald City Book Review		KayCee K @ Wonder Struck
	Collene		Ashley @ Ash Reads Stuff		Jamie @ Books and Ladders
	Amy @ A Novel Start		AmandaEmma @ Little Miss Reader		Indigo @ Adventures in YA Fiction
	Holly @ The Fox's Hideaway		Krysta @ Pages Unbound		Anne@MyHeadisFullofBooks
	Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows Reviews		Ashley		Lizzy @ mylittlebookblog
	Giovanna @BookComaBlog		Melissa @ Double-Stacked Bookshelves		Jennifer @ Feminist Fairy Tale Reviews
	Jan @ Notes from a Readerholic		Tori @ BookishWritings		Rissi @ Dreaming Under the Same Moon
	Andressa - Livros e Chocolate Quente		Ruthsic @ YA on my Mind		Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf
	Rekha @ Million Book Mill		Jennie @ Jennie Talks		Shoto @ booksandblah
	Nicole @ Reading Books With Coffee		Lauren & Kaitlin @ YA Book Society		Once Upon a Twilight
	Anthea - YA Book Space!		Baggins @ Pinker Than Fiction Reviews		Erin @ The Book Archive
	Erin @ Uniquely Geeky		Ana Luísa @Leituras do Instante		Gaby @ Great Exhortations
	Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings		Faith Hope & Cherrytea		Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
	maria helena @ marelden		Teresa @ Readers Live A Thousand Lives		Amanda
	Jen @ The Starry-Eyed Revue		Aine @ Writing On A Vintage Typewriter		Lissibith @ Inkspot Fancy
	Zezee @ Zezee with Books		Emma @ Awkwordly Emma		Jade @ BookMuffin
	Auggie@ Auggie-Talk		the boookwormokworm		Eva @ All Books Considered
	Rosario @ City and Prophet		E		Merin @ Read and Reviewed
	Emily @ Forever Literary		Jenna @ JMill Wanders		Joseph @ thoughts and afterthoughts
	Ria@LilacDiaries		Ashley @ BookishRealmReviews		Sarah's Book Shelves
	Zed Amadeo		Stefani @ I read books		C.J. @ Sarcasm and Lemons
	Lauren @ Bookworm Inkorporated		Sofia @ Bookish Wanderess		Angie@El Rincón de Mangieto

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Do you prefer reading hardcovers or paperbacks?

I’ve always been a paperback girl myself, but now that I’m older I tend to track new releases a little more—Stephen King’s, at least—and as such, I always end up with hardcovers.

This is good for my burgeoning collection of first editions, but not so great for ease of reading. Then again, it’s always nice to be able to mark your page with the dust jacket of a hardcover. As you can see, I’m pretty conflicted, so I’m going to make a list of the pros and cons of each. If you have any to add, let me know in the comments!

Paperback* Pros and Cons

PRO: Small, light, and portable. More so than hardcovers, at least. If I can’t fit a book in my purse, that’s a strike against it (or at least that particular edition). I like that the pages are thinner and easy to flip, and when they get older they have this charming “old book” smell.

PRO: Smaller, more compact text. Maybe this is just me, and surely I won’t feel this way as I get older, but the trend toward 1.5-spaced paragraphs in books bugs me. I want to see a page look like this:

Not like this:

It’s sort of distracting for me if there’s too much space between each line. It also seems like such a waste of paper. This is something that bothers me about some trade paperbacks, too.

PRO: No slipcovers to rip/damage. Is there anything worse than a damaged slipcover?

CON: Still easy to damage. It’s easy to shove a paperback in your purse or backpack and go, sure, but that also means it’s easier to damage them that way. Bent covers, smushed pages—ugh, the worst. And they don’t have heavy covers to flatten the crumpled pages back into shape, so you have to pile other heavy books on top of it.

PRO: Cheap. Even if you do destroy your paperbacks, at least you have the cold comfort of knowing that you (probably) didn’t pay over $10 for it.

Hardcover Pros and Cons

PRO: They’re preeeetty. It’s no secret that hardcovers are often much prettier than their paperback cousins. Hardcovers are made to be displayed, whether in the bookstore to convince you to buy them or in your home so you can show off your collection.

CON: Large and sometimes awkward to read. Personally, I like to read in positions that aren’t really conducive to heavy hardcovers—I’m often holding the book over my head in one way or another. They also aren’t the easiest to travel with. I will say, though, that if I’m reading while I’m doing something else (i.e. eating, most likely) I like hardcovers because most of the time they’ll lie open on the table and I don’t have to exert any effort to keep reading. So their size and weight is sort of both a pro and a con here.

PRO: Potentially valuable. No one collects “first edition paperbacks.” (At least, no one I know of.) And why would you? A book is published first in hardcover if the author is big enough, and if they’re not, then why would you be keeping their first editions anyway? The exception, obviously, is if you have original paperbacks from before an author was big enough to merit a hardcover publication. They also use higher-quality paper and binding than paperbacks do, so they’re harder to damage.

CON: Dust jackets/slipcovers. Why oh why must dust jackets be a thing? They are probably my number one annoyance with hardcovers. They make the book slip around in your grip; they’re easy to damage; really, they’re so much more trouble than they’re worth. The only good thing about them is that you can use the flaps to mark your place, but half the time even that results in bending or otherwise abusing the slipcover. I long for the good old days when books’ covers were actually imprinted on the cover rather than on a piece of paper that covers the cover.

How about you? Do you prefer hardcovers or paperbacks? Did I miss any pros and cons for either one?

*”Paperback” refers to “mass market paperback,” in almost all cases, unless I specify trade paperback.

Tahleen reviews about 3/4 of The Martian by Andy Weir

Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
Publisher: Brilliance Audio, 2014 (print edition available from Crown)
Narrator: R.C. Bray

How can you not want to keep reading a book with this as a first line: "So I'm pretty much f***ed."

This is the story of Mark Watney, one of the astronauts on the Ares 3 mission on Mars. Through a series of very unfortunate events, Mark ends up left alone on Mars, stranded, with the entire world thinking he's dead. He must depend on his wits, engineering skills, and botanist background to keep himself alive.

I am enjoying this book VERY much. It's a great audiobook; R.C. Bray is a great reader. But what I'm really enjoying is how funny it is. I never expected to laugh so much while listening to a book about the dire situation of a guy stranded on Mars. But it is extremely entertaining.

There is a lot of technical stuff going on, but I think that's part of the reason why I like it so much too. I'm not a technically minded person; I don't know much about engineering or space exploration or Mars. But Weir does a great job explaining it, especially to lay readers. I think it's because I can actually believe this stuff could happen. I don't really have to suspend my disbelief much. And from other reviews I've read, it sounds like most of the science is pretty solid.

I also like the writing technique of using log entries. It makes sense, considering he is utterly alone and there would be no conversation, so his goofy personality comes out and it's great. But even though it is very funny, it's also a thriller. So far Mark has almost died a BUNCH of times. So sometimes I'm in my car laughing, or sometimes I'm white-knuckled, gripping my steering wheel.

Bonus: This is going to be a movie soon starring Matt Damon. So there's that. This book would definitely translate well to film. Not to mention it won an Alex Award, which are given to adult books with teen appeal.

I don't yet know how the story of Mark Watney ends, but I'm definitely looking forward to finding out! I highly recommend this audiobook, for science buffs, nerds, or anyone who enjoys a great story.

Disclosure: I got a copy of this audiobook from my local library.

Lauren Reviews The Escape by Hannah Jayne + Giveaway

The Escape by Hannah Jayne
Published: July 2015 by Sourcebooks Fire
Source: eARC
Rating: 3 Stars

When two boys walk into the woods, and one comes out covered in blood, what would you believe?

Fletcher and Adam venture into the woods for an afternoon hike, but when day turns into night and neither boy returns, their town is thrown into turmoil. Avery, the detective's daughter, is the one to find Fletcher - dishelved, disoriented, and covered in blood. He has no memory of what happened, but Avery can't shake the feeling that something's off. When Adam's body is finally found, Avery is determined to uncover the truth. But if she stands by her gut, and Fletcher, is she standing by a friend, or a murderer? The answer might cost her her life.

This was a nice psychological thriller that I read in about two sittings. Fletcher is the weird kid in school that most people just ignore, Adam is the jock that every adores, and Avery is the smart girl that people just label as the police chief's daughter. Adam is one of Fletcher's only friends and they go on a hike that ends up in tragedy. The day after the hike, Fletcher is found close to death by Avery, while Adam was still missing.

Fletcher tries so hard to remember what exactly happened to him. You can almost feel his agony with himself, his anger at not being able to remember to help Adam. Adam's body is found and Fletcher's life is thrown into a hellfire. Now his classmates say he killed Adam, instead of previously speculating that there was a killer on the loose. 

This has the small town feel that reminding me of the Salem Witch Trials. I felt like the townsfolk where scared, and looking for someone to blame. All the while Avery takes up a place beside Fletcher to help him remember.. to remember anything and to also just be his friend. Avery takes after her dad and tries to do a little detective work. She thinks of everyone's safety at all times and always has her sights set on finding Adam's killer. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Unfortunately, I guessed who the killer was midway through the book, but to be fair.. I do that quite frequently and it is annoying. I run books and movies for myself. I'd recommend this book if you are looking for some mystery, detailed/in-depth characters, and a completely mind-bending reading experience.

About the Author
Hannah Jayne is possibly the only person living in Silicon Valley who has never worked in high tech. When she’s not writing, she’s obsessively watching HGTV or shopping at Target.. also obsessively. Find out more about Hannah’s urban fantasy, young adult thrillers, and latest obsessions at hannah-jayne.com.

Now on to the giveaway! Giveaway ends July 31st. Open to U.S. and Canada residents only. Must be 13 or older to enter.

Cross-posted at The Tattooed Biblio

Ten Books That Celebrate Diversity/Diverse Characters

For future Top Ten Tuesday topics & info on how to participate, click here!

Today we really wanted to highlight books that feature diversity*. There have been a lot of discussions and panels in the past couple years about the lack of diversity in publishing or the lack of attention these great titles get mainstream. The group We Need Diverse Books has been really leading the charge in highlighting diverse books, advocating and educating. I highly checking out their site for great recommendations, to learn what they are about and how you can help! Top Ten Tuesday has been a great source of recommendations and highlighting books that might not get talked about all the time so I'm hoping everyone will find some really great diverse books to check out. 

*For the purposes of this topic our definition of diversity is aligned with that of WNDB: "We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities."

Lauren's Picks

1. Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman

The main character of this book is a smart teenager (he literally can remember every single thing he's ever heard in his entire life), but everyone calls him "retarded". They call him that in the literal sense because everyone thinks he is mentally retarded, as well as using it as an insult or a broad term meaning "slow". He has zero control over his body. He cannot move any muscles, cannot swallow... he can't even look where he wants. BUT.. he is there. He can read.. hell he's probably smarter than me. And he perseveres throughout this small little book. It is definitely an interesting read and with one of the most unique main characters that is disabled that I've ever stumbled upon.

2. Honolulu by Alan Brennert

The main character of this book is a young Korean girl who turns into a picture bride, which back in in the 1910s were young women who were matched with a man overseas, then that man would send money for his new bride to come to his country. The main character was tricked into marrying an abusive, poor farmer in Hawaii. The main character in this book blossoms into a strong woman and makes life long friendships with other picture brides, all of whom stay true to their heritage and make the best of a seemingly impossible situation. I read this book years ago and still think about the main character's strength when she was trapped in a far away place, where everyone spoke a different language, with an abusive husband, and virtually nothing to hang on to.  

Tahleen's Picks

 

 

3. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

This memoir in verse won many awards this year, including a Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King award. It's just lovely. Woodson recounts both her life growing up in North Carolina and New York City, as well as a subtler, more general look at the way the world was while she was growing up. I listened to the audio, narrated by Woodson herself, and I still want to read the print book.

4. The Calvin Coconut series by Graham Salisbury

I love this series. Not only because they are fun and funny, great for kids around the third grade level, but because they are so true to the modern Hawaiian culture. Characters talk in pidgen, every character has a different ethnic background (I believe Hawaii is one of the most if not THE most diverse state in the union), and just little details that clearly show us what it means to live in Hawaii. I love that so much; reading these books must feel like home to the kids who live there, and it exposes those who don't to a wonderful and rich culture.

Jamie's Picks

5. The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds: I loved this book so much! The main character is a black teen living in Brooklyn and his story resonated so much with me. He is grieving the loss of his mother and it's just such a beautiful, quiet novel. I dog-eared so many pages!

6.  Written in the Stars by Aisha Saaed: I could not put this down at all! The main character is an American Pakistani. Part of culture is arranged marriage but she's secretly had a boyfriend who is a family friend. Her parents find out, are beyond furious and take a family trip to Pakistan that ends up being more than just a family vacation. I loved how it explored arranged marriages and I definitely learned a lot/squashed some preconceived notions I had about arranged marriages.

7.  To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han: Oh this duet of books (the sequel is Ps I Still Love You) is so delightful and romantic. I seriously could shed a little tear that I have no more books to read about Lara Jean. These books capture the intricacies of firsts -- first loves, first crushes, first heartbreak, first kisses, etc. I loved being reminded of what it's like to be young and in love. Plus the sisters in this book are my favorite ever!! The main character and her sisters (her dad is white) are Korean American and I was really touched at Jenny's launch party for PS I Still Love You when she touched on how much it meant to her and how important it was that her cover was not white-washed which is a disgusting and all too often practiced thing.

8.  None of the Above by I.W. Gregorio: This book made me cry along with teaching me what intersex is. I honestly didn't quite know what it was and learned right alongside of the main character, a teen girl, who finds out that she is intersex. It was so hard to watch her struggle with this new part of her identity and all the crap she got from people at school who were so, so cruel and misinformed.

Kimberly's Pick

 

9. Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern: This book will make you reconsider a lot of preconceptions that you might have had before. Amy was born with Cerebral Palsy, and can't walk unassisted, can't speak and even needs help with things such as eating. For many, you see an individual like this and think they'll most likely live with their parents forever. No romances. Wrong.

Bridget's Pick

 

10. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: The story of a mixed-race family in the 1970s and how significant race can become even when you do your best not to let it affect the things most important to you

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Daisy Reviews Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson

Title/Author: Rebel Mechanics (Rebel Mechanics #1) by Shanna Swendson
Publisher/Date published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, July 14th 2015
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "It’s 1888, and sixteen-year-old Verity Newton lands a job in New York as a governess to a wealthy leading family — but she quickly learns that the family has big secrets. Magisters have always ruled the colonies, but now an underground society of mechanics and engineers are developing non-magical sources of power via steam engines that they hope will help them gain freedom from British rule. The family Verity works for is magister — but it seems like the children's young guardian uncle is sympathetic to the rebel cause. As Verity falls for a charming rebel inventor and agrees to become a spy, she also becomes more and more enmeshed in the magister family’s life. She soon realizes she’s uniquely positioned to advance the cause — but to do so, she’ll have to reveal her own dangerous secret."

So I haven't really gotten into the steampunk genre all that much, mostly just because the ones I did read didn't really work for me all that much. BUT I'd read the Enchanted Inc. series by Shanna Swendson and really enjoyed her writing, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give steampunk another try.

And guys, it was a good life decision! I love the combination of this alternate history US and the steampunk! I mean, what if the US never became independant because the magical British overlords remained in power? That is a question I had NEVER asked myself before, but it's really interesting to think and read about and I love that Shanna Swendson did come up with this question.

I really liked Verity, she's intelligent and while she isn't all that enthusiastic about getting involved with the Rebel Mechanics at first (it's a scary thing when you could lose your job and all the security you have through that), she does believe in the cause and I liked seeing how she slowly works out how she feels about all of it, complicated by the feelings she has for the people involved in it.
So I'm just gonna come out and say that there's a bit of a love triangle in Rebel Mechanics, and it didn't bother me in the slightest. I already knew that I enjoy Shanna Swendson's way of writing a romance and she really does it very well in Rebel Mechanics as well. Mostly I felt that while Verity develops feelings for two men, it never felt like the love triangles in paranormal romance that have irked me so in the past. There's a natural flow of things and no insta-love, but there is attraction that feels real. Also, I have a big preference for one of the guys, but that's just because I love gentleman pirates/Robin Hood type of characters and he's AWESOME.

As a bonus to this gentleman pirate, there are also the children that Verity is a governess to, and I just adore the little girl and the boy was great too in all his boyness. The eldest girl was a bit ditzy and elitist and I do appreciate her as a character, but she's not much my type of person.

Mostly, I just really enjoyed the worldbuilding and the characters and it's a high stakes kinda plot that I liked. I could definitely sympathize with Verity in the things she does and the restrictions society puts on her and how she is an awesome lady spy. So yeah, I'm very much recommending Rebel Mechanics and looking forward to the sequel!

My rating: 4,5 stars

Broke and Bookish Book Haul for 7/5 - 7/18

Daisy's Book Haul

Because I have zero time today, I will just leave you with a picture of the books and a generalized excitement exclamation about them :D

Lauren Reviews Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Published: September 2015 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: eARC
Rating: 5+ Stars

This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. 

This book. This book... just... this book. This book is everything. There are few books I've read that I can relate to on a level that is borderline perfect. This is one of them. Before I get into that, I have to tell you how much I love the book in general. I felt this book had just the right amount of detail when it comes to the main character's environment, what she could see from her window.. even down to the medical terminology used to describe Maddy's disorder. Then add the cutest sketches and little handwritten workbook pages. I read this on a Kindle and STILL the sketches were just a plus for me.

Back to the 'this is book is EVERYTHING' part of my review.. well, this book is almost me. Maddy is a teenager who is allergic to everything. Her mom has had her sequestered in a sealed house since Maddy was a toddler. Think of John Travolta in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble except this girl had a house and couldn't leave it. This part resonates with me a on few different levels. I am allergic to so my friggin' things. Febreeze, dryer sheets, strong fragrances, cigarette smoke, dogs, cats, pollens, grass.. THE AIR. Now my problems are in no way as extreme as Maddy's medical issues, but I do have an immune disorder as well. Which basically means I tend to get whatever sickness that is going around. Maddy can walk outside and potentially die. I felt so many of the same feelings as Maddy, except she is almost ALWAYS optimistic. Me.. not so much. Sometimes it gets me down that I have at least 3 doctor appointments a month. Maddy takes everything in stride and reminded me to chip up and be grateful. 

Maddy watches a new family move in next door from her window and she ultimately strikes up a friendship with a boy her age named Olly. He's into parkour and fights with his dad a lot. They start chatting by her miming words from behind her window and Olly writing on poster boards. (How cute is that?) Then they start emailing and chatting online. Olly makes Maddy want more. More than being stuck in her bubble for the rest of her life. Maybe having a short, full-filling life is better than having a long, un-lived life. 

This book touched me because I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. My disorder keeps me from doing so many things in life that I want to do. Maddy is a fictional character who is an inspiration for me. She stops seeing herself and an ill person and starts to see herself as the witty, funny, smart person she is who just happens to have a medical condition. This book will forever hold a place is my heart. 

Cross-posted at The Tattooed Biblio

Lauren Reviews A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Published: January 2011 by Penguin Books
Source: Finished Copy Provided by the Publisher
Rating: 5+ Stars

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together. 

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. Her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. She has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. 

I honestly don't know where to start. Harkness took my soul, wrapped it around her pinky finger, and watched as her words made it glow in the darkness. Not only could I escape reality every moment I picked this novel up, but I felt the main characters' feelings. When they were heartbroken, my heart bled. When they were eloped in passion, i had naughty thoughts (and may have told the boyfriend). When they were scared, but brave... well you understand. 

Back to the basics.. we have Diana Bishop, a witch who has chosen to refuse her own powers and instead has focused her life on being a professional academic. She calls up a mysterious manuscript from Oxford's library, realizes it has been spelled, and promptly sends it back. The problem is all of the creatures have perked up. Witches, vampires, and daemons alike are all vying for the manuscript that may hold the answer to how each creature was created.  In steps Matthew Clairmont, a gentlemen/scientist/vampire whom we all start to swoon over. Which is the only proper response.

"He held me while I spoke, and when I couldn't speak, and when I cried."

Matthew wants the manuscript just like anyone else, but then he takes an interest in Diana. In her professional and personal life. He starts to see her as more than just another witch. Diana has always ignored her heritage as a witch. She has focused her entire life on her education and her professional and has earned all of her merits the good old fashioned way. Matthew tests Diana to be who she is. A man pushing a woman to be herself? 

Can we love this man anymore? NO. The answer is no. I've decided to stop here. I don't want to ruin for you the AMAZINGNESS that happens with Diana and Matthew, but I'm sure you can imagine the storm the is a brewing. All I can say is if you enjoy some fantasy, some adult love, and amazing writing... just go buy this book. And then the sequel. And then the third book in the trilogy. 

Cross-posted at The Tattooed Biblio