STARRY EYES BLOG TOUR: Guest Post from author Jenn Bennett

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
(standalone)
Published: April 3, 2018 by Simon Pulse
MY REVIEW

Summary from Goodreads:
Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?

GUEST POST FROM JENN BENNETT

Lefty asked: If Zorie were writing a wilderness survival guide, what kind of stuff would she include in it?

Interesting question, because it’s something that’s touched on in Starry Eyes—only, not for Zorie. In the book, Zorie teases goth-boy Lennon about writing a backpacking book, which she imagines would be called Grim’s Super-Gothy Guide to the Dark Wilderness.

Lennon’s guide would contain:
· Gory facts about all the ways you can die in the wilderness

· Campfire ghost stories

· Stern warnings about how everyone must use bear vaults


Zorie’s guide would contain:
· Fill-in calendars, checklists, and color-coordinated tabs for planning your trip

· Star charts showing the constellations

· Stern warnings about how everyone must use bear vaults

I'm so glad Jenn could stop by the blog today! I literally love this book with all my heart and I hope everyone reads it. And personally, I wish Jenn would release Lennon's wilderness survival guide because I would read the HECK out of that. And y'all are gonna have to read the book if you wanna know why both characters are so adamant on using bear vaults because DRAMA! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jenn Bennett is an award-winning author of young adult books, including: Alex, Approximately; The Anatomical Shape of a Heart (aka Night Owls in the U.K.); and Starry Eyes. She also writes romance and urban fantasy for adults. Her books have earned multiple starred reviews, won the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award, and been included on Publishers Weekly Best Books annual list. She lives near Atlanta with one husband and two dogs. Visit her at www.jennbennett.net.

FOLLOW THE TOUR

Lefty's Lowdown: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
(standalone)
Published: April 3, 2018 by Simon Pulse
Source: I received an eARC of this novel through Netgalley. That has not affected any of the opinions stated in this review. Every thought is my own.

Summary from Goodreads:

Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?

This novel was everything I needed. Bennett's last novel Alex, Approximately, was one of the big contemporary titles last year, and while I really enjoyed it, I don't think I connected to it the same way other people did. It put Bennett on my radar, but I wouldn't list it among my favorite contemporary novels of all time. 

Starry Eyes, though. This novel gave me all the heart flutters and goofy grins I wanted from Alex, Approximately. I was in a hell of a reading slump when I cracked this baby open. I hadn't read anything for over a month, and I hadn't read anything that truly stole my heart since the beginning of January. But the moment I began Starry Eyes, I was hooked, wholeheartedly devoted to the story. 30 pages in I had already fallen head over heels with the love interest and had an unwavering smile plastered on my face. 

First and foremost, who doesn't love a good "trapped in the woods with the guy who broke my heart" trope? Because I do. I certainly do. You know the intensity is going to be through the roof and the sexual tension is going to be sizzling off the pages, which is absolutely true about this novel. And Zorie, the protagonist, has no idea why their friendship dissolved and how they started to hate each other, and it was a heck of a journey making these discoveries alongside her. 

So let's talk about the characters. Zorie is obsessed with planning things and ensuring that everything goes according to plan. Lennon, the dark brooding outcast with two moms who own a sex toy shop, is smart and full of surprises. I love them together and I love them separately. They both have some annoying traits, which I thought was excellent characterization on Bennett's part because she gives them annoying traits without making them annoying. They were both so well-developed and relatable. Even better, though, is that the secondary characters were well-developed, too. Some of them were absolute shitheads, and I'm so glad that's addressed, and some of them are rays of sunshine, like Lennon's moms, who persistently treat Zorie like family despite the feud with her father. 

The setting was really interesting too. I thoroughly enjoyed following Zorie and Lennon on their wilderness expedition. This novel kind of made me want to go on a long ass hike and become one with nature, which is quite the feat, considering I hate the outdoors and any sort of exertion. Anyway, I think some novels that have journeys like this can drag because there's a lot of description and focus on the journey itself, but Bennett finds a nice balance of journey, character development, and plot progression. Every scene has intrigue. 

I also think it's important to note that Bennett addresses, sometime subtly and sometime explicitly, some really important matters: safe sex, healthy sexual attitudes, consent, cheating, bigotry, toxic friendships, nontraditional families. It's good, friends. It's so, so good. 

I could not tear myself away from this novel. It's over 400 pages and I devoured it in one sitting. I stayed up until 7 am reading it. This is a solid read for contemporary lovers out there. One of my new favorites! 

5/5

Lefty's Lowdown: Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
(standalone)
Published: May 3, 2016 by Simon Pulse
Source: Read for free via rivetedlit.com. All opinions stated in this review are my own 100% honest thoughts.

Summary from Goodreads: 
“I made the wrong choice.”

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

 As you may or may not know, in February I will be studying abroad in Austria for my final semester of college. So when I saw that this takes place in Europe, I knew I needed to read it. While this novel had its problems, it was a light, interesting read, and it definitely made my wanderlust flare.

So, Lina's mother just died. On her way out, she started telling Lina these stories of her time studying abroad in Italy, and her friend Howard, who she met there. Then she breaks the news that this Howard character is Lina's father and begs Lina to go live with him in Italy and get to know him IN ITALY after she dies (not in Italy). Obviously, I enjoyed the setting of this novel, but it was moreso than the fact that it takes place IN ITALY. Howard lives in a cemetery, basically, and all the friends Lina makes IN ITALY have really interesting houses. I was really charmed by that aspect because I am obsessed with cool houses.

Something else I really loved while I was reading is that when Lina arrives at Howard's she discovers a journal that her mother sent to the house for her from her time in Italy. It catalogs a scandalous romance, some poor decisions, and a harsh truth for Lina. The journal is a story inside of a story, which I always love, and it presents an almost-mystery--and I needed to figure out how things played out. Plus, we get to follow Lina as she checks out some of the places her mother mentions going to IN ITALY so it was like a lil tour and that was a lot of fun.

The romance between Lina and Ren is cute and sweet, but nothing particularly special. It seemed to move a bit fast. Not insta-love fast, but fast nonetheless. Ren was immediately taken by Lina, and part of it just seemed to be because she was new. But don't get me wrong: Ren was cute! I loved that he was willing to be there for Lina for anything, and he always seemed to be down for an adventure. I was rooting for their romance, definitely, but it was no Epic Love, ya know? What I thought was cuter than the romance was the relationship Lina and Howard develop. It's a strange father-daughter dynamic, considering the two of them have only known about each other for a short time, but the way their relationship changes and grows is heckin adorable. As a bonafide daddy's girl, I'm a sucker for a lovely father-daughter storyline.

Now for the thing that bothered me most about this book: THE END. Yes, it was a bit predictable. But that's to be expected. It was really just one event that genuinely angered me and spoiled the entire ending for me. You see, Lina goes out with a guy she'd been flirting with throughout the whole book, except she's only using him to see Ren, and that just bothered me so much. It made some of their sweet moments taste a little bitter as I was reading.

This book was charming and sweet and a really quick read. It is a really nice summer read, and it will absolutely sate any desire for a light, fun contemporary book.

My rating: 

3.5/5

A post shared by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jun 29, 2017 at 2:28pm PDT

New To My Wishlist #4

Welcome to a new feature at The Left-Handed Book Lover! Basically, this feature is meant to showcase books I really want to read, whether they were released years ago or don't come out for another six months. Enjoy!

Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston

Published: February 13, 2018 by Balzer + Bray 

Summary from Goodreads: 
Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature. Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android called D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family. But D09 — one of the last remaining illegal Metals — has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him.

Ana’s desperate effort to save D09 leads her on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship that could offer all the answers. But at the last moment, a spoiled Ironblood boy beats Ana to her prize. He has his own reasons for taking the coordinates, and he doesn’t care what he’ll sacrifice to keep them.

When everything goes wrong, she and the Ironblood end up as fugitives on the run. Now their entire kingdom is after them — and the coordinates — and not everyone wants them captured alive.

First of all, I am Ashley Poston trash. I will read anything she writes. Also, this sounds friggin epic, my dudes. It's a space opera! And look at that cover. Massive heart eyes.

In a Perfect World by Trish Doller
Published: May 23, 2017 by Simon Pulse

Summary from Goodreads: 
Caroline Kelly is excited to be spending her summer vacation working at the local amusement park with her best friend, exploring weird Ohio with her boyfriend, and attending soccer camp with the hope she’ll be her team’s captain in the fall.

But when Caroline’s mother is hired to open an eye clinic in Cairo, Egypt, Caroline’s plans are upended. Caroline is now expected to spend her summer and her senior year in a foreign country, away from her friends, her home, and everything she’s ever known.

With this move, Caroline predicts she’ll spend her time navigating crowded streets, eating unfamiliar food, and having terrible bouts of homesickness. But when she finds instead is a culture that surprises her, a city that astounds her, and a charming, unpredictable boy who challenges everything she thought she knew about life, love, and privilege.

I read a really raving review for this book, which is what originally piqued my interest, but re-reading the summary got me intrigued all over again. I've never read anything set in Egypt, and I've also heard that this sheds a lot of light on privilege. I'm sure reading this will be both emotional and informative.

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanen McGuire
Published: April 5, 2016 by Tor

Summary from Goodreads: 

Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children
No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

No matter the cost.

A ton of people rave about this book, especially a ton of people whose opinions I trust. I never really paid much attention to what it was actually about, but the more I learned about it, the more I realized how up my alley it sounds!

Lefty's Lowdown: Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies by Laura Stampler

Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies by Laura Stampler
(standalone)
Published: July 19, 2016 by Simon Pulse
Source: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are completely my own.

Summary from Goodreads: 
Harper Anderson always believed she belonged somewhere more glamorous than her sleepy Northern California suburb. After all, how many water polo matches and lame parties in Bobby McKittrick's backyard can one girl take? That's why Harper is beyond ecstatic when she lands her dream internship as a dating blogger at the elite teen magazine Shift. Getting to spend the summer in New York City to live her dream of becoming a writer? Harper's totally in.

There's just one teeny, tiny, infinitesimal problem: Apart from some dance floor make-outs, Harper doesn't have a lot of - or, really, any - dating expertise. In fact, she might have sort of stolen her best friend's experiences as her own on her Shift application. But she can learn on the job...right?

From awkward run-ins with the cute neighborhood dog-walker to terrifying encounters with her crazed editor, from Brooklyn gallery openings to weekends in the Hamptons, Harper finds out what it takes to make it in the Big City--and as the writer of her own destiny.

 The second I read the description for this book, I was so pumped. And then I got approved, and it took all my self control to wait until it was closer to the release date to read this one. It sounded like it was going to be a delightfully fun, chick-flicky book that takes place in NEW YORK CITY *heart eyes* And I was right! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Stampler's debut!

Okay, so it appears that I am a major hypocrite because in one of my recent reviews I talked about how much I hate when conflict is created because a character lies ("So, one of my least favorite plot lines in YA is the whole "Oh, I regret lying about something but it's too late to tell anyone the truth because that will just make things worse." NO NO NO. Maybe it's because I'm an honest-to-a-fault type of person, but I just think this trope is stupid and unnecessary." - Me). However, that is kinda the premise of this novel. Harper applied to the #1 teen magazine using a very personal story from her best friend's life. Not only is she hired under false pretenses, but she doesn't tell her best friend that she's exploiting one of her darkest secrets. But for some reason, it just works in this novel. 

Clumsy, inexperienced, socially awkward Harper is obviously in over her head with this magazine and desperate to prove herself. It's not what I would do, but I get it. And I don't think she's a bad  person for it. In fact, I actually liked her quite a bit. She's pretty relatable, and she's just a little bit misguided. She experiences a lot of growth by the end of the novel, and  I was really satisfied where her character ended up. 

Now let's chat boys, shall we? I don't want to say too much about them, because there is sort of a love triangle in this book. I'm typically not too irritated by love triangles, and I don't think this one was annoying or anything. And it wasn't really the main focus of the story, so that's a plus. Anyway, the boys. So, the whole time, it's clear who the "right" guy is and who is just being a fuckboy. And the "right" guy is adorable. There's a meet-cute that involves dogs, so, like, you KNOW romance is going to occur. Mr. Right is really kind and supportive and I really liked him.

Other things I adored were the NYC adventures (seriously, SO FUN!! And now I just wish I were in New York even more), female friendships, and the super engaging and clever writing. I was really hooked! I know Stampler was/is in the industry she was writing about, but that doesn't detract from the fact that it felt super authentic! It didn't read like someone barely managing to keep up with the times. My only complaints would be that it's pretty predictable (though, I'm still happy with the way things wrapped up. It felt like a shiny ribbon conclusion, but not TOO shiny), and I just wish there was a little bit more depth in the secondary characters. 

Either way, this book was a fantastic quick, light, & feel-good read. It definitely lived up to my expectations and I definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for a fun, rom-comish contemporary! 

4/5 stars!

Flashback Friday: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Left-Handed Book Lover's Flashback Friday. I'm not sure if this feature has been done on other blogs. I haven't seen it, but if it has been, let me know so I can give some credit!

FF is a feature here where I talk about books I read a while ago but still want to give major love to. This feature is designed to give some exposure to books that may have been forgotten about or that some people haven't heard of, even though they're really great!

This week's FF goes to...

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
(standalone)
Published: October 18, 2011 by Simon Pulse
Genre: YA contemporary

Summary from Goodreads: 
Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall.... 

 WHEN DID I READ THIS?

I read this novel on Pulseit in early 2012. I was going through a pretty bad reading slump, and this novel kicked me out of it. 

WHY DID I PICK THIS BOOK?

Point-blank: This novel is wonderful. It received quite a bit of positive feedback when it was released, but it has long since fallen off the radar. It deals with anxiety, drug use, music, competitiveness, and figuring out what you really want for your future rather than what others want for you. Not to mention, there is good writing, and entertaining banter between Carmen (the protagonist) and her best friend. 

Here are three reasons you should read this novel:

1. There is a complicated, yet enticing, romance. Carmen and Jeremy, the couple in question, should be enemies. They should hate each other. And yet...they are drawn to each other. But their lives do not always allow for love to come first. 
2. Family dynamics. Carmen's relationship with her mother is very tense. Her mother has a very short leash on her, and Carmen has to learn how to extend the leash and become more independent. 
3. The musical aspect. Maybe it's just me because I am a music nerd, but I love novels that deal with music and performing, and this book certainly fits into that category, this time in the form of violins. 

AUTHOR INFO

I was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. As a child I played the violin, read books, and climbed trees incessantly. I went on to study English and music at Brigham Young University, and since then I’ve been an English teacher, a symphony violinist, and a mother. I currently live in Orlando, Florida with my husband and three children.

My young adult novels are Virtuosity, The Space Between Us, The Vow, and Kiss Kill Vanish. I’m represented by Mandy Hubbard of D4EO Literary Agency.
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Lefty's Lowdown: Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman
(standalone)
Published: February 9, 2016 by Simon Pulse
Source: I received an eARC for review from the publisher, but that hasn't influenced my opinion of the book in any way at all!

Summary from Goodreads: 
Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything. This is their story.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to Curaçao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England?

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

I'll tell you right away, this novel was not what I expected. I knew going into it that it was not meant to be a pirate story.  Nicole Castroman has stated several times it is important to remember this is a pre-pirate novel. She wanted to explore what Blackbeard's younger days were like and what led him to his swashbuckling lifestyle. So, I thought this was going to detail his dark descent into corrupt morals. That's not what this was, not really, and in some ways I'm disappointed about that, but I also adore this book for exactly what it is. The more I think about it the more I love it. 

Blackhearts is told from two different points of view: Anne, the miserable maid from the West Indies who works in the Drummond household, and Edward "Teach" Drummond, a teenage guy suffering under the pressure of his father's expectations. Both of our main characters are extremely interesting and well-developed. I enjoyed reading both of their stories a lot and I became very emotionally invested in both of them, but I was probably a bit more partial to Teach's narration (I tend to like male narrators better). BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT TEACH! Holy frick on a stick, I fell head over heels in love with him over the course of this novel. Honestly, I was definitely picturing Hook from Once Upon a Time while I was reading this, and I'll most likely picture any pirate I ever read about as Hook. But anyway. Teach. When we're first introduced to him, we do not get a good impression, but he definitely grows and changes throughout the story. He obviously loved Anne so very much and it was adorable! I also liked how fierce Anne was. She was not going to take crap from anybody, even though she was a maid, a woman, and a person of color. She respected herself far too much to let anyone treat her poorly, and I loved it! I'm not sure it's very accurate, but accuracy doesn't matter all that much to me. 

For some reason I'm having a hard time figuring out what to write for this review (it's difficult to describe why this book is so great), so I'm just gonna drop a list of all the other things I loved about this book. 

Ship ship ship - And I mean the romantic ship, not the pirate ship (lol I'm the funniest). Anyway, I ship Teach and Anne so hard. I read that some people were worried about insta-love, but trust me, that will not be a problem. Blackhearts has a slow-burning, intense romance that grows and grows until you want to push their heads together and make them kiss like Barbie dolls. They actually hate each other at first, but they soon realize they complement each other well, they bring out the best in each other, and they help each other realize what's really in their hearts. GUYS JUST TRUST ME WHEN I SAY IT WAS GOOD.

The arranged marriage aspect - I don't know why, but I always enjoy reading about arranged marriages. It adds so much drama  and tension! Teach is betrothed to Miss Patience, a baron's daughter, and for many years, he is content with that. But then he sets sail for a year and when he comes back he realizes he wants more than a pretty face and a title, but neither of their fathers are willing to break the engagement because it is beneficial for both of them. 

A social hierarchy - Again, I;m not sure why, but I find social stratification so freaking interesting to read about. Characters on the quest for money and titles, or characters seeking to escape the pressures of money and titles. 

The ending - Okay, I didn't like the ending, but I enjoyed it because I'm a masochist and I like pain. Because the ending hurt like hell. It wasn't unexpected. I spent the whole novel knowing that something along these lines would happen, but hoping they wouldn't. What's worse is that the novel does not even end on a dark note. It ends with a hopeful tone, but that makes it even more sad because if you know anything about Blackbeard, you know that it will never work out in these characters' favor. This was the kind of ending that sat heavy on my heart at first, and I couldn't stop thinking about it, and the more I thought about it, the more sad it made me. 

I don't know if this is even a comprehensible review. I honestly feel like it's all over the place, but that's because my feelings are all over the place (in a good way). There is just some sort of indescribable quality in this book that made me fall in love. This book and these characters will always live in my heart, and I have a feeling I'll revisit them in the future. I'm not typically a historical fiction person, but Nicole Castroman creates a story anyone will love. 

Here are some of my favorite moments: 

"You shouldn't say such things," she said, placing the book on the bedside table.

"Why not?" Teach asked.

"Because I am not a princess." She picked up the supper tray, preparing to leave.

He grinned, unabashed, clutching his hand to his chest. "Oh, forgive me. You're quite right. You're not a princess."

Anne shook her head at him, trying to suppress a smile.

"You're a queen. From now on I shall refer to you as Queen Anne." (location 962)

"Well?" Teach asked.

She could only shake her head and cast a quick glance at him, noting the satisfaction in his features. "I don't know what to say," she said at last.

"'Thank you'? Or 'I shall endeavor to trust you in the future'?"

A grin tugged at her lips. "I would not go so far as that." (location 1434)

"Will you please join us for supper this evening?" Teach asked. "I cannot endure another meal along with Miss Patience."

"And if I choose not to?"

Teach snorted. "I'll come to your room and drag you to supper myself."

"You wouldn't dare make a scene to that extent."

"When it comes to you, Anne, I would dare a lot of things." (location 2415)

My rating:

 5/5

Lefty's Lowdown: Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell

Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell
(standalone)
Published: February 2, 2016 by Simon Pulse
Source: I received an eARC for review from the publisher via Edelweiss, but that hasn't influenced my opinion even a little bit.

Summary from Goodreads: 
For as long as she can remember, Gwendolyn Allister has never had a place to call home—all because her mother believes that monsters are hunting them. Now these delusions have brought them to London, far from the life Gwen had finally started to build for herself. The only saving grace is her best friend, Olivia, who’s coming with them for the summer.

But when Gwen and Olivia are kidnapped by shadowy creatures and taken to a world of flesh-eating sea hags and dangerous Fey, Gwen realizes her mom might have been sane all along.

The world Gwen finds herself in is called Neverland, yet it’s nothing like the stories. Here, good and evil lose their meaning and memories slip like water through her fingers. As Gwen struggles to remember where she came from and find a way home, she must choose between trusting the charming fairy-tale hero who says all the right things and the roguish young pirate who promises to keep her safe.

With time running out and her enemies closing in, Gwen is forced to face the truths she’s been hiding from all along. But will she be able to save Neverland without losing herself?

 HECK YES. I have major, super duper heart eyes for this book. This is the YA pirate book I have been waiting for my entire life. There's adventure and smoochies and magic and pretty much anything you could ask for from a twisted up Peter Pan retelling. Admittedly, I'm not overly familiar with the tale of Peter Pan, but I know enough to see how Unhooked aligns with the original tale. Maxwell's version is dark and utterly engrossing.

Soooo there are so many awesome things happening in this book, I don't even know where to start. Full disclosure, the beginning was a bit slow, but of course it was necessary. We're introduced to our narrator, Gwendolyn, whose mother is dragging her to yet another town to live, claiming there are monsters, only this time is different because Gwen had started to feel really comfortable at their previous town. She'd settled in, and she even made a best friend--Olivia, who decided to tag along for a couple weeks to help them get settled at their new house in London. We see Gwen struggle to figure out what she wants, not what her mom wants for her life. And then she finds herself in Neverland, and that's when the pacing picks up and shit gets realllllll good.

Gwen turns out to be a kickass narrator. She's kinda damsel-y in the beginning, but not in a way that's weak, more in a way that she was just dropped into a strange land and has no idea where she is or what the ef is going on. Even still, we can see that Gwen is stubborn as hell, determined, and she's not going to take any of Captain's crap. SPEAKING OF CAPTAIN. Mm mm mmm. He's the villain, a roguish pirate in every sense of the word, or at least it seems. He's dangerous, ruthless, and he has a very strange effect on Gwen. Except, guys, noooooo. Captain is compassionate and caring, and he is very hard on himself. I love him, and I love him and Gwen together. Talk about chemistry!!! Every interaction between them is absolutely sizzling. Both of these characters are complex and well-developed and such. fantastic. characters. If I'm being honest, though, all the characters in this novel are wonderfully crafted. Pan, Olivia, Fiona...They come alive on the pages.

This whole book comes alive. The world that Maxwell has created is luscious and detailed and definitely a little creepy. This is not the Neverland you read about as a child, folks. And Lisa Maxwell's writing is absolutely beautiful. Whether you like it or not, you will, without a doubt, get sucked into this fairy tale.

I can't even tell y'all enough how much I loved this novel. It was the first novel I actually started this year, and I read the entire thing in one sitting. It was sexy and positively captivating. It's a little reminiscent of Once Upon A Time in Neverland, I will most likely fangirl about this book for the rest of my life because it is amazing and you need to read it.

My rating:

5/5 would read again

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Maxwell is the author of Sweet Unrest, Gathering Deep (Flux, Fall 2015) and Unhooked (Simon Pulse, Spring 2016). When she's not writing books, she's an English professor at a local college. She lives near DC with her very patient husband and two not-so patient boys.

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Sunday Post #2

Join the fun at Caffeinated Book Reviewer!!

• Well, Thanksgiving break was fantastic, but it's back to college for this girl. And back with a bang. The semester is winding down, so not only is finals week approaching at rapid speeds, but professors are also assigning final projects and essays and whatnot beforehand. Soooo, it's been stressful and it's been busy. 

Reviews:
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Memes: 
Sunday Post #1
Top Ten Tuesday: 2016 Debuts I'm Excited For

Features: 
Flashback Friday #1: The Hex Hall Series

Reviews:
The Trouble With Destiny by Lauren Morrill (Wednesday, 12/09/15)
Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti by Olivia Wildenstein (Thursday, 12/10/15)

Memes:
It's Monday! What are you reading?
Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Read for the First Time in 2015
Sunday Post #3

Features:
Flashback Friday #2

 Borrowed:

Sever by Lauren DeStefano - Borrowed from my best friend!

Netgalley: 

Did I Mention I Love You by Estelle Maskame - Thank you Sourcebooks Fire!
Publication Date: December 1, 2015

Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti by Olivia Wildenstein 
Publication Date: April 16, 2015

The Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morrill - Thank you Delacorte!
Publication Date: December 8, 2015

Under the Dusty Moon by Suzanne Sutherland - Thank you Dundurn!
Publication Date: January 23, 2016

Edelweiss:

Beyond the Red by Ava Jae - Thank you Sky Pony Press!
Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman - Thank you Simon Pulse!
Publication Date: February 9, 2016

The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith - Thank you Margaret K. McElderry Books!
Publication Date: March 22, 2016

 What has your week in books and blogging looked like?