Lefty's Lowdown: Infinity by Jus Accardo

Infinity by Jus Accardo
(The Infinity Division #1)
Published: November 1, 2016 by Entangled Teen
Source: I received a free e-galley via Netgalley, but all opinions in this review are 100% my own.

Summary from Goodreads: 
Nobody said being the daughter of an army general was easy. But when her dad sends a teenage subordinate to babysit her while he’s away… That’s taking it a step too far.

Cade, as beautiful as he is deadly, watches Kori with more than just interest. He looks at her like he knows her very soul. And when he saves her from a seemingly random attack, well, that’s when things get weird.

Turns out, Kori’s dad isn’t just an army general—he’s the head of a secret government project that has invented a way to travel between parallel dimensions. Dimensions where there are infinite Koris, infinite Cades…and apparently, on every other Earth, they’re madly in love.

Falling for a soldier is the last thing on Kori’s mind. Especially when she finds herself in a deadly crossfire, and someone from another Earth is hell-bent on revenge…

 I'll be honest, reading this kind of made me feel like I was back in 2010, in the heart of the paranormal romance craze. And, well, I wasn't mad about it. While perhaps not the greatest novel of all-time, Infinity is interesting and addicting.

I'll be honest, I found the beginning of this book to be kind of frustrating. Kori, the protagonist, is almost killed and everyone knows why except her, it seems. So she's out there basically begging the people who saved her what's going on and they have the audacity, over and over again, to be like, "lol can't tell you, sorry." Like, just tell the damn girl why she is being ATTACKED. However, once we got past all that nonsense, the sailing was much smoother.

Going into the novel, it seems like there's going to be a bit of insta-love, but there's really not. Instead, we have a complicated, slow-burn romance. It feels doomed and impossible so of course I was alllll about it. Nothing like good ol' star-crossed lovers.

The characters themselves could be a bit annoying at times (might I direct you a couple paragraphs up), but all-in-all, they were well-developed and I was eager to learn more about them as the story progressed. Kori, an artist and military child grieving her mother's death, is quite kick ass. In the beginning, she gets rescued by Cade and his friend Noah, but she definitely makes up for it in the end. Cade is kind of forgettable, quite frankly, but he's sweet and broken-hearted, and I loved him a lot while I was reading. Noah, though, is my favorite character, I think. He's such a cold asshole in the beginning but his character grows so much. I really adored seeing the way the dynamics between these 3 characters shifted and evolved throughout the novel.

Despite what I said in the beginning of this review, this book is more than a cliche paranormal romance. The story is incredibly interesting and there is so much emotion and growth throughout. Infinity definitely kept me hooked and made me eager to read the sequel. This is the kind of book I'd recommend if you're looking for something to just take your mind off life.

My rating: 

3/5

Lefty's Lowdown: More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer

More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer
(Letters to the Lost #2)
Published: March 6, 2018 by Bloomsbury Children's
Source: I received an eARC of this novel through Netgalley. All opinions stated in this review are 100% my own.

Summary from Goodreads: 
*While this book exists in the same universe as Letters to the Lost, it is a standalone title.*

Rev Fletcher is battling the demons of his past. But with loving adoptive parents by his side, he’s managed to keep them at bay...until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.

Emma Blue spends her time perfecting the computer game she built from scratch, rather than facing her parents’ crumbling marriage. She can solve any problem with the right code, but when an online troll’s harassment escalates, she’s truly afraid.

When Rev and Emma meet, they both long to lift the burden of their secrets and bond instantly over their shared turmoil. But when their situations turn dangerous, their trust in each other will be tested in ways they never expected. This must-read story will once again have readers falling for Brigid Kemmerer’s emotional storytelling.

 After finishing Letters to the Lost, I simply could not wait to get my hands on this sequel. Thankfully, I'd been approved for the title on Netgalley, otherwise I have no idea what I would have done. Admittedly, while this novel was absolutely enjoyable, it didn't quite hold up to its predecessor for me.

This story follows Rev, a character I fell in love with in Letters to the Lost, and Emma, a new and intriguing character. I wish I could say I loved Rev in this novel as much as I did in Letters. I think I was just expecting something different. While the Rev in Letters was indeed a bit tortured, he was also unwaveringly sweet and supportive and wonderful. In this novel, though...I get it, he was going through a lot. But I just found him incredibly frustrating. He was keeping this big secret from his best friend and his family and it was poisoning him. Even still, I do not understand why he chose to keep it a secret. I really think that all of his angst and drama would have dissolved if he had just taken the honesty route. More than that, I felt as if he didn't treat people the way they deserved.

On the other hand, I really enjoyed Emma's character. She is this badass gamer girl who coded her very own computer game that hundreds of people played. Once again, I think a lot of her problems would have been solved if she had just told an adult what was going on with her, but I was more sympathetic to her secrecy. She felt like her problem didn't really matter and she was determined not to show weakness.

No matter what, though, I was hooked on these characters' stories. Despite any irritations, I cared about them and I wanted to see their happily ever after. The ending took a turn that wasn't hard to see coming but was kind of unexpected in terms of the tone of the story. A part of me wants to say it was a bit melodramatic, but, without giving spoilers, I have to admit that shit like that actually happens. Kemmerer has presented us with a very real, very scary threat that we might not even be able to see coming in our own lives.

I do love that Kemmerer maintained the theme-of-sorts from the first book, which is beginning each chapter with a letter or message. I also love the glimpses of Declan that we get to see in this novel, and we even get more resolution for his story. And, of course, I will forever and always love the relationship between Rev and Declan. No matter what obstacles arise in their personal lives or in their friendship, they are there for each other no matter what. It's real, unconditional love. I said it in my review of Letters and I will say it again: this relationship can and should serve as an example of a beautiful, healthy male friendship for the rest of fiction history.

This novel deals with subjects such as abuse, cyber bullying, women in male-dominated spheres, divorcing parents, adoption and foster care, and interracial families. Though this isn't a perfect novel, and my rating will reflect that, it is still one that will live in my heart for a very long time. These characters and the world they live in became real to me. I was not ready to say goodbye when the novel concluded, but I was satisfied with where their stories ended.

My rating: 

3.75/5

Lefty's Lowdown: Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
(Letters to the Lost #1)
Published: April 4, 2017 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Source: I won an ARC of this novel in a giveaway. All opinions stated in this review are 100% my own.

Summary from Goodreads: 
Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

I'm so mad at myself for putting this novel off for so long. I really enjoyed one of Kemmerer's previous books, so this book hit my "highly anticipating" list the moment I heard about it, but it took me seven billion years to make the (incredibly) smart decision and start in on this gem. And, what do you know, the moment I started reading, I couldn't stop. I guess good things really do come to those of us who wait.

Letters to the Lost is a book about grief and guilt, but it's also about healing and connecting to those who are still here. As a self-proclaimed piece of macabre garbagio, I'm always enraptured with YA books that explore death, and Letters to the Lost does so in a way that is gutting and honest. There are some truly thought-provoking discussions throughout this novel and some very sharp observations about grief.

It was fascinating to watch the two protagonists, Juliet and Declan, develop a relationship through these anonymous letters, and every time they interacted face-to-face without knowing who the other person is, my heart began to thump quite erratically in my chest. It was the best kind of anticipation and anxiety. I really connected with both of these characters. While I found their decisions and attitudes to be quite frustrating at times, it was hard to stay mad at them. They had depth and complexity and horrible revelations and tremendous growth. I also really admire the way they help each other heal, but not in a way that's unhealthy. Not in a "Someone loves me so I can love myself" kinda way. These two characters understand each other and they push each other.

But even better than the romance is the BROMANCE in this book. Declan and his best friend Rev have one of my favorite bromances (and, really, friendships in general) in the history of YA. Their love for each other is so pure and selfless and unconditional. It's obvious from the very beginning that they would do literally anything for each other at any time. And there are never any cracks about them being gay for each other, which is important. While I don't think homosexuality is ever offensive, I think it is crucial to portray a beautiful male friendship as exactly what it is without gender expectations muddling things. I NEED MORE AUTHORS TO TAKE NOTES.

My singular complaint for this novel is that I wish we got to see a little bit more of Juliet and Declan being all happy and kissy together, but that's just a personal complaint because I like to read romance.

With this novel, Kemmerer has gifted the world a poignant and engaging story. The moment I finished this, I could not wait to pick up the sequel so I could get more of these characters.

My rating: 

4/5

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

Blog Tour: When I Am Through With You by Stephanie Kuehn (Review & Giveaway)

When I Am Through With You by Stephanie Kuehn
(standalone)
Published: August 1, 2017 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
Source: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review as part of the blog tour. All opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Summary from Goodreads:
“This isn’t meant to be a confession. Not in any spiritual sense of the word. Yes, I’m in jail at the moment. I imagine I’ll be here for a long time, considering. But I’m not writing this down for absolution and I’m not seeking forgiveness, not even from myself. Because I’m not sorry for what I did to Rose. I’m just not. Not for any of it.”

Ben Gibson is many things, but he’s not sorry and he’s not a liar. He will tell you exactly about what happened on what started as a simple school camping trip in the mountains. About who lived and who died. About who killed and who had the best of intentions. But he’s going to tell you in his own time. Because after what happened on that mountain, time is the one thing he has plenty of.

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I don't have much experience with thrillers or mysteries, but when I read the synopsis for WHEN I AM THROUGH WITH  YOU, I was immensely intrigued and knew I needed to read this novel! I'll admit, this is more of a survival story than a thriller, so it wasn't quite what I expected, but there were still so many wonderful things about this book! 

The characters in this book and their relationships with each other were phenomenally done. That was by far the most fascinating aspect of this story. Here we are with a group of teenagers, all broken and flawed and hoarding their secrets, but just trying to do their best. I was so invested in figuring out the intricacies of this group. Who is lying to whom? Who is sleeping with whom? Who hates whom? That was the most thrilling part for me, unraveling their truths. They were all kind of shitty, but that was most of the fun. 

From the very beginning, Ben, the narrator, tells us he is locked up, that he killed his girlfriend Rose and he doesn't feel bad about it. He tells us that he's not explaining everything because he's seeking to lighten his punishment. He just wants the truth to be out there. Interesting, no? Of course, the main appeal of the novel is to figure out why he killed Rose, but from the beginning, I had a hunch and my hunch was correct, so the ending wasn't as shocking as I would have liked. But, once again, it was amazing to see Ben transform with each page, to see how he reached that point, how he ended up in a cell. 

While this book had plenty of plot, it felt more character driven for me. I just found the plot to be...slow toward the second half. As far as thrillers go, I wasn't particularly thrilled. And I guess that's because this book is more of a survival story than a thriller. That's the only reason this book wasn't a five-star read for me. Because, while the writing was incredible and the characters were enticing, I found myself slogging through certain parts. Plus, it's a dense book, so even though it's only like 300 pages, it felt much longer than that. 

My rating: 

3.5/5

•3 copies of WHEN I AM THROUGH WITH YOU by Stephanie Kuehn will go to 3 winners 

•1 winner will receive a copy of WHEN I AM THROUGH WITH YOU & THE SMALLER EVIL by Stephanie Kuehn

•4 winners total

•US Only

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I grew up in Berkeley, California, which is a quirky sort of a place with many wonderful bookstores. When I was fifteen, my very first job was working in one of those bookstores. It’s where I would go after school, and I’d read everything that I could. Back then, some of the books that had the greatest impact on my life were young adult novels, and now, as an adult, I’ve found my own passion in writing for teens.

Other passions of mine include mental health advocacy, social justice, and sports of all kinds. When I’m not writing or reading (or studying for graduate school), I’m usually outside running or playing with my family. I currently live in Northern California with my husband, three kids, and our menagerie of pets. Life is loud, joyous, and filled with animal hair.


Oh, and in case you’re wondering, my last name is pronounced keen. I know! I don’t get it either.

Lefty Lowdown: Coming Up for Air by Miranda Kenneally

Coming Up for Air by Miranda Kenneally
(Hundred Oaks #8)
Published: July 4, 2017 by Sourcebooks Fire
Source: I received an eARC of this book for free from the publisher via Netgalley. All the opinions stated in this review are my own.

Summary from Goodreads: 
Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.

All of Maggie’s focus and free time is spent swimming. She’s not only striving to earn scholarships—she’s training to qualify for the Olympics. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is also on the team and cheers her on. But Levi’s already earned an Olympic try out, so she feels even more pressure to succeed. And it’s not until Maggie’s away on a college visit that she realizes how much of the “typical” high school experience she’s missed by being in the pool.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Maggie decides to squeeze the most out of her senior year. First up? Making out with a guy. And Levi could be the perfect candidate. After all, they already spend a lot of time together. But as Maggie slowly starts to uncover new feelings for Levi, how much is she willing to lose to win?

Real talk: I'm not, like, a fan of this series. I've read 3 of the books and I got them all for free. I thought the other 2 books I've read were merely okay, nothing I'd spend money on. However, I enjoyed Coming Up for Air a lot. This novel managed to give me the fluffy, romantic fix I needed, along with depth and characters I ended up becoming very invested in.

In this installment, we're introduced to Maggie, swimmer of pools, eater of many foods, and kisser of nobody. She has spent so much of her time being focused on swimming and qualifying for the Olympics, that she never took the time to think what she could be missing. Until now. Until she realizes that she's off to college soon and she's never even kissed a boy. She doesn't want to go to college completely inexperienced, so she asks her hot, swimmer, best-friends-since-they-were-kids best friend to show her the ropes a lil bit. He's wary at first but eventually agrees and things get STEAMY and COMPLICATED and I loved it. They're relationship was absolutely wonderful! Of course, it's friends-to-lovers so it's destined to be great. You can tell how much they genuinely care about each other and respect each other.

They were great characters on their own, too. While I'm not a swimmer, I could really relate to the conflicts Maggie struggled with, whether it be issues with ex-friends or comparing her success to others'. And Levi was just honest and caring and he makes some mistakes but you can tell he feels so bad about them and if I were to ever have a daughter, he's the kind of boy I'd want her to date.

This novel also deals with topics like bullying, double standards for men and women, and females owning their sexuality! It really has some wonderful messages in it, and it's a quick, light read! I really do recommend this one to contemporary fans! Even if you're not into sports or you haven't read any of the other books in the series. This one can be read completely on its own!

My rating: 

4/5 stars

Lefty's Lowdown: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

(Caraval #1)

Published: January 31, 2017 by Flatiron Books

Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: 
Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

Let me tell you a quick story. We alllll know how much hype has surrounded this book this year. It felt like everyone was talking about this book for months leading up to its release, and for months after. I'm sure, then, you understand my trepidation when it came to reading it. Of course, it has such a lovely cover that I had to buy it, but once I purchased it, I began to wonder if it really interested me anymore or if it was just the hype. Was I ever really going to read it? Then, I did a twitter poll at, like, 1 AM and asked what I should read next. I was on a serious  contemporary streak, but I threw this book into the poll on a whim. And what do you know? The vote rested heavily in Caraval's favor. My mentions were blowing up with people telling me I absolutely HAD to read it. I decided to trust twitter and crack 'er open.

It was an incredible decision.

I had to work in the morning, so I was not planning on reading an ENTIRE book that night, but that's what I did. I could not tear myself away from this novel or its characters. It was the book I didn't realize I needed, but luckily, my tweeps had my back.

What really kept me engaged in this book is that you never quite know who to trust or what is real. It was riveting. The gears in my head were turning the whole time trying to puzzle out the truth, and I could not wait to see how everything played out.

Of course, one reason I adore this book so heckin much is because of Julian!!!! I began to fall in love with him the moment he was introduced, and as I got to know him more, I straight up plummeted. There's an air of mystery surrounding him, but he's also kind and willing to actually give pieces of his life for Scar. He is my new book boyfriend and I will fight all of you for him, okay? I think my one complaint with this book, without giving any spoilers, is that I don't love where his story ends up. The way he is characterized in the end made everything we learned about him throughout the novel seem kinda superfluous. I really hope we get to see more of him in book #2 though because I need it.

This novel was an absolute roller coaster of emotions. One second I was wearing a toothy grin and the next I was getting misty-eyed and the next I was swooning. I just felt so connected to this story and absolutely engrossed. I couldn't tear myself away from it while I was reading, and now I can't tear my heart away from it weeks after having finished it.

My rating: 

5/5 stars

One of my favorite reads this year! 

A post shared by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jun 27, 2017 at 2:29pm PDT

Lefty's Lowdown: What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
(standalone)
Published: July 11, 2017 by Delacorte Press
Source: Won a free ARC in a giveaway. All thoughts stated in this review are my own.

Summary from Goodreads:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things comes a charming and poignant story about two struggling teenagers who find an unexpected connection just when they need it most. For fans of Sophie Kinsella, Jennifer Niven, and Rainbow Rowell.

Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.

KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.

DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her.


When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

I knew literally nothing about this book. I won it in a giveaway and someone on Twitter said they really adored it and that we should all put it on our TBRs. It looked like a quick read, and so I picked it up and dove in. I DO NOT REGRET A THING. This book really took me by surprise in the best way. And like that person on Twitter, I say PUT IT ON YOUR TBR STAT.

This book has alternating perspectives--Kit, who is in a really dark place after her father died, and David, who is insanely intelligent but has no friends. These characters had me hooked instantly! They have two very distinct voices, but I didn't find myself favoring one POV over the other. I was equally engaged throughout the whole thing. And boy did I feel for these characters. So, Kit's dad died and nobody wants to freaking talk about it. They want her to move on because that would make the situation more comfortable for them. But on top of that, she keeps a devastating secret bottled up and then uncovers ANOTHER DEVASTATING SECRET. Like, things are not going well for this girl and I totally sympathize with her. And then there's David. He's on the autism spectrum and people are so fucking mean to him. It absolutely killed my heart to see the way that people treated him when he was such a PURE LIL CINNAMON ROLL. Honestly, he's my favorite character that I've read about in a whiiiile. 

What I really admire about this book is that yeah, it's a romance, and yeah, I ship Kit and David out the wazoo, but it's also not just about romance. Like, it's more than just wanting these characters to get to smoochin. It's about getting to know someone and really seeing the good in them. Seeing the truth in them. About being truly comfortable with someone, trusting them, and forgiving them when they do something painfully human. 

Somehow this book managed to break my heart and put it back together again. I love this book. I highly, highly recommend this book. It's underrated, if you ask me, with only 240 ratings on Goodreads. What to Say Next is not just your average YA contemporary book, and I think everyone could probably learn a little something from it. 

Again, I highly recommend this. 

Read it. 

My rating: 

4.5/5

A post shared by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jul 5, 2017 at 4:27pm PDT

Sunday Post #33

• I'm done with work!!!! Thursday was my last day and it feels WONDERFUL to be done. The waitressing life is not the life for me. Of course, I wanted to make some money while I still could so Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week I worked 12-hour shifts and it really truly exhausted me (hence why the blog wasn't particularly poppin' this week). 
• I hope everyone had a wonderful, safe 4th of July (if you celebrate it). My dad came to visit (which meant I had to clean my entire apartment) and he made breakfast and dinner and we mostly just relaxed. It was a good day! To be honest, I don't care that much about 4th of July so it was nice to just have good food and good laziness. 
• I LEAVE FOR FLORIDA TOMORROW! I am so so so excited. I'll be staying with my sister for 3 weeks, hanging out by the pool, and living my absolute best life. 

Books read this week:

Reviews: 
- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
(★★★★½)

Discussions: 
- Doing It All In The Book Community

Currently reading:

Reviews: 
- What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
- Caraval by Stephanie Garber
- Coming Up for Air by Miranda Kenneally

Features/Misc.:
- Discussion: The Feeling After Reading a Hyped Book
- The Eclectic Corner #4: Song Lyrics 

Here are my favorite photos from this week! Make sure to follow me (@leftyreads) to see everything I post! 

A post shared by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jul 1, 2017 at 3:13pm PDT

A post shared by The Left-Handed Book Lover (@leftyreads) on Jul 2, 2017 at 5:10pm PDT

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Lefty's Lowdown: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

(standalone)
Published: February 21, 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Read for free on Rivetedlit.com. All opinions stated in this review are my own.

Summary from Goodreads: 
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

I'd heard a lot about this novel but I wasn't quite sure what to expect, really. A cute dude romance. That's all I had in my brain going into this book, and boy was I misguided in that. This novel is more than a sweet story of two boys falling in love. Much, much more. Reading this book allowed me to embark on a journey of asking questions and learning how to come to terms with feelings. 

I've seen a lot of reviews criticizing Ari's character, claiming he's mean and treats people poorly, and I just have to disagree. In my opinion, Ari was painfully real and relatable. I saw a young boy who resorted to coping mechanisms and aversion tactics, who didn't know how to handle all the thoughts swirling around his head, who was often lonely and bored and insecure. I saw so many pieces of my heart in Ari, so many pieces of my fears and flaws. Maybe he wasn't a particularly likeable character, so to speak, but he was a character I really sympathized with, rooted for, and ended up loving, despite his flaws, and I think that's a truly beautiful, raw relationship to have with a fictional character. 

Dante, on the other hand, was a delightful contrast to Ari. He was unabashed and so generous with his love. He was exactly the person Ari needed in his life. With that said, though, this is not really what I'd consider a romantic book. In my opinion, their relationship is more about friendship and different variations on love, and the way feelings truly affect you. Of course I shipped them together because they balanced each other out beautifully, but they didn't have the sort of relationship where I wanted to push their heads together and make them kiss like two dolls. I wanted their relationship to evolve slowly, for them both to really figure things out before they came to terms with their feelings for each other. I was more than satisfied where these characters ended up--I was grinning like a fool by the time I reached the novel's conclusion. 

Now, admittedly, this is not a plot-focused book by any means. It's all about character development. I'm all on board with that, but I know a lot of people are not as gung-ho about it as myself. So, yes, this book is essentially plot-less, but it still managed to keep my attention and keep me eager to know what happens to my little babies. The writing style took me a little bit of time to get used to, but by the end, I really adored it and I think it fit the story. It was a bit jagged and jarring at first, but by the end of the novel it seemed more seamless. 

This is a novel that truly explores what it means to grow up and what it means to be a person. This is a novel of juxtaposition, of beauty and ugliness. Of honesty and stifled truths. Of being happy and simply just being. Aristotle and Dante provided a unique reading experience that I know I will revisit one day. My reaction at the very end was simply to close my eyes and say "Wow." 

My rating:

4.5/5

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

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Lefty's Lowdown: Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin

Aftercare Instructions by Bonnie Pipkin

(standalone)
Published: June 27, 2017 by Flatiron
Source: I received an electronic galley for review from the publisher via Netgalley, but all opinions stated in this review are 100% my own..

Summary from Goodreads:
In the tradition of Jandy Nelson and Rainbow Rowell, a big-hearted journey of furious friendship, crazy love, and unexpected hope after a teen's decision to end an unwanted pregnancy

“Troubled.” That’s seventeen-year-old Genesis according to her small New Jersey town. She finds refuge and stability in her relationship with her boyfriend, Peter—until he abandons her at a Planned Parenthood clinic during their appointment to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. The betrayal causes Gen to question everything.

As Gen pushes herself forward to find her new identity without Peter, she must also confront her most painful memories. Through the lens of an ongoing four act play within the novel, the fantasy of their undying love unravels line by line, scene by scene. Digging deeper into her past while exploring the underground theater world of New York City, she rediscovers a long-forgotten dream. But it’s when Gen lets go of her history, the one she thinks she knows, that she’s finally able to embrace the complicated, chaotic true story of her life, and take center stage.

This powerfully immersive and format-crushing debut follows Gen from dorm rooms to diners to house parties to auditions—and ultimately, right into readers’ hearts.

 I was absolutely not prepared for this novel. It's one of those books that sounded interesting, so I requested it, but was not actually excited to read it. I should have been excited, though, because this book was fantastic! It had me hooked from the very beginning and I consumed it whole. It's emotional and complicated and angsty as heck. This is not a book you need to sleep on.

If there's one thing you need to know about me, it's that I love books that so fun stuff with formatting. And Aftercare Instructions does something I've personally never seen before in a book: The chapters alternate between standard formatting and playwright formatting. And boy did it work well! The sections that are standard formatting tell the Now story, following Gen as she tries to piece herself back together after her boyfriend Peter abandoned her while she was getting an abortion. The sections with the play formatting takes us back Before. When Gen and Peter's relationship first started to develop, and the two different sections collide to form one complex, heartbreaking narrative.

It was a strange experience, because as I was reading, I was falling in love with Past Peter, despite the knowledge that he did something really shitty to Gen Now. My feelings while reading this book were all over the place, because I wanted her to get back together with Peter but I also wanted her to move on with the cute, charming new guy she meets at a party. I got tangled up in Gen's life, and I felt like I was struggling and making decisions right alongside her. I really connected to her and experienced her growth with her.

Now, of course, this book deals with the subject of abortion, which is touchy for a lot of people. Personally, I admired the way Pipkin portrayed abortion as messy and complicated. It's not a simple choice that leaves you the second the fetus gets removed. But Pipkin also doesn't paint a portrait of someone's morals based on this decision alone.

This was such an edgy, emotional read, perfectly suited for those who like dark, heavier contemporary books. It got me thinking a lot and I sincerely hope that the people who need a book like this are able to find it.

My rating: 

5/5