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: 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 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: Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger

Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger

(Follow Me Back #1)

Published: June 6, 2017 by Sourcebooks Fire

Source: I received an eARC of this book for review from the publisher via Netgalley, but that had no influence on my review or opinions. 

Summary from Goodreads: 
Tessa Hart’s world feels very small. Confined to her bedroom with agoraphobia, her one escape is the online fandom for pop sensation Eric Thorn. When he tweets to his fans, it’s like his speaking directly to her…

Eric Thorn is frightened by his obsessive fans. They take their devotion way too far. It doesn’t help that his PR team keeps posting to encourage their fantasies.

When a fellow pop star is murdered at the hands of a fan, Eric knows he has to do something to shatter his online image fast—like take down one of his top Twitter followers. But Eric’s plan to troll @TessaHeartsEric unexpectedly evolves into an online relationship deeper than either could have imagined. And when the two arrange to meet IRL, what should have made for the world’s best episode of Catfish takes a deadly turn…

Told through tweets, direct messages, and police transcripts.

 Here we go again with a celebrity book. I'll admit, I was skeptical about this one. Partially because it was originally a Wattpad book and partially because it just seemed a bit like the "I'm not a regular mom, I'm a COOL mom" kind of book with the hashtag on the cover and "IRL" and "troll" in the synopsis. Now I have some really mixed feelings about this book, but I did end up enjoying it!

Okay, so this book has two points of view. Tessa, who is agoraphobic after a mysterious traumatic event and wrote a famous fanfiction about our other narrator, pop star Eric Thorn. Eric took me a long ass time to warm up to. He got famous after posting singing videos on Youtube for 2 years and now all he does it whine about how famous he is and how his fans are obsessed with him. Like, do I think he has a point that his fans are more in love with his abs than his music? Yes. But honestly WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM BEING FAMOUS????? This is actually one of my pet peeves, not only in books but in life as well. You worked so hard to be famous, okay? Don't complain about how hard life is once you're there. You poor thing, people think you're attractive.

Anyway.

Once he and Tessa started to get closer and he cut down on all the woe is me crap, he grew on me more and more. But one of the problems I had with this book was that I couldn't suspend disbelief for some of the characters' logic and decisions. Like, did Eric really think that creating a fake Twitter account and calling himself rude names would make his fans see him in a different light? That's ridiculous. I guess that's how I could sum up parts of this book: ridiculous.

HOWEVER. As the end approached, I found myself reading with increasing ferocity to figure everything out. Was it a mind boggling thriller? Absolutely not. It was fairly predictable and bit drawn out, if you ask me, but I still wanted needed to know what happened to the characters in the past, present, and future. They both experienced a lot of change over he course of the novel and I was rooting for them and their relationship more and more as the final page grew nearer.

And then the final page happened. And my jaw dropped. I wasn't ready for the ending, and now I'm desperately waiting to see what comes next. Also, I just need to mention that this is another mixed media book, which, as you may or may not know, I am a complete sucker for. There are police transcripts and tweets and DMs and it was all good fun.

So, no, this isn't the best book I've ever read, but it is an addicting read. A quick read. An exciting read. And honestly, it stuck with me. I can't wait to see where this story goes next, though I do have an idea.

My rating: 

3.5/5

Lefty's Lowdown: I'm Not in the Band by Amber Garza

I'm Not in the Band by Amber Garza
(standalone)
Published: June 12, 2017 by Entangled Teen (Crush)
Source: Received an electronic copy for review from the publisher via Netgalley, but that did not influence my review in any way.

Summary from Goodreads:
I like Kassidy Milton. There, I said it. She’s funny, beautiful—even though she doesn’t know it—and my favorite kind of weird. But I can’t tell if she’s into me or just trying to get close to me for a chance with my famous twin brother instead. I mean, it has to be me. I am the better-looking one.


But Kassidy has some demons, and she’s not good at letting people in. That happens when you’ve been hurt by someone close to you. I can relate. Trust is a funny thing; it’s hard to gain but easy to lose. I might just learn that the hard way.


Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book includes a snarky heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, crazy best friends, your favorite music, and lots of feels.

So it seems, recently, that I have A Thing for books that feature some sort of celebrity aspect. Thus, despite knowing how cheesy this looks and sounds, I requested a review copy. In the end, this book as just an okay read for me. There were a lot of little aspects I was not particularly fond of, but I was invested enough to see the story through and figure out where the characters end up. 

This book is, more or less, told from two points of view. I actually really enjoyed how Garza divded the narratives here. First there's Kassidy, who has a mysterious trauma in the near-past and isn't like Other Girls because she wears t-shirts and converse (ughhhh). Her story is told in a traditional formatting, but Archer's point of view was told entirely in facebook statuses, tweets, and text messages. I'm a sucker for mixed media, and this really worked for me. Was robably my favorite part of the novel, actually. 

While I liked Kassidy well enough, I didn't love her. In fact, she's utterly forgettable. Archer, on the other hand, was a controlling nozzle. Like, I get that he has Reasons to be so insecure, but that doesn't make it okay. I thought he was really sweet at first and then Kassidy literally interacts with his brother in the most innocent way and he frickin goes berserk. I'll admit, though, I did enjoy the way he interacted with his brothers and his friends. Some of their banter made me smile. But I lost all my respect for him the second his melodrama started waving its freak flag. 

Honestly, the melodrama was quite prevalent in this book, and I was not a fan. A lot of stuff just seemed over the top--even the romance. It had its cringe-worthy moments and kinda reeked of insta-love. No thank you. But at the same time, I was interested in seeing how everything was resolved and I enjoyed the characters' growth. 

The bottom line is that this was a quick read, and it kept my attention sufficiently, but it was nothing extraordinary. It's something I won't remember in a few months from now. The premise is appealing (at least in my opinion), but it's trope-y and just a bit much at times. 

My rating: 

3/5

Lefty's Lowdown: Noteworthy by Riley Redgate

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate
(standalone)
Published: May 2, 2017 by Amulet Books
Source: I received an electronic galley for review from the publisher via Netgalley, but this in no way influenced my review or my opinions of the book.

Summary from Goodreads:
A cappella just got a makeover.

Jordan Sun is embarking on her junior year at the Kensington-Blaine Boarding School for the Performing Arts, hopeful that this will be her time: the year she finally gets cast in the school musical. But when her low Alto 2 voice gets her shut out for the third straight year—threatening her future at Kensington-Blaine and jeopardizing her college applications—she’s forced to consider nontraditional options.

In Jordan’s case, really nontraditional. A spot has opened up in the Sharpshooters, Kensington’s elite a cappella octet. Worshipped…revered…all male. Desperate to prove herself, Jordan auditions in her most convincing drag, and it turns out that Jordan Sun, Tenor 1, is exactly what the Sharps are looking for.

Jordan finds herself enmeshed in a precarious juggling act: making friends, alienating friends, crushing on a guy, crushing on a girl, and navigating decades-old rivalries. With her secret growing heavier every day, Jordan pushes beyond gender norms to confront what it means to be a girl (and a guy) in a male-dominated society, and—most importantly—what it means to be herself.

 Let's all say it together: WE NEED MORE SINGING BOOKS. I feel like I've been chanting this since the dawn of time, and Riley Redgate's Noteworthy just reaffirmed this notion because this novel is EXCELLENT. Imbued with diversity, friendship, and freakin a cappella, Noteworthy is not only a fun novel, but a touching, exploratory one as well.

Our main character is Jordan Sun, who attends an elite performing arts boarding school that her family can hardly afford, even with her scholarships. Even worse, they begin to wonder if they should be breaking their bank to send her to this fancy school when she never gets any of the roles she auditions before. Except, it's not because she's not talented. It's because she sings loowwwwww and it's hard to find a place for that in a world of lovely feminine voices. Jordan was a fantastic character. She is considerate and compassionate on a level that you don't quite get very often in YA. I loved following along as she explored honesty and gender and sexuality, I was so pleased with the questions she asked, the conclusions she came to, and the way she grew throughout the novel. I think she will be a highly relatable character for many readers out there!

Something I really adored in this novel are the relationships that developed. Am I referring to the romance? Partially, but more than that--the camaraderie!! The dynamic between everyone in the a cappella group she joins is fascinating! I completely enjoyed reading about both the moments of revelry and the moments of tension and uncertainty. The friendships aren't perfect, but they're real--and they are a lot of fun!! Some of the bickering and random conversations made me smile so widely to myself.

And, okay, back to the romance. This just in: it's cute as heck. I loved how genuine and sweet it was...though I do wish we got to see a bit more of the romance. It was a mere sliver of the novel. But at the same time, the romance was not even remotely close to being the novel's focus so I'm also okay with just having a little bit.

I ate this book up, y'all. I thought it was marvelously written and developed. It navigates so many pertinent issues and it made me consider those issues in a way I'd never even thought of before. This is an absolute GEM in the world of YA and the world of books in general, and you do not want to sleep on it. This is an Asian & bisexual own voices novel, to be clear. It's a thoroughly entertaining read from the first word to the last, while also delving into important subjects and truths about our society. It really stands out among the smorgasbord of contemporary novels at our disposal.

Oh, and also, SINGING.

My rating:

Honestly more like 4.25/5

Lefty's Lowdown: Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally

Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally
(Hundred Oaks companion series)
Published: July 5, 2016 by Sourcebooks Fire
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 my own.

Summary from Goodreads: 
There are no mistakes in love.

Captain of the soccer team, president of the Debate Club, contender for valedictorian: Taylor's always pushed herself to be perfect. After all, that's what is expected of a senator's daughter. But one impulsive decision-one lie to cover for her boyfriend-and Taylor's kicked out of private school. Everything she's worked so hard for is gone, and now she's starting over at Hundred Oaks High.

Soccer has always been Taylor's escape from the pressures of school and family, but it's hard to fit in and play on a team that used to be her rival. The only person who seems to understand all that she's going through is her older brother's best friend, Ezra. Taylor's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember. But it's hard to trust after having been betrayed. Will Taylor repeat her past mistakes or can she score a fresh start?

 I've only read one other book by Miranda Kenneally, but I knew to expect a fairly light contemporary read from this book. That's exactly what I got, so I should be pleased, right? Well...I don't know. I wanted more from this novel, if I'm being honest. There were some parts that made me smile, and then there were parts that made me roll me eyes. All in all, I'd say this was a meh read for me.

Taylor's dad is a senator, and her siblings are "perfect" and successful so she strives to be too. She goes to this fancy private school and has a 4.2 GPA, is the captain of the soccer team, and basically has a flawless resume. Then, she takes the blame for something stupid that her boyfriend Ben (who is on scholarship at the private school) did, thinking her dad would be able to keep her from getting kicked out. He doesn't. So, she gets kicked out and has to go to *gasp* public school, meanwhile destroying her father's political career and bottling up the truth about what Ben did so she doesn't get labeled a snitch.

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. Which brings me back to the primary plot point in this novel. I just got so irritated that Taylor refused to tell anyone the truth about Ben. I don't see how being honest with her boyfriend or her family would have made the situation worse. There was no justification that made sense to me.

Ignoring the shaky foundation of the story, I liked Taylor well enough, but she wasn't the most interesting narrator. She loves soccer and dogs and she was pretty much perfect except for getting kicked out of school and lying about the whole situation. Ezra, the love interest, was okay too. He was really sweet. The problem is that this novel was very glossed-over. I feel like there wasn't a whole lot of depth to anything, so I had trouble connecting to the characters or really caring about them a whole lot. So, like I said, Ezra was okay. His and Taylor's relationship was cute and had some moments that made me smile, but it all felt very rushed. I liked them together, though.

My favorite part of this novel was the family dynamics. Their family was not perfect. They got mad at each other, but at the end of the day, you could see the love they had for one another, and that's what's important. I was really happy with the way everything ended in this regard.

If this book had been longer and more fleshed out, I probably would have enjoyed it much more. As it is, Defending Taylor felt rushed and a little superficial. It makes a good quick, fluffy read, though. It was easy to just get lost in it for an hour or so, and I came away from it feeling good.

3/5

Sunday Post #10

• Hi everyone! Happy Valentine's Day! I personally am not doing anything special today, but last night me and a few of my friends celebrated Galentine's Day and we had a blast! We did makeovers, had a dance party, and watched a scary movie. Who needs a romance when you have fantastic friends! 
• Other than that, I'd call this a mostly un-noteworthy week. I pretty much ALWAYS have homework to do (but I don't always do it), and yoga and Zumba are both really fun! My roommate and I are going to start getting into meditation. We've done super beginner stuff and it's really nice! After we finished, I actually felt pretty energized. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten OTPs
Just Write #1 (A new feature I'm using to incorporate my writing into the blog. Check it out!)
Would You Rather #1: Book Boyfriends (Another new feature. This one, I think, will be lots of fun!)

Amber at The Book Bratz posted a helpful How-To for Edelweiss and Netgalley. This is really awesome for new bloggers! 

Jen at Pop! Goes the Reader wrote a beautiful review of The Girl Who Fell by Shannon M. Parker. I've not read this book, but her review definitely makes me want to! 

From Netgalley: 

The Trick to Landing by Jenny Kaczorowski - Thanks Bloomsbury Spark!

Won:

(sorry for the crappy quality)

I won 2 ARCs from Confessions of a Book Addict! Thanks, Christina, for Pearl by Deirdre Riordan Hall and Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate. 

What has your week in books and blogging looked like? 

Lefty's Lowdown: Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti by Olivia Wildenstein

Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti by Olivia Wildenstein
(standalone)
Published: April 8, 2015
Source: Received for review via Netgalley. I promise you that has in no way influenced my review or my opinions on the book.

Summary from Goodreads:
Some endings are inevitable, but so are some stories.

Cora Matthews, the principal’s gloomy goth daughter, is not exactly popular Duke Meyer’s type. Still, Duke finds himself inexplicably drawn to her dark eyes and mysterious manner. She makes it clear she doesn’t return his admiration, but when a burst appendix lands Duke in the hospital, he and Cora will be forced to come together by the most unlikely intermediary: her eight-year-old brother, Jaime.

Duke learns Jaime has brain cancer and little chance of long-term survival. He admires the kid’s plucky positivity and wild imagination and offers to write a story about Jaime’s make-believe superheroes. So begins an epic tale—that of Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti—and a deep friendship between Duke and Jaime.

Despite their outward differences, Cora and Duke bond over their affection for Jaime, but unintended betrayal and Jaime’s advancing disease threaten to derail their blossoming romance before it can truly take root.

Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti is a gorgeous debut novel that will resonate with the thoughtful fans of John Green’s blockbuster The Fault in Our Stars. 

I finished this book just a few minutes ago, and I'm extremely conflicted about how I felt about it. It took me a little while to get into the story, and there were definitely things that annoyed the living crap out of me, but as I finished the last page, the feeling that settled over me let me know I was glad I got to read Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti. 

As I said, it took me a while to get into this story, because the first half of this novel is absolutely infuriating. We're introduced to Duke, the protagonist, who is in the principle's office for painting a penis on the principle's car for a prank.Okay, I'll admit that part is funny. But it doesn't take us very long to get to know Duke's personality. Basically, he's a rich private school boy, really concerned about his popularity, his reputation, and, of course, sex. That's all realistic, I know. But he was also very ignorant.

And here's where it gets rant-y.

Duke kept judging Cora hardcore for all the makeup she wore and the piercings she had. The fact that she wore so much makeup was a major part of the story, actually, and that was really annoying. There just HAD to be a reason she liked to wear so much makeup, apparently. He even asked one of his teachers if Cora's dad abused her because she liked to wear such heavy makeup. GOD FORBID SHE WEARS THAT MUCH MAKEUP BECAUSE SHE FUCKING LIKES IT. And when he realized that he was kinda into Cora, he called it a twisted fantasy. It was just soooo wrong that he liked someone who wasn't a cheerleader. There was also one point where he google searched information on goths and took the stereotypes posted on the internet as truth. Like...what? He's supposed to be so smart (he wants to get into Harvard), but he reads that gothic people are typically gay so he thinks, "Hm...I bet she's a lesbian." 

I feel like this is such a prominent issue in our society nowadays. There is so much discussion about people being able to just like what they like, and I agree. Sometimes people wear black because they like the color black. I have a nose piercing because I thought it would look good. None of that says anything about a person's character. Obviously, all this pissed me off. 

But theeeennnn Duke meets Jaime in the hospital after an appendicitis surgery. He later figures out Jaime is Cora's little brother, and that he has brain cancer. But I just adore Jaime. It's impossible not to. He is this ball of energy and, for the most part, positive vibes. The relationship he forms with Duke is precious. They have this inexplicable bond that no one else would be able to fully understand. Duke tries to give Jaime every chance at happiness and Jaime changes Duke so much. The second Jaime steps on to the scene, this story is redeemed. Duke became much more tolerable. 

I'll admit, I found this book to be a bit slow, but a bunch of interesting things still happened. The story that Duke and Jaime begin to write together is creative and fun, and I would love to see that turned into a novel of its own. And when Duke starts helping Jaime fulfill his bucket list, I could not keep the grin off my face. I won't tell you exactly what happens, but I'll let you know a few of the items on Jaime's bucket list: drive a car, try beer, do something illegal, fly. There are definitely quite a few adventures! 

All in all, I enjoyed Wildenstein's debut much more than I thought I would in the beginning. I became invested in the characters, the story, and the story within the story. This book had me laughing and crying and I don't think anyone will regret reading it, even with the little peeves in the beginning. 

Rating: 

Actual rating: 3.5/5

Sunday Post #1

Join the fun at Caffeinated Book Reviewer!

• I started blogging again, y'all! That's crazy exciting for me! I've missed the book blogging community so much! 
• I hope everyone (who celebrates it) had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I ate my weight in pie and mashed potatoes! This week was the first time I've been home from college in about a month, so it was really good to see my dad. Not looking forward to going back to school tonight and dealing with the craziness of finals.

Reviews: 
Boys Like You by Juliana Stone
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Memes: 
Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'm Thankful For
WWW Wednesday

Reviews:
Wither by Lauren DeStefano (Wednesday,  12/02/15)
Fever by Lauren DeStefano (Thursday, 12/03/15)

Memes: 
Top Ten Tuesday: 2016 Debuts Novels I'm Looking Forward To

Netgalley: 

Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate - Thank you Amulet Books!
Publication Date: March 8, 2016

Girl Last Seen by Heather Anastasiu & Anne Greenwood Brown - Thank you AW Teen!
Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer - Thank you Kensington!
Publication Date: December 29, 2015

What has your week in books and blogging looked like?