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: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Geekerella by Ashley Poston
(standalone)
Published: April 4, 2017 by Quirk Books
Source: I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley, but this has in no way influenced my opinion of the novel.

Summary from Goodreads: 
When geek girl Elle Wittimer sees a cosplay contest sponsored by the producers of Starfield, she has to enter. First prize is an invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. Elle’s been scraping together tips from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck behind her stepmother’s back, and winning this contest could be her ticket out once and for all—not to mention a fangirl’s dream come true.

Teen actor Darien Freeman is less than thrilled about this year’s ExcelsiCon. He used to live for conventions, but now they’re nothing but jaw-aching photo sessions and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Federation Prince Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the diehard Starfield fandom has already dismissed him as just another heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, closet nerd Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

 Last year, I read Ashley Poston's lesser-known We Own the Night and absolutely ADORED it. It gave me so many feelings. So when I heard that she had another book being released that was a modern-day, contemporary, geeky Cinderella re-telling...well, I just HAD to get my hands on it. Plus, everyone who'd already read a galley of it was singing its praises. I'll admit, I don't like it as much as I liked We Own the Night, but I still devoured Geekerella. It was fun, cute, and--yes--GEEKY!

This novel is told from two different points of view: Elle, who is completely stomped all over by her step-family, and Darien, who is famous and completely controlled by others. I really enjoyed both of these characters while I was reading them, but I don't think I connected to them the way I wanted to. A couple weeks after finishing this book and I don't feel the same pull to them that I feel when I really fall in love with characters. I felt sympathy for them, and I rooted for their happiness, but I didn't fall in love with them.

I thought their relationship was super sweet and I was all for it. I am a sucker for the trope where two characters hate each other in real life but meet each other online and don't know the other's true identity and so they hate each other and love each other at the same time, if that makes sense??? Probably not lol. But I am into that trope. However, most of their relationship developed through text messages, and I would have liked to see a lot more of them interacting in person. While I wish that their relationship had a bit more depth, I still really liked them together. 

Also, I just need to talk about the re-telling aspect of this book. I loved the way it was done. I thought it was ADORABLE turning the famous ball into a convention and the beloved ball gown into cosplay!! Also, the food truck was The Magic Pumpkin! All the little Cinderella aspects were so fun and charming and breathed so much life into this story. While I had issues connecting to the characters, these little re-telling details made this story something special.

The nerd in me was absolutely delighted by this book. Yes, Geekerella has it's flaws, but it's still something I'd recommend for fangirls everywhere. This book was a delightful little distraction from reality, complete with sweet a sweet romance and genuine friendship and camaraderie. If you're looking for a quick read that will undoubtedly make you smile, then this is the novel for you!

My rating: 

Actually closer to 3.75/5

Lefty's Lowdown: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
(A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)
Published: May 5, 2015 by Bloomsbury Children's
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: 
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

 So I'm the last person on the planet to read this novel, I know. I'm glad I finally read it, though, because it's pretty damn good. Not earth-shaking or anything, like it seems to be for some people, but pretty damn good.

The very first thing that sucked me into this novel was the writing. I know that seems like such a given, but from the very first page, it is obvious that Sarah J. Maas is a skilled wordsmith. Her writing is beautiful, and Feyre's voice is strong and engaging. Feyre in general is a strong and engaging character. She's selfless and prickly and I loved reading about her. I hated the way her family treated her, especially considering how much she did for them without ever receiving a thank you. I also really like how real she was. She struggles with insecurities and uncertainties and she struggles for strength at some points. Even in a world of fae, she is a relatable character.

While Tamlin eventually grew on me (A LOT), I was immediately charmed by Lucien. He is funny and rude and he's definitely the guy I would want to be best friends with. About halfway through the book, I came around to Tamlin, and by the end I loved him and I loved the relationship he and Feyre have. I know a lot of people weren't sold on him (and tons of people prefer Rhy, which I don't understand even a little bit), but I believe Tamlin really cares for Feyre. He's not very good at loving people, but it was clear how much he cared for him in the little things he did. All in all, though, I think Maas introduces a cast of characters that have depth and interesting backstories.

My biggest problem with this novel lies in the pacing. I almost DNFed this book because the first half drug really badly. Interesting things were happening and yet....I was buddy reading this with someone and she actually did DNF it, I believe. She said it was making her feel slumpy, and that's kinda where I was at, too. But I pushed through and the second half of the novel redeemed itself big time. The second half was addicting and exciting! I couldn't wait to see what would happen to Feyre and how she would escape her various predicaments.

This book has a lot of really fantastic things going for it: stunning writing, intriguing characters, and a steamy romance. I enjoyed the ending a lot, and was interested in the worldbuilding. This book would have been a total hit-it-out-of-the-park, 5-star read for me if the beginning had been more exciting, but it took me 8 or 9 days to slog through the first half, and I don't believe that can be overlooked. I was extremely satisfied by the ending, and, as of right now, I have no intentions of reading the sequel, because I kinda just want to leave Feyre's story where it is at the end of this novel.

3.75/5