November 2018 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Gimme a Call

Title: Gimme a Call
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A new life is just a phone call away!

Devi’s life isn’t turning out at all like she wanted. She wasted the past three years going out with Bryan—cute, adorable, break-your-heart Bryan. Devi let her friendships fade, blew off studying, didn’t join any clubs . . . and now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left.

Not even her stupid cell phone—she dropped it in the mall fountain. Now it only calls one number . . . hers. At age fourteen, three years ago!

Once Devi gets over the shock—and convinces her younger self that she isn’t some wacko—she realizes that she’s been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do . . . because she’s already done all the wrong ones! Who better to take advice from than your future self?

Except . . .what if getting what you think you want changes everything?

Review:

This was such an awesome book! I really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading it. I was smiling within the first couple of pages so I knew it would be good!

I loved the plot of the story. I’m sure most people have thought that they wish they could change a decision they made. In this story, Dev has the chance to change everything in her life by telling her past self to do different things at the start of high school, such as not date the boy who becomes her boyfriend. However, each thing that she changes ends up altering her current life, so she doesn’t know what’s happening. There were so many twists, and the changes between the chapters were unpredictable!

This book was a quick read! I flew through it. I highly recommend this great story!

First Lines Friday – November 30

This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.

Here are my first lines:

“The day I came squealing and squalling into the world was the first time someone tried to kill me. I guess it should have been obvious to everyone right then that I wasn’t going to have a normal life.”

Do you recognize these first lines?

…

And the book is… Dread Nation by Justina Ireland.

Goodreads synopsis:

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

Have you read Dread Nation? What did you think of it?

Review: Doctor Who: The Forever Trap

Title: Doctor Who: The Forever Trap
Author: Dan Abnett (narrated by Catherine Tate)
Genre: Science Fiction, Audiobook
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks
Source: Purchased
Format: Audiobook
Release Date: October 9, 2008
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When the TARDIS is invaded by a holographic marketing scam, the Doctor and Donna find themselves trapped on the Edifice, a purpose-built complex of luxury apartments in space. Their new environs leave much to be desired: millions of beings from across the Universe have been gathered to live side by side in similar apartments. Instead of creating neighbourly affection, it’s led to terrible battles being waged in the corridors and on the stairwells. The Doctor and Donna must cross the paths of deadly alien mobs as they search for the Edifice’s ultimate authority. Who – or what – lies at the heart of the incredible complex? What destructive scourge is eating away at the Edifice itself? And are the Doctor and Donna trapped forever in this living hell? Doctor Who: The Forever Trap features the Doctor and Donna, as played by David Tennant and Catherine Tate in the hit BBC Television series Doctor Who. Written specially for audio by Dan Abnett, it is read by Catherine Tate.

Review:

This is a great audiobook!

Catherine Tate is an awesome narrator. She does many different voices and accents for the characters. Her real voice sounds nothing like her character from the show, Donna Noble, so it distanced her from the story.

The story started out slowly, which I love in an audiobook. It was simple at the beginning, when the Doctor and Donna were sent to their dream house. It became more complex as the story went on, so I was able to follow the new information quite well.

This is another great Doctor Who audiobook!

TBR Thursday – November 29

TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.

My pick this week is What Would the Spice Girls Do?: How the Girl Power Generation Grew Up by Lauren Bravo

Goodreads Synopsis:

‘A joyous and energetic celebration of girlhood, friendship and pop culture. If you have ever sung into the lid of a can of Impulse body spray, you need to read this.’ Daisy Buchanan

The words ‘girl power’ conjure vivid memories of short skirts and platform boots. But it wasn’t just about the look, it was about feminism.

The Spice Girls gave a generation their first glimpse of the power of friendship, of staying true to yourself, of sheer bloody-mindedness. And the girl power generation went on to kick-start a new conversation around gender equality.

We may have grown up asking What Would the Spice Girls Do?, but their particular brand of feminism is as relevant today as it was twenty years ago – we still need that fun and fearlessness, we still need accessible and all-embracing equality… we still need a zig-a-zig-ah.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

Review: Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1)

Title: Grace and Fury (Grace and Fury #1)
Author: Tracy Banghart
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Source: Owlcrate
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: July 31, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace – someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir’s eye, it’s Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

Review:

This was a great book! I was hooked at the start. It actually reminded me a little of my current WIP, so I was very interested in it.

The story was fast paced. Each time I thought I knew what was going to happen, the story would change. It was unpredictable, but that made it exciting.

I really liked the sisters who were the main characters. They were opposites, and they were each placed in worlds that didn’t suit them. I loved the setting of the palace, but I was also intrigued by the prison. It was very well written.

I’m looking forward to seeing where this story goes in the next books!

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – November 28

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black.

Goodreads Synopsis:

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Review: Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too

Title: Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too
Author: Jomny Sun
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Source: Library
Format: ebook
Release Date: June 27, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The illustrated story of a lonely alien sent to observe Earth, where he meets all sorts of creatures with all sorts of perspectives on life, love, and happiness, while learning to feel a little better about himself—based on the enormously popular Twitter account.

Here is the unforgettable story of Jomny, an alien sent to study Earth. Always feeling apart, even among his species, Jomny feels at home for the first time among the earthlings he meets. There is a bear tired of other creatures running in fear, an egg struggling to decide what to hatch into, a turtle hiding itself by learning camouflage, a puppy struggling to express its true feelings, and many more.

The characters are unique and inventive—bees think long and hard about what love means, birds try to eat the sun, nothingness questions its own existence, a ghost comes to terms with dying, and an introverted hedgehog slowly lets Jomny see its artistic insecurities. At the same time, Jomny’s curious presence allows these characters to open up to him in ways they were never able to before, revealing the power of somebody who is just there to listen.

Review:

I loved this book! I kept seeing it everywhere when it came out last year, and I’m so glad I finally read it.

The comics were simple and easy to read. Jomny is an alien who arrives on Earth with the task to learn about the humans. He ends up meeting lots of creatures and plants, except for humans. He assumes that everything that he speaks to are humans.

The simple language was great. Jomny spells words wrong, but it adds to his innocence. There are also some philosophical themes to the story when they learn about the meaning of love and life.

It is a beautiful story of an outsider who learns about life on Earth.

Top Ten Tuesday – Siblings in Books

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Platonic Relationships in Books, so I decided to make a list of Siblings. Here’s my list:

1. The Weasleys (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling)

2. Mirabella, Katharine, and Arsinoe (Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake)

3. The Bennets (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)

4. Violet, Claus, and Sunny Beaudelaires (The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket)

5. The Grants (Save the Date by Morgan Matson)

6. Lara Jean, Margot, and Kitty Covey (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han)

7. Claudia and Janine Kishi (Claudia and Mean Janine by Ann M. Martin)

8. Molly and Cassie Peskin-Suso (The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli)

9. Cal and Maven Calore (Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard)

10. Jamie and Jenny Fraser (Outlander by Diana Gabaldon)

(All photos taken from Goodreads)

Review: The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3)

Title: The Retribution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #3)
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mara Dyer wants to believe there’s more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.

Retribution has arrived.

Review:

I loved this conclusion to the Mara Dyer trilogy.

This story was even more intense than the first two books. It began right in the middle of the action, with Mara still at Horizons where she was being studied and experimented on. It was thrilling and scary.

I don’t normally mention trigger warnings, because I think they can be spoilers for the story. However, there was a scene of self harm, with someone cutting their stomach which really affected me. I almost had to stop reading it, but thankfully the scene only lasted a short while. Some of the psychological elements could be disturbing at times as well, but it also made the story unpredictable.

I was surprised at how satisfying the ending was. I was pleased with how complete the series felt to me. I can’t wait to start on The Shaw Confessions, because I have no idea what will happen next.

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? November 26

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

This weekend I finished Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Shadow of The Fox by Julie Kagawa.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Archenemies (Renegades #2) by Marissa Meyer.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Don’t Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Bras and Broomsticks (Magic in Manhattan #1) by Sarah Mlynowski

Goodreads synopsis:

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Review:

What to read next:

Doctor Who: Pest Control by Peter Anghelides

Doctor Who: The Nemonite Invasion ny David Roden

Goodreads Synopsis:

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Review:

What to read next:

Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jonny Sun

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

1. The Weasleys (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling)

2. Mirabella, Katharine, and Arsinoe (Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake)

3. The Bennets (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)

4. Violet, Claus, and Sunny Beaudelaires (The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket)

5. The Grants (Save the Date by Morgan Matson)

6. Lara Jean, Margot, and Kitty Covey (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han)

7. Claudia and Janine Kishi (Claudia and Mean Janine by Ann M. Martin)

8. Molly and Cassie Peskin-Suso (The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli)

9. Cal and Maven Calore (Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard)

10. Jamie and Jenny Fraser (Outlander by Diana Gabaldon)

(All photos taken from Goodreads)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

The Becoming of Noah Shaw (The Shaw Confessions #1) by Michelle Hodkin

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

What I just finished:

What I’m currently reading:

What I’m reading next: