Month: September 2019

Review: Broken Strings

Title: Broken Strings
Author: Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Puffin Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A violin and a middle-school musical unleash a dark family secret in this moving story by an award-winning author duo. For fans of The Devil’s Arithmetic and Hana’s Suitcase.

It’s 2002. In the aftermath of the twin towers — and the death of her beloved grandmother — Shirli Berman is intent on moving forward. The best singer in her junior high, she auditions for the lead role in Fiddler on the Roof, but is crushed to learn that she’s been given the part of the old Jewish mother in the musical rather than the coveted part of the sister. But there is an upside: her “husband” is none other than Ben Morgan, the cutest and most popular boy in the school. 
Deciding to throw herself into the role, she rummages in her grandfather’s attic for some props. There, she discovers an old violin in the corner — strange, since her Zayde has never seemed to like music, never even going to any of her recitals. Showing it to her grandfather unleashes an anger in him she has never seen before, and while she is frightened of what it might mean, Shirli keeps trying to connect with her Zayde and discover the awful reason behind his anger. A long-kept family secret spills out, and Shirli learns the true power of music, both terrible and wonderful.

Review:

This story takes place a few months after 9/11, so it is appropriate that it was released the day before September 11, 2019.

There was a lot of past trauma explored in this story. Shirli’s grandfather survived the Holocaust, but he never spoke about his experience at Auschwitz. Shirli is now living in a world where everyone is suspicious of people with brown skin, because they may be Muslim. Though the Holocaust and 9/11 were different events, they both left people discriminated against because of their religion.

This story made me tear up a few times. Shirli’s grandfather’s experience at Aushwitz was difficult to read, but it is an important part of history that everyone should know. This was a very powerful story!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Hana’s Suitcase by Karen Levine

Hedy’s Journey: The True Story of a Hungarian Girl Fleeing the Holocaust by Michelle Bisson, El Primo Ramon

Have you read Broken Strings? What did you think of it?

TBR Thursday – September 12

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 The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of… lucky.

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

Review: A Treason of Thorns

Title: A Treason of Thorns
Author: Laura E. Weymouth
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Violet Sterling has spent the last seven years in exile, longing to return to Burleigh House. One of the six great houses of England, Burleigh’s magic always kept the countryside well. And as a child, this magic kept Violet happy, draping her in flowers while she slept, fashioning secret hiding places for her, and lighting fires on the coldest nights to keep her warm.

Everything shattered, though, when her father committed high treason trying to free Burleigh from the king’s oppressive control. He was killed, and Vi was forced into hiding.

When she’s given a chance to go back, she discovers Burleigh has run wild with grief. Vines and briars are crumbling the walls. Magic that once enriched the surrounding countryside has turned dark and deadly, twisting lush blooms into thorns, poisoning livestock and destroying crops. Burleigh’s very soul is crying out in pain.

Vi would do anything to help, and soon she finds herself walking the same deadly path as her father all those years before. Vi must decide how far she’s willing to go to save her house—before her house destroys everything she’s ever known.

Review:

I loved this spooky story about a house coming to life.

A lot of this story is told through memories. Violet’s father passes away at the beginning of the story, but there are many memories of him at the house throughout the story. The house, Burleigh, shows Violet memories as a way to communicate with her. It was a creative way for the House to help Violet on her quest.

The way that the house would come to life was quite creepy. There was a lot of description of the way its mortar would become a part of the people inside the house. It started as a fairytale type story, with the house communicating with Violet, but it became dark by the end.

The ending of the story had so much tension. I kept holding my breath because I didn’t know what was going to happen. The final events lasted many pages, which created a lot of anticipation.

This is a great story to read in the fall!

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin

Have you read Treason of Thorns? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – September 11

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 Jackpot by Nic Stone. The expected publication date is October 15, 2019.

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Dear Martin–which Angie Thomas, the bestselling author of The Hate U Give, called “a must read”–comes a pitch-perfect romance that examines class, privilege, and how a stroke of good luck can change an entire life. 

Meet Rico: high school senior and afternoon-shift cashier at the Gas ‘n’ Go, who after school and work races home to take care of her younger brother. Every. Single. Day. When Rico sells a jackpot-winning lotto ticket, she thinks maybe her luck will finally change, but only if she–with some assistance from her popular and wildly rich classmate Zan–can find the ticket holder who hasn’t claimed the prize. But what happens when have and have-nots collide? Will this investigative duo unite…or divide?

Nic Stone, the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martinand Odd One Out, creates two unforgettable characters in one hard-hitting story about class, money–both too little and too much–and how you make your own luck in the world.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Blog Tour Review: The Okay Witch

Title: The Okay Witch
Author: Emma Steinkeller
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Sabrina the Teenage Witch meets Roller Girl in this hilarious, one-of-a-kind graphic novel about a half-witch who has just discovered the truth about herself, her family, and her town and is doing her best to survive middle school now that she knows everything!

Magic is harder than it looks.

Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.

In this spellbinding graphic novel debut, Emma Steinkellner spins a story packed with humor and heart about the weird and wonderful adventures of a witch-in-progress. 

Review:

This new graphic novel had all of the best parts of a magic story: a talking cat, a family feud that spanned centuries, time travel and a magic broomstick. Even though it had all these classic elements of a magical story, it was original.

There were some historical elements to this story. Moth’s family originally had to flee their town to escape the witch hunts of the 17th century. By using magic, her family was able to survive until today.

I liked the way magic represented anyone who was not “normal.” Just because the witches had magic that no one else could understand, they were chased from their home. However, the answer is not to just run away. Moth teaches her family that there are other ways to fight back.

I loved this book!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to Read Next:

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Quince by Sebastian Kadlecik, Kit Steinkellner, Emma Steinkellner

About the Author:

Emma Steinkellner is an illustrator, writer, and cartoonist living in Los Angeles, California.

She is a graduate of Stanford University and the illustrator of the Eisner-nominated comic Quince.

 The Okay Witch is her debut graphic novel as an author.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for letting me participate in this blog tour.

Top Ten Tuesday – Books On My TBR I’m Avoiding Reading

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 a Books On My TBR I’m Avoiding Reading. The reason I’m avoiding reading these books is because I don’t want these series to end. It sounds silly, but if I don’t read these books, then the series isn’t over for me. Here’s my list:

1. Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor

2. The Reckoning of Noah Shaw (The Confessions of Noah Shaw #2) by Michelle Hodkin

3. Archenemies (Renegades #2) by Marissa Meyer

4. A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab

5. Runaways Vol. 2: Best Friends Forever by Rainbow Rowell and Kris Anka

6. Broken Throne (Red Queen #4.5) by Victoria Aveyard

7. The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient #2) by Helen Hoang

8. Her Royal Highness (Royals #2) by Rachel Hawkins

9. Midnight Beauties (Grim Lovelies #2) by Megan Shepherd

10. Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale by Lauren Miracle, Isaac Goodhart

(All photos taken from Goodreads)

Review: Serpent and Dove (Serpent and Dove #1)

Title: Serpent and Dove (Serpent and Dove #1)
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

Review:

I’ve heard so much about this book, and I was so excited to finally read it! It definitely lived up to the hype.

This story had two different narratives, Lou and Reid. At first, I didn’t know why it had both narratives, since Lou’s narrative was more frequent. By the end of the story it made sense, because one character could tell the story if the other wasn’t able to give their perspective. It also gave both sides of the argument of the witches versus the witch hunters.

I loved the battle between the witches and the Chasseurs, the witch hunters. The storyline that brought Lou and Reid together was kind of silly at first. It was a little extreme to make them marry after being caught in a compromising position. However, they represented larger parts of the long battle between witches and witch hunters. It all came together beautifully at the end.

I loved the cliffhangers at the end of the book! I don’t know how I’m going to wait to find out what happens next!

What to read next:

Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1) by Maya Motayne

Grim Lovelies (Grim Lovelies #1) by Megan Shepherd

Have you read Serpent and Dove? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – September 9

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 Serpent and Dove (Serpent and Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer.

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

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – September 8

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 9 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… Serpent and Dove

The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.

This Sunday I’m reading Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

What book are you in bed with today?