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 Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski.
What I’m currently reading:
I’m currently reading Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small.
What I’m reading next:
Next I will be reading Girl of the Southern Sea by Michelle Kadarusman.
What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?
Title: We Contain Multitudes Author: Sarah Henstra Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: May 14, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universemeets I’ll Give You the Sun in an exhilarating and emotional novel about the growing relationship between two teen boys, told through the letters they write to one another.
Jonathan Hopkirk and Adam “Kurl” Kurlansky are partnered in English class, writing letters to one another in a weekly pen pal assignment. With each letter, the two begin to develop a friendship that eventually grows into love. But with homophobia, bullying, and devastating family secrets, Jonathan and Kurl struggle to overcome their conflicts and hold onto their relationship…and each other.
This rare and special novel celebrates love and life with engaging characters and stunning language, making it perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson, Nina LaCour, and David Levithan.
Review:
I loved this story! I couldn’t put it down!
This story begins with Adam and Jonathan writing letters back and forth to each other as a school assignment, but it quickly blossoms into a friendship. I think this way of developing a relationship, which was basically orchestrated by the teacher, could be realistic. Sometimes teachers can see things in students that they can’t see themselves, so they can pair up students who would work well together. I’m curious to see the teacher’s perspective on their relationship and to know if she ever read their letters.
I loved the way that the letters told the story. The boys would recount things they did together. They often had a different perspective of events, so the letters weren’t repetitive. The letters would give two sides to the same story. This demonstrated the way that two people can see the same event in different ways.
This was an incredibly moving story.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Have you read We Contain Multitudes? What did you think of it?
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 Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Praised by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle as “hilarious, moving and flat-out fun,” and Kirkus as a “pitch-perfect rendering … of the teen experience,” Ten Things I Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have) has captured the hearts of critics and readers alike. Fans of Sarah Dessen, E. Lockhart, and Maureen Johnson will love this hilarious and heartwarming tale of a girl on her own for the first time.
If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn’t jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe “opportunity” isn’t the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: “Lied to Our Parents”). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up “Skipping School” (#3), “Buying a Hot Tub” (#4), and, um, “Harboring a Fugitive” (#7) is a mystery to them.
To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn’t-have-done at a time.
Title: The Center of the Universe Author: Ria Voros Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Publisher: KCP Loft Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: April 2, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Grace Carter’s mother — the celebrity news anchor GG Carter — is everything Grace is not. GG is a star, with a flawless wardrobe and a following of thousands, while Grace — an aspiring astrophysicist — is into stars of another kind. She and her mother have always been in different orbits. Then one day GG is just … gone. Cameras descend on their house, news shows speculate about what might have happened and Grace’s family struggles to find a new rhythm as they wait for answers. While the authorities unravel the mystery behind GG’s disappearance, Grace grows closer to her high school’s golden boy, Mylo, who has faced a black hole of his own. She also uncovers some secrets from her mother’s long-lost past. The more Grace learns, the more she wonders. Did she ever really know her mother? Was GG abducted … or did she leave? And if she left, why?
Review:
I loved this story! It had suspenseful elements, but it had a heartwarming ending.
The first half of the story was about the mystery of Grace’s missing mother. There were so many questions as to why she left or if she was taken. I enjoyed this mystery, because I couldn’t guess what would happen next. Even when that mystery was solved, there was still a lot more to the story.
Science was a major theme in this book. Grace is interested in astrophysics, and she has even been mentioned in an article as the founder of an exoplanet. There is an interview with the astrophysicist Elizabeth Tasker at the end of the book, and she is featured as a character in the novel too. This is great representation for young adults who are interested in pursuing a career in science.
I also liked that this story was about more than just Grace’s missing mother. This story explored the mother/daughter relationship between Grace and her mother, as well as her mother and grandmother. I think this was actually the main point of the story. Grace had to look for a way to find her mother, both literally and figuratively.
This is a great new story!
What to read next:
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Have you read The Center of the Universe? What did you think of it?
This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
I was approved for 5 books on NetGalley from Simon and Schuster Canada:
Your Life is Mine by Nathan Ripley
I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie
Temper by Layne Fargo
The Honeymooners by Christina Lauren
The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for these books!
Title: The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate Author: Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, LeUyen Pham (illustrations) Genre: Children’s Publisher: Candlewick Press Source: Library Format: Ebook Release Date: September 5, 2017 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Noseholes and elephants! A pet-eating monster interrupts a perfect playdate with Princess Sneezewort . . . but who is that new masked avenger?
Princess Magnolia and Princess Sneezewort have plans . . . mysterious plans, like a princess playdate! They dress-up slam! They karaoke jam! They playhouse romp and snack-time stomp! But then a shout from outside Princess Sneezewort’s castle interrupts their fun. It’s a monster trying to eat someone’s kitty! This is a job for the Princess in Black. Yet when the Princess in Black gets there, she finds only a masked stranger and no monster in sight . . . or is there? Action and humor abound in this ode to friendship that proves that when shape-shifting monsters intrude on your plans, two heroes are better than one.
Review:
The Princess in Black makes a new superhero friend in this story. The story begins after she has defeated a monster with the Goat Avenger. She has a play date with Princess Sneezewort, but it is interrupted by a monster in the park. Princess Sneezewort uses the list of steps she read in a magazine to transform into a hero, the Princess in Blankets. Together, the Princess in Black and the Princess in Blankets defeat the monster.
This is an adorable series! The story is funny and the pictures are beautiful. I love the vibrant colours of the characters and the setting.
Though these stories are short, the characters become more developed in each one. A couple of books ago, Princess Magnolia met Princess Sneezewort. In this book, Princess Sneezewort transformed into a hero just like the Princess in Black. I love the running joke that no one recognizes these heroes in their disguises, even though it still looks like them.
This is a great series for kids and their parents!
What to read next:
The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, LeUyen Pham (illustrator)
Have you read The Princess in Black and the Mysterious Playdate? What did you think of it?
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:
“If you want to find Cherry-Tree Lane all you have to do is ask the Policeman at the crossroads. He will push his helmet slightly to one side, scratch his head thoughtfully, and then he will point his huge white-gloved finger and say: ‘First to your right, second to your left, sharp right again, and you’re there. Good-morning.'”
Do you recognize these first lines?
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And the book is… Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins #1) by P.L. Travers.
Goodreads synopsis:
When Jane and Michael Banks draw up an advertisement for a nanny, Mary Poppins arrives on a gust of the East Wind and slides up the bannister, changing their lives forever.
Their wonderful new nanny is strict but fair, and full of surprises. Soon the Banks children are whisked off on the most exciting and magical adventures they have ever had. But Mary Poppins has only promised to stay until the wind changes…
Have you read Mary Poppins? What did you think of it?
Title: Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens Author: Tanya Boteju Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: May 7, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Perpetually awkward Nima Kumara-Clark is bored with her insular community of Bridgeton, in love with her straight girlfriend, and trying to move past her mother’s unexpected departure. After a bewildering encounter at a local festival, Nima finds herself suddenly immersed in the drag scene on the other side of town.
Macho drag kings, magical queens, new love interests, and surprising allies propel Nima both painfully and hilariously closer to a self she never knew she could be—one that can confidently express and accept love. But she’ll have to learn to accept lost love to get there.
Review:
This was a great story about finding your identity.
The story was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the scenes where Nami learned about drag queens and kings. I had never heard of drag kings before reading this novel. At first, Nami was unsure of the drag show, but she ended up loving it. She also befriended a king and a queen.
Some of the story was upsetting. Nami’s mother left her and her father without warning. When her reason is finally revealed, I didn’t like it. I didn’t think it was a good enough reason, because she was essentially running away from her problems. Nami was dealing with her own problems, so it wasn’t fair for her to see her mom run away like that.
Nami had some embarrassing moments in the story, including vomiting in a hot tub. I felt so sympathetic for her in those moments, because they were humiliating. However, when something embarrassing happened or she made a mistake, she always got back up and kept going.
I loved this book. It’s a great story about finding your gender identity.
What to read next:
The Summer of Jordi Perez (And The Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding
Dumplin’ (Dumplin’ #1) by Julie Murphy
Have you read Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens? What did you think of it?
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