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 Books With Numbers in the Title. Here’s my list:
1. Master of One by Jaida Jones and Dani Bennett
2. Walking in Two Worlds by Wab Kinew
3. One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
4. One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
5. 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon
6. Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally
7. In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
8. The Two Lila Bennetts by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
9. Day Zero by Kelly deVos
10. Six Goodbyes We Never Said by Candace Granger
(All book covers from Goodreads)
What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?
Title: Idol Gossip Author: Alexandra Leigh Young Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Publisher: Walker Books US Source: Publisher Format: Hardcover Release Date: September 14, 2021 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
An inside look at the K-pop phenomenon, in a wry, punchy young-adult debut that probes cultural differences, sisterhood, and the minefield of fame.
Every Friday after school, dressed in their new South Korean prep-school uniforms — sweater vests, knee-highs, pleated skirts, and blazers — seventeen-year old Alice Choy and her little sister, Olivia, head to Myeongdong, brave a dank, basement-level stairwell full of graffiti, and slip into a noreabang. Back in San Francisco, when she still had friends and earthly possessions, Alice took regular singing lessons. But since their diplomat mom moved them to Seoul, she pours herself into karaoke, vamping it up in their booth to Lady Gaga while loyal Olivia applauds and howls with laughter. Alice lives for Fridays, but when an older woman stops her on their way out one day, handing Alice a business card with a bow, singing turns serious. Could the chance encounter really be her ticket to elite status at Top10 Entertainment’s Star Academy? With a little sisterly support, backed by one of the world’s top talent agencies, can Alice lead her group on stage before a stadium of 50,000 chanting fans — and just maybe strike K-pop gold? Not if a certain influential blogger and the anti-fans get their way.
Delicious gossip squares off with genuine heart in a debut about standing out and fitting in, dreaming big and staying true — for avid K-pop fans and those just discovering the worldwide cultural phenomenon.
Review:
Alice Choy and her younger sister Olivia moved to South Korea with their parents after their mom got a job there. Alice always dreamed of being a singer when they lived in San Francisco, but she had to put that dream on hold when they moved. While she’s at a karaoke bar with her sister, someone from Top10 Entertainment, the company that manages the biggest K-Pop singers, hears Alice and invites her to audition. Despite not being able to dance, Alice’s strong singing voice gets her into the Star Academy, where she will be groomed to be in an upcoming K-Pop girl group. However, this isn’t an easy path, especially when an influential blogger is ready to take down any and all K-Pop stars with damaging gossip.
Being a pop star looks like a fun job from the seat of the fans. However, as this story shows, it isn’t easy to be a success. Alice had every aspect of her life controlled when she started at the Star Academy, including what and how much she ate. Her body was scrutinized and judged. Though the K-Pop singers could have so many fans and so much fame, they suffered a lot and lost their own identities on the journey to become a star.
I really enjoyed this story, but I want to know what comes next. It ended at a high point in the story, so I would love to see what happened after that point. Up until the final pages, I really didn’t know how the story would end. I wasn’t sure if Alice’s group was going to be a success or if they wouldn’t make it to the stage. I won’t spoil it, but I really hope there will be a sequel so I can find out what happens next!
Idol Gossip is a great K-Pop story!
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo
Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
Have you read Idol Gossip? What did you think of it?
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 Idol Gossip by Alexandra Leigh Young.
What I’m currently reading:
I’m currently reading Walking in Two Worlds by Wab Kinew.
What I’m reading next:
Next I will be reading Stalking Shadows by Cyla Panin.
What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?
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 Idol Gossip by Alexandra Leigh Young.
Goodreads Synopsis:
An inside look at the K-pop phenomenon, in a wry, punchy young-adult debut that probes cultural differences, sisterhood, and the minefield of fame.
Every Friday after school, dressed in their new South Korean prep-school uniforms — sweater vests, knee-highs, pleated skirts, and blazers — seventeen-year old Alice Choy and her little sister, Olivia, head to Myeongdong, brave a dank, basement-level stairwell full of graffiti, and slip into a noreabang. Back in San Francisco, when she still had friends and earthly possessions, Alice took regular singing lessons. But since their diplomat mom moved them to Seoul, she pours herself into karaoke, vamping it up in their booth to Lady Gaga while loyal Olivia applauds and howls with laughter. Alice lives for Fridays, but when an older woman stops her on their way out one day, handing Alice a business card with a bow, singing turns serious. Could the chance encounter really be her ticket to elite status at Top10 Entertainment’s Star Academy? With a little sisterly support, backed by one of the world’s top talent agencies, can Alice lead her group on stage before a stadium of 50,000 chanting fans — and just maybe strike K-pop gold? Not if a certain influential blogger and the anti-fans get their way.
Delicious gossip squares off with genuine heart in a debut about standing out and fitting in, dreaming big and staying true — for avid K-pop fans and those just discovering the worldwide cultural phenomenon.
Title: Black Widow: The Name of the Rose Author: Marjorie Liu, Daniel Acuña (illustrator) Genre: Graphic Novel Publisher: Marvel Source: Library Format: Ebook Release Date: December 22, 2010 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The deadly super-spy from IRON MAN 2, INVINCIBLE IRON MAN and CAPTAIN AMERICA in her own action-packed tale! Natasha Romanoff is not a super hero. She’s not psychic. She doesn’t fly. And yet as the Black Widow, she manages to hold her own against a world of incredibly powerful enemies and allies. But now someone has tried to kill Natasha and almost succeeded.
Review:
Natasha Romanoff is a spy, with the alias Black Widow. She has many enemies who have targeted her over the years, but she’s always able to fight them off. Now, someone has been sending her messages and trying to kill her. This person knows secrets that she has never told anyone. Natasha has to revisit her past to find her attacker.
I haven’t read any Black Widow stories before this one. I loved the movie so I wanted to read more of the history of the character. This story was a good introduction, but it made me want to know more about Natasha’s history. There were just teasers of what she had done earlier in her life, so I’ll need to go find some more stories to learn more.
Black Widow: The Name of the Rose is a good introduction to Black Widow!
What to read next:
Black Widow: Kiss or Kill by Duane Swierczynski, Manuel García (illustrator)
Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl
Have you read Black Widow: The Name of the Rose? What did you think of it?
Title: Dark and Shallow Lies Author: Ginny Myers Sain Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Thriller Publisher: Razorbill Source: Publisher Format: Paperback arc Release Date: September 7, 2021 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
A teen girl disappears from her small town deep in the bayou, where magic festers beneath the surface of the swamp like water rot, in this chilling debut supernatural thriller for fans of Natasha Preston, Karen McManus, and Rory Power.
La Cachette, Louisiana, is the worst place to be if you have something to hide.
This tiny town, where seventeen-year-old Grey spends her summers, is the self-proclaimed Psychic Capital of the World–and the place where Elora Pellerin, Grey’s best friend, disappeared six months earlier.
Grey can’t believe that Elora vanished into thin air any more than she can believe that nobody in a town full of psychics knows what happened. But as she digs into the night that Elora went missing, she begins to realize that everybody in town is hiding something – her grandmother Honey; her childhood crush Hart; and even her late mother, whose secrets continue to call to Grey from beyond the grave.
When a mysterious stranger emerges from the bayou – a stormy-eyed boy with links to Elora and the town’s bloody history – Grey realizes that La Cachette’s past is far more present and dangerous than she’d ever understood. Suddenly, she doesn’t know who she can trust. In a town where secrets lurk just below the surface, and where a murderer is on the loose, nobody can be presumed innocent–and La Cachette’s dark and shallow lies may just rip the town apart.
Review:
Grey spends her summers in her hometown of La Cachette, Louisiana, the Psychic Capital of the World. This is the first time Grey has returned since her best friend, Elora, went missing earlier in the year. Grey and Elora were closer than friends. They shared a birthday and always felt like sisters. Grey’s goal for the summer was to find out the truth of what happened to Elora. However, she didn’t think she would discover the truths behind other mysterious disappearances and deaths, including the secrets her mother took to her grave.
This was a spooky, mystical story, perfect for the fall season. The town of La Cachette was full of psychics. All of the kids born in the same year as Grey had some kind of psychic ability. Grey didn’t think she had a gift until she started seeing visions of what happened to Elora in her final moments. The town itself was also spooky. It was quite isolated from the rest of the world. The town was the target of hurricanes, like New Orleans. It added to the spookiness and unpredictability of the town.
The ending was shocking and surprising. There was one character who I found suspicious from the beginning, and I thought they were the one responsible for Elora’s disappearance. This character was involved, but it was a complicated ending. There were some other revelations at the end that were quite disturbing and unexpected.
Dark and Shallow Lies is a creepy YA story.
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power
The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
Have you read Dark and Shallow Lies? What did you think of it?
Title: Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness (Narwhal and Jelly #6) Author: Ben Clanton Genre: Children’s, Picture Book Publisher: Tundra Books Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: September 7, 2021 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Narwhal and Jelly become the coolest teachers in the world wide waters in the hilarious sixth book of this blockbuster graphic novel series!
Dive into four new stories about Narwhal and Jelly becoming substitute teachers! The two best friends come across an enthusiastic school of fish one morning. Unfortunately, Mr. Blowfish, their teacher, has come down with a cold, and class will have to be cancelled . . . until Professor Knowell (Narwhal) and Super Teacher (Jelly) volunteer to help out! The first subject is Wafflematics, in which Narwhal and Jelly calculate the number of waffles needed to feed the class. That’s what we’re chalking about! Next up is a super-fun science scavenger hunt, followed by a game of Tag! You’re Awesome! at recess. Narwhal’s teaching methods may be unconventional, but with Jelly’s help, the two teach (and learn) with their trademark positivity and humor. Before they know it, the day is over . . . but what grade will Narwhal receive from Jelly?
Review:
Narwhal and Jelly see a group of fish swimming one day, so they decide to follow them. The fish are going to school, but their teacher, Mr. Blowfish, is sick and can’t teach. Narwhal becomes Professor Knowell and teaches them for the day. They do all the important school activities, such as Wafflematics and a science scavenger hunt. Narwhal has unique teaching skills but he gets the job done.
Narwhal and Jelly books are so much fun! The two friends, Narwhall and Jelly, meet many different sea creatures in every book. I learned some sea facts, such as that a group of oysters is called a bed, and that a male seahorse can give birth to 1,000 babies at once. I love that I can learn these fun facts in a kid’s book.
This story was funny because of the differences in Narwhal’s and Jelly’s personalities. Narwhal is very carefree and innocent. He doesn’t understand everything so he often makes things up as he goes along. Jelly likes to follow rules, but he’s getting better at going along with Narwhal’s ideas. Jelly usually has to explain things to Narwhal in the story. Their different personalities make these situations so funny.
Narwhal’s School of Awesomeness is such a fun kid’s book!
Thank you Tundra Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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