Author: jilljemmett

Jill lives in Toronto, Canada. She has studied English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. Jill is the creator and content producer of Jill’s Book Blog, where she has published a blog post every day for the last four years, including 5-7 book reviews a week. She can usually be found with her nose in a book.

Review: Chicken Girl

Title: Chicken Girl
Author: Heather Smith
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Teen
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Everybody has a story that will break your heart; a poignant coming-of-age YA for fans of David Arnold, from the author of the acclaimed The Agony of Bun O’Keefe, a Kirkus Best of the Year selection.

Poppy used to be an optimist. But after a photo of her dressed as Rosie the Riveter is mocked online, she’s having trouble seeing the good in the world. As a result, Poppy trades her beloved vintage clothes for a feathered chicken costume and accepts a job as an anonymous sign waver outside a restaurant. There, Poppy meets six-year-old girl Miracle, who helps Poppy see beyond her own pain, opening her eyes to the people around her: Cam, her twin brother, who is adjusting to life as an openly gay teen; Buck, a charming photographer with a cute British accent and a not-so-cute mean-streak; and Lewis a teen caring for an ailing parent, while struggling to reach the final stages of his gender transition. As the summer unfolds, Poppy stops glorifying the past and starts focusing on the present. But just as she comes to terms with the fact that there is good and bad in everyone, she is tested by a deep betrayal.

Review:

This is an amazingly powerful story.

This story was set in Canada. There was a reference to the restaurant Swiss Chalet, which I was so excited about! Swiss Chalet is a rotisserie chicken restaurant in Canada. Usually, there are references to Tim Horton’s which point to Canada, but that is kind of cliche nowadays. The mention of Swiss Chalet was way more accurate and original!

There is a lot of gender diversity in this story. Poppy’s twin brother is gay. She meets a group of homeless people who live under a bridge, which includes a transgender teenage boy. One thing I loved about this story is that Poppy made mistakes while talking to both boys. For example, she asked Lewis what his name was before he became a boy. He told her that was the wrong thing to ask. Most people who don’t have experience with trans people wouldn’t know that, and Poppy reflected that ignorance.

This is a character driven novel, which I don’t typically like, but these characters were so heartbreaking, I couldn’t help but feel for them. My favourite character was Miracle, a six year old girl whose mother was a prostitute. Miracle spends time with the homeless men under the bridge while her mother worked at night. She was so innocent and impressionable, and she was brutally honest at times. I just loved her!

I loved this amazing story! I’m looking forward to seeing the reception of this book, because I think it will become a modern classic.

What to read next:

The Agony of Bun O’Keefe by Heather Smith

Have you read Chicken Girl? What did you think of it?

Top Ten Tuesday – Characters I’d Like to Switch Places With

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 Characters I’d Like to Switch Places With. This was a difficult list, because so many of these characters go through difficult situations in their books, so I’m listing the characters I’d switch places with at the end of their book/series. Here’s my list:

1. Suzannah Simon (The Mediator series by Meg Cabot)

2. Mia Thermopolis (The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot)

3. Linh Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer)

4. Elizabeth Darcy (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)

5. Emma Woodhouse (Emma by Jane Austen)

6. Holly Chase (The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand)

7. Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin)

8. Alina Starkov (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo)

9. Ginny Weasley (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling)

10. Nancy Drew (Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene)

(All photos taken from Goodreads)

Review: The Revenge of Magic (The Revenge of Magic #1)

Title: The Revenge of Magic (The Revenge of Magic #1)
Author: James Riley
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

When long-dead magical creatures are discovered all around the world, each buried with a book of magic, only children can unlock the dangerous power of the books in this start to a thrilling new series from the author of the New York Timesbestselling Story Thieves!

Thirteen years ago, books of magic were discovered in various sites around the world alongside the bones of dragons. Only those born after “Discovery Day” have the power to use the magic.

Now, on a vacation to Washington, DC, Fort Fitzgerald’s father is lost when a giant creature bursts through the earth, attacking the city. Fort is devastated, until an opportunity for justice arrives six months later, when a man named Dr. Opps invites Fort to a government run school, the Oppenheimer School, to learn magic from those same books.

But life’s no easier at the school, where secrets abound. What does Jia, Fort’s tutor, know about the attacks? Why does Rachel, master of destructive magic, think Fort is out to destroy the school? And why is Fort seeing memories of an expelled girl every time he goes to sleep? If Fort doesn’t find out what’s hiding within the Oppenheimer School, more attacks will come, and this time, nothing will stop them! 

Review:

This is a great start to a new middle grade fantasy series!

At first, I thought I could predict what would happen in this book. It reminded me of Rick Riordan stories, where there is a big event that happens to the main character, causing them to find their mysterious powers. However, I couldn’t have predicted the rest of the story!

This story was so exciting. There was a lot more to the story than what happened in this book. There were events leading up to the monster attack at the beginning of the story, which we just learn a little about at the end. It was just a taste of some world building, which I’m so excited to read about!

I loved this story, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

What to read next:

Story Thieves (Story Thieves #1) by James Riley

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) by Rick Riordan

Have you read The Revenge of Magic? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – March 4

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 Chicken Girl by Heather Smith.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading The Au Pair by Emma Rous.

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

King of Scars Preorder Unboxing

This is my unboxing of the King of Scars Indigo Book Box!

I love the King of Scars travel mug! There was also a Corporalki pin from the GrishaVerse. I also love the hand cream in the box!

This is the beautiful, signed book. It was an amazing story! You can find my review for it here.

Did you get this box or read the book? What did you think of it?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – March 3

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 9 weekly blogging memes:

I also did 5 unboxing posts:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With…

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 Chicken Girl by Heather Smith.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Everybody has a story that will break your heart; a poignant coming-of-age YA for fans of David Arnold, from the author of the acclaimed The Agony of Bun O’Keefe, a Kirkus Best of the Year selection.

Poppy used to be an optimist. But after a photo of her dressed as Rosie the Riveter is mocked online, she’s having trouble seeing the good in the world. As a result, Poppy trades her beloved vintage clothes for a feathered chicken costume and accepts a job as an anonymous sign waver outside a restaurant. There, Poppy meets six-year-old girl Miracle, who helps Poppy see beyond her own pain, opening her eyes to the people around her: Cam, her twin brother, who is adjusting to life as an openly gay teen; Buck, a charming photographer with a cute British accent and a not-so-cute mean-streak; and Lewis a teen caring for an ailing parent, while struggling to reach the final stages of his gender transition. As the summer unfolds, Poppy stops glorifying the past and starts focusing on the present. But just as she comes to terms with the fact that there is good and bad in everyone, she is tested by a deep betrayal.

What book are you in bed with today?

Six for Sunday – Favourite Authors

This meme is hosted by Steph at A little but a lot. The weekly prompts for 2019 can be found here.

This week’s prompt is Favourite Author. Here is a list of my favourite authors:

1. Leigh Bardugo

2. V.E. Schwab

3. Karen M. McManus

4. J.K. Rowling

5. Victoria Aveyard

6. Meg Cabot

Did you write a #SixforSunday post? What was your list of Favourite Authors?

(All images from Goodreads)

Review: The Homecoming

Title: The Homecoming
Author: Andrew Pyper
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 26, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Bestselling author Andrew Pyper returns with a riveting psychological thriller about how the people you’ve known your whole life can suddenly become strangers.

What if everything you knew about the people you loved was a lie?

After the death of their absentee father, Aaron and Bridge Quinlan travel to a vast rainforest property in the Pacific Northwest to hear the reading of his will. There, they meet up with their mother and troubled sister, Franny, and are shocked to discover the will’s terms: in order to claim their inheritance they must remain at the estate for thirty days without any contact with the outside world. Despite their concerns, they agree.

The Quinlans soon come to learn their family has more secrets than they ever imagined—revelations that at first inspire curiosity, then fear. Why does Bridge have faint memories of the estate? Why did their father want them to be sequestered there together? And what is out there they feel pulling them into the dark heart of the woods?

The Homecoming is at once a gripping mystery, a chilling exploration of how our memories can both define and betray us, and a riveting page-turner that will have you questioning your very existence.

Review:

This book was a mix of suspenseful thriller and horror. It was a wild roller coaster ride!

There was a lot of suspense in the story, because we don’t know much about the events that lead to the beginning of the story, including the characters’ backgrounds. The characters all find themselves at an isolated house, and are forced to stay there to inherit millions from their father. However, we don’t know how they got there or even much of their relationship with their father. He remains a mysterious figure until the end of the story.

There were actually some fairytale elements to the story. They compare the house to the witch’s house from Hansel and Gretel. There are even a couple of monsters in the woods. It’s a twisted fairytale. It was getting so gruesome that I had to stop reading it before bed one night!

Right away, I made a prediction of what would happen at the end. I was only half right, and I was glad because I was hoping it would be a more complicated ending than I predicted. I liked that I still had some questions at the end, so I can just imagine what some of the answers would be.

I couldn’t put this book down! It’s a great thriller!

What to read next:

The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Have you read The Homecoming? What did you think of it?