‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – September 23

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 Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella. The expected publication date is October 27, 2020.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of I Owe You One, an utterly delightful novel about a woman who ditches her dating app for a writer’s retreat in Italy–only to find that real love comes with its own filters 

“As close to perfect as romantic comedies get.”–Jenny Colgan, New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner

Call Ava romantic, but she thinks love should be found in the real world, not on apps that filter men by height, job, or astrological sign. She believes in feelings, not algorithms. So after a recent breakup and dating app debacle, she decides to put love on hold and escapes to a remote writers’ retreat in coastal Italy. She’s determined to finish writing the novel she’s been fantasizing about, even though it means leaving her close-knit group of friends and her precious dog, Harold, behind.

At the retreat, she’s not allowed to use her real name or reveal any personal information. When the neighboring martial arts retreat is canceled and a few of its attendees join their small writing community, Ava, now going by “Aria,” meets “Dutch,” a man who seems too good to be true. The two embark on a baggage-free, whirlwind love affair, cliff-jumping into gem-colored Mediterranean waters and exploring the splendor of the Italian coast. Things seem to be perfect for Aria and Dutch.

But then their real identities–Ava and Matt–must return to London. As their fantasy starts to fade, they discover just how different their personal worlds are. From food choices to annoying habits to sauna etiquette . . . are they compatible in anything? And then there’s the prickly situation with Matt’s ex-girlfriend, who isn’t too eager to let him go. As one mishap follows another, it seems while they love each other, they just can’t love each other’s lives. Can they reconcile their differences to find one life together?

What books are you waiting on this week?

Blog Tour Review: Last Pick and Born to Run

Title: Last Pick (Last Pick #1)
Author: Jason Walz
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Graphic Novel
Publisher: First Second
Source: YA Bound Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 9, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Three years ago, aliens invaded Earth and abducted everyone they deemed useful. The only ones spared were those too young, too old, or too “disabled” to be of value. Living on Earth under the aliens’ harsh authoritarian rule, humanity’s rejects do their best to survive. Their captors never considered them a threat—until now.

Twins Sam and Wyatt are ready to chuck their labels and start a revolution. It’s time for the kids last picked to step into the game.

In this first volume of Jason Walz’s dystopian graphic novel trilogy, the kids last picked are humanity’s last hope.

Review:

Three years ago, aliens came to Earth and abducted every able bodied person between the ages of 16 and 65. Twins Sam and Wyatt were left on their own. Now they’ve just turned 16, and they are searching for answers on why the aliens took the people and where they went. However, right after their sixteenth birthday, the aliens return. Sam and Wyatt are in even more danger since they’re now 16 and part of the age group that the aliens will abduct.

This story shows that you shouldn’t underestimate people’s abilities. The aliens think that people under 16 and over 65 are too weak to work for them. They also left people who have disabilities. The people who were left on Earth work hard to survive, and prove that they are just as strong and smart as everyone else.

I found this post-apocalyptic story really relatable during the pandemic. Of course aliens didn’t arrive on Earth in 2020, but the idea of having your life completely turned upside down and having to learn new ways of doing things, like the characters did in this book, is relatable to the pandemic.

Thank you First Second and YA Bound Book Tours for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Born to Run (Last Pick #2)
Author: Jason Walz
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Graphic Novel
Publisher: First Second
Source: YA Bound Book Tours
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 8, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Four years ago, aliens kidnapped most of mankind, leaving behind those they deemed unworthy—the “last picked.”

The future for Sam is bleak and unthinkable. A galaxy away from her twin brother, she is a pawn in the aliens’ bloody civil war. But with her new friend Mia, Sam has found a way to resist her captors and hold onto her humanity.

Back on Earth, Sam’s twin, Wyatt, is leading a resistance of his own. With a ragtag army of the old, the young, and the disabled, he has a plan to bring the fight to his alien captors. But to defeat the aliens, Wyatt may need to befriend one.

Review:

Wyatt and Sam were separated when she was abducted at the end of Last Pick. Sam is living on another planet where they are instructed by the aliens to kill all of the inhabitants of that planet. Meanwhile on Earth, Wyatt is leading a revolution. Wyatt must find his confidence to lead the resistance team, and Sam has to learn that fighting back against the enemy doesn’t necessarily mean killing them.

Born to Run shows more disabled characters. One girl is deaf and communicates with sign language. Another character uses a wheelchair, and struggles when he loses it. Wyatt is on the autism spectrum, so he processes information and feelings differently. Even though these characters had disabilities, they were able to use them to their advantage to figure out how to defeat the aliens.

This is a great series! I’m excited to see how it all ends.

Thank you First Second and YA Bound Book Tours for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Rise Up (Last Pick #3) by Jason Walz

About the Author:

Jason Walz is comic and graphic novel creator living in Minneapolis. He is the author of several comics and graphic novels, including the LAST PICK trilogy and the Eisner nominated graphic novel HOMESICK.

Website: http://jasonwwalz.com/

Have you read Last Pick or Born to Run? What did you think of it?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on My Fall 2020 TBR

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 on My Fall 2020 TBR. Here’s my list:

1. The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

2. Miss Meteor by Tehlor Kay Mejia and Anna-Marie McLemore

3. The Glass Queen by Gena Showalter

4. Dear Justyce by Nic Stone

5. Kingdom of Sea and Stone by Mara Rutherford

6. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

7. Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

8. Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao

9. Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer

10. The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

(All photos taken from Goodreads)

What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?

Happy Pub Day – September 22

Happy Pub Day to all of these new books!

Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds

Jo: A Graphic Novel by Kathleen Gros

Miss Meteor by Tehlor Kay Mejia and Anna-Marie McLemore

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi

Barry Squires, Full Tilt by Heather Smith

Smash It! by Francina Simone

Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker (editors)

Well Played by Jen DeLuca

What books are you most excited for this week?

Review: Sarah’s Dream (The Grémillet Sisters #1)

Title: Sarah’s Dream (The Grémillet Sisters #1)
Author: Giovanni Di Gregorio, Alessandro Barbucci
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Publisher: Europe Comics
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 15, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Being sisters is never easy. But when you’re as different as Sarah, Cassiopeia, and Lucille, it’s even harder! The first is haunted by recurring dreams, the second lives with her head in the clouds, and the last spends most of her time with her cat. Then one day they discover a mysterious photo of their mother pregnant. Where was it taken, and who is the baby? And most importantly, why was this photo hidden away in the depths of the attic? To find out, they’ll have to venture into the tangled forest of the Grémillet family secrets!

Review:

Sarah is the oldest of three sisters, and she’s always felt responsible for her younger sisters Cassiopeia and Lucille. Sarah has a recurring dream of a large tree holding her mom’s bedroom, with a jellyfish inside. Before she can reach the jellyfish, she always wakes up. While Sarah and her sisters are making a Mother’s Day gift for their mom, they find an old photo of their mom at the base of the tree from Sarah’s dream. They have to enter a hidden forest to learn their mother’s secrets.

I loved the mystical aspects of this story. Sarah has a mysterious dream that is connected to her mother’s past. There was a strange forest that held their mom’s secrets. These mysterious secrets also created some beautiful, mystical images in the illustrations.

This story deals with the death of a newborn at the end. This can be a sensitive subject for some readers. However, it could also introduce the subject of a child’s death to young readers. This story could create a starting point for talking about that difficult subject.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I’m looking forward to reading the next one.

Thank you Europe Comics for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to read next:

Hotel Dare by Terry Blas, Claudia Aguirre

The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner

Have you read Sarah’s Dream? What did you think of it?

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – September 21

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 Sarah’s Dream (The Grémillet Sisters #1) by Giovanni Di Gregorio, Alessandro Barbucci.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Barry Squires, Full Tilt by Heather Smith.

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

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – September 20

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… A Court of Thorns and Roses

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 A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price …

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

What book are you in bed with today?

Six for Sunday – Brave Main Characters

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 Brave Main Characters. Here’s my list:

1. The Archived by Victoria Schwab

2. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

5. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

6. The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

(All book covers from Goodreads)

Did you make a Six for Sunday list?

Review: Jackie and Maria: A Novel of Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas

Title: Jackie and Maria: A Novel of Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas
Author: Gill Paul
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: July 22, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the #1 bestselling author of The Secret Wife comes a story of love, passion, and tragedy as the lives of Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas are intertwined―and they become the ultimate rivals, in love with the same man.

The President’s Wife; a Glamorous Superstar; the rivalry that shook the world…

Jackie Kennedy was beautiful, sophisticated, and contemplating leaving her ambitious young senator husband. Life in the public eye with an overly ambitious–and unfaithful―man who could hardly be coaxed to return from a vacation after the birth of a stillborn child was breaking her spirit. So when she’s offered a holiday on the luxurious yacht owned by billionaire Ari Onassis, she says yes…to a meeting that will ultimately change her life.

Maria Callas is at the height of her operatic career and widely considered to be the finest soprano in the world. And then she’s introduced to Aristotle Onassis, the world’s richest man and her fellow Greek. Stuck in a childless, sexless marriage, and with pressures on all sides from opera house managers and a hostile press, she finds her life being turned upside down by this hyper-intelligent and impeccably charming man…

Little by little, Maria’s and Jackie’s lives begin to overlap, and they come closer and closer until everything they know about the world changes on a dime. 

Review:

Jackie Kennedy was the beautiful, sophisticated husband of the senator Jack Kennedy. She knew he was unfaithful, and after the still birth of her son, she needed a break from him. Jackie traveled to her friend Ari Onassis’s yacht, which changed the course of her life. Maria Callas was a world famous opera singer. She was introduced to Ari and they began a love affair. However, Maria wanted to have a family and marry Ari but he didn’t want to commit. Jackie and Maria are two powerful women who both love the same man.

I didn’t know much about the Kennedys before reading this book and I had never heard of Maria Callas. I usually look up the real people while I read historical fiction to find out which events really happened, but I resisted this time so I was surprised at what happened in the story. I tend to read historical fiction about real people I am familiar with, so this was a different read for me. I learned a lot about the Kennedys, Ari Onassis, and Maria Callas.

This story was intense and tragic. There were some tough situations, such as stillborn babies, suicide, murder, and affairs. What makes these things even more tragic in the story is that they are based on real events. Even though there were some upsetting scenes, I couldn’t put this book down. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I was also quite surprised at the twists since I didn’t know what would really happen with the characters.

This is an amazing, well written story.

What to read next:

The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull

The Secret Affair by Gill Paul

Have you read Jackie and Maria? What did you think of it?