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 Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle #3) by Maggie Stiefvater.
Goodreads Synopsis:
The third installment in the all-new series from the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater!
Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs.
The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.
Title: Mooncakes Author: Wendy Xu, Suzanne Walker Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, LGBT Publisher: Lion Forge Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: October 15, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.
Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.
One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.
Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.
Review:
This is a beautiful graphic novel.
There was great representation in this story. Nova wears hearing aids, which isn’t a common thing for characters in novels. She’s proud of wearing ones that are brightly colored so they stand out. Her friend Tam is gender neutral and uses the pronoun “they.” It takes a while to get used to reading that pronoun to refer to one person, but it was a great inclusive addition to the book.
I loved the magical elements of the story. Nova reminded me of Sabrina the Teenage Witch because she lived with her two grandmas, and Sabrina lived with her two aunts. There were also demons, werewolves, and an evil witch. This was an exciting magical story.
I really enjoyed this story!
Thank you Lion Forge for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill
Have you read Mooncakes? 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 received three books from Penguin Random House Canada:
Well Met by Jen DeLuca
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
Where the Light Enters by Sara Donati
I was approved for six books on NetGalley from Simon and Schuster Canada:
Chosen (Slayer #2) by Kiersten White
The Tenant by Katrine Engberg
Together We Caught Fire by Eva V. Gibson
Heart of Flames (Crown of Feathers #2) by Nicki Pau Preto
Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon
Follow Me by Kathleen Barber
I was approved for a book on NetGalley from Disney Book Group:
Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim
I was approved for a book on NetGalley from Skyscape:
The Electric Heir (Feverwake #2) by Victoria Lee
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada, Simon and Schuster Canada, Disney Book Group, and Skycape for these books!
Title: Jackpot Author: Nic Stone Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Publisher: Crown Books Source: Publisher Format: Paperback Release Date: October 15, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
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.
Review:
This book was heartbreaking and beautiful.
There was so much tension throughout the story. I kept holding my breath, waiting for Rico to find the ticket. I hoped she hoped she would find it every step of the way. There was the added tension of Rico’s family’s hardships. Their finances were stuck in a downward spiral, and the only way out appeared to be the lottery jackpot.
There were some lighter parts of the story too. The main narrative was narrated by Rico, but there were brief passages narrated by inanimate objects, such as hundred dollar bills or a wood stove. These little interludes were a funny break from the serious story.
This is another great book from Nic Stone! I loved it!
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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:
“Alexa Monroe walked into the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco that Thursday night wearing her favorite red heels, feeling jittery from coffee, and carrying a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne in her purse. She took our her phone to text her sister, Olivia, upstairs in one of the guest rooms.”
Do you recognize these first lines?
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And the book is… The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory.
Goodreads synopsis:
A groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in a fun and flirty debut novel.
Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn’t normally do. But there’s something about Drew Nichols that’s too hard to resist.
On the eve of his ex’s wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend…
After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she’s the mayor’s chief of staff. Too bad they can’t stop thinking about the other…
They’re just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century–or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want…
Have you read The Wedding Date? What did you think of it?
Title: More Than a Princess (More Than a Princess #1) Author: E.D. Baker Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books Source: Library Format: Ebook Release Date: November 6, 2018 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
From E. D. Baker, a magical new series about a heroic princess who’s more than she seems — and a kingdom whose fate rests in her hands.
Aislin is more than just a princess — she’s half-fairy and half-pedrasi, with magical gifts that let her draw strength from the wilderness around her. When she’s captured and used as bait between two warring kingdoms, she must find a way to break free of their plot… while also minding the human princesses she encounters, conventionally beautiful girls who are all too ready to point out her differences. Thankfully, Aislin’s inner strength goes beyond her magical qualities, and with a few loyal friends by her side, she’s ready to stand up for herself and her kingdom.
E. D. Baker, whose books have sold over 1 million copies, offers a classic, original fairy-tale that celebrates beauty and goodness in all its shapes and sizes, sure to delight readers who love magic, suspense, girl power, and adventure.
Review:
This is a great fairytale story!
Aislin is mixed race. Her parents are a fairy and a pedrasi. They broke down conventions by marrying and joining two different groups of people together. They have magic, so they stay hidden from humans. But their secrets are threatened when a human king finds their kingdom.
Aislin was a strong character. She was very brave to stand up for her people. She had to deal with a lot of racism and criticism on her looks. She didn’t look like a typical human princess because she was built differently. The boys would tease her, but she didn’t let it bring her down. I really liked the way race relations were in this story, though they were represented in fairytale creatures. This can be compared to racism and discrimination in real life.
I really enjoyed this story!
What to read next:
A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong
Have you read More Than a Princess? What did you think of it?
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 Moon of the Crusted Snow by Gita Waubgeshig Rice.
Goodreads Synopsis:
A daring post-apocalyptic thriller from a powerful rising literary voice
With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow.
The community leadership loses its grip on power as the visitors manipulate the tired and hungry to take control of the reserve. Tensions rise and, as the months pass, so does the death toll due to sickness and despair. Frustrated by the building chaos, a group of young friends and their families turn to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping their community thrive again. Guided through the chaos by an unlikely leader named Evan Whitesky, they endeavor to restore order while grappling with a grave decision.
Blending action and allegory, Moon of the Crusted Snow upends our expectations. Out of catastrophe comes resilience. And as one society collapses, another is reborn.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Title: The Upper Case: Trouble in Capital City Author: Tara Lazar, Ross MacDonald Genre: Children’s Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Source: Publisher Format: Ebook Release Date: October 15, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Just when Private I thinks all is calm-now that he’s cracked the case of 7 Ate 9-Question Mark storms into the office. Mark is worried. All the uppercase letters are M-I-S-S-I-N-G! But that’s absurd. This is CAPITAL City! Private I is the last letter standing. Will he solve his BIGGEST mystery yet, the UPPER CASE, before it’s too late?! Filled with the same humor, wit, and quirkiness of the hit 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story, comes another laugh-out-loud whodunit.
Review:
This is a hilarious new children’s picture book.
Punctuation marks and letters walk around in this city. It was so funny to see these symbols brought to life. They sometimes acted out their function, such as periods holding up a stop sign. This is a fun way to teach children letters and punctuation.
I loved the puns in this book. There were so many clever ways that phrases were played with in this book. For example, the phrase “mind your p’s and q’s” was turned into an illustration of an ampersand (&) babysitting or “minding” a baby p and q. These puns were so clever!
I loved this book! It is hilarious for children and adults.
Thank you Disney-Hyperion for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to Read Next:
7 Ate 9: The Untold Story by Tara Lazar, Ross MacDonald
About the Author:
Street magic performer. Hog-calling champion. Award-winning ice sculptor. These are all things Tara Lazar has never been.
Instead, she writes quirky, humorous picture books where anything is possible.
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 Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot, Cara McGee. The expected publication date is October 29, 2019.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Meg Cabot’s first graphic novel!
Thirteen-year-old Dinah Lance knows exactly what she wants, who she is, and where she’s going. First, she’ll win the battle of the bands with her two best friends, then she’ll join the Gotham City Junior Police Academy so she can solve crimes just like her dad. Who knows, her rock star group of friends may even save the world, but first they’ll need to agree on a band name.
When a mysterious figure keeps getting in the way of Dinah’s goals and threatens her friends and family, she’ll learn more about herself, her mother’s secret past, and navigating the various power chords of life.
Jill's Book Blog 