One of my goals for 2019 is to get my NetGalley rating up to 80%. At the beginning of the year it was 68% and at the end of January it was still 68%. I requested a lot of books in January, so I’ll have to try to stop requesting books so my rating will go up.
How was your month? What was your favourite book in January?
Title: Princess in Love (The Princess Diaries #3) Author: Meg Cabot Genre: Young Adult Publisher: HarperTeen Source: Library Format: Ebook Release Date: December 7, 2001 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot.
Princess Mia may seem like the luckiest girl ever. But the truth is, she spends all her time doing one of three things: preparing for her nerve-racking entree into Genovian society, slogging through the congestion unique to Manhattan in December, and avoiding further smooches from her hapless boyfriend, Kenny. For Mia, being a princess in love is not the fairy tale it’s supposed to be…or is it?
Princess in Love is the third book in the beloved, bestselling series that inspired the feature film starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews. Beautifully repackaged in paperback, this title will appeal to new readers as well as fans looking to update their collection.
Review:
This is my favorite book in the series so far.
There was lots of tension in this story. Mia is dating Kenny, but she is in love with Michael. She is persuaded to send Michael secret admirer cards. There was a lot of confusion at the end of the story, but I loved the ending!
One of my favorite parts of the book was Mia’s list for looking after her cat, Fat Louie, for while she is away in Genovia. He needs water from different sources in particular dishes around the apartment. He also needs his special collection of shiny things to remain undisturbed, among other things. This list was so funny! It reminded me of my own dog who is quite finicky himself. We have to leave a similar list of instructions when we go away.
The end of this story was so good! I can’t wait to continue the series!
What to read next:
Princess in Waiting (The Princess Diaries #4) by Meg Cabot
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson #1) by Louise Rennison
Have you read Princess in Love? 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 one books on NetGalley:
Carmilla by Kim Turrisi
I found this book in the “Read Now” section of NetGalley:
Nancy Drew: The Palace of Wisdom by Kelly Thompson, Jenn St. Onge
Thank you Dynamite Entertainment and Kids Can Press for these books!
Title: Lady Smoke (Ash Princess Trilogy #2) Author: Laura Sebastian Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Publisher: Delacorte Press Source: Publisher Format: Paperback Release Date: February 5, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that was “made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir” ( Bustle ), Lady Smoke is an epic new fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.
The Kaiser murdered Theodosia’s mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo’s country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess–a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn’t realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.
Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage–Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser’s rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.
To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.
Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.
Review:
I loved this book!
It started exactly where Ash Princess ended. The characters discussed some things that happened as a refresher of the last book. It was easy to get right back into the story.
This story explored some of the other countries in the world. Theo and her group have to get some help gathering armies to invade Astrea. I loved seeing how different these other countries were from the Kalovaxians.
Theo is a great character. She grows a lot in this story. She was so sheltered that she doesn’t understand a lot of things in the world, but she doesn’t show her lack of knowledge. She is still able to control her people and grow as a queen.
The ending of this book was so thrilling! I can’t wait to see what happens next!
What to read next:
Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard
Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns #1) by Kendare Blake
Have you read Lady Smoke? 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:
“My computer is winking at me knowingly when I sit down at my desk. I touch the keyboard, and a photo of Paul appears on my screen. It’s the one I took of him in Rome on our honeymoon, eyes full of love across a table in the Campo dei Fiori. I try to smile back at him but as I lean in, I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the screen and stop.”
Do you recognize these first lines?
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And the book is… The Child by Fiona Barton.
Goodreads synopsis:
As an old house is demolished in a gentrifying section of London, a workman discovers a tiny skeleton, buried for years. For journalist Kate Waters, it’s a story that deserves attention. She cobbles together a piece for her newspaper, but at a loss for answers, she can only pose a question: Who is the Building Site Baby?
As Kate investigates, she unearths connections to a crime that rocked the city decades earlier: A newborn baby was stolen from the maternity ward in a local hospital and was never found. Her heartbroken parents were left devastated by the loss.
But there is more to the story, and Kate is drawn—house by house—into the pasts of the people who once lived in this neighborhood that has given up its greatest mystery. And she soon finds herself the keeper of unexpected secrets that erupt in the lives of three women—and torn between what she can and cannot tell…
Have you read The Child? What did you think of it?
Title: The Girl Who Wasn’t There (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels #4) Author: Stefan Petrucha, Sho Murase Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel Publisher: Papercutz Source: Library Format: Ebook Release Date: January 1, 2006 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Nancy gets a call for help late one night from a girl she befriended over the phone when getting technical support to help fix her computer. When the line goes dead, Nancy is determined to get to the bottom of things. Soon, Nancy, her Dad, and friends George and Bess are on their way to India to find Kalpana, the girl who wasn’t there! It’s only a matter of time before Nancy is captured by Sahadev the crime lord and is being sacrificed to Kali! Ages 8 to 12.
Review:
This graphic novel had a silly premise. Nancy became friends with a telemarketer in India. When the girl, Kalpana, called Nancy, she discovered that she was a fan of Nancy Drew, so they kept chatting. However, one day Kalpana went missing. Coincidentally, Nancy’s father was going on a business trip to India. Nancy and her friends tagged along to search for her friend.
It was a little strange that Nancy would drop everything to go find a girl who she had only spoken with on the phone. She didn’t know the girl well, but she was willing to travel across the world to find her. It may make Nancy seem like a great friend, but it was also foolish because she had no idea who this girl could be.
Though I had problems with the plot, the graphics in the book were great. I love how there was a depth of field because certain parts of the images were in focus while others were blurry or out of focus. It made the images look real. There was also movement in the pictures by making them look blurry on the edges to show people or things moving.
Despite the silly premise, I think Nancy Drew fans would like this graphic novel.
What to read next:
The Fake Heir (Nancy Drew: Girl Detective Graphic Novels #5) by Stefan Petrucha, Sho Murase
The Ocean Osyria (The Hardy Boys Graphic Novel #1) by Scott Lobdell, Lea Hernandez Seidman
Have you read The Girl Who Wasn’t There? 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 The Belles (The Belles #1) by Dhonielle Clayton.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.
But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.
With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Title: Narwhal’s Otter Friend (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #4) Author: Ben Clanton Genre: Children’s Publisher: Tundra Books Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: February 5, 2019 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Narwhal and Jelly . . . and Otty?! Exuberant Narwhal and skeptical Jelly test the waters of adding a new friend to their pod when they meet Otty the super-adventurous otter in the fourth book of this blockbuster early graphic novel series!
Dive into three new stories about the joy of adventure and the power of friendship! In the first story, Otty the otter makes her debut splash; while Narwhal greets her with immediate enthusiasm, Jelly’s not so sure about her…mostly because he worries she’ll take his place as Narwhal’s best friend. Readers will easily see why Narwhal’s so excited to meet Otty, a boisterous explorer who even has an aunt who’s a real live sea captain! But readers will also relate to Jelly’s uneasiness seeing his best friend making a new pal.
Jelly tries to work out his jealousy in story two, and in story three, the new trio say “Ahoy, adventure!” and discover they all have more in common than they thought . . . including a love of waffles! Jelly also takes over the “Super Waffle and Strawberry Sidekick” comic providing a sidekick’s-eye-view of defeating the dreaded dEVILed egg!
Review:
The Narhwal and Jelly books are so much fun! They’re a quick read, but very enjoyable.
In this story, Narwhal meets Otter the explorer. They become friends and plan an adventure together. However, Jelly feels left out. He is suspicious of Otter. He tries to find other friends to play with, but in the end he goes back to his best friend, Narwhal.
This book was full of puns. They were very funny. There was a birthday “shellabration” for a turtle. The famous snail explorer Captain Goodhart had the motto “Seas the day.” I couldn’t help but laugh at all of the puns.
I love this book! If you’re looking for a funny read, you should check this one out.
What to read next:
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #1) by Ben Clanton
Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #2) by Ben Clanton
Have you read Narwhal’s Otter Friend? What did you think of it?
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 Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds. The release date is March 12, 2019.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jack Ellison King. King of Almost.
He almost made valedictorian.
He almost made varsity.
He almost got the girl . . .
When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack. Jack’s curse of almost is finally over.
But this love story is . . . complicated. It is an almost happily ever after. Because Kate dies. And their story should end there. Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Beautiful, radiant Kate. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind. Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do—and let go—to save the people he loves.
