Jill's Book Blog

Title: Odd One Out
Author: Nic Stone
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: Publisher
Release Date: October 9, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martincomes this illuminating exploration of old friendships, new crushes, and the path to self-discovery.

Courtney “Coop” Cooper
Dumped. Again. And normally I wouldn’t mind. But right now, my best friend and source of solace, Jupiter Sanchez, is ignoring me to text some girl.

Rae Evelyn Chin
I assumed “new girl” would be synonymous with “pariah,” but Jupiter and Courtney make me feel like I’m right where I belong. I also want to kiss him. And her. Which is . . . perplexing.

Jupiter Charity-Sanchez
The only thing worse than losing the girl you love to a boy is losing her to your boy. That means losing him, too. I have to make a move. . . .

One story.
Three sides.
No easy answers.

Review:

This story was separated into three parts. Each part was narrated by a different character. This made the story very tense, while I was wondering what the other characters were thinking in the different narratives. The ending of each part was so emotional. There were major revelations each time from the different characters, which really built the tension until the next part.

I loved Courtney and Jupiter. I was rooting from them right from the beginning, even though she was gay. They were so perfect with each other, so I wanted them to be together. However, things got complicated when Rae arrived. Jupiter liked Rae and Courtney liked Jupiter, while Rae liked both of them. It was a complicated set of relationships.

I know many people don’t like reading about love triangles, but I don’t mind them. I’ve witnessed them in real life many times, so I can understand why they’re so prevalent in books. This love triangle was complex because of the different gender identities that were involved.

I just loved this story! It’s an amazing, modern coming of age story.

What to read next:

• Dear Martin by Nic Stone

  

• Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

  

Have you read Odd One Out? What did you think of it?

Title: The Truth About Martians
Author: Melissa Savage
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: Publisher
Release Date: October 2, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A boy and his best friends set out to discover the aliens who crash-landed next to their Roswell, New Mexico, farm in this charming novel packed with adventure and heart, perfect for fans of Ali Benjamin’s The Thing About Jellyfish and Jennifer L. Holm’s The Fourteenth Goldfish.

Mylo never really believed in Martians, unless they had a starring role in one of his comic books. But then a flying saucer crash-lands next to his Roswell, New Mexico, ranch, and he starts to hear voices–like someone is asking for his help.

With his best friend Dibs and crush Gracie by his side, and his Cracker Jack superhero membership card, a slingshot, and a small American flag–for peace–in tow, Mylo sets out on an epic adventure to investigate the crash and find the Martians. But he and his friends end up discovering more about the universe than they ever could have imagined.

Review:

I really enjoyed this story!

At first, I didn’t realize it was about the famous Roswell spaceship. This is a cool way to teach kids history, though it is a fictional story. The historical elements of the story were great, especially the way that the kids rode horses around town.

This story was also an emotional rollercoaster. The main character lost his brother a year before, and he keeps revisiting his grave. He misses him tremendously. Though he’s excited about the alien discovery, he wishes his brother was there with him to experience it too.

This story was fast paced and exciting! I loved it!

What to read next:

• The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes

• 

• Lemons by Melissa Savage

• 

Have you read The Truth About Martians? What did you think of it?

Title: Grim Lovelies
Author: Megan Shepherd
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: October 2, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Anouk envies the human world, where people known as Pretties lavish themselves in fast cars, high fashion, and have the freedom to fall in love. But Anouk can never have those things, because she is not really human. Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime.

Now, the world she always dreamed of is rife with danger. Pursued through Paris by the underground magical society known as the Haute, Anouk and her fellow Beasties only have three days to find the real killer before the spell keeping them human fades away. If they fail, they will lose the only lives they’ve ever known…but if they succeed, they could be more powerful than anyone ever bargained for.

From New York Times bestselling author Megan Shepherd, Grim Lovelies is an epic and glittering YA fantasy. Prepare to be spellbound by the world of Grim Lovelies, where secrets have been long buried, friends can become enemies, and everything—especially humanity—comes at a price.

Review:

I was drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover! I love the gold accents on it.

This was a good story. It has an unusual setting. It seems to be set in modern day Paris, however the witches and Royals are living in the past. They have old-fashioned, Victorian homes and customs. Some characters used cell phones, so I could tell that it is happening today. The two kinds of settings created a strange kind of dueling atmosphere in the story.

There was lots of tension in the story, especially at the end. The story was also fast paced. I read it in just a few hours, and I couldn’t put it down. I’m curious to see how the story continues.

What to read next:

• The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

  
  

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

  

Have you read Grim Lovelies? What did you think of it?