Tag: books

Review: In Case You Missed It

Title: In Case You Missed It
Author: Sarah Darer Littman
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 10, 2016
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Everyone has secrets—until they go viral.

Sammy Wallach has epic plans for the end of junior year: Sneak out to the city to see her favorite band. Get crush-worthy Jamie Moss to ask her to prom. Rock all exams (APs and driver’s).

With a few white lies, some killer flirting, and tons of practice, Sammy’s got things covered. That is, until the international bank her dad works for is attacked by hacktivists who manage to steal everything in the Wallach family’s private cloud, including Sammy’s entire digital life. Literally the whole world has access to her emails, texts, photos, and, worst of all, journal.

Life. Is. Over.

Now Sammy’s best friends are furious about things she wrote, Jamie thinks she’s desperate, and she can barely show her face at school. Plus, her parents know all the rules she broke. But Sammy’s not the only one with secrets—her family has a few of its own that could change everything. And while the truth might set you free, no one said it was going to be painless. Or in Sammy’s case, private.

Review:

This was a powerful story about the negative effects of technology.

In this story, Sammy’s father’s company gets hacked. It leads to their family’s “cloud” storage also getting hacked and all of their documents get posted online, including Sammy’s online diary. This would be mortifying for anyone, but especially a sixteen-year-old girl, who made private comments about her friends in her diary.

One thing I liked about this book is that the adults had to face consequences for the actions as well as the kids. Sammy ended up losing some friends over comments she made in her journal, but her parents’ secrets were also exposed in the hack. They were keeping a big secret from Sammy, which they had to discuss with her once the world found out before her. This shows that adults can be affected by the same consequences as their children.

I really enjoyed this story.

What to read next:

Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Have you read In Case You Missed It? What did you think of it?

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Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – August 5

Here’s my weekly wrap up!

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

I did 7 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… With You Always

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 reading With You Always by Rena Olsen.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of The Girl Before comes a tense and incisive work of psychological suspense that examines how easy it is to fall into the wrong relationship…and how impossible it can be to leave.

In the wake of a painful breakup and struggling to prove herself at work, Julia feels adrift. When Bryce blows into her life, he seems like the perfect anchor. Handsome, charming, secure, and confident, Bryce brings out the best in Julia, sweeping her off her feet with attention and affection while grounding her with his certainty and faith. Together they embark on a path guided by the principles of his family and their church, each step a paving stone leading to happily ever after.

But this is no fairy tale.

Step by step, one small concession leading to another, Julia is slowly isolated from her job, her friends, and her family, until she comes to find that her dream come true is a cage. Then one day everything changes…and Julia is faced with no choice but to find a way out.

What book are you in bed with today?

Review: Believe Me

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Title: Believe Me
Author: J.P. Delaney
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: Publisher
Release Date: July 24, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In this twisty psychological thriller from the New York Timesbestselling author of The Girl Before, an actress plays both sides of a murder investigation.

A struggling actor, a Brit in America without a green card, Claire needs work and money to survive. Then she gets both. But nothing like she expected.

Claire agrees to become a decoy for a firm of divorce lawyers. Hired to entrap straying husbands, she must catch them on tape with their seductive propositions. The rules? Never hit on the mark directly. Make it clear you’re available, but he has to proposition you, not the other way around. The firm is after evidence, not coercion. The innocent have nothing to hide.

Then the game changes.

When the wife of one of Claire’s targets is violently murdered, the cops are sure the husband is to blame. Desperate to catch him before he kills again, they enlist Claire to lure him into a confession.

Claire can do this. She’s brilliant at assuming a voice and an identity. For a woman who’s mastered the art of manipulation, how difficult could it be to tempt a killer into a trap? But who is the decoy . . . and who is the prey?

Review:

This was a great thriller. It had tons of twists!

Claire was an unreliable character. I couldn’t trust what she did or said because sometimes she would lie and I couldn’t tell what was true. It made for a good story since I didn’t know what was happening, but it was frustrating at the same time because I couldn’t trust her.

Halfway through the book, I was sure that I had figured out who killed Stella. But there was a twist in part 3, which completely through me off. I was also wrong with my theory.

The last part of the story was different from the first two. There was less of the mystery because everyone was more settled in their lives. The mystery was resolved at the very end, but it felt rushed to me. I was surprised at how it ended.

This book is great if you love twisty thrillers!

What to read next:

  • A Noise Downstairs

  • Gone Girl

Have you read Believe Me? What did you think of it?

Review: The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2)

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Title: The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2)
Author: Lemony Snicket
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Source: Library
Release Date: September 30, 1999
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Dear Reader,

If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale, I’m afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. The story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don’t be fooled. If you know anything at all about the unlucky Baudelaire children, you already know that even pleasant events lead down the same road to misery.

In fact, within the pages you now hold in your hands, the three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible odor, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the appearance of a person they’d hoped never to see again.

I am bound to record these tragic events, but you are free to put this book back on the shelf and seek something lighter.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Review:

This is another great book in the series.

One of the things I like about this book is that they give away what’s going to happen at the end fairly early on in the story. Uncle Monty won’t survive the book. But even though the ending is revealed early, the book is still exciting. It’s difficult to give away the ending and still keep the reader intrigued, but Lemony Snicket can do it!

I read this book years ago, but I still love it. The snakes were an interesting part of the story. I loved how Uncle Monty discovered a snake and named it the Incredibly Deadly Viper for a special reason, but you’ll have to read it to find out why!

I can’t wait to continue rereading the series.

What to read next:

  • The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events #3) by Lemony Snicket

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  • The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles #1) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

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Have you read The Reptile Room? What did you think of it?

Review: Heavy Vinyl, Vol. 1

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Title: Heavy Vinyl
Author: Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Source: Library
Release Date: April 24, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

When Chris joins the staff at her local record store, she’s surprised to find out that her co-workers share a secret: they’re all members of a secret fight club that take on the patriarchy and fight crime!

Starry-eyed Chris has just started the dream job every outcast kid in town wants: working at Vinyl Mayhem. It’s as rad as she imagined; her boss is BOSS, her co-workers spend their time arguing over music, pushing against the patriarchy, and endlessly trying to form a band. When Rosie Riot, the staff’s favorite singer, mysteriously vanishes the night before her band’s show, Chris discovers her co-workers are doing more than just sorting vinyl . . . Her local indie record store is also a front for a teen girl vigilante fight club!

Follow writer Carly Usdin (director of Suicide Kale) and artist Nina Vakueva (Lilith’s World) into the Hi-Fi Fight Club, where they deliver a rock and roll tale of intrigue and boundless friendship.

Review:

I loved this book!

The girls are hilarious. I was surprised at the introduction of their fight club. At first, it seemed like they were just working in a record shop, but then it turns out that they have a secret fight club where they fight against injustice. It’s a great twist on a traditional girl power story, since they have a secret identity where they fight crimes.

I enjoyed the mystery of Rosie Riot’s disappearance. It was strange that she suddenly disappeared without a trace. I didn’t like the subplot of the bands being brainwashed. The explanation for that wasn’t believable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

What to read next:

  • Goldie Vance, Vol. 1 by Hope Larson, Brittany Williams, Sarah Stern

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  • Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Brooke Allen

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Have you read Heavy Vinyl, Vol. 1? What did you think of it?

 

Owlcrate Unboxing- June 2018

This was my first Owlcrate and I’m so impressed! This was an amazing crate!

The book is From Twinkle, with Love. This is a special Owlcrate cover, which is so cool!!! The colours are different from the original cover, which makes it extra special. You can find my review for this book here.

This is an adorable mason jar mug. It’s hard to read it here, but it says “Book worm and proud.” That’s definitely true!

There was also a pen, bookmark, apple tea bags, a pin, and a popcorn keychain that goes with the book! I loved these goodies!

Just in time for summer, I got this awesome beach towel! I need to go to the beach just so I can use it!

I’m beyond excited about my first Owlcrate box! I signed up for a three month subscription because I got a discount at BookCon. I’m so glad I will be receiving this crate next month too!

Do you have an Owlcrate subscription? Did you get this box too? What did you think of it?

BookCon 2018 – My first time!

Last month, I went to BookCon for the very first time! I absolutely loved it!

It was a little overwhelming at first, because there was so much to do! I went both days, so I was able to go to most of the things that I missed the second day. One thing that was helpful was the guide that was provided. On the second day, we were all given a little magazine that listed all of the highlights and giveaways for the day! It was a huge help and I was able to plan my day that way. I wish something like that had been provided on the first day as well, rather than just the program which listed the exhibits and authors.

I saw the lovely Sandhya Menon on the exhibit floor, so I stopped to speak to her. She’s amazing and I just love her books!

The only autographing session I was able to sign up for was Leigh Bardugo. I love her books so much! She’s an amazing writer. It was such a pleasure to meet her!

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This is one of the shirts I bought. I also purchased the BookCon 2018 shirt with my tickets, but I couldn’t resist this tank!

I didn’t take as many photos the second day, but here’s one of my favourites. My best friend, Marsilda, came with me on the second day (my mom went with me on the first), and we had to get a photo with Peppa Pig! It was a fun moment for us.

And finally, here’s my book haul. I got 22 books in total. My goal for this trip was to get as many free books as possible. I didn’t realize, at first, that I would have to get into long lines for the special ARCs, so I didn’t the highly anticipated books that I wanted. However, I did get a bunch signed by authors on the floor including two books from Quirk Books. I also got the coveted sample of King of Scars!

Overall, it was a great experience. I’m not sure if I’m going next year, but I’m glad I went.

Did you go to BookCon this year or in the past? What did you think of it?