The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly- Stephanie Oakes

 

 

Ahhh.. So my co-worker (Teen librarian) asked me to read this. She has tons of books that she reads and sometimes asks me to help read some. This one sounded interesting enough but it has been sitting on my table for a couple months. I just got my glasses, so I picked it up today and jumped in!

Wow. I have honestly never read anything like this before. Never. I could not put this down. I literally sat at my couch and didn't move for almost 3 hours. This book is fantastic. While reading this book, I kept having flashes of Orange is the New Black. lol Maybe that's all I will think about now with books that take place in prison. Well sorta.

Anyways, Minnow has grown up a bit differently than most. She was forced to move into the wilderness to follow a "Prophet" when she was five years old. She grows up there never quite believing and always questioning. There are some really unfortunate things that happen in this "cult" group. She ends up losing her hands by her own father. It AMAZES me the lengths people will go to, to follow a leader. Who chops off their daughters hands just because the leader says that's what should be done? Don't you need to take a minute and rethink things? I don't think that God would ever condemn this kind of behavior. Not only that but murder is definitely a NO. Anyways, I'm not going to get all religious. Now, let me tell you the reasons I love this book.

I honestly, still don't completely understand why she did what she did to Philip. I have an idea but maybe I'm wrong. It's something that you can just ponder, I guess. The Minnow you see at the beginning of the book is a completely different by the end. The transformation this girl goes through, is outstanding. The way this girl has picked herself up from the horrible things she's had to face is impressive.  Then to rethink everything and even make the decision to take a hold of her own future. To learn how to think for herself.To be thrust into a new world and know nothing. To think that the boy she loves is dead then finds out he isn't. Jude.. oh Jude. How I'm still wondering if he will make it.

I don't know about you but this author had some amazing moments in this book that completely grab you. When Jude is telling Minnow about his mother, when he finds her after she's lost her hands, when they meet face to face when she's in prison and when she sees the doctor one more time before her parole hearing. The way that Stephanie Oakes writes, will completely take a hold of you. They are such powerful moments and they stay with you. It's really a talent.

All the characters in this book are fantastic. I loved them all and I really think that Angel was the perfect person for Minnow. She took her under her wing and watched out for her. Not only that, she taught her how to think for herself. Even Benny, the guard was a great character.

I can go on and on. Really, this is just a great book and you should definitely read it!

Everything Everything - Nicola Yoon

 

 

 

 

 

I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to review.

 

I was a bit disappointed. The reviews and my review do not add up at all. There are so many people that really liked this book but I just thought it was .. okay.

 

It really started out strong. I was really wrapped up into the story and got about 40% of the way through before I started to get a bit bored. The writing style was different and I'm not sure that I liked it so much. It was either that or I got a really bad ebook version. There were a lot of random letters/equations/ramblings in the middle of paragraphs. I'm not going to judge too harshly about that because I'm not sure if it was just the ebook I received.

 

Right away, you know this is going to be a typical YA love story. From first sight she's already smitten. Of course, she is. Although, with her living in a bubble all her life, I'm not that surprised. I really liked Olli's character at the beginning. I mean, we really don't learn much about SCID. Really, this girl just lives in white. I mean everything is white. That's pretty much all I get from it. There are some serious plot holes in this book! For example: She knows that she has this disease and then she runs off with her boyfriend?! I mean what about the nurse?! She should have known that she was living this way for a reason, then to throw all caution to the wind. Just so they could be alone and have sex. Not cool. What is it with these YA books lately?!

 

Then there is the ending. I saw it coming from the beginning. How else would this tie up really pretty with a bow on top? This was the only way that I could see it happening. So to me, it was predictable. I'm pretty good at figuring things out like this though. I missed my calling of being a PI. haha.

 

Anyways, this is a cute story and it was definitely worth the read. I just found a lot of issues with it and that's why it's getting the 3 stars. I was expecting a lot more from this book based on peer reviews. I just didn't see it.

 

 

The Anatomy of Curiosity- Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton & Brenna Yovanoff

What a great book! I wasn't quite sure what this was about. I saw the authors and new that I had to read it. This book is about three short stories from the authors and bonus! The bonus is that it has notes, like footnotes, about their writing methods. It's a fun thing to read/see. I don't know about you but I always wonder about those things, in regards to authors. 

They have tips and that would come in handy for writers. So this would be a great book if you are a writer or if you just love the authors. I really enjoyed the short stories and this book. I'm not a writer but I really do appreciate their work. It was fun to see a little bit of behind the scenes. 

Another Day - David Levithan

 

This is not a sequel but a companion book. The first book, I did enjoy but this book I was a bit let down. I don't know if it's because I liked "A's" point of view more or because I was expecting a sequel!  

I really did like her view and it made for an interesting book but I didn't feel that a lot more was added to this book. I really feel it was just the same book over without her adding much to make this a more compelling read. Don't get me wrong, it was okay but not great.

I was just really let down because my expectations were so high. I really liked the first book. It's a fast read and it is enjoyable, If you don't have anything else to read.

P.S I Still Love You- Jenny Han

 

 

 

 

 

Wow. I cannot say enough good things about this series. This book was just as great as the first one. We pick up pretty much where the first book left off. Laura Jean’s sister is coming home for holiday break and so we get more of her in this book. 

LJ is trying to define her relationship with Peter. They are in a place where they are unsure of what they want to call themselves. They end up making another contract for their relationship. Basically, they just want to have fun with each other and they are not allowed to break each other’s hearts. So of course, it’s foreshadowing. You know what is going to come, I mean really.

I absolutely love EVERY single character in this book! LJ is just the sweetest, nicest girl with a touch of innocence. She’s coming of age and learning about herself and her relationships. Her younger sister, Kitty, is fabulous. She adds a lot of spunk and attitude to this book. She says exactly what everyone else is thinking and doesn’t think twice about it. She has her own opinions that she voices, but she will stick up for the ones she loves, without a second thought. Their sister Margo, isn’t around much because she’s away at college but she has a huge presence. She is just always there in LJ’s mind and the way they add her into the book works. Their father is just so funny. You can tell he has his hand full with three girls but he’s a great father. 

Peter… Peter… Peter.. At first you are just so unsure of what he’s doing. You can’t believe he would act that way but then once it’s all clear, you just love him more.

This book is basically about Peter and LJ finding out what they mean to each other. They go through some struggles but you just can’t help but pull for them. The ending of this book is what MAKES this book. It’s amazing and I still can’t stop thinking about it. It’s just so pure and real.

I love, love this book! I highly recommend them! 

The Winner's Crime- Marie Rutkoski

 

 

 

 

 

I am the minority here with this rating. I loved the first book SO much. This book was not what I expected at all and a bit of a disappointment. At the same time, it was really good plot wise. If we didn't have the failed romantic issues in this book, it would have been so much better.

 

 

In this book, Kestrel and Arin are just so frustrating. Okay, maybe just stupid. I don't know. Kestrel is supposed to be so smart and cunning but when it comes to her love life, she's the complete opposite. The lack of communication and them jumping the complete opposite conclusions ASAP, was driving me insane. That is what knocked the stars off this book. So far, what they have shown me is that they cannot communicate. At. All. That's a horrible start to any relationship. Arin's pretty stupid for trying to get her to be his, when she's engaged and going to be the next Empress. Then he doesn't take the hints she's trying to give them when he's trying to confess his love again. Instead of realizing that she's in a dangerous place that they could be overheard, he ignores all her attempts and takes it as her not wanting him. Then when he lets go of the sword. What an idiot. I would rather this book have 0 romance than this. It was just annoying.

 

 

Otherwise, the secrecy and political war that Kestrel is involved in, was fascinating. At the same time, she's not using her head and strategizing correctly! She knows how the Emperor feels about Herrani and yet goes around supporting them publicly and hanging out with them. When you already have rumors going around, you have to be smarter about that! This is what I don't understand. The whole series so far, she's being pegged as this super smart strategist but when it comes to her own life, she's clueless.

 

The best part of this book, was when Arin and Kestrel are separated. They both shined and got things done that I don't think they could do together. They made huge strides to try and protect their people.

 

Also, this book is a really slow read. Even if you are trying to get through it quickly, you won't. It was just impossible and it took more much longer than I anticipated. I don't even know why. The plot was smooth and interesting. I didn't really get bored or anything but it took me a while to get through this.

 

The cliffhanger is crazy. I can't wait to see what happens. I'm going to hope that the next book will be just as great as the first one. This book was good but I was just disappointed.

The Heir- Kiera Cass

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed the first series even though it was predictable. When I saw that this book was happening, I wasn't sure what to think. Usually, authors have a hard time knowing when they need to let a good thing alone.

 

I will say that I picked "the one" right away. It is predictable again. The only thing is that this time we have a girl in control of the selection. I kind of understand why her parents force her into it but don't. They hated it and it's one of the things they worked to get rid of. Yet, here they are forcing their own daughter. I know, I know. They want to take people's mind off the troubles and keep them calm. Well I find it hard to believe this was the only way. I also understand, that's how she gets to write more books.

 

I had a hard time liking Eadlyn. She is just so whiny and self centered. It's hard to connect with that type of character. Especially, when you just want to roll your eyes. She's the absolute spoiled princess stereotype. I think towards the end she starts to realize this and she becomes a bit more enjoyable. Maybe this whole selection process will change her into a nicer, caring person.

 

I think the parts I enjoyed the most were the parts about her parents. Throwback was more interesting than present!

 

Overall, this book was just okay. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. The cover is absolutely gorgeous for sure. I'm interested enough to see what happens, that I will continue to read the rest of this series. I just don't know what hurry I will be in.

 

The Girl On The Train- Paula Hawkins

 

 

I finally got off the hold list for this book. I was trying to figure out why people were so crazy over this book. Everyone was pretty tight lipped and only that it was so good. Speaking of holds, there are currently almost 700, still. Yikes! Anyways, I took it on our vacation because we had a 10 hour road trip.

 

I got hooked quite early and kept reading because I just had to know what was happening. I'm a Psychology major so anything that has to do with the psyche is fascinating to me. The main character, Rachel really drove me nuts. She's in a horrible place. She lost her husband, her home, her job, her sanity. She still takes to train in everyday to keep up appearances that she's working. She's become an alcoholic and all she really does is constantly drink. She's miserable about her lost marriage and is having a hard time moving on. When she's on a bender, she likes to call her ex at all hours.

 

One day, she's on the train like normal, when she sees something horrible. To her anyways, it was just the appearance of what happened. She has made up these whole stories about people that she passes on the way to work. When she sees something that she doesn't agree with, it throws her completely off. She doesn't know the whole story, just that they are perfect in her head. She then becomes insanely intoxicated and events happen that she does not remember. It's a rough morning when she wakes up and there's a missing person. In fact, it's the person she idolizes. So she then makes it a mission to figure out what happened to her.

 

The whole time though, she's not sure if maybe she had something to do with it. She repeatedly drives me insane because she puts herself in horrible situations. She also makes things so much worse for her. Every time you think, "it will be this time!" It then it turns out that it will not be that time.. or the next. You start to get frustrated but then again you understand.

 

I loved that we get the three different points of view throughout this book. We get the story of three women, whose lives are entangled with each other in the present. We learn the past of Megan, who Rachel perceives as the perfect wife. We also get the story of Rache's ex-husbands new wife. I really didn't know what was going on until I got close to the end. I had no idea who was at fault. It's really amazing to see what people will do in their self-interest. I'm amazed by all the women and how selfishly they acted and irresponsibly. I was also shocked at the lengths someone would take.

 

A good thriller and it really is a fast read. You just fly through the book, mostly because you have to know what is happening. I don't know why it's blown up as much as it has. Don't get me wrong, it's a good book, but not the greatest.

 

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry- Fredrik Backman

 

I want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

Absolutely one of the best. I love, loved his previous book, A Man Called Ove. When I saw that he was coming out with another book, I had to check Netgalley right away!

I started this book at the beginning of our road trip home and was finished about half way through. I just could not put it down! A beautiful story about a 7 year old girl and the adventure her crazy awesome grandmother sends her on, after her death. "Because all seven-year-olds deserve superheroes. And whoever disagrees with that needs their head examined."

Elsa is a "different" child and so much more mature than her classmates. This causes her to catch the eyes of all the bullies in her school. It's so heartbreaking to see what this poor girl is going through. How horrible our school systems really are... That's another story for another time. The hero here is, her grandmother. She's always there for her, always. She ends up making up a whole fairy tale world that includes all these different kingdoms. It gets a big hard to get into the story at first because we are just getting a lot of these fairy tale stories. What ends up happening though, is that her grandma is using the fairytales to tell her the stories of the people around her. Also, how to give her life lessons that are so important.

You then really have to start paying attention to the fairy tales to see if you can figure out which neighbor they are about. When she passes, she has Elsa deliver these letters to all their neighbors about apologizing for various things. In this time, Elsa gets to know them and learn things about her grandmother that she doesn't like so much.

The journey is just beautiful. You get to learn all these different things about the neighbors that are so surprising. I laughed out loud many times and then cried many more. This story will pull at your heartstrings at times. Such an amazing writer, I cannot wait for his next one!

 

BLog Tour & Giveaway of ICE KISSED by @AmandaHocking @StMartinsPress

 

 

 

Summary: (EXCERPT, REVIEW & GIVEAWAY BELOW)

In the majestic halls of a crystal palace lies a secret that could destroy an entire kingdom…

Bryn Aven refuses to give up on her dream of serving the kingdom she loves. It's a dream that brings her to a whole new realm…the glittering palace of the Skojare. 

The Skojare people need protection from the same brutal enemy that's been threatening the Kanin, and Bryn is there to help. Being half Skojare herself, it's also a chance for her to learn more about her lost heritage. Her boss Ridley Dresden is overseeing the mission, but as their undeniable attraction heats up, their relationship is about to reach a whole new level--one neither of them is prepared for. 

As they delve deeper into the Skojare world, they begin to unravel a long-hidden secret. The dark truth about her own beloved Kanin kingdom is about to come to light, and it'll change her place in it forever…and threaten everyone she loves.

 

ICE KISSED

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/IceKissedAmz

Barnes & Noble: http://smarturl.it/IceKissedBN

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/IceKissedApp

Indiebound: http://smarturl.it/IceKissedIB

 

 

 

Bio: AMANDA HOCKING is The New York Times bestselling author of the Trylle trilogy and a lifelong Minnesotan. After selling over a million copies of her books, primarily in eBook format, she became the exemplar of self-publishing success in the digital age.

Website: http://smarturl.it/AHWebsite

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandahockingfans?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amanda_hocking

Tumblr: http://amandahocking.tumblr.com/

 

 

EXCERPT:

 

FOUR

compunction

 

 

 

The wind had calmed down some, so I left my jacket open, letting the air freeze the sweat that still stuck to me. After we'd finished training for the day, Ember had insisted that I join her for a treat at the bakery in the town square, saying we'd earned it. Tilda had to finish up some paperwork, and then she planned to meet us so we could talk more in depth about her wedding plans.

 

My muscles already ached and my right wrist cracked loudly every time I moved it, but I wasn’t sure I felt like I’d earned anything. The day left me feeling more like a failure than I already had.

Several inches of snow had piled up while we’d been working. Although there were still tracks from people and animals braving the weather, the streets were mostly deserted. The Kanin could handle whatever the weather threw at them, but that didn’t mean they were masochists. Most of us knew when it was worth it to stay in by the fire.

But Ember didn’t seem to mind. She just pulled her hat down over her ears and trudged through the snow banks.

“You were awfully quiet today,” Ember commented as we made our way down to the bakery.

I shrugged. “I was just training.”

“It’s more than that.” She paused before adding, “You know no one blames you.”

“Some people do.”

Ember scoffed. “Those people are stupid. Everyone who knows you knows that you did everything you could to stop Viktor Dålig and Konstantin.”

We’d been outside long enough that the cold had started to get to me, but I didn’t zip up my jacket. I just clenched my jaw, refusing to let my teeth chatter.

An oversized white husky was digging through the garbage outside the butcher shop. Large snowflakes clung to his thick fur. He looked at me as we passed by, his bright blue eyes seeming to look straight through me, and a chill ran down my spine. I quickly looked away.

“What if I didn’t do everything I could?” I asked.

Ember was so startled that she halted. “What? What are you talking about?”

“I mean, I did.” I turned back to face her, since I had walked a few steps after she’d stopped, and behind her I saw the husky had returned to rooting through the trash buried beneath the snow.

Ember narrowed her eyes. “Then what are you saying?”   

“I don’t know.” I let out a deep breath, and it was shaky from the cold. I turned my head toward the sky, blinking back the snowflakes that hit my lashes. “I did everything I could, but it wasn’t good enough. So then . . . what does it matter?”

There was something more to it than that, though. Something I couldn’t explain to Ember.

Viktor Dålig had beaten me, that was true. The sight of him had been like encountering a ghost, and I’d been in shock, so he’d been able to get the best of me. That didn’t mean I hadn’t wanted to stop him, but it had been my fault for letting myself be caught off guard, even for a moment.

But Viktor had wanted to kill me. When he’d smashed my head into the stone, he’d been trying to execute me—I knew that with absolute certainty. But he hadn’t succeeded, and I had a feeling that I had Konstantin Black to thank for being alive.

Run, white rabbit, as fast and far as you can, he’d whispered when I came upon him in the dungeon. Even though he’d been escaping, he’d looked so defeated then—his gray eyes soft and mournful, his entire body sagging, his olive skin going pale beneath the shadow of his beard. Konstantin hadn’t wanted me to get hurt.

I’d been convinced that Konstantin had been working for someone, that his attack on my father and his plots to go after changelings weren’t his idea. In Storvatten, he’d even said as much to me, telling me that he’d done it all for love. Whatever that meant.

“What happened in Storvatten?” Ember stepped closer to me. “You never even told me about Viktor Dålig. I’ve had to hear everything through other people,” she added, trying not to sound hurt that I hadn’t confided in her more.

“What have you heard?” I tilted my head, curious to know what people were saying.

“That he surprised you and overpowered you, and then he escaped with Konstantin,” she explained with a weak shrug. “Is there anything more to it than that? Did Viktor say anything to you?”

The butcher leaned out the back door of his shop and banged loudly on a metal pan, scaring the husky. The dog gave one hungry glance in my direction before running off and dis- appearing into the snow.

“No. He didn’t say anything.” I shook my head. “But...”

“But what?”

The wind came up a bit, blowing my blond waves of hair in front of my face, and I brushed them back absently. Ember pulled her jacket tighter around her, but she kept her dark eyes locked on me.

“I can’t help but feel like if I’d found the Queen, I’d have some answers,” I said finally, deciding that part of the truth was better than admitting that I didn’t think Konstantin was as evil as I once had.

“The Skojare Queen?” Her brow pinched, not understanding. “I thought she was dead.”

“That’s the theory,” I said. “I wanted to look for her more, but the Skojare King called off the search, and Ridley said there wasn’t anything left for us to do.”

“If the Skojare King doesn’t want you looking anymore, then Ridley’s right,” Ember said.

“I know, but . . .” I chewed my lip. “If I could find Linnea, I think I could find out what Konstantin is up to.”

“If you find her, and that’s assuming she’s even alive,” Ember pointed out. I lowered my eyes but didn’t say anything. “And you have direct orders to stay here and prepare for war. You can’t go off on some kind of wild-goose chase at a time like this.”

“I know.” I let out a reluctant sigh. “I just hate feeling so useless.”

“Everything that’s happened lately has to have been rough on you.” Ember looped her arm through mine and started leading me away, toward the bakery. “But that doesn’t mean you’re useless. You’re strong and you’re smart. You’re a great soldier, and that’s important too.”

We rounded the corner, and the sweet scent of pastries wafted through the air. My stomach rumbled, and I realized I’d skipped lunch that day. I’d been so focused on my training that I’d completely forgotten about it.

I began fantasizing about a delicious blackberry tart—a wonderful combination of sweet and bitter, with an emphasis on the bitter. But my momentary good mood immediately soured when the door to the bakery opened, and Juni Sköld stepped out into the snow.

It wasn’t exactly the sight of her that made me freeze in my tracks. Juni worked at the bakery, so I shouldn’t have been that surprised to see her here. She had to be one of the nicest people in all of Doldastam, and her luminescent skin literally radiated with happiness and kindness.

It was who she was with, and what she meant to him, that made me stop cold. Following right behind her was Ridley Dresden. He still wore his uniform, so he’d come here right from work to walk his girlfriend home.

“What’s wrong?” Ember asked. Since her arm was looped with mine, she’d been forced to stop alongside me.

Juni was laughing at something Ridley had said, but then she turned, and as soon as she spotted us her smile widened. Ridley, on the other hand, looked stricken at the sight of me.

I’m certain that part of it was because he was still angry at me. But another part was probably because he’d kissed me— twice—since he’d been dating Juni. The first time was only a few short blocks from here, and it had been so passionate and so intense that even thinking about it now made my pulse race and my stomach swirl with butterflies.

“Bryn!” Juni exclaimed, walking over to me while Ridley trailed several slow steps behind her. “It’s so good to see you! How are you holding up?”

“I’m . . .” I couldn’t even muster a fake smile.

Seeing her sheer delight and genuine concern for my well- being made me recognize that I had to be one of the worst beings who ever lived. And that was combined with the way Ridley was acting right then—shoving his hands in his pockets, avoiding looking at me at all costs. When his eyes finally did manage to land on me, his gaze was so harsh I felt about two inches tall.

“We’ve had a long day,” Ember supplied, since it seemed that I would stand there forever without saying anything.

“I’m just cold,” I said suddenly. “I think I should get inside.”

“Well, you stay warm,” Juni said, but she looked puzzled. “And take care.”

“Thanks, you too.” I ducked my head down and hurried toward the bakery as fast as I could.

“Why didn’t you say anything to her?” I heard Juni ask Ridley as I pulled open the door. “Are you two fighting?”

I practically ran inside the bakery so I wouldn’t have to hear his answer.

 

 

 

My Review:

 

3/5 stars

    I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this ebook for review. These are my own thoughts and opinions and receiving a copy for free has not influenced them.

 

I really enjoy Amanda Hocking. This is my third series that I’ve read by her. Her books are something you want to pick up if you want an easy read into a great world for a few hours. This world is no different. The covers alone will make you pick this up and check it out. They are beautiful. Now onto the good stuff…

Bryn is an independent outcast in a way. She’s got a different look and is constantly being reminded of that. It’s one of the reasons that she’s such an awesome character. She’s constantly trying to prove everyone wrong and working so hard. At the same time, she has a romance that is blooming. I really enjoy most of the characters. I can't wait to see how things play out with Ridley

This book we get to learn more about her Skojare heritage but at the same time there’s a million more questions. It is one of the reasons for the 3 stars. I do like that we got more about her heritage and we get a bigger picture of the Skojare. I feel like I have more questions than answers in this book. I’m hopeful that the next book will answer them but I would have liked more clarity from the second book. The pace is a big slow and the plot doesn’t develop as much as I would have liked. I feel like there’s so many times that Konstantin Black is mentioned and we don’t even see him in this book.

I feel like this book was a little too much of a filler book. I would have liked more of an adventure in this one. The last 30 pages or so really picked up and there are some twists but it took that long to get me really interested. Maybe I had too high of expectations after the first book. It just fell short. I will still be reading the third book because I love Amanda’s world. I just hope it has more answers and more of a meatier plot! Not a bad book overall, just fell short of what I expect from a sequel/second book!

 

 

GIVEAWAY!!!

 

Enter to win your very own paperback copy of Ice Kissed!

To win all you need to do is leave a comment on this post along with your email address by midnight on SATURDAY, May 9th. This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only (one entry per person) and the winner will be picked by random. I will announce it on Sunday, May 10^th! The book will be provided by St. Martin’s Press.