Synopsis:
The Eleventh Doctor and Clara land on an unknown alien planet. To the Doctor’s delight and Clara’s astonishment, it really is unknown. It’s a planet the Doctor has never seen. It’s not on any maps, it’s not referenced on any star charts or in the TARDIS data banks. It doesn’t even have a name. What could be so terrible that its existence has been erased?
(Synopsis from Goodreads.)
My Thoughts:
Lately, I've been binge reading Doctor Who novels and short stories. I just can't get enough. That was going really well until I reached Into the Nowhere. It's the first Doctor Who short story I read that I really didn't care for. There were several things I didn't like about it.The biggest thing that bothered me is that the way the author portrayed the eleventh doctor drove me absolutely crazy. It was like she was trying too hard to develop his wit and sarcasm. It just came off as forced and awkward. It seemed like he was just babbling instead of being his usual, eccentric, clever self.The storyline also seemed rushed. The whole time they are wandering around this planet trying to survive all the things being thrown at them, which were explained in a confusing way. The climax of the story was also confusing. I had a vague idea of what was going on, but there weren't enough fleshed out details for me to know for sure.I did enjoy the Harry Potter references that were made. There were only a couple of them, but they made the story that I wasn't liking at all a little more enjoyable. Even though I love everything Doctor Who, this story fell short of the rest of the Time Trips that I've read. I will continue to read Time Trips by other authors, but if this author releases another Time Trip short story, I won't read it.
I give Into the Nowhere: 2/5.
Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.jennycolgan.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jtcolgan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennycolgan
I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
Synopsis:
Rapunzel longs to experience the world outside. After ten years of imprisonment under the care of her well-meaning great aunt, the monotony of her life is finally broken when a handsome young man named Brendan climbs into her tower. But when Granny Aunt finds out, she forbids him to visit Rapunzel. Even though Brendan continues to call her from the base of her tower, Rapunzel refuses to acknowledge him, confused and caught between her loyalty to Granny Aunt and her desire for more out of life. When neither Granny Aunt nor Brendan show up for several weeks, Rapunzel realizes she must take her fate into her own hands. She leaves her tower to search not only for Granny Aunt, but Brendan, as well. In the city, she finds Granny Aunt on her sickbed. Rapunzel must discover within herself a new kind of courage and inner strength. City life is astounding to her, and even as she continues to search for the man she loves, she begins to wonder what secrets he kept from her. Outside the city, a brewing war threatens the new life she's built. She still can't find Brendan, and the once-lonely Rapunzel now realizes her new friends are at risk, too.
(Synopsis from Goodreads.)
My Thoughts:
When I was a kid, Rapunzel was my favorite fairy tale. I thought it was amazing how she grew her hair so long, and wanted to grow my hair long, and be just like her. Needless to say, that didn't work out. Even as an adult, I love reading fairy tale retelling about Rapunzel. When I saw Rapunzel by Jessica Kaye on Goodreads, I knew I had to request it for review. I'm so glad that the author approved me to review it. I really enjoyed the story.Jessica Kaye put an interesting twist on the Rapunzel story. It made the reader think about it more deeply. For instance, in the original story, everyone thinks the old lady is a horrible person for keeping Rapunzel in the tower, and that she's evil. I don't want to go into too much detail because I don't want to spoil anything for those that may not have read it, but in Jessica Kaye's Rapunzel, you learn that might not have been the truth with Granny Aunt, and that things might be different than what they seem.I have to admit that I found the story predictable, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Shortly after we meet Brendan, I guessed who he was, and I guessed correctly. I also knew what was happening with Rosemary and Theodore before it was revealed. However, none of that took away from the story line. I still found it to be a cute, fun read. I actually enjoyed it so much that I finished it one sitting, which is unusual for me.I really enjoyed Jessica Kaye's version of Rapunzel. I am excited to read Rapunzel's Prince and find out what happened the whole time he was gone. I hope that Jessica Kaye writes more fairy tale retellings in the future. If she does, I will definitely buy them.
I give Rapunzel: 4/5.
Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.jessicakaye.net/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5782238.Jessica_Kaye
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
Synopsis:
A Doctor Who short story featuring the Twelfth Doctor. It follows in the tradition of the series of short stories published last year by Puffin featuring each Doctor.
(Synopsis from Goodreads.)
My Thoughts:
Out of all of the Doctors, I haven't got to watch that many episodes of Doctor Who that feature the twelfth doctor. It isn't on Netflix yet, and I don't have cable. I did watch five or six episodes of the twelfth doctor at my mother-in-law's house though. From what I've seen, I enjoy him, but not as much as the previous doctors. I did enjoy Lights Out.I already knew that Holly Black is a fabulous storyteller from reading her other books, so my expectations were high. She definitely met them. There was so much that I enjoyed about her interpretation of the twelfth doctor that I'm not even really sure where to begin. First of all, I loved that the story was about a planet that basically worships coffee, and its citizens need coffee to function on a daily basis. As someone who needs at least one cup of coffee (some days it's more like four) to function in the morning, it made the characters more relatable to me. I also loved that the plot centered around a minor character from a previous Doctor Who episode. It shows that Holly Black is a true Whovian, and does her research while writing a book. The subtle references to Ten throughout the book were greatly appreciated, although it made me miss him more. From the few episodes I've seen, I think Holly Black accurately portrayed Twelve. She stayed true to his more serious character.All in all, I really enjoyed this. I hope Holly Black writes more Doctor Who stories in the future. I think it would be interesting to see her take on Four or Eleven, but I would read anything she wrote about any of the doctors.
I give Lights Out: 4/5.
Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.blackholly.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollyBlackFan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hollyblack
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/hollyblack/
Tumblr: http://hollyblack.tumblr.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/25422.Holly_Black
I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.
But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.
Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.
(Synopsis from Goodreads.)
My Thoughts:When I first heard of The Duff, I had no interest in reading it. Young adult contemporary isn't usually my thing. If I'm going to read a YA book, it's usually going to be a fantasy book. However, once the movie trailer came out, the book started getting a lot of buzz. I wanted to see what all of the hype was about, so I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. For the most part, I enjoyed it quite a bit.
There is one thing I didn't like about the book. The main character's maturity level drove me crazy. She was very immature. Her immaturity lead to her making stupid decisions. For example, she was playing a guy that really cared about her, and messing with his feelings, because she was in love with another guy. It made me mad. She was also whiny. She complained about a lot of things when it was her fault that those things happened in the first place. Towards the end of the book, she began to grow as a character and wasn't so bad. The rest of the book, I just wanted to reach into the book and smack her.
Other than the main character, I really did enjoy the book. I thought the plot was fun, and I enjoyed the lessons that she learned in the end. It kept my interest the whole way through. In fact, I liked the book so much that I finished it in one day on finals week, which is really unusual for me. Once I got to about ten percent through, I couldn't put it down.
I enjoyed The Duff. It made me want to read more of Kody Keplinger's books, especially her new book, the companion to The Duff, called Lying Out Loud. It should be interesting to see cameos from the characters of The Duff to see where they are now. However, I don't think I will be seeing the movie for The Duff. The trailer makes it look like it will be a very unfaithful adaption.
I give The Duff: 3.5/5.
Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://kodykeplinger.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kody-Keplinger/143755808998957
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kody_keplinger
Instagram: https://instagram.com/kodykeplinger/
Tumblr: http://kodykeplinger.tumblr.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/KodyKeplinger
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3095919.Kody_Keplinger
I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
Synopsis:
Arriving on the planet Cashel, the Tenth Doctor witnesses a strange masked ball. To guarantee peace, Prince Zircon has to choose a bride from the Bog People - dead men and women who have been resurrected as slaves. Or as warriors. But Zircon is in love with the enslaved Princess Ash, whose parents were deposed and executed by the current Queen. As usual, the Doctor has walked right into trouble, and it's up to him to sort it out.
(Synopsis from Goodreads.)
My Thoughts:
For anyone that follows me on my personal Facebook page, you will know that I am a diehard Whovian. I am absolutely addicted to Doctor Who. I watched the new series, and am making my way through the classic series. I love reading Doctor Who books, graphic novels, and fan fiction. You name a Doctor Who story, and I've probably read it. Therefore, when I saw a couple of Doctor Who novellas from a series called Time Trips, it was a no brainer to request them. I am so happy that the publisher was awesome enough to approve me. I really enjoyed The Bog Warrior.The Bog Warrior was like a cross between Doctor Who and Cinderella. I really enjoyed reading it because Cinderella is one of my favorite fairy tales of all time. I thought Cecelia Ahern did a great job capturing the spirit of Ten. She did a great job staying true to the character by implementing a lot of his witty, snarky, cleverness into the character. I could almost imagine that it was an actual episode of Doctor Who.The Bog Warrior was the first Cecelia Ahern book I have read. However, it definitely won't be my last. I enjoyed her interpretation of Doctor Who, and the Tenth Doctor so much that as soon as I was done reading it, I went out and bought a couple of her full length romance novels. If the writing style is anything like this book, I'm sure I will love it. I can't wait to read more from the Doctor Who Time Trips to see what kind of crazy, original adventures that all of the Doctors get into next. I especially want to read a time trip about Nine, because he is my favorite Doctor.
I give The Bog Warrior: 5/5.
Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://uk.cecelia-ahern.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ceceliaahernofficial.int?brand_redir=125929650786731
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cecelia_Ahern
I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
Synopsis:
The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can't help but notice the village's peculiar inhabitants and their problems-where has the innkeeper's son gone? Why are Master Chao and Widow Yan always arguing? What is the crying sound Rendi keeps hearing? And how can crazy, old Mr. Shan not know if his pet is a toad or a rabbit?But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions.Newbery Honor author Grace Lin brings readers another enthralling fantasy featuring her marvelous full-color illustrations. Starry River of the Sky is filled with Chinese folklore, fascinating characters, and exciting new adventures.
(Synopsis from Goodreads.)
My Thoughts:
I love books about folklore. I find folklores of different countries to be fascinating. I especially love learning anything I can about Asian folklore. Some of the the folklores stories from Asia are really creative and amazing. Therefore, it's no surprise that I really enjoyed Starry River of the Sky.I read Starry River of the Sky for the Bout of Books readathon, and enjoyed it immensely. At first, I wasn't sure whether I liked the main character, Rendi, or not. However, as the story goes on, he goes through some major character growth and development. He becomes a much more mature character. By the end of the book, I liked him quite a bit. My favorite character was Mr. Shan. He made me laugh quite a bit. The plot could be slow at times in the beginning, as the reader is trying to figure out why all of this crazy stuff is going on. However, when everything is woven together at the end and revealed, it was pure magic. I didn't figure out anything at the end before it happened. I also loved the illustrations in the book. They added a lot to the story, and helped to visualize everything in my head.I enjoyed Starry River of the Sky quite a bit. It was a good middle grade novel that also teaches a lesson about life. It made me excited to read Grace Lin's companion novel, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
I give Starry River of the Sky: 4/5.
Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.gracelin.com/
Website: http://www.gracelinbooks.com/
Blog: http://www.gracelinblog.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGraceLin
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pacylin
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/59390.Grace_Lin
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
