All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire

Synopsis:
The first time Elliott Youngblood spots Catherine Calhoun, he’s just a boy with a camera, and he’s never seen a sadder and more beautiful sight. Both Elliott and Catherine feel like outcasts, yet they find an easy friendship with each other. But when Catherine needs him most, Elliott is forced to leave town.

Elliott finally returns, but he and Catherine are now different people. He’s a star high school athlete, and she spends all her free time working at her mother’s mysterious bed-and-breakfast. Catherine hasn’t forgiven Elliott for abandoning her, but he’s determined to win back her friendship…and her heart.

Just when Catherine is ready to fully trust Elliott, he becomes the prime suspect in a local tragedy. Despite the town’s growing suspicions, Catherine clings to her love for Elliott. But a devastating secret that Catherine has buried could destroy whatever chance of happiness they have left.
(Synopsis from Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:
It's been a weird reading year so far for me. I've only rated one book 5 stars, and that was Verity by Colleen Hoover. If you know my reading habits, you know that's really unusual for me. I was starting to feel like I broke my enjoyment of reading, and the whole year was going to be nothing but 3-4 star reads. Then I read All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire. I absolutely fell in love with it.

All the Little Lights was just what I needed to get out of my book funk. I loved everything about the book. I loved how Elliot never gave up on Catherine, no matter how difficult things got. In the face of those circumstances, most people would have moved on a long time ago. Not Elliot though. In fact, I loved these two characters together. The chemistry that they had was amazing. You could practically feel it coming off the page as you're reading.

Not only did I love the characters in All the Little Lights, but I loved the plot as well. The book kept me guessing, trying to figure out what was going to happen next. It's not labeled as a suspense book, but it does have just enough suspense along with everything else going on to keep the reader flipping pages, wondering what's going to happen with certain scenes. The second half especially pulls that off really well with the mystery surrounding it. Also, I loved the crazy ending. I can usually predict how books will end, but this one left me shocked. My jaw hit the floor. I would have never guessed that in a million years.

I loved All the Little Lights. So far, it's definitely one of my favorite books I've read this year. I know it's early in the year, but I think it definitely has potential to be in my top 10 of 2019 at the end of the year. It made me want to go back through my bookshelf, and reread some of my favorite Jamie McGuire books. 

I give All the Little Lights: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: https://www.jamiemcguire.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jamie.McGuire.Author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamieMcGuire
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejamiemcguire/?hl=en
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/jamie_mcguire/?autologin=true
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4464118.Jamie_McGuire

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Black Bird volume 1 by Kanoko Sakurakouji

Synopsis:
He loves her blood, but does her love her?!

R to L (Japanese Style).

There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend.

All that changes one day when Misao is attacked by a demon. Her childhood friend Kyo suddenly returns to save her and tend to her cuts--with his tongue!

It turns out Misao is the bride of prophecy, whose blood gives power to the demon clan who claims her.

But most demons want to keep her power for themselves--by eating her! Now Misao is just trying to stay alive...and decide if she likes it when Kyo licks her wounds.
(Synopsis from Goodreads).

My Thoughts:
Not many people know this about me, but I love reading manga. I used to be obsessed with anime and manga when I was younger. As I've gotten older, I don't read manga as much. However, every now and then, I'll get the urge to pick up a series and binge read it. I recently requested the first volume of Black Bird from my local library, and enjoyed it.

There were several things that I enjoyed about Black Bird. I love the author's snarky, sarcastic sense of humor that she wove into the story line, especially when it comes to Kyo. I also loved how loyal Kyo was to Misao. He did have his own reasons, but I thought it was cool that he seemed so protective of Misao, even though he hadn't seen her since childhood.

There was only one thing that I didn't like about this book. It was slightly hard to get into. I was confused on and off throughout the book. I felt like there should have been some sort of greater back story that the reader needed to understand everything, and we never got that. I'm hoping that appears more in the second volume to clear things up a bit.

Other than the one minor issue, I really loved Black Bird. I can't wait to see what happens next in the story line. I plan on getting the other volumes of manga from my local library as soon as I can. I hope to binge read the whole series this spring.  

I give Black Bird volume 1: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://sakurakoujien.lolipop.jp/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sakurakouji_k

I received this book from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

The Rule of One by Ashely Saunders and Leslie Saunders

Synopsis:

In their world, telling the truth has become the most dangerous crime of all.
 
In the near-future United States, a one-child policy is ruthlessly enforced. Everyone follows the Rule of One. But Ava Goodwin, daughter of the head of the Texas Family Planning Division, has a secret—one her mother died to keep and her father has helped to hide for her entire life.

She has an identical twin sister, Mira.

For eighteen years Ava and Mira have lived as one, trading places day after day, maintaining an interchangeable existence down to the most telling detail. But when their charade is exposed, their worst nightmare begins. Now they must leave behind the father they love and fight for their lives.

Branded as traitors, hunted as fugitives, and pushed to discover just how far they’ll go in order to stay alive, Ava and Mira rush headlong into a terrifying unknown.
(Synopsis from Goodreads).

My Thoughts:
 Recently, I found out that Kindle Unlimited has a feature that also lets the user listen to audiobooks of select titles on Audible for no additional cost. I thought that this would be a great way to get through my existing TBR, so I've been trying to utilize it. The first book I chose to read this way was The Rule of One. I thought that the book was okay.

My main issue with The Rule of One was that it dragged in spots. I think that it could have been about 50 pages shorter, and still been a great book. It seemed like there was a lot of filler in the middle of the book. It made the book quite boring to listen to at times, and made it so that the full connection with the characters that I look forward to in every book I read just wasn't there.

Other than that, I did enjoy The Rule of One. I like the way the plot was written. It reminded me of a book that I read when I was a child by Margaret Peterson Haddix, which brought backa lot of welcome nostalgia. Even though the book brought back nostalgia, it had it's own unique spin on the one child storyline as well. I really liked the tropes that it implemented. I also liked the fact that there was no romance in the book whatsoever. That was very refreshing to see in a young adult novel. I wish more books would do that.

Other than a few issues with the pacing, I really did enjoy reading The Rule of One. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series, The Rule of Many, especially after that crazy abrupt ending of the first book. I was shocked at the cliffhanger in the end, and need to know what happens next. I plan on picking up the next book as soon as I can.

I give The Rule of One: 3.5/5.

Want to know more about the authors?
 Website: https://www.thesaunderssisters.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saunderssisters/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaundersSisters
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saunderssisters/
Ashley Saunders' Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17895699.Ashley_Saunders
Leslie Saunders' Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17322186.Leslie_Saunders

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire

Synopsis:
This fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should.

When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise. Alas, everything costs at the goblin market, and when her time there is drawing to a close, she makes the kind of bargain that never plays out well.
(Synopsis from Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:
I love Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series. Back when Every Heart a Doorway came out, I requested it from my library, and read it in one sitting. I didn't even move from the same position on the couch because I was so invested in the story. Recently, the fourth book in the series came out, In an Absent Dream. I read it shortly after it came out. While I loved it, it was just missing some of the magic that previous books in the series had.

You know, it's kind of interesting when even though I didn't love In an Absent Dream as much, it still gets four stars for me. I think that's because I love Seanan McGuire's writing. There's just something so magical about it. She transports the reader to another place, making them feel like they're at the goblin market with Lundy. While reading this book, I could picture scenes in my head as vividly as if I was watching them on a big screen in a theater. It takes a very talented writer to be able to do that.

When I say that In an Absent Dream was missing some of the magic from the previous books, it's kind of hard to explain why. It still had the beautiful story line, and kept me focused on it from beginning to end. It was just missing something. I wanted more in some areas of the story that only get very tiy mentions. I really wanted to learn more about Lundy's friend, Mockery, and the battle that had happened. Even though I knew how things were going to turn out, I found the ending to be very depressing as well. I wanted a different ending, even though I understand why that's not possible.

Even though I didn't love it as much as the other books in the series, I greatly enjoyed In an Absent Dream. From my understanding doing research, the series will end when the next book, Come Tumbling Down, comes out in 2020. I have mixed feelings about this. A year seems too long to wait for the next book, but I really don't want the series to end. I plan on catching up on some of Seanan McGuire's back list books, and her books written as Mira Grant, in the meantime. 

I give In an Absent Dream: 4.5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website:  http://seananmcguire.com/index.php
Blog: http://seananmcguire.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seananmcguire
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/seananmcguire
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seananmcguire/
Tumblr: http://seananmcguire.tumblr.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2860219.Seanan_McGuire

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love—she’s lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because no matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly’s totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie’s new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. Will is funny and flirtatious and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And if Molly can win him over, she’ll get her first kiss and she’ll get her twin back.

There’s only one problem: Molly’s coworker Reid. He’s an awkward Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there’s absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?
(Synopsis from Goodreads).

My Thoughts:
I have mixed feelings on Becky Albertalli's book. I loved Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, and really didn't like Leah on the Offbeat. I want to give her books another chance because I loved Simon so much. Therefore, I figured I would pick up The Upside of Unrequited. I had tried to read it a few times on my Kindle, and just couldn't get into it. I finally got the audiobook copy from library, and was able to finish it. I found it to just be okay.

I don't know if it's because I had started The Upside of Unrequited in ebook and then switched to audiobook, but I felt a deep disconnection with the characters. I didn't really care for any of the side characters, which is sad because it was a very character driven novel. I thought Will was a pompous jerk. I didn't care for the way Cassie, Molly's twin, treated Molly for a good portion of the book. I did like Molly, although some of her actions in dealing with the two guys she was interested in drove me crazy. Other than that, I thought she was a quirky, fun character.

That being said, there are a few things I did like about The Upside of Unrequited. I really loved the LGBTQ+ representation that the book provided. Not only was it accurate, but it opened the door for some great conversations about sexuality. I liked one of the specific conversations in the book about bisexuality. It's something I wish everyone realized. I also greatly enjoyed the fact that there was so much body positivity. The main character, Molly, is a plus size girl. She deals with a couple of insecurities thanks to her grandmother, but for the most part she loves her body how it is, and isn't affected by others saying mean things around her. I loved that about her. Lastly, I liked the snarky sarcastic humor that Reid and Molly shared. There were several times where their dialogue had me cracking up laughing.

The Upside of Unrequited was just an okay book for me, which was sad because I had hoped to love it. Don't get me wrong, there were a few parts that I loved, but there were also a lot of parts that I hated. I will continue to read Becky Albertalli's future releases though because I hope to recapture the magic that I felt while reading Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda. I do own What If It's Us, and I've liked Adam Silvera's books, so I think that will be my next Becky Albertalli book that I pick up. I hope that I will like it more than this one.  

I give The Upside of Unrequited: 3.5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: https://beckyalbertalli.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beckyalbertalli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/beckyalbertalli
Tumblr: https://beckyalbertalli.tumblr.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckyalbertalli/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7579036.Becky_Albertalli

I received this book from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Cast in Angelfire by S.M. Reine

Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Marion can’t remember anything before waking up in the hospital. All she knows that a lot of people want to kill her. And her would-be assassins are not human…

Vampires are real. So are faeries and angels.

They all want Marion dead.

Surrounded by enemies, Marion turns to Lucas Flynn: a mysterious doctor who seems to know more than he’s letting on. He’s as good with a gun as he is with a scalpel. He fights like a demon but claims that he’s human. And he’s hellbent on protecting Marion.

Lucas claims that Marion is a mage: half-witch, half-angel with terrifying powers that could crack the world. But Marion can’t remember how to cast magic any more than she can remember where she comes from.

Marion must find her identity and her power…before the forgotten sins of her past catch up with her.

My Thoughts:

I love S.M. Reine's books. She is a very prolific author, and I've only read a couple of her series. Therefore, I wanted to make it a main goal of mine in 2019 to catch up on all of her books that she has written to date. It has been a few years since I have read anything about Rylie Gresham, and I wanted to try something that was close to that because I missed those characters. I decided to pick up the Mage Craft series, and I'm so glad I did. I loved the first book in the series, Cast in Angelfire, so much.

Being back with some familiar characters in Cast in Angelfire felt like coming home. It was great to reunite with these characters, and see what they had been up to since Seasons of the Moon: Cain Chronicles had ended. I did find some of the character's confusing though, especially in the beginning. I think we met them in the Seasons of the Moon: Cain Chronicles series, and I had just forgot about them because it's been so long since I've read the series. That's my fault though, and doesn't reflect on the book's quality in any way. All of S.M. Reine's books are slightly connected in the same universe, so I should have done a quick skim recap of the Cain Chronicles series before I moved onto this one. I also loved meeting some new characters as well

I thought that the plot of Cast in Angelfire was action packed. There was never a dull moment when I was bored. Even the parts where Marion and Luke were just in his truck, driving to their detestation were enjoyable. I thought it was fun watching Marion re-learn all of the information that was new to her, and seeing if she would discover Luke's big secret, which the reader already knew about from the previous series. Throughout the book, especially towards the end, I couldn't put the book down. I kept reading way past my usual bedtime because I needed to know what was going to happen next, and how Marion was going to get out of the situations that she got into.

Cast in Angelfire is definitely one of my favorite books that I've read this year. It felt so great to be back into the Descentverse, and to get to see some of my favorite characters again, along with some new ones. The cliffhanger at the end of this book drove me crazy. S.M. Reine has a great way of writing cliffhangers that leave you dying to know more. I will definitely be picking up book two, an d the other books in this series, as soon as I finish typing this review. I foresee myself binge reading the whole series this week. 

 

I give Cast in Angelfire: 4/5.

 

Want to know more about the author?

Website:  http://www.smreine.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Armyofevil/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smreine

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorsmreine/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4721318.S_M_Reine

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Twinmaker by Sean Williams

Synopsis:
You can be Improved....

In a near-future world in which technology can transport you anywhere instantly, can a coded note enable you to change your body—to become taller, stronger, more beautiful? Clair is pretty sure the offer is too good to be true. But her best friend, Libby, is determined to give it a try, longing for a new, improved version of herself.

What starts as Libby’s dream turns into Clair’s nightmare when Libby falls foul of a deadly trap. With the help of Jesse, the school freak, and a mysterious—but powerful—stranger called Q, Clair’s attempt to protect Libby leads her to an unimagined world of conspiracies and cover-ups. Soon her own life is at risk, and Clair is chased across the world in a desperate race against time.

Action and danger fuel Sean Williams’ tale of technology, identity, and the lengths to which one girl will go to save her best friend.
(Synopsis from Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:
So far in 2019, I've been in a bit of a reading slump. I definitely have not read as much as I usually do. The things that I have read have been just okay. I've been averaging a lot of three star reads. Recently, I remembered that I have the Twinmaker trilogy on my tbr, and decided to try the first book to see if it would get me out of my reading slump. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it at all.

I found the first book in the trilogy, Twinmaker, to be confusing. The book doesn't have much world building in it. It drops you off in a place, and kind of expects you to understand what was happening, which I didn't like at all. I wish that things, especially the d-mat process and Improvement, would have been explained a lot better. As it was, I just couldn't grasp the concept of it, which is what the whole book was based on. It made for a terrible reading experience.

I also didn't like the writing style that the author had. Certain scenes felt like a jumbled mess at times. The pacing was all over the place. It felt like certain parts of the book dragged on and on, whereas the more important stuff went by so quickly that I could barely understand what was going on. In fact, the only reason why this book is getting two stars from me is because I enjoyed Q. I thought that she was an interesting character, and was the only one I really felt a connection with in the book.

Unfortunately, Twinmaker just wasn't for me. I didn't like the way things were explained, or the choppy writing style. Due to that, I won't be continuing the series, even though I own the rest of the books. I plan on donating my copies to Goodwill where someone else might be able to get some enjoyment out of them. I'm not sure if I will try any of the author's others books, or series. At this point, I want to say no. However, there is a possibility that I will pick up one of his Star Wars books sometime in the future, as I have been wanting to read all of the Star Wars books that have been published.  

I give Twinmaker: 2/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.twinmakerbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeanWilliamsAuthorPage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adelaidesean
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/31321.Sean_Williams

I received this book from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.