Admission by Julie Buxbaum

Title: Admission

Author: Julie Buxbaum
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: December 1, 2020
Pages: 304
Source/format: e-ARC//Publisher
Rating: ☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

From the New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things comes an of-the-moment novel that peeks inside the private lives of the hypercompetitive and the hyperprivileged and takes on the college admissions bribery scandal that rocked the country.

It's good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer. She's headed off to the college of her dreams. She's going to prom with the boy she's had a crush on since middle school. Her best friend always has her back, and her mom, a B-list Hollywood celebrity, may finally be on her way to the B+ list. It's good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer--at least, it was, until the FBI came knocking on her front door, guns at the ready, and her future went up in smoke. Now her mother is under arrest in a massive college admissions bribery scandal. Chloe, too, might be facing charges, and even time behind bars. The public is furious, the press is rabid, and the US attorney is out for blood.

As she loses everything she's long taken for granted, Chloe must reckon not only with the truth of what happened, but also with the examination of her own guilt. Why did her parents think the only way for her to succeed was to cheat for her? What did she know, and when did she know it? And perhaps most importantly, what does it mean to be complicit?

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Chloe Berringer is your average student who is trying to obtain a high SAT score in order to get into a good college. She attends Wood Valley and is super stressed out about the SATs. Chloe's best friend, Shola, has amazing SAT scores and high GPA, which causes Chloe to freak out a bit whether Chloe will succeed in life since she struggles academically. 

Admission flips back and forth between the present (now) and past (then) of what is happening now when Chloe's mother is arrested and charged for being apart of an admissions scandal and the past of what events lead to the scandal. Readers see what it's like for being the teenager whose mother is involved in such a scandal.  Dealing with the pressure of being a teenager is already hard enough. Now Chloe must endure cyberbullying and doxing as Chloe tries to navigate her life after her mother is arrested.

What hurts even more is Levi, Chloe's boyfriend, doesn't want to talk to her anymore after learning about the scandal. She tries to tell him it's not what he thinks but he blocks her via text. Chloe is devastated so many people hate her. Even Shola refuses to return Chloe's texts. Chloe feels alone and even her lawyer tells her not to talk to anyone. This isolation affects her immensely.

Julie Buxbaum's novel touches upon college admissions bribery scandals that have happening lately involving celebrities. I love how she included text messages involving Shola/Chloe, Levi/Chloe and the encrypted chat Chloe has with other teenagers involved with the admissions scandal. This makes the story plot realistic and current. 

Admission includes huge theme about what privilege means including socio-economical privilege and racial privilege. Shola tries to show Chloe what it is like not to be super rich and not to be white. Things are not handed to people on a silver platter. Shola talks about FAFSA and Chloe had know clue what Shola was talking about. Shola tells Chloe that she doesn't have any private tutors or private consultations for appointments. She even tells Chloe how her younger siblings didn't get into Wood Valley and how she didn't get into Southern California College, a college Chloe gains an acceptance letter to. Shola tries to describe what it is like in her shoes when she mentions to Chloe, "Welcome to the real world, Chlo." But instead, Chloe says, "Maybe you guys should move to a better school district." What a slap in the face! 

I found Chloe to be a bland in personality. She is always putting herself down and whining about everything. There is nothing interesting about her. Chloe is insensitive and is stuck in this super privileged bubble that she doesn't see the struggles of others. She is super naive. I don't understand how she didn't think it was strange to take a SAT test at another site who doesn't ID SAT test takers, to give her college application login to a random person or to overhear a "donation" for 250k. Chloe didn't even question these random requests. I would love to get to know Shola better in a short story or a companion novel. Reading Shola's journey to success would be a great read and it would be inspiration for many teenagers.

Overall, Admission is a novel for readers who want to read a fictionalized version of the college admissions scandals. I highly suggest readers to pick up Tell Me Three Things, also by Buxbaum, and is also set at Wood Valley. 

Hunting November by Adriana Mather

Title: Hunting November
Author: Adriana Mather
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 5, 2020
Pages: 368
Source/format: Hardcover//Purchased
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Surviving a few weeks at the world's most lethal boarding school was one thing. But now comes the real test: Can November Adley find her missing father before her enemies find her? Subterfuge is the name of the game in this thrilling sequel to Killing November, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch.

After surviving a crash course in espionage at the mysterious Academy Absconditi, November has only one purpose: finding her missing father. Along with fellow student (and heartthrob) Ash, November follows the clues that her father left, embarking on the deadliest treasure hunt of her life. The first clue is in her hometown, where old friends beckon and unexpected enemies lurk around every corner. The second clue is in Europe, where revelations about her family's history will plunge her into an international web of deception, lies, and intrigue. The third clue is deep in enemy territory, surrounded by the most skilled assassins and master strategists, and where everyone wants her and her father dead. Can one girl with limited training infiltrate a centuries-old organization that is powerful enough to topple empires? November only knows that she'll do whatever it takes to save her father . . . or die trying.

M Y  T H O U G H T S 

Hunting November takes place immediately after the events that occurred in Killing November. November and Ash are on the lookout for November's father and both are granted permission to leave Academy Absconditi. However, the duo must be careful who they interact with and who they trust because the Lions are out to kill them. 

After returning the her hometown, November tries to piece clues together with the help of Ash. Starting her hunt in Connecticut, the duo heads to Edinburgh and London where they meet new faces and reunite with familiar ones. If you've read Killing November, you are in for a treat with reading Hunting November. Although the novel is not set primarily at the boarding school like its previous counterpart, Hunting November is still full of adventure and mystery. Instead of proving herself in front of her classmates, November must outwit the most skilled assassins and strategists of the Strategia.

The pacing of the novel is super fast and there is a lot of action. When I read Hunting November, I am thinking about the cinematography; it truly reads like a movie. The world building of the Strategia world is fantastic while it blends in very well with the modern day normal world. Adriana Mather has elevated the stakes in this novel. Sure, in Killing November, November had to dodge death from a murderer on campus. However, in Hunting November, there is a bounty over several heads and the Lions will not stop until they get what they want. 

November has matured since the start of the first book in the duology. However, the most growth I've seen in a character in the duology is definitely Aayra. She has transformed from from a devious snake to something more complex. She yearns for a true friend and a challenge, which she sees in November. I am also growing more fond of Matteo in this sequel and of course I still love Ash. 

I highly recommend Hunting November and its predecessor for readers who love action, adventure, boarding schools, alliances, betrayal and mystery all rolled in one. Readers will devour this novel if they enjoyed reading the following series: Harry Potter, The Vampire Academy, Bloodlines and/or Stalking Jack the Ripper.

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

Title: Spin the Dawn
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: July 9, 2019
Pages: 392
Source/format: Hardcover//Purchased
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh

M Y  T H O U G H T S

"A Tailor's worth is not measured by his fame, but by the happiness he brings." Spin the Dawn, pg 7

Spin the Dawn is the first book in The Blood of Stars duology. Maia Tamarin was born to become a tailor with a needle in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other. She follows the footsteps of her father who is also a tailor. Hailing from Gangsun, Maia wishes to become a master tailor yet tailors in Maia's world can only be male. Women can become seamstresses but not tailors. However, Maia seizes the opportunity to pursue her dreams in the disguise of a boy to compete to become the Imperial Tailor.

After the death of her mother, Maia's father struggled to continue tailoring as he used to. No longer is his sewing the same quality as before and Maia helps as much as possible to keep the shop going. After moving to the coastal town of Port Kamalan, loss has fallen upon her through her brothers.

Maia perseveres through the imperial tailoring challenges appeasing Lady Sarnai. However, Lady Sarnai asks for an almost impossible task that can cost Maia's life. Readers can expect the competition to be fierce and there is a lot of backstabbing and sabotage among the tailors. Things get complicated when enchanter Edan is made known to Maia. Magic is something that Maia once never believed in but she has a change of heart when she arrived at the palace and she learns she can wield a small amount of magic through a pair of scissors. However, Lady Sarnai despises magic while Emperor Khanujin relies on Edan's expertise. Elizabeth Lim weaves her own version of Jinn into Spin the Dawn which works well.

Although Maia is headstrong, her heart is in a good place. She wants to let everyone know that women can do the same things that men can do. She wants to help provide for her family. Edan, on the other hand, is mysterious. We don't know too much about his background or his past. He gravitates toward Maia and provides great wisdom. He is her helping hand despite how much Maia pushes him away. Fate entangles them in the long run and they grow to appreciate each other more. One can see that they grow very fond of each other.

Spin the Dawn has something for everyone. Whether people love reading about the competition or the journey to create three dresses of Amana, readers will enjoy the expedition and possibly the romance in the novel.

Lim created a mesmerizing Asian inspired fantasy world that fans of Mulan and folklore will adore. If you enjoy reading novels such as Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan and Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao, I highly suggest picking up Spin the Dawn.

Killing November by Adriana Mather

Title: Killing November
Author: Adriana Mather
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: March 26, 2019
Pages: 368
Source/format: ARC // The Horn Book

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

It’s a school completely off the grid, hidden by dense forest and surrounded by traps. There’s no electricity, no internet, and an eye-for-an-eye punishment system. Classes include everything from Knife-Throwing and Poisons to the Art of Deception and Historical Analysis. And all of the students are children of the world’s most elite strategists—training to become assassins, counselors, spies, and master impersonators. Into this world walks November Adley, who quickly discovers that friends are few in a school where personal revelations are discouraged and competition is everything. When another student is murdered, all eyes turn to November, who must figure out exactly how she fits into the school’s bizarre strategy games before she is found guilty of the crime…or becomes the killer’s next victim.

M Y  T  H O U G H T S

November Adley, originally from Pembrook, CT, ends up at Academy Absconditi and is a late transfer at the age of 17-years-old. Although November has no clue where she is and how she arrived at Academy Absconditi, she learns that she must play to survive. She learns quickly to acclimate to her surroundings since it's life or death while she discovers many secrets regarding her family's history.

Adriana Mather has wowed me with Killing November. Not only does the synopsis of November being stuck at a boarding school for assassins is awesome but there is so much intrigue of how November ended up at the academy and who can she trust. The characters are all unique and they have traits that separate each apart despite the many characters mentioned in the novel. Ash is definitely my favorite character. He has a sense of pride in him but he likes to skirt the rules a bit. He values attention and is stunned when November verbalizes her beliefs that might be on the contrary instead of just accepting the way things they are. I love the banter between Ash and November. They argue like they are siblings but it's something closer and more personal than arguing with his twin sister, Layla. At first I didn't warm up to Layla but she grew on me. Layla is constantly researching and even though she is not as physically active in pursuing people like the others at the academy, she clandestinely undercovers many clues to figure out who's the killer amongst the students.

The romance between Ash and November is a slow burning one. They don't trust each other at first but they slowly become good friends to the point where Ash takes a flying knife to save her. I mean how many people will take a bullet or knife to save someone? They know they can not become closer than friends but they cannot deny their feelings for each other. Oh the forbidden love! Love can be a weakness for assassins and one a lot of people take seriously. It's hard to tell who your true allies and enemies are when everyone has a good poker face. Even some sworn enemies like Matteo and Aarya end up helping November at the end when they figure out who the actual killer is.

November asks too many questions but some people might see that as a tactic while others think she is plain naïve. November pieces a lot of information when she was a child to present day at the academy such as qualities of stuffed animals like her stuffed bear. She learns those subtle things that her parents did or said contributed to some of the family secrets her parents harbored. I enjoyed reading snippets of November's past woven into chapters of when she is conquering obstacles and everyday life at the Academy Absconditi. With no electricity and living in a very old world location, students at the academy have fewer distractions so they can focus on learning to master being assassins. These students come from old Strategia family lines. These families originated as the advisors to rulers of empires.

Killing November is an atmospheric, action-packed, secretive and deadly thriller. The novel is chock full of history, name meanings, major plotting and an intrigue that keeps the pace of the book moving. Digging deeper under the many layers, November finds out how her family connects with the history of the Academy Absconditi and the major families. With her own unconventional upbringing, she conquerors many obstacles at the Academy Absconditi seizing an advantage over her peers. Although she is not well versed in the family history of the Strategia, she is a quick learner of what she needs to do to stay alive.

Haunting the Deep by Adriana Mather

Title: Haunting the Deep
Author: Adriana Mather
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: October 3, 2017
Pages: 368
Source/format: ARC from Rachel's Book Reviews

Rating: ☆☆☆☆1/2

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

The Titanic meets the delicious horror of Ransom Riggs and the sass of Mean Girls in this follow-up to the #1 New York Times bestseller How to Hang a Witch, in which a contemporary teen finds herself a passenger on the famous “ship of dreams”—a story made all the more fascinating because the author’s own relatives survived the doomed voyage.

Samantha Mather knew her family’s connection to the infamous Salem Witch Trials might pose obstacles to an active social life. But having survived one curse, she never thought she’d find herself at the center of a new one.

This time, Sam is having recurring dreams about the Titanic . . . where she’s been walking the deck with first-class passengers, like her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, in Sam’s waking life, strange missives from the Titanic have been finding their way to her, along with haunting visions of people who went down with the ship.

Ultimately, Sam and the Descendants, along with some help from heartthrob Elijah, must unravel who is behind the spell that is drawing her ever further into the dream ship . . . and closer to sharing the same grim fate as its ghostly passengers.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Samantha Mather is still living in Salem and her father is doing better than ever. After the events that occurred in How to Hang a Witch, Sam goes on with her life living it as any normal teen does until she starts seeing ghosts and having dreams about the Titanic. It also doesn't help that Salem High School is having a Titanic spring fling theme. Her friends, who are part of the Descendants, try to ease her worries but Sam is afraid that history is going to repeat itself.

A spell is cast and a warning of a death looms over Sam. As time runs out, Sam deciphers the clues to the mystery of the Titanic with the help of her friends. A love triangle exists but romance isn't the focal point of the plot. Adriana Mather penned a riveting and an immersive novel. Haunting the Deep brings readers back to Salem with familiar faces but readers are introduced to the enigma of the Titanic! Join Sam in flashbacks and modern day as she solves the Titanic mystery with her Descendant friends.

Sam's father is very supportive of everything she does except for magic, which he blames for the death of his wife. Although a single parent, Sam's dad always looks for the best interest for his daughter despite the craziness that has been happening in Salem. It's inspiring to see Sam's dad protect his daughter in anyway he can. Sam has been growing closer to Susannah, Mary and Alice and she becomes part of Descendants' circle of friends. They are very close and would do whatever it takes to help one another out. Elijah is one of my favorite characters from How to Hang a Witch and I was estatic to see him in Haunting the Deep. There were a couple of loose ends that I would have loved explanations to such as Mr. Wardwell, Niki, Blair and of course Jaxon.

This fast paced historical mystery will intrigue your senses and it will transport you back into time while chilling the bone. Pick up Haunting the Deep this October! I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy paranormal fiction, time traveling, the Titanic, Salem, magic and friendship.

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

Title: What to Say Next
Author: Julie Buxbaum
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: July 11, 2017
Pages: 272
Source/format: ARC from Emma of Missprint as part of the ARC adoption feature

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

From the New York Times bestselling author of Tell Me Three Things comes a charming and poignant story about two struggling teenagers who find an unexpected connection just when they need it most. For fans of Sophie Kinsella, Jennifer Niven, and Rainbow Rowell.

Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.

KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.

DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her.

When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

M Y  T H O U G H T S

David Drucker was surprised that Kit Lowell sat next to him during lunch. Although they are complete opposites of one another, they are able to start a meaningful friendship. Julie Buxbaum is able to tell a genuine story about a guy who is on the spectrum and a biracial girl who just lost her father in a car accident. Although there is a loss in the story and Kit is overwhelmed with grief, she finds solace in David.

What to Say Next is told in first person dual narrative. Julie Buxbaum is able to tell a story through the eyes of David and Kit and what obstacles they have to overcome everyday. She describes what David has to go through as the "weird" kid with the super popular sister. Kit, on the other hand, is going through tough times after she lost her dad but she also is having a hard time reconnecting with her current friends. Buxbaum also touches upon what it means to be biracial in an almost all white community and how families interact when races collide through Kit.

I love how David has his quirky moments and how he jots down things in his notebook. Although many people see David as different, he doesn't pay much mind to others. He marches to the rhythm of his own drum and finds ways to occupy his time. Kit finds out that she is a changed person after the death of her father and is trying to find herself. What to Say Next reminds readers that every cloud has a silver lining. Although there are obstacles and tough times in life, there is always something positive that can some out of it.

What to Say Next is a light read that will remind readers that there is always light in darkness and that opposites can be friends and sometimes even something more. Contemporary lovers will enjoy this novel. There is even a dash of mystery for the curious and a slight twist at the end.

Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

Title: Blood Rose Rebellion
Author: Rosalyn Eves
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: March 28, 2017
Pages: 416
Source/format: e-ARC from publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

The thrilling first book in a YA fantasy trilogy for fans of Red Queen. In a world where social prestige derives from a trifecta of blood, money, and magic, one girl has the ability to break the spell that holds the social order in place.

Sixteen-year-old Anna Arden is barred from society by a defect of blood. Though her family is part of the Luminate, powerful users of magic, she is Barren, unable to perform the simplest spells. Anna would do anything to belong. But her fate takes another course when, after inadvertently breaking her sister’s debutante spell—an important chance for a highborn young woman to show her prowess with magic—Anna finds herself exiled to her family’s once powerful but now crumbling native Hungary.

Her life might well be over.

In Hungary, Anna discovers that nothing is quite as it seems. Not the people around her, from her aloof cousin Noémi to the fierce and handsome Romani Gábor. Not the society she’s known all her life, for discontent with the Luminate is sweeping the land. And not her lack of magic. Isolated from the only world she cares about, Anna still can’t seem to stop herself from breaking spells.

As rebellion spreads across the region, Anna’s unique ability becomes the catalyst everyone is seeking. In the company of nobles, revolutionaries, and Romanies, Anna must choose: deny her unique power and cling to the life she’s always wanted, or embrace her ability and change that world forever.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Anna Arden is a Luminate living in England during the mid-19th century. However, unlike her family, she is barren and cannot wield magic. Because of the fiasco during her sister's debut, Anna is sent to Hungary to live with her grandmother's family.

Rosalyn Eves weaves Slavic mythology with historical fiction within this fantasy. Eves touches upon society of the many classes. The wealthy are able to control magic and dictate who gets to cast spells. The poor, however, live in horrible conditions and do not get a chance to wield magic even if they have the aptitude for it, except the Romani. The Romani have their own branch of magic that they will use in order to help their people.

I find the world building thoroughly fleshed out within Blood Rose Rebellion but at times there is a lot of info dumping. Because I am reading an e-ARC, it is very hard for me to keep referring to the glossary for foreign terms that I do not understand. The novel also has Anna being infatuated with so many guys in such a short period of time. Instalove is prominent throughout the whole book. She literally kisses three guys within the first half of the book.

Rosalyn Eves starts off the novel strong but I found the middle of the book slightly slowed down in pace and it was hard to keep my attention. The character development is flat and I was hoping for more personality, especially from the main characters of the novel. I do applaud Eves transporting readers to Hungary since there are not that many novels set in Eastern Europe. The Slavic mythology, such as stories about the Rusalka, fascinate me since I love reading about folklore from around the world.

Blood Rose Rebellion is a historical fantasy novel that will intrigue readers who love magic and folklore. Blood Rose Rebellion will pique readers' interests especially those who enjoyed Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and Ruined by Amy Tintera.

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Title: The Sun is Also a Star
Author: Nicola Yoon 
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: November 1, 2016
Pages: 384
Source/format: Library//Hardcover

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

M Y  T H O U G H T S

The Sun is Also a Star is a touching novel about a girl named Nastasha Kingsley. Most of her family is undocumented and will get deported to Jamaica that night. Praying someone will help her and her family, she pleads one more time and asks for help from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USIS) and a lawyer. However, no avail.

She ends up meeting Daniel Bae, the poet, who is a Korean American who lives in his brother's shadow. His parents have high expectations for him to go to the best school, which to them, is Harvard or at least to go to second best school aka Yale. Natasha and Daniel spend time together asking each other questions, visiting a record store and a coffee shop and try to learn more about each other. Destiny collides and fate is met but what happens when other people are trying to separate you apart?

Nicola Yoon is a master when writing Natasha's and Daniel's voices. They both are symbiotic. Both are destined to meet. The novel is a fact pace read, compressing a day's worth of action and dialogue in under 350 pages. The ending is bittersweet yet it works well.

Most of the chapters are from Natasha's and Daniel's POVs with a smattering of chapters from POVs of other characters close to Natasha and Daniel. It's nice to get insight from secondary characters about backstory but I have to admit it was hard for me to follow the chapters. However, I did like the chapters about the history of things such as the love history or the hair history.

Yoon did an excellent job with weaving many cultures together. I appreciate the diversity within the book. Not only is culture and race included but Yoon includes what the difference is to be a first generation American compared to a second generation American compared to a documented immigrant compared to an undocumented immigrant. I have worked with students that have fallen under all the above and it's great that people will learn the difference and will know the facts before they judge.

The Sun is Also a Star is a wonderful book about acceptance, tolerance and about finding yourself. This is an emotional read but is a very important one.

How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

Title: How to Hang a Witch
Author: Adriana Mather
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: July 26, 2016
Pages: 368
Source/format: ARC from publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Salem, Massachusetts is the site of the infamous witch trials and the new home of Samantha Mather. Recently transplanted from New York City, Sam and her stepmother are not exactly welcomed with open arms. Sam is the descendant of Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for those trials and immediately, she becomes the enemy of a group of girls who call themselves The Descendants. And guess who their ancestors were?

If dealing with that weren't enough, Sam also comes face to face with a real live (well technically dead) ghost. A handsome, angry ghost who wants Sam to stop touching his stuff. But soon Sam discovers she is at the center of a centuries old curse affecting anyone with ties to the trials.

Sam must come to terms with the ghost and find a way to work with the Descendants to stop a deadly cycle that has been going on since the first accused witch was hanged. If any town should have learned its lesson, it's Salem. But history is about to repeat itself.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Samantha (Sam) Mather relocates to Salem from New York to visit her father's hometown a few months after her father falls into a coma. After starting her sophomore year at Salem High School, she learns that a group of teens called The Descendants despise her just because Sam is related to Cotton Mather, a key player in the Salem Witch Trials. The Descendants consistently shun Sam and is making her life miserable. However, with a twist of fate, Sam and the Descendants must work together to save the families involved in the Salem Witch Trials.

I am a huge fan of anything Salem related. Because I live nearby to Salem, MA, I can vividly picture many of the locations Adriana Mather mentions in How to Hang a Witch. The plot of the novel is compelling and the character development is well paced. Mather's research for the novel is on point. The novel starts out as a historical fiction contemporary hybrid but then soon morphs into a thriller during the second half.

The plot being a modern day "Salem Witch Trials" is part of a curse that is more than 300 years old. Sam has no idea what she is in for when she moves to Salem. The beginning of the novel starts at a slow pace but quickly picks up in pace with many clues scattered throughout the book.

How to Hang a Witch will capture those who love everything Salem. The novel is one part Mean Girls, one part Sleepy Hollow (the film) and one part Hocus Pocus. The eerieness, the mystery and the ambience makes How to Hang a Witch the perfect autumnal read. Once you read this book, you'll want to plan your trip to Salem ASAP.

The Distance to Home by Jenn Bishop

Title: The Distance to Home
Author:  Jenn Bishop
Publisher: Random House/Knopf Children’s
Publication date: June 28, 2016
Pages: 240
Source/format: ARC to borrow from Rachel

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Last summer, Quinnen was the star pitcher of her baseball team, the Panthers. They’re headed for the championship, and her loudest supporter at every game was her best friend and older sister, Haley.

This summer, everything is different. Haley’s death, at the end of last summer, has left Quinnen and her parents reeling. Without Haley in the stands, Quinnen doesn’t want to play baseball. It seems like nothing can fill the Haley-sized hole in her world. The one glimmer of happiness comes from the Bandits, the local minor-league baseball team. For the first time, Quinnen and her family are hosting one of the players for the season. Without Haley, Quinnen’s not sure it will be any fun, but soon she befriends a few players. With their help, can she make peace with the past and return to the pitcher’s mound? 

M Y  T H O U G H T S

I enjoyed reading The Distance to Home. Although Quinnen loses someone dear to her, she finally finds the courage to play baseball once again. This is a wonderful novel that delves about topics such as grief, friendship, sisterly bonding, courage and finding oneself. Jenn Bishop gives Quinnen a chance to grieve but also gives Quinnen a chance to bounce back to her feet and to pursue her passion once again. Bishop gives Quinnen hope! Hayley would be proud of Quinnen. The alternating past and present chapters gave a sense of knowing Hayley and Quinnen's sisterly relationship in more detail. You can definitely tell Quinnen looks up to Hayley and how they are best of friends.

Quinnen just needed time before she can carry on with her life. Losing someone is always hard but at such a young age, losing someone can be confusing. I love how Bishop includes a variety of supporting people in Quinnen's life. It is important for young readers to know that there is always someone that can help out. Whether is is someone to help you grieve or to take your mind off something, someone is always there to help when in need. 

Never Missing, Never Found by Amanda Panitch

Title: Never Missing, Never Found
Author: Amanda Panitch
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication date: June 28, 2016
Pages: 320
Source/format: ARC from publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

A juicy thriller about a girl who returned from the missing. . . . Hand to fans of We Were Liars, Bone Gap, and Vanishing Girls.

Some choices change everything. Scarlett chose to run. And the consequences will be deadly.

Stolen from her family as a young girl, Scarlett was lucky enough to eventually escape her captor. Now a teen, she's starting a summer job at an amusement park. There are cute boys, new friends, and the chance to finally have a normal life.

Her first day on the job, Scarlett is shocked to discover that a girl from the park has gone missing. Old memories come rushing back. And now as she meets her new coworkers, one of the girls seems strangely familiar. When Scarlett chose to run all those years ago, what did she set into motion? And when push comes to shove, how far will she go to uncover the truth . . . before it's too late?

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Scarlett Contreras was taken when she was younger. She eventually was reunited with her family but when she starts working at Five Banners Adventure World, Monica disappears without a trace. Monica's disappearance bring back memories of when Scarlett was kidnapped.

"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."

It doesn't help when Scarlett is smitten with Connor. Katharina is an interesting character. I can't make her out as a true friend when she tries to make Scarlett feel uncomfortable. Even though Scarlett and her sister Melody did not get along very well, Scarlett tries to rekindle the sisterly relationship. When she was captured, Scarlett also found a sister in Pixie.

Amanda Panitch includes flashbacks in Never Missing, Never Found which helped build the plot of novel. It's nice how the readers find out what happened to Scarlett in the past. It helps the readers understand what she is thinking in present day and why she reacts the way she does. Panitch's own experience working at Six Flags Great Adventure inspired this novel.

Never Missing, Never Found is a clever and gripping psychological thriller. Not only does Scarlett find hope during her situation but she can't figure out whether she is going crazy or if someone is back to hunt her down with revenge. The ending is truly twisted. I had to re-read certain parts of the ending in order to fully understand what I read. Never Missing, Never Found is about hope, survival and uncovering the truth.

The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas

Title: The Darkest Corners
Author: Kara Thomas
Publisher: Delacorte
Publication date: April 19, 2016
Pages: 336
Source/format: ARC from the publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

The Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller about the lies little girls tell, and the deadly truths those lies become.

There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.

Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the faces of her demons—and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.

Tessa and Callie have never talked about what they saw that night. After the trial, Callie drifted and Tessa moved, and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.

But ever since she left, Tessa has had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette—to Wyatt Stokes, sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the one other person who may be hiding the truth.

Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer—and this time, it won’t be so easy to run away.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

The Darkest Corners is an intense psychological thriller that doesn't seep in right away. From the beginning of the novel, the reader can tell there is a lot of loose ends. A mystery unfolds and Tessa is trying to pieces things together. She moved from Pennsylvania to Florida to live with her Grandmother years ago. Now she is back up in Fayette to deal with unfinished business. She cannot always run from her past and her past is starting to catch up with her.

Kara Thomas does an excellent job with background information to set the story. Her writing is suspenseful and I love her characters in this book. Although, Tessa doesn't live the perfect life, I enjoyed reading the friendship between Tessa and Callie. It is interesting how each person plays an important part of this novel.

The ending was so much to take in. I wish it wasn't so sudden and that we found out some of the information of this mystery ahead of time. I didn't know what to think after I finished this novel because it just took some time to process everything.

If you're looking for a gripping mystery thriller, pick up The Darkest Corners. It will blow your mind once you figure out the reveal.

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Title: Tell Me Three Things
Author: Julie Buxbaum
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: April 5, 2016
Pages: 336
Source/format: ARC from publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

What if the person you need the most is someone you’ve never met? 

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved? 

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Jessie Holmes is starting her junior year of high school after moving to Los Angeles from Chicago. Her mom has passed and her dad eloped with a woman who has a son also in the same grade as Jessie. Seven days after starting Wood Valley High School, someone with the name Somebody Nobody e-mails Jessie. From that day on, Somebody Nobody has become a good friend. However, who is this mystery person? Who is SN?

Julie Buxbaum writes an honest story. Jessie doesn't fit in with the rich kids at the elite private school she attends. No one is there for Jessie except her new friends Adrianna (Dri) and Agnes. Even SN tries to help her navigate the Wood Valley High School. But who is SN? Caleb, Liam, Ethan or some other guy that knows her?

Buxbaum showcases healthy female relationships. Jessie's best friend from Chicago, Scarlett, still keeps in touch and they have a strong friendship despite the distance between them. Dri and Agnes are always there for Jessie. Buxbaum tackles a variety of tough topics such as transferring schools, making new friends, bullying, safe sex, parents remarrying and even touches upon socioeconomic upbringings.

The adults in the novel are in their own world and do not even consider that Jessie is going through a tough time. All they claim is that they are trying to understand. However, as the novel progresses, Jessie and her dad finally have a conversation at the end of novel which I thought was important for both of them to express their feelings of the transition. Mrs. Pollack, Jessie's English teacher, also has a conversation about fitting in which I think is crucial.

I love the formatting of Tell Me Three Things. Buxbaum includes Jessie writing in first person. Readers also get to read the text exchanges between Jessie and Scarlett as well as the e-mails and IMs she sends and receives from Somebody Nobody. The way Buxbaum weaves in a subtle mystery within a contemporary is brilliant. It works so well in the novel.

If you are looking for a cute, heartfelt contemporary in the vein of The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord, definitely pick up Tell Me Three Things. This novel is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year so far.

For the Record by Charlotte Huang

Title: For the Record
Author: Charlotte Huang
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: November 10, 2015
Pages: 307
Source/format: Library//Hardcover

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

If Almost Famous were a YA novel . . . a raw, honest debut celebrating music, friendship, romance, and life on the road.

Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like . . . until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything

Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.

Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule . . . Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Because former singer Hollis Carter wanted a normal life, she left Melbourne. The band owes the record company one more album and Melbourne delivers by finding another lead singer. Chelsea Ford didn't make it on American Pop Star but she was able to score lead singer for the band, Melbourne. And boy is she on an interesting ride to fame and stardom.

Touring the nation and singing in sold-out venues, Chelsea is living a dream for the summer with her friend Mandy and her band mates, Pem, Malcolm and Beckett. However, living in a bus with a bunch of guys isn't the easiest and it's hard to live by certain rules Pem and management lay down. Romantic relationships between the band members are off limits which doesn't help Chelsea who is slightly smitten over Beckett.

Charlotte Huang shows music fans what it's like the be on the other side of the stage. It's interesting to see how a front woman fares with a bunch of guys touring around the nation performing show after show. I used to be a big concert goer back in high school and in college so For the Record is slightly nostalgic. It reminds me of when I was super excited to see a band and I was pumped up for the show. The energy, the rawness and grittiness. The unforgettable memories!

Huang gives each character a distinct personality. At first it took some time getting use to who is who but after getting all the names down, I am glad that there aren't carbon copies of each other. Everyone has their own story to tell. Seeing how musicians are constantly being told what to do either by the media or the record company is difficult. Entertainment can be cruel. It can be vicious! The sad thing is what's important to the media and the record company is the money and what is being produced at the end. After all, it's a money making business to them. They treat musicians in a way where the musician cannot express themselves fully.

To those sensitive to cheating, For the Record has instances of cheating. Although I do not condone in cheating, I know some of the behavior comes with the lifestyle. I enjoyed the extra Melbourne Business of the Music Tour info in the back of the book. It added something special to the novel and it gave a good timeline of all the events and a recap of characters.

I am a big sucker for novels showcasing any type of music and this novel did not disappoint. If you enjoyed reading Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist or This Song Will Save Your Life, definitely check out For the Record.

Top Ten Books I Picked Up at ALA Midwinter

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie. I decide to showcase top ten books I picked up at ALA Midwinter. The following books are in no particular order. Most of the following are front list titles and I included synopsis for all ten along with the publication date and publisher.

1. Summer Days and Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories edited by Stephanie Perkins - June 14, 2016 published by Macmillan 

I was surprised this was even available at ALA Midwinter and I am fortunate that I will be able to read it before the pub date.

Maybe it's the long, lazy days, or maybe it's the heat making everyone a little bit crazy. Whatever the reason, summer is the perfect time for love to bloom. Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories, written by twelve bestselling young adult writers and edited by the international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. So set out your beach chair and grab your sunglasses. You have twelve reasons this summer to soak up the sun and fall in love.

Featuring stories by Leigh Bardugo, Francesca Lia Block, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle, Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, and Jennifer E. Smith.

2. The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury - February 23, 2016 published by Penguin

I am super excited about this Aladdin retelling. Aladdin is my favorite Disney movie and I can't wait to immerse myself into this wonderful and magical world.

She is the most powerful Jinni of all. He is a boy from the streets. Their love will shake the world...

When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years -- a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.

3. The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith - March 22, 2016 published by Simon & Schuster

I heard about this book at the Simon & Schuster's Book Buzz at ALAMW and I added it to my TBR. Pitched in the tradition of Speak, Simon & Schuster sold me! I needed to obtain this title and I was fortunate to pick up the display copy on the last day of ALAMW.

In the tradition of Speak, this extraordinary debut novel shares the unforgettable story of a young woman as she struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault.

Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes.

What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved—who she once loved—she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.

Told in four parts—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year—this provocative debut reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman’s strength as she navigates the disappointment and unbearable pains of adolescence, of first love and first heartbreak, of friendships broken and rebuilt, and while learning to embrace a power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.

4. Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan - April 5, 2016 published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Urban fantasy and a retelling of A Tale of Two Cities..YES, please!

Tell the Wind & Fire is about a young girl called Lucie who lives in a New York very different from the New York we know: the city is torn between two very different kinds of magic, and Lucie’s own family was torn apart years ago by that conflict. Lucie wears magic rings and carries a burden of guilt she can’t share with anyone.

The light in her life is her sweetheart boyfriend Ethan, but it turns out Ethan has a secret too: a soulless doppelganger created by dark magic, who has to conceal the face identical to Ethan’s with a hood fastened by a collar nobody but a Light magician with magical rings can take off… and who introduces himself to both of them by, for reasons nobody can understand, saving Ethan’s life…

5. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch - April 12, 2016 published by Simon & Schuster

A romantic contemporary in Italy is definitely a novel up my alley. The synopsis sounds intriguing and the cover art is adorable! I have been obsessed with Italy ever since I visited Italy back in 2009 so it's a no brainer that I have this book on my TBR.

A summer in Italy turns into a road trip across Tuscany in this sweeping debut novel filled with romance, mystery, and adventure.

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept from Lina for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and ever herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

6. The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas - April 19, 2016 published by Random House

This psychological thriller caught my eye after I heard about it on twitter. Chilling!!!!

"Gripping from start to finish, The Darkest Corners took me into an underbelly I didn't know existed, with twists that left me shocked and racing forward to get to the end."-Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Queen

For fans of Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places and Sara Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars, The Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller about the lies little girls tell, and the deadly truths those lies become. There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.
Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the faces of her demons—and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.
Tessa and Callie have never talked about what they saw that night. After the trial, Callie drifted and Tessa moved, and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.
But ever since she left, Tessa has had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette—to Wyatt Stokes, sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the one other person who may be hiding the truth.
Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer—and this time, it won’t be so easy to run away.

7. Wishing Day by Lauren Myracle - May 3, 2016 published by HarperCollins

This Middle Grade novel seems the perfect combination of whimsical and cuteness.

On the third night of the third month after a girl’s thirteenth birthday, every girl in the town of Willow Hill makes three wishes.

The first wish is an impossible wish.
The second is a wish she can make come true herself.
And the third is the deepest wish of her secret heart.

Natasha is the oldest child in a family steeped in magic, though she’s not sure she believes in it. She’s full to bursting with wishes, however. She misses her mother, who disappeared nearly eight long years ago. She has a crush on one of the cutest boys in her class, and she thinks maybe it would be nice if her very first kiss came from him. And amid the chaos of a house full of sisters, aunts, and a father lost in grief, she aches to simply be...noticed.

So Natasha goes to the willow tree at the top of the hill on her Wishing Day, and she makes three wishes. What unfolds is beyond anything she could have imagined.

8. Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee - May 24, 2016 published by Penguin

This novel has been on my TBR list since I heard the rights for it. Stacey's debut novel, Under a Painted Sky, is fantastic and I couldn't wait to read more by her.

From the author of the critically acclaimed Under a Painted Sky, an unforgettable story of determination set against a backdrop of devastating tragedy. Perfect for fans of Code Name Verity.

San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.

On April 18, an historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Mercy can't sit by while they wait for the Army to bring help. Fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, yet Mercy still has the 'bossy' cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenaged girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

Breakout author Stacey Lee masterfully crafts another remarkable novel set against a unique historical backdrop. Strong-willed Mercy Wong leads a cast of diverse characters in this extraordinary tale of survival.

9. Ruined by Amy Tintera - May 3, 2016 published by HarperCollins

I enjoyed reading Amy's dystopian, Reboot, and I cannot wait to read her take on fantasy. And how gorgeous is this cover? It's so simple yet sophisticated.

Emelina Flores has nothing. Her home in Ruina has been ravaged by war. She lacks the powers of her fellow Ruined. Worst of all, she witnessed her parents’ brutal murders and watched helplessly as her sister, Olivia, was kidnapped.

But because Em has nothing, she has nothing to lose. Driven by a blind desire for revenge, Em sets off on a dangerous journey to the enemy kingdom of Lera. Somewhere within Lera’s borders, Em hopes to find Olivia. But in order to find her, Em must infiltrate the royal family.

In a brilliant, elaborate plan of deception and murder, Em marries Prince Casimir, next in line to take Lera’s throne. If anyone in Lera discovers Em is not Casimir’s true betrothed, Em will be executed on the spot. But it’s the only way to salvage Em’s kingdom and what is left of her family.

Em is determined to succeed, but the closer she gets to the prince, the more she questions her mission. Em’s rage-filled heart begins to soften. But with her life—and her family—on the line, love could be Em’s deadliest mistake.

10. The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore - September 15, 2015 by Macmillan

I heard great things about this magical realism novel. What drew me to this novel is the fact that it is very Romeo and Juliet like. I cannot wait to start reading this.

The Palomas and the Corbeaus have long been rivals and enemies, locked in an escalating feud for more than a generation. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows—the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find.

Lace Paloma may be new to her family’s show, but she knows as well as anyone that the Corbeaus are pure magia negra, black magic from the devil himself. Simply touching one could mean death, and she’s been taught since birth to keep away. But when disaster strikes the small town where both families are performing, it’s a Corbeau boy, Cluck, who saves Lace’s life. And his touch immerses her in the world of the Corbeaus, where falling for him could turn his own family against him, and one misstep can be just as dangerous on the ground as it is in the trees.

Beautifully written, and richly imaginative, The Weight of Feathers is an utterly captivating young adult novel by a talented new voice.

Top Ten Books I've Recently Added To My TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's Top Ten Tuesday asks bloggers to choose their top ten books they've recently added to their TBR. The following books are in no particular order. Most of the following are front list titles and I included synopsis for all ten along with the publication date and publisher.

1. The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith - March 22, 2016 published by Simon & Schuster

In the tradition of Speak, this extraordinary debut novel shares the unforgettable story of a young woman as she struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault.

Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes.

What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved—who she once loved—she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.

Told in four parts—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year—this provocative debut reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman’s strength as she navigates the disappointment and unbearable pains of adolescence, of first love and first heartbreak, of friendships broken and rebuilt, and while learning to embrace a power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.

2. Never Missing, Never Found by Amanda Panitch - June 28, 2016 published by Random House

A juicy thriller about a girl who returned from the missing. . . . Hand to fans of We Were Liars, Bone Gap, and Vanishing Girls.

Some choices change everything. Scarlett chose to run. And the consequences will be deadly.

Stolen from her family as a young girl, Scarlett was lucky enough to eventually escape her captor. Now a teen, she's starting a summer job at an amusement park. There are cute boys, new friends, and the chance to finally have a normal life.

Her first day on the job, Scarlett is shocked to discover that a girl from the park has gone missing. Old memories come rushing back. And now as she meets her new coworkers, one of the girls seems strangely familiar. When Scarlett chose to run all those years ago, what did she set into motion? And when push comes to shove, how far will she go to uncover the truth . . . before it's too late?

3. Dreambender by Ronald Kidd - March 1, 2016 published by Albert Whitman & Company

Everyone in the City is assigned a job by the choosers--keeper, catcher, computer. Callie Crawford is a computer. She works with numbers: putting them together, taking them apart. Her work is important, but sometimes she wants more. Jeremy Finn is a dreambender. His job is to adjust people's dreams. He and others like him quietly remove thoughts of music and art to keep the people in the City from becoming too focused on themselves and their own feelings rather than on the world. They need to keep the world safe from another Warming. But Jeremy thinks music is beautiful, and when he pops into a dream of Callie singing, he becomes fascinated with her. He begins to wonder if there is more to life than being safe. Defying his community and the role they have established for him, he sets off to find her in the real world. Together, they will challenge their world's expectations. But how far will they go to achieve their own dreams?

4. Black Bird go the Gallows by Meg Kassel - 2016 published by Egmont

A debut novel about a teenage girl who discovers the new boy next door is a harbinger of death, and who must find a way to survive in a town destined for destruction.

A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full. Harbingers settle in places where tragedy is about to strike, then feed on the energy of the dying. Then, they leave. Off to the next doomed place. No one wants a family of harbingers of death as neighbors, but that’s exactly what seventeen-year-old Angie Dovage gets when Reece Fernandez moves in next door.

Angie knows the mysterious boy is more than he appears, but can’t imagine that his presence heralds a tragedy that will devastate her small community. But her fears run deeper than Reece’s inevitable departure, because where harbingers of death go, grotesque, ruined creatures called Beekeepers follow. And where Beekeepers go, fear and chaos and death follows.

Angie wants to protect everyone she cares about, but stopping the Beekeepers involves a choice that will claim her life or Reece’s soul. She will learn the price of both.

5. The Flame Never Dies by Rachel Vincent, August 16, 2016 published by Random House

For fans of Cassandra Clare and Richelle Mead comes the unputdownable sequel to The Stars Never Rise, a book Rachel Caine, author of the bestselling Morganville Vampires series, called “haunting, unsettling, and eerily beautiful.”

ONE SPARK WILL RISE. Nina Kane was born to be an exorcist. And since uncovering the horrifying truth—that the war against demons is far from over—seventeen-year-old Nina and her pregnant younger sister, Mellie, have been on the run, incinerating the remains of the demon horde as they go.

In the badlands, Nina, Mellie, and Finn, the fugitive and rogue exorcist who saved her life, find allies in a group of freedom fighters. They also face a new threat: Pandemonia, a city full of demons. But this fresh new hell is the least of Nina’s worries. The well of souls ran dry more than a century ago, drained by the demons secretly living among humans, and without a donor soul, Mellie’s child will die within hours of its birth.

Nina isn’t about to let that happen . . . even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.

6. The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent - June 9, 2015 published by Random House

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

7. Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum - April 6, 2016 by Random House

Julie Buxbaum mixes comedy and tragedy, love and loss, pain and elation, in her debut YA novel whose characters will come to feel like friends. Tell Me Three Things will appeal to fans of Rainbow Rowell, Jennifer Niven, and E. Lockhart.

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

8. The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson - May 3, 2016 by Simon & Schuster

Andie had it all planned out.
When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks)

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.

Because here’s the thing - if everything's planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that?

9. Replica by Lauren Oliver - September 27, 2016 by HarperCollins

Replica, the first of the two books, tells the story of Lyra, known by the number 24, a replica – human model – who was born, raised, and observed in a clandestine research facility called the Haven Institute. When Lyra escapes from Haven and meets Gemma, a stranger on a quest of her own, earth-shattering secrets are revealed.

10. Flawed by Cecelia Ahern - April 5, 2016 published by Macmillan 

The Scarlet Letter meets Divergent in this thoughtful and thrilling novel by bestselling author Cecelia Ahern.

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule. And now faces life-changing repercussions.

She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where obedience is paramount and rebellion is punished. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her-everything.

Are there any books listed above that you're excited for? What books did you recently add to your TBR?

Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk

Title: Arrows
Author: Melissa Gorzelanczyk
Publisher: Delacorte
Publication date: January 26, 2016
Pages: 240
Source/format: ARC won from a giveaway - Liza from WhoRuBlog
Rating: ☆☆☆1/2

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

A modern cupid story set in present-day Wisconsin combining the fantastical elements of Greek mythology with the contemporary drama of MTV's Teen Mom.

People don’t understand love. If they did, they’d get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can’t say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can’t stay angry with him . . . and can’t stop loving him. But there’s a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she’s been shot with a love arrow.
Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma and Danny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma’s life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.

A clueless Karma doesn’t know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn’s fault . . . but he’s going to get a chance to make things right. He’s here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?

This fast-paced debut novel explores the internal & external conflicts of a girl who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a boy who seemingly doesn't reciprocate her feelings, touching on the issues of love, sex and responsibility, with a heroine struggling to control her destiny--perfect for fans of Katie McGarry's novels and MTV’s 16 and Pregnant.

My Thoughts

Aaryn, son of the God Eros, is practicing shooting love arrows to bring two potential soul mates together but things go wrong when he didn't have enough love arrows. Because Karma Clark only got shot with the love arrow and Danny Bader didn't, Karma ends up being the only one in love. Because Aaryn failed, he is afraid he will end up in Blackout which is where failed Gods go as humans and their memories are wiped.

Because Karma gets pregnant and loses her ballet scholarship, Aaryn wants to correct the problem he created. It's his fault that Karma is in this situation and he wants to make everything right again. Because his father found out what happened during his finals, Aaryn is sent to Earth as a human to reason with Danny to fall in love with Karma.

The novel is written in dual POV and Melissa Gorzelanczyk intertwines mythology with contemporary creating a unique story. Although I don't like reading too many stories about teen pregnancy, Karma is a good mother. I feel bad for Karma because she doesn't know why she gets into a situation where she becomes pregnant, loses her scholarship, makes excuses for Danny and having a baby daddy who is not there for the mother or child. She doesn't know why she is stuck in a toxic relationship.

Aaryn's POV is definitely my favorite to read. I enjoy his voice more compared to Karma's. Aaryn ends up falling for Karma when he shouldn't be. It's a slow build up to romance and he knows Karma deserves better than Danny.

Although Arrows is a cute quick read, I didn't connect with characters as much as a I hoped to. I would love to read deleted scenes about what happened between the year span when Aaryn shoots the love arrow to when Karma already has her baby. How was the relationship between Karma and Danny during that one year? Did Danny become distant because he is always that way or is it because Karma got pregnant? Danny's POV would have been interesting to read. Have there been other things going on that Aaryn and Karma don't know about?