Book Reviews

Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here

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Scarlett Epstein cover

Author: Anna Breslaw

Genre: YA Fiction

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 288

 

Scarlett Epstein is a BNF (Big Name Fan for those who don’t know fan-fic boards) of her favorite show, Lycanthrope High. While she is well respected in the Lycanthrope fan-fic community, she is a nothing at her own high school. She is devastated when her favorite show is cancelled, but no one truly understands her devastation other than her fellow BNFs. Her crush, Gideon, was a huge fan of the show, but they haven’t really talked in years. Her only IRL friends are Avery (bookworm, math whiz, and sister to the annoyingly popular and mean girl, Ashley) and Ruth (geriatric pothead, avid gardener, ex-women’s studies professor). When she feels like things are falling apart (read: fave show cancelled, Gideon becomes part of the popular crowd, etc) she turns to her popular fan-fic to let it all out. This time it’s different, though, the characters aren’t from her favorite show, they are people from her real life. She never considers what the consequences might be if that fiction ever gets out to people in real life…until it does.

Scarlett is someone that many of us may be able to relate to. She’s a little awkward, and completely wrapped in her fictional world. At the same time, she has a lot of wit and some definite snark, which works really well as a narrator. She feels like no one really understands her, and that she has no one to turn to when things in her word start falling apart. There were definitely aspects of her life and personality that I was able to relate to, personally. The characters were well developed and relatable, and the story was a well written coming of age & learning to understand oneself tale. It was a quick and entertaining read, and had some real laugh out loud moments. I would definitely recommend this to fans of YA Fiction!

 

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories

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Author: Stephen King

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Horror

Publisher: Scribner

Pages: 512

 

As I have said many times before, short stories are one of my favorite things. This newest collection by King did not disappoint. In fact, it is what finally got me out of my reading slump. I had already ready several of the stories in previous collections/editions, although a couple were reworked or rewritten for this collection. Regardless of having read them before, they were all worth reading again. It’s hard for me to pick just one favorite story from this collection, but UR (a kindle with some very interesting features), Dune (an elderly judge has been making the canoe trip to a dune outside of his home since he was a boy to see the names of people who are to die soon written on its shore), and The Little Green God of Agony (a very wealthy man, who was in a plane crash and can’t get rid of the blinding pain, calls in a preacher to help him) are a few of the gems in this edition that I really enjoyed. The thing that I think that I loved the most about this collection was the pages that actually came before the stories themselves. Before each short story, King gives the reader a glimpse in to how the story came to him, what or who inspired it, and some of what his thought process was when he was penning it. It is incredibly interesting to get a glimpse in to this great author’s mind. Overall, I loved this collection, and would recommend it to any King or short story fan.

Why Not Me

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Why Not Me cover

Author: Mindy Kaling

Genre: Humor

Publisher: Crown Archetype

Pages: 240

 

In her second book of introspective essays, Mindy Kaling has solidified her place on my list of funniest and most refreshing celebrities. This second book was, honestly, even more laugh-out-loud hysterical than the first. She had me at “Your boobs have to be on fleek”! Written in her own voice, with her own brand of humor, Kaling takes us through her journey of Hollywood stardom and lets us see the “behind the scenes” view of what life is really like- from her Hollywood starlet perspective, of course! From the process of looking camera-ready, to falling in love, to trying to remind yourself that you belong when you’re constantly reminded that maybe you really don’t- this collection of essays will make you fall in love with Mindy Kaling, and want her as your new BFF.

The Girl on the Train

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The Girl on the Train cover

Author: Paula Hawkins

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Publisher: Riverhead Books

Pages: 336

 

Rachel takes the same train in to town every day. Every day she sees the same couple, and watches as their lives (as she sees them) unfold before her. Their lives that are being lived just a few houses down from the life that she so recently lost. She has made up her own story about their perfect life. In her mind, it is a wonderful life. It is wonderful, until the day that it isn’t. Rachel sees something that shatters her image of “Jess and Jason”. Not long after seeing this, “Jess” goes missing. Rachel is suddenly thrust in to the middle of, not only the investigation, but their lives and the lives of everyone around them- including her ex-husband and his new family. Will they believe what Rachel has to say?

I will start by saying that it actually took me two tries to really get in to this book and read it all the way through. I believe that was a “me” thing though. It is a book that you have to be in the mood for, and I don’t think that I was in the right frame of mind the first time. The second time, however, I really enjoyed it. It is told from different narrators, but mostly from the unreliable narrator that is Rachel. It would be easy to feel a bit lost if you aren’t paying attention to the book as you’re reading it, as the narrator is an unreliable one (a drunk), so it can be difficult to tell if you’re really getting the story or not. That being said, it is a great psychological thriller with a wonderful twist! If you enjoy books that keep you thinking and guessing, this is a good one for you!

An Abundance of Katherines

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An Abundance of Katherines cover

Author: John Green

Genre: YA Fiction

Publisher: Dutton Books

Pages: 227

 

Colin has a problem with Katherines- Yes, that’s Katherines with an “s”. He can’t stop falling for them. So far, he has fallen for nineteen of them, and nineteen of them have dumped him. A child prodigy, who has just graduated from high school and is determined to make his mark on the world, Colin sets out on a road trip with his best friend. He decides, while on this trip, that he is going to determine the Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability in order to predict the future of relationships. All of the happenings add up to one crazy summer adventure.

This was a fun read. I will say that I did note enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska, but that may be because I didn’t relate to it as much on a personal level. Overall, though, it was still an entertaining book with the great character development and “finding yourself layered with comedic relief” style that I have come to love from John Green’s writing. I would recommend it, if that is what you’re looking for.

The Vampire’s Prophecy (Romance in Central City, Book 6)

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Vampire Prophecy cover

Author: Jordan K. Rose

Series: Romance in Central City

Genre: PNR

Publisher: Jordan K. Rose

Pages: 144         

 

This book takes us back to the town of Central City, where the Vampire Guard is still trying to figure out what exactly Panthera is up to and how to stop them. As all of them do, this book focuses on a particular member of the Guard: in this case, Gabriele Barone (Gabe). Gabe is the brother to Rafe, whom we fell in love with in book five- The Vampire’s Penance. Like his brother, Gabe has been lonely for quite a while. Unlike his brother, Gabe decides to do something about it- in the form of going in to online chatrooms. While in one of these chatrooms, he meets a young woman names Aurelia. After chatting and texting with her for a while, he decides that he needs to meet her. Little does he know, Aurelia is working with the Guard’s Panthera enemy in order to repay them for the wrong that she believes came to her father at the hands of the Guard. What Aurelia doesn’t know, is that she is just a pawn in this dangerous game. Can Gabe save himself and Aurelia? Will he want to save her, once he finds out who she truly is?

As I have said previously, I love this author & this series! The stories in this series keep getting better, as the plot continues to move forward. There is always something happening, so there are no stagnant points in this short story. The characters are well developed, and the world building continues throughout each book. If you are a PNR fan, you really need to check this series out!

The Vampire’s Prophecy is out now! Find it here!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Prophecy-Romance-Central-City-ebook/dp/B01DUY4C92

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vampires-prophecy-jordan-k-rose/1123670377?ean=2940158150340

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-vampires-prophecy/id1100509759?ls=1&mt=11

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-vampire-s-prophecy

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jordan_K_Rose_The_Vampire_s_Prophecy?id=JQLjCwAAQBAJ&hl=en

Looking for Alaska

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Looking for Alaska cover

Author: John Green

Genre: YA Fiction

Publisher: Dutton Books

Pages: 221

 

Miles Halter has decided to leave his safe, but boring, sheltered life (which includes little-to-no friends) in Florida for his dad’s alma mater boarding school in Alabama. A boy who is fascinated by people’s last words, he is on his way to seek the “Great Perhaps”. Once at school, Miles (now nicknamed “Pudge”) finds a few good friends and a whole lot of firsts. His first drink, his first smoke, his first love, his first kiss…and his first death of someone close. In that death, he will find what it truly means to live.

I decided to read Looking for Alaska, after falling in Love with Paper Towns. I can honestly say that it was just as good. Much like Paper Towns, I could relate to these kids. They reminded me a lot of myself and my close-knit group of friends, in high school. It reminded me of what it felt like to feel a lot of those feelings. It also reminded me of what it felt like to lose someone close to me for the first time, and to examine how that related to me, personally. I loved the references to The General in His Labyrinth (a great classic!), and the way that it was central to and woven in to the story. I think that this novel made for a great story, and one that will make the reader think. I think that I will read An Abundance of Katherines, as well. I am becoming a great fan of Green’s writing style, and the introspection that it inspires. Overall, a great read!

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

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Is Everyone Hanging Out cover

Author: Mindy Kaling

Genre: Humor

Publisher: Three Rivers Press

Pages: 222

 

If you are familiar with Mindy Kaling’s television writing/acting or her comedy, then you will already understand the tone of her book. Mindy Kaling is funny in a very self-deprecating, smartass, witty, girl next door that you want to be best friends with way. In this book she tells the stories of her life from growing up, her time in college, moving to New York and trying to get her career off of the ground (in the most hysterical way…think calling her train in to work the “rape train” due to its shadiness and ending up getting a town car driving her to and from work because of it). You also get some great behind the scenes info on some of our favorite comedians (their personalities may or may not be what you think they should be!).

After reading Chelsea’s last book, I decided that I should stay on the humor book track for a little while, as my mind still feels like it needs a little bit of a break from having to really think too much sometimes. I have been a fan of Mindy Kaling since I first saw her on The Office years ago, but for some reason I never got around to picking up her book until just now. I am sorry that I waited so long! This is a laugh out loud, coming in to your own tale that will make you want to be a part of her life, if only for the stories that you get out of it.

Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me

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Lies That Chelsea cover

Author: Chelsea’s Family, Friends, & Other Victims; Chelsea Handler

Genre: Humor/Entertainment

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 304

 

Unlike Chelsea’s other two books, this one is actually written by her friends and family. These are their tales of the times that Chelsea has lied to and pulled some major pranks on them. See, Chelsea Handler loves to lie and pull pranks, and she is awesome at it! Even though all of these people know her well, and know that there is a very good chance that anything that she is telling them is a lie, there is also the chance that it might be true, and they inevitably fall for the tall tale. Underlying all of her mischievousness, Chelsea is also hysterical and an amazing friend and family member to this cast of characters, and that shines through as well.

I needed a bit of a break from the sci-fi/fantasy/YA fiction that I have been reading, and it has been a rough week, so I decided to go with some humor to lighten things up. This helped a lot! I am a huge Chelsea Handler fan, and have followed her since the onset of Chelsea Lately. Although this wasn’t actually written by her, I could still hear her humor permeating the book, and most of the writers are right up there wither her humor level. I didn’t enjoy it as much as Chelsea’s previous books, but it was a fun read, and definitely worth the time.

 

Unwilling Souls (Unwilling Souls, Volume 1)

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Unwilling Souls cover

Author: Gregory D. Little

Series: Unwilling Souls

Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Pages: 346

 

Ses is the daughter of two of the most influential and powerful individuals left, after the war ended and the gods were imprisoned in the planet’s core. No one can know that, of course, as her parents are now rivals and she is their little secret- half of each of the rivaling factions. She is living in the middle of the planet, learning how to be a smith, when the attack happens and she must flee before she is found out. Once she is on the run, she realizes that her parents, who have all but abandoned her, may be the only ones that can save her now. What will she find once she is on the run, though? Are there secrets about her life and her world that are darker than her lineage?

This was recommended to me by an author whom I definitely trust to give book recs, and I’m glad that he threw this one out there! I can honestly tell you that this novel has some of the most creative and beautiful world building that I have read in quite some time. The way that the author depicts his world, you can really see the hollowed center of the planet, the magma, the bright oranges and reds, the cities in the skeletons of the giant animals. It is truly beautiful to read. The story itself was very different than anything that I have read before (which is saying something in my book!). It was gripping, and I didn’t want to stop reading it. I am thankful that it was recommended to me, and I am looking forward to the next one!