I had been wanting to read this book since before it came out. It is enjoyable, and I liked Violet as a character, even if it does taker her a while to figure out some things. There is a magical realism to this story; I call it magical realism instead of supernatural because something happens and no one really questions it. I would have liked to know more about the magic, though. And when the climax happens...I can't explain without being spoilery.
This is such a great book! I read it in one day. It's an uplifting book that will make everyone want their own shaman panda.
Eleanor & Park
This is not my normal kind of book, and while I'd heard good things about it, I never would have picked it up if I didn't have to read it for my book club. That being said, this book killed me! I haven't cried so much while reading a book since the first time I read The Perks of Being a Wallflower!
Keeping the Moon
I'd never read a Sarah Dessen book before because (before this summer) I avoided contemporary YA. Well, 6 pages into the book, I was crying. But it's ok. This book was amazing. It's all about friendship, finding out who you are, and accepting who you are. I'm definitely a Sarah Dessen beliver now.
If you like Tina Fey, you'll love this book. If you don't like Tina Fey, you probably won't like the book, but you might. It made me laugh out loud numerous times.
The Little Women Letters
I'm a huge fan of Little Women, so I had been wanting to read this book for a while. It tells the story of three sisters living in London who are the descendants of Jo March. Emma, Lulu, and Sophie are as different as sisters can be, but they still share a deep love for one another. Lulu carries the story, as she is the one who discovers the letters from Grandma Jo, and she is very relatable. I will admit I cried a couple of times while reading the letters, and I cried again at the end.
I'll admit that I judge books by covers. This was one where I did just that. While at B&N with some friends, I saw this book and thought, "It's so pretty! So shiny and green/gold." So I bought it on that alone. I went to the beach this week, and I wanted something to read on the beach. I chose this book, and it was a good choice to read about summer in Brazil on the beach.This book is a futuristic/dystopian book with a strong female protagonist. It has enough sci-fi to satisfy if you want that and enough romance if you want that. I won't give anything away because I think this is a good book to just dive into and explore everything as you read.
I was fortunate enough to get an ARC of this at RT this year. That made me happy since I had been wanting to read it anyway. I'm so glad I did!First of all, let me say that I'm not a big wild west fan. I never have been; dusty towns and cowboy shoot-outs have never interested me. But throw in some supernatural time-travely stuff and a band of misfits, and I am in!The Arrivals tells the story of the Arrivals - people from our world that for one reason or another get transported to this place called the Wasteland. They come from different time periods, and the only thing they have in common is that they did some bad things when in this world.I won't say anything else because it needs to be read to fully understand. (Actually, I don't know that the world can be fully understood.) If you've read anything else by Melissa Marr then you know how good she is. This is an adult book, meaning there is cussing and some mild sexy times, but it is just as entertaining as her YA.
I have loved Laurie Notaro since I discovered Idiot Girl in Target whilst waiting for my friend to try on clothes. I've never disliked a Laurie book, and this was no exception. The only complaint I have is that I wish the book was longer because it was over far too quickly. If you are familiar with Laurie's other books, you'll enjoy this. If you're not familiar with her work but like Jen Lancaster or other humor writers like her, you should check it out.
Crewel
This is the first book I've read for fun in a long time. (Grad school limits fun reading.) But I read this book over two days, and I loved it. It sucks you in immediately and has you asking questions that, fortunately, do get answered.