November Wrap-Up & December TBR

I actually only read one book in November and that's deppressing. I've been so busy with school I've had no time for reading at all. I won't reach my Goodreads goal but oh well. 

1- Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (4/5)
I really wanna write a full review on this book but I know I probably won't have time 😢
I absolutely loved the characters. I really needed a supernatural book to read during Halloween, and although this wasn't a scary read, it was just what I wanted. I've been obsessed with werewolves for the past few years and the pack of wolves in this book is probably my favourite. I love how there are many different supernatural creatures (and some of them are quite unusual) and it was super interesting and entertaining to read about. I really recommend this book if it's the kind of read you're into. 

DECEMBER TBR

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

HP always feels like a Winter read. So I decided to reread the first one then keep going with the whole series. 



 When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers, which could be valuable, dangerous – or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

A Christmas Carol

I got a beautiful illustrated version and I can't wait to read it!



 A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. After their visits Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.








Well, hopefully I'll read another book before the year is over. But it's okay if not. It's not about how many I've read, but about how many I've loved. 

Merry Christmas everyone ❤️

October Wrap-Up and November TBR

If there's one thing you can count on, is that I'll always post my Wrap-Ups and TBRs. Here we are again, another month has passed and I only read two books this month, which is okay I guess... Here they are:

1- The Glass Castle (4.5/5)
     I loved this book. It made me happy and sad just like the movie did. I cried and had very strong feelings about the characters, particularly since they are actual real people. I don't usually autobiographies, but this one is so good and I really recommend it. I recommend the movie too. It is fantastic. 

2- The Death Cure (3.5/5)
     Finally read the third book in the Maze Runner series. Since the movie is coming out soon, I just had too. I definitely enjoyed this one more than the Scorch Trials. But it still wasn't as good as The Maze Runner... It was an interesting ending, but not really what I wanted. Also no spoilers, but if you've read the book you know there's a part that I really hate and that I wish hadn't happened. But I was spoiled for it so I wasn't really surprised when it happened...

NOVEMBER TBR

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things

I know I know, the title is kinda weird... But I really wanted to read a Halloweeny book and this ebook was free on Amazon and it really got my attention. I am halfway through it and I low key am loving it. The characters are great and there are werewolves and I love werewolves packs so much. 

17 year old Ember Denning has made an art of isolating herself. She prefers the dead. She spends her days skipping school in old cemeteries and her nights hiding from her alcoholic father at the funeral home where she works. When her own father dies, Ember learns her whole life is a lie. Standing in the cemetery that’s been her sanctuary, she’s threatened by the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen and rescued by two people who claim to be her family. They say she’s special, that she has a supernatural gift like them…they just don’t know exactly what it is. 

They take her to a small Florida town, where Ember’s life takes a turn for the weird. She’s living with her reaper cousins, an orphaned werewolf pack, a faery and a human genius. Ember’s powers are growing stronger, morphing into something bigger than anything anybody anticipated. Ember has questions but nobody has answers. Nobody knows what she is. They only know her mysterious magical gift is trying to kill them and that beautiful dangerous boy from the cemetery may be the only thing standing between her and death. 

As Ember’s talents are revealed so are the secrets her father hid and those in power who would seek to destroy her. What’s worse, saving Ember has put her cousins in danger and turned her friend’s lives upside down. Ember must learn to embrace her magic or risk losing the family she’s pieced together.

I'm definitely reading at least another books this month, but I have no idea which one yet. I'm gonna see what I'll feel like reading after finishing this one...

Book Review: A Bollywood Affair

Mili Rathod hasn’t seen her husband in twenty years—not since she was promised to him at the age of four. Yet marriage has allowed Mili a freedom rarely given to girls in her village. Her grandmother has even allowed her to leave India and study in America for eight months, all to make her the perfect modern wife. Which is exactly what Mili longs to be—if her husband would just come and claim her. 

Bollywood’s favorite director, Samir Rathod, has come to Michigan to secure a divorce for his older brother. Persuading a naïve village girl to sign the papers should be easy for someone with Samir’s tabloid-famous charm. But Mili is neither a fool nor a gold-digger. Open-hearted yet complex, she’s trying to reconcile her independence with cherished traditions. And before he can stop himself, Samir is immersed in Mili’s life—cooking her dal and rotis, escorting her to her roommate’s elaborate Indian wedding, and wondering where his loyalties and happiness lie.

Rating: ★★★★

      Last year I went to a Writing Conference, where I met authors and got some books signed. One of these books was A Bollywood Affair, by Sonali Dev. I know. It's been a year and only now you read the book?? Well, as you know, I own quite a lot of books that I haven't read yet. This one, unfortunately, was not on top of the list. But then, last month I was really craving a romance novel, so I picked this one up. 

     A Bollywood Affair is about Mili, a young woman from a small village in India, who travels to the US to go to university and ultimately be a better-educated wife for the husband she only met once, on their wedding day, when she was merely a kid. Despite him never coming to get her, she still hopes to one day be with him, her one true love, or so she thinks. Samir is not Mili's husband. He's completely different from her. But once they meet, both their worlds change. And what they thought they wanted might not stay the same. 

     Not gonna lie, I love romance novels. I can't stay away from the prospect of happy endings and true love. This book did not disappoint. It was adorable, and the characters were so great! I've always been fascinated with the religions and cultures of India, but I never really knew much about it. Reading it in this book was so interesting and I'm so excited to learn more by reading Sonali's other books. 

       There were so many ups and downs, and the characters, particularly Mili, felt so real. I could really relate to her in some aspects, and she was definitely my favourite character. Samir was great as well. (For some reason he really reminded me of Rafael, from the show Jane the Virgin). He was the typical dreamy guy, but was still flawed and had interesting qualities. Although the story was focused on the two, the rest of the characters, like Samir's family and Mili's friend, made the story even more fun to read. I couldn't stop reading the book because reading about Mili and Samir's story kept me craving for more.

        Since I read the book last month, and have read two books since then, I can't really remember as much detail as I would like. So I don't know what criticism I had about it. Although I love romance novels, I know that I definitely need some variety of genres, because if you read many in a row, it's easy to get sick of them. Since, although the stories are different, they are all very similarly constructed. 

       Anyways, I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a story with more diverse characters, and obviously if you like romance. I really enjoyed Sonali Dev's writing and can't wait to pick up her other books.
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September Wrap Up & October TBR

 

        I'm a little late, but to be honest, uni has been keeping me so busy I didn't even realize it was October and that I hadn't posted this yet until today. Unfortunately, I had to change my Reading Goal on Goodreads from 50 to 40 books. I'm upset but it is what it is. I literally have almost no free time anymore so I've been reading fewer books than usual.

1- As You Wish (3/5)
Check out my review of As You Wish by clicking here.

2- A Bollywood Affair (4/5)
I'm planning on writing a review for this one soon!


OCTOBER TBR

The Glass Castle
     Saw the movie recently and loved it. A family friend lent me the book and I'm already halfway through it. Might do a book + movie review once I'm done.

Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn't stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an "excitement addict." Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. 

Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life faded, the Walls retreated to the dismal West Virginia mining town -- and the family -- Rex Walls had done everything he could to escape. He drank. He stole the grocery money and disappeared for days. As the dysfunction of the family escalated, Jeannette and her brother and sisters had to fend for themselves, supporting one another as they weathered their parents' betrayals and, finally, found the resources and will to leave home. 

What is so astonishing about Jeannette Walls is not just that she had the guts and tenacity and intelligence to get out, but that she describes her parents with such deep affection and generosity. Hers is a story of triumph against all odds, but also a tender, moving tale of unconditional love in a family that despite its profound flaws gave her the fiery determination to carve out a successful life on her own terms. 

The Death Cure
    The trailer came out and I've been putting off reading this book for far too long. Let's just say I got spoiled (if you've read the book, you know which spoiler I'm talking about) for something I really wish didn't happen. But oh well, here I go.

It’s the end of the line.

WICKED has taken everything from Thomas: his life, his memories, and now his only friends—the Gladers. But it’s finally over. The trials are complete, after one final test.

Will anyone survive?

What WICKED doesn’t know is that Thomas remembers far more than they think. And it’s enough to prove that he can’t believe a word of what they say.

The truth will be terrifying.

Thomas beat the Maze. He survived the Scorch. He’ll risk anything to save his friends. But the truth might be what ends it all.

The time for lies is over. 

Kinda wanted to read something Halloween like since it's almost upon us but I don't know what. If you have any recommendations, let me know in the comments below!
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Book Review: As You Wish

Title: As You Wish
Author: Chelsea Sedoti
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: January 1, 2018

Rating: ★★★

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.


     Hi everyone! I got another book that was sent to me by the publisher to review! The synopsis of this one really intrigued me. I had never read anything like it before. Plus, the cover is pretty!

     The story follows Eldon on the month of his 18th birthday. The chapters count the days down as it gets nearer to the day he will make his birthday wish. And in Madison, those wishes do come true. However, Eldon has no idea what he wants, and the book is about his journey to figure it out. 

     Aside from the synopsis and the cover, once I opened the book, the first sentence caught my attention immediately. It is short and simple, but it makes you wanna know more. The last sentence was great too! I really liked Chelsea Sedoti's writing style, it kept me interested throughout the book.

     The story was nice and the whole "wish" thing was a really cool concept. My favourite things were the little insert chapters that told people's wish stories. I really liked getting to know the reasons each made the choice they did. I also liked the characters, although Eldon could be really annoying and stupid at times. Merrill and Nori were cool. 

     Despite reading the whole book, I still don't understand why it was so hard for Eldon to choose something. And I personally don't agree with what his wish ended up being, and I didn't really like the ending. However, the book was entertaining and it was a cool "small town mystery" story. 

    So, I recommend this book if you're looking for a nice quick read, but nothing that you will get too invested on. The book comes out on January 1, 2018. Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for sending me this book to review. 

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
      

August Wrap-Up and September TBR

 

         As you all know, I read this wonderful series in August. I had one more book in my TBR and I ended up reading half of it, but I didn't have it finished by end of the month but hopefully you'll see it in the next post.

1- The Dream Thieves (4.5/5)

You can check out my review of the Raven Cycle series by clicking on this link.

2- Blue Lily, Lily Blue (4/5)

 You can check out my review of the Raven Cycle series by clicking on this link.

3- The Raven King (4/5)

You can check out my review of the Raven Cycle series by clicking on this link.

SEPTEMBER TBR

As You Wish

       Gonna try to finish As You Wish this month. University just started and I already have so much homework. I know I won't be able to read much this month.

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.

A Bollywood Affair

         Not sure if this is the one I'll be reading but I don't have any other book planned so I might as well read it.

Mili Rathod hasn’t seen her husband in twenty years—not since she was promised to him at the age of four. Yet marriage has allowed Mili a freedom rarely given to girls in her village. Her grandmother has even allowed her to leave India and study in America for eight months, all to make her the perfect modern wife. Which is exactly what Mili longs to be—if her husband would just come and claim her. 

Bollywood’s favorite director, Samir Rathod, has come to Michigan to secure a divorce for his older brother. Persuading a naïve village girl to sign the papers should be easy for someone with Samir’s tabloid-famous charm. But Mili is neither a fool nor a gold-digger. Open-hearted yet complex, she’s trying to reconcile her independence with cherished traditions. And before he can stop himself, Samir is immersed in Mili’s life—cooking her dal and rotis, escorting her to her roommate’s elaborate Indian wedding, and wondering where his loyalties and happiness lie.

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Book Review: The Raven Cycle

                  

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

        So I finally read The Raven Cycle series! I've been hearing good things about it for years, so it was about time for me to read The Raven Boys. This review won't contain any spoilers, so you don't have to worry if you haven't read it yet. But please do! I highly recommend it. 

        Now, I'm not saying that this is the best series I've ever read. There are quite a few flaws (that I'll address later in this review) but overall the books were really entertaining and definitely worth reading.

First of, these covers are so pretty! Even if I hadn’t heard anything about it, the covers would still have caught my attention and I would’ve probably read them eventually. My favourite cover is no doubt Blue Lily, Lily Blue.

I had no idea what The Raven Boys was about when I began to read it. It was not what I was expecting, but in a way, it kind of was. I actually recommend you to do the same thing I did. Go in without knowing anything. The characters were phenomenal. So intricate and unique; and although each had flaws (and you couldn’t help but be angry at them at times), each also had great qualities (and you just couldn’t help but love them). Some could argue that Blue Sargent is the main character, but they all have such a strong presence and they are all so important to the plot, so I have to say that Blue and the boys are all protagonists. 

The setting was so beautiful and so well written. Fox Way, Monmouth Manufacturing, the Barns, Cabeswater… (I do wish Aglionby Academy was a bit more present, since they are raven boys because they attend that school, but...). I could picture those places perfectly, and I loved everything about them. Maggie Stiefvater did such an amazing job at bringing them to life. 

Another thing that I really liked was the story itself. Not necessarily the plot, but more of what the book was about. It was so interesting the way how Maggie used mythology and psychics and the supernatural in a way I had never seen before. It felt magical and mysterious. This is the first book I’ve ever read by her, and I quite liked her writing. The way she used foreshadowing was really cool, and she does this repetition of lines that I absolutely love. 

However, the story was really confusing at times. And by the end of the series, a lot of things felt unresolved. Many of my questions were left unanswered. Since she created such an intricate and complicated story, I wish she had been more careful and clear with it. I personally did not like how things ended in the last book. She kept building up this whole thing throughout the series, then let me down with a disappointing ending. 

These things weren’t enough to make me dislike the series. The characters, setting, and the idea for the story redeemed the series for me. The first two books, The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves were the best ones. I really recommend for you to pick The Raven Cycle up! You won't want to put it down!

   

   

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July Wrap Up & August TBR

        Look who actually read all the books that were on her TBR for July!!! I had hoped to read a little bit more since it's summer, but I've been doing some other stuff so I didn't really have as much time as I thought I would. Anyways, here they are!

1- The Trials of Apollo - The Dark Prophecy (3.5/5)
          The second book in the Trials of Apollo series finally came out! Not gonna lie, I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did the first one. The plot wasn't as intriguing, and it felt a little bit boring and monotonous at times. I still loved Rick's writing and the humour, but I was expecting a little bit more. I had hoped to see more old characters returning, there were some, but not enough to satisfy me. The ending though left me quite intrigued and I can't wait to read the next one. 

2- Autonomous (2.5/5)
      Check out my review of Autonomous by clicking here.

3- The Raven Boys (5/5)
         I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to do a review on the whole series once I'm done!

AUGUST TBR

The Dream Thieves
        Couldn't help myself and ended up buying the second and third book in the Raven Cycle series!



Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…



Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. 

The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost.

Friends can betray.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.
Certainties can unravel.

The Raven King

All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.






As You Wish
       Another ARC that I was sent by a publisher. The story sounds really interesting and I can't wait to read it and review it for you guys!

In the sandy Mojave Desert, Madison is a small town on the road between nothing and nowhere. But Eldon wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, because in Madison, everyone gets one wish—and that wish always comes true.

Some people wish for money, some people wish for love, but Eldon has seen how wishes have broken the people around him. And with the lives of his family and friends in chaos, he’s left with more questions than answers. Can he make their lives better? How can he be happy if the people around him aren’t? And what hope is there for any of them if happiness isn’t an achievable dream? Doubts build, leading Eldon to a more outlandish and scary thought: maybe you can’t wish for happiness…maybe, just maybe, you have to make it for yourself.

Book Review: Autonomous

Title: Autonomous
Author: Andy Marino
Publisher: Freeform - Disney Book Group
Publication Date: November 14, 2017

Rating: ★★.5

William Mackler is about to go on a road trip of a lifetime. After winning a contest—and nearly dying in the process—he becomes the proud owner of Autonomous, a driverless car that knows where you want to go before you do. #Worthit! To sweeten the deal he gets to pick three friends to go with him on a cross-country trip to see their favorite band. For William, a reckless adrenaline junkie, this is the perfect last hurrah before he and his friends go their separate ways after graduation. But Autonomous is more than just a car without a steering wheel. It's capable of downloading all of the passengers’ digital history—from the good, to the bad, to the humiliating. The information is customized into an itinerary that will expose a few well-kept secrets, but it will also force William to face some inner demons of his own. Think you know Autonomous? The real question is, how much does Autonomous know about you?

Hi, everyone! Today I have my second review of an ARC! (Advanced Reader’s Copy) Look how awesome that cover is!

Right from the start, I thought the synopsis of this book was very intriguing. Technology in the future is often represented in movies and books, and the path the story will take depends on the creator’s interpretation of whether it will be beneficial or not. Most of the times, AIs (Artificial Intelligence) take a dark turn in such adaptations, and it was no different in the book Autonomous by Andy Marino. 

The story follows four teenagers after one of them, William, wins a driverless car in a contest. They go on a road trip, but what they don’t know is that the car knows more about them than they’d like, and the way it will use that information will take a surprising turn. 

Well, this was definitely an interesting read. Seeing how Otto (aka the Autonomous car) evolved by being around the four characters was almost scary. And the way it thought it was using the secrets of the characters to help them was insane. I like how they were on a road trip, so their surroundings affected the story and made it more entertaining. The beginning of the book was a bit slow, but it picked up the pace as soon as the teens left in the Driverless car. 

Although the idea for the story sounded really cool, it was not developed to its full potential. There were quite a few scenes that made little sense and were irrelevant to the story, like the part where they play the game with those other people. It was also really hard to picture certain things, especially the car. The descriptions could have definitely been better to help the reader visualize things. I also didn’t understand how Otto made the characters see things, particularly Christina. 

I also wish the characters were different. They were all unlikeable and not really interesting; except William, who was the nicest one, but appeared to have the least “screen time” than any of the other characters, even though the synopsis made it sound like he was the protagonist. They were all really messed up too. Their issues were weirdly developed and were kind of too dark for the 14+ recommended age. I wish their secrets were a little more different because there were so many possibilities for Otto to use them against them. However, the author did do a good job at times where he would give redeeming qualities to the characters and you would almost begin to like them, but then you would realize that their negative traits overpowered the good ones.

So sadly, I wouldn’t recommend this book unless the description really makes you want to read it. This novel will be published on November 14, 2017. Thank you Freeform (Disney Book Group) for sending me this book for review. 

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

June Wrap Up & July TBR

                              

                                  
          Well, this is bad... Just a little bit. I have an excuse though! So much happened this last month: There were finals, I graduated high school, went on a trip with my best friends... I had other things to worry about, not that reading isn't important, but still. 

1- Dragonsong (4/5)
         I read this book for my book club and I really enjoyed it! I rarely read fantasy books like this, so I can't really compare to others... But this book was so easy to read and I quite liked the author's writing style. The story brings out that desire to see actual dragons and to own one. The main character was a likeable girl. I recommend it if your looking for a small fantasy book, particularly if you, like me, aren't very familiar with the genre.
        This book was on my June TBR so √

2- She Myself and I (4/5)
       You can check out my review of She Myself and I here.
       

JULY TBR

The Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy
         I actually started reading this last month, and got half way through it. So I'm gonna count it as a wrap up for this month. Anyways, super excited to dive back in this awesome world and see what awaits for Apollo this time.

Zeus has punished his son Apollo—god of the sun, music, archery, poetry, and more—by casting him down to earth in the form of a gawky, acne-covered sixteen-year-old mortal named Lester. The only way Apollo can reclaim his rightful place on Mount Olympus is by restoring several Oracles that have gone dark. What is affecting the Oracles, and how can Apollo do anything about them without his powers?

After experiencing a series of dangerous—and frankly, humiliating—trials at Camp Half-Blood, Apollo must now leave the relative safety of the demigod training ground and embark on a hair-raising journey across North America. Fortunately, what he lacks in godly graces he's gaining in new friendships—with heroes who will be very familiar to fans of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series. Come along for what promises to be a harrowing, hilarious, and haiku-filled ride. . . .

Autonomous 
      Yet another book I got from a publisher. This story sounds so freaking cool. I can't wait to read it.

William Mackler is about to go on the road trip of a lifetime. After winning a contest-and nearly dying in the process-he becomes the proud owner of Autonomous, a driverless car that knows where you want to go before you do. #Worthit! To sweeten the deal he gets to pick three friends to go with him on a cross-country trip. For William, a reckless adrenaline junkie, this is the perfect last hurrah before he and his friends go their separate ways after graduation. But Autonomous is more than just a car without a steering wheel. It's capable of downloading all of the passengers' digital history-from the good, to the bad, to the humiliating. The information is customized into an itinerary that will expose a few well-kept secrets, but it will also force William to face some inner demons of his own. Think you know Autonomous? The real question is, how much does Autonomous know about you?

The Raven Boys 
       Didn't get to read it last month even though it was on my TBR for June. Hopefully I'll get to it in July.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

Book Review: She Myself and I

 
Title: She Myself and I
Author: Emma Young
Publisher: ABRAMS Kids - Amulet Books
Publication Date: September 5, 2017

Rating: ★★★★


Ever since Rosa’s nerve disease rendered her quadriplegic, she’s depended on her handsome, confident older brother to be her rock and her mirror. But when a doctor from Boston chooses her to be a candidate for an experimental brain transplant, she and her family move from London in search of a miracle. Sylvia—a girl from a small town in Massachusetts—is brain dead, and her parents have agreed to donate her body to give Rosa a new life. But when Rosa wakes from surgery, she can’t help but wonder, with increasing obsession, who Sylvia was and what her life was like. Her fascination with her new body and her desire to understand Sylvia prompt a road trip based on self-discovery... and a surprising new romance. But will Rosa be able to solve the dilemma of her identity?

          Hello, everyone! I've got a pretty exciting review for you today. I decided to contact a few publication houses to see if I could get ARCs (Advanced Reader's Copy) to review, and ABRAMS Kids was the first to respond, sending me an ebook copy of She Myself and I. 

         This novel follows the story of Rosa, a young woman who becomes a quadriplegic after being diagnosed with a nerve disease, as she gets a brain transplant. In her new body, Rosa has to now deal with the struggle of finding out about who Sylvia, the girl whose body was donated to save her life, was; but most importantly, she has to decide whether she's still herself or if she's a mere intruder in someone else's body.

         At first, I wasn't sure if this book would be for me. The synopsis really caught my attention, but as I started reading it, I became afraid that it would turn out to be more of a middle-grade story. I'm going to be honest and say that besides reading the synopsis, I knew nothing else about the book. Not about the author, the genre, what the expected audience is... Instead, I decided to dive into it as soon as I got it. And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the turns the author took with this story. 

         Rosa definitely goes through an incredibly hard situation, and her actions and thoughts were, for the most part, completely realistic. In the terms of what her life is like, I can't relate at all. But Emma Young was able to bring this character to life in a way that was believable, and she managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible task of making our protagonist relatable. I know that, if I was in Rosa's place, I would have struggled with the same things she was struggling. And I dare say, would probably have had the same exact thoughts at times. 

          I really enjoyed Rosa and Joe's relationship. They were both such great characters, and their interactions always moved the story forward. There were very few times where I felt that a scene was being dragged on. And it was mostly at the beginning, where the back story and medical procedures were being described. I love how sweet and understanding Joe was. He's definitely one of my, if not the one, favourite characters in this novel. I also really liked the twists and turns the story took. It was really interesting to follow Rosa on this journey to discover her true self.

         However, there were a few things that I didn't like; hence why I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5. First of all, some of the descriptions were... too descriptive; particularly at the beginning. I don't want to give a specific example, but sometimes there would be two or three adjectives/adverbs describing something that was even that crucial to the scene. some of the descriptions could've definitely been shortened. 

        I would also have liked to hear more about Rosa's life before. And how she felt towards her nerve disease, and how her life was like. There were bits and pieces of information, but nothing too concrete on her feelings about it. It would have also been good to hear about her adjustment to her new body. Not in the sense of being in another person's body, since that was what the whole plot was basically about, but in the sense of being able to walk again, of being healthy again. It wasn't addressed as much but I believe it is a pretty important thing in her life, the whole reason that she had surgery in the first place, but instead we only got a few scenes from the months that she was in the hospital. I'm not saying I wanted the hospital period of the story to be longer (I actually think it could've been shorter since things only started to get going once Rosa met Joe), but I wanted to know more about her adjustment in that sense. 

           Also, another little thing that bothered me. Rosa repeatedly mentions that she wasn't pretty, but the blond girl on the cover is definitely pretty and some might say that she's even prettier than the brunette, who is Sylvia. So that kind of contradicts the story a little bit.
              
          She Myself and I was a very entertaining read and I definitely recommend for you guys to pick it up once it is published (September 5, 2017 - North America). I am really glad ABRAMS Kids - Amulet Books allowed me to read this really cool story to review for you guys. 

        Also, fun fact: Rosa's surgery happened on the same day as my birthday! You're going to have to read the book to find out when it is ;)

Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review