The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett » Book Review

I have NOT been having a good reading week. The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti continues my streak of 2-star reviews. This book showed up on my radar during my weekly perusal of Netgalley books. The cover made it look like a fun contemporary and the synopsis promised me an interesting mystery.

This book is also featured in Publishers Lunch's Buzz Books 2016: YA Fall/Winter. Ellen and I had a chance to read and review 2o samplers, including The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett (full review HERE). I wasn't impressed back then, and I definitely am not now.

Hawthorne

Hawthorne, named for the tree and not the writer, is an insufferable teenager. That's not part of the blurb but it very well should be. She is is self-centered, whiny, narcissistic (yes, I know this is the same as self-centered but it's so bad that it needs to be mentioned twice), and irritating.

The first two lines sums it up for me.

"The first thing that happened was Lizzie Lovett disappeared, and everyone was all, "How can someone like Lizzie be missing?" and I was like, "Who cares?" A few days later, there was talk about Lizzie maybe being dead, and it was still kinda boring, but not totally boring, because I'd never known a dead person before."

Is anybody else reading this in a valley girl accent? IT CAN'T BE JUST ME GUYS.

As you can see, the writing is incredibly juvenile. Ellen would have had a fit. But being the nice and open-minded reviewer that I am, I put that aside. I tried to settle into the mind of this obnoxious 17 yr-old girl.

Compassion & Kindness

I absolutely despise people who have no compassion for others. In fact when I was 11, I almost punched a girl because she made a comment about how this earthquake in Punjab should have killed people. And the fact that it hadn't meant the earthquake had 'no pride or dignity'. Whatever that means. My two best friends had to drag me away when they saw the thunderous look in my eye.

Looking back I realize that we were children. At the time I had already gone through life experiences that had taught me the value of human life. And I couldn't bear that someone else was taking it so lightly and uttered such despicable words. I'm not in touch with this girl anymore, but I'm sure she's grown into a kind and compassionate person. After all, she didn't know any better at the time.

Hawthorne has no real compassion for anyone else. And I HATE her for it. I didn't expect her to be moping around, but good god, try to have SOME caring thoughts for Lizzie and the people who are suffering due to her disappearance. Hawthorne is so damn DISRESPECTFUL. If I were her best friend (Emma? Emily?), I would have slapped Hawthorne.

Plot

This isn't a plot-driven novel. In fact, there is barely any plot in it. Since the synopsis mentions Hawthorne inserting herself into the investigation, I thought there would be more, you know, REAL investigating. Instead we just have Hawthorne taking on Lizzie's old job at the diner and gallivanting around with Lizzie's boyfriend.

She does have a theory about Lizzie's disappearance though. But it is just the fucking WORST. I don't want to mention it for fear of spoiling people, so thank god for spoiler tags!

[spoiler]Hawthorne thinks that Lizzie turned into a werewolf. Obviously, I read a ton of supernatural fiction so the concept of were-wolves existing doesn't bother me the slightest. But someone is actually missing. Why the hell would you go around telling people that she's a werewolf? Especially to people who are actually concerned and grieving about her? With absolutely no goddamn proof? WTF is up with that?!??![/spoiler]

Hawthorne constantly says, Lizzie can't be missing. She's too perfect. Things like this don't happen to her. Hawthorne says that about everybody around her. Things are perfect for others. Nobody understands me and my struggles. While I can sympathize with some of those feelings especially when live in a world of social media where it is so easy to compare ourselves to the posts and instagram pictures of others, I CAN'T STAND HOW WHINY SHE SOUNDS ABOUT IT. Dear god Hawthorne. You're not the only one going through crap. OPEN YOUR EYES.

Since this is a character-driven story, we do see Hawthorne evolve and learn from her mistakes. So yes, she does eventually learn that she needs to be less self-involved, more compassionate and respectful but I can't forgive her for being such an ass in the first place.

Romance & Friendship

The romantic elements are the only parts of the book that I didn't mind. Besides the whole going out with a guy whose girlfriend just disappeared, it seemed realistic. There were some elements of her relationship with Enzo that I could personally relate to so that did tug at my heartstrings. The confusing nature of relationships and what it means to be physically and/or emotionally intimate was explored well.

I will try my best not to rant about Hawthorne's friendship with Emily, whose name I had to look up. The author depicts Hawthorne as so self-involved, that she BARELY mentions Emily (it's written in the first person perspective). Part of that had to do with the fact that their friendship went through some ups and downs throughout this book. I practically cheered when Emily detailed some of Hawthorne's character flaws. Honestly, Emily deserves a better friend. Like I mentioned before, Hawthorne does go through some personal growth as the novel ends. In fact, there is a scene where Hawthorne (FINALLY) asks Emily about her life instead of blabbing about her own personal theories. BUT WE DIDN'T GET TO READ ANY OF IT. *sigh* It's still all about Hawthorne. I guess people can't change all that much.

Final Thoughts

I gave this book a fair shot and it just wasn't for me. I have personal issues with people who aren't compassionate to others and take advantage of their friends. I've been Emily several times. GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN.

I gave The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett 2 stars because it was still a quick read and there were a couple of elements that I appreciated. Also I started drinking sangria (pictured HERE) halfway through, so that definitely helped. I will ponder over this rating in the next few days and see if I'd like to lower it.

Happy reading everyone!

 

Poppy & The Movie Version » Mini-Reviews #1

Mini-Review

I almost feel like a TERRIBLE person for just giving this book 2 stars. This is what Ellen would call an 'issue' book. In this case, we tackle how mental illness can affect not just the individual suffering from it, but also the other family members. In The Movie Version, our focus is on Amelia.

Amelia is a typical teen girl with an older brother, Toby, and two younger twin brothers. She and Toby are incredibly close and throughout the book, we get to see instances from the past that really bonded the two together. I am a huge sucker for strong sibling relationships, and I chuckled with nostalgia at their 'Secret Sibling Society'.

Unfortunately, the pacing of the book wasn't for me. Essentially we are experiencing a year in Amelia's life but I couldn't connect to her very much. I liked the portrayal of her family (especially with the twins, making sure they are two separate characters instead of one) and even though I would occasionally get frustrated with Amelia and her friendships, I understood what she was going through. This book also featured the most realistic romantic and sexual relationship in any YA novel I have ever read. I LIKED so many aspects of this novel, but it wasn't a gripping read.

Just a warning, as the title suggests, Amelia is a movie buff. So there are a TON of quotes and movie references thrown about. That did jar me at first because I didn't always get the references, but I managed to keep going without letting it bother me.

It felt too 'meh' for me.

[rating stars="two-stars"]

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[book-info number="1"]

Mini-Review

I read Poppy a little while ago, and can't seem to remember too much about it (not a good sign). It's marketed as young adult but I think it would be more appropriate for middle-grade readers.

I liked Poppy as a character. She is hard-working and cares deeply for her family. When she gets the opportunity to assist the war effort as a VAD (essentially a volunteer nurse), she jumps at the chance and pours her heart and soul into the work. I really liked the historical elements of the novel. We get to see everyone's initial attitude toward the war and the slow shift that takes place as injured and dead soldiers flood back to England. This is also the beginning of women's independence as they shift from the private sphere to the public sphere in order to aid the war effort and to replace jobs that were previously occupied by men.

The romance in this novel is laughable at best. It is very insta-lovey. I have no idea how it happened. Though as I recall, it all began from a glance. A glance like no other.

IS THIS THE GLANCE THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT???

Cause let's be real. I only look at chocolate cake that way. I'm clearly not cut out for human love.

I think this would be a decent historical fiction book for early middle-schoolers. If I knew that from the beginning, I might have been a little more generous with my rating. But because it was marketed to me as a young adult historical fiction novel, I expected a lot more.

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I'm finally getting caught up with my reviews, guys! *does a little happy dance*

A Promise of Fire » Book Review

Ellen and I were both DYING to get our hands on an ARC copy of A Promise of Fire when we saw the slew of 4-5 star reviews from reputable bloggers. Unfortunately, we didn't feel the same kind of magic that they did. Ellen disliked it (to put it mildly) and she already wrote up a review (HERE) detailing her less-than-stellar opinion of the book.

Fortunately for me, I didn't despise it quite as much as she did. But I definitely agree with all the issues that Ellen brought up in her review.

Catalia

Our main character, Cat (as she likes to be called), is 23 years old. I didn't figure that out until I started writing this review! She talks like a petulant 15 year old. During her inner monologue, she frequently uses words like 'gah' and 'gag'. If I was playing a drinking game, I would be drunk in 3 chapters flat. Okay, okay. I'm a lightweight. BUT STILL.

"Thanks the Gods. Gag!
Sort of.
Except not at all.
Gah! I'm going insane!"

SHOOT ME.

The synopsis calls Cat smart-mouthed.

I wouldn't say that the words coming out of her mouth are... 'smart'. It's mostly a constant stream of 'I hate you', 'get lost' and 'let me go'. Look, I love a witty character. I LIVE for banter and sexual tension. She talks for the sake of saying words and to antagonize others. I should pull out quotes, but gaaahhhhh I don't wanna! (See what I did there?)

One of my bookish pet peeves is when a character claims that she is secretive and guarded and yet can't seem to keep her mouth shut and spills her secrets anyway. This happened NUMEROUS times. For example, even when she clearly makes everyone around her promise to keep her secrets from Griffin's family, SHE IS THE FIRST ONE TO BLAB IT OUT. It took about 10 minutes into dinner for that to happen.

Uh huh. Guarded. Secretive. I see it. Of course the BIG secret needed to be kept because how else can we stretch it into a trilogy?

My other pet peeve is when self-sacrifice is taken to the extreme (*cough* Supernatural *cough*). Cat is supposed to be a strong, badass woman with amazing powers. And sure she makes use of some of them, BUT TO THE POINT OF DEATH. This happened not once, not twice, but a total of THREE times. She gets completely conked out and needs Griffin to take care of her. That seems to be the feminist response to the damsel in distress trope. We can't have the female be completely incompetent... so let's make her snarky and powerful, but still need a man to save her from the aftermath of it to keep the romance alive!

Why a 3 Star Rating?

For all my griping, I did enjoy the read. It was frustrating at times, and cringe-worthy at times, but I kept going and I was always interested to see what was going to happen next. Even though Kato & Flynn (the other members of Griffin's personal team) were practically identical characters, I ADORED the brother/sister relationship they had with Cat.

Even though I found the romance problematic and Griffin a little too high-handed, I was still invested. Until a certain plot detail cropped up. Then I totally lost it. [spoiler]Magical sexual healing??? WTF! Poseidon sent Cat a magical jizz man to heal her?![/spoiler] I managed to get through it though. Thank god for Ellen.

Even though I firmly believe that this book didn't have to be stretched into a trilogy, I am still willing to give the next 2 books a shot. Hopefully it gets better from here.

A Promise of Fire releases today. Happy reading everyone!

The Butterfly Garden » Book Review

The Butterfly Garden was my first read for Booktubeathon 2016, and it made for a wonderful start! I started it at around 10pm and finished it a few hours later (around 1 am). So I have officially completed challenge #2, which is to read a book after sunset.

The Butterfly Garden

Trigger warning for rape and abuse.

I found this book to be an eerie and suspenseful read. I've always had a bizarre fascination with crime cases, especially those that involve long-term kidnapping and cults. Perhaps that would explain my dedication to Criminal Minds. This is a story about a girl, who identifies as Maya. She is a survivor of the horrors of the garden.

I'd highly recommend not going into this book with too much information or expectations. It's how I personally prefer to read thrillers, and it has served me well so far. But if you prefer to know a little more about this book, then keep on reading!

"Some people stay broken. Some pick up the pieces and put them back together with all the sharp edges showing."

The novel is told in two alternating perspectives. First we have the FBI agent (in third person POV), followed with Maya's perspective told in the first person. I really enjoyed that structure because it kept me guessing about Maya's motivations and her reliability as a narrator.

I LOVED this novel, as much as you can love a book that has such triggering and horrifying contents. I really connected with all the characters, and the story was moving. The pacing was excellent. I could not put this book down! I made my sister bring me dinner so I wouldn't have to go downstairs and take time away from reading. Yup, I'm that kind of big sister.

This was on its way to being a stellar 5-star book for me. Unfortunately, the ending was little... underwhelming. I expected more from this story and was left wanting. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for an engrossing thriller-esque read. You won't be disappointed!

This book is currently available for free via Kindle Unlimited.

July 20th, 2016
UPDATE: There will be a companion novel out next year, entitled Roses of May, and while it’s not a direct sequel, we will be following our Butterflies and FBI team for a time. The bulk of the story shifts to a new case, a new story, but some things don’t leave us so easily. Is it surprising if Butterflies have a way of lingering?

I'm so excited for the sequel! I will be grabbing it as soon as it releases.

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What are your favorite mystery/suspense/thriller books? Let me know! I'd love to check them out.

The Assassin Game » Book Review

I'm so disappointed! The blurb had me practically salivating right before I requested it on Netgalley. A boarding school? A secret society? A game of assassin? SIGN ME UP. I foolishly thought this would be a darker version of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.

I couldn't have been more wrong. And dear friends, I must confess a grave fault of mine. I HATE BEING WRONG. My blood seethes, I plot out the most epic of revenges, I... I should stop now. *waves* I'm normal, I swear!

Begone Tropes!

The Assassin Game features two of my hated tropes, lack of parental presence and the absence of authentic female friendship.

I know the story is set at a boarding school, but that's not an excuse to completely ignore the parents (unless it's more of a reform boarding school, I suppose). Our main character, Cate, goes on and on about how her parents don't care for her. That they got rich and suddenly left their old life behind and had no use for their daughter. It just didn't make much sense to me. There didn't seem to be a reasonable explanation for their absence and lack of interest in her.

I also found myself quite appalled at the lack of strong friendship within the story. Isn't that the pinnacle of an excellent boarding school tale? Cate is supposedly best friends with Daniel and Marcia. She is on the outs with Daniel because she kissed him last year while rebounding off another quasi-relationship. Marcia, on the other hand, is her roommate but is practically absent in their friendship throughout the entirety of the book.

I'm also going to briefly mention the setting. The school is located on a remote island (owned by Cate's family) that can only be accessed by the mainland during low tide. The headmaster of the school has banned recreational use of technology and internet. I believe all this was written to maintain an aura of intrigue and mystery. But it just came across as a little over the top and ridiculous.

The Game

The premise of the story is that an elite secret society is playing a game, The Game. And Cate has finally been invited to join. There is a Killer amongst their midst, who will ingeniously target his/her fellow players via harmless pranks that will 'kill' them until someone manages to unmask him and 'win' the game. Vaughn, Cate's childhood friend (from before her family got rich), joins the game as well. But suddenly, people are starting to get seriously hurt.

This was supposed to be exciting and thrilling. I just found it lackluster and long-winded. Cate didn't play much of a role in this mystery until the very end. For the most part, she was a witness. Or the occasional sidekick. She wasn't the driving force behind the story. Just an unfortunate participant. Which, unfortunately, made reading from her perspective quite dull.

The Good

Fortunately, there were some redeeming aspects to the novel. For one, this kept me guessing till the very end. However, I did hit a certain point when I stopped caring and just wanted everything to be over. Cate also had some redeeming qualities to her that helped keep me interested. Even though she mostly remained a passive character, there was a moment when she stood up to all the people that she was trying to impress in order to do the right thing by a friend. She also displayed moments of startling maturity when it came to handling some traumatic experiences with Daniel. And I enjoyed her relationship with her art teacher, especially because it was a close yet appropriate connection.

Closing Thoughts

I wish I had enjoyed The Assassin Game more. But as I come to the end of this review, I just feel a profound sense of relief. That I can finally move on to something else, and not have to think about this book anymore.

Ciao, my friends! Have a wonderful (and safe) 4th of July!

Buzz Books 2016: YA Fall / Winter

Ellen: Here we go again. . .

We're halfway through the year and that means new books on the horizon. Biannually, once in the winter and once in the summer, Publishers Lunch cooperates with big and small publishers alike to put out Buzz Books, an e-book featuring information on and excerpts of twenty upcoming titles. Ellen loves feels compelled to pick up their YA editions to see what's coming out in the following months on the Young Adult scene.

In this post, Sierra and Ellen are going to give a mini-review of all twenty of the featured 2016 YA titles in Buzz Books: YA Fall / Winter. That's about forty opening chapters of 2016 YA books.

Ellen: Why do I do this to myself?

Sierra: BECAUSE YOU ARE AN ANGEL IN THE POOR DISGUISE OF A HUMAN. But actually ;). I want to publicly thank my dear Ellen for formatting this whole post, which made my contribution quite measly as her co-blogger.

Ellen: I object your "measly" assessment of your contribution. You have been a fantastic battle buddy! I'm impressed every new day by how much co-blogging rocks. But anyway, onto these samplers!

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The First Ten Samplers » Ellen's Thoughts

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 David Arnold » Kids of Appetite » Viking Books for Young Readers

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[caption id="attachment_3269" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 20[/caption]

The bestselling author of Mosquitoland brings us another batch of unforgettable characters in this tragicomedy about first love and devastating loss.

Ellen: Chapter One of Kids With Appetites unfortunately references a line from Walt Whitman's Song of Myself that John Green has already picked as a rallying cry — "I contain multitudes." Unfortunately, I have to say... Green got there first. Sorry David Arnold. It may not have been your intention, but you're coming across as redundant.

Elly Blake » Frostblood » Little, Brown Books For Young Readers

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[caption id="attachment_3270" align="alignleft" width="150"] January 17, 2017[/caption]

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a fireblood who must hide her powers of heat and flame from the cruel frostblood ruling class that wants to destroy all that are left of her kind.

Ellen: Many elements of Blake's writing caused me concern, from the stiff, expository dialogue to the abrupt transitions. That being said, it was a very exciting first chapter.  The action starts almost right away and makes me curious to know what happens next. I strongly suspect, however, that the rest of this book will exhibit novice-level writing.

Kendare Blake » Three Dark Crowns » HarperTeen

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[caption id="attachment_3271" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 20[/caption]

Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic.

Ellen: Wonderful! It took me a while to catch on to how the political system worked in this fantasy world, but once I did, I was utterly hooked.  The prose is impressive as well — lush, almost decadent.  I can safely say that I will be reading this novel the moment it is released.

Irena Brignull » The Hawkweed Prophecy » Weinstein Books

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[caption id="attachment_3272" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 6[/caption]

 

Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed couldn’t lead more different lives. 

Ellen: Wow! The Hawkweed Prophecy has one hell of a prologue! I love the premise — to ensure that her own daughter becomes a coven queen, the witch Raven Hawkweed switches her infant niece with another, ordinary baby. If the rest of the story is as gripping as this sample, I definitely want to get my hands on this book.

Sharon Cameron » The Forgetting » Scholastic Press

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[caption id="attachment_3273" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 13[/caption]

Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before.

Ellen: Another dystopian, enclosed city.  Another "divergent" heroine living inside of it, with the potential to free its citizens. The premise is just too familiar. Maybe if the writing had been spicier, I would have forgiven these redundancies, but as it was, I was eager to finish this sample and move onto something more interesting.

Traci Chee » The Reader » Putnam

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[caption id="attachment_3274" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 13[/caption]

 

 Sefia knows what it means to survive.

Ellen: I wasn't exactly impressed by this sample of The Reader, but the book has seen great reveiws from early readers.  I'll most likely read this one soon after its release, even though nothing in the sample really caught my interest. It's quite possible that the book picks up after the sampler endpoint.

Jessica Cluess» A Shadow Bright and Burning » Random House RFYR

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[caption id="attachment_3275" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 20[/caption]

 

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. 

Ellen: A Shadow Bright and Burning has been marketed pretty well. Excitement is high over this fantasy novel. However, some elements of the sample make me leery.  For one thing, the story looks to have WAY too many love interests.  By the end of chapter one, a young man is already in contention and the summary promises even more to come. That geometry is not to my taste, but I will give points for the creepy "Ancients," introduced as our story's all-powerful villains.

Melissa de la Cruz » Something In Between » Harlequin Teen

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[caption id="attachment_3276" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 27[/caption]

 

When your country doesn't want you there, how do you know where you belong?

 

Ellen: This sampler doesn't begin with chapter one and it really shows.  I was thrown into the story with too little information, and as such, I really didn't feel connected to the MC.  That being said, I am interested to read a story featuring Filipino characters... but maybe in a book not written by Melissa de la Cruz?

Keira Drake » The Continent » Harlequin Teen

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[caption id="attachment_3277" align="alignleft" width="150"] January 3[/caption]

For her sixteenth birthday, Vaela Sun receives the most coveted gift in all the Spire—a trip to the Continent.

Ellen: Bad news — this sampler didn't start with Chapter One. Yet again, I didn't get to see that crucial "first page." Good news — the summary and the premise have me utterly hooked. I am a true sucker for action, adventure, and survival stories and The Continent promises all three! Now let there be a solid cast of characters and my excitement will overflow.

Stephanie Garber » Caraval » Flatiron

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[caption id="attachment_3278" align="alignleft" width="150"] January 31[/caption]

Before you enter the world of Caraval, you must remember that it’s all a game . . .

 

Ellen: I am excited to read Caraval. I just wasn't totally enraptured by the sample. I wasn't shocked or astounded like I hoped to be, although there are definite threads of promise dangling. For one, I think Legend will be a great character. Already, from one short letter, he appears mysterious and alluring. Also, it shows that Garber isn't afraid to go dark, as we see from Scarlett and Tella's cruel and manipulative father. I do like it when authors go bold places.

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The Second Ten Samplers » Sierra's Thoughts (With Some  Intrusions From Ellen)

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Jeff Giles » The Edge of Everything » Bloomsbury USA Childrens

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[caption id="attachment_3279" align="alignleft" width="150"] January 31[/caption]

 

It's been a shattering year for seventeen-year-old Zoe, who's still reeling from her father's shockingly sudden death in a caving accident and her neighbors' mysterious disappearance from their own home.

Sierra: The author Jeff Giles is an editor at Entertainment Weekly, which I read religiously. But a star-crossed YA romance series isn't exactly my style. That being said, I am SOLD on this book. While the prologue showcased some of the humor between Zoe and X, the excerpt itself was all about Zoe. The setting was also magnificent. The summary called this novel cinematic, and I can definitely see why! Giles has a wonderful writing style that immerses you into the story with Zoe as she makes her way through a blizzard on a mountain. This is a must-read for me.

Ellen: I read this sampler, even though I didn't have to. Technically, at this point, Sierra's large and in charge.  But my curiosity regarding the teenage assassin, X, was acute. I LOVE assassins in fiction.  I think they make for such complex and gripping characters. Even a terrible writer is hard pressed to ruin an assassin. They transcend bad writing! So, I read this excerpt.  I'm pleased to report that while The Edge of Everything is weird, it's also kind of wonderful. 

Kathleen Glasgow » Girl In Pieces » Delacorte Press

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[caption id="attachment_3280" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 6[/caption]

 

Charlotte Davis is in pieces.

Sierra: This sampler made me sad and nauseous all at the same time. As Ellen said (below), the subject matter is very heavy, and the prose is broken and raw. The first chapter is set in a psychiatric facility, and seemed to be a pretty realistic account of what happens in there. Trigger warning for cutting and descriptions of scars/burns from self-harm. I think I will read this book when it releases, but I will need my dog and cat by my side to brave through this one.

Ellen: Uugh. To be honest, I skipped this sampler. The subject matter is quite heavy, as is the prose (what little I read) and the cover... my GOD, the cover is really triggering.  This is probably too much for me to handle.  

Nadia Hashimi » One Half From the East » HarperCollins

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[caption id="attachment_3281" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 6[/caption]

Obayda’s family is in need of some good fortune.

Sierra: I adored this sampler. Age-wise, I would call in a crossover between MG and YA, with subject matter lending it towards the YA end of the scale. I think these kinds of books, especially those set in the Middle East are incredibly important. It shows readers out there that there isn't such a thing as 'them' and 'us'. We are all one people, trying to survive, and doing our best for our families even if the way we go about them might not be the exact same. I will DEFINITELY be picking up this one.

Ellen: This book is aimed for a bit younger of a YA audience (but that doesn't exclude anyone from reading it in my opinion). One thing I noticed straight off — the sentence structures  and diction were very simple, but also quite lovely in that simplicity.  The subject matter is heavy, but Hashimi manages to make the sad stuff readable with her incandescent, yet sparse prose.

Katharine McGee » The Thousandth Floor » HarperCollins

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[caption id="attachment_3291" align="alignleft" width="150"] August 30[/caption]

 

Welcome to Manhattan, 2118.

Sierra: The excerpt followed three perspectives, that of Avery, Leda, and Rylin. While the concept and the world-building didn't blow me away, I think I would still give this one a chance. However, this contains two of my most HATED tropes, a love triangle, and the potential for a sister and adopted brother romance. I adore platonic relationships, especially those between siblings or regular people. It's a pity that doesn't take a little more prominence in YA.

Mindy McGinnis » The Female of the Species » Katherine Tegan Books

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[caption id="attachment_3282" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 20[/caption]

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone.

Sierra: Yes, yes, and YES. This has made it on my must-read list. We follow the perspectives of three teenagers, Alex, Jack, and Peekay. Alex is a killer. And I will leave it at that. Alex and Peekay form a friendship while working together at an animal shelter, which I wholeheartedly approve of, considering that's what I do as well. I'm absolutely dying to get my hands on this one.

Ellen: Woah. I was curious about this sampler after Sierra proclaimed it a must-read.  So, I read it. Again, woah.  My first takeaway was that the cover kind of looked like The Perks of Being A Wallflower, but the opening paragraphs, where Alex lets us know that she's a hard candy killer, tell us that this books is going to be something else entirely. The second thing that shook me is how the language is quite sexually coarse. This isn't going to be a precious book. Lastly, I decided that, like Sierra, I really want to read this novel. 

Lauren Oliver » Replica » HarperCollins

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[caption id="attachment_3292" align="alignleft" width="150"] October 4[/caption]

Gemma has been in and out of hospitals since she was born.

Sierra: I have never read any of Oliver's books, so I don't have anything to compare this sampler with. This is supposed to be a 'flip' book which allows it to contain two narratives simultaneously. One side with be Lyra's story, flip it upside down, and it will be Gemma's story. I didn't get a chance to see it in action in this sampler, so I'm not sure how that would actually work. But looking at just content, I found myself bored. This is another YA Sci-Fi book dealing with clones and the issue of identity. Haven't we all been there and done that? A lot?

Sarah Porter » Vassa In the Night » Tor Teen

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[caption id="attachment_3283" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 20[/caption]

In the enchanted kingdom of Brooklyn, the fashionable people put on cute shoes, go to parties in warehouses, drink on rooftops at sunset, and tell themselves they’ve arrived.

Sierra: Now this one, is just plain weird. It's a dark Cinderella fairytale retelling with Baba Yagga, that has been blurbed by Leigh Bardugo. I don't even know what to say about it, except that I'm still confused by what is going on. I think I would consider it worth a read, but only if I could get it from the library.

Chelsea Sedoti » The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett » Sourcebooks

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[caption id="attachment_3284" align="alignleft" width="150"] January 3[/caption]

A teenage misfit named Hawthorn Creely inserts herself in the investigation of missing person Lizzie Lovett, who disappeared mysteriously while camping with her boyfriend.

Sierra: The blurb of the book reminded me of Stephanie Tromly's Trouble is a Friend of Mine, which I really enjoyed. I was hoping for another witty yet serious teen detective story. Unfortunately that wasn't the vibe I received. It's written in first person, and hence the language used is a little too immature for my tastes. I do already have an ARC from Netgalley so I will certainly be reading and reviewing it prior to its publication. I just hope it gets better from here.

Josh Sundquist » Love and First Sight » Dial

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[caption id="attachment_3285" align="alignleft" width="150"] January 17[/caption]

On his first day at a new school, blind sixteen-year-old Will Porter accidentally groped a girl on the stairs, sat on another student in the cafeteria, and somehow drove a classmate to tears. High school can only go up from here, right?

Sierra: This was such a refreshing surprise! I tend to dislike the use of first person when it comes to teen male protagonists. Maybe it's because I've never outgrown the 'boys have cooties' stage. They're just gross, okay! But I actually really enjoyed Will's perspective as a blind student. I was sorry to see the sampler come to an end.

Booki Vivat » Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impeding Doom » HarperCollins

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[caption id="attachment_3286" align="alignleft" width="150"] September 27[/caption]

Meet Abbie Wu! She’s about to start middle school and she’s totally in crisis.

 

Sierra: This is definitely a MG book, similar to The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. It was cute and enjoyable, detailing the story of Abbie Wu, the middle child dreading middle school. While I doubt I would pick this up for myself, I'm sure lots of kids would enjoy this.

Ellen and Sierra's Recap

Ellen: Do you know what it does to a person... to READ TEN SAMPLERS IN A ROW?!?! I legit feel crazy right now, like I don't know up from down. Let me try to make sense of my recap...

My standout faves were Three Dark Crowns and The Hawkweed Prophecy. 

Despite being frustrated by the chosen excerpt, I'm incredibly eager to read The Continent, as I think it's a great premise.

Caraval and The Reader will be books  I pick up as soon as I'm able to see if the buzz is true.

I'm more hesitant than ever over A Shadow Bright and Burning and as for the rest of the first ten samplers...



 

Sierra: I will say that I am most excited for The Female of the Species, followed by One Half from the East.

I was most surprised by Love and First Sight, and I was most disappointed with The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett.

Now to request some ARCs!

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Readers, had some of these featured books escaped your notice? What are you most excited to read for the rest of the year?