[Rapid Review] Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two by John Tiffany
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A diluted but readable companion to the actual series.

The "book" being a script is perfect for people who wants a quick "reminder" of the magic of Harry Potter. However, it was not on the same level as the original as it lacked details and richness.

The biggest flaw of the story is the simplicity of the plot. The authors had the difficult task of developing the characters we loved dearly and at the same time write in an adventure. However, I don't think that is an valid excuse to make the plot so dull.

I enjoyed seeing the characters who I've loved all grown-up. However I felt the book rushed the development of these characters. The problems they encountered and how they dealt with them were a bit simplistic. I guess I was spoiled by JK's amazing character development that I felt a little disappointed with the lack of depth of the mature cast. However I did enjoy the younger characters within the book, especially Scorpius.

Overall, I enjoyed how quick this read was, and recommend this book even if it is not the same as the original.

View all my reviews

[Review] The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Recommended for lovers of Harry Potter, Charlie Bones, and Fullmetal Alchemist.

One sentence review
An intriguing world full of mystery, though not on par with Harry Potter, the series has great potential.

Review and Giveaway: Spirit Vision by Morgan Straughan Comnick

Spirit Vision

By Morgan Straughan Comnick

Check out the rest of the blog tour here! :D

Blurb:
If God gave you a mission, would you answer His call?

The Lord has given Stary, a high school freshman, a mission: extinguish the evil residing in the murderer of two teens—Maren and Umbra. Stary never imagined that her strange visions meant that she was the Spirit Warrior for God and now with her powers activated, she must train to use them and try not to get caught by the murderer who has the ability to hide and conjure up the dark powers from the fallen angel himself—Lucifer. If Stary fails, not only will she lose her life, but Maren and Umbra will lose their entry into heaven and the world will be exposed to the madness of the murderer for the next forty years until the new Spirit Warrior is born.

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Review

First off I would like to thank my friend Sheenah for notifying me of this tour. I saw the cover reveal on Facebook and WOW! Can we just stop for a moment and appreciate the detail and the beauty of the art? The art is by Cherriuki. Yeah, just wanted to give a shout out before I start the review. And do note, even if I am friends with Sheenah and Morgan, my opinion on this book is unbiased.

Okay, let's start!
For the first 2 chapters, I was confused with the story, especially with chapter 1. We weren't given any context and that threw me off a bit. The descriptions were hard to imagine. And the added mystery and confusion the author intended was not helping. However, this isn't a total bad thing (intentional or not). Due to the "confusion", the mystery was that much better. I mean you don't want to show all your cards before the match even begin. ;) So it wasn't bad that I was lost because it just adds to how weird and confusing everything is to Stary. Plus it was only the first two chapters, no biggie, because the fun is about to start from there on.

My All-Time Favourite: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

An unforgettable novel about finding a lost piece of yourself in someone else.

Khaled Hosseini, the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations. 

In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most. 

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

Review

Happy Holidays! I'm honoured to say that I was picked to be a Star Blogger for Penguin Canada for their Holiday campaign. I cannot express my gratitude towards Penguin Canada. You guys let me discover my new all-time favourite book!!! That is incredible! You have no idea how happy I am.

From the start, I immediately knew I would love to review And the Mountains Echoed (AtME) by Khaled Hosseini from the list of books I was sent. I read The Kite Runner (TKR) in grade 12 and it was one of the most brilliant reads I've ever encountered. So when Elizabeth emailed me the complete list, BAM! I emailed her back with the pick without a second thought. So now here I am, revealing my thoughts on that quick decision. I hope this ramble makes sense. :)

Stella Reviews: Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

For those who want to know what this book is about: 

#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, coauthor of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series and creator of the internationally bestselling Mistborn Trilogy, presents Steelheart, the first book in the Reckoners series, an action-packed thrill ride that will leave readers breathless. 

Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics.

But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his will. 

Nobody fights the Epics . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.

And David wants in. He wants Steelheart—the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning—and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience. 

He's seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.

Review:

Who recommended this book to me: My own guilt
Who do I recommend this book to: Fans of Legend of Korra and fans of the Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale.

First 60% of the book: 3 stars.
Last 40% of the book: HOLY CALAMITY 5 steel stars.

Steelheart was one of my most-anticipated books of 2013 for two reasons:

1) The plot sounded fascinating. It's almost as if in an alternate universe, the Justice League went rouge. The possibilities were endless for a story with this high caliber of an idea.

Review: Vicious by V. E. Schwab

A masterful, twisted tale of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and superpowers, set in a near-future world.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.

Review

Book Hangover Alert!

Although The Archived by Victoria Schwab has been on my radar since last year, Vicious is my very first Schwab novel.

And BAM.

She has earned her spot on my "Automatic-Read" list. The Automatic-Read list is a factious list inside my head, containing the names of authors I completely trust. This means, if they come out with a new book, even if it's about astrophysics with a side of quantum mechanics, I am going to read it. So what does VICIOUS have that landed it on this prestigious (It's not the Giller, or the Man Booker but it's the most important list to me) list?

Requirement Number One: You need a great cast of characters

Review ♥ Giveaway: Little Fish: A Memoir from a Different Kind of Year by Ramsey Beyer

 Told through real-life journals, collages, lists, and drawings, this coming-of-age story illustrates the transformation of an 18-year-old girl from a small-town teenager into an independent city-dwelling college student. Written in an autobiographical style with beautiful artwork, Little Fish shows the challenges of being a young person facing the world on her own for the very first time and the unease—as well as excitement—that comes along with that challenge.

Ramsey Beyer grew up on a farm in Paw Paw, Michigan, before escaping to city life in Baltimore, where she earned a BFA in experimental animation. She currently lives in Philadelphia and Little Fish is her first (traditionally) published book.

Review

Thank you Zest Books for allowing me to be on the tour!

For me, I never had the transition Ramsey had. No scary moving away from my parents, no experience with dorms, new cities etc. But I still related to this book. Ramsey's background was completely different from me. Growing up in a small town, having 4 sibling were things I didn't experience. But reading her journey through her Freshman year just made me realize no matter what your background is, we will experience similar things, for example being nervous about moving away, getting confused, trying to be more social etc.

One of the things that I related most to! XD

Review ♥ Interview: Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl by Emily Pohl Weary

Sometimes Living in the Big Apple Really Bites!

Eighteen-year-old rock star Sam Lee isn't like other girls. She's the super-talented bass player and songwriter for an all-girl indie band and an incurable loner. Then one night after a concert in Central Park, she's attacked by a wild dog. 

Suddenly, this long-time vegetarian is craving meat--the bloodier, the better. Sam finds herself with an unbelievable secret and no one she trusts to share it. And so begin the endless lies to cover up the hairy truth... 

When a new girl gang appears in the city--with claws and paws--Sam suspects there's a connection to her own inner beast. Trapped in a tug-of-war between her animal and human selves, forced to choose between the guy who sparked her carnal appetite and the one who makes her feel like a normal teenage girl, Sam has to unravel the mysteries of the werewolf world before her bandmates, her mother, and the media catch up to her.

Today, I am honoured to have Emily Pohl Weary stopping by my blog. Thank you Emily and Razorbill Canada! First, my review of the book.

Review 

Thank you Razorbill Canada for the ARC. All quotes from quoted were from the ARC.

I don't know why but my guilty pleasure in books is "books about celebrities, or musicians, or reality TV stars and their daily lives". For some reason, I just love those books, no matter how unrealistic they are. :3 Heehee. This is why I didn't hate this book., in fact I quite enjoyed it. Weird, I know.

First I want to get something off my chest. You know one thing that just puts me off of werewolf/vampire books? The whole "transforming process". I've read enough books about werewolves and vampires that I know every single "transforming process" sounds the same. For vampires you get super thirsty for blood; you can hear people's blood pumping through their veins etc etc. For werewolves it is more "gross" with the sweat, need to eat raw meat etc. This is why I normally don't pick up a werewolf or vampire books. I've already read enough that I know 20-30% of the book because that percentage is about the main protagonist's transforming process. I think Emily used about 7% (or probably less) of the book reminding us that Sam had weird cravings and other stuff. And the writing was not bad for those parts of the book. It was just that it was a bit predictable that I became a little boring. But I'm glad that I wasn't constantly bombarding with Sam's changes. I would've gone crazy if it did.

Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE is a fable that reshapes modern fantasy: moving, terrifying and elegiac - as pure as a dream, as delicate as a butterfly's wing, as dangerous as a knife in the dark, from storytelling genius Neil Gaiman. 

It began for our narrator forty years ago when the family lodger stole their car and committed suicide in it, stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Dark creatures from beyond the world are on the loose, and it will take everything our narrator has just to stay alive: there is primal horror here, and menace unleashed - within his family and from the forces that have gathered to destroy it. 

His only defense is three women, on a farm at the end of the lane. The youngest of them claims that her duckpond is ocean. The oldest can remember the Big Bang.

Thank you, HarperCollins Canada for giving away a finished copy of this book for their HCC Fan Choice giveaway. I was ecstatic to get it in the mail!

Review:

Never have I wanted Goodreads to implement half-star ratings until now. This book was so close to perfection, but I can't deny I had issues with it from the beginning. It's with a heavy heart that I have to give The Ocean at the End of the Lane 4-stars even if it really deserves 4.5 stars.

Reminiscent of Gaiman's other novel, Coraline, The Ocean at the End of the Lane was dark, haunting and very original. In fact, it's the book I kind of wish Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children turned out to be. The atmosphere of the two books was similar, always so eerie and mysterious. But I think Gaiman did a better job at bringing the whole story together at the end. Not a single word was wasted; if a word appeared in The Ocean at the End of the Lane, it was there for a reason.

In addition to being spooky, this book was also very inventive, which is why I would recommend it to fans of Spirited Away. In that film, the world-building is beyond anything I've ever seen. It had a very unique story and set of characters, but at the end of the day, it's a just story about finding yourself - just like The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

Review

Thank you Hachette Book Group Canada for the amazing finished copy!

My goodness!! Wow! Okay. I was excited to read this book but also a little skeptical. I mean vampire books....meh. I never really had luck with it. But this book blew me away!

The key thing about this book that just made it AWESOME was the fact that it was...

UNPREDICTABLE!!

For most YA books I could follow the plot lines. It always became just an eye-roll fest for me. But this book was jam packed with surprises for me! I just didn't know where the story was going! This made it a breezy read. I was half way through the book before I knew it. But it wasn't suspenseful. Sure, you didn't know where the story was going but it didn't leave you breathless with anticipation. If was almost the "Okay, I'll see where this lead" kind of thing.

Review: Scorched by Mari Mancusi

Trinity

Don’t leave me here... It starts with a whisper. At first Trinity thinks she’s going crazy. It wouldn’t be a big surprise—her grandpa firmly believes there’s a genuine dragon egg in their dusty little West Texas town. But this voice is real, and it’s begging for her protection. Even if no one else can hear it...

Connor

He’s come from a future scorched by dragonfire. His mission: Find the girl. Destroy the egg. Save the world.

Caleb

He’s everything his twin brother Connor hates: cocky, undisciplined, and obsessed with saving dragons. 

Trinity has no idea which brother to believe. All she has to go by is the voice in her head—a dragon that won’t be tamed.

Review

Thank you Raincoast Books for providing this ARC <3

WANTED: Good dragon book recommendations.

Like many people out there, I love dragons. It is the reason why I chose to read this book in the first place. Whether they're European dragons or Asian dragons, I love them all. From Avatar the Last Airbender, to How to Train Your Dragon, to Game of Thrones - they are BAMFs in my book. But I haven't read an awesome book about them ever since the fifth grade. (Thank you, Dragon Rider and Dealing with Dragons.) These are the books I know that has awesome dragons in them, please tell me which one I should read next, or feel free to add other books onto this list:

- A Game of Thrones,

- The Hobbit,

- Seraphina,

- Eon,

- Dragonflight and

- His Majesty's Dragon.

Okay, let's get on with Scorched and why I want to say Dracarys to it.

My First "Did Not Finish" Review: Project Cain by Geoffrey Girard

Review: Earthfall by Mark Walden

The battle for mankind is about to begin in this riveting story of Earth’s invasion from the author of the H.I.V.E. series.

Sam awakens to see strange vessels gathered in the skies around London. As he stares up, people stream past, walking silently toward the enormous ships, which emit a persistent noise. Only Sam seems immune to the signal. Six months later, he is absolutely alone.

Or so he thinks. Because after he emerges from his underground bunker and is wounded by a flying drone, a hail of machine-gun fire ultimately reveals two very important truths: One, Sam is not, in fact, alone. And two, the drone injury should have killed him—but it didn’t.

With his home planet feeling alien and the future unstable and unclear, Sam must navigate a new world in this gripping adventure.

Review

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing the ARC.

It has been a while since I've read a middle grade book let along an amazing one. I was kind of worried because I thought MG was not for me anymore, because the past few MG titles I read just didn't amaze me. So I am so glad that this title worked for me.

I have to say at first I wasn't that into the book (but I was having a book hangover). So after I read the first chapter I'm like "oh no, that's A LOT of description". I knew that Mark just wanted to establish the background and the setting but it was just almost pure description. But after that one (almost dreadful) chapter, the book was fast-paced, interesting, and enjoyable.

There's only one way I can describe the book and it is.....if you like the feel of Call of Duty, this book is a winner for you. And oh look Mark spend 10 years as a video games designer and producer! :O I legitimately didn't know that fact but now I can totally understand why the book was like a video game. I really felt that I was an avatar in a game, running through the dead, dark streets, all dirty, hungry and scared. 

Review: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I'm sorry I couldn't be more than I was—that I couldn't stick around—and that what's going to happen today isn't their fault.

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

Review

Thank you HBG Canada for providing a beautiful ARC of FM,LP

I can see many people will enjoy Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock and I admit, it definitely has a lot going for it. It's a modern story, highlighting two issues that have manage to persist through time. I will only mention one of the issues here, because I want other readers to find out about the other one as they read through the story. If you have read the description on the back of the book, you can probably guessed the issue Leonard Peacock is facing - bullying. He's been bullied to a point that committing a murder-suicide appears to be the best option. Now, I didn't give this book 5-stars because I thought it was a sad story and it moved me. Sometimes, I feel like sad books get automatic good ratings purely because they made the readers cry. Those 5-stars got there because the story was painfully realistic - no matter how much you want to deny it and live in your happy little bubble, this book brings you back down to Earth. And that hurts. Reality sucks but Matthew Quick was able to put to words feelings most of us can't express. And you better believe that deserves 5-stars.

Review: Half Lives by Sara Grant

Half Lives by Sara Grant

I learned that surviving isn't all it's cracked up to be. If you survive, you've got to live with the guilt, and that's more difficult than looking someone in the eye and pulling the trigger. Trust me. I've done both. Killing takes a twitch of the finger. Absolution takes several lifetimes.
Seventeen-year-old Icie's parents have given her $10,000 in cash, a map of a top-secret bunker, and instructions to get there by any means necessary. They have news of an imminent viral attack and know that the bunker is Icie's only hope for survival. Along with three other teens, she lives locked away for months, not knowing what's happening in the outside world or who has survived. And are they safe in the bunker after all?
Generations in the future, a mysterious cult worships the very mountain where Icie's secret bunker was built. They never leave the mountain, they're ruled by a teenager...and they have surprising ties to Icie.
This high-stakes, original, and thought-provoking adventure from Sara Grant follows two unlikely heroes, hundreds of years apart, as they fight to survive.

Review

Thank you HBG Canada for providing an ARC of Half Lives!

When my sister forwarded an email to me with the books available from HBG this summer, I almost didn't pick this book. Just buy reading the first 70% of the description, I was already in the "Oh-no-not-another-post-apocalyptic-novel-in-which-a-secret-was-discovered" mood. But praise the writing gods (and Sara Grant), this story has more to it than just that. It skips forward in generations and also tells the story of a future cult. Now, that is the kind of kick I was waiting for. What's even better was Ms. Grant's choice of not simply writing a story from the future perspective, because then, another dystopian story would have been born. The concept of this book is new and adventurous, not to mention the cross-generation storytelling was well executed.

Review: Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told. 

Tavia immediately searches for answers, desperate to determine why she feels so drawn to a boy she hardly knows. But when Tavia discovers that the aunt and uncle who took her in after her parents' death may have actually been responsible for the plane crash that killed them--and that she may have been the true intended victim--she flees for the safety of Camden, Maine, where the boy she sees in her visions instructs her to go.

Now, Tavia is on the run with no one to trust. No one, that is, except for her best friend and longtime crush, Benson.

Tavia feels torn between the boy who mysteriously comes to her at night and the boy who has been by her side every step of the way. But what Tavia doesn't know is that the world is literally falling apart and that to save it she will have to unite with the boy in her visions. Only problem? To do so would mean rejecting Benson's love. And that's the one thing Tavia Michaels swore she'd never do.

Thank you Razorbill for letting me on the tour!

Review

It is quite hard for me to write this review. I feel like I don't really have much to say. To be honest I was skeptical about this book. I was immediately repulsed by the romance. Sure, I love century old conspiracy, but I don't like love triangles. But to my surprise, the love triangle in this book wasn't bad. Tavia didn't spend half of the book debating Quinn or Benson; she was pretty loyal to one guy. She did consider the other guy but not to the point of hair-pulling amount.

As for the plot, it sounded boring and typical from the book flap. I was like "oh no the aunt and uncle mystery is going to be destroyed by her running away with her longtime crush." But I was wrong. The adventure Tavia and Benson had was quite awesome. It was fast, suspenseful, and exhilarating. It did however took about half of the book to set up everything and for the pace to increase.

Review: PODs by Michelle Pickett

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul. 

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters. 

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

Review

I had a hard time deciding the rating for this book and I'll explain why.

The plot of the book was simple and 1 dimensional. There weren't layers of intricate plotting. Michelle didn't tried to break your heart with feels or connections. You know how sometimes stories linked together and pieces of the book fitted when the story began to conclude? Yeah, those were what I called connections. This book didn't offer me that but that doesn't mean it was a total negative thing. By having a 1 dimensional plot, the story moved fast which kept my attention. Imagine if it was a simple plot that was draggy? Phew, this book wasn't, in fact I loved how the book was such a breezy read. What the book lacked in intricacy, it gained in pace. And having said how the plot was simple, it wasn't a bad plot. The plot of the book was a great one! Because of the fast pace, the events didn't dwell and not did it got dull. It was like turning over new leaves in a short period of time, it had excitement in it.

But not only did the plot lacked connectivity, the characters did as well. I also didn't form any emotional attachments to them as well. It felt as if they were cardboards and if one person died, I wouldn't care and either would the other characters. You would think that a group of teens stuck in a POD for a long time equalled character development, but nope. The conversations were........eek! It felt amateur as if horrible actors were delivering the lines. And adding romance into the pot didn't made this any better. Sure Eva and David were in love but they didn't felt like it. There were a lot of "I love you" and lots of kissing but I didn't feel their love for each other. I just dislike apocalyptic romance. Sorry just don't care. Every single book I read disappointed me, this book was no better. The romance was so forced and cliche. Boo!

Review: SYLO by D.J. MacHale

Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?

Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures. Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come. 

It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night—and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world—and all before tomorrow is too late.  

#1 New York Times bestselling author D.J. MacHale brings his brilliant plotting and breathless pacing to SYLO, the first in this ultimate end-of-the-world adventure trilogy.

Review

There are many words I could use to describe SYLO. I could say it was thrilling, tense, and explosive, but those would merely be good words. The best words I thought SYLO demonstrated were: "as refreshing as an ocean breeze." I am not joking. Those words were taken right out of the notes I took while I was reading the book. It is a bit of an odd description, if you were to compare it to the previous three words. Sure, the book had me holding my breaths and clenching my fist, but I'm going to tell you why it was also my perfect "Beach Read."

Firstly, in my honest opinion, I think MacHale nailed the setting for this story. This is sometimes not done very well in YA or MG because people are more focused on the plot or the characters. But the atmosphere established by the author is so important in helping readers experience the story and I am so pleased that D.J. delivered.
The setting of this book, if you don't already know is fictional Pemberwick Island in Maine. I don't know much about Maine, but I am fortunate enough to know about tiny islands. In my grade 12 year, my school's science department once again ran their one-week-trip to the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. During our stay, we worked hard and we played hard. One of the places we visited really helped me establish what Pemberwick Island really looked and felt like. I will link this review to an album from out trip right here. A special thanks to all of the people who contributed to this album; not all of these pictures are my own.

Review: Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff

Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff
They needed the perfect assassin.

Boy Nobody is the perennial new kid in school, the one few notice and nobody thinks much about. He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends, and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die-of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target. 

But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter is unlike anyone he has encountered before; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.

In this action-packed series debut, author Allen Zadoff pens a page-turning thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping, introducing an utterly original and unforgettable antihero.

Thank you HBG for providing an ARC for review!! <33

Review

I'll be on vacation starting June 12th, which is the coming Wednesday and I really want to squeeze in a review before I go AFK, so please excuse this rushed, transcribed-from-my-notes, not-nearly-as-polished-up-as-I-would-like review.

First impression: there's too much rambling about how he doesn't have emotions. Rather than doing that, I prefer the character to show how heartless they are. Words can be said, but they are just the speaker's perspective. It's actions that define you.

And when he does begin to show emotions, it was all too clichéd. Some girl and her father was able to change you for the better. Granted, Sam was a total badass. I don't care how she was described to be tall, fit and beautiful, she didn't let anyone push her around. She played people like a keyboard, and she even caught Boy Nobody off guard. It really showed that outer beauty doesn't translate to being dumb, or vice versa. But I really wished she could have handled her emotions about boys a little better. Damn, that girl has some baggage. She somehow became a weak puppy when she "falls" for boys, and I wish she wasn't like that.

Stella Reviews: The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis

One Boy

Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he’s going to die.

One Mission

Jack needs to find seven magic loculi that, when combined, have the power to cure him.

One Problem

The loculi are the relics of a lost civilization and haven’t been seen in thousands of years.

Seven Wonders

Because they’re hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Review

Ever since I finished the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, I haven't been able to find a good alternative. There are some great middle grade series out there, don't get me wrong. But none of them had the same feel to it as PJO.

Until now.

This book had a lot of similar elements to PJO. The one stood out to me the most was its humour. Rick Riordan was able to infuse humour into his books even when things got tense. What's even better was that the humour did not come from one single "comic relief character." Peter Lerangis took a page right out of Riordan's How to Write a Fantastic Book Series and did exactly that. Every one of the characters was capable of delivering a funny punchline and that showed great versatility. I really love it when a character is more than just "The Hero", "The Clown" or "The Nerd." Because in some way, everyone has those characteristics within them. Jack, Marco, Aly and Cass all displayed those characteristics and it made the story much more believable. And the best part of all is that they all had equal opportunities to shine; although the story was told in Jack's perspective, all of them could be viewed as the main character.