July Wrap-Up

Hi guys! Can you believe that today is the last day of July? Because  I can't. I really can't. At all. Summer is flying by so fast and it's freaking me out just a tiny bit. Anyway, here's what happened this past month!

Haul
- This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (purchased)
- Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven (ARC I selected as a B-Fest/First in Line prize)
- A World Without You by Beth Revis (purchased)
- Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen (purchased as a blind date book)

Read - about half the books I read last month were pretty mediocre, so I am so happy that I enjoyed all of the books I finished this month!
- The Princess Saves Herself in This One by Amanda Lovelace
- Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
- Everland by Wendy Spinale
- Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven

Reviewed
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (5 stars)
- A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (4/4.5 stars)
- Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith (4.5 stars)
- Everland by Wendy Spinale (5 stars)

Other Things I Posted
- TBR discussion
- real world representation in YA
- A World Without You Event Recap

Exciting Happenings on the Blog
- Claudia joined Literary Legionnaire! Check out the coblogger announcement and her introduction here
- New blog header! I came up with the idea and worked on a super rough sketch, and then Claudia transformed my idea into a beautiful new header design *heart eyes*
- I reached 100 Bloglovin' followers! Even though I try not to focus on the numbers, I am so thankful to you all for helping me reach this wonderful milestone!

Around the Blogosphere
- Jess @ Princessica of Books discussed the struggle between quality vs. quantity when it comes to reading
- Alex @ Fiery Reads discussed rating books based on their technicalities versus the enjoyment factor
- Claudia @ PenMarkings pondered whether YA characters should be seen as role models
- Claudia @ PenMarkings also explained why she wants more love interests in books
- Aentee @ Read At Midnight is hosting the Indigo League #ReadThemAllThon reading challenge

Event Recap: NYC Launch for A World Without You by Beth Revis

Hey guys! So last weekend, my friend Izzy and I went to the NYC launch at Books of Wonder for Beth Revis' new book, A World Without You. The event was in the late afternoon (4:00-6:00 pm), but since it was a Sunday, we went into the city early, getting in around 12:30.

Once we got into the city, we ate at a delicious Japanese restaurant, wherein I had ramen for the first time (I've had tons of other noodle soups before, but never ramen, for some odd reason). Anyway, after that, we headed straight to Books of Wonder to pick up our books before the signing so we'd be able to get early numbers in line for the signing. Since it was only 2ish, I thought we were going to be early in line, but we got numbers 23 and 24.

Izzy at The Strand

After that, we walked around Union Square, got some soft serve ice cream from a Mister Softee truck (which was delicious), and headed over to The Strand, a local bookstore that sells both new and used books, often for reduced prices. We perused for about
an hour and a half before heading back to Books of Wonder.

Once we returned to Books of Wonder, we found seats and waited for the event to begin. (Side note: the wait wasn't too bad since there was a Pokéstop right across the street that we were able to collect from numerous times before the event started.)

Also, I remembered Gaby (who works at Books of Wonder) tweeted about setting up a Blind Date with a Book shelf in Books of Wonder, so I scouted that out and ended up buying a book. It was really fun, and I'll probably talk about that experience another time :)

And finally, to the event. Beth Revis was joined by Lindsay Ribar, author of Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies (among other books). I actually haven't read either of the authors' books, but I have been dying to read A World Without You, so I knew I had to come to the event. Anyway, per usual, the event started out with a Q&A session.

The main difference for this Q&A was that the authors asked each other questions for a good portion of the time, which I thought was really great. Beth and Lindsay worked really well together and asked each other some great questions about setting and inspiration. One problem I had, however, was that some of the questions addressed specific things in the book that I didn't truly understand since I hadn't read it yet (it was non-spoilery, but still).

photo credit: Izzy

Anyway, after a while, the authors opened up the questions to the audience, and they were asked about how they deal with distractions. Lindsay told us that she dealt with them poorly, and typically waited until the distractions began to bore her (distractions including Candy Crush), while Beth said that she invested in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones. When asked about writer's block, both agreed that it was best to keep writing, even if it means backtracking to the dark alley where things went wrong and try to fix it.

After the Q&A was over, they started clearing out the chairs for the signing, and announced that the numbers actually started at 22. Meaning that I was actually supposed to be second in line. And I was not prepared at all, especially when 22 wasn't there and I had to go up first.

Both authors were extremely nice, funny, and entertaining to listen to, but once I got up there to meet them, I had no idea what to say or do. I just smiled awkwardly and thanked them for coming to NYC,  got my book signed, then took a photo and left. All in all, despite my awkwardness, it was a super fun event!

Indigo League #ReadThemAllThon Sign Up and TBR

Hey guys! So the lovely Aentee @ Read at Midnight not only created a Pokémon Go Book Tag, but she's also the mastermind behind the Indigo League #ReadThemAllThon reading challenge! The goal of the challenge is to read books based on the eight gyms of the Indigo League in the Kanto Region of the Pokémon universe. The challenge runs from August 14 until September 4, so it doesn't start for quite a while, but I am SO EXCITED. If you're interested in joining or finding out more info, you should definitely check out Aentee's sign up/FAQ post here.

          source

Along with the badges we can collect, there's also the option of choosing ONE Pokémon that starts with 10 CP and based on the number of pages read, badges earned, etc., their CP will increase. For example, +1 CP for every 10 pages read and +20CP for every badge earned, and once they reach a certain CP, they will be able to evolve. There are a lot more details and ways you can earn points as well, but you'll have to read Aentee's post for more details.

The Pokémon I've chosen is Oddish. Oddish has three stages of evolution, and he's also really cute (just saying). I also really want a Vileplume (Oddish's final evolution).

Now for my TBR, shall we? (Credit to Aentee for the fabulous graphics.)

The First Gym

For this challenge, I'm going to attempt to read The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. I've been wanting to read it for a while, so I'm really hoping to read it by the end of this summer. Plus, if I succeed, I'll get a TON of CP points for my Oddish.

1258 pages, potential +125CP

The Second Gym

For this one, I'll go with Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. Her other novel, Between Shades of Gray, was an incredible book that made me cry, and I'm guessing this one will have a similar effect on me.

400 pages, potential +40CP

The Third Gym

For this challenge, I'm planning to read Truthwitch by Susan Dennard. I started reading this one a while ago since I loved Susan's other books, but the hype was so overwhelming that I had to put it down. And I never picked it back up, but I've wanted to. So now's the perfect opportunity!

415 pages, potential +41CP

The Fourth Gym

I'm going to go with Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst for this gym! I've been meaning to pick it up for a while now after winning it in a giveaway, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

389 pages, potential +38CP

The Fifth Gym

For this one, I think I'm going to have to go with A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. Everyone has been obsessed with this book since it came out, and I've heard it's even better than A Court of Thorns and Roses. I'm really interested to see what all the hype is about in regard to Feysand... since everyone seems to be in love with them.

640 pages, potential +64CP

The Sixth Gym

For this gym, I'm going to go with This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab. I'm so excited to read this book, and I think it's a perfect fit for this challenge.

427 pages, potential +42CP

The Seventh Gym

For this challenge, I'm hoping to read Things We Know by Heart by Jessi Kirby. This book has been sitting on my shelf FOREVER, and I think it's time to finally give it a read.

304 pages, potential +30CP

The Eighth (and Final) Gym

For this one, I'll go with Prodigy by Marie Lu. I may end up switching this to a reread of Legend since I haven't read it in a while and the details of the trilogy are a bit blurry, but we'll see.

371 pages, potential +37CP

Waiting on Wednesday (54)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: August 30, 2016

About Girl in Pieces (via Goodreads):

For fans of Girl, Interrupted, Thirteen Reasons Why, and All the Bright Places comes Kathleen Glasgow’s debut novel about a girl who has lost everything—almost even herself.

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The thick glass of a mason jar cuts deep, and the pain washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

A deeply moving portrait of a teenage girl on the verge of losing herself and the journey she must take to survive in her own skin, Kathleen Glasgow’s debut is heartbreakingly real and unflinchingly honest. It’s a story you won’t be able to look away from.

Everland (Review) ~ I Loved This Book to the Second Star and Back

Everland by Wendy Spinale
Series: Everland #1
Genre: Young Adult/Retelling/Steampunk
Page Length: 312 pages
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Scholastic Press

About Everland (via Goodreads):

London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the ruthless Marauders -- the German army led by Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.

Unsure if the virus has spread past England's borders but desperate to leave, Captain Hook hunts for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the survivors. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return. Until the day they grab Joanna. As Gwen sets out to save her, she meets a daredevil boy named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella, who have all been living in a city hidden underground. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it will cost Gwen. And are she, Pete, the Lost Boys, and Bella enough to outsmart Captain Hook?

I am a sucker for retellings, and lately, I've been dying to read a good Peter Pan retelling. So when my friend Brittany recommended Everland to me, I knew I had to read this book. And my gosh, this book did not disappoint. Wendy Spinale delivered not only a captivating retelling of the classic tale, but also created such a brilliant and unique world, characters, and story. I absolutely love what Spinale did with the story, especially the wonderful steampunk flair.

The characters were so well done. Whether it was a main character, villain, or secondary character, each one was so developed and unique, and contributed something special to the story.

Although I quickly grew to hate Hook, Spinale was able to somehow make me sympathize with him at the same time. While I don't appreciate him trying to destroy the beloved cast of characters (especially for the sake of world domination), I could sort of understand him. At least a little bit, anyway. He had a tragic past, and he became a monster because of it. I don't blame him, even though I hated him with a burning passion for what he put everyone through.



Now for the heroes of the story. I loved Gwen as a protagonist because she was so realistic. Although she always had bravery within her, she wasn't jumping the gun or making rash decisions. Okay, to be fair, she did occasionally have bursts of emotions and irrational thoughts, but she is only human. So often, I feel like heroes and heroines automatically become these legends that everyone looks up to and trusts whole-heartedly. And that wasn't the case with Gwen.

It was frustrating when Bella acted a bit like this in the

beginning, but I still loved her as a character nonetheless.

She developed too much over the course of the novel for me

not to forgive her for her early bouts of brattiness.

Where do I even start with Bella? It took some time to warm up to her, but as soon as I did, I could see why all the Lost Boys loved her so much. She was fierce, spunky, courageous, clever, and caring. And sometimes vulnerable. But she didn't let her vulnerability or insecurities stop her. She was fueled by those things, and even though she did make some stupid decisions because of it, I respected her so much.

I adored all the Lost Boys, every single one. They were all so precious and it was heartwarming how they helped each other and were loyal through thick and thin. And their leader, Pete *fans self* I loved him so much. He could definitely be stubborn at times, but he had such a pure heart and fighting spirit. He was a ray of sunshine and hope in everyone's lives, and it was inspiring to see how much he cared for all the Lost Boys and Girls.


I don't want to talk about the plot all that much because it would give too much away, but let me just mention that the last half of the book tore me apart. I tried to pull myself together, but by the last quarter, I could no longer handle what the characters were going through. I just loved them too much, and it pained me so much to see them suffering and/or in grave danger.

On the bright side, the ending was definitely a satisfying conclusion to Everland! Although to be honest, the ending also makes me afraid to read the rest of the books because the characters may not bode as well in the final finale.

All in all, I absolutely fell in love with Wendy Spinale's Everland, and I am both frightened and excited to see what's in store for the Gwen, Pete, and the rest of the Lost Boys and Girls in the future.

My Rating: 5 stars

Pokémon Go Book Tag

The Pokémon Go Book Tag was created by the lovely Aentee @ Read at Midnight, and she tagged me to do it, and let me tell you, I AM SO EXCITED. I have been a fan of Pokémon for quite a while now, and my love for the game resurged since Pokémon Go came out this past month.

(Graphics created by Aentee)

Honestly, I don't know what book started my love of reading. I've just been a fan of books for my whole life thus far. However, I do recall enjoying certain series when I was younger, like the Sisters Grimm, the Warrior Cats, and the Percy Jackson books (although I'm still hoping to catch up on all the Rick Riordan books at some point in my lifetime).

I think I'm going to go with a manga with this one, and say Sailor Moon. If I'm being honest, I haven't  finished the series yet (only halfway done), but I know the general storyline and love what I've read so far.

Okay, so for this one I chose a series that I started, but I honestly can't see myself finishing. Everyone seems to love the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard, but I just don't understand the hype at all.

So I have extremely mixed feelings about Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (rated it 3.5/5 stars), but at the same time I can't help but love it despite all its flaws. So I'm obviously not going to go into my problems with it right now, but I shipped Simon and Baz so hard and loved them to death. But to go back to the tropes part, the Carry On world is basically Harry Potter except a lot less expansive and (dare I say) nowhere near as creative.

Any Brandon Sanderson book could fit this criterium. I have especially been meaning to read The Way of Kings and I did read a few chapters, but it's the type of book you need a lot of time to read, not just because of size, but also because of how vast and intricate the world is.

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner, for sure! I was so engrossed in the world that I stayed up late reading and sobbing and feeling all the feels.

My top 5 OTPs (out of many many ships) at the moment are probably Adelina/Magiano (I'm sorry, Enzo, I still love you!) from The Rose Society, Maya/Amar from The Star-Touched Queen, Shazi/Khalid from The Wrath and the Dawn, Clare/Aidan from Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, and Charlotte/Jamie from A Study in Charlotte!

For this one, I'd definitely have to say A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro! The stakes were constantly rising, and I was always on the edge of my seat, worrying about what sticky situation the characters would end up in next.

To be honest, I haven't really read any spin-off series, but I guess I'll say Percy Jackson because I loved the original series and enjoyed The Lost Hero. I still need to catch up on a lot of the books, but I have faith that Rick Riordan is continuing to deliver with the spin-off series as well as he did with the original Percy Jackson books.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith, for sure! I thought some of her other books were absolutely adorable and lovable and fun, but I was not expecting her newest one to be so fantastic. I felt all the feels I wasn't expecting to feel, and everything was so well done despite the fact that a great majority of the book took place in a single night.

100% Leigh Bardugo books. Despite the fact that people talk about her books all the time, I still can't wait to read the Grisha trilogy and the Six of Crows duology. As much as I hate overhyped books (especially when they disappoint), I don't think Leigh Bardugo's series will.

Okay, so this book hasn't even come out yet, but I wish I had the UK edition of Nevernight by Jay Kristoff with those glorious red-stained pages. It's just too beautiful not to want. Honestly, the book sounds so amazing on its own, but I am in love with the UK cover and stained pages *heart eyes*

So many! Especially Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller, Timekeeper by Tara Sim, Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones, Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow, Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill, Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves, A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess, Caraval by Stephanie Garber, and The Reader by Traci Chee!

As of last year, my only auto-buy authors were Marie Lu, Jennifer Niven, and Susan Dennard, but this year I've read many books by some brilliant authors, so the list has expanded to include David Arnold, Jeff Zentner, Roshani Chokshi, and Laini Taylor.

Back in 2012, I read The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg. So I'm not sure if I'd love the book as much now as I did then, but let's just say when I read it four and a half years ago, I was obsessed. It's been four years now, and I've heard nothing about any new Jess Rothenberg books, and it makes me very sad. Especially because there's been this book on her Goodreads author page called "Baby" with legitimately zero information other than a title sitting there for the past four years. Not that the title is all that interesting or anything, but I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED and if she's ever going to write another book!

Thank you again for tagging me, Aentee! I'd like to tag Em @ Piplup's Shadowy Bookshelf and Cyra @ Rattle the Pages!

Waiting on Wednesday (53)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

You Before Anyone Else by Julie Cross and Mark Perini
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 400 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: August 2, 2016

About You Before Anyone Else (via Goodreads):

Model Finley needs someone to help her shed her "good girl" persona, so she'll try Eddie on for size.

New York City model Finley is fed up with hearing the same feedback at castings: she needs to take some serious action to wipe the "good girl" stamp from her resume if she wants to launch to stardom.

Enter Eddie Wells. He's shallow, predictable…and just as lost as Finley feels. Deep down, Finley is drawn to Eddie's bravado, his intensity. Except Eddie is hiding something. A big something. And when it surfaces, both loving and leaving Finley will become so much harder.

I Want Real World Representation

I was inspired by this week's Top Ten Tuesday (a meme created by The Broke and the Bookish) to write this discussion post. The topic for this was "Ten Books Set Outside the US", and most people probably figured this out already, but there aren't many books set outside the US. At least not ones that are realistic. Aka they're all fantasy novels. And while I love the diverse settings in fantasy, I don't see why this can't happen in contemporary fiction as well. Guys, I want to see real world representation.

Fantasy novelists draw from other countries' myths, legends, and cultures (which is awesome!), but so often it seems like they're only taking away what they want them and then making it their own. Obviously that's okay since they are creating fantasy worlds, but it doesn't give us enough exposure to the lifestyles and cultures of those around the globe. As much as I love a good fantasy novel, I also want to know more about what life is really like in these places, instead of twisted fantasy versions of them.

To be honest, I can only think of two contemporary novels that take place outside of the US. And of those two, I've read a ton of reviews that said one of them portrays the country completely wrong and even in a negative light. I know there are other books out there with non-US settings, but not many. And the fact that half of the novels I do know of are inaccurate portrayals is not okay, even though I only know two novels total. That's why we not only need representation, but accuracy. It's not enough to throw characters into another country and act like you know how people there live.

There are so so so many unique people around the world whose stories deserve to be told, whose lives need to be understood. While I'm not saying there aren't stories that still need to be told in the U.S. (because believe me, there are still so many voices that deserve to finally be heard and understood), I want to learn everyone's stories.

To go more into the topic of diversity in books in general, we want to see ourselves reflected in books and the characters that dwell within their pages. We want to be able to read a book and feel good about who we are. We want to feel loved and needed, to be a protagonist on our own adventures, rather than a sidekick or stereotype (or worse, a villain).

While I have started to see a rise in character diversity (whether it be race, sexual orientation, religion, or something else), more diversity can't hurt as long as it's done well and for the right reasons. I understand that research may need to be conducted in order to portray the world accurately (and that research, especially good research, takes time), but we need to see the world as it is, and the people who live here as they are rather than what others believe them to be.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (Review) ~ Nostalgia is a Ninja

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 272 pages (paperback)
Format: eBook
Publisher: Poppy

About Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (via Goodreads):

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night leads them to family and friends, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

Charming, bittersweet, and full of wisdom and heart, this irresistible novel from Jennifer E. Smith, author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, explores the difficult choices that arise when life and love lead in different directions.

Honestly, this book completely K.O.'d me (in the best way possible). I was not expecting Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between to hit me so hard in the feels, but it managed to do just that, sneaking up on me like a ninja and throwing me completely off guard.

Going into the book, I thought that it was going to be just a quick, "fluffy" book, if you will. But I was so wrong. It was far from a tragic story, but Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between was so bittersweet and relatable that it was hard not to feel emotions while reading. I don't know if most people would be so emotional while reading it, but for legitimately half the book I was crying (for one reason or another). There were not only plenty of scenes where I was sad for the characters and the state of their relationships with each other, but also a lot of the emotions were caused by a lot of feelings of nostalgia. It was really nice to feel so connected to the characters and story while reading since I haven't felt that sort of connection to a book in a while.

Jennifer E. Smith managed to make me fall in love with a cast of characters in a single night, which is a tremendous feat. The character development was so well done despite the short window of time in which the novel takes place, and I seriously have to applaud Smith for her amazing work developing Clare and Aidan.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, despite how much I loved the Jennifer E. Smith books I'd read in the past (especially since I haven't read her other novels in many years). However, I absolutely adored Jennifer E. Smith's newest book. In fact, Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between is my favorite one of all.

My rating: 4.5 stars

COBLOGGER ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey guys! I am so so so excited to finally share this news with you all. As much as I love blogging, sometimes it's hard to keep up. That being said (as if you couldn't already tell based on the title of this post)...

LITERARY LEGIONNAIRE NOW HAS A COBLOGGER!

And who is this coblogger, you may ask? Drumroll, please...

The one and only Claudia!!! You may know her from her wonderful blog PenMarkings, her amazing blog design services (like the one she did for yours truly), or from Twitter. If you somehow don't know this glorious human being though, you definitely should because she's an amazing person and super talented! She has been a huge inspiration to me and continues to be a dear and supportive friend, so I am extremely thrilled that she accepted when I asked her if she'd be willing to coblog with me!

That being said, I'd like to welcome Claudia to Literary Legionnaire! *hands mic off to Claudia*

INTRODUCING CLAUDIA

(Let me just say that I’m kind of horrible at introductions. Just bear with me, alright? You can yell at me for my awkwardness later.)

Anyway.

Hey! Hello! How goes you?

As you know, the lovely Alexandra here has deemed me acceptable for being her sidekick at this fantastic blog, and you don’t know how freakin’ excited I am to be here. I mean, me? Co-blogging? With Alexandra? I kid you not, my day just lit up when she asked me.

(Breathe, Claudia. Breathe.)

I guess this is the part where I say some random things about me? Well, I have my own blog over at PenMarkings that’s in the process of being revived from the dead (which is like, the third time now) and maybe some of y’all know me as that chick who offers free web designs because she needs better coding skills. That... is 100% correct. >.> (My coding skills are okay, but they’re far from spectacular.) I’m also a lover of Percabeth, Queen of Dry Conversations, and a master of getting attached to characters too quickly.

This is entirely new territory for me, so I’ll be fumbling around here a lot. But I want to get to know all of y’all. Drop me a tweet, say hello (I promise I’ll say hello back!)

Waiting on Wednesday (52)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating.

A World Without You by Beth Revis
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: July 19, 2016

About A World Without You (via Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Bo has always had delusions that he can travel through time. When he was ten, Bo claimed to have witnessed the Titanic hit an iceberg, and at fifteen, he found himself on a Civil War battlefield, horrified by the bodies surrounding him. So when his concerned parents send him to a school for troubled youth, Bo assumes he knows the truth: that he’s actually attending Berkshire Academy, a school for kids who, like Bo, have "superpowers."

At Berkshire, Bo falls in love with Sofia, a quiet girl with a tragic past and the superpower of invisibility. Sofia helps Bo open up in a way he never has before. In turn, Bo provides comfort to Sofia, who lost her mother and two sisters at a very young age. 

But even the strength of their love isn’t enough to help Sofia escape her deep depression. After she commits suicide, Bo is convinced that she's not actually dead. He believes that she's stuck somewhere in time — that he somehow left her in the past, and now it's his job to save her.

Book/Blog-Related Facts About Me - Top Ten Tuesday #10

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is "Ten Facts About Me," so I knew I had to do it. I haven't been doing Top Ten Tuesdays in a while (since February!), but I thought this topic would be a nice way for you all to get to know me a bit better. Some of these facts you may find boring, but hopefully a few of them will be relatable and/or interesting :)

1. I've never rated a book 1 star (then again I usually don't finish books that are that awful, and I never rate books I DNF)

2. I never read books in audiobook form because I have a relatively short attention span and get distracted by other things too easily

3. I typically flail about books a lot more than I let on (not sure if this is a good or bad thing?)

4. Despite the revelations I made about my rereading experience last year, I'm still afraid of rereading books (no matter how much I adore them)

5. I am really bad at finishing series (legit I've probably finished less than 10 series in the last 7 years, and I've been a bookworm for all my life)

6. Historical fiction used to be one of my least favorite genres, but when done well, it houses (if that's even the correct word) many of my favorite books.

7. I don't typically have book boyfriends for myself because I usually love them with their romantic interests so much that don't want to take away their beautiful relationships from them.

8. I don't think this is an uncommon thing, but I find it so much easier to finish writing reviews for books I don't like than to write reviews for books I did like. However, I find it much harder to actually start writing the reviews for the books I don't like.

9. This blog is over a year old now and only eleven people know of its existence (that aren't part of the blogosphere)

10. Literary Legionnaire now has a coblogger (surprise!)

A Study in Charlotte (Review + Playlist) ~ My Love for This Book is No Mystery

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
Series: Charlotte Holmes #1
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary/Mystery/Retelling
Page Length: 321 pages (hardcover)
Source: eBook won in a giveaway - thank you so much, Tamara!
Publisher: HarperTeen

About A Study in Charlotte (via Goodreads):

The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

A Study in Charlotte is the first in a trilogy.

REVIEW

A Study in Charlotte was definitely one of the fastest-paced and most entertaining books I've read all year. Although I can't say I'm familiar with most of the Sherlock Holmes stories, I am happy to say that Cavallaro did a brilliant job recapping the original Holmes and Watson's adventures, family trees, and overall histories. Hopefully I'll have the chance to read the original Sherlock Holmes stories in the near future. Anyway, enough about that.

While the plot moved rapidly, with the stakes raising higher and higher each chapter, I still managed to get a good understanding of the characters and the world. Often, I find that plots that move as quickly as A Study in Charlotte lack proper character development and other problems, but I didn't notice that at all with this novel. I understood the characters and could really sympathize with them throughout. In addition, I loved that Charlotte and Jamie shared traits similar to their predecessors while also having their own unique flair.

Charlotte and Jamie are probably two of my favorite characters ever. They were quirky (obviously), and they clashed while also working together so well. They were amazing partners and friends, while also being possibly one of my favorite couples. Not many books have the same pair being my favorite friendship and OTP, but Holmes and Watson somehow worked out that way.

If I have one complaint about A Study in Charlotte, it's that the mystery was solved almost too quickly. I don't read many mysteries, but I was hoping there would be a bit more of a twist in the end. While I did enjoy the many other twists Cavallaro threw in and understand that the original Holmes and Watson do tend to know things too quickly for their own good (based on the little knowledge I do have of their work), I still wish the mystery could have been prolonged for a bit longer.

A Study in Charlotte promised an exhilarating story with murder, mystery, friendship, and a dash of romance, and Cavallaro delivered beautifully. I absolutely loved this new generation of Watsons and Holmeses, and I can't wait to see what Brittany Cavallaro has in store for them next in The Last of August.

My Rating: 4 stars

PLAYLIST

Hey guys! So I was kind of idiotic and didn't write my review for A Study in Charlotte right away, and even if I had written it sooner, the review couldn't have been very detailed without spoiling the mystery. That being said, I thought it would be fun to do something else to supplement the review, so I chose to share five songs off my A Study in Charlotte playlist! I hope you enjoy!

"Next time around, think about what you say

before you run your mouth."

1. Body Bag by Hit the Lights - Jamie definitely has some anger issues... and he may have gotten into a fight with someone who ends up dying. I won't say any more because I don't want to spoil the book, but I think this song is kind of perfect for A Study in Charlotte. (Also, if you were wondering, I randomly stumbled across this song while listening to iTunes Radio.)

"So we can take the world back from the heart-attacked

One maniac at a time we will take it back"

2. The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy - my explanation for this one is a bit less straight-forward, but bear with me. There is a dance scene in the story that kind of goes awry, and there are some pretty crazy people in the book that Charlotte and Jamie have to stop in order to save everyone (and themselves). And of course they're racing against the clock, so these lyrics all apply.

"When the world falls into pieces

You'll be the one voice of reason

When I can't face all my demons

You are the one I believe in"

3. Queen of Hearts by We the Kings - there's honestly only a few lines from this song that I think apply to A Study in Charlotte, but I wanted to include it anyway because I think those few lines really represents Charlotte and Jamie's relationship.

"Lights flash and we'll run for the fences

Let them say what they want, we won't hear it

Loose lips sink ships all the damn time

Not this time"

4. I Know Places by Taylor Swift - as much as I love Charlotte and Jamie together, I didn't choose this song because their relationship was in jeopardy. Obviously since it's a murder mystery, a lot more was at stake. Their reputations, their lives, etc. That being said, I Know Places seems like a perfect track for A Study in Charlotte.

"We got a friendship, no one can contest it

And not to mention, I respect you with my all"

5. Don't Wait by Mapei - I think the song overall is a good representation of Charlotte and Jamie's relationship. It's kind of hard to explain it in words, but basically, Jamie relies a lot on Charlotte for support and companionship, and would probably be alone (or at least lonely) without her in his life... There's more to it than that (which you'll understand if you read the book), but ultimately, what's a Watson without his Holmes?