Mini Reviews of What Light & Dreamology

What Light by Jay Asher

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Page Length:  251 pages
Format: ARC won at BookItCon
Publication Date: October 18, 2016
Publisher: Razorbill

About What Light (via Goodreads):

From Jay Asher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Thirteen Reasons Why, comes a romance that will break your heart, but soon have you believing again. . . .

Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other.

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.

By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.

What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.

What Light by Jay Asher is a cute and festive read for the Christmas season. While I was a bit cold-hearted and grinch-like when I first started reading the book, my heart slowly thawed and the story made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. While the romance was a bit rushed, I didn't think it was overly unrealistic (like instalove often is) and still found Sierra and Caleb's romance charming.

However, as characters go, I didn't find them all that engaging. They were far from bad by any means, but I never fully connected with them. Furthermore, although there was some character development, I thought there could have been a bit more growth based on the events that happened. On that note, the conflicts within the plot seemed to resolve a bit too quickly and too easily for my liking. I understand under the characters' circumstances, they did not have much time to resolve issues, but it still seemed a bit ridiculous.

The writing style was fine, but nothing extraordinary. Although I did not notice as much when I became more engrossed in the story, the sentence structures were very similar throughout and had minimal variation in length, making the story a bit hard to read when I first started reading it.

Overall, What Light was a fun and entertaining read. It left me laughing out loud on several occasions, and made me smile, flail, and fangirl, helping me get more in the holiday spirit.

My rating: 3 stars

Dreamology by Lucy Keating

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 336 pages
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: HarperTeen

About Dreamology (via Goodreads):

Vibrantly offbeat and utterly original, Lucy Keating’s debut novel combines the unconventional romance of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind with the sweetness and heart of Jenny Han.

For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together, they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist.

But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. Real Max is nothing like Dream Max. He’s stubborn and complicated. And he has a whole life Alice isn’t a part of. Getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped.

Alarmingly, when their dreams start to bleed into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough?

Dreamology by Lucy Keating is one of the most adorable books I have ever read. Filled with whimsy at every turn, I completely devoured this novel. The concept of this story was so unique and fun, and the story was overall fast-paced and an enjoyable read.

I also appreciate that although it was a lighter novel, it still dealt with some difficult situations and there was definitely character development involved. I was able to connect with the characters and fall in love with them, both in their reality and their dreams.

Dreamology was a truly delightful interlude after a long period of stress and craziness in my life, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book that will put a smile on your face.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Of Fire and Stars (ARC Review) ~ The Fiery Romance of Two (Not So) Star-Crossed Lovers

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/LGBTQIA+
Page Length: 400 pages
Format: ARC (won in a giveaway!)
Publication Date: November 22, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

I'd like to thank Audrey Coulthurst for hosting the giveaway. Although she provided me with a copy of her book, it in no way whatsoever affected my thoughts/opinions about this book. These opinions are completely my own.

About Of Fire and Stars (via Goodreads):

Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses before her coronation—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine (called Mare), sister of her betrothed.

When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two work together, each discovers there’s more to the other than she thought. Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. Soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.

But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.

Of Fire and Stars was an enchanting read. It took me a few chapters to get into the book, but Coulthurst's beautiful writing thereafter quickly had me hooked.

While the story was not the most unique, I still greatly enjoyed Coulthurst's debut. Certain plot devices were a bit stale, such as killing off characters (in my opinion unnecessarily) to heighten the tension, but there was almost always something going on and I was never bored by the story.

I thought the protagonists, Dennaleia and Mare, were written extremely well. They both had their own unique personalities and I think their character arcs matched their upbringing and overall character really well. However, secondary characters are also important to a story, and I thought they were mediocre in Of Fire and Stars. They just weren't all that special. A few of them were distinct, but I thought that a lot of them could have been interchangeable with a secondary/minor character from another YA fantasy and I wouldn't have known the difference.

Denna and Mare's romance started off kind of as a mutual hatred toward each other, which slowly developed into friendship, and eventually blossomed into something more. Across any romance, I love a good slow burn. It takes time to develop relationships with people in real life, and books need to reflect that. The only thing that bothered me about Denna and Mare's relationship (which might actually be a big deal) was how quickly they got physical after confessing their love to each other. Like I know they were excited/exhilarated/whatever, but it just seemed like they moved too fast into the intimate stuff. So while I appreciated that it wasn't instalove, the minute they realized they were in love (and their love was reciprocated), their hands were all over each other. So in a way they still moved way too fast for my comfort while also going slow (if that even makes any sense at all). Also, I know that it was a forbidden romance, but it seemed too easy for them to overcome the obstacles that separated them from each other. Like, I'm pretty sure guards would notice if a figure was climbing up a rope into the princess's rooms at night. Just saying. But enough about the romance. Let's talk about something else now.

I really enjoyed the concept of the world and magic, but I really would have liked to know more, especially in regard to the religious aspect. I still have so many questions. Why do some believe that the magic is a gift from the gods, while others shun it? Like honestly, what made Mynaria so opposed to magic? Why do/did only some kingdoms have magic surging through its people's veins and others don't? How does the bloodline for magic work?

Despite all my complaining, I did like this book immensely. It tells a wonderful story about overcoming obstacles and finding yourself, and although I did voice some complaints, it was a story that left me captivated from start to finish.

My rating: 3.25 stars

The Crown's Game (ARC Review)

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye
Series: The Crown's Game #1
Genre: Young Adult/Historical/Fantasy
Page Length: 416 pages
Format: ARC (won in a giveaway! Thank you, Brittany!)
Publication Date: May 17, 2016
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Although I received a free copy of this book, my opinion of it is completely my own.

About The Crown's Game (via Goodreads):

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear . . . the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

The Crown's Game was, as you can probably guess based on the synopsis alone, magical. But it wasn't magical only in the sense that there were enchanters and undead and life-sized music boxes and all that jazz (although I absolutely adored those things), but the WRITING. My word, the writing was sublime.

Although I've never been to Russia, she painted a gorgeous picture of it for me. I was instantly transported into the fantastical Russia of her design, and fell head-over-heels in love. Skye also utilized her many characters' voices beautifully. I normally am not a fan of third-person POVs, especially when it's multi-POV, but her transitions between the characters and chapters was effortless. I loved seeing the world through different characters' eyes, although I wish I had the opportunity to see through each set of eyes even more. There was so much left unsaid by the end, and I am excited to find out more.

Before I get too excited though, I want to get out of the way a couple things I was minorly disappointed in. First, let's talk about The Game. I absolutely adored the concept of the Game and all of the intricate moves Vika and Nikolai made, but I was expecting there to be... I don't know. More action, I guess. The magic was so fascinating and I loved reading about Vika and Nikolai's fantastical feats, but I wanted MORE. They definitely impressed and enchanted me, but I was expecting the plot to move just a tad faster.

It also took me a while to warm up to the characters. I didn't dislike them, but for several chapters, I didn't really care all that much about what happened to them. Soon after that point, however, I quickly became super protective of the lovelies and didn't want a single one of them to get hurt or be killed. Which is why when the Game was over, I felt completely gutted. I was a sobbing mess at the end and felt betrayed. How could Evelyn make me gradually fall in love with the characters, only to wrench them away from me?

Although it took me some time to love the characters, I loved their relationships from the start. At least the platonic and familial ones, anyway. One of my favorites was definitely Nikolai and Pasha's bromance. They were such friendship goals and are definitely my ultimate brOTP. They complemented each other so well, and it was always so fun seeing the crazy adventures they went on together. There was also a bittersweetness about it, but I don't want to go into that right now because 1) I don't want to spoil anything, and 2) my feels still can't handle it. 

As for other relationships, another favorite (as weird as it may sound) was the one between the Tsar and Tsarina. I loved seeing them together because I could finally see the Tsar's humanity and love for his wife, rather than the hostile and cold leader he appeared to be.

The relationship between Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha was definitely strained. I respected Vika for not falling head over heels in love with both of them, as many heroines seem to do in books these days, and loved that it did not play a prominent role in the story, although it did seem to always lurk in the shadows of the plot. I am definitely more a Nikolai girl myself, but I couldn't help but love Pasha's passion, excitement, and curiosity about everything in life. Despite the fact that I wanted Vika and Nikolai to be together, I still wanted Pasha to find immense happiness for himself, and not lose the light he has burning from within him.

Evelyn Skye's debut novel was magnificent. Her writing was absolutely stunning and her characters snuck their way straight into my heart, and I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. LIKE, RIGHT NOW. I TRIED TO CONCEAL MY FEELS UNTIL NOW, BUT I CANNOT STAND THE WAIT. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO DISCOVER AND FALL IN LOVE WITH (AND POSSIBLY BE HEARTBROKEN ABOUT).

Rating: 3/3.5 stars

Gena/Finn (ARC Review)

Gena/Finn by Hannah Moskowitz and Kat Helgeson

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Page Length: 345 pages

Format: ARC received from a friend

Publication Date: April 5, 2016

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Although I received a free copy of this book, my opinion of it is completely my own.

About Gena/Finn (via Goodreads):

The story follows the unlikely friendship of two young women forged via fan fiction and message boards, and is told entirely in texts, chats, and blog posts.

Gena (short for Genevieve) and Finn (short for Stephanie) have little in common. Book-smart Gena is preparing to leave her posh boarding school for college; down-to-earth Finn is a twenty-something struggling to make ends meet in the big city. Gena’s romantic life is a series of reluctant one-night-stands; Finn is making a go of it with long-term boyfriend Charlie. But they share a passion for Up Below, a buddy cop TV show with a cult fan following. Gena is a darling of the fangirl scene, keeping a popular blog and writing fan fiction. Finn’s online life is a secret, even from Charlie. The pair spark an unlikely online friendship that deepens quickly (so quickly it scares them both), and as their individual “real” lives begin to fall apart, they increasingly seek shelter online, and with each other.

Gena/Finn was a wonderfully raw, emotional, and relatable book. I have to admit that I was expecting a more light-hearted read, despite the struggles the characters seemed to face, but I was completely wrong. At the beginning, I was cracking up a lot at the wit and hilarious interactions between the girls in the online community, but later the book takes a more serious turn. I don't want to give anything away, but I was definitely heartbroken by the end, and I was hardcore crying like a baby. There were just SO MANY FEELS.

I know people seem to complain that "relatable" is not the best word to describe things, least of all books, but the book seriously was relatable. The characters were fangirls, and as a blogger and fangirl myself, it was great being able to connect with the characters and form a mutual interest so early on in the story. Even though I've never seen the fictional TV show (Up Below) that the characters rave about, I still felt myself cheering, fangirling, and flailing so hard—as fangirls do—along with Gena and Finn.

In addition to connecting with the characters in the fangirling sense, the friendships they formed and the obstacles they overcame paralleled some of my experiences and really struck a chord with me. Although I may not have lived through some of the horrors Gena and Finn go through, I experienced what they were feeling whole-heartedly while reading, and it was glorious and heart-wrenching all at once. I don't even know how to explain it. So few books manage to pull at my heartstrings, yet this one managed to do exactly that.

Even though I have read a similarly formatted book before, I was still a bit wary about reading a book told through different forms of media (emails, texts, letters, journal entries, fanfictions, message boards, etc.) Although I would not say it was executed perfectly, the flow of the story was still very well done and I could feel just as many emotions (if not more) reading in this book style as reading in the "normal" prose style. There was never a dull moment in the book, and I honestly could not put the book down—I finished it in 4 hours because it was so addicting! All in all, I was satisfied by the end and recognize its significance to the plot, but at the same time it was kind of abrupt and confused me at first. (I had to reread it a few times to realize why it ended the way it did.)

Ultimately, Gena/Finn really surprised me. It was both a fun and emotional read, and although there were a few minor issues, it was overall a lovely book.

Rating: 3.25 stars