The Girl from Everywhere (Review)

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
Series: The Girl from Everywhere #1
Genre: Young Adult/Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Time Travel
Page Length: 464 pages
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Greenwillow Books

About The Girl from Everywhere (via Goodreads):

Nix has spent her entire life aboard her father’s ship, sailing across the centuries, across the world, across myth and imagination.

As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenth-century China, the land from One Thousand and One Nights, a mythic version of Africa. Along the way they have found crewmates and friends, and even a disarming thief who could come to mean much more to Nix.

But the end to it all looms closer every day.

Her father is obsessed with obtaining the one map, 1868 Honolulu, that could take him back to his lost love, Nix’s mother. Even though getting it—and going there—could erase Nix’s very existence.

For the first time, Nix is entering unknown waters.

She could find herself, find her family, find her own fantastical ability, her own epic love.

Or she could disappear.

The Girl from Everywhere was one of my most anticipated reads for this year, and while I was absolutely obsessed with the story and the characters (and the family dynamics!), the book didn’t meet all my expectations.

The plot lulled a few times, but I overall loved the story. The different voyages through time that the crew went on were so entrancing and fascinating—I was completely captivated by their visits to historical places both real and mythical, and I loved the concept of the magic of Navigation. However, when the process was initially explained, and they went through their first Navigation in the story, I had absolutely no clue what was going on. I knew the vague idea of what they were doing, but Heilig tried to explain it in more detail and the explanation was lost to me. Later, I eventually caught on but for a while I was still pondering what exactly had happened in that scene. Maybe that’s just me being dense, but it still bothers me that I didn’t know what was going on.

Thinking about it now, I barely even remember what Nix was like. I didn’t mind reading from her perspective, and I did understand her feelings and felt bad for her in regard to her relationship with her father, but something about her didn’t completely seem real. It’s hard to explain, but I didn’t feel as connected to her as I hoped. I feel like her character was more rooted in her relationship with other people than with herself. And not to go off on a tangent, but I’ve written a whole essay on this before and it’s important to balance one’s relationship with oneself with one’s relationship with his or her community. And I know that Nix was struggling with this balance, as she needed to decide whether she wants to go off on her own or stay with the people she knows and loves, but at the same time I couldn’t actually imagine her making that decision since she was so sheltered and didn’t really know anything else. I mean, I suppose it’s hard because she’s cooped up on a boat most of the time, but it irritated me that she didn’t stand up for herself as much as she could have. And even when she did, she was usually rash and insensible. Now don’t get me wrong, as much as I’ve been complaining, I didn’t hate Nix. I just wish she’d been written better.

However, I loved the rest of the cast of characters. They were so diverse and unique, and they really helped guide Nix throughout the story, even when she didn’t deserve the help or love she was getting. They were all flawed and in many ways broken, but that just made them all the more real. I felt connected to and intrigued by them more than I could have ever been by Nix. They had pasts, stories untold that I was dying to learn more about. Nix, not that it was her fault, only had the ship, the mystery of her mother, the pressure of her father, and her wish to be independent dragging her through her life.

I know the story wasn’t meant to be focused heavily on the romance, but I wasn’t exactly impressed with the little romance the story did have. Or at least the parts with Blake (Kash is a completely different story *swoons*). There was so so so much instalove between Nix and Blake, and I hated it so much. I understand why they both may have been intrigued by each other, but just NO. I mean, I might be biased since I’m Team Kashmir, but they just seemed so wrong together. Their whirlwind of a romance was new and exciting for them both, but I just cringed the whole way through.

Blake was a helpful character, but he just doesn’t understand Nix in the way that Kash does. And I feel like he barely got to know her, whereas Kash has known Nix forever. I loved the witty banter between Kash and Nix, and his loyalty to her through thick and thin. Even though they both make mistakes, Kash did have Nix’s best interest at heart, and both characters complement each other so well.

Now for family relations. I’m really glad that there was a family, since so often these days in young adult novels, there aren’t. Or they’re bad. And I know Slate is definitely not the greatest parent out there, and he was quite selfish and overbearing and demanding, he had good intentions. His character was fascinating, and I wish I knew more about him, pre-Nix. My main problem with him, however, was that although he discovered a lot on his journeys, it took him way too long to realize some of the most important things. And when he finally did, his problems seem to be resolved much too fast.

The pacing overall was a bit off, and the character development and world-building was a bit rickety, but overall the concept and storyline were fabulous. Even though I talked mostly about the flaws, the story was an extremely enjoyable and quick read with an engaging and heartfelt storyline.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Rebel of the Sands (Review)

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Series: Rebel of the Sands #1
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Page Length: 314 pages
Format: Hardcover
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

About Rebel of the Sands (via Goodreads):

Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic.  For humans, it’s an unforgiving place, especially if you’re poor, orphaned, or female.

Amani Al’Hiza is all three.  She’s a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can’t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she’s destined to wind up wed or dead.

Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she’s spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she’d gallop away on mythical horse—or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew.

Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes—in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power.

Rebel of the Sands was a wonderful whirlwind of a story. It took me on a gunslinging, fast-paced adventure through the deserts of Miraji, and it was a glorious adventure to tag along on. The characters were all so unique, sassy, and genuinely fun to read about and I never got bored with them around. I also loved learning about the world, especially the fantastical elements like the Djinni and Demdji. It was so fascinating to me, and I couldn't get enough.

The secondary characters were fascinating to learn about. I don't want to go into too much detail about them because of spoilers, but they were truly extraordinary and wonderful, in more ways than one. (I'm sorry for being so vague, but if I say much more, I'm honestly worried I'd spoil the plot.)

As for the main characters, Amani was a bold and brilliant protagonist. She was definitely a bit sassy, but I loved her for it. Sometimes characters can be a bit too sassy (to the point where it gets annoying), but she had just the right amount of it. Overall, I absolutely loved her as a character, even though she did do pull some crazy stunts that I didn't necessarily agree with. She was always standing up for herself and continued to be so strong and brave throughout, and her strength only increased as the story progressed. Her transformation was subtle at first, but by the end, she ultimately proved herself and found herself a true family and a place in the world.

And then there's Jin. Where do I even start with him? He's just amazing. Truly. I absolutely adored him from the start. He's indescribable, but is probably one of my favorite characters. I honestly don't even know what word could capture his glory. I suppose glorious, but even that isn't saying enough. He did have his share of secrets, but he had a heart of gold and was willing to fight for everyone he cared about, even if it put his life at risk. I suppose that sounds like a lot of other characters, but I swear, Jin is one of a kind.

I loved the relationship between Amani and Jin. What made it really refreshing was that it started as a friendship/partnership at first and then developed into a romance. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like those types of relationships don't happen that much anymore. Throughout the entirety of the book, they were a great team and (almost) always had each other's back. I loved that their romance didn't get in the way of their friendship. Instead, it was an extension of their existent relationship.

There was a tiny bit of an info-dump toward the beginning of the book and there were a few parts where I was confused by what was going on, but overall the plot and story was captivating and riveting from start to finish. I was swept away by Hamilton's storytelling, characters and world-building. I was craving a high-stakes, action-packed desert adventure, and Hamilton delivered just that and more in Rebel of the Sands.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Reign of Shadows (ARC Review)

Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Fairytale Retelling

Page Length: 292 pages

Format: ARC

Publication Date: February 9, 2016

Publisher: Harper Teen

Source: paperback ARC received at New York Comic Con


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

About Reign of Shadows (via Goodreads):

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

With lush writing and a star–crossed romance, Reign of Shadows is Sophie Jordan at her best.

Reign of Shadows was a fantastic read. Although the plot starts off a bit slow, it quickly accelerates and I found myself turning the pages faster and faster wanting to know more. The writing was fluid and painted a pretty good image of the world without going overboard (no major infodumps here!) Jordan did a wonderful job weaving Luna and Fowler’s story, and it took me a long time to write this review because I honestly have no words (especially after THAT ENDING).

The world-building overall was pretty good, but I think it could have been fleshed out a bit more. There were parts where I was a bit confused, and I guess that makes sense since Luna had never truly been Outside before, but I still would have liked a bit more explaining, especially in terms of the eclipse. I know Luna is blind so it does not really affect her that much (except for the dwellers) but how dark is it really? Is it just like a normal eclipse except it lasts “forever” instead of for a short period of time? Also, I know the characters were young when it happened, but I’m confused about how the eclipse started and why it lasts so long? Jordan hinted that a prolonged eclipse happened in the past, but I’m still a bit confused about how it works.

I absolutely LOVED the characters. Every single one of them (except maybe the ones trying to kill them, but you know). Luna and Fowler go through immense change throughout the story (especially Fowler) and it was amazing to see them affect each other so greatly and see how their outlooks on life changed. Luna and Fowler complemented each other so well and even though they had some bad qualities, deep down they were good people and I had to respect them for that.

THE ROMANCE, YOU GUYS. It started off as sort of a love/hate relationship but they slowly warmed up to each other and IT WAS PERFECTION. There was some initial unwanted attraction toward the beginning, but once they realized/started to realize their feelings for each other, just major WOW. Their romance was so adorable and lovable and ugh I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.

Since the ARC was less than 300 pages (and the finished form is only slightly over 300 pages), I think there is plenty of room to add a bit more info here and there, regarding the world or various other aspects that felt a bit underdeveloped. I also would have liked more romance because ROMANCE and that ending kind of killed me, sooooooooo… All in all, although the world-building could have been a bit stronger, the amazing characters and romance made the story absolutely wonderful to read. I highly highly recommend this new take on Rapunzel, especially if you are looking for a bit of a darker undertone to a classic fairytale that still has elements of a beautiful romance.

✪✪✪ 1/2

Double Life (Review)

Double Life by S. Usher Evans

Series: Razia #1

Genre: Sci-Fi

Format: eBook

About Double Life (via Goodreads):

Piracy is a game. How much are you worth?

Since she was a little girl, everyone - from her father to the Great Creator himself - told Lyssa Peate the same thing: she's worthless. But when she becomes the pirate bounty hunter Razia, she can see the price tag on her own head. Employed by one of the four pirate syndicates, she uses bank transactions and her considerable wits to capture rival members. At least, she would be if Razia's boss ever gave her a chance. It's a man’s world, and all she’s allowed to hunt are purse snatchers while she languishes on probation.

To pay the bills, she's stuck in her old life as Lyssa, discovering and analyzing distant planets and selling them for cash. She's doing just enough to stay out of trouble, pretending to be continuing her father's mysterious research while away for long periods of time. Her slimy boss is always asking questions and even assigns one of her younger brothers, Vel, to intern with her. Already struggling to keep the balance between her double lives, she tries everything to rid herself of the kid...

...until the universal police mistake Lyssa’s intern for Razia's hostage.

Lyssa Peate is living a double life. She juggles between selling planets as a Deep Space Explorer (DSE) and trying to hunt down intergalactic space pirates as Razia the Bounty Hunter, all while going through an identity crisis and dealing with her family that disowned her, her annoying younger brother who won't leave her alone, and Sage Teon, a guy from her past who just happens to show up whenever she's in trouble—whether she wants him to or not.

I immensely enjoyed Double Life. I've always been wary about sci-fi, but this one was a super fun and fast-paced space opera. For the most part, the characters were intriguing and lovable (I mean if I’m being honest, some were complete b*tches/a**holes). Even Lyssa had her faults. Although Lyssa could be annoying at times, she went through a transformation throughout the book, and it was incredible seeing her start to accept all aspects of herself and her past.

Speaking of Lyssa's past, it was really heartbreaking to read about. She felt so alone and powerless, and her family did nothing to help her—in fact they were the ones who catalyzed her uncertainty and hatred for herself. She is such a strong character, and even though she often overestimates her abilities, in many ways she also underestimates herself. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but in the sense of her double life, she overestimated her abilities as Razia and underestimated the power of Dr. Lyssa Peate. Although Razia often stuck her nose in situations she couldn't handle, this flaw added to the high-stakes storyline.

The plot was action-packed and so exhilarating. It was fascinating reading about Razia's mad talent for piecing together data and hunting pirates. Sometimes the data tracking scenes were a little confusing with all the graphics, but all in all the scenes were still fun to read.

The story was super creative. I never really thought space books could be so broad and unique, but I guess the possibilities are endless in space since so much is still left unexplored. The concept of Leveman's Vortex was INSANELY cool, like I still can't even contemplate how epic that part of the story was. Leveman's was a huge part of Lyssa's childhood and her father's career, but it was so interesting how their religion was centered around it as well. So often it seems to be science vs. religion, and even in this book it was like that, but it also kind of proved that it does not have to be one or the other.

Overall, Double Life was an extremely enjoyable read. It had a fantastic plot and unique concepts, as well as characters I absolutely loved. I am looking really forward to continuing the series and seeing Razia's story play out.

✪✪✪ 1/2

Guy in Real Life (Review)

Hi guys!! So I read Guy in Real Life back in January, but back then I didn't have a blog, so I never formally posted a review. I uploaded one to Goodreads at the time, but I figured I'd bring it to the blog since I just rediscovered this review and wanted to share it since I really enjoyed the book at the time. I will admit that my taste has changed over the past year, but I still think the book is worth a read.


Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Page Length: 386 pages
Format: Hardcover (purchased)
Date Read: December 28 - January 4

About Guy in Real Life (via Goodreads):

From the acclaimed author of Brooklyn, Burning comes Guy in Real Life, an achingly real and profoundly moving love story about two Minnesota teens whose lives become intertwined through school, role-playing games, and a chance two-a.m. bike accident.

It is Labor Day weekend in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and boy and girl collide on a dark street at two thirty in the morning: Lesh, who wears black, listens to metal, and plays MMOs; Svetlana, who embroiders her skirts, listens to Björk and Berlioz, and dungeon masters her own RPG. They should pick themselves up, continue on their way, and never talk to each other again.

But they don't.

This is a story of two people who do not belong in each other's lives, who find each other at a time when they desperately need someone who doesn't belong in their lives. A story of those moments when we act like people we aren't in order to figure out who we are. A story of the roles we all play-at school, at home, with our friends, and without our friends-and the one person who might show us what lies underneath it all.

A girl rides her bike and nearly runs over a drunk boy on the sidewalk. This is the way that Svetlana Allegheny and Lesh Tungsten meet. As their lives cross for the first time, they quickly depart from each other's lives, not realizing that their lives have been greatly changed by this encounter.

What initially made me want to read Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff was, I admit, the cover and title. Although it is minimalistic, the cover was intriguing without being loud. The next thing that drew me in was the front flap summary, naturally. Not only did it pique my interest in a general sense, but the summary also reminded me of a book I absolutely adored: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. I was not expecting a book quite like Rowell's, as she is one of my favorite authors, but Steve Brezenoff's novel does hold dear to my heart in its own way.

Brezenoff deftly weaved teenage humor and wit into the story. I laughed out loud so many times I could not keep track, often surprised by the guffaw that would suddenly burst forth from my mouth. (Luckily nobody was in the room at the time, and equally if not doubly lucky that I do not guffaw on a regular basis.) Growing up with an older brother, I can very much confirm the way Brezenoff describes Lesh's gaming schedule: very often and for very long periods of time.

To be completely honest, I was quite worried about the gaming scenes, however Brezenoff easily held onto my attention by writing the gaming scenes from the perspectives of the actual avatars within the game, fully immersing me into the world of MMOs and RPGs.

As far as the romance between Svetlana and Lesh, I greatly enjoyed how complex, real, and raw the emotions were. It was far from insta-love, which I am quite glad about, and the gradual buildup made it all the more enjoyable. Although at times I wanted to scream at the characters for their stupid decisions and behavior, I knew in my heart that it was only what real people would go through. For that, I have to give Steve Brezenoff credit. I believe he was extremely accurate in his character development and relationship development. Although at times, I was not quite sure how it would work out between Lesh and Svetlana, two very different characters, I could truly see how, as the front flap describes, "two people who do not belong in each other's lives, who find each other at a time when they desperately need someone who doesn't belong in their lives."

Despite many times where I felt my heart nearly getting wrenched out of my chest, the overall story was quite heartwarming. I believe the ending was a perfect ending to the book. It wasn't a true happily ever after, it definitely had it's fair share of bittersweet elements, but there was still hope by the end, and for me that was enough. I loved Lesh and Svetlana's journey throughout the pages of this novel, and by the end could see how they truly came out as better people in the end, through all the good and the bad, and with help from each other.