Words in Deep Blue (Review)

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Format: ARC (received from Penguin/First in Line)
Page Length: 273 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 6, 2017

About Words in Deep Blue (via Goodreads):

Love lives between the lines.

Years ago, Rachel had a crush on Henry Jones. The day before she moved away, she tucked a love letter into his favorite book in his family’s bookshop. She waited. But Henry never came.

Now Rachel has returned to the city—and to the bookshop—to work alongside the boy she’d rather not see, if at all possible, for the rest of her life. But Rachel needs the distraction, and the escape. Her brother drowned months ago, and she can’t feel anything anymore. She can’t see her future.

Henry’s future isn’t looking too promising, either. His girlfriend dumped him. The bookstore is slipping away. And his family is breaking apart.

As Henry and Rachel work side by side—surrounded by books, watching love stories unfold, exchanging letters between the pages—they find hope in each other. Because life may be uncontrollable, even unbearable sometimes. But it’s possible that words, and love, and second chances are enough.

Words cannot describe my love for Words in Deep Blue. While the synopsis did express that there was tragedy in Rachel's life, I had not anticipated how much this book would DESTROY me. There was definitely an adorable romance in there that I loved, but I was also a sobbing mess for most of the book as well.

The way the story blended those two aspects was unlike anything I've read before. Typically in books, I've seen a sort of savior narrative where the love interest comes in and rescues the other from all the problems or thinks they could have been the one to save them, but this story wasn't like that all. In fact, I got to see that there were moments of vulnerability in all the characters (not just Rachel and Henry), and while they each supported each other, they weren't simply able to wash all the pain and hardships away.

While I've probably said this a million times before in the past, I love character-driven stories. This was one of them, and the author went above and beyond my expectations. Crowley put so much detail into building each and every character, major and minor, weaving their narratives together and creating believable and lovable people who each had their own developments and problems to overcome.

I don't want to go too much into the plot or romance for fear of spoiling (and if I'm being honest, I'm also writing this review several weeks after finishing so some of the details are a bit blurry), but I absolutely loved all aspects of this book. It's way too hard for me to articulate how wonderful this book was, and this review definitely does not give it justice, but please give it a try because it definitely surprised me in the best of ways and it's a new favorite of mine.

My rating: 4.5 stars

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

Mini Reviews: The Serpent King and Symptoms of Being Human ~ Apparently Guys Named Jeff Really Know How to Break My Feels

The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary
Format: eBook
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

About The Serpent King (via Goodreads):

Dill has had to wrestle with vipers his whole life—at home, as the only son of a Pentecostal minister who urges him to handle poisonous rattlesnakes, and at school, where he faces down bullies who target him for his father’s extreme faith and very public fall from grace.

He and his fellow outcast friends must try to make it through their senior year of high school without letting the small-town culture destroy their creative spirits and sense of self. Graduation will lead to new beginnings for Lydia, whose edgy fashion blog is her ticket out of their rural Tennessee town. And Travis is content where he is thanks to his obsession with an epic book series and the fangirl turning his reality into real-life fantasy.

Their diverging paths could mean the end of their friendship. But not before Dill confronts his dark legacy to attempt to find a way into the light of a future worth living.

I honestly wasn't expecting to like The Serpent King, despite all the rave reviews, but it quickly grew to become one of the most wonderful and rawest books I've ever read. This book slithered into my heart (pun intended) and shattered my soul a million times. It hurt to read, and I was a sobbing mess for probably half the book (pretty sure I used up a whole tissue box sobbing over this book), but it was so so so worth it.

The characters were INCREDIBLE. All of them were so unique, but also so ordinary and relatable (even though that probably sounds really contradictory). As the plot thickened and things grew worse and worse for them, my heart constricted and twisted more than it ever had before. Because I connected to them on such a deep level without even realizing it.

The plot was like nothing I've ever read, and Zentner's storytelling was captivating, painful, and beautiful all at once. Although it took several chapters to get into the story, once I did I was hooked for good. I could not stop reading, and stayed up extremely late to finish it.

It's really hard to capture the brilliance of The Serpent King. It's also really hard to explain the plot without going into the spoiler zone, but the story was extremely well done and the characters really went through a beautiful metamorphosis that cannot be ignored. Even if you're uncertain about The Serpent King, I really suggest giving it a try. It blew me away in ways I couldn't have fathomed.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin
Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary/LGBTQIA+
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

About Symptoms of Being Human (via Goodreads):

The first thing you’re going to want to know about me is: Am I a boy, or am I a girl?

Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. The thing is…Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in uber-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.

On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley’s real identity, threatening exposure. Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.

Symptoms of Being Human was like nothing I'd ever read before, but I am so glad I picked it up. It was such an eye-opening and heart-shattering story; it really exposed me to things I knew next to nothing about before. I knew there can be a lot of unnecessary hate toward the LGBTQIA+ community, but I never truly realized the horrors that many of them have to face until I read this book. And it's devastating.

Riley's story was inspirational. Even though I can't truly fathom the scope of what Riley goes through, it was amazing seeing Riley grow and flourish as a character, as well as work up the nerve to finally come out (even if the circumstances weren't the best).

I also appreciated how even though there was so much hate, there was so so so so so much more love. Riley's identity may have shaken the worlds of those closest to Riley, but Riley also had so much support, not only online, but also in Riley's everyday life. There was still plenty of confusion and misunderstanding, but there was still an abundance of acceptance nonetheless. Baby steps in the right direction.

I myself still have a lot to learn about the LGBTQIA+ community, but reading in-depth about the horrors Riley (and others like Riley) had to face caused me to be a complete emotional wreck. It was absolutely terrifying and awful. Nobody, and I truly mean NOBODY, should have to deal with these horrifying, mind-numbingly awful things. Every person is still a human being, and each and every person deserves to be treated that way.

Symptoms of Being Human was an extremely important story that needed to be told. I knew I wanted to read it the minute I heard about it, and it did not disappoint. It was such an informative and heart-warming (as well as heart-wrenching) book, and I highly recommend people read it.

My rating: 4 stars

A Darker Shade of Magic (Review)

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Series: Shades of Magic #1
Genre: Fantasy
Page Length: 416 pages
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Tor Books

About A Darker Shade of Magic (via Goodreads):

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—trickier than they hoped.

There are a million things I can say about this book, so it's hard to find a way to articulate my thoughts. So let me just start with this: WOW. A Darker Shade of Magic is like no other book I've ever read. Granted I don't read much adult fantasy, but either way, this book is extremely special. From the characters to the worlds to the magic systems in those worlds and everything in between, Schwab did not fail to captivate me.

Every single character and aspect of the worlds Schwab created were unique and special and intriguing and wondrous and I'm sorry for just throwing around synonyms for the words "amazing" and "special" but the worlds of A Darker Shade of Magic and the characters that dwell in it are truly incredible and I don't even know how to put it into words. I can just tell Schwab put so much effort into the little details because each character and place, no matter how big or small, had his/her/its very own personality and not a single one blended with another or was forgotten to me. Overall, the cast of characters in A Darker Shade of Magic is probably one of my favorite (if not my #1 favorite) cast of characters out there.

I absolutely ADORED Kell. I know he's flawed and makes mistakes and all that jazz, but he proved Holland wrong and owns up to his mistakes, fixes them, and becomes stronger and braver along the way.

Lila was a glorious heroine as well. She's brave, bold, and sassy. I loved seeing her interact with all the different characters, and I respected her for not letting anyone stand in the way of her dreams.

I even liked the villains, and I rarely ever like villains. Perhaps I don't like them in the way I liked Kell, Lila, Rhy, and the "good guys", but I was definitely intrigued by them. Even though I hated what the villains did to the beloved heroes, I respected them as characters. They were twisted, but they had every reason to be. I understood where they were coming from with their actions, and that says a lot about Schwab as a writer. If an author can make me feel for both the heroes and the villains, she's done a fantastic job.

Schwab did this and more with all her characters, especially with Holland. Although I didn't find out as much about Holland throughout the book as I would have liked to, I still liked him because based on what I did know about his past, he wasn't so much an evil character as he was a tortured soul who didn't really have a choice.

I touched briefly on the worlds in the novel, but I'd like to say a bit more about them. I know parallel universe stories existed before, but A Darker Shade of Magic really sets a high standard for those that follow. The distinctness of each of the Londons, even with the simplest thing like the difference in smells, captured my attention and drew me in. I was captivated by the intricacies of each London and their different languages, rulers, behaviors, and just everything.

The plot could be a tiny bit slow at times, but overall, A Darker Shade of Magic was a delight to read. Everything about it was so focused and detailed, allowing me to fully immerse myself into each London and go on a wild adventure with Kell and Lila. I can't wait to see what's in store for them next!

Rating: 4.5 stars

Blog Tour - Never Stop Falling (REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!)

Never Stop Falling by Ashley Drew

Publication date: March 1, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

About Never Stop Falling: She didn’t expect to fall for her best friend.

He was always waiting to catch her.

Corinne Bennett lives in the moment. Whether she’s skydiving out of an airplane, or setting off on the road to anywhere, she’s ready to dive into the next adventure. That is, if best friend and always-by-the-book Nicholas Kelley doesn’t put his foot down on her wild stunts first.

When Corinne gives in to her growing feelings for Nicholas the summer before their freshman year of college, she takes the ultimate risk, making this one adventure he has longed to explore with her.

But the moment they take that irrevocable leap, a shocking revelation blindsides Corinne, exposing her vulnerabilities, baring her fears, and shattering her beliefs about love. With their future—and most importantly, their friendship—now clouded in doubt, she must decide if love is really worth the risk.

Because when it comes to love, you never stop falling.

I adored this book more than should be humanly possible. The characters, the relationships, the romance, the story… I just adored everything about this book.

Okay, so maybe I didn't agree with the fact that Cori and Nick were engaged to other people and stuff still happened between them anyway, but I couldn't help but ache for them when their relationship became rocky. Especially because I got to see them together before they even met their fiancées, and I loved them so much. It was heartbreaking to see things fall apart between them, so I couldn't help but want them to be together together when they were finally reunited. They were meant to be together. As much as I am a logical person, I do have a romantic's heart, and I just wanted them to have the Happily Ever After they deserved.

The characters were so real. I know that might not sound like some major feat, but I've rarely felt as connected to characters as I was with the ones in Never Stop Falling. I laughed with them, I screamed at them, I cried for them. It was a roller-coaster of emotions, but it was all so worth it. Seeing Cori and Nick transform and realize who they are and where they are meant to be—it was something else. Even at 24, they still had a lot of growing up to do. And I was so proud to watch them flourish into wonderful human beings and stop letting their mistakes hold them back. They overcame so many obstacles throughout the book, and eventually faced their fears head on.

Ashley Drew's writing was absolutely lovely. Every word seemed to hold a deeper meaning in the grand scheme of things, and I loved putting the puzzle pieces together along the way. Her writing was easy to follow, while also being eloquent and beautiful. The story was so sweet and heartfelt, but also held so much more meaning than a simple love story.

I sped through Never Stop Falling in less than a day. It captured my attention from the start, and may have stolen a piece of my heart along the way. I wasn't sure what to expect when I decided to pick this book up, but it defied all my expectations and was a joy to read.

Rating: 4.5 stars

About the Author:

A San Francisco Bay Area native, Ashley Drew currently lives in Los Angeles. When she’s not going cross-eyed after writing for five hours straight, or burying her nose in a book, you’ll find her sprawled on her couch watching General Hospital, having alien conspiracy discussions with her husband over a bottle of bubbly, and dancing to Taylor Swift’s 1989 album with her daughter.

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