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?