sexta-feira, 17 de fevereiro de 2017

Reading Diary | July 2016

This will be an update of all the books that I read on July of 2016, with links to reviews already posted on the blog or a small impression on the story.

Oh, July, why not all of my moths aren't like you? I read 17 books and 3 novellas, the stars aligned in a rare setting, combining my vacations + reading mood = a great reading month.

The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen
Published on June 16, 2015 by HarperTeen


- It was a good surprise to fins out that this book had Brazilian elements, since it isn't something I come across often, but pão de queijo isn't anything like cheese bread, mostly because is much better.
 - Also liked to discover new worlds from various languages.
 - but the story didn't really stood out for me, it was a bit more on the preachy and on the cliché side than I usually like so sometimes I felt like I was being educated on feminism, maybe for a younger target it would work better.
 - the multiple pov's didn't worked much for me either, the voices all sounded the same.




The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: The Fixer #1
Published on July 7, 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Children


I should have listened to the hype and read this book sooner, it was so good kind like scandal for teens and the ending had some serious VM season 2 finale feels. I can't wait for book 2, the stakes are so freaking high by the end of this. Also, I totally get that this book doesn't need a romance and all that, but pls I need more scenes from my shyp.

I also read The Fixer #2 this month and the book was fine, everything was the normal way on the Kendricks-Keyes clan, you know, as normal as they can get with these two names throw in the middle, but them some things really bad start to happen really fast and when I saw my heart was beating so fast even thought I was on my bed, without moving, because TENSION, SO MUCH TENSION, at each new twist my heart sank a little more, things get so bad and the scales are so freaking high, I couldn't even deal with it. Book three now please (yes, I'm a masochist). OH, AND ALSO WHEN I SAID I WANTED MORE OTP STUFF I DIDN'T MEAN THIS KIND OF STUFF! But I know we can get past this, right? RIGHT??????????




Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #4.5


This collection of short stories didn't really addded anything new for these characters or world, but as a fan of the series it was nice to read about some of my favorite characters again - def worth it to keep the saudade of this series at bay.











Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #6

I also read the #5 and two novellas of this series and I can't believe I finally finished the VA series, and I think this is the first series that I finished this year too so yay, me! I think this one was a step up from the last two, but it was really big, if these three last books weren't so intimidating I probably would have finished this series sooner. Also, it still bothers me why these books didn't had both Rose and Lisa's POV, since we spend so many time on Lisa's head through Rose.

I'll probably hold off a little on starting Bloodlines, mostly because I wish to finish some series first, but I really enjoyed Sydney on this one and I can't wait for more Adrian, and for him to have someone that doesn't give him so much shit as Rose.



Trouble Makes a Comeback by Stephanie Tromly
Series: Trouble #2
Published on November 22, 2016 by Kathy Dawson Books
[This book was given to me by the Publisher. This in no way affected my opinion.]


At this point I love this series so much, the only way I will cope with the wait until book 3 is re-reading the first 2. Some random thoughts because my feelings are still all over the place:

- OTP is gold and I finished this book with a silly smile on my face because of that.
- the love triangle was kind of dragged but honestly it didn't bothered me, it was pretty clear what was going to happen and I think it was necessary so Zoe could have a character development, realizing what she thought she wanted versus what she really wants in terms of friendship/romance.
- seeing Zoe and Sloane bound was the best thing, in the first one it was a thing that bothered that Zoe only hanged out with the boys and when she would talk with other girls there was always judgment and even slut-shamming. - the sort of misfits group is still going strong and I love them all to pieces.
- can someone please kill Bill (omg, kill bill, ok, stop), she is so annoying.
- book 3 now please, because those discoveries were like wow and now I have to wait more than a year probably and oh my god, why god why.

Play On by Michelle Smith
Series: Lewis Creek #1
Published on April 21, 2015 by Spencer Hill Press


This book saved a what would be a pretty bad day into a good day. - it started out seeming like a fluffy read but it ended up touching on a very meaningful way on depression
- specially liked the way it dealt with meds + psychotherapy; the hospitalization part really touched me, it's important to show that sometimes this is a necessary mesure and that we should not hide from it because of tabus or fear. It's never a issue book, but I did teared up at some points because there was some intense feelings, but for the most part it's a light and funny read, perfect to relax.
- the romance starts out as a kind of instalove/instacrush but since the book is basically the whole development of this relationship I'm cool with it, it was well done, Austin and Marisa banter put a silly smile on my face.
- oh also, this book managed to pull off some very cheese scenes/phrases and I didn't even rolled my eyes at it or started thinking that no one in real life would do/say that, that is a great accomplishment.
- please give me at least a novella about Jay and Brett relationship, pretty please.
- I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed the sport aspect of this novel, I'm not into baseball at all but I loved reading abou their sense of belonging in this group, and how they really are a family not only on the field and practices, but also supported each other at all times.
- I loved Austin, he just breaks so many stereotypes for like having feelings and owning it, I specially liked the fact that he actually cares about his grades, a lot of it is because of baseball of course, but he genuinely worries about it.
- also, this book totally gave me some One Tree Hill feelings.

Just Visiting by Dahlia Adler
Published on November 17, 2015 by Spencer Hill Contemporary

This book sits comfortably on the bridge between YA and NA, it's passes during senior year but it deals with NA problems like finding one self and it has a more mature tone I think, than YA usually has. I'm a very character driven reader so the strength of this story, for me, lies on both girls, Reagan and Victoria, they are so different from each other and from myself that it could be a con but it isn't, is easy to fall for them, this book awakened in me I feeling, I care about them so much and believe in them and I'll fiercely fight anyone that dare hurts them, fictional or not, they are such strong characters that it took me only a few chapters for me to get to this point. As I said, they are also very different and instead of these differences weakness their friendship, it strengthens it, of course there is ups and downs since they are 17 and finding themselves but they truly love each other and have such a fiercely loyalty, let's just say they gave a lot of feelings.

The romance also gave me a lot of feelings, good and bad, I was 100% aboard with the ship right from the first interaction of Rae and Dev, they have an amazing banter, and are so funny, and their chemistry like seriously, I don't care if it was basically instalove/crush, this is the way to do this and since I was so invested on them I obviously suffered because of things, let's just say there was crying involved. The families also gave me a lot of feelings, good and bad, basically this book made me a big mess of feelings, I laughed and I cried and it was amazing, you should definitely read it.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Published on May 19, 2015 by Del Rey

I really liked this book, it's a great stand alone fantasy, such a rare thing to find these days. I can see why some people think the start is slow, and I guess it's but I enjoyed it anyway, it's the part to understand this world and our main character. The romance was very shippy towards the end, but it took me a while to get there and it's probably the only thing I would change in this book, mostly because I want more.









All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Published on September 3, 2013 by Disney Hyperion


This was a really fast paced story, that gripped me right from the first chapter - the mystery is what made me keep engaged in this, at the start I didn't had a clue what was going on but the pieces go falling together as I went reading and it was conducted in a way that wasn't completely predictable. At first I thought the romance would be a central part of this story, and it's but it's also much more about friendship and the undying love this trio has for each other, than romantic love itself, the love triangle does play a big part through all the story and is a messy and emotional one, so if you don't like these stay away from this book, I think this part of the story was well handled, it's definitely one of the biggest emotional parts of the story.

That being said this book is short and with so many things going on with the mystery, I never really felt like I knew these characters that much, most of this is because we don't have the time with so much stuff going on, but I'm a very character driven reader and some of the emotional scenes could have been much more emotional if I was more invested on the characters. Also, notice that I shelf this as sci-fi in a very, very, very loose way, this barely mentions sci-fi elements, even thought the time travel is the central aspect of the story, it's used as a plot device really, the story this book has to tell is a emotional one, not one about how time travel works and it's effects on reality and other scientific things.

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
Series: The Great Library #1
Published on July 7, 2015 by NAL


Me and this book had a funny story, at the first 50% of it I was thinking I would be the black sheep between all those rave reviews, I couldn't connect with the characters and despite the amazing new world that this story was presenting me I couldn't read more than a few chapters per time. But them, around the 50% mark some *things* started to happen and wow, did I started to like this book, I finished it in one night, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and there was a lot of feelings towards this characters.

So what I did enjoyed was the unique world building, that is a mix of fantasy, distopia and even steampunk with its automatons, believe me when I tell you there is nothing like this out there, it borrows a lot of elements from know sagas (for me it remembered me of Harry Potter, The Hunger Games/The 100 on the distopia elements) and delivers them in a completely new, and magical, way.

The characters are also great once I get to know and care about them, the narrator is honestly the most boring one (sorry Jess), he couldn't fit the box of Gary Stu but is still very clearly one of the good guys, my favorites are Khalila, Dario and Wolfe obviously (please, more Wolfe on the next book, when I finished this one I was hoping Paper and Fire would have Wolfe's POV, even thought so far this is very much Jess' story, a girl can dream). But this characters really shine when they are together, they form a ragtag group and given the circumstances devolve a friendship and sense of loyalty with one another that is amazing.

Also, I know you may be burned of the YA distopia gender, just trust me when I say this is unique and trust the synopses when it says the Library is ruthless, given what happens in this installment I don't have a clue what is coming next because this institution isn't playing around, when there is a treat it eliminates, be prepare because this book isn't going to save your emotions (or favorite characters).

Despite having taken its time to turn into a page turner, I would recommend this one to readers of YA that enjoy these genders and/or was curious by the synopses, I think it's worth reading and seeing for yourself if it'll grow on you as it grew on me.

I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You
Series: Gallagher Girls #1
Published on April 25, 2006 by Hyperion Book CH


Ever since I read All Fall Down in 2014 it was clear that I would need to read her older, and more famous, series Gallagher Girls and it didn't disappointed me. It's fun, fast paced, spy mystery that I was hoping for, maybe with a bit more of romance than I expected but hey, I love having ships so it was cool. Definitely the kind of brain candy read that you want to have around to read after a tiring day.







Wanderlost by Jen Malone
Published on May 31, 2016 by HarperTeen


Reading this book was a delight, from start to finish it put a smile on my face. The European cities descriptions put on me a big wanderlust feeling, I never went to this places and I definitely need/hope to be able to one day; the seniors group grew on me in a way I was not expecting, there was some laughs and at one point at the ending, when a certain thing happened there were a few tears shed; the romance was shippy to the max, it was adorable how Sam and Abree would try to flirt but them something completely hilarious would always happen, it felt very much like me trying to flirt, they interactions were probably my favorite part of the story because there were a lot of feelings involved right from their first talk; Aubree grew a lot on me as a character, I was honestly hesitante at the start because someone that wouldn't think that a travel through Europe as the perfect summer didn't seemed like someone I would like at all, but she discovers a lot about herself during this trip and it was nice watching her grow more into herself. Overall perfect fluffy book is perfect, would highly recommend for those days when you want to curl up with a book and completely forget about real life problems.

I also GASPH! reviewed some of the books that I read in July, here they are: Ony (Lux #2), Opal (Lux #3), My Soul to Lose (Soul Screamers #0.5) and Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit.

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