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Reviews: The Heart is Improvisational by Various and Depression & Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim

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theheartisimprovisationalThe Heart is Improvisational by Various

My Rating: 3/5 TARDISes

Series: Standalone

Date Published: September 1st, 2017

Publisher: Guernica Editions

Pages: 130 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Poets attribute an array of roles and capacities to the involuntary muscle. The heart becomes a repository of erotic and familial love, and a sanctuary for memory. The poets explore the flux of the heart’s responses and instigations: the heart’s tender overtures, its joyous pulse, its mating call for the other, its changeable temperament, its final tick in freeze-frame. Among the poets featured: Kenneth Sherman, Lorna Crozier, Marilyn Bowering, Roo Borson, Patrick Lane, Charles Bukowski, Eugénio de Andrade, John Barton, Robyn Sarah, and Mary di Michele.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a poetry collection featuring works from a wide variety of authors, all giving their unique perspectives on the most important part of human life—the heart. It was an extremely hit or miss collection for me, and I found it very hard to get into. In general, I tended to prefer the poems that focused on the less tangible, more emotional views of the heart, rather than the technical and clinical depictions. To me, the poems that spoke from essentially a medical perspective felt like reading a biology textbook—albeit a lyrical one—rather than a poetry collection.

All of the writers who contributed are extremely talented; all of the writing was strong and skilled. In my opinion, however, the flow of the writing—both individually and as a whole—was definitely broken up by the ones that focused more on fact than feeling. Of course, not all poetry needs to be abstract and romantic. The freedom to be whatever the writer wants it to be is one of the reasons why this is such a wonderful vehicle for creativity and expression. But for me, I think I just prefer poems that creatively expand on the emotional rather than the physical.

3.0 TARDISes

depressionandothermagictricksDepression & Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim

My Rating: 3/5 TARDISes

Series: Standalone

Date Published: August 22nd, 2017

Publisher: Button Poetry

Pages: 80 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Depression & Other Magic Tricks is the debut book by Sabrina Benaim, one of the most-viewed performance poets of all time, whose poem “Explaining My Depression to My Mother” has become a cultural phenomenon with over 5,000,000 views.

Depression & Other Magic Tricks explores themes of mental health, love, and family. It is a documentation of struggle and triumph, a celebration of daily life and of living. Benaim’s wit, empathy, and gift for language produce a work of endless wonder.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This collection was all right, but I found it to be just a bit disappointing. I had heard a little bit about Sabrina Benaim prior to picking this up, so I was quite eager to experience her work. However, though I did enjoy it to some extent, this collection wasn’t quite as good I was expecting it to be. The poems themselves were quality—Benaim has quite a talent for expressing herself in a vivid way, and speaks intelligently on many subjects that can be difficult to fully comprehend. However, while I did enjoy this collection, it did not click with me in the way I would have liked. Her writing style did not flow overly well for me so I never quite got fully into it.

I thought Benaim’s way of tapping into and clearly conveying her feelings was very good, and it was easy to connect to her and feel her emotions on a deep level. Despite my feelings on the collection overall, I could definitely see how raw and poignant her words were. These poems deal with many of Benaim’s personal experiences in her life so far, and sheds some light on her experience with depression—a great way to help open minds on the subject of mental illness. I wish I had enjoyed it a bit more, but overall, I think this is a beautiful collection that many readers will love and relate to.

3.0 TARDISes

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Down the TBR Hole #3

Posted in Down the TBR Hole by

downthetbrhole

This was created by Lia from Lost in a Story. I’m going to attempt to do this post every week as the rules say, but since I have such a massive TBR, I’m going to be picking out 20 books instead of 10. So, let’s see how this goes!

The Rules:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

Current “To Read” Shelf: 1416

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eveEve by Anna Carey

This is another book I won through a writing contest years ago, however, I do still have an interest in it. I have a thing for stories with deadly viruses…is that weird? 😛

Judgment: KEEP

roomRoom by Emma Donoghue

Oh yes, definitely keeping this on the list. I have been meaning to read this for so long now, and I really want to see the film as well. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to pick this up soon.

Judgment: KEEP

ultravioletUltraviolet by R.J. Anderson

I’ve had this sitting on my Kindle for years and I’ve never gotten around to it. It still sounds incredibly mysterious and intriguing to me though, so I definitely want to keep this on my TBR. I really want to find out what it’s about!

Judgment: KEEP

annandthefrenchkissAnna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I am tentatively keeping this on my TBR for now. I’ve tried to start this novel twice and haven’t been able to get into it, and it also isn’t the typical type of book I like to read. However, I’ve heard so many good things about it—plus I need some more cheerful reads on my list—so I will probably try again some day.

Judgment: KEEP

thehandmaidstaleThe Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Another definite keeper for the TBR. I honestly can’t believe this is still sitting in my unread book pile! It’s one that I’m going to try to read this year if possible.

Judgment: KEEP

butilovehimBut I Love Him by Amanda Grace

It’s been hard to make a decision about this one because I have heard that it is a very good book. I will admit, this is one of those novels that did just generally appeal to me much more when I was in my teens. I still have a bit of interest in it and it is on a very important topic. But I’ve also been trying to be extra cautious about reading potentially triggering novels due to my personal state of mind currently. Therefore, I’m going to put this aside for now.

Judgment: GO

aliferevealedA Life Revealed by Suzi Katz

I’m not sure why I still have this one on my TBR. I remember the synopsis sounding pretty interesting (I like witness protection program-type mystery novels), but all the reviews I’ve ever read about it make it sound sort of confusing…and bad. Basically, I think there is clearly a reason I have put this off for so many years—and at the moment, I have no problem with continuing to put it off.

Judgment: GO

twentyboysummerTwenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

Nah, this one’s just never going to happen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure this is a great novel—I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things about it. But contemporary romance is not my genre in the first place, and I wasn’t particularly certain I wanted to read it back when I added it years ago.

Judgment: GO

shrinkingvioletShrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph

Okay, so this is one I am removing from my TBR but am going to keep in consideration. This story sounds absolutely adorable and like it would be very light and fun. But I haven’t gotten around to reading it for so many years, and it is another novel that feels a bit young for me, so I’m putting it aside for now.

Judgment: GO

deadlycoolDeadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

Once again, this sounded a lot more interesting to me back when I was in my teens. There are elements that seem intriguing and unique, but I think it is mostly going to be the typical type of storyline meant for a much younger audience.

Judgment: GO

memoirsofateenageamnesiacMemoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

I’m a little bit sad about this one and the fact that it just doesn’t catch my attention anymore. I have read a number of Gabrielle Zevin’s novels and absolutely loved all of them. However, it has been so long since I found this one that it is just another story that sounds a bit too young for me and my tastes now.

Judgment: GO

thefutureofusThe Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

I was so excited about this when it was first released, and I couldn’t wait to pick it up…and then I never did. The whole idea for the plot is good, but between my lack of curiosity and the lukewarm reviews, I don’t think I’ll be reading this one.

Judgment: GO

theironkingThe Iron King by Julie Kagawa

I remember there was a ton of hype surrounding this series for a while, and a number of my friends had spoken about it. I was somewhat interested in it at the time, but it isn’t something that really appeals to me quite as much anymore. So, at least for now, I’m going to remove it.

Judgment: GO

unlovableUnlovable by Sherry Gammon

Hmm…this one. I’m not really sure what to say about this one. It’s a book that I have had on my Kindle for so long, and I remember picking it out, but I swear it sounded like a different story then than it does when I read the synopsis now. I’m not too sure about it at this point, so I’m removing it for now but keeping it in my mind given all the wonderful reviews.

Judgment: GO

thebodyfinderThe Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Picked up a copy of this one so long ago I can’t even remember when it was, but I am still just as interested in reading it as I was back then. This book—and series as a whole—sounds like a really fast-paced, fun mystery/paranormal story, and I think it will make for a nice light read. I’m actually hoping to pick this one up this year.

Judgment: KEEP

clarityClarity by Kim Harrington

I’m definitely getting a bit repetitive now, but this is another one that appealed to me more when I was younger. It actually sounds a lot like Deadly Cool, so I’m sort of disinterested in the plot for similar reasons. This is one that I will still keep in mind though.

Judgment: GO

flowersforalgernonFlowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Of course, of course, of course! …OF COURSE! …Need I say more? 😀 Priority read for the year!

Judgment: KEEP

itskindofafunnystoryIt’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

Wait! Wait! Before you freak out at me about this decision, I have reasons, I promise! I am still incredibly interested in reading this novel. But, as I mentioned a bit earlier, I am trying to be more conscious of my personal mental health lately, which has not been in the best state. It has recently been making reading certain novels harder, particularly those featuring anything that relates too closely to what I’m going through, and this is one that just seems like it would be best to put aside for a little while.

Judgment: GO

themanwhomistookhiswifeforahatThe Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks

Any Oliver Sacks book on my TBR is a definite keeper! I’ve been meaning to read his work for so long now, and I’ve final picked up copies of a few of his novels recently. I’m eager to start reading them over the next few months!

Judgment: KEEP

willgraysonwillgraysonWill Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

This may be another sort of controversial choice, but I have a reason for this one as well! I am still very interested in this story, so this is most likely not a permanent removal. However, I have not read a single John Green or David Levithan novel, and I have decided to only keep the few individual works I am most interested in by them for now, and begin there to see if I like their work in the first place. If all goes well, this will return!

Judgment: GO

Getting Rid Of: 12/20

TBR Total: 1404

Well, this ended up being MUCH more productive than last time! I’m having so much fun doing these posts—I’m so glad I started them. And I hope you all have been enjoying them so far as well. Plenty more to come!

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Review: What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee

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whatileavebehindWhat I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee

My Rating: 3/5 TARDISes

Series: Standalone

Date Published: May 15th, 2018

Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Pages: 208 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: After his dad commits suicide, Will tries to overcome his own misery by secretly helping the people around him in this story made up of one hundred chapters of one hundred words each.

Sixteen-year-old Will spends most of his days the same way: Working at the Dollar Only store, trying to replicate his late father’s famous cornbread recipe, and walking the streets of Los Angeles. Will started walking after his father committed suicide, and three years later he hasn’t stopped. But there are some places Will can’t walk by: The blessings store with the chest of 100 Chinese blessings in the back, the bridge on Fourth Street where his father died, and his childhood friend Playa’s house.

When Will learns Playa was raped at a party—a party he was at, where he saw Playa, and where he believes he could have stopped the worst from happening if he hadn’t left early—it spurs Will to stop being complacent in his own sadness and do some good in the world. He begins to leave small gifts for everyone in his life, from Superman the homeless guy he passes on his way to work, to the Little Butterfly Dude he walks by on the way home, to Playa herself. And it is through those acts of kindness that Will is finally able to push past his own trauma and truly begin to live his life again. Oh, and discover the truth about that cornbread.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a spoiler-free review.

I desperately wanted to love this book, and thought that I would, but I ended up feeling pretty lukewarm about it overall. Don’t get me wrong, what is contained in these pages is absolutely beautiful—there are so many touching moments between the very endearing characters. Every page made me fall more and more in love with every single aspect of the narrative—but then it just stopped. I was simply left wanting so much more out of it, and an expansion of the captivating plot and characters.

In this novel, we follow a sixteen-year-old boy named Will, who is attempting to deal with and process his emotions that resulted from his father’s suicide. His days have become repetitive, going from working at the Dollar Only store, walking all over the streets of his neighborhood in Los Angeles, and desperately trying—to no avail—to replicate his father’s famous cornbread recipe.

However, there are certain ties to his father that he cannot seem to face, particularly the blessings store that contains the chest of one-hundred Chinese blessings, his old best friend Playa’s house, and the Fourth Street bridge. After learning the Playa was raped at a party he had attended but left early, he shakes himself out of the sadness that has been controlling his every move.

Wanting to spread some happiness and make a positive impact in the world, he starts to leave small presents for many of the important people in his life: The Little Butterfly Dude, a child he passes on his way home every day; Superman, the homeless man who lives on a street he travels on as he walks to work; and Playa. Through these anonymous acts of kindness and selflessness, he finds that he is able to cope with his own suffering, and continue on with his life in a way that would make his father incredibly proud.

The format that this story is written in is wonderfully unique and adds to the poignancy of the narrative itself. Told in small sections and few words—one-hundred pages, each containing one-hundred words—the style felt so meaningful. On top of this, the writing is lovely and flows incredibly well. McGhee shows a huge amount of talent for creating a well-written and vividly emotional narrative. It is clear that every part of it is meticulously crafted.

Honestly, my main complaint—really my only complaint—is that this story is far too short, and deserved so much more time. The length and format is inventive; however it is nowhere near enough to take this story to the levels it should have gone. Everything about this novel is deeply touching and just plain gorgeous. I adored every second I spent in this world and with these characters.

I not only craved more, I also unfortunately felt like there really should have been more. The brevity of the narrative adds to the depth, but it ended up being a bit too brief, finishing quite abruptly. Though I clearly enjoyed it, I was left feeling unsatisfied. I wanted so badly to spend more time with these characters—to get to know them better. I wish McGhee would have kept that short vignette format, but extended the length of the novel itself, and delved further into the relationships, intense emotions, and Will’s recovery process.

I cannot fully express how beautiful and optimistic this novel is—the world needs more of this positivity and urging to spread kindness. Though it needed more to it, it was such a sweet story, and I do highly recommend giving it a read.

3.0 TARDISes

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Down the TBR Hole #2

Posted in Down the TBR Hole by

downthetbrhole

This was created by Lia from Lost in a Story. I’m going to attempt to do this post every week as the rules say, but since I have such a massive TBR, I’m going to be picking out 20 books instead of 10. So, let’s see how this goes! I’ll actually be putting out two this week since this one went so poorly.

The Rules:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

Current “To Read” Shelf: 1414

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bossypantsBossypants by Tina Fey

Yes, definitely still interested in reading this one—I love Tina Fey. Actually, I would really like to listen to this on audiobook since she narrates it!

Judgment: KEEP

allyougetismeAll You Get Is Me by Yvonne Prinz

As I mentioned in the last post, I used to write on a writing website run by HarperTeen called Inkpop, and this was one of the many books I won through writing contests. I was still in my teens when I got this, and honestly this does seem a bit young for me now, but it also sounds interesting enough that I’d be willing to give it a go.

Judgment: KEEP

thelyinggameThe Lying Game by Sara Shepard

I just read my first Sara Shepard novel a few weeks ago (The Elizas) and I really enjoyed it. I do want to read more of her work and this is the one that appeals to me the most.

Judgment: KEEP

fahrenheit451Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

One of the classics I want to read the most, so this must stay on my list! I read and loved Something Wicked This Way Comes back in high school and have been dying to read more Bradbury since then.

Judgment: KEEP

asiwakeAs I Wake by Elizabeth Scott

I have loved all the books I’ve read by Elizabeth Scott, but I’ve been a bit wary about this one. It has a really interesting sounding plot and features an unreliable narrator, which I love. But I have also read a ton of poor reviews for it. I’ll hang onto it for now though and give it a try.

Judgment: KEEP

sarahskeySarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

This was recommended to me years ago by both my grandma and my mom, who absolutely adored it. It still sounds like a wonderful novel, and I’ve been looking to start reading more historical fiction novels lately.

Judgment: KEEP

herewegoagainHere We Go Again: My Life in Television by Betty White

I’ve always absolutely adored Betty White! I read one of her autobiographies a few years back and loved it. She is a fantastic writer, absolutely hilarious, and she has had such an interesting life. I can’t wait to read more about her.

Judgment: KEEP

thetaleofdespereauxThe Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

This was so popular among all my friends back in elementary/middle school, but for some reason I never got around to picking it up. It has always sounded like an absolutely adorable story, so I definitely still want to read it.

Judgment: KEEP

peterpanPeter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Of course I want to keep this one! This is high priority on my classics reading list, and I just got a beautiful copy this past Christmas!

Judgment: KEEP

sweetevilSweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Definitely not the type of book that I would ever go for, but Wendy was a fellow writer on Inkpop back in the day. I really want to read this and support her work, and I have heard a ton of really good things about this series as well, so I’m certainly still interested.

Judgment: KEEP

theendofeverythingThe End of Everything by Megan Abbott

I forget how I found this one, but I added it years ago. The reviews I’ve read of it have been very mixed, many of them leaning more toward the negative side. Still, I’ve been wanting to read more mystery/crime novels lately, so I’m willing to give this one a go.

Judgment: KEEP

hatelistHate List by Jennifer Brown

This was a very topical book back when I added it to my list years ago and it is sadly even more topical now. I think this is going to be an extremely tough and emotional read, but I am still up for giving it a try.

Judgment: KEEP

iamthemessengerI Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

I definitely want to read this book, and hopefully soon! I read The Book Thief last year and utterly adored it. I will read absolutely anything by Zusak!

Judgment: KEEP

thesamuraisgardenThe Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama

I’ve had this on my TBR for quite a long time and, unfortunately, it doesn’t really pique my interest quite as much anymore. Maybe I’ll come back to it some day, but for now I’m going to take it off.

Judgment: GO

birdbybirdBird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

My mom recommended this to me ages ago, and since then, a number of my writing buddies have as well. I’ve been really wanting to read some more non-fiction books about the writing process as I work on my own projects. I think this will be an interesting read.

Judgment: KEEP

clockworkangelClockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

I purchased a copy of this before I figured out the best order for Cassandra Clare’s novels. Though it feels like a very daunting task, I am planning on trying to dive into the world of the Shadowhunters fairly soon, so this will stay until then.

Judgment: KEEP

theclearingThe Clearing by Heather Davis

This sounds like an incredibly sweet and heartbreaking story, and I absolutely love novels about people from two different time periods connecting in some way. I added this a long time ago and it still sounds just as interesting as it did then!

Judgment: KEEP

onwritingOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

A definite must-read for me! Aside from my rule that absolutely all things Stephen King will remain on this list, as an aspiring author, I think this will be a wonderful and incredibly insightful read. Thanks goes to my dad for recommending this to me!

Judgment: KEEP

theprincessbrideThe Princess Bride by William Goldman

This is a no-brainer: DEFINITELY keep! Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve absolutely adored the movie, and I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without reading the book! I’m hoping I’ll have a chance to read it this year.

Judgment: KEEP

freakonomicsFreakonomics by Stephen D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

This is not the typical novel that I would read, but it has actually always sounded really interesting. My art teacher recommended this to me back in school, and I’ve always heard a bunch of great things about it since, so I definitely want to read it.

Judgment: KEEP

Getting Rid Of: 1/20

TBR Total: 1413

Well, that was a bit of a fail! But like I said, I’ll be posting an extra one this week and hopefully that will be a bit more productive!

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Review: The Elizas by Sara Shepard

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theelizasThe Elizas by Sara Shepard

My Rating: 3.5/5 TARDISes

Series: Standalone

Date Published: April 17th, 2018

Publisher: Atria Books

Pages: 352 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: When debut novelist Eliza Fontaine is found at the bottom of a hotel pool, her family at first assumes that it’s just another failed suicide attempt. But Eliza swears she was pushed, and her rescuer is the only witness. 

Desperate to find out who attacked her, Eliza takes it upon herself to investigate. But as the publication date for her novel draws closer, Eliza finds more questions than answers. Like why are her editor, agent, and family mixing up events from her novel with events from her life? Her novel is completely fictional, isn’t it? 

The deeper Eliza goes into her investigation while struggling with memory loss, the closer her life starts to resemble her novel until the line between reality and fiction starts to blur and she can no longer tell where her protagonist’s life ends and hers begins.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a spoiler-free review.

Though I’ve known about her work for years, this is the first novel by Sara Shepard that I’ve ever read—and I ended up being pleasantly surprised by this particular story. It is a pretty solid young adult thriller. Being quite a huge fan of suspenseful mysteries—particularly any type with unreliable or biased narrators—this caught my attention immediately. I am much more used to reading adult psychological thrillers, and this is not quite on par with the plot structure and intensity of many of those. As it is a young adult novel, it is a bit less complex and much lighter, so it’s important to note that going in. However, The Elizas is an entertaining and heart-pounding story that is sure to hook its intended audience.

In this novel, we follow a young woman named Eliza Fontaine, a debut novelist whose book release date is rapidly approaching. But life takes a strange turn when she is pulled from the bottom of a hotel pool. Her family believes it to be just another suicide attempt—she insists it was an attempted murder. With only one person on her side, and what seems like the whole world trying to convince her she’s just insane, Eliza must investigate the attack herself.

However, as she struggles to regain lost memories, every avenue she explores only ends up raising even more questions. And suddenly, her novel is starting to sound less like a story and more like her life. Told in chapters that alternate between Eliza’s point of view and excerpts from her book, The Dots, the parallels become undeniable, and the line between reality and fiction becomes increasingly blurry.

I’ll admit, it took me quite some time to fully immerse myself in this novel. The first half of Eliza’s story plays out very slowly, and is often times extremely repetitive. This makes sense in the grand scheme of things, since we are primarily dealing with her attempting to regain memories she cannot seem to unlock. But I still feel that her plotline is in need of more events—however small—to help us become more invested in her as a character. For awhile, I found myself being much more interested in the excerpts from The Dots instead of the main storyline, though both are equally important.

The narrative came across as a bit choppy to me in the beginning—it feels like things are repeating and going nowhere, there is a sudden heightening of the tension, and then we are back to the same circumstances. This is obviously congruent with the situation of someone dealing with memory loss, so I completely understand the effect that Shepard is going for. However, I do wish there had been a tiny bit more added to Eliza’s experiences, just to gradually pull the reader deeper into her life throughout the novel as a whole.

Unreliable narrators are, by nature, inconsistent, and always add a good amount of confusion into the process of getting to know who they are, as well as what is truly going on. Eliza is especially unpredictable all the way through—but at the start, her personality comes across like Shepard can’t decide what to do with her instead of what might be naturally erratic for her mental state. In general, though, I do think Shepard really captures and deals with all the physical and mental health aspects of this novel clearly and believably.

Even with the initial lagging of the main plotline, Shepard manages to build quite a lot of suspense in both stories. She sprinkles just enough intrigue into most of the early chapters, and I was always at least a little curious to find out what would happen next. The switching between Eliza’s point of view and the excerpts from The Dots added a great deal to the tension building up as things progressed. And, despite it being a little rocky at first, I did consistently become more and more hooked.

That second half though—oh boy. I was absolutely riveted to every page. Every aspect of the story escalates so quickly, and even though I had predicted some of the ending, it still had me on the edge of my seat. For me, Shepard ended in the strongest way possible—she made every last bit pack a punch, and threw in a few surprisingly powerful twists. Though it is not hard to guess most of what is going on and roughly how things will shake out, there are plenty of details that you most likely will not see coming. That, coupled with the strength of the overall reveal, truly enriches the novel as a whole.

Shepard also does a relatively good job with her character creation. They are all very clearly described and, aside from Eliza, have static personalities the whole way through. This means that not all of the characters are very multi-dimensional, but they are still depicted well and fit very nicely into the plot. Eliza is definitely a dynamic character—our view of her is constantly changing and building until everything is fully revealed in the end. And the majority of the relationships between Eliza and the others are highly realistic and comprehensible.

The one element that I never got fully on board with was the romance. In the first place, it was a severe case of insta-love. When they first meet, Eliza goes from describing him like he is sort of gross and creepy to abruptly feeling incredibly turned on basically by her sudden thought of them having sex. Over the short time they initially spend together, she goes back to showing little interest in him, while he is awkwardly proclaiming his undying love for her. And voila, they are now a couple. Though their relationship was sweeter toward the end, I spent most of it trying to comprehend how it happened, while occasionally feeling mildly disturbed.

I found Shepard’s writing style to be fairly strong. It didn’t particularly stand out or completely captivate me, but it flows well for the narrative she weaves and is very easy to read. She crafts a good mystery, following up on all the various threads to the point were I couldn’t personally think of anything left completely unexplained. Shepard also writes very cinematically—her descriptions are vivid, and the interactions between characters were stellar. We are able to clearly visualize everything playing out, and distinctly feel the clarity that Eliza is slowly experiencing.

Overall, if this sounds good to you—or if you’re looking for a quick thriller—I would highly recommend giving this novel a try, especially if you are a young adult reader. While, like I said, it’s not going to have the intensity and depth of an adult psychological thriller, and it isn’t entirely unpredictable, it really does have a lot going for it. It is gripping enough to pull a mystery fan in, and just chilling enough to make for an entertaining read. As for me, I ended up enjoying this story more than I thought I would, and I am definitely interested in reading some more of Shepard’s work.

3.5 TARDISes

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Review: The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One by Amanda Lovelace

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35924698The Witch Doesn’t Burn in This One by Amanda Lovelace

My Rating: 3/5 TARDISes

Series: Women Are Some Kind of Magic #2

Date Published: March 6th, 2018

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Pages: 208 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: 2016 Goodreads Choice Award-winning poet Amanda Lovelace returns in the witch doesn’t burn in this one — the bold second book in her “women are some kind of magic” series.

The witch: supernaturally powerful, inscrutably independent, and now—indestructible. These moving, relatable poems encourage resilience and embolden women to take control of their own stories. Enemies try to judge, oppress, and marginalize her, but the witch doesn’t burn in this one.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Unfortunately, this collection of poetry ended up really disappointing me. After the fantastic first collection, The Princess Saves Herself in This One, I felt rather let down by this one. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it quite a bit, but I didn’t think it was on par with Lovelace’s previous work. Her first collection tells a story of her life—a personal journey of discovery with messages that evoke intense and relatable emotions. Alongside these poems, there is a loose fairytale-type narrative going on at the end of each section, and they reflect every part of her journey.

That same format of the background story is true for this collection, but the poems deal with broader topics, so they don’t have that same intimate quality as her previous poetry. Lovelace deals with some incredibly tough matters here, and she does so in a very eye-opening way. However, though I of course applaud the fact that she is speaking out on these subjects, I just personally did not feel as emotionally invested in the poems, and I found them a bit repetitive at times.

One of the things that still rings true in this collection is Lovelace’s incredible talent for writing beautiful and impactful poetry. Though these particular poems did not resonate with me quite as much as her others, her words are still extremely powerful and relatable. Everything she has to say is thought-provoking and empowering, but the messages she is trying to convey come across as somewhat one-sided at times.

She has a very strong feminist voice, though I felt that she approached the topic in more of an all-or-nothing style rather than speaking in an equal and balanced way. Feminism, and any type of empowerment movement in general, should not focus on being dominant over others, but should instead focus on creating equality among all. I still do very much enjoy Lovelace’s poetry, so I definitely plan on continuing to read her work in the future.

3.0 TARDISes

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Mini Review: Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen

Posted in Book Reviews by

herdingcatsHerding Cats by Sarah Andersen

My Rating: 4/5 TARDISes

Series: Sarah’s Scribbles #3

Date Published: March 27th, 2018

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Pages: 108 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Sarah valiantly struggles with waking up in the morning, being productive, and dealing with social situations.

Sarah’s Scribbles is the comic strip that follows her life, finding humor in living as an adulting introvert that is at times weird, awkward, and embarrassing. 

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is the third installment in the Sarah’s Scribbles series of graphic novels and, like the first two, it is another hilarious and adorable book. She always creates such charming and relatable comics that are bound to make you laugh, especially if you see yourself in her work. Andersen’s endearing art and witty text combine to tell a story of the daily struggle to “adult” from the point of view of an introvert. And, as I definitely fall into this category, you can understand just how much I relate to her experiences.

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These are always short, fast reads that unfailingly lift my spirits and put me in a better mood. Andersen makes us look at ourselves and our various quirks by opening up about her life and who she is. Never once have I had trouble connecting the topics she focuses on to my personal life experiences and behavior.

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Apart from the hilarity of it all, it does serve another purpose in my opinion. While everything about this book is pretty light and fluffy, it still reminds you that you are not alone in this world—you are not alone in the way you feel. And it teaches the most important lesson of all—the best way to deal with the difficult things in our lives, and really any aspect in general, is to combat them with a great sense of humor.

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4.0 TARDISes

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Review: The Crooked Castle by Sarah Jean Horwitz

Posted in Book Reviews by

thecrookedcastleThe Crooked Castle by Sarah Jean Horwitz

My Rating: 5/5 TARDISes

Series: Carmer and Grit #2

Date Published: April 10th, 2018

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers

Pages: 368 pages

Source: Publisher

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Shortly after saving the faeries of Skemantis, magician’s apprentice Felix Carmer III and his faerie companion, Grit, head out to see the world. They soon come across a mysteriously magical flying circus. As they get to know the outlandish world of Rinka Tinka’s Roving Wonder Show, it becomes clear there’s something not quite normal about this circus or its inventor—and that recent airship disasters plaguing nearby Driftside City may have a sinister explanation.

Fans of the Wildwood trilogy and Lockwood & Co. series will love the thrills and chills of The Crooked Castle as it takes readers up in the air with a flying circus, under the sea to the evil Unseelie kingdom, through a terrifying magical snowstorm, and on a chase with the menacing Wild Hunt.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This is a spoiler-free review.

This is one of those novels that is very challenging to review because of how much I loved it—I have absolutely no idea where to start. At the beginning of last year, I read the first book in this series, The Wingsnatchers, and it quickly ended up becoming one of my all-time favorites. The Crooked Castle was, by far, my most anticipated book of this year, and I was not disappointed in the least. This novel is equally as charming, thrilling, and heartwarming as the last. I so enjoyed returning to this beautifully crafted world and following the adventures of this incredible cast of characters. This novel is pure magic.

We begin following Carmer and Grit not long after their heroic acts in Skemantis, as they set out on their journey to see the world. Though they are pursuing adventure, it usually finds them first—and this time around, it literally comes crashing into their lives in the form of a balloon and its balloonist, Bell Daisimer. Bell joins the pair in order to get to a city where he can find the necessary parts to repair his balloon, but his stay is not quite as temporary as they all expect.

They soon discover a glider mixed up in the remnants of Bell’s balloon, and inside the glider is an exclusive invitation to Rinka Tinka’s Roving Wonder Show—a massive flying circus. Upon arrival in Driftside City, and after gaining access to the Wonder Show, it becomes apparent that there is more to this flying circus than meets the eye. Everything appears to be much more mysterious—and decidedly too magical—than they ever could have anticipated.

To top it off, they learn of a whole slew of unexplained airship disasters that have recently been plaguing the city. In their attempts to investigate just what is behind these accidents and the inner workings of the show itself, they stumble across dark secrets and a lot of wicked Unseelie fairies as they attempt to save the lives of their newfound friends, as well as their own.

I completely devoured this novel. It immediately pulled me in, swept me away on an adventure, and melted my heart once again. Taking place in a steampunk world and packed with lovable characters, amazing inventions, and enchanting magical elements, it is such an utterly charming read. The narrative is incredibly fast-paced and exciting, with new twists and turns constantly popping up. Each page makes you eager to get to the next, and I found it difficult to put down.

Reading this story was an absolute joy–there is such a nostalgic tone to it for me. It made me feel so warm and comforted, as though it had wrapped itself around me like a cozy blanket. That is the same pleasant sense so many of my favorite books from my childhood evoked, and I love that I can still reflect on and experience that today due to novels like these. I can see myself cherishing these stories for a long time.

Horwitz’s remarkable talent for storytelling stands out even more than it did before. Her description and world-building are top-notch and her words flow flawlessly from page to page. Every single part of this story is crafted so meticulously, down to the most minor details, and filled with a tone that sparks that childlike sense of wonder. She knows exactly how to unfold fascinating stories, brimming with elements similar to those of a classic tale. It is easy to see the appeal of her work and nearly impossible not to feel a connection to it on some level.

The characters are one of the most wonderful aspects of this story. Whether they are lovable or despicable, they are so vivid. I love the fact that we are able to see more of Carmer and Grit’s friendship and how it has progressed since the last novel. They are a perfect pairing and complement each other so well. And I absolutely adored the new additions to the cast, particularly Bell and another character that enters closer to the end (no spoilers!). Everyone is so fleshed out and multi-dimensional, so it is hard not to become emotionally invested in them and their lives—they will work their way into your heart.

Horwitz seamlessly captivates her readers by making her work accessible to all generations. It is hard not to get caught up in this fantastical world—the type that fuels your imagination and feeds your soul. She not only has a huge amount of talent as a writer, but she is also extremely gifted when it comes to writing fresh, unique stories that still retain that timeless, fairytale-like quality. She is truly doing what she is clearly meant to do by writing these types of novels, and I am completely blown away by what she has created.

Overall, I wholeheartedly adored this novel and never wanted it to end. It met and exceeded all of my expectations, and I was completely enthralled all the way through. Just like the previous installment, Horwitz has produced a story that—while targeted at a middle grade audience—is universally enjoyable, spanning every age group. This novel is an absolute masterpiece and will undoubtedly touch the hearts of every reader. I very highly recommend diving into this enchanting world, and I hope there will be more stories to come in the near future.

5.0 TARDISes

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Down the TBR Hole #1

Posted in Down the TBR Hole by

downthetbrhole

I’ve seen so many people doing these posts lately, in particular, my friend and fellow blogger Heather from The Sassy Book Geek (pssst…she’s an incredible blogger so you should check her out!). I’ve been absolutely loving her posts and just the general idea so I thought I’d try it out! This will probably be tough, but I definitely need to cut down on my Goodreads TBR—it’s getting a bit out of hand! This first post may not be very productive, but as we get further down the list, it should definitely pick up a bit.

This was created by Lia from Lost in a Story. I’m going to attempt to do this post every week as the rules say, but since I have such a massive TBR, I’m going to be picking out 20 books instead of 10. So, let’s see how this goes!

The Rules:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf.
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week!

Current “To Read” Shelf: 1368

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athousandsplendidsunsA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

I read Hosseini’s first novel, The Kite Runner, back in middle school (which is, frighteningly, over a decade ago!) and absolutely adored it. His writing and storytelling styles are beautiful, and I honestly can’t believe I haven’t read his other works yet!

Judgment: KEEP

oneflewoverthecuckoosnestOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

I put this one on my TBR because a local theater was putting on a production of it. I’d also heard about it in school, though it was never on any of our reading lists. This may be a bit of a controversial decision—since I know this is well-loved—but I’m not really feeling this one anymore. I may come back to it one day, but I’m taking it off for now.

Judgment: GO

thefivepeopleyoumeetinheavenThe Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

This is not really the type of story I would usually be drawn to, but I’ve had this recommended to me multiple times by my parents. It sounds like it could be a very beautiful and thought-provoking read, so I’m definitely interested.

Judgment: KEEP

thememorykeepersdaughterThe Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards

This one is a bit of a tough decision. I have had this book for so many years and never gotten around to it, and I definitely don’t feel quite as drawn to it anymore. However, I still think I have enough interest in it to keep it on for now.

Judgment: KEEP

itIt by Stephen King

Any Stephen King book is really a no-brainer for me: definitely staying on! I’ve actually just recently gotten a copy of It. I’m hoping to read it this year and then finally see the movie.

Judgment: KEEP

theperksofbeingawallflowerThe Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I’ve heard so many amazing things about this novel, and I’ve been meaning to pick it up for ages. This should be a nice, quick read, so I’m pretty sure I’ll pick it up at some point.

Judgment: KEEP

theabcmurdersThe A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie

I’ve really been wanting to read more Agatha Christie lately, and I had forgotten that I’ve owned this book for quite a while. If I have a chance, I’d actually love to pick this up sometime this year.

Judgment: KEEP

miseryMisery by Stephen King

Misery is one of my favorite movies, but I’ve never actually gotten around to reading the novel. This is another one I’d love to pick up this year if possible, so it’s definitely staying. Also…Stephen King…

Judgment: KEEP

thetimemachineThe Time Machine by H.G. Wells

This is one of those classics that I feel like I should have read by this point in my life. I’m pretty interested in it too, so I’ll keep it on.

Judgment: KEEP

impulseImpulse by Ellen Hopkins

Back when I was in middle school, I was completely obsessed with Ellen Hopkins’ books, and she was basically an auto buy author for a while. So now, I still own a few of her books that I never got around to. I’m not in a place right now where I feel comfortable reading about these topics, so for now, I’m taking it off.

Judgment: GO

tricksTricks by Ellen Hopkins

Again, another Hopkins book I bought back in my early teens that I never got around to. Though I love dark, gritty realistic fiction at times, just like the last book, I’m not sure when or if I will be in a place where I am up to reading this. So for now, I’m going to take it off.

Judgment: GO

carrierofthemarkCarrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

I used to be a member of a writing website—created by HarperCollins—called Inkpop, and it was one of my favorite communities ever. Not only did I get to know Leigh on there, this was the first book that was ever taken from Inkpop and published. I, of course, got this in support of Leigh and the community as a whole, and though I have sort of grown out of this type of novel, I do still want to make an effort to read it.

Judgment: KEEP

deliriumDelirium by Lauren Oliver

Speaking of Inkpop, I won a copy of this novel in one of their writing contests. And this appealed to me back then, but now…not so much. I think this may be one I have to drop.

Judgment: GO

beforeifallBefore I Fall by Lauren Oliver

This was another prize from winning an Inkpop writing contest. I’m a little iffy about it, but I think I might give it a try at some point.

Judgment: KEEP

rebeccaRebecca by Daphne du Maurier

The film adaptation of Rebecca is one of my all-time favorite movies, so this obviously is staying on my list!

Judgment: KEEP

pandemoniumPandemonium by Lauren Oliver

I’m actually not entirely sure why I own this…but since Delirium is out, this has to be as well.

Judgment: GO

entwinedEntwined by Heather Dixon

This is just one of those books I added back in my teens and, unfortunately, I’m just not particularly interested in it anymore.

Judgment: GO

awakenAwaken by Katie Kacvinsky

Again, another prize from winning an Inkpop writing contest. This still sounds really interesting to me, and I’ve had a number of people recommend it as well. It is definitely one I’d like to give a read.

Judgment: KEEP

julietimmortalJuliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Another book I picked up in my teens (definitely noticing a trend here…). I always love retellings of my favorite classics, but this just doesn’t sound like anything I want to read anymore.

Judgment: GO

paranormalcyParanormalcy by Kiersten White

And one more time… another prize from winning an Inkpop writing contest. 😛 But, this is one that I am still really interested in. I’ve been wanting to start reading Kiersten White’s books, so this is staying in my TBR pile.

Judgment: KEEP

Getting Rid Of: 7/20

TBR Total: 1361

Well, that was actually more productive (and longer) than I thought it would be! Should I continue to do 20 books going forward or should I cut it down a bit? Let me know in the comments! Also, make sure to let me know your thoughts on any of the books on this list! 😀

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Review: The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary by NoNieqa Ramos

Posted in Book Reviews by

thedisturbedgirlsdictionaryThe Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary by NoNieqa Ramos

My Rating: 3.5/5 TARDISes

Series: Standalone

Date Published: February 1st, 2018

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Pages: 344 pages

Source: Netgalley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Synopsis: Macy’s school officially classifies her as “disturbed,” but Macy isn’t interested in how others define her. She’s got more pressing problems: her mom can’t move off the couch, her dad’s in prison, her brother’s been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn’t speaking to her. Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own terms—complete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that’s both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can’t tell her incarcerated father that her mom’s cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection . . . the kind of protection that involves Macy’s machete.

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*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I have so many feelings about this book—some that are conflicting—but let me start out by saying that this is a wonderfully diverse novel. It focuses on many topics that I personally have not seen much, particularly in the world of young adult fiction. I found it very hard to collect my thoughts both during and after reading this story because of the quantity of thought-provoking material that is present. While my overall opinions on and experience with this novel were somewhat mixed, that in no way means that I did not truly enjoy reading it.

In this novel, we follow a fifteen-year-old girl named Macy, who is chronicling her life through entries in her own personal dictionary. Macy has been classified as “disturbed” by everyone—including herself—but really, she is just a teenager trying to survive in a horrible situation. Her father’s in prison, her mother treats her terribly and is too busy having multiple affairs to think about the welfare of her children. Macy has little to no food to eat and only a couch to sleep on, and on top of everything, she has just lost her little brother to Child Protective Services. However, Macy is not going down without a fight, and she will do everything she can to prove that she can beat the odds, as well as protect the people she loves the most.

The plot was not at all what I had been expecting going into the novel. Personally, I thought this sounded as if it would be sort of a dark mystery/thriller type story. It is definitely on the dark side, given the nature of the subjects it addresses, but that’s about all that it has in common with what I predicted—it is more of a heartbreakingly realistic, fictional recounting of a person’s life and hardships. This came as a huge surprise, though a good one, as I thoroughly enjoyed the powerful and impactful story that I found within these pages. It took me quite a while to wrap my head around everything that occurred—in a good way.

My absolute favorite part of this novel are the characters—they are beautifully crafted. Whether lovable or despicable, there is absolutely no denying that each and every one is multi-dimensional and highly memorable. Macy is such a wonderful main character and narrator. Her personality is so distinctive and vibrant, and she is someone who is very easy to care about and root for—she is strong, badass, and just plain awesome. Also, out of all the other characters, George is the one that I adored the most.

Ramos uses a writing style that is both very unique and not commonly seen in literature. The uniqueness comes from Macy herself and her personal way of voicing her thoughts. She relates her story using very choppy sentences filled with grammatical errors. This fits her absolutely perfectly, and truly adds a great deal to the way Ramos depicts her. Macy’s views on life have a distinct peculiarity of their own, which also contributes to both the realism and charm of her character.

On a technical level, the style used is most like a stream-of-consciousness narrative, as we follow the events of Macy’s life as they happen. Since Macy is narrating through entries in her dictionary, she is essentially writing out her train of thought. There is a very diary-esque feel to it, and her internal monologue is all over the place, another factor I found added depth and relatability to her as a character.

I will acknowledge, the format in which this novel is presented—stream-of-consciousness coupled with grammatical inaccuracies—may not be the easiest to read. However, Ramos does a fantastic job with it, and the more you read, the better it flows. I thought this stylistic choice suited the novel extremely well—I loved it, and I cannot see any other type of narration relaying Macy’s story as perfectly as this does.

I’m still trying to collect all of my thoughts, partially due to the fact that some of the issues I had with the novel conflict with aspects that a loved. I believe that many of my complaints stem from the style of narration that is used. However, as I said before, that style was absolutely perfect and really brought Macy’s story to life in a way no other type of narrative could have. As you can imagine, this is causing me a lot of difficulty when it comes to reviewing the novel—but I will try my best to explain things as clearly as I can.

Let me preface this by saying that I have absolutely no personal experience with the types of trials and horrors that the characters in this novel have to face on a daily basis. And while I feel as though I learned a lot from reading this, I will never say that I can even begin to understand the pain of being in these situations. The fact that any person, especially a child, should have to deal with these struggles upsets me to no end, and I have the utmost respect for the strength and bravery people have even during the of darkest times.

There were a few times where I struggled to understand certain events in the narrative. Admittedly there were some occasions where it was extremely obvious that the problem was simply my lack of knowledge on certain topics and not at all the actual writing itself. But there were also a number of instances where I felt as though more detail needed to be used in order to clarify what had taken place. This could be explained by the narration style, since a person writing entries in a journalistic way is bound to be less descriptive. Nevertheless, there were times when I wasn’t able to explain what had just happened.

On the other hand, even when I felt unsure of what exactly was happening in a scene, Ramos did such a wonderful job of crafting her characters that it never fully detached me from the narrative. She conveys the emotions so clearly, I could always relate and comprehend on that level, thus allowing me to remain closely connected to everyone. So, while I wish I could have some clarity about those particular events, it was less of a detriment to the plot as a whole than it would have been in most situations.

I also understand that this narrative can be a bit hard to follow and therefore might be a slow read. That is due to both the stream-of-consciousness format—which can make everything feel jumbled and random—and the obvious grammatical errors in Macy’s writing. The main plotline can be a bit tough to find because, having that diary style, the plot is not going to be as linear. Personally, while I did read through this a bit slower that I normally might, I found all of these qualities to be incredibly fitting to the story and Macy’s voice.

One very minor detail—and by minor, I mean I’m just putting far too much thought into things like always—that confused me a bit was the timeline of the novel. It comes across as though Macy is writing each entry in alphabetical order as it happens, since we do follow somewhat of a connected storyline. However, she frequently references other entries in the dictionary, many of which haven’t happened yet. Like I said, this isn’t a huge issue by any means, it just made it a bit unclear to me how exactly events were progressing.

The Disturbed Girl’s Dictionary is a book that I know is going to stick with me for quite a long time. It is an extremely eye-opening and powerful read that addresses many dark but incredibly important topics—ones that are hard to hear about but desperately need to be discussed. The realistic characters and vivid emotions really brought the events to life, and make this story an even more educational experience. I am so glad that I picked this up, and I very highly recommend giving this novel a read.

3.5 TARDISes

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