September 2017 – Page 2

Friday Reads 9/8/17

Hello Readers! I debated on whether or not to post today because of all the things currently weighing many of us down. Many have just experienced Harvey while others have been or will be affected by Irma. I live in NYC but my heart is in Puerto-Rico where the majority of my Dad’s side of the family resides & FL where my Uncle & aunt are. Many uncles, aunts, and cousins currently without electricity on the island of PR while others are prepping for Irma in Florida. My thoughts & prayers are with all of those affected…it’s been difficult to think of anything else. If you are a reader in Texas, PR, the Caribbean, or FL please stay safe 💙

In times of high stress I go into overdrive googling in search of answers…basically trying to assess the situation. This however, is beyond me & I need to pull away from the weather reports & just speak to my loved ones. I’m also turning to reading my books while also offering support to those I know on Twitter who live in the areas. The Book community always shows up to uplift those in need & that is why I’m so proud to be a member.

Yesterday I finished reading Zero Repeat Forever (The Nahx Invasions #1) by Gabrielle Prendergast & was really surprised to have my opinion of this book do a complete 360. It’s a chunker coming in at 496 pages so I guess you can see it used it’s time wisely. I’m aiming to have a review up by this weekend but this storm is sapping all of my energy so we’ll see. I will say that this book went from a 3 star rating to a 4.5 😉

Today I started reading Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett but I didn’t get very far, I’ll def be hunkering down with this one tonight. I’ve heard such great things about the world building in this book with a very unique setting not yet seen in YA. Hoping to get sucked into this world 🤞🏼follow me on Goodreads for my most random reader thoughts 💜

I’m also listening to the Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles)by Marissa Meyer Audiobook. This is the novella that followed the conclusion Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) & I’ve held off on reading it for some time now. The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite YA series and as is the case with most of my faves, I always have a hard time letting go lol. It is time though since I’d love to get to Wires and Nerve soon which also takes place in this Universe. So far I’m really enjoying listening to Stars Above whenever I’m walking/commuting to/from work. The narrator Rebecca Soler is hands down a perfect fit & having met her at a Marissa Meyer event signing for Winter a while back, I was able to see why. It’s a special thing when the narrator to a audiobook loves the story they are narrating & Rebecca’s enthusiasm shines through.

Happy FriYay Readers! hope you’re all staying safe & in touch with your loved ones. You are all in my thoughts & prayers. Typically I ask what everyone is reading/watching but today I just want to send you love, strength, and hope 💕

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Gush Review: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Title: They Both Die at the End

Author: Adam Silvera

Pub. Date: September 5th, 2017

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 384

Formats: eGalley

On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure and to live a lifetime in a single day.

As some of you may have already noticed, the Goodreads synopsis for They Both Die at the End is pretty short compared to most. I personally found this raised my curiosity as a whole towards this book. I also was aware that this would be Silvera’s first YA Sci-Fi and being a fan of his first two contemporary books, I thought to myself…can he pull it off? now I know I should’ve never questioned his ability to deliver! One thing remains constant after I finish one of his books…I keep saying “This one is my favorite” smh, the truth is I love them all and he keeps evolving as a writer which makes him my #1 YA author 🙌🏼

They Both Die at the End takes place in the span of a day in present day NYC. Although it is present day, Silvera added the Sci-Fi element by introducing Death-Cast calls. This call typically comes in at or around 12am informing you that today will be your last day. We start off with our main protagonist Mateo receiving the much dreaded call that will change the course of his life in just 1 day. From this point on we follow Mateo as decides to reclaim his life & step outside of his comfort zone…his bedroom. See, before the call Mateo took NO risks & lived his life in fear of so many things. We follow Mateo from the moment he decides to step foot outside his home to make one last connection with a “Last Friend” which is how we meet Rufus. Having also received the call, Rufus is pretty much set on going out with a bang. He is the ying to Mateo’s yang & their paths crossing almost feels like Life’s last gift to these two characters.

We also follows a series of side characters throughout the same day. Some have received the Death-Call while others have not, however each forms a piece to the puzzle that is Mateo & Rufus’ story. The only certainty is death, how you meet your fate is unknown to you. This is a story about living life to its fullest, hope, friendship, being true to yourself, love, grief, loss, and so much more!

One of the reasons i’m a fan of Silveras books are the characters he creates, they have a tendency to linger past the last sentence. This time wasn’t any different and I now have a full cast of characters to love & think about even now that I have finished this book…

Mateo- Our MC has pretty much lived a very low key life opting to stay indoors & browse the online Death-Cast forums. He follows others who have received the call & are documenting their last day online. His mother passed away & his dad is in a coma, he is very much on his own. As much as Mateo fears going out & just living his life, the idea of letting go & being free of all worry has always intrigued him. His best friend Lidia and her daughter (his Godchild), are the only people he really connects with.

Rufus- Complete opposite of Mateo, life hasn’t been easy on Rufus either. Always labeled as a bit of a trouble maker, things didn’t look good when he suddenly sees himself on his own in life with no family. Rough around the edges, Rufus is a character you can’t help but love. He is openly Bi-sexual and confident in who he is which makes for an interesting meet-up with Mateo who hasn’t quite figured out how to be his true self. Rufus also has a support system, he and 3 others make up The Plutos who I LOVED to pieces! #friendshipgoals

Friendship is always a strong theme in all of Silveras books & here we get introduced to characters from all walks of life. The way these lives come together delivered such a strong message, one that left me thinking of my own life path & those that matter to me most.

They Both Die at the End rocked me out of my comfort zone in the 48 hours it took for me to read it. It took me forever & a day to start living my life for ME, allowing myself to be as I am. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to come to this realization on the day I know will be my last. I’d probably also find myself in a mad dash to do it all with the fear hovering over my shoulder that anything could kill me. I was Mateo. I’m trying to find my inner Rufus lol. The thirst for life these characters feel on their final day is utterly contagious! it makes you want to get up & go outside eyes wide open to all the things beating with life around you. This is a book about LIFE if you’re willing to look past the title. There’s always a silver lining to Adam Silvera’s books, your heart will be broken by the end but you may also find yourself with a new perspective 😉

*HUGE Thanks to HarperTeen, Edelweiss, & Adam Silvera for the eGalley of They Both Die at the End in exchange for an honest review

Hello Readers! I started off my day by ordering my copy of They Both Die at the End & can’t wait to give it a special place on my shelves. Anyone else have a copy in the mail they’re waiting for? I know I keep saying each of his books are my fave but this time I’m sure…THIS ONE IS MY FAVE!!!! lol…sure to be out done by his next book 😉

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#ARCSTRAVAGANZA #7

#ARCstravaganza is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful Flavia over @Flavia the Bibliophile where book bloggers/bookstagrammers have a chance to show off their ARCs/eARCs/Galleys!

Hello Readers! This is my 7th week participating in #ARCstravaganza Monday & this week I’ve chosen Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore. I’ve had this author on my radar for some time now, last year I even purchased a copy of Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) but I’ll be honest, it fell into the hole that is my massive TBR 🙈*for shame* I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about the Graceling trilogy & have started seeing the positive reviews rolling in for Jane, Unlimited. This book however is somewhat of an enigma, with a vague synopsis on Goodreads & bloggers/booktubers alike keeping reviews just as vague for fear of spoilers. From what I’ve gathered, both the plot & format are unique with a satisfying ending. I’m hoping to get to this either this week or the next & can’t wait to see what it’s all about…my review will probably be minimal in order to keep the mystery going 😉

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore

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Jane has lived an ordinary life, raised by her aunt Magnolia—an adjunct professor and deep sea photographer. Jane counted on Magnolia to make the world feel expansive and to turn life into an adventure. But Aunt Magnolia was lost a few months ago in Antarctica on one of her expeditions.

Now, with no direction, a year out of high school, and obsessed with making umbrellas that look like her own dreams (but mostly just mourning her aunt), she is easily swept away by Kiran Thrash—a glamorous, capricious acquaintance who shows up and asks Jane to accompany her to a gala at her family’s island mansion called Tu Reviens.

Jane remembers her aunt telling her: “If anyone ever invites to you to Tu Reviens, promise me that you’ll go.” With nothing but a trunkful of umbrella parts to her name, Jane ventures out to the Thrash estate. Then her story takes a turn, or rather, five turns. What Jane doesn’t know is that Tu Reviens will offer her choices that can ultimately determine the course of her untethered life. But at Tu Reviens, every choice comes with a reward, or a price