bookworm – Page 49 – LairOfBooks

Something Old, Something Read, & Something New

So today started off a bit nerve racking, not sure if anyone else feels this way, but I get extremely nervous/anxious when i’m sent for ultrasounds. Thankfully, It went well & I just need to follow up with my doc but it left me rattled enough to go running to my favorite place. Yup, a bookstore! and while there I realized I had not gifted myself a wedding present…lol yea a gift to myself for getting married, its a thing…right? Anyways, Something Old (Graceling), Something Read (More Happy Than Not), and Something New (With Malice). I remixed the tradition to fit a booknerd’s lifestyle 🙂

Graceling by Kristin Cashore- I’ve heard so many good things about the Graceling series & have been dancing around the idea of ordering it off of Amazon. I found it today in hardcover for $8 in Strand and knew it was kismet. Blurbed by some pretty impressive ladies like Tamora Pierce, i’m pretty sure Graceling will be right up my alley.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight – she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po’s friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace – or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away…

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera- I read this book in the beginning of 2016 along with the bff of 18 years who i’m slowly converting into a bookworm AND his partner. All 3 of us enjoyed this book to the point where we now follow (stalk) Adam Silvera on all of his social media platforms (no shame-the day he liked my GR review was a good day!) waiting for him to drop a crumb our way for his next book (History Is All You Left Me). More Happy Than Not is an LGBTQ YA that felt very familiar to me because of it’s setting and the characters you meet throughout the neighborhood. It stirred up nostalgia of my old Brooklyn block. This book really tore my heart out & I never saw that ending coming, i’ll leave it at that.

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the months after his father’s suicide, it’s been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again–but he’s still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he’s slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely.

When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron’s crew notices, and they’re not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can’t deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can’t stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

Why does happiness have to be so hard?

With Malice by Eileen Cook- it’s not often that we get a thriller-suspense in YA & after reading the Goodreads synopsis I found myself wanting to know the outcome. Hoping it’s a good one.

Goodreads Synopsis-

Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital room, leg in a cast, stitches in her face and a big blank canvas where the last six weeks should be. She discovers she was involved in a fatal car accident while on a school trip in Italy. A trip she doesn’t even remember taking. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident…wasn’t an accident.

As the accident makes national headlines, Jill finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. It doesn’t help that the media is portraying her as a sociopath who killed her bubbly best friend, Simone, in a jealous rage. With the evidence mounting against her, there’s only one thing Jill knows for sure: She would never hurt Simone. But what really happened? Questioning who she can trust and what she’s capable of, Jill desperately tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life.

Review Me Before You By Jojo Moyes

Me Before You
Series: Me Before You #1
Published by: Pamela Dorman Books/Viking
Date of Publication: December 31st 2012 (first published January 5th 2012)
Genres: Contemporary-lit, Romance
Pages: 369
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 Stars (previously 4.5 stars because REASONS lol)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to lose her job or that knowing what’s coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he’s going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn’t know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they’re going to change the other for all time.

My Good Reads Mini-Review AKA 1st Thoughts:

4.5 I’m a bit conflicted with Me Before You, I gave it 4.5 stars because I am still very attached to the characters. Lou is now one of my fave female protagonists, she embraced her individuality like none other. I loved the witty banter between Lou & Will. Then there was the elephant in the room, often times I found that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I’m still unsure where I stand on the topic of Euthanasia or assisted suicide. Overall I didn’t take this as a romance, it felt more like a story of friendship, hope, and human rights.

SPOILERY

After Thoughts (slept on this for a couple of nights):

I’ve come to the realization that if a book can linger in my head days after I’ve finished it, leaving me questioning my own beliefs…said book was pretty darn GOOD! This was a contemporary romance that tackled the very real topic of Euthanasia & or assisted suicide very well. Each of the characters that loved Will Traynor (Our male protagonist) had their own ideals/beliefs on quality of life however, I appreciate the respect he was given by those closest to him. Will Traynor was introduced as a young & attractive guy on the fast track to success. The type of guy to close deals, wing big, and always get his way in the board room and in the bedroom. The guy who has a type…. tall, blonde, fun, & easy. His whole life was turned upside down by a motorcyclist, leaving him as a quadriplegic in need of around the clock care. After receiving physical therapy to alleviate the pain associated with muscle atrophy & a non-reversible diagnosis, Will decided to end his life through Dignitas

PAUSE

Google Search–> I had no idea this organization actually exists in Switzerland! On their web page in their About page it reads: “DIGNITAS—To Live with dignity–to die with dignity” this is where I put the book down, went to bed, and seriously tried to place myself in that situation. I tried seeing it from the perspective of a mother as well as the disabled and couldn’t resolve where I stood. I decided to remain undecided & continued reading…

Will’s mother asks that he re-consider and he makes a deal with his parents to give them 6 months. As a mom I can see how this must have been a desperate time to try & find anything that would change my sons mind. Enter Louisa Cark AKA Lou AKA Busy Bee, hired to be a companion for Will who had pretty much become a recluse.

I LOVED Lou from the start! Her odd or rather quirky fashion sense, selflessness, and subtle wit has made her a new favorite of mine. When she created her username Busy Bee to talk to an online community of people with the same or similar disability, she stole my heart! Lou was determined to reignite Will’s desire to live. In the process she developed some complex feelings for him made even more messier by the fact that she was already in a relationship. I can’t even remember his name that’s how much I disliked him so for all intents & purposes, let’s call him “Whatshisface” I lost track of how many times Whatshisface talked about himself, his body, and his track time. Lou’s interactions with Whatshisface solely provided me with comic relief & tons of eye rolls. Lou’s self worth however, was very low. A result of what is insinuated to have been her being raped by a couple of guys she knew, while intoxicated. This also played into Lou’s sense of fashion. She figured that if she dressed weird or un-provocative, she wouldn’t warrant the attention of men.

Will- Although he found himself developing feelings for Lou, it never went past that. Lou goes about finding places for Will to vacation in & activities for quadriplegics on a 6mth deadline. The fact that Will managed to find enjoyment in watching Lou experience so many firsts and pushed her to LIVE was heartwarming. There was clearly chemistry between the two but there was also friendship. It was difficult at times seeing Lou go so hard (race track scene) to show Will that he could still enjoy some of the things he used to before his accident. Even harder were the final pages…time was up…Will had not changed his mind & instead asked for Lou to be by his side during his final moments. When Lou finally realized that ultimately this was Will’s decision & Will’s life, I felt like a weight was lifted off MY shoulders (yea I was that stressed lol).

MY dad, before he passed away, told me that death was hardest on the loved ones & NOT the person passing. I always wondered if this were true…for me, it was. The reason I loved this book & now it’s finale (I had to sleep on it) is that Will prepared Lou (and his mother) for his passing. He made the tough decision to end his life & by doing so, reclaims his life. He showed compassion & understanding for those affected by his decision til the very end. In the epilogue, we get the sense that some time has passed, Lou is in France in Will’s favorite cafe reading his letter while eating croissants & drinking coffee as per Will’s expert recommendation…I call this closure.

After much thought, I may not be so undecided anymore on the topic of Euthanasia & assisted suicide. This book led me to do some research of my own & for that alone I have changed my star rating.

May Book Haul

I hope everyone had an AMAZING Memorial Day weekend! Whether it was at the grill serving up that BbQ or just chillin with a good book, some wine & or beer 😂😂😂 I just got back to NY from Massachusetts. The hubby & I took our two penguins on a road trip and had a blast! Mosquitoes for days but after a few twisted teas & a little bug spray all was good.

Now,ya know! my fellow book lovers, that we cannot just simply drive past a Barnes & Noble (or any book store) and not pull over or make a U-turn lol. No, we as book lovers have a sacred duty to visit any & all bookstores we spot while in other states. So that being said, Mass has a HUGE B&N and while there the hubby gifted me The Crown’s Game (The Crown’s Game #1) by Evelyn Skye & The Star-Touched Queen (The Star-Touched Queen #1) by Roshani Chokshi Both of these are YA Fantasy & have had amazing positive reviews, they’re very popular in booktube at the moment. I’m just excited to dive into these two because I’ve been on a Fantasy kick lately. Also, the covers on both of these are STUNNING!

A Court Of Mist & Fury by Sarah J. Maas, I purchased earlier in May right after reading & liking (not loving but seeing potential) in ACOTAR. I have NO regrets, and I’m very happy that I decided to continue with this series. I do think however, that we are In a different ball park with this series in terms of rating or genre. This was def a mature, not a YA read which I enjoyed immensely but I do think that it should (since I’ve heard many express feelings of awkwardness) be put out there as what it is…STEAMY! Lol! My favorite read of 2016 so far, I’m missing my ACOMAF babies 😦

Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGuinnis, this was from Bookoutlet & it will be my 1st Mindy McGuiniss book. The Goodreads synopsis for this dystopian world made it sound so interesting. With this opening synopsis line—-“Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water” you know you’re going to get one kick ass protagonist. I’m excited about this one.

The Shock Of The Fall by Nathan Filer, Goodreads has this one as “an extraordinary portrait of one man’s descent into mental illness” I’m glad that the full synopsis is vague, I’ve heard great reviews on this & was immediately intrigued because it deals with mental Illness.

The First Bad Man by Miranda July, for this one Goodreads gives away too much of the quirk that this book seems like it will deliver. So, I’ll give the last bit of the synopsis—

“Tender, gripping, slyly hilarious, infused with raging sexual fantasies and fierce maternal love, Miranda July’s first novel confirms her as a spectacularly original, iconic and important voice today, and a writer for all time. The First Bad Man is dazzling, disorienting, and unforgettable”

I picked this one up on Bookoutlet as well after reading the entire Goodreads synopsis, I can honestly say this sounds like a unique read & I’m hoping it’s full of quirkiness.

I’ve always been a mood reader so this may be why I lean towards books filled with humor in the Summer. In prepping for my summer reading, I’ve noticed myself picking up books that although they are meaty in plot, the characters themselves offer up humor or quirkiness. I ordered Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman yesterday which is why I didn’t include it in my May Haul. I am really looking forward to this one because its about a curmudgeon elderly woman in a town filled with people and children who she can’t stand. It seems like Britt lives a rigid life but sometimes the universe has other plans for us (at least that’s the vibe that I got on Goodreads). Ultimately, it’s a story of second chances and these types are my favorite Fiction to read 😉

Review Burying Water by K.A. Tucker

Burying Water by K.A. Tucker.jpg

Burying Water by K.A. Tucker

Series: Burying Water #1

Published by: Atria

Date of Publication: October 7th 2014

Genres: New Adult; Contemporary

Pages: 354

Format: e-book

Rating: 5 Stars

The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.

Left for dead in the fields of rural Oregon, a young woman defies all odds and survives—but she awakens with no idea who she is, or what happened to her. Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?

Non-Spoilery Review
I intentionally posted a partial synopsis from Goodreads because the entire length of it is very spoilery. Burying Water was a roller coaster of emotions for me. Alexandra was very young & poor when she met the man 20 years her senior who would sweep her off her feet. Handsome, successful and yet still managed to set his eyes on her? It all seemed too good to be true…their courtship eventually led to marriage and a life she would pay a heavy price for. A husband who treats her like a trophy wife, physically harms her, an adulterer, and a key player in the Russian mob. Alexandra Petrov found herself quickly drowning with no way out until one rainy night when her life changed its course.

“The mind, it can be a deceitful thing. But it is no match for the heart.”
― K.A. Tucker, Burying Water

Spoilery Review

The first half of this book was at times brutal and harsh to get through. I felt a range of emotions & quickly found myself loving Alexandra. A protagonist who was “resilient” and strong underneath all the hurt, I couldn’t help but root for her triumph. Viktor Petrov, a man in a position of power attained through illegal activity in the Russian mob viewed his wife as someone to satisfy him sexually & in all the traditional (old school) ways. Alex however, had dreams of becoming a nurse & was enrolled in courses which Viktor saw as taking time away from him. This alone angered me! Then there were often times Viktor had her dress up in skin tight revealing clothes to accompany him to the night club where all of his nefarious dealings took place. I could FEEL the awkwardness & out of place feelings Alex was experiencing. I couldn’t help but scream YES GIRL!!!! whenever she dished out a bit of anger when answering his questions. I also found it hilarious that Alex continued to have car trouble throughout the book simply because she wasn’t the type to drive expensive cars.

ENTER Jesse who I view as “the BOY next door” type, this should be a thing lol. Jesse aka the mechanic savant, finds Alex on the side of the road & helps her get gas, they exchange a kiss which is the beginning of many more encounters that feel very kismet. Jesse was everything that Viktor was not. He’s only 2 years Alex’s senior, blunt when speaking yet always conscious & caring of who he’s speaking to, and overall laid back. Of course, Jesse had his flaws mostly based off of bad decisions he made when he was a teenager running with the wrong group of friends. His relationship with his father the sheriff was strained because of those bad decisions in his past. Having an affair with a married woman didn’t seem like it would mend that relationship any time soon yet it felt right for both Jesse & Alex. Viktor hiring Jesse to restore/repair one of his most prized cars in his home garage felt like fate. When Alex finally made the decision to leave Viktor (after many brutal beatings), I was over the moon happy only to have that feeling squashed by the events of the night that Viktor tried to kill & leave her body buried in a snowy mountain. Thankfully, Jesse is tipped off to what happened & manages to get her the medical attention needed. When Alex wakes up, she can’t remember anything not even her name. She’s left with a scar from her temple all the way down to her chin. See Viktor wanted to make sure he robbed her of her beauty. He raped her, slashed her face, and physically beat and broke her ribs along with other body parts. I’m glad that at the end of the book she never quite remembers the events of that night in its entirety because it really was a second chance at life.

Alex’s journey leads to an amazing cast of characters, my favorite being the grumpy and recluse little old lady Ginny Fitzgerald. Ginny gave me so many laugh out loud moments but also much heart ache. Alex and Ginny’s stories have small similarities but two stuck out the most to me. The fact that she was raped in her youth by someone she also trusted & that both her rapist and Alex’s killed themselves (inadvertently or not). Ginny’s ability to take in another rape victim & help her heal after so many years of secluding herself makes Ginny hold a special place in my heart. Lastly, I loved seeing the relationship between Jesse and his parents (specifically his Dad) mend. Jesse’s parents were key characters in this book & I can now add them to my very short list of fictional parentals that ROCK!

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Author: Stephanie Garber

Book: Hardcover, 416 pages

Expected Publication: January 10th 2017

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Goodreads Synopsis:

Before you enter the world of Caraval, you must remember that it’s all a game . . .

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their ruthless father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the legendary, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

Then, Scarlett’s long-dreamt of invitation to Caraval finally arrives. So, Tella enlists a mysterious sailor’s help to whisk Scarlett away to this year’s show. But as soon as the trio arrives, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nonetheless soon becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with her sister, with Legend, and with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.

Why did I choose this book?

Besides that beautiful cover? lol. Caraval gives me such Night Circus feels & I have not found anything like it since leaving that world. It will be interesting to read a YA book of a similar concept. This book promises an invitation to a performance, a game, mystery, kidnapping, and magic. SOLD! since this seems to be book 1 in a series, i’m hoping Caraval sets the stage so well that it captures the magic of it all. I’m also loving the fact that it’s expected publication date is in January, i’m a mood reader & this just seems like the perfect time to pick up what i’m assuming will be a darker read.