Review: Dreamfall by Amy Plum

“When working with an unknown situation, you have to identify known factors and work within their boundaries.”

Cata Cordova suffers from such debilitating insomnia that she agreed to take part in an experimental new procedure. She thought things couldn’t get any worse…but she was terribly wrong.

Soon after the experiment begins, there’s a malfunction with the lab equipment, and Cata and six other teen patients are plunged into a shared dream world with no memory of how they got there. Even worse, they come to the chilling realization that they are trapped in a place where their worst nightmares have come to life. Hunted by creatures from their darkest imaginations and tormented by secrets they’d rather keep buried, Cata and the others will be forced to band together to face their biggest fears. And if they can’t find a way to defeat their dreams, they will never wake up.

So… I hard a real hard time with this book. I have had it on my TBR list for a long, long time, and I am just now getting around to reading it. I have a lot of issues with this book. First, if you are interested in reading a book in which you NEVER get emotionally invested with any of the characters (aside from the poor tiger RIP), then this is the book for you. A good portion of the time it felt as though the author was purposefully writing all of the characters to be unlikeable, which is sometimes the end goal but I don’t think that was the case with this book. I think she was trying very hard to through readers off of the end twist by making all the characters unlikeable and not pointing out one specific character, but it did not work for me. I’m not going to go into detail about each of the characters because it would be repetitive (sort of like the book!). But I do have to say Remi was purposefully made to be EXTREMELY unlikeable, and I am not here for it.

So, now the story! I felt pretty bored with most of the story, to be honest with you. When I first read the synopsis, I was super excited for this story. I felt like it might have been better if they were purposefully stuck in the dream fall but what can you do. I felt like a lot of the dreams were repetitive, and I almost skipped through some of the book to get to the point. I did enjoy the parts “outside” of the dream fall, with Jamie as our narrator.

Ok so I was going to originally give this book 2 stars, but I felt that was a little harsh so I am changing it mid-review to 3 stars. I do like the twist at the end. I also liked the backstories for some of the characters. I did not appreciate the cliffhanger at first, but now that I know it has a second book, I liked that too. I will probably read book #2 to see what happens.

Review: Violent Ends by Shaun David Hutchinson

“He was part of our family, and we weren’t wrong for loving him.”

In a one-of-a-kind collaboration, seventeen of the most recognizable YA writers—including Shaun David Hutchinson, Neal and Brendan Shusterman, and Beth Revis—come together to share the viewpoints of a group of students affected by a school shooting.

It took only twenty-two minutes for Kirby Matheson to exit his car, march onto the school grounds, enter the gymnasium, and open fire, killing six and injuring five others.

But this isn’t a story about the shooting itself. This isn’t about recounting that one unforgettable day.

This is about one boy—who had friends, enjoyed reading, playing saxophone in the band, and had never been in trouble before—became a monster capable of entering his school with a loaded gun and firing bullets at his classmates.

Each chapter is told from a different victim’s viewpoint, giving insight into who Kirby was and who he’d become. Some are sweet, some are dark; some are seemingly unrelated, about fights or first kisses or late-night parties. This is a book told from multiple perspectives—with one character and one event drawing them all together—by some of YA’s most recognizable names.

 

What I really liked the most about this book was the chance I got to read some writings by author’s I’ve never read before. I really liked the storyline, and I thought it was a fantastic idea to have a different author write from each of the different perspectives. I found that I really enjoyed some of the different stories and that I was ok with some of them. None of the stories throughout this book are horrible. Some I would actually like to read more of. It makes you really think about the effect just one person may have on a number of different people in their life. Each author really makes you connect with the character they are sharing. I would have loved to have seen a story from Kirby’s POV, that would have added a little bit more for me. But I do get the reasoning behind not including his POV and letting us know him through those that knew him, but I do feel as though we don’t get the whole picture without his input and thoughts. I would say this book was not as impactful as some I’ve read on the same topic, but it was a great read and had some impactful moments.

 

Review: Otherworld by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

“You really love her, don’t you?”
Love is too small a word for what I feel. How do I explain that before Kat, nothing was real?…
“Yes,” I tell Busara. “I love her. Kat’s my whole world.”

The company says Otherworld is amazing — like nothing you’ve ever seen before. They say it’s addictive — that you’ll want to stay forever. They promise Otherworld will make all your dreams come true.

Simon thought Otherworld was a game. Turns out he knew nothing. Otherworld is the next phase of reality. It’s everything you’ve ever wanted.

And it’s about to change humanity forever.

Welcome to the Otherworld. No one could have seen it coming.

The first quarter of this book is pretty dry. But the rest (and especially the parts where Simon is in Otherworld) is pretty darn good. I found that it was almost like I had a VR set on when I was reading parts. Segel and Miller do a great job of creating a world for their readers to really be in. I really did not like Simon’s personality at first, I thought the authors were trying too hard with him in the beginning and I didn’t connect with him. This caused me to not be interested in his overall mission throughout a good portion of the book. They did redeem him towards the end, but I had a hard time getting over my first impression of him. It was a quick read and there was points where I truly did not want to put it down. I think teen boys will eat this novel up and I will read the second one in Fall 2018.

Review: Bird Box by Josh Malerman

“It’s better to face madness with a plan than to sit still and let it take you in pieces.”

Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it’s time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat–blindfolded–with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?

You won’t even believe how scary good Josh Malerman is at making you… well, er… scared! I devoured this book. Josh does an excellent job at keeping you wanting more. This book features chapters that alternate from the past to the present, and I am such a sucker for this style! Most of my favs feature it, and Malerman did not let me down. I mean honestly, I would read some while on my lunch break at work, and then have to come back to my office and put the blinds down on my office window. It freaked me out that much. I was a little nervous at first that the author would try so hard to write a well-worded story, that the premise as a whole would get lost, but he knocks it out of the park. When I wasn’t reading it, I would find myself looking forward to the time I would get to read and find out what happens next. I found that I enjoyed the variety of characters. You can glimpse the complexity of Malorie through her inner thoughts. And in turn, you bond with her as a character. I would LOVE IT if Josh wrote more books from different points of views set in this world. (Uh, Don anyone?!?) I really appreciate this read, because it reminds me of why I love reading thriller/horror novels! Now, on to the movie!

Review: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

 

“We have groundbreakingly divided this searing examination of a relationship between two human beings into chapters with different subject matters and headings. It’s an oral history presented to you in an organized yet playful fashion, dotted here and there with photography and cute drawings.”

At last, the full story behind Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman’s epic romance, including stories, portraits, and the occasional puzzle, all telling the smoldering tale that has fascinated Hollywood for over a decade. 

The year: 2000. The setting: Los Angeles. A gorgeous virtuoso of an actress had agreed to star in a random play, and a basement-dwelling scenic carpenter had said he would assay a supporting role in the selfsame pageant. At the first rehearsal, she surveyed her fellow cast members, as one does, determining if any of the men might qualify to provide her with a satisfying fling. Her gaze fell upon the carpenter, and like a bolt of lightning, the thought struck her: No dice. Moving on.

Yet, unbeknownst to our protagonists, Cupid had merely set down his bow and picked up a rocket launcher. Then fired a love rocket (not a euphemism). The players were Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, and the resulting romance, once it ignited, was . . . epic. Beyond epic. It resulted in a coupling that has endured to this day; a sizzling, perpetual tryst that has captivated the world with its kindness, athleticism, astonishingly low-brow humor, and true (fire emoji) passion.

How did they do it? They came from completely different families, endured a significant age difference, and were separated by the gulf of several social strata. Megan loved books and art history; Nick loved hammers. But much more than these seemingly unsurpassable obstacles were the values they held in common: respect, decency, the ability to mention genitalia in almost any context, and an abiding obsession with the songs of Tom Waits.

Eighteen years later, they’re still very much in love, and have finally decided to reveal the philosophical mountains they have conquered, the lessons they’ve learned, and the myriad jigsaw puzzles they’ve completed, in a book. Featuring anecdotes, hijinks, interviews, photos, and a veritable grab bag of tomfoolery, this is not only the intoxicating book that Mullally’s and Offerman’s fans have been waiting for, it might just hold the solution to the greatest threat facing our modern world: the single life.

I’ve always been the type to be reluctant with any non-fiction in general, but memoirs and autobiographies especially. But when I saw this was a book, and then heard about the audiobook, I had to read it/listen to it! I think it might be the book that changes my mind on non-fiction. I LOVED this audiobook SO. MUCH. Nick and Megan are so truly in love and are so darn funny. I listened to it in my car on my way to work and I would find myself hysterically laughing (like a crazy person to other drivers I’m sure). I love the set up with the book, and it feels as though you are having a conversation with both of them. It was so interesting to hear about both of their lives, and how their careers have come to be. LOVED THIS BOOK. I recommend it to everyone.

 

Review: What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

“If you pretend something hard enough, could it become real?”

Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.
Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.
But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?
Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.
Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.
But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third?
What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?
What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?
But what if it is?

---

I so wanted to love this book. I did not love this book. In fact, I feel kind of blasé about this book. Separately, I have loved both Adam and Becky’s books that I’ve read. I don’t know if it was this book in particular or if I just do not care for these two authors to write together. I found this book boring. I found both main characters very annoying (but I’d love to see a book about Dylan!). It took me forever to get through this book because it felt like a chore reading it, but I kept on hoping it would get better. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t) I felt there was no real substance to this story, and in turn, I felt like both Adam and Becky were trying too hard to make it seem like there was. Ben and Arthur would be in a good place (as much of a good place two strangers who have been dating for 2 seconds can be), and then something random and not at all realistic would cause them to fight. I am still confused at how this story could have fit in a 433-page book. It was just not realistic in the fact that so many of the characters would be fighting over stupid things, and then magically be friends again after nothing. I felt like both authors didn’t truly want any conflict but in order to keep the story going, they needed to add some, and then after they had no clue how to fix it so they just half-heartedly fixed it. Overall, I really wanted to like this book and the characters, but it just didn’t do it for me. Sorry, Adam and Becky.

Just Finished / Now Reading: May 2nd, 2016

Just Finished/Now Reading for May 2nd, 2016

Review: Breathe My Name by R.A. Nelson

“I need to see you. Please come right away.
We have to finish.”

Frances Robinson is in high school now. She lives a quiet, suburban life, far from her horrifying past. When she was a child, her birthmother smothered her three sisters. Through pure luck, Frances survived. Now her mother has just been released from prison . . . and she wants to see Frances.

A new boy at school called Nix charms Frances. Together, Nix and Frances embark on a clandestine journey to visit Frances’ mother: to confront the monster in its lair. This trip will help Frances at last find peace or die trying? But no matter what, Frances will discover just what it means to finish.

---

I picked up this book and knew it was going to be a good one. The story is like none I have ever read before. The original idea of the story is what drew me to want to read this book. A mother who had killed her own children? The one that survived? Intriguing! I love Frances and her parents, the Robinsons. I found myself not wanting to put this book down. I really like the relationship between Frances and Nix. Although Nix did seem a little unrealistic. I really liked the way in which Nelson handled this storyline, and the tragedy it focused on. Overall, this book is definitely one that I’d recommend for anyone to read on a summer day.

Introducing Love Library Love!

Hi everyone!

I’ve decided to start a section of this site that will be dedicated to blog posts about my MLIS journey and any other bookish tidbits I want to add in.

These posts will be called “Love Library Love.” I don’t have a scheduled time for these posts as of right now but I will TRY to post 3 times a month.

Let me know if you have any questions about my library schooling or reading!

Guest Review-Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley

*This guest review was written by the amazing Maria with RelentlessReading*

“For eighteen years I’ve believed what other people told me about what was right and what was wrong. From now. I’m deciding”

It’s 1959. The battle for civil rights is raging. And it’s Sarah Dunbar’s first day of school, as one of the first black students at the previously all-white Jefferson High. No one wants Sarah there. Not the Governor. Not the teachers. And certainly not the students – especially Linda Hairston, daughter of the town’s most ardent segregationist. Sarah and Linda have every reason to despise each other. But as a school project forces them to spend time together, the less their differences seem to matter. And Sarah and Linda start to feel something they’ve never felt before. Something they’re both determined ignore. Because it’s one thing to be frightened by the world around you – and another thing altogether when you’re terrified of what you feel inside.

---

Y’know the type of books that are, in simple terms, more than books? The books you never really put down, even though the physical copy mightn’t be in your hands anymore; the characters who don’t feel like characters but real people, real friends of yours, telling you the story of their life. The characters whom you love equally as much as you could love any real person, and whom you miss and worry about constantly whenever you’re not with them. The books you don’t just read, but live in; the books that entirely take over your life, whilst you’re reading it and for long afterwards.

“Lies We Tell Ourselves” is one of those books.

“Lies We Tell Ourselves” can teach you more about the past than any history book ever could – not because it tells you the facts, but because it tells you much more than that. It teaches us about not only what happened, but, more importantly, how it felt to those involved – and, for once, not the white people involved, but the black people. Those who were truly victimized, not those who have the habit of playing the victim. The terror and pain experienced by Sarah beams from the pages. At times it felt not as though I were reading about her, but as though I were her; I could feel every ounce of shame, every once of anger, all the humiliation she experienced. Books like “Lies We Tell Ourselves” are of huge value in today’s society, because they allow people like me – white, privileged people to gain a better understanding of both institutionalized and societal racism, not only in the past but also nowadays.

Which leads me onto the topic of representation. There’s no doubt about the fact that, although recently a greater emphasis is being placed on diversity in YA books, authors and publishers still have a long way to go. “Lies We Tell Ourselves” is a perfect example of what we mean when we say we want better representation in novels. First of all, it doesn’t treat minorities like individual blocks; it shows that, more often than not, minorities intertwine. Many authors seem to not realize that a person can belong to more than just one minority. LGBT+ or POC protagonists are a rare occurrence in YA books, but what’s even rarer than that is an LGBT+ and POC protagonist; I was really excited to finally find a book that contains such a main character.

Another problem I have with many “LGBT+ books” is that they focus mostly on the fact that the character is LGBT+. We don’t want books about LGBT+ characters; we want books with LGBT+ characters, and “Lies We Tell Ourselves” is exactly that. Of course, coming to terms with one’s sexuality is a major aspect of the novel, but it is not the only aspect. There’s more to the plot and to Linda and Sarah than solely how they feel towards one another.

I could talk for long about all the things about “Lies We Tell Ourselves” that I adored, but in summary it can all be brought down to one sentence: I couldn’t find a fault in the book if I tried. It’s gripping, unique, and impossible to put down. The characters are original and intriguing; the character development is perfect. The book is educative, but not the text-book type of educative; it teaches facts through fiction, it tells us about the past (and present) without bringing it down to solely names, dates, and places. In simple terms, it has all the ingredients of the perfect novel.

Without a doubt, “Lies We Tell Ourselves” is among the top five books I’ve read this year, and a new addition to my list of all-time favourites. It’s definitely a novel I will be recommending to all.

—-

THANKS to Maria for sharing this review! Go check out her blog!