June Review

Let's see...

So I read a total of 9 books this month. Pretty good I think. Getting better at this.

To be honest though the first one is a picture book with few words and stunning illustrations

Imagine a City by Elise Hurst

This shows magic realism in the best way, with stunning illustrations that are so confidant in their line work and sophisticated and fun in their content. Love this book.

But I'll get on with the rest of the books I actually read (not that I didn't read the above) rather than drool over the illustrations.

The first book I've finished this month was Big Fish by Daniel Wallace

This book was first published in 1998 by Algonquin Books. It's 196 pages and I gave it three stars on good reads.

This book is about Edward Bloom told by his son William. Edward Blood was an extraordinary man who could outrun anybody, tamed giants, saved lives and never missed a day of school. Animals loved him, people loved him, women loved him. He knew more jokes than any man alive. At least this is all what he told his son. On Edwards death bed Williams just wants to know the truth about his father, the teller of tall tales.

I read this with my boyfriend an ultimately it's a pretty quick read. It was funny, quirky and a little unbelievable at times. The reason I gave it three stars was because I didn't feel any connection to the characters. I got that William wanted to know the truth about his father but didn't understand his anger behind it, there was no real build up. And because of these tall tales about his father, Edward Bloom was hard to relate to. The moments I enjoyed were when it got real, tender, as William tried to urge the truth, rather anything from his father as he lay on his death bed.

Unfortunately I feel I have a slight bias as I've seen the 2003 Big Fish movie directed by Tim Burton, and felt that the movie executed the magic realism really well, and gave us a better connection to the characters.

Next was All the Broken Things by Kathryn Kautenbrouwer

This book was published January 14th 2014 by Random House Canada. It has 352 pages.

I gave this book two stars but moved it down to one star. I was disappointed.

Set in 1983 the story follows fourteen year old Bo, a boy who, with his mother, crossed the ocean to escape Vietnam. Now in Toronto, Canada, Bo, his mother Thao, and his four-year-old sister live in a small house owned by the church. His sister is disfigured from the effects of Agent Orange, her name is Orange Blossom, but Bo just calls her Orange. She is the family secret. One day a carnival worker and bear trainer, Gerry, finds Bo streetfighting and recruits him for the bear wrestling circuit, eventually giving him a cub to train. Then Gerry's boss, Max, begins pursuing Thao with an eye on Orange for his traveling freak show. Bo wakes up one day to find the house empty he knows he and his bear cub, Bear, are completely alone. Together they set off on a journey through the streets of Toronto and High Park, forming a unique and powerful bond. When Bo emerges from the park to search for his sister he discovers a new way of seeing Orange, himself and the world around them.

This books synopsis was what lead me to buying this book. But this book was a let down. The whole time I kept thinking there was going to be this thrilling climax to the story, but it never showed. Every time I picked it up to read it it felt like a chore, and almost just didn't finish it multiple times. But I kept thinking that maybe the end would make it worth while. It didn't. At all. The only redeemable factor of this book was Bo's relationship with his sister, and the effects a war had on this family (which sounds terrible I know...) but it showed how Bo was victimized not only by his class mates who he fought, but his teacher who kept bringing the war up as a teach able moment when all Bo wanted to do was forget. The effects of agent orange on a child, and how that effected the family dynamic was depressing and real, a true eye opener. Otherwise everything else fell short.

Next is an audio book: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

So I listened to the Tenth anniversary edition that was a full cast production. Narated by Dennis Boutsikaries, Daniel Oreskes, Ron McLarty, Sarah Jones. First published in 2001 this book now has a TV series adaptation on the Starz network. This audio book is 19hrs and 39 minutes

We follow Shadow, who is just getting out of prison after three years. He did his time, quietly just waiting to go to Eagle Point Indiana and be back with Laura, the wife he deeply loved and start a new life. But the day before his release Laura and Shadows's best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, he accepts a job for a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, and enigmatic man who called himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and a rogue, Wednesday know's more about Shadow than Shadows knows about himself. Life as Wednesday's bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more dangerous than Shadow every imagined. Soon Shadow realizes that the past never dies, and beneath a placid surface of everyday life there is a storm brewing, and epic war for the very soul of America, and he is standing in it's path.

I loved this book. Five stars. The journey Shadow goes on is really thought provoking. There's no good way to describe this book. This concept of the Old Gods, Odin, Czernobog, Anansi, Thoth, Anubis, Easter, etc. and New Gods; The Black Hats, The intangibles, Media and Technical Boy and them wanting the land that is America, and the belief of the people who live there is really just bind blowing. I was curious too, since it's in America if they were going to introduce Native American beliefs in here as well, and they did! Admittedly, a little stereotypical but in a way that made me laugh as it points at hard truths of changes in America. But that's the whole book really, hard truths, that people in America like to believe they have beliefs, but what do they believe in?

Highly recommend. I could not stop listening to it, and can't wait to watch the show.

Next was another audio book: Sherlock Holmes: The Rediscovered Railway Mysteries and Other Stories by John Taylor and Narrated by Benedict Cumberbattch

This was a shorter audio book: 2 hours and 3 minutes long.

So I had just finished American Gods and needed to do something with my hands, but really wanted to continue with a book. I share an audible account with my mom, and she had gotten this so I decided to put this on while I had to work with my hands. This is several short stories following Sherlock Holmes, a private detective, and his companion, Dr. John Watson.

These stories were fun and interesting for that moment in which I needed them, I was a little disappointed because there weren't very many stories. And honestly I was kind of expecting more from Cumberbatch...I guess I expected him to sound as the Sherlock Holmes he portrays in the BBC show Sherlock, I thought that would have lightened the mood up and given the stories a bit of humor. But he did his job, he was narrating. Though I was impressed with some of his accent changes.

I gave this audio book three stars. It was fine for the moment but didn't really stand out.

Next was my the May Owl Crate Book Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

This book was released this year: May 30th 2017, and contains 400 pages.

This book follows Eliza Mirk, she's weird, quiet, and doesn't have any friends, but online she's Lady Constellation, the anonymous creator of the viral web comic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can't imagine the real world being as interesting or worth living as much as the online world. But when Wallace Warland transfers to her school, Eliza find out he's the biggest fan fiction writer of Monstrous Sea. When their friendship starts to grow, Wallace just thinks Eliza is another fan, and Eliza starts wondering if  real life isn't that bad. When her secret of being the Monstrous Sea creator is accidentally released at their school, Eliza's friendship, online life, and emotional stability starts to crumble.

I devoured this book. I was nervous because this book was getting so much hype on booktube, but it was because of that hype that I ordered it to begin with. Eliza is an illustrator with two younger brothers that get mistaken for twins and are really into sports, she also has an Aunt Carol and Uncle Frank, it was all to easy for me to be in her shoes. Particularly when she's forced to go to her brother's soccer games and she's sits there and sketches rather than watch the game....dead ringer for me honestly, it did make me feel bad though....(to be fair I did look up when the crowd around me got all hyped up...) In this book Eliza deals with trying to be invisible at school, in order to not get picked on, in order to not be seen by her teachers and be made to say something in front of the whole class, she deals with anxiety. So does Wallace Warland, but while Eliza's was more of anxiety brought on by pressing social situations/too many people in one room, Wallace's was brought on by an event in his life, and it's interesting to see the differences between the two and how they attempt to over come it through out the book. Both of these characters I loved and disagreed with plenty of times, but in the end came to love them both with their growth through out the book. I swooned with Eliza and Wallace was being cute and adorable, I cried with her as her world started falling apart only to get some help through some unexpected people, helping me understand further that it's all about COMMUNICATION!

I had a longer review....but realize I should make it separate from this post....I'll probably do that, I didn't realize how much I wanted to say. Overall four out of five stars.

Next was another new release: Beyond the Bright Sea by Laruen Wolk

Quickly some cover love right here, this is stunning. Alright, this was release May 2nd, 2017, and has 304 pages.

This book follows Crow, she's lived her life on a tiny island off the islands of Elizabeth, Massachusetts. She was abandoned and set a drift hours old into the sea, her only companions are Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, Miss Maggie, the fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar, and Mouse, a cat who like Osh and Crow found the island home. Crow has always been curious of the world around her, but when a mysterious fire appears across the water it sparks some unspoken questions in her own history. Soon an unstoppable chain of events are triggered, leading crow to a path of discovery and danger.

I loved the descriptions in this book, definitely a summer read and the author describes the sand, the water, I needed a beach day after reading this. I gave this four stars, not because I didn't love it, I did, and not being it didn't hold my interest, it did, there was just something I had wanted more from it that I didn't get. But otherwise it was very interesting, and set some time in history before phones were a thing. But I thought Crow was adorable and curious and hard working, she figured out a lot of the problems herself most of the time and was very smart about some very adult decisions. An over all fun and quick read for summer.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

This was originally a British radio series, turned book in 1979 turned movie in 2005. The books themselves are a 5 part series with a sixth book written by another author. This particular one is the first in the series, and I listened to it on audio. It's 5 hours and 51 minutes long and is narrated by Stephen Fry.

I've seen the movie to this and thought it rather funny but heard from countless people it doesn't even compare to the book. I had a physical copy of the book at some point, but now an ex has it...and i'm not asking for that back.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a comedy science fiction series that starts off with the Earth being demolished to make way for a galactic freeway. Luckily before it was demolished Arthur Dent was plucked off by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who has been stuck on earth for the last fifteen years, posing as an out of work actor.

Together Arthur and Ford begin a journey through spaced aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide and a galaxy full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox- the two headed three armed ex-hippie and "totally out to lunch" president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan) from Earth, whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin a paranoid, brilliant, chronically depressed robot.

So in a way I'm happy for the movie, as it helped with visualization, particularly with the Vogons in this book. Otherwise I did love it and gave it four out of five stars. Something was a miss, perhaps not as much action scenes? or travel? something. But it the book was hilarious at times and I connected with the characters and their literal banter. I can't wait to start on the next series of the book and hope to pick up more space type books in the future.

And finally the last book I read this month

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

This book was published in November 2016 by Disney Hyperion, and is a quick 240 pages

This book follows Subhi, a refugee born in an Australian permanent detention center after his mother and sister fled the violence of a distant homeland. Despite not knowing life outside of the fences, Subhi's imagination is far bigger. Every night the magical Night Sea from his mother's stories bring him gifts, far away whales sing to him and birds tell him their stories. The most vivid arrives one night with a girl named Jimmie, a scruffy impatient girl who appears from the other side of the wire fence with a notebook written by the mother she lost. Unable to read it herself, she relies on Subhi to unravel her family's love songs and tragedies. Subhi and Jimmie might both find comfort and maybe in freedom as their tales unfold, but not until each has been braver than ever before.

This book....needed to be written. Subhi's imagination is wonderful and magical, and such a gift to have in such a terrible place. The conditions in which Subhi and the rest of them are in come from accounts of real refugee detention center's from Australia. The author makes not of the terrible way countries treat refugees in Australia, UK, Europe and USA. It sickening and frightening that we can do something like this to fellow human beings that are trying to escape to a better place or be killed in their homeland. This book is important and beautiful. The stories told are enticing, the imagery is breath taking, and Subhi's story is one to be told. Even the way we ignore these conditions and mistreatments is told perfectly in this story as Jimmie realizes that her dad seems to care then to look at the sports page and wonder "what is the world coming to" due to a player being out for a couple games. I applaud this other for this book despite that I wish it didn't have to be written, I'm glad Fraillon did so.

Alright so that is it for the books I've read in June. Let me know if you've read any of these and your thoughts on them. Any of them you want to read? Or what did you read in June you think I should check out?

Until next time!

Litta

My Most Anticipating Summer Releases

So after some thinking I've realized, aside from some sequels I know come out this summer, I'm not aware of was else is.

So thanks to Reading Books Like a Boss and Good Reads I've come up with a list of interesting books coming out this summer that I thought I'd be interested in that I would share.

A lot of booktubers are doing similar videos, but of course, not all of our interests are going to be the same. So it'll be interesting to see how my list differs from theirs.

So I say "summer", summer technically stars June 24th and ends in September, and here in my home town, that's July-September and part of October. But with the general consensus that "summer" is June-August, I'll do releases based on those months.

So let's get started.

June Releases

Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

This book was published June 6th 2017, by Bloomsbury Childrens Books. 373 pages.

Carline Oresteia is destined for the river. For generations her family has been called by the river god. Guiding their wherries on countless voyages throughout Riverlands, but at seventeen the river god has yet to speak to Caro, despite her listinging to the water for years, ready to meet her fate. But when Caro takes her future into her own hands when her father is arrested for refusing to transport a mysterious crate, Caro agrees to deliver it in exchange for his release. Caro find herself caught in politics and lies, with dangerous pirates after the cargo and no river god to help her, with so much at stake Caro must choose between the life she always wanted and one she never could have imagined for herself.

Cover love! And physically owned. Admittedly is sounds a little like Moana....not going to lie...

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan

This book was published June 13th, 2017 by Scribner and has 336 pages

This book follows Lydia Smith, a clerk and the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the Bookfrogs, the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store's overwhelmed shelves. But when a young beguiling Bookfrog named Joey McGinty kills himself in the bookstore's back room, Lydia's life comes unglued. Being his favorite bookseller, Lydia is bequeathed his meager worldly possessions. As Lydia flips though his books she find them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning, and they seem to contain hidden messages. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia?

I'm all for reading a book about books in a bookstore. My mom manages a Curiculum Resource Center (i.e. a small library) and I worked there for about two years in college, as well as the university's library, so yeah I have a little thing for books. Mysteries/thrillers are always a fun to add in the To-Be-Read (TBR) pile.

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

This book was published June 13th, 2017 by Grweenwillows Books and has 510 pages.

This is the second in the Monster's of Verity duology, and one of the sequals I was talking about.
The first book being This Savage Song. So to not spoil you, I'll tell you about This Savage Song.

In a world where violence breeds monsters, Kate Harker and August Flynn are heirs to a divided city. Harker wants to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam the city  and makes humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good hearted as his father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent, but he's one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. August jumps at the chance to keep an eye on Kate who's just come home after being kicked out of her sixth boarding school. But Kate discovers his secret and after a failed assassination attempt, the pair must flee for their lives.

I finally physically own this (I say finally because I had to wait for it to release...then get here) but physically owned....and despite my bitching about it not getting here sooner I probably wont read it until closer to fall.

The Suffering Tree by Elle Cosimano

This was also published June 13th 2017, by Disney Hyperion. 368 pages

Tori Burns and her family have left D.C. to move to Chaptico, Maryland, after inheriting a house under mysterious circumstances. It seems as though this doesn't put her in good favor with the town, especially Jesse Slaughters and his family, as the land the house sits on is their generations old land that the Burns ahve "stolen". But none of that matters when Tory witnesses a young man claw his way out of a grave in her new backyard.
Nathanial Bishop may not understand what brought him back but it's clear that he hates the Slaughters for what they did to him centuries ago. Wary yet drawn to him Tori gives him shelter. But in his arrival comes a string of troubling events, including the disappearance of Jesse Slaughter's cousin, that seems to point back to Nathaniel. Tori digs for the truth, and uncovers tangled branches of the Slaughter family tree, and the true nature of her inheritance. Tori must unravel the Slaughter's oldest and most guarded secrets, but the Slaughters want to keep them buried at any cost.

Cover love, and zombies? this book sounds like a good thriller for fall.

July Releases

Nostalgic Rain: Galaxies Away By A.S. Altabtabai

This book is expected to be published July 1st, 2017. 324 Pages

Seventeen-year old Leland lost his father when he was seven. He has successfully adapted to the awful life of being a students, the man of the house and a father figure to his two younger siblings. All of that changes when he and his best friends stumble upon a secret in his deserted basement and fall into another dimension with three moons, foggy woods, and an ancient castle- Oremanta. Leland finds he's learning who he is, how he got to this planet and the ugly mystery behind Orenmanta. But the quest he finds himself obligated to do is challenging to complete- to kill someone he never thought he'd meet in Oremanta to save everyone.

Cover love, and what an interesting concept for a book, reminds my of Jumangi in a way.

August Releases

The Body in the Clouds by Ashley Hay

So this one was confusing, I guess it was originally published in 2010 but now it's being republished... for this hard cover edition it's being published August 2nd 2017 by Thorndike Press Large Print.

A men fell from the sky, and survived. Three men saw this, in three different ways and at different times, as they stand on the same piece of land. An astronomer in the 1700's, a bridge worker in the 1930's and  an expariate banker returning home in the early twenty first centry: all three are transformed by this one magical event. All three struggling to find what the meaning of "home" is, and how to recognize it once you're there.

Cover love first off, otherwise how trippy is this synopsis?

Wicked Like Wildfire by Lana Popovic'

This is expected to be published August 15th 2017, by Katherine Tegen Books. Its 416 pages.

All the women in Iris and Malina's family have unique magical ability or "gleam." Iris sees flowers as fractals and turns her kaleidoscope visions into glass work, while Malina interprets moods as music. But their mother has strict rules to keep their gifts a secret, even if they do live in a secluded sea-side town. They are not to share their magic with anyone, nor are they allowed to fall in love. But when their mother is attacked, the sisters will have to find the truth behind their quiet lives their mother has built for them. They will find a wicked curse that haunts their family line, but will their magic that bonds them together tear them apart forever?

Cover love (told you, I judge a book by it's cover) this sounds fun and interesting and fully of imagery.

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

Expected Publication August 29th 2017, 368 pages.

This is the start of a series called DC Icons. A series of four YA novels, centered around teenage versions of Wonder Woman, Batman (by Marie Lu), Superman (by Matt de la Pena) and Catwoman (by Sarah J. Mass)

Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters, but when opportunity finally comes she throws away her chance of glory and breaks Amazon law, by saving a mortal. Risking exile Diana may have doomed the world. All Alia wanted to do was escape her over protective brother with a semester at sea. She didn't know she was being hunted, she didn't know there was a bomb aboard the ship. Rescued by mysterious girl with extraordinary strength, Alia is forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer- a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.
Together Diana and Alia will face and army of enemies: mortal and divine, determined to destroy or possess the Warbinger. If they hope to save both their world they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

Have yet to see the movie, it's on my to do list. I've heard good thing about Leagh Bardugo's writing, also on my to do list is to read her books. The fact the so much of DC is being re-imagined in new ways is exciting, I loved DC Comics: Bombshells, so to see the origin story be altered quite a bit but still have a similar premise is going to be fun.

Alright I think that's it for the summer releases. Is there one in this list that you're also excited for? is there one I didn't list that you think I should look into? Let me know!

Until next time!
Litta

June Book Haul

I'd like to think I'm done getting books for June.

I think it's a safe bet.

It's a week until July...I'm broke...yeah safe bet.

So this month I got...

...several books from several sources. I'll start with the book boxes.

This first one I got from Owlcrate. Owlcrate is a monthly subscription book box that sends out a new Young Adult (YA) release and some theme related book items. I used to subscribe every month but found that some of the books that they'd send out wasn't what I had hoped for and just kind of got disappointed. This is not Owlcrate's fault by any means I'm just realizing that I'm very particular about YA books, and didn't want to spend money on something I was disappointed by every couple of months.

This box though I did order, because the great thing about Owlcrate is that they have sales for previous boxes. So even though June had the theme of "Make It Out Alive" I was interested in their May box which was "Comic Explosion", so I was able to go back and buy it.

They tend to have their books be a mystery every month and through their emails and posts on Instagram they'll have hints as to what will be in the box. Now since I ordered the May box in June and I follow book tube I knew the book was:

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

And the reason I got this is because the synopsis of the book sounded interesting, and everyone's reviews were really positive, so yeah I caved into the hype for this one.

Eliza and Her Monsters is about a high schooler named Eliza Mirk, in real life she's shy, weird, and friendless, but Online she's the anonymous creator of a very popular web comic Monstrous Sea. No one in her real life knows she's created this, and online she goes by LadyConstellation and has no plans on revealing herself as the creator. Then Wallace Warland transfers to Eliza's highschool and turns out to be Monstrous Sea's biggest fan fiction writer. As they become friends Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and Eliza begins to wonder if life outside the internet isn't so bad after all. Until Eliza's secret is accidentally shared to the world and her new found friendship, her online creation, even her sanity begins to fall apart.

I have read this and will give more of my thoughts about it in my June Review. But ultimately I loved it. As an illustrator I felt Eliza's fear of quality over quantity of her art. the fact she has two younger brothers I connected with. Oh and!! This is what really tripped me out, at one point she mentions an Aunt Carol and I laughed thinking "I wonder if she has an Uncle Frank too" (like me) and as soon as I thought that, Uncle Frank came to be Aunt Carol's husband!!!

Other things came in the Owl crate box as well, a Funko-pop, I believe you could have gotten either Deadpool or Captain America, although I was hoping for Deadpool I got the Captain but after seeing Civil War I'm OK with this. There were a few other things too, but honestly I only wanted the Pop figure and the book....Oh also Owlcrate tends to have exclusive covers which is pretty cool, I think the only difference was the font color, so the one I pictured here is the general book cover, the one I got has yellow font that matches the stars. It also comes with a signed book plate and a letter from the author telling you about the book.

The next box I got was the Uppercase Box. This is another monthly book subscription box, yes it's YA new released, but they don't do themes like Owlcrate.
Uppercase you're kind of going blind, there's no hints, just a YA release for that month. There also isn't as much bookish items. I chose this subscription box on a hunch that I might get the book I have been waiting for this year, and I was right!

Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

This I was interested in due to it's cover, yes, I mean duh, but also because the synopsis. Brought to you by Goodreads:

"Caroline Oresteia is destined for the river. For generations, her family has been called by the river god, who has guided their wherries on countless voyages throughout the Riverlands. At seventeen, Caro has spent years listening to the water, ready to meet her fate. But the river god hasn’t spoken her name yet—and if he hasn’t by now, there’s a chance he never will.

Caro decides to take her future into her own hands when her father is arrested for refusing to transport a mysterious crate. By agreeing to deliver it in exchange for his release, Caro finds herself caught in a web of politics and lies, with dangerous pirates after the cargo—an arrogant courier with a secret—and without the river god to help her. With so much at stake, Caro must choose between the life she always wanted and the one she never could have imagined for herself.

From debut author Sarah Tolcser comes an immersive and romantic fantasy set along the waterways of a magical world with a headstrong heroine determined to make her mark." 

This book is the first so far in a series, how long it will be is unclear just yet.

What ultimately had me to unsubscribe to owlcrate was knowing they weren't going to be giving out this book, they had an ad for it in their march box which was  "Sailors Ships and Seas" of which I was super excited about, but not so much when I saw that it wasn't this book but rather Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller. 

Here's what else I got in the Uppercase Box:

The book (which was signed!)

On the inner cover of the book there is a map, and Uppercase provided the map so I wont be constantly looking at the inner cover (convenient much?)

A book mark that has a link to a website to follow along with as you read the book

A tote bag that says "Reading is the Ultimate Adventure" Featuring a cat reading a book in a hot air balloon.

and a pin that has a book and some flowers with a banner that says "book nerd" (which I immediately put on my work apron)

Apologies for not giving you a picture of the Owlcrate goodies but if you're curious you can go to their website: https://owlcrate.com/

What is also interesting with them (not to take away from Uppercase) is that they just started an Owlcrate Jr. which include middle grade books (8-12) which I hope to get for my niece at some point, but she only just turned three so it'll be a while (if anyone knows of any toddler book boxes let me know!)

If you're interested in Uppercase here's the link to them: https://www.uppercasebox.com/

I don't have much to say about them so far, as this was my first box from them, but they too have their previous items online but it doesn't look like they sell previous boxes. And from the looks of it, it may be hit or miss pending on the month with me, but we shall see. I'll do another post that talks more fully of subscription boxes and my thoughts on them.

Alright I guess we'll get into my Book Outlet haul. If you haven't found book outlet yet...uhm don't. I'm kidding of course I can never visit the site and not have four books in the cart. This website is like thrifting for books online. They can be ridiculously cheap, and cheaper still if you're able to get over $35 in your cart (which means free shipping). They get new inventory every couple of weeks. Not so much new new books, like you wont fine a new release in there the same month it's out, but there's something for everyone in my opinion.

The books I got were:

The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell

So I'll let you know now, I judge a book by its cover. I don't understand why that's a bad thing, you're trying to sell a book? Make sure it's an interesting cover. 

This book is currently in development for a movie adaptation featuring Keira Knightly. Not why I got this book, but and interesting bit of information. I couldn't find anything more on the matter as it is in development. So I may wait until I get to see this movie before I read this book otherwise I'll never see the movie. 

But this book is about Rose Baker, who is a typist for the New York City Police Department. Criminals confess their transgressions before her and with cold judgement she seals their fate with a few strokes of the keys before her. But while her job entails her to hear about shootings, stabbings and crimes of passion, other the streets Baker is a lady. Until Odalie joins the typing pool, and she starts falling under a spell, lured to speakesies and jazz clubs. fascination turns into obsession in this 1920's debut novel.

I'm eager to start on this but as I have said, I am terrible with reading books first and not wanting to watch the movie's. And knowing this one is staring Keira Knightly.....isn't helping the odds of me wanting to read the book first....

The Dark Life by Kat Falls

For those who know me, yes I got this because it had a jellyfish on the cover, but the synopsis is pretty epic.

This book is a future dystopian set in the world's first subsea settlement as the settlers defend their homesteads against the brazen band of outlaws. Rising oceans have swallowed entire regions. People are packed like sardines living on what little dry land is left. The story follows Ty and his family and Ty's dream of claiming his own stake when he turns eighteen, until outlaws attack the government supply ships and settlements. This is the first in a series of two (a duology).

The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough

With this I wanted to see if I can get through a Romeo and Juliet type Young Adult Romance....I tend to steer clear, especially when the covers have teenagers on the picture. Figured this would be a good start. 

As I said this book claims to be similar to Romeo and Juliet, as well as, Anthony and Cleopatra, Helen of Troy and Paris. We're following Flora Suadade, and African-American Girl who dreams of being the next Amelia Earhart by day and sings Jazz by night, and Henry Bishop, a white boy with his future assured, wealthy adoptive parents in the middle of the depression, college scholarships. 

That's it... we're going to see how they make their choices and how this story comes out. 

A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans

A cover I thought looked adorable. I was surprised by how big this book is 531 pages.

We follow Laura Foster, a known hopeless romantic, she lives with her head in the clouds or buried in a romance novel. It's harmless enough even if it hasn't delivered her a dashing hero. But her latest relationship has ended in a disaster, costing her friendships, her job and nearly her sanity. Laura swears off men and her romantic fantasies. 

With her life in pieces Laura agrees to go on vacation with her parents. After visiting craft shops and touring stately homes in England, Laura is about ready to tear her hair out. Until she crosses paths with Nick, a sexy rugged estate manager who shares more than a sense of humor with her. Can she be falling for him? Will she get it wrong again? Is she willing to open her heart up again?

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker, translated by Kevin Wiliarty

So I actually saw this book at a Barnes and Noble when I visited friend almost a year ago. Something about it was familiar and I knew I wanted it, but didn't buy it at the time, so when I saw it on Book Outlet I snagged it up. Only to find out, the reason why it was familiar was because my mom already owned it and had even suggested it to me a few years back...oops

The story follows Julia, who is bent on finding out where her successful New York lawyer father has gone after going missing. Her and her mother find a love letter from him written to a Burmese woman they've never heard of before. Julia decides to travel to the village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of unimaginable hardship, resilience and passion. This book claims to reaffirm the reader's believe in the power of love to move mountains. 

The next two books are from Amazon and ultimately it was because I wanted them both and hadn't been able to find one, and the other was a pre-order. That one being:

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

Our Dark Duet is the second book in the Monsters of Verity duology. The first being This Savage Song. I wont tell you about Our Dark Duet, as I have yet to read it, and I don't want to spoil anything from This Savage Song. So I'll tell you about This Savage Song.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city, where violence has bred actual monsters. Pending on the severity of the violence determines the type of monsters.

Kate wants to be as ruthless as her father, who lets monsters roam free and makes humans pay for his protection. All August wants to be is human, as good-hearted as his father, to play a bigger role on protecting the innocent. But he is one of the monsters, one of three who can steal a sole with a strain of music. When Kate gets kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returns home, August leaps at the idea of keeping an eye on her. But when Kate finds out August's secret and after a failed assassination attempt, the pair must flee for their lives.

One thing I liked was that Schwab had assured no romance between August and Kate in the first book of this series (although there were hints) it was over all a good dynamic and refreshing that there was no romance between the two. The second book Our Dark Duet is the continuance of the war between monsters and humans. 

I'm a little irritated this came out in June, because even with This Savage Song, it feels like a fall read. But I'm happy to have it nonetheless.

The second book is also by Schwab

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

So Schwab has stated that when a book is published under V.E. Schwab it for an Adult release, while a book under Victoria Schwab is a Young Adult release. Which I'm curious if it's for the same reason J.K, Rowling did what she did in that that way readers can't tell what the sex of the author is (because sexism, even when writing books, is still and issue in today's world).

This book is the first in a series of three (a trilogy) of which I've heard many good things about and found interesting. 

We follow Kell the last Antari, a rare coveted magician able to travel between parallel Londons: Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.  Kell was raised in Arnes, Red London, and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one with out magic. Unofficially Kell is a smuggler, servicing those willing to pay for the smallest glimpse of a world they'll never see. A dangerous job with dangerous consequences which Kell is now seeing. An exchange goes awry and Kell meets Delilah Bard, who robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, she has lofty aspirations.

As I've said I've heard good things, I hear it can also be confusing with the whole parallel universe thing, but the Kell is an interesting protagonist with a morally grey agenda.

These last few books are from my local book store in which I frequent every other month to be able to pick up something I may not have heard of on booktube or seen on book outlet. 

The first being:

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

This book has an amazing simple cover, I love the contrast, I love the texture. I'm not sure if it's a gem, fire, or silk, for all I know it could be all three and represent women really well. I had seen this book in my local book store a couple time, and had been meaning to get it, but the price point was just a little too high. Let me explain it this way, anytime I shop for books I limit myself to three book max. With this book's price point I couldn't justify buying two more books, however this last time, I got two books for a baby shower (so little card board books) and this one with out wrecking my wallet. 

This book is a collection of stories of rare force and beauty, of hardscrabble lives, passionate loves and quirky and vexed human connections. This book has stories about women with privilege and of poverty, are in marriages both loving and haunted. Ultimately I picked this up because American Housewife by Helen Ellis didn't cut it for me in a way I had hoped. So I hope this one can enable some woman power.

Next is The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

So as I looked up this cover, I realized that there are other covers I almost prefer more, but don't feel like a middle grade book while this one feel like a middle grade book but I'm personally not a big fan of the cover.

This book follow Subhi, a refugee born in an Australian permanent detetntion center after his mother and sister fled the violence of a distant homeland. Subhi has only known life behind the fences, and his imagination run wild every night after his mother's stories are told. Whales sing to him and the night sea brings him gifts. When one day he meets Jimmie and impatient, scruffy girl on the other side of the fence who needs Subhi's help reading her lost mother's diary, unable to read it herself. They both find comfort and maybe even freedom and their tales unfold, but not before each has been even braver than before.

And Finally

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

I just finished reading this a few days ago, I gave it four stars on good reads. It was good, not great, interesting. I'll let you know more about it in my June Review. If you couldn't tell, the cover interested me. 

This story follows twelve-year-old Crow, who's lived her entire life on a tiny island off the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Set adrift hours old, Crow's only companions are Osh, the man you rescued and raised her, Miss Maggie their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar, and Mouse, a cat who found a home with Osh and Crow. Crow has always been curious about the world around her, but when she catches sight of a fire on an island that's no longer supposed to be inhabited she starts to question her own history, leading to a chain of events that lead Crow to discovery and danger.

So I know I said that was the last book, but there are actually three more I wasn't able to picture because I 1) forgot, and 2) am picking up later.

The first two being 

Dream Animal: A bedtime Journey and Day Dreamers: A Journey of Imagination by Emily Winfield Martin

So I actually had got these two the same time I got Difficult Women but they were for a co-worker's baby shower, so I ordered two more from my local book store for my niece too. I love the illustrations in here their so smooth and light, completely magical. So these are formatted like thick card board, because they're for toddlers whom you don't trust with real pages yet. I actually had gotten Dream Animals a couple months back as a hard back with real paper inside which I was saving for my niece when she's older, and was happy to find something I can give her now (or as soon as I pick them up...)

The last book is another children's book, that I plan on keeping for my kids (of which I have none, yet, and hopefully not soon) I collect children's books I enjoy the illustrations of. And this one I got the same time as Beyond the Bright Sea and The Bone Sparrow

Imagine a City by Elise Hurst

The line work is what really caught my eye here. And actually the contrast of the off white, black and red. I was hoping that that would be the theme though out the whole book, but it wasn't which I can understand why, but still. I actually thought of Sin City when I saw this. But when I read it (really short read, it's more for the illustration than the story) it was so beautiful. This whole book has this detailed confident penmanship though-out the book, but it's also very imaginative in that there's buses that are fish to take you from bus stop to bus stop. It's very Magic Realism, which is something I absolutely love, as it's something to make our current world just a little more magical. Something to defy what we currently know as "real" and "normal". I want to visit this city.

Alright that was my June Book haul, sorry it went on for a bit. Let me know if you've read any of these and what you thought of them, or any books you got this month that you recommend to me. Until next time!

Litta

Mid-Year Book Freak Out

So half the year has gone by... Yeah what the fuck.

So I based my Goodreads challenge on the Around the Year in 52 Books Goodreads group, in that I hope to read atleast 52 books in the year of 2017 and hope that some how I can pick and choose those books to fit into the challenges that come with Around the Year in 52 books.

So far I've read 24 books of the 52, which means I'm right on track. I have a couple in progress right now that I feel like I can get done by the end of June.

As for the weekly challenges I will figure that out towards the end of the year.

I'm going to do a book tag for this: The Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag. Created by youtubers: Chami and Ely

I've been wanting to create youtube videos for almost a year now but still feel I have work to do before I get to that point, so instead we're going to have some fun here.

I'm going to leave the questions down below in case anyone wants to do this yourself.

Alright here we go:

Best book you've read so far in 2017?

... I'm stuck between Eliza and Her Monsters,  American Gods and The Lonely Hearts Hotel ...
crap....
All of them were good in their own right for different reasons....
...You know what American Gods by Neil Gaiman

This was one of the books I listened to on Audible, and absolutely had a hard time pausing for any reason. I would come home from work and stay and extra 15 minutes in the car just so I could listen to it a little longer. It was enticing and thought provoking and I'm constantly thinking about it.

Best sequel You've read so far in 2017?

I have yet to finish any sequels so far. I'm barely into Eldest the second book in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paulini. Otherwise most of what I've read this year are stand alones.

New release you haven't read yet but want to?

Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

and Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

Both I now have a physical copy of, but I feel are going to be waiting towards the end of summer...

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year?

One Dark Thone by Kendare Blake the second book in the Three Dark Crown Series. Out September 19th

Biggest Disappointment?

All the Broken Things by Kathryn Keutenbrouwer

The book's synopsis felt really interesting and enticing but the book was over all just a chore to read and was really anti-climactic, there were a couple times where I almost decided to just not finish it, and after finishing it felt like if I had I wouldn't have missed out on much.

Biggest Surprise?

The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neill

I had gotten this one on a whim (it was a cover buy) at a Barnes and Noble. It was a surprise because I went into it hardly knowing anything and then to my surprise, despite it being in a YA section...It's Adult....Despite being focused during the depression it had Magic Realism. I didn't expect this book to affect me like it did. It wasn't predictable in the slightest, it took me by surprise every turn. It's come to be one of my favorite books and I do love it dearly.

Trigger warning for Rape

Favorite new author (debut or new to you)?


Heather O'Neil see above. I haven't read anything else by her, yet...

Newest fictional crush?

.....I got nothing...

Newest favorite character?

Rose from The Lonely Hearts Hotel, by Heather O'Neil. She's a girl that knows what she wants and knows how to do the work to get it. She never loses sight of her dream.

Book that made you cry?

There were several of these but one that had the biggest impact was Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

This book got so much hype I was afraid to go into it at first. But I did and I devoured it. As an illustrator and an introvert I connected with Eliza on so many levels. This book gives a great outlook on anxiety and a great out look on Fandoms. It was all to easy too put myself into her shoes and just sob when her world fell apart.

Book that made you happy?

This would have to be My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

This was another Audio book I listened to and the narrator was just so in tune with the book. The book itself can be rather sad and trigger warning for bullying (like holy hell I wanted to hit the Head Master of the school so bad!) but since it's being told through Elsa's point of view (the view of a 9 year old) it's rather entertaining and hilarious, some of the reasonings she gives to making her decisions. Such a pleasant read.

Most beautiful book you've bought or received this year?

Would have to be The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O'Neil

and  Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

I love the font on O'Neil's cover, I think it fits so well with the book and the story and it's what drew me. The narrowed simplistic sarif font...It's unique. The playful "a" the dramatic"y". Then the legs and the moon give it that magic.  Tolcser's I love the font as well, and actually even more so once I got the book and realized that it's raised with glitter was just amazing. The color of the book itself drew me and I think we can tell by now I'm a sucker for covers with the moon and stars on them. The water is an extra bonus. It just seems mysterious and elegant. Can't wait to dive into this book.

What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Every time I see this book I have to convince myself to wait until it's closer to fall (you know...to justify buying other books) And every time I try to get it because that's all I want it's not in my local book store. I'm skeptical abou t buying this one online, I want the pretty black pages!


A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

I finally own this, and have heard good things. It sounds intriguing and it'll be interesting to see how I like this series compared to Schwabs Savage Song Series. The cover is really intriguing as well.

Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

I only just found out about this because I keep seeing Ash and Quill advertised any time I open my Instagram page, and that cover is glorious, but to own that one I should probably see if I like the first one...

then yeah I should probably finish Eldest by Chrisopher Paolini

I don't mean to say that like it's a chore, but that's how it kind of feels. I'm definitely a mood reader but my boyfriend and I had this unspoken arrangement when we first got together a little over a year ago that we'd read each other's favorite series. Both of which we couldn't believe the other hand't read because they were huge.

For him he read Harry Potter, and for me it was Eragon. When we started I actually thought I'd beat him because Harry Potter has some chunky books (I'm looking at you Goblet of Fire!) But I didn't realize just how chunky Eragon's books were. Granted Harry Potter still has more pages (I mean 7 books.....) but Eragon didn't grasp me quite as well as the Harry Potter series did....and with it being about a year since my boyfriend finished the Potter series and me finding other books I want to read it's making me feel a little guilty about reading the next book. It's not going bad, but it is slow, but only because I read a chapter ever other night because I'm not taking that brick with me.


Alright I think that's it. I'll leave the list of questions for you. Let me know if you do this, i'd like to read them. I'll try to post more frequently.

Until Next time!
Litta


Mid-Year Book Freak Out questions

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2015. 
2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2015.
3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to.
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
5. Biggest disappointment.
6. Biggest surprise.
7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you)
8. Newest fictional crush.
9. Newest favourite character.
10. Book that made you cry.
11. Book that made you happy.
12. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)
13. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?