A Court of Thorns and Roses

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1
Pages: 416 (hardcover)
Published: May, 2015, by Bloomsbury

Summary: When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. 

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever

My Thoughts: Okay, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think I have an addition to my favorite books list on my hands with this one, I mean I absolutetly loved it!

First of all, Sarah J. Maas is amazing. I had the pleasure of meeting her this past Saturday at Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and she was so sweet and cool and amazing. Not only that, but she can write like nobodies business. 

The world building in this book was so seamless and effortless that I never felt lost or confused about where something was happening or who or what a character might be, (which happens occasionally when it comes to fantasy novels).

This book is a worthy first book of a series, too. It set up a world that can be explored and that can flourish for many, many books, but this installment could have even just been a standalone with how it ended. The ends were tied so neatly with a little extra so that you can still see how another book would be welcome to the plot.

My only qualm was with some parts where our protagonist, Fayre, was a tad on the damsel in distress side a bit much, but maybe it only bothered me because I'm used to Maas' strong, independent, femal protagonist of her other series, Celaena Sardothien of the Throne of Glass novels. 

Other than that, this book was a solid 4.75 out of 5 stars. I was hooked in from chapter one, completely entranced by the detailed world building and fully fleshed out characters all the way until the last page.

It is safe to say that I will be continuing on with this series, especially since I've already started reading the next book, A Court of Mist and Fury. If you liked the Throne of Glass series or Beauty and the Beast fairy tale retellings with some sexy times in it, then this book is definitely for you! Happy reading, my fellow book borrowers!
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood

Title: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
Author:  Marjane Satrapi, Mattias Ripa (Translator)
Series: Persepolis #1
Pages: 153 (paperback)
Published: June 2004 by Pantheon
(All links below lead to it's respective Goodreads' page unless otherwise specified)

Summary: Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love.

My Thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised by this book in how funny it actually turned out to be. You would think that an autobiographical account of one woman's childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution would be all sadness and heaviness, but it wasn't.

Don't get me wrong, it still had plenty of gravity, however I found myself laughing and smiling along with Marjane Satrapi's younger self when she would do something that all teenagers do, like for example listen to rock music that her parents didn't really understand or try to dress cool like Michael Jackson.

I learned a lot by reading this graphic novel and it gave me a better understanding of what happened in Iran during that time. It also gave me a hunger for more understanding of day to day life in similar situations that have happened or are happening all around the world, and I can't wait to read the follow up book to this one!

If you liked Maus by Art Spiegelman, then you will enjoy this graphic novel as well. Happy reading by fellow book borrowers! And let me know if you've read this awesome graphic novel or one similar to it, because I'd love to get more into the non-fiction graphic novel game!
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Name of the Star

Title: The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Series: #1 in the Shades of London series
Pages: 372 (paperback)
Published: September, 2011, by Penguin Young Readers Group

Summary: Jack the Ripper is back, and he's coming for Rory next... Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school just as a series of brutal murders mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper killing spree of more than a century ago has broken out across the city. The police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man believed to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him - the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target... unless she can tap her previously unknown abilities to turn the tables.

My Thoughts: Honestly, I had no idea what to expect when I went into this book. I only knew what I had read from the synopsis on the back of the book and that was it. But lemme tell ya, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I love books about history, London, boarding schools, and mysteries and this novel by Maureen Johnson had it all! Not only that, but it was funny, too. It was filled with snark and sarcasm without taking away from the brevity of the murder mystery that this book was truly about.

I don't want to give too much away because I went into this book pretty blind and I think that's why I enjoyed it as much as I did, so that's what I would recommend to anyone who is interested in reading this London-based mystery in the future.

But I will say that it I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, because whoa CLIFFHANGER! I will also say that the only reason it didn't get a full 5 out of 5 stars is because sometimes things felt a little unnecessary. Other than that though, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading a YA dark, mystery series set in London, England.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The One

Title: The One
Author: Kiera Cass
Series: #3 in The Selection series
Pages: 336 (hardcover)
Published: May 2014 by Harper Collins

Summary: The time has come for one winner to be crowned. When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

My Thoughts: What a great ending to a trilogy, right guys? I came for something cheesy, romantic, and light and that's what I got and I'm completely happy with that.

This is the third book in The Selection series, and was originally supposed to be the final book for this world that America Singer lives in, but now there's a spinoff series about her daughter (that I will definitely be reading because I need more of Kiera Cass' writing in my life).

Since it was supposed to be the last book, however, it ties up really nicely at the end. You feel a sense of closure with the plot and characters and everything has a nice bow on it, which is exactly what I look for in a good young adult trilogy.

Was it worthy of all the awards for best plot and writing ever? No, but that's not what I wanted out of this series. It was a perfect blend of cheesy teen romance with a smidgen of dystopian power troubles, though. I was fully entertained from beginning to end.

My only problem was that I could have used a little bit more dystopian uprising elements, but other than that, I really liked this book and this series as well. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the show The Bachelor and to anyone middle school age and up. Let me know if y'all have read this series and what y'alls thoughts on it are in the comments below!
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Pages: 368 (hardcover)
Published: April 2014

Summary: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

My Thoughts: First off, can we appreciate how cute this book cover is real quick? That is aesthetic goals right there! Anyways, this book was quite the surprise for me! I didn't think I would like it because of how hyped up it was all over the internet. I thought it would just fall short or something so I went into it with kind of low expectations. But wow what a great contemporary!

It had everything that I was looking for in a contemporary this Spring: cuteness factor, romance, a coming of age story, complex and diverse characters, and an easy flow to the writing. I sped through this book and I definitely wanted more!

I've been a fan of Jenny Han's writing for a few years now, and this book did not fail me. It was cheesy in all the right ways and didn't make me cringe every other page. That isn't to say that there weren't any cringe worthy moments at all, but the ones that were in the narrative were needed to move the plot and character development along.

The only reason why I didn't give it a full 5 stars is because our main character, Lara Jean, was a tad annoying near the beginning and middle of the book. I wanted to shake her sometimes and scream "OPEN YOUR EYES CHILD!" But that's what helps makes you realize that she has grown as a person towards the end of the story. You see less and less of those moments until she reaches a point of clarity.

Jenny Han is quickly becoming one of my favorite go-to contemporary authors, especially for good summertime reads, and I will definitely be continuing on with this series soon and hopefully see what fate holds in store for our beloved Lara Jean and her highly entertaining love life.
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Martian

Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
Pages: 387 (paperback)
Published: October, 2014, by Broadway Books

Summary: Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—& even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—& a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

My Thoughts: I know I don't read a lot of science fiction books, but I'll be danged if this isn't one of the best ones I've read in years. Not only was it suspenseful and action packed, but it was downright hilarious!  So I initially picked this book up because I saw the movie trailer and was completely enthralled by what I saw. However, when I started reading, it wasn't exactly what I had expected.

I had heard mostly good reviews about this book from my fellow booksellers at work as well as other book reviewers, but I don't remember anyone saying how funny it was. And oh my stars, I was actually laughing out loud at some parts! 

Even when it wasn't all about the laughs, it was a great fast-paced, un-put-down-able, sci-fi thriller and I couldn't get enough of it. The characters and plot were great and the even science made sense (I cannot tell you how relieved this made me feel), so yeah I was a happy camper when I finished this one.

My only qualm with this novel was that sometimes the science was a little over my head.  I'm not very proficient in math or physical science, so when Watney would go on and on in detail when explaining why something broke or how he managed to fix it, I kinda sorta might have skimmed a little bit through those parts. It wasn't that much of the book where I felt this lost, but when it occasionally happened I would skim to the bottom of the page to see what was going to happen next.

That didn't take away from the book much at all, though. I feel like people of pretty much all science backgrounds can understand what's going on because Andy Weir did a good job of explaining the details and cutting the fat so you weren't inundated with a new and complicated science lesson every time you turned the page. 

So far it looks like this book is going to be on my list of top 5 favorite books I've read in 2015, and I seriously cannot wait until the movie adaptation comes out in October, like I already plan on dragging anyone willing to witness this movie with me because I gots to share the love. Let me know what you thought of The Martian in the comments below or if you plan on reading it!
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Fire with Fire

Title: Fire with Fire
Authors: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian
Series: #2 in the Burn for Burn series
Pages: 517 (hardcover)
Published: August, 2013, by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
(All links below lead to it's respective Goodreads' page unless otherwise specified)

Summary: Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance. Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn. It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...

My Thoughts: What a great sequel to Burn for Burn! Even though it took me a while to finish this book, every time I picked it up I felt like I was flying through it. That might be because of the short nature of the chapters but I think it's mostly because the plot was always moving and never felt stagnant.

I think I might have said this before about Burn for Burn (link leads to my book review), but when point of views change in a book, it can either work wonderfully or fail completely for me, there is no in between. The same logic, in my opinion, applies to dual authors, too. However, with these books, it's effortless. Jenny Han's and Siobhan Vivian's writing blends so seamlessly and it words so well with the multiple POVs in this series that I couldn't imagine it written any other way.

The characters were more complex and fleshed out in this book, as well. Kat and Lillian become more understanding of those that they were seeking revenge on and they were less blinded by their bloodthirsty cause.  When a character is only defined by a revenge plot, it can get boring and tired fast, so it was nice to see most of the characters shift their focus from time to time. This also led to more of a fulfilling plot, in the end.

I also loved how the series is crossing genres midway through the series, but once again, it's quite seamless. You're given a small glimpse of this crossover in the first book, but it comes to fruition in this installment.  With the new genre, comes a breath of fresh air as well as more possibilities to be surprised by the story, and I love that about these books. They always surprise me and I'm left wanting more.

The reason why this novel didn't get a 5 out of 5 stars is because it became a little predictable for me near the end, even with the genre switch and the big twist at the end. I found myself skimming those parts just so I could get on with the story. But I will definitely be continuing on with this series and reading Ashes to Ashes in the near future. I need to know what happens to this dramatic and insane trio!
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars