Unbound

I didn't think I could fall in love with this author or this series any more...I was wrong.

Victoria Schwab has created a world I am desperate to live in. I can't get enough of this series! I want to shout from the rooftops to everyone in range to read these books.











If you have read any of my reviews you have quickly come to realize that I break one "important" rule and I judge my books by their covers.

I originally picked up The Archived when checking in a cart of brand new YA books and thought it was GORGEOUS!

I read the explanation and knew that I had to read it. The cover for The Unbound is equally fabulous.

I also have to say if there isn't a book 3, I don't know how I will deal with that. I NEED a book 3. This is beyond a want. I can just immerse myself in this world and not even think of anything else. I have to immerse myself in it. I'm not ready to let go.

The new characters were a lot of fun in this book. I was quite pleased that the introduction of Cash didn't cause a full on brawl between him and Wesley (Guyliner), because I would have been pretty disappointed. There was some hinting toward a love triangle, but it never went beyond slight flirtation really, and I loved that. You could tell both boys had some interest and there was a slight tension during interactions between both boys and Mackenzie. It felt real and even I felt conflicted and a little unsure what would happen...even though we all know that Guyliner is the way to go.

Mackenzie. I adore her. She is so strong and feels real to me. I want to be her best friend...or just be her. She is so beautifully flawed and so great. Even though she was being "independent" it really translated to "Stop being so dumb and talk to Wesley! Ack!" in my head, but you can't help but understand how she feels. I love that she doesn't depend solely on him to solve her problems and wants that independence and doesn't want to have to rely on anyone but herself and what her grandfather taught her. Like I said, I want to be her. I think at the end of the day she is a stronger person than I am.

 I am a grandpa's girl. I didn't really have a father growing up, I had my grandpa. He is someone I look up to and what he says/does/thinks matters. I relate to Mackenzie's strong feelings for that relationship she holds on to.

Enough babbling. Just do yourself a favor and read these books. Grab a cup pot of coffee and stay up all night getting lost in this wonderful world.

Raven Boys: a taste of psychics, birds, and the kiss of death

Well, it has been quite a while since I've read a book that wasn't part way through a series. I would say that Raven Boys was a good way to start again.

Like all good places to begin, let's start with that cover. I mean, look at it. I wanted to read this just because of that cover. I don't like the cover for Dream Thieves quite as much, but my expectations were clearly high after book 1. Now, onto what is actually between the covers.

Blue, our main character, is funny and independent. I liked that the kiss prophecy reminded me a bit of fairy tales. "Kiss your true love and he dies" a bit backwards from the kiss that solves all the world's problems, but more realistic. Relationships are messy and dating sucks. Anyone that tells you dating is great lies. Run the other way now. I liked that there wasn't this ridiculous love at first sight passion, but there were so many feelings! You could imagine the kinds of kissing that could go on if people weren't going to literally die from it. I'm sure Ronan knows all about that since he is totally a loose cannon.

I sort of got this weird Donna Tart Secret History group feeling while I read this book. I couldn't quite figure it out until I sat down to write this review, but I think that may be why I loved this so much. A group of weird kids, someone new tossed in the mix, murder, plots, magic. I can dig it.

Gansey. Yes. I loved him. I loved everyone in this book. Adam is wonderful. I simultaneously feel bad for him, want to punch him, then hug him, and Noah is great. Even Ronan that totally freaked me out and I worried he was going to go flying off the handle and kill everyone. In fact, maybe that is why I liked Ronan. YA books are usually straight forward and I take what they say at face value, so if they can trick me I instantly love them for it. This could have been that kind of book.

Like all good things the end of the book came and it left me feeling a bit dejected. Not because the ending wasn't good, but because there wasn't enough ending! I want the whole story and I want it now!! Ok, fine, I will just wait and read the other books. I look forward to it and I hope I love book 2 just as much.

The Theory of Everything

I saw this book while shelving and was drawn to it because of the blue cover and the trees in the letters of the title. I flipped to the back and without reading the premise of the book, I knew I had to check out. On the back cover is a chart. A CHART! Listing percentages of things in the book. I was sold. 5% possum? Done. I had to see where the possum fits in. It already seemed like my kind of humor and it was a chart!

The premise of the book sounds like a sad one. Our main character, Sarah, lost her friend in a tragic accident and is still not over it. Her family, friends and boyfriend aren't sure how to help her and are frankly getting a little upset with her seeming lack of ability to move on. Add to this a Christmas tree farm, some snarky behavior, and a main character that felt like she could be my best friend, and I was so excited to read this. I was not let down.

Sarah is awesome. I loved that while she was being a bit snarky and bitchy, even she was getting fed up with her own behavior. She wanted to change but couldn't figure out how and I can relate to feeling unsure of how to change yourself. I loved that she would say something and instantly in her head, "Why can't you just be normal?! Why are you like this?" I couldn't put this down because I had to see what happened in her life.

I was a little bummed out by the ending and after reading many other reviews, I was not alone. I won't give away any information, but I felt like one aspect seemed a bit out of character and there could have been more resolution. I wanted this to have the bow tie ending where everything was in its final place and that was that.

I need to request the other book by this author and see if I love it just as much. I will be on the lookout for future books as well!

5/5 stars! I loved this one.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

So, if you haven’t heard yet (how’s life under that rock?), Neil Gaiman published a new book last month—‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’. Both of us, Zelda and Madeleine, loved the book.

Zelda: I have no negative things to say except it ended too soon. I read the inside flap description but that doesn't do the book justice.

Madeleine: I usually read a lot about a book before it comes out—the official description, the blurbs, and maybe a few reviews. When Gaiman first announced the book, there was no description, just the beautiful cover. As the publication date approached, I liked not knowing what to expect, so I avoided all descriptions and reviews. It was a good choice—I went into it without preformed opinions and was blown away by the story.

Zelda: The only thing that could have made this better is if Neil Gaiman read it to me himself.

Madeleine: Neil Gaiman read a bit of it to me! Well, me and a couple hundred other people. I was very lucky to get to see him when he stopped for a reading in Minnesota. Here’s a blurry picture from my phone that proves how close I was (third row).

Madeleine: I almost felt bad going—he had been up until 3 AM the night before signing things. Here I am promoting author abuse by attending his readings. But he was very gracious about everything. The evening as a whole was wonderful. And, you know, I proceeded to contribute to author abuse by getting my copy signed.

Zelda: You mentioned the cover earlier. Let us discuss the cover for a moment. Gorgeous. Just stunning. I love the title, the font…everything.

Madeleine: Did you know? There’s a picture on the back of the book of a child standing on a drainpipe—that’s a real picture of our esteemed author. I’ve heard that the book is a bit autobiographical. I can definitely see the unnamed narrator as a young Neil—bookish, thoughtful and aware, and able to see the supernatural in everyday life.

Zelda: I’ll admit, I cried a little bit before I even really knew the characters. For such a short book I was surprised at how much I cared about the characters and for how well developed they were.

Madeleine: At the reading, Gaiman talked a bit about how the book came about. He usually chooses to write his books, and plans them out. ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ started out as a short story for his wife. He couldn’t tell where the story was going, but kept writing. He finished and looked at this word count and realized he had written a novel. I wonder if the characters and the story felt so real and organic, because they weren’t planned out, but came from some subconscious pool (or is it an ocean?) of story and myth.

Zelda: Gaiman has always impressed me but this was so creative and engaging that he brought himself to a whole new level. This was better than I thought it would be and I just want to tell everyone I see to read it. Maybe I am gushing too much and now someone will read this and then be disappointed, but I can't help it.

Madeleine: I agree.  ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ may be my favorite book by Neil Gaiman yet. It’s a simple story, but it’s dark and beautiful and evocative.

Zelda: Just go read it. All I can say is you won't regret it.

Dad Is Fat

Jim Gaffigan is my favorite comedian. I don't mind swearing but I love that he can make me laugh until I cry and still be considered a clean comic. He can make ordinary things hilarious, like cake and bears. I adore his standup and have seen him live once. Someday I will meet him and it will be fabulous!

This book was really funny but not as funny as his standup. I almost wish I would have listened to it but I couldn't wait for the audio to be returned so I read it myself. He reads the audiobook so the jokes would have stuck with me a little better. Next trip I take I will bring it with me.

This book is pretty much all about his family and the trials of having five children in a tiny apartment. It was as diverse as his standup but I still enjoyed it. It got a lot funnier toward the end but it was a quick read that had me smiling and laughing. If you don't care to read about family and kids then you should skip this one. There aren't many jokes that aren't family based. He even pokes fun and being considered  "Family Friendly" which in his mind is "Great I am boing and awful. Kids love it so parents will hate it." I got a kick out of that.

If you've never listened to Jim Gaffigan stand up Beyond the Pale is where it's at. "It" being quality entertainment and quotes you can use on a daily basis. I quote Jim Gaffigan most days and if I don't actually quote him, I'm thinking about it.

I think I would have given this book 5 stars if every chapter had a different subject that he joked about. It was funny and I liked that it was pretty much all about his family but it could have been a little better. That being said I still give this 4 stars since it still made me laugh a lot and Jim Gaffigan is awesome.

Archived

Wow. I mean WOW. This book was so engrossing I don't even know what to say about it yet. I loved it. There. I loved it.

The plot. THE PLOT!! It's so genius and creepy and fantastic. Bodies shelved like books? Check. The Librarians are the only ones who can "read" them. Done. The bodies are called Histories and wake up sometimes and they have to be "re-shelved" creepy and sold. AND, as if you needed more convincing, murder!

I read some mixed reviews on this one and frankly that makes me sad. Don't over think it! Just enjoy the uniqueness of this and the fun characters. This was really well written and that is something all the mixed reviews agreed on. Some were questioning why the archive exists. Honestly, I didn't even think about that. I was told it exists by the author so it exists. I didn't any further explanation yet. I imagine book 2 will tell me more. Yes, this is a series. On the plus side, book 2 has a great cover that follows the same style, so kudos to your cover gods, Victoria Schwab. (C'mon January of 2014!! You will bring me a great book AND winter. We can't go wrong together!)

Wait for it, another book without absent parents?! Step back and enjoy the family life. Now there was death in the main family but her parents are still there. Through the whole book! I'm liking this trend. Do other authors just start out with some parents then they get to the end and say, "Oh shoot...they had parents didn't they? Well...maybe no one will noticed...yeah they won't notice." Well, we noticed.

Romantic interests. This is another one with a female character that didn't need to be saved every 5 seconds and wants some independence, but is open to some making out. I approve of this.

The next book is called Unbound and I have no idea where they will head with this one but I don't care. Sign me up. Where can I apply to be a Librarian here? I have no experience with dead bodies, but I'm willing to learn. Also, I can be a bit jumpy and I'm not a good runner but I could chase them if need be. For at least a minute.

Ok, I've rambled long enough. 5 stars to this lovely book.

Go read this. Seriously, drop what you're doing and go read this book.

Unspoken

I loved this so much. This was hilarious!!! I should not have been reading any part of this book in public because there was a lot of laughing out loud. If I wasn't laughing out loud, I was chuckling to myself. I looked mental. This book was totally worth it. The writing was witty and the characters were well written.

The main character, Kami (Ok, I really didn't like her name.), was fabulous. I also really loved that Kami didn't fully depend on the male lead. She wanted to do things on her own and was not afraid to tell him that. She wasn't immediately in love or totally suckered by him. There was enough romance to satisfy romance needs and enough distance that it wasn't overdone. THIS NEVER HAPPENS ANYMORE! Why is the new trend to just instantly fall in love? Where is the getting to know him, being excited yet unsure how we feel, THEN the mistrust in our feelings phase AND THEN we are falling in love. She didn't spend pages pining over him and I thank the author for that. Sarah Rees Bennan deserves a high five and maybe even a hug.

There is a bit of a love triangle but not really. There are some reasons I can't get into without giving away some plot points but just know that it isn't really a love triangle. It's more of a third wheel triangle....that isn't a triangle...just go with it.

Not absent parents? What? This is unheard of. They care where she goes and appear more than the beginning and end of the book? What? Back up...nope..there they are.

We have to talk about Angela. The best friend that isn't totally forgotten once the boys show up. She is gorgeous but could care less and she HATES people. She wants to avoid them because they suck. I love her. She is so wonderful. There are three strong females in this book but they aren't over the top and you can still relate to them.

I can't wait for the next book in this series. I hope that it is just as hilarious or I will be upset. If the characters have totally different personalities I might lose it because they are so great as they are now. The next cover is so far a let down but I am more than willing to still read it.

4.5 stars. I loved this but the very last part made me hostile for reasons I can't get into. If you read it you know what I'm talking about. That knocked it down to 4.5 stars so still fabulous.