Review: You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

On September 25, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review2 Comments

Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.
Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.
And Sam picks up the phone.
In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.

I don’t often pick up books that I see as ‘TikTok books’, but the synopsis of this one (along with the beautiful hardback design and that cover) drew me in and I knew I wanted to pick it up. I actually read this one as an audiobook, and I really enjoyed the narration.

I was drawn in from the very start – this is such a sad but beautiful story following Julie after the death of her boyfriend, Sam. I was unsure where this book would go or how it would conclude, but I knew I’d enjoy the magical realism elements and some of the concept reminded me of Your Name, one of my favourite films.

Letting go isn’t about forgetting.

The writing was definitely my favourite element of the book, which was poetic and beautiful. The group of friends was another part I loved, including Julie’s friendship with Oliver, which was a really joyous platonic relationship to read about. I found Julie’s grieving process believable (although obviously different due to her connection with Sam), and I liked reading about how she re-built a connection with Sam’s family.

This book does leave you with questions – but it’s a short, sweet and quite well formed. There was a few scenes towards the end, however, that I felt were slightly unneeded, including an argument between Julie and Sam.

It’s balancing moving forward with life, and looking back from time to time, remembering the people in it.

Overall, I did really enjoy reading this one even though it wasn’t quite perfect. Perhaps it would have made me more emotional if I’d have read the physical version, but I also didn’t cry, although I had tears in my eyes at the end of the book.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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Review: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (#2) by Brigid Kemmerer

On September 20, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

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Find the heir, win the crown.
The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.
Win the crown, save the kingdom.
Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen–until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?
The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed re-reading A Curse So Dark and Lonely and I knew it was finally time to continue with the series (sorry it took me so long, Bloomsbury!). This one was yet again super easy to dive into and I immediately fell in love with the writing style, which is so easy to follow.

We are introduced to new characters in this sequel, which I was a little hesitant about and definitely did impact my enjoyment of the book. I really loved the main characters of Grey, Harper and Rhen from the first book, so to see new people in this one did throw me a bit.

“I am crying because you are a prince,”

However, I did find myself really enjoying Lia Mara’s chapters, and she became a great female protagonist in the absence of Harper. I also really enjoyed seeing some of the side-characters from the first book become more prominent in this one, including Harper’s brother and his boyfriend.

The biggest let down for me was the lack of focus on Rhen and Harper, and I honestly felt like Rhen was really left on the back burner. His character seemed pretty unrecognisable and went from being someone I really liked reading about to being almost non-existent and when he was mentioned, pretty unlikable. I’m hoping the final book in the series focuses more on Rhen, and he has a redemption arc from this point!

I say softly. “And I…” I let out a breath. “I am not a princess.”

The writing is definitely the best part of this series for me, and I loved the descriptions of the world. Although I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first book, I’m still looking forward to continuing with the series in A Vow So Bold and Deadly.

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

On September 16, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

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On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.
Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.

I had a feeling from the very start that I would fall in love with this book. There is something about a love story that isn’t about romantic love that drew me in from the start, and I knew I would be able to relate to. Days after finishing Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, I am unsure how to talk about it. The way I feel about this book and the topics it spans is very difficult to truly explain in words. It hit me in every single way I expected it to, and more. It broke my heart into little pieces and warmed my heart, too. It gave me hope, and it gave me hurt too. The audiobook was also a masterpiece.

“What is a game?” Marx said. “It’s tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. It’s the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow centres games and game development, which I loved reading about and found fascinating to read about as a gamer myself. You definitely don’t need to have a love of games to appreciate this book for what it is, but I also felt like I could relate to it on a more personal level because of my love and appreciation for games.

My favourite part of this book was definitely the writing. There was constantly quotes that I wanted to save and shout from the rooftops, and I am already considering buying another edition just to read again and highlight. This book is quite long and has some interesting writing styles, which on paper feel risky but I fell in love with every time. I’ve never annotated a book before, but this one makes me want to start. I treasured the experience I had reading this book, and I just want to experience it over and over again. And I feel like with each re-read, it will become even more of a favourite. Even re-reading quotes and thinking about this book a week or so after finishing it is making me emotional.

The idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent, because nothing is permanent, ever.”

To say that Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a novel about games would be as limiting as it is infinite. I believe that games have the power to be life changing and world altering, carrying strength and hope and love and friendship. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow both showcases and includes all of these themes. It is a novel about games. But it is also a novel about the world. A novel about love, beauty, greed, wealth, friendship, hope, self-reflection, disability, motherhood, gender identity and Super Mario. It is a reflection within a reflection. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I get the sense I will carry it with me always.

★★★★★
5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe

On September 12, 2022September 9, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

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Henri “Halti” Haltiwanger can charm just about anyone. He is a star debater and popular student at the prestigious FATE academy, the dutiful first-generation Haitian son, and the trusted dog walker for his wealthy New York City neighbors. But his easy smiles mask a burning ambition to attend his dream college, Columbia University.
There is only one person who seems immune to Henri’s charms: his “intense” classmate and neighbor Corinne Troy. When she uncovers Henri’s less-than-honest dog-walking scheme, she blackmails him into helping her change her image at school. Henri agrees, seeing a potential upside for himself.
Soon what started as a mutual hustle turns into something more surprising than either of them ever bargained for. . . .

Sometimes you just want a book that might not absolutely blow your mind, but will be a thoroughly enjoyable end of summer contemporary. This book was just what I wanted, and needed, to pick up, and I really enjoyed the audiobook version.

Although this book was predictable at times, I found myself easily falling into this story, rooting for Henri much more than I expected to, and falling in love with his best friend Ming. Charming as a Verb felt like a great encapsulation of end-of-high-school, beginning-of-the-rest-of-your-life, with all the pressures that comes with it. But what I really appreciated about this book was the level of depth in all other aspects just under the surface.

Montreal is nothing like Manhattan; it’s smaller and more concentrated, and unlike the city that never sleeps,

I loved the way Henri’s relationship with his parents was written, which felt genuine and relatable. I loved the way his mum was striving for her own new pathway, and his dad was willing to evolve to support his son. I loved the relationship Henri had with his uncle, and how not only him, but his family, would go to his uncle for difficult conversations. I love how this felt like a love-letter to the streets of New York City, but ended up with a small footnote to Montreal too.

There was an underlying tone to this book that explored living with money worries and a class divide too, which I felt was handled really well. Although Henri wasn’t always the perfect protagonist, and definitely makes some mistakes, for the most part I agreed with the direction this story took and enjoyed the ride.

Montreal feels like a city that’s gotten a good night’s rest and woken up in time for a bike ride alongside the Saint Lawrence River.

Young Adult contemporaries don’t often surprise me anymore, but this one is definitely a pleasant surprise. Although it was still predictable at times and I did question some of our narrators actions and the way they were handled, I enjoyed it a lot and it was the light and fluffy contemporary I needed!

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: On a Sunbeam by Tillie Waldon

On September 11, 2022September 9, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

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Throughout the deepest reaches of space, a crew rebuilds beautiful and broken-down structures, painstakingly putting the past together. As Mia, the newest member, gets to know her team, the story flashes back to her pivotal year in boarding school, where she fell in love with a mysterious new student. When Mia grows close to her new friends, she reveals her true purpose for joining their ship—to track down her long-lost love.

What an absolutely stunning piece of art this book is. I’ve wanted to read something by Tillie Waldon for a long time, and my lovely friend Courtney gave me this one for Christmas last year. I finally got around to picking it up recently, and I’m so glad I did.

This book is about friendship, relationship, boarding school, space, emotions, loneliness, being alone, long lost love, found family, and a broken world. I would happily choose any number of these pages to have as printed pieces of art and stick them on my wall, and even then I would struggle with which ones to choose. Each page is breathtakingly beautiful and the colour scheme is striking.

Tillie Waldon is incredibly talented and I can’t wait to read more from her (I’ve already picked up i love this part which I can’t wait to read), but be warned that this book is a beast, clocking in at over 500 pages. Although I don’t think I quite connected with it as emotionally as other readers, I just know that I’ll re-read this and fall in love with it even more next time.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Children of Virtue and Vengeance (#2) by Tomi Adeyemi

On September 11, 2022September 9, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

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After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But the ritual was more powerful than they could’ve imagined, reigniting the powers of not only the maji, but of nobles with magic ancestry, too.
Now, Zélie struggles to unite the maji in an Orïsha where the enemy is just as powerful as they are. But when the monarchy and military unite to keep control of Orïsha, Zélie must fight to secure Amari’s right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy’s wrath.
With civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.

After enjoying the first book in this series, Children of Blood and Bone, I decided to pick the second one up while the events of the first were still fresh in my memory. I found the first book engaging if slightly long, with brilliant world-building and an accessible writing style.

Going into the second book, I decided to pick this up on audio. I read the first chunk (around 20%) of Children of Blood and Bone as an audiobook, and I found it engaging and followed the story well. But with Children of Virtue and Vengeance, I found myself switching off almost instantly.

“We’re the children of the gods.” I lift my chin.

Some of the negatives I felt in the first book continued with the second, mainly the relationships between the main characters feeling quite juvenile, and increasingly hormonal throughout this second instalment. The scenes I do actually remember about this book a couple of weeks after finishing it are actually these kinds of scenes, and they feel quite disconnected from the rest of the story.

I felt the story was quite disjointed and disconnected overall, and doesn’t flow very well. To this day, immediately after reading, and even during reading this book, I could not tell you the plot. The first book seemed to follow quite a destined storyline and ended on a cliffhanger, but this one seems to be a mishmash of the fallout from the first book. I’m not even sure how it ended anymore.

“If someone’s running away, it’s not going to be us.”

Overall, this was definitely a disappointment after the complex and intricate fantasy of the first book, of which I could only pick a few (more personal) grievances. I doubt I’ll be continuing with the series at this point.

★★
2 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

On September 11, 2022September 9, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

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Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.
Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.
But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

I’ve been hearing everywhere about Nimona for years now, and I’m so glad I finally decided to purchase a copy of my own at YALC earlier this year. Nimona is a fun, adventurous graphic novel following an unlikely group of companions as they wreak havoc.

My favourite part of this was definitely the unlikely friendship of our main companions, and the interactions between them. I found our characters so entertaining, and the fact Nimona herself could shapeshift made for some really humorous scenes.

Although I wasn’t a massive fan of the art style, I soon got into the story and grew to enjoy it in the context of the book.

The text/dialogue being written in a more hand-drawn font definitely gave the book character, but the printing of the physical book did make some of it hard to read. I found the font very small at times, and was often printed towards the edges of the page, disappearing into the spine and making the physical reading experience not quite as enjoyable as it could have been.

But despite these few small complaints, Nimona is a fun story that has a great found-family component and interactions that I loved!

★★★★
3.5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: I Hear the Sunspot (#1-#3) by Yuki Fumino

On September 10, 2022September 9, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

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Because of a hearing disability, Kohei is often misunderstood and has trouble integrating into life on campus, so he learns to keep his distance. That is until he meets the outspoken and cheerful Taichi. He tells Kohei that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi’s words cut through Kohei’s usual defense mechanisms and open his heart. More than friends, less than lovers, their relationship changes Kohei forever.

This review covers my thoughts about I Hear the Sunspot, I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness and I Hear the Sunspot: Limit Volume 1.

I’ve heard some great recommendations for I Hear the Sunspot, and although I’m not the biggest manga reader, I decided to finally pick this one up. My friend Courtney had also recommended them to me, and so far, they haven’t let me down.

I Hear the Sunspot is a super sweet, ultra slow-burn LGBT romance between two young men, who notice their close friendship change into something more. The friendship felt honest, emotional and natural, and I loved seeing the ways they interacted. The dialogue felt relatable and the way the pair slowly grow closer over the first few books feels real.

Although I felt the second volume, Theory of Happiness, didn’t quite pack the same punch and became a little convoluted with the introduction of a larger friendship group, it definitely picked up with Limit Volume 1, which became my favourite in the series so far.

In my opinion, the third instalment in this series best encapsulates the tender and difficult journey of Kohei’s hearing disability, and I loved the introduction of this into the workplace. We don’t often see disability portrayed in this way, but the discussions it introduced felt meaningful and honest.

I’m really looking forward to continuing with the series and can’t wait to see how the pair progresses.

I Hear the Sunspot

★★★★★
4.5 out of 5 stars

I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

I Hear the Sunspot: Limit Volume 1

★★★★★
5 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

On September 9, 2022September 9, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review1 Comment

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Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It’s the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. Ravaged by famine and mounting tensions, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again, so Aiza can finally enlist in the competitive Squire training program.
It’s not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the “greater good” that Bayt-Sajji’s military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined.
Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire.

Squire was a welcome treat of a graphic novel, with beautiful art, a gorgeous colour scheme and a concise, well structured story which I found easy to follow.

This graphic novel tackles a variety of topics, some more in depth and difficult than others. As we follow Aiza through her day-to-day life in the competitive Squire training program, we see her navigate friendships, which felt relatable and really drew me into the story. The art was visually stunning and the colour scheme beautiful too, and the landscapes were definitely a favourite part of the overall story for me.

The pacing really picks up in the second half and the action scenes are really visually engaging, almost feeling like a movie. The ending does feel quite rushed, however, and I do feel like this slightly distracted from the struggles Aiza was facing in regards to her Ornu background.

Overall, this was beautiful and I’d love to re-read it at some point to further explore the story, and I’d definitely read another volume if it was published.

★★★★
4 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

Review: Hooky by Miriam Bonastre Tur

On September 9, 2022September 9, 2022 By Beth JonesIn Book Review2 Comments

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When Dani and Dorian missed the bus to magic school, they never thought they’d wind up declared traitors to their own kind! Now, thanks to a series of mishaps, they are being chased by powerful magic families seeking the prophesied King of Witches and royals searching for missing princes.
But they aren’t alone. With a local troublemaker, a princess, and a teacher who can see the future on their side, they might just be able to clear their names…but can they heal their torn kingdom?
Based on the beloved webcomic from WEBTOON, Hooky is in stunning print format for the first time with exclusive new content sure to please fans new and old.

I’d seen Hooky a couple of times while browsing bookshops before I finally decided to pick it up. The art style really called out to me, and the concept itself sounded similar enough to the adorable Kiki’s Delivery Service that I thought it would be a fun one to pick up.

However, Hooky didn’t impress me quite as much as I was hoping. Although the art style never let me down, and was utterly beautiful and incredibly detailed throughout, the story itself felt kind of disconnected.

This may be due to the fact this was originally published as a Webtoon, but I haven’t felt the same about other Webtoon publications such as Lore Olympus. It also just felt like there was a lot going on. I wanted a sweet story following two kids across a magical land, but it almost felt like there was too much crammed into these pages, and it distracted from what I wanted and hoped for from the book.

This was still really cute, and I did love a lot about it, especially the art style. But it sadly did let me down in places.

★★★
3 out of 5 stars

-Beth

May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽

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The Books are Everywhere

Category: Book Review

Review: You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

Review: A Heart So Fierce and Broken (#2) by Brigid Kemmerer

Review: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Review: Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe

Review: On a Sunbeam by Tillie Waldon

Review: Children of Virtue and Vengeance (#2) by Tomi Adeyemi

Review: Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

Review: I Hear the Sunspot (#1-#3) by Yuki Fumino

Review: Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

Review: Hooky by Miriam Bonastre Tur