Piper Perish by Kayla Cagan | ARC Review

Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Title: Piper Perish
Author: Kayla Cagan
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: March 7th, 2017
Source: NetGalley
Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Piper Perish inhales air and exhales art. The sooner she and her best friends can get out of Houston and into art school in New York City, the better. It's been Piper's dream her whole life, and now that senior year is halfway over, she's never felt more ready. But in the final months before graduation, things are weird with her friends and stressful with three different guys, and Piper's sister's tyrannical mental state seems to thwart every attempt at happiness for the close-knit Perish family. Piper's art just might be enough to get her out. But is she brave enough to seize that power, even if it means giving up what she's always known? Debut author Kayla Cagan breathes new life into fiction in this ridiculously compelling, utterly authentic work featuring interior art from Rookie magazine illustrator Maria Ines Gul. Piper will have readers asking big questions along with her. What is love? What is friendship? What is family? What is home? And who is a person when she's missing any one of these things?

What I thought

  Piper Perish is a about Piper Perish (duh!) and her artsy shenanigans. I love art, although I'm more of a Renaissance fan myself (I'm fully convinced that if past lives are a thing I was so alive during the Renaissance) while Piper is a hardcore Andy Warhol fan herself. To each their own. I was expecting a cutesy contemporary that was also about family and the story had those elements, but not in the way I was expecting them. To be honest, I don't know if I liked or didn't like this book.

I can certainly tell that the first half was a struggle and I wasn't so on board with Piper. She has a friend and boyfriend, Enzo, and he breaks up with her because he fell in love with this dude and her first reaction is to think that she turned him gay and I went "Um... honey bisexuality is a thing and you can't turn someone gay." Okay, thanks. I didn't particularily like any of the other characters for the first half either. Except Adams (their art teacher), she was rad.

As the story moved along, though, I started to grow fond of them. I was intrigued enough to want to know if Piper would be able to go off to New York and follow her dreams. I did feel identified with Piper, because I am also afraid to follow my dreams and put things off until I absolutely have to do them. It comes with the fear of being rejected,  I guess.

As for the character relationships, I wasn't invested in any of them. The one I liked most, though, was Piper's relationship with her Dad. It was heartwarming. I wish the family aspect had been explored more. Also, someone get Marli some formal psychological help because her behaviors throughout the book were concerning and she should see someone. That's all I' saying about that.

However, I didn't find the story incredibly inspiring or satisfying or even that unique. I felt meh about the book and the characters in general. Definitely a solid three star book.

2017 Bookish Resolutions!

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Come forth my children and hear about my plans for this year. 




In case you are too lazy to watch the video or just prefer reading let me tell you about how I plan to take over the world my reading resolutions for this 2017.

1. No pressure, at all

2016 was a good reading year, and yet I was stressed out about reading ALL THE TIME! I was stressed about my Goodreads challenge and about not feeling like reading and being in a slump. I worried so much, I think I ended up just feeling like reading was a chore. So this 2017 I'm going to put no pressure on myself at all. Goodbye, stress

2. My Goodreads challenge has been set to 60

For some people this is a minuscule number, for me it's a good in-between number. It provides a challenge but also gives me time to plot world domination. It also gives me time to watch all of those things I want to watch and do and whatnot. So, 60 it is.

3. Bring forth the diverse books

I don't think I did a good job of reading diversely in 2016, because I wasn't doing anything conscious about it. I didn't go out and look for diverse books, I simply read what I saw fit. However, I want to make a conscious effort this year because diversity is important to me. Both in the bigger picture and in a personal way. I'm after all a Mexican girl living in the US on the eve of Trump's presidency. It's all sorts of scary, I tell you. So, this year I'm going to support diverse books and authors.

4. Step out into the wild and read more genres

YA is my biggest love. It will always by my biggest love, but I think it's time I went and explored the wild some. I'm interested to read more genres this year. To read things that scare me or that I think aren't for me. I want to get more into non-fiction, specifically history. You've got to learn about world domination from someone that's done it before. Is it scary? Yes. Am I excited? Yes.

5. Leer mas en español


You guys might not know this about me, but I speak Spanish. I plan to make a living of this bilingual thing I've got going on and as such I must not allow my Spanish to rust away in the confines of my mind. I read in English, a lot, but I don't read even half as much in Spanish. Which should be a crime in my line of work. So, this year I want to at least read 7 books in Spanish.

6. I want to write a novel

A full fledged novel. What about? I have no idea. Why? Becuase why the hell not.

Bring it on 2017!

What are some of your bookish resolutions for this 2017?

We Read The Books We Think We Deserve (ft. Hidden Book Gems) | Top Ten Tuesday

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

We are all lovers of books*, and yet we can't really appreciate all of the books out there**. Not only that, but it is a known fact that some books are just more loved than others. You can blame this on awful taste or just good old consumerism. We see tons of people reading a specific book, we want that book. For today's Top Ten Tuesday I'm going to talk about severely underappreciated books that I love so much I just think everyone should be reading them.

*if you are not how and why are you here. Unless you want to be converted into this painful cult of book loving in which case, you're welcomed to stay.
*we sure as hell can try, though. Just look at the size of our TBRs.

1. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine


I'm now going to tell you all about how much I love this book, so brace yourselves, young ones. This book is a take on what could have happened if the Library of Alexandria hadn't been burned down. Little in this world upsets me as much as the fact that we lost all that knowledge. In the 8th grade I was so obsessed with the Library, I did in fact wondered extensively about what would have happened if... This book was a great take.

However, if you don't share my interest *cough* obsession *cough* and are thinking to yourself: whatever, Laura, please stop. This book is just a good book. It has intrigue and action and it's just plain interesting and it's about a library and e-readers (although they don't call them that although that is so what they are) vs. real books. Which is a dilemma we booklovers are familiar with. So, do yourself a favor and show this book some love. Okay, thanks.

2. Wanderlost by Jen Malone


This is a sweet contemporary about finding yourself while pretending to be someone else and traipsing around Europe. It's predictable and cheesy in all the right ways. It also happens to have a huge beating heart of the figurative kind and I enjoyed it so much precisely because of it's predictability and cheesiness. If you love sweet contemporaries shower this one with some love.

3. Bone Gap by Laura Ruby


Hear me out, y'all. This book is a dark magical realism read in which people dissapear and corn speaks (not really but more in a mysterious magical realism-y way). It's just so wonderful I don't even know how to express how wonderful and creepy and strange it is. This book is and you should read it. That's all I've got, even though nothing really made sense.

4. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen


I have made it my life mission to convince as many people as possible to read this book. Why? Because the feels are very strong with this one. I blame it all on how it's about inner beauty and struggling with your demons (even when those people are close to you) and coming to terms with who you are. It also helps that it's one of the first YA books I read that had a diverse characters, Jacob Fremont, who is an adopted Chinese boy with charm for days. Writing this is making me want to re-read this book. 

5. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta


This is by far my favorite Melina Marchetta book* because of how honest it is. Also because of all of the female friendship and the family relationships and just because this book is honest with itself and in turn with you. I love it because the characters leap out from the page. Just read it, and while you're at it read every single Melina Marchetta book. You won't regret it. Believe me, I'm a book expert.

*this is a compliment of the highest class for I love all Melina Marchetta books.

What are some of your favorite hidden book gems? Do you agree on these books needing way more love than what they're getting?


Nowhere Near You by Leah Thomas | ARC Review

Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Title: Nowhere Near You
Author: Leah Thomas
Series: Because You'll Never Meet Me (#2)
Publisher:  Bloomsbury Children
Publication Date: February 7th, 2017
Source: NetGalley
Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Ollie and Moritz might never meet, but their friendship knows no bounds. Their letters carry on as Ollie embarks on his first road trip away from the woods--no easy feat for a boy allergic to electricity--and Moritz decides which new school would best suit an eyeless boy who prefers to be alone. Along the way they meet other teens like them, other products of strange science who lead seemingly normal lives in ways Ollie and Moritz never imagined possible: A boy who jokes about his atypical skeleton; an aspiring actress who hides a strange deformity; a track star whose abnormal heart propels her to victory. Suddenly the future feels wide open for two former hermits. But even as Ollie and Moritz dare to enjoy life, they can't escape their past, which threatens to destroy any progress they've made. Can these boys ever find their place in a world that might never understand them?

What I thought 

I read Because You'll Never Meet me back when it came out and I loved it (first novel written in letters I've ever enjoyed, let me tell you) so when I heart there was a sequel I had a mighty need for it. You don't end a book like that and not expect readers to go cray cray. So, lo and behold Nowhere Near You. I read it and I loved it (not as much as I loved Because I'll Never Meet You, mind you, but love is still love) and now you're going to hear why.

Characters

Well, for one Ollie is still as funny and fantabulous* as always, if anything he is a little bit more sad. However, his enthusiasm for the world is such a lovely thing to see. He was amazed by anything and everything. Things we take for granted, like the Internet or just anything electric really. For other our Moritz (I always pronounce his name like MORRITS in my head**) underwent character development for the ages. He was my favorite aspect of the story this time around.

*Not a word. I don't care.
**shoutout to any Spanish speaking readers who understand that reference

Plot

Now, let's talk about the plot itself. It's wacky and sci-fi and it somehow works. You do have to undergo suspension of disbilief, but hey, the world is a wacky place so who is to say things like this don't happen, right? I enjoyed the secondary characters. I feel (I'm not sure because what is research) that there probably will be more books in the series. Which is okay, I mean, I'm always up to reading about weird kids living in the real world doing everyday things and wrestling with their demons. Because this book is basically about that.

Writing

I also enjoyed the writing. It's quirky and serious and funny and oftentimes whimsical, but still grounded. Did that even make sense to anyone but me? I, too, am a walking paradox. So, yeah you should go read these books and come talk to me about them.

New and Shiny Books from New and Shiny Authors | Top Ten Tuesday

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

2017 is here, folks. No getting around it, and hopefully it will be better than 2016 was (not like it's hard, but hey you never know). Something that makes my year better is books. So, today we're going to be talking about 2017 debuts I'm excited for, because you and I clearly need more books added to our TBR (it's not like they're slowly threatening to kill us with both their actual weight and the nudges at our impending mortality).

1. The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich


I talked about this book in a previous Top Ten Tuesday, but hey I'm so excited about this book that I figured I would mention it again. This book is about two spies, one Nice Guy™ and the other Bad Boy™, as they try to seduce a girl. However, they might just end up falling in love with each other. Like, sign me up for gay spies making light fun of YA tropes. I'm here for all of it.

2. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon


This book is a contemporary read about arranged marriage. I will confess to being fascinated by arranged marriages. As a kid I swore I was secretly a princess (even then I was convinced of my grandeur) and that one day my  real royal parents would sweep in and marry me off to a prince, Now this book isn't about princesses (but I am slowly training you to think of me as one), but rather about two Indian-American kids. So, it causes double the excitement because it's a diverse book by an author of color!

3. How to Break a Boy by Laurie Devore


This is one of those cases in which a cover called out to my heart and then my heart went hmm... I see you, but I'm not sure. Then I read the synopsis and I went like this


 Because this gorgeous glorious book has one of my favorite most-overdone tropes ever  (I have plenty of favorite tropes when it comes contemporary but this one just speaks to my heart) of fake dating and I was sold. I don't care what you think, I will always show up for the fake dating ploy because it warms my heart in ways I can't even begin to describe.

4. Iron Cast by Destiny Soria


This is another diverse debut I'm looking forward to in 2017, but if that isn't enough for you well let me break it down another way*.  It's about bad-ass ladies in 1919 conning the elites while using their magical powers. I don't know about you, but I want in on that action.

*extra House points if you got that kpop reference

5. Empress of a Thousand Skies by Rhoda Belleza


This book is set in space. It also has the word Empress on it. I need no more convincing.

This concludes my most expected debuts of 2017. What are some of yours? Now, please publishing industry: