Celestial Carousel

This title was provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for review purposes. 

Of all the things I learned reading Palace of Spies, one thing stood out the most–never underestimate a girl with a fireplace poker.

Palace of Spies captured my attention from the start with its rich history, clever girls, and promise of mystery.

Peggy is a compelling heroine with a fun personality. I enjoyed her wit and following along as she unraveled the mysteries at court, making mistakes along the way, but never losing sight of what she thought was morally right. I loved the cast of supporting characters (especially Mrs. Abbott, Lord Tierney/Mr. Tinderflint, and Matthew) and the way their own stories unfolded around Peggy.

Something that did bother me, however, was that Robert wouldn’t immediately realize that his paramour was an entirely different person than the last time she had been at court! I understand that Francesca had (supposedly) been ill and that no one had any reason to suspect she had been replaced by someone else entirely, but I found it very odd that he couldn’t recognize that this wasn’t the girl he had fallen in love with, even if they did bear similarities.

While the ending resolved many questions, it also left a fair few unanswered–and that’s exactly the way it should be with a book like this. I was pleased to discover that some of my own revelations had been right all along–and just as pleased to discover that some had been completely wrong! I look forward to reading future installments in Peggy’s story to find out the answers to these lingering questions.

Overall, this book was a fast-paced, fun read full of clever quips and period-appropriate characterization, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

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I discovered BookLikes today and was so thrilled to create my account and start cataloging my library here! It's a beautiful site and the import process has been a breeze.

Keep your eye out for future reviews and posts both here and on the full Celestial Carousel site!

This title was provided by Apologue Entertainment (via NetGalley) for review purposes.

Okay, okay. I'll admit it--I judged a book by its cover. The cover art caught my eye immediately, and once I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read The Pentrals. The concept is so unlike anything I've read, and I was really curious to see how the author pulled it off!

Right off the bat, I had a hard time connecting with this story until the switch took place. The narrative from Antares' point-of-view felt a little hollow (and rightly so, I guess--I mean, she is a shadow). There are only so many times that you can describe the way a shadow shadows someone before it gets a little stale.

Things pick up once Violet and Antares trade places, but my biggest problem with this book (and it's always a big problem with any book) is that I still wasn't able to connect with the characters. I didn't feel for Violet or Antares. The reader follows Violet for only a brief while before she's suddenly plastered to the floor beneath Antares' shoe, after which period of time we don't really get any taste for her personality again throughout the book.

As for Thomas... I couldn't love Thomas at all. The author doggedly enforces how wonderful he is--good-looking and beloved and a star athlete and a perfect boyfriend--and I just couldn't buy it. I was far more interested in Ben and Sam than most of the main cast of characters (though Ben's total 180° turn after his confrontation with Thomas and Violet bothered me, too).

Another thing that bothered me was the mirripulation concept. While I'm sure it would be horrible to see your face so horribly disfigured and grotesque (and I do appreciate what's going on, metaphorically), and we certainly have no reason to doubt what we see reflected in a mirror... didn't anyone think to, I don't know, touch their face and feel that they didn't have scabs and protruding veins and things? Or ask someone they trust, "Hey, does this look like a rash or something?" instead of just assuming that their family and friends were just not bringing it up for the sake of their ego? Because I certainly would have.

The end is where this book finally caught me. I was captivated by the details of Antares' previous life (and death?) and her connection to Ben. The culminating of all the events so far finally added up to something I could get into and honestly, despite some of the predictable plot devices sprinkled throughout, I am curious to know what happens next.

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I‘ve avoided reading this book for so long. At first, my hesitation was due to deciding to finally pick up a copy while shopping at Target… and discovering that it was an autographed and Hanklerfish’d copy. I snatched it up, of course, but found myself unable to mar such an awesome piece of Nerdfighter history by doing such a blasphemous thing as reading the book.

Eventually, a friend heard about my predicament, bought me a copy, and promptly informed me that I had no more excuses, and that I needed to read the book (the fact that said friend has still not read this book is irrelevant).

Last week, I decided it was time to face my fears (and, inevitably, tears) after nearly a year of procrastination and just read the thing. I finished earlier this afternoon, and… well.

The Fault in Our Stars is, as a whole, a difficult book to review. If I rate it too high, I’m a blind fangirl who refuses to see the book’s faults. If I rate it too low, I’m a cynic just looking for an excuse to put down a popular book. I suppose this can be said for any book review, but it just feels so much bigger with a book as widely loved as this.

After I finished this book, I sat in front of my computer to write the review and cried. Just cried. It wasn’t the love-and-loss of Augustus and Hazel’s brief relationship. It wasn’t the death. It wasn’t even Gus’s letter to Hazel. It was the little lines and observations throughout that resonated with me about life and death and everything in-between. I have, after all, lived bits of this situation in a bit of reverse, as a child caring for a parent with a chronic and debilitating illness. I’m familiar with the grief and the waiting and the calm and the grief.

Like many other readers, I did have issue with the conveyance of Hazel and Gus (…and Isaac and other characters, to be honest). They felt a little too altogether pretentious–like they were a collective Manic Pixie Dream Cast. I enjoyed the wit, of course, but I couldn’t fall in love with the characters the way I would have liked because I was constantly hyper aware of how similar they all were.

However, on the topic of characters, I do think Peter Van Houten was fantastic–the idol who turns out to be such a hugely flawed individual–who we eventually discover to be a man so wrecked with grief. There’s a line that he says toward the end of the book that just struck me because it is, in my experience, absolutely true: “Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.” He is undoubtedly my favorite character of the book because of his thoroughness… and that fact makes me a little sad.

In spite of this book’s heart and its best intentions, it fell flat for me. There was something hollow about the story, and I’m finding myself racking my brain for why I just can’t seem to love it the way most people seem to.

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This book was provided by the publisher for reviewing purposes.

The description of The Weight of Souls immediately captured my attention. So many aspects of the plot interest me--ghosts, curses, murder mystery, and ancient Egypt? In one book? Sign me up! I was all the more pleased to find myself still interested once I started actually reading. I found myself excitedly telling friends about the plot, which isn't something I often do. I look forward to the book's release so the aforementioned friends can read it for themselves!

The characters in The Weight of Souls are what really made the book for me. I enjoyed reading about every one of the characters, and appreciated the thought that went into each of them. I particularly liked the reality of the strain Taylor's curse had on her friendships and her relationship with her father (as well as the conflicted and changing stance her father held on the curse Taylor and her mother shared). The romance in this book was a slow, believable transition, and the challenges Taylor and Justin face make their situation so unique and interesting to read about.

The events leading up to the end of this book were action-packed and, when done, left me wanting more. I'm dying (I couldn't resist) to know more about the Darkness and to learn what will happen to all the souls Taylor and her family have Marked.

Overall Thoughts: This book was an enjoyable read with complex, believable characters and an engrossing story. I look forward to future installments about Taylor Oh--and reading more from Bryony Pearce, in general!

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This book was provided by the publisher for reviewing purposes.

Love is confusing enough for the well-adjusted. For geeks, it can be downright impossible. Enter The Geek's Guide to Dating.

I'll be completely honest with you: At first, I thought this book was fiction. I had assumed upon first glance that it was a YA book chronicling the misadventures of a geek in pursuit of a girl. I was definitely wrong, and I am delighted that I was. Filled cover-to-cover with geeky anecdotes and 8-bit illustrations galore, The Geek's Guide to Dating is a helpful companion in the world of dating that puts it all in plain English for the rest of us.

This book was rife with geeky pop culture references of all kinds that had me laughing along and nodding in agreement with what the author was saying. Most references were familiar to me, but those that were unfamiliar were explained (though not dumbed-down), and I appreciated that. As stated early on in the book, after all, there are many different kinds of geeks--and it's not just for guys, either. Though aimed at a male audience, the book addresses the female reader now and then, and most of the chapters in this book could/do apply to the fairer sex.

Overall Thoughts: This was a highly enjoyable read (whether you're single, married, or not even looking to date--honestly!) for geeks of all kinds. When it comes to dating, it's dangerous to go alone! Take this book!

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This book was provided by the publisher for reviewing purposes.

Confession: I watched the X-Men movies for the first time just a few months ago. Prior to that, the only thing I knew about any of the X-Men was that they were, well, superheroes. I was immediately drawn to Rogue, though, for a multitude of reasons--not the least of which that we share a home state.

Rogue Touch is, of course, vastly different than the storyline I saw in X-Men, but that's to be expected. The book follows Anna Marie--newly christened "Rogue" by her strange new traveling companion James/Touch--as she and Touch are on the lam, both on the run for reasons neither is ready to explain to the other.

In fact, the on-the-road portion of this book spans about 200 pages (I checked). I found myself growing a little tired of it at times, as Rogue and Touch found themselves in similar predicaments over and over, be it hacking an ATM for funds or narrowly escaping Touch's futuristic assailants. However, a great deal of Touch's back story is revealed over this period of time, and the relationship between Rogue and Touch blossoms in a slow, natural way--something I can appreciate amid the world of "insta-love" in so many of the novels I've read.

The biggest issue I really had with this book is that at times I felt like it really focused more on Touch than Rogue! While I can't say too much without revealing spoilers, a great deal of the latter part of the book centers around Touch's predicament. Rogue is certainly a strong enough character to carry her own story; I'm not sure why she was given a "co-star" as prominent as Touch.

I do have to admit that this book addresses the heartbreak and the true heart of Rogue in a way I hadn't seen before or expected. Rogue Touch offers a peek into the soul of this tormented girl--a girl who unwittingly destroyed the life she knew with a single kiss, a girl who is beginning to see that she isn't a monster--and a girl who's realizing that she hasn't seen everything the world has to offer her just yet.

Overall Thoughts: Though I would have liked to have seen more non-roadtrip matter, and I would have liked to have seen more of this story centered around Rogue herself, I did enjoy this book. The story is told in a very detailed, captivating manner, and the style of storytelling feels as though you're hearing it from Rogue herself. While I wouldn't necessarily recommend this story to someone looking for a good story about this female superhero, I would recommend it to someone looking for a good story, period.

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