Archives for May 2016

(ARC) REVIEW • Who I Really Am (Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart)

May 9, 2016 Leave a Comment

Lily Jo McGrother, born Timothy McGrother, is a girl. But being a girl is not so easy when you look like a boy. Especially when you’re in the eighth grade.

Dunkin Dorfman, birth name Norbert Dorfman, is dealing with bipolar disorder and has just moved from the New Jersey town he’s called home for the past thirteen years. This would be hard enough, but the fact that he is also hiding from a painful secret makes it even worse.

One summer morning, Lily Jo McGrother meets Dunkin Dorfman, and their lives forever change.[/note]

myreview

[note note_color=”#BFD1D1″ text_color=”#ffffff”]I received this book for free from Random House for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.[/note]

First sentence: “Lily Jo is not my name. Yet.”

Reviews

(ARC) REVIEW • At the Mercy of Fates and the Stars (The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi)

May 5, 2016 Comments : 5

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar’s wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets — thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.

A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-Touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget.[/note]

myreview

[note note_color=”#BFD1D1″ text_color=”#ffffff”]I received this book for free from St. Martin’s Griffin for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.[/note]

First sentence: “Staring at the sky in Bharata was like exchanging a secret.”

The Star-Touched Queen has put a spell on me. Seduced me with its promise of stars, fates, and mythology. Nobody could save me as soon as I stepped into this gorgeous world. I was a complete goner.

What The Star-Touched Queen brings readers are: a gorgeous story that weaves in Indian folklores and mythology, a girl who’s destined to marry death and destruction, stars and fates that shine down on the characters, magical settings that instantly transport you onto another plane, fantastic lush writing that’ll have you floating on cloud ten, and so much more that I can’t do a justice describing. It’ll completely ensnare you into its web, so you better hold on.

Discussion

TOO MUCH TBR • May 2016

May 4, 2016 Comments : 7

may tbr

I can safely say that April knocked March off its pedestal. I got through majority of the books I needed to read (and also read non-review books in the process). Book Gods, you are too good to me. Please continue this reading and reviewing streak. (Although, I’ve been feeling a bit burnt out so I think a break may be in the works for me.)

For those who do not know, Too Much TBR is a way to help me see which books I really need to read and tackle them. Is it effective? Perhaps. It helps a lot seeing a visual of the books on my TBR pile.

Let’s discuss what I read last month, and what I’m reading this month!

Discussion

ARC APRIL • How did I do?

May 2, 2016 Comments : 11

[note note_color=”#85C0C5″ text_color=”#ffffff”]After the big success of ARC August in 2015, Octavia and Shelly of Read. Sleep. Repeat. are back with a Spring edition—ARC April.

For those who do not know what ARC April/August is, it is an event that helps readers/bloggers get their ARC pile down. The rules are simply:

You read how many ARCS you want. YOU get to decide.
The book must be an ARC—physical or electronic. The ARC can be old or new ones. As long as it’s an arc, it’s okay.
Have fun!

You have until April 15th to sign up! I urge you to, especially if you have ARCs you need to read! Also, there’s a lot of wonderful readers joining in. [/note]

Where did the month go? April is now over, which means I gotta reflect back on whether I kicked ass during ARC April. You might remember I pledged to read these arcs in April (+ Tell the Wind and Fire, which isn’t pictured).

And did I?

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