tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73641166779125216742024-03-18T05:48:16.089-04:00Random Musings of a BibliophileBrandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.comBlogger1165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-75156737383086562062020-06-30T22:31:00.000-04:002020-06-30T22:31:01.751-04:00Shorter Musings MG Fantasy Here are some shorter musings on recent MG fantasy reads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKUnY0nWAMNJDo42nOvV8rCv7FieqXOq5RVEwO8YEk3oacx4PmVsFAFKtxOVV6gCY17J3Xn5gkLdvSt4GYwk-z1omMx87fNNV2IIahtnMorHPGmlLyNhsoxbVeZDlzCZ8b1FlO2DqAUJ-/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqKUnY0nWAMNJDo42nOvV8rCv7FieqXOq5RVEwO8YEk3oacx4PmVsFAFKtxOVV6gCY17J3Xn5gkLdvSt4GYwk-z1omMx87fNNV2IIahtnMorHPGmlLyNhsoxbVeZDlzCZ8b1FlO2DqAUJ-/s200/shorter.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40217647-anya-and-the-dragon"><i>Anya and the Dragon</i> </a>by Sofiya Pasternack<br />
This book is fun. It is a book full of adventure, an obvious bad guy, some more complicated morally gray area characters, and a strong, brave heroine. It is also a book about friendships, community, and fighting for what is right. All things that usually work for me really well. While I enjoyed this, I did feel it was a little overlong and there were certain plot points at the end I didn't love. However, there were things I thought were done really well, such as Anya's Jewish faith and the idea that power needs to be challenged. In the end it was a middle of the road read for me, but it is one I will certainly be recommending to dragon and fantasy adventure lovers I know!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWb-nN0BZfsH9ApPVxMItzmRfoptDfD0lbD7kWpHuzxmY08Fe9nR4_InOtmsfbD0V9GLMCqEsfU5Q8tjFBcE0hU_QWUnlM8WhLEXPkUFm1S5oSeXVMeXSF88iu8haKH9v0pNeAqUSfcBCj/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWb-nN0BZfsH9ApPVxMItzmRfoptDfD0lbD7kWpHuzxmY08Fe9nR4_InOtmsfbD0V9GLMCqEsfU5Q8tjFBcE0hU_QWUnlM8WhLEXPkUFm1S5oSeXVMeXSF88iu8haKH9v0pNeAqUSfcBCj/s200/shorter.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297391-r-is-for-rebel?ac=1&from_search=true"><i>R is for Rebel</i> </a>by J. Anderson Coats<br />
This is tough because I usually really like Coats's books. I had such a hard time with this one though on so many levels. It's difficult to get into because the world-building is being explained via plot. Due it being a MG book, that comes off a little stilted and cobbled together. I didn't feel the characters were very well developed, and other than the main character, I honestly didn't know which girl was which most of the time. Then there are the thematic elements. I feel like Coats was trying to say some deep and much needed things about Imperialism. The forced schooling and cultural changes the girls were forced to endure is highly reminiscent of what went on here in America with the indigenous population. As a result, the book left me highly uncomfortable. Is it straight up cultural appropriation? I hesitate to call it that as she definitely set the book outside our own historical experience. However, it skirts close enough to the line for me to endorse it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EP6PhBuuwhxcUWyAtngIX5z49EXV8ttbKlqqoBddZwQSkEyMDFWc-bj7IQkLUkS8wb-uZGfT3D0G_vko_ePXWK9wQxLid__6Ap9gjAcLAuqUwyDQqVrEDOWRwK4ZI5m6kP01Mn2p_yUz/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="302" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EP6PhBuuwhxcUWyAtngIX5z49EXV8ttbKlqqoBddZwQSkEyMDFWc-bj7IQkLUkS8wb-uZGfT3D0G_vko_ePXWK9wQxLid__6Ap9gjAcLAuqUwyDQqVrEDOWRwK4ZI5m6kP01Mn2p_yUz/s200/shorter.jpg" width="126" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39884337-tristan-strong-punches-a-hole-in-the-sky">Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky</a></i> by Kwame Mbalia<br />
This is a truly excellent novel-both fun and well written. It deals with some difficult themes and experiences, while also maintaining a perfect MG tone. It's clear why it is included in Riordan's new imprint. Dare I say it is better crafted than most of Riordan's own work though? The characters are strong and well drawn. There is humor, high stakes, and a lot of adventure. I really enjoyed the way it used both African and American folklore. I can tell this is going to be one of those series I recommend constantly to kids with great success.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-71293641562285821392020-06-30T00:00:00.002-04:002020-06-30T00:00:04.963-04:00Shorter Musings: MG Realistic Here are some shorter musings on some recent MG realistic reads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig04kqujudQQSQlDwWI9i_4c88ncLx4lfYn1jy7TR5_N7mjqOUWWCVmrg7PDvNKiB-Q0p6Wh-fasyuqnz6lfQeCKaL34Etw02V4t5pKwEWg1wBO99JVTNl38H7DctHjZUfgAnrIvrOuQAK/s1600/shorter+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig04kqujudQQSQlDwWI9i_4c88ncLx4lfYn1jy7TR5_N7mjqOUWWCVmrg7PDvNKiB-Q0p6Wh-fasyuqnz6lfQeCKaL34Etw02V4t5pKwEWg1wBO99JVTNl38H7DctHjZUfgAnrIvrOuQAK/s200/shorter+.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39893619-new-kid">New Kid</a></i> by Jerry Craft<br />
I get why this became the first graphic novel to win the Newbery. It has an excellent cast of diverse (in every way including personality) characters with truly good character arcs. The themes are important but never seem heavy-handed. I enjoyed the way the text and the graphics worked together to provide a deeply rich reading experience. I would love to have a book about all of the kids featured in this one. I enjoyed all of their personalities that much.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-48597565323334595612020-06-30T00:00:00.001-04:002020-06-30T00:00:10.649-04:00Shorter Musings: YA RealisticHere are shorter musings of some recent realistic YA reads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItw-6T95D4mnQ1mwJwP4juVvu_rHvTn2h3_eSLdIa71O3Lv49bVDhMFaKly4TWvOYTDCE8Z4XrMdUkeKlH2AgQ9SfTRlbywBDaTWREdgUjaJb7hOzJ85HdQtwbZ432110rlydZ3Jj750s/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItw-6T95D4mnQ1mwJwP4juVvu_rHvTn2h3_eSLdIa71O3Lv49bVDhMFaKly4TWvOYTDCE8Z4XrMdUkeKlH2AgQ9SfTRlbywBDaTWREdgUjaJb7hOzJ85HdQtwbZ432110rlydZ3Jj750s/s200/shorter.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43220998-the-fountains-of-silence?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=o8uGZZTMkn&rank=1"><i>The Fountains of Silence</i> </a>by Ruta Sepetys<br />
I truly appreciate and love the amount of research Sepetys puts into her historical fiction writing. This novel has a better bibliography than most YA non-fiction books that are published. I also like how Sepetys tends to bring attention to historical moments that often go unremarked or unnoticed. In this case she is tackling life in Franco's Spain, and the kidnapping of children to give up for adoption that was rampant under the regime. While this book is a great intellectual exercise, I couldn't quite love it as a work of literature. I felt a distance between myself and the characters. It was almost clinical. I'm not sure if this is a fault of how they were written and developed or a fault in my own ability to want to immerse myself in so painful a reality. The prose is on the same level Sepetys typically gives us, and the setting is fully realized.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4zbXpkOSl2YC2IyyHBG28uLPuSSF5OJWHoaj0hHk71yOWpxK58_5mutrvusojQKjmDjSXoAURw7xsyWXF_EAXHUnJEXcfbVvRy2khyphenhyphenfhwLQjFcYCpGziV0syVLWnalFafmCXeyj8YOvH/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4zbXpkOSl2YC2IyyHBG28uLPuSSF5OJWHoaj0hHk71yOWpxK58_5mutrvusojQKjmDjSXoAURw7xsyWXF_EAXHUnJEXcfbVvRy2khyphenhyphenfhwLQjFcYCpGziV0syVLWnalFafmCXeyj8YOvH/s200/shorter.jpg" width="133" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41473823-maybe-this-time">Maybe This Time</a></i> by Kasie West<br />
I enjoyed this more than I have any other Kasie West book in quite some time. The romance wasn't quite well developed, particularly for the end it got, but Sophie's character and other relationships were really well done. I loved the tensions that developed between her and her best friend over her leaving their town. I felt the resolution to that was handled really well too. And I adored how West treated Sophie's complicated feelings for both of her parents. There was a definite shift there from childhood thinking to adult thinking that was fascinating to see and not really explored a lot in YA. And the boy part is fun if not totally believable.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-32319299246406144832020-06-30T00:00:00.000-04:002020-06-30T00:00:01.574-04:00Shorter Musings: YA Fantasy Here are some shorter musings on some recent YA fantasy reads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqd8oL4-TTxoaSNNZ-fOpCO5viyPlVCxn9JevWPK-lJ5ZNLPqZrbl8hhRnygY7aMDe7mWBmTeqpIvrM5ygM5QrIWYzw10u3wfBqjFldF4MhVNLAipO12IUhrWe397Yow-3bLzYd5pOoMF/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqd8oL4-TTxoaSNNZ-fOpCO5viyPlVCxn9JevWPK-lJ5ZNLPqZrbl8hhRnygY7aMDe7mWBmTeqpIvrM5ygM5QrIWYzw10u3wfBqjFldF4MhVNLAipO12IUhrWe397Yow-3bLzYd5pOoMF/s200/shorter.jpg" width="135" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2871212203">His Hideous Heart</a></i> by Various<br />
I was excited to read this because it is a unique idea, and I love Edgar Allan Poe. Unfortunately, all the things that make Poe's stories great are watered down in these new reworking, making them just the same as any other modern day horror. I also have some serious issues with how a couple of them handled the psychology of the stories. I'm especially not comfortable with the apologist attitude of a couple of the stories that changed the murderer to angry girls. Torturous violence and murder is never justified in my opinion. My favorite is by far the first one, and it's based on a shorter, not as well known Poe. I wish I had stopped there.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36483378-the-merciful-crow">The Merciful Crow</a></i> by Margaret Owen<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwnvgCDgjXGNzQN7DT82VcD85TsZs5kGYHN4kSLyRqi98W3CSTCMZvlnSDkzw6UAGXeM9L7L8EYawBfz4o4Q1zL7dodz-rf6FqMRynqOURUo_Kcg9vIMmXnYIY5J1diRjv3ukw7gwNW2b/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwnvgCDgjXGNzQN7DT82VcD85TsZs5kGYHN4kSLyRqi98W3CSTCMZvlnSDkzw6UAGXeM9L7L8EYawBfz4o4Q1zL7dodz-rf6FqMRynqOURUo_Kcg9vIMmXnYIY5J1diRjv3ukw7gwNW2b/s200/shorter.jpg" width="136" /></a>This book was <i>almost</i> a new book of my heart. I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning and everything about the voice. And the SYMBOLISM. I could write a paper on that. The way the symbolism brought out the themes was great too. However, it started to drag toward the middle and took forever to get where it was going. Part of this was to slowly fan the flames of the slow burn romance. I typically enjoy a good slow burn. But there's slow burn, and then there is freezing the plot in molasses, so the reader loses interest in everything including the romance. (Except not really. Because the romance really did work for me.) I was just bored with most everything else by that point. I'm okay with the way this ended too, and do not feel at all compelled to read the sequel (especially given its title).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngv5PPIFfYeR20nUTlBL9_sfLt8NtvcUpsMxq2QYEzlpeu4MLpAv0wtP6cd-YyYfvK71EA3b4fGwdB3HfdI-wYOHBVEDLOMFeKPLmRojWyHGcNwQu2x7QWGyrTbXAi1_o20VOXKm8etHE/s1600/short3er.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjngv5PPIFfYeR20nUTlBL9_sfLt8NtvcUpsMxq2QYEzlpeu4MLpAv0wtP6cd-YyYfvK71EA3b4fGwdB3HfdI-wYOHBVEDLOMFeKPLmRojWyHGcNwQu2x7QWGyrTbXAi1_o20VOXKm8etHE/s200/short3er.jpg" width="131" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43985469-of-curses-and-kisses?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=NOahicuqSo&rank=1">Of Curses and Kisses</a></i> by Sandhya Manon<br />
I was really looking forward to this as I love Sandhya Menon's contemporary reads. Finding out she was writing a whole series of fairy tale retellings was so exciting. Then I read this. I just cannot handle books where one of the people is flagrantly deceiving another. I don't care how bad they feel about it. In this case, it took too long for Jaya to get to a place where she felt bad about that. And then it took her too long to try to make amends for it. Then it wasn't even at her instigation-her friend and sister insisted she try. What kind of "Beauty and the Beast" reworking does that? Grey as a result was always rather a flat character to me. He is so broken. She betrays him through deceit. He can't forgive her until he can for contrived reasons that are spoilers. I just...feel an overwhelming disappointment. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I don't think I'll be reading the rest of this series.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL84KcW9diVS-3btDQ6cgLJpICC9HtsXrEID-jEkcV2SRIngNA5oiOeuJQ6WXHJPgJR2r3xSX097ikXOj3vfvpmmNVYv7HFUvzlDVmsBTnKf4NlehiA2fPaXxDwZyKSBsTOFtRT_EIAcHY/s1600/Fav+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL84KcW9diVS-3btDQ6cgLJpICC9HtsXrEID-jEkcV2SRIngNA5oiOeuJQ6WXHJPgJR2r3xSX097ikXOj3vfvpmmNVYv7HFUvzlDVmsBTnKf4NlehiA2fPaXxDwZyKSBsTOFtRT_EIAcHY/s200/Fav+1.jpg" width="131" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42201395-sorcery-of-thorns?from_search=true">Sorcery of Thorns</a></i> by Margaret Rogerson<br />
This was delightfully fun. It is a romantic fantasy with magical intrigue, a dash of politics, and libraries. Elizabeth is a girl who grew up in a library surrounded by books of magic. As an apprentice warden of the kingdoms most dangerous books, she is untrusting and of magic and the sorcerer's who wield it. Accused of a crime she didn't commit, Elizabeth finds herself having to rely on one of those dreaded sorcerers to help her unravel the mystery of who is seeking to unleash horrifying terrors on the libraries and why. Said sorcerer is the ultimate snarky emo boy sorcerer who wants to keep Elizabeth at arms length because she makes him feel things, and he doesn't want any of that thank you. But he also can't resist because she is having none of his nonsense. Basically this book is tailor-made Brandy catnip. I lapped it up in one sitting. it's not a perfect book. There are way too many info dump types of magical explanation and what not. But I had fun and the romance was exactly what I wanted.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-48812777669554211502020-06-01T21:56:00.000-04:002020-06-01T21:56:03.237-04:00May 202 RecapI read 12 books this month, but most of those were rereads due to several things including finishing up the kids' school years. Of the four new books I finished, I loved only one.<br />
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The Favorite:<br />
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May in Numbers<br />
Total: 12<br />
New: 4 Rereads: 8<br />
MG: 1 YA: 2 Adult: 9<br />
Contemporary: 3<br />
Historical: 7<br />
Fantasy: 2<br />
Science-Fiction: 0<br />
Non-Fiction: 0<br />
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Did you read any new favorites this month?Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-49456834777995397382020-05-26T00:00:00.000-04:002020-05-26T00:00:04.458-04:00TTT: Opening Lines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly themed blog hop created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.com/">The Broke and the Bookish </a>and now hosted at <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.<br />
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These are the opening lines I find most memorable-most of them I was able to type word for word and only looked them up to be absolutely sure they were word perfect. Some of these lines I like for their cleverness, some for the way they set up the story, and some for the mindset they immediately set from while reading. I can personally vouch for all the contents that follow these stellar first lines too.<br />
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"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."<br />
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-C.S. Lewis <i>The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</i><br />
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<i>"</i>There is no lake at Camp Green Lake."</div>
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-Lois Sachar <i>Holes </i></div>
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"I didn't know how long I'd been in the king's prison."</div>
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-Megan Whalen Turner <i>The Thief</i><br />
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<i>"</i>It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."</div>
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-Jane Austen <i>Pride and Prejudice</i><br />
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"It was a dark and stormy night."</div>
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-Madeleine L'Engle <i>A Wrinkle in Time</i><br />
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"I am a coward."</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> -Elizabeth Wein </span><i style="text-align: center;">Code Name Verity</i></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">"I've confessed to everything, and I'd like to be hanged."</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> -Franny Billngsley <i>Chime</i></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"><i>"</i>The real story isn't half as pretty as the one you've heard."</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> -Naomi Novik <i>Spinning Silver</i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">"Some things start before other things."</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> -Terry Pratchett <i>The Wee Free Men</i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">"I was twelve years of age when I chopped off my hair, dressed as a boy, and set off to save my family from impending ruin."</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"> -Stephanie Burgis <i>Kat Incorrigible</i> </span></div>
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What are some first lines you find memorable? What makes an opening memorable to you. </div>
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-26010865442181012212020-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:002020-05-23T11:18:53.430-04:00 DeeplightFrances Hardinge is an auto buy author for me. However, I enjoy most of her books more on an intellectual level. There have thus far only been two that I have felt a deep full connection to as a reader, <i><a href="http://randommusingsofabibliophile.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-face-like-glass.html">A Face Like Glass</a></i> and <i><a href="http://randommusingsofabibliophile.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-lost-conspiracy.html">The Lost Conspiracy</a></i>. Now there are three. Hardinge's most recent release <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50157754-deeplight">Deeplight</a></i> falls into the same category-intellectually and emotionally satisfying with prose that makes my mind sing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpkvEJxdQcE2PyRXQcgYa5dYOFseYvdtFsQeDJgTCLgauG6tlwkY__weFsoHWQj8NNtz8ncJxeqaDfaTjie1gNzNjZgVG-8gsdDC5DRWmxhHbB-a8_5rrcxFIz4pSAdSTrt1P7OVdX6h6/s1600/Fav+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1517" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpkvEJxdQcE2PyRXQcgYa5dYOFseYvdtFsQeDJgTCLgauG6tlwkY__weFsoHWQj8NNtz8ncJxeqaDfaTjie1gNzNjZgVG-8gsdDC5DRWmxhHbB-a8_5rrcxFIz4pSAdSTrt1P7OVdX6h6/s400/Fav+1.jpg" width="262" /></a>Just 50 years ago the people of the Myriad lived lives of fear. They lived in fear of the monstrous sea gods that would occasionally rise from the sea and swallow whole islands of people. Everything changed with the Cataclysm. The gods turned and destroyed each other, and the Myriad learned what peace was. Now enterprising exhibitions dive under the sea to recover pieces of old god to harvest the powerful godware that still carries a range of powers. On the island of Lady's Crave, Hark is an orphan who must use his wits and cunning to survive. His greatest talent is his ability to tell stories. He knows how to pick a mark, capture their attention, and spin a yarn that will have them believing all he has to say. Complementary to this, he has an often suppressed passion for other people's stories, including those of the fallen gods. It's often suppressed because Hark lives a harsh live where dreamers are not appreciated, and his closest friend Jelt is always quick to tell him his penchant makes him soft. When a job Jelt drags him into goes wrong, Hark has an opportunity for a new life where he is immersed in stories of the gods. However, Hark's life is not own. His loyalty to Jelt, his promises to his new masters, and his own desire for his life begin to collide. As Hark makes decisions that send him down increasingly blind and terrifying paths, he must decide who he truly is, who he wants to become, and the people in his life who truly matter.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><i>I'm glad we're free even if we do stupid things with the freedom sometimes. Maybe sometimes there isn't a right thing to do. <span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">Maybe there's just lots of wrong answers, and you have to pick one you can bear-something that doesn't break who you are.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">Boy, do I love Hark. For about half of the book he is allowing things to happen to him. He's proactive when he is forced to be, but he is also easily influenced. Part of this is due to fear and part of it is simply not having enough freedom to ask questions about what he actually wants out of life. His circumstances have made those choices for him. The one thing he knows for sure is that crew is family, which makes Jelt his family no matter how uneasy he increasingly becomes over their continued relationship. As a reader, it is easy to see Jelt is obviously dangerous, and their relationship is not a healthy one. I felt every bit of Hark's desperation to break free because I wanted him to so badly. Hardinge makes the reader feel for him in every way possible. Through his newly acquired job tending to the old and dying priesthood, Hark learns many truths about himself and the world. He figures out what passions and opinions are truly his own. Every part of his character arc and growth is worth the price of this book. Then it goes and gets even better by adding Selphin and Quest.</span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">Selphin is a sea-kissed girl who is the daughter of the most infamous smuggling queen in the Myriad. The sea-kissed people are held in high regard due to losing their hearing in diving accidents or from prolonged exposure to the depths. It's considered a mark of bravery and distinction. Selphin is definitely brave, but she is also pragmatic and determined. No one is going to put her in the ocean again despite what her mother thinks. Selphin and Hark go from being hostile acquaintances to reluctant allies to true friends as the story progresses. Sephin is an amazing character and just as important as Hark to the story in every way. She is the perfect foil for him-unafraid to speak the truth no matter the pushback, incapable of being manipulated, firm and strong in exactly who she is. Watching their friendship develop was heart-warming.</span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">Quest is one of the old priests who inhabits The Sanctuary where Hark's new opportunity takes him. It is part of Hark's job to care for and listen to the priests as they tell their stories. Quest is the priest who is most cognizant to events as they are in the world around him. He is cunning and manipulative in his own way and has a respect for Hark's sharp mind and ability to take things in. Through Quest, Hark learns more about his beloved gods. He discovers they were more terrifying and monstrous than most in living memory even know. Quest is also key to the unfolding plot as he acts a mentor for Hark in some respects but also as a catalyst for most of Hark's choices and his ability to figure out who he wants to be in the last third of the book. This wise, flawed, and courageous old man has my whole heart. </span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">It is well documented that I love a good character driven story, and </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">Deeplight </i><span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">is definitely that. It's not just one but THREE excellent character stories. In addition to that, it is also full of other things I love. It's mythopoeic, and the history and complexities of the sea gods are exactly the type I'm looking for in mythopoeic fiction. There is also a fair bit of political intrigue and and maneuvering in various threads of the plot that are both exciting and intriguing. There is a complexity to the politics of smuggling gangs, governments, and secret cults alike, and things get twisty when their interests collide. The world-building of the Myriad is so thorough that it exists now in my head as a place I want to visit. The way Hardinge uses it to subtly touch on themes of prejudice and persecution is equally fascinating.</span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">Then there is the book's core theme of knowing who you are and what that means to you. How much of yourself belongs to you and how much do you owe to others? Which others are most important-your crew, your master, or society in general? What are you willing to sacrifice of yourself and your principles if asked? What are you willing to sacrifice if you simply see the need for it? These are deeply philosophical questions that often don't have straightforward, simple answers. Hardinge uses Hark, Selphin, and Quest's journeys to explore them in a way that is deeply meaningful and engaging.</span><br />
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(56, 118, 29);">I recommend this book to anyone who loves myth, thinking of difficult questions, and in-depth character journeys. </span>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-73014358567667540222020-05-08T08:09:00.001-04:002020-05-08T08:09:13.512-04:00Future Favorites Friday May 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I take the 2nd Friday of every month to highlight some upcoming releases I am looking forward to that I hope are Future Favorites. Feel free to do your own post, just please link back to my blog and tell me about your post in the comments.<br />
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I throughly enjoyed the first book in this series about Suffragettes in Victorian England, and I'm looking forward to reading all the rest as they come. These characters are so engaging.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">Lady Lucie is fuming. She and her band of Oxford suffragists have finally scraped together enough capital to control one of London’s major publishing houses, with one purpose: to use it in a coup against Parliament. But who could have predicted that the one person standing between her and success is her old nemesis, Lord Ballentine? Or that he would be willing to hand over the reins for an outrageous price—a night in her bed.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">Lucie tempts Tristan like no other woman, burning him up with her fierceness and determination every time they clash. But as their battle of wills and words fans the flames of long-smouldering devotion, the silver-tongued seducer runs the risk of becoming caught in his own snare.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">As Lucie tries to out-manoeuvre Tristan in the boardroom and the bedchamber, she soon discovers there’s truth in what the poets say: all is fair in love and war…</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>Release Date: September 1, 2020 from Berkley</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49202118-a-rogue-of-one-s-own">Goodreads</a></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">I have yet to read the second book in this </span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); font-size: 14px;">series. (It's next in my TBR stack after my current read.) However, I'm still delighted to know there is going to be a third book. I love how these books combine travel and complex family dynamics with some romance.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">Evie Varanakis doesn’t have a lot of fond memories of her father, which makes sense—he fled to Greece when she was only eight. What Evie does remember, though, is their shared love for Greek myths and the lost city of Atlantis. So when Evie suddenly receives a postcard from her father explaining that National Geographic is funding a documentary about his theories on Atlantis—and will she fly out to Greece and help?—Evie jumps at the opportunity.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">But when she arrives to Santorini, things are a little…awkward. There are so many questions, so many emotions that flood to the surface after seeing her father for the first time in years. And yet Evie doesn’t want their past to get in the way of a possible reconciliation. She also definitely doesn’t want Theo—her father’s charismatic so-called “protégé”—to witness her struggle.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">And that means diving into all that Santorini has to offer—the beautiful sunsets, the turquoise water, the hidden caves, and the delicious cuisine. But not everything on the Greek island is as perfect as it seems. Because as Evie slowly begins to discover, her father may not have invited her to Greece for Atlantis, but for something much more important.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>Release Date: November 10, 2020 from Simon Pulse</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52765415-love-olives">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">What are some upcoming releases you are excited for?</span></span></div>
Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-30212363599187136012020-05-01T14:58:00.000-04:002020-05-01T14:58:01.536-04:00April 2020 RecapApril was an interesting month for me reading wise. After a slow start, I read my three favorites within a week, including my first 5 star MG read of the year. I also read the book that has infuriated me the most so far this year. I definitely covered the entire spectrum of feelings.<br />
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The Favorites:<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3290464458">The Chilbury Ladies' Choir</a></i> by Jennifer Ryan<br />
<i><a href="http://randommusingsofabibliophile.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-game-of-fox-and-squirrels.html">A Game of Fox and Squirrels</a></i> by Jennifer Reese<br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2693328626">Spooked!</a> </i>by Gail Jarrow<br />
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April in Numbers:<br />
Total: 10<br />
New: 8 Rereads: 2<br />
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MG: 2 YA: 3 Adult: 5<br />
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Contemporary: 2<br />
Historical: 3<br />
Fantasy: 4<br />
Non-Fiction: 1<br />
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Here are some of the May Releases I'm looking forward to:<br />
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Did you read any stand out books this month?<br />
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-77363943618065071872020-04-27T00:00:00.000-04:002020-05-15T14:44:33.842-04:00A Game of Fox and Squirrels Jenn Reese's <i>Above World</i> trilogy is a beloved set of books in this house. My daughter still has all her original copies on her favorite books shelf 8 years later. (One of three series that remained from elementary to high school when others were moved to other rooms as she grew older.) When I discovered a new MG by Reese would be coming out this year, I was so excited. Little did I know the emotional journey in store for me while reading this devastatingly beautiful book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8278EbjBIb5VbFwcy1MXVAZWPdnyQXH86JF1Qtgl3uNNcQmEeT5Xk8T3xiUIWIYy_kbEeW22bJ684Ha2YpntWptqXNjqvYkRdhjvnjZvtmrvl_vmhW51yrss5JDHKUxlzLWtHTZm2Ga1/s1600/Fav+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="657" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8278EbjBIb5VbFwcy1MXVAZWPdnyQXH86JF1Qtgl3uNNcQmEeT5Xk8T3xiUIWIYy_kbEeW22bJ684Ha2YpntWptqXNjqvYkRdhjvnjZvtmrvl_vmhW51yrss5JDHKUxlzLWtHTZm2Ga1/s640/Fav+2.jpg" width="419" /></a><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><i>You can try to plan for the Fox. You can save up your cards for him instead of trying to prepare for winter. Many people do. They spend so much time worried about the Fox that they forget about the rest of the game entirely. But remember: you never know when the Fox will appear, or what kind of Fox he will be when he does. And by then it will be too late.</i></b></span><br />
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Samantha (Sam) has just arrived in Oregon with her sister Caitlyn. They are moving in her with their Aunt Vicky and her wife Hannah following Caitlyn suffering a broken arm due to their father's abuse. Aunt Vicky and Hannah live in a wood, own chickens, and Aunt Vicky's business partner has a friendly son named Lucas the same age as Sam. Sam isn't interested any of it. She is convinced she will not be there long. All she wants is to be back in L.A. by the time school starts. When her aunt gives her a card game for her birthday, Sam is intrigued by the beautiful cards containing adorable squirrels. She is particularly enthralled by the charming Fox card. Ashander The Fox has noticed Sam as well. Coming to introduce himself, Ashander offers Sam a deal. Go on a quest in the wood for him to capture the Golden Acorn, and she can have any wish she desires. Sam immediately sees an opportunity to fix her broken family. As the days pass, the quests get more difficult and demand more of Sam. How can she succeed when the Fox keeps changing the rules? And what will she do when Ashander asks her far more than she is willing to sacrifice?<br />
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<i>A Game of Fox and Squirrels </i>is a vivid look into the mind of a child who has experienced trauma and is trying to figure out the next step in her world. Sam is suffering from a bit of cognitive dissonance as she starts out her time in Oregon only thinking of the good memories with her parents and desperately planning to get back to them. As her story continues, Sam proves herself to be brave, strong, and in need of a place in the world where she can be loved without fear. Sam's encounters with Ashander bring out her scarier memories of home as the Fox acts out the trademark behaviors of most abusers, continually changing the rules of right behavior and using compliments and sparing affection as weapons. But she knows the rules. Stay loyal. Stay quiet. Do nothing to disturb the peace. Finding strength in the books of fantastical quests that she loves, Sam understands what a true heroine needs to do to make things right. Sam's increasing desperation and fear are difficult to read at times, but with her Aunt and Hannah she has found a place she can rest and experience love. Throughout the story Vicky, an abuse survivor herself, reaches out to Sam in the best ways. It is this plus Sam's love for her sister that finally give her the courage to face the harsh realities of her world and find hope and a home.<br />
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All of the character relationships in the novel are well done. Sam and Caitlyn have a relationship built on surviving. They have a methodology and a routine to interacting with people and protecting each other, though the role of protector typically falls to the older Caitlyn. Sam feels the need to become the protector once they're in Oregon, and she falls further and further into the Fox's game. As the story unfolds and the girls adjust to their new reality, their relationship changes shape too. Caitlyn accepts and embraces their new life faster, which creates tension, but opens Sam's eyes to who her sister truly is and could be. Vicky is suffering from memories of her own childhood. She is determined to give the girls a good home and break the pattern of violence. She is still terrified. Hannah is brilliantly supportive through all of this and great with the girls. The support system in this book is rounded out by neighbors Armen and Lucas, who are excellent friends. (Armen is a wonderful father who is doing a fantastic job raising his son.) This character relationships are the heart and soul of this book, and nothing I say about them can adequately describe the nuanced layers Reese was able to develop in each character and their relationships to each other.<br />
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What is truly amazing to me is how well Reese pulled off a beautiful story of finding hope in darkness, the true meaning of family, and looking at childhood trauma in 215 pages that include the rules to a card game she created herself. Her sentence level writing is top level craftsmanship. Every page uses its words to their fullest capacity. She winsomely and unflinchingly tells so much story in a short novel. That is a true feat of talent.<br />
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<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-25143272896768108312020-04-10T17:52:00.000-04:002020-05-08T07:57:37.386-04:00Future Favorites Friday (April 20)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I take the 2nd Friday of every month to highlight some upcoming releases I am looking forward to that I hope are Future Favorites. Feel free to do your own post, just please link back to my blog and tell me about your post in the comments.<br />
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I was so EXCITED to see this on Twitter last week that Angie Thomas wrote a prequel <i>To the Hate You Give</i>. Any good news on Twitter is to be cherished in these times, but this one would be cherished in anytime. I'm prepared to cry my eyes out on the day of this one's release.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b>Release Date: January 21, 2021 from Balzer & Bray</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52822210-concrete-rose">Goodreads</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">I love this series so much. I devoured the first two books in one sitting each. This third installment looks to be just as good. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b>Release Date: October 27, 2020 from Berkley</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50972370-crazy-stupid-bromance">Goodreads</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white;">Stefan Bachmann always write hauntingly beautiful MG fantasies. It's been a while since the last one. And look at this cover!!!! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Thirteen-year-old Zita doesn't know the first thing about being a witch. Then, one moment to the next, she is whisked from being a housemaid in a tiny village to inheriting a castle, an enchanted wood, and entire rooms full of ghosts, treasures, and mysterious secrets.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">But Zita soon realizes her newfound fortune comes with a world of trouble. Her long-lost family - a glamorous dynasty of witches who have long stood as a bastion against the lands of the dead - has been murdered, snuffed out by some sinister foe from the spirit realm, and her guardian, the beautiful Mrs. Cantanker, does not seem to have her best interests at heart. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">As Zita navigates the perilous halls of her new home, she finds herself thrust into a magical battle of wills between the living and the dead. It will require every ounce of cunning, friendship, and secret power she can find, because whatever killed her family is now after her. . .</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>Release Date: October 13, 2020 from Greenwillow Books</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52165391-cinders-and-sparrows">Goodreads</a></b></span></span></div>
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-48630855270109422292020-04-01T11:02:00.000-04:002020-04-01T11:02:00.256-04:00March 2020 RecapHow is everyone doing??? We are hanging in there. We have had various illnesses during this quarantine but none too serious. It's been a huge adjustment for the extroverts I live with for sure. I, despite an abundance of extra time, feel listless. It actually feels harder to get these done. I actually read 12 books this month but most were rereads. I'm having a focus issue right now, so rereads are working better for me.<br />
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The Favorites of the New Reads:<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2820481681">Love Lettering</a></i> by Kate Clayborn<br />
<i><a href="http://randommusingsofabibliophile.blogspot.com/2020/03/sal-and-gabi-break-universe.html">Sal and Gabi Break the Universe</a></i> by Carlos Hernandez<br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3172960731">Undercover Bromance</a></i> by Lyssa Kay Adams<br />
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January in Numbers:<br />
Total: 12<br />
New: 4 Rereads: 8<br />
MG: 1 YA: 1 Adult: 10<br />
Contemporary: 2<br />
Historical: 9<br />
Fantasy: 0<br />
Science-Fiction: 1<br />
Non-Fiction: 0<br />
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April has a couple of releases I'm really looking forward to, so hopefully my focus and attention span will return. I have both of these beauties on pre-order:<br />
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I hope you are all safe and well. If you've read anything great, please tell me about it in the comments.<br />
<i></i>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-89933220141321550212020-03-17T00:00:00.000-04:002020-03-17T00:00:03.220-04:00Sal and Gabi Break the Universe<i> </i>I've been trying to read as many books from Riordan's imprint with Disney Hyperion as I can, though they're coming out so fast it's hard to keep up. I just love the concept of a whole imprint for own voices mythology books. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36595887-sal-and-gabi-break-the-universe?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=sIfTGQxPjQ&rank=1">Sal and Gabi Break the Universe</a></i> by Carlos Hernandez is my favorite one so far, which is interesting because it is not mythopoeic at all but science-fiction.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_S8f1g8vHtRlWUOHW1RXZv1Y7sCEe3bcJcSebJoFcqms1Kv2CFsWIgoI03PlhhDPGfvTTi3mDWzYJ7LJDgRMLlaDZBfRrCRUErTvDUgfsewV3HTt-Z2vIHaA1Awo20Y5autK7OdLWgah/s1600/Fav+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_S8f1g8vHtRlWUOHW1RXZv1Y7sCEe3bcJcSebJoFcqms1Kv2CFsWIgoI03PlhhDPGfvTTi3mDWzYJ7LJDgRMLlaDZBfRrCRUErTvDUgfsewV3HTt-Z2vIHaA1Awo20Y5autK7OdLWgah/s400/Fav+1.jpg" width="262" /></a>If there is one thing Sal Vidon knows how to deal with, it's bullies. As a new kid, he knows he needs to be proactive when the school's biggest bully comes for him during his first week at school. One raw chicken in a locker later, Sal finds himself defending against accusations of witchcraft thanks to the interference of student council president Gabi Real, who showed up in the principal's office as the defense attorney of Yasmany. Sal prides himself on being a great magician, but he uses manipulation and sleight of hand-not actual magic. Except he has a talent few others could even imagine. Sal can rip holes in the Universe and pull things from parallel worlds. In order to escape the confrontation with Yasmany, he pulled in a raw chicken from another world. Unfortunately, ripping even a small hole in the Universe has consequences, and often Sal doesn't just pull in chickens-he pulls in different versions of his dead mother from other realities where she is still alive. Only he promised his dad and stepmom he wouldn't do that anymore. When after summoning the chicken a different version of his mom shows up without him trying and the hole he opened won't close, Sal realizes he might be out of his league this time. Added to that, Gabi Real is the smartest most persistent person he has ever met-and she can see the hole he ripped. While trying to fix what he's broken, Sal learns how to see people better, learns some things about the complexities of people and relationships, discovers how good it is to be part of a team, and realizes how family can mean many things and comes in different shapes and forms.<br />
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If you've eve wondered what would happen if a textbook Slytherin and a textbook Ravenclaw (both with strong Hufflepuff tendencies) became besties and teamed up to take on the world, this book is that. Sal is snarky, too smart for his own good, charmingly manipulative, and determined to be the best. Gabi is a logical but creative thinker, persistent, curious to the point of reckless, and determined to know everything there is to know about her world and the people in it. Both Sal and Gabi have a fierce loyalty to the people they consider "theirs". As their story unfolds, that loyalty begins to extend to each other <i>and </i>each other's people. The story is told in Sal's first person voice, so we know more of his internal thoughts and motivations. However, Gabi is just as real and fully developed a character. Together they are one of the best teams I've come across in a MG book in quite some time. They go from adversaries to reluctant allies to best friends. Their relationship is well developed, and the reader gets to see its natural progression. Both of them have hard things in their lives, and both of them have good families who are there for them, but they find a balance in each other that is unique. From each other they learn what their weaknesses are and how to try to turn them into strengths. Sometimes the lessons are painful. Sometimes they don't fully stick. But Sal and Gabi discover facing the world with someone of equal intelligence and ability at your side who understands loyalty and its importance is far better than facing it alone.<br />
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The book has a tremendous supporting cast who are fully developed and important as well. Yasmany is not your typical bully. His relationship with Gabi and the way his relationship with Sal evolves is layered and full of nuance. Sal's parents are amazing. His relationship with his stepmom is so well done. The amount of affection and respect they have for each other is evident in every interaction, while Sal also struggles with desperately missing his mom. He wants to live in a world where he has all three of his parents but is slowly realizing how impossible that is. Gabi's family is big and unconventional. It's also full of all the love and support any kids want to grow up in the center of. Gabi knows she is lucky. As the plot unfolds, Gabi and Sal bring their unique families and friends together to form a strong community. At its core that is what this book is truly about-the power of community.<br />
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Also it is interesting to find a MG book where every single adult well drawn and working hard for the good of the children. Sal and Gabi aren't out there taking risks because the adults have abandoned them or their responsibilities. They're out there taking risks because they're know-it-all middle schoolers who think they're grown enough to handle it. If that isn's some realism injected into your MG SFF, I don't know what is.<br />
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The science-fiction part of the story is interesting but never overwhelms the characters or the central theme. There is some discussion of calamity physics and AI. Two of the characters in the book are AI, so there is some discussion of the personhood and ethics involved in that.<br />
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This book is tackling a lot, but it is well-balanced. The characters are so likable and realistic that it is incredibly easy to just fall into the story. I'm definitely going to be reading the next book in the series as soon as it comes out!<br />
<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-33621451508611799662020-03-13T00:00:00.000-04:002020-04-10T17:34:25.275-04:00Future Favorites Friday March 20<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I take the 2nd Friday of every month to highlight some upcoming releases I am looking forward to that I hope are Future Favorites. Feel free to do your own post, just please link back to my blog and tell me about your post in the comments.<br />
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Can I tell you how much I loved <i>Well Met</i>???? It was A LOT. A lot a lot. I was so excited to discover it would have a sequel. I'm loving the cover and the synopsis. CANNOT WAIT!!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Stacey is jolted when her friends Simon and Emily get engaged. She knew she was putting her life on hold when she stayed in Willow Creek to care for her sick mother, but it's been years now, and even though Stacey loves spending her summers pouring drinks and flirting with patrons at the local Renaissance Faire, she wants more out of life. Stacey vows to have her life figured out by the time her friends get hitched at Faire next summer. Maybe she'll even find The One.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">When Stacey imagined "The One," it never occurred to her that her summertime Faire fling, Dex MacLean, might fit the bill. While Dex is easy on the eyes onstage with his band The Dueling Kilts, Stacey has never felt an emotional connection with him. So when she receives a tender email from the typically monosyllabic hunk, she's not sure what to make of it.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Faire returns to Willow Creek, and Stacey comes face-to-face with the man with whom she’s exchanged hundreds of online messages over the past nine months. To Stacey's shock, it isn't Dex—she's been falling in love with a man she barely knows.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b>Release Date: September 22, 2020 from Berkley</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50089191-well-played">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">I enjoy Brandy Colbert's books quite a lot. Her newest one combines my love of politics and romance, so I'm very much her for it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Marva Sheridan was born ready for this day. She's always been driven to make a difference in the world, and what better way than to vote in her first election? </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Duke Crenshaw is do done with this election. He just wants to get voting over with so he can prepare for his band's first paying gig tonight. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Only problem? Duke can't vote. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">When Marva sees Duke turned away from their polling place, she takes it upon herself to make sure his vote is counted. She hasn't spent months doorbelling and registering voters just to see someone denied their right. And that's how their whirlwind day begins, rushing from precinct to precinct, cutting school, waiting in endless lines, turned away time and again, trying to do one simple thing: vote. They may have started out as strangers, but as Duke and Marva team up to beat a rigged system (and find Marva's missing cat), it's clear that there's more to their connection than a shared mission for democracy. </span></i></span><br />
<b>Release Date: July 7, 2020 from Disney Hyperion</b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48717633-the-voting-booth">Goodreads</a></b><br />
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-31397901963558360972020-03-03T00:00:00.000-05:002020-05-15T14:54:27.998-04:00TTT: Books with One Word Titles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly themed blog hop created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.com/">The Broke and the Bookish </a>and now hosted at <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.<br />
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This Week's Topic: Books with One Word Titles<br />
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I was almost not going to do this one, but I decided to look through my favorites shelf and realized I loved a lot of really great books with one word titles that I haven't talked about in a while. This seemed the perfect opportunity.<br />
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This is an entire trilogy with one word titles. They are all amazing.</div>
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This is an entire trilogy full of one word titles that is a favorite, AND it has a spinoff series of one word titles that is equally good. Read them all.</div>
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-53652747551349374902020-03-01T17:34:00.000-05:002020-03-06T14:59:20.415-05:00February 2020 RecapI got a lot of reading in this month, but I only had one truly favorite new read of February.<br />
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The Favorite:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6ihscXuU14eplo4o_SOZ1SI-J5pU3M4lpJYgsxMN0f6g1x2QZ6-r_xqUBSYH82KTGI2feiVmgDFekp2QZyIJ4T6f2KqD6sAXD3B4n4sW9BodrhQnPgfGV6mE0uY13wwomfGDamyucFgr/s1600/Fav+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6ihscXuU14eplo4o_SOZ1SI-J5pU3M4lpJYgsxMN0f6g1x2QZ6-r_xqUBSYH82KTGI2feiVmgDFekp2QZyIJ4T6f2KqD6sAXD3B4n4sW9BodrhQnPgfGV6mE0uY13wwomfGDamyucFgr/s400/Fav+1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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February in Numbers:<br />
Total: 13<br />
New: 7 Rereads: 6<br />
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MG: 2 YA: 3 Adult: 8<br />
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Contemporary: 5<br />
Historical: 6<br />
Fantasy: 2<br />
Science-Fiction: 0<br />
Non-Fiction: 0<br />
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DNFs:<br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3191545311">By the Book</a></i><br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3191542346">We See the Sky Sparkling</a></i><br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2791598254">Would Like to Meet</a></i><br />
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Here are some of the March releases I'm looking forward to:</div>
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-77233011548772078172020-02-25T00:00:00.000-05:002020-02-25T00:00:00.196-05:00TTT: Characters I'd Follow On Social Media<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xpjzUoTIIgA_rmFRFdgzqA_1g7j1v2l6n0s24oiL3yyGtq0U0tZ1eWUUlbNqXlttEr8T7vBdcE7nwBW6fi3hD_bQ9UAdcOjakEIvfvcixhhwccMC0U-csxSCjQO19o1Nb_EtxV9YbiGQ/s1600/TTT-Big2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="500" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xpjzUoTIIgA_rmFRFdgzqA_1g7j1v2l6n0s24oiL3yyGtq0U0tZ1eWUUlbNqXlttEr8T7vBdcE7nwBW6fi3hD_bQ9UAdcOjakEIvfvcixhhwccMC0U-csxSCjQO19o1Nb_EtxV9YbiGQ/s320/TTT-Big2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly themed blog hop created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.com/">The Broke and the Bookish </a>and now hosted at <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.<br />
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This Week's Topic: Characters I'd Follow On Social Media<br />
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I love this topic. I actually have my students create social media pages for characters for extra credit assignments, so I've always thought this was fun to think about. It actually really requires some character analysis to do well. Which social media fits this character's personality? What would they post about? How much of their inner lives would they share?<br />
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Here are the characters I would follow, where I would follow them, and why:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQs7ehTB3TCGkb4ygLXg619xYxI-6VvNyQSyhln27ini7eXjWU9soPTzMAIdA3ChXocdeD4Tm5qKc7SDHkBNKNKbqRjJYC-LXYrokOhPbkMAeVJuoR8dSbfhu0BG5DaG1jW6thOPAQ4bp/s1600/TTT+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQs7ehTB3TCGkb4ygLXg619xYxI-6VvNyQSyhln27ini7eXjWU9soPTzMAIdA3ChXocdeD4Tm5qKc7SDHkBNKNKbqRjJYC-LXYrokOhPbkMAeVJuoR8dSbfhu0BG5DaG1jW6thOPAQ4bp/s200/TTT+1.jpg" width="130" /></a>Lizzie Bennet on Tumblr because you know her blog would be a beautiful mix of nerdy fangirl thoughtfulness and feminist manifestos. I love following people like that.<br />
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Darcy on Twitter: He would use it rarely, but when he did, it would be to the point and oh so entertaining.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEZTR16fr35EcQl23cixoO2K0qTKV_XhydIck5dtSF44H1Rk7h5kuC6A403pLI8IHWzFx4I7eWRfqRPzJy4WrZ7r73yBGXdBozCwDOOLvrHpmtA9caiBZbhmGHvXkuc5KB3RDmoteV03f/s1600/TTT+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="286" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEZTR16fr35EcQl23cixoO2K0qTKV_XhydIck5dtSF44H1Rk7h5kuC6A403pLI8IHWzFx4I7eWRfqRPzJy4WrZ7r73yBGXdBozCwDOOLvrHpmtA9caiBZbhmGHvXkuc5KB3RDmoteV03f/s200/TTT+2.jpg" width="142" /></a><br />
Amy March on Instagram because it would be beautifully aesthetic, and just the sort of thing I like to look at but know I could never pull off.<br />
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Theodore Laurence on Instagram because you know he would work hard to be the ultimate Insta husband and a foil for Amy and the back and forth would be adorable.<br />
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YEAH I SHIP THEM. Don't @ me. You won't be able to change my mind. I'm one of those readers who, even as a child, thought they made 1000% more sense than Jo and Laurie.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Z7lJ75zJHu9SfXeLHrGcF0dMlx5yVInjgeJnXKZaOq6MsyZvPqaij7CkYaUemvb2iOBrjYBlSOBNMiQC_lc6K0IBCNL0OQcRTX87yZR6p-tdDNW1IYUeA_J4_PpnoDoxdGdSN0TPcadD/s1600/TTT+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Z7lJ75zJHu9SfXeLHrGcF0dMlx5yVInjgeJnXKZaOq6MsyZvPqaij7CkYaUemvb2iOBrjYBlSOBNMiQC_lc6K0IBCNL0OQcRTX87yZR6p-tdDNW1IYUeA_J4_PpnoDoxdGdSN0TPcadD/s200/TTT+3.jpg" width="130" /></a>Romeo on whatever platform he's on, which would probably be all of them, for the ultimate voyeuristic pleasure of watching the train wreck.<br />
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Mercutio on all the platforms he's joined because that's where Romeo is for the pleasure of watching him drag Romeo on the regular.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxanEZ6Kii4fQfuvaUbnXobmMVBa9T4MqDnLo37KHowqxygvIst3wTkYIolE82YeeSo7X9N9wfoW3P2wOPNz-SB9Gi6wO5gURFF1p6wZJeLdLpIbP7YZ2NTqnawB0OHeDJgytqwZ5N47lt/s1600/TTT+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxanEZ6Kii4fQfuvaUbnXobmMVBa9T4MqDnLo37KHowqxygvIst3wTkYIolE82YeeSo7X9N9wfoW3P2wOPNz-SB9Gi6wO5gURFF1p6wZJeLdLpIbP7YZ2NTqnawB0OHeDJgytqwZ5N47lt/s200/TTT+B.jpg" width="131" /></a>Eugenides on Tumblr because you know he'd have one. Probably several under different aliases where he catfishes his attendants and just causes general mischief for his wife, who is annoyed she had to get one too just to keep an eye on him, to fix later.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZg5TlDXW_emHNbt5idqP_LvkrP1ELVreWjDsjYnlNuet_OuL8jmZwU_M2dPVRSmbo4KQojE0EiOnKqGfNkJHYOtNUX9Pc0AP9uYTBuqQaf26hkEmAsI7GE1swZZFKlHHrWX4pDhYLkgT/s1600/TTT+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZg5TlDXW_emHNbt5idqP_LvkrP1ELVreWjDsjYnlNuet_OuL8jmZwU_M2dPVRSmbo4KQojE0EiOnKqGfNkJHYOtNUX9Pc0AP9uYTBuqQaf26hkEmAsI7GE1swZZFKlHHrWX4pDhYLkgT/s200/TTT+4.jpg" width="131" /></a>Millie Chant on Pinterest for the recipes, spells, and household tips and on Facebook for her exasperated stories about her menagerie of a household.<br />
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Christopher Chant on Twitter for the snark.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbfAgaO7Bef63kUEV27Ti4ru6CRywTpyLEuKp7CqbAv_K8DB3STx52VUNjk6lNMyFGSwYndKLF1mdmmBIbxA08PY_KJfsqAwtuW0drsZFLo5hzLwFgZIxhktvg315NETPk2rsyCjY2t46/s1600/TTT+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbfAgaO7Bef63kUEV27Ti4ru6CRywTpyLEuKp7CqbAv_K8DB3STx52VUNjk6lNMyFGSwYndKLF1mdmmBIbxA08PY_KJfsqAwtuW0drsZFLo5hzLwFgZIxhktvg315NETPk2rsyCjY2t46/s200/TTT+5.jpg" width="130" /></a>Timothy on Tumblr for the social justice and theology posts.<br />
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How about you? Are there any characters you're convinced would have a brilliant social media presence?<br />
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<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-19407470628596212112020-02-20T00:00:00.000-05:002020-02-20T00:00:05.329-05:00Shorter Musings Realistic YAHere are some shorter musings on some recent realistic YA reads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUbfHhgm3MjMG4uWQ9ii64rEXnsPw4H3BAyqaUe4f8sXhyphenhypheniqYM-Y381BfOfzwwDlvCEmXhyphenhyphen5cHSOzTn9IuGeYYHNtxhlor6t_OqyWyZWKYmAOOANcspt8AhUjrEWU850bgRAIPog2rCs5/s1600/Fav+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUbfHhgm3MjMG4uWQ9ii64rEXnsPw4H3BAyqaUe4f8sXhyphenhypheniqYM-Y381BfOfzwwDlvCEmXhyphenhyphen5cHSOzTn9IuGeYYHNtxhlor6t_OqyWyZWKYmAOOANcspt8AhUjrEWU850bgRAIPog2rCs5/s320/Fav+2.jpg" width="209" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43208845-butterfly-yellow">Butterfly Yellow</a> </i>by Thanhhà Lai<br />
This, like all of Thanhha Lai's work, is excellent. It is historical fiction set in 1981 and follows a Vietnamese teen who has suffered a terrifying journey to America to find her younger brother who was taken from Vietnam as an orphan in the last wave of civilians leaving before the South fell. Along the way she employs the help of a wannabe rodeo cowboy fresh from high school graduation with a brand new truck and a dream. This is a wonderful tale about found family that covers a parts of the history Vietnam and America we often forget about, including that young Vietnamese people were risking their lives to make their way to refugee camps long after the war ended. Many of them paid until costs for this.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41717246-don-t-date-rosa-santos">Don't Date Rosa Santos</a></i> by Nina Moreno<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCA7nybITka8XeiqYaAzsGUIXoVKoHcsJNAmKVhmS_kqgfRLT5r3oDVNeHhchj8hK5j4GKsi_Olri9-oyuvWqfqjySl7HP95h74dgjrMByKZK5YkB435EElfVrRhuPLuTOHmbo3ZaQi00/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCA7nybITka8XeiqYaAzsGUIXoVKoHcsJNAmKVhmS_kqgfRLT5r3oDVNeHhchj8hK5j4GKsi_Olri9-oyuvWqfqjySl7HP95h74dgjrMByKZK5YkB435EElfVrRhuPLuTOHmbo3ZaQi00/s320/shorter.jpg" width="209" /></a>I thoroughly enjoyed this. This has the appearance (and description) of being a simple YA contemporary YA romance, but it is actually a story about immigration and family. The heart of the book is Rosa's relationships with her mother and grandmother, the expectations on her to succeed, and the questions she carries about her life's history. The idea of the sea and the curse keeping her from the boy she wants are all wrapped up in that. It is an engaging read and Rosa is a fun, empathetic character. She is a lot like I imagine Leslie Knope from Parks and Rec would have been like in high school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bT-3JyN8ZRZvdT1gc-ES737xRACVFim2l4plZL1_7CgpbCOP-vs4I3kUnvx-AHpPS_XfLf7i4TnWcAEZCIiX6nU_aVW0t-K5KuXrW5X7_MHbKtj-JsEagS-Dr-ZpYoSEf2lk3FaWfI59/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bT-3JyN8ZRZvdT1gc-ES737xRACVFim2l4plZL1_7CgpbCOP-vs4I3kUnvx-AHpPS_XfLf7i4TnWcAEZCIiX6nU_aVW0t-K5KuXrW5X7_MHbKtj-JsEagS-Dr-ZpYoSEf2lk3FaWfI59/s320/shorter.jpg" width="211" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40025247-inventing-victoria">Inventing Victoria</a></i> by Tonya Bolden<br />
This book mostly suffers from me wanting it to be something other than what it was. I thought <i>Crossing Ebenezer Creek </i>was a riveting and important book. I was looking forward to reading a book that explored the time period after Reconstruction failed. I liked that some of the characters from <i>Crossing Ebenezer Creek</i> were in this book, and from a historical perspective it was quite good. It was just so very dry. I wanted to know the characters more and really get inside their head. The vagueness and jumping over time that worked well as a story telling devices in <i>Crossing Ebenezer Creek</i> didn't work as well for the story being told here. I did really like what we got of Victoria. I just wish it had been so much more.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35065036-love-la-mode">Love à la Mode</a></i> by Stephanie Kate Strohm<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vwJuZUFDzUcRQ0YwobPVWj3VhD-lPK-h6cndsjTInpIXzc7a__OKiAPtzoYSubKkz40XJtJDG2fh6w5PTapEGc10QiVl2bw9phbgmjymEMxDMROKFpS6rYQhsPiAPkZJpf_VzjuXNWTb/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vwJuZUFDzUcRQ0YwobPVWj3VhD-lPK-h6cndsjTInpIXzc7a__OKiAPtzoYSubKkz40XJtJDG2fh6w5PTapEGc10QiVl2bw9phbgmjymEMxDMROKFpS6rYQhsPiAPkZJpf_VzjuXNWTb/s320/shorter.jpg" width="204" /></a>This reads like a Disney series pilot about a cooking school in France. And there is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you need a good Disney plot in your life. There isn't much that is deep here, but it is well told and fun. It does rely an awful lot on stereotypes for the minor characters. All of them are a bit larger than life in comparison to the two leads. (This is the element that really made the connection to Disney for me). It is fluffy, fun, and the two leads have excellent chemistry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6rKv2veCEJeDa-aDxlZfB8XPn5XGLhUaUkf_eZ9pTdzXHDiW8h9UCCiSCn6hxSkuNA8hG3HOqg5IyMnf29bbj-yJfYEmK2LkEvjkTgQymHm7i-2-zT94Pqjobimf4A0JyCV_i7pzjQ6w/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD6rKv2veCEJeDa-aDxlZfB8XPn5XGLhUaUkf_eZ9pTdzXHDiW8h9UCCiSCn6hxSkuNA8hG3HOqg5IyMnf29bbj-yJfYEmK2LkEvjkTgQymHm7i-2-zT94Pqjobimf4A0JyCV_i7pzjQ6w/s320/shorter.jpg" width="209" /></a><br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41716630-ordinary-girls?from_search=true&qid=0Tz4IHxT64&rank=2">Ordinary Girls</a> </i>by Blair Thornburgh<br />
This has shades of <i>Sense and Sensibility</i> but is very much its own story. I like a good tale of sisterhood but there was an element to the writing that kept me from becoming fully invested in either Ginny or Plum as characters. Also, I felt the potentially triggering mental health issues that arose toward the end were shoe-horned in and not dealt with thoroughly enough. I did like the development of the relationship between Plum and Tate. Tate is a far more realistic version of a teenage boy than we often see in YA literature of this nature. All in all, this was an entertaining read; it just wasn't overwhelmingly good or memorable. I would not be opposed to reading this author's future books.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-82487138764418486232020-02-18T10:00:00.000-05:002020-02-18T10:00:03.727-05:00TTT: Last 10 Books That Gave Me A Book Hangover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly themed blog hop created by <a href="http://brokeandbookish.com/">The Broke and the Bookish </a>and now hosted at <a href="http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/">That Artsy Reader Girl</a>.<br />
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This Week's Topic: Last 10 Books That Gave Me a Book Hangover<br />
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There is no better feeling in the world than that of a good book hangover. Unfortunately, it is a feeling I've experienced less and less in the past few years, though I'm hoping a turnaround is nigh. The first three books on this list I've read in 2020. Even if they were mild hangovers, the feeling being back is still exciting.<br />
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In Order of Recency:<br />
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Wow, compiling this list forced me to remember the Dark Reading Time of 2018. I knew it was bad while it was happening, but going back and looking at the stats was kind of shock. And there are zero books from that year on this list.<br />
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And I want to take this time to give a shoutout to the book that caused the most epic book hangover of my life. It lasted for WEEKS, and the first few days I was completely useless.<br />
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I have a feeling I will be chasing the feeling of those few days the rest of my life and never experience it again. </div>
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What recent reads have given you a book hangover? Is there any book that has ever given you a massive hangover?</div>
<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-17920907864876309622020-02-14T00:00:00.000-05:002020-03-06T15:16:21.204-05:00Future Favorites Friday February 20<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I take the 2nd Friday of every month to highlight some upcoming releases I am looking forward to that I hope are Future Favorites. Feel free to do your own post, just please link back to my blog and tell me about your post in the comments.<br />
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I JUST read <i>The Bromance Book Club</i> a couple of weeks ago and FELL IN LOVE. I fell in love with the concept and the characters and the tackling of hard issues. Since both the protagonists of the sequel were introduced in the most delightful ways, I am so excited that I don't have to wait too long for it.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span id="freeText9265813673071780460" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a sous chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.<br /><br />Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.<br /><br />Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assist Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart… even while she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b>Release Date: March 10, 2020 from Berkley</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49538360-undercover-bromance">Goodreads</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">I have read one Elizabeth Acevedo novel and enjoyed it. I think this one has true potential to be a forever favorite though. Complicated sibling stories are my jam.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>Release Date: May 5 from Quill Tree Books</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47553444-clap-when-you-land">Goodreads</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">What are some upcoming releases you are looking forward to? </span></span></div>
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-72473957451103796892020-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:002020-02-01T00:00:00.151-05:00January 2020 RecapOverall, I think this is was a great way to begin a new year of reading. I finished a lot of books, most of them new to me. I LOVED four of them. However, I also DNFed five sooooo.....<br />
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The Favorites:<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3138264613">The Bookish Life of Nina Hill</a></i> by Abbi Waxman<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2791596277"><i>Bringing Down the Duke</i> </a>by Evie Dunmore<br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2886524497">Headliners</a></i> by Lucy Parker<br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3147081594">Well Met</a></i> by Jen DeLuca<br />
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January in Numbers:<br />
Total: 11<br />
New: 8 Rereads: 3<br />
MG: 2 YA: 3 Adult: 6<br />
Contemporary: 7<br />
Historical: 2<br />
Fantasy: 1<br />
Non-Fiction: 1<br />
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DNFs:<br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2542945543">A Dastardly Plot</a></i><br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2752167395">Fake It Till You Break It</a></i><br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2858913854">Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things</a></i><br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3170109340">Love at First Like</a></i><br />
<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2892891830">The Right Swipe</a></i><br />
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Looking ahead, here are the February releases I'm looking forward to most:<br />
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Did January have any stand-out reads for you? What are you looking forward to in the coming month?Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-25188127248261332432020-01-24T20:20:00.004-05:002020-01-24T20:20:48.297-05:00Youth Media Awards 2020The ALA Youth Media Awards are on Monday. I'm as excited as ever even if in recent years I haven't had the bandwidth to read as many of the talked about books or engage in any of the lead up conversations. However, I have some 2019 books I would love to see recognized in some way on Monday.<br />
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They are:<br />
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I'll be watching the livestream Monday morning and missing the energy of that room!Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-88534266733203821322020-01-15T12:40:00.000-05:002020-01-15T12:40:21.949-05:00Shorter Musings: Realistic MG Here are some musings on some recent realistic MG reads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1klwU3E1jVRpbH6-aXnZb8-ReQvv0Rc6_xLuAxqsJEe4hyphenhyphenV8Bb5sPvZ30Q6TUoiV8YOzsZqb8BylLeGVqx5P_asNsjIdCilLF92Jpz6xPjSeDiTxZVKjaNhxVRpZmuNjJ67ELJQ28xvuV/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1klwU3E1jVRpbH6-aXnZb8-ReQvv0Rc6_xLuAxqsJEe4hyphenhyphenV8Bb5sPvZ30Q6TUoiV8YOzsZqb8BylLeGVqx5P_asNsjIdCilLF92Jpz6xPjSeDiTxZVKjaNhxVRpZmuNjJ67ELJQ28xvuV/s200/shorter.jpg" width="132" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22552033-look-both-ways">Look Both Ways</a></i> by Jason Reynolds<br />
This is an excellent MG book to give students who love realistic stories of friendship, family, and school. It is also a good selection for those who have more trouble concentrating on long form novels. The stories in here are all interconnected because the characters featured all go to the same school. However, each is its own separate story with a different characters. Each plot focuses on the walk home from school but in different ways.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26146374-my-life-as-an-ice-cream-sandwich?from_search=true&qid=pER32bNEIo&rank=1">My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich</a></i> by Ibi Zoboi<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYRzUSsin49wNdiAd0KxG6AEkJufsalHimGnrIhWgTtKDTyTLNQ5KbldJR8A4C730JEHiOlFKJckcyEt7ffJzA065On3LpZpwCyblYmYi_U1Ke_9yDBax5xqhtPFmhz5VLV5j0HH789gJ/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYRzUSsin49wNdiAd0KxG6AEkJufsalHimGnrIhWgTtKDTyTLNQ5KbldJR8A4C730JEHiOlFKJckcyEt7ffJzA065On3LpZpwCyblYmYi_U1Ke_9yDBax5xqhtPFmhz5VLV5j0HH789gJ/s200/shorter.jpg" width="132" /></a>This is an interesting story about family troubles, friend troubles, and finding your place in community. It is quintessentially middle grade. It is a good book to have on hand for voracious readers of this story type. It takes place in the mid 1980s and is about an African American girl whose grandfather was one of the first African American NASA engineers. From him she has inherited a love for science-fiction and fantasy. Over a summer, she must learn to live without him as she visits her father in Harlem. The narration of this is tricky for several reasons. It is first person, and therefore extremely limited to the things the main character knows and her view of them. As a result, I spent the majority of the book wanting to throttle all of the adults. This hampered my personal enjoyment of it. I will also add I don't know that the mentions of the Challenger crew will be that impactful on today's current generation of middle schoolers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXd8DnkDMClnsal1eC-igh7eayixL71mpLap945FZggkhhDRx6FGIbMlzAnAcr5ybUpqZ5byCh5pb44bnOTzYGls6Bq8vSkulvCZpvh_GgNOH4AzrTWQHO3Kdn3PAkeyPJZED8XLVNvmq/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXd8DnkDMClnsal1eC-igh7eayixL71mpLap945FZggkhhDRx6FGIbMlzAnAcr5ybUpqZ5byCh5pb44bnOTzYGls6Bq8vSkulvCZpvh_GgNOH4AzrTWQHO3Kdn3PAkeyPJZED8XLVNvmq/s200/shorter.jpg" width="134" /></a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35238085-the-parker-inheritance">The Parker Inheritance</a></i> by Varian Johnston<br />
I thoroughly enjoyed the historical parts of this novel. The characters from the past were interesting, and the events that made up their lives in this small SC town are what kept me reading. The contemporary part felt like it was trying to do a little too much. There were so many story lines and threads happening that it took way too long for the actual mystery part to get going. When you are constantly referencing [book:The Westing Game|902], the greatest children's puzzle novel of all time, and you're trying to say your book is also a puzzle book, you better deliver on the mystery/puzzle element. This didn't do that for me. It wasn't all that twisty. The majority of what the reader discovers is through the flashbacks. Half of that stuff Candice and Brandon never even know. The historical parts are what kept me interested and reading, not the puzzle. (Siobhan Washington is my hero, and I would like a book all about her please.)<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42972046-some-places-more-than-others">Some Places More than Others</a></i> by Renée Watson<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkYmazDASjDat7rYHGd8kxC_CN4LjSxnYT1GaMKUIYZO9tn3hfPnQ826Lcz8PF6s26kDAdkSoY3SLwMmkZ9-X0pP5b8swCkMfKPkXFa6NkDMOkIAYGd75hwtlrmUNwD2a1xBIga07Avqp/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkYmazDASjDat7rYHGd8kxC_CN4LjSxnYT1GaMKUIYZO9tn3hfPnQ826Lcz8PF6s26kDAdkSoY3SLwMmkZ9-X0pP5b8swCkMfKPkXFa6NkDMOkIAYGd75hwtlrmUNwD2a1xBIga07Avqp/s200/shorter.jpg" width="131" /></a>This is an excellent story of family and friendship for modern MG readers. Nothing earth-shattering or tragic happens. It is a story about girl trying to figure out her history and family's past. She has loving parents and a great home, but like every human ever, she is searching for her place in it all and trying to discover her identity independent of them and also how she fits with them. Renée Watson does an excellent job of developing character and place as she always does.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilwjR2GIGiwqarSRGV3mxOmA9ATm30GNyyR6iUFl0zOzAU0Y4QybhgGdNMvq_W7Pn_8-R_54Y01aWSMUK2ZCYfar0Uutmm0HAI_zznLiJeSmMts_gQzkd-1Vu_tVGRCJ9cl0SQqBHHbZv/s1600/shorter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilwjR2GIGiwqarSRGV3mxOmA9ATm30GNyyR6iUFl0zOzAU0Y4QybhgGdNMvq_W7Pn_8-R_54Y01aWSMUK2ZCYfar0Uutmm0HAI_zznLiJeSmMts_gQzkd-1Vu_tVGRCJ9cl0SQqBHHbZv/s200/shorter.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33413919-the-vanderbeekers-of-141st-street"><i>The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street</i> </a>by Karina Yan Glaser<br />
This is cute and "wholesome" in a nostalgic way that is like someone tried to move E. Nesbit into the 21st century. It is sugary sweet and predictable. It a was a little too sweet for me personally. The kids are pretty near perfect. As a result, I was fairly bored through most of the book. It was easy for me to put down and completely forget about. I'm not inspired to read the rest of the series. It is perfect for having on hand to recommend to any who want those fluffy, life-is-conquered-through-positivity type of books. I can see it being perfect for younger MG readers who are new to novel size books.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-31464416790427269912020-01-10T00:00:00.000-05:002020-02-10T14:23:00.874-05:00Future Favorite Friday January 20<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I take the 2nd Friday of every month to highlight some upcoming releases I am looking forward to that I hope are Future Favorites. Feel free to do your own post, just please link back to my blog and tell me about your post in the comments.<br />
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Frances Hardinge has a new book coming out this year!!!!!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The gods are dead. Decades ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. But are they really gone forever? When 15-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of a terrifying deity, he risks everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, military scientists, and a secret fanatical cult so that he can use it to save the life of his best friend, Jelt. But with the heart, Jelt gradually and eerily transforms. How long should Hark stay loyal to his friend when he’s becoming a monster—and what is Hark willing to sacrifice to save him?</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>Release Date: April 14, 2020 from Amulet Books</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50157754-deeplight">Goodreads</a></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white;">I've been waiting for this ever since I read <i style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);">There's </i><i>Something</i><i style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"> About Sweetie.</i> It has charact4ers I already know I love AND fake dating!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span id="freeText9510618360775677950" style="caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818;">Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.<br /><br />Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.<br /><br />Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she’s made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy, Samir—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer. As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they'll never forget.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> </span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b>Release Date: June 19, 2019</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24);"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46216773-10-things-i-hate-about-pinky">Goodreads </a></b></span></span><br />
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Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7364116677912521674.post-51079099593252124662020-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:002020-01-01T00:00:04.314-05:00December 19 StatsHere are my reading stats for the last month of 2019. Look at all those new reads! (See what three weeks off of school with nowhere to go can do!)<br />
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December Favorites:<br />
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Total Reads: 8 (7 new, 1 reread)<br />
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MG: 2<br />
YA: 2<br />
Adult: 4<br />
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Contemporary: 5<br />
Historical: 1<br />
Fantasy: 2<br />
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Looking forward to January, here are the releases I'm most anticipating:<br />
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How was everyone else's reading month? What are you looking forward to reading in January?<br />
<br />Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105770016693038906noreply@blogger.com3