How To Breathe Underwater

Kate is a competitive swimmer, best in the state actually, and her father is the coach pushing her to perfection. Until one day at swim practice he is caught in the arms of a swim mom, in front of everyone! Suddenly Kate and her mother are moving an hour away to restart their lives, and Kate is no longer sure who she wants to be or what she wants to do. Enter Micheal, the cute boy across the hall, and Patrice the pretty and sweet girl who welcomes her in Chem class, who also happens to be dating Micheal, something Kate finds out after developing a major crush on the boy. Then out walks Harris, Kate's best friend for nearly her whole life! Kate's entire world is turned upside down by everything, most importantly, her decision to stop swimming. And suddenly Kate, at nearly seventeen years old, has to figure out where she is going from here.

I would like to start by saying the only thing I allowed to be colored by my favor of the author (who is my baby sister) was the fact that I picked the book up in the first place. I do not traditionally read YA Romance, or really very much romance at all these days. I am also completely against first person narrative, it bothers me, I find it hard to get into, and so I avoid it, a fact I am sure I have mentioned before. It takes a lot to get me to read a book combining these too elements, but I have read some of my sister's previous, unpublished works, and I knew she was a great writer, so there was never I doubt I would pick this book up. And I in no way doubt that decision because this book was amazing!

Vicky' writing style is on point! With a unique perspective thanks to the events of her life, she was able to write characters and events that were real, heartfelt, and altogether incredible! Every moment of this book was so perfectly descriptive and emotional! The characters were believable and lovable (even for a moment the father, whom you can't help but feel a flash of pity for). Kate's moments of panic were so accurate they stung, and created an appreciation for the author's ability to craft such scenes that I want to thrust this book on so many of my fellow readers. From the start I was pulled into the narrative and dragged from page to page needing to know how it would all turn out, how Kate would handle everything being thrown at her, how things could possibly work out in the end. And I was not disappointed as I finally laid the book down only a day after picking it up.

Vicky Skinner is a truly gifted story teller! And I can't wait to see what the future holds for this talented young writer! Knowing what is coming next year, what she is working on after that, I am so incredibly excited to add her stories to my shelves and delve into more of her unique tales! Go pick up this book now and get ready to discover a new beloved author!

Backstage

The drama builds in this second book in the Boy Band series! And all of the secrets floating around Mel definitely keep her on her toes as she tries to simply enjoy her new relationship before the band takes off on their third world tour. But things are never that easy, especially for a world famous boy band and those closest to them!

With this second book we get a closer look at the turmoil laying just beneath the surface for this tight knit group of boys and the two women they feel closest to. With everyone keeping secrets and the stress building before the tour starts, there was bound to be plenty of ups and downs! This book was definitely a page turner as I eagerly read it to see what would happen between all of the characters that are really starting to grow on me! And while I feel confident that I know Jacqueline's writing style and I would love to feel secure in Mel's relationship, Smith is great at throwing twists and turns that can completely upend a character's life! So with the end of this book I eagerly grab up the next one and settle in for a world tour that is promising to entertain both the fans of The Kind Of Summer and Smith's readers!

Boy Band

It's been a little while since I picked up and finished a novel. With moving homes and school starting, things have been too chaotic for a book to really grab me. But I was looking forward once more to the Texas Teen Book Festival in Austin, because I knew I was going to find some great new books and authors! I also knew I would be given the chance to once more see a local author that I love to read, Jacqueline E. Smith!

If you have read any of my past posts you might have seen her name as she wrote the awesome Cemetery Tours Series that I love so much! After reading the 3rd book in that series and seeing that the next book wasn't due out until this month, I knew I was going to have to pick up her other series to enjoy more of her fun writing style! Boy Band did not disappoint! As soon as we got in the car to head home from Austin, only a 4 hours drive for us, I picked up the book and began reading. I finished later that night with only breaks for when the car was stopped and cooking dinner! I couldn't put it down!

Boy Band follows the story of The Kind of Summer, a hot new boy band that is about to release their third album, and their closest friend Mel, who happens to be in love with one of the band's members. Told from the point of Mel as she travels with the band taking pictures and video for them while also managing online courses to please her parents, the story is filled with relationship drama, hilarious moments of friendship, and lots of flyer miles! It makes this trope fun to visit one more time as we cheer for Mel and ride on the roller coaster that is her life at 20 years of age.

Jacqueline Smith is such a great writer! Her stories are light and fun with an underlying element of drama that is ever-present in real life! Her characters are relatable and very real, making mistakes and trying to figure out how to navigate life just like everyone else. Of course, the fact that they also have to deal with world wide fame, outrageous rumors, and the stress that comes with being on the road and constantly together, just makes the story all that much more interesting. This first books was incredible and I finished it way too fast! I am already elbow deep in the second book and can't wait to see how the story unfolds!

Blue Bloods

Picked up simply to fill the "B" in my alphabet challenge, I don't even know when or why I acquired this book to be honest. I haven't been terribly interested in vampires for a little while now. But still, I read the book, and found myself intrigued enough to want the next one.

De La Cruz approaches the subject of vamparism and immortality in a way that I had not seen before, a rare feat with the recent influx of vampire stories. She presents to us the notion that what if it was all strictly in the blood? In this series, Blue Bloods are what runs in their veins, their blue blood carrying all their memories, their abilities, their longevity. The blood is cycled, allowing 400 Blue Bloods to live while the others sleep and await their call.

While De La Cruz spins a very unique tale, I couldn't help but feel throughout that she was trying a bit too hard. The imagery of the story, while beautiful, was a bit too much for me and at times I found myself rolling my eyes and wondering why at all would I care about the designer outfits they were all wearing! It also seems that there is a lot crammed into this book. De La Cruz uses the fact that her main character, Schuyler (which took me nearly half the book to realize was pronounced Sky-ler), is just learning all about herself and the Blue Blood society as the device through which the reader learns about this world she has built. And it works. But there are those predictable moments when it feels that she is contradicting herself when in fact she is simply jumping through those pesky loopholes she didn't previously point out.

It might seem like I have a lot to hold against this book, but in fact the story itself is so captivating that I found myself willing to overlook all faults to finish as quickly as I could. Now I am eager to find the other books in an endeavor to see how it all ends!

I do recommend this book to others. The story within is simply too well thought and unique to pass up! It may not be a masterpiece, but I believe De La Cruz has great potential!

After Death

Jacqueline E. Smith is a local (Dallas) writer whom I discovered on the shelf at a small town library. I read the first two books in her series, and while I thoroughly enjoyed the books, I didn't push the issue when we didn't go back to that library. Fast forward to a Texas Teen Book Festival as we are leaving the main room when a book catches my eye. "Hey, I've read those books. They were great! Wonder if the author is here?" I was going to just keep walking (thanks social anxiety), but my mother refuses to pass up the chance to tell an author they have a fan. Twenty minutes later, I walk out with 3 new autographed books and Jacqueline and I are mutually following each other on Instagram. Awesome day!

I meant to read this third book back in January, for the "A" in this year's alphabet challenge. But between house hunting, moving house, the end of the school year, things have been chaotic and I have finally sat down to finish a book for the first time this year!

Guys! This books was great! I already love Jacqueline's writing from the first two books, and her characters are funny, real, and just the best. So it isn't a surprise that I was immediately in love at the start of this last book. That I finished it in one day should have been expected. The story follows Michael, Kate, and Luke primarily with appearances from the always wonderful Brink as well as some truly confusing and vile lesser characters. The story left me second guessing things left and right up until the end when I was pleasantly surprised. Oh, and yes, I teared up at the end, it was beautiful. I am so glad I have this series on my shelf to revisit in the future! And of course I am looking forward to trying out her other books! Go read these, now! You will love them!

Your & My Secret vol. 1

Ok, the premise of this series caught and drew me in quickly: A girl who acts much too "boyish" and a boy much too shy that has a huge crush on her accidentally swap bodies! Crazy! Gonna be funny. Recipe for a cute romance.

Not sure that's what I am getting.

I liked the first volume well enough, although I wasn't thrilled with it. Nanako, the female lead, is not my favorite person and I'm not sure that can be changed with her attitude toward Akira, the male lead.

I'm going to give the series a chance, read a few more, and see how I feel about it then. I'll post another review with my later feelings and opinion.

If you've read the series before, let me know what you think. Is it worth finishing? I'd love to know what others thought of it!

The Good Neighbors: Kin

Holly Black in one of the best writers, in my opinion, when it comes to Fay. Almost as if she lived partially in their world herself! The Good Neighbors is no exception to her phenomenal story telling!

In graphic novel format, Black pairs with Naifeh to tell the dark and chilling story of Rue, a teenager whose mother had gone missing, father seems to have lost touch with reality, and whose own world seems to be turning into one crazed distortion of reality. Trying to get a grip on something Rue is thrown for a loop when she discovers her mother was a faerie.

This first volume in the series was incredible and gripping, just what I expect from Black! And it has me itching to reach for the next one!

Norse Mythology

Neil Gaiman is simply retelling stories that have been around for some time, stories that have inspired many, stories that are not new. And yet, the writing style of Gaiman changes the telling, makes these stories almost something unique to Gaiman. I found myself looking at a couple of the characters in these tales in a new light, something that usually only happens when an author chooses to re-imagine the stories.
I absolutely loved reading this one. It had me laughing so often and reading aloud large bits to my husband because they were just too wonderful not to share.
Whether you are new to Norse mythology, an old fan of Odin and fam, or just picking this up because of Gaiman, I think you will really enjoy this book!

The Sleeper And The Spindle

Picked this one up to read with my 5 yr old daughter and we were both pleasantly surprised by this unique story. Gaiman does an incredible job of reshaping the tale of sleeping beauty by firstly continuing the tale here, but also twisting the nature of the spell that has been placed upon not only a young princess but eventually on the people in the lands surrounding her kingdom. The Queen of a nearby kingdom, who once slept under a similar curse for a year in a glass coffin, travels with three dwarves to discover the origin of the spell and fix things. Such a wonderfully singular tale that speaks once more to Gaiman's gift of changing everything he touches to something better. Add in the stunning artwork of Chris Riddell and this is a book that holds its audience captive!

I loved this one, would love to add it to my own shelves in the future, and encourage everyone to give it a try. It is short, and worth the read!

The Jane Austen Project

Take two people from our current timeline, give them a crash course in 1815, and toss them back into the past to have them get close to one of the most prolific writers in history. What could possibly go wrong? Well for Rachel Katzman and Liam Finucane it starts with a climbing boy. Can they hope to alter the past as little as possible while trying to become friends with the Austens and get close enough to get their hands on some very personal letters and a manuscript always though unfinished? Or will they change things too much and alter the world they came from?

This was a very interesting read, guys! Flynn tells the story of two people getting to do what a lot of us avid readers wished we could do, go back and meet the writer of some of our favorite stories, get the chance to know her, try to understand her more. But we all know that playing with time travel is a dangerous game. Something Katzman and Finucane learn as soon as they arrive in 1815 and nearly have the whole thing blown over a surly inn keeper and their lack of luggage. Yet they persist.

What follows was a bit of a roller coaster for our characters as they try to balance themselves carefully into a world they really can't fully fit into while trying not to alter the course of history too much. After all they were only sent back to observe, get copies of a few letters and a manuscript, and make it home to tell their superiors what they learned. But Rachel in particular has a very hard time keeping to the mission plan.

I enjoyed the novel, despite how easily it all ended when things did go south for our travelers. It was fun to read of Rachel trying to hold back the fangirl when interacting with Jane. Watching events unfold at the end of Jane's life in a different way. And seeing that world from the eyes of someone from our own time. It all made for a great story told with a wonderful voice. Because while Rachel sometimes annoyed me enough to have me groaning and rolling my eyes, I did like the way Flynn wrote her. The book was fun! I would recommend it to anyone unable to get enough of Jane Austen of Regency era novels!

Attack On Titan vol. 23

So this post is not going to really be a review of the newest edition in the Attack On Titan series. I want to say that the story is getting much more in-depth, the characters are becoming more complex, and well, whose side am I supposed to be on exactly?! Because it is all a convoluted mess. And isn't that exactly what WAR is? Amazing job with the series Hajime Isayama. I am thoroughly entrenched in it and loving every minute.
But that is all I can say about this one without ruining bits of the series from before this. So go pick up the manga if you have not already, and then we can talk more about it.

Instead I want to take a minute to use this post to point out that I finished a book! Ok, so maybe it is already a week into February and my first finished book is actually a manga, and none of that is saying much. But, you know what? We went to the library and I gave up the two books that seemed so darn interesting but I haven't had the commitment to actually read them and instead picked up the next in a series I have been reading for a while and two other books that have caught my eye off and on recently. This is my jumping on the wagon! I'mma read me some books!

2018 Reading Challange

Yeah, I should be hiding my face in shame for the lack of books I have been reading lately. I ended the year 9 books short of my goal and I haven't finished a book in about two months. That being said, I have been reading a lot of stories, just nothing socially acceptable, and I did manage to kick ass with NaNoWriMo this year that had been beyond exciting. Still, seeing my failure with the challenge for 2017, I am going to set a lighter goal for the new year and I plan on really going for it this year!

I am going to meekly claim 24 books for my goal this year. And I am setting no parameters for which books I will read, although I think I will be focusing on books currently on my small shelf in my bedroom, books I have easy access to.

What are you planning to read this year? Let me know if you pick up any real good ones, so I can add them to my list! Hope you have a very bookish new year!