Ginger Night Owl

var sc_project=11759682; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_security="fa6ec534";

[gingernightowl]

Hello, hello! I’ve been away from blogging for awhile but wanted to come out of “retirement” to announce a fun and exciting event that I’m co-host of!

Over at the Holiday Book Faerie Swap, we are hosting our very first winter holiday “secret santa” style book & gift swap. Please come check us out and if you’re a lover of books and gift giving, consider signing up!

Hello! Welcome to the Holiday Book Faerie swap! We are your hosts: Emmah and Brittany. If you found yourself here, you either know one – or

[gingernightowl]

Reverie by Ryan La Sala

Reverie by Ryan La Sala My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wow. Okay, where to start? I had to DNF around 47% because I just . . . couldn't anymore. I wanted to love Reverie so much. I really did. The premise of the story was very interesting. It took me awhile to get into it. I think once the reveries were explained, it picked up some pace. It just wasn't enough to grab my attention. I found myself falling asleep reading. Just absolutely nothing was standing out for me to really want to keep reading. I love the idea of the reveries. The way The Others interacted with them, had their own powers to really "defeat" them, etc. was highly interesting. However, I think where the problem lay is the characters themselves. Especially Kane, who is the MC. I just couldn't connect with them. I felt more for Dr. Poesy than I did Kane. There was just no development, no personality, nothing there. I just think in the half that I read, the author spent more time describing things around the universe and everything than truly fleshing out the story line. The reveries were explained in such detail, that it felt like I was right along for the ride. Everything else was just built around the world building that it felt like it wasn't thought out. If you're picking this up because there's a gay main character, magic, and drag queens . . . it'll fit the bill. However, it just fell flat for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

Mayhem by Estelle Laure

Mayhem by Estelle Laure My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness. I loved Mayhem way more than I thought I would! I was expecting a witch-y type of story and while that's not exactly how I would describe it, there are some elements there. While I did enjoy the writing and the story itself. It's really hard to tell what the plot was truly about. We have a "cult" -- for the lack of a better word -- of teenagers, with Mayhem being the leader . . . without truly knowing her own powers. They're on a mission to find someone who has been kidnapping young girls who have gone missing. Okay. That's great. Then there's this mysterious powerful water element that I'm still not sure of, even after it's been explained. It helps them maintain their magic? It's a drug? I'm not following. It's important, apparently. The lack of a fleshed out plot didn't keep me from enjoying this book, though. The book itself definitely straddles between the genres. It has a little bit of contemporary, some fantasy, and a lot of mystery and thriller tossed in. It had everything it needed to make a great book. Even had an [almost] all female cast of characters.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's/Wednesday Books for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

BLOG SPOTLIGHT: Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

With its release day on the horizon, the beautiful Where Dreams Descend by debut author Janella Angeles deserves all the hype. I'm helping Janella in promoting the book, getting the word out to all you lovers of The Night Circus, Ace of Shades and my personal favorite Caraval. A lush read with lots of world building and suspense. You'll want to read this one!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes. As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next. The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

JANELLA ANGELES is a Filipino-American author who got her start in writing through consuming glorious amounts of fanfiction at a young age—which eventually led to penning a few of her own, and later on, creating original stories from her imagination. A lifelong lover of books, she's lucky enough to be working in the business of publishing them on top of writing them. She currently resides in Massachusetts, where she's most likely to be found listening to musicals on repeat and daydreaming too much for her own good. Where Dreams Descend is her first book. SOCIALS: Twitter | Instagram

EARLY PRAISE:

“Janella Angeles steals the 2020 show with her fiercely imagined debut starring larger than life characters, a dangerous world alive with magic, and a dizzying dose of grab-a-fainting-couch-and-swoon-away romance!” – Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves “Where Dreams Descend is a glamorous dark gem of a tale, sparkling with romance, magic, and intrigue. Readers will be captivated by prima donna Kallia as the mystery is slowly unmasked. Bravissima! – Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns “Lavish and opulent in a way that feels warmly familiar yet demands your attention. There are secrets upon secrets, a girl who’s boldly ambitious, and truly riveting stage magic. I didn’t want the show to stop.” - Emily A. Duncan, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Saints “Vibrant imagery, jaw-dropping set pieces, sizzling romantic tension, and unstoppable heroine Kallia bring this ambitious debut novel to spectacular life. Fans of Caraval and The Night Circus will be delighted!” – Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn “[A] spellbinding melody of a book, and the true magic is how Angeles puts all the best parts of an enrapturing theatrical performance onto paper and ink. From the gripping twists in the first pages all the way to the final, heartbreaking crescendo, Where Dreams Descend will surge you to your feet in a standing ovation” – Sara Raasch, New York Times bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes trilogy

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

You can purchase Where Dreams Descend from any of your favorite retail websites.

[gingernightowl]

The Companion by Katie Alender

The Companion by Katie Alender My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was . . . creepy. However, it wasn't as creepy as I was hoping it'd be. It was more of a mystery/thriller with some aspects that, on the outside, appeared creepy but really weren't. Here we have Margot, someone who went through the most traumatizing thing you could imagine and because of it she's become an orphan. Then she finds herself "adopted" into a rich family under the condition that she's a companion for the daughter who is catatonic. This is where things get interesting. Margot starts experiencing things that she can't explain. She's already had experiences with nightmares that are too real, but they've become less frequent once at the Copeland Hall. Agatha, the girl she's supposed to be a companion for, is trying to respond and lead Margot to clues about the secrets of the house. Once the big reveal starts to unravel, everything that's been happening isn't as creepy as it feels when you're reading it. It becomes creepy and disturbing in its own weird way, completely different from the original feel of the story. Then some things weren't really explained, or I just failed to comprehend some of it. I had a suspicion about one little element early on but I didn't really start putting the pieces together until it was too late and everything was already unraveling. That's how well put together the story was. If you're a fan of V.C. Andrews — her original works, not the ghostwriting! — or anything with a creepy factor that follows clues to a big reveal . . . then you'll love The Companion. There's enough twists and turns, so many secrets, and just enough to make you feel all kinds of emotions with all the characters: antagonist and protagonist alike!

Thank you Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli

Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, how cute could this book be? I wasn't expecting much, so I was pleasantly surprised! Rachel has spent all her life focusing on her goals and never doing anything fun for herself. Then she finds a book on her shelf that basically says how about saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way. Rachel decides to try this for the summer. Many choices and wrong decisions, but also memories and friendships are made. I got really invested in Say Yes Summer when I realised there was going to be a choose between two boys dilemma coming up for Rachel. As it is with these types of books/situations, I had a feeling I knew who she would choose. It was fun watching Rachel make decisions along the way with who she would choose. I loved watching Rachel grow and become more confident in herself. Some of it came completely out of nowhere, but it was still nice to read. I think some of the characters were a little cliché and predictable . . . I hated Clay from the moment he was introduced and Rachel's obsession with him. I got a mini She's All That vibe in the sense that Clay only noticed her during certain moments and then only spoke to her after graduation because she was valedictorian. Nowhere did it seem like he was interested in her any other time in their high school lives. We've got a fast paced fluffy summer romance read filled with chances and memories. A little reminder that it's okay to say yes, even if it means you find yourself in situations that you're not used to.

Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

BLOG SPOTLIGHT: Lobizona by Romina Garber

Yesterday was release day for the beautiful Lobizona by Romina Garber. I'm helping Romina celebrate release week by helping promote her new book. You might know Romina Garber under her other pen name, Romina Russell, author of the Zodiac series. Romina is bringing us something completely different and exciting, and I hope it's a hit for everyone!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Some people ARE illegal. Lobizonas do NOT exist. Both of these statements are false. Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida. Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered. Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past—a mysterious "Z" emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong. As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal. . . .it’s her entire existence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ROMINA GARBER (pen name Romina Russell) is a New York Times and international bestselling author. Originally from Argentina, she landed her first writing gig as a teen—a weekly column for the Miami Herald that was later nationally syndicated—and she hasn’t stopped writing since. Her books include Lobizona. When she’s not working on a novel, Romina can be found producing movie trailers, taking photographs, or daydreaming about buying a new drum set. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core. SOCIALS: Twitter | Instagram

EARLY PRAISE:

“With vivid characters that take on a life of their own, beautiful details that peel back the curtain on Romina's Argentinian heritage, and cutting prose that shines a light on the difficulties of being the ‘other’ in America today, Romina Garber crafts a timely tale of identity and adventure that every teenager should read.” – Tomi Adeyemi New York Times bestselling author of Children of Blood and Bone “Romina Garber has created an enthralling young adult fantasy led by an unforgettable Latinx character Manu. In Manu we find a young girl who not only must contend with the injustice of being undocumented she also discovers a hidden world that may explain her very existence. I fell in love with this world where wolves, witches and magic thrives, all in a rich Latinx setting!” – Lilliam Rivera, author of Dealing in Dreams and The Education of Margot Sanchez

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

You can purchase Lobizona from any of your favorite retail websites.

[gingernightowl]

Neon Nights by Katey Taylor

Neon Nights: A Sequel by Katey Taylor My rating: 2 of 5 stars

After reading Inebriated, I was so ready to get into Neon Nights and knew I'd have my heart ripped out of my chest again. And then . . . I didn't. Yes, the ending completely caught me off guard -- I didn't see it coming, that's for sure -- but the lead up was very lackluster. We follow along with Cait after the death of her best friend. Cait's going to a specialty school and meets Pete, so she finally has a friend to take her mind off things and rebuild herself. Pete has his own demons to deal with in his personal life with his boyfriend, and Cait tries to help him along the way. Then Adrien comes back. This is where everything starts to go up in flames. Cait isn't there for her friend because she leaves with Adrien to go on tour. Then Adrien starts back into his wild behavior after being in recovery. Cait isn't enough to stop him and she's stuck in the middle and is pretty much trapped. I can see where some elements of Neon Nights is heart wrenching. There's physical and emotional abuse. There's alcohol and drug abuse. However, this sequel didn't quite reach me the same way that the first installment did.

Thank you Netgalley and Katey Taylor for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

This Is My America by Kim Johnson

This Is My America by Kim Johnson My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the times of where Black Lives Matter is finally the center of attention, This Is My America is a book that everyone needs to be reading right now. For seven years, Tracy has been doing everything she could to free her father from jail for a crime that he did not commit. In the midst of that, her brother Jamal finds himself in a sticky situation so she's got to switch focus on uncovering the truth for Jamal. This was tough to get into, I'm not sure if it was the content or the writing. It eventually picked up, though, as the story unfolded. Each character made the story more dimensional. There are a few little twists mixed in, but This Is My America mainly focuses on race inequalities and how unfair the justice system is against Black people. Please add this to your TBR . . . take in its message. Read books by POC authors, amplify their books, and let's do better.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

Admission by Julie Buxbaum

Admission by Julie Buxbaum My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Apparently, I've been reading books lately that are loosely based on true events. Some are better than others, and unfortunately Admission was a little bit of a letdown. It's a loose interpretation of the college bribery scandal that hit the news about a year ago. Chloe is a mediocre student who wants to get into her dream college. She's doing everything she's supposed to while her parents are working behind the scenes to ensure that she gets into college. The book flips between Then - as she's in school and applying, etc. and Now - after her parents were caught and dealing with all the consequences. What went wrong with this book, I think, is that nothing happens. We're going back and forth with the now and then. However, it's just slow going. It progresses and we follow what's going on and what happens with everything, but it's just completely underwhelming. It's like going to bed on a Monday and waking up on a Tuesday, where nothing changed or any relevant moments. There was a chance of romance but it was completely pushed to the side and then simply forgotten about in the mist of the scandal. It was actually disappointing that Chloe had no one on her side, with her family on their own side and her sister not really choosing sides. Her best friend and boyfriend pretty much ditched her without even hearing the truth. A part of me felt like this book would've been better if it was told from Chloe's sister's POV. In some ways, it was more about Isla than anything . . . especially with the ending. Ultimately, there were many downfalls in Admission. If you know anything about the scandal itself, then this book isn't worth the read. There isn't a whole lot that isn't common knowledge with the true scandal.

Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Just . . . wow. I did not know what I was going to be getting myself into. I just know I kept hearing how good The Grace Year was, and I don't usually buy into the hype or when I do it's nothing like what everyone was making it out to be. I have major black sheep syndrome. However, this book was so much more than I anticipated. In so many amazing ways. It is such a raw emotions experience of reading about these girls going off to be secluded from their family and friends for a year, and fighting to the death . . . because that's how it's "always been." This book has a lot of Handmaid's Tale vibes, but for younger girls. Being told what to do in society, being chosen for marriage, what job you'll have, etc. It's a very interesting take on society that I feel is slowly becoming a reality in today's world. Several plot twists made The Grace Year a wild ride. I thought we'd be following along with the girls going at each other's throats and just waiting for them to kill each other off. Which, of course, they did. There was one scene that really bothered me, because it really sounded like one of the girls was raping another girl with a feather. However, I cannot be certain that is exactly what happened. However, there was more to the story and a great plot twist with Tierney getting away from the other girls because they banished her. Tierney is a free thinker and very logical, and she was quick to take charge. The other girls saw this as a threat. The ending was a complete holy shit moment. I was shocked and then so moved by emotion. I might've cried. This is a book about female empowerment, a twisted "coming of age" element, and a look into how girls can treat each other when left to their own. It's a book you'll want to read!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

BLOG SPOTLIGHT: Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz

I am so honored to be a part of the blog tour for the paperback release of Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz. Now, I don't usually read memoirs because they're not really my type, but I wanted to be involved in the promoting of such a book. I love boosting debut authors, and in the times of POC being downplayed by white authors -- I knew I had to get involved. While I can't say anything about the book itself, I can assure you that this is a book that was written with heart and soul. One woman's path down drug and sexual abuse, violence, and emotional rollercoasters with depression. Please keep that in mind before picking up Ordinary Girls.

SYNOPSIS:

“There is more life packed on each page of Ordinary Girls than some lives hold in a lifetime.” — Julia Alvarez

Ordinary Girls is a fierce, beautiful, and unflinching memoir from a wildly talented debut author. While growing up in housing projects in Puerto Rico and Miami Beach, Jaquira Díaz found herself caught between extremes: as her family split apart and her mother battled schizophrenia, she was surrounded by the love of her friends; as she longed for a family and home, she found instead a life upended by violence. From her own struggles with depression and sexual assault to Puerto Rico’s history of colonialism, every page of Ordinary Girls vibrates with music and lyricism. Díaz triumphantly maps a way out of despair toward love and hope to become her version of the girl she always wanted to be.

With a story reminiscent of Tara Westover’s Educated, Roxane Gay’s Hunger, and Terese Marie Mailhot’s Heart Berries, Jaquira Díaz delivers a memoir that reads as electrically as a novel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jaquira Díaz was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Miami. She is the author of Ordinary Girls: A Memoir, winner of a Whiting Award, a Florida Book Awards Gold Medal, and a Lambda Literary Awards finalist. Ordinary Girls was a Summer/Fall 2019 Indies Introduce Selection, a Fall 2019 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Notable Selection, a November 2019 Indie Next Pick, and a Library Reads October pick. Díaz's work has been published in The Guardian, The Fader, Conde Nast Traveler, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, and The Best American Essays 2016, among other publications. She is the recipient of two Pushcart Prizes, an Elizabeth George Foundation grant, and fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, the Kenyon Review, and the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing. A former Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s MFA Program in Creative Writing, and Consulting Editor at the Kenyon Review, she splits her time between Montréal and Miami Beach, with her partner, the writer Lars Horn.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

In lieu of linking to buy links for the white-owned major retailers, I am trying to boost indies and bookstores of Latinx owned. I am in no way affiliated with any of these businesses, this is simply from my own research for this blog post! Please consider purchasing Ordinary Girls from your local independent bookstore. You can also use Bookshop for your convenience if your local indie isn't carrying Ordinary Girls but you still want to support other independent bookstores.

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books/ordinary-girls-a-memoir/9781616209131

Duende District Bookstore: https://www.duendedistrict.com/fall-2019-favorites/ordinary-girls-a-memoir-by-jaquira-daz

Mil Mindos Books: https://www.milmundosbooks.com/memoir/ordinary-girls-jaquira-daz?rq=ordinary%20girls

Word Up Books: https://wordupbooks.papertrell.com/id004588567/Ordinary-Girls

[gingernightowl]

The Mall by Megan McCafferty

The Mall by Megan McCafferty My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*(I received an ARC from Wednesday Books in an exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.)* I’m going to start this review by saying that I absolutely adore Megan McCafferty. The Jessica Darling series is one of my absolute favorites. It — with a few others — got me into reading, and reading young adult especially. When I saw that she had a new book coming out, set in the same town as Jessica Darling . . . I just knew I had to read it. Then I was approached by Wednesday Books asking if I wanted to read and review. Of course! I devoured this book! I didn’t want to put it down! I had been in an end of the year slump — I read and reviewed this in January — so I needed something to pick me up and The Mall delivered. You know how a lot of authors write time period books but their facts and what not don’t quite match up with what actually happened or was even available in that time period? Well, McCafferty nailed it. It was a 90’s themed book and it brought me back! (I’m totally showing my age here). Yes, okay, I do think you might’ve had to be a tween or teenager in the 90’s to really grasp it, but some of it even felt early 2000’s (as someone who worked the mall then). Sam Goody, Orange Julius, even KB Toys — which I worked there until it went under — and just the overall feel of being a teenager hanging out at the mall during the summer. Not only is about coming up as a teen in the 90’s, friendships and breakups, but there’s an added unexpected scavenger hunt that I loved. It brought Cassie closer to her best friend after they had a falling out many moons ago. This scavenger hunt made absolutely no sense, but it was fun to play along and really kept everything moving along. Oh! And of course there’s a summer fling! I love summer flings/romances, but don’t really read many “one night stand” versions, or summer flings that don’t become something. I found that fun and interesting, that there isn’t always a HEA with a romance element. In the end, The Mall was everything I needed from a book, and everything I expected from Megan McCafferty. Oh! And a character from the Jessica Darling series makes an appearance or two throughout the book! I’m sad that it’s not Marcus Flutie, but with time frames between the two universes, I won’t be too upset.

Thank you Wednesday Books for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry

Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is not what I was expecting. We’ve got a darker combination of a modern Little Women and Virgin Suicides going on. Four sisters who just want to escape their own hell, but can’t. Then Ana dies and everything changes. At first it screamed as a Virgin Suicides knock off with the perspective of the boys and them always getting in the way. Then it became more Little Women with following along with the Torres sisters. That’s what I enjoyed. Two stories I actually liked reading way back when. However, there’s a lot to unpack from Tigers, Not Daughters. There’s an absent yet somewhat abusive father, a sister who is so withdrawn from the world, another in an abusive relationship, and the youngest who tries to keep everything together. Each chapter is told from a different sister’s perspective and I really wish it was executed differently because I just didn’t feel like it was a different sister every time a chapter changed. The sisters went through so much but it was downplayed with an one dimensional feel. There’s also supposedly a paranormal element of Ana coming back as a ghost, but it’s so muted and barely part of the story until the end and even then it was just there. It kind of came out of nowhere and didn’t really fit into place. Not a lot happens throughout the book, so it got exceptionally boring. It was just a day to day life of the sisters before and then after Ana dies. At times I was ready to just DNF from boredom but also from the male characters in there story. John and Rafi — the girls’ father — mostly. I didn’t hate Tigers, Not Daughters . . . I just wish it did more for me. I love the sister dynamic and them sticking together no matter what, especially Rose when it came time to stand up to their father — John, too. But that’s it.

Thank you Netgalley and Algonquin Young Readers for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett

Chasing Lucky by Jenn Bennett My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The only other Jenn Bennett book that I’ve read was Alex, Approximately and I absolutely adored that little nugget. Now that goes to say I didn’t know what I’d get with Chasing Lucky. Would I love it or would I not? That’s the thing about new to you authors. Here’s the thing: I didn’t love nor hate this book. To me, it was just there. Don’t get me wrong, it had some cute moments. I really love Lucky and Josie together. Their friendship turned more was very real. Their characters were dimensional and you could relate to them. Other than that? Nothing. The family dynamics between the Saint-Martin women was a little too much at times, because it all felt too dramatic and unnecessary. Maybe families do act and treat one another this way, but also . . . sit down and talk about things! I did love the togetherness of Lucky’s family, though. I felt like I could go over to dinner unannounced on Sunday and they’d welcome me with open arms. It really bothered me with the miscommunication between Lucky and Josie, and their banter back and forth was honestly the best part of the book. And there was a lot of it, since there was no real plot. Just a bunch of drama. This is a summer romance read, just for the cutesy love and back and forth between the main characters, with some family drama and teenage antics mixed in.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon Teen for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[gingernightowl]

Dealing In Dreams by Lilliam Rivera

Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a “blind date with a book” at the library, and it sounded good enough to pick up. It’s one book I would have not picked up for myself had it not been blind, and I’m surprised this is one I don’t recall seeing a lot of hype for in 2019. Yes, it was a little slow to get into and I found several problems with it along the way. I really wanted to hate it because of these problems but I looked past them. I honestly just wanted to keep reading . . . and I was not disappointed. But first, before I get too ahead of myself — let me point out the problems I did find myself having: There were teenage male prostitutes. These young men served at a club, whatever the girls wanted or needed, they got. I know it’s a dystopian world of female empowerment and the tables have turned where men are the servants . . . and I know it’s a YA novel, but this just got under my skin as little. Female empowerment that was only possessed with the use of violence. Again, I completely get that this is a dystopian world, females are in power now but they shouldn’t need violence against each other to maintain that empowerment. It shouldn’t be a dog eat dog world to get to the top. Crews fought each other and the general population just to maintain order and popularity. There’s drug use to keep everyone “happy,” and those who overuse the pills are outcasts living on the borders of the city. Mostly men. However, anyone can take the drug . . . it’s all dependent on who becomes addicted to it. Just the idea of the addicts mostly being men, like that’s how they’re treated and classified. Other than those three things, this was a pretty interesting read. It kept me intrigued and wanting to continue reading. There were some interesting twists and conflict along the way. Some of it, especially the ending, was predictable but it didn’t take away from the experience of reading. The whole plot of the book takes course in a two week time frame, so things move pretty quickly which is one of the things that I liked. It takes away from the story a little when it’s drawn out and we’re following too closely to the every little detail of the MC’s days. Two weeks shouldn’t feel like a whole year . . . that kinda thing. I will admit that some elements could’ve slowed down a little and not felt so rushed, though. Especially the climax of the story and the ending. It felt like a lot was unloaded but not fully explored, and a lot was left to the reader’s interpretation. Overall, definitely worth the read. It was an interesting concept with a nice twist and the all female characters with no man to “rescue” them was really refreshing.

[gingernightowl]

Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner

Jack Kerouac Is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yowch. This was a rough one to read. I’m only recently learning about dissociative disorder . . . so reading about JL’s mother really helped me understand it more. I can’t speak for proper representation, however I can speak about it getting into all my feels. I felt for JL the entire time I was reading Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me. I thought her character would annoy me, a little whiny but it was all within reason. JL endured way too much in such a short period of time with no authority. Her mother was dealing with her own “demons” and it was secondhand anxiety induced. You know how they always say “where are the parents?” in YA novels? This was a perfect example. JL’s mom was present, technically, however she wasn’t 100% there as a parent, nor did she do any real parenting. And JL’s dad was out getting away from it all, leaving JL to fend for herself. JL’s grandmother wasn’t much help, either. Let’s just say it, though: JL is holding herself together like a badass. Without falling apart . . . too much. She’s dealing with failed friendships, her parents letting her down constantly, a boyfriend who may or may not be the best for her, but he’s ultimately all that she has. I was starting to love Max Gordon . . . he was so good for JL; always kept up with her butterflies, very tentative, maybe a little horny but he never forced her. And yes, there’s the age gap. (I had this same issue with Alex, Approximately, though, so I’m not ignoring it . . . just not focusing on it). The ending really ruined it for me, though, which made me kind of not like the book as much as I had originally thought that I would. There were so many unanswered questions toward the end. Which I guess are really up to the reader to decide and interpret. I’d love to see a sequel to see how JL — Aubrey, too — is doing, and I almost want to see if Ethan ever truly apologizes. I’m kind of intrigued by the Ethan and JL side story, kind of feels like a “what if” kind of thing. I’m actually really glad I read some reviews before writing my own, because I saw someone explain the Jack Kerouac reference and the entire time I was reading — I was feeling really dumb. I don’t know much about him, but knowing what I read and the title makes a lot of sense now. This is a really great coming of age story about finding yourself when you have no support, and when everything and everyone is against you. Lost friendships, taking relationships to the next level, and making decisions without knowing the fallout.

Thank you Wednesday Books for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.