Recently Acquired Books from All Sources

We are joining the folks over at Tynga's Reviews for their Stacking the Shelves feature.

From the Library:

The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh:
I've heard a million good things about this retelling of 1001 Nights. I finally decided to read it because Renee Ahdieh is coming to a book event I'm hoping to attend.

Three Dark Crown by Kendare Blake:
I was so excited when I saw that the library recently got this book on audio. I reserved a copy on Overdrive right away.

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore:
I loved Graceling and Fire, and I have been meaning to read the third in the series for ages. When I saw this book come up on my library's "Recently Acquired" Overdrive shelf, I rejoiced because I knew that I would finally be able to finish the series. I really enjoyed this book. It made me feel so nostalgic for the first two books.

From Audible:

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi:
This was the book club pick for February. I listened to this book in one day. It's only 5 hours long, so that's less of an accomplishment than it sounds, but I was not expecting to be as consumed by this book as I was. It was an excellent book club pick. We talked about it for about three hours.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber:
This book has received so much hype. I've been eager to read it ever since it was all the rage at BEA in May, so I downloaded on the day it came out. I thought Caraval was a lot of fun. I'm definitely game for the sequel.

Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken:
I enjoyed this sequel to Passenger even more than the first in the series. For a time travel series, I feel like this series is a little short on the more mind-bending aspects of time travel, so it would be a great pick even for people who aren't huge fans of the genre.

For Review:

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray:
I loved the Firebird Series so much that now I feel like I am game for anything that Claudia Gray writes. This book takes place in space and one of the characters is an AI. I'm sold. (Out April 4th, 2017)

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares:
I'm intrigued by the premise of this book. It's about a broken family that shares the same beach house year and year, never crossing paths. I'm hoping for a book with the feel of We Were Liars or Even in Paradise. (Out April 25, 2017)

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia:
I really enjoyed Francesca Zappia's debut novel, Made You Up, and so I'm eager to read something by her again. Also, this book is about a girl who is the anonymous creator of a webcomic, and I like that idea. (Out May 30, 2017)

More of Me by Kathryn Evans:
This book is about a girl who unwillingly clones herself every year due to a genetic abnormality. It got great reviews when it was published in the UK, and the premise reminds me of a Cat Patrick book, and I am a fan. (Out June 13, 2017)

Reading on a Theme: Fame, Celebrity, and Romance

When we need a quick, fun read the average girl meets famous boy (or visa versa) story is becoming our go-to genre. We're back with five brand new tales of fame, celebrity, and romance. They are certain to make you smile, and if you need more check out these posts: here and here.


The PA and the Big Star:
In Lauren Morrill’s My Unscripted Life Dee Wilkie finds herself sulking over her rejection from the precollege fine arts program until pop-sensation Milo Ritter arrives in her small town to film his movie. Dee gets hired and secretly hopes to run into/fall in love with Milo. When Dee does finally run into him she's rather unimpressed. Once Dee opens up and Milo’s guard comes down a chance for love seems possible. I enjoyed that despite an unrealistic situation the author made the story so relatable. I felt Dee responded realistically to seeing her celebrity crush. Dee is adorable, quirky, and a fun character. I wanted more Dee and Milo time in the novel. Overall, a very enjoyable fast read. Out October 2016.


The Over-Achiever and the Ex-Boy Band Member: 

In The New Guy (And other Senior Year Distractions) by Amy Spalding, Jules McAllister-Morgan is a type-A personality with high expectations for her senior year. She plans on being the editor for the school newspaper and has everything going for her until new boy, Alex Powell former Chaos 4 All boy bander, comes to school. Alex and Jules' relationship takes a romantic turn until Alex betrays Jules. I enjoyed getting to know Jules and her friends, especially her friend Sadie who is very blunt and likeable. Jules’s moms are fun and they love to tease Jules about her liking Alex. The relationship between Jules and Alex is adorable and cute. The New Guy was a very fun read. Out April 2016. Review copy from NetGalley.

The Pop Star and the Townie: 
After a devastating breakup, famous popstar Lily Ross decides to take some time away from stardom. Lily and her two best friends head to a small town in Maine. Lily Ross plans to stay far away from love, but how can she when she meets local boy Noel? Will Lily let her past breakup deter her from finding love? Sing is an adorable love story that also forces Lily to decide what's more important: her fans or her love for Noel? Because come the end of summer, Lily will have to make a decision. Despite this novel being a bit unrealistic, the reactions between the two characters are believable. Also, it's impossible to not want to root for Noel in this fun, delightful read by Vivi Greene. Out April 2016. Review copy from Edelweiss.

The Internet Famous:
It was meant to be a joke between Rachel and her best friend, Monique, but when the picture she takes of Kyle goes viral, everything changes for the two of them. Suddenly, Rachel's long-standing crush knows who she is. Maybe together they can cope with their sudden internet fame. Jilly Gagnon created such a fun story. I liked that there were different consequences for Rachel and Kyle because of the picture. I also found the supporting characters to be really interesting. There were times when I wasn't sure who sincerely had Rachel and Kyle's backs. #famous was so fun and sweet--I read it in a day. #famous is out February 14, 2017. Review copy from Edelweiss.

The Hockey Player and the Drummer:
Bishop Riley, the drummer for Burn, is sent to Alaska to get his act together. He hates everything about this plan until he meets Penny, a high school hockey player. He can't tell her who he is or why he's there. Out of Play deals with some of the grittier things in life (drugs, dementia) and handles them so well. Penny and Bishop are both such complex and interesting characters, but Gramps is my absolute favorite. The book did have several "will you just talk/listen to each other?!" moments, proving it is not a book about how to have a perfect relationship,but how to work through the imperfections. Out of Play is a lovely collaboration by Nyrae Dawn and Jolene Perry. Review copy from NetGalley.

My Unscripted Life, The New Guy (And Other Senior Year Distractions), and Sing reviewed by Sarah.
#famous and Out of Play reviewed by Paige.

Young Adults Books for Fans of Audrey Hepburn Movies

Last summer Paige and I put together a post that paired Meg Ryan movies with Young Adult books. We had so much fun putting that post together that I knew this movie to book pairing was something we'd have to revisit again.

Stephanie Scott's debut Alterations is a retelling of movie Sabrina. Both the original version with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart and the 1995 remake with Julia Orman and Harrison Ford are fantastic. I loved what Stephanie Scott did with this material and how she adapted it for a young adult audience living in the 21st century.

There are so many great Audrey Hepburn movies, and we had a lot of fun thinking of young adult books to pair with each one.
 

If you love Sabrina try Alterations by Stephanie Scott:
Stephanie Scott's Sabrina character, Amelia Blanco, is an aspiring fashion designer who lives with her mother and grandmother in the service apartment of the wealthy Laurenti family. Amelia's longtime crush, Ethan Laurenti, doesn't notice Amelia until he sees how much she's changed after a summer internship in New York. Alterations is fun update of the classic Audrey Hepburn movie.

If you love Funny Face try Geek Girl by Holly Smale:
Both Funny Face and Geek Girl feature very unlikely models. Funny Face's Jo Stockton works in an obscure bookstore and loves philosophy. She is definitely not looking to become a model. In Geek Girl watch math nerd Harriet Manners take on the world of modeling.

If you love Charade try With Malice by Eileen Cook:
Charade was one of the movies that my mom loved to pull out during slumber parties as an example of a classic thriller. Reggie Lampert's (Audrey Hepburn's character) husband is murdered and Lampert doesn't know who to trust and if anyone is who they say they are. With Malice is a YA thriller where the reader (and the main character) doesn't know what's true and if everyone is who they say they are.

If you love Breakfast at Tiffany's try Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland:
I recently rewatched Breakfast at Tiffany's, the story of Holly Golightly and her new neighbor Paul Varjak. Our Chemical Hearts, like Breakfast at Tiffany's, features a girl with a troubled past and a boy who, despite his best intentions, gets involved with her.

If you love Roman Holiday try Love, Lucy by April Lindner:
There are a whole slew of princess books that I could have picked for this pairing. (If you prefer princes and princess we have some recommendations here.) However, I just love April Lindner's retelling of Room with a View, and it definitely also has a bit of the Roman Holiday vibe.

If you love Wait Until Dark try Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan:
Wait Until Dark was another sleepover classic at my house. The first time I ever watched it was late at night with my friend Megan and my mom. We were at the most dramatic moment of the story when our recording switched to something else. Someone had recorded over the ending! (Ah the days of VHS tapes.) So we had to make a midnight run to Blockbuster so that we could find out what happened. (Ah the days of Blockbuster.) The main character in Wait Until Dark is blind, and her only advantage over her attacker is that she can navigate through the darkness much better than he can. This is also true of Sophie Jordan's main character, who's blindness allows her to navigate the dark world she lives in.

If you love My Fair Lady try The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris:
In the classic updating of Pygmalion, Professor Henry Higgins transforms Eliza Doolittle into a fine lady. In The Fine Art of Pretending, Alyssa Reed, with the help of her best friend Brandon Taylor, attempts to transform herself into someone more dateable. Unforeseen consequences and hijinks ensue.  

Reading on a Theme: A Russian Setting

I've been on a bit of a Russian history kick as of late, and so, when I saw that several new books were set in Russian, I knew that I wanted to do a Russian Reading on a Theme. A little reminiscing is in order here because the very first Reading on a Theme we did on this blog was Russian themed. I can hardly believe it was so long ago. Winter is, of course, the perfect time to read a book set in Russia, so grab a cozy blanket before you pick up any of these books. 

Imperial Russia:
I really enjoyed the mix of magic, competition, and old Russia in The Crown's Game. Vika Andreyeva and Nikolai Karimov are the only two enchanters in Russia, but there is only enough Russian magic for one Imperial Enchanter, and so, the Tsar initiates the Crown's Game, an ancient duel of magical skills. To lose means certain death. Evelyn Skye's debut was such a welcome surprise. It is full of elements I love--an alternate history, magic, and a fabulous setting. I'm eager to read the sequel. The magical duel and the complicated feelings of its participants reminded me a bit of The Night Circus, which, in my book, is always a very good thing. I also loved the hints of the cartoon version of Anastasia.

The Russian Empire:

Marguerite's parents are geniuses. Together they invented the Firebird, a device that allows an individual to travel across dimensions. Marguerite's happy life comes crashing down when her father is murdered. In a race to find the killer Marguerite takes a Firebird prototype and hops across the dimensions in hot pursuit. When her Firebird is damaged she spends several months trapped in a parallel world where she is a daughter of the Tsar in world where the Russian Empire never fell. I am such a sucker for parallel realities and alternate dimensions, and I loved reading about all the parallel worlds Claudia Gray created throughout this series.

Medieval Russia:
In this highly anticipated debut, Katherine Arden spins a story that blends Russian fairy tales and folklore with history. Vaslisa is a girl with old magic in her blood, and she must save her village by honoring the old traditions. I really loved the feel of this story. It has a mysterious quality to it that reminded me a little of The Snow Child. I also loved how the tale is wrapped in the world of Medieval Russia. The fairy tale aspects and the historical are woven together so well. The Bear and the Nightingale is the perfect winter read, so curl up with a cozy blanket and a warm drink and crack this one open. The Bear and the Nightingale was out January 10, 2016. Review copy from NetGalley. 

The Russian Revolution:
Marcus Sedgwick's Blood Red Snow White is set during the Russian Revolution and the early years of the Bolshevik regime. Sedgwick weaves history and the lives of real historical figures with Russian fairy tales. The writing, the pacing, and the charging Russian bear all lend a fantastical quality to the historical events, yet they remain tragic and bloody, as Russian fairy tales often are. In Parts Two and Three, Sedgwick tells the story of Arthur Ransome, a British journalist working in Russian. A real historical figure and well-known writer, Arthur Ransome published, among other things, a book of Russian fairy tales entitled Old Peter's Russian Tales. I really liked the tone of the book and the mood established by the fairy tale structure.


The Stalinist Era:
Sana Krasikov's debut, spans multiple generations and several decades. Beginning in the 1930s, we see idealistic Florence Fein leave Brooklyn for the Soviet Union. In 2002, Florence's son seeks answers about his mother's life and hopes to convince his son to leave his job in Russia and return home to the United States. Sana Krasikov's story is truly epic, and I was deeply engrossed in Florence's tale in particular. The way Russia kept drawing the Brink men back to Russia was also fascinating. Ms. Krasikov takes her time with the intricacies of the story and the result is a tale digs deep into the trauma of the Stalinist era for one family. The Patriots is out January 24, 2017. Review copy from NetGalley.


All books reviewed by JoLee.