Mini Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Cruel Prince (#1) by Holly Black (Jan. 2, 2018)
Length: 370 pages
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: I borrowed a copy from the library.
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
My Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever. And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe. Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences. As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

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My Review

I have always enjoyed books about the Fae. I am a big fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses, Wicked Lovely, and An Enchantment of Ravens, to name a few. With that being said, The Cruel Prince was as equally wicked as it was enjoyable. Although it was extremely hard to like any of the horrible characters, even the humans, I loved reading about their crazy antics on every single page. Jude is dramatic and power hungry while Cardan is cruel and selfish. Although they hate each other's guts, something else lies underneath their interactions. I may have enjoyed this quick read, but I would have liked a little more meat to some of the characters to better believe all their actions. Yet, I was still entertained by every lie and every secretive action. I also want to note that Holly Black does a wonderful job at describing this world of the Fae with its vicious creatures and beautiful lands so much so that I had no trouble envisioning this fantasy world while reading. I will be reading book two. The Verdict: It may not be perfect, but it's a strong addition to the young adult fantasy genre.

WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday is a bookish meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words

It consists on answering these three questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

What I'm Currently Reading

I am halfway through The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and am enjoying it so far. I'm also finally reading The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang!

  

What I Recently Finished Reading

I adored What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, and laughed my ass off while reading the graphic novel Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner.

  

What I Plan to Read Next

I will be reading 12 Months of Awkward Moments by Lisa Acerbo for a book tour and another graphic novel for class titled All Summer Long by Hope Larson.

What are you currently reading?

Mini Review: What If It's Us by Albertalli & Silvera

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera (Oct. 9, 2018)
Length: 437 pages
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: I bought myself a copy!
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
My Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it. Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things. But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them? Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated. Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited. But what if they can’t quite nail a first date . . . or a second first date . . . or a third? What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work . . . and Ben doesn’t try hard enough? What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play? But what if it is?

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What starts off with a meet-cute for the ages, turns into a whole bunch of date do-overs filled with both equally adorable and awkward moments. Arthur is my favorite character in this love story. He has no chill and talks as much as I do. I can't help but love him! Ben has his own flaws, but is also a great guy. Readers will get to see into each boys' lives with their complicated friendships, caring parents, and their thoughts on every interaction they have with each other. What If It's Us is incredibly well-written, all the characters have their own unique personality, and I couldn't help but laugh and swoon the entire time while reading. I ship Arthur and Ben so freaking hard, and I think many other readers will as well. I think fans of these authors will not be disappointed. The Verdict: Read it. Why are you second guessing yourself? Go get a copy!

Graphic Novel Mini Reviews

Check, Please!: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu (September 18, 2018)
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This graphic novel is about Bitty, a freshman on Samwell University's hockey team, and it is freaking amazing. It will make you laugh, and sigh with content. Bitty LOVES to bake, but is not a fan of getting checked on the rink. Reading about his freshman year adventures with the entertaining guys on the hockey team brought back my own college memories while enjoying Bitty's new ones. Bitty is wonderfully adorable, and the team captain he has his eyes on, is complex, dark, and brooding. The illustrations are fun, and Bitty's facial expressions are spot on. I can't wait for volume two! VERDICT: READ IT RIGHT NOW.

The Breakaways by Cathy G. Johnson (March 5, 2019)
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The Breakways feature a group of misfit girls on a not-so-good soccer team. The characters were incredibly unlikable at the beginning except for Faith who is sweet and kind and learning to be brave. As the other characters' backstories unfold, you are reminded that you never really know what someone is going through so you should always be kind. However, the kids in this book really aren't kind at all. I obviously have mixed feelings on this one. I did like the diverse cast of characters, and how accepting they turn out to be, not to mention that middle school being difficult is realistic, but I was just very underwhelmed. I also didn't love the artwork, but that is a personal preference. Therefore, my problems with this one may be more personal so please give it a try if it sounds like something you would enjoy! VERDICT: If you are curious, get it from the library.

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (2015)
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I have read this graphic novel before and thoroughly enjoyed it. For my grad school class I had to listen to the audiobook and compare the two, and I was not disappointed. What a fun assignment! The full cast audiobook was a delight. The cast did a fabulous job catching each character's unique traits. However, even though they added a narrator that is not in the book to help describe the scenes the listener is missing due to lack of illustrations, it was still enjoyable. I did still think the story is best with the illustrations. VERDICT: I recommend reading the graphic novel while listening to the audio, but reading it in any format will do just fine as long as you read it! 

Five on Friday: Movies to Watch This October

I freaking love fall. I love the cooler weather. I love the sweaters, boots, and scarves. I love watching the leaves change colors. I love football and I love pumpkin spice everything. Last but not least, I love watching horror movies during the month of October as the days lead up to Halloween. Okay, I think I have declared my love for fall enough for one day. Today I am sharing with you some of my favorite movies to watch during the month of October.

Hocus Pocus
This is a must watch for me every year, and I am sure I am not alone. Some of my favorite movie lines come from Hocus Pocus. "Oh look, another glorious morning. Makes me sick!" I also love how many inappropriate jokes there are that I didn't realize until I was older.

The Cabin in the Woods
This clever and surprisingly fun (you can't normally say that about horror movies) take on the horror movie genre is a delight. There are a lot of shocking moments, and it certainly doesn't hurt that Chris Hemsworth is in the movie.

The Birds
I'm still not quite sure why I watch this movie every year since I actually am not a big fan of birds, but I do it anyway. Every time I see a whole bunch of black birds in one spot I get the chills. I have been watching this one since I was very young, and perhaps that is the reason why I am not a big fan of birds...

Practical Magic
I can never get enough movies about witches, especially badass ones. This movie has a fantastic cast with Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Stockard Channing, and Dianne Wiest. If you are fan of this movie too then I suggest you read the recent anthology titled Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft.

A Quiet Place
This is obviously a new one that I have now added onto my rotation! Watching this movie in theaters was a unique experience. The theater had never been more quiet as everyone carefully ate their snacks, or avoided them all together.

ARC MINI REVIEW: CONSUMED BY J.R. WARD

Consumed by J.R. Ward (Oct. 2, 2018)
Length: 416 pages
Genre: Adult, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Gallery Books
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | Amazon
My Rating:

Summary: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series comes a brand-new novel about arson investigator, Anne Ashburn, who is consumed by her troubled past, her family’s scorched legacy, and her current case: chasing a deadly killer.

Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed... By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer. Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self. Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn't believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again--until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze. Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

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My Review

This is my first ever J.R. Ward novel, and it won't be my last. As someone who is currently obsessed which Chicago Fire, I couldn't turn down a book that promises hot firefighters, a steamy romance, and a thrilling mystery. Consumed did not disappoint. After becoming injured in a fire, Anne finds a new career as an arson investigator. Danny misses Anne riding on the truck by his side and struggles to move on without her. When Anne starts investigating a dangerous case and Danny begins to act more and more recklessly, they are thrown back into each other's lives once again. I really enjoyed both characters who are different, strong, and most definitely steamy together. I thought Ward did an excellent job capturing the strong bonds between the firefighters and Anne's struggle with her identity after the fire that changed her life. This book has spark thanks to its thrilling scenes in the bedroom and out. A good choice for those looking for a romantic suspense novel to read on a chilly fall night.

ARC MINI REVIEW: Dry by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman

Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman (Oct. 2, 2018)
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Young Adult Survival
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: I received a free ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Thank you! This did NOT affect my honest review.
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
My Rating:

Synopsis: The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers. Until the taps run dry. Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbours and families turned against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life—and the life of her brother—is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.

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My Review

When water becomes scarce, people will do anything for just one drop. When Alyssa's normally quiet neighborhood turns deadly and since her parents have yet to return from their hunt for water, she has no choice but to befriend her eccentric but very prepared neighbor, and take her younger brother on an adventure they never wanted. This frightening possible future is so well written that you will surly be paying attention to your own use of water in the future. The growing threat of dying of thirst, the desperate people, the untrustworthy government, and a group of people coming together to stay alive make for a somewhat predictable but page-turning survival story. Although I would have liked a slightly longer book so we could get to know the characters a little better, they are still very interesting. Neal Shusterman, with the help of his son, deliver another must-read young adult novel. For fans of Monument 14, this one is for you.