Grasshopper Jungle!

Grasshopper Jungle came out YESTERDAY, but I had the lovely opportunity of reading it as an ARC.  It deserves all of the hype.  Such an awesome book..another home run for Andrew Smith.

In case you haven't read his other book(s), I'll also enclose my review of WINGER, which I LOVEEDDDDD. So yeah, read these two books ASAP.

Funny story about Winger: the twins in my family (they're 5 years old) saw me reading Winger this summer, and commented about the nosebleed.  They kept asking me why Ryan Dean had a nosebleed, so just to tease them, I told them that if you don't read a lot, you'll get a nosebleed.  To this day, they have someone read them a book every night to avoid said nosebleeds.  Whenever I'm reading, they ask about the "nosebleed boy"...don't know if I should be worried or call it a victory for book lovers everywhere.

Hey, how's it going, Andrew? (YA Fandom Frenzy in Chicago, November 2013)

To say the absolute least, this book was strange.  I love Andrew Smith’s writing style and his characters.  They have the most unique voices and are so exciting to read about.  Andrew Smith did not disappoint in this regard with this.  To be completely honest, I don’t know what kind of genre to put this book under because it’s simply like nothing I’ve ever read before.

Austin Szerba tells the tale of how he and his best friend, Robby, ended the world as we knew it by the advancement of six-foot tall insects in Iowa.  Along with this, the reader learns about Austin’s Polish background, which sounds strange, but totally worked.  Humanity is being obliterated, the world is in chaos, yet Austin still has his hormones to deal with.  Austin is in love with his girlfriend, Shann, but has unexplained feelings for Robby as well.  He is in the midst of war with six-foot tall praying mantises and his sexual orientation.

Overall, Grasshopper Jungle was an amazing read.  Every page of the book surprised me, and left me wanting more.  Andrew Smith told an honest story about the complexity of humans.  I was constantly reminded that humans aren’t easily figured out and don’t fit into nice little packages.  Once again blown away by Smith’s range from laugh out loud to feeling all the things.  Only for very OPEN-MINDED readers for sexual content and language.

This was a memorable read.  Andrew Smith is a very funny and captivating author.  Funny little comics are spread throughout the book, and really add to the reading experience.  Five out of five stars.

Ryan Dean West is a junior at a boarding school.  He’s a great student and a really good athlete.  There’s just one thing that sets him apart from the other kids…he’s 14.  Throughout the book, Winger has to come to terms with what it’s like to be the youngin’ and still fit in.  That’s not the point of the book though! It covers some intense topics.  Through all of life’s crazy complications, Ryan Dean manages to survive and find some happiness.  Ryan Dean has to figure out the important things in life throughout the novel especially when the unexpected happens.  

Andrew Smith gets you laughing out loud at some points, and crying like a baby at others.  The best authors make you feel the widest range of emotions, and Andrew Smith did just that.

Let me know if you have read any of these books, and what you thought in the comments!

This Star Won't Go Out

Wishing a happy book birthday also to This Star Won't Go Out!  I'm extremely excited to finally read this book.

If you don't know, Esther Earl was a nerdfighter that was diagnosed with cancer as a teenager.  She didn't cease to have an impact on everyone she was around even after her death.  She is fulfilling her wish today by becoming a published author.  This Star Won't Go Out is a collection of Esther's writing, with some additions from her parents, Lori and Wayne Earl, and an introduction by John Green.

The Fault in Our Stars was largely inspired by Esther Earl's life.  John Green has said that Hazel Grace isn't Esther, but without Esther, TFiOS wouldn't have existed.  This Star Won't Go Out is Esther's story.  I'm happy to support the beautiful girl who fills so many people with hope.  

For more information about Esther's life, TSWGO, and the organization founded on Esther's behalf, visit http://tswgo.org.  

Into the Still Blue!

Happy book birthday to Veronica Rossi!  If you haven't already picked up the Under the Never Sky series, now is the perfect time!  The third book, Into the Still Blue, is out today!

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this beauty, and truly devoured it.  I was so excited to see what Veronica had in store and wasn't disappointed.  

Under the Never Sky is the kind of trilogy that's hard to get into at first, but it's worth it if you keep going.  The first book wasn't my favorite..I thought the characters were lacking in many cases (especially Aria), but the series picked up as you continued on.  There was one detail I wish was resolved in the final book, but I won't say more until we discuss spoilers!

Here is my non spoiler-y review! Pretty vague, I know: Go out and get your copy today! 

A great conclusion to the “Under the Never Sky” trilogy!  Sometimes, it’s really easy to see where a series is going from how the author sets it up.  Obviously, there are certain things that Aria, Roar, Perry, and others had to accomplish in order to bring closure to the series, but there were so many twists and turns that I could not see coming.

Taking place almost exactly after THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT (book 2) ends, the action starts early on.  Aria and Perry are up against Hess and Sable in a race for the Still Blue, the only protection against the Aether storms, and time is running out.

I loved this book.  I thought Veronica Rossi did an excellent job closing out the series in a very fulfilling way.  It had me on the edge of my seat from the moment I started reading it. The stakes were raised, and the limits were tested...ultimately, it paid off.  Hats off to you, Veronica Rossi, for a great series.

Go out and get your copy today!

Rainbow Rowell Appreciation Post

Can we just take a second?  Rainbow Rowell just won a PRINTZ HONOR for Eleanor & Park.  SO WELL DESERVED, I can't even begin to describe my love for that book.

Let's backtrack-  Rainbow Rowell (yes, that's her real name) has written Attachments, Eleanor & Park, and Fangirl.  Her next book, Landline, will be released in July...and I want need it now!  Some people got copies at ALAW14 and I'm so jealous it's just sad.

She is the best contemporary YA author that I've ever read.  I'm so grateful for books like Eleanor&Park, where the writing is so rich, complex, and meaningful.  She's not afraid to explore uncharted areas of YA and write what's real.  

I'm honored to have been able to meet her, and I hope I'll be able to see her again sometime in the future.  She is such a genuine person, who truly cares about each and every one of her fans.  I'm so proud to be one of her readers.

To close off this post, I'll add my reviews of Fangirl and Eleanor & Park...if you haven't already read these, you must!

Fangirl by: Rainbow Rowell

I read Eleanor & Park by: Rainbow Rowell a few weeks previous to reading Fangirl.  I was super excited to get my hands on Fangirl and immediately delved right in. 

I read it straight through. 

The book was so compelling, the characters were so interesting, and the plot was spot on.  Cath and Wren are twin sisters.  They’ve been practically inseparable since birth, but Wren breaks the news to Cath that she doesn’t want to room with her in college.  Cath is absolutely distraught.  She withdraws from other people and cages herself in.  Cath won’t go out, won’t interact with anyone other than the sparse conversations between her and her roommate.  I’ve never seen social anxiety done better.  Cath tries to escape from it all through her Simon Snow (Harry Potter-y book series that Cath loves) fan fiction.  There are many bumps along the road, and the reader is able to experience everything with Cath.  I felt like I was in the story, interacting with the characters, and feeling the same emotions Cath was.

Once again, Rainbow Rowell drew me in with the different kind of romance.  Rowell is able to keep the reader on the edge of their seat right from the start.  The writing is free from clichés, and very intense.  I give it 5 out of 5 stars.  

Eleanor & Park by: Rainbow Rowell

I picked up Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park per John Green's amazing recommendation.  This was one of the best decisions I could’ve made.  Rainbow Rowell has a gift.  She is able to undo some of the most iconic clichés in our society and recreate a brand new story.

Eleanor & Park follows two teenagers in high school.  They come from extremely different backgrounds and situations.  Park travels in themiddle of the pack.  He doesn’t stand out, but no one DISLIKES him.  Eleanor, on the other hand, stands out like a sore thumb.  She has bright red hair and isn’t skinny like all the other girls.  She’s picked on and generally disliked.  Eleanor and Park practically come from different dimensions.  At first glance, they don’t have a chance, but as you delve deeper, things change.  They gradually grow closer through sharing comics and mix tapes.  This is far from a normal YA romance novel.  Rainbow Rowell molds amazing characters.  Both Eleanor and Park were so realistic.  I swear, in the majority of YA fiction, the female characters are always drop dead gorgeous and stick thin.  She showed that a girl could be beautiful in her own way, no matter what her size or shape was and through those insecurities.  I love Eleanor and Park for that.  It defied all stereotypes, and was a refreshing and new take on romance.

Eleanor & Park is a must read if you are a fan of…well, books.

Welcome!

Thanks for checking out my blog!  I'm just another crazy fangirl with an intense love for books and all things relating to them.  I've been an avid reader my whole life, but there was something about The Fault in Our Stars that sparked up my love for reading again.  Still, about a year and a half later, I'm reading up a storm.  This blog will highlight some book-ish news, and review some awesome books.

As a little background, I teen review for three independent bookstores in the Chicagoland area.  I have so much fun doing this and running my instagram fan account (@someinfinites).  I'm 15, so in ninth grade, and already ready to get out of high school.  I'm looking into a career of just reading for a living..does this exist? ;)

Meeting authors is one of my favorite things ever.  It's so great to tell a person firsthand how their work impacted your life.  My parents don't know what to do with me, though, as they've carted me around the city for different events and let me go to Charleston, SC to attend YALLfest. I don't know, man, I just really like books.

Getting a book hangover is the absolute worst feeling in the world, so hopefully, my recommendations will get you out of your spunk and into the next fictional world.