Books to Buy – Page 9 – Zakiya N. Jamal

Book Review: Ruin and Rising

Posted on September 22, 2016September 21, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction―and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

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Review

*Warning: There will be minimal spoilers about Siege and Storm in this review. Read at your own risk.*

Up to this book I wasn’t all that impressed with the Grisha trilogy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good but I didn’t think it was worth the hype. Then Bardugo gave me Ruin and Rising and I was like, “Yes! This is what I’m talking about.” First of all, Mal finally seemed worthy of Alina to me. He stepped up in a big way and I finally felt okay shipping them, although Nikolai will always be my number one.

More than Mal’s character development was the plot. It was filled with action, twists that I saw coming but were still very well done, and just overall awesomeness. I will be the first to admit that I skim plot. I just can’t deal with paragraphs of details. Get to the action! Get to the dialogue! But in this book the action was in the paragraphs of details and thus I was sucked in. I read (almost) every word and loved it all. I can’t think of anything I didn’t thoroughly enjoy about this novel. The characters were great, Alina’s group was squad goals, and the romance was just the right amount. What I loved most of all was the ending and how everything came together. I hate when I follow a series and then the end is a hot mess. Bardugo totally delivered with this finale and it’s my favorite book in the whole trilogy.

Ruin and Rising is definitely a buy for me, which means I have to buy the whole series. Thankfully there’s a box set coming out soon. Who doesn’t love a good box set?

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Beauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what’s inside you? That’s steel. It’s brave and unbreakable. And it doesn’t need fixing.”

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ARC Book Review: Kids of Appetite

Posted on September 15, 2016September 8, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in ARC Reviews, Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Victor Benucci and Madeline Falco have a story to tell.
It begins with the death of Vic’s father.
It ends with the murder of Mad’s uncle.
The Hackensack Police Department would very much like to hear it.
But in order to tell their story, Vic and Mad must focus on all the chapters in between.

This is a story about:

1. A coded mission to scatter ashes across New Jersey.
2. The momentous nature of the Palisades in winter.
3. One dormant submarine.
4. Two songs about flowers.
5. Being cool in the traditional sense.
6. Sunsets & ice cream & orchards & graveyards.
7. Simultaneous extreme opposites.
8. A narrow escape from a war-torn country.
9. A story collector.
10. How to listen to someone who does not talk.
11. Falling in love with a painting.
12. Falling in love with a song.
13. Falling in love.

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Review

*I received a free advanced reader’s copy of this book from First in Line and B-Fest. This did not influence my review of this book in anyway. This is an honest review of the novel as I saw it. This novel will be released on September 20, 2016.*

If Coco was here she would say, “Did you have any intention of reading this book? Tell the truth.” To which I would say, “No CoCo I actually didn’t plan on reading Kids of Appetite, it just fell in my lap.” Because that’s the truth. I won this book at B-Fest and although I was so happy to win an ARC I had never heard of David Arnold before and I had no idea what I was in for. But free books are free books so I happily took my winnings home, put it on a shelf, and then left it there for months on end.

Until a few days ago when something compelled me to take this book off my shelf just to see what it was all about. Intrigued by the synopsis you can read above I literally stood in front of my bookshelf (mind you it was at least after midnight at this point in time; I had just finished another book) and began to read and was immediately sucked in just with the cast of characters. How many books begin with a cast of characters? Not many. And I needed to know more about these interesting characters and why people were being referred to as chapters. So I dived in and couldn’t put this book down.

First of all, the characters in this book are so well done and I loved all the Kids of Appetite. There’s of course Vic and Mad who tell the story in alternating first person point of views. Then you have the brothers, Baz and Zuz, and then the youngest of the group, Coco. Also, can I get a nice slow clap for the diversity in this book? Arnold, I applaud you. I don’t want to give anything about anything so sorry if this is vague but just know that Arnold put together an amazing cast of characters and did so really well. He deals with two important subjects and handles them flawlessly. Honestly, reading his author’s note at the end made me cry because you can practically feel how much he cared about getting this story right.

Kids of Appetite was the perfect mix of tragedy and comedy (which is apparently called a tragicomedy). It was heartfelt, the romance was there but not in a cheesy way, and it was just the right amount funny that didn’t make it feel like it was trying to hard. I liked the running themes throughout the book, like Vic’s Super Racehorse idea and CoCo’s use of “frakking” as a substitute for the f-word. I also liked how the plot fit together and everything came together in the end. I was definitely surprised and I also appreciated the fact that this book wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be. In summary I just really loved this book, okay?

Anyway, I’m going to go grab Mosquitoland because apparently someone forgot to tell me that David Arnold is an amazing writer. In the meantime everyone go pre-order this book.

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Book Review: The Secret History

Posted on September 6, 2016October 21, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality their lives are changed profoundly and forever, and they discover how hard it can be to truly live and how easy it is to kill.

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Review

The Secret History isn’t what I typically read but the Classics minor in me was desperate to read this book so I did and I’m glad I did. Like I said, it’s not what I typically read but Donna Tartt has an amazing way with words. The writing of this book was phenomenal. Usually I prefer dialogue to plot but the way Tartt wrote this novel I absolutely loved all the descriptions and I didn’t skim. I couldn’t skim because if I did I would miss something.

The novel is told in the point of view of Richard, who recently transferred to a New England college from California. He’s not rich like his classmates and he’s seemingly an outsider. However, it’s his gift for the ancient Greek language that get’s him in with the Classics kids. Made up of a group of five students and a professor the Classics students are seen as an elitist group on the campus that can’t be bothered with anyone else. They’re kind of like the popular kids except not really because everyone thinks they’re kind of weird.

The group consists of Henry, the quasi-leader, the twins, Camilla and Charles, Francis, Bunny, and their professor, Julian. Thrust into this world that he doesn’t fully understand Richard soon discovers himself tangled up in a web of crazy that leads to murder, something that could’ve come straight out of a Greek tragedy. And don’t worry, the murder isn’t a spoiler; you find out about it in the prologue. What’s interesting about this book is discovering the how and why it happens.

This book was full of twists that surprised me and I never knew what to expect from this group. My favorite part about this novel was definitely the characters and how they viewed the world. Although at times I did see some of them (mainly Henry) as pretentious there was also some humor to be found in how they carried themselves.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book and I’m glad I picked it up. I’m not sure if I’d read it again but it’s still one I’m glad I have on my shelf, if for no other reason then I want to give it to everyone to read so we can discuss it.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

Love doesn’t conquer everything. And whoever thinks that it does is a fool.

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'Gemina' by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

ARC Book Review: Gemina

Posted on September 1, 2016September 1, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in ARC Reviews, Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.
The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestsellerIlluminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.
Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and theHypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.
When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.
But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.
Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.

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Review

*I received a free advanced reader’s copy of this book from First in Line. This did not influence my review of this book in anyway. This is an honest review of the novel as I saw it. This novel will be released on October 18, 2016.*

There will be minimal spoilers for Illuminae in this review so tread carefully if you haven’t read it yet.

As soon as I finished Illuminae I picked up Gemina and I’m so incredible grateful that I was able to do that because this book is SO good! Typically I don’t like when sequels in a series don’t follow the same main characters in the first novel but I was so in love with the new characters in Gemina that it didn’t bother me at all.

In this novel the main characters are Hanna and Nik, two teens that come from two very different backgrounds. Hanna is the spoiled daughter of the Heimdall station’s captain, and Nik is part of the House of Knives crime family. While Hanna, Nik, and the rest of the residents on Heimdall are preparing for Terra Day (basically a day of celebration of parties), Kady and the rest of the Hypatia crew are on their way to Heimdall, as are some BeiTech troops and some drone ships. Awesome.

Although totally unplanned Hanna and Nik found themselves as the only means of protection for Heimdall and the only hope for the Hypatia crew. Together they’ll have to team up and figure out a way to save everyone…and the universe. Naturally things get complicated and Hanna and Nik have to trust each other if they even stand a chance of make it out of all of this alive. Just as with Illuminae, Gemina is filled with adventure, humor, plot twists, and a little romance. Also, the side characters are just as amazing as the MCs. When y’all meet Ella, you’ll know exactly what I mean. She’s a boss.

Anyway, the point is I couldn’t put this book down. I did, however, have to turn it upside down a few times. Just like Illuminae, this book is written in the same format of emails, surveillance logs, chat logs, journal entries, etc. I love how this book is formatted and the ending nearly killed me. I need to know what happens next!

Also, if you love Kady and the rest of the Hypatia crew as much as I did don’t worry they make an appearance in Gemina too but that’s all I’m going to say about that. No spoilers! I can’t wait for this book to come out so I can talk about it with all of you. It’s amazing!

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Book Review: Illuminae

Posted on August 31, 2016October 21, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.
The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.
But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.
Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

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Review

*This book is part of my POPSUGAR 2016 Reading Challenge.*

This is apparently the week of books written in unconventional writing styles. Although Illuminae is a very different book than The Boy is Back, it’s also told in the form of emails, IMs, and other various styles, which makes it really interesting and different. You know you’re reading an interesting book when you have to turn it upsides and sideways just to read it.

I was totally sucked into this novel. I’ve had this book on my shelf for months now and I have no idea why it took me this long to finally read it but I’m so glad I did. The main character, Kady, is such an amazing character. She’s goals. Seriously. The way she’s able to step up and take control when literally everything in her life has gone to crap is astounding and inspiring. I also really liked her ex, Ezra. He was so cute and funny and cheesy. Seriously, those two are relationship goals. Even when they fight it’s out of love.

Besides the romance, this book was a roller coaster. It seemed like every time Kady was getting her footing some other disaster would strike her world, turning it upside down (sometimes literally). This book was filled with plot twists and I had my heart broken multiple times throughout. If you think everyone makes it out of this book unscathed think again. I applaud Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff on keeping things real. This book is devastating but also filled with humor. It’s an interesting combination and I couldn’t put this book down.

If you love sci-fi, adventure, with a bit of romance and humor, you’ll love this book. I honestly had no idea what I was signing up for going into this book but I loved every second of this book and the sequel is just as good but I’ll get more into that in my next review. Until then, make sure to buy Illuminae and preorder the sequel, Gemina. Trust me, you’ll want it as soon as it comes out.

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“You have me. Until the last star in the galaxy dies, you have me.”

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ARC Book Review: The Boy Is Back

Posted on August 30, 2016August 31, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in ARC Reviews, Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

In this brand-new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a scandal brings a young man back home to the small town, crazy family, and first love he left behind.

Reed Stewart thought he’d left all his small town troubles—including a broken heart—behind when he ditched tiny Bloomville, Indiana, ten years ago to become rich and famous on the professional golf circuit. Then one tiny post on the Internet causes all of those troubles to return . . . with a vengeance.

Becky Flowers has worked hard to build her successful senior relocation business, but she’s worked even harder to forget Reed Stewart ever existed. She has absolutely no intention of seeing him when he returns—until his family hires her to save his parents.

Now Reed and Becky can’t avoid one another—or the memories of that one fateful night. And soon everything they thought they knew about themselves (and each other) has been turned upside down, and they—and the entire town of Bloomville—might never be the same, all because The Boy Is Back.

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Review

*I received a free advanced reader’s copy of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks via Edelweiss. This did not influence my review of this book in anyway. This is an honest review of the novel as I saw it. This novel will be released on October 18, 2016.*

Meg Cabot is back! Not that she ever really left, but you know what I mean. I was so excited to hear about this novel. At first I didn’t even realize The Boy is Back is part of Cabot’s Boy series but once I realized that I knew I had to read it. For those that don’t know the Boy series are three (now four) books written in the form of emails, online chat rooms, text messages, journals, etc. Basically it’s an unconventional writing style and I’ve read and loved every single one.

I believe the first three are all connected somehow but I’m not sure how The Boy is Back is connected. Then again I haven’t read the Boy series in years so I probably missed the connection but I’m pretty sure Dolly and Tim were in the other books. Again, I’m not sure though. Anyway, the point it just as I loved the other books in the series I absolutely loved The Boy is Back. It was funny, romantic, and only took me a day to read. I couldn’t put it down.

I loved the cast of characters in this book. Becky and Reed were perfect and I loved Becky’s sister, Nicole. She was so funny and pretty spot on about everything going on in Becky’s life. Also, Reed’s family is a hot mess of hilarity. I loved them all, except Trimble. She was super annoying but she’s supposed to be so that’s fine.

The only issue I had with this book is you it shouldn’t read be read as an ebook. This may be because I have an advanced edition but the formatting of the emails and some of the texts looks a little off digitally. Plus, I think the formatting is way more fun when you can see it in print. That’s how I read the other books and loved it that way.

Other than that this book was amazing. If you’re looking for a cute, quick, and fun read make sure to check out this novel. You’ll love it.

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Book Review: Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour

Posted on August 25, 2016August 25, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew–just in time for Amy’s senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she’s always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy’s mother’s old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she’s surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road–diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards–this is the story of one girl’s journey to find herself.

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Review

This is only my second Morgan Matson book and I loved it just as much as The Unexpected Everything. Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour is a cute summer book that was fun and quick to read. I think I read the whole book in one day because I just couldn’t put it down. I really loved all the characters in this book and I could really relate to Amy. I found Roger to be really funny and he and Amy had great chemistry.

I also really enjoyed how this novel was written. At first when I saw doodles I thought someone had drawn in the book because I got it from the library but then when I realized the text was written around the doodles I realized that was part of the book. I’m curious to know if Matson did those drawings herself or if an illustrator did that. Either way it was a cool touch, as was the receipts, playlists, and other features from their trip. It made me feel like I was on the trip with them and now I want to go on a road trip.

Now that I’ve read it I absolutely want to buy this book. I’m already thinking about scenes I’d love to read again. It was so good and the romance is well earned and doesn’t feel forced at all, which is one of my pet peeves. Matson is a phenomenal contemporary YA author and I can’t wait to read more of her books.

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Favorite Line:

“The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren’t looking for them.”

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Book Review: Ugly Love

Posted on August 18, 2016August 13, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she doesn’t think it’s love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

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Review

This may just be my favorite Colleen Hoover book ever. I raced through this book because I loved it so much and then after I was done I immediately wanted to reread it. Miles and Tate’s chemistry is absolutely amazing, and I must say this is probably CoHo’s sexiest book besides Too Late, which is in it’s own category. Seriously though Miles and Tate together was so steamy but that’s not what made me love this book. It’s the way it’s written that I found incredible.

As with the majority of CoHo’s books Ugly Love is written in alternating point of views between Tate and Miles, except Miles’ POV takes place in the past. While Tate and Miles “relationship” develops we also learn about Miles’ past and it’s written kind of like poetry and it’s beautiful. I love Miles. He’s climbed his way to the top of my book boyfriends list and I felt for him so much in this book. Similarly, I also felt for Tate who wanted to know about the past that only we, the reader, were getting. It was heartbreaking.

Colleen did an amazing job with this novel. The plot was so perfectly woven together and tugged at my heartstrings the whole way through. I teared up, I laughed, and I was frustrated. I loved all the characters, including Tate’s overprotective older brother, Corbin, and Miles’ best-friend, Ian, who I wish we saw more of. My favorite character was definitely Cap though. His words of wisdom were always spot on and I had to make a note in my iPhone for all the great quotes in this novel.

If you haven’t read this book yet please do so immediately. You will not regret it. I promise!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“God gives us the ugliness so we don’t take the beautiful things in life for granted.”

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ARC Review: Interference by Kay Honeyman

ARC Book Review: Interference

Posted on August 11, 2016August 10, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in ARC Reviews, Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

As a Congressman’s daughter in Washington, D.C., Kate Hamilton is good at getting what she wants — what some people might call “interfering.” But when her family moves to West Texas so her dad can run in a special election, Kate encounters some difficulties that test all her political skills. None of her matchmaking efforts go according to plan. Her father’s campaign gets off to a rough start. A pro tip for moving to Texas: Don’t slam the star quarterback’s hand in a door. And whenever Kate messes up, the irritatingly right (and handsome) Hunter Price is there to witness it. But Kate has determination and a good heart, and with all her political savvy — and a little clever interference — she’ll figure out what it takes to make Red Dirt home.

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Review

*I received a free advanced reader’s copy of this book from Arthur A. Levine at Book Con. This did not influence my review of this book in anyway. This is an honest review of the novel as I saw it. This novel will be released on September 27, 2016.*

I’m a huge fan of Jane Austen retellings so when I heard this was a retelling of Emma I knew I had to read this book. Kay Honeyman does an amazing job of putting her own twist on this classic romance and I absolutely loved it. Interference takes place in a small town in Texas and the main character Kate is a congressman’s daughter that thinks she knows it all. Just like Emma she tries to play matchmaker for her friends, while her new friend, Hunter, tries to tell her to stay out of everyone’s business. Naturally, Kate doesn’t listen.

Add in your typical high school hijinks, football games, and political campaigns and this book was a roller coaster of drama, laughs, and romance. I absolutely loved the characters in this book and Hunter gave me full on heart eyes. For anyone that doesn’t really like Emma because they find Emma annoying you will like Kate more than Emma. I found Kate to be very relatable and even though a lot of the time I would think, “Kate, no!” it was hilarious seeing her make so many mistakes.

If you’re looking for a cute and quick romance that will give you Friday Night Lights feels, you should definitely pick up Interference. You won’t regret it.

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"The Cursed Child" Review (No Spoilers!)

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (No Spoilers!)

Posted on August 2, 2016August 2, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis:

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.”

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Review

I went into this book with low expectations because a) this is a script of a play not an actual book and b) this isn’t really J. K. Rowling’s writing. Yes I’m sure she contributed but Jack Thorne really came up with this play so I didn’t expect it to be like the books and it wasn’t but it was still really good.

The play mainly follows Albus, the son of Harry, and Scorpius, the son of Draco, who were great characters. I truly loved Scorpius and I didn’t think I would, so that was a great surprise. He’s definitely my favorite character from this whole play. I also found it interesting how Albus and Scorpius friendship reflected both the relationships they had with their fathers as well as Harry and Draco’s interesting relationship.

I thought the Golden Trio were a bit different from what I remembered but I also took into account that they’re adults now with kids and that obviously changes a person. The changes I saw in them weren’t so drastic that it was unbelievable and I found Ron to be the most similar to what I would expect from an adult Ron. Ginny is still my fave and that hasn’t changed with this play. I thought she was fantastic and such a good mom and wife.

I found the story itself much different than what I would expect from a Harry Potter book but like I said this isn’t really J. K. Rowling’s writing so I didn’t expect it to be like previous books. As I’ve seen some other people say this story did feel a bit like fanfiction but a well written fanfiction. I do think the major plot point of the story is a bit far fetched and unbelievable to me but in choosing to just go with it I really enjoyed this story. I think if you take this story as something seperate from the Harry Potter stories and just as a fun piece of work that includes some of your favorite characters than you’ll really enjoy.

This one is a buy for me because I can actually see myself reading it again and also because nostalgia. Let me know if you’ve read The Cursed Child yet and tell me your thoughts (no spoilers!) in the comments below.

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