Book Reviews – Page 16 – Zakiya N. Jamal

Book Review: Champion

Posted on May 10, 2016June 17, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon:

June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government’s elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic’s border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country’s defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu’s bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.

*Note: If you haven’t read Prodigy by Marie Lu, there will be spoilers! You’ve been warned.*

Champion starts a few months after the end of Prodigy and it’s been a while since Day and June have seen each other. After being told he was dying Day thought it would be better to leave June because he didn’t want to hold her back from accepting the Princeps-Elect position Elector Anden had offered her. Of course, June doesn’t know any of this and just knows that Day broke up with her.

But now Day needs to go back because the Republic and the Colonies peace treaty is falling apart and they need Day’s help. June has to ask Day to consider doing the impossible and in doing so it brings back a whole lot of tension between them that they’ve tried to keep at bay.

I loved June and Day’s relationship. It’s really complicated but also filled with love. Plus they come from such different backgrounds and complement each other perfectly. I’m so glad this trilogy is told in their alternating POVs because they have such different perspectives on everything.

I don’t want to spoil anything so I don’t want to say too much but this book was filled with action, a decent amount of romance but not too much, and the ending was different than I expected but still really good. Definitely a buy for me.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“Billions of people will come and go in this world but there will never be another like you.”

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Book Review: The Crown

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon:

In The Heir, a new era dawned in the world of The Selection. Twenty years have passed since America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, and their daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own.

Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.

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

SPOILER FREE REVIEW (Note: If you haven’t read The Heir don’t read this!)

Once I finished this book with tears in my eyes I knew I couldn’t do this review without spoilers. However, since I typically do my reviews without spoilers I figured it’d be unfair to my wonderful followers to not continue that, so this review will be split into two parts. Here’s my review, completely spoiler free:

The Crown picks up right where The Heir left off, and I couldn’t help but feel bad for Eadlyn. After Ahern left and her mother suffered a heart attack, things weren’t going so well for Eadlyn. However, her struggles actually made her a more likable character to me. My biggest issue with The Heir was Eadlyn, to be honest. I just found her to be spoiled and irritating.

However, The Crown showed us another side of Eadlyn. She’s more vulnerable and more honest about her heart and what she wants. Don’t get me wrong, she still makes mistakes, but at least we get to see a different side of her in this novel and I truly enjoyed it.

Overall, I thought Kiera Cass tied a lot of things together in this last novel and did a really good job with it. She answered questions I didn’t think to ask and there were even some twists I wasn’t expecting, which is always a plus. I will say, however, that the ending didn’t satisfy me as much as I wanted it to. I was hoping for more from the epilogue and was disappointed that it was so short. Even though I know this is really the last book I hope Cass at least gives us a bonus epilogue or something like she did with The One. I just need a little more time with these characters and then I’ll be good, I swear.

Seriously, though, I really did enjoy this novel and highly recommend the whole Selection series if you haven’t read them yet. They’re definitely worth a read.

FROM THIS POINT ON THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!

I REPEAT, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!

BEWARE THE SPOILERS!

Alright if you haven’t turned back by now there’s no stopping you so here I go.

Oh. My. God. She chose Erik(Eikko)! She chose Erik! I freaking called it. They’re engaged and I cried and it was beautiful and she loves him. She’s loved him this WHOLE time! Yes!

Okay now that I got that off my chest let’s get into this. First of all, America is alive thank God. Honestly, I would’ve never forgiven Cass if she killed off America. That just wouldn’t make sense. There’s no reason for that. And I absolutely loved that Eadlyn decided to step up and be queen early just so her parents could be happy. That was so cute.

Also, Ahern (eventually) came back. Honestly, I wasn’t mad at Ahern in The Heir but I was furious with him in this book. His reasoning for not calling or coming back sooner after he heard about America was ridiculous. Your mother had a heart attack and you didn’t come immediately running? That’s absurd. There’s no excuse for that. Still, seeing him and Camille together was very cute.

And although I knew Eadlyn shouldn’t trust Marid I’m still very upset that his parents, August and Georgia, turned out to be shady. Honestly, I’m still not sure if I believe it since we don’t see them at all in this book but if their son is any indication I’m really mad things turned out this way. I loved Georgia and I liked that she and America were friends. It sucked to see that friendship had deteriorated over years.

And I knew Hale was gay but I was not expecting him to end up with Ean. EAN! Of all people I was most suspicious of him. Who knew it was only because he was in the closest? I’m so glad he and Hale could be together. They’re so cute! All the boys in the end of the selection were except for maybe Gunner, who didn’t really have a big role, and Fox, who got a little weird at the end. Okay so really my favorites were Hale, Henri, Kile, and Ean. And of course, Erik!!

Let’s just talk about Erik and Eadlyn because honestly they’re all I can think about. There were so many wonderful scenes with them in this book and it just made me so happy because I knew it!!

Even Erik had gotten me a flower. I smirked a bit as I took it.

“This is a dandelion,” I told him.

He shrugged. “I know. Some see a weed; some see a flower. Perspective.”

At this point I was already thinking, “Cool, so they’re endgame? Right? Right?!”

But I didn’t to get my hopes up. I mean honestly, who didn’t love Kile? He had one of the greatest lines in the book:

“Maybe it’s not the first kisses that are supposed to be special. Maybe it’s the last ones.”

I literally sighed. Kile is so perfect. He’s cute, funny, and knows Eadlyn inside out. But he just wasn’t the one. He didn’t want to live in the castle anymore, anyone could see that. He was a great friend to Eadlyn but he wasn’t her soulmate. Plus, Erik had some great one liners two.

“You look breathtaking, Eadlyn. I couldn’t even remember what I was so worked up about when you first walked in.”

And then this:

“You are always just Eadlyn. And you are always the queen. You are everything to everyone. And infinitely more to me.”

Sweet Jesus! Kiera, why do you do this to me? I can’t keep falling in love with these fictional characters. They’re ruining my life! But Daddy Maxon killed it for me. He said the absolute perfect thing to Eadlyn in the end that finally allowed her to follow her heart.

“Break the stupid rule, Eadlyn. Marry the man you love. If he’s good enough for you to approve of, then I certainly do. And if the people don’t, that can be their problem.”

And it was then that I began to cry and kept crying all the way to the acknowledgments which just made me cry harder. Still, there’s a lot of things I wish Kiera included. I wanted to see Eadlyn and Erik get married. I wanted to know if Gerad was actually able to get a job for Neena’s boyfriend in Angeles. I wanted to see Kaden and Josie get together (also I didn’t realize they were that close in age until the end). I guess I’ll have to turn to fan fiction for that but I’d really just like a bonus epilogue. Please!

Oh, and that reveal about Lady Brice being Maxon’s sister? That was crazy. Speaking of which, does America know? I would assume so but can we get some clarity please?

I think my biggest issue is that everything just seemed to come together so quickly in the end that it was hard for me to believe, especially the constitutional monarchy. I liked the idea but it seemed like Eadlyn came up with it on the spot and that just seemed so unlike her. She just changed the government in a moment on live TV. Who does that?

Even so, I can’t deny I loved this book. I already know I’ll be going back to it again soon, to reread my favorite scenes. This was a great ending and I’ll miss this series so much. Thank you Kiera Cass!

Borrow or Buy: Why is this even a question? Buy it!

Stars:

Book Review: Mister O

Posted on May 3, 2016May 10, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon:

Making a woman feel ‘oh-god-that’s-good’ is the name of the game, and if a man can’t get the job done, he should get the hell out of the bedroom. I’m talking toe-curling, mind-blowing, sheet-grabbing ecstasy. Like I provide every time.

I suppose that makes me a superhero of pleasure, and my mission is to always deliver.

But then I’m thrown for a loop when a certain woman asks me to teach her everything about how to win a man. The only problem? She’s my best friend’s sister, but she’s far too tempting to resist–especially when I learn that sweet, sexy Harper has a dirty mind too and wants to put it to good use. What could possibly go wrong as I give the woman I’ve secretly wanted some no-strings-attached lessons in seduction?

No one will know, even if we send a few dirty sexts. Okay, a few hundred. Or if the zipper on her dress gets stuck. Not on that! Or if she gives me those f*&k-me-eyes on the train in front of her whole family.

The trouble is the more nights I spend with her in bed, the more days I want to spend with her out of bed. And for the first time ever, I’m not only thinking about how to make a woman cry out in pleasure –I’m thinking about how to keep her in my arms for a long time to come.

Looks like the real Adventures of Mister Orgasm have only just begun….

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

Erotic romances aren’t my go to reading material but after reading Big Rock I knew I could trust Lauren Blakely’s writing. Plus I loved Harper and Nick in Big Rock and was excited they were getting their own story. If you haven’t read Big Rock you could totally read Mister O as a standalone but I’d recommend reading Big Rock first. It’s really good too.

Nick is a cartoonist that makes a dirty cartoon show that kind of falls along the lines of Family Guy in terms of humor. His favorite activity is pleasuring woman, which is why his best friend’s little sister, Harper, approaches Nick for dating and then sex advice. One thing leads to another and Nick becomes Harper’s teacher in everything that happens in the bedroom. However, as the two spend more time together in bed, Nick finds himself wanting to spend more time with Harper outside of it. Cue romance!

This book was the perfect fun and quick, while admittedly somewhat cliche, book I needed. It was steamy and fast paced and Nick and Harper played off each other really well. I loved their quips and jokes and how they really got each other in this cute way.

Also, I really loved when Blakely put in these little quips about writing that were like little inside jokes between her as the author and us readers. For example, at one point Nick, when comparing what he and Harper are doing to what the love interests in Big Rock did, says, “No, that’d be lame if we did the same thing. That would be like if a romance writer used the same trope in the very next novel.” I thought that was hilarious because obviously that would be exactly what Blakely would be doing but thankfully she did not.

All in all, if you’re looking for a cute, erotic romance novel I highly recommend Mister O. Although there were definitely some scenes I found unrealistic, it was overall fun and playful, and honestly, it’s kind of fun to get sucked into the fantasy. Plus it’s not expensive so why not buy it? I did.

Also, Blakely has a few more books coming out about the supporting characters in this novel. The next one will be about Nick’s brother, Wyatt, and it definitely sounds interesting. I’ll probably try to resist falling into another one of these novels but my willpower is weak. These have definitely become my guilty pleasure reads for sure. Love them!

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I want to look into someone’s eyes and feel like he knows me, gets me, understand me. I want him to see my quirks and accept them, not try to change them. I want to know what that’s like.”

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Book Review: Maybe Not

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon:

When Warren has the opportunity to live with a female roommate, he instantly agrees. It could be an exciting change.

Or maybe not.

Especially when that roommate is the cold and seemingly calculating Bridgette. Tensions run high and tempers flare as the two can hardly stand to be in the same room together. But Warren has a theory about Bridgette: anyone who can hate with that much passion should also have the capability to love with that much passion. And he wants to be the one to test this theory.

Will Bridgette find it in herself to warm her heart to Warren and finally learn to love?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

I absolutely loved Maybe Someday so I was excited when I heard there was a novella because I needed more of these characters. Maybe Not is told in the point of view of Warren, Ridge’s roommate and best friend. In this novella we get the story from when Bridgette first moved into the apartment and her up and down relationship with Warren. If you read Maybe Someday you have an idea of what went down but with this novella we get to see so much more of Bridgette and Warren. Don’t get me wrong Bridgette is still pretty mean but we also see this other side of her that only Warren gets to see and it’s really nice.

Also, I totally fell in love with Warren. I liked him a lot in Maybe Someday but this novella made me fall head over heels. He’s definitely one of my favorite bookish boyfriends now. It was also really interesting to get some answers to things that didn’t really make sense to me in Maybe Someday but I didn’t question. Like why Warren is obsessed with porn. Or why Ridge’s little brother, Brennan, let Bridgette move in in the first place.

This novella was cute, short, and pretty steamy compared to Maybe Someday. If you loved Maybe Someday as much as I did I highly recommend this book.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! It’s pretty cheap since it’s just a novella so, honestly, why not?

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“The only difference between falling in love and being in love is that your heart already knows how you feel, but your mind is too stubborn to admit it.”

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Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Posted on April 26, 2016April 25, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon:

Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

I’ll be perfectly honest. When I heard Lin-Manuel Miranda, from Hamilton fame, narrated the audiobook of Aristotle and Dante I immediately knew I had to get it. I’d heard about this book before and had heard good things but knowing Lin narrated the audiobook pushed me over the edge. I needed it immediately. So I bought it. Immediately.

It was the best $14.95 I ever spent. I tend to only listen to audiobooks when I’m doing some form of exercise (this happens maybe once a month) or when I’m walking to the train but I couldn’t stop listening to Ari and Dante’s story. It’s told from Ari’s point of view and I loved Ari. He’s sweet but doesn’t want to be. He wants to know about his brother Bernardo, and why his family never talks about him, but Ari doesn’t know how to ask. And Ari also hates that his father doesn’t speak that much but Ari doesn’t say much either.

Then Ari meets Dante. Dante is the antithesis to Ari. Dante is happy, excited, and talks a lot. When Dante first meets Ari the first thing he says is,”I can teach how to swim!” Dante doesn’t ask if Ari wants to learn, he just volunteers himself. Strangely, that’s exactly what Ari needs because Ari would’ve never asked for help himself.

And thus a beautiful friendship was born. What I loved about this novel was how open and honest Dante was about his feelings and thoughts and how that completely contrasted with how Ari kept his feelings and thoughts so closely guarded. These two were so different but also had a lot in common. I also really enjoyed the supporting characters. I loved both Dante and Ari’s parents for different reasons and in different ways. I also really liked Ari’s classmates Gina and Susie who we don’t see that much of but when they’re there they added humor and brought out another side of Ari.

This novel dealt with a lot issues including race, family, friendship, love, and LGBT issues. More than that though it was very relatable. I often forgot this book took place in the late ’80s and kept wondering why people didn’t just text or call someone on their cell. I liked how the author, Benjamin Alire Saenz, built up tension and kept some facts hidden from the reader until the very end. This book was beautifully written and handled so many topics really well. This is definitely a keeper.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“I don’t need the rain. I need you.”

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Book Review: The Raven Boys

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

Synopsis from Amazon:

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them–until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.

His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn’t believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

This book came out almost four years ago and I’m upset it took me this long to finally read it. Seriously, this is why I need more book nerd friends because who let me go this long without reading this series? Then again maybe this is a blessing in disguise because now I get to binge the books instead of having to impatiently wait for the next book (the last one comes out in five days).

Seriously though, this book was amazing. First, the characters are fantastic. I loved Blue and her dry humor as well as all the women who live at 300 Fox Way. They’re all incredibly quirky in the best way. And the Raven Boys! I loved them all, even Ronan. Actually, especially Ronan. Give me a bad boy who has a troubled past and I instantly fall head over heels. Ronan is perfect and I’m excited to see how his character will grow and change through the series. The other boys, Adam, Gansey, and Noah were also awesome although my feelings for Adam definitely changed from the start of the book to the end. I won’t say how because I don’t want to spoil anything.

And not only did Maggie Stiefvater create amazing characters but the plot was so well written. She wrote a twist that actually caught me by surprise. Let me tell you that after reading for so long I am rarely caught by surprise and she got me which I loved. I love the unexpected and this book was definitely unexpected. I also like that I still don’t know everything and that Maggie is slowly giving us answers but there’s still SO much mystery in the series. I have my suspicions and ideas on how everything will play out in the end but the fact that I don’t know makes this so fun.

Lastly, I really like that Blue can’t really be involved with any of the guys. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely romance but nothing crazy because Blue is very limited based on the warning about what will happen to her true love. I’m also pretty sure a love triangle is brewing there but I also like that there’s just a genuine love between the Raven Boys and Blue and this won’t turn into a Peeta/Katniss/Gale (The Hunger Games) situation. If anything there may be a Jem/Tessa/Will (The Infernal Devices) type thing but I don’t even think that would be the case here. I think Maggie has put so much into this series that a love triangle would just feel so inconsequential that it couldn’t be the focus.

In summary, The Raven Boys was great and I’m now Raven Boys trash and proud. Definitely check out this series if you haven’t already. Also if anyone wants to fangirl over this series with me (no spoilers please!) let me know in the comments.

Borrow or Buy: Buy immediately!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“My words are unerring tools of
destruction, and I’ve come unequipped with the ability to disarm them.”

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Book Review: Prodigy

Posted on April 19, 2016May 10, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon:

June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.

But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?

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

*SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t read Legend yet, there will be minor spoilers from that book in this review. You’ve been warned!*

It’s been a while since I read Legend so I was worried I wouldn’t remember everything. Thankfully, Prodigy picks up right where Legend left off and everything came back to me immediately. June and Day are looking for the Patriots because they need help to save Day’s brother, Eden. In this book we really see the differences between June and Day and I really enjoyed that.

For Day, who’s been poor his whole life, he hates the Elector and everything he stands for. To him it seems highly unlikely that the new Elector, Anden, could be anything but evil. June, however, sees things differently. Although she still hates the Republic for what they did to her family she believes it can be saved and made better with the help of a good Elector. The different ways Day and June see their world leads to them butting heads and this isn’t helped by Tess, who has feelings for Day, and Anden, who has feelings for June.

Jealousy, misunderstandings, and betrayal made this novel fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I expected some of the twists but not all of them and the ending really punched me in the gut. I can’t wait to get Champion so I can know how it all ends.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“The first time I kissed you…Well, that might as well have been my first kiss ever.”

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Book Review: Too Late

Posted on April 14, 2016June 22, 2017 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books

Synopsis from Wattpad:

Sloan will go through hell and back for those she loves. And she does, every single day. After finding herself stuck in a relationship with the dangerous and morally corrupt Asa Jackson, Sloan will do whatever it takes to get by until she’s able to get out. Nothing will get in her way. Nothing except Carter.

Sloan is the best thing to ever happen to Asa. And if you ask Asa, he’d say he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to Sloan. And he has no plans of letting her go; even if she doesn’t approve of his sinister lifestyle. But despite Sloan’s disapproval, Asa knows what it takes to keep what he wants, and he’ll do it. He knows what he needs to do to remain on top, and he does it. Nothing will get in his way. Nothing except Carter.

As some of you know I’ve recently taken a swan dive into Colleen Hoover’s books. Recently she uploaded a story to Wattpad, a website that offers free books, and thankfully by the time I caught wind of it she was almost done writing it because I don’t think I could’ve waited while she posted chapter by chapter.

Too Late is a bit different than Queen CoHo’s other novels. For one thing it’s told in three alternating POVs instead of her usual two. Additionally, this story is way more explicit and comes with a “Mature Audiences Only” warning. As soon as the novel begins you can see why it’s explicit. There’s sex and a lot of violence, and CoHo just goes full steam ahead with this story.

Right from the beginning I was pulled into the drama that is Sloan’s life. Her boyfriend, Asa, is a hot mess in every sense. He’s abusive, crazy, and a drug dealer. Carter on the other hand, is everything you would expect from a CoHo love interest. He’s protective, caring, and kind of funny. If you’ve read Confess I’d say Too Late is kind of similar but with the volume turned all the way up.

Sloan’s situation is much more dire than Auburn’s in Confess, and what’s cool about Too Late is we do get Asa’s POV, which is enlightening but not enough for me to feel sympathetic towards him. He’s still a total and complete jerk but at least as the novel goes on we kind of understand why. Asa’s actions are still inexcusable but at least they’re explanatory. Honestly, I’m not sure which character I dislike more: Asa or Trey from Confess.

As with most of CoHo’s novels, the love story completely pulled me in. Sloan and Carter have instant chemistry and their conversations and playful manner with each other made me swoon.

Too Late was the perfect combination of suspense, drama, and romance that made me hooked. I think I read this book in about a day and I’m so glad it was my first Wattpad book. Obviously, CoHo is a bestselling author so I know not every Wattpad story will be like this, but at least this has opened me up to giving Wattpad books a chance.

Definitely give Too Late a read if you want to try out some of CoHo’s writing before reading her published work. It’s totally free (Edit: This book is no longer on Wattpad. You can now purchase it on Amazon) and although it’s not exactly like her published works I think it’ll be enough to help you decide if CoHo’s writing is for you. Although, really you should just read her books. They’re amazing!

Borrow or Buy: Since this is a Wattpad book this question actually doesn’t apply. But if you could buy Too Late I would highly recommend doing so. (Edit: Definitely a borrow.)

Stars:

Favorite Line:

“My mouth finds hers again and I kiss her the way she deserves to be kissed. With conviction. With respect. With feeling.”

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Book Review: A Study in Charlotte

Posted on April 12, 2016May 11, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Buy

Synopsis from Amazon:

Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers are one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She’s inherited Sherlock’s volatility and some of his vices—and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she’s not looking for friends.

But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

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

Honestly, I don’t have a lot of knowledge about Sherlock Holmes. I definitely saw one of the movies with Robert Downey Jr. but that was about it. I’ve never even read the books and I don’t watch Sherlock. Still, when I heard about this book I desperately wanted to read it. I don’t know what but I’ve always liked Sherlock Holmes, just from a distance. Anyway, when I was finally able to grab it from the library I was super excited and immediately dived in. Thankfully, it did not disappoint.

The book is told in the point of view of James Watson, who prefers to be referred to as Watson but people keep calling him Jamie. He’s sent to an American boarding school in Connecticut where Charlotte Holmes is currently attending school. Watson has fantasied about meeting Charlotte his whole life and he imagines the great adventures they’ll go on together just like their ancestors did. Of course, things don’t happen exactly like that.

Instead, one of their fellow classmates is found dead and Charlotte and Watson are the primary suspects. But luckily for Watson, Charlotte is a Holmes at heart and she’s got a plan. However, this mystery is not as cut and dry as it first seems.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved Watson’s descriptions and how he interacts with Charlotte. His narration of the books was really fun to read and Charlotte’s character is very interesting. Like I said I don’t have much experience with the original Holmes but I think the author did a great job capturing the characteristics of Charlotte and Watson in comparison to their ancestors.

At one point Watson’s father even gives him a sort of guidebook on how to handle a Holmes and it’s hilarious. Also, the author didn’t make this book too juvenile, which I really liked. The mystery was very real and the villain was diabolical. Plus Charlotte has a lot of issues she has to work through and the author didn’t sugar coat that at all.

Honestly, this book was fantastic and now I’m impatiently waiting for the next book. Oh and the epilogue of this book will give you all the feels. I won’t say why because even though it’s not really a spoiler I still don’t want to spoil it. In summary, definitely read this book.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

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Book Review: The Love That Split The World

Posted on April 7, 2016July 12, 2016 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews, Books to Borrow

Synopsis from Amazon:

Natalie’s last summer in her small Kentucky hometown is off to a magical start…until she starts seeing the “wrong things.” They’re just momentary glimpses at first—her front door is red instead of its usual green, there’s a pre-school where the garden store should be. But then her whole town disappears for hours, fading away into rolling hills and grazing buffalo, and Nat knows something isn’t right.

That’s when she gets a visit from the kind but mysterious apparition she calls “Grandmother,” who tells her: “You have three months to save him.” The next night, under the stadium lights of the high school football field, she meets a beautiful boy named Beau, and it’s as if time just stops and nothing exists. Nothing, except Natalie and Beau.

I didn’t love this book like I thought I would. I almost didn’t finish it but after I finished reading Maybe Someday I returned to it at the advise of many people on Instagram. However, it’d be wrong to say this is a bad novel. It’s not. Emily Henry crafted a well-written and thought provoking novel. It just wasn’t the book for me.

Throughout most of her life Natalie has received visits from a mysterious woman she refers to as “Grandmother.” One night during Natalie’s senior years of high school “Grandmother” warns Natalie that she only has three months to save “him” but of course, “Grandmother” doesn’t explain who the “him” she’s referring to is.

Enter Beau, an equally mysterious character that suddenly appears in Natalie’s life. And I mean that literally. He just pops up on the football field and Natalie’s the only one that sees him. Soon Natalie’s life is getting more and more strange. She’s seeing things that aren’t really there and what she thought was there one moment suddenly disappears. Beau seems to be the key to all of Natalie’s problems but she’s not sure exactly how everything’s connected and Natalie believes she must find “Grandmother” to get answers.

Unfortunately, after “Grandmother” gave Natalie the warning she didn’t come back. But with the support of her best friend who believes “Grandmother” is some version of God, and the help of a mysterious woman “Grandmother” tells Natalie to find, Natalie may be able to finally figure out the truth. But will she be too late to save someone’s life?

The cloud of mystery surrounding this novel was way too much for me. And I wasn’t at all interested in “Grandmother’s” stories and kept skimming through them even though I knew they were important to the book as a whole. I just couldn’t care enough to read them. I was bored. My favorite scenes were when Natalie was with Beau or talking to her best friends.

I think The Love That Splits The World falls into the magical realism category and I now know I don’t like this type of book. I didn’t like all the theoretical aspects of this book and although I think Henry did a great job of explaining why Natalie and Beau were the way they were in the end, a part of me just wished it wasn’t so complicated.

Like I said, I really wanted to like this book. I just couldn’t get into it. However, I can see why other people loved it. This one just wasn’t for me.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow.

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