Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel | ARC Review

Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date: December 27, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Women's Fiction
Source: Received eARC from Publisher through Netgalley
Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Description

For fans of The Nanny Diaries and Sophie Kinsella comes a whip-smart and deliciously funny debut novel about Kate, a young woman unexpectedly thrust into the cutthroat world of New York City private school admissions as she attempts to understand city life, human nature, and falling in love.

Despite her innate ambition and Summa Cum Laude smarts, Kate Pearson has turned into a major slacker. After being unceremoniously dumped by her handsome, French “almost fiancé,” she abandons her grad school plans and instead spends her days lolling on the couch, watching reruns of Sex and the City, and leaving her apartment only when a dog-walking gig demands it. Her friends don’t know what to do other than pass tissues and hope for a comeback, while her practical sister, Angela, pushes every remedy she can think of, from trapeze class to therapy to job interviews.

Miraculously, and for reasons no one (least of all Kate) understands, she manages to land a job in the admissions department at the prestigious Hudson Day School. In her new position, Kate learns there’s no time for self-pity or nonsense during the height of the admissions season, or what her colleagues refer to as “the dark time.” As the process revs up, Kate meets smart kids who are unlikable, likeable kids who aren’t very smart, and Park Avenue parents who refuse to take no for an answer.

Meanwhile, Kate’s sister and her closest friends find themselves keeping secrets, hiding boyfriends, dropping bombshells, and fighting each other on how to keep Kate on her feet. On top of it all, her cranky, oddly charming, and irritatingly handsome downstairs neighbor is more than he seems. Through every dishy, page-turning twist, it seems that one person’s happiness leads to another’s misfortune, and suddenly everyone, including Kate, is looking for a way to turn rejection on its head, using any means necessary—including the truly unexpected.

My Thoughts

When I started reading this book I was really confused. After reading the description I thought the main focus would be on Kate and getting her life back on track but that wasn't the story line we were following in the beginning. It took maybe halfway through the first chapter to fully understand what was going on. I struggled a little to get into the story, partially because of this and partially because it was told in 3rd person (it's not my favorite) but I'm glad I stuck with it because I really ended up enjoying the story.

I don't know anything about the setting personally but it seems realistic. I had some personal issues with some of the characters, mainly their personalities, but I think that shows how strong Amy Poeppel's writing is. The characters I disliked/had problems with were true to themselves while trying to move forward and grow as time passed.

This was my first time exploring this genre and I would definitely be willing to try more. I really enjoyed the humor and there were times where I actually laughed out loud. I think Amy Poeppel did an amazing job showing just how much life can change in a year. Small Admissions is a strong debut and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

ORDER HERE: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Apple | Blio | Google | Kobo

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About the Author

Amy Poeppel is a graduate of Wellesley College. She lives with her husband and three sons in New York City, where she worked in the admissions department of a prestigious independent school. She workshopped a theatrical version of SMALL ADMISSIONS at the Actors Studio Playwrights/Directors Unit. She later expanded it into this novel.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

October/November Wrap Up

So we are already in December and the year is almost over. I told myself that I would strart being more active on this blog since I wouldn't be able to film for a while but clearly that didn't happen. I will be finishing up my hours for cosmetology school on Wednesday so that should free up some more of my time. Since I have been seriously slacking here is my wrap up for the past 2 months.

New to My Shelves in October

New to My Shelves in November

Books I Read in October

The Grownup (4 stars) | The Score (5 stars) | Food Wars Volume 14 (5 stars)

The Stone Keeper (3 stars) | The Goal (5 stars) | Frostblood (4 stars)

A Monster Calls (5 stars) | Monster (5 stars) | The Titan's Curse (4.5 stars)

Sex Criminals Volume 1 (2 stars) | Anya's Ghost (3 stars)

Books I Read in November

Shadow and Bone (4.5 stars) | Doubt Volume 1 (4 stars) | Doubt Volume 2 (4.5 stars)

Vasilia the Beautiful (3 stars) | The Selection (3.5 stars) | Why We Broke Up (4 stars)

Bad Romeo Christmas (4 stars) | Siege and Storm (4 stars)

2016 Reading Challenge

At this point my main goal is to finish as many books on the Around the Year in 52 Books challenge. As of today (the day I'm posting this) I have 11 books to read to finish this challenge. I highly doubt I will finish this challenge but I know at least a few of the books I would like to read during the rest of the month will work for some of the challenges. As far as the Finishing the Series challenge, I think I will use this as an ongoing challenge for myself.

What's Happening in December

Since we are almost halfway through the month I figured it would be best to just update you guys on the second half of the month. If you don't already know Cramathon, created/hosted by WhittyNovels, will be taking place December 16-23. I will be participating since I think sometimes it's fun having reading challenges to complete during a week. Like I mentioned before, I'll be done with school by the middle of this week so that should mean more time for reading. Also, this month I want to start really investing time into my writing!

What are your plans for the rest of the year? 

Until It Ends by K.A. Tucker | Cover Reveal

I'm excited to be participating in the cover reveal for Until It Ends by K.A. Tucker. She is a new to me author but this books sounds really interesting. I can't wait to get my hands on it!

Twenty-four-year-old truck stop waitress and single mother Catherine Wright has simple goals: to give her five-year-old daughter a happy life and to never again be the talk of the town in Balsam, Pennsylvania: population three thousand outside of tourist season.

And then one foggy night, on a lonely road back from another failed attempt at a relationship, Catherine saves a man’s life. It isn’t until after the police have arrived that Catherine realizes exactly who it is she has saved: Brett Madden, hockey icon and media darling.

Catherine has already had her fifteen minutes of fame and the last thing she wants is to have her past dragged back into the spotlight, only this time on a national stage. So she hides her identity. It works.

For a time.

But when she finds the man she saved standing on her doorstep, desperate to thank her, all that changes. What begins as an immediate friendship quickly turns into something neither of them expected. Something that Catherine isn’t sure she can handle; something that Catherine is afraid to trust.

Because how long can an extraordinary man like Brett be interested in an ordinary woman like Catherine…before the spark fades?

Until It Fades will be releasing May 2, 2017 through Atria Books but it is currently available for preorder. Make sure to check out the links.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | BAM | Indigo

About K.A. Tucker

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.

She is the USA Today bestselling author of 14 books, including Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water, and her latest Adult Suspense novel, He Will Be My Ruin. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, and Publisher's Weekly.

K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and a Chug.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Frostblood by Elly Blake | ARC Review

Frostblood by Elly Blake
Publisher: Little, Brown
Expected Publication Date: January 17, 2017
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 384
Source: Received through the NOVL's newletter
Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Description

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a fireblood who must hide her powers of heat and flame from the cruel frostblood ruling class that wants to destroy all that are left of her kind. So when her mother is killed for protecting her and rebel frostbloods demand her help to kill their rampaging king, she agrees. But Ruby's powers are unpredictable, and she's not sure she's willing to let the rebels and an infuriating (yet irresistible) young man called Arcus use her as their weapon.

All she wants is revenge, but before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to take part in the king's tournaments that pit fireblood prisoners against frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her and from the icy young man she has come to love.

Fast-paced and compelling, Frostblood is the first in a page-turning new young adult three-book series about a world where flame and ice are mortal enemies—but together create a power that could change everything.

My Thoughts

As you can see from the description, Frostblood follows 17 year old Ruby who is fireblood among a ruling class of frostbloods so she has to hide her powers. The main character has something about her that makes her special and suddenly she's alone with no family and imprisoned. Eventually someone comes and offers her freedom in exchange for her help. Honestly, going into this book I was a bit worried because of the cliches. I will say that although this book did follow along with those cliches, I was still surprised with the direction that Elly Blake took the story.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before but I haven't read a lot of fantasy so I always get worried that I will have difficulties following along with the world. That was not the case with Frostblood. I was able to fall right into the world without getting lost. In addition to being easy to follow along with, I was able to see and feel the world that was introduced. I also really liked the writing style. Elly Blake's writing isn't super complex but it kept me interested in what was going on and what would come next.

When it came to the characters I was back and forth. I definitely had my favorites, which I'm not going to get into because I don't want to spoil anything. There was some nice character development throughout this first book. I wish there could have been more time for some characters because I would have loved to see their story arc. It is obvious that there is still a long way for the characters to go in the future and I'm looking forward to seeing that growth.

The most surprising part of the story was the plot. After the opening I wasn't really sure where the story would go. The middle of the book was a little dull since there wasn't a lot going on and because of this that period of time was summed up to make more for the actions parts that were coming. Around the last 150 pages things really started picking up. There was a lot more action while also learning a little more about Ruby and the kingdom she's living in. At times I felt like some things were resolved too simply to be realistic. I was not expecting the story to go in the direction it did and the ending left it so there are a lot of ideas that can be explored in the future.

Overall I really enjoyed this debut by Elly Blake and I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. Frostblood is a book set in a magical world that is beautiful and dangerous. I'm a little sad that I read this so early because now I have to wait even longer for the sequel. I'm excited for you guys to read this book next year so we can discuss it together.

Favorite Quotes

"I breathed in a gasp that stole the air from the sky, the trees, the world."

"Those who can't control themselves will find themselves under the control of others."

"Ruthlessness is not power. Tyranny is not strength."

"My heart beat once, twice, and I was filled with a terrible pressure of countless sunsets."

A Raven's Touch by Linda Bloodworth Cover Reveal + Contest

I'm not sure if you guys remember but at the beginning of the year I participated in a blog tour for A Raven's Touch. Linda Bloodworth contacted me and asked if I would be interested in her cover re-reveal. Here's the updated cover for A Raven's Touch. It was created by Amanda Walker.

Summary: Bullied through high school, seventeen-year-old Justice St. Michaels is grateful for the help of her best friend Moira O’Fhey. Together they’re just managing to scrape through the nightmare they call high school. Between Justice’s bizarre body changes and being involved in explosive school fights, things are going from bad to worse. Darien Raventhorn arrives on the scene only to add fuel to an already burning question—has Justice been living a lie her whole life? Thrust into an unwanted revenge mission Justice must avenge a family death, embrace her birthright, and slay a demon before all Hell breaks loose.


I haven't personally read the book yet so I can't give you my personal opinions. Since it's release I've seen a lot of good reviews. I do own the book and hope I can get to it soon because it sounds really interesting. If you would like to get a copy for yourself, head here to see all the retailers you can purchase from.

CONTEST TIME!! -  THIS IS A 2 PART CONTEST

HOW TO ENTER:  

1. Post a screen shot of your confirmation order for A Raven's Touch in the comment section on Linda's BLOG: https://lindabloodworth.wordpress.com/2016/10/22/cover-reveal-a-ravens-touch-linda-bloodworth-contest It doesn't matter when you've purchased the book now or before.

2. Subscribe to her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bLecmr. PLEASE MAKE SURE SHE CAN IDENTIFY YOU. Your screen shot + sign up name should be the same. You MUST approve the subscription email you receive.

PRIZE: A $3 Amazon Gift Card!

TIMING: Linda will randomly pick the winner Oct. 23 @ 10 AM ET.

Are any of you planning on checking out this book?

September Wrap Up

Well it hasn't been that long since I posted my August Wrap Up. There isn't too much I really need to update you guys on. I'm still working on a schedule for myself to make sure I'm posting consistently. The closer we get to the end of the year the more stressed out I will get. I'm almost done with cosmetology school and I'm preparing to take my test to get my license. If it gets a little too hectic I might have to stop blogging for a while but I try to make a post if that happens.

New to My Shelves

I'm feeling a little less lazy this time around so I decided to include the books that I got in September. I thought I didn't do that bad but after filming my book haul I realized I got I got almost the same amount of books as last month. I blame it on Book Outlet!

Books I Read

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry (4.5 stars) | Everything, Everything (4 stars)

The Deal (reread 4.5 stars) | The Mistake (4.5 stars)

What Light (2.5 stars) | The Last of the Firedrakes (2.5 stars)

2016 Reading Challenge

I came so close to finishing my overall reading goal of 52 books at the end of August that I finished it within the first couple weeks of September. Since I was able to finish that goal I've been trying to be a little more focused on completing the Around the Year in Books challenge. However I may change my mind and just read whatever for the rest of the year.

To Come in October

I've been having a good reading month so far which I'm excited about. I feel there's so much I want to read but there just isn't enough time. I'm slowly making my way through my unread physical books. I really want to participate in in NanoWriMo this year since last year was a complete fail for me. I'm mentioning this now because if I do participate I want to start planning now and with my already busy schedule it can affect my blogging.

How was September for you? Is there anything you're really looking forward to in October?

The Last of the Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy | Review

The Last of the Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy
Publisher: Wise Ink
Publication Date: August 15, 2015
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Magic
Pages: 488
Source: Received through Booktube Tours
Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Descritpion

16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.

Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way.

Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.

With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.

My Thoughts

I decided to take a different approach with this review just to switch things up a little. 

Pros

• For someone who hasn't read a lot of fantasy, this book was easy to get into. It was also easy to follow along with.

• The world, characters, and how everything is connected seems to be really well thought out. I never questioned the world or how everything worked in the world while reading.

Cons

• All the characters were too trusting. No one, especially the main character, questioned anything that was said to them. I didn't find this very believable especially when you start to learn about the rivalry between family. This could have caused a lot more conflict than it did.

• I don't think I've ever read a book where the main character makes as many bad decisions as Aurora does. It seems like whenever she has the opportunity came around she chose the wrong action, even when she knew it wasn't right. 

• There didn't seems to be any consistency in the timeline of the story. A certain even would happen then a few sentences later Aurora is talking about that same event like it happened a long time ago. For the most, the pacing for the story seemed to take place a day at a time so when I found out at the end that the entire book took place over 3 months I was confused. 

Overall

I enjoyed the general story. Although the cons took away from the reading experience, I'm still interested in continuing this story and seeing what happens next.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon | Review

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: September 1, 2015
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 310
Source: Purchased
Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Description

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My Thoughts

I'm going to start this review off by saying it's going to be really hard to talk about this book without going into the details because this book is all about those details. Madeline Whittier has a rare disease, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease (SCID), and hasn't ever left her house because of it. She live a routine life, online classes scheduled health check ins every 2 hours, and a lot of reading. The only two people in her life are her mother and her nurse Carla. Madeline is content with her life until a new family moves in next door.

Olly becomes Maddy's way to explore the outside world. He becomes her first friend friends besides her mom and nurse. Soon,seeing the world through Olly isn't enough. As expected, Maddy wants more and becomes willing to push her previous boundaries to get what she wants. It doesn't help that she has another influence encouraging her to truly live her life.

The format makes this book easy and fun to read. If I hadn't gotten sick as I was starting I could have finished this book in 2 or 3 days. There are parts that are told in a traditional novel format but there are other formats incorporated that give the book more life. Some things included are different types of pictures, charts, and schedules. These things add something special to the story so I don't want to talk about anything too specific.

I ended up really enjoying the story but not loving it as much as a lot of others seemed to. I thought it was really cute but for a while I thought that's all it would be. I'm glad to say I was wrong. Even though she is a little older than characters normally are in YA, Maddy is still naive because she hasn't been able to experience the world, she still has her rebellious moments and that's when everything gets interesting.

About 75-80% through the book I guessed the climax so that was a bit of a let down but it was still exciting when everything fell into place. I wasn't happy with the way this ended. I get that Maddy's emotion's would be all over the place and I think she has a right to feel the way she did but I don't like how she expressed those feelings. I guess because I didn't see any signs of a change on Maddy's end I just wasn't satisfied.

I think this book does an interesting job of showing the love between a family. There is also some insight on different types of families and what it is to have a healthy relationship with your family. I believe this is a realistic contemporary that people should read, especially fans of the genres. I will definitely be reading more from Nicola Yoon in the future.

August Wrap Up

So I have been seriously slacking on this blog. I can't believe it's basically the end of September and I'm just getting around to posting this review. I was going to post this two weeks ago but I got really sick and pretty much slept the entire time. As I've been saying for a while now, I'm going to try to get back on track with this blog. I had a pretty good reading month in August. There seems like there's a lot I need to get through so let get into what matters.

New to My Shelves

If you haven't seen my wrap up for July, I ended up getting a lot of books in one month. Somehow I managed to get more books in August than I got in June and July combined. I'm lazy so I'm not going to list each book. If you would like to see what books I got, check out the video I have talking about them.

Books I Read

Food Wars Volume 7 (5 stars) | Food Wars Volume (4.5 stars) 

Food Wars Volume 9 (4 stars) | A Court of Mist and Fury (5 stars) 

Food Wars Volume 10 (4 stars) | Food Wars Volume 11 (4.5 stars) 

Wicked Heart (4.5 stars) | Food Wars Volume 12 (4 stars) 

Food Wars Volume 13 (4 stars) | Saga Volume 6 (4.5 stars)

2016 Reading Challenge

At the end of August I read a total 49 books so I was really close to finishing my reading goal for this year. I've also been spending time updating the challenges I'm participating in this year. I'm really behind on the Finishing the Series challenge. Right now I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish everything I wanted to read for that. I'm currently working on updating the books I read that fit into the challenges for the Around the Year in 52 Books challenge. I have an updated written record but I need to update the file that you guys can see. Hopefully I will have that done by the time I past this.

September Update

This isn't really much of an update since it's basically the end of September now. I'm basically using this to let you guys know that I do have plans to get back on track with my blog. I have ideas of things I would like to talk about. I've also been taking a different approach to when/how I review books so I can post more often. These changes will start this last week in September and will continue on.

Since this is so late I will not ask about how your August went XD but be looking out for September Wrap Up. I will be making sure I post that in the beginning of the month. See you guys in my next post!

What Light by Jay Asher | ARC Review

What Light by Jay Asher
Publisher: Razorbill
Expected Publication Date: October 11, 2016
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Christmas, Realistic Fiction
Pages: 251
Source: Received eARC from Penguin's First to Read
Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Description

Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other. 

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.

By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.

What Light is a love story that's moving and life-affirming and completely unforgettable.

My Thoughts

This review will be shorter than normal because I don't have much to say about it. I thought the general concept was interesting. It was really unique to have the main character and her family run a tree farm then go sell Christmas trees in California every year during the holidays. This something I've never heard of or honestly ever thought about. For that, the story held my interest to see how it all worked. However, even with that, this story fell flat for me.

I didn't connect to any of the characters or care about their stories. While reading I just felt detached from what was going on. The only time I had any strong feelings was when the characters were being extremely judgmental. I was really hoping to enjoy this read but I ended up being disappointed. This book isn't terrible but I thought it was just okay.

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman | Review

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Publication Date: April 5, 2016 (in English)
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Humor
Pages: 400
Source: Received a copy for an honest review through Booktube Tours
Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Description

From the author of the internationally bestselling 'A Man Called Ove', a novel about a young girl whose grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters, sending her on a journey that brings to life the world of her grandmother's fairy tales.

Elsa is seven years old and different. Her grandmother is seventy-seven years old and crazy, standing-on-the-balcony-firing-paintball-guns-at-men-who-want-to-talk-about-Jesus-crazy. She is also Elsa's best, and only, friend. At night Elsa takes refuge in her grandmother's stories, in the Land of Almost-Awake and the Kingdom of Miamas where everybody is different and nobody needs to be normal.

When Elsa's grandmother dies and leaves behind a series of letters apologizing to people she has wronged, Elsa's greatest adventure begins. Her grandmother's letters lead her to an apartment building full of drunks, monsters, attack dogs, and totally ordinary old crones, but also to the truth about fairytales and kingdoms and a grandmother like no other.

My Thoughts

I had heard a lot of amazing things about this author's previous novel, A Man Called Ove, but I hadn't heard anyone talking about this one. Going into it I had high expectations because of the previous praise but I also had an open mind since I didn't know what to expect.

Because all seven-year-olds deserve superheros. And anyone who doesn't agree needs their head examined.

I'm not really sure the best way to start talking about this book because the beginning was a little all over the place and chaotic, just like Elsa's grandmother. Elsa's grandmother is one of my favorite parts of this story. She loves Elsa fiercely and does everything in her power to make sure Elsa doesn't dwell on the things that have upset her. Elsa is different so her grandmother is her only friend and for that Granny is Elsa's superhero.

The currency there is imagination; instead of buying with coins, you buy it with a good story. Libraries aren't known as libraries but as "banks," and every fairy tale is worth a fortune.

Growing up, Elsa's grandmother told her stories about the Land-of-Almost-Awake. This is one of Elsa's favorite things. In a way, the stories are a way for  her to escape the reality of her situation. However, not too far into the book Elsa's grandmother dies and she is alone. It seems all she has left to keep her company are the stories her grandmother told her.

The mightiest power of death is not that it can make people die, but it can make the people left behind want to stop living.

After her grandmother dies and she is on one last adventure (from her grandmother) to deliver apology letters, Elsa realizes that all the people she grew up around are all connected in some way. As Elsa gets to know each person she also realizes that each of them is also connected to the stories her grandmother told her about the Land-of-Almost-Awake. In this story, everything is partially fantasy and partially reality.

It's possible to love your grandmother for years and years without really knowing anything about her.

While I really enjoyed the story, I felt like there were some moments of disconnection. At times I felt like was being pulled out of the story or missing out on connections with characters because of the way the story was told. I'm not sure if this was intended to be told this way or that's just how it ended up after translation. There were multiple times where this bother me but it didn't take away from the story, just a bit of the reading experience.

If this sounds like a book you would be interested in, I definitely suggest you check it out. It was a really enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

Other Quotes I Loved

"When it comes to terror, reality's got nothing on the power of the imagination."

Because not all monsters were monsters in the beginning. Some monsters are born of sorrow.

Shattered with such force by the wave that the shards of glass were dispersed all around the world.

"Maybe she was disappointed in you because you're so disappointed in yourself."

She wants to yell that Granny was wrong, that different is not always good, because different is a mutation and almost no one in X-Men has a family.

The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone | ARC Review

The Loose Ends List by Carrie Firestone
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 346
Source: Won Giveaway through the Novl Early Review Program
Find on Goodreads

Goodreads Description

Maddie has big plans to spend the last months before college tying up high school “loose ends” alongside her best friends. Then her beloved grandmother drops two bombshells: (1) Gram is dying. (2) She’s taking her entire family on a round-the-world cruise of dreams come true—but at the end, Gram won’t be returning home.

With a promise to live in the now without regrets, Maddie boards the Wishwell determined to make every moment count. She finds new friends in her fellow Wishwellians, takes advantage of the trip’s many luxuries, gets even closer to her quirky family, and falls for painfully gorgeous Enzo. But despite the copious laughter, headiness of first love, and wonder of the glamorous destinations, Maddie knows she is on the brink of losing Gram, and she struggles to find the strength to let go in a whirlwind summer shaped by love, grief, and laughter.

My Thoughts

Going into this book I had just finished reading the Gemina ARC and it was a big shift from a SciFi world to YA Contemporary. Although the concept sounded interesting, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Honestly I had to force myself through about the first 50 pages, up until they got on the ship. I don't think it was because it wasn't interesting. I just wasn't really in the mood to read it at the time. Luckily I really wanted to know how everything would work out or I might have put off reading it even longer.

"Not overboard, Mary. There's a cute little door they slide you through. You're so melodramatic."

The Loose Ends List is a unique contemporary. I love how the author was able to take such and kind of depressing topic and add some humor to it. This had a lot to do with the characters. I think the characters can make or break a story. Even though all the characters didn't stand out for me, they definitely helped take this story to another level. Every single person introduced had their own personalities, and that was consistent throughout the novel. Maddie's grandmother is an eccentric woman with wild stories of adventure and love and no filter. She's the grandmother everyone wishes they had and even though she's dying, she never loses that spunk. This carries through to the other patients, their families, and Maddie's family. I think learning about everyone is best experienced first hand so I will not get into details of everyone.

Now I want to talk about the romance. I didn't think it was necessary to have any romance. I honestly don't consider it more than a fling. It would have been possible for almost everything to still happen the way it did if the romance was completely taken out. Although it wasn't insta-love it wasn't developed enough for me and just didn't feel real. I hate to say but I feel like there was a relationship (and I'm mentally putting air quotes around that) was only there out of a sense of obligation to genre. I would have really liked if Maddie and her romantic interest could have started off as friends and it could lead to something in the future, after the book ends. I feel like I just said the same thing a bunch of different ways. Sorry!

We get a text just before sunset. It's time, my babies.

While this book was pretty hilarious at moments, I actually laughed out loud a few time, there were still some sad moments. Some scenes didn't hit as hard because I didn't feel as connected to some of the characters. But when the inevitable finally came I shed a few tears. Although it was a sad moment it still made me happy in the end because Maddie's grandmother brought some of her family closer together as well as give them an experience that will continue to teach them things.

Overall, I enjoyed The Loose Ends List but it wasn't my favorite. I think it did a good job of handling the sad topic in an interesting and entertaining way that I never heard of. As far as my rating, I took off a star because of the romance since it didn't feel real. I also took off a star because it was a little slow at moments. I think if you like YA contemporary that deals with these topics it's definitely worth checking out.

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten eBooks That Have Been On MyTBR Since Before I Started Blogging

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish

I started looking over my shelves while thinking about what books I could use for this week's Top Ten Tuesday. I realized that most of the physical books I haven't read I haven't had for a year yet. So in order to use books I own, I decided to focus on ebooks that fit into this category.