Review: RULES FOR BEING A GIRL

Rules for Being a Girl by Candace Bushnell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love a book about a fierce young feminist, and that’s exactly what rules for being a girl gives us. Marin, our protagonist, begins seeing how society holds girls to different standards than guys after her teacher (late-twenties) comes on to her. She begins pointing out these "rules for girls" in an editorial for her school's paper, starts a feminist book club, and tries to figure out whether or not to report the teacher's misconduct.

RULES FOR BEING A GIRL deals with the subtle manipulations in an inappropriate teacher-student relationship and whether a situation is "bad" or "serious" enough to report. Marin tries to rationalize what happens with Bex as "just a kiss" and a miscommunication. We see this often in society where people say, "It wasn't rape, so I shouldn't bother reporting." Plus Bex is the "hot" young teacher all the girls swoon over (not a creepy old teacher), which blurs those lines further, and the way Cotugno and Bushnell examine these subtleties is fantastic.

This book gets into all those gray areas teenage girls exist in and brings them into the light. Highly recommend for all teenage girls, as well as everyone who needs a deeper understanding of the world of double-standards society creates for girls.

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Review: THE MIDNIGHT LIE

The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I started THE MIDNIGHT LIE shortly after rereading The Winner's trilogy. It is set in a new country in the same world, and we follow Nirrim, a member of the lowest class in the country of Herrath. Class structure and struggles is the main focus of this story, along with a delicious romance between Nirrim and Sid, a traveler she meets after being arrested for a crime she did not commit. Sid makes her begin to question the possibility of magic and why members of Nirrim's class are under such harsh restrictions (unable to leave the Ward, can only wear certain colors and eat certain foods).

I struggled with the first half of this book, but I think it was because I listened to the audiobook and didn't like the narrator. Once my audio hold expired and I turned to the physical book, my feelings toward the story improved immensely. Marie Rutkoski's worldbuilding and prose are delicious (as usual). The plot is a slow-burn, in her usual style, and she spends most of the time developing her characters into fully dimensional people. I love the dynamic and banter between Nirrim and Sid, and the relationship between Nirrim and her guardian, Raven, is complex and tragic. I kept my eyes peeled for even the smalest hints of the countries and characters from the Winner's trilogy, and I was not disappointed!

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Review: DEAR MARTIN

Dear Martin by Nic Stone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm so glad I finally read this book -- actually, I listened to the audiobook. It's short, but it leaves a huge impact. Justyce is arrested while looking after his drunk ex-girlfriend (and preventing her from driving herself home) because a cop believes Justyce is trying to take advantage of her. That night changes Justyce, and he embarks on a project to live like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in regards to racism.

Style-wise, this book reminded me of minimalism in the best way. Nic Stone doesn't mess around with fluffy prose; there are scenes boiled down straight to the dialogue, because that dialogue? It's what's important. Justyce confronts so much in this book, from police violence to arguments against affirmative action. DEAR MARTIN should be required reading in high schools (along with ALL AMERICAN BOYS).

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Review: SADIE

Sadie by Courtney Summers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unputdownable. Courtney Summers writes some the best protagonists in YA, and this book is no exception. SADIE is gritty, fantastic storytelling. Part of it is told through a podcast transcript, a creative format that I loved. In the vein of ALL THE RAGE (one of my favorite books of all time), SADIE examines what we as a society do to young girls, how we project onto them our own ideas of who they are. Though he has the best of intentions, West McCray (the creator of the podcast The Girls that explores the murder of Sadie's younger sister and Sadie's own disappearance) doesn't know Sadie and is, in a way, profiting from her disappearance.

While the podcast builds the image of Sadie and her past, Sadie's POV chapters give us insight into the girl herself: a girl out for vengeance, a girl with nothing left to lose. Her younger sister, one of the only good things in her life, was murdered, and Sadie knows who is responsible.

Courtney and SADIE hit the New York Times Bestseller list, and it is so, so deserved. You won't be able to put this one down and will be thinking about it long after the final page.

I was able to meet Courtney during her SADIE tour, and she's fantastic!

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Review: Starry Eyes

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jenn Bennett writes some of the most vivid characters in contemporary YA today. Their dialogue, their quirks, their outside-the-box hobbies...I've read all three of her contemp novels this year and each one stands out in my mind. I adore them all, but STARRY EYES has my heart. Astronomy lover Zorie gets roped into a "glamping" trip with her sort-of friends, only to discover that her ex-best friend Lennon is coming along, too. Of course, nothing goes as planned on this trip, and Zorie finds herself stranded in the wilderness alone with Lennon.

I identified so much with Zorie and her control-freak tendencies. She's a planner and stresses when she can't control a situation (sometimes to the point of giving herself hives). Lennon is one of my new favorite YA boys, outdoorsy and snarky and sweet. Their banter is TOP NOTCH! I also loved Zorie's relationship with her mom and Lennon's relationship with his moms - I love a YA with awesome (and present) parents.

My review won't do this book justice, so just read it! It made me giddy from start to finish and almost convinced me to give hiking/camping a try. (I said almost.)

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Review: You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone

You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone by Rachel Lynn Solomon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was everything I hoped it would be (and more). Written from alternating POVs of twins Adina and Tovah, YOU'LL MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE follows the growing emotional distance between the two sisters as they are tested for Huntington's, the degenerative disease slowly killing their mother. One twin tests negative, the other tests positive. And from there, everything changes.

The first 75 pages of this book (the lead-up to the test and diagnosis) drained me emotionally because I immediately became attached to both Adina and Tovah. Adina plays the viola and is auditioning for conservatories, while Tovah has been striving for admission to Johns Hopkins with the goal of becoming a surgeon. Adina is rebellious and has fallen away from her family's Jewish faith after her mother's diagnosis, while Tovah keeps kosher and relies heavily on her faith. Both girls are ambitious and flawed. They don't fit neatly into stereotype boxes (my review doesn't do justice at describing how fully fleshed out they are), and I adored them both. Their voices are distinct and strong in first person POV - even if the chapters hadn't been labeled with the narrator's name, I would still know who was speaking.

This is a sister story. A family story. A coming-of-age story. It is not a medical drama where the disease is the star and the characters are its victims. This is a book about people and the choices they make, the things they want. Loved, loved, LOVED this one.

(Trigger warning for self-harm and suicidal thoughts.)

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March Reading Wrap-Up

March was a great reading month for me, quality-wise. I read some of my favorite books of the year (so far, anyway)! I'd recommend every book on this list (NEVER FADE is a sequel, though, so if you're looking to start the series, read THE DARKEST MINDS first).

 

Here we go!

 

THE WEIGHT OF FEATHERS by Anna-Marie McLemore

This story has been described as Romeo and Juliet meets THE NIGHT CIRCUS, which is spot-on. Lace comes from a family of mermaid exhibitionists (they wear tails and swim underwater) while Cluck’s family straps on wings and scale the tallest trees. The family rivalry runs deeper than performance competition, and with a touch of magical realism and romance, this story finds the perfect balance. So, so unique and beautiful.

 

NEVER FADE by Alexandra Bracken

Continuing my Darkest Minds series reread. I enjoyed this much more the second time around. Loved seeing Ruby’s character development!

 

KILL THE BOY BAND by Goldy Moldavsky

Four fangirls of boy band The Ruperts accidentally-kind-of-on-purpose kidnap a member of the band. Things escalate. It’s hilarious, slightly terrifying, and reminiscent of Libba Bray’s BEAUTY QUEENS. A great examination of celebrity/fan culture and validation of fangirls. I loved every second of this one!

 

THE WINNER’S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski

I reread this in preparation for THE WINNER’S KISS release. Five stars once again! The writing is flawlessly crafted: so much symbolism and sharp prose. Kestrel is becoming one of my all-time favorite female protagonists. I’m planning to do a full series review (non-spoiler) once I read the final book, so stay tuned!

 

LADY MIDNIGHT by Cassandra Clare

Book one in Cassandra Clare’s new Shadowhunters series, The Dark Artifices. Emma tries to solve a series of Los Angeles murders that connect to her parents’ own deaths. Meanwhile, she fights her growing feelings for Julian, her parabati, and questions the strict rules of the Clave, the Shadowhunter governing body. Well-developed characters and a rich new piece of the Shadowhunter world.  

 

THE READERS OF BROKEN WHEEL RECOMMEND by Katarina Bivald

Imagine Belle never met the Beast and instead opened a bookstore in the town where everyone thinks she’s strange. You’ve got this book. It’s charming and full of bookish references from Jane Austen to THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO to Harry Potter. If you love books, you’ll like this. (Fun fact: it's a translation! Originally published in Sweden.)

 

 

EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR by E.K. Johnston

After Hermione Winters is drugged and raped at cheerleading camp, she has to cope with her lack of memories surrounding the assault. Thankfully, she has a best friend to lean on. Such a powerful book. I really loved this one. Check out my full review here.

 

 

I loved all the books I read this month. They're all so different: satire, magical realism, urban fantasy, tough issue contemp... Not sure I can pick a favorite!

 

What's your favorite March read? Have you picked up any of these? Are they on your TBR?

 

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Best Books I Read In 2015

A very exciting Top Ten Tuesday hosted by the Broke and the Bookish this week…favorite books of 2015! 

I’m anxious about posting this with two weeks of the year left…just since the beginning of December I’ve read some of my favorite books of the year! But as of right now, here’s my top ten.

(kind of in order of my favorites…the top 3 rotate depending on my mood.)

1. QUEEN OF SHADOWS by Sarah J. Maas

Book 4 in the Throne of Glass series has the most perfect pacing of any fantasy book I’ve read. It’s also a book of Big Moments, where many of the events/confrontations we’ve all been waiting for finally happen. We follow many different characters (though the story remains in 3^rd person), including Celaena, Chaol, Dorian, and characters we were introduced to in later books like Manon, Rowan and Aedion. Normally I have a set favorite POV in books like this and get bored with all the others, but I honestly enjoyed every page of this.

 

2. SAINT ANYTHING by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen doing what Sarah Dessen does best: complicated family dynamics, supportive friendships and self-discovery. That’s what drew me to her stories initially, and SAINT ANYTHING reminds me of my favorite Dessen books (THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER, ALONG FOR THE RIDE). Sydney’s reckless older brother is sent to jail, stealing their parents’ attention and casting Sydney into the shadows. Then Sydney meets the Chatham family and learns she might not be as invisible as she thinks. Read my full review of SAINT ANYTHING here. 

 

3. WINTER by Marissa Meyer

The long-awaited finale of the Lunar Chronicles is FINALLY here! WINTER is part-Snow White retelling, part space odyssey as our entire crew heads to Luna for the big showdown with Queen Levana. At 800+ pages, the book was everything I’d hoped for! The story’s evolution from the beginning of this book to the end (not to mention from CINDER to WINTER) is amazing to see. And Winter herself has become one of my favorite Lunar Chronicles characters. I’m so happy Marissa is publishing a short story collection (including a WINTER epilogue!) so we can follow up on our favorites! 

 

4. ALL THE RAGE by Courtney Summers

I’ve talked nonstop about this book since it came out in April. It’s a harsh look at the victim blaming culture in our society after a teenage girl is raped at a small town party. She comes forward and is ostracized, bullied horrifically by classmates and townspeople—especially the sheriff, father of the accused rapist. Courtney Summers also uses great imagery and sharp prose to make the reading experience even more visceral. Read my full review of ALL THE RAGE here.   

 

5. THE START OF ME AND YOU by Emery Lord

I was late to the Emery Lord party, but now you’ll have to drag me out because I am never leaving! THE START OF ME AND YOU follows Paige, who's still shaken up over last year's drowning death of her boyfriend of two months. She decides junior year is her fresh start: new activities (somehow she gets roped into joining Quiz Bowl), going out with friends (she’d spent the past year avoiding parties), and finding a new boyfriend (her old crush seems like a good place to start). Then her crush’s adorably nerdy cousin, Max, befriends her and throws a wrench into her plans. This synopsis (and the one on the book flap) does the story no justice. Emery Lord writes friendships we need to see more of in YA: supportive girls who’ll do anything for one another. Paige’s friendship with her three friends, especially Tessa, was the star of the book for me. In addition to, of course, the perfection that is Max Watson. Nerd love! Full review to come. 

 

6. SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo 

Kaz Brekker and his street gang take on an impossible heist: break into the heavily secured Ice Court and steal one of its prisoners. Succeed, and they’ll be beyond rich. Fail, and they’ll probably all die. I loved following Kaz’s team of thieves, spies, and convicts—the story is told from five of the six crew members’ POVs—and, even though their morals are a little askew, I adore them all. Especially Kaz, Inej, and Nina. If you weren’t crazy about the Grisha trilogy (I made it through Book 1 but that’s it so far), still pick up SIX OF CROWS. A much more enjoyable cast of characters, even better worldbuilding, and great pacing. Read my full review of SIX OF CROWS here. 

 

7. AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir

My favorite 2015 debut. This brutal fantasy world is based off ancient Rome and follows Laia, who sneaks into the military academy as a spy in an effort to save her kidnapped brother. There she encounters Elias, top of his class but desperate to desert instead of serving the Empire after graduating. Fantastic worldbuilding, both POVs are equally strong—I would’ve read a full book about either character—and play off each other well. It was originally marketed as a standalone (but clearly written with the hope for a sequel) and now we’re getting a second book next year! Read my full review of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES here.

 

8. AMY AND ROGER’S EPIC DETOUR by Morgan Matson

Warning: you will want to take a road trip after reading this! After her father dies in a car accident, Amy and her mom are moving to Connecticut. Still too scared to drive, Amy’s family friend Roger tags along. Quickly disregarding the planned route, Amy and Roger see the sights—and deal with all sorts of emotional baggage—along the way. Full of fun add-ins like Morgan Matson’s own road trip pictures and playlists, this book is such a fun read. The light and heavy emotional moments balance perfectly. I can’t believe it took me until 2015 to read this one! Read my full review of AMY AND ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR here.

 

9. BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray

A plane full of teenage beauty pageant contestants crashes on an island. Is it a Mean Girls-style cafeteria brawl? Lord of the Flies? Or could they actually work together? Libba Bray’s novel is a genius look at society’s portrayal of teenage girls. Each character was fleshed out so well, and the friendships were positive and supportive. A whip-smart, hilarious and poignant read. Read my full review ofBEAUTY QUEENS here.   

 

10. JUST ONE DAY by Gayle Forman

I devoured this book in, wait for it…just one day. It’s part-travel adventure, part self-discovery. Allyson ditches her European tour group to visit Paris with Willem, an actor in a traveling Shakespearean company. The first half of the book follows Allyson’s choice in the day that follows, while the second half details Allyson’s return home and first semester of college. It’s a romance for sure, but Allyson spends most of the book figuring out who she is. I enjoyed the character development, and now I’m desperate to plan a trip to Europe!

Book Review: TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE by Jenny Han

Lara Jean writes love letters for catharsis, to get over each of the boys she’s had crushes on. She never intends to send them. But one day, a boy approaches her at school, her letter in his hand, and all Lara Jean’s private thoughts are out in the open. Including how she really feels about her older sister’s ex-boyfriend.  

The synopsis hook for TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE revolves around Lara Jean’s love letters being distributed to their recipients, but really, that’s only a small piece of the story. In fact, I was surprised by how little it factored into the overall book. It’s really just an inciting incident, a springboard that sets the story on its path. I don’t want to give anything away, though; it’s more fun to be surprised!

Jenny Han writes high schoolers very well. Peter’s (one of the recipients of Lara Jean’s letters) dialogue felt especially real to me, his jokes and behaviors could’ve been plucked right from my own high school hallways. I enjoyed the relationship between Lara Jean and her two sisters, Margot and Kitty, as well. Their dependence on one another, their arguments, their traditions (like their cookie baking extravaganza at Christmas)…everything felt real to me.

Several reviews I’ve read complain about Lara Jean’s voice, particularly how young it sounds. On one hand, I agree. She sounded more like a high school freshman than a junior. BUT I think her voice fit her character well. She’s a little naïve, a homebody who loves cookie-baking and sweater sets. She keeps her love letters in a hatbox. She rarely curses. She’s never had a boyfriend. To me, when taking her personality and experiences into account, her voice sounds like I’d expect it to. And as I read, I started feeling big-sisterly protective of her. I kept wanting to scoop her up and give her a hug!

I had tons of fun reading this book. It’s sweet and focuses just as much on family as it did Lara Jean’s boy drama, which I love. I will be picking up the sequel P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU to see how Lara Jean’s story ends!

Book Review: SAINT ANYTHING by Sarah Dessen

Sydney has always felt invisible, always in her charismatic (and increasingly reckless) older brother’s shadow. But when Peyton is involved in a drunk-driving accident that leaves a boy paralyzed, he is sent to jail, upending the family’s world. More than ever, everything becomes All About Peyton. Their mom constantly visits him and talks to lawyers and—in Sydney’s eyes—makes excuses for Peyton’s behavior. Everyone at school is talking about the accident, so Sydney decides to transfer to the local public school for a fresh start. And Peyton’s friend Ames, who has taken on a supporting role in the family since Peyton’s incarceration, gives Sydney the creeps for reasons she can’t identify.

Then Sydney meets the Chathams, a family that welcomes her as one of their own, and she realizes she might not have to remain invisible after all.

Sarah Dessen is back writing what she does best: complex families, inner conflict, and solid friendships. She just did a panel at BookCon with Gayle Forman and Jenny Han (can you say GOLD?) about best friends, and she said Layla (Sydney’s new friend) is the friend she wished she had at the time of writing the book. Layla is one of my favorite parts of the book as well. She’s such a good friend. No agendas, no cattiness, the kind of friend every girl needs. There’s a scene (no spoilers) where Layla sleeps over at Sydney’s, and her loyalty and protectiveness just caught in my chest while I read it. 

An issue Sarah explores both in SAINT ANYTHING and an essay she wrote in Seventeen is the idea of the “nice” girl. The girl who feels she can’t say when she’s uncomfortable out of fear of hurting others. Sarah was very honest in her essay about hanging around an older guy who made her uncomfortable, even though she had no solid evidence or reasons why, just her gut. But your gut, Sarah insists, is enough. Sydney goes through a similar conflict in SAINT ANYTHING with Ames, her brother’s friend. Sarah wrote the subplot SO well, and at times my skin was crawling. It’s an important subject, especially for girls who (like me) worry a lot about being considered "nice."

So read Sarah’s essay and then go grab your copy of SAINT ANYTHING. Warning: you’d better have some pizza and French fries nearby because you will crave them when you read this book!

Because I will post this picture every day for the rest of eternity.
At Sarah's signing in Princeton, NJ

Read my recap of Sarah's signing here!

Meeting Sarah Dessen!

If you've read my blog at all, you probably already know I'm CRAZY for Sarah Dessen. She's my favorite author and the reason I write about girls and their families. Her books taught me how to tell stories. Basically, she's my writing role model, and I would LOVE to have a career like hers.

She's been on tour for her newest book, SAINT ANYTHING (read my review here!), for the past month. When I saw she was coming to Pennsylvania, my heart leapt and then immediately fell. The day of her event I'd be traveling in South Africa with Chatham. 

I was so upset, but my mom went to the signing for me. She got some of my books signed and gave Sarah a letter I'd written. I remember waking up in Cape Town the following morning to tons of Facebook pictures from my mom of the event. 

That same day, I was scrolling through Sarah's Twitter feed and saw she'd just added an event in Princeton, NJ, less than two hours from my house. I immediately messaged my mom (although she was 6 hours behind me and still sleeping at the time), and over the next day we made tentative plans to go to this signing as well. 

And on May 28, we drove to NJ for the event! We got there super early to get a line number and then hung out at the mall where the Barnes and Noble was. The store was so relaxed and we got seats in the front row for Sarah's discussion. 

GUYS. Sarah is EXACTLY like I hoped she'd be. Friendly, funny, normal, and adorable! She immediately started joking about the traffic (she was a couple minutes late because she came from NYC) and told us how her grandparents used to live in Princeton. Then she talked about SAINT ANYTHING and the book she put aside before writing it. She also read the first few pages and said she wrote them on January 1st because she heard that whatever you do on the first of the year, you'll do every day after that ("I'm superstitious, and whatever anyone else believes, I automatically believe too."). 

She took a few questions before starting the signing line. I asked her about the essay she wrote for Seventeen about how she hung out with an older guy in high school who made her uncomfortable. It's a great essay about being "nice" vs. sticking up for yourself...definitely check it out! She said it was weird to write nonfiction and she was nervous when it was published, but the response has been super positive. But she said she probably won't write more nonfiction for a while after this!

Then it was on to the signing line! I was fourth in line, and as soon as I walked up, she said she loved my dress. I told her I loved hers, too, then went on and talked about missing her signing in Haverford and sending my mom instead. She remembered my mom and hearing about me and went, "You're the girl from Africa!" :p We chatted about that for a minute, took a picture, and then I told her that her books started me on my serious writing path. 

She thanked me and said, "Keep writing!" and then I went "You--" and rapped my hand against the stack of her books in my arms. She laughed and said, "I'm trying!" She is the sweetest! THE. SWEETEST. 

I've wanted to meet Sarah for YEARS but never thought she'd have an event close to me. Thursday night was so wonderful! Thank you Sarah! And thanks to my mom, who rode along and hung out with me all day and navigating when I got lost in the parking lot! :)