BOOK REVIEW | Sisterhood, Motherhood, and 'Worry': A Novel's Quest for Identity

I think Kelsey McKinney said it best when she described this novel as a “…moody beach read for girls who hate their jobs, text their exes, and feel like the things they want will destroy them”

The characters in this novel definitely understand “girl math” and will call out of work for any given reason. they also know the inexplicable pain of depression, anxiety, and the weight of the world as a 20-year-old teenage girl.

This novel can be compared to streaming “Ribs” by Lorde to feel something on your way home from an unpaid internship on the subway. It can also be described as drinking in your childhood basement with your friends while hate stalking people from high school.

Most importantly, this novel portrays the realities of sisterhood and the all-consuming and confusing relationship you have with your mother. It’s the constant feeling of “are we the same person?” and “that’s my sweater, you need to give it back”

It questions whether art is really dead or is life just intimating art? it’s compared to Frances Ha in the sense of quirky and quick dialogue and an overlying habit of co-dependency.

if we’ve been together our whole lives, how could it possibly be bad now as we try to find ourselves? can we be too different people?

i ended up giving “worry” by alexandra tanner 3.5 stars over on @goodreads. it felt like reading the diary i would’ve been writing if i didn’t have adhd. it made me laugh several times as i laid awake reading on my kindle under the sheets.

my only problem was getting a grasp on the ending and trying to make myself understand. i didn’t quite enjoy the ending as much as i wanted to; however, i can appreciate the novel for what it was. trigger warning for animal abuse.

🎞️ I recommend it for fans of Frances Ha and Shiva Baby

“WORRY” comes out March 26, 2024 📖 @scribnerbooks

Song of the Dead [REVIEW]

Song of the Dead (Reign of Fallen #2) by Sarah Glenn Marsh

"The Dead must stay buried.

Karthia is nothing like it used to be. The kingdom's borders are open for the first time in nearly three hundred years, and raising the dead has been outlawed. Odessa is determined to explore the world beyond Karthia's waters, hoping to heal a heart broken in more ways than she can count. But with Meredy joining the ocean voyage, vanquishing her sorrow will be a difficult task.

Despite the daily reminder of the history they share, Odessa and Meredy are fascinated when their journey takes them to a land where the Dead rule the night and dragons roam the streets. Odessa can't help being mesmerized by the new magic--and by the girl at her side. But just as she and Meredy are beginning to explore the new world, a terrifying development in Karthia summons them home at once.

Growing political unrest on top of threats from foreign invaders means Odessa and Meredy are thrust back into the lives they tried to leave behind while specters from their past haunt their tenuous relationship. Gathering a force big enough to ward off enemies seems impossible, until one of Queen Valoria's mages creates a weapon that could make them invincible. As danger continues to mount inside the palace, Odessa fears that without the Dead, even the greatest invention won't be enough to save their fates.

In this enthralling, heartrending sequel to Reign of the Fallen, Odessa faces the fight of her life as the boundaries between the Dead and the living are challenged in a way more gruesome than ever before."

I was sent a copy of Song of the Dead by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Please note this is a sequel so the review + description contain SPOILERS.

Edition: Hardcover, E-book

Release Date: January 22nd, 2019

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Razorbill

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Before we get into the review, I would like to highlight that this book is #OwnVoices and contains a f/f relationship! Yay for diversity in YA :-)

I went into these books not knowing it was only a duology and now that I've finished Song of the Dead, I totally feel like there could be more built onto this world?! I haven't read such a lovely YA fantasy in quite some time so these books were a breathe of fresh air for me. I loved the romance dearly, the world was new and interesting, and it kind of gave me A Darker Shade of Magic vibes? It might've been all the ship traveling, the magic, and a chase for romance. Oh, and Sarah Glenn Marsh doesn't mind killing her characters off!

I loved seeing Odessa and Meredy's relationship grow into something much more than it was in book one. I was thrown off at first because I mean, it was a sudden romance with her exes sister. But, I don't judge. I lived for their relationship from beginning to end. I don't want to say it was predictable but maybe just a bit. Am I mad? Definitely not. I like how they were able to bond and help each other through Evander's death. Their grieving was written so well and made me truly feel for them. The chapter where they hear Evander's voice again even though it's not him was heartbreaking! I can't forget to mention that this is a f/f relationship in a Young Adult book done right. It felt so right and I'm so glad I get to see these things in the books I read. 

As for the writing, it was fantastic. There's so many "I need to mark this with my sticky notes" moments. She captures feeling so well and brings her characters to life. Odessa was written as such a strong, caring and ambitious lead. Her actions were always justified and she wasn't afraid of anything. Odessa is definitely my favorite type of main character. 

The only problem I had with this book is that I loved the world, but I wish it were more in-depth. For Fantasy novels, I appreciate a connected, in-depth world that's descriptive, fascinating, and makes sense. It was sometimes hard to follow whenever they were talking about magic, the world, etc. because it didn't feel like enough. The world seems so complex but I still don't understand it completely. This is my only reason I bumped it down .5 stars! It was still an incredibly interesting world to read about but I need more!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this duology but obviously, I wouldn't mind another book. The world was so fascinating, the romance was captivating and the writing was so well-done. This sequel was SO much better than the first book and definitely worth reading. 



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What If It's Us [REVIEW]

What If It's Us 

by

Adam Silvera & Becky Albertalli

Page Count: 448 pages

Edition: Hardcover + ebook

Expected publication: October 9th, 2018

Publisher: HarperTeen

I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

A huge thank you to the publisher for sending it over. 

Rating: ★★★★/★★★★★ (4.5/5 stars)

“I don’t know if we’re in a love story or a story about love.” 

I am so excited for this book to be shared with the rest of the world! I got the honour to read and review this book early and as always, these authors didn't disappoint me. While I don't read many contemporary books anymore, I always end up reading both Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera's books. They both write quite differently as Adam Silvera writes incredibly deep and emotional books and Becky's books can get emotional but are usually pretty lighthearted. This book is a perfect combination of what real love feels like when it hurts and when it's the only thing you can think about. 

         It all begins with two teenagers named Arthur and Ben meet in a New York post office on accident. It's definitely a bitter sweet meet-cute considering they flirt but don't exchange any contact information, not even a name, so all they do is think about each other afterwards. They search craigslist, have a friend internet stalk one another, etc. and soon enough, they're together again on their first date. As the expectations are high, things start to disappoint when their multiple dates don't end up as planned. But, they keep trying anyway to make their story as picture perfect as possible. Unfortunately, love isn't always that simple. Was the universe helping them or not?

       I have to admit: Arthur and Ben's messy love story was hard to read at times but it's definitely worth it. It shows that not all relationships are perfect and there's definitely struggles whenever it comes to love but it's the ride that counts. They did over their first date in attempt to have the perfect one but it never seemed to work out. Arthur was jealous and insecure at times and Ben didn't quite understand. They were troubled and made many mistakes but that's the reality of it all. It wasn't insta-love or perfect like they wished but it was real. That's what makes this story so genuine and heartfelt. 

       The characters alone didn't need each other to be interesting because of how descriptive and intriguing their personalities were. Becky Albertalli wrote Arthur, a broad-way obsessed teen who's living in New York over the summer. The mentions of Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen were an excellent plus. Adam Silvera wrote Ben, a New Yorker who just got out of a relationship and is struggling with summer school. Not only are these characters both gay but Arthur is a Jewish boy with ADHD and Ben is Puerto Rican. As readers, we explore Ben's struggle with his racial identity because he doesn't exactly look Puerto Rican. Not only that, but we get insight on Arthur's personal struggle living with ADHD.  As we get introduced to both Ben and Arthur, we meet several side characters who play important roles in their lives and are diverse. We meet their closest friends, their significant others and their families but it's still crucial to the plot. We experience their families meeting at Arthur's home and their world's colliding. It was so wholesome seeing their parents talk about each other as a couple. 

         The only problem I found while reading was that Arthur and Ben felt a lot older than they were (I believe they're like 15-16?). They felt much older, like college students but it might've been the fact they're living in NYC and they were quite independent. Also, some of the conversations were just weird (those roommates?? lol).

        It was so refreshing to read a LGBT+ love story that was genuine and normalized. It was a bitter sweet romance during the Summer in New York. I could see the ending clearly but I didn't want to believe it. What's better than a realistic romance in New York with two incredibly diverse characters with outstanding personalities? Not to mention, I fell in love at all of the broadway references and how they mentioned real bookstores like Books of Wonder. It was like the icing on top of the cake (cliche, I know) but I loved everything about this book.

    I sincerely cannot wait for it to be released so everyone else can understand how lovely it is as well. I think we all need a good LGBT+ love story by the king and queen of YA Contemporary.

   Are you going to be picking up What If It's Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli? Let me know!

Pre-order it on Amazon | Book Depository | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble! (Trust me, you'll want to.)

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