Words to Remember

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Gun Violence in America, Words To Remember

Please, take action. Ideas are great, ideas are wonderful and they help you get re-elected and everything, but what’s more important is actual action.

…We’re the children. You guys are the adults. You need to take some action and play a role. Work together. Come over your politics and get something done.

Heartfelt plea from 17-year-old David Hogg who survived yesterday’s massacre at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

Just Another Day in America.

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Parkland Florida, School Shootings

I have no doubt that many of you have already heard about the horrific massacre at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Ironically the city was named as Florida’s safest, just last year. Right now the death toll stands at seventeen. The 19-year-old suspect is a former student who had been expelled for “disciplinary reasons.” Naturally there’s not much else known except for the fact that he used an AR-15 -style rifle with multiple magazines, to gun down his victims. He was also known to be “troubled” according to some teachers and students. I’m not going to rant and rave about our inability to enact common sense gun control legislation, because honestly, what’s the point? You know and I know that this latest atrocity will change nothing. Condolences, thoughts, and prayers are already being sent and for the next week or two politicians from both sides of the aisle will pontificate about their views, and then everything will go back to business as usual. To be fair, this isn’t just a gun issue, although I maintain that’s a big part of it. What is happening also involves a breakdown in our mental health system as well. And I’m going to go one step farther and say there’s also a breakdown in our society. I know this is complicated and there aren’t any easy, quick fixes, but it seems to me that we’ve become so tribal that we can’t agree on even the simplest things. And meanwhile, children are dying. Today’s shooting is the 25th fatal shooting event at an elementary, middle or high school including Columbine in 1999. There have been 98 fatalities as a result. It’s 43 days into 2018 and there’s already been 18 school shootings. That’s right. EIGHTEEN! We need to do better. Students shouldn’t have to be afraid to go to school and parents, as they send them off, shouldn’t have to harbor the fear that they may not see their children again. How many more images like the ones below, can we watch before we stop wringing our hands and say in one voice “Enough!” Make no mistake, the countdown clock has already reset and begun ticking down to the next massacre.

 

Whimsical Wednesday ~ Valentine’s Day Edition

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Humor, Valentine's Day, Whimsical Wednesday

 

Whether You’re Single Or You Have A Significant Other, Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

 

Honor Among Thieves (The Honors #1), by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Friendship, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to Edelweiss and Katherine Tegen Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

309 Pages

Synopsis: Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead of moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell. 

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathans—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight.

As soon as I saw two of my favorite authors were teaming up to write a YA science fiction series my eyes lit up and with Honor Among Thieves, the first book The Honors series, I was not disappointed.

Zara is the type of savy, tough as nails heroine both authors are known for. She’s not perfect by any means. She tends to act first and ask questions later, which doesn’t always work out for her or anyone with her. A survivor of an abusive father, she’s mistrustful and has a chip on her shoulder a mile wide. But, she loves her mother and younger sister intensely and once she does make friends she’s insanely loyal and will instantly put herself in harm’s way to help them. I did find myself wishing that a little more had been shared about her childhood, the intense migraines she suffered, and the surgery using Leviathan biotech that cured her. Especially as that surgery seems to be a part of the bond she and Nadim almost instantly develop.

And speaking of Nadim, I never thought I’d love a sentient ship as a character, but I did. I had to keep reminding myself that he was an alien ship, not an actual human. He’s written so realistically that I had no problem buying into Zara’s and his developing relationship. Being the intelligent, headstrong seventeen-year-old that she is, Zara needs someone who can match her in spirit, yet help resolve some of her trust issues and while he’s initially a bit bemused by her, Nadim certainly winds up fitting the bill. I’m really excited to see where Caine and Aguirre take their relationship in subsequent books. 

The other human accompanying Zara and Nadim is Beatrice, who I initially thought was going to be a weak character, but she pleasantly surprised me. I loved the way her friendship with both Zara and Nadim evolved, and she perfectly rounds out this team.

There’s also plenty of diversity in this story which I loved. Zara is black and Beatriz is from Brazil. There’s also another strong female, Chao-Xang, who is a side character here but I have a feeling that she might be playing a bigger role in the next book. 

I have to admit that the first few chapters were the weakest part of the book. I felt like a lot was thrown at me in a relatively short amount of time, but once Zara and Bea are on their way with Nadim it’s just about sheer perfection. I was enchanted with the Leviathans and the way they communicate with each other and listen to the “singing” of stars. It’s beautifully described and in someways reminded me of humpback whales. No matter how much I tried I could not tell when one author’s writing stopped and the other’s began. The chapters flowed smoothly and seamlessly together and if I didn’t know any better I would have thought there was only one author. While there’s not a lot of action except for the first few chapters and the last third of the book, I didn’t mind this at all. I was so invested in the characters as they  learned about each other, that their story and the mystery of what was really happening with the Leviathans and their Honors, kept me turning the pages and I read this in one sitting. The only other issue I had was with the ending which was exciting but a little abrupt. I still had some questions that hadn’t been addressed so when I reached the last page it left me hanging a bit. I have no doubt though that they’ll be answered in bk. 2.

Overall, Honor Among Thieves is an outstanding beginning to this new space epic and I cannot wait to read more. I do have one word of caution though. There’s a scene where Nadim is being physically assaulted by one of his “Elders”, and I actually had a hard time reading it. It’s graphic and I think it could be a trigger for certain readers who have been victims of abuse. That said, this is another book that will be going on my favorites of 2018 list and I highly recommend it to science fiction lovers. 

 

Continue, Don’t Quit : You Are Not in This Alone

Continue, Don’t Quit is an incredible initiative that’s been started by Auri. Having suffered from depression and anxiety myself, I know how important it is to know you’re not alone and be able to talk to someone. If you can, please take a moment to read and share this.

The Belles, by Dhonelle Clayton ~ 5.0 Stars

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Diversity, Fantasy, LGBTQ Relationships, YA Fiction

Thanks to Disney-Hyperion for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: February 6th, 2018

448 Pages

Synopsis: Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

First, is that cover not exquisite? It perfectly fits the image of Camellia that I had in my mind. And to my delight, Belles not only lives up to the hype that’s surrounded it for months, but it is without a doubt one of the best debuts I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading! 

Everything in this story is meticulously developed and detailed, from the characters to the world-building. I actually had my doubts about Camellia in the beginning, because I thought she was a bit self- absorbed and full of herself. But almost before I knew it, I found myself admiring her self-confidence and gutsiness. I also loved the bond she shares with her fellow Belles. These girls are basically sisters, and while they may fight occasionally, at the end of the day they’re there for each other. As most of the story revolves around Camellia, I’m looking forward to getting to know the others more, although I can already tell that Edelweiss, the rebel, is going to be my favorite.

There’s a hint of a love triangle between Camellia, Remy (her personal guard), and August, who is one of Princess Sophie’s suitors. But while relationships do grow, there really isn’t a lot of time spent on the romance element, which I was quite happy about.

While there is a clear cut villain, what’s truly scary is Orlean’s dangerous obsession with physical perfection. The lengths they go to attain their perceived ideas of beauty are insane and cringeworthy. It had me thinking of our own society’s fixation on physical appearance, and I have no doubt that we would do the some of the same things if such magic or science existed. 

Dhonelle Clayton does a wonderful job creating this world where everything is so glittery and beautiful at first look, but underneath there’s a sordid darkness. I cannot stress enough that it’s all these descriptive details that really make this book. I was completely immersed while reading and more than once felt as though I was in the mythical world of Orleans. 

What I also loved about this book was the vast diversity of the characters and the very strong message it sends about not only our never ending pursuit of physical perfection, how other people shape our own personal beliefs. It also brings up the questions of how far would you go and how much is too much?

The plot itself is fast-paced and captivating and I feel like we’ve only scraped the surface of this intriguing world. The ending was absolutely perfect and wonderfully sets the stage for the next book.

Belles will definitely be in my top ten 2018 favorites list and I HIGHLY recommend it for older teens and adults who love fantasy and are looking for something completely different than anything they’ve ever read before. There one scene which features a sexual assault though that I want to warn you about. It’s brief, but some readers might have a problem with it. Otherwise, my only disappointment is that it will probably be at least a year before the next book is released. Oh, and if you do pick this up, Dhonelle Clayton’s Afterward where she talks about how this book took form is an inspirational must read!

I’m Sorry

Okay. I’m not that bad. But I have been a neglectful blogging friend as of late. As many of you already know, I suffer from some health issues, including migraines. I have many good days, but right now they’re kicking my butt. I want to apologize for missing anyone’s posts. I’m trying to keep up as best I can, but having to take breaks from the internet is definitely impacting my own blog as well as my interaction on yours. I hope you all bear with me until this passes.

Red Clocks, by Leni Zumas ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, DystopianFiction, Speculative Fiction, Women’s Rights

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

368 Pages

Synopsis: Five women. One question. What is a woman for?

In this ferociously imaginative novel, abortion is once again illegal in America, in-vitro fertilization is banned, and the Personhood Amendment grants rights of life, liberty, and property to every embryo. In a small Oregon fishing town, five very different women navigate these new barriers alongside age-old questions surrounding motherhood, identity, and freedom.

Ro, a single high-school teacher, is trying to have a baby on her own, while also writing a biography of Eivor, a little-known 19th-century female polar explorer. Susan is a frustrated mother of two, trapped in a crumbling marriage. Mattie is the adopted daughter of doting parents and one of Ro’s best students, who finds herself pregnant with nowhere to fan. And Gin is the gifted, forest-dwelling homeopath, or “mender,” who brings all their fates together when she’s arrested and put on trial in a frenzied modern-day witch hunt.

Red Clocks is so eerily similar to our world that it’s a bit scary. There’s no one cataclysmic event behind the “Personhood Amendment”. What allows this bill to be passed is a pro-life government and apathetic citizens who think this will never happen. Do you see any similarities? Are you starting to squirm yet?

This thought-provoking novel focuses on the lives of four women in a small Oregon town, whose lives converge in unexpected ways. Ro, the Biographer is desperate to have a child. Susan, the Wife wants to escape her failing marriage. Mattie, the Daughter wants to attend the Math Academy. And finally, Gin, the Mender, who provides medicinal herbs to women who have gynecological problems. She also helps those looking to have abortions. While I identified the most with the Biographer and the Mender, all the women are well-rounded and relatable. Like all of us they are flawed, yet filled with positive traits such as generosity, strength, and love. 

The story itself doesn’t just explore the controversial topic of abortion. It thoroughly peels back the numerous layers of how a law like this would effect everyone’s lives. It’s suspenseful and mesmerizing, and I read it in two sittings because I simply found it impossible to put down. The only reason I’m not giving this a perfect 5 stars is because I thought the first few chapters a little disjointed. But this quickly smoothes out and I wound up loving the author’s writing style.

Red Clocks true message is abundantly clear: Every woman should have the right to choose her own path in life. If I were to classify the novel I’d put it in the speculative fiction or dystopian genres, but because of what’s happening in the world right now, it also reads a bit like a horror story. Red Clocks shows us a reality that is potentially right around the corner, and that scares the hell out of me. I would recommend this to everyone, especially if you’re a fan of The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood. It’s a perfect choice for book discussion groups, and it’s a read that I guarantee you won’t forget any time soon.

Devil in Ohio, by Daria Polatin ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Cults, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

327 Pages

Synopsis: When fifteen-year-old Jules Mathis comes home from school to find a strange girl, her mother explains that Mae is one of her patients at the hospital and will be staying with their family for a few days. But shortly after, Mae is wearing Jules’ clothes, sleeping in her bedroom, edging her out of her position on the school paper, and kissing Jules’ crush. Then things get weird.

Jules walks in on a half-dressed Mae, she’s startled to see a pentagram carved into her back. Soon white roses start turning up on the front porch, a rabid dog bites one of Jules’ sisters, and Jules’ parents, who never fight, start arguing behind closed doors.

Jules pieces clues together and discovers that Mae may be a survivor of the strange cult that has taken over a nearby town. And they will stop at nothing to get Mae back.

I have to be honest and say that The Devil in Ohio, which is based on a true story, has received decidedly mixed reviews, but except for a few things, I wound up enjoying it even more than I thought I would.

From looking at some of the negative reviews, a lot of readers had problems with Jules’ perceived selfishness. I personally think their judgement is a bit harsh. Before Mae even comes into the picture, fifteen-year-old Jules is suffering from the middle child syndrome. Her older sister Helen is a senior and apparently can do no wrong in not only her peers’ eyes but also their parents. Her precocious eleven-year-old sister Dani, is a musically gifted protege who requires a lot of attention. As a result, Jules is pretty much the doormat  in the family. So, I was completely empathetic when Mae abruptly enters the picture and Jules feels a certain amount of resentment. Even then, the two girls spend the majority of the book relatively close, especially given the circumstances.

Mae is also empathetic, even when she seems to be taking over Jules’ life and exhibiting other questionable behavior. At the back of my mind was that this is a girl who was continually abused, both physically and psychologically since infancy. She really has no clue when it comes to societal norms. She craves acceptance from Jules and her family, as well as from her new classmates. My heart absolutely broke for her.

The person I had a huge issue was with Jules mother, Suzanne who is also Mae’s psychiatrist. Her actions are unprofessional, reckless, and exceedingly dangerous. By the end of the book I was appalled by the way she put her family in danger and particularly Jules. There’s a reason that’s divulged for her personal connection to Mae, but this is no excuse for her behavior. The explanation actually made me more angry, not less.

My other big issue was with the ending, which is rushed and abrupt. It left me with more questions and I’m hoping that there’s a sequel that will continue Mae’s and the Mathis family’s story.

I went back and forth over whether I wanted to rate this 3.5 stars or 4, before finally settling on the latter. Despite my issues with Suzanne and the ending, I really liked the way both Jules and Mae were portrayed. I think they’re realistic and many teens will find them relatable. Devil in Ohio would actually make a great discussion with teen book groups, or in an upper middle school or high school classroom. This is Daria Polatin’s debut novel and I’m looking forward to what she comes out with next.

 

Super Bowl LII ~ Eagles Trounce Patriots 41 – 33

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Super Bowl LII

Tom Brady, after fumbling the ball and realizing there will be no comeback for the Pats.

Okay. I know that outside of New England there aren’t millions of Patriots fans, and there are parties going on just about everywhere right now, celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles first Super Bowl win and the Pats comeuppance, but living in Massachusetts and being a lifelong Patriots fan, here’s how I’m feeling right now.

~

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles celebrating the team’s first Super Bowl win. (Photo: AJ Mast/New York Times)

Fine. I’ll be gracious. Congratulations to the Eagles and their fans. They played an incredible game. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some things I need to do.