Brad About Books: Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts

Read on May 10, 2013

TUMBLE & FALL
Expected Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: FSG (Macmillan)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 384 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

A novel about the end of days full of surprising beginnings 
 
The world is living in the shadow of oncoming disaster. An asteroid is set to strike the earth in just one week’s time; catastrophe is unavoidable. The question isn’t how to save the world—the question is, what to do with the time that's left? Against this stark backdrop, three island teens wrestle with intertwining stories of love, friendship and family—all with the ultimate stakes at hand. 
 
Alexandra Coutts's TUMBLE & FALL is a powerful story of courage, love, and hope at the end of the world.

The end of everything is filled with beginnings.

Tumble & Fall is an electric, dazzling read that shouldn't be missed. Not only is it one of the most original novels I've ever read, it's one of the most heartbreaking and tragically beautiful stories out there.   Stunning!

I'm sure we've all read at least one post-apocalyptic book. But have you ever read a pre-apocalyptic novel? Where the characters knew that the end of the world is coming to an end and only have one week left to live? And frankly, how do you live your last week on earth? That's definitely my favorite part about Tumble & Fall - how uniquely incredible it is. Also, you would totally expect the characters to be in a frenzy, rushing and panicking around and scared to death. While fear is there, the tagline shows the true beauty about Tumble & Fall: the end of everything is filled with beginnings. With one week left to live, our three protagonists are exploring everything - new and familiar - that they can. While it is a bit strange that everybody is relaxed about the world coming to its darkest finale, it worked perfectly for me in this case. Original and dreamy, Tumble & Fall shines!

I'm a huge fan of the post-apocalyptic genre, so reading a book about the coming of disaster was quite the read. Plus, Coutts's writing style was exceptional - each character had a fantastic vibe and tone, and I loved following every single character along through this journey of exploration. The characters unite together to stand with each other during their final week, and I loved the way Coutts demonstrated not only the blooming romance, but also the ever-growing friendship that has arose. The characters is what makes Tumble & Fall such a diverse and phenomenal book that radiates away from other books. Tumble & Fall is a must-read for lovers of catastrophe!

Another great thing about Tumble & Fall is how it's not always climatic. There's not always a crazy action scene or time of panic; again, it's all about living your last moments so preciously. Each character is after something to accomplish, and I fell for this book so hard. Alexandra Coutts is a very promising author to watch; with this marvelous debut, Coutts has quickly become one of my favorite debut authors of this year.

Overall, Tumble & Fall is a fresh take on catastrophe, dimming the effects of panic, and shining bright lights upon love and unity. Readers will devour it.

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Read on May 16, 2013

THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE
Expected Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: FSG (Macmillan)
Format: ARC
Page Count: 288 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.

“Sometimes people think they know you. They know a few facts about you, and they piece you together in a way that makes sense to them. And if you don’t know yourself very well, you might even believe that they are right. But the truth is, that isn’t you. That isn’t you at all.” -from This Song Will Save Your Life

This Song Will Save Your Life is a stunning and marvelous masterpiece that made me smile, made me think, and made me reevaluate the effects that actions can have on people. I can't stress how important this novel - this beautiful, heartwrenching novel - truly is. Absolutely one of a kind.

Bullying and suicide has became a major epidemic in our world, and Leila Sales plays upon that topic in This Song Will Save Your Life in such a fresh, original way. Our main character, Elise, is contemplating ending her life, but finds relief and emotion in something she has a burning passion for: music. The music makes her take her mind off of the social and emotional problems she's having, and Sales brings light upon one of the darkest, yet most important, topics in our society. I truly appreciated how Sales handled the situation and how it was flawlessly executed. Rarely ever does a contemporary grab me like This Song Will Save Your Life did. This Song Will Save Your Life is a must-read! 

I love music, and I loved seeing music interwoven throughout the book! Not only do we have lyrics at the top of each chapter (which pertains to the chapter's situation in some way; so cool), but we have music references, Elise is a DJ, and the music in This Song Will Save Your Life has a deeper message far beyond what meets the eye. Plus, bullying and friendship tie in together as a huge factor. Elise has been betrayed and hurt, redeemed and love, and Leila Sales definitely wasn't afraid to tackle her character development head on. This Song Will Save Your Life is a powerful, incredible novel that moved me and shook me - and I loved every moment of it.

And the writing style - don't even get me started! Lyrical like a favorite and familiar song, and ground shaking like an earthquake, Sales is a phenomenal and brilliant voice in realistic fiction. It flowed off the page and played like a melody. Short and sweet, everything about This Song Will Save Your Life is utterly beautiful. One of my favorite books of the year, no doubt.

Overall, This Song Will Save Your Life is an incredibly fantastic and absorbing novel that shines out in the YA market. Groundbreaking and riveting!

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

Read on September 2, 2013

ANTIGODDESS
Expected Publication Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: Tor Teen
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 333 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: Goddess War, #1

The Goddess War begins in Antigoddess, the first installment of the new series by acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood, Kendare Blake.
 
Old Gods never die…

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god. 

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning. 

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out. 

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.

Antigoddess is an action-packed, sizzling, and explosive whirlwind that completely captivated me and never let me go. Kendare Blake's Antigoddess is absolutely epic and impossible to put down. One of the best books I've read in a long time.

I've wanted this book so badly ever since I first heard about it. So when I got my grabby hands on a copy, I dived in immediately. You know when you anticipate a book so hard, and then you're let down by it? That is totally not the case with Antigoddess. This book not only met my expectations, it blew it out of the water. Everything about this book - the characters, the writing, the pacing, the plot, the twists and turns, the development, the war - everything is phenomenal. Kendare Blake was quickly become one of my favorite authors. I was astonished by how truly amazing Antigoddess was. The pacing... oh boy, I couldn't put this book down. I was so wrapped up and absorbed in this world, I never wanted it to end. If you're needing some action-goodness and amazing plot-lines in your life, Antigoddess is the way to go.

The. Characters. Could they be any better? I have no clue. Athena was a phenomenal protagonist. Something is eating away at her life - literally - and she doesn't have much longer to survive. When you're on the run and in search for answers, it makes for such an awesome book: it did just that with Antigoddess. She's strong, fierce, loyal, and one of the best female leads I've read about. Hermes was also great! Sure, he may gossip quite a lot, but he sticks by Athena through thick and thin. And Cassandra! While I was a bit confused by her character in the beginning, she becomes such a vital and important piece to the Goddess War puzzle, and I can't wait to see where her character goes in the second book.

Speaking of the sequel... I want it so bad. That ending. I can't even. Talk about fast-paced! So much war and betrayal goes down in Antigoddess, and it's just one little piece in such a fantastic novel. I love last lines in books, and Antigoddess has one of my favorite last lines. It's such a cliffhanger and leaves you with your jaw dropped, begging for more - and that's exactly what I was like seconds after finishing this stunning beginning to a very promising series. I can't even explain to you how much I loved this book. Highly recommended!

Overall, Antigoddess is an incredible start that begins with a bang and never lets up. One of my new favorite books - Kendare Blake has created a masterpiece!

M Y   R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Read from August 30 to 31, 2013

FANGIRL
Expected Publication Date: September 10, 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 433 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love. 

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Fangirl is a beautiful, riveting story that can't be topped. A phenomenal gem that is so absorbing and one of a kind. Absolutely marvelous. 

I read Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park earlier this year and fell in love with it so hard. So obviously, I was very much excited about her newest novel, Fangirl - and it did not disappoint in any level! While it doesn't have the same emotional attachment that Eleanor & Park has, Fangirl is a beautiful, coming-of-age tale that gave true light to letting things consuming your life (some for the good, some for the not-so-good), and Rowell did a fantastic job at handling Cath's situation. I felt connected to Cath immediately. The way her twin sister, Wren, basically leaves her in the dust when they get to college really stuck with me, and I loved going on this exploration journey of love, bonding, and being a fanatic of things you love with her. Rainbow Rowell has easily become one of my favorite writers of all time. I'm such a fan for Fangirl!

I also love how Fangirl gives off the illusion of parallel worlds (not literally parallel worlds; multiple stories being intertwined with each other). We have the story of Cath discovering herself and true love at college; we have the story of Cath and her fanfiction addiction; and we also have the story of Simon Snow, the series that Cath is obsessed with. Each story plays a vital role to the overall picture, and Rainbow Rowell balanced all these stories within Fangirl so well. But be warned: Fangirl will tug at your heartstrings so hard. We all have experienced/know someone who has experienced bullying, and I personally feel like Fangirl touches on the subject of bullying amazingly. Cath was been left by her own family, the people she thought she could always count on. What do you do when you've been looked away from? Cath's story with traveling through a new, vibrant world alone was fantastic; absolutely loved this book!

This. Entire. Book. I can't even; I seriously can't even. Fangirl has become one of my favorite contemporaries... ever. It's so interesting, and I loved how it also deals with a current and modern topic. I, myself, have never wrote fanfiction, but reading it through the eyes of a fanatic and popular fanfiction-er was great; I can't express to you how much I loved this book. Fans of Rainbow Rowell, you will not be disappointed by Fangirl. Fans of contemporary, you are going to fall head over heels in love with Fangirl.

Overall, Fangirl is truly a masterpiece that tugged at my heartstrings and made me fall in love with the characters. One of the best books of the year.

M Y    R A T I N G

Cover Switch (2): Asylum

Welcome to Cover Switch, in which I share with you a cover that has been altered or changed in some way and share my thoughts!

Today, I'm talking about Asylum by Madeleine Roux, which released on August 20, 2013.

This was the original cover:

To be honest, I thought this was a middle grade novel at first. I hadn't read the synopsis or read anything about it - I went only based off the cover, and for some reason, I assumed it was middle grade. Maybe it was the keys. Or the all black on it. I don't know, but my mind (for whatever reason) marked this book as middle grade! 

But, when the cover was changed, I took loads of interest in this book:

This is a very rare case in which I prefer the second cover compared to the original. This cover is so much more creepy and sinister - some freaky crap is going on in that cover! And I love it! The weird girl, the fancy boarders on the side, and I just love how they stuck with the same typography. I love this new cover! 

ABOUT ASYLUM

Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-novel perfect for fans of the New York Times bestseller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.

What do you think about Asylum? Which cover do you prefer?

Read the first Cover Switch post!

~~~~~

Brad About Books: Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Read on June 23, 2013

STORMDANCER
Published: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (St. Martin's Press)
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 313 pages
Source: Purchased
Series: The Lotus War, #1

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; an island nation once rich in tradition and myth, now decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, the land is choked with toxic pollution, and the great spirit animals that once roamed its wilds have departed forever.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST 
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary creature, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows the beasts have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A HIDDEN GIFT 
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a talent that if discovered, would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

"Feathers grow back. Sisters do not."

Stormdancer is a marvelous, phenomenal tale that blends together a dystopian world with Japanese steampunk - who wouldn't be intrigued?! Jay Kristoff has weaved together a fantastic story that captivated me right from the first page and never let me go. A new favorite book of mine.

Come on, guys. Japanese dystopian steampunk. If those three words don't catch your attention, I have no clue what will. Stormdancer is a highly addictive and unique novel that is impossible to put down. I have never read a book like this masterpiece, and I was tremendously blown away by it. I say it all the time, but world-building is everything to me in a book. The world of the Shima Imperium is toxic and enthralling, and I simply couldn't get enough of this book. This book, you guys. So good.

In a world that is dying of poison with such a unique setting and a fantastic writing style, what else could Jay Kristoff possibly add to it? Oh, that's right. An awesome kick-butt heroine and a thunder tiger. That's what. Stormdancer has everything a fantasy/dystopian lover could ever want, especially with Yukiko being an epic protagonist. In the beginning, while she's headstrong, she makes mistakes and is careless with her actions. But as Stormdancer progresses, she evolves into a strong, determined, and fierce warrior, and I appreciated Kristoff so much for creating such an awesome character. I absolutely fell for Yukiko. And Buruu! Who wouldn't want a tiger for themselves? He's been hurt, haunted, and banished, but when he joins forces with Yukiko, they become unstoppable. They're a brilliant duo, and they're one of the many reasons why I loved Stormdancer!

Stormdancer never, ever has a dull moment. The action scenes are superb; the writing style makes the reader feel as if they're on the battlefield with Yukiko and Buruu. But the writing style also has the lyrical, haunting aurora when describing the dying wasteland of the Shima Imperium. The world is beautiful, lethal, and something I've never seen done before. Seriously, if you love fantastic worlds with an epic protagonist and a one of a kind writing style, Stormdancer is a must-read.

Overall, Stormdancer is a phenomenal debut that leaves its mark on the YA genre. Amazing, fantastic, all the feels. I was enthralled by this gem!

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Substitute Creature by Charles Gilman

Read on May 23, 2013

SUBSTITUTE CREATURE
Expected Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Quirk
Format: ARC
Page Count: 176 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Series: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School, #4

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't started this series.

Read my reviews from previous books in this series:

Professor Gargoyle • The Slither Sisters • Teacher's Pest

Substitute Creature is wicked fun! Dark, compelling, and a wild adventure, these books are unputdownable! Such an awesome series.

The Lovecraft Middle School series is one of my favorite MG series - it's got everything you could ever want in a creepy story. An epic trio of characters, sinister secrets lurking in the darkness, mutational animals, and something new and fresh in each book. And Substitute Creature did not disappoint by any means. With each book, I'm always shocked and creeped out by the new and perilous evil that Gilman throws into every book. Substitute Creature is such a creeptastic and epic novel! Who wouldn't be scared by a weird substitute teacher who may or may not be a monster? I love these books so much, and Substitute Creature was a fantastic continuation of the series.

I love going on adventures with Robert and the gang. Lovecraft Middle School is a quirky and odd place, and we get to explore darker realms of it in every novel - Substitute Creature definitely brought on the darkness! I wasn't expecting a lot of the events to actually happened, but I was so glad that Charles Gilman wasn't afraid to take risks in this fourth book. With a fourth book, things can get a little draggy with the story; that's not the case with this series. There's never a filler book, and each plot twist plays a vital and important role to the story. The perfect Halloween read!

Action, action, action! It was impossible to put Substitute Creature down. This was definitely the most fast-paced of the series, and I was shocked, frightening, and enchanted by the twists and turns thrown at the reader. The monsters terrified me, and the illustrations, as always, were an even more awesome addition to the story. (Seriously, some of these illustrations are super freaky!) Substitute Creature was an absolutely brilliant novel to this ever-epic series. I love this series to pieces!

Overall, Substitute Creature is a true gem in the middle grade genre. Fast-paced, horrifyingly marvelous, and one of a kind, this series is a must-read for all ages!

M Y    R A T I N G