Book Review: Queens of Geek - Jen Wilde

I was so lucky to receive this eARC from NetGalley!

This book hit all sorts of sweet spots with me, in the best of ways. Since I've been to ComicCon with my friends, consider myself a huge Harry Potter fan, and I'm definitely curvy, I could really identify with Taylor. But Taylor has more depth, as do all the characters, than I was expecting in a story that takes place over the span of one weekend.

1 & 2 stars - This story has two POV (why we don't get to hear from Jamie, I'm not sure but it works fine) and the story stays very focused on our group. This trio has always wanted to attend SupaCon, and has just flown in from Melbourne, Australia to have an epic weekend before they make some choices and moves for college. Right from the beginning, I was invested in these characters' lives. What happened before, what was going on, and where things would taken them afterwards. While there are still some unknowns, we are shown a great level of growth in these characters over the span of one weekend. I adored every moment with them.

3 stars - Not only was there a non-stereotypical woc (Charlie is Asian, with pink hair!), but there's Taylor, who is an "aspie" and she tells us she is somewhere on the spectrum. Oh, and she has anxiety disorder. Having chosen to attend SupaCon, she sets all that aside because she wants to meet her idol- the star of the Queen Firestone books & movies. What she doesn't anticipate are the people she meets (many in fact, good and bad), a Firestone contest, and her best friend Jamie's flirtations. And it's fantastic. I won't say how things turn out, but being in Taylor's headspace was really opening for me and is really fantastic to see in YA. 

4 stars - Charlie also gets a nod of her own because she's very deep as well. A YouTube vlogger, she's just struck big in the next dystopian movie series The Rising . Her acting managed to score the trio tickets, but it did not manage to score her time away from Reese- her awful recent ex. Since Reese, Charlie has openly come out as bi but hasn't dated a girl. While at the Con, she meets her crush Alyssa, another YouTube vlogger and celebrity of sorts. And while the girls hit it off with a lot in common, Charlie can't tell if Alyssa likes her back. It's a charming and adorable plotline and I really appreciated Charlie's narration.

5 stars - Jamie <3 , the boy who gets it. This trio has the healthiest and most open friendship I have seen in a YA book in awhile. With the exception of some things that give Taylor anxiety (i.e. things she won't talk about), they're pretty open and very close. And there are some great scenes where Jamie supports both of the girls by standing up, both verbally and physically. He's the dude you want your son to be. 

I don't think I have a favourite character, but I love this book and will be thinking fondly of it as I wait to open the paperback copy.*

*Originally published for Goodreads

Romance Week - YA Heart Breakers

Hello, welcome back to my shelf!

This is a list of books that hit me straight in the feels.  I won't say much about them, because I don't want to give anything away,, but you should still read them if you haven't.  So, without further ado...

#5 - Belzhar - Meg Wolitzer

#4 - Orbiting Jupiter - Gary Schmidt

#3 - Salt to the Sea - Ruta Septys 

Is she done researching yet?  I'm ready for more brilliance from Ruta!  

#2 - More Happy Than Not - Adam Silvera

Nicest dude!  Super tall too!

And...

#1 - The Serpent King - Jeff Zentner

This guy is very cool.

Honorable Mentions:

Dumplin' - Julie Murphy

The Rest of Us Just Live Here - Patrick Ness

Replica - Lauren Oliver

So, that's it for now.  Stay tuned to see what else I put on my shelf!

Romance Week - YA Books

Hey, welcome back to my shelf!

It's #RomanceWeek over on Goodreads.  From now through Valentine's Day, some authors who write romance are sharing short stories.  Since I mostly read YA for work (YA Librarian), I thought I'd list my Top 5 Favourite Romances in YA novels.  I think that there are all kinds of love too, so instead of just listing books that had relationships, I want to also list ones that had love between friends. (I'll save self-love and fave friends for another post).

There are bound to be some books that I will forget and there are all types of love that I want to include, so if you don't see your fave listed feel free to include it in the comments below!  And before you comment, I left Harry Potter out on purpose. There are a tons of brilliant instances of love and friendship in that book, and we all know it ;)

#5 - Of Fire and Stars - Audrey Coulthurst

This is a fantasy novel set in a pretty realistic setting.  Other than the sprawling territories, arranged marriages, and hidden magical powers, it's very relatable.  We find ourselves reading from the alternating POV of Mare & Denna.  Denna has been waiting years for the day she would have to fulfill the arranged marriage between her and Mare's brother, all the while keeping her powers a secret.  But neither girl could have predicted that they would fall for each other.  This is a sweet story that takes its time, building a believable and strong relationship between the girls while providing us with a mystery within the kingdom (a "whodunit" of royal proportions).  Both of these girls are strong and independent, making their support of each other even better.  If you haven't read it, you can check it out on Goodreads.  

#4 - The Darkest Part of the Forest  - Holly Black

This isn't your typical love story.  For years, this small town has known about the trickster fairy-like creatures in the woods.  For Hazel and Ben, most of their attention is on the fawn prince- a boy with horns and a knife, encased in glass.  And their love grows for him, seemingly there forever.  Until, one day, he's not.  And their secrets come crashing down around them. It's a little darker than your average romance, but it's one of my favourite examples of mixing up a fairytale.  And it's very quick-paced too.  You really should add it to your TBR pile.   

#3 - Caraval - Stephanie Garber

Sisterly love, arranged marriage love, forbidden stranger love.  This story of a game of intrigue as everything.  Scarlett and Tella are very close sisters who, for years, have dreamt of attending Caraval- a grand magical game, or performance if you're not participating.  And just as it seems the girls will never be able to attend, an invitation arrives for them.  When a mysterious strange arrives to their home, days away from her wedding, and her sister goes missing.  Scarlett must find her sister and return before she is out of time.  But can Scarlett trust this handsome sailor?  

Even though this was the first thing I read last year in May (from my BEA '16 book haul) it feels like just yesterday.  Maybe I should reread it, to fall in love all over again.  Check it out on Goodreads.   

#2 - My Lady Jane -Cynthia Hand(et al.)

The love in this story takes its time.  The story takes places as Edward, son of Henry VIII, has reached the peak of his Affliction and must find an heir to the throne.  Since he can't make one himself, his Royal Advisor convinces him to wed his cousin Jane Grey to his own son, Gifford.  Told in 3 POVs, this is a tale as witty as the Princess Bride with just a smidge of magic okay maybe a lot more than a smidge to twist history.  The romance that build between Jane and Gifford is just as fantastic as Buttercup and the Dred Pirate too!  Add it to your TBR pile!  

#1 - Queens of Geek - Jen Wilde 

This book had two romances going on and they were equally adorable.  While they were our main focus, I also felt like the love between the trio of friends (Jamie, Charlie, and Taylor) was very strong.  It was also one of the best YA books I had read in a while (for various reasons) mainly because these relationships were all healthy.  These teens thought things through and realized what was best of them and what wasn't.  When Charlie met her online crush, it was adorable and stayed that way.  When Taylor and Jamie clearly had the feels for each other, I was routing for them the whole time.  You can read my full review for this one soon- stay tuned for that blogpost.  This book comes out in March, so add it to your Goodreads TBR now!  

Honorable Mentions:

 The Serpent King  - Jeff Zentner

And the Trees Crept in - Dawn Kurtagich

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo

More Happy Than Not - Adam Silvera

I'm going to be posting soon with books I love, not necessarily for romance but because they're fantastic and you should have read them yesterday.  I'm also going to post a list of Heart Breakers, books that hit me really hard in the feels.  Stay tuned to see what else I put on my shelf!

Check out my Goodreads group here!