The Merciless II: The Exorcism of Sofia Flores by Danielle Vega // Unexpected Gorgeousness

The Merciless II: The Exorcism of Sofia Flores (The Merciless #2), by Danielle Vega
Publication: July 5, 2016, by Razorbill
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Horror
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

Sofia is still processing the horrific truth of what happened when she and three friends performed an exorcism that spiraled horribly out of control. Ever since that night, Sofia has been haunted by bloody and demonic visions. Her therapist says they’re all in her head, but to Sofia they feel chillingly real. She just wants to get out of town, start fresh someplace else . . . until her mother dies suddenly, and Sofia gets her wish.
Sofia is sent to St. Mary’s, a creepy Catholic boarding school in Mississippi. There, seemingly everyone is doing penance for something, most of all the mysterious Jude, for whom Sofia can’t help feeling an unshakeable attraction. But when Sofia and Jude confide in each other about their pasts, something flips in him. He becomes convinced that Sofia is possessed by the devil. . . . Is an exorcism the only way to save her eternal soul?
Readers won’t be able to look away from this terrifying read full of twists and turns that will leave them wondering, Is there evil in all of us?

My Thoughts:

I was unfortunately unimpressed with Danielle Vega's Survive the Night, a horror standalone story about a group of teenagers intending to 'survive the night' in a New York City rave full of monsters and weird creatures. I suspected that my taste in YA genres have changed, and that perhaps I wasn't into the horror genre anymore. However, I was wrong — I just wasn't interested in that standalone story. I adored the second novel in The Merciless series. I never expected that Sofia Flores' story would take this turn and turn out to be so gory and addicting. If you're not the type of person who enjoys reading about gore, then definitely do not pick this up. But, I'm hoping you will so that you are able to see how gorgeous the writing and storyline is. It's rare for YA readers to come upon such amazing horror stories, and this is one of them.  

This story takes place a little while after the first Merciless novel ended. Sofia is still trying to relax after the previous trauma she endured with Brooklyn and her friends in Friend, Mississippi. When her mother suddenly dies in a car accident, Sofia is forced to look towards a change in her life as she is unable to live by herself in Friend anymore. She chooses to head to a Catholic boarding school where things start to go wrong too, and she feels connected to Brooklyn once again.

THIS STORY WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. I read it in a day (which is rare for me to experience these days after my countless reading slumps), and I'm telling you: it's been a long time since I've felt this way about a book. I am so in love with Vega's writing and I love how she is able to mix different aspects of a story together, such as romance, suspense, gore, and absolute horror which still scars me when I think about it. This is the first YA book that has left me terrified. I find that even if you don't think of yourself as a horror fan, there is a huge chance that this book will mould you into one. 

Yay to the success of this story and yay to YA horror! I truly do hope that more authors will tend to this genre as it's so underrated. I am so STOKED for the sequel to this novel (which I am about to start), and I cannot wait to become more terrified.

Have you read a YA novel that terrified you?

If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales // I Don't Understand the Problems

If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say, by Leila Sales
Publication: May 1, 2018, by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

We all want to be seen. We all want to be heard. But what happens when we’re seen and heard saying or doing the wrong things? What then?
When Winter Halperin—former spelling bee champion, aspiring writer, and daughter of a parenting expert—gets caught saying the wrong thing online, her life explodes. All across the world, people knows what she’s done, and none of them will forgive her.

With her friends gone, her future plans cut short, and her identity in shambles, Winter is just trying to pick up the pieces without hurting anyone else. She knows she messed up, but does that mean it’s okay for people to send her hate mail and death threats? Does she deserve to lose all that she’s lost? And is “I’m sorry” ever good enough?

First and foremost a novel about public shaming in the internet age, If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say is also an exploration of the power of words, the cumulative destructiveness of microaggressions, and the pressing need for empathy.

My Thoughts:

When I picked this book up, I was extremely hesitant because it seems that the entire bookish community is not really rooting for this book by Leila Sales. I am a HUGE Leila Sales, having read every book by her except for one, and when given the opportunity to read this new release, I was ecstatic. I was not aware that she would be releasing a new, heartwarming story in 2018, and discovering this was the best news. Then, I read some of the early reviews and I was afraid but skeptical. Leila Sales chose to write this book based on what is happening in our world today on social media and on the Internet. The topic of this book is very unique, however, it appears in reality everyday and affects all of our lives. Nevertheless, I completely support Leila Sales' decision to write about this, and we deserve to read a story about this topic. About racism and not realizing the consequences that our actions and words have. 

I obviously am not standing up for the comments that the protagonist, Winter Halperin, used. It was wrong for her to type that out (we obviously see the wrongness of the situation when Winter begins to lose everything she has ever had), however, this does not mean that Winter is an evil individual who deserves to be punished. In MY opinion, I see that Winter's character felt sorry for what she did, and, by the end of the novel, understood why her actions were wrong. I personally did not feel sorry for her (I don't think we were meant to feel that way — Leila Sales usually creates these kinds of characters), but just because I didn't feel sorry doesn't mean that this book is unacceptable. I just don't understand why some people are hating on this story for its theme and topic. It is about time that an author addresses this topic in a story, as it seems as if everyone has been ignoring it in the literary world. I personally enjoyed the topics explored in the writing.

For the first half of the story, I was intrigued and fascinated with the storyline and plot. The story is so unique that I'm pretty sure it cannot be compared to anything else. 2018 is the best time for this book to have been released, so I definitely think it's time for you to pick it up. When I got through to the second half, especially the part involving Winter's entrance to rehab and the relationship (which I don't think was necessary; let the girl focus on her emotions!) it fell short as I wasn't able to see where the story was really going. From the first half, I became aware of the fact that the story was about Winter learning how to deal with her mistakes, though I found that the plot dragged. Nonetheless, I totally recommend every bit of the story for a fresh read.

If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say was a great read to start off my summer vacation, and it truly is an important one. Go see that for yourself.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What are some other controversial YA novels?

By Your Side by Kasie West // Libraries and a Cute Premise

By Your Side, by Kasie West
Publication: January 31, 2017, by HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 346
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.
Only he doesn’t come. No one does.
Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side.

My Thoughts:

If you have been paying attention to my reviews for the past few years, you probably are able to tell that I am a huge Kasie West fan. And I'm not the only one: look at the huge population of chick-lit fans who have been converted thanks to Kasie's books. There are some people who despise reading cheesy stories about romance and falling in love, however, they could definitely be a sucker for this writing. I adore contemporary romances (they're just such feel good reads), and By Your Side is not an exception to this statement. It's a book that is so realistic in comparison to other contemporaries out there in the YA world, and I appreciate that West also writes about the struggles people can have outside of the love, romantic world. 

Autumn, our protagonist, lives with anxiety, however, she hides this from her closest friends as she doesn't want them to treat her any differently. This is a huge secret to keep as it affects her social life and the way in which she interacts with her friends, especially her crush, Jeff, who she predicts will become her future boyfriend. One winter night after a studying session at the library, Autumn is stuck there, and is unable to leave until the following Monday due to a holiday. She quickly discovers that she is not the only one stranded in the library; her school's resident "bad-boy" slash rebel, Dax, is there, and he seems uninterested in forming some kind of friendship with Autumn. 

Evidently, being stuck in a library with someone for three days forces people to become friends. I mean, in this kind of situation, you're kind of supposed to use some survival skills, haha. I just adored the premise of this whole book, and how it was atypical in relation to the other cheesy, predictable stories out there. This obviously holds a lot of fluffy writing and happiness throughout, however, I found that it was special and unique. By Your Side had more to the story than just pure romance; it touched upon mental health topics, family, foster care and trauma. I don't know how Kasie West does it, but the mix between fluffiness (in terms of romance) and darker topics just works perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better mix. 

Although this was not a 5-star read (as some of West's books were, in my opinion), I felt that it was a great, light, summer read that I have been seeking for ages. I initially picked it up as I wanted to be relieved of my terrible reading slump that has been bothering me for months, and it definitely did help abandon it. 

By Your Side was just too cute. I love Kasie West's ideas and the way she weaves in darker themes in the midst of a light, contemporary romance. I have three more of her books to read, and I should do that very soon. Cheers to summery reads!

Who is your favourite chick-lit author?

Summer in the Invisible City by Juliana Romano // The Best Book I've Read This Year

Summer in the Invisible City, by Juliana Romano
Publication: June 21, 2016, by Dial Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

Seventeen-year-old Sadie Bell has this summer all figured out: She’s going to befriend the cool girls at her school. She’s going to bond with her absentee father, a famous artist, and impress him with her photography skills. And she’s finally going to get over Noah, the swoony older guy who was her very first mistake.
Sadie wasn’t counting on meeting Sam, a funny and free-thinking boy who makes her question all of her goals. But even after a summer of talking, touching, and sharing secrets, Sam says he just wants to be friends. And when those Sadie cares about most hurt her, Sam’s friendship may not be enough. Sadie can see the world through her camera, but can she see the people who have loved and supported her all along?

My Thoughts:

SO. I was the biggest fan of Juliana Romano's First There Was Forever. After completing it and closing the book's spine, I wanted more. I then went onto Goodreads and saw that this pretty, Summer in the Invisible City, would be releasing. I COULDN'T WAIT to fall back into the world of Romano's contemporary romance writing, and I knew that these kinds of books only come around once in a lifetime. Two days ago, I picked up this book, hoping that it would be as good as it appeared to be, and I was not disappointed. This is absolutely the best book I've read this year (so far, at least, but it'll be difficult to beat). It's a book that's both light and easy to read (based on the fact that it is so addicting that you can even read it in the loudest setting possible without losing concentration), but dark and meaningful, as it focuses a lot on family, friendship, and love, in an absolute realistic manner. I absolutely feel as if this story was real, and that Sadie's character exists in New York City.

Summer in the Invisible City evidently takes place in New York City, where we have our kickass protagonist, Sadie, who is dealing with a bunch of conflicts in her life. For one, she has been in a state of heartbreak for a while after a guy named Noah took advantage of her while she thought that they had 'something.' Her father, a famous photographer, is also out of the picture, occasionally visiting Sadie, but the situation itself is quite awkward. She is also trying to fit in with the cooler kids at her school, and is attempting to decide what her future holds for her after high school. Things get more complicated when she meets Sam, who is from New Hampshire, and is beginning to learn about NYC life. However, he just states that he and Sadie are 'friends,' giving her mixed feelings as she sees something more in their relationship.

THE FEELS. THE EMOTIONS. THE LOVE. I am just so obsessed with the romance in this novel that I feel that I can tell you that I haven't seen anything like it. Romano just takes such a real approach to her writing that many other chick-lit writers should look to. Sam and Sadie just had that SPECIAL SOMETHING that I will never forget about. I'm obsessed! 

Let's cut to the chase: there wasn't anything wrong with this book! IT WAS JUST AMAZING. I'm telling you that you must pick it up when you can; do not listen to the negative reviews.

What is the best book you've read this year?

Elektra's Adventures in Tragedy by Douglas Rees // An Interesting Take on a Coming-of-Age Story

Elektra's Adventures in Tragedy, by Douglas Rees
Publication: May 8, 2018, by Running Press Kids
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Sixteen-year-old Elektra Kamenides is well on her way to becoming a proper southern belle in the small Mississippi college town she calls home. That is, until her mother decides to uproot her and her kid sister Thalia and start over in California. They leave behind Elektra's father—a professor and leading expert on Greek mythology, and Elektra can't understand why. For her, life is tragedy, and all signs point to her family being cursed.
Their journey ends in Guadalupe Slough, a community of old Chicano families and oddball drifters sandwiched between San José and the southern shores of San Francisco Bay. The houseboat that her mother has bought, sight unseen, is really just an ancient trailer parked on a barge and sunk into a mudflat.
What would Odysseus do? Elektra asks herself. Determined to get back to Mississippi at all costs, she'll beg, cheat, and steal to get there. But things are not always what they seem, and home is wherever you decide to make it.

My Thoughts:

Elektra's Adventures in Tragedy was goone of the most interesting contemporary YA fiction stories I've read this year. The story literally screams out "summer," and appears to be a story that is about revival and coming-of-age. Of course, the protagonist, Elektra, is the one who is "coming of age" and is learning about who she is and what she can do to change the flaws in her personality. Because, let's face it: there are tons of flaws in this character's personality, which is one of the reasons why I was disappointed with this story. While it initially turned out to be promising and interesting, the story plummeted into disappointment, especially in the ending where I felt that there was no kind of purpose or closure to Elektra's story except for audiences to witness her growth. Honestly, we can all witness growth and development in any protagonist in any story. Why should we read a story about this basic angsty teenage development if some other books actually have some kind of purpose?

For the most part, I've sounded quite blunt and disappointed with Rees' story. However, it did have its perks. As this story is about a sixteen-year-old girl named Elektra who is forced to move to a grungy little town in California from Mississippi with her mother and sister, it surely did have a cool group of secondary characters. There were many of them (who live in the fictional town of Guadalupe Slough), and each had a distinctive personality that made the book more entertaining. Unlike other reviews, I felt that each of them had depth and were well-described, causing no bookish problems for me. HOWEVER. (There is always a "however") Elektra's character is the definition of angst and bratty. It is always very difficult for me to comprehend why an author decides to create a dislikable character, let alone a dislikable protagonist. A protagonist is the character readers will spend the most time with, and I just cannot understand why some of them have to be so... ew? I can definitely say that the different environment of Guadalupe Slough shaped Elektra into a different person, however, throughout her "development," I couldn't stand her and found her to be a bad influence. She did not appreciate people's sacrifices made for her, and the fact that her younger thirteen-year-old sister was smarter really made me cringe. 

As for the pacing of the story, it was a quick read I completed in a span of two days, and was pretty intriguing for the most part until the uneventful ending came. I expected there to be a big BOOM of surprise and interesting events, but I did not receive anything from the plot that was out of my expectations or that triggered emotions. For myself, that's always a thumbs down for a story.

Elektra's Adventures in Tragedy was a refreshing read, but one that turned out to be a little misleading. I really enjoyed reading about the characters' situations and stories, however, our protagonist, Elektra, caused me to give this book a 3 star rating. Would I recommend this to future readers? If you're desperate for a contemporary summery read, sure. If you're seeking a gorgeous well-written story, maybe not.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

Have you read a book recently with a disappointing protagonist?

The Fashion Committee by Susan Juby // YA? More Like Middle-Grade.

The Fashion Committee, by Susan Juby
Publication: May 23, 2017, by Viking Books for Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Pages: 307
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Charlie Dean is a style-obsessed girl who eats, sleeps, and breathes fashion.
John Thomas-Smith is a boy who forges metal sculptures in his garage and couldn’t care less about clothes.
Both are gunning for a scholarship to the private art high school that could make all their dreams come true. And whoever wins the fashion competition will win the scholarship.

My Thoughts:

DNF @ 65 pages

Unfortunately, Susan Juby's The Fashion Committee was an extreme disappointment. Perhaps my twelve-year-old self would have enjoyed a story like this, but I rather felt... displeased and sad with its outcome. Given that I had read Juby's work in the past (and felt iffy about it), I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. It's definitely out of my comfort zone as it focuses on the fashion industry and students getting scholarships or whatnot. Once I began reading it, I quickly decided that it was not the kind of book for me and that perhaps middle-grade readers would prefer it. The only good perk about thsi entire story is that it was written in a journal format, which is a fresh way to conquer writing a novel and making your story be heard. 

While the story did focus on some darker themes such as domestic violence, I found it to have too many details and it was just all over the place. I wasn't able to pay attention to the plot (and I have a pretty good attention span). I decided to pick it up because it looked to be a light read, but, in fact, it was just boring and disappointing. After 60 pages, I just decided to put it down because I know I would've given it a low rating even if I continued reading. 

This book was not my cup of tea. I had to DNF it or else I would've gone mad, and unfortunately, this was a bad read for me. *shrugs*

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What are some BETTER middle-grade reads out there?

Survive the Night by Danielle Vega // A Book That Threw Me Into a Three-Month Reading Slump

Survive the Night, by Danielle Vega
Publication: May 24, 2016, by Razorbill
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Horror
Pages: 288
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: ½

Just back from rehab, Casey regrets letting her friends Shana, Julie, and Aya talk her into coming to Survive the Night, an all-night, underground rave in a New York City subway tunnel. Surrounded by frightening drugs and menacing strangers, Casey doesn’t think Survive the Night could get any worse...
...until she comes across Julie’s mutilated body in a dank, black subway tunnel, red-eyed rats nibbling at her fingers. Casey thought she was just off with some guy—no one could hear her getting torn apart over the sound of pulsing music. And by the time they get back to the party, everyone is gone.
Desperate for help, Casey and her friends find themselves running through the putrid subway tunnels, searching for a way out. But every manhole is sealed shut, and every noise echoes eerily in the dark, reminding them they’re not alone.
They’re being hunted.
Trapped underground with someone—or something—out to get them, Casey can’t help but listen to Aya’s terrified refrain: “We’re all gonna die down here.”

My Thoughts:

I am a huge fan of Danielle Vega's debut novel, The Merciless, which is now becoming a series with four books (which I don't really know what to think about) so I ultimately couldn't wait to pick up Survive the Night. A standalone horror story? I was so in. However, when picking this one up in March, I quickly discovered that I was just bored. Eventually, school came in the way, and I lost interest in reading a cliché horror story about a group of reckless teenagers doing drugs and dreaming about having boyfriends. Whoops. *shrugs* But please: don't get me wrong; I love books full of drama as otherwise they wouldn't be entertaining. But when picking up this standalone of Vega's, I had different expectations. I expected to read a story that will scare the jeepers creepers out of me, which The Merciless did. This is a book that's more fantasy-like, with some abnormal creatures making a quick appearance. Emphasize the 'quick' part of the previous sentence. This was not a scary novel whatsoever. 

So after I realized that this book was boring and not my type, life got in the way and I never had time to read anymore. Or maybe this book gave me that illusion, as I realized that if I wanted to read, I would have to read this book to get to read those other anticipated novels on my bookshelf. So, I fell into a reading slump, which totally diminished my opinion of this book. I now decided to get back into it, as I suddenly have the urge to read, and I am still kind of disappointed.

This book is about seventeen-year-old Casey, who is slowly heading back to her old life with her old friends after she spent some time in rehab, recovering from her suspected 'drug abuse.' Her badly-influenced friends suggest the idea for Casey and them to head to an underground rave in New York City called Survive the Night, where they ironically are forced to survive the night as people begin dying and are hunted by an unknown creature.

Eh. *shrugs for the fifteenth time* I didn't find anything special about the premise of the story. I found that I honestly have the potential to come up with this kind of story. You know those books that are so masterfully polished and created, that you start to wonder if the author is a human prodigy for coming up with something like that? Sorry to say this, but Survive the Night wasn't part of this description. It wasn't my cup of tea. I'd probably recommend this to younger teens who are being introduced to the YA genre, and specifically, horror stories. This may frighten them. But it didn't frighten me or leave me traumatized. That's kind of what we always look for, don't we, when we read "scary" stories or even watch horror movies? We always seek the adrenaline and crave more. This was really Disney Channel-like, if that description makes sense.

Danielle Vega's Survive the Night was not terrible and the most outrageous book I've read, but it surely wasn't her best work. I'll soon be picking up the sequel to The Merciless, ready to judge if my tastes have changed, or if this book was the sole problem. 

What are some GREAT YA horror stories?