The Infinity Year of Avalon James by Dana Middleton // A Middle-Grade Coming of Age Story

The Infinity Year of Avalon James, by Dana Middleton
Publication: October 11, 2016, by Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Contemporary
Pages: 224
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Avalon James and Atticus Brightwell have a secret--one that they aren't allowed to discuss with anyone. This secret is shared between two best friends. When you and your best friend turn ten years old magical things are said to happen. You both will receive some kind of magical power. It can be a power you can call on time and time again. Or it can be a power that comes once when you need it most. It's your Infinity Year and the possibilities are endless.
The past year hasn't been great with her family being torn apart and bullying at school, so Avalon is depending on her magical ability to appear soon and help. With the clock ticking and her eleventh birthday approaching, which would be the end of her powers, Avalon's hopes are running high. Will she and Atticus get the powers they so desperately want and need?
Dana Middleton's debut novel is a wonderfully enchanting story of the possibility of magic and the even more magical bond between two best friends.

My Thoughts:

I love reading books about kids growing up, mostly because I always get a flashback to when I was deciding what kind of person I wanted to be. Dana Middleton's The Infinity Year of Avalon James always looked so promising from the moment I saw its cover and read the summary, and I knew that I would enjoy it. Let's say that I certainly did adore it. This was a special story about a girl who realized that everyone's life has some kind of magic. It was cute, memorable, and something that I recommend to all middle-grade readers. This isn't your typical coming-of-age story, but a gorgeous tale that I cannot get out of my head.

BEFORE ANYTHING - let's talk about Atticus and Avalon's relationship. I am the biggest supporter of boy and girl best friend relationships because in society, they seem to be frowned upon as people immediately expect a romance to bloom. I just don't get it. Atticus and Avalon were adorable and even though so many obstacles came in the way of their relationship, practically tearing them apart, they still were still good. As in good, they still respected each other. And I loved that their friendship wasn't competitive, as they both were so excited for the powers involved with the Infinity Year.

Middleton's writing is adorable. I love the way she formatted the story and how it was completely fast-paced. I finished in a matter of hours, especially because it's only 224 pages, and it doesn't require heavy thoughts, just happiness and a good mood. This book just equaled HAPPINESS. Can they please make a Disney Channel Original Movie out of it to teach kids some cute lessons? 

The Infinity Year of Avalon James is a great story that I definitely recommend. Go grab it and enjoy, because many books aren't like this one.

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

What are some middle grade coming-of-age stories?

Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Whatever Cure by Ann M. Martin // An Adorable Middle-Grade Read!

Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Whatever Cure (Missy Piggle-Wiggle #1), by Ann M. Martin and Annie Parnell
Publication: September 6, 2016, by Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 256
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has gone away unexpectedly and left her niece, Missy Piggle-Wiggle, in charge of the Upside-Down House and the beloved animals who live there: Lester the pig, Wag the dog, and Penelope the parrot, among others. Families in town soon realize that like her great-aunt, Missy Piggle-Wiggle has inventive cures for all sorts of childhood (mis)behavior: The Whatever Cure and the Just-a-Minute Cure, for instance. What is a stressed out parent to do? Why, call Missy Piggle-Wiggle, of course!
New York Times-bestselling author Ann Martin brings her signature warmth and comic genius to a new character. And artist Ben Hatke brings it all to life!

My Thoughts:

Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Whatever Cure was a lovely middle-grade read that was so refreshing. It was different than everything I normally read, especially because I really do not pick up fantasy children's stories as I am always afraid that I will be put face-to-face with a Harry Potter wannabe story. (Sorry to all of you Harry Potter fans. It's just not my kind of read.) However, I have always been a fan of Ann M. Martin's books (she stole my heart with her Babysitters Club series) so I was hyped up to pick this up. It's been a long time since I received this in the mail, but I am SO glad I enjoyed it. This is a fun, adorable story that has that kind of cute vibe to it. It just warmed my heart and reminded me of the kind of books I always wanted to read when I was a kid.

SO. What is this book (with a weird title) truly about? Our protagonist, Missy-Piggle-Wiggle, lives in her aunt's house, since her aunt is trying to find where her husband is after he was abducted by pirates. This introduces us to a magical world, which I appreciated so much! My head was spinning with this imagery, so I can imagine what kids will go through when they read this lovely story. All of the children's parents in their town know about Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's magical skills to cure annoying habits (of the kids, obviously). Thinking that Missy didn't know how to perform the magical "work," the parents became worried as she was their only hope. Eventually, they figured out that she has the same skills as her aunt, so they took their problematic children to Missy. This is the story about the various journeys everyone encountered involving Missy's skills. In fact, it is a lovely story.

I really appreciated the characters that Martin created — as always. We have a huge pack of characters in Missy Piggle-Wiggle's world that are both humans and animals and even... houses. My favourite was Melody, from all of the characters. She's a bookworm (like me) and shy, showing that characters that are kids don't have to be perfect and loud and have a full HUGE personality. She had her own kind of magic in her character, which I really appreciated. Missy Piggle-Wiggle as a protagonist was just so cute - I think children would find her to be a great role model as she fixes situations and is just a positive influence. NOW - if you look at the cover of this book, would you expect a moving, listening house to be a character? I know I wouldn't, but this is what happened! That was really creative and interesting. I can honestly say that everything about this book was entertaining - the parents were (who were so anxious that it became hilarious) and the adorable animals like Lester the Pig (who acted like Missy's personal butler) and Wag the Dog! AH. IT'S SO CUTE!

As for the plot, the beginning was kind of slow for character development (in order for Martin to introduce the characters aside from the weird talking house). However, it was never boring - it was action-packed and fun, and I didn't want it to be over. Another flaw was the ending, which was kind of upsetting. But hey - there's a sequel which I will be reading, so I guess there'll be a continuation there!

Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Whatever Cure was really enjoyable - I was never bored and I was entertained. If we can only cure the 2017 kids like that! (CURE THE DAB AND THE FIDGET SPINNERS!)

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

What is your favourite fantasy children's read?

Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross by Katie Finn // A Cute Ending to This Trilogy

Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross (Broken Hearts and Revenge #3), by Katie Finn
Publication: May 10, 2016, by Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 256
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

Gemma and Hallie's world has come to a screeching halt. Their parents are engaged, which makes them step-sisters. Nothing in the world could possibly be worse for Gemma and Hallie--they won't let it happen. Even if it means putting their own feud aside to separate their parents.
Events quickly escalate as a hurricane rips through the Hamptons leaving everyone (including Gemma's two exes, her current crush, best friend, and her nemesis) bottled up in one house. One big, miserable group of exes and enemies together allow secrets to unfold and plans to be plotted. The calm before this storm definitely doesn't exist.
Katie Finn pulls out all the stops for this fast-paced, dramatic conclusion in the Broken Hearts and Revenge series, Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross.

My Thoughts:

Katie Finn has done it yet again. Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross is a cute ending to a trilogy that stole my heart three (?) years ago due to its gorgeous cover. If you are a fan of drama, romance and all things summer, this series is for you. Although the first novel from this series was definitely the best and most action-filled, this was a nice break from all of the mature themed books I have been reading lately - for school and not for school. 

To be quite honest, it was difficult for me to let go of Hallie and Gemma's feud and story. SO DIFFICULT. These characters have been part of ever summer with me, however, it was a good ending to the series because I cannot imagine this going any further. It was a perfect finish to this all - I waited so long to find out who Gemma will end up with and if her master plan of breaking her dad up with Hallie's mom will ever work. AND... I won't tell you what will exactly happen, but let's just say that we had a good closure.

At this point, Gemma and Hallie are basically being forced to deal with each other as their parents are getting engaged. This wasn't meant to happen, as Gemma already broke them up years before. However, this sudden revolt shows how they have always had a connection and that they just want to get together. Now, the two girls are teaming up and are starting this whole "breaking up" scheme again, with more drama in the way due to a huge hurricane "ruining" their summer.

The major issue I had with this finale is that it was just so predictable. Everything that I guessed would happened actually happened. If it was so predictable in this sense, then what was the point of a finale actually being written? I wanted everything to be different - not our typical contemporary romance. But this kind of was. In other ways, like the romance, Finn surprised us with her writing tactics and I ended up being pretty fulfilled with how Gemma's love life turned out to be. However, this novel lacked a "wow" factor that would make me squeal and want to give this a perfect, five-star rating.

Hearts, Fingers, and Other Things to Cross by Katie Finn is a great finale to this summery series. As usual, it continues to uphold drama that keeps us going and entertained. Not taking a few flaws into account makes the story so much better. This series is totally recommended by me!

What contemporary series has a great ending?

Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold by Katie Finn // This Series is Life.

Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold (Broken Hearts and Revenge #2), by Katie Finn
Publication: May 5, 2015, by Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

The war rages on between Gemma and Hallie in the second installment of the Broken Hearts and Revenge series.
After the humiliating events on the 4th of July, Gemma's trying to handle the fact that Hallie knew who she was all along, and she was the one who stole Teddy from her. Gemma vows revenge, but things get more complicated than she planned. Ford, Gemma’s long-time crush, has arrived in the Hamptons cuter than ever. Josh is refusing to speak to her after she lied to him, and Teddy is playing champion to his beloved Marsh Warbler (in Gemma's backyard, no less).
Gemma and Hallie find themselves locked in an escalating revenge cycle. Just when Gemma thinks she has the upper hand, the biggest bombshell of all is dropped. And it’s one that threatens to change her life forever. This exciting sequel to Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things To Mend will leave you begging for the third installment.

My Thoughts:

     The last time I took a look at this cover, I was sitting in the car, with the windows rolled down, the world moving around me as I travelled through my favourite place in the world: California. California is the place where you want to read books like these, books from Katie Finn or Morgan Matson, however you would like to call her. I read this on my way to and from San Diego, a city that was promising and left me wanting more; a day dream certainly isn’t enough. I spent a steaming hot August afternoon in the Gaslamp Quarter, though my mind constantly flew back to this book. I abruptly put it down in the middle of the plot because I needed to leave, though I must say that, my friends, Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold was absolutely nourishing and fabulous. There’s nothing better than a good ole book full of drama and messed up characters. Katie Finn does it best. 

     Some may find the story of Gemma and Hallie to be over-exaggerated, unreal although it is fiction after all. I completely disagree with this; this contemporary-romance is full of drama that most likely is occurring in someone’s life right now. Please excuse me for being a little lost on the plot of this novel; it has been many, many months since I read it and devoured it quite quickly; in fact, it was over the course of a day. So, since I read this a while ago and need a refresher, let's format this review into a top six list of reasons why I really enjoyed Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold in the midst of summertime. Gosh, what would I do for hot weather and suntans right now.

Top Six Reasons Why Katie Finn Will Not Disappoint This Time Around:

1. Because, duh, this is a continuation of the first book!

    The plot takes place immediately from where Broken Hearts and Revenge ended, and boy was I excited. When I read this, it was over a year after I read the first book, and I was quite afraid that I wasn't going to get a thorough refresher of the events of the first novel. Well, I was pleased. Finn reveals a few new details concerning Gemma's life after the disastrous Fourth of July, and little by little, everything came together and I became obsessed with this series once more. I just have come to realize how much I needed the last book; my life depends on it. *winks* I adored the first book a little more than this one as a result of pacing (this one did get a little boring at times, but we could blame that on how mesmerized I was in California), though I was quite pleased.

2. THE ROMANCE.

    So for a while I was Team Josh, because he is the hugest heartthrob, but as the scandal between Gemma and Hallie strengthened, I was torn between both Josh and Teddy, who I would classify as the bad boy. I LOVE THEM BOTH. I spent the majority of this book crossing my fingers so Gemma would stop complaining and so she could get back together with Josh. It needed to happen ASAP. And sadly, for the purposes of censorship, I am unable to tell you the outcome. Let's say things turned out a little better than first expected.

3. THE BOMBSHELL. 

    HOLY COW. So I expected a bombshell only because the synopsis spoke about one, but little did I know that it would be that huge and life-changing for Gemma. This was a part where I realized how small the world actually is and how people could be put in situations together even if they despise the idea of it. I JUST WANT TO SEE WHERE THIS WILL DEVELOP. I also adore the fact that this is a trilogy; some people think that contemporary romances are only meant to be standalones, but I DISAGREE completely; every author has the potential to create a series that features romance, fluff and drama that would beat Gossip Girl if put to the test. This sequel was a bombardment of giggles, constant blows to each character and envy. I loved it.

4. Gemma. I don't think we need to really explain that.

     If you read the first book of this series—which you should have or else you SHOULDN'T be reading this review—you must have loved Gemma. I know I did, and I found her different from many characters in contemporary romances. She's the kind of person I'd personally want to be friends with: honest, though a clear risk-taker who knows what she wants in life and will do anything to achieve it. This attitude continued to this novel and every time she beat Hallie in their never-ending feud, my inner crowd went wild. As you can see, I'm a huge fan.

5. How easy it is to read (and love) this book.

    Katie (Morgan) is one of my favourite authors for the reason that I find it so easy to read her novels. I easily get invested in the story, and it takes so much time for me to leave the world of the characters because they seem so realistic and the writing style is just beautiful. I cannot help but beg everyone to pick up this series when they feel like they need a pick-me-up read.

     GRAB THIS ONE ASAP. (The only flaw was the boringness and the lengthiness of the book—400 pages is a little too long for a contemporary-romance that is in a trilogy.) 

I'm not as upset as much as the robot here, okay?

  

      Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold is full of drama and it is an excellent progression of Gemma and Hallie's story/feud that seems to never end. Add romance and beautiful writing into the mix and we have a lovely read for the summertime or any time of the year.

Do you know of any contemporary-romance stories that are in a trilogy or lengthy series?

Waiting on Wednesday #43: Forget Me Not

Waiting on Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where
us book bloggers fangirl over upcoming releases!

Forget Me Not, by Ellie Terry
Publication: March 14, 2017, by Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Contemporary
Pages: 336

A girl with Tourette syndrome starts a new school and tries to hide her quirks in this debut middle-grade novel in verse.
Calliope June has Tourette syndrome. Sometimes she can't control the noises that come out of her mouth, or even her body language. When she and her mother move yet again, she tries to hide her TS. But soon the kids in her class realize she's different. Only her neighbor, who is also the class president, sees her as she truly is—a quirky kid, and a good friend. But is he brave enough to take their friendship public?
As Callie navigates school, she must also face her mother's new relationship and the fact that she might be moving again—just as she's starting to make friends and finally accept her differences. This story of being true to yourself will speak to a wide audience.

It's been a while since I've done a WoW post, but I was on vacation (which I'll give a HUGE recap of eventually) and have been exploring other reads, but I'm backkkkk. Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry sounds like such a heartbreaking, beautiful story that will be perfect for my sister (a middle grade reader), myself, and everyone around. I love this cover and everything that is explained of in the synopsis. 

What are you anticipating the most this week?

Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre // An Utter Gorgeous Concept But..

Mortal Danger (Immortal Game #1), by Ann Aguirre
Publication: August 5, 2014, by Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 

Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.
In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind...

My Thoughts:

Ann Aguirre's books are a girl's best friend. Mortal Danger has been on my must-get TBR list for ages, and after reading her newest, The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things, I found that it was so relatable to me and that I needed more from Aguirre as soon as possible. This time around, the story was much more dark and eerie, but eerie in the sense that is totally satisfying. The concept of the Immortal Game trilogy is utterly brilliant, and I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy this so much if you already liked Scott Westerfeld's Uglies. This novel is just as racing as her others, and I am totally in love with what was handed to me, in a way.

Mortal Danger is pretty great. I did not expect to have the concept go this deep, and it was surprising in that extra special way that will make you scream and be captivated to everything else that this author has written. The only other book that I read by Aguirre was chick-lit, girly and bubblegum pink fun. This? This was something else, and not everyone will enjoy it. It was nice and all, but there is nothing memorable about the story, just letting you know.

Beauty does not matter. At least, that's what I've been taught about all my life and continue to believe that as I walk around modern society. But this book basically tells humanity the opposite. Beauty is the way to popularity, to attention. Aguirre does not feature anything throughout this novel about good human characteristics and personality traits, like intelligence. The main character, Edie, is bound to become beautiful and to her, that's the way that she'll stop getting teased and bullied at her extra top-notch boarding school called Blackbriar, where most of the story takes place. There are paranormal aspects with apocalyptic-like mystery serving around Edie and her forbidden relationship with Kian, the guy who offered this new life to her.

This is a confusing story. It seemed like Aguirre just tumbled everything on top of readers and we spent the time reading trying to climb out and throw the blocks away. It was slow-paced, confusing, and not my favourite story at all. The concept was nice, but it would have been much nicer if the author took a simpler, basic stand onto Edie's story. I expected this to be a new addition to my shelves of favourites, but it did not take that toll at all. The plot was mismatched, like a gross pair of mismatched socks that did not go together with the characters and all. Edie had an attitude that was always unsure, even when her identity changed and was supposed to act different in this new dimension thing.

Paranormal? Ugh. Paranormal and dystopians are so 2012, and I dislike both, but I would have preferred Aguirre to take this on a more science-fiction spice. This is urban fantasy, but I literally expected a vampire or werewolf to show up in the story out of nowhere. It was 80% possible for the way the things turned out to be. I rolled my eyes, expected more, and wanted more, actually. I forgot about half of the story and it's only been a week since I last picked it up. It's sad.

Edie and Kian. That is the KIND OF COUPLE I needed. For a book like this, we want mysteriousness mixed with sexiness at the same time. Their chemistry and reason for being together was memorable and perfect. An Oscar winning couple, to be honest.

Mortal Danger is entertaining, and one of the traits about it that could surely catch your attention is the themes. Beauty, and the concepts that many of us currently believe in, in modern society are thoroughly explained through an urban fantasy story that is very, very nice. I would not read the sequel, but Aguirre's novels are surely on my radar and I enjoy her writing greatly. Kian = new book boyfriend though, just letting you know.

Do you ever feel that some authors could only pull off a specific genre and then when they try another... it doesn't go well?