Jonesy: Volume One | Fangirl Cupid

JONESY: Volume One

(Jonesy, Issues 1-4)

Written by: Sam Humphries | Illustrated by: Caitlin Rose Boyle

Colors: Mickey Quinn | Letters: Corey Breen | Cover: Caitlin Rose Boyle

Designer: Kelsey Dietrich | Editors: Jeanine Shaeffer & Shannon Watters

Published: August 2016 (Boom! Box Studios)

What's It About?

A sarcastic teenager with the powers of cupid unleashes her preternatural matchmaking abilities on her school with hilarious and charming results.
Jonesy is a self-described “cool dork” who spends her time making zines nobody reads, watching anime, and listening to riot grrrl bands and 1D simultaneously. But she has a secret nobody knows. She has the power to make people fall in love! Anyone. With anything. She’s a cupid in plaid. With a Tumblr. There’s only one catch—it doesn’t work on herself. She’s gonna have to find love the old-fashioned way, and in the meantime, figure out how to distract herself from the real emotions she inevitably has to face when her powers go wrong… [GoodReads]

What I Thought.

Boom! Box continuously puts out titles that grab my attention. They make it a point to include a diverse cast of characters in all of their books. The stories are lighthearted and funny. One of the more popular titles from their line up is Lumberjanes. Jonesy has the same feel in that it's fun and doesn't take its self too serious. At the beginning Jonesy can come off as slightly immature, but I mean who doesn't when it comes to fangirling over their favorite person/celebrity. There's never a dull moment with her and the stuff that she gets herself into because of her crazy ideas. But you definitely get to see her heart and her good intentions through all of it especially when it comes to the people she loves. 

Her ability to make people fall in love is an interesting addition to her character, especially with how excited she gets over things. It's not explained how she got the powers. It's sort of mentioned in the beginning, but since Jonesy doesn't really understand how she got them and we're being told the story through her, we don't get to see how.

The pages are jam packed full of colors that make me want to rip out the pages and hang them up on my wall. If you can get your hands on a physical copy of this you'll appreciate the art so much. I love going through the Cover Gallery in the back of volumes to see the different styles and how different artists draw the same character. 

I really enjoyed Jonesy and the shenanigans she gets into. It's a colorful and fun read that you shouldn't take too serious. My favorite part is that it's diverse and original. I can't wait to read the next volume.

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski | Review

The Winner's Curse 

(The Winner's Trilogy, #1)

Author: Marie Rutkoski

Published: March 4, 2014

(Farrar Straus Giroux)

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions. One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. 
Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined. [Goodreads]

Lately I've been picking up books that are completely different from one another which is making it difficult for me to give a bad review. The one thing I hate is when a certain trope or idea gets overused in young adult novels. The last few books I've read have been distinct and unique stories. 

I'm glad to say that The Winner's Curse falls into that category. I had sort of a vague idea of the plot, but honestly I didn't even remember that when I started the book. It's a fantasy novel without any of the magic, but it still included many of the other themes that are in YA fantasy novels. It almost feels like historical fiction. Marie Antoinette (the movie) kept popping into my head. I don't even know why, because I've never seen the movie.

The Winner's Curse revolves around politics and social classes. There's a long history of the current society and how it got to this point. Because there is no infodump, the history is presented as the story progresses. I was 50% through the book and was still trying to figure out how the past was shaping the events of the book.

Kestrel isn't your typical YA female protagonist, at least not that kind we're used to seeing lately. She's not the kind of heroine that's going to beat her opponent physically instead she uses her tactical brilliance (Hamilton!) to get her out of some unfortunate situations. I was afraid that Kestrel would annoy me, because she's the general's daughter and that just seemed like the perfect set up for her to get her way or for her to be gifted at everything. Basically I was prepared to hate her. Thankfully I can say that she did not annoy me, but instead surprised me with the way she handled herself. 

Another thing I liked was that I couldn't choose a side. In the Hunger Games I hated the Capitol. In Divergent I hated Jeanine. But in The Winner's Curse I saw faults in both sides as well as their reasons for their actions. The back and forth kept me hooked and made me care about more than just Kestrel and her interest in Arin.

The romance is subtle...sort of. Clearly Kestrel has an interest in Arin, but it's not the main focus of the story and that side of their relationship isn't really all that developed in this book which lead me to believe that it wasn't supposed to be a standalone. A different kind of relationship between Kestrel and Arin is more at the forefront than a romantic one in this book.

I was surprised to learn that Marie Rutkoski intended for this to be a standalone. Throughout the book I picked up on details that made me think that it was meant to be a series, like the romance. This first book in the trilogy definitely did a good job of setting up something bigger to come even if that's not what the author wanted. I'm excited to see where this story goes and as it unfolds in the political drama. Oh, and of course the romance.

Soundless by Richelle Mead | Review

Soundless by Richelle Mead

Published: November 10, 2015

(Razorbill)

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, YA

Source: Library

In a village without sound…

For as long as Fei can remember, no one in her village has been able to hear. Rocky terrain and frequent avalanches make it impossible to leave the village, so Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink. Many go hungry. Fei and all the people she loves are plunged into crisis, with nothing to look forward to but darkness and starvation.

One girl hears a call to action…

Until one night, Fei is awoken by a searing noise. Sound becomes her weapon.

She sets out to uncover what’s happened to her and to fight the dangers threatening her village. A handsome miner with a revolutionary spirit accompanies Fei on her quest, bringing with him new risks and the possibility of romance. They embark on a majestic journey from the peak of their jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth will change their lives forever…

And unlocks a power that will save her people.

(Goodreads)

Before reading the book I had heard a few things about this book which were mostly mixed. Some people either really enjoyed it, and then some not so much. I hadn't read any of her other books, so in terms of writing I didn't really know what to expect. I didn't know much about it either until I saw Reagan (PeruseProject on YouTube) talking about it in one of her videos which then completely convinced me to check it out.

Soundless is a 266 page standalone young adult fantasy novel. Initially it didn't really click with me that this might be a little odd. Fantasy novels typically require some world building, and in some series the first novel is usually just that. The story doesn't really get going until the second book. 

The story started out fine. We get to know Fei and her role within her community as well as a little bit about why things are the way they are in her village. But that's pretty much all we get in terms of a backstory. There isn't much about why Fei is the way she is, I mean it's sort of explained, but that goes with the whole "show don't tell" thing that they beat into you in creative writing. Because it's just said why, there isn't a connection between the reader and Fei. That means we're off to a rough start. I don't really care why she's going to go through all of what makes up the rest of the book.

There isn't much of a journey. It was more of a short trip. There was more that could have been pulled out of this story, but ultimately it just gave us the very surface of an idea. Also, I fail to see why the male counterpart is needed, and it takes away from Fei's character rather than help her grow.

I liked the original concept and how it would tie into Chinese folklore with fantastical elements. I always enjoy a kick-ass female lead willing to put up a fight for others. I enjoyed the writing which aided in the pacing of the story. I would pick up on of Richelle Mead's other books based on that, but I'm not really interested in reading those particular kinds stories right now.

The main reason I kept reading was because I wanted to know why all of this was happening, which in the end was a bit too predictable for me. I waited and waited to see how the Chinese folklore would play into it all along with the fantasy elements until finally at the end there's a little something of it, but then that's the end of the book. It's a little too late.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour | Review

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Author: Morgan Matson

Published: May 4, 2010

(Simon & Schuster)

Genre: Contemporary, YA

Source: Library

The next few book reviews will all be formatted differently. I'm still trying to find my style for reviewing books. Bear with me as I attempt to find the best way I can get my thoughts across, and just overall better reviews.

Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way. [Goodreads]

This was my first Morgan Matson book! Over the summer I wanted to read her other book, Since You've Been Gone, but I never got around to it. I don't know if it's just the cover, but that book gives me summer vibes so I don't feel right reading it during this time of the year. I was just in the mood for a really good contemporary and I've heard that her books are exactly that.

First and foremost I need to talk about the playlists. The book is full of little scrapbook and journal clippings which included the playlists that Roger creates throughout their roadtrip. There are a few songs on Roger's playlists that I remember loving when I was younger. (I'm looking at you Jack's Mannequin) It really hasn't been THAT long (I was sixteen/seventeen when I listened to this music and I'm twenty four now), but listening to these songs sent me on a major nostalgia trip. I wanted to make a playlist, but it seems that a lot of people have already made them on 8tracks (1, 2, 3, 5, 6)  and on YouTube (4).

Roger

One of the tasks that Roger wants to accomplish on this trip is to find his ex-girlfriend, and work it out with her. I felt like grabbing Roger by the shoulders and telling him to get over his ex-girlfriend. He's basically on this wild goose chase to find her when she clearly doesn't care about him anymore. At the same time I loved him for caring so much especially for Amy, but I'll get to that in a bit. I wouldn't say that Roger goes through anything life-changing or some self discovery, but he does realize something (as much as I can say without spoiling). Aside from the whole fixation on the ex-girlfriend thing, I loved Roger as a character. Most importantly I fell in love with his taste in music.

Amy

I feel bad for Amy, and my soul breaks every time she remembered her dad. She goes through major survivor's guilt, and blames herself for his death. I can understand why she felt the way she did towards her mom, but I wanted to know a little bit about their relationship before the big incident. I feel like that would influence Amy's attitude towards her, and then as a result doesn't fill her mom in on the "detour" that her and Roger end up taking. Amy's growth in the book is more personal. She comes into her own as a person and matures, and it was refreshing to see a character in a young adult novel that realizes that she can change. It wasn't a drastic change where it would be practically not believable, but to the point where as a reader we know that when we close the book there's more that she's going to take on.

Amy and Roger's relationship/interaction

Their interactions felt natural and throughout the novel they built upon one another to create a friendship that didn't feel forced. I didn't feel like Morgan Matson was jumping at the chance to get them two together. When Amy was having a hard time coping and Roger needed to be there he never acted upon the chance to come on to her. It definitely felt like a friendship forming first and foremost.

Long Story Short

I loved the formatting of the novel, which included looks into Amy's travel journal and Roger's playlists. These little pieces of the roadtrip made the story fun to read. This is a contemporary with substance. Amy and Roger are realistic characters who become friends over the span of their roadtrip from California all the way to the east coast. So many young adult contemporary novels rush the idea of romance that it makes it insta-lovey and not at all believable. This is not that at all. I loved this book, and I'm excited to read Morgan Matson's other novels.

Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway | Review

Emmy & Oliver

Author: Robin Benway

Published: June 23, 2015
(HarperTeen)

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA

Source: Library Overdrive

Emmy’s best friend, Oliver, reappears after being kidnapped by his father ten years ago. Emmy hopes to pick up their relationship right where it left off. Are they destined to be together? Or has fate irreparably driven them apart?

Emmy just wants to be in charge of her own life.

She wants to stay out late, surf her favorite beach—go anywhere without her parents’ relentless worrying. But Emmy’s parents can’t seem to let her grow up—not since the day Oliver disappeared.

Oliver needs a moment to figure out his heart.

He’d thought, all these years, that his dad was the good guy. He never knew that it was his father who kidnapped him and kept him on the run. Discovering it, and finding himself returned to his old hometown, all at once, has his heart racing and his thoughts swirling.

Emmy and Oliver were going to be best friends forever, or maybe even more, before their futures were ripped apart. In Emmy’s soul, despite the space and time between them, their connection has never been severed. But is their story still written in the stars? Or are their hearts like the pieces of two different puzzles—impossible to fit together?

Readers who love Sarah Dessen will tear through these pages with hearts in throats as Emmy and Oliver struggle to face the messy, confusing consequences of Oliver’s father’s crime. Full of romance, coming-of-age emotion, and heartache, these two equally compelling characters create an unforgettable story.

[Goodreads]

This is a contemporary young adult romance novel, and it definitely doesn't disappoint in providing everything you would expect from exactly that. What makes Emmy & Oliver different from other books from the same genre is the plot. When Oliver is seven years old he is kidnapped by his father, and then ten years later reappears. This is what grabbed my attention when I first read the synopsis. I wanted to know how this theme would work into a young adult contemporary. 

Oliver goes through so much throughout the book. At first he is the dark, mysterious, brooding YA male lead. The whole uncertainty with who he is adds to that, and that tough exterior isn't broken until well into the book.He's learning to adjust to his new life that he's been thrown into. I mean, it's been ten years since he's last seen all these people from his hometown, it's going to take some time for him to feel comfortable around them and even the environment. He goes from living in New York City to a suburban home in California. 

The other main character, Emmy, is going through things that any seventeen year old would be going through in their senior year of high school. In Emmy's case she also has to deal with Oliver's kidnapping, and how that affected her growing up with overprotective parents.

I enjoyed the pacing of the novel. The dialogue and interaction between all the characters was believable. I liked how Robin Benway allowed the characters to be teenagers. They go to parties, they break the rules, and talk about college (and even community college!). That was one of my favorite parts of the novel was that it didn't feel like events and characters were being pushed into a certain direction for the sake of telling the story. Things happened the way I would sort of expect them to happen in real life. It didn't feel forced or fake.

I'm kind of struggling on how to feel about this book, because I got everything that I wanted out of it plus a great story with real characters. At the same time when I finished the book I didn't feel anything. I just sort of closed it and was done with it. The only thing I can think that might have affected that was maybe a stronger connection to the characters as a reader, but don't let that discourage you from picking this book up. If YA contemporary romance is your thing, but are kind of bored of the same sort of story, read this book!

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff | Review

Illuminae 

(The Illuminae Files, #1)

Authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Published: October 20, 2015

(Knopf Books for Young Readers)

Genre: Sci-Fi, YA, Romance

Source: ARC from BookCon

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

{Goodreads}

I usually write in my reviews if it's spoiler free or not, but this one kind of sits on the edge. The following might be a spoiler if you really want to go in to the book knowing nothing, but if you don't mind keep reading.

As far as I can recall I have never read a book that takes place in space. (Heh, that rhymed.) Right when I started reading it I realized I was going to have a problem with the language. In the end, it wasn't a big deal. I caught on to the way the characters spoke and the words they used.

To be honest, that kind of scared me into thinking I wasn't going to like the book. I thought that maybe this wasn't going to be for me, but I was wrong.

I'm a huge Walking Dead fan and this was like The Walking Dead in space.

From page one stuff is happening. There isn't a moment to really get a backstory or history of the world. You learn bits and pieces as you go along.

It's fast paced, which you probably wouldn't expect from such a big book. It's basically a sci-fi action movie in book form. There were parts where my heart was racing as if I was watching an intense action packed fight scene.

You're pretty much told upfront this is a love story, but ohmygod it is so much more. The way the relationship between Kady and Ezra is played out was great. It wasn't all about their love story, and at times I even forgot that they were teenagers. 

There's not much that I would change, except for one part in the book towards the beginning in a major scene with the Copernicus. I tried rereading that bit to make sure I hadn't rushed it, but it confused me a little with what was going on. It's an important scene and I wish it had been detailed a little bit more.

The books is enormous. it's around 600 pages long, but a lot of the content is instant messages, emails, and documents. The story is not told in a traditional format which made it all the more exciting and interesting. You don't know what you're going to get when you turn the page.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here | Review

The Rest of Us Just Live Here

Author: Patrick Ness

Published: October 6, 2015
(HarperTeen)

Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary, Fantasy

Source: ARC from BookCon

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshiped by mountain lions.

{Goodreads}

The Rest of Us Just Live Here isn't your typical YA novel.

This was the first Patrick Ness book that I read. I started More Than This, but I had to return it to the library and didn't finish it in time. Just from reading the first half of More Than This I could tell that Patrick Ness doesn't write the conventional young adult novel. The Rest of Us Just Live Here focuses on the characters from young adult dystopian, fantasy, and paranormal novels that don't have any special abilities and don't get any of the glory. In this book the normal kids are the main characters, and the "chosen ones" are put in the background.

Right at the start of the book you're thrown into the world of Mike. He's a high school senior trying to figure out what it is he wants. His mom is a politician obsessed with campaigning, his dad is an alcoholic, his sister is recovering from an eating disorder, and he's dealing with his own mental illness. 

It took me a couple of chapters to grasp onto what was going on, and to understand what they meant by "indie kids" which turned out to be the heroes/chosen ones.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here deals with issues that are more common with non-heroes. Problems such as mental illness, eating disorders, homosexuality, and others that everyday people face. The only exception to this is that these people live in a world where paranormal things are happening all the time.

The beginning of each chapter is dedicated to keeping up with the indie kids. Even though what's going on with the indie kids is something that any normal person would find extraordinary, the more we connect to Mike, Jared, Mel, and Henna the more the indie kids story seems insignificant.

The characters developed from the second we are introduced to them on the first page until the very end. Did I mention there are diverse characters? Great, well developed diverse characters! I loved how the story unfolded. The characters and the story reveal themselves in a way in which allowed me to connect and made me think. I loved this book, and it makes me want to read all of Patrick Ness' books. There needs to be more young adult books like this.

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead | Review

Goodbye Stranger

Author: Rebecca Stead

Published: August 4, 2015 

(Wendy Lamb Books/Random House)

Genre: Children's, Middle Grade, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Source: ARC received at BookCon

Bridge is an accident survivor who's wondering why she's still live. Emily has new curves and an almost-boyfriend who wants a certain kind of picture. Tabitha sees through everybody's games--or so she tells the world. The three girls are best friends with one rule: No fighting. Can it get them through seventh grade? 

This year everything is different for Sherm Russo as he gets to know Bridge Barsamian. What does it mean to fall for a girl--as a friend? On Valentine's Day, an unnamed high school girl struggles with a betrayal. How long can she hide in plain sight?

Goodbye Stranger follows the story of Bridget and her friends along with one other story told in second person perspective that takes place during Valentine's Day. I don't really read many middle grade novels, because a lot of the time it seems like they don't completely grasp what it's like to be an 10 to 14 year old. I don't blame them though. If you thought being a teenager was confusing, a preteen is probably worse. There are so many changes going on during that stage. You're not a little kid anymore, but not quite a young adult just yet. That's usually why I tend to not be as inclined to pick up a middle grade book compared to a young adult or even adult novel. Goodbye Stranger is one of those few books that nails what it's like to be a "preteen." Not only that, but a preteen in today's world with social media, and different kinds of pressures than the ones that I grew up with.

My favorite part of a book is the relationship between characters, and even the characters themselves. If a character is strong enough, they can carry the story when the plot isn't doing much. That wasn't the exact case in Goodbye Stranger. It had a great story line and well developed characters that I found myself caring for. The prime example for this is Bridget herself.

There are a few characters that the book follows, but the main story belongs to Bridget. Bridget was in an accident when she was younger, and because of that develops insecurities. At the start of the seventh grade she begins to wear cat ears as a sort of safety blanket. Bridget is different from her friends, where they know where they belong in school, and Bridget is still trying to figure out which group she identifies most with.

One of the aspects that I struggled with was the second person narration's story line. At times I questioned why I was reading this. Although it was interesting,, it felt like a distraction or diversion from the main story line.

Goodbye Stranger has short chapters which is great for middle grade readers, and personally I like short chapters as well. I've read some criticism that the book may be too mature or deals with complex subject matters for the average middle grade reader. I don't agree with that, because although at times the subject get deep, like Bridget's questioning of what her purpose in life is, it's refreshing when a book challenges readers of that age with the content that it deals with. It's a book that will leave a lasting impression on a middle grade reader, and any other reader for that matter.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon | Review

Everything, Everything

Author: Nicola Yoon

Published: September 1, 2015

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, YA

Source: ARC received at BookCon

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. 

This book is filled with charts, cool art, and instant message conversations. The way they artwork was spread out made it seem like I was reading Madeline's journal. In this book the visuals add to the story, and in some cases tell the story. While that separates this book from other YA novels, it took away from the story at times because of the missing details that otherwise could be better told in word. 

I felt like the story unraveled quickly. I wanted to know more about Madeline and Olly as well as Carla's (Madeline's nurse) daughter. She's not really an essential character, but it would have definitely added more to the story. Madeline doesn't have much contact with any other people her age. She falls in love with Olly so soon after she meets him. I was afraid this would be a case of instalove, but in this case the main character has been separated from people her age (and the opposite sex) that it's almost difficult to not want to like someone she's just met. She wants to take care of him the way that she's always been taken care of. 

I loved the diversity in the cast of characters. This is what we need more of in all genres, but most importantly YA. Overall I really enjoyed Eveything, Everything for the story, the writing, and the (diverse) characters. As well as the originality in the way the story is told.