April (Books&Wine)

The Moon And More | Sarah Dessen | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

When I read a Sarah Dessen book, I feel that the experience is akin to a pair of sweatpants. Bear with me here. Sweatpants are the most comfortable article of clothing, ever, at least in my opinion. Sarah Dessen’s books are the most comfy YA books. By this, I mean that when you open up a book by Dessen, you know that you’re going to get a quality contemporary read about a girl who isn’t too out of whack, usually with a pretty level head, although not all the time with a problem. I LOVE her books and each one I read feels like coming home. Y’all, The Moon And More definitely lived up to my expectations, and then some.

The Moon And More by Sarah Dessen | Good Books And Good Wine

It’s summer, obvs, and Emaline is working for the family beach rental realty agency. She has a perfectly comfortable life, living with her mom and stepdad (whom she calls dad) and two sisters. She’s been dating the same guy, Luke, since 9th grade. Yet, as we all know — things won’t stay comfortable and cushy for long. Emaline’s estranged father shows up in Colby for the summer and we find out that there are a lot of unresolved issues between the two – mainly centering around Emaline’s potential for going to Columbia University. To further complicate matters, one of the renters is a famous documentary filmmaker named Ivy and she’s doing a documentary on Clyde, one of the island residents who used to be a well-regarded artist. Also. Ivy is a pain in the ass. BUT she also has a kind of socially awkward, cute assistant named Theo who thinks that Emaline is destined for bigger things than Colby.

Emaline is a total Dessen protagonist and I mean that in the greatest possible way. She has a good head on her shoulders, she has good friends, an interesting family, and is at a crossroads. She’s on the verge of leaving and becoming independent in college, East U. This is her last summer before school, to state the obvious. Emaline does a ton of internal reflection and we see that she’s making that awkward transition from past to future. I think if you’ve gone away to college or experienced a major life change that involved leaving home, you’ll understand what I mean. Anyways, on the one hand Theo and her father say that she’s too good for Colby, she’s too smart to stick around. On the other hand, there’s so much that Emaline LOVES about Colby and so she’s conflicted about her future. And well, I don’t want to go too much more in depth because spoilers are the worst for brand new books.

YOU GUYS! I am so excited to return to Colby. I absolutely loved Along For The Ride, so it was nice to return to a familiar location. We get to revisit the bike shop and the all night laundromat/cafe. It is awesome. PLUS! We get to see characters from Along For The Ride again. Anyways, this book made me want to take some of my vacation time and spend it on the beach riding bikes and eating shrimp burgers. I have to say, Dessen really does the beach setting very well. OH OH and while we’re talking about Easter eggs, our favorite fictional social network makes an appearance and there’s a few more you will spot and be glad to be in on the reference as the super fans you all are.

Of course, there are boys in The Moon And More, not just one but TWO! Luke is Emaline’s long time boyfriend and he’s pretty adorable. He’s apparently good looking without a shirt. Kids love him. And he gets along very, very well with others. However, the spark between Luke and Emaline seems to have faded out. Enter Theo. He’s pretty much a hipster, or that’s my impression of him because he wears girl jeans. Anyways, Theo is totally awkward, but he’s ambitious and has big dreams. He might be a contendor for Emaline’s heart, but yes, you’ll have to read to find out. Although, to be honest, I thought the love interests weren’t nearly as important as Emaline and her coming of age.

When it came to swooning and The Moon And More, I actually swooned WAY HARDER for the supporting couple of Daisy and Morris. They definitely are not the lead characters, however, their relationship is solid. PLUS, they are just so different. Morris is not exactly what you would call ambitious, he’s slow moving, but he’s a super nice guy and genuine. Daisy, on the other hand, is a super achiever and really into art and fashion. You’d think their coupling would be weird and off, but it’s actually quite sweet and one of my favorite things about Dessen’s latest.

This book didn’t feel a page over 200 — despite actually having over 400 pages. What I mean by this is that I inhaled Dessen’s prose, as one does when reading her books. I was so caught up in the drama between Emaline and her estranged father. But then I was also absorbed by all of the side characters, from Benji the awesome little brother to Amber, the dramatic hair stylist character, to Ivy and Clyde and Daisy and Morris. Seriously, one thing Dessen never skimps on is character. ALSO! The parent/child relationship in The Moon And More is wonderful. Emaline’s big crazy blended family all really care for one another and are supportive of each other when you get down to it. Also, you guys totally need to meet Emaline’s grandmother. She’s the bomb. (Well, if people still said THE BOMB)

Basically you can just boil this whole long review to this: you should definitely preorder The Moon And More by Sarah Dessen. Actually I am pretty sure that a few of you were already going to do that. It’s another great addition to your Dessen collection — especially if you loved Along For The Ride and Lock And Key. I fell in love with this book and really appreciate that it was about SO MUCH MORE than cute boys and swooning, but about actual things that matter, like the future and life and the paths we take.

Disclosure: Received for review
FYI: For more about The Moon And More, check out Sarah Dessen’s Blog Tour Stop HERE

Other reviews of The Moon And More by Sarah Dessen:

Chick Loves Lit – “Fans of Dessen won’t be disappointed”

Books by Sarah Dessen:
Along For The Ride

SO MANY FEELS or in which I get to host SARAH DESSEN as part of The Moon And More Blog Tour

by April (Books&Wine)

Jon Stewart Oh My God GIF

This is really actually my face right now. Friends, you know how there’s one author who might have opened the YA floodgates for you? Sarah Dessen is totally that author. I read a few of her books – notably falling head over heels for This Lullaby in high school and being sad she didn’t have a TON of books at the time. Then we flash forward to college when I came home for vacation and ended up reading through my sister’s entire collection of Sarah Dessen books and thus returning from pretentious college reading back to YA. So it is kind of a SUPER HUGE omg omg omg deal to host Sarah Dessen today.

There’s no author who says “love” more than Sarah Dessen. And we don’t mean just romantic love (though she’s plenty good at that!). Sarah writes amazing, deep friendships, complex and true familial relationships, and, of course, swoony and wonderful first loves, so who better than Sarah to have a Valentine’s Day blog tour for her upcoming book, THE MOON AND MORE? Check with each blog every day for one of the 10 things you might like to know about THE MOON AND MORE that Sarah wrote herself.

Here’s the ninth of Sarah’s “10 Things You Might Like To Know About THE MOON AND MORE:”

This book was really hard to title. My first choice was THE BEST AFTER EVER, which I loved for so many reasons….but feared everyone would mix up as THE BEST EVER AFTER. Which is exactly what happened when we announced it. Back to the drawing board. Next choice was THE MOON AND MORE, which was deemed too close to my book KEEPING THE MOON. I really liked THE VIEW FROM HERE…until I saw there were about a million other books, many of them recent, with the same title. Finally, I was at the beach, racking my brain, when I fired off a quick, hail-Mary type email to my editor suggesting SOMEONE ELSE’S SUMMER, but my publisher wasn’t totally crazy about it, and neither was I, to be honest. They asked if I could PLEASE come up with another option. All I could think of—all that really EVER worked well—was THE MOON AND MORE. So I decided we’d go back to that!

You can find out more about Sarah’s books on Sarah-Land!

Sarah Dessen Author Photo | Good Books And Good Wine

Oh and if you don’t know what The Moon And More is about, no fear, I’ve totally got the synopsis right here:

“Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo’s sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline’s mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he’s convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she’s going?

Sarah Dessen’s devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.”

The Moon And More by Sarah Dessen | Good Books And Good Wine

But wait — there’s much more to be learned about The Moon And More! Check out the following tour stops for more information:

Monday, 2/11: Forever Young Adult
Tuesday, 2/12: The Story Siren
Wednesday, 2/13: Mundie Moms
Thursday, 2/14: Chick Loves Lit
Friday, 2/15: Good Choice Reading
Monday, 2/18: The Compulsive Reader
Tuesday, 2/19: The Perpetual Page Turner
Wednesday, 2/20: The Young Folks
Thursday, 2/21: ME!
Friday, 2/22: I am a Reader, Not a Writer

Still here? Awesome, because I’ve got a reward for you! So, I made sure to read my copy of The Moon And More just in time for this post to go up and that means that I have an ARC to giveaway. The contest is US Only. 13 or older. Use rafflecopter to enter. ALSO, my copy does have a weird sort of crease on the spine, but it’s perfectly readable, and seriously who is going to complain about the chance to read a Sarah Dessen book before it comes out in stores.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Madman’s Daughter | Megan Shepherd | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

My interest in The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd was peaked at the Harper Teen BEA party event. Basically they held the event at this really cool bar and we got to learn all kinds of cool things. One of those things being the evolution of the book cover design for The Madman’s Daughter and the various iterations it went through. You guys, I am a total cover whore, I can’t pretend like I don’t pick what I read based off the cover. And of course, this is such a me cover — from the red color of the font, to the dreary landscape to that awesome dress to the brunette (holla brown haired girls), I love this cover. And so, OMFG, I could absolutely not wait to read The Madman’s Daughter. Y’all, this debut was TOTALLY worth the wait. TOTALLY.

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd | Good Books And Good Wine

SPOILER ALERT: Juliet’s father is a madman. Shocking, right? I bet you never would have guessed that. Anyways, he basically does somethings that society is not cool with (he’s a doctor of sorts) including vivisection, and so, a once prominent figure, he ends up falling from grace. He then ends up kind of disappearing, thus leaving Juliet and her mother with NOTHING, because he is a douchebag. Unfortunately, Juliet’s mom dies and well, she has to go into service, but it’s hard because of her dad’s reputation. When a blast from the past (her family’s old servant) crosses Juliet’s path, she discovers her dad is well and alive on an island. As Juliet’s life totally sucks in London, she decides to go to the Island of Doctor Moreau. And yes, it’s just as creepy as the original.

Juliet definitely deserves to be narrator. Like, she compelled me. Plus, she wasn’t boring or simpering. Nor was she a total weirdo despite her dad. AND OMG YOU GUYS THE FEELS. I totally had these emotions for Juliet because she’s been dealt an awful card in life, and seriously how much does it suck to have a parent who totally does not have their shit together and also a dead parent. YET. She is strong. She faces her problems head on, instead of taking the easy way out. You know me, I love a headstrong character and Juliet is totally one of those — whether she’s living impoverished in London, on the sketchiest boat journey ever or dealing with her misogynist dad, she has this well of inner strength.

I absolutely loved Megan Shepherd’s descriptions of the worlds that Juliet inhabits. Like, not just the island, but London. She describes a London that’s just getting electricity and kind of straddling the modern era while also there’s one foot firmly on the side of tradition — especially when it comes to society. I was dismayed at how society treated Juliet after all her family had been through, but I suppose scandal leaves no one untouched. I also really loved how the island was described. As a reader, I was feeling a scary sinister sort of undercurrent the whole entire time. And also, claustrophobic to be honest. I may call myself a hermit, but I could never survive on Moreau’s island where there’s only like 5 human residents. Forget that you guys. Anyways, it’s lush and so, so well done and easy to imagine the compound.

Fair warning, there is a love triangle in The Madman’s Daughter and it’s not really my favorite ever. I mean, okay okay I did have trouble deciding which team I was on. There’s Montgomery who is basically Juliet’s past. He knows so much about her and they really do have a shared history. However, he seems kind of distant on the island, yet also a bit valiant too so that makes him appealing. Then there is the mysterious Edward Prince, whom ultimately, I could take or leave. He’s got sort of a weird back story and just didn’t really bring the swoons. You’ll get why when you read the book.

I feel like The Madman’s Daughter starts off kind of slow, but honestly once you get on the sketchy ship that’s when the pacing truly picks up and when I felt utterly engaged. So, just putting that out there for those of you who need an immediate fast pace. Along those lines, Megan Shepherd’s word choice is actually pretty awesome because it gives this proper historical sort of feel to the book, but at the same time is totally accessible, so you aren’t reading it going uh can someone translate this for me. I really like it enhanced the feel of the book and engaged me as a reader. There’s a certain amount of buy in needed to really love this book — I mean buying into the concept of a madman who fuses people and animals, but for me that wasn’t so hard to do.

Friends, I’d actually really recommend The Madman’s Daughter to most of you. I mean, obviously if you hate historical fiction and love triangles, this is probably not going to be added to your favorites list. However if you like unique spins on old classics, lush backgrounds, strong world building and intriguing characters and social dynamics, chances are you’ll fall as hard for Megan Shepherd’s debut as I did.

Disclosure: Received for review

Other reviews of The Madman’s Daughter by Megan Shepherd:

Hobbitsies – “a delightfully creepy and horrific debut”

Makeshift Bookmark – “Can we please pause to raise the roof for a snarky badass of a heroine?”

The Perpetual Page Turner – “What a compelling story!”

The Reece Malcolm List | Amy Spalding | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

I am so glad I read The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding, not just because the twitterati said it was great and I try to fit it, but because it is a genuinely awesome book that really does encapsulate coming of age. Dude, how cliche do I sound there? Ha ha, but it is true though. I came into The Reece Malcolm List expecting a girl being sent to a mom she’s never met and lots of tumultuousness, but what I got was way more. And really — Spalding’s debut reminded me why I love young adult contemporary books so much, PLUS PLUS there was so much about it that reminded me of what it’s really actually like to be a teenager beyond being in love triangles and leading revolutions and whatnot. ALSO! This book was totally deserving of the Courtney Summers cover blurb, like you guys, for once it’s actually not a misleading blurb.

The Reece Malcolm List Amy Spalding Book Cover

Devan has always moved all over the Midwest with her dad, who often felt like they needed a change and would pack up Devan and her stepmother to try living in a different town or city. Devan’s okay with this, she’s come to terms with being the perennial new girl.When her dad dies quite suddenly, Devan is sent to LA to live with her mother, Reece Malcolm. FYI Reece Malcolm is a famous kind of a big deal author and while that in itself is a big change, there’s also the fact that Devan has never spoken with or had any prior contact with her mother so in essence, she’s being sent to live with a stranger (and her awesome live in boyfriend). As Devan is used to being new it’s not a super huge deal for her, well besides the dead dad thing, but her narration makes it seem like she was kind of distant from her dad and stepmom Tracy. Anyways, living with Reece Malcolm has it’s advantages – including a baller new wardrobe and being enrolled in an amazing performing arts school. Essentially The Reece Malcolm List is all about Devan navigating her new life in LA, experiencing new romances and most importantly, forming a new relationship and bond with her mother after years of basically being strangers.

You would think Devan would be super emo and sad and mopey, but she’s actually quite awesome. Like this is a girl where, if I liked theater people, I’d probably be friends with her.She comes across as very real. She’s flawed, but not to the point where I was thinking she was a hot mess. Instead, she’s very much a real person, rough edges and all. I have to say, I didn’t really love all of Devan’s life choices, especially a few concerning her mother and their lack of communication, but she’s a teenager and honestly, teenagers do stupid things. Like I totally remember being a teenager and making awful life choices right and left. SO, despite me shaking my head going DEVAN COME ONNNN JUST SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND WANT, I still liked her.

Obviously, this review of The Reece Malcolm List would blow if I didn’t mention THE REECE MALCOLM in her own paragraph. You guys, I want to be Reece Malcolm when I grow up. She is awesome. She doesn’t cook. She isn’t a fan of getting all dressed up. Also? She has this amazing work ethic when it comes to writing and her books. When I started the book, I was under the impression that Reece would be horrible and evil, because what kind of mom doesn’t contact her kid until said child is proverbially dropped on her door step? Turns out I was so totally wrong, and well, this book stars Reece almost as much as Devan. I just, I loved reading about Reece learning to be a mother and how she actually seems to be a much better parent than Devan’s dad and stepmom. I actually thought the relationship was very well done and it’s kind of like Reece comes of age too.

If you’re looking for a young adult contemporary book to approximate something similar to what you experienced in high school, maybe The Reece Malcolm List will come close. I mean, not all of us have famous people for parents. Nor, god willing, do we all experience the death of a parent while still a kid. However, I think plenty of you can relate to spending lots of time doing extracurriculars and making pretty decent friends with the other people who were into the same after school activity or hobby. I loved that singing and musical theater feature so prominently in The Reece Malcolm List. Like, I was in choir for many, many years. I also did the school musical a few times. Not that I was any good, I wasn’t. Devan, though, is actually an awesome performer and well, it’s nice to read about a character who is so talented, but also really works at honing her skills and craft. ALSO! Just because she’s in an extracurricular doesn’t mean that homework disappears. I loved that Amy Spalding showed Devan doing things like homework and studying without making it boring, instead it all just seemed authentic. I just have to put it out there that I never get why in YA books set during the school year the characters never seem to be doing homework. ANYWAYS.

There is definitely kissing in The Reece Malcolm List, not a ton, this isn’t entirely a kissing book, but there was enough to leave me satisfied. Let’s just say that Devan has multiple suitors, but the very best one is Sai. Sai is another new kid, also from the midwest. However, he’s going through a few of his own problems. Unfortunately for Devan, she’s firmly in the friend zone despite there being chemistry between the two. I have to say, expect swooning for multiple dudes, much like being a teenager. And also expect Devan to change her mind, she’s young thus not tied down to one guy. And then! AH! There’s a moment where we truly see her growth and it has to do with the romance and the kissing and it is fantastic.

Friends, I absolutely loved The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding on multiple levels. It’s well-written. It’s funny. The main character has interests outside of herself and boys. Actually, I loved that this book was more than a romance — although I do like strictly romance books — but mainly about family relationships. I loved that people were illustrated with a touch of humanity, instead of you know totally quirky and perfect. I also loved that this book was so totally different from my expectations. Seriously, this was one awesome contemporary debut and I cannot wait to see what’s next for Amy Spalding. Likely something amazing.

Disclosure: Received for review via Netgalley

Other reviews of The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding:

Makeshift Bookmark – “snappy and fresh with dialogue that hits all the right notes”

A Reader Of Fictions – “a deliciously funny and honest book about family, boys, and musical theater”

The Allure Of Books – “you have got to meet this girl for yourselves, y’all!”

Top 10 Favorite Characters From The Classics

by April (Books&Wine)

Y’all, it has pretty much taken me FOREVER to come up with a good genre to pick characters from for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday. Like, I didn’t want to do YA because I didn’t want to pick the same exact characters as everyone else. And then my mind kept blanking out. Then I was like OH YEAH I LOVE THE CLASSICS, I should do that! And I did!

1. Ms. Havisham from Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Miss Havisham GIF

Why?:Look bro, she has a rotting wedding cake and wedding dress. Plus the way she dangles Estella over Pip is kind of hilarious — I mean if you are an awful person like me you will find it hilarious.

2. Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Atticus Finch GIF

Why?: You guys, Atticus is morally upstanding and sort of the person that we should all be. I always loved that he fought for the right thing, regardless of the trouble it could potentially bring him. Like, he tells Scout how to be a good person and then basically follows through on it — instead of saying something and doing another. I just really love and admire that.

3. Jo March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Jo March GIF

Why?: Okay, so some of Jo’s life choices are questionable, especially concerning Laurie. HOWEVER, she is awesome and fierce and dare I say, kind of feminist. Like yo, she gets a job. And she writes. And she’s just the most awesome March sister, although I liked Amy a lot too, even though everyone else seems to hate her.

4. Anne Shirley from Anne Of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne Shirley GIF

Why?: Girl has imagination in spades. She’s also kind to others — I especially loved her interactions with Matthew. She gets Diana drunk. She cracks a slate over Gilbert’s head. Also, Anne is smart as a whip. AND she actually uses her smarts. She’s kind of a life idol.

5. Eponine from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Eponine GIF

Why?: Eponine is all a spirit animal for all of us. Well, sort of. I mean, she experiences unrequited love which pretty much everyone has been through. ALSO, she has the worst parents ever, which blows. And she does questionable things as a kid — namely be mean to Cosette. Whatevs, Eponine I love your face. Especially because I’ve read the book. And yes, I actually did cry during THAT PART in the book.

6. Dickon Sowerby from The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Dickon Sowerby GIF

Why?: Dickon is kind of otherworldly. I mean he isn’t an alien, but he charms the animals. Freakin’ birds like him and it seems to me that birds don’t like just anybody. Anyways, I love Dickon because the pages where he shows up are an utter delight.

7. Scarlet O’Hara from Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Scarlet O'Hara GIF

Why?: Oh, Girl. I know people love to hate Scarlet. But look, lady is tough when there’s a crisis. Instead of dying or whatever while Atlanta is burning, girl SURVIVES. And yes, okay she’s kind of a flirt, but so what. If you’ve got it, flaunt it. And okay, yes the way she treats Rhett sucks, but I say it’s because she is product of her time. While I don’t get the big damn deal about Ashley, I suppose I can get why Scarlet was so hung up on him. And sigh, just typing all this makes me want a re-read.

8. Edmond Dantes from The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Edmond Dantes GIF

Why?: So, some people are lazy about getting revenge. Not Edmond. Yo, he like escapes prison by pretending to be dead and so they throw his carcass out and he floats away. Then, he ends up super rich because he found his friend’s treasure. And omg, revenge is freakin sweet you guys.

9. Hercule Poirot from Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Hercule Poirot GIF

Why?: He’s all logical and smart and awesome. The end.

10. Huckleberry Finn from Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Tom And Huck

Why?: Because Huck had the courage to run away from his rat bastard father who wanted to steal his money. Also because his antics cracked me up during the entire book.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish.

Dark Triumph | Robin LaFevers | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

Super vague spoilers for Grave Mercy, so read at your own risk but note this review is not riddled with all the big reveals and such.

I realize I might take some heat from other bloggers for posting my review of Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers so early, but you guys, I have that condition where when I love a book SO hard, I cannot for the life of me shut up about it, regardless of how early I’ve read the book. Also, I do what I want. YOLO. Friends, right now I am experiencing all of the feels because I clicked to the last page of Dark Triumph and all is as it should be with an utterly perfect ending where all comes together. Legit there is nary a second book in a series slump to be seen — which IDK about you all but seems like 2013 is the year of book 2 and thank god I haven’t read very many that don’t live up to book 1. Anyways, if you’ve come to His Fair Assassin book two, Dark Triumph looking to recapture the emotions and swoon and OH EM GEE OH EM GEE REVEALS from Grave Mercy then yo, you have come to the right place as I can vouch straight up Dark Triumph is a worthy book two and I fell hard for Sybella, as hard as I did for Ismae.

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers | Good Books And Good Wine

First things first, I need to put my inner bias out there so you can judge this review accordingly. I had originally read and reviewed Grave Mercy as an egalley. I loved it SO MUCH that I bought a hardcover, AT LIST PRICE, not at that Amazon Discount Pricing. Therefore, I was predisposed to like and desperately wait on Dark Triumph. YOU GUYS. I am in L-O-V-E with this book. Plus, I know for a fact that I will be buying it when it comes out AT LIST PRICE as well because it is worth it and you know this is one of those books that I need to have in hard cover form. Dark Triumph focuses on Death’s Handmaiden, Sybella. As you might remember from Grave Mercy, Sybella is the girl who came to the convent after going through some real shit. She’s kind of ‘damaged’ in book one. Well, in this book we get to see just why she’s so damaged. We open with her being sent to D’Albret’s house and Sybella is hell bent on killing D’Albret, only like a total douche he doesn’t have a marque, so it’s not exactly sanctioned by Mortain. Instead, Sybella finds that her mission is to rescue Beast (ILY ILY ILY) and get him to Rennes. You see, Beast is practically half dead from fighting some of D’Albret’s soldiers. ONLY he’s got the spirit of a total warrior and is one of St. Camulous’s own and so, together the two travel on to Rennes, to the duchess meeting plenty of interesting characters along the way. SHOUT OUT TO THE CHARBONNERIE, YOU KIDS ARE MY FAVORITE.

Sybella, Sybella, Sybella. Girl goes through so much pain and strife and ugh, you guys her life totally blows. And now I can see why she was Captain Emo in Grave Mercy. There is such a good reason for it, but I totally will not go into that because you do not deserve spoilers pre-Dark Triumph. Suffice to say, Sybella is a bit mopey, but in the book we actually understand why and it’s nothing that I can hold against her. I loved her character because she had what it takes to get the job done. Instead of agonizing over killing dudes with marques on them, she just does it. And it is legit and awesome. Sybella is very no nonsense and tough, and while yes she shows her vulnerable side to the readers, there’s a wall up to the other people in her life. It’s quite the interesting combination — tough as nails on the outside, soft on the inside.

What makes Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers so compelling is Sybella’s inner conflict. We get this exploration of Sybella’s inner landscape, you know like her feelings and emotions and such — I just wanted to sound smart with that line. Questions of whether evil is genetic or nurtured arise. I can’t tell you much about Sybella’s past without spoilers but I can say that her home environment sucks and she might as well live with the embodiment of evil. Further, she also consistently questions whether she is good enough or whether she really deserves love because of previous things that have happened to her. And what we really get is this awesome transformation from victim to survivor — it’s incredibly empowering, now that I think about it.

Of course, Dark Triumph is not all doom and gloom and depressing and well, dark. Beast from Grave Mercy features quite prominently in this companion book. You guys, Beast is awesome. He’s a bear of a man. Yet, despite his bulk, he has a lightness inside. He’s very charismatic and people are drawn to him. Where Sybella is brooding, Beast is laughing, ya know? Obviously based on the summary those of you with two brain cells to rub together can infer that Beast and Sybella hook up because come on, that is how these summaries and romances work. YOU GUYS maximum swoonage occurs within Dark Triumph and it’s a nice slow build over mutual antagonization and also definitely respect. What I love is that the two have issues to work through — their romance is not one that is easily won, thank goodness. Plus you guys, there is a kissing scene that you’ll totally want to highlight, and that’s the only bone I will throw you.

For such a long book, Robin Lafevers makes it so Dark Triumph is kind of impossible to set down. Y’all, I had intended Dark Triumph to be my work out book and we all see how great that one went. Instead of just reading it while on the bike, I carried it around with me reading my kindle like the wind. This noise is gripping in the best possible way. While it doesn’t quite focus on politics and machinations and intrigue like Grave Mercy, it does have that interesting focus on self-conflict. And I just loved that Sybella was such a dynamic character and seeing her have these epiphanies. It was definitely a treat to read about.

Obviously, I highly recommend this book. Robin LaFevers’ latest definitely adds more meat to the His Fair Assassin trilogy. Dark Triumph manages to not feel like a filler in any way shape or form. Instead, it was totally awesome, especially when everything just clicked for me and I had that AH-HA reader sort of moment. If you happen to have a copy, I recommend reading it now and totally talking it up because this is one series that deserves ALL OF THE SALES, seriously. All of them. I came, I saw, I swooned over Sybella, Beast, the Charbonnerie, Yanick and more. Definitely, definitely preorder LaFever’s Dark Triumph I promise you won’t regret one clicking it.

Disclosure: Received for review via Netgalley

Other reviews of Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers:

Dark Faerie Tales – “Time escaped me, as I read through the story”

Carina’s Books – “So many things that made me cry. And smile.”

Sassyreads – “Dark, this one… and I liked it”

Books by Robin LaFevers:
Grave Mercy

Writing as RL LaFevers:
The Unicorn’s Tale

One Shot Away | T. Glen Coughlin | Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

I am not sure about you, but as someone who grew up not very athletically inclined, but came to see the light when it comes to exercise as an adult, I find myself immensely attracted to young adult books where sports play a central role. I’ll admit I did participate in: cheerleading, swim team, and volleyball plus a few 3-on-3 basketball tournaments growing up. However, I was never very good at sports. In One Shot Away by T. Glen Coughlin, the three protagonists are actually very, very serious about their sport – wrestling – and definitely fall into an elite class of athlete. It was very interesting reading about the boys’ dedication to the sport. ALSO you know what ELSE caught my attention? The Harper Collins catalog blurb compared One Shot Away to Friday Night Lights, and so I knew I would have to give it a shot, because all the cool kids know that is one bombass TV show.

One Shot Away by T. Glen Coughlin | Good Books And Good Wine

Set in the part of New Jersey that isn’t the shore, One Shot Away focuses on Jimmy, Diggy, and Trevor – three wrestlers who want to have a winning season. Jimmy and Diggy are seniors and it’s important to both to get their names up on the wall. Jimmy was nearly undefeated last year and is expected to continue his streak. Diggy, on the other hand, wrestles dirty and finds that Trevor Crow is challenging him for his spot. There is drama aplenty in T. Glen Coughlin’s One Shot Away as we read about the three and their struggles – because each character has problems beyond winning and losing their individual matches.

Jimmy is the star of the wrestling team. He dates one of the more popular girls at school – Roxanne. From the outside looking in, he doesn’t have it quite so bad. Only, when we start One Shot Away, Jimmy is reluctantly accompanying his dad on a midnight ride to steal lumber. This is important because it basically messes with Jimmy’s life for the rest of the book. Like, we see the real stress having a dad who walks the wrong side of the law has on Jimmy. Then there is Diggy whose brother is a legacy. Diggy is from a wealthy family. He’s very entitled, yet there’s a lot of pressure on him. Diggy’s dad is kind of abusive and totally expects Diggy to equal his brother — who is away at college. Finally, the third point of view character is Trevor Crow. Trevor’s dealing with the pain of losing his dad to a freak car accident. Unfortunately Trevor’s mom is broke as a joke and so they end up moving to and working in a crappy motel. OH and Trevor has bulked up and wants Diggy’s weight class on varsity.

I liked that T. Glen Coughlin made use of alternating point of views in One Shot Away. I thought the various viewpoints provided diverse experiences of being on the team, and even more than that a look at the relationship between father and son. You guys, I didn’t even pick up on that until writing out this review ha ha, but that’s such a BIG theme. Like, Trevor has the dead father, Diggy the abusive domineering dad, and Jimmy’s Pops cares about him but has questionable morals. It’s a good look at dysfunction now that I think about it, and shows how that transcends class. As with most multi-main character books, I did wind up preferring certain points of view over others. Like, to be honest with you I thought Diggy was a total douche and even though he redeems himself, I still much preferred Trevor and Jimmy to Diggy.

Obviously wrestling plays a super huge role in One Shot Away. Like, we get to see the total discipline of the team. Plus, how important it is to make weight and the lengths the characters will go to. Various scenes depicted the matches and the atheleticsm involved. Granted, I am no expert in wrestling (although my uncle built a wrestling room in his house for my cousin wayyyy back when), I felt I could follow along with the pins and not be confused.I also think it’s interesting how wrestling is a very individual sport — it’s only two people against each other, yet the team was quite bonded.

Unfortunately, One Shot Away isn’t the greatest book I’ve ever read. I would say it’s good but not like a favorite or really great. For one, it took me a very long time to get into — however I also ended up making myself read 30 pages a day to finish it. That’s fine, but I just wasn’t always motivated to pick it up. I also found myself dreading a few parts. Also? It’s not entirely like Friday Night Lights but that’s more my own hang up and fault because I actually listened to a comparison. I guess I was waiting for a Tim Riggins and he never showed up to the book. OH OH and I could not get over my distaste for Diggy who seemed to have the most POV chapters.

Regardless, T. Glen Coughlin’s One Shot Away is not a bad book, but an interesting portrayal of high school sports and the drive and dedication involved. I’d recommend it if you want to know more about wrestling or maybe know someone who is super into sports and thus wouldn’t be adverse to reading about the love of the game.

Disclosure: Received for review

Other reviews of One Shot Away by T. Glen Coughlin:

Chick Loves Lit – “I’m an advocate for good sports focused books”

Once Upon A Twilight – “storyline is truly clever along with being a little edgy”

Wake Up At Seven – “This isn’t a book you’ll want to miss, especially for fans of wrestling”

YA Book Signing Photo Album or Sorry I’m So Lazy

by April (Books&Wine)

Friends, I have been so lucky to attend a plethora of awesome events held by the Hudson Valley YA Society the past few months at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, NY. Although, every time I attend an event, I fully intend to write a long and lengthy detailed recap with highlights and pictures and the whole shebang, but usually just end up too tired when I get home and then put it off until I forgot everything I was going to write about. In this case, that’s happened for me at the last three events I attended. I didn’t take notes, and I end up procrastinating. Enter today’s post! I have quite a few pictures on my iPhone (ILY ILY) from the events that were always intended to be posted here on Good Books And Good Wine, so I hope you’re cool with this photo heavy post, if not that’s cool but note, I am totally bribing you with some books at the end.

November 4, 2012 – Kimberly Sabatini’s Launch Party:

Kimberly Sabatini talking about Touching The Surface | Good Books And Good Wine

In which debut author Kimberly Sabatini talks about the writing process for Touching The Surface and it’s influences. Oh, also Kimberly is like the nicest author I have EVER, ever met. She’s always so warm and welcoming and genuine at the events — she’s also a pretty regular attendee of HVYAS. [click to continue…]

Velveteen by Daniel Marks Book Review

by April (Books&Wine)

It’s unfortunate that Daniel Marks’ YA debut Velveteen didn’t get quite the attention it deserved when it first came out. Velveteen takes a walk on the macabre side and feels quite unprecedented in the YA market. It mashes up horror with paranormal, as the machinations of the residents of Purgatory are explored in this novel. While I am not usually one who LOVES weird books, I have to say that I was totally won over by Marks’ world building and prickly characterization. I definitely would like more people to read this, especially because it’s one of those books that could use a sequel.

Velveteen by Daniel Marks | Good Books And Good Wine

Velveteen opens with the sixteen year old main character, also named Velveteen but Velvet for short, haunting this super creepy guy. Turns out the creepy guy is Bonesaw, a serial killer who brutally murdered her. Now, Bonesaw has another girl. As Velvet is a ghost she can’t really do much except mess with Bonesaw’s things. I have to come right out and state that the opening chapter is one of the most exciting openings for YA in a long time. Yet, the book takes on a whole new direction in the chapters to come. Velvet is currently trapped in Purgatory, which is this run down sort of parallel universe where people go if they have unfinished business. Residents of Purgatory do not get a free ride though, each person must perform a function or a job. Velvet serves as part of the salvage team, which basically means she is a member of the elite. Yet, all is not entirely sunny, you see, there’s a faction of revolutionaries known as Depaturists who want to change the way Purgatory is run, among other things. Finally there’s a new guy in Purgatory, Nick, whom Velvet is undeniably attracted to. As you can see, homegirl has A LOT going on.

If you like prickly characters who are kind of guarded, chances are you will love Velvet. She’s very compelling. When we meet her, she’s hellbent on extracting vengeance and fortunately this does not change for much of the novel. She’s consistent and I liked that. Velvet is the kind of girl who seems to hate everyone except her very close friends. She also does not let guys get very close to her. ALSO. She is the leader of her salvage crew, so she’s actually quite competent and capable and far from the simpering too stupid to live sort of paranormal heroine. Further, Velvet has a healthy dose of teenage angst. When all of these elements combine, it’s like the ideal main character for me to read about is created. Not everyone will love Velvet, but I absolutely did.

Daniel Marks definitely is a great wordsmith. I really liked the images he conjectured of Purgatory. It’s a world where paper is extremely valuable and used to craft birds. People enter via train/subway. Residents live in these really weird looking dormitories constructed of whatever the collectors could obtain from the living world. The station masters are the ones who are in charge. It’s actually an intricately constructed world, and one that I definitely would not mind revisiting. Further, while Velveteen is very long, it’s actually quite the page turner. I found myself utterly engaged by the two plot threads — that where Velvet hopes to extract revenge on Bonesaw, and that where Purgatory is besieged by revolutionaries. It’s very dark and creepy and wholly fascinating.

The romance adds a bit of a nice light touch to Velveteen. I liked that Nick the love interest has a bit of a devil may care debonair sort of attitude, although he is also a teenager like Velvet. He’s incredibly confident and maybe comes off as a little arrogant, but it strikes a nice balance with Velvet. She’s the sort of character where it would only make sense that she engage in a relationship with someone who is just as headstrong as she is. I thought their mutual attraction totally made sense and did not come off as contrived or forced. Plus, their kissing scenes are totally adorable and do add a bit of swoon to this dark young adult book.

After finishing Velveteen, I actually hopped onto goodreads to see if there was going to be a sequel. As of now, it doesn’t look like there is, but my fingers are crossed. If you are looking for a book that leaves you wanting more of it’s strange, fascinating world then you absolutely should read Velveteen by Danny Marks. Velvet, Nick, and the rest of the salvage team are definitely worth meeting and spending almost 450 pages worth of time in their company.

Disclosure: Received for review via Amazon Vine.

Other reviews of Velveteen by Daniel Marks:

A Reader Of Fictions – “the whole of the story was so delightfully fresh and funny”

Alice Marvels – “Atmospheric and superbly written”

Hobbitsies – “something different and weird and original and creepy.”

Stacking The Shelves (22)

by April (Books&Wine)

Hurray! 3 Day weekend! I have some cool plans this weekend — I am meeting Marissa Meyer at a book signing tomorrow. I also plan to write all of the reviews and read all the books and clean ALL THE THINGS, but well when I get ambitious usually not a whole lot comes of it. We shall see. What are your plans this weekend? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear what you’ll be up to.

For Review:

Seven Wonders: The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis; Firebrand by Gillian Philip | Good Books And Good Wine

Seven Wonders: The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis (Unsolicited) – Basically this kid has to find seven ancient artifacts and there’s a secret organization which means I am super freakin pumped to read this.
Firebrand by Gillian Philip (Unsolicited) – Frankly, I am SUPER excited about this historical fantasy that has a 16 year old kid as main character. I guess it’s popular in the UK. YAY!

Andrew Jenks: My Adventures As A Young Filmmaker; Etched In Clay by Andrea Cheng | Good Books And Good Wine

Andrew Jenks: My Adventures As A Young Filmmaker by Andrew Jenks (Unsolicited) – So I have no idea who this guy is, but based on the press release he seems interesting. However, my time is limited so I’m not entirely sure if I’ll read this.
Etched In Clay: The Life Of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet by Andrea Cheng (Unsolicited) -This is short, told in verse and has woodcuts. I’ll definitely be reading this sooner rather than later.

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan; Brother, Brother by Clay Carmichael | Good Books And Good Wine

Brother, Brother by Clay Carmichael (Requested Review Copy) – Hell yes. Literary YA. The blurb compared this to Where Things Come Back so OF COURSE I requested it.
Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan (Unsolicited) – I won’t lie, I started read this immediately and got five pages in before the pressure of all my other reads got to me. It’s super good so far though. And yes, I will be finishing it.

From Netgalley and Harper Audio:

Strangelets by Michelle Gagnon (Netgalley) – This was read now and it’s pubbed by the SohoTeen imprint. I liked Don’t Turn Around by Gagnon, although it was not perfect by any means, so I am willing to give this a shot. Plus, I’m loving this new mystery/thriller YA trend.
Escape Theory by Margaux Froley (Netgalley) – Another Read Now from SohoTeen. And you guys! This one has a boarding school. Heck yes.
On Little Wings by Regina Sirois (Netgalley) – This is a Penguin contemporary debut novel and it just looks like spring/summer so of course I had to request it. I haven’t been burned yet by Penguin Teen’s contemps.
Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology And My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscaviage Hill read by Sandy Rustin (Harper Audio – Requested review copy) – OMG you guys. I cannot. I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK given my kooky obsession with cults.

Gifted:

Valentine's Day Package from Heidi at YA Bibliophile | Good Books And Good Wine

Valentine’s Surprised from Heidi at YA Bibliophile — basically this made my day 1000x better.

Ashes On The Waves by Mary Lindsey galley | Good Books And Good Wine

Ashes On The Waves by Mary Lindsey from Oblong Books – Pretty much when they have signings you can pick through the ARCs for like a take home prize and you guys this one is a retelling of Poe’s Annabel Lee so OF COURSE I walked out with it.

Purchased For Kindle:

Yours To Keep by Shannon Stacey – This was a Kindle daily deal and I knew that I’d kick myself if I didn’t immediately snap it up.
Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl – Purchased today while they are $2.99.
Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl – Might as well finish up the series, also for $2.99 today.

In case you skipped it or missed it, here’s a recap of what we’ve posted here last week:

In which I just laugh and laugh because I got to work in a GIF from The Office in my review of WHAT WE SAW AT NIGHT by Jacquelyn Mitchard.

Allison counts down her Top Ten Romances and makes me want to read ALL THE BOOKS.

Yo, this book is AMAZING especially because it’s not overwhelmed by forced romance or that time I was like everyone! Read CITY OF A THOUSAND DOLLS by Miriam Forster.

Essentially, this review of MIDWINTERBLOOD by Marcus Sedgwick turned into me debating whether the book is YA or adult.

Allison has never been to New Orleans but after reading OUT OF THE EASY by Ruta Septys, she can picture it perfectly.

Looking for a book that is hot hot hot? Check out Allison’s review of FIRELIGHT by Kristen Callihan.

Hells yes, Celtic Inspired fantasy! Or a review of THE HOLDERS by Julianna Scott.

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews.