This Is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp - A Review

Synopsis: 10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won't open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Rating: 5/5

Thoughts: *Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

The cover of this book and the title might have been what drew me in initially, but it was the contents of This Is Where It Ends, the haunting text and unfortunate characters that kept me turning pages. Let me just say that this book is NOT your fluffy summer read, perfect for reading on the beach (In fact, it comes out in January, one of the coldest months of the year.) It's brutal, honest, and heartbreaking. Violence fills the pages, along with tragic backstories, terrified narratives, and acts of daring selflessness. Our main characters, Claire, Sylv, Autumn, Tomás, and occasionally Mei and other character via social media sites, all paint a harrowing tale as they and their classmates are held captive by an angry gunman... who also happens to be Autumn's brother. Everyone in this story is well crafted, and all along, I was seriously hoping that everyone at Opportunity High would make it out alive. Of course, that wasn't to be, but even so, the deaths that did happen were handled in a way that wasn't too gruesome. Some of the deaths were very emotional though, and you’ll find yourself really feeling for both those who have lost their lives, and those left behind in the aftermath.

To speak, of the characters we meet here, I really liked the diverse characters in the novel, both racially and sexually. We have multiple ethnicities and lgbtia characters, which I feel might also make this book more appealing to a wider variety of readers, as there is representation of a variety of different groups. There are also a variety of interests, such as dance and social media, which are all used as plot elements in a variety of ways through. All of these elements are used by the author to create dynamic and realistic characters.

Marieke Nijkamp has done a great job of putting the reader right in the characters' shoes. While of course no one ever hopes to experience a school shooting firsthand, this book is probably the closest you could ever get. You might be sitting comfortably in your living room, sipping a cup to tea, but you’ll feel on edge, smelling the fear and death and blood in the air. You will not walk away from this book squeaky clean and untouched. While this book is branded as a young adult novel, it could be easily read by adults as well as teens. I would recommend this to anyone who loves thrilling, emotional reads, or, honestly, to anyone. This is a book that I believe will explode in popularity in 2016.

So Close To You by Rachel Carter - A Review

Synopsis: Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the strange things that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and people who've disappeared over the years. Stories about people like her own great-grandfather.When Lydia stumbles into a portal that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, she discovers that all the stories she's heard about the Montauk Project are true, and that she's in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history.Alongside a darkly mysterious boy she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the Project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to questions all her choices - and if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them... and herself.

Date Finished: 11/14/15

Rating: 4/5

Thoughts: 

I haven’t read a good time travel book in a long time. The last one I read was about a year ago, and it was so bad that I had to take a break from the genre for a long time. I simply had to end that break when I picked up So Close to You, which is a time travel novel that sends the protagonist back to 1944, during World War II. 

Now, let me say that I’m big on Historical Fiction. This wasn’t exactly a historical fiction novel, but it was close enough. That being said, I still enjoyed the novel. It actually has some good insights on what life was like during the war, and provides an awesome background for the events of this novel.

The romance between “the mysterious boy” named Wes and Lydia was a bit... strange. Wes is obviously a dark, (literally) tortured individual with an awful past and conflicted motives, and Lydia is just our determined and somewhat stubborn heroine. Lydia stated a few times that she didn’t know him and didn’t know why she should trust him...and yet after a few meetings, they were all “insta-love!” and confessing all of their secrets. What? There was a bit more going on than just that, but that’s the gist of it. Apprehension, A bit of trust, and then INSTA-LOVE.

Aside from that, I really enjoyed this novel. I really loved how Lydia got to know her great-aunt and her friends, and also played matchmaker to ensure that the future would play out as it should. There were a lot of characters, but they all had a purpose, and because this is the first of a trilogy, they might even come back in a future novel. I’m really excited to see where this series will go in the next two books. 

All-in-all, I’d recommend this to fans of both Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, and anyone who loves time Travel. There’s something in this book for everyone to love!

You Were Here by Cori McCarthy - A Review

Synopsis: Jaycee is about to accomplish what her older brother Jake couldn't: live past graduation.Jaycee is dealing with her brother's death the only way she can- by re-creating Jake's daredevil stunts. The ones that got him killed. She's not crazy,okay? She just doesn't have a whole lot of respect for staying alive.Jaycee doesn't expect to have help on her insane quest to remember Jake. But she's joined by a group of unlikely friends- all with their own reasons for completing the dares and their own brand of dysfunction: the uptight, ex-best friend; the heartbroken poet; the slacker with Peter Pan syndrome; and...Mik. He doesn't talk, but somehow still challenges Jayce to do the unthinkable-reveal parts of herself that she buried with her brother. Cori McCarthy's gripping narrative defies expectation moving seamlessly from prose to graphic novel panes and word art poetry. From the petrifying ruins of an insane asylum to the skeletal remains of the world's largest amusement park, You Were Here takes you on an unforgettable journey of friendship, heartbreak, and inevitable change.

Date Finished: 10/28/15

Rating: 5/5

Review:

*I received an e-copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Before I even get into this review, let me just say that the cover designer for this book did something absolutely amazing in the design of it, something that you’ll understand completely if you read the book and then look back at the cover again. That being said, let’s get into the actual content of the book itself.

You Were Here is a book that grips you from the first emotionally charged page and holds you throughout. It takes a few chapters to get used to the way the author presents our characters: Jaycee’s chapters are told from a 1st person POV, Natalie and Zach’s are told from from the 3rd person POV, Bishop’s are told through his art, and Mikivikious’s are told with graphic novel style art. However, once you get used to the characters and their methods of story telling, it’s really a fantastic read, especially when you realize that while Jaycee is the character mentioned in the synopsis, she isn’t our only protagonist, nor is she the only one with problems. Cori McCarthy has done a phenomenal job of weaving together the storylines and making it so that all of the characters are equally developed and important. This might be Jaycee’s journey, but Zach, Natalie, Bishop, and Mik are all along for the ride with meaningful things to contribute. 

Throughout the novel we see themes of grief, friendship, guilt, and recovery. We see friendships fall apart and come back together, and it’s a beautiful exploration of grief and the way it affects both the individual and the people all around them. Again, Cori McCarthy has crafted a beautiful coming of age novel that many young people need to read. While grief is a main theme in this novel, seen mainly in Jaycee’s actions to preserve the memory of her brother, there are so many other themes and motifs that young adults, especially those going off to college soon. The fear of the unknown, the end of relationships, and the consequences of our actions all come up in this emotionally packed novel. 

I would definitely recommend this to fans of young adult contemporaries. Fans of Jessi Kirby’s Golden or John Green’s Looking for Alaska will fall in love with Cori McCarthy’s newest novel, available on 3/1/16. You should definitely add this one of your TBR list, as this might just be one of the most talked about novels of 2016. And when you get your hands on it, make sure to check out the beautiful and significant cover when you’re done reading it!

What You Left Behind by Jessica Verdi - A Review

Synopsis: 

It’s all Ryden’s fault. If he hadn’t gotten Meg pregnant, she would have never stopped her chemo treatments and would still be alive. Instead, he’s failing fatherhood one dirty diaper at a time. And it’s not like he’s had time to grieve while struggling to care for their infant daughter, start his senior year, and earn the soccer scholarship he needs to go to college.

The one person who makes Ryden feel like his old self is Joni. She’s fun and energetic—and doesn’t know he has a baby. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to keep his two worlds separate. Finding one of Meg’s journals only stirs up old emotions, and Ryden’s convinced Meg left other notebooks for him to find, some message to help his new life make sense. But how is he going to have a future if he can’t let go of the past?

Date Finished: 9-20-2015

Rating: 3.5/5

Thoughts: *Thank you Netgalley and SourceBooks Fire for providing me with a copy of this book to review!*

I’m not exactly where to start with this review, so I’ll just say that this book was a good read. I was drawn in by the synopsis and the title. This time the cover didn’t play as much of a role in my choice, but after reading and looking back at the cover, I feel that the cover does a really good job of capturing the mood of this book.

This book is split up between Ryden balancing his parental duties (which he often passes off to other people) with his school and sports, his growing relationship with Joni, a girl at work, and trying to find the journals that Meg left behind for him, which he thinks might have the key to being a good parent for their daughter, Hope.

I generally liked all of the characters, especially Joni. She’s not a stereotypical love interest. She’s unique and toward the end pushes back against the way she’d been treated by someone. That uniqueness will probably make hera favorite of many readers. Ride was very fleshed out, both in his inner thoughts and actions. He’s a teen, but he’s got adult responsibilities now. Despite that, he still makes mistakes like any human would. I actually really liked that it was told directly from his 1st person POV. It’s not always that common to find a YA novel where you get to get directly in a guy’s head, with all of the male thoughts and all. (You know what I mean.) Anyway, even though we never get to meet Meg, we still learn of her personality through memories and journal entries, which actually helped me feel more sympathy toward Ryden and his situation.

Now, there are a few twists and turns throughout the book. Revelations occur with each journal entry. So many things happen in all aspects of Ryden’s life, and one event even changes his view on a character (my view as well!) It was actually this twist that brought my rating down from a solid 4 to a 3.5. Without giving anything away, I just feel that a character did something incredibly selfish, despite the motive behind it. 

Nevertheless, Jessica Verdi wrote this beautiful, thought provoking book in a sentimental, angsty, and reflective way that makes it a perfect afternoon read of the weekend. It’s definitely a page turner, so you’ll be done with it soon. It has a similar tone as that of Take Care Sara and If I Stay, so fans of those novels might enjoy this.

Happy Reading, Starlight Readers!

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon - A Review

Synopsis: 

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.

Date Finished: 8-29-15

Rating: 5/5

Thoughts:

*Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review!*

The moment I read the synopsis of this novel, I knew I had to read it. Instantly I thought of The Fault In Our Stars, and the train wreck of feels that it was. Luckily Everything, Everything isn’t as much about life and death as it is about simply living and taking advantage of the life we have to live. It had very much a Carpe Diem, Seize The Day type of feel to it, and I loved that about it. 

This book isn’t completely text. All throughout, we have snippets of IM and Email conversations, journal entries, medical charts and documents, book reviews and cute little sketches. This, coupled with the short chapters, makes it a fast, but memorable read. Nothing is put in this book just for fluff though. Every word and image have a purpose to bring Maddie’s story to life.

Speaking of Maddie, I absolutely loved her. She’s a reader, just like me, but mostly because she’s got nothing better to do that read and do homework due to her isolation. I loved that she’s actually half black, and half asian. DIVERSITY! I also loved than Nicola Yoon didn’t use Maddie’s race as a plot point. She simply is who she is, with her interesting curly hair and features. She’s brave and daring despite her sheltered life, and we really get to see how love changes her perspective on life.

Olly is a great character as well. He’s got family problems, but that doesn’t define him. He’s still a caring, thoughtful, and deep character, and you can really see that he comes to care for Maddie very much. To be honest, he felt more like he could be a real person than Augustus Waters ever could (I’m so sorry, Gus, but it’s true!)

The plot is really interesting. I won’t give any spoilers, but the last bit of the book threw me for a whirlwind of emotion. I loved that last chapter though, and I’m sure that if you read this and love it as much as I did, you will too. I couldn’t put the book down, always curious if the relationship would work out, if Maddie would be ok, and what would happen next! It’s definitely a page turner!

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves contemporary novels, and especially John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. This book is thoughtful and unique, and explores what it really means to live your life. 

Step aside, Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace Lancaster. Maddie and Olly might just be the next big thing. ;)

Go Ask Alice - A Review

Synopsis:

Date Finished: 2-26-15

Rating: 2/5 

Thoughts: *spoilers ahead*

I never really thought I’d find a book I didn’t like as much as this book. I’ve always heard about Go Ask Alice, but I didn’t have the chance to read it until recently. Let me just say that I’m glad I was able to read it online for free on PulseIt Reads, because if I had paid for this book, I would have been quite disappointed. 

Let me just start with the unnamed narrator. Um.... Whiny! After her first drug experience, she sort of just goes along with the whole drug thing, hanging with the wrong crowd and selling stuff for one of her boyfriends. She goes back and forth between wanting to be a good girl and a bad girl, swearing off drugs one moment, then falling back to it’s influence within the next 20 pages. We learn her voice through a series of journal entries which seem a bit too... unreal for them to be the true journal entries of a teenage girl, especially one getting involved in some serious illegal drugs. She seems to bounce back between sobriety and drugs a bit too easily, which, in addition to other reviews and information I’ve read, leads me to think that this is a fictionalize tale. Nevertheless, I still have some more problems with Go Ask Alice.

One problem that I had was our narrators parents. I mean, they obviously punish our protag when she and her friend were caught with drugs, but that’s it. When she and a friend run away to San Fransisco and LIVE THERE for a while, the parents didn’t even go looking for her. They just came to pick her up from the airport like nothing was wrong. Um, maybe it’s just different for my family, but if I ever ran away, I probably wouldn’t even make it to the airport without my parents snatching me back home, grounding me for life, and probably punishing me severely. Maybe that’s part of the reason why I couldn’t like this as much as I could. Plus, that isn’t the only time she runs away. She runs away again later to Denver! There, she has some more drugged out experiences, and then goes home again, vowing to stay clean. UGH. Her parents didn’t do nearly enough to help her! If I were a parent and discovered that my child was having some drug problems, I would probably temporarily isolate the kid and keep them within my sight at all times to keep them clean, for their own good. Gosh, the parents made me so mad.

And WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END??? She just dies? Literally just 2 weeks after she mentions everything getting better? Of course, we don’t know if it was on purpose, or if it was another drugging like what happened during the babysitting incident, but still. By the time I got to that epilogue, I was already quite done with reading this story, but I finished for the sake of reviewing it. 

Now, I guess I should talk about some redeeming qualities of Go Ask Alice. From what I understand about drugs, it’s a fairly realistic depiction of addiction, life, and all the demons that come along with it. Despite everything I’ve said about it, it might actually help some people, especially young teens in middle school or early high school, to learn the consequences of drug usage. It’s got everything it needs to teach someone about what could happen, and this is exactly the type of stuff that they don’t tell us about in Health class. Sometimes you get the best info on real life from books instead. In that aspect, I would recommend it.

If you get the chance to read this for free, perhaps a borrowed copy from a friend or library, go ahead, I guess. But if you’re considering buying this one, I’d skip it. Unless, of course, you don’t mind having this joke”journal” on your bookshelf. I personally didn’t like it, but who knows. Perhaps those of you who have an interest in drug-related books would be interested in this. I’ve never done drugs, nor have I really been exposed to people who have, so I’m not sure if this is an accurate depiction of a drug problem, but who knows? Maybe this book will ring true for someone. Maybe it’ll save a life.

I’d recommend the Crank Series to people who enjoyed this, but not necessarily vice versa. Meh. 

Welcome to Starlight-Reads!

Hello Starlight-Readers! I'm Leah Nova, and I'm an reviewer and the owner of the Starlight-Reads blog (both here, and on tumblr.) I focus mainly on book reviews, but I also occasionally write articles on other book related things, such as where to buy books from, favorite elements of a certain genre, and so much more. I always post recommendations that you could add to your TBR list!

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Happy reading!