Review: Vilonia Beebe Takes Charge by Kristin L. Gray

Vilonia Beebe Takes Charge by Kristin L. Gray

Being responsible is NOT easy. 

Fourth-grader Vilonia hasn’t lost her raincoat in the three weeks she’s had it, and she’s brushed her teeth every night and she’s volunteered to be the Friday Library Helper. But all that hard work is worth it if it means she can get a dog. Besides, this dog isn’t just because Vilonia has wanted one for pretty much ever. It’s also to help Mama, who’s been lost in one, big sadness fog for forty-three days—ever since Nana died. But Vilonia read that pets can help with sadness. 

Now all she has to do is keep the library goldfish alive over spring break, stop bringing stray animals home, and help Mama not get fired from her job. And she’s got to do all of it before the Catfish Festival. Easy as pie, right?

Pages: 208

Format: Hardback

Published By: Simon Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Genre: MG - Contemporary

Rating:

✮✮✮

Review:
Vilonia Beebe was a cute, quick read about a young girl who is trying to prove to her family that she is responsible enough to get a dog, while also trying to help make sure things don't fall apart for her family. It was definitely a lighter novel, but it did have some really sad moments throughout.

Overall, I really enjoyed the plot and getting to know Vilonia and her friend, AC, but there were a few issues I had with the book. The first being the fact that she takes over her mom's job. It was just too unbelievable, and I couldn't really wrap my mind around nine-year-old writing obituaries. The other thing that really bothered me was that fact that she was just riding around by herself wherever and whenever she wanted.

I would still recommend it because it was a cute novel, and the characters and plot were great. I look forward to reading more by Kristin L. Gray.

Blast + Giveaway and Trailer: Argos: The Story of Odysseus As Told By His Loyal Dog by Ralph Hardy

Argos: The Story of Odysseus As Told By His Loyal Dog by Ralph Hardy

From a compelling new voice in middle grade comes a reimagination of The Odyssey told from the point of view of Odysseus’s loyal dog—a thrilling tale of loyalty, determination, and adventure.

For twenty years, the great hero Odysseus struggles to return to Ithaka. After ten years beneath the walls of Troy, he begins the long journey back home. He defeats monsters. He outsmarts the Cyclops. He battles the gods. He struggles to survive and do whatever it takes to reunite with his family.

And what of that family—his devoted wife, Penelope; his young son, Telemachos; his dog, Argos? For those twenty years, they wait, unsure if they will ever see Odysseus again. But Argos has found a way to track his master. Any animal who sets foot or wing on Ithaka brings him news of Odysseus’s voyage—and hope that one day his master will return. Meanwhile, Argos watches over his master’s family and protects them from the dangers that surround a throne without its king.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for ARGOS: THE STORY OF ODYSSEUS AS TOLD BY HIS LOYAL DOG

Hand this one to die-hard readers of the “Percy Jackson” series who are looking for a more traditional rendition of the Greek tales. ―School Library Journal

Inventive retelling of Homer’s Odyssey ―ALA Booklist

Argos offers mythology-loving 9- to 12-year-olds a fresh point of access to the great story. ―Wall Street Journal

BOOK TRAILER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ralph Hardy graduated from the University of North Carolina with a degree in English and received his MFA from Columbia College, Chicago. He now lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with his wife and children and a dog named Harvey, who is nothing like Argos. He is the author of The Cheetah Diaries, Lefty, and a number of short stories.

PHOTO CONTENT FROM RALPH HARDY

WEBSITE: http://ralphhardyfiction.com/

TWITTER:  @RalphHardy1

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15654834.Ralph_Hardy

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ralph.hardy.96

GIVEAWAY

--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

- 5 Winners will receive a Copy of ARGOS: THE STORY OF ODYSSEUS AS TOLD BY HIS LOYAL DOG by Ralph Hardy.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ENDS: JUNE 22, 2018

Review: Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

Maddie thought she and Logan would be friends forever. But when your dad is a Secret Service agent and your best friend is the president's son, sometimes life has other plans. Before she knows it, Maddie's dad is dragging her to a cabin in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.

No phone.
No Internet.
And not a single word from Logan.

Maddie tells herself it's okay. After all, she's the most popular girl for twenty miles in any direction. (She’s also the only girl for twenty miles in any direction.) She has wood to cut and weapons to bedazzle. Her life is full.
Until Logan shows up six years later . . .
And Maddie wants to kill him.

But before that can happen, an assailant appears out of nowhere, knocking Maddie off a cliff and dragging Logan to some unknown fate. Maddie knows she could turn back- and get help. But the weather is turning and the terrain will only get more treacherous, the animals more deadly.

Maddie still really wants to kill Logan.
But she has to save him first.

Pages: 297

Format: Audiobook

Published By: Scholastic Press/Scholastic Audiobook
Narrator: Brittany Pressley

Genre: YA - Contemporary, Romance

Rating:
✮✮✮

Review:
So I was looking forward to reading this book from the moment that I heard about, and I was really disappointed. The book wasn't bad, per se, but it just left me feeling very underwhelmed because of the expectations I had for this book. Not If I Save You First is about Maddie, who is the daughter of a former secret service agent, who needs to rescue the son of the President when he comes to stay with her and an assailant shows up to take him.

What I loved about this book was that it was a quick read, and it was very light-hearted; something a little less intense than some of the novels I have been reading lately. I also loved that this novel was set in Alaska.

I was expecting to really love Maddie. I thought she was going to be this kick-butt girl and a strong female character, and she failed to be both. I was just expecting more of a rescue from Maddie, and it just wasn't like that. It was more of a mutual working together to survive between Maddie and Logan. Even though I didn't love Maddie, I did like her character and her personality, especially how smart she was.

Logan annoyed me a lot (there were also parts when Maddie annoyed me), and it just made me not able to stand his character at all. I just couldn't bring myself to like him, especially when some of the things he does and says throughout the novel.

And don't get me started on the romance in the novel. So yes, I picked this book up because I thought it was going to have a cute romance, and I just don't feel like the author sold it. This could also be because I didn't like Logan, and just wasn't able to see the chemistry between the two of them.

Overall, I'm not disappointed that I listened to the audiobook, but it's not a book that I would reread or would really recommend. I still plan on reading more by Ally Carter, and see if there is still hope that I might like one of her books.

Review: Reignited (Reawakened #0.5) by Colleen Houck

Reignited by Colleen Houck

A sibling rivalry.
A forbidden romance.
A spell that changes everything.

In Heliopolis, secrets abound and passions ignite as chaos rises.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Tiger’s Curse series and Reawakened comes a novella full of celestial marvel, passion, betrayal, and evil that will grow to reign over humanity forever.

Before Lily and Amon met, before the cosmos was in chaos and needed three brave brothers to fight off evil, there were four siblings who helped rule the earth.

Each sibling had a special gift. Osiris, the god of agriculture, helped mortals to grow and thrive in their natural environment. Isis, the goddess of creation, fostered health and wellness. Nephthys, the seer, was able to keep the balance between all living beings and the universe. But Seth, the youngest sibling, was left without any special powers. The Waters of Chaos, which granted each god’s talent, were running dry, and Seth was paying the price. 

As time passed, however, Seth’s determination and willfulness resulted in a very special gift, one that should have granted him the ability to enact wondrous change. But Seth’s competitive childhood gave him a heart so cold and vacant that instead, his gift brought about great evil. 

Seth was now the god of unmaking, the creator of disorder and destruction. And he was ready to seek his revenge, dominating all who got in his way.

Pages: 200

Format: Paperback

Published By: CreateSpace

Genre: YA - Fantasy, Mythology (Egyptian), Romance

Rating:

✮✮✮

Review:

I was thrilled with the opportunity to read Reignited because it features Egyptian mythology, and although I did really like the mythological aspects of the story, I wasn't hooked on this short story. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and I felt the story was incredibly slow-paced, and it never really picked up.

I did like the backstory of how the villain of the Reawakened trilogy came to be, but other than that the story it's exciting and I found that outside of Seth, none of the characters were interesting, and he's only interesting because you get to see him completely unravel throughout this story.


I definitely am planning on picking up the trilogy, but I'm hoping that those books are much more fast-paced, and hold my attention.

Review: Burn for Burn (Burn for Burn #1) by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Payback is paradise in this start to a trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian.

Postcard-perfect Jar Island is home to charming tourist shops, pristine beaches, amazing oceanfront homes—and three girls secretly plotting revenge.

     KAT is sick and tired of being bullied by her former best friend.

     LILLIA has always looked out for her little sister, so when she discovers that one of her guy friends has been secretly hooking up with her, she’s going to put a stop to it.

     MARY is perpetually haunted by a traumatic event from years past, and the boy who’s responsible has yet to get what’s coming to him.

     None of the girls can act on their revenge fantasies alone without being suspected. But together…anything is possible.

     With an unlikely alliance in place, there will be no more “I wish I’d said…” or “If I could go back and do things differently...” These girls will show Jar Island that revenge is a dish best enjoyed together. 

Pages: 384

Format: Audiobook

Published By: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers/Simon Schuster Audio
Narrators: Joy Osmanski, Madeleine Maby, and Rebekkah Ross
Genre: YA - Contemporary, Romance

Series: Burn for Burn

Rating:
✮✮✮✮

Review:

I want to first say that I was really hesitant about picking this book up because the whole premise of the series is revenge and that an idea that is hard for me to get behind to read. But I decided to pick it up because a lot of people I follow and know liked the book, so I thought I would give it a try.

So this book was decently good, and for the most part, the plot was enjoyable. I wasn’t 100% sold on the idea of the revenge in the book which is why I didn't love it, just because I'm not a revengeful person and that's not usually how I think situations should be handled. I could see why Kat and Mary wanted revenge, and Kat's revenge wasn't that bad. I could see where Lillia was coming from being an older sister myself, but I just didn’t think hers merited getting revenge.

Then there are the character: Lillia, Mary, and Kat. I’m indifferent about Lillia - it’s hard for me to relate to her but I didn't not like her character, I like Mary because she’s really kind and I can relate on a level with her, and I go between liking Kat and not liking her because of her personality and actions. Overall, I think each of their characters were well-written and I really liked that they were all very unique.

I am planning to continue reading the series, and I am hoping that it does get better in the next novel, but I fear that it won’t be.

Scallywagathon 2018 Wrap-Up

The Scallywagathon was a readathon that was from May 20th-27th, therefore it has ended today, and was hosted by Ali from HardbackHoarder and Amanda from Read All the Books. So the Scallywagathon is a readathon where the goal is to complete 4 of the challenges. You start between 1-5, and then you follow the path to the next challenge on the map. Here is the link to the official page for the readathon where the map and challenges are: Scallywagathon. I am also including the map below and the challenges so that you can see and maybe even decide if this is something you would like to participate in next year (given that it happens again next year).

So for this readathon, I have decided to start with challenge 5. So this is what I had planned on reading for this readathon.

5) Valiant by Lesley Livingston

6) Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

A) Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

9) This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis

But because I am a mood reader, I didn't read a single one of those books. Instead, these are the books that I ended up reading for this challenge.

5) Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

8) Reignited by Colleen Houck

A) Vilonia Beebe Takes Charge by Kristin L. Gray

9) Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Review: Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion? 

Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. 

With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heroes will fall, and hearts will be broken.

Pages: 615

Format: Hardback

Published By: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Illustrator: Marie Lu

Genre: YA - Sci-Fi
Series: Illuminae Files

Rating:
✮✮✮✮✮

Review:
Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff was another amazing continuation of the Illuminae Files, taking place right after the events of Gemina, but with an addition of new perspectives. I loved it almost as much as the first two, my biggest problem with the book is there were quite a few moments where the viewpoints throughout the novel were from previous characters from the series, and I felt that I didn't get to really know the characters in this book as much. It was still a great book, and hooked me from the beginning, and didn't take any time at all for me to finish. Obsidio takes place on Kerenza, which is Kady, Ezra, and Asha's home planet, and the planet that our previous characters are heading. Overall, I feel that there isn't as much going on as with the previous novels, there is mainly only one thing happening: BeiTech and the resistance.

So I really liked Asha, but she wasn't as hands-on kick-butt as our previous heroines, although she was willing to do everything in her power to protect a little girl in her care. She's still a very strong female character. I was also a huge fan of Rhys, and I felt that if we had seen more of him than I would have liked him more than Ezra because he has a strong moral compass and isn't afraid to challenge what he thinks is wrong. The big problem I had with this book in regards to our romance is that I just didn't feel the chemistry as much with these characters as I did with our previous couples, but I still liked Asha and Rhys as a couple.

And once more, my favorite part about this series was the way it was told through documents: emails/IMs, files, reports, interviews, and art. I just loved the uniqueness in that regard.

I would highly recommend this series if you haven't yet had the chance to pick it up yet. Yes, it's a rather long series, but because of the way it's written, it's a fairly quick read (in my opinon), and didn't take long to get through.

Review: Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.

The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminae continues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.

Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and the Hypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.

When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.

But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.

Pages: 659

Format: Hardback

Published By: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Illustrator: Marie Lu

Genre: YA - Sci-Fi
Series: Illuminae Files

Rating:
✮✮✮✮✮

Review:

Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff is the continuation of Illuminae, taking place right after but from different perspectives, and as was the case with the first novel - it was one of the best novels I've read and I loved it as equally as Illuminae. I was already hooked from the first novel, but it took me even less time to get through Gemina. It was a blend of action, intrigue, and the perfect dose of romance between Hannah and Nik. This story takes place on the Heimdall station that Kady and Ezra are currently heading for, and as before a lot goes on in this novel: BeiTech causing more problems, a space-time continuum concern, and aliens feasting on the people on the station.

What I love most about this series is how kick-butt our female heroines are. Hanna wasn't afraid to do anything if it meant protecting her friends and doing what must be done. She's also really good with hand-to-hand combat and she has a great personality. Nik is a hardened criminal who has a sweet side to him, and he's also really great (personally I love Ezra more). And I just love the flirting, and the slow building of the relationship between Nik and Hanna. Anothe great thing about this book is that you get another female hacker, Nik's cousin, Ella. And all of our characters from book one make an appearance in this novel, including our friendly murderous AI, AIDAN.

One of my favorite things about this novel was obviously how the story was told through documents: emails/IMs, files, reports, interviews, and art. I just love how unique this series is in that regard.

I would highly recommend this novel if you haven't yet had the chance to pick it up. Yes, it's a rather long novel, but because of the way it was written, it's such a quick read (at least it was for me), and didn't take me long to get through.

Reread, Rewrite, or Burn Tag

So I'm trying to get back into the swing of doing tags since it's been awhile since I last did one. And now that school is out of the way, I can finally do more than just reviews and tour posts on my page. Although, I am potentially going to do fewer and fewer tours and blitzes than I have done in the past, just so my blog features more than that.

Anyway, unto this Tag: Reread, Rewrite, or Burn Tag. Essentially you have three books that you have to decide whether you are going to reread, rewrite, or burn the book. Since I am doing this on a blog rather than a vlog, I'm going to randomize and choose through my Goodreads read list. And since I am using Goodreads, there will be older and newer books.

I am going to do 10 because otherwise, I think it would take forever for me to complete. I am also doing one for my adult blog, which you can check out here. This will have 15.

1. Intertwined by Gena Showalter, Freedom Writers Diary by Erin Gruwell and the Freedom Writers, and Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

This one was rather easy. I would definitely reread Evolution of Mara Dyer because I loved everything about that trilogy, I would rewrite Intertwined because although I did enjoy the book, there were a few things that I didn't love about it, and I would burn Freedom Writers Diary (which isn't a bad book, and I think everyone should try to read it - it just wasn't a favorite nonfiction book that I have read).

2. Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa, Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols, and Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott

This was another easy one. Immortal Rules would be a definite reread because it's amazing, and one of the few vampire books that I love. Boys Next Door would be the rewrite because looking back, I don't think I would have enjoyed this one as much and I know I would have more issues with it. And the burn would be Swan Kingdom because it wasn't a really memorable read and I didn't enjoy it that much.

3. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, In the Shadow of the Lamp by Susanne Dunlap, and Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

This one was not so easy, at least for burn and rewrite. The reread was easy because there's only one book on this list that I really enjoyed and that is Under the Never Sky. The problem is In the Shadow of the Lamp wasn't memorable and I don't really know what I liked and did not like about this book but I really didn't like Forest of Hands and Teeth, but I know why and I know that I could fix it if I chose to rewrite it. So I think I would rewrite In the Shadow of the Lamp, and burn Forest of Hands and Teeth because I just feel like I could love In the Shadow of the Lamp more because of what it is about.

4. Host by Stephanie Meyer, Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis, and Scarlet Moon by Debbie Viguie

So this was another more difficult one, but for a little different reason. I loved Madness So Discreet, so that would be a definite reread. The hard part is which one to burn and which one to rewrite because I really enjoyed both the Host and Scarlet Moon. In the end, I think I would go with Scarlet Moon as a rewrite because I prefer fairytale retellings, and therefore I would have to burn the Host.

5. Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz, Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic, and Masquerade by Melissa de la Cruz

This was easy, thank goodness. I would reread Deadly Little Secret because out of the three, it was my favorite. I would rewrite Masquerade because there was potential for the book, and I would hands down burn Never Eighteen because I could barely stand this book, and I only finished it because it was a quick read.

6. Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher, Possessions by Nancy Holder, and Lucky in Love by Kasie West

This was once more, rather easy to do. I loved Lucky in Love by Kasie West and would definitely reread. I absolutely hated Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls, and don't know why I didn't just DNF the book, but anyway, I would burn it. Therefore I would rewrite Possessions because it's last and it does have potential to be an amazing book.

7. Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott, Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, and Dark Visions by L.J. Smith

This was too easy. I would reread Salt & Stone over and over and over. I would burn Knife of Never Letting Go because it wasn't a favorite of mine, and even though I gave it 3 stars, I'm fairly certain if I were to reread it now, I would give it 2 stars. That leaves Dark Visions to be rewritten, which works because I feel that it has a lot of potential.

8. Escape from Asylum by Madeleine Roux, Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol, and Wither by Lauren DeStefano

This was another difficult one. So first off, I would burn Anya's Ghost because I really didn't care for the character of the plot, but it was a quick read because it was a comic which is why I didn't DNF it. That leaves rereading and rewriting, and I'm so conflicted, but in the end, I'm going to go with Escape from Asylum for rewriting because there were a few slow scenes that I didn't care for, and I'm going to reread Wither because I just loved the concept of the trilogy.

9. Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber, Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield, and Supernaturally by Kiersten White

This is rough. I enjoyed all of these, and although I didn't equally rate them, I don't really want to burn any of them. So this is what I would do, I would reread Darker Still because it was an interesting and amazing book. I would rewrite Hanging by a Thread because it had so much potential, and I am going to burn Supernaturally because I'm fine with having read it once in my life.

And finally onto the last one...

10. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin, and Betrayal by Gregg Olsen

This is another tough one. So, although I really enjoyed Perfect Chemistry, it's not really in the running, so I'm going to burn it. This is much harder than my choice back at #8 was. I think I'm going to go with Betrayal as my reread because I love everything about this book and series, and I'm going to rewrite Masque of the Red Death in a way that will make the second book have to also be rewritten so that I like that one much better.