Ugh, Summer

We'll Always Have Summer
By Jenny Han

Belly is now in college! We've grown with her through the high school to college years. She's in the middle of a really great relationship (no spoilers I promise) when he proposes. Then chaos ensues.

Teenagers wanting to marry. Exactly what I wanted to read *rolls eyes*. This is my least favourite of this series. The whole book I wanted to end sooner rather than later.

Good things:
- characters grow up, mature, evolve
- I really love Belly's mother. She and I would be great friends.
- Return to the beach house and heart-warming memories (present and past)
- Han is great at complex characters. She loves to reveal parts of them that change how you view them. Excellent!

Awful things:
- young people wanting to marry when Han clearly writes that they are not ready
- the drama of the love triangle... I still dislike love triangles. I've only ever read one that worked.
- SO MUCH DRAMA, yuk

Overall, read the first one "The Summer I Turned Pretty".

2/5 STARS

Filed Memories

The Archived
By Victoria Schwab

Mackenzie is a Keeper of the dead. When people die, their memories become Histories and are filed away in a library between worlds. Sometimes, the memories wake and it's Mackenzie's job to return them to rest in the library. When she moves to a new place, her family reeling from her little brother's sudden death, and the converted hotel in which they live in is full of mysteries and waking Histories.

A richly imaginative world. The concept is unique and every time there's an answer, five more questions pop up. Memorable characters and a deep world I'd love to visit.

Mackenzie seems super human - if this could be her only flaw. She is dealing with issue after issue and I wonder how she didn't break down a cry. I don't think she slept much. This girl is go go go and business like. I liked that about her.

Her family dynamics are lovely. The main character switches between present and memories from the past of her Da, her grandfather, who trained her to be a Keeper. For the first part of the book, I could not make the distinction between her Da (grandfather) and Dad (father) - quite a bit of confusion between those two.

Her fellow team mate Keeper, Wesley, is equally likeable if not more so. I liked their ambiguous chemistry. Business like, but possible hinted at romance. Not sure if this was a romance or a great friendship. Either way, the chemistry between these two is tentative and delightful.

The unravelling of the world was done in a delicate manner. The reader is confused for the first few pages, then slowly Schwab begins to explain the mechanics. This is one that takes a bit to get into, but once you do, be prepared to fly away to another dimension.

Would I want to visit the Library? Yes. But I would refuse to see any filed relatives. See people I don't know, for sure. And, hello, I'd love to meet Roland (who Schwab says is based on David Tennant's Doctor). Uh, yes please.

Overall, really cool. Really REALLY cool. Recommend for those wanting a sorta creepy, dimension expanding, library kinda story.

4/5 STARS

Book-Tube-A-Thon ~ Wrap Up

Hi Book-Sniffers and Librocubicularists,

A successful reading week! I hope yours was too.

In all I finished 5 novels, 3 graphic novels, and 6 short stories.

Challenges fulfilled:

1. a book with blue on the cover
 'Here, There Be Dragons' and 'The Archived'


2. an author with the same first initial of last name as you. For me 'P'
'Squire' by Tamora Pierce
 
3. someone else's favourite book
Tricky, I'm sure one of the books I read is a favourite of someones. 'Squire' is one my ALL TIME favourite books... Let's count that.
 
4. last book acquired (library, haul, borrowed...)
'We'll Always Have Summer' and 'Earth & Sky'
 
5. a book without letting go until it's finished (hold it until it's done)
'1001 Nights of Snowfall' or 'Wolves' (both graphic novels in the Fables series)

6. a book you REALLY want to read
Always want to reread 'Squire', currently reading (did not finish within week) 'Swordspoint', definitely 'Earth & Sky', and I challenged myself to read 3 short stories - I read 6.

7. 7 books
Are we counting graphic novels?
Books: Here, There Be Dragons (I); The Archived; Squire (III); We'll Always Have Summer (III); Earth & Sky
Graphic Novels: 1001 Nights of Snowfall (Fables); Wolves (Fables); Motherland (Y the Last Man)

Total Pages Read: 2124 

For funsies, I attempted the book tower challenge from Day 3. I even based it off of Orford Castle. Awwwww yeah.

I get my book pics from Pintrest. Check out my board.

A-Thon: Day 7

Day 7

Pages Read Today: 192


Finished overall: 4 books + 3 graphic novels + 6 short stories


Continuing:

Swordspoint
By Ellen Kushner
Pages: 148-190

I don't want this story to end. In hindsight, it's not a good read-a-thon book, but this will easily be on my top list of 2015.



Short Stories:

Rysn
By Brandon Sanderson
Pages: 7

This was alright.
 


From
Epic: Legends of Fantasy
Edited By John Joseph Adams

A-Thon: Day 6

Day 6

Pages Read Today: 49


Finished overall: 4 books + 2 graphic novels + 5 short stories


Continuing:

Swordspoint
By Ellen Kushner
Pages: 124-148

The writing is so lush. I wanted to read this quickly, but the writing is having none of it. So I'm delightfully savouring the story.


Short Stories:

Bound Man
By Mary Robinette Kowal
Pages: 25

I liked this one. Out of time, alternate historical, fantasy with a compelling main female character.


From
Epic: Legends of Fantasy
Edited By John Joseph Adams