Book Nerds Across America: Wednesday Books

Showing posts with label Wednesday Books. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Exclusive Excerpt: Lobizona by Romina Garber

We are so excited to be sharing an exclusive excerpt of Lobizona as part of the blog tour! Find it below the page break.

Book Summary

Some people ARE illegal.

Lobizonas do NOT exist.

Both of these statements are false.

Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.

Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered.

Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past—a mysterious "Z" emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.

As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal. . . .it’s her entire existence.

Read an exclusive excerpt from Lobizona after the page break.

Audiobook review: The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Book Summary
No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.

In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.

Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.

With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.

Flo's Review
Okay. This is an interesting case. I finished it and I was just...twisted up about it? Like, I finished it a few days ago and I'm still thinking about it. But I can't necessarily say that I loved it. It was a brutal and intense story, but it does stick with you.

There is obviously so much commentary to be had on the roles of women in society, and how all the things a women is supposed to be are often contradictory. There's the idea of quiet rebellion -- the power behind it, and the slow, but important, impact. And, of course, the discussion about how women compete with each other when we should be lifting each other up. I listened to the audiobook, and the end of the audiobook had a brief interview with the girl who read the audiobook and the author. Both of them were crying throughout, and both of them had good things to say.

The Grace Year is going to be a movie, and I can't even imagine! I don't know if I can watch it! It was that gruesome. But am I glad I read it? Yeah, I am. I've seen a lot of reviews by people who did not like the ending, and I actually did like it. I'm all into what's implied for the characters and the future.

I know this is a weird review, folks. I can't ... I don't know that my thoughts on it? I mean, I'm still here thinking about, but I can't pin down one concrete thing to say? Have you read it? What did you think??

Friday, October 4, 2019

Audiobook review: The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

Book Summary
The new gut-wrenching epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep.

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

Flo's Review
What a pleasant surprise this book was! I've been wanting to read Sky in the Deep ever since I heard about it, but it never quite made it all the way up the TBR pile. Then a good friend gifted me with the beautiful hardcover copy of this one, and I decided to give it a read before YALLFEST. I listened to the audiobook and it flew by! It was only about 8 or 9 hours, which is my sweet spot for audiobooks. (After that, I really have to like the story because they start to seem too long to me at that point.) I felt like I started and finished this within a few days. But the pacing also contributed. The story started off with a mystery, with a question, and just went full in from there on out.

I am happy to report that even though this is a companion novel to Sky in the Deep, you don't have to read that one first to fully understand this one at all. I never did get to read Sky -- though I definitely will now! -- and the only reason I figured out that the two books were related is because I went poking around for information about this book on Goodreads. I wanted to emphasize that point because I think it's fantastic. I have been caught before by "It's a companion, but you don't have to to have read the original series" and then I've tried the book and been completely lost. Not the case here. This stood alone perfectly and made me excited to go back and read the other one.

Tova was a great character. There was just something about her that drew me in as a reader. She blames herself for a lot of the deaths in the book, and even as I was thinking she was right, it didn't make me dislike her at all. And naturally Tolvard (excuse me if I'm spelling any one's names wrong) was bae. I'd even consider living on the fjord for him. But then I wouldn't because let's be real -- that just sounds cold!

Likeable characters that you're rooting for, nonstop action, fantastic pacing, the joy of being a standalone -- all of these qualities endeared me to this book. It's definitely one I would recommend.

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Book review: You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn

Book Summary
Annie Mathers is America’s sweetheart and heir to a country music legacy full of all the things her Gran warned her about. Superstar Clay Coolidge is most definitely going to end up one of those things.

But unfortunately for Clay, if he can’t convince Annie to join his summer tour, his music label is going to drop him. That’s what happens when your bad boy image turns into bad boy reality. Annie has been avoiding the spotlight after her parents’ tragic death, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Clay’s label wants to land Annie, and Clay has to make it happen.

Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour. From the start fans want them to be more than just tour mates, and Annie and Clay can’t help but wonder if the fans are right. But if there’s one part of fame Annie wants nothing to do with, it’s a high-profile relationship. She had a front row seat to her parents’ volatile marriage and isn’t interested in repeating history. If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk.

Flo's Review
I'm kicking myself, y'all. I've had this book for months. I was lucky enough to get an early ARC and I knew I was going to read it before it came out. But wow! I really wish I'd read it sooner. I read the majority of it today and loved it so hard.

These characters. Wow. They are both feeling so much, and in turn you really feel them and feel for them. The idea of two flawed people finding love is just so simply beautiful at its core, in contrast to the complication that the relationship inevitably is.

The song lyrics hit all the right notes. (Sorry. Pun totally intended!) The ones that were supposed to be fun were fun, and the ones that were supposed to be deep really cut deep. I found myself flipping back to read different song lyrics as I went further into the book.

Reading this book was an easy as Sunday morning. I just kept turning the pages like it wasn't even a thing. I was on a flight, but between the time I touched down to when I got home to finish it, I kept trying to sneak in a few words or sentences -- waiting for the shuttle, in line to pay my parking ticket, etc.

I knew that I would adore this book, because I love all the contemporary romances (bring on the Kasie West, the Jennifer E. Smith, the Miranda Kenneally!), but I don't think I really fathomed just how much. I think I may have found a new favorite YA contemporary author in Erin Hahn.

You'd Be Mine comes out April 2, 2019 from Wednesday Books.

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Book review: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

Book Summary
A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

Flo's Review
Is it just me, or is it always a little nerve-wracking when you finally get the opportunity to read a book that's been super hyped? It's like, you're holding your breath as you turn the pages, hoping to get caught up in the same tidal wave that everyone else is riding.

I'm happy to say that I did catch the wave...though it took a little bit. With any new fantasy story there's the curve of learning, understanding, and then feeling at home in the new world. This always takes awhile for me. Wicked Saints did start off with a bang, and I appreciated that. The tension between Nadya and Malachiasz was delicious, though I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was one of those girls who likes the villain, the bad boy. (I'm not. Mal vs. the Darkling? Mal, all the way.)

But Wicked Saints had so many deep questions running through it. Nadya struggled with issues of faith and belief, not only in the divine, but also in other people and in herself. By the last third of the book, I was all in. I'd read it all day long, and I opted to go to the gym at the end of the day just so I could hop on a machine and keep on reading! I was surprised by the reveals, and not just surprised -- so many emotions came along with them.

A lot of things happened at the end that left me with questions and eagerness for how the series will continue. But most importantly, it left me with hope. I think some good things can come for the characters and their homes, though it will be anything but an easy journey.

Wicked Saints publishes April 2m 2019 from Wednesday Books.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Blog Tour: The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

THE GILDED WOLVES

By Roshani Chokshi

Wednesday Books

On-Sale Date: January 15, 2019

Hardcover: 978-1-250-14454-6 / $18.99 E-Book: 978-1-250-14456-0 / $9.99

ABOUT THE BOOK: Roshani Chokshi proved herself an author to watch with her young adult fantasy debut, The Star-Touched Queen and companion novel A Crown of Wishes. Debuting at #4 on the New York Times bestseller list, her novels received rave reviews from fans and critics alike and appeared on the most buzzed about lists for young adult novels. Beginning her most ambitious series yet, THE GILDED WOLVES (Wednesday Books; January 15, 2019)is a decadent tale of heist and adventure set in Belle Époque Paris, filled with opulent balls, succulent sights, and a brazen group of teens.

Paris, 1889: The world is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In this city, no one keeps tabs on secrets better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. But when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin will need help from a band of experts:

An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian who can't yet go home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in all but blood, who might care too much. Together, they'll have to use their wits and knowledge to hunt the artifact through the dark and glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ROSHANI CHOKSHIis the New York Timesbestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen, A Crown of Wishes,and Aru Shah and the End of Time. Her work has appeared in Strange Horizons, Shimmer, and Book Smugglers. Her short story, "The Star Maiden," was longlisted for the British Fantasy Science Award.

FLO'S REVIEW: Roshani Chokshi has brought it again with her beautiful world-building. Just like in The Star-Touched Queen and A Crown of Wishes, the setting stands out as a bold and distinctive element of the story. On top of that, The Gilded Wolves is full of history and puzzles. So not only was I marveling at the setting, I was also learning about the past and stretching my brain. It was truly an immersive experience.

Another interesting facet of the story was the way it kept unfolding. There were at least two to three times when I thought, "Okay, so we're good," but then something else happened that shifted the focus but kept moving the main storyline forward. I've already shared my thoughts on the ending with Roshani on Twitter (lol), but suffice it to say, it was in line with a characteristic of the book that I mentioned earlier, and that I think a lot of people will eagerly be awaiting Gilded 2.

On a final note, I simply adore these character illustrations by Nicole Deal -- aren't they gorgeous?!

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Book review: Sadie by Courtney Summers

Book Summary
Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.

Flo's Review
Sadie got a lot of pre-publication hype, so as I was really looking forward to reading it. Luckily, it did not disappoint. The set up of the book was truly unique -- a podcast discussing a series of events that happened in the past alongside the narrative of the events as they unfolded. This parallel narrative was interesting -- it was fun to see West discover something that we, the reader, already knew from Sadie.

I can't discuss the end without being spoilery, but here is the feedback I tweeted to author Courtney Summers: asdlkjgao;dsuir[ew0qaj!!!

Speaking of Courtney Summers, I had the opportunity to meet her this year at YALLFEST while I was in the middle of the book. Having the opportunity to speak with her about her book as I reading it was a lot of fun for me. Plus, she's adorable and so sweet.

See?! Adorable and so sweet!

It is always refereeing to read a unique and engaging book, so I was delighted to find that in Sadie.

Saturday, December 30, 2017

Book review: I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin

Book Summary
Dear Best Friend,
I can already tell that I will hate everyone but you.
Sincerely,
Ava Helmer
(that brunette who won’t leave you alone)

We're still in the same room, you weirdo.
Stop crying.
G

So begins a series of texts and emails sent between two best friends, Ava and Gen, as they head off to their first semesters of college on opposite sides of the country. From first loves to weird roommates, heartbreak, self-discovery, coming out and mental health, the two best friends will document every moment to each other. But as each changes and grows into her new life, will their friendship be able to survive the distance?

Flo's Review
This book was simply adorable. It's composed entirely of emails and text messages. That, plus the ease of Ava and Gen's banter, made it a quick and simple read. I finished it in two sittings.

Writers are always being coached to, "Show, Don't Tell." Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin did a great job establishing the relationship between their characters through the chosen electronic media. I felt the deep bond and love between the friends from the very beginning and throughout the book.

I also felt that I Hate Everyone But You did a great job of talking about a variety of timely and important social issues in a way that they would come up for a young adult reader. There was no making a point one way or another, honestly, that I took away -- even though Gen and Ava often had different experiences and points of view on these issues. Instead, it was just these two girls talking about mental health, transphobia, and other things as they came up for them.

My only one thing with the book was that I felt it could have been a little shorter. The email/texting format is a hard one to hold attention for an extended number of pages. I Hate Everyone But You succeeded, but I don't think it would have had it been any longer.

If you are lucky enough to have a friend who has been with you through many years of your life -- as you have left home, experienced new things, changed and adapted accordingly -- then you are blessed indeed. I am lucky enough to have relationships like this, and this book celebrates them. I love it. Romance is nice, but it's so nice, honest, and refreshing to read a book where the most important relationship is between besties.

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