Review: As I Descended by Robin Talley

As I Descended by Robin Talley
Series: Standalone
Published: September 6th, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
384 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary YA/LGBTQ (Shakespeare retelling)
Acquired this book: Via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

Maria Lyon and Lily Boiten are their school’s ultimate power couple—even if no one knows it but them.

Only one thing stands between them and their perfect future: campus superstar Delilah Dufrey.

Golden child Delilah is a legend at the exclusive Acheron Academy, and the presumptive winner of the distinguished Cawdor Kingsley Prize. She runs the school, and if she chose, she could blow up Maria and Lily’s whole world with a pointed look, or a carefully placed word.

But what Delilah doesn’t know is that Lily and Maria are willing to do anything—absolutely anything—to make their dreams come true. And the first step is unseating Delilah for the Kingsley Prize. The full scholarship, awarded to Maria, will lock in her attendance at Stanford and four more years in a shared dorm room with Lily.

Maria and Lily will stop at nothing to ensure their victory—including harnessing the dark power long rumored to be present on the former plantation that houses their school.

But when feuds turn to fatalities, and madness begins to blur the distinction between what’s real and what is imagined, the girls must decide where they draw the line.

I wasn’t completely sure what to expect when I started As I Descended. I knew two things: it was a retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and it featured queer characters. Honestly, that was enough to pique my interest. Within the first few pages, I realized it was a bad idea to be reading the book at night. I’m a total wuss when it comes to scary stuff, and let me tell you, As I Descended had a pretty terrifying beginning. That creep factor lasted all the way through the book, making for a dark, suspenseful, often disturbing story about revenge, jealousy, and the lengths people will go to for what they want.

It’s hard to say too much about the plot without getting into spoiler territory, but the book is set in an elite southern boarding school and starts out with what was intended as a fun, innocent game with a Ouija board between Maria, her girlfriend Lily, and Maria’s best friend Brandon. Maria grew up sensing spirits, and was aware of the school’s history of various hauntings, but had no idea that she would stir up something sinister and deadly. What started as an innocent game unraveled quickly into the entire school basically spiraling into madness with Maria and her group of friends at the forefront. This book was dark - really dark. On its own, I think I would have had some issues with it, but because it was a reimagining of Macbeth, it was obvious from the start that As I Descended wasn’t going to be sunshine and happy endings. The book’s darkness and creepiness were what made it so compelling. The events were so horrifying, it was hard to put the book down because I wanted to know what would happen next.  

With a diverse cast of characters and a setting that’s so vivid it’s almost like a character itself, As I Descended is a chilling, atmospheric story. If you like horror with a side of paranormal, and enjoy creative, well-written retellings, be sure to check out As I Descended. 

Have you read As I Descended? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Are you familiar with Macbeth? Have you read any other Shakespeare retellings?

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Summer Bookish Bingo + ARC August Wrapup

Happy September! Can you believe summer is pretty much over already? It went by so fast.

I did Bookish Bingo (hosted by Pretty Deadly Reviews) again for the summer season, and I kinda kicked ass! I'd hoped to fill the whole card and even had most of the books picked out I wanted to read, but I didn't manage to get that much read. I did, however, manage to get three complete lines - woot!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I also did ARC August last month (hosted by Read. Sleep. Repeat) and managed to get 8 ARCs read!

A Brit on the Side by Brenda St John Brown
Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton
Keeping Her Secret by Sarah Nicolas
Dreamology by Lucy Keating
As I Descended by Robin Talley
Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love by Sarvenaz Tash

Did you do any challenges in August? How did you do?

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Review: Keeping Her Secret by Sarah Nicolas

Keeping Her Secret by Sarah Nicolas
Series: Endless Summer
Published: August 22nd, 2016
Publisher: Entangled Crush
220 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary YA/LGBTQ
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

The last person Riya Johnson expected to run into at her new summer camp is Courtney Chastain—her childhood best friend and the girl who broke her heart after a secret, mind-blowing, life-altering kiss. She definitely didn’t expect to be sharing a bunk bed with her for four long weeks.

Courtney has what every girl wants—she’s beautiful, rich, and the object of every boy’s desire at Camp Pine Ridge. Too bad none of them make her feel an iota of what Riya’s kiss did all those years ago. But Courtney needs to uphold appearances at all costs—even if it means instigating an all-out prank war with Riya as her main target.

Neither girl can stop thinking about the other…but that doesn’t mean they can give up past hurts and take a chance on a future together.

My first thought when I discovered Keeping Her Secret: a romance about two girls falling for each other at summer camp? Count me in! It’s no secret I’ll read just about anything f/f, so throw in the added bonus of a fun setting (I always wanted to go to sleep-away camp), and I’m in.

There was a lot to like about Keeping Her Secret. I enjoyed the dual POV and think it worked well for this story. It was important to get both girls’ perspectives to see how they were feeling and what they were thinking about certain situations. They were very different, so it was interesting to see how they perceived each other, especially when they didn’t vocalize certain things to each other.

One thing I really appreciated was the exploration of how - and why - coming-out experiences are different for everyone. Riya was open about and comfortable with her sexuality. I was so happy to see a bisexual main character - it’s still so rare to see on-page rep, especially in a main character. Courtney, on the other hand, didn’t even realize she was gay. She’d kissed a lot of boys and never felt anything, but it was like she had this mental block that prevented her from even considering she might like girls, even though she’d liked the kiss she and Riya shared years ago. It was Courtney’s growth I appreciated most. She had a lot to figure out - not just her sexuality, but her future as well. She was popular, rich, beautiful, and talented, but there was more to her than met the eye. She tried to seem tough and mean (and at times she really was just plain mean, rude, and entitled), but she was worried what people would think of her, and afraid of the control her parents had over her, especially when it came to her future. With her parents being rich and powerful lawyers living in the south, she was certain they wouldn’t accept a gay daughter. I enjoyed watching her work through things and gain some strength and independence.

I also really liked the side characters, especially Courtney’s twin brother, Colt (he was probably my favourite character - loyal, kind, caring, supportive, would do anything for his sister) and Riya’s new friend Dee.

So why only three stars? I couldn’t connect to the characters. And because I couldn’t connect to them, my emotions never went beyond the surface. I wanted the girls to end up together, but I wasn’t rooting for them the way I do for characters I truly love and connect to. I think part of it could be the fact there was so much angst and drama. It seemed never-ending at times. Things would get smoothed over, but then there’d be another incident or misunderstanding and the animosity between the girls would amp up yet again. I get that the characters were emotional, hormonal teenagers and they were trying to figure stuff out, and I also get that the setting of the story made for limited plot potential, but it did affect my overall enjoyment of the book. This could just be a ‘me thing’ though, and might not bother other people. This might be one of those instances where the fact I’m not a teenager and haven’t been for awhile comes into play!
       
If you’re looking for a quick, cute, character-driven summer read about self-discovery and acceptance, be sure to check out Keeping Her Secret.

Have you read Keeping Her Secret? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Did you ever go to summer camp?

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ARC August 2016 Update #1

I can't believe we're already halfway through August! It's going by so fast. I'm pretty pleased with my progress for ARC August so far, especially considering I've hardly been home all month. I've read two books, DNF'd one, and I'm currently reading two others. Hoping to up my pace a bit during the last half of the month!

BOOKS READ
A Brit on the Side by Brenda St John Brown (from author)
Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton (from Edelweiss)
Crushed by Deborah Coonts (DNF at 15%) (from publicist)

CURRENTLY READING
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton (from Edelweiss)
Keeping Her Secret by Sarah Nicolas (from NetGalley)

BOOKS I HOPE TO READ
Dreamology by Lucy Keating (from Edelweiss)
A Pocket Full of Murder by RJ Anderson (From Simon & Schuster Canada)
As I Descended by Robin Talley (from Edelweiss) 

Whether you're participating in ARC August or not, how's your reading progress for the month going?

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ARC August 2016 Goals

The 4th annual ARC August is hosted by Octavia and Shelly at Read. Sleep. Repeat.

Here are some of the books I'm hoping to read this month:

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (Edelweiss)

A Brit on the Side by Brenda St John Brown (From author)

Crushed by Deborah Coonts (From author)

Dreamology by Lucy Keating (Edelweiss)

Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi Ashton (Edelweiss)

A Pocket Full of Murder by RJ Anderson (From Simon & Schuster Canada)

I have several dozen ARCs (I suuuuck), so I might veer from this list, but I hope to get at least some of these ones read!

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ARC April Wrap-up

I can't believe today is the last day of April! I dedicated the entire month to ARCs so I could knock a bunch off my list for ARC April (hosted by the ladies at Read. Sleep. Repeat.). I actually managed to read more than I anticipated - yay! Here are the ARCs I read in April:

 Hot Dudes Reading {Review}

The One That Got Away by AJ Pine {Review}

Without Borders by Amanda Heger {Review}

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch {Review coming in May}

Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood {Review coming in May}

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson {Review coming in May}

Fly With Me by Chanel Cleeton {Review coming in May}

Wanderlost by Jen Malone {Review coming in May}

Ask Me How I Got Here by Christine Heppermann {Review coming in May}

Did you participate in ARC April? How many ARCs did you read? What were your favourites or least favourites?

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ARC April + Bookish Bingo Read-a-thon

This month I'm participating in ARC April hosted by the ladies at Read. Sleep. Repeat.  The idea is to make a dent in your pile of ARCs, whether they're ones that were released ages ago or ones that won't be out until later this year or even next year. As long as you received it as an ARC at some point, it counts.

~ARCs I plan to read in April~

• Hot Dudes Reading

• The One That Got Away by AJ Pine

• Without Borders by Amanda Heger

• Love and Gelato by Jenna Welch Evans

• The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Maston

• Wanderlost by Jen Malone

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I'm also participating in Pretty Deadly Reviews' Bookish Bingo Read-a-thon from April 3rd - 9th. The idea is to read books that will help you fill squares in this season's Bookish Bingo card.

~Books I plan to read this week~

• Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts

• The One That Got Away by AJ Pine

• Without Borders by Amanda Heger

• Hot Dudes Reading

Read-a-thon Progress:
Day 1: Heh. Nothing to report! I was so busy working I didn't have any time to read today - boo! Hopefully I'll be able to make up for it tomorrow.

Day 2: Read all of Hot Dudes Reading, and 10% of The One That Got Away
Bingo Squares Covered: Non-fiction

Day 3: Read 20% of The One That Got Away. I need to set aside an entire day to read and get some of these books knocked out! If I ever get this one finished, it'll go toward the 'Number in the Title' square.

Day 4: Read another 30% of The One That Got Away. I had my niece for most of the day, so didn't get much time to read, but I'm determined to finish tomorrow and start a new book or two. 

Challenge #2: Bookish Bingo Scavenger Hunt  

Second chance ~ Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts
Set over 200 years ago ~ Scarlet by AC Gaughen
Toward another challenge ~ Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Characters aren't human ~ Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
More than one author ~ Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

Day 5: Finished The One That Got Away! Started Without Borders, read 15%, plus read 10 pages of Jewels of the Sun 
Squares covered: Number in title

Day 6:


Challenge #3: Book Spine Poetry

This I Know 

Every Word

Since You've Been Gone

Unspoken

Splintered

Shatter Me

Until I Die

(Non-fiction, Set in more than one country, Standalone, Metallic lettering, Green cover, Recommended by more than one friend, Characters are not human)

Are you participating in ARC April or the Bookish Bingo Read-a-thon? If so, feel free to link me to your post(s) so I can check them out! If not, do you have any reading goals or a specific TBR for April?

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Review: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler
Series: Standalone
Published: June 2nd, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
416 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary YA
Acquired this book: Via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my 5-star review of Twenty Boy Summer}

 

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . .     

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler is an absolutely gorgeous story. The only other book I’ve read of Ockler’s so far is Twenty Boy Summer, and I couldn’t imagine loving another book of hers more than that, but I did. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids completely enchanted me and stole my heart from beginning to end.    

Elyse d’Abreau’s is defined by two things: the sea, where she was born, and her beautiful singing voice. Her identity is wrapped up tightly in music and the sea. Except that both have betrayed her in a way, leaving her with no voice and scars that are both physical and emotional. She leaves her home and family in Tobago and moves to Atagatis Cove, Oregon. She needs to figure out who she is without her voice, without her music, without her family, and what her future holds now that the future she thought she had has been ripped away from her. 

I adored Elyse. She was smart, strong, and brave. The lessons she learns through the course of the book range from small, quiet things to huge lightbulb realizations. She learns so much about herself, as well as lessons about family, friendship, love, and life. I loved her relationship with Christian and that he was more than he appeared to be. Elyse needed someone like him - someone to see her, listen to her, and really be there for her. Their tentative friendship and then blossoming romance was a joy to watch. There were other stellar characters in the book, too - Elyse’s aunt and cousin, Lemon and Kirby, her new friend Vanessa, and my personal favourite, Christian’s little brother Sebastian. That kid was ridiculously cute, plus so intelligent. I loved his passion and excitement, and how easily he accepted Elyse and never seemed to notice her differences. All the side characters had a purpose in the story and added something special. They each had something to teach Elyse, and they helped her in many ways.

Besides the unique story and the fantastic characters, the writing was beautiful. This story was so full of emotion and made me feel so many things. I laughed and cried. I loved how sex-positive the story was and that Ockler didn’t shy away from portraying a healthy, safe sexual relationship. I also enjoyed the slow unfolding of what happened to Elyse to make her lose her voice. It, along with many other aspects of the book, was heartbreaking. I also loved learning about Trinidad and Tobago and what life was like for Elyse there. It was so vivid and descriptive, I could picture it all perfectly.

On a personal note: My brother is deaf, and while he has some speech, he won’t talk in front of everyone. Growing up with him and being surrounded by other deaf people, I can easily imagine how frustrating, saddening, and even maddening losing her voice must have been for Elyse. To not be able to speak, whether it’s a simple hello, or pouring your heart out, is huge. When some people realize you can’t speak, they dismiss you, assume you’re stupid, or don't want to be bothered trying to communicate. I’ve seen all of this firsthand. Unless you’ve seen or experienced it, it might be hard to understand, but I think Ockler did a fantastic job of showing Elyse’s situation and the effect it had on her.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is a beautiful story about conquering fears and finding your voice. These characters and their story will stick with me for a long time. This book is not only one of my favourite books of 2015, it’s earned a spot on my list of all-time favourites.

Have you read The Summer of Chasing Mermaids? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

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Review: Into My Arms by Lia Riley

Into My Arms by Lia Riley 
Series: Off the Map #3.2
Published: September 8th, 2015
Publisher: Forever Yours
93 pages (eARC)
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Acquired this book: Via NetGalley in exchange for honest consideration
Warning: May contain spoilers
{GoodReads || Buy this book: Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

{My review of Upside Down || My review of Sideswiped || My review of Inside Out || My review of Carry Me Home}

Beth Jacobs spends her days slogging away in a corporate “fish bowl,” as the hard-working assistant for one of North America’s youngest dot-com billionaires. Aleksander “Z” Zavtra is the definition of dark and dangerous with a sexy Eastern European snarl. He’s also ruthless. Curt. Exacting. An infuriating man she loves to hate. While Beth hardly sees him, it’s as if he’s always watching her . . .

Z doesn’t do romance. But he never expected to be captivated by a whip-smart, fiery assistant who just so happens to share an uncanny resemblance to the beautiful face that haunts his dreams. He craves Beth. He wants to stroke her skin, to feel her heat beneath him. And what Z wants, he gets. And for one weekend, the lines between employer and employee are blurred as Z and Beth give themselves completely to the dark pleasures they’ve both been dreaming about.

                        
Since Into My Arms is a novella and it’s hard to say much without getting into spoiler territory, I’ll give you 3 reasons why you should read it.

1. Bran! If you’ve read Upside Down, Sideswiped, and Inside Out, you’ll know (and probably love) Brandon Lockhart. He makes an appearance in Into My Arms and even though it’s short, I totally squeed at getting to see him again.

2. The sexiness. Ohhh the sexiness. Like with the other books in the Off the Map series, Into My Arms will leave you needing a cold shower.

3. Well-developed characters. Despite being a novella, the characters were well fleshed out. We learned quite a bit about them, their histories, and their motivations. I was curious about Z and what made him so callous and reclusive, and his story was both surprising and original.

Overall, Into My Arms was a great addition to the Off the Map series. I’m so sad to say goodbye to all these characters, but they’ll stick with me for a long time. If you haven’t read the other books in the Off the Map series, I can’t recommend them highly enough. 

Have you read any of the books in the Off the Map series? What did you think? If you haven't read them, do you plan to? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

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