June TBR

June is on its way, and with it comes summer and more time to read! In preparation, I've created my TBR (using Goodreads) for June. I'm probably going to end up reading WAY more books than just this, and I'll be reviewing some of the new books that I read (I'll definitely be doing Pride and Prejudice and The Priory of the Orange Tree). Since June is pride month, I decided to include some books featuring LGBTQA+ characters as well. I'm also planning to read some middle grade books but didn't end up including them on this list because they'll take me a day or two to finish. So, without further ado, here's my TBR for June:

1. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
2. The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston
3. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
4. Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (reread)
5. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli (reread)
6. All for One by Melissa de la Cruz
7. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
8. Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan
9. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (finish it)
11. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
12. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (reread, although I read it a long time ago)
13. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (reread)

What's your June TBR? Let me know in the comments!

The Summer of Jordi Perez Review

The Summer of Jordi Perez
Author: Amy Spalding
Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Synopsis:

    Abby doesn't think she'll ever be able to get a girlfriend -- no one in their right mind would ask her out. But she's okay with that for now: she's got a blog called +style about plus size fashion, and is starting an internship at her favorite local clothing store, Lemonberry. Then she meets Jordi Perez, the other intern at Lemonberry and falls for her -- hard. This and the fact that she and a new friend are trying to find the best burgers in Los Angeles makes Abby feel like she's no longer the supporting character in her own story.

    But when Jordi's photography thrusts Abby suddenly in the spotlight, Abby feels that the spotlight is too much. Will she be able to make amends?

My thoughts:

    First off: more positive LGBTQIA+ representation! Yes!! But also, this book was incredibly well-written, and the romance wasn't at all forced or unrealistic like some books. I felt like I really got to know the characters, and that I would be able to have a casual conversation or even become friends with some of them. Also, everything was really well described, and even though I'd never been to Los Angeles, I felt like I had a clear picture of what it looks like in my head. 

    I'd recommend this book to middle grade readers and above, even though this book is YA.

    My rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda Review

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Author: Becky Albertalli

Publisher: By-the-Book Pub.

Summary:

    As Simon himself would say, he has a pretty great life. He's just like everyone else, too, except for one big thing: he's gay. And no one knows it except Blue, the boy that he's been emailing since August. But that's about to change. When someone reads Simon's emails and threatens to leak them to the whole school if Simon doesn't do them a favor, Simon faces the possibility of being outed to his entire school, and jeopardizing his relationship with Blue, who is a very private person. Not to mention the fact that things within his friend group are becoming more strained. In addition to navigating normal high school life, Simon has to find a way to dig himself out of the hole that he was pushed into.

My thoughts:

    I started reading this book because I was going to see the movie (which is also really good and follows the storyline of the book very well) and wanted to read the book first, and I was not disappointed. It was so good! I enjoyed reading about all of the characters, and I was very intrigued by the plot, although I'm very glad that the story is fiction because that seems like an awful thing to happen to anyone. And although Simon doesn't have to deal with homophobia like if the book was set twenty years before now, there still seems to be a stigma around gay people -- not fear, more of like a well, they're different and that's weird thing going on, which shouldn't be the case, but I think that most people that end up thinking like this do so unconsciously.
    Overall, I really liked this book and was excited to find out that there was a sequel (which I will also be reviewing).
    Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Every Soul A Star Book Trailer

    If you've read all my blog posts, you'd know that I absolutely love the book Every Soul A Star and think that everyone should read it. So of course when the opportunity presented itself, I made a book trailer for it! In addition, I have the image links below the trailer.

Image Links:

• The music was prerecorded from WeVideo

http://s3.amazonaws.com/digitaltrends-uploads-prod/2017/01/telescope.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/eb/55/2e/eb552eb961e054a0f6b978586f6ffb40.jpg

http://wwwcdn.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/solar-eclipse-stages-01-600px.jpg

https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/t/milky-way-silhouette-standing-sporty-girl-landscape-vibrant-colorful-night-sky-stars-raised-up-arms-75155596.jpg

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1687348/images/o-TEEN-GIRLS-MAKEUP-facebook.jpg

http://media.istockphoto.com/photos/teenager-boy-smiling-outdoors-in-park-picture-id503117826?k=6&m=503117826&s=612x612&w=0&h=hhUhNaNwVB0ws-wIAL9Pp_q6oO3C3KIh8t6Xq7tboXE=

http://www.fremontbeautycollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/20-Bestsellers-From-NYX-You-Need-To-Try-Right-Now.jpg

http://media.istockphoto.com/photos/waiting-picture-id104090446?k=6&m=104090446&s=612x612&w=0&h=hUM3IAOvh-tjnPzDeZk_3lVpaDqOq_A1b8_5an_zYC4=

https://pencils.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/PR_Palomino_Pencil_Action_187_F.jpg

http://www.oktours.com/images/default-source/default-album/ok-tours-bus32ec0285e4ca6eaf817aff0000c284ba.jpg?sfvrsn=29266c90_0

https://c.tadst.com/gfx/750w/partial-solar-eclipse-clouds.jpg?1

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/G10m2ZZRH4U/maxresdefault.jpg

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41QQ%2BIxZLrL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Every Soul A Star Appreciation Post

    I think I put Every Soul A Star on my post Middle Grade Books to Read This Summer, but I just put a brief synopsis of it. In case you've forgotten, here it is:
Realistic fiction coming-of-age story, told through the perspective of 3 young teenagers who all end up at the Moon Shadow campground to witness a total eclipse of the sun.
    The eclipse is fictional by the way, but the Great American Solar Eclipse is coming up on August 21st. The total eclipse (the whole sun covered by the moon) can only be viewed in certain areas. Learn more about the eclipse here. 
    Anyway, Every Soul A Star deserves a lot more attention and readers. Here's why:

The characters are very relatable (yes, even the one who lives at a campground in the middle of nowhere).
    Even though the three main characters are not going to be just like you, their struggles and feelings are ones you can feel too. Not to mention that they are all very different characters, so it's amazing that the author was able to do that.

It teaches you a lot about astronomy.
    Never heard of exoplanets, the Messier objects or don't know any constellations? That's okay, this book will explain it all, while still moving forward with the story. In fact, I'm almost certain that this book is the one that got me into astronomy.

It has a good message.
    Or messages. What the characters learn throughout the book is valuable, and they are all much changed by the end. 

It's long enough to tell a good story and short enough that it doesn't take that long to read.
    I mean, that's bad news if you wanted the story to continue, but... 

    Every Soul A Star is an amazing book! I wish there was a sequel and I think that anyone looking for a good book to read who thinks this book would be interesting should read it!
 

Small Great Things Review

Small Great Things

Author: Jodi Picoult

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Synopsis:

    When Turk and Brittany Baur go into the hospital to have their first baby, the labor and delivery nurse they are assigned is Ruth. However, the Baurs are white supremacists and do not want Ruth, who is African American, to care for their baby (who they name Davis).

    When little Davis Baur goes into cardiac arrest, Ruth is the only nurse in the room. She hesitates before performing CPR, not sure if she should go against the wishes of the family and perform CPR, or obey orders and let Davis be. As a result, she is charged with murdering the baby. 

    Kennedy McQuarrie is a defense lawyer and assigned to Ruth's case. Can Ruth be proved innocent -- or will she be convicted of murdering a baby?

    Told in three perspectives (Ruth, Turk and Kennedy), Small Great Things is a novel about racism and prejudice.

My thoughts:

    This book was an eye-opener. Not because I learned a lot about babies and their delivery (although I certainly did), but because I learned a lot about racism. I think most people think racism comes only from people like Turk (who is so far past racist I'm not even sure if I should call him that). But in the book it is illustrated that you don't have to be a white supremacist to be racist. White people often get privileges simply because of their race -- and sometimes people do it unconsciously. There is one part in the book where Ruth and Kennedy go shopping together and Kennedy is astounded how much attention the employees pay to Ruth: they're always following her and asking if she needs help, and watching to make sure she doesn't shoplift, and when she is leaving the store one of the employees checks her receipt and bags to make sure she didn't shoplift. When Kennedy takes out her receipt too, that same employee says, "You're fine." Kennedy knows this is because she is white.

    Overall, I really enjoyed Small Great Things! It's an adult book, but I think teens could read it too (or possibly younger readers but there is swearing and mature themes discussed).

    Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

My August TBR

    August is upon us, and with that, the last full month before a lot of schools (mine included) start again. I recently made my August TBR, and decided to share it to this blog. 

August TBR:

• Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult
• Girl in the Blue Coat, by Monica Hesse 
• Alex and Eliza, by Melissa de la Cruz 
• I'll Give You the Sun, by Jandy Nelson
• These Broken Stars, by Meagan Spooner and Annie Kaufman
• The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han

TBR in my bullet journal

Eliza and her Monsters Review

Eliza and her Monsters

Author: Francesca Zappia

Publisher: HarperCollins

Synopsis:

    Eliza Mirk has a very big secret: she is LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of Monstrous Sea, a comic with millions of fans. She essentially lives online and can't imagine that a life offline would be better. 

    When Wallace, one of Monstrous Sea's biggest fanfiction writers, transfers to her school, the two become reluctant friends. Eliza doesn't feel comfortable sharing her true identity with anyone (only her family knows, and they don't exactly know how popular Monstrous Sea is), and when her secret is finally revealed, every relationship she's ever built falls apart, along with Monstrous Sea. Can Eliza find a way to fix it?

My thoughts:

    I absolutely loved this story! I thought it was insane how popular Eliza's story was! I wish my writing was that popular! :) 

    At the beginning of the story, it seemed strange that Eliza would want to keep her identity secret, but after it's revealed to the general public, it makes perfect sense: the Internet is cruel. 

    I related to Eliza in a way, especially how she felt about her work, because I'm a writer. However, since I can't draw at all, I admire her talents! 

    I thought it was really cool that the author included bits of Monstrous Sea throughout the book and now I wish it was a real story so I could read it!

    Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!!

Books Read on Vacation

    

    I recently went on vacation and that's why I've been kind of MIA on this blog. There was no Wifi and bad reception up there, so I wasn't posting on this blog at all.

    Anyway, being my usual bookworm self, I brought 15 books on vacation (they wouldn't all fit in the original bag I had 😂). After reading 8 of them (don't judge, I was quite busy up there!) I decided to do a blog post about which ones I read. Without farther ado, here they are:

Daughters of the Sea: Hannah, by Kathryn Lasky

Hannah wants to be normal but she can see the outline of scales on her legs, she gets seasick if she's away from the sea, and she knows a sea change is coming (upper middle grade).

Matilda Bone, by Karen Cushman

Orphaned Matilda is sent to work for a bonesetter in this novel set in medieval England. Matilda is very religious and could never imagine herself doing chores or helping patients (middle grade).

The Moorchild, by Eloise McGraw

Because Moql is half human and half Moorfolk and can't shape shift, the Folk sent her to be the "child" of two humans, switching her for their real child and making Moql forget that she was Folk. As Moql grows up, she realizes how horrible the Folk have been to her human parents, and sets out to find their real child (middle grade).

Blood Rose Rebellion, by Rosalyn Eves

In a society where the upper class has magic, noble-born Anna is born without it and even accidentally breaks spells (YA).

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

We all know the real story of Lady Jane Grey: she was queen of England for nine days then was beheaded. But what if she, along with her cousin, King Edward VI, survived? The authors completely rewrote their story (YA).

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis

Amy and her parents are just a few of the many cryo-frozen passengers on the ship Godspeed, which is heading to a new planet. It will take the ship 300 years to travel from Earth to the new planet. Except -- Amy is woken up 50 years early. Who tried to murder her? (YA)

Eliza and her Monsters, by Francesca Zappia

Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of Monstrous Sea, a comic with millions of fans. When a new boy named Wallace arrives at school, he turns out to be one of Monstrous Sea's biggest fanfiction writers. When Eliza's secret is revealed to the whole world, her relationship with everyone -- including Wallace -- is ruined. Will she ever be able to recover? (YA)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares

4 friends are spending the summer apart for the first time ever. After finding a pair of pants that somehow fits all 4 of them, they dub them "the Traveling Pants" and promise to mail them to each other over the summer to remind them of each other. (YA)

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? 

Middle Grade Books to Read This Summer

    Do you or someone you know like to read middle grade novels? Are you looking for a middle grade novel that takes place during the summer to read while you're at the pool or on vacation? Look no further, for I have created a list!

Glory Be, by Augusta Scattergood
Historical fiction novel about eleven year old Glory, who is growing up in a town in Mississippi in 1964 and dealing with segregation after her town closes the public pool rather than integrate it.

The Hidden Summer, by Gin Phillips
Realistic fiction novel about two best friends who hide out in an abandoned golf course because their mothers had a fight and won't let them see each other.

Sure Signs of Crazy, by Karen Harrington
Realistic fiction novel about twelve year old Sarah Nelson, whose mother left her when she was two because she was mentally ill. She sets out to find out if she will end up the same way. Along the way, instead of a "typical boring Sarah Nelson summer" she realizes she might have an extraordinary summer.

Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo 
Classic novel about a girl named Opal who finds a dog she names Winn-Dixie. The book is about how he changed her life.

The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan
Fantasy novel about Percy Jackson, who discovers that the Greek gods are real and his father was one, and that he needs to go on a quest to stop the gods from having a war and destroying the world.

Every Soul A Star, by Wendy Mass
Realistic fiction coming-of-age story, told through the perspective of 3 young teenagers who all end up at the Moon Shadow campground to witness a total eclipse of the sun.

Fish in a Tree Review

Fish in a Tree

Author: Lynda Mullay Hunt

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

Synopsis:

    Ally Nickerson has gotten all the way to sixth grade without anybody -- kids, teachers, or parents -- finding out she can't read. She hasn't tried to find any help because after all, how can you help dumb?
    Ally's new teacher sees through Ally's "stupid" facade, and gets her to stay after school for help, while simultaneously shedding light on her gifts. When Ally makes two new friends that aren't "normal" either, she starts learning how to stand up to the bullies that have been making fun of her.

My thoughts:

    This book was a quick read that I thought would be good for younger readers, but older readers could definitely do it to! I found it amazing that Ally was so good at pretending that no one realized she couldn't read until her teacher in sixth grade. That was one of the only things that I thought was unrealistic. Other than that, I thought the characters were super cool (except the bullies) and I really liked Ally's teacher!

    Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Holding Up the Universe Review

Holding Up the Universe

Author: Jennifer Niven

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Synopsis:

    Everyone judges Libby Strout because she was once known as "America's Fattest Teen." After being homeschooled for several years, she has finally decided to go back to public school. She starts her junior year of high school, just wishing she could be normal. But of course, that's not going to happen.

    Jack Masselin is the opposite of Libby: he's popular and full of swagger, but he too has a secret: he doesn't recognize people's faces. Not even his family's. However, he has managed to get by without anyone noticing this.

    After an awful game where Libby ends up humiliated and punches Jack in the face, they are both sent to group counseling and community service. At first, Libby and Jack would rather be anywhere but there, but as they get to know each other, that might change.

My thoughts:

    I enjoyed this book because not only were the characters super cool, but it was also interesting learning about prosopagnosia (what Jack has, where you can't recognize faces), which I had never heard of before. I also haven't read a lot of books where one of the main issues of condemning/bullying people because they are overweight, so I learned a lot about that too. I think it is totally wrong that some people will tell people who are overweight that they aren't wanted or that they are disgusting. I get that you are entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't mean you should tell people that!!

    Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Our Chemical Hearts Review

Our Chemical Hearts

Author: Krystal Sutherland

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Books for Young Readers

Synopsis:

    Henry Page has never fallen in love. He's just never met "the one."
    When Grace Town, a new girl, who walks with a cane and wears oversized men's clothing, walks in ten minutes late to their drama class, there is no tug at his soul. He simply continues with class.
    When he and Grace become the editors of the school newspaper, he is instantly drawn to her. As they end up spending more and more time together, Henry realizes this relationship is (to quote Taylor Swift) going to be forever or going to go down in flames.

My thoughts:

    I thought that overall the plotline was okay and the writing style was good, but I didn't really like the characters. Grace seemed manipulative and uncaring (at least about Henry), and Henry himself seemed naive and didn't see any of Grace's flaws. And the only reason Henry noticed Grace was because she was mysterious. I feel like in a lot of YA the problem that makes the romance fall apart is the fact that one of the people wasn't in love with the other as a person, just an idea that they had of the person in their head. This was true in this book.
    I did find it interesting to read about Grace's different view of the world however.
    Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

The Sun is Also a Star Review

 The Sun is Also a Star

Author: Nicola Yoon

Publisher: Delacorte

Synopsis:

    Twelve hours before seventeen-year-old Natasha is set to be deported back to Jamaica after 9 years of living with her family in the US under an expired tourist visa, Natasha decides that she can't go through with it. She seeks out a lawyer's help in reversing the deportation. 

    Daniel, also seventeen, is at the same time going to a Yale interview. He doesn't want to go to Yale at all; the only reason he is going to this interview is because his parents, who immigrated from South Korea before Daniel was born, feel that this is what's best for him. 

    By chance (or was it fate?) Daniel and Natasha meet. They both know a relationship wouldn't last -- Daniel's parents won't let him date girls that are not Korean, and at the end of the day, Natasha will be deported. But they find themselves falling in love. Will this doomed relationship last? Or will it be as fleeting as the one day they have together?

My thoughts:

    Overall, I enjoyed The Sun is Also a Star very much. The author switched perspective between the two main characters (Natasha and Daniel) and also used small separate sections to give background information on the characters' histories, or information about other side characters, or just information in general (for example one section header is Hair: An African American History, because this topic is relevant to the book, however it is not crucial, and I liked that the author decided to add extra information about things like that. Even though it was a realistic fiction book, I still learned a lot, not just from the informational sections but also about the cultures that Natasha and Daniel come from. 

    I also liked how the author had the characters come from diverse backgrounds and have diverse lifestyles. It made me think a lot about how sometimes I feel that a lot of teen books have one culture incorporated into it, and I like seeing characters that are not all the same. 

    I think this book was geared towards teens about 13-16, although younger and older people can definitely read this book, although if a kid is reading this book, they should be aware that there is some swearing and mature themes and ideas discussed. 

    In conclusion, I think that if you are a teen who enjoys reading diverse books, realistic fiction, or books with romance in them, this book is for you!

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

    Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? If not, would you?