Books of December 2017

So I read a fair bit of books in December more so than the last few months. Since I am out of school for a month.

1. The longest winter by Alex Kershaw
2. life after legend by Marie lu
3.Riveted by Jay Crownover
4. Currahee by Donald Burgett
5. The road to Arnhem by Donald Burgett
6.Seven Roads to hell by Donald Burgett
7.Beyond the Rhine by Donald Burgett
8. Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
9. 11 days in December by Stanley Weintraub
10. When the tides turn by Sarah Sundin
11. Once upon a time in war by Robert E. Humphrey
12. Caraval by Stephenie Garber
13. No greater Valor by Jerome Corsi
14.Alamo in the Ardennes: The Untold Story of the American Soldiers Who Made the Defense of Bastogne Possible by John C. McManus
15.Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein 
16.Behind Hitler's Lines: The True Story of the Only Soldier to Fight for both America and the Soviet Union in World War II by Thomas Happer Taylor
17.A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

18. Wonder Woman: Warbringer (DC Icons, #1)by Leigh Bardugo

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Rating: 5/5
Summary: (x)

My thoughts:

This one was a highly anticipated read of the year. I had heard really good reviews and when I saw a copy on sale I knew I had to read it. It was a fast read and full of so many good things. It was a very original novel and one that I loved. I cannot wait for the next book in 2018 to read about Scarlett's sister Tella. This is a book I highly recommend if you love fantasy.

Plot:

Scarlett lives an isolated life with her sister on an island run by her cruel father. She goes to Caraval to escape but her sister is kidnapped. She is the main event for Caraval since whoever finds her is the winner of the event. She sets out with the mysterious sailor who to her to the island to find her sister before anyone else. It is full of twists and turns that she did not expect.

Characters:

I loved Scarlett she was a strong character who took no crap. She was very relatable. I loved Tella as well. Both were excellent characters.

Best 17 books of 2017

I have read 153 books in 2017 and am almost to my goal of 160. Which is very exciting. I will be reviewing books again soon since I just finished college. A goal of mine this year was to read as many of the books related to Band of Brothers and the Pacific as I could. Here are my top 17 books of the year and in particular order:

1. Shifty's War
2. China Marine
3. Frontlines
4. Simon vs the Hom Sapiens Agenda
5. Illuminae
6. Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends
7. Island of the Damned
8. Long Way Hime
9. Masters of the Air
10. The Gentleman's guide to vice and virtue
11. Easy company Soldiers
12. Beyond Band of Brothers
13. A Conjuring of light
14. In the footsteps of the band of brothers
15. The Alice network
16. the upside of unrequited
17. Tash hearts Tolstoy

Releases of early 2018

January:

• Let's talk about Love by Claire Kann (January 23,2017)

•   Batman by Marie Lu ( January 2, 2017)

• The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert ( January 30, 2018)

• Purple Hearts by Michael Grant (January 30, 2018)

• Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda Special Edition by Becky Albertalli (January 30, 2018)

• Say You'll remember me by Katie Mcgarry (January 30, 2018)

February:

• Hamilton and Peggy by L.Elliot ( February 13, 2018)

• The Sea before Us by Sarah Sundin ( February 6, 2018)

March:

Obsidio by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff ( March 13, 2018)

April:

Love and War by Melissa de la cruz( April 17, 2018)

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli ( April 24, 2018)

May:

Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir ( May 22, 2018)

From Twinkle with Love by Sandhya Menon ( May 22, 2018)

Legendary by Stephanie Garber ( May 22, 2018)

Love and Luck by Jenna Evans Welch (May 8, 2018)

November Reads

I read a few books this month not as much as I would like but between Nanowrimo and school not much time to read at all. But I read a lot of good books though.

1. Neutral Zone by Catherine Gayle (5/5)
2. Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia (5/5)
3. Love and other consolation prizes by Jamie Ford(3/5)
4. Before the devil breaks you by Libba Bray(5/5)
5. All the crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater(3/5)
6. Strong men armed by Robert Leckie(4/5)
7. Night by Elie Wisel(5/5)
8. The forgotten Elie Wisel(4/5)
9. Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la cruz(3/5)
10.  Citywide by Santino Hassell (5/5)
11. The Mighty Eighth by Gerald Astor(5/5)

December TBR

I am about to be on break so reading marathon will commence. I am doing a themed read of sorts with the fact I have over a dozen books on the Battle of the bulge so I thought I would knock some out. There are a few other books mixed in as well.

1. Caraval by Stephanie Garber
2. Code Girls by Liza Mundy
3. Currahee!: A Screaming Eagle at Normandy by Donald R. Burgett 
4. The Road to Arnhem: A Screaming Eagle in Holland by Donald R. Burgett 
5. Seven Roads to Hell: A Screaming Eagle at Bastogne by Donald R. Burgett 
6. Beyond the Rhine: A Screaming Eagle in Germany by Donald R. Burgett  
7. The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon by Alex Kershaw
8. Once upon a time in war by Robert e. Humphrey
10. No Greater Valor: The Siege of Bastogne and the Miracle That Sealed Allied Victory 
11. by Jerome R. Corsi
12. Alamo in the Ardennes: The Untold Story of the American Soldiers Who Made the Defense of Bastogne Possible by John C. McManus
14. A Time for Trumpets: The Untold Story of the Battle of the Bulge
15. by Charles B. MacDonald
16. Behind Hitler's Lines by Thomas H. Taylor
17. D-Day by Stephen e. Ambrose
18. The Victors by Stephen E. Ambrose
19. 11 days in December: Christmas at the Bulge by Stanley Weintrub

Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Rating:5/5
Summar(x)

My Thoughts:

One of my favorite books of the year by far. It is going to be in my top five books of the year for sure. When I first read the summary of this book I was intrigued and excited. This sound like a book I would really love. It ended up being an amazing book that I cannot recommend enough. I loved Wallace and Eliza so much they were so well written. I could see a lot of myself in Eliza as a writer and creator. I love reading about characters who I can relate to.

Plot:

Eliza is the writer of a popular webcomic called monstrous sea. No one knows she writes this web comic except some of her online friends. She meets the new kid at school named Wallace who writes monstrous sea fanfiction. But he does not know who she is online. They develop a friendship and later their relationship turns into more. But when her secret comes out everything is shaken up and she has to deal with the aftermath of her secret being revealed.

Characters:

I love Eliza a lot she was so well written and relatable. So was Wallace. I love both of them a lot and how their friendship was. Her parents were irritating at times but that is how most parents are.

Love and other consolation prizes by Jamie Ford (provided by Netgalley)

Rating: 3/5

Summary: (x)

My thoughts:

Interesting plot and summary but not the book for me. Still enjoyed it but not my favorite book. The premise and the characters were interesting. It just fell flat for me and it was a struggle to get through. If you like historical fiction this book is for you. I love historical fiction a lot so it was not great that I did not like it.

Plot:

The story is set in two different times one in 1909 and the other is set in the 1960s. It revolves around Ernest who is a charity case who gets a wealthy sponsor who changes his life. He ends up living in a brothel living with a noturious madam. There he meets the daughter of the madam and a young Japanese girl. Both are going to change his life. It goes through his life and there are lots of flashbacks in the present part of the story.

Characters:

Ernest was an amazing character who I really liked. I loved the other characters as well. They added so much to the story.

Some of my favorite reads of 2017

It's almost the end of the year and here are some of my favorite books I read this year. I will do it by genre.

Young Adult:

• Before the Devil Breaks you by Libba Bray (5/5)
• The Language of thorns by Leigh Bardugo (5/5)
• Warcross by Marie Lu (5/5)
• The gentleman's guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee(5/5)
• Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch (5/5)
• The Savage Song by Melissa Grey (5/5)
• We are Okay by Nina LaCour (4/5)
• Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin(5/5)
• Tash hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee(5/5)
• The Upside of  Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (5/5)
• You Know me well by Nina Lacour and David Leviathan(5/5)
• When Dimple met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (5/5)
• Frontlines by Michael Grant(5/5)
• Silver Stars by Michael Grant(5/5)
• Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli(5/5)
• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe  by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (5/5)
• Long Way home by Katie McGarry (5/5)
• Wait for me by Caroline Leech (5/5)
• Illuminae by Amie Koffman (5/5)
• Gemina by Amie Koffman(5/5)
• I'll give you the sun by Jandy Nelson (5/5)
• 
  

Historical Fiction:

• The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor (5/5)
• The Frozen hours by Jeff Shaara (5/5)
• Defiance by A.L. Sowards (5/5)
• The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill (5/5)
• We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (5/5)
• The Alice Network by Kate Quinn(4/5)
• Anchor in the Storm by Sarah Sundin(5/5)
• Through Waters Deep  by Sarah Sundin (5/5)

Non Fiction:

• The Mighty Eighth: The Air War in Europe as Told by the Men Who Fought It 
• by Gerald Astor (4/5)
• A Blood-Dimmed Tide: The Battle of the Bulge by the Men Who Fought It 
• by Gerald Astor (4/5)
• Okinawa: The Last Battle of World War II 
• by Robert Leckie(4/5)
• Single Handed: The Inspiring True Story of Tibor "Teddy" Rubin--Holocaust Survivor, Korean War Hero, and Medal of Honor Recipient 
• by Daniel M. Cohen (5/5)
• Shifty's War: The Authorized Biography of Sergeant Darrell "Shifty" Powers, the Legendary Sharpshooter from the Band of Brothers 
• by Marcus Brotherton (5/5)
• You'll Be Sor-ree: A Guadalcanal Marine Remembers The Pacific War 
• by Sid Phillips (5/5)
• Hell in the Pacific: A Marine Rifleman's Journey From Guadalcanal to Peleliu 
• by Jim McEnery(5/5)
• Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers 
• by Larry Alexander(5/5)
• Parachute Infantry: An American Paratrooper's Memoir of D-Day and the Fall of the Third Reich 
• by David Kenyon Webster(5/5)
• The Fleet at Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945 
• by James D. Hornfischer(5/5)
• Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany 
• by Donald L. Miller(5/5)
• A Blue Sea of Blood: Deciphering the Mysterious Fate of the USS Edsall 
• by Donald M. Kehn(5/5)
• The Heart of Hell: The Untold Story of Courage and Sacrifice in the Shadow of Iwo Jima 
• by Mitch Weiss(5/5)
• Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters 
• by Dick Winters(5/5)
• Islands of the Damned: A Marine at War in the Pacific 
• by R.V. Burgin(5/5)
• China Marine: An Infantryman's Life after World War II 
• by Eugene B. Sledge(5/5)
• Brothers In Battle, Best of Friends 
• by William Guarnere(5/5)
• Easy Company Soldier: The Legendary Battles of a Sergeant from World War II's "Band of Brothers" 
• by Don Malarkey(5/5)
• In the Footsteps of the Band of Brothers: A Return to Easy Company's Battlefields with Sgt. Forrest Guth by Larry Alexander(5/5)
• All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor's Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor 
• by Donald Stratton(5/5)

October Wrap up

Here are the books I ended up finishing this month and their ratings. I did not read half the books I wanted to but college is important.

1. Warcross by Marie Lu (5/5)
2. A blood-dimmed tide by Gerald Astor (5/5)
3. The Language of  Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
4. First and First by Santino Hassell (4/5)
5. Interborough by Santino Hassell(4/5)
6. Concourse by Santino Hassell(4/5)
7. Wolves of  Wrath by Quinn Loftis (5/5)

November TBR

So November is not going to be a very busy reading month due to NANOWRIMO. But I have a few books I really want to read and review. Here are my top 7 I want to read.

1. before the devil breaks you by Libba Bray
2. Strong Men Armed by Robert Leckie
3. Love and other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Lord.
4. When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin
5. Night by Elie Wiesel
6. The Forgotten by Elie Wiesel
7. Going after Cacciato by Tim O'Brien

With the old breed by Eugene Sledge

Rating: 5/5
Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

So I have not reviewed a military history book in a while.  I thought I would talk about one of favorite books With the old Breed. Eugene Sledge is a man who I admire a lot and consider a hero. I first heard about his story while watching The Pacific miniseries after yet another rewatch of Band of Brothers. I knew I had to read this book after I finished the show and it is an amazing work of nonfiction. He was so young and saw the most brutal battles of the war in the Pacific. This book is about his experiences in the war and the way he writes is unflinchingly honest. He tells exactly what he saw which was horror filled and unimaginable to me. Peleliu and Okinawa were both brutal battles with heavy casualties. He saw so much in his time in the Marines and he wrote it down in a way that almost puts you there. It is very detailed and full of information.There is so much to process in the work but it is a must-read for anyone who has watched the miniseries or wants to read a first-hand account. Thank you for your service and rest easy.

Warcross by Marie Lu

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My thoughts:

Another of my most anticipated books of the year. I love Marie Lu's work and I have her on auto-buy.  This book is so well written and I could not put it down. I read most of it sitting on the shuttle going to college and it kept me engaged. Also look at the gorgeous cover it is so pretty. Basically, I need the sequel as soon as possible.

Plot:

Across the world, Warcross is a phenomenon that everyone is involved in. Emika Chen is struggling to pay bills so she becomes a bounty hunter. She hunts down those who have bet illegally on the game. She hacks into the international championship and becomes an overnight sensation.  Instead of getting arrested she gets invited to go to Japan. There she meets the creator of Warcross Hideo Tanaka who offers her a job she cannot refuse. She is now part of the games and is looking for security problems. There she is thrust into a world of deceit, twists, and turns. The more she gets into the game the more she sees a terrible plot unfolding and she must stop it.

Characters:

Emika was so well written and her voice made the story so much more than it could have been. Hideo is also a well-written character who is full of different motives and why he does things. All of the characters were well written and so made the story better.

October TBR

Here is my overly ambitious TBR for next month. I want to get these read since I am excited for all of these. I am not reading too much due to college so it kind of short So here it is :

1. Warcross by Marie Lu
2. Before the Devil breaks you by Libba Bray
3. Strong men armed by Robert Leckie
4. The language of thorns
5. Goldenfitch by donna tart
6. a blood-dimmed tide by Gerald astor
7.  The rising tide by Jeff Shaara.

The long ride home by Tawni Winters ( Arc provided by netgalley.)

Rating : 2/5

My thoughts:

First off thank you to netgalley for the arc. This review took me a while to write because I was just not a big fan of this book it was not for me. I just could not get into it at all and it was hard to finish. If you like contemporary novels and road trip novels this one is for you.

Plot:

Harley's mother died in a tragic accident and know she wants to go on a road trip to bring her ashes back to her hometown. Dean goes along with her and sparks fly. She ends up pregnant with Dean's child and has to decide what to do. She learns about her mom and how she dealt with Harley's birth.
That is basically the whole plot.

Characters:

They were okay and not my favorite. I could not connect with them and they fell flat for me. Harley was okay but annoying at times.

The Savage Dawn by Melissa Grey

Rating: 5/5

summary: (x)

My thoughts:

This is one of my favorite book series ever I just love it so much. This book was the last book in the series and I did not want it to end. I love Echo, Caius, Dorian, Jasper and all the characters. This book was wonderful and I did not want the series to end. It a series I recommend.

Plot:

The book starts out with where the second book leaves off with them trying to rescue Caius. The events are leading up a huge final battle against Tanith and their enemies. The plot is action based and full of twists and turns. I loved every single part of this story and wish there could be more of the series.

Characters:

Echo is well-written character who I really liked. She added a lot to the story. I liked Caius more in this book then in the last two. Dorian is still a great character and I wish there was more backstory to him. Jasper as well was a great character and I liked what he added to the story.

The lost letter by Jillian Cantor

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

This had been one of my must reads for a while and it did not disappoint. It was well written and I liked the dual perspective. The one set during the war and the one set in the present point of view. It helped flesh out the story a lot. The plot was fast paced and really well written. I highly recommend it for historical fiction fans. I cannot say enough good things about this book

Plot:

The story starts with a woman who must clear out her father's stamp collection so she takes it to stamp appraiser. Benjamin, the appraiser, finds an odd WWII era stamp that he has never seen. So begins their journey to find out who made this stamp and how her father got it. This is where the story from WWII begins to connect with the modern day story. The story set in WWII focuses on a man named Kristoff who works along side a stamp maker as an apprentice. Then  Kristallnacht and he  has to take over the business and work along side his crush. There begins the survival part of the story. I wont't reveal more. The woman Katie must uncover this story and how it connects to her in present time.

Characters:

I felt for Katie because of what she had to deal with a lot but she got to see a lot about her father. I liked Ben and his willingness to help her a lot. Kristoff and Elana were wonderful also and their part of the story is amazing.

Shifty's War by Marcus Brotherton

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

I admire Shifty so much and I consider him someone I look up to a lot. Band of Brothers introduced me to him and when I saw there was a biography written I knew I had to read it. I have been working my way through all the books related to the show and Shifty's story is one of the last I needed to read. It took me a few days because I was going through it slowly. I learned so much about him and his life that we did not see on screen. His friendship with Popeye Wynn was so funny and they were like brothers. The parts of the book after the war were very interesting especially when other members of easy company were mentioned. They all had a close bond with each other even after the war ended. This book was very well written and I was happy to learn so much about him and his service to the country. He was a true hero and we will never see anyone like those who served in WWII. This a must read for band of brothers fans.

Love and Gelato

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

This was the perfect read for the beach. I brought it on vacation and I am happy I did. It was really sweet and cute. I love YA contemporaries and this is on the top of my list. This book was so engaging and really wonderful. It just made me want to keep reading and reading to find out what happens. I cannot wait for the next book by this author.

Plot:

Lina is going to spend the summer in Tuscany at the request of her mother before she dies. She holds to her promise and goes to live there. She receives the journal her mom wrote while she lived in Italy. That changes her perspective on the journey and why her mom wanted her to go there. Along the way she meets Ren who helps her uncover her mom's journey through Italy. This reveals a new side of her mother and leaves her with questions needed to be answered.

Characters:

Lina was a very well written character who I loved.  Her grief about her mother was part of her story and why she grew throughout the book. Ren was funny and I loved his interactions with Lina. The other characters were also well written and added to the story.

The goblins of Bellwater(arc from netgalley)

Rating: 3/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

I loved this premise of this book but not the actual book. I do not think this book was for me and if you like fantasy with a side of romance this might be the right book for you. I did not like the romance part of the novel. I loved the fantasy and the pace of the novel but that is about it. This books a quick read to get me out of my reading slump.

Plot:

Sky falls victim to a curse set by Goblins who live near her in the forest. Her older sister has no clue that this has happened to her since she cannot speak about what happened to her. Kit starts dating Livy and tries to keep her from the goblins. Sky starts dating Kit's cousin and lure him into the forest. They have to undo the curse and make sure they do not turn into goblins.

Characters:

Sky was okay and I liked her the best. I liked Kit as well. Livy was really interesting and I was not a big fan of Kit

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller(ARC from Netgalley)

Rating: 3/5

Summary:(x)

My Thoughts:

First off thanks to Netgalley for the copy of this book. I was excited to read based off the summary but I was disappointed. It felt flat and not very well planned out. I wished I could have enjoyed this book more but I could not get into it. If you like assassins and twists in the story this is for you.

Plot: 

The plot starts out with an audition to become a member of the left hand a group of assassins. It is full of tests and tricks to prove who is perfect for the job out of the candidates. Sal decides to enter and become a member of the left hand. The book and the plot is just how they get through the tests and what happens. I felt like that was the reason the book dragged and was slow to me.

Characters:

The main character was okay I was not a big fan of them. Sal really fell flat to me. The other candidates were more interesting to me. The characters were okay but not great.

Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, the Man Who Led the Band of Brothers by Larry Alexander

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

         If it was not obvious by now that I love Band of Brothers and military history. It should be with this review. I consider Major Winters my hero and someone I look up to. This is one of three books written about him and I really loved it. This book had a lot of commentary about the different battles and how Winters knew what to do in battle. He wanted to make sure his men were not put in situations that did not put them at extra risk of being killed. The book shows how much he really cared for his men and their well being. It also shows how sad he was when some of his men were killed like Don Hoobler, Skip Muck, Alex Penkala. Robert Van Klinken.
         The readers can see his friendship with Lewis Nixon who was his total opposite but they worked well. The part about how the book got written was wonder especially since it talked about which veterans were contributors. Veterans like Carwood Lipton, Don Malarkey, Forrest Guth, Smokey Gordon, Joe Toye, Bill Guarnere, Harry Welsh and others helped make the Band of Brothers book a reality. The last few chapters talked about the men he had lost to age and health was touching and sad. It showed how Winters still cared about everyone under his command long after the war ended. The book was well written and I am happy to have read this book.

Tash hearts Tolstoy

Rating: 5/5

Summary(x)

My Thoughts:

I cannot say enough great things about this book. I just loved it so much and want to read it again. I love the asexual representation and I am happy it was a part of the book since there is so little representation for this orientation in the media. Tash was such a wonderful character who I loved and I wish the book could have been longer. I love the idea of the web series and how her friends were involved with it too.

Plot:

Tash has a viral web series that is a modern version of  Anna Karenina. The series did not start that way and after a popular youtuber it became that way. The series has gifs made of it and other posts all over social media. The story follows the web series as she wraps up finishing and how she deals with the new fame.

Characters:

I loved Tash and her friends. Each of them were unique and had a lot to contribute to the story.

Bookishly ever After by Isabel Bandeira(ARC provided by Netgalley)

Rating: 3/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

I was really looking forward to this book and I was not a big fan of it once I finished it. I loved the premise and what the book was about but it just was not the book for me. I will read the rest of the series and give it a chance. I loved the characters and parts of the plot.

Plot:

Pheobe is a huge bookwork and lives her books. She also works at a knitting store teaching classes.  She is also in high school but prefers to live in fantasy world when she finds out Dev have a crush on her. She tries to change her looks and personality to attract him. That is the part of the plot that I did not like and that is why I rated as I did.

Characters:

I really liked Pheobe and her friends. I liked Dev as well and thought he was a well-done character. Some of  Phoebe's actions annoyed me but she is a teenager so I did not find to much stuff that bothered me.

Parachute Infantry by David Kenyon Webster

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

I have another military history to review today. This one is band of brothers related since Webster served in Easy Company. It was interesting to read an account that was written during the war and I loved the way it was written. At first, I hesitated to read because of my mixed feeling towards Web but after reading I felt like I could understand him better.  This book is a great companion to the series and is must read for the fans of the show. I ended up gaining a new perspective on the war and understanding David Webster more. He has a realistic view of the war and does not sugar coat what happens during the war.

Fireworks by Katie Cutugno

Rating: 2/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

So the premise sounded amazing but the book fell flat for me. I loved the first part of the book but the rest of the book was not so great. I felt like the characters were flat and not that well fleshed out. Olivia was so annoying and Dana is so nice for putting up with her. I liked Alex and how he acted. The whole girl and boy band concept was the most interesting part for me.

Plot:

So the girls enter a contest to join a girl band. Dana auditioned only because of Olivia. They both get in and their friendship is strained. Especially when Dana meets and starts falling for Olivia' crush Alex, who is in a boy band. After that, there is a lot of drama and the book drags when that happens.

Characters:

The characters annoyed me a lot. I liked Dana and Alex the most out of all of them. They made the story bearable. Olivia was so wrong in how she treated Dana.

The upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Rating:5/5

Summary: (x)

My thoughts:

I loved this book so much especially since it is by one of favorite authors. It was such a good book and so fun. I could not put this down and was so happy it was as good as I had wanted it to be. I loved all the characters and relationships in this book. It was a great book that I will recommend and read again for sure.

Plot:

Molly is seventeen and has a long line of unrequited crushes. So when her twin sister starts dating her girlfriend. Cassie tries to set her up with one of her girlfriend's friends. She then develops a crush on both the friend, Will and her new coworker, Reid. The story goes from there and she has to decide whether to act on either of these crushes. Along the way their is family drama and lots of shenanigans.

Characters:

I love Molly and Cassie so much. Their relationship is a realistic one and they had their conflicts. I liked her crushes Will and Reid. I was drawn to Reid more so than Will. The characters are real and funny.

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My thoughts:

This was my first novel by these authors and it will not be the last. This book was really well written and hard to put down. I loved the dual points of view and how the story unfolds through them. Both Mark and Kate were well written characters. The plot is very interesting and well thought out. The book focus on both of the main characters and there respective crushes.

Plot:

The book starts out with Mark going to a gay club with his best friend, his crush. At the same time Kate is supposed to meet a girl who her friend thinks would be a good date for her.  They meet at the club and find out they go to the same school. After a series of events that I will not spoil they become friends. The story follows both of their loves lives and how they connect.

Characters:

Mark and Kate are well written and very believable characters. They have real problems and have real life issues.  Their friends are well written. I did not like the guy Mark had a crush on I felt like he was using him. Katie's love interest was funny and well likable she brought a lot to the story.

The Alice Network

Rating: 4/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. I loved all the characters and the switching back and forth between time periods. It was so well written and worth my time to read it. I could not put this book down and I had to keep reading. This book draws you in and won't let you leave. There are so many layers to this book and all the stories come together in the end.

Plot:

The story revolves around two main characters, Charlie and Eve. The story takes place in the past in 1915 and in the present in 1945. It tells Eve's story and connects it to Charlie's story. Charlie's story takes her to France as she tries to find out what happened to her cousin and to be punished by her parents for getting pregnant out of wedlock. That is where Eve comes in she has connections that might help Charlie find her cousin. That is were there stories meet and the action begins. The plot is fast paced and so good.

Characters:

There are three main ones Charlie, Eve, and Finn. Charlie is a well written character who is strong willed and knows what she wants. Eve is a tortured character who is not very easy very easy to get along with. Finn helps her and he has interesting past including his service in WWII. They are all well written and make the story more enjoyable.

The Frozen Hours by Jeff Shaara (ARC from Netgalley)

Rating:4/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

First off thank you to netgalley for the ARC because I was really looking forward to reading this book. I loved this book because it got me interested in reading more about the Korean War which is largely forgotten in military history. This book was well researched and written. The author is one of my go to authors for military fiction.

Plot:

The story follows three men through the first part of the Korean War. It tells of their struggles and what the war is like for them. We get a unique perspective on the war from both sides of the armies. It is brutal in the descriptions of the conditions the men struggle with. It follows them through intense fighting and the harsh realities of war.

Characters:

The story focuses on three men, two Americans and one Korean. The chapters alternate between their points of view telling their side of the war and how they react to their situations. The three points make the story so much more interesting and real.

Hell & High Water( ARC provided by netgalley)

Rating:3/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc. I was excited to read this book based off the premise but the book did not live up to my expectations. This book drew me in because it was both historical fiction and a mystery. While this book is good it was not for me. If you like mystery and historical fiction give this one it might be the book for you.

Plot:

The book starts off with Caleb's father being sent to the colonies. He is then sent to live with his aunt and that is where the mystery part of the story begins. He finds a body washed up on  the beach and now he has to figure out who it is. But because of his status no will believe him when he does find out who it is. The mystery was predictable at times but still good.

Characters:
Caleb is a well written character and he was one of the best parts of the book. The other characters  added to the story and made it more interesting.

Masters of the Air by Donald L. Miller

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

        I wanted to do a different genre than young adult to review so I decided non- fiction would be it. Besides young adult novels non-fiction especially military history is my most read genre. This was one of my must reads for the year since it was a really long work. I wanted to read this before the tv show called the Mighty Eighth comes out. This work is on the eighth air force in WWII and those who served in it. There were stories from different members and pictures of crew members. The work is a personal look at those who served at a great risk to their lives. The survival rate was not good but these men went out on missions any way. The book does not shy away from the hardships and what happened to those who were captured when their planes crashed in enemy territory. He did spare any details and made sure the readers knew what these men endured. It is a comprehensive read of the 8th air force and a must read for those wanting to learn about the most covered part of the air force during the war.

Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My thoughts:

This book was as wonderful as the first book. I enjoyed this book and could not put it down. This series is so creative with the use of pictures, documents and words to make up the story. It keeps me focused because the pictures and docs help tell the story. The plot was interesting and again inventive. This book and the first book are  two of my favorite books of all time.

Plot:

Hanna is the main character and she is the focus of how the story plays out. It continues the story of the assault by BeiTech. There are different characters than the first but the first still needs to be read to understand what is happening with the assault. Then Nik is introduced and they have to fight to survive and fight off aliens.

Characters:

The story focuses on two main characters, Hannah and Nik. We see most of the story from Hannah's perspective and we see a lot about Nik through their texts. Hannah is well fleshed out character who does everything in power to survive. Nik is a complex character who has an important part of the story. The characters as always are the best part of the book they add to how the story begins and ends.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

I just have to say I love this book so much! I read it in one night and I could not put it down. This is a book I cannot wait to read again. It was funny at times, sad at times, and a book that I wished was longer. I am anxiously awaiting the upcoming movie and am really excited to see it on the big screen.  I loved how diverse this book was as well. I have been trying to read more diverse books so this was a win for me.

Plot:

Simon is emailing a pen pal under the name Blue and accidentally leaves his email logged in. Another student blackmails him and he does not do anything because of Blue and the fact the student could out him as gay. The story revolves him trying to get everything messed up with the blackmail and figuring out who the mysterious Blue is since he goes to Simon's school as well.

Characters:

I love Simon so much! He was funny and relatable. his friends were well written and a wonderful part of the story as well. His family was at times not treating Simon well but they were a great edition to the story as well.

Under Rose-Tainted Skies

Rating: 3/5

Summary: (x)

My thoughts:

This book was a mixed bag for me. Some parts I liked and other parts I could not stand. This was an okay book for and I wish it was better. This book had lots of potential but it did not live up to it.  There was the annoying girl meets boy and fixes everything trope that annoys me. I thought that was not going to be in the book but it was.

Plot:

The plot was what drew me into reading this book.The main character has agoraphobia and chooses not to leaver her house because of that fear. Then a new neighbor moved in and she ends up meeting him by accident. They develop a relationship that slowly pushes her out of her comfort zone. This is where I was done with book even though I finished it. It felt like it was the love interest saves the main character. I cannot stand that trope so the book lost a lot of luster for me.

Characters:

I really liked Norah and how the author wrote her. I did not like Luke a lot  he felt rushed and not a very good character. I loved her mom she was very caring and supportive of her daughter.

Seized by the Sun: The Life and Disappearance of World War II Pilot Gertrude Tompkins (arc provided by Netgalley

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

First off thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book. I love wwii and will read any book I can get my hands on. This book was no exception I had heard of Gertrude Tompkins but only about her disappearance. This book helped me learn about her life and what lead her into a service in the WASPS. She was a fascinating person and I am so happy this was written about her. I do hope the solve the mystery of her disappearance. This book is very well written and worth a read.

Defiance by A.L. Soward (ARC provided by Netgalley)

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

First off thank you to Netgalley who provided me with this arc. This book was really good and well researched. I love historical fiction especially about WWII so I knew I had to read this. The author has other books about the era and I cannot wait to read them. I would recommend this book to everyone. The cover is also really well done.

Plot:

The plot follows the story of Lukas, a German born american citizen, while he fights in the infantry in Europe. The plot helps Lukas develop into a well rounded character and we see how he developed. It takes him from basic training to being a prisoner of war. Their are battle scenes but none to graphic. The story is flowing and fast paced.

Characters:

Lukas is a complex character who as the story goes along becomes even more complex. He changes from a young man of 18 to a battle hardened man by the end of the story. His mother is also a big character in the story and cares deeply for her son. His Brother Bastien is also a wonderful character who helps his brother even with his own war wounds still healing. The men he fought with are also well written and add to Lukas's story.

Frontlines and Silver Star by Michael Grant

Ratings: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

This series is based in WWII and is an alternate history.  In this verse woman are allowed to fight in combat. The premise sold me on the books and I knew I had to read it. I love WWII fiction so this was a great read for me. I could not put these books down and cannot wait for the third book in the series. The three girls who the story is based around are well written and strong. I recommend everyone read these not so known books.

Plot:

The plot goes through the major battles up until d-day. The girls are put in constant danger and end up thriving in the war. The plot is fast paced and full of details. The setting and details add to how the stories play out. The plot helps the girls character growth and how they react to situations.

Characters:

Each of three main characters are well fleshed out and have their own story line. Rio Richlin is strongwilled and has complex characteristics. Frangie Marr signed up to help her family and is willing to help any soldier even in the face of prejudice. Ranie Schulterman is smart and is part of the intelligance branch during the war.

Between Two Skies by Joanna O'Sullivan (ARC from Netgalley)

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

First off thank you for netgalley for the copy of the book. I knew this book was one I had to read based on the summary. It did not disappoint and i finished the book in no time.  The characters were well written and made the story so much better. The plot was so interesting especially since it is set in Louisiana before Hurricane Katrina and it also deals with the aftermath of the hurricane. The setting is described in great detail and adds to the story.

Plot:

The plot follows Evangeline and her life in Bayou Perdu. She has her whole life planned out there until tragedy strikes. Her whole life is flipped up when Hurricane Katrina hits her town and destroys it. She has to relocate and start again in a new city. The author tells her story in a way that keeps the plot moving and the reader captivated. The plot is well written and full of detail. The settings in the story helps the plot.

Characters:

Evangeline is so well written and we see her growth as her story goes on. Her family is also well written and add to the story. Tru was also a well written character and fit well into the story.

Coming up for Air by Miranda Kenneally (ARC Provided by netgalley)

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My thoughts:

First off thank you to netgalley for the arc of the book. I love Mirada Kenneally's books so I knew I had to read this. It was an easy read that was very well written. The author writes very relatable and complex characters. I love sports stories so this made the story very interesting to me. The book is focused on two swimmers and their life.

Plot:
The plot was really well written and the story flowed well. The author weaved the character's personal life with their swim competitions. Since this was set in high school there was drama but that is normal. The romance part of the plot was okay but not really good.

Characters:
Maggie was a really well written character and I love her voice. She was not annoying or drama filled. Her fears were real and made the story more engaging. I liked Levi as well he was always there for Maggie and added to her story. I liked the rest of the characters as well and how they drove the story forward.

Compassionate soldier (ARC provided by Netgalley)

Rating: 5/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

First off thank you to netgalley for the arc of this book. It was a really interesting read and it was full of stories I did not know about. The stories spanned from the Revolutionary war all the way to the Iraq war. This collection told of many soldiers who saved the lives of people considered enemies. They risked their lives to save those who were wounded or facing death. It shows the compassion of soldiers who did not have to. This is a must read for those who love history and want to learn about real heroes.

Perdition (Provided by NetGalley)

Rating: 2/5

Summary: (x)

My Thoughts:

Disclaimer: I did not like this book at all and it was not for me. That being said it would good for someone who love young adult romance. I could not get into the book at all and wish I could have. The main character was annoying to me and made me not want to read the book. The plot was full of high school drama that was hard to read at times. I will keep the rest of the review short and not opinionated.

Plot:
The plot was what sold me on the book and for the most part was good. The book starts off with the main character and her family moving to a small town. There are reasons for the move that get revealed as the book goes on. Those reasons kept me invested in the book and I had to know what happened. The plot twists were interesting and explained the reasons why she acted the way she did. The romance part of the plot I felt was okay and needed more.

Characters:

Michealla was hard to like and that helped the story develop. The author wrote her that way for a reason. I did not at all like her mom she was mean and not great. Levi, the love interest, was cliched and not very interesting as a love interest.