Review: Sweet

Info: 
Title: Sweet
Author: Emmy Laybourne
Series: Sweet #1Publisher: Macmillian
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Source: I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
*People would kill to be thin.*

Solu’s luxurious celebrity-filled “Cruise to Lose” is billed as “the biggest cruise since the Titanic,” and if the new diet sweetener works as promised—dropping five percent of a person’s body weight in just days—it really could be the answer to the world’s obesity problem. But Laurel is starting to regret accepting her friend Viv’s invitation. She’s already completely embarrassed herself in front of celebrity host, Tom Forelli (otherwise known as the hottest guy ever!) and she’s too seasick to even try the sweetener. And that’s before Viv and all the other passengers start acting really strange.

*But will they die for it, too?*

Tom Forelli knows that he should be grateful for this job and the opportunity to shed his childhood “Baby Tom-Tom” image. His publicists have even set up a ‘romance’ with a sexy reality star. But as things on the ship start to get a bit wild, he finds himself drawn to a different girl. And when his celebrity hosting gig turns into an expose on the shocking side effects of Solu, it’s Laurel that he’s determined to save.

Emmy Laybourne, author of the Monument 14 trilogy, takes readers on a dream vacation that goes first comically, then tragically, then horrifyingly, wrong.

Review:
I really enjoyed this book. The concept was creepy and interesting and I enjoyed both the main characters.

Laurel was a rare case on the Cruise to Lose. A slightly overweight girl who wasn't dying to change her body. Plus bonus points for the fact that she had a hobby (classical guitar). Laurel was sweet, caring and shy, but also tough enough to survive when things got crazy. Plus she is a poster-child for body love, if that's something you would enjoy.

I found Tom to be an interesting character. A formerly overweight former child star trying to reinvent his image. He has dreams of being a film star, but is stuck going hosting gigs for entertainment shows and now the Solu Cruise to Lose. He's a rather serious guy, but very caring and always tries to be genuine, which is pretty rare on a ship full of minor celebrities and reality tv stars.

One thing that bothered me a bit was that I felt like the romance went too fast. It wasn't instalove, but I would have liked to see a bit more development there.

I liked the danger and building sense of something being wrong. I think Emmy Laybourne does danger and crisis well. Do I think something like this could happen in real life? No, not really, but I think the underlying theme of the dangers of untested 'supplements' is real. 

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Don't Just Take My Word For It:
Xpresso Reads | Dark Faerie Tales | Out of Time

May Wrapup

Holy smokes, it already June! The weather is beautiful! However, I am sick, so that diminished my excitement a bit. I'm feeling a bit better today, so hopefully I will be back to 100% soon!

Books Reviewed in May:

Who is Mackie Spencer by Lin Kaymer - 2 stars
Kiss and Tell by Jacqueline Green - 4 stars
Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu - 4.5 stars
The Body Electric by Beth Revis - 3.5 stars

Average rating = 3.5 stars

Books Received in May:

For Review:

  

Tangled Webs by Lee Bross
The Road to You by Alecia Whitaker
Court of Fives by Kate Elliott - Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada for the 3 above
Crossing into Brooklyn by Mary Ann McGuigan
We Will Be Crashing Shortly by Hollis Gillespie - Thanks to Merit Press for the 2 above
The Voyage of the Basilisk by Marie Brennan - Thanks to Tor for this one

Purchased:

Rat Queens Volume 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth by Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch (artist)
Saga Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (artist)
End of Days by Susan Ee

Won:

Katia's Promise by Catherine Lanigan

Armchair BEA - Character Chatter

Hey Armchair BEA, I'm back. We had some news Wednesday night after my post that kind of turned things upside down (in a good way). Plus I've been sick. But better late than never with this post!

Characters really make or break a book for me. And it's a really fine line that authors need to walk to make their characters relateable and likable. On one hand, they need to have attributes that the reader will connect with and appreciate. On the other hand, they can't be too perfect or they are annoying and unlikable. Plus they need to have that extra je ne sais quoi to really reach the level of favourite. It requires a special touch!

Armchair BEA: Introductions

Somehow I've been blogging for quite a while, yet I've never done Armchair BEA (or actual BEA either). So thing year I'm in!

First off is introductions. Here's my 5 answers:

1, Tell us a bit about yourself: How long have you been blogging? Where are you from? How did you get into blogging?

I've been blogging for a pretty long time actually. My first post for January 31, 2012! That's more than 3 years ago, which seems totally crazy. I'm from Canada and I got into blogging I think because I didn't have anyone in my 'real life' that I could talk about books with.

2. What does diversity mean to you?

Diversity to me means having as wide a range of books and characters as there are readers. Readers should be able to easily find stories about characters who are like them, whether that is based on race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic status, physical appearance, disability or whatever. Not every reader is a middle class white girl who doesn't realize how beautiful she is. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy those books. But I also want to see books about people of Asian, African, First Nations, or South American heritage (whether they still live there or have immigrated elsewhere. I want books about straight couples and gay couples and transgendered people and any other sexual identities. I want characters from the inner cities and the suburbs and the mansions on top of a hill. I want characters who is in a wheelchair or blind or with a learning disability. Basically, I want to people I meet in books to be a better mirror for the people I meet in my everyday life.

What book are you reading right now?

I just started my ARC of Sweet by Emmy Laybourne this afternoon!

What is the top book in your TBR pile?

The next book on my TBR is an ARC of Tangled Webs by Lee Bross that I got in the mail a few days ago.

Take a picture of your bookshelf and share it with us! :) (#ABEAShelfie)

I have 2 for you, since I don't really understand shelfies and if I'm supposed to be in them or not.

Anyone else doing Armchair BEA? Link in the comments so I can visit you!

Review: The Body Electric

Info: 
Title: The Body Electric
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Scriptuient Books
Publication Date: October 6, 2014
Source: Purchased.

Synopsis:
The future world is at peace.

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift--the ability to enter people's dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother--to help others relive their happy memories.

But not all is at it seems.

Ella starts seeing impossible things--images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience--and influence--the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love--even though Ella's never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing...

Someone's altered her memory.

Ella's gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn't even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella's head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

So who can she trust?

Review:
It's been a few days and I'm still trying to sort out how I feel about this book. The concepts introduced are interesting, but they are pretty out there. What I mean is this is some pretty hard-core science fiction, even without spaceships. 

I found the story interesting and engaging and I did want to find out what was going on. Some things I thought were obvious to the reader long before Ella figured them out, but others took me by surprise.

I think my biggest issue was Ella herself. I just couldn't connect with her. I think it was because in the beginning, she fought so hard against what Jack was telling her, even though it was pretty obvious that something didn't add up. 

One thing I really did like were the small references to the Across the Universe series. This is by no means a sequel, but I liked seeing the little hints that let us know that this takes place in the same universe.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I feel pretty neutral about it. I will still read anything Beth Revis puts out though!


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Don't Just Take My Word For It:
The Eater of Books | Novel Heartbeat | The Young Folks

Review: Devoted

Info: 
Title: Devoted
Author: Jennifer Mathieu
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Source: I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:
Rachel Walker is devoted to God. She prays every day, attends Calvary Christian Church with her family, helps care for her five younger siblings, dresses modestly, and prepares herself to be a wife and mother who serves the Lord with joy. But Rachel is curious about the world her family has turned away from, and increasingly finds that neither the church nor her homeschool education has the answers she craves. Rachel has always found solace in her beliefs, but now she can’t shake the feeling that her devotion might destroy her soul.

Review:
I don't usually read a lot of contemporary, but when I come across a book like this, I know I need to read more. I find extreme religion, including cults and sects, super interesting. And while Rachel's family beliefs are not what I would call a cult, they certain are extreme and restrictive and, honestly, angering. Rachel is only allowed to interact with people from her church. She's home schooled, can't cut her hair and must dress modestly at all times.

I loved Rachel's character so much and I think many other readers will too, since we can see ourselves in her. Rachel is a bookworm at heart, but her family does not condone reading (other than the bible of course), especially Rachel's favourite book: A Wrinkle in Time. That's just one of the trials Rachel must face. She is also fearful of her future, which can only be one thing: being a loving and obedient wife and mother.

I really enjoyed the contrast between Rachel and Lauren, another girl who took issue with the church's restrictive beliefs. It shows the differing ways that different people react in similar situations. Both girl's stories were tough for a bookworm, equal rights kind of girl like me.

However, I do like how Jennifer Mathieu treated the topic of religion in her book. Too often books take sides, either becoming preachy or bashing religion altogether. I think the author walked a fine line and stayed fairly respectful of religion. She did not indicate that Rachel's family was wrong, just that their beliefs didn't work for Rachel. And Rachel maintains her relationship with God throughout, yet the book never felt preachy to me.

I also really enjoyed Rachel's relationship with her little sister Ruth. Ruth was the lifeline that kept Rachel sane in her life with her family. They always supported each other, even though they were very different characters. It made me want a little sister. Although I definitely could do without an older sister like Faith. And their last scene together break my heart a little bit.

There is a hint of romantic interest in this one, but it's so subtle, because, let's face it, Rachel is not ready for a relationship right now. I'm so glad the other didn't force her into a relationship, since I believe the book is so much stronger as it is now.

Devoted was one of my rare forays into contemporary fiction and I really enjoyed it a lot. I though the book was well balanced while dealing with potentially volatile content and I will definitely be reading more from Jennifer Mathieu.

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Review: Kiss and Tell

Info: 
Title: Kiss and Tell
Author: Jacqueline Green
Series: Truth or Dare #3
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: February 3, 2015
Source: Purchased.

Synopsis:
Since their dangerous game of truth or dare began, Tenley Reed, Sydney Morgan, and Emerson Cunningham have lost almost everything. Closely guarded secrets, romantic relationships, and sought-after spots at the top of their school's social hierarchy-all gone in the blink of an eye.

Now the darer has upped the stakes, leaving another body behind in the girls' isolated beach town of Echo Bay. And if they can't untangle the twisted web leading to whoever is behind the mysterious deaths, one of them could be next. But what happens when the trail leads to those they trusted, those they loved?

Filled with intoxicating twists and shocking betrayals, the final installment in the Truth or Dare trilogy will keep readers guessing until the very end.

Review:
Kiss and Tell brings the Truth or Dare trilogy to an exciting conclusion. Sydney, Tenley and Emerson have been through so much together, dealing with the death of their classmates and the constant threat of the darer exposing all their secrets, or worse. 

I really felt for these girls. They have been through Hell! While I understand wanting to keep certain aspects of their life private, the stakes get so much higher than just revealing a dirty little secret. One of my favourite aspects of this book is the way the girls banded together and drew strength from each other. They were far from friends when the story began, but in the end supported each other so much.

This book was my favourite of the trilogy. I liked the girls more throughout and it was a relief to finally know what was going on in Echo Bay. I really enjoyed reading a mystery, which isn't something I do very often. I'm hopefully as figuring out who-dun-it, so I was certain surprised at the reveal. I knew something was up, but did not guess the identity of the darer.

While I didn't love the other books in this series quite as much as this one, I would definitely recommend this series to someone who wants to give mystery a try, but also wants the YA aspect to shine through.

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