Dear Pheobe {Bookishly Ever After}

ARC Edition via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
BOOKISHLY EVER AFTER // Isabel Bandeira
Goodreads // Amazon
Published January 12, 2015

In a perfect world, sixteen-year-old Phoebe Martins’ life would be a book. Preferably a YA novel with magic and a hot paranormal love interest. Unfortunately, her life probably wouldn’t even qualify for a quiet contemporary. But when Phoebe finds out that Dev, the hottest guy in the clarinet section, might actually have a crush on her, she turns to her favorite books for advice. Phoebe overhauls her personality to become as awesome as her favorite heroines and win Dev’s heart. But if her plan fails, can she go back to her happy world of fictional boys after falling for the real thing?

Dear Phoebe,

Despite you having one of my least favorite names, you might actually be one of the most relatable characters. With your love for all things literature and your taking advice from your favorite young adult heroines, you might actually be me. I mean, I’m not totally sure I would actually do what characters from books would do (falling into his arms? Really?) but I can’t completely promise that I wouldn’t either. From having a major crush on a total idiot because he looks like a totally swoony character from a book and taking up archery because you YA idol is an archer, you certainly take your lit seriously.

You’re an introvert with a lacking fashion sense apparently. Also a knitter. I’ve always wanted to learn to knit socks (haha; remember that time when you decided Dev was totally knit-worthy?). I’m an introvert, but I happen to think that my clothes are so very fantastic. In case you’re wondering, I happen to be wearing red pants and a gray slouchy sweater with some silver earrings from Earthbound.

In your story, BOOKISHLY EVER AFTER, you do some…let’s say…embarrassing...things. But you also do some things that I am so swooning over. Or, well, let’s just say that the ending is darling. The camp was the cutest.

In the beginning, I was so not loving your friend choice. However, I slowly (very, super slowly) I began to approve. It was slow though.

From one bookish human to another, I think that you kind of do what we are all capable of doing. (I mean take risks when you’d rather be reading, fear for the loss of the people inside the books, a huge adoration of the outside world with the grand hope to change it.) Overall, I think there something about your story that resonates. It’s not going to be one of those that make the history books, but it’s a story I totally get. The relationship with fictional characters. The wariness of real people, as strange as that sounds.

I wouldn’t read your story again, but not because I didn’t enjoy it. I did, especially the last few chapters. I wouldn’t read it again because, like you, I have too many other books to read and way too little time.

Best,

Jackie

Reasons to Take TOUCH ME NOT with You to a Deserted Island

Touch Me Not by Apryl Baker
Published 2015
Kindle // Goodreads

A past tragedy has left Lily Holmes burdened with a devastating secret…

Since the death of her twin sister, Lily can’t bear to be touched. Not accidentally, not casually…and certainly not intimately. This makes it impossible for her to confess to her best friend Adam Roberts that she’s in love with him. She can’t give him the sort of relationship he needs, so she watches in silence while he plans his wedding with someone else.

Enter Nikoli Kinkaid, the campus manwhore…

Nikoli is a self-proclaimed connoisseur of women, and he wants to add Lily to his list of conquests, but she wants nothing to do with him—until he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. He’ll teach her to enjoy human contact again, giving her a chance to win over Adam, while Nikoli uses all his considerable charm to seduce her.

But Lily raises the stakes…

Lily loves cars. Her late father was a racer, and she grew up under the hood of a car and on the racetrack. Nikoli has a limited edition 1970 Plymouth Barracuda she covets, so she informs him the terms of their deal also require he not sleep with anyone for six months. If he does, she’ll win the car. If she surrenders and ends up in his bed, his beloved ’Cuda is his to keep.

In an intricate dance of control and surrender, a reluctant friendship becomes something more. Lily begins to crave things she never believed she could, and Nikoli realizes there is more at stake than his reputation.

If Lily overcomes her phobia, will she crave Adam’s touch as she’s starting to crave Nikoli’s? Or will she only find pleasure from the touch of a semi-reformed manwhore?

One.

It’s certainly not going to help you find drinkable water, and it’s probably going to make you real thirsty (hehe), but at least you can ponder about all the could have, would have, and should haves with your new book boyfriend who YES HE CERTAINLY DOES HAVE A SWOON-INDUCING RUSSIAN ACCENT. Not only will he listen to what you have to say, but he’s also patient and kind and happens to have abs that one could grate some hella good parmesan on. Mmmm. Make you some yummy pizza with that cheese. With our main girl, he’s all of this, but also someone who she learns to trust. Nik helps her to come back to who she is. Not the girl before the accident, because things like that get written on your soul, but someone who can perceive their own strength and flourishes in in.

Two.

The friendship in this book is something I cannot fathom. I mean, I could look up into the night sky all night long and try to write poems with candle light and I still wouldn’t really ‘get’ it all. There is loyalty and misunderstanding. There’s growing with and against. There are hands to hold and hands that Lily (our super sweet main girl who has a phobia to touch) needs to be shielded from. Sometimes those hands are covered in good intentions. Sometimes they’re not. But the kind of friendship that is molded from these characters is amazing. I mean, sure, I hate her supposed best friends (for reasons you’ll have to find out and evaluate on your own of course) but I love how the school regards her with such compassion and kind of (should I call it awe?) awe. And wonder. And protective-ness. The last one is especially amusing. So you can learn about all that on this island of lost hopes. (did I mention this island is no where near in air travel paths or boat coordinates? How did you even manage to land yourself in this pickle?)

Three.

Maybe this book will help you figure out what you want to start searching for! Food wise, I mean. Because HONEY. You are going to survive this. This cute little Cuban restaurant serves fantastic and foodgasm inducing yumminess in the book. You’ll find out real quick that you DON’T want a pepper that will set your mouth on fire. Even if it does create a super cute and laughable bonding moment between you and…whoever you stumble upon. If you do indeed stumble upon anyone. I mean, it is deserted. Food makes me think of togetherness, and Nik is helping her put the broken pieces of herself into something that can be stitched up again and food is how it all started. Maybe when you find food your wheels will start turning as to exactly how you are going to go about getting back to the mainland.

THIS RAGING LIGHT by Estelle Laure // Only Half In Love

This Raging Light by Estelle Laure
ARC via Andye (The All-Knowing) at readingteen.net
Pub Date: January 2016
Goodreads // Amazon // My Reviews


Can the best thing happen at the worst time? 

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she’s about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend’s brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure’s soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

But I'm sorry I let her fall. (ARC)

Breaking, broken, and raging, raging, raging. Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has to care for her younger sister. And she’s terribly in love with the most inconvenient of boys. This book wracked my being with sadness. Pretty much this entire book was me feeling like this girl needed a hug, some time off, and a nice big, home-y meal.

THIS RAGING LIGHT was beautiful and so, so sad. It felt a whole lot like a drowning person struggling to keep their head above water. Although the beauty of this book is undeniable, this is a VERY emotion-driven book. And, unfortunately (me being a mood reader) I wasn’t totally head over heels for it. I need a bit of happiness. As much as I ship the love, I also really DON’T ship the love. As much as I love Eden, I also want to punch her.

So let’s talk the plot. After being sufficiently abandoned by those meant to take care of her, Lucille works herself to the bone and deeper to take care of her fourth-grade sister and to keep their little family fed and together. She doesn’t shy away from doing what she has to do in order to keep her head above water.

And then the character… There is Lucille, her younger sister, Eden, and Digby. The brief flashes of minor characters are what I think make this novel sort of build to a ‘fever-pitch.’ This community is what makes this book unique. Their willingness to be helpful. Anyways: Digby. I’m half in love with him, and half disappointed in him. But, then again, those disappointments and awe-moments is what makes the boy who he is.

That’s sort of what I like about this book, and also what makes it a 3-Star novel. The flaws and the mistakes develop the character and are used as a building technique instead of some kind of growth point.

Basically, THIS RAGING LIGHT was a very half-full, half-empty book for me. I didn’t feel as much as I wanted to. I was pretty monotone while reading it, and when I did feel something it wasn’t joy of amusement. It was the kind of sadness that weighs you down. After finishing it I had to read some upbeat book about friendship where no body is left. I think this book plays a lot on fears. Or at least some fears of mine. And maybe because it was so startling it deserves more stars, but for me…. this book just wasn’t it.

The novel was beautiful, and totally quote worthy. However, it wasn’t as emotion-inducing as I was hoping. I need to be able to connect with the characters. Unfortunately, I couldn’t.