Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Mini Review - Say You'll Remember Me

Say You’ll Remember Me by Katie McGarry


4 out of 5 gnomes

Once again McGarry excels at writing about families and how friends can be like family too. Along with plenty of emotions and a metric tonnage of drama.

Politics aplenty in this book and a view of how the justice system does/doesn't work.

Drix and Elle have some concrete chemistry but of course plenty of problems to deal with too. Their personalities and how their relationship develops will really draw you into the story.

The story is great and will have you rooting for them to succeed. It is really intense at times but you won't want to stop reading.

The only downside that took it down about a star is that it includes a particular trope that I loathe/hate/can't stand.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Review and My Favorite Quotes/Lines - Vicious

 Vicious by V.E. Schwab

5 out of 5 gnomes

Truth be told I tried to read this book when it first came out but couldn't get into it. After seeing there was going to be a sequel, I thought hey, why not try it again.

I am very happy I went back to it. This book is intense yet surprising at the same time. There are so many shades of gray with these characters but that’s what makes it so very intriguing.

The structure takes some getting used to as it jumps back and forth in the time line. Once you do though you see that each chapter leads seamlessly into the next.

Like a certain song from the musical Hamilton a lot in the story could be described best by the line, "who lives, who dies, who tells your story." Perspective is key, one character especially believes he's a hero but what he’s doing and why is eminently more fanatical/terrorist-like than good. All the points of view though help fill in the many pieces of why these characters feel/act this way. 

Speaking of great points of view, I really adore Sydney and Mitch. Both of their personalities mixed with Victor’s make for a very interesting combo of characters.

Superhero aka ExtraOrdinary powers plus a lot of near death and actual death takes the reader on a hell of a ride. This tale of revenge will have you reading fast to see how everything ends.
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My Favorite Quotes/Lines:

“That may be.” His fingers curled around the shovel. “But half the fun is trying.”

“ExtraOrdinary. The word that started—ruined, changed—everything.”

“Victor didn’t know what to say, so he said the most useless word in the world. “Sorry.”

“The body doesn’t survive on thoughts.”

“Victor Vale was not a fucking sidekick.”

“Victor surprised himself by telling her the truth.”

“Because you don’t think I’m a bad person,” he said. “And I don’t want to prove you wrong.”

“Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” “I get the feeling that’s not what Thomas Jefferson meant,” muttered Mitch.”

“Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human. The difference between Victor and Eli, he suspected, wasn’t their opinion on EOs. It was their reaction to them.”

“And whoever Victor Vale was, whatever he was, and whatever he was up to, the only thing Mitch knew was that he did not want to be in his way.”

“When no one understands, that’s usually a good sign that you’re wrong.”

“But you’ll have to indulge me. I’ve waited so long to try.”

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Review - The Dangerous Art of Blending In

The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis

5 out of 5 gnomes

An Important/Intense Story

I could not put this book down. This story will tear at your heart but leave you with a lot of hope at the ending.


Evan has a lot to go through in this book. The abuse he suffers is terrifying and will have you worrying about the character.

Seeing this trauma just makes you imagine how often this happens in the real world too.

Evan figuring out who he can trust is vital to the story. The relationships, even the bad ones are all done extremely well.

Best Part: Now that, that was quite a coming out scene.

Seeing Evan be true to himself and the end of the book makes you imagine a very bright future.