Review - The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

* Received from NetGalley for review.

5/5 gnomes

Dear The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend. Look at you, just look at you. You my grand book are just so flipping charming. Your settings, characters, the way the story unfolds, are all just so darn entertaining. I didn’t expect to get drawn into this book like I did but I just couldn’t stop reading.

The setting is so well done. It really feels like this town could exist. Broken Wheel really does feel like a character in the story. The book would have been a completely different beast without this town.

I like how the book is set up too. It has multiple points of view and you only meet one character through the letters she wrote before she died and the people she knew. This structure makes it so you really care about all of these characters and makes you book feel more alive.

Sara is like the ultimate bookworm. She goes from Sweden all the way to Iowa just to meet her pen pal. When she gets there though things are definitely not what she expected.

Getting to know the people and the town is a lot of fun. I love how important Sara and her books become to the town.

If you love reading/books and an in depth look at some truly unique characters,  then this might just be the perfect story for you.

Review - Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School)

Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School) by Jen Calonita

* Read via NetGalley for review

4 gnomes out of 5 gnomes

This book was so much fun. I like its fairy tale setting and all the princesses, ogres, trolls, and villains within this world.

Gilly is an awesome character. I like the whole daughter of the cobbler that lives in a shoe fairy tale. Her wide range of friends also makes for a very intriguing tale. It’s understandable why Gilly does what she does but the reform school does lead to some very interesting times.

The reform school run by the evil stepmother is pretty genius. These villains have to prove themselves and take care of the students who for the most part really don’t want to be there.

Magic and mystery abound and I know I was surprised by the ending.

Review - Vision in Silver

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

* Read via NetGalley

* Spoilers are highlighted like so

* Book will be released March 3, 2015

5 out of 5 gnomes

This series is fast becoming one of my favorites. Anne Bishop is just supernaturally good at world building and making you care so much about all of the characters. The book was pretty darn unputdownable.

Simon and Meg might just be the cutest almost a couple that I've ever read. This is probably the slowest burn of a relationship that I’ve read in a while yet it is awesome to read. Plus I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited that two characters were holding hands.

The world of the Others is just so intriguing because it takes a whole new take on shapeshifters and the what ifs of a world where humans are not in charge. This book is showing that sometimes people can be their own worst enemy and then when you throw in the Others, things really get interesting.

* The blood prophets and the learning curve they have really helps the story.

* That ending is intense and makes you wonder if the world will be able to survive.

* I recommend reading this series ASAP

Overall this series continues to be pretty darn epic. I know I love a series when I find myself caring about all the characters. This one ends in a very interesting place and I can't wait for the next book.

Review - Horrorstör

* Read via NetGalley for review

3 gnomes and a gnome hat out of 5 gnomes

Horrorstör is one creepy little book. I didn’t get the full effect of the looking like a catalog aspect of it because I read it on my phone. The parts that I could see of the formatting though were definitely good.

I’ve never been to an Ikea so I just kind of pictured Orsk like a giant Nebraska Furniture Mart. I have worked in retail before at Bath and Body Works (blargh) so I know how that feels at least and can relate to the characters.

Amy doesn’t exactly love her job to begin with and thinks she’s about to be fired. No though she’s asked to be at the store overnight to investigate what’s been going on.

This is of course when things get interesting.

This is definitely a scary story and one that's quick to read. You'll want to keep reading just to find out what exactly is going on.

There are some pretty great twists and turns in the story along with a little gory goodness. I really liked the ending and how Amy changed so much in the story.

Sentence Sneak Peek - Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

The first sentence from each chapter of Eleanor & Park, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
* Book read via NetGalley

“He’d stopped trying to bring her back.”

“XTC was no good for drowning out the morons at the back of the bus.”

“Eleanor considered her options:

1. She could walk home from school.”

“She didn’t talk to him on the ride home.”

“She got home that afternoon before all the little kids, which was good because she wasn’t ready to see them again.”

“Mr. Stessman was making them all memorize a poem, whatever poem they wanted.”

“Watch it, Raghead.”

“I’m going to ask Kim out,” Cal said.”

“She was reading his comics.”

“He was going to tell her that she did a good job on her poem.”

“The next morning, when Eleanor got on the bus, there was a stack of comics on her seat.”

“Why are you so quiet?”

“When Park got on the bus, he’d set the comics and Smiths tape on the seat next to him, so they’d just be waiting for her.”

“She remembered her books today, and she was wearing fresh clothes.”

“I know she doesn’t think I’m going to jump over that thing,” DeNice said.”

“Her mother stood in the bedroom the next morning while Eleanor got ready.”

“Saturdays were the worst.”

“Mondays were the best.”

“Her mom wasn’t going to let her babysit.”

“When she woke up that morning, she felt like it was her birthday—like she used to feel on her birthday, back when there was a shot in hell of ice cream.”

“The next day was a blur.”

“Would he look different?”

“When Eleanor got to their seat the next morning, Park didn’t stand up to let her in.”

“His eye went from purple to blue to green to yellow.”

“It was a terrible thing to admit.”

“Eleanor seemed off that morning.”

“Did she miss him?”

“Eleanor felt better the next morning.”

“He called his mom during lunch to tell her that Eleanor was coming over.”

“When she saw Park standing at the bus stop on Monday morning, she started giggling.”

“Hey, Cal said, taking a bite out of his Rib-a-Que sandwich.”

“There was just one more day of school left before Christmas vacation.”

“The box of pineapple arrived on Christmas Eve.”

“Eleanor slept until noon on Christmas Day.”

“Park’s mom didn’t seem surprised to see Eleanor the next day.”

“Park’s mom asked him to set the table.”

“Park told Eleanor not to come over after school.”

“Park was right.”

“Wednesday nights were the worst.”

“Thursday night after dinner, Park’s grandma came over to have her hair set, and his mom disappeared into the garage.”

“Park wanted Eleanor to start checking her books now, especially after gym class.”

“Park went to bed early.”

“His family was going to the boat show the next day, then out to lunch, and maybe to the mall. . . .”

“Park’s parents almost never fought, and when they did, it was always about him or Josh.”

“Wednesday night wasn’t the worst.”

“I don’t feel like cooking dinner,” his mom said.”

“Richie’s truck was in the driveway, but the whole house was dark, thank God.”

“Eleanor considered her options.”

“do i make you wet?”

“How he looks at me.”

“Eleanor pushed her curls out of her face one by one, like she was gath-ering her wits by hand.”

“Park said he’d come back after his dad got home and his parents were both asleep.”

“Okay?”

“Eleanor got out of the truck, and Park wandered into the cornfield to pee.”

“He was more nervous about his driving once they got into the city.”

“He didn’t ride the bus anymore.”

“Letters, postcards, packages that rattled like loaded cassette tapes.”

“He’d stopped trying to bring her back.

“Eleanor didn’t go to prom with him.”