Review: Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds & Illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff

Title: Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel

Author: Jason Reynolds

Illustrator: Danica Novgorodoff
Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Hardcover, 208 Pages
Published October 2020

Summary: Jason Reynolds’s Newbery Honor, Printz Honor, and Coretta Scott King Honor–winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel Long Way Down is now a gripping, galvanizing graphic novel, with haunting artwork by Danica Novgorodoff. Will’s older brother, Shawn, has been shot. Dead. Will feels a sadness so great, he can’t explain it. But in his neighborhood, there are THE RULES: No. 1: Crying. Don’t. No matter what. No. 2: Snitching. Don’t. No matter what. No. 3: Revenge. Do.No matter what. But bullets miss. You can get the wrong guy. And there’s always someone else who knows to follow the rules…

I had wanted to read LONG WAY DOWN for the longest (ha) time, because I never got around to it with all of the review copies and new releases that I had to read for the blog. However, as soon as I saw that our local indie bookstore got copies of the new graphic novel version in stock, I made a trip over there to check it out. And let me tell you, I'm so glad that I did, because this book is so incredible and I will be recommending it to everyone for the foreseeable future. 

This book is about a young boy named Will, whose older brother has been shot dead. The entire story is told in the roughly sixty seconds it takes for Will to get from the 7th floor down to the lobby of his apartment building, where he then plans to go avenge his brother's murder by killing the man that shot him. But on the "long way down" to the lobby, Will encounters several different people who join him in the elevator -- none of whom he is expecting. And what they tell him and what he finds out may change Will's decision forever.

This book is a spectacular piece of art. That was my first thought when I sat down to write this review. To be honest, this entire review is probably going to be me saying much of the same over and over again, because that's really how I feel. I've loved a lot of books in my lifetime -- but very few stuck in my mind with the world spectacular. This is definitely one of them. In terms of the story itself, I was hooked. I read almost the entire book in one sitting, and I definitely would have continued to read well into the early morning if I hadn't had to go to bed for work. The people who get on that elevator with Will...I won't spoil anything for you, but all I will say is that their conversations with him really open up more of the story that nobody was expecting to see. By the time I finished this book, I had tears in my eyes. Very few books have ever truly moved me like that, but this was definitely one of them. Jason Reynolds is a master of telling stories in verse, and even with so few actual words on the page, so much is addressed and covered and explored. It was truly, truly beautiful. I don't even have any other words for it.

Being that this is the graphic novel version, of course I have to discuss the artwork as well. This entire graphic novel is done with watercolor artwork, which Danica Novgorodoff truly masters. There are some gorgeous scenes here. Seeing them interact with the words of Jason Reynolds really creates such a beautiful experience. There were some moments where I just stopped reading so I could run my fingers over the images, drinking them in, absorbing all of their pain and their beauty. It's truly spectacular. I shared some of them in one of our Instagram posts if you want to check them out yourself! It really made me wish I had some artistic talent like this, because the graphics truly took my breath away.

Overall, I absolutely loved LONG WAY DOWN. It was gut-wrenching, emotional, gorgeous, and truly just perfect. I think that I made the right choice by opting to read the graphic novel version, because in addition to the brilliant story, I got to see amazing watercolor artwork that really breathed life into Jason Reynolds's words. It's clear to me now, as I had suspected long before this, that he is one of the most incredible writers of our time. I'm truly in shock and awe, and I will be sharing this book with my friends, family, and peers for a long time to come. If this book isn't on your TBR already, then I can safely say that you are definitely missing out. I also recommend picking up the graphic novel version, because like I've said a million times in this review already, it really adds something spectacular to the piece. I hope you love this book just as much as I do!

Review: Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Title: Not a Drop to Drink (Not a Drop to Drink #1)
Author: Wendy McGinnis
Genre: Dystopian
Format: eBook
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Published: September 24, 2013


Summary: 

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.  

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all. 

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand. 

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….
With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own. 

~~~ 

I am questioning why I had put this book down when I tried to read it in October of 2013. What the hell was I thinking?! I defiantly made a huge mistake there. I am so glad now that I requested an ebook ARC of In a Hand Full of Dust, otherwise I would have never picked this up again. 

My favorite kind of Dystopian novels are ones that deal with things that could possibly happen in the future. I feel as if it draws me in more and more and keeps me reading. I liked the plot to this, it was interesting and it wasn't long before I was hooked. (This was another one of those books I stayed up to 4 AM to read) 

I loved Lynn. She was totally bad ass, and I loved to see how she went from someone who felt that she didn't need someone to eventually leaning on those she cares about. Lucy was a character I just fell in love with the minute she appeared in the book, she is just so cute and innocent. Especially since she lives in such a cruel world. Eli was just so adorable, he was an instant love for me. He was so kind and caring and a bit straight forward, especially about his flirting with Lynn. Which was adorable because she was so confused. Stebbs was someone at first that I thought would be trouble for Lynn, he just gave off that vibe. Eventually though their banter was entertaining at points, serious at others and I think Lynn in the end looked up to him in a father figure kind of way. (At least that is my opinion) 

I do wish there was more romance between Lynn and Eli. I felt it was over too quick after their relationship had just started. Then you have the ending that just leaves you staring at the page with a "WTF" expression. I was very confused (I am still am!) and very sad. The book closes with an Epilogue, which has to be a few years into the future, because Lucy is going to be on guard for the first time. 

In the end I really did love this book, and I am almost through the sequel, In a Handful of Dust. I also love how the titles make a sentence. Like "Not a drop to drink, in a handful of dust." I just love it!

RATING: ★★★★

Review: (Don't You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

Title: (Don't You) Forget About Me
Author: Kate Karyus Quinn
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Hardcover, 336 Pages
Published June 2014

Summary: Welcome to Gardnerville. A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies. Except...There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them. Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.

I'm going to start off this review by pointing out that Kate Karyus Quinn has a sick, twisted mind...and I loved every second of the book that mind came up with. I'd just been discharged from the hospital after an emergency stay for my appendix, and I was supposed to go right home for medical observation and not do anything...but I convinced my parents to let me hobble into Barnes & Noble and get this book. And lucky me, it was the last one on the shelf!

So. About the book. Gardnerville seems like the perfect place when you don't know the true logistics of it--a rumored town where people live well past a century, nobody ever gets sick, and if you're already sick with a deadly disease, you're cured as soon as you come in. What the pamphlets DON'T explain is that every fourth year, one teen in town gets so much pent up emotion and magic that they explode with a series of psychotic events that take down a couple of teens in town with them.

I loved every single second of this book and found it hard to put it down, which is why I was actually lucky to be on medical observation because I wasn't allowed to do much more than sit down and read, anyway. This book totally and completely screwed with my mind in ways I can't even explain without spoiling the book. I literally just finished it half an hour ago, and I had to close the book and sit there and blink at the sky for a few minutes before silently mouthing What the heck was that? And then having my brain practically implode from all of the mind-bending stuff that I find out.

Kate Karyus Quinn leaves the reader with some questions at the end of the book, as most endings of books should and do, but I feel like the major questions I had that would've put me into cardiac arrest if I was left questioning about were all answered nicely. The ending still tugged at my heart, though, and made my brain ache like it had a nice run through a garbage disposal. My mind was absolutely BLOWN. It was freaking PERFECT. Hats off (I'm actually not wearing a hat right now so awkward) to Karyus Quinn for a book that gave me a literal headache in the best way when I finished.

I was not, I repeat, was not expecting that book to end the way it did. I'm trying so hard not to spoil the book for all of you who haven't read it (and if you have, feel free to drop a comment below and tell me how you felt about the ending WITHOUT SPOILING IT!). If you haven't read it, add it to your TBR list IMMEDIATELY. You won't regret it, I promise.

All in all, (Don't You) Forget About Me was a great, twisted, chilling book about a severely messed up town that left me in complete wonder, and it was a book with an ending that quite literally blew my mind. Loved it!

Waiting on Wednesday: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray (#7)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine

Title: A Thousand Pieces of You
Author: Claudia Gray
Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Page Number: 368
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: November 4, 2014

Summary: 
Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their radical scientific achievements. Their most astonishing invention: the Firebird, which allows users to jump into parallel universes, some vastly altered from our own. But when Marguerite’s father is murdered, the killer—her parent’s handsome and enigmatic assistant Paul—escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite can’t let the man who destroyed her family go free, and she races after Paul through different universes, where their lives entangle in increasingly familiar ways. With each encounter she begins to question Paul’s guilt—and her own heart. Soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is more sinister than she ever could have imagined.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores a reality where we witness the countless other lives we might lead in an amazingly intricate multiverse, and ask whether, amid infinite possibilities, one love can endure.

ARC Review: Tabula Rasa by Kristen Lippert-Martin

Title: Tabula Rasa
Author: Kristen Lippert-Martin 
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: eBook
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: September 2014

*I received an ARC ebook copy of Tabula Rasa By Kristen Lippert-Martin  via Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review*

Summary: 
Sixteen-year-old Sarah has a rare chance at a new life. Or so the doctors tell her. She’s been undergoing a cutting-edge procedure that will render her a tabula rasa—a blank slate. Memory by memory her troubled past is being taken away.

But when her final surgery is interrupted and a team of elite soldiers invades the isolated hospital under cover of a massive blizzard, her fresh start could be her end. 

Navigating familiar halls that have become a dangerous maze with the help of a teen computer hacker who's trying to bring the hospital down for his own reasons, Sarah starts to piece together who she is and why someone would want her erased. And she won’t be silenced again.

A high-stakes thriller featuring a non-stop race for survival and a smart heroine who will risk everything, Tabula Rasa is, in short, unforgettable.

~~~

Fast paced, with raw emotional scenes and plenty of action, full of twist and turns. It left me on the edge of my seat until the very last word. 

The story starts in the the operating room were Sarah is undergoing an experimental surgery (Tabula Rasa) to have her memories erased. She doesn't know why, only that she is lucky to be given a second chance. But things don't go planned and soon the lights are out, soldiers burst in shooting, and there is not escape, especially not with a full force blizzard outside. 

When Sarah barley escapes from the hospital with her life she runs into Thomas, who she begs into helping her escape the soldiers that were sent to kill her. Soon Thomas and Sarah are in a fight for their lives.

I didn't release how fast this book was until the end. The whole story only takes place only a handful of days, and the setting is one place. The hospital. 

I liked Sarah too. She was strong willed and sarcastic, two of my favorite things in a character. It was also refreshing to learn her memories that were taken during surgeries along with her. You never knew what was coming next.

I haven't been content with an ending to a book/series in a long time. But I can say that I was more then happy with the ending. Yes, it may not have been ideal but it is better then nothing right?  

RATING: ★★★★

ARC Review: Amity by Micol Ostow

Title: Amity
Author: Micol Ostow
Genre: Horror
Format: eBook
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: August 26, 2014

Summary:

Connor's family moves to Amity to escape shady business deals. Ten years later, Gwen's family moves to Amity for a fresh start after she's recovered from a psychotic break.

But something is not right about this secluded house. Connor's nights are plagued with gore-filled dreams of demons and destruction. Dreams he kind of likes. Gwen has lurid visions of corpses that aren't there and bleeding blisters that disappear in the blink of an eye. She knows Amity is evil and she must get her family out, but who would ever believe her?

Amity isn't just a house. She is a living force, bent on manipulating her inhabitants to her twisted will. She will use Connor and Gwen to bring about a bloody end as she's done before. As she'll do again.

Alternating between parallel narratives, Amity is a tense and terrifying tale suggested by true-crime events that will satisfy even the most demanding horror fan.

~~~

".... a gruesome thriller suggested by the events of the Amityville Horror."

I saw the name Amity and the first thing that popped into my head was The Amityville Horror. I live on Long Island. Less then twenty minutes away from the actually Amityville Horror house, so of course anything involving it will catch my attention. I was disappointed that this wasn't a retelling. But besides that I enjoyed the story.

This was another book were I abandoned all my responsibilities and laid on the couch all night to read. It is told in alternate times. Ten years ago and today. 

Conner had lived in the house ten years ago. Now, when I first started the book I liked Connor, I really did. Then the book progressed and I found that some things he did were not normal. My biggest question is, was he in love with his sister? There is a part in the book that suggests that, then a dream were she kisses him. 

Qwen currently lives in the house. This was her parents latest escape with their family after Qwen's latest mental break down and she is convinced not to screw it up. Then she starts having the dreams, starts referring to Amity as if she were a person and seeing things, just like Connor had. 

As much as I liked the book there were things I didn't like. There were many things that were unclear or unanswered. Especially Connor's letter at the end. What exactly did he mean by everything he said? Who was the decomposed girl that Qwen kept seeing? Was it Jules or someone else from Amity's past?

RATING: ★★★

Waiting on Wednesday: Talon by Julie Kagawa (#6)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine

Title: Talon 

Author: Julie Kagawa

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Page Number: 400

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: October 28, 2014

Summary: 

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons. 

Review: Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Title: Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1)
Author: Victoria Scott
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 305
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Published: February 25, 2014

Summary:
Time is slipping away.... 

Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.

Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.

The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?

Victoria Scott's breathtaking novel grabs readers by the throat and doesn't let go.

~~~

As the GIF above says, I have all these feels that I didn't have when I started reading. Including millions of unanswered questions, and an almost eight month wait to get the answers. Oh boy. 

Did Fire & Flood remind me of The Hunger Games? Yes. There were some things I found similar, but a majority of it wasn't even remotely the same. Which made me happy because I wanted to love this book and guess what!? I do! (I have read enough reviews to see that people are torn) There are similar themes and settings, but every book has to start somewhere and this is totally different. 

I have two brothers, one seven and another fifteen. I would easily give my life for either of them. (No matter how much I say I hate them.)  I can see Tella's determination to get through The Brimstone Bleed successfully. Though she questions herself throughout, or makes stupid decisions. But she is sixteen, sixteen year olds can make stupid decisions. 

The Pandora's reminded me of Pokemon. Only these were animals with genetically altered abilities. Some that were really cute, then some that are really scary. Madox, if he was real I would probably kidnap that poor thing because he was so cute. I worried about him more then the main characters sometimes. 

As usual I fell in love with the boy who the main character is lusting after. This time his name is Guy, we are totally going to get married. You know if he was real and all. Guy was very mysterious and I feel we learned the most about him in the last 1/4 of the book. 

I don't have much to say about this book. Have you ever loved something so much you have no words for it? Well that is me right now. 

RATING: ★★★★★

Review: The Young World by Chris Weitz

Title: The Young World (The Young World #1)
Author: Chris Weitz
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure
Number of Pages: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
Published: January 1, 2014

*I received an ARC ebook copy of The Young World via Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for You Readers in return for an honest review*

Summary:
After a mysterious Sickness wipes out the rest of the population, the young survivors assemble into tightly run tribes. Jefferson, the reluctant leader of the Washington Square tribe, and Donna, the girl he's secretly in love with, have carved out a precarious existence among the chaos. But when another tribe member discovers a clue that may hold the cure to the Sickness, five teens set out on a life-altering road trip to save humankind.

The tribe exchanges gunfire with enemy gangs, escapes cults and militias, braves the wilds of the subway and Central Park...and discovers truths they could never have imagined.

~~~

I dislike having to write a review when I don't like a book. Those are my feelings right now. I just don't have much to say about this book. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. 

One thing that ticked me off the most was that the characters knew they were narrators. Donna even says how she will be a reliable one. I like when books change point of view, because you can see into the head of more then one character that way. But I wanted to skip over Donna's parts. The amount of times that she says "Like" I wanted to scream. She compares it to a metaphor. 

I did like the plot, it was interesting and I liked the concept, but it moved way to fast. I didn't even understand half of what I read. I reread huge portions of this book. There was a lot of things in here that had nothing to do with the story. Flashbacks would get mixed up with the present story line creating a very confused Amber. 

Jefferson, dude, seriously? A girl is going to try to kill you, so what are you going to do? Hook up on the train platform with her? Yeah, not really a bright idea. One minute she wants to shot your brains in, then your tearing at each others clothes. Yes, I like kissing in books. I didn't like this though. I made no complete sense. 

A few things I liked about the book were the eeriness and the needing to know what was going to happen next. This was one of those books were I sat on the couch at 9pm and then suddenly it was 12am and everyone in my house had gone to bed. 

Now, I am not saying not to pick up this book. My opinion is one of thousands. This books just wasn't for me. It had a pretty cover though, that is a plus.

I was doing a little research I learned that The Young World was picked up by Warner Bros to be a movie. 

ARC Review: Contact by Laurisa White Reyes

Title: Contact
Author: Laurisa White Reyes
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy 
Publisher: Hallowed Ink Press
Release Date: June 23, 2014

*I received an ARC ebook copy of Contact By Laurisa White Reyes via Netgalley and Hallowed Ink Press in return for an honest review*

Summary:
Mira wants to die. She’s attempted suicide twice already, and failed. Every time she comes in contact with another person, skin to skin, that person’s psyche uploads into hers. While her psychologist considers this a gift, for Mira, it’s a curse from which she cannot escape.

To make matters worse, Mira’s father is being investigated in the deaths of several volunteer test subjects of a miracle drug. Shortly after Mira’s mother starts asking questions, she ends up in a coma. Although her father claims it was an accident, thanks to her “condition” Mira knows the truth…but proving it just might get her killed!

~~~

"It takes only half a second…

…Like those commercials where a crash test dummy rockets forward at high speed and slams into a wall.
…In that instant, every thought in Emma Lynn Walsh’s head collides with mine—every thought, memory, hope, disappointment and dream.
…I open my eyes to see Dr. Walsh peering at me, a puzzled expression on her face.

“Let—go—of—me,” I order though clenched teeth."

I was hooked at chapter one. I was able to relate with Mira and that is what I like most in any story, when a reader can relate to the main character, or any character for that matter. It gives the story a whole knew perspective when you can. 

The book opens with Mari in the hospital after her latest suicide attempt, this time she cut open her wrists. All she wants for it to stop, the memories, the feelings, the emotions, just everything and since she was immunized with the new drug, Gaudium is as only gotten worst.  

Gaudium is the new miracle drug, the cure to mental illnesses and Autism. All sixteen year olds must receive the vaccine. I loved the idea behind a drug that eradicated mental illnesses, and how I wish this was real. One dose and your depression is cured, that would be amazing!

The story begins with in the middle of the conflict. Mari's father, the face and  CEO of Rawley medical is being accused of running illegal drug tests along with his dead colleague, Gregory Stark. But when Mari's mother starts to question her husband the plot thickens. Fallen into a mysterious coma, she leaves Mari with many unanswered questions.  

I liked how the author described what Mari felt when she touched someone, it made a better understanding of why she stayed so far away from people. But does the no touch rule apply to David as well? 

I also really liked David's character. He was adorable, I just felt like he went along with what ever Mari said. Like think for yourself a bit dude, maybe she is going to end up almost getting herself killed, stop her!. I liked the romance too, it wasn't forced, it developed through out the book. 

The beginning was slow, but that was to introduce everything. Once Mari's mother falls into the coma the book is one thrill ride. There are so many "oh shit!" moments that I lost count by the last page. 

My favorite part was that Mari is Hispanic, I haven't read many books with a Hispanic main character. I think I need to look into books with characters of other races as well. 

The book is open ended, meaning that Contact could be part of a series *crosses fingers* and we will get to see more of Mari's story. Until I know I am just going to have to wonder what happens next. *sigh*

RATING: ★★★★

Waiting on Wednesday: Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Opposition (Lux #5) 
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Aliens
Page Number: 400
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Release Date: August 5, 2014

Summary: 

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.