Life

I'm not sure how to title this post so I'm just going to keep it simple. Life. Because thats what this post is about.



I'm making this post because I haven't posted here in a very long time. I just wanted to talk about why that is.



In my previous post on this topic I talk a lot about school, and how school is very stressful. I also talk about the stress of student loans. The truth is, this is more than school stress. I'm going to be honest here. This is honestly a growing despair that I've been dealing with.



I have quite a few mental health issues, and the stress of school and living off student loans and having to work very hard to keep my scholarship has drained me entirely. I have barely been reading for fun, and when I do read, it's on the bus, usually. The rest of the time I am doing school work, or trying to relax my brain after doing hours of school work and constantly stressing about everything from my health to my grades.



I don't want any of you thinking I'm too lazy to blog, or that I don't care about you. I think you're all so awesome. The reason I haven't been posting or leaving comments on your blogs lately is because every little thing feels so draining when every single day is characterized by varying degrees of stress about different things.



When I say despair, I mean it in the literal sense. Sometimes my mind spirals into a very dark place and I have to work hard to lift myself up again. Getting up in the morning has become a challenge. I'm serious when I say I'm worried about my sanity.



I'm not posting this for pity. I'm posting this for several reasons.



First off, so many of you comment and interact with me on my blog or twitter or whatever and it just makes me so happy when you do that. I feel like I have a kind of friendship with many of you, and I don't want any of you to think I don't care about you anymore, or that I am just abandoning blogging and interacting with you awesome people.



Second, I believe in open dialogue about mental health. I think that talking about our mental health struggles openly can help to diminish the stigma around these issues. I don't really have anything to lose by talking about it, so I guess I'll contribute to a culture that I hope will someday become a better place for the mentally ill. And the low income, as well.



Third, I am honestly just kind of tired of keeping on this mask that everything is ok and that I'm great. I tend to use exclamation marks a lot (at least in my perception) and I think I do that subconsciously because I want to come across as upbeat and fun despite the stress and pressure. I just want to take a second to put some context out there, to reveal a bit of who I am beyond reviews and fun tags and all that.



Again, I'm not looking for pity or anything. I just think that for those of you who like my blog, who like me, it's only fair that I'm honest and open about why I haven't been online much lately. I'm the kind of person who tends to power through things and persevere, so leaving my blog as I have has made me very uneasy.



I'll be back someday, I just can't guarantee when. For now, I'll mostly be here through the occasional tweet or instagram post.



Thanks.


Also please excuse any grammatical or spelling errors. It's one in the morning 😝

Where Have I Been?!?!?!?

Hey everyone! So I haven't posted on here in a while, and I haven't been too active on social media either.


I figured I should make a little update post to explain things.



It's actually fairly simple...school. Holy mother of chocolate, school.



This semester has been absolutely brutal so far. I have so many more readings for my classes than before. The readings are longer, and more dense. I also have to do lots of close reading because we have assignments based on the readings. So, I have to put all of my energy into the readings as well! I have to see all the fine little details.


My assignments have been super intense as well, not to mention mid-term exams and tests. Overall, I am so exhausted. It's made worse by the fact that I have to keep my grades up to keep my scholarship (or else I'll have to pay extra, and as someone on student loans, that is a very scary possibility.)



So, please forgive my absence. I still love books, and all you awesome blogger friends! I've just been so busy and so tired. It's been a very stressful semester. Hopefully once things settle down a bit, I'll be able to blog regularly again!



Happy reading!

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

 Series: N/A
Author: Mark Z. Danielewski
Page Count: 709
Published: March 7th, 2000
Publisher: Pantheon Books
  4 Stars ★★★★

House of Leaves follows the story of Zampano, Johnny Truant, and Will Navidson. Told through footnotes, a text-book style narrative, and editor's notes, the tale of a house that is a bit larger on the inside than on the outside unfolds. With exhibits and appendixes to enrich the story, the fear, confusion, and mystery behind Navidson's home is explored.


Zampano, the mysterious author of the Navidson Record manuscript, passes away, leaving the manuscript behind. Johnny Truant acquires it, and finds that it changes his life. The tale of the impossible house is more than just a story, and the eeriness of the account seems to bleed into the real world. Add the fact that Zampano was blind and that The Navidson Record, the supposed documentary film that Zampano's story details, doesn't exist, and you get a world of intrigue.


I bought this book because I'm looking to get into more horror-style stories. I was surprised by the book, however I can't really say I was truly scared. There were a few moments in the book that were genuinely eerie, but the almost academic-style narrative of the Navidson Record killed any fear that I might have surrounding the whole house situation. Characters did face scary situations, but I was never simply scared overall but rather scared for them. That's really why this book lost a star.....something was missing in the scare-factor.


This book definitely gets points for uniqueness. I've never read anything like it before. There are multiple stories being told in this book, and while I worried that it could be hard to keep track of them all, it honestly wasn't tough at all. There is a lot of flipping back and forth, what with referring to the exhibits, appendixes, etc.., but everything seemed really organized.


There are points when you have to flip this book to the side, upside down, or look in a mirror (or really focus to read the backwards letters). At times I was a bit annoyed, to be perfectly honest, especially concerning some of the pages that had just a few words, but the novelty aspect of this book overshadowed any annoyance I had.


The characters were all quite interesting, with Zampano being a mystery, Johnny being a complex character with problems of his own, and of course the characters of the Navidson Record providing an intriguing narrative. I admired Will Navidson's curiosity and determination. Honestly, if my house were as freaky as his had been, I'd just get out of there! But instead he wanted to explore and to understand what was going on. I have to admit I often empathized with his partner, Karen. She was worried about him and wanted him to stop exploring, and I really understood her worries. Seeing both sides of the conflict like this really added to my experience reading this, because I couldn't decide what I wanted! So of course I kept reading, to see the outcome.


I can't say too much more, because this seems to be the kind of book that you have to really experience yourself. I could go on about the story, but this book is more than just the story. The format really affects the reader's perception of the story, which I obviously can't detail online! If you're curious about this book, I'd suggest picking it up. Just be prepared for a long read, some slower parts, flipping your book upside-down, and reading backwards.


I recommend this book to those looking for a unique mystery. If you like unusual books, this book is definitely for you.


Find House of Leaves on Goodreads

Book Talk

Hey everyone!


Today I wanted to talk about books (as usual).


As someone who uses Goodreads, I often see my Goodreads friends' shelves, including their currently reading shelves. Sometimes, I see people who only read one book at a time. Other times, I see five or six books shelved as currently reading!


Personally, I tend to read two books at once: one physical, and one eBook. I tend to read the eBook on the bus. Sometimes, there will be three books on my currently reading shelf because I have received a review copy. How many books do you tend to read at a time?

This image was found here

I was also thinking about books as de-stressors. When you have four papers due in the next two weeks, or work is getting stressful, I suggest taking some time to relax and read. As a university student, I have a lot of assignments and assigned readings. However, I find myself managing them by dividing the readings into blocks, with breaks in between. I like to relax and read for fun during these breaks. I also like to set goals each day: for example, I make myself read two of my assigned readings one night, and then get to relax and read for fun for the rest of the night. This way, I have an incentive to push through my assignments. I use reading for fun as a reward. It's also great when I get stressed about assignments to remind myself that I have tons of awesome books waiting to be read....that I'll be able to read non-stop during winter and summer break.


Finally, I wanted to discuss reading on the bus. I mentioned earlier that I tend to read my eBooks on the bus. I read them on the ride to and from school, and I like them because they help me to wake up, or to wind down after my classes. They help the bus ride go by faster as well, which is great.


Do you have any similar, or different, reading habits?

Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Series: Wolf Springs Chronicles
Author: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Page Count: 382
Published: November 22nd, 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
  4 Stars ★★★★

Katelyn's mother dies suddenly, and she is sent to live with her grandfather in Wolf Springs. Living in a house in the woods, she feels isolated and yearns for her home in L.A. She fears that she'll never achieve her dreams now, stuck in this little town.


Her life is about to get a lot more complicated. Everything from the town's name to the legends of the Hellhound seem to involve wolves, and her grandfather refuses to allow her to go in the woods alone. Two girls die in the woods, seemingly mauled by an animal, and after her own terrifying encounter with a wolf on the road, Katelyn isn't sure what to think.


I can't say much else without giving some important details away....so forgive my vague descriptions.


I was not expecting to enjoy this book so much. I thought it would be a typical young adult paranormal story, with a love triangle and some issues with a supernatural hierarchy and maybe a bit of hocus-pocus thrown in. I was right about a few things, but this book still stood out in a positive way.


I was right about the love triangle. It's fairly tame compared to those in other young adult paranormal romances, but it's still there. It didn't particularly bother me, except that her attraction to the one guy, Justin, seemed really immature? She basically doesn't think around him for the first while. It's like she can't control herself. That really annoyed me. Meanwhile her feelings for Trick seemed a lot more genuine, and I liked him too! So it wasn't entirely a bad thing.


I was also right that there would be some issues revolving around a supernatural hierarchy. Again, I can't say much without giving anything away, but within the werewolf pack that Katelyn eventually comes across, there are issues with the alpha. I actually didn't mind this part either, because the issues weren't like those typically dealt with in books concerning werewolf packs. There was something added and unique to it....


I took issue with the pacing of the book. It wasn't horrible by any means, but a lot of the more explicitly paranormal stuff started after the second half, and well into the fourth quarter, which made the first bit drag on quite a bit. It also made the ending seem a bit rushed.


I certainly would like to read the next book. There are questions still unanswered, and Katelyn was, while sometimes annoying, a pretty nice protagonist. The writing style didn't stand out as either amazing nor terrible, so it's really the story that makes this book a four star read.


Overall, while this isn't anything too special, there are definitely unique elements throughout the story that make it stand apart from other young adult paranormal books. While the love triangle was a bit irritating at times, the ending left me wondering what would happen next.


I recommend this to those who love werewolf stories. If you're interested in books that take place in small towns with big secrets, you might want to give this one a try.


Find Unleashed on Goodreads

Books I am Excited to Read

Hello everyone. Today I wanted to talk about some books that I am excited to read! Some of these books haven't been released yet, while others are fairly new releases.

I am super excited to read Midnight by Derek Landy. This is the new Skulduggery Pleasant book, and as a huge fan of the series, I can't wait to read it!

I'm excited to read Ruin of Stars by Linsey Miller. I enjoyed Mask of Shadows, and I can't wait to read more about Sal!

I want to read Song of the Dead by Sarah Glenn Marsh, the sequel to Reign of the Fallen. I cannot wait for this book's release!

 

Black Wings Beating by Alex London is also on my "Excited to read" list! I enjoyed Proxy and Guardian, so I'm hoping I'll enjoy this one too.




These are only a few of the books that I am excited to read. If I kept going, this post would be miles long! Are you excited to read any of these? What books are you looking forward to?

Era of Undying by Emilie Knight

Series: N/A
Author: Emilie Knight
Page Count: 202
Published: January 19th, 2018
Publisher: Createspace
  4 Stars ★★★★

 I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Pen is a Blood Warrior. She can, with a small cut, draw her blood out of her body, and use it as a weapon. Nobody knows that she is the Blood Warrior, so she's worried when she is caught after slaying a group of people, using her blood as a weapon. 

There are more important things going on in her world, though. People aren't dying. The horribly sick remain alive and suffering,  and the gravely injured somehow hold on to their consciousness. With the help of Tellus, captain of the city watch, she ventures out to find Nyx, a goddess she hopes can fix this problem. However, the journey won't be easy. 

This was an interesting fantasy, with lots of action. I was excited to accept the author's review request because I've been getting more and more into fantasy. I was not disappointed with this book!

I thought the characters were all very interesting. Pen had gone through so many trials, dealing with being the Blood Warrior, the loss of her family, and her rough journey to find Nyx. I found her a strong and likeable character, despite her violent side. I became surprisingly attached to Tellus throughout the book, and by the end, I wanted to read more about him! I was sad when the book was over. 

I found the idea of a Blood Warrior very, very interesting. The idea of creating weapons with one's blood greatly appealed to me! Furthermore, the idea of people suffering, yet not dying, was both fascinating and morbid. I love that the author explored some of the consequences of this issue, and sometimes I cringed at the idea of what people may be feeling in such a world. 

I also loved the violence and fighting. I find sometimes that action or fight scenes in books seem like nothing but filler, but the violent and fighting scenes in this book all served a purpose and never felt like just a filler or fluff. 

I do think that this book could have been a bit longer. I wanted to know more about Pen and Tellus. I wanted to spend more time in this world. I wanted more things to happen, more adventures and fights! I also think that this book could use another editing session, as there were many typos throughout. 

Overall this was a very enjoyable fantasy read. With great fighting scenes, interesting characters, and an intriguing premise, I was not disappointed! I recommend this book to those looking for a short fantasy novel with themes of death and family.



Find Era of Undying on Goodreads

Wicked (Witch & Curse) by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Series: Wicked
Author: Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
Page Count: 672
Published: September 9th, 2008
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  4 Stars ★★★★

Holly Cathers is devastated when her parents and best friend die in an accident. Expecting to move in with her dead best friend's mother, her aunt comes forward, and her friend's mother falls ill suddenly. With no where else to go, she moves to Seattle to live with her aunt, uncle, and two cousins.

When it seems that life can't get any more bleak, she discovers that she is a witch from a powerful magical bloodline....and that her bloodline has a magical feud with the Deveraux going back hundreds of years. The family of warlocks are ruthless....except for Jer. Now Holly must navigate a world of magic, forbidden romance, and revenge, and hope to survive to see tomorrow. 

I wasn't sure I would really enjoy this series, but I wanted to give it a try. I actually quite liked it, and I will be continuing reading the series!

The characters made up an interesting cast of good and evil and somewhere in between. The Deveraux warlocks were essentially the villains with the Cathers witches the protagonists, and Jer, a wayward Deveraux finding out which side he wants to be on. Jer and Holly were more than just contemporary witches caught in a forbidden romance....they were essentially reincarnated or embodied versions of their ancestors, Jean and Isabeau, who fell victim to a curse. The pieces of themselves that were contemporary Jer and Holly mixed well with the spirits and legacy of the historical Isabeau and Jean, and their love story spanned centuries. 

Michael and Eli Deveraux were bloodthirsty warlocks, with Michael especially out to kill Holly. Holly and her cousins were all very believable characters, teenage girls discovering who they are, but never really cliche.

I think my favourite part about this book was the chase between Michael and Holly. It felt very cat-and-mouse at times, just with dangerous magic and lots of collateral damage. The second book in particular featured lots of death! At times this book was very grim.

I also like the diversity of the witches and magic-users in these two books. There were witches that were more pagan like Holly's coven, then there was a few people who practiced voodoo, a Native American shaman, and even Catholic witches. That was really neat! It kept the book from being monotonous and repetitive.

I do have to say that at times the book was pretty cheesy. Some of the incantations and spells seemed a bit strange, almost like the authors were just looking for words that rhymed and went together in any way at all. There were little poems or passages before each chapter from the Deveraux and Cathers covens, and those were cheesy and a bit random at times too.

Overall I did really enjoy this bindup! I loved the characters and the danger, and I loved the diversity of magic traditions in this book. While some bits were kind of cheesy, I will definitely be continuing the series.

I recommend this book to people who love books about magic. If you're interested in young adult novels about feuds and discovering who you are, you may like this one.

Find Wicked on Goodreads

Bookish Unhauls

Hey everyone. So I wanted to have a discussion about bookish unhauls.


If you don't already know, unhauls are basically when you get rid of books that you own. They're essentially the opposite of book hauls.


Recently I have started watching book unhaul videos on youtube. For some reason, I can just binge watch them! I watched an unhaul challenge, and I actually decided to clear out my shelves a bit as well.


I want to talk about how readers decide which books to keep, and which books to give away or sell. For myself, I tend to give away books I didn't enjoy, books that I am no longer interested in, or books that I did actually like but feel no personal attachment to.

     

These are a few books that I enjoyed, but I am still unhauling them.

I also unhaul books because while I may have enjoyed them, other people may enjoy them even more. I also currently have limited room on my bookshelves, so I am a bit more generous in my unhauling. I'm assuming that when I get my own apartment or house and have more room, I will be doing less unhauling.


I've seen some videos where readers unhaul books because they have multiple copies! I have two copies of Mask of Shadows, however I'm keeping them because one is an ARC and the other is a finished hardcover that I won in a giveaway. But if I had two of the same editions of a book, I would definitely unhaul one of them.


Something else I do when I unhaul books is offer them to my friends. Depending on if there is a need at libraries, youth centres, or other institutions, I may someday donate some of my unhauls. I've heard of programs that promote donating books to prisons, and while none of my unhaul books are in demand in these programs at the moment, in the future, if I have some that I think they may like, I might go that route as well.



Finally, I may unhaul certain books because while I liked them, I feel no need to purchase the rest of the series, and find borrowing the library copies a sufficient option. Some series, I absolutely must own all of the books, while for others, while I liked the first book, I don't feel compelled to spend money on a personal copy of the second book. In this case, I often feel like there is no need to keep the first book, as I won't be completing the collection. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule, however I've found this to be the case for many books.



So these are my thoughts on unhauls! Why do you unhaul books? What do you do with your unhauls?

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Darkness Rising
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Page Count: 359
Published: April 12th, 2011
Publisher: Harper
  4 Stars ★★★★

Maya is an adopted teenage girl living in a medical research town in Canada. It's a really small town, but she's surrounded by nature and happy with her life. She has an interesting paw-print birthmark on her hip and she's Native American....and she's started having strange visions when she touches the rescue animals that she shelters. 

After being called a skin-walker by an old lady in a nearby town, Maya finds herself unable to shake the various happenings around her town. A reporter has appeared and claims to be researching small towns, but many people believe that she's actually researching something else... A new boy and his sister move to town, and she finds herself attracted to him. With his help, and the help of her best friend, will Maya find out what's going on?

So I didn't enjoy this as much as Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series, but it was still a good start to a new trilogy. First off I have to mention that I love that this was set in Canada! I also found myself intrigued by the idea of living in a small medical research town.

The characters were all developed quite well, with Maya the star of the book. I thought her interest in her background was definitely relatable and understandable, considering that she was adopted. However I think that her response to some revelations about her past and heritage later in the book were a bit over-dramatic. I did love her journey discovering who she was on a supernatural level, though. 

As usual, Kelley Armstrong's writing was super easy to read, yet not so simple that it was boring. I found myself reading the book non-stop, almost swallowed up whole by the book. I needed to know what was going on....especially when the dead body showed up! 

I hope that the next book will be at least as good as this one! I recommend this for fans of paranormal young adult fiction. If you're interested in books about shapeshifters and small towns, you might like this one. If you'd like to read a book featuring a Native American main character, with Native American legends featured, this would also be a great choice for you.

Find The Gathering on Goodreads

Beautiful Book Cover of the Day

Hello all. I haven't shared some beautiful book covers in a while, so I thought I would today!


Today I am featuring Silent Alarm.

What I love about this cover is that the flower is made out of smoke/fire. At first you may think it is just a normal flower, but upon looking closer you get a surprise! The reddish-orange of the flower looks lovely with the spring green of the stem, and the black background makes the smokey flower just pop!


What do you think of this cover? Have you seen any similar covers?

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

Series: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Page Count: 355
Published: February 15th, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Childrens Books
  4 Stars ★★★★

Violet is able to sense the "echoes" of the dead, often leading her to dead bodies and the people who killed them. When she discovers an echo that belongs to a young boy, she is tracked down and approached by an FBI agent. While few people know of her gift, it seems that this FBI agent is catching on, and that she may possibly not be the only one with these abilities. 

Two new teens enroll at her high school, and her boyfriend Jay makes friends with Mike. He seems nice enough, but when threatening notes and even animal corpses show up, Violet becomes suspicious.  Who is targeting her? And does Mike's family have something to hide? These questions haunt her, and might even tear her and Jay apart. 

The second book in the Body Finder series was mysterious and filled with supernatural intrigue. Reading about Violet's abilities once again brought me back to the enjoyment of the first novel, and I liked most parts of this one as well. Violet being approached by the FBI agent added a new sense of danger to the story, I was worried that people were interested in Violet for all the wrong reasons and that she might end up a lab rat! That definitely kept me reading. I needed to know why she was being approached, and how this would turn out for her.

I liked the mystery of Mike's family, and the notes and animal corpses. I kept switching between who was the culprit, - Mike, his sister, or his father, - and his family history made for an extra mystery for Violet to solve.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the way that Violet and Jay's relationship were challenged. I think that they both overreacted severely to what was going on, and that they were super overdramatic.

If you liked the first book in this series, you'll enjoy the second one as well! If you're looking for a good young adult paranormal story free of vampires and werewolves, this is a good pick for you. 

Find Desires of the Dead on Goodreads

Pride Month

Happy Pride Month everyone! So I wanted to make this post to talk about my thoughts on Pride Month, my own struggle with my gender identity, and recommend some LGBTQ books.



Just a warning, I will be discussing dysphoria and bigotry in this post, along with a negative view of my gender identity. 



First off, Pride Month is essentially a month to celebrate the LGBTQ community. It is, contrary to some peoples' perception, more than just a month of waving rainbow flags around and shouting "I'm gay!" It is a month to celebrate how far we have come. It is a month to celebrate many countries decriminalizing homosexuality, legalizing marriage equality, and acknowledging transgender and nonbinary peoples' existence. For me, it is also a month to reflect on the state of LGBTQ rights worldwide (though I honestly do that all year round). While LGBTQ people generally face an easier time living in western countries (such as my own country of Canada), it is also important to remember that things are not perfect here yet. While many of us are lucky not to live in a country that prescribes the death penalty for LGBTQ identity, prejudice still remains. LGBTQ people are often looked down on, disowned, bullied, abused, and used as a scapegoat for causes outside of, and even within, their own communities.



I remember going to my first pride parade. Seeing people be themselves brought so much hope, it made me literally cry. I grew up in a very queerphobic home, went to queerphobic schools, and met many, many queerphobic people. Coming out as bisexual (later as pansexual) to my family did not go well, and I struggled with dealing with gender dysphoria as a genderfluid person, alone. So to me, pride parades are a symbol of hope, and of moving forward.



I also like pride parades because I like seeing transgender identities celebrated. To be perfectly honest, I hate being genderfluid. I hate it. I mean, we've all seen those videos of happy go lucky, chatty genderfluid people talking about their clothes or their pronouns or their favourite kind of coffee. But its not really like that. That's a snapshot of a genderfluid person's life: it doesn't show the whole picture. While not all genderfluid people may experience life as I do, my experience is very painful. My dysphoria fluctuates severely, which means my inner sense of self, and my inner sense of gender, fluctuates as well. I believe this is because my brain is somewhere in between the male and female range of development (just as trans men have male brains and trans women have female brains). Because my dysphoria and gender identity fluctuate, that means that I will never ever be rid of my dysphoria. Ever. There is this narrative of (binary) transgender people as trapped in their own body. Well, thats quite literally my experience. I could get surgeries and take hormones. And I'd just be paying to have dysphoria opposite the type I have now. So here I am. As you can see, this is a very negative experience for me. So it is nice to take a break from brooding over my dysphoria, and its nice to take a break from hateful, cruel comments against nonbinary people from both outside of, and within, my own community, and see a place where I can let it all go and celebrate my existence.



You might wonder why I feel the need to talk about this, about my identity, my struggles, and my thoughts. I want to be out so I can challenge stereotypes and prejudices, correct misunderstandings and misconceptions, and maybe even inspire other people like me to look forward with hope in their heart. That is why I'm going to add this: your gender identity and sexual/romantic orientation are all wonderful parts of who you are, and if they cause you suffering (such as in my case), remember that you are not alone, you are not broken, and together we can work for a better future.



Alright. Now that my ideas on pride and my identity are out of the way, its on to the books!



I am going to suggest some LGBTQ reads. I may have suggested some of these last year as well, but I might have new followers that haven't seen last year's post so I will repeat some of them.



So I suggest Symptoms of Being Human, Mask of Shadows, and Freakboy for nonbinary characters. Freakboy is actually written in a poetry format, and Mask of Shadows is a cool fantasy.

Genderfluid Flag

I also recommend Reign of the Fallen, which has a bisexual character and lots of other queer characters as well. Switch is a (recent) historical book with a bisexual male character, and Seven Ways we Lie features a pansexual character.

Pansexual Flag

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda is a fairly light-hearted contemporary story featuring a closeted gay boy, and When Everything Feels Like the Movies is a heartbreaking novel featuring a queer main character. Proxy is a great dystopian starring a gay boy, and Three Truths and a Lie is a short mystery featuring a gay couple.

 Gay/LGBTQ general flag

Captive Prince is an adult novel featuring LGBTQ relationships, and The Crimson Spell is a gay adult manga that I enjoyed. Finally, a great and emotional book featuring a forbidden LGBTQ relationship is If You Could Be Mine, and a nice anthology of real-life stories about life as an LGBTQ person is It Gets Better.



I'm also going to shamelessly promote the anthology featuring my short story I Am Logan (where I write as Caleb Andrews).



So there are just a few LGBTQ books I enjoyed and recommend. Please tell me what you think of these books, and also recommend some more in the comments!



Happy Pride month to all, and remember that there is hope beyond hatred.

Demon Road by Derek Landy

Series: Demon Road
Author: Derek Landy
Page Count: 507
Published: August 28, 2015
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
  4.5 Stars ★★★★

Amber's parents are a little weird, and she isn't very close with them. One night, she discovers why: they're demons, and they are going to, quite literally, eat her. They made a deal with a demon years ago, and part of the deal includes blood tributes, which involves slaughtering their young. Amber barely escapes.


Her life has changed forever. Amber can now shift into demon form, she's on the road with a man she doesn't know at all, and her parents and their friends are searching for her. A cat and mouse chase across the United States puts Amber's life on the line, unless she can make a deal with a demon, too. But things can't be so simple for a demon girl with psycho parents, can they?


So this book was literally almost perfect. I read the first hundred pages in one day, and then I binge-read the rest of the book the next day. I could not stop reading!


Derek Landy returns with his humorous yet dark writing style, perfectly balancing funny moments with terrifying ones. I was really pleased to find the writing similar to that from his Skulduggery Pleasant series! He has such a unique writing style, and it made the book an easy, gripping read.


His characters were fascinating, as usual. Amber herself is relatable, with her body image issues, her attachment to her family despite their demonic mission, and the discoveries that she makes about herself. Amber's parents were despicable villains who I hated, yet loved to read about. Amber's companions on her journey brought mystery and humor to the story, with me wondering about their backgrounds and hoping that they'd survive the ordeal.


A lot happened in this book. While there was the main issue, Amber trying to escape her parents, there were smaller conflicts within the plot that made the book even more exciting. Amber and her companions have to fight a tiny serial killer and a town of vampires, all while dealing with the bigger issues. Despite this, the book never seemed to sway off course.


My only issue was the way that Amber seemed to accept things a little too quickly. Maybe it's just me, but I'd probably lose my mind a lot more than she did upon looking in a mirror and seeing that I've transformed into a demon.


I absolutely recommend this, especially to fans of paranormal books with no to little romance. If you're interested in a book that's both funny and dark, Derek Landy's books are a great pick.


Find Demon Road on Goodreads

Three Truths and a Lie by Brent Hartinger

Series: N/A
Author: Brent Hartinger
Page Count: 272
Published: August 2nd, 2016
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  4 Stars ★★★★

In this young adult mystery, boyfriends Liam and Rob, and couple Mia and Galen decide to head to a cabin in the woods for a nice, relaxing weekend together.  Unfortunately, things go south quickly when items are moved around, escalating over time. It becomes obvious that somebody is messing with the four friends. And if they aren't careful, they won't all make it out alive. 

This was a short mystery with some twists that I did not see coming. I was drawn into the mystery immediately and I honestly had trouble putting the book down! 

The setting was a bit cliche, but it worked well. I mean, if I were in a cabin in the forest, and stuff was moved around, I'd definitely be suspicious. The author uses the setting effectively, leaving me feeling like the characters were in a dangerous, almost isolated situation. 

The mystery behind the strange happenings was also well written. In my opinion, the best mysteries encourage the reader to constantly analyze the situation and form their own theories, which was certainly the case for myself and this book! I was always switching who I thought was the culprit. And I was always on the lookout for clues in the setting, the characters' speech and actions, etc. 

I think that at times the book was pretty unrealistic, which bothered me. This is a contemporary young adult mystery, which means that, as its not a fantasy or paranormal, certain real-life, rational aspects need to remain. I felt that at times, the characters acted in ways that would not make sense for someone in their situation. 

I did really appreciate that two of the characters were LGBTQ! I love mysteries, and I love LGBTQ characters, and this book combined both those things very well! I also love how the gay couple was really not a big deal in the book, in that themes of coming out and prejudice weren't in the spotlight. I love "casually queer" books. 

And finally, that ending! I did not see that coming. I should have for sure....but I didn't! 

I recommend this book to those looking for a short mystery. If you're looking for YA LGBTQ books, you might enjoy Three Truths and a Lie. 

Find Three Truths and a Lie on Goodreads

Book Talk

Image found here

Hey everyone. I hope you're doing well! I wanted to talk about books, what I've been reading, what I want to read, and other things. 

So recently I've been getting into nonfiction a bit more. I especially love books about creepy or strange things, such as unsolved crimes, strange phenomena, mysteries, and modern day controversies. For example I recently read Going Clear, which is about Scientology. I'm looking into books about Jack the Ripper, for example books that speculate on his identity. What are your favourite nonfiction books? What topics are you interested in reading about?

I attempted to read the first Spiderwick Chronicles book in french, but I failed miserably. It turns out my french skills are much worse than I thought! So I guess its to the picture books I go. I am so annoyed how after thirteen years of french classes and living with a family who speaks french fluently, the language still does not stick in my brain! It is so incredibly frustrating. Do any of you struggle with this? And for those who are great at your second language, how did you accomplish this? Any tips?

I'm so happy I renewed my library card. While I have lots of books to get through at home, taking a walk on a nice day to the library, sitting down for a bit and reading bits and pieces of books, is somehow relaxing. I like the general quiet one finds in a library as well, its like taking a break from the outside world for a while. 

How many books have you all read so far this year? I've read 35 according to Goodreads, which is 70% of my goal of 50 books for 2018. 

Happy reading!

Wrecked by Anna Davies

Series: N/A
Author: Anna Davies
Page Count: 336
Published: May 1st, 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
  3 Stars ★★★

Miranda lives on Whym Island with her grandmother, where superstitions about sea witches are popular among the locals. The death of her parents isn't the only tragedy she has to deal with....one night, she and her friends get into a boating accident. She survives, and holds memories of a mysterious boy on the beach.

Christian is a betwixtman from Down Below. He saved Miranda from drowning, but Sephie, the sea witch, isn't happy with him. She charges him with killing Miranda, and he has a time limit. Things become complicated when he starts falling for her. Will Sephie end them both?

This is a case of a book not being horrible but not being amazing either.

There were some things that I liked. I liked the characters, especially Christian. The characters were all pretty interesting, and poor Miranda! Dealing first with the death of her parents, and now the death of some of her friends and her own possible death! Sephie was an interesting villain, although I kind of guessed what was going on with her from the beginning.

I liked the mermaids, mermen, betwixtmen, etc. I love sea creatures/people, and this book gave an interesting twist to the idea of these sea people, or in Christian's case, betwixtmen. He is able to walk on land and transform back in the water, and this ability to walk between worlds was reminiscent of werewolf or shapeshifter books. I also liked that he essentially became an assassin for the sea witch, that added another level of danger, and forbidden romance, to the story.

I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. It wasn't terrible, and I could definitely see myself liking it if the author had added a bit more description and watched the way she used words....what I mean is that there were sometimes awkward repetitions of words within a few consecutive sentences, which kind of drew me out of the story.

I also think that there could have been some more events going on to make the book seem a bit more dangerous. I know that Miranda's life was in danger but, the focus seemed more on her relationships with others than the threat to her life. I wish there had been more emphasis on creepy happenings, maybe the sea witch could have played around with Miranda a bit more.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, but not amazing, read. I liked the sea people and the characters, but the writing style could have been better, and I wish there had been more creepy events. I do recommend this for fans of young adult romance featuring sea creatures/people and forbidden love.

Find Wrecked on Goodreads

I'm Back! + Summer Plans

Hey everyone.


So I am back! Exams went really well, and I did great on my final projects. Straight As!



I'm hoping to return to a regular posting schedule soon. I took about a week extra off to just relax after exams ended, so I want to get back to blogging and start a spring/summer schedule in general.



I will say, though, that I am having trouble getting the motivation to get out of bed. Its so hot in my room! And for myself, when I'm really warm, I just want to curl up and nap. I'm kinda like a cat that way..... so I'm fighting off some extra fatigue. If anyone has any suggestions for fighting off this tiredness, please do let me know. Also, how do you keep your room cool during the summer? Because sometimes its like I'm being toasted or something.



I also live in walking distance to the library now. I have lots of books to read at home but I want to start walking down to the library and taking a book out maybe on a weekly basis, so I have an excuse to go for a nice walk. Plus I just love being surrounded by books and not being tempted to spend money, as I would in a bookstore. Free books are best books.



I'm also hoping to get writing a story this summer as well. I am having really bad writers block, where I think about my story and its literally like a brick wall. Hopefully I can do something about that.



Poe update: she survived the move! Poor thing, we had to lock her in the bathroom as we were loading my stuff to be transported, and her pitiful meows echoed! There's an issue though.....the landlady has two cats, and one of them in particular does not like Poe at all. Poe is just sitting there and he comes in my room and hisses and hisses! And Poe goes downstairs to explore the house and he full on attacks her! I don't know what to do. Poor Poe, I don't want her to be trapped in my room all summer. Any thoughts on this?



Anyways, thats really it for now, just wanted to give a general update and chat a bit before resuming my usual posts. It's nice to be back! Happy reading.

Hiatus

Hey everyone.


So you might have noticed that I haven't been posting very often or regularly lately. This is because I have lots of major assignments due soon and there have been many tests and assigned readings for my classes. I thought I could get through these few months without a hiatus but I think I need to take a break.


I am also moving soon which is stressful as well! So lots is going on.



I will be on hiatus, however if I have the time/energy I will try to post when I can! Hopefully I'll be back on schedule after exams finish.



Thanks everyone!

Romance Trends, Tropes, and Themes that I Do Like

I recently made a post about romance trends, tropes, and themes that I don't like. I figured that to balance that out, I should make a post sharing those that I do like! While we're past Valentine's Day, and February is over, I think we can celebrate romance and love all year round, including the awesome love and romance books that captivate and entertain us.


Disclaimer: My opinions shift around a lot. What I love today, I might hate a few months from now. Also, just because I mention a certain trend, trope, or theme, doesn't mean that books without these trends, tropes, and themes are somehow lesser. I love, and have loved, many books that don't feature any of the following!

Diversity 

 I love reading books with diverse or minority characters! I especially love it when a book contains characters of all different skin colours, genders, and sexualities. I love seeing books that take a step away from the general, heterosexual, white, perfect-body romances. Of course I enjoy many books that aren't diverse, but it's exciting to see a bigger selection of different kinds of romances and characters!

Polyamory

 

 I've been reading more books featuring polyamorous romance and I love it! I've always thought that its weird that everyone can love multiple siblings or friends or parents, but we act like its strange to love more than one person romantically. I love reading about groups of people who love each other. The Hostage Bargain is the first book in a series about one woman and her three lovers, and its often very sweet and I love it!

Paranormal romance

I love a good contemporary romance, but paranormal romance holds a special place in my heart. I enjoy reading about romantic tension, but I also love vampires. Put those two things together into a good paranormal romance and you've got me satisfied. 

Enemies to Lovers

I like books where the main characters start out as enemies of some kind, but end up in love. I think the journey from hating each other, to loving each other can be beautiful, scary, exciting, and hopeful. 

Dark Romance

 

Dark romance is my guilty pleasure! I love romances that take place in dark situations, with less-than-moral characters and taboo themes. Some people might find themselves upset by the content in these books (which is fine, we all have our limits) but I like the way that these books take me out of the real world, out of my values and beliefs, and take me to a purely fantasy world, even if the setting is simply contemporary. A great example is Captive in the Dark. 

So what do you think of these trends, tropes, and themes? Are you also a fan of any of them? 

Happy reading, everyone!

Beautiful Cover of the Day!

I haven't done one of these in a while. There are so many beautiful book covers that I have to get sharing them again.


Also sorry I haven't been posting very frequently....I just finished a major essay and I have tons of readings for school.


Anyways, today's beautiful cover is Outrun the Moon

San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty in Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.

On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. With martial law in effect, she is forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Though fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the army to bring help—she still has the “bossy” cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenage girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

Description from Goodreads 

First off, I love the colours. There's just something about blue and red together that I've always loved. I also just love the images on the cover! I like the font used for the title, especially the 'o'. 

What do you think about this cover?

Jessie Hearts NYC by Keris Stainton

Series: Hearts
Author: Keris Stainton
Page Count: 255
Published: July 2011
Publisher: Orchard Books
  2 Stars ★★

Jessie is going to New York for the summer with her best friend after a breakup. They're staying with her mother, and hoping to see all the amazing sights! A local named Finn is dealing with feelings for his best friend's girlfriend, and some inner conflicts concerning what he wants to do for a career. If they find each other, a new friendship or even a relationship could bloom. But will they find each other?



I got this book a long time ago because it looked fun and cute. I like to stray from the deep, dark paranormal stories that I tend to gravitate towards at times. However, this book wasn't fun or cute.



The characters were all pretty annoying, except for Finn. I could relate to him a lot. Unsure about the future, worried about careers and school, and what his family might think. Jessie, however, seemed a bit immature and I don't think I'd like her much were I to encounter her in the real world. Her friend, Emma, seemed very flat as a character, and her family wasn't all that interesting.



This book was pretty slow. I read it quickly because it was pretty short and the writing style was simple, but as for actual events and the plot, there wasn't much going on. This book wasn't horrendous, but it really wasn't that enjoyable.



I wish Jessie and Finn had met earlier in the book. Then they could have talked about their issues together, and made it seem like there was any point whatsoever to them meeting, besides "what if they end up together????" I think that this book could have been a great exploration of the issues surrounding growing up, while still remaining a light read, had the author done this. I think it would have developed the characters a lot more as well.



Overall, I don't have too much to say about this book. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it was slow with mostly boring characters and it appeared that there was no ultimate point to the story. If you like light-hearted, short contemporary stories, you may enjoy this one.



Find Jessie Hearts NYC on Goodreads

Romance Trends, Tropes, and Themes that I Don't Like

So with Valentine's Day coming up, I thought I'd talk a bit about romance books! I love romance, whether it is young adult or adult, erotica or paranormal, contemporary or suspense. However, I've gotten tired of certain themes, or I find myself rolling my eyes at tropes and trends that I haven't personally read yet, but see mentioned often. I thought I'd share a few of those today and see what all of you think!



Disclaimer: my opinions shift around a lot. So whats annoying me today might have been my favourite trend ever yesterday, and it could end up captivating me for months starting tomorrow. So these thoughts may not necessarily last forever, and don't be surprised if they don't! I am also not passing judgement on people who do like these trends, tropes, and themes, nor am I placing moral judgement or value on them. As I like to say, fiction is fiction. I don't read novels to affirm my morals, I read to be entertained.

The mafia

I see tons of books about mafia-themed forbidden romance. I personally don't see the appeal, I mean I like romance books featuring crime, but when I think of the mafia I think of old men in gray suits smoking cigars in 20th century Chicago or something. (Please don't judge me if my perceptions are way off!).

Bikers/biker gangs

 

I don't find bikers/biker gangs in romance novels to be appealing. I tend to avoid books featuring these kinds of characters, although I will admit I have a few on my to-read list. As I've mentioned before, I do remain pretty open to various types of books, and my taste is always changing. 

Very specific titles 

Sometimes I find myself cringing or chuckling at some oddly specific romance titles. As a fan of Maya Banks, I ran into this one: The Tycoon's Pregnant Mistress. Personally, I find this humorously specific. Other examples include The Billionaire's Blackmailed Bride , The Sicilian's Ruthless Marriage Revenge , and of course, The Sheikh's Virgin Bride. 

"Cardboard" love interests

You know him....he's hot, he has abs and bulging muscles, and he has a crooked, bad-boy smile. He may or may not have a leather jacket, ride a motorcycle, and have short, dark hair. That's right, it's cardboard cut-out romance hunk! Now available for the low price of $39.99 (head not included)!

Exaggeration

This really gets on my nerves, especially concerning the men's appearances (I mostly read female POV m/f romance). The ladies will be like "I turned around and saw him, and literally fell on my face because he looked like a divine angel, hallelujah, everything was perfect, oh and did I mention he was super rich?" And the world ceases to exist for that precious moment during which she lays her eyes upon this blemish-less, perfectly fit, radiant man. The end! Ugh....some romance books I ended up really enjoying lost stars because of this! I roll my eyes every time. Other exaggerations include declarations of 'true' (insta) love, almost inhuman levels of "romantic chemistry", and too much emphasis placed on abs and (rippling) muscles. 

Things aren't perfect? We can never be together! 

I find many romance books tend to feature unnecessary, often temporary break ups between couples. One thing goes wrong, they don't see eye to eye one time, and of course the world is ending. They have to always be on the same page, or they must burn the whole book! There's a loose nail in the bridge? Tear it down! Goodbye, there is no other choice! It's like some characters have never heard of sleeping on an issue, thinking it over, trying to compromise, or taking a temporary break while things cool down. I mentioned that the break ups in these books tend to be temporary, but its rarely due to a calm, rational cooling-down period. It's usually caused by unnecessary angst and black-and-white thinking between characters. I find this trope so unnecessary and annoying! One of the books I read recently lost a few stars because of this very thing!

Well, those are a few annoying trends, tropes, and themes in romance that bother me (for the time being...). Do any of these bother you as well?

Legacy of Lies & Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler

Series: Dark Secrets
Author: Elizabeth Chandler
Page Count: 431
Published: March 8th, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  3.5 Stars ★★★

In this bind-up, two suspenseful stories are told. In Legacy of Lies, Megan is being haunted while staying at her grandmother's house. She is adopted, and along with dealing with her grandmother's cold attitude towards her, she has to deal with Matt, her "almost-cousin"'s aloofness as well. The story of her late great aunt comes to light, with many mysteries surrounding her death. How did she really die? And how does her death connect to the present, to Megan and Matt? Megan may not live to find out the truth. 

In Don't Tell, Lauren has returned to Wisteria for the first time after her mother drowned there years ago. With her cousin Nora seemingly unhinged, and her cousin Holly and old friend Nick welcoming her with open arms, Lauren isn't sure if she's ready to face the dock where her mother died. Her aunt Jule doesn't have much empathy towards Lauren's remaining sadness, but more is at stake than Lauren's feelings. Nora claims to hear Lauren's mother asking for her child, and mysterious knots begin to appear, things tying up themselves. Is Lauren going to survive this trip? Or will she face the same fate that her mother did?

I gave Legacy of Lies four stars, and Don't Tell three, with this averaging out at 3.5 stars. As you can see, I enjoyed the first book a bit more than the second. 

Both stories had characters with very sinister pasts, pasts that threatened to affect their present lives. I liked this connection between the past and the present, this idea that the characters couldn't outrun the past. Both stories contained suspicious deaths, deaths that may or may not have turned out to really be murders....the mystery behind what happened to Megan's great aunt and Lauren's mother were the main issue behind both stories, the events that started it all.

Legacy of Lies took place in a creepy mansion-like home, with a grandmother that I hated and an interesting paranormal component. I have to say, I did not see the twist coming at all. I was very surprised by the ending and I think it wrapped up the story very nicely. Megan was a great narrator, and I enjoyed reading about the creepy events she was experiencing, through her own eyes.

Don't Tell also had a very interesting twist that I wasn't able to guess. There was also a possible paranormal component throughout the story: I often found myself debating whether it was paranormal or simply a living person mundanely messing with Lauren. I won't give away the truth, but I think the explanation was fitting for the story. I liked this story less because I think some of the explanations were a bit hazy....most were fine, but at times I was really confused as to why people were acting the way they were. On the one hand, it made me keep reading. Yet on the other, it made some events a bit unclear. However, the story was enjoyable overall.

I recommend this bind-up to people looking for short, creepy stories. If you're a fan of Elizabeth Chandler or you want to read books about secrets affecting peoples' lives, this is a great pick for you.

Find Legacy of Lies and Don't Tell on Goodreads

The Creeping by Alexandra Sirowy

Series: N/A
Author: Alexandra Sirowy
Page Count: 400
Published: August 18th, 2015
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
  3 Stars ★★★

As a child, Stella and her friend Jeanie disappeared. Jeanie never came back, and her body was never found. Eleven years later, the mystery still haunts the town of Savage. 

Stella's summer is ahead of her, and she's hoping for a relaxing break spending time with friends and hanging out at the beach. Her hopes are shattered when a body is found... a body that looks like Jeanie. Suddenly, old wounds are ripped open and Stella fears that she may be targeted by a killer. With her old friend Sam and Jeanie's brother Daniel, she hopes to uncover the truth of what's happening in Savage. But the truth may be more disturbing than she expects, and a monster may be killing the residents of Savage. 

This book looked quite creepy to me. I mean look at that cover! And the idea of a monster going after people..... Sounds really, really creepy. While parts of this book certainly held a good creep-factor, other pieces of this book annoyed and disappointed me. 

I liked the mystery behind it all. Who took Jeanie? Is she dead? Who is the body that was found? I was kept reading because I just needed answers to these questions. The element of suspense was really used well by the author. I loved how folktales and superstitions played a big role in the story, with the main characters actually considering that a monster might be terrorizing their town. 

I also really liked Sam. He was my favourite character: sweet, forgiving, and determined, he decided to help Stella out even after she ditched him years ago. He was honestly the only character that I really liked, though. 

I didn't like Stella, I thought she was kinda of superficial. I really, really hated Zoey, Stella's friend. Zoey was so freaking annoying. She was like that mosquito buzzing in your ear when you're just trying to enjoy a campfire, but no matter how much you swat at it, it won't go away. I rolled my eyes so much at her. I think the book would have been a lot better without her, to be perfectly honest. 

I think the big reveal at the end was very anti-climactic. I was hoping for something creepier, but the explanation for everything was mundane and disappointing. 

Overall, while I liked the creepy atmosphere of the book, I only like Sam and disliked the other characters. The ending was also disappointing. 

I recommend this book to readers looking for a creepy book with a main character in the "popular" crowd. If you like books about mysterious disappearances, you may enjoy this one. 

Find The Creeping on Goodreads

50/50 Friday - Best/Worst Book Read in 2017

This feature is hosted at The Butterfly Reader and Blue Eye Books

This week's topic is best / worst book read in 2017

Best

 

 I read lots of awesome books in 2017. But one of the best was The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. It was a really suspenseful mystery and I loved it! 

Worst

 

I'm only counting books that I finished, because some I dnf-ed. Neuromancer, by far, was the worst book of 2017. I had to read it for school, and I hated it. 

Send by Patty Blount

 Series: N/A
Author: Patty Blount
Page Count: 304
Published: August 1st, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
  4 Stars ★★★★

Daniel is moving to a new school, hoping that nobody will find out his secret. He wasn't always Daniel....he used to be somebody else, somebody who cyber-bullied another kid into suicide. He has to keep his secret closely guarded...if he isn't careful, Liam's father will come after him and his family. 

He gets into a fight on the first day of school, while defending someone from Jeff, a bully. This isn't the way he wanted to start out, immediately brought into the spotlight. He also meets Julie, who seems to have something against him, although they don't even know each other. It's almost like she knows something about him.....

This was an emotional book about the effects of cyber-bullying, on both victims and bullies alike. I really liked that the book started out with Daniel going to a new school, I think that this was a great place to begin as opposed to while he was still a bully, or in juvenile detention. While things like the nature of the bullying and the impact it had on Daniel's mental health weren't completely discussed right away, I think that they were well addressed throughout the book and provided a reason to keep reading even when I got tired. I wanted to know more about the situation, I wanted to understand what had happened, and what was happening to Daniel now. For a book with a slower plot and a contemporary setting, I remained hooked on Daniel's story throughout. 

Daniel as a character was so interesting and tragic. I couldn't find it within myself to hate him for his actions. He made a mistake....and many people suffered for it. But that didn't make him a bad person overall. He was complex, dealing with a mental health crisis, suicidal thoughts, and lots of guilt. I found him relatable although I've never been in his situation, and I think this was very impressive! I connected to him through his suffering and attempt to distance himself from the past, despite having drastically different lives. As a character, he had so much depth, he was truly likeable in my opinion. I think he definitely redeemed himself. 

Julie, Jeff, and Brandon, the boy Daniel befriends after saving him from Jeff on that first day of school, were interesting secondary characters who played very important parts throughout the novel. Often, their relationships with each other and Daniel were very unstable, which actually gave this sad contemporary novel a feeling of suspense at times. I was always wondering what was going on with poor Brandon. I was worried that Jeff would target Brandon again or even go after Daniel. And Julie, as a supporting character and love interest to Daniel, was both interesting and frustrating. I found her part in this book a bit unbelievable at times. I can't say much more without spoiling the reveal, but I found it made very little sense that she'd go so far as to befriend and even date Daniel. That's why this book lost a star. 

I think the ending to the book was well done. It was emotional and unsure, and it made me really wish for a sequel. 

Overall, this was an enjoyable, emotional book with interesting characters. It discussed real life issues in a way that considered multiple sides of the story, and I am glad I found this book. I'll be looking for more books by Patty Blount in the future. 

I recommend this book to those interested in reading about the effects cyber-bullying could have on the perpetrator. If you like books with complex characters, this novel is for you. 

Find Send on Goodreads