Hey guys! I thought since I don't always have time to write full length reviews for every book I read and I have some books that I just didn't write enough notes on for a full length review, that I'd start a series on my blog where I post little mini reviews for books I've recently read. Here's volume one of my mini reviews--I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of each of these books by their publishers through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore
What if you could live forever—but without your one true love? Reincarnation Blues is the story of a man who has been reincarnated nearly 10,000 times, in search of the secret to immortality so that he can be with his beloved, the incarnation of Death. Neil Gaiman meets Kurt Vonnegut in this darkly whimsical, hilariously profound, and wildly imaginative comedy of the secrets of life and love. Transporting us from ancient India to outer space to Renaissance Italy to the present day, is a journey through time, space, and the human heart.
My Thoughts: Just from reading the summary of Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore, I could tell it was going to be a story unlike any other I'd read before, and it did not disappoint. We, the readers, get to experience all of Milo's 9,995 lives on his quest for perfections, and the variety of fuck ups that occur along the way. I especially loved how the stories of his lives weren't told in chronological order and differed in length, although I did find some to drag on longer then others. The book itself has a very unique sense of humor in the writing, and I think Poore does a fantastic job of expressing that humor through Milo and creating a character that every reader can come to love and feel sympathy for. I also thought that the romance between Milo and Death--I mean Suzie--was really unique in the way that they've been together for several thousand years, but are only able to be with each other in between Milo's lives. All in all I give Reincarnation Blues four out of five stars for being fun, quirky, and unique, but also slow at times. I highly recommend Reincarnation Blues to fans of sci-fi and fantasy who are looking for something fresh and new and exciting. (PS: Do you see how gorgeous that cover is?!)
The Big F by Maggie Ann Martin
Danielle's plans for the future were all figured out... until she failed senior English and her single college acceptance was rescinded. Determined to get her life back on track, Danielle enrolls in her hometown community college with a plan: pass English and get back into Ohio State—and her mother’s good graces. Romance isn't on her radar... until she reconnects with her childhood crush and golden boy next door, Luke.Between family drama, first love and finding her own way, Danielle can't help but feel a little overwhelmed. Thankfully she has her friendship with the snarky and frustratingly attractive Porter, her coworker at the campus bookstore, to push her to experience new things and help keep her afloat. One thing's for sure: This time, failure's not an option.
My Thoughts: Maggie Ann Martin does a fantastic job of including all the the classic YA contemporary romance cliches that we've all come to know in love in The Big F, but altering them ever so slightly to give it a completely different feel from most other YA high school romances. The closest thing that I feel I can compare it to is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell because both Daniella and Kath are college freshmen, but thats pretty much where the similarities end. It was such a fun, quick read that I highly enjoyed--I especially loved the theme of failure and how it doesn't mean the end of the world.
The story itself was intriguing, but it was the characters who truly brought the story to life for me. Dani being fresh out of high school instead of 16 or 17 was what really made this story unique for me. The way Martin wrote her was so realistic, and I found myself connecting to her trough out the story. Luke is the classic, adorable boy next door, and I loved him to pieces. I liked how the boy next door cliche wasn't the main focus of the story, but rather a tool used to push along the main plot. Zoe is one of the greatest best friends a girl can have, and I honestly wish that I could reach through the pages and pull her into my life to help me out during times of crisis. Porter reminds me so much of a lot of my guy friends who constantly like to push my buttons, but are always sweet and charming when they need to be--and I absolutely loved him! Martin did a fantastic job in writing relatable characters who develop well throughout the story, and find a special place in the reader's heart.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Big F by Maggie Ann Martin, and give it four out of five stars. I recommend this book to any high school junior or senior who's worried about the future, or anyone who wants a fresh take on the classic YA romance.
Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu
Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes and hallway harassment. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules.Viv’s mom was a punk rock Riot Grrrl in the ’90s, so now Viv takes a page from her mother’s past and creates a feminist zine that she distributes anonymously to her classmates. She’s just blowing off steam, but other girls respond. Pretty soon Viv is forging friendships with other young women across the divides of cliques and popularity rankings, and she realizes that what she has started is nothing short of a girl revolution.
My Thoughts: I will admit that going into Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu, I didn't really know what it was going to be about and I didn't think I would like it, but after finishing it I want to go up to every other girl in my high school and force them to read it so they can feel as empowered as I did directly after finishing it. Moxie is the story of a girl named Vivian who is done with the sexist way of thinking that her town runs on, so she creates a zine after being inspired by her mom's old things and basically starts a revolution. I absolutely love Vivian, and how realistic she is compared to other main characters of YA contemporaries. She's passionate and zealous and perfect to lead the feminist uprising at her high school. I liked her love interest, Seth, and I thought that the addition of romance was fun to read, but I don't believe it was necessary. It neither added nor took away from the plot as a whole. Moxie also rape/sexual assault which I feel like is seen as a taboo subject in YA literature, so I'm glad Mathieu included it. Overall I give Moxie 4.5 out of 5 stars for being full of such great and important messages such as fighting against injustice, girls helping girls, feminism, and so many more. I believe that this is such an important novel that women of all ages, but especially younger girls, should read to feel empowered and like a boss.
So these are all of my mini reviews I have for y'all at the moment. If you have any thoughts on these books or book suggestions please feel free to leave them in the comments--I'd love to talk about books with you!
-CG
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