The Impossibility of Us - Book Review

The Impossibility of Us

By Katy Upperman

Details:

Title: The Impossibility of US

Author: Katy Upperman

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Pub. Date: July 31st, 2018

Synopsis:

The last thing Elise wants is to start her senior year in a new town. But after her brother’s death in Afghanistan, she and her mother move from San Francisco to a sleepy coastal village.

When Elise meets Mati, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Mati is new to town too, visiting the U.S. with his family. Over the course of the summer, their relationship begins to blossom, and what starts out as a friendship becomes so much more.

But as Elise and Mati grow closer, her family becomes more and more uncomfortable with their relationship, and their concerns all center on one fact—Mati is Afghan.

Beautifully written, utterly compelling, and ultimately hopeful, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF US asks—how brave can you be when your relationship is questioned by everyone you love?

Disclaimer: The publisher provided me with ARC of The Impossibility of Us through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

My Review:  

            After reading Katy Upperman's debut novel, Kissing Max Holden, last year I knew I had to get my hands on her next novel as soon as possible. I was such a huge, huge fan of Kissing Max Holden so my expectations were high, and Katy did not disappoint. The Impossibility of Us was such a wonderful, emotional read, and it was so much better than I expected. I didn't expect this book to make me cry, but I was crying buckets by the end. Upperman does a fantastic job of making the reader feel so many things all at once, and I can truly say this is a story I won't soon forget.

            The characters were probably my favorite part of this novel. Elise was so relatable and headstrong and Mati was so sweet and strong--their relationship is so adorable!!! I loved how the story was told from both of their perspectives--Mati's being more poetic and Elise's being written in prose. It really added an extra element of creativity to the story that I haven't seen before. I thought Upperman did an amazing job at addressing Islamophobia by making Mati Afghan and showing how terribly people, including Elise's mother, treat him. I especially enjoyed the moments when Mati taught Elise about his culture--I found those moments to be so precious.

            Overall I think Katy did an incredible job with The Impossibility of Us. It touches on topics I don't think I've ever read about in YA novels in such a fantastic way. In conclusion I give the Impossibility of Us four out of five stars for being a heart wrenching, emotional read that'll be sure to have everyone crying. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, but especially to fans of contemporary romance. Katy Upperman is a fantastic author, and I truly can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

              

If you would like to order The Impossibility of Us

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

-CG

Grace and Fury - ARC Review

Grace and Fury

By Tracy Banghart

Details:

Title: Grace and Fury

Author: Tracy Banghart

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Pub. Date: July 31st, 2018

Synopsis:

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace--someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir's eye, it's Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided me with ARC of Grace and Fury through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

My Review:  

            What do you get when you mix together badass female characters, an amazing plot, and an interesting world? The answer: Grace and Fury. From the second I started this book I knew it was going to be fantastic, and it did not let me down. Tracy Banghart tells the story of two sisters, Nomi and Serina, in such a way that draws you in from the first sentence and leaves you begging for more at the last. I don't even know where to begin in writing this review because I loved everything so, so much, and I can guarantee that none of my readers want to read a ten page essay on how much I enjoyed this book.
            The world building throughout the story is great. Set in an Italian inspired fantasy world where women are oppressed, the reader immediately gets the sense that something isn't right. Girls aren't allowed to learn how to read or write, and to do so is a capital crime. Men rule over everything, and the women who don't submit to them are sent off to the Hawaiian inspired prison at Mount Ruin. Banghart does a fantastic job in describing both the prison at Mount Ruin as well as the palace, which also happens to work as a prison for some of its inhabitants.
            I will admit that I was a little worried when I read the first couple chapters of Grace and Fury--it gave me major Selection vibes with the whole Heir and Grace thing, and anyone who knows me knows that I strongly dislike the selection, but luckily that ended as soon as the Heir selected his Graces and I WAS SHOOK! I love it when a story catches me off guard, and that's what Grace and Fury did from the very beginning. There are a multitude of twists and turns which are absolutely wonderful and unpredictable. The ending in particular left me absolutely shell shocked, and I kept trying to flip the page on my kindle, hoping there was more because I was not ready for it to be over. Banghart leaves the story on a cliffhanger which has the reader already begging to have book two in their hands (I NEED IT NOW!!!). 
            While both the setting and the story itself are incredible, it's the characters who truly steal the show. Nomi and Serina couldn't be more opposite: Serina has trained her whole life to become a Grace and be submissive to men, while Nomi is a rebel who constantly fights the role which has been set for her. Both girls end up somewhere they never could have imagined, and they have to fight to survive. If someone asked me to pick my favorite of the two sisters, I would not be able. Both characters go through so much throughout the story, and neither are the same person they were at the beginning of the story at the end. Their character devlopment is fantastic, and I can only imagine how much effort Banghart put into bringing these characters to life. Even for the side characters, Banghart does an incredible amount of characterization. She gives each and every one their own backstory, and she doesn't skip over any details. Personally, I really enjoyed getting to know about the others on mount doom--specifically Oracle and Val, but I also liked getting to know those within the palace--especially towards the end when I started to doubt everything I'd been told. The characters are the shining stars of Grace and Fury, and the character development throughout the story is truly some of the best I've ever seen.

In conclusion, I give Grace and Fury five out of five stars for being a fantastic opening to a new series as well as a fun story that promotes feminism within its pages. Grace and Fury is a story of strong women and family love, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. Be sure to pre-order a copy today because I can guarantee this is a book everyone is going to be talking about.

If you would like to pre-order Grace and Fury

Book Depository

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

 There's also a pre-order campaign going on right now, so you can get some pretty cool swag if you submit your receipt. Click here to learn more.

-CG