ARC Review: Hold Me Like A Breathe by Tiffany Schmidt

Title: Hold Me Like a Breath Series: Once Upon a Crime Family #1 Author: Tiffany Schmidt Published: May 19, 2015 by Bloomsbury (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Penelope Landlow has grown up with the knowledge that almost anything can be bought or sold—including body parts. She’s the daughter of one of the three crime families that control the black market for organ transplants.  Penelope’s surrounded by all the suffocating privilege and protection her family can provide, but they can't protect her from the autoimmune disorder that causes her to bruise so easily.  And in her family's line of work no one can be safe forever.  All Penelope has ever wanted is freedom and independence. But when she’s caught in the crossfire as rival families scramble for prominence, she learns that her wishes come with casualties, that betrayal hurts worse than bruises, that love is a risk worth taking . . . and maybe she’s not as fragile as everyone thinks.

This book has a lot of promise and many things that I usually enjoy in my books. From the mafia/crime family premise, to the fairy tale retelling, to the complex and unlikable characters. It all should have worked together to create something great, however so much of what I had thought would work didn't really work.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Hold Me Like a Breath was the fairy tale retelling concept. This is a Princess and the Pea retelling, which I have to say was incredibly unique. But more than that it is a really creative retelling that combines a few more stories like Rapunzel. Penelope Landlow is not bruised by a pea, she has an auto-immune disease that makes her bruise easily. She is sheltered in her family compound and treated like a princess, a fragile, fragile princess. The author makes tons of subtle references to both fairy tales including a pretty great one about a very layered bed. I loved the fairy tale references and felt like even the general plot of the book captured the concept of the fairy tale really well and creatively.

Part of that creativity in Hold Me Like a Breathe was the organized crime/mafia concept. This is a world where organ transplants are illegal and the main characters family provides that surgery for a price. It's an interesting concept for sure and one that brings up a lot of really complex issues about morality. It's one of the things that I love about fantasy and dystopia novels. Plus mafia stories have always been so fascinating to me because they are morally dubious characters that you make into heroes. Tiffany Schimdt walks the line of good and evil so well in Hold Me Like A Breathe. These are bad people doing good things but the question is for what reason? Throughout the book it explores this idea and you definitely see both sides of the coin.

And now would seem like a good time to talk about those bad people. I have to say I was a little disappointed in the characters. I've already mentioned that they are dubious characters doing the right thing but for different reasons. These are usually my favorite kinds of characters, complex and dubious. But I think one of the problems is that there really is no clear antagonist. Sometimes that can be a good thing but here it felt confusing. It wasn't that I didn't know who to trust, it was that I didn't know where the man character stood. Which was all the more challenging because the main character was hard to connect with. How many times have I said I like unlikable characters on this blog? Many times. And Penny was definitely an unlikable character. She's naive and sheltered but she wants more than "life in her tower." I admired her stubbornness and persistence and in the beginning I was rooting for her to get what she wanted. As the book developed she definitely proved that she was capable of more than what everyone assumed. However as the book developed her naivete and carelessness got to me. I understand that her sheltered upbringing would result in that kind of naive view of the world but it seemed to come and go depending on when it worked for the plot.

Perhaps the best example of this was with the romance of the book. You could argue that it is a love triangle, there are two guys involved but most of the time they are at separate times. But the biggest frustration for me was the dreaded insta-love. With the first one it made a little bit more sense, it was a person she had known for a long time and we are told she had a crush on. But with the second one it was so sudden and so deep that I just found myself actively fighting against it in my head. It just seemed like the MC's naivete and recklessness. She should be laying low and she falls in love with a person who knocks her over on the street? It just felt like a cliche meet cute from a romantic comedy. And that's how most of the romance felt to me. It was unfortunately one of the things that didn't work.

Unfortunately the romance was also a big part of the larger plot and mystery of the book. Part of Penny's naivete was her inability to understand people and their motivations. It should have given the book some mystery but unfortunately it came off as the bad kind of dramatic irony. The kind where to me as the reader the twist of the book was obvious and the main character seemed intentionally obtuse. I felt like in general the plot good have been flushed out a little bit more. The mafia/crime family concept was one of the best parts of the book but that too seemed a little basic. And while the plot built to an interesting and exciting conclusion the pacing was much slower and after an exciting beginning the middle didn't capture my interest and I found myself slowing down and wanting to skim through the book until things picked up again. But when they did pick up it was engaging. This is my adventure/survival month and that was absolutely what happened here. Throughout the book the stakes were really high for our main character and despite not totally loving her I did want to see how it would all end.

This is the first book in a new series and while it had a lot of promise and a few things didn't work I did enjoy the book. The retelling was really creative and with the combination of organized crime and pretty high stakes for the main character. I'm actually pretty interested to see where the next book goes. Hold Me Like a Breath resolved the main plot line but there are so many unanswered questions at the same time. I'm pretty intrigued.

I give Hold Me Like a Breathe by Tiffany Schmidt 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow. If you are a fan of fairy tale retellings then you should pick this one up at your library. I would also recommend this book to fans of mafia and organized crime stories with morally dubious antiheroes that also enjoy YA. It's a creative concept and engaging read despite having unlikable characters and basic plot development.

Have you read Hold Me Like a Breath? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1 Author: Sarah J. Maas Published: Mat 5, 2014 by Bloomsbury (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: A thrilling, seductive new series from New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas, blending Beauty and the Beast with faerie lore.  When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.  As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.  Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Oh hello there hype monster, I can't say that I'm happy to see you again, I feel like you have been visiting me a lot lately. I really really wanted to say I loved A Court of Thorns and Roses and give it all the stars. That's what everyone is saying, I want to be like everyone. Plus I mean I love Sarah J. Maas, I love the Throne of Glass series. And while I really enjoyed this book, it took me a little longer to get into it than I expected. But that being said, despite a slow start A Court of Thorns and Roses ended up being a beautifully written story with fantastic characters, an interesting world, and an engaging plot.

My favorite thing about this book was definitely the characters. That has always been where Sarah shines for me. From the kickass, to the dubious, to the sinister she creates some amazing and complex characters. That was the case again in ACOTAR. Our main character is Feyre, a huntress who has been supporting her family. Feyre is not your typical strong female protagonist kicking ass and taking names. Nope, she is incredibly vulnerable, prickly, and stubborn. But she's also tough and resourceful. But the best part about Feyre is she doesn't go it alone. First she had Tamlin, the High Fae who she is forced to stay with. In true Beast fashion, Tamlin is overly-aggressive but kind and protective. Then there is Lucien, a High Fae in Spring Court who is essentially comic relief but is also kind and helpful in more ways than one. But my personal favorite was Rhysand, the High Lord of Midnight Court. What I loved about Rhys was how dubious he was. He was full of surprises helping Feyre despite being connected to Amarantha and I really wanted to know why. He was so intriguing. Oh and did I forget to mention Amarantha? What a devious and sinister antagonist. I love a good Evil Queen and she definitely filled that role. For half the book she was an abstract concept and then when she came into the book it was even better. Every character was interesting and likable in their own and different ways. They made the book come to life.

But sadly one of the things that didn't entirely work for me was the romance. I had been hearing talk about how steamy and swoony this book was so I had high hopes. I haven't read any New Adult books yet so I wasn't entirely sure what that would mean for the romance of ACOTAR. With YA it is mostly a fade to black when it comes to anything sexual. In ACOTAR there were some serious make out scenes and it was definitely very sex-positive but it wasn't explicit. That isn't a bad thing at all, in fact it's really awesome. And while I didn't actively dislike the romance I didn't feel any heat either. I'm not even sure why it didn't work for me, it has all the trappings of romantic subplots that I enjoy. Maybe because the romance here was such a huge part of the actual plot of the book. I think I just don't ship it yet. In general I would say the romance left me wanting more.

The plot of A Court of Thorns and Roses also left me wanting more too. It definitely finished strong but for me it started a little slow. If you are expecting a book with kickass action like Throne of Glass you are going to have to be patient. The beginning of the book was a more traditional retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. I loved the subtle references to the classic story but I wasn't very engaged at that point. We are introduced to Feyre and her story. All that exposition had to happen before we got to the action. When that action did kick in I was totally hooked. It was definitely worth the wait and had a huge payoff. But the pacing for this one is on the slower side. It very slowly built to an exciting conclusion but it took it's time getting there. If you read my discussion post yesterday you know that I'm more of a plot-driven reader so it took me awhile to get into the book. I knew it was going to get good because of all the glowing reviews I had seen, for me it just took awhile.

I also think it took me a little while to get into ACOTAR because the first half of the book was mostly world-building. I have no problem with world-building. I understand that the first book in a new fantasy trilogy has to set up the world. But at times it felt a little overwhelming and like it was a bit of an info-dump. To me it felt like they were telling me important thing about the fae after another important thing about the fae. It was just so much all at once. But thankfully that information was all really interesting. The world that Sarah created was definitely a compelling one. Pythian had a history and a mythology to it. It is a world formerly at war with humans and still dealing with their own internal issues. But it is also a complex world of fairies seperated into seven courts. I loved exploring a few of the courts and I'm really excited to see more of them in the second book. While the world-building was problematic for me, the actually world was a fascinating part of this story.

And while A Court of Thorns and Roses had a bit of First Book Syndrome for me me it was an interesting and engaging read that had fantastic characters, an interesting world, and a thrilling conclusion. 

I give A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you are a fan of Sarah J. Maas then definitely pick this book up. If you are fans of fae stories and Beauty and the Beast this is worth a read. I'm not sure I would really recommend it to fans of more traditional fantasy, it has more romance elements and is less of a thrilling read that I typically enjoy in my fantasy.

Have you read A Court of Thorns and Roses? What did you think? Have you read much NA? Is this what the romance is like in NA novels? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Discussion Post: Why I Am a Plot-Driven Reader

Last week I read a post recently from This Girl Reads A Lot where Jazmen mentioned how she is an emotional reader and needs to love the characters to love a book and that got me thinking about what type of reader I am. I read a lot of different kinds of books. Whether you are talking about different genres like fantasy, historical fiction, literary fiction, or contemporary. Or you are talking about age categories like young adult, new adult, and adult. Or even different formats like physical book, e-book, and audiobook. I read it all. And no matter what kind of book it is, the plot development is either going to be plot-driven or character-driven. Plot-driven books mean that things progress from moment to moment and the characters are along for the ride. Where as character-driven books the decisions made by the parties involved decides the way things develop. And now that I've gone through that I'm going to tell you, that's what not what I mean here.

What I mean is what about a book blows you away. When you find yourself loving a book is it because of the plot or the characters? If one part of the book is lacking what would you rather have? Can you forgive the lack of plot development if the characters are fantastic or would you rather have great plot development but lackluster characters? For me it's the latter. I really don't need to love the characters to love a book.

In fact, sometimes I will like a book despite not really liking the characters. One of my favorite fantasy series is The Magicians series by Lev Grossman, a very hit or miss series for people but I'm a big fan. That being said, I kind of hate these characters. Quentin Coldwater is a whiny brat who is never happy even when he gets his heart's desire but I still love this series and want him to succeed. And then there is one of my favorite books, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Heathcliff and Cathy are terrible people but I love this book because the plot is full of mystery and their tortured love story makes for an engaging plot. I've done a whole post on my feelings on unlikable characters and for me liking the characters is not really tantamount to liking the book

When I think about the books that have been 10 star reads for me, and the books that I have been blown away by this year, it is because of the exciting plot, the fact that it built to a thrilling conclusion, or that I loved the larger theme that the book examined. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, despite being very character-driven, worked because it was a story about friendship in a historical setting fraught with danger, the stakes were high here. Same thing with Under A Painted Sky by Stacey Lee. It was a story about friendship but there was a lot of action and suspense in a historical period full of drama. The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury is another one with amazing world-building and while the pacing was slower, it had tons of mystery and the plot built to a thrilling conclusion that incorporated the world-building in a big way.

On the other side of the aisle, the books that I have not loved were those where one of my pluses were the characters but I found the plot to be lacking. Yesterday I reviewed Legend by Marie Lu and that is a perfect example of what I mean. I loved June and Day. I found them complex, likable, and I wanted them to succeed but I was missing the action and the complex world-building. Whereas The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey had a really amazing world and likable characters but the plot was so basic and convenient I wasn't as engaged as I could have been.

The best books of course do both. A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab had phenomenal characters, I mean Lila Bard, Kell, Rhy, the Dane Twins! All amazing and all complex, dubious, and in some cases diabolical. But it also had a thrilling plot. I was on the edge of my seat with the high stakes magical adventure and when it all ended in a thrilling conclussion I was left wanting more. Same thing with The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace. I absolutely adored everyone of these characters and they had some truly amazing ships but that plot development and that climax, so fantastic!

A feeling I often get with amazing books!

That's mostly why I don't read a lot of contemporary romances. They are more character-driven novels. I like a good coming of age story as much as the next person but I need a really engaging plot. I need a goal and something to look forward to at the end of the book. Something to strive for and something that hold the book together. I loved Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson because there was the added plot device of completing the list and finding Sloan. It was working to something. Same thing with Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. It was working towards something. The plot revolved around the subtle mystery of figuring out who Blue is and him and Simon meeting. Even though it was subtle, it was there and that's what I liked.

On the whole the thing that engages me in a book is a really sold plot that slowly builds to a thrilling conclusion. I don't really need action and mystery but those are an added bonus but something that keeps me wondering and reading from page 1 to 1,000. The books that I love had me hooked and when they were all said and done that WOW Factor is always because of the plot points. I think that's why I tend to read and enjoy genre fiction like Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Mystery over Literary Fiction and Contemporary.

What about you? Do you prefer a really strong plot or do you need great characters? Are you more of a plot-driven reader or a character-driven one? Also what do you think about my new name for my discussion posts? My Thoughts Figuratively. I mean they're not necessarily non-literal thoughts I just found it funny to call them that. Leave me me a comment with your thoughts (literal or figurative). Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Title: Legend Series: Legend #1 Author: Marie Lu Published: November 2011 by Putnam Juvenile (Penguin Group) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.  From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Last November I read my first Marie Lu book, The Young Elites, and was blown away by her writing, world building, and characterizations. I knew I needed to read more of her books so I couldn't wait to start this series that I know a lot of people love. And while I did find Legend to be an enjoyable read, I didn't love it. I thought it had great characters and an interesting narrative style but I found the plot to be a little basic and I wanted more world-building.

Probably my favorite thing about Legend was the characters. Both main characters were complex and interesting and while they are similar they are also incredibly different. Both June and Day are larger than life. June is the youngest prodigy serving in the military and is well-known for her prowess and intellect despite being a teenager. But she's not your average kickass female warrior. Despite being incredibly skilled she still has to prove herself to others. I found her really compelling because while she never for a moment doubts herself that's kind of her biggest weakness. She is a little sheltered and very trusting which gets her into trouble sometimes. But that is what makes her a well-rounded and likable character. Day however is not an elite, he is the most notorious criminal. He is also well-known and infamous for his skills and intellect. He's definitely misunderstood though and has this real Robin Hood vibe about him that I totally respected. And while they come from different backgrounds and want different things, they find a kinship in one another. And while I did enjoy that aspect of their relationship, I didn't love their romance. It was a little intsa-lovey and for me their companionship didn't have to be romantic. But that didn't ruin their characters. I was still invested in their struggle and wanted to see them succeed.

But liking the characters so much was really helpful for the narrative style of the book, another thing that really worked for me. You know that I don't love alternating perspectives but seriously, no one does it better than Marie Lu. Both June and Day had very distinct voices despite their similarities. Seeing the book from each of their perspectives led to us getting to know them a lot better. I felt like I knew them both on a deeper level and I wanted to see them succeed even when they were at odds. The other thing that the alternating perspectives did was create a lot of dramatic irony. We knew things that the characters did not know and that made for a really suspenseful narrative.

That suspense also extended into the plot of the book. While there was a lot of action and excitement throughout the book I didn't feel the thrills in the way I often do with these kinds of reads, I think I was expecting a thrilling and action-packed story but what I got was a mysterious and intricate read. The stakes here are pretty high for both our main characters and things definitely build to a thrilling conclusion but the general plot development was not about the thrills. And while I did find the plot interesting, I found the pacing to be a little disconnected. With two separate protagonists they are going to move at different speeds and reach different points that lead them to the inevitable climax. And while they did reach the same climax it felt like they reached their own individual ones first which was odd to me. But a lot of the plot is about learning the truth and learning about what is really going on here and they had to find their own truth before they found it together and learned the bigger picture information about the world as a whole.

Speaking of that world, Legend was a perfectly passable dystopian read but I was missing a little something from the world. I think my lack of connection with this book was the world-building. I feel like I'm being contradictory to what I often say about the world-building in my reads but here I would have liked a little but more. The disparity between the elite and general populace is a concept I love in my books but it was only barely touched on. And while the idea about a disease affecting the population was a big part of the plot development, I didn't feel like I knew that much about it. When it comes to dystopia what makes the books engaging for me is either lots of thrilling action or big picture political intrigue. In this book the lack of action wasn't balanced out by the bigger themes. Legend is the first book in a series and usually with first books I find that they either give you too much info about the world or not enough and in the case of this one it was the latter. I found the world interesting, I just wanted more.

But thankfully this is just the start of a new series and I am excited to see it all develop. I don't always love first books so I am going to continue with this series and find out more about the world and these characters.

I give Legend by Marie Lu 8 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. If you are a big dystopia fan check this series out. It was a good start to a series and I am excited to see where things go. I am definitely connected to these characters and I want to see where it all ends for them.

Have you read Legend? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors I Really Want to Meet

A weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

You guys, I'm sorry but BEA is two weeks away and it's basically all I can think about. So this is going to be very BEA centric post. I'm sorry to any followers that are not going to BEA. I know it's not always feasible and sometimes the constant reminders can be annoying. But this was a perfect topic to flail about BEA.

1.) Leigh Bardugo
Number 1, without a doubt have to have to see them at BEA is Leigh Bardugo. I loved the Grisha trilogy and I am so excited for Six of Crows. Should I tell her I figured out the twist about the Firebird?

2.) Susan Dennard

Another absolute must see. I loved the Something Strange and Deadly series, though I'm still not over that ending. Truthwitch sounds absolutely amazing but I really can't wait to meet Susan.

3.) Rainbow Rowell
I missed getting a ticket to Rainbow last year but not this year. I totally need to meet her and act like a total idiot because I love her so much.

4.) Ernest Cline
Ready Player One is a total favorite book and Ernest Cline will be there signing ARCs of his new book Armada. I must meet him. I MUST!

5.) Geraldine Brooks
I've read a few books by Geraldine Brooks and they are fantastic Historical Fantasies. Her new book is about King David which sounds really good.

6.) Rae Carson
So I know I haven't read the Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy but I plan too, want too. But seriously how amazing does Walk on Earth a Stranger sound? Super amazing!

7.) Marie Lu
I'm currently working my way through the Legend trilogy and loved The Young Elites. I really hope to meet Marie after having read all her books. Plus the prospect of The Rose Society has me dying!

8.) Kim Liggett
I have interacted with Kim on twitter a little and she seems very delightful. Plus I really want to get my hands on Blood & Salt. It sounds creepy, mysterious, and gory. Clearly I need it!

9.) Marissa Meyer
I mean how much do I love The Lunar Chronicles series? So much! I really want to meet Marissa and maybe talk theories. I did that last year with Alexandra Bracken and it was amazing

10.) Sara Raasch
I really want to meet Sara, she's seems like such a delightful human being. I wish she was signing Ice Like Fire not Snow Like Ashes but I will consider waiting in line just to meet her.

Honorable Mention to a few favorites I met last year and I want to meet again
Libba Bray and Gregory Maguire

And a few who won't be at BEA and I REALLY want to meet

11.) J.K. Rowling
I mean she is the queen. I would die. I would be speechless. I would lose the ability to even.

12.) Brandon Sanderson
Within the past year Sanderson became an all-time favorite author and an auto-buy. I feel like a lot of you all have met him and I'm over here like "Pittsburgh is a cool city, come to Pittsburgh"

13.) Victoria Schwab
Again, Victoria has become and auto-buy and she is another author that just seems so delightful on social media that meeting her in person would be a complete treat, Perhaps she will come somewhere close to me next year when she's touring.

Who is on your list of must meet authors? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

ARC Mini Reviews: The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy and The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest

Title: The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Geek Girls Author: Sam Maggs Published: May 12, 2015 by Quirk Books (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Fanfic, cosplay, cons, books, memes, podcasts, vlogs, OTPs and RPGs and MMOs and more—it’s never been a better time to be a girl geek. The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy is the ultimate handbook for ladies living the nerdy life, a fun and feminist take on the often male-dominated world of geekdom. With delightful illustrations and an unabashed love for all the in(ternet)s and outs of geek culture, this book is packed with tips, playthroughs, and cheat codes for everything from starting an online fan community to planning a convention visit to supporting fellow female geeks in the wild

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion.***

What I Liked: I don't often read a lot of non-fiction and I almost never read self-help books. But I really loved how empowering and helpful this book is towards women of the nerdy or Fangirl persuasion. As a member of this online Internet community, one whose uniting factor is around books, I definitely found a little of myself in this book. If you are looking to break into the nerd girl community or looking to get more involved this book has some great advice for you. Everything from how to interact on Twitter or Tumblr to cosplay it's all there and all interesting. This is also a really fast read. I finished it in a few days and just flew straight through it. The writing was fun and engaging for all ages. You can tell that Sam Maggs has a great love of this community and it's many facets.

What Didn't Work: It was almost too short. The fact that I flew through it was kind of because it felt a little superficial. It was an all-encompassing look at the community but it sort of went with the "know a little bit about a lot of things" format. Now don't get me wrong, that's why I kill at Pub Trivia (which was mentioned in the book) but I was hoping for a little more. I wanted the book to go a little more in-depth. I felt a little bit like this is geared toward fangirl n00bs.

 I give The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs 7.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow/Buy. This would be the perfect gift for that young woman in your life who loves nerd culture and wants to let it take over her life. But if you are already immersed in it you may not get as much out of it. Though you will feel like she's probably talking about you, which is kind of fun!

Title: The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest Author: Melanie Dickerson Published: May 12, 2015 by Thomas Nelson (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: "Swan Lake" meets Robin Hood when the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant by day becomes the region's most notorious poacher by night, and falls in love with the forester. Jorgen is the forester for the wealthy margrave, and must find and capture the poacher who has been killing and stealing the margrave's game. When he meets the lovely and refined Odette at the festival and shares a connection during a dance, he has no idea she is the one who has been poaching the margrave's game. Odette justifies her crime of poaching because she thinks the game is going to feed the poor, who are all but starving, both in the city and just outside its walls. But will the discovery of a local poaching ring reveal a terrible secret? Has the meat she thought she was providing for the poor actually been sold on the black market, profiting no one except the ring of black market sellers? The one person Odette knows can help her could also find out her own secret and turn her over to the margrave, but she has no choice. Jorgen and Odette will band together to stop the dangerous poaching ring . . . and fall in love. But what will the margrave do when he discovers his forester is protecting a notorious poacher?

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This fact has not changed my opinion.***

What I Liked: The historical setting. The book takes place in Germany during the Middle Ages and it has a very Tangled type vibe. From the clothing, to the food, to the culture it was interesting and immersive. The retelling angle. I'm not really familiar with the Swan Lake story so I didn't pick up on those references but I loved the Robin Hood angle. The male characters. They were well-rounded and interesting. There were more men than women featured here and that may have been an advantage.

What Didn't Work: The female characters. Being that the book takes place in the Middle Ages the female characters sort of succumbed to the cultural idea of the time saying that the only way for a woman to be happy and successful is with a husband, so I didn't totally love the female protagonist she just didn't come off as the strong female I was expecting. The narrative style. I went into this book thinking it was adult but it is YA and on the younger side. That's find but I just felt like the narrative here was a little basic. There was no poetry or flow to it. The plot. That was the biggest disappointment. Some things worked, like the dramatic irony, but in general I felt like the plot was predictable in a way that I struggled to keep reading. It also reached the climax entirely to soon and I ended up skimming the last fifty pages because I couldn't see how anything else would happen with so much falling action.

 I give The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson 5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Bypass. I think there are much more complex and interesting YA novels set during the Middle Ages. There are definitely more interested fairy tale retellings. Maybe borrow this one from the library if you are really interested in it.

Have you read The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy or The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts.

Discussion Post: What I Learned My First Year at BEA

It is officially May! And you know what that means, Book Expo America is fast approaching. Last year I did a Getting to Know You Post. I'm not sure if I will do that again but if you are going to BEA you should check that out HERE and get to know me. Not much of that has changed. Except this year no beach first and I recently got my hair cut so you may actually see it down!

But this year I decided I might do a discussion talking about some of what I learned last year. I have been talking to Britt from Please Feed the Bookworm who is going to be my BEA Buddy about this stuff so I figured I would share it with everyone. But keep in mind, I am by no means and expert at BEA. I have been once and I wouldn't say I really did it up. But if this is your first time, don't be scared, you'll be great! Here are some of the tips that I have.

 1.) The Best Part of BEA is the People 

- Blogger Con is a great way to meet people in a low stakes environment.
I know that it's the same time as the first day of BEA and we all want to get there for those signings and ARC drops but if you have paid for Blogger Con you should go. I learned a lot last year and I met some really cool people who I spent time with throughout the week

- Say hi to people, own the awkwardness 
One of my biggest regrets is not going up to bloggers I recognized because I was too awkward. Guess who else is probably awkward, them. (Right?). Don't be afraid to introduce yourself. I attacked Octavia and Nikki last year and I was so glad.

- It's totally cool to fly solo. 
Most of the lines I went to last year I went by myself. I know the buddy system is key. Octavia has a whole post about it. And I like buddies as much as the next person but don't feel like you have to have a partner in crime or a horde of fellow booknerds wait in line with you. I like being a one-woman wolfpack. I didn't feel like I had to see if the other person also wanted to wait 2 hours for Gregory Maguire. It sounds anti-social but I DO WHAT I WANT! But really it freed me up to meet people in line and chat them up. It lets you meet new people if you are solo.

- Chat up publishers when things are not crazy hectic for them.
They want to talk to you. They want to recommend books to you. I went to booths when there were no galley drops and found out about events and drops happening the next day.  If you were late to a drop or you didn't get a copy of the book don't be afraid to ask them to send you a copy. I've never done it but I hear it can be done. BEA is as much a networking event as anything else.

- Business cards are an essential investment 
Like I said, networking event. Pick up some business cards, I recommend VistaPrint. These are great not only to give to publishers but fellow bloggers. If you meet a really cool person in line and you want to check out their blog the best way to do that is to get their business cards. Let people do that for you. And actually, I loved my business cards so much, my blog redesign is based on them. Well, the color scheme at least.

I stole this from Elizabeth. She took pictures, I didn't.

- Pictures are worth a thousand words. Take them!
And not just of your book hauls. You will always have your memories but physical evidence of that is good too. Take some selfies with blogger friends. Especially take pictures with authors. You may never meet Leigh Bardugo again, take a picture with her and then fangirl about it for years to come.

- Hang out afterwards! 
Yes, BEA is a networking event but it is also meant to be fun. So many amazing bookish people are all in one place take the time to break bread and chat in a more relaxed environment. This may be my biggest regret. I didn't hang out afterwards. But this year I told Britt not to let me head back to the Bronx (where I'm staying). Everyone else, hold me to this. We need to hang out! Tell me where you're going for dinner. Any meetups you are having or know of? Invite me to bookish events that evening!

 2.) The Amount of Books is Overwhelming but Amazing 

Surprise in-booth signing? Drop everything!

- Make a plan but be prepared for nothing to go according to plan
You gotta be more organized than Santa. Make a list and check it three times. A lot of people like printing out the signing schedule and highlighting what they want. Personally I like making my own spreadsheet. But you can plan as much as you want, when you get there all hell will break loose. It's important to plan but just know that you may have to improvise. Last year I dropped everything for a galley drop and missed out on three other books but it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it ended up being an in-booth signing. Things didn't go as planned but I regret nothing.

P.S. If you are looking for a comprehensive list of YA signings and drops Nicole for YA Interrobang has a great Google Doc. And if you want to see my Google Doc so that we can coordinate, let me know and I'll share it with you. I'm not being stingy, I just don't know who might be interested.

- Everything will inevitably be at the same time, you have to prioritize 
Why don't things go according to plan? Well for one thing, have you seen the schedule? It's out of control. Like six things are from 10-11:30 on Friday morning. You need to decide what is your top priority, can't miss books. Color-code your list. I also suggest putting things into your phone calendar so that you have alerts.

- Get schedules of when the drops are going to be 
I did terrible with galley drops the first day last year. I didn't know that most publishers will put out a printed schedule for either that day or for the whole week. Grab those schedules first things and when you are waiting for your first signing of the day adjust your plan of attack. There is nothing worse than missing a drop for that highly anticipated book because you didn't see that it was scheduled. If you are wondering what galleys will be offered, Publisher's Weekly has a really great list.

My haul from last year.

- You will have more books then you know what to do with. Maybe be a little more selective.
I don't get a lot of print ARCs. Last year I was like a kid in a candy store. I was like Augustus Gloop in the Wonka Factory. Don't fall into the chocolate river. I got about 70 books last year and read like fifteen of them. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to take as many books as possible, I'm just saying don't just take it because it's free. Take books that you want to read.


- Getting books personalized is amazing but not really essential 
This sort of goes hand in hand with the above advice. Sometimes you grab a book in a signing because it sounds interesting and then you don't end up reading it. Or maybe you did read it but you want to share it with a friend or in a giveaway. If it has your name on it, you're kind of stuck with it. This year I will probably only get the books I know I'm going to keep personalized, the rest will just have a signature and that's amazing! Do I like my ARC of Egg and Spoon more because it's personalized and my copy of Wicked is not? Answer: No. I met Gregory Maguire, he signed my book and I made an idiot of myself. That's all that matters. (P.S. I got Wicked signed at a different time. Only in rare circumstances will an author sign an outside book at BEA).

- Rolling suitcases are essential 
70 books over three days is a lot of books. A simple tote bag will not do the trick. You need a suitcase with wheels. For a few bucks you can check that bag outside the exhibit hall and go back to drop off books at any time. It's so worth it. But you will be getting tote bags. Don't try to put them with or next to your suitcase, you'll have to pay for it or it'll get confiscated.

3.) I hope you like lines! 

- There are lines EVERYWHERE 
Lines for books, lines for galley drops, lines for food, lines for the bathroom, lines for lines. If you like lines then BEA is the place to be. But seriously use these lines to your advantage. This is your chance to chat with people. It's also your chance to sit down and rest your. Eat your lunch while you're in line. This is break time.

I got in line for Gregory Maguire so early!

- You need to get in line early, especially for really big authors.
You aren't supposed to line up any more than a half hour before a signing. But I'm saying get there early because you shouldn't be surprised if a half hour before there are already 100 people in line. The patented "not a line" often comes into play here. I got into a few lines two hours early just to make sure that I had a good spot.

- Book Con is sheer insanity 
If you thought the lines were crazy at BEA, you know nothing. Much of this should be better this year because BEA and BookCon are on two separate days. But this is the where anyone and everyone can go and meet their favorite authors. This is where you will see big name movie screening and celebrity panelist. BookCon is the only time I saw a stampede for a galley drop. BookCon is also the only time where I lost my place in line going to the bathroom. The person just didn't save it for me even though I asked. If you think I'm joking check out The Irish Banana's gif recap. I'm not saying this to scare you away from going. I'm just trying to prepare you.

4.) Tech Problems Are Not Exaggerated 

- The Javits is absolutely a succubus for cell phones. Those portable charges are phenomenal and worth the money. 
Seriously, I don't know how and I don't know why but you can have a full charged battery for one minute and the next minute you're down to 40%. The Javits will destroy your battery life. Getting one of those external battery chargers is so important so you're not looking for an outlet. This is the one I have and it was a lifesaver.

- You will not get cell phone service. 
It's probably a battery succubus because you are constantly roaming and trying to find service. The Javits is a large cement building and there are thousands of people trying to use the same cell waves. The deeper in you go, which by the way is where the autographing is, the least likely you are to get service.  Don't bother tweeting or Instagramming throughout the day. Your phone will not be work it, it will kill your battery faster, and you will just be annoyed!

But the most important thing I learned is..,

4.) Take Care of Yourself 

- Drink lots of water 
I cannot stress this enough. You are on your feet all day, you may not feel tired or thirsty but you will be. After the first full day of BEA last year I was so exhausted and it was mostly because I didn't drink enough water.

- Don't forget to eat. Bring lots of snacks 

She's grumpy from not eating lunch

Just as important as water is food. Am I making BEA sound like some sort of post-appocalyptic wasteland? Well it's a dystopian world of books so it's cool. No but seriously, you have to eat. One day I didn't get a chance to eat lunch until about 2pm and I was not a happy camper and neither was my stomach. You may want to get in line really early for your afternoon signings or finishing AM signings late. Bring snacks. Things like trail mix and fruit.

- Food is really expensive at the Javits, bring your own
I spent $12 on a sandwich and a banana. Get your food before you come in. I'll probably make a few PB&Js and bring those with me. Stop at Duane Reede on your way in and pick up things to snack on. My best advice is to stop at the bagel carts around the city for breakfast. The coffee is strong and hot, the bagels are $2. You can't beat that. Plus if you bring your own food you don't lose valuable time waiting in line and you can get a good spot for your first afternoon signing.

- Wear comfortable shoes 
Everyone says this and they mean it. You will be doing a lot of walking and standing, your feet will be killing you. Do not be afraid to wear sneakers. You should totally dress professional with dresses and nice pants but your footwear should be functional. Leave those heals at home. I mean I wear heals about two days a year but still. I would even suggest avoiding flats with little support. And if you are like me and you want/need to buy new shoes break them in first. And at the end of the day, soak em in a footbath. Take care of your feet.

- The buses at the end of the day are a godsend! 
And the best way to take care of your feet? Don't walk or take public transportation home. There are these absolutely amazing buses that will take you to where you need to go. I found these buses on day three and wish I had found them on day 1. They drop people off at large hotels and landmarks so ask one of the drivers to find one that will be near where you need to go. I'm staying in Woodlawn with my brother and the bus took me directly to Grand Central so I could hop on a train. IT. WAS. GLORIOUS.

All right, that's what I learned. Did I forget anything? What advice would you give to a BEA first timer? What did you learn at your first, second, fifth BEA?

If you are looking for more tips here are a few I found really helpful before I went.
The Book Addicts Guide
The Irish Banana
Read.Sleep.Repeat
Miss Print

And check out the BEA 2015 Goodreads Group for more info and to chat with others going!

This is my excited face!

But seriously, BEA is so much fun. I am so excited to go back. I can't wait to meet everyone and see people I met last year. I can't wait to meet authors and get signed books that I will desperately want to destroy my TBR to read. I can't wait to wait in line for the bathroom and forget to eat lunch because I'd rather get a copy of that sequel I can't wait for. But mostly I can't wait to see you and meet you even if I don't know you and you don't know me.

IS IT MAY 27TH YET?

Leave me a comment with your thoughts. And if you are going to BEA this year let me know so I can say hi. And if you see me across a crowded exhibit hall say hello. I'll be the six foot tall girl with brown hair and glasses looking nervous or grumpy.

And if you have any tips for BEA newbs leave them in the comments. Or if you have BEA tips for me leave them in the comments. Or if you just want to flail about BEA leave a comment. EXCUSE ME WHILE I FANGIRL!