Title: The Thousandth Floor
Author: Katharine McGee
Series/Standalone: The Thousandth Floor Series (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Pages: 448
Publisher: HarperCollins
Year Published: 2016
"New York City as you've never seen it before.
A thousand-story tower stretching into the sky. A glittering vision of the future where anything is possible- if you want it enough.
Welcome to Manhattan, 2118
A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. Everyone there wants something... and everyone has something to lose.
Leda Cole's flawless exterior belies a secret addiction- to a drug she never should have tried, and a boy she never should have touched.
Eris Dodd-Radson's beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.
Rylin Myers's job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world- and a romance- she never imagined... but will this new life cost Rylin her old one?
Watt Bakradi is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he's hired to spy for an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught in a complicated web of lies.
And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is Avery Fuller, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all- yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have."
My Rating: 4.5/5
So this is another book I was reading and kept putting down to pick up other books or to do other work around the house. So It took me a while to see what everyone has been talking about. But holy shit! I'll have you know that the Gossip Girl book series were my dirty pleasure when I was in high school. I thought they were scandalous and perfect. I'm not saying that they aren't good books, I'm just saying they aren't exactly literary gold. So when I started to read this book I noticed that the drama between the characters was similar, but the futuristic timeline helped to change so many things so it didn't seem too juvenile to me. I thought that the reimagined New York was incredible to read about and I sincerely hope to read more from Katharine McGee (please continue this series, I'm already dying for more).
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
This book is so addictive. I would definitely describe it as gossip girl meets sci-fi meets mystery. I thought that this book would be hard to get back into after a put it down for a while, but instead, I was far more gathered into the story and entertained by what was happening to our characters. I thought that the multiple POVs were amazing and perfect. Along with such a different version of New York. It just made me want to pick Katherine McGee's mind for a minute and found out what she did to be so damn imaginative. I thought the idea of all this future equipment kept the story from being too overly dramatic. The change of pace between the floor also helped the story reach new levels of suspense, especially during the ending.
Characters:
Avery: So at first her feelings for Atlas are a little fucked up but then over time you kinda get to see how that might have happened. They weren't super young when they were brought into the same household, they didn't even really have the sibling bonding of one of them being a baby so that's whatever. I think that she still should have told the cops. I mean she has a lot to lose but not as much as Watt or Rylin... that's just my belief.
Atlas: Those mind games, though. I want you, but I can't want you so I'll go date this girl and then be like haha it's your best friend. Damn it Atlas, Eris could still be alive you silly goose. I do kinda love him, though.
Leda: She is straight up psychotic. She doesn't know when to stop and maybe it's the stress but shoot, I think it's time to come clean when you freaking killed someone. I wonder how long it will take before she either ODs or gets sent back to rehab.
Eris: She had a rough go of it for sure. To have your life ripped apart in one minute without any warning is crazy. I think that she grew as a character and when (I say when cause there has got to be more right?) the next book comes out she will be deeply missed. I worry about her mother the most. Hopefully, Marial will be able to get to the bottom of the case, though.
Watt: He's a little too up front with what he knows in person. That's pretty damn stupid. I hope that he doesn't go to jail, but it might be too little to last for him overall.
Rylin: Her and Cord were meant to be and I can't believe it got so messed up with his brother, if she had had any chance to explain things might have worked out.
Cord: Will he go after her????
Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "But anyone who looked would have noticed the candelabra casting shadows on her dramatic cheekbones, illuminating the tears that streamed down her face."
Title: Inkspell
Author: Cornelia Funke
Series/Novel: Inkworld (Book #2)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventures
Pages: 635
Publisher: The Chicken House
Year Published: 2005
First Line: "Twilight was gathering and Orpheus still wasn't here."
"The captivating sequel to INKHEART, the critically acclaimed international bestseller by Cornelia Funke, an author who is emerging as a truly modern classic write for children.
Although a year has passed, not a day goes by without Meggie thinking of INKHEART, the book whose characters became real. But for Dustfinger, the fire-eater brought into being from words, the need to return to the tale has become desperate. When he finds a crooked storyteller with the ability to read him back, Dustfinger leaves behind his young apprentice, Farid and plunges into the medieval world of his past. Distraught, Farid goes in search of Meggie, and before long, both are caught inside the book, too. But the story is threatening to evolve ways neither of them could ever have imagined."
My Rating: 3.5/5
So I started to listen to this book on audio a while ago and it took me until now to buckle down and finish it. I really enjoyed the audiobook overall, I just found that after listening to it for 5 hours, I started to just ignore the sound when I was listening to it in my car so I kept having to repeat sections to make sure I was getting the whole story. In the end, I also took out a physical copy from my local library to finish off the 300 pages I had left. So I finished it very late last night and while I enjoyed the book as a whole, I wasn't nearly as blown away as I was with Inkheart. I think that the characters in this book began to grow in a way that was unexpected to me and that the setting had a huge impact on this. I did enjoy the change of setting and getting to see a book within a book. The ending really grabbed my attention with the unexpected twist, but even that seemed to fall a little flat overall. I would say that this book would be perfect for someone in the beginning of high school or middle school as it is middle grade, but it's a huge book to get through.
Now the question some might be asking.... Do I plan to finish the series? I certainly do. I am still as in love with the characters as ever, and if you ask me I think that's what makes this story truly remarkable as a whole.
I hope to get to the third book after winter holidays, because of it's huge size, I want to take a breather from the Inkworld for a month or so.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
This book took me forever to finish. And before someone assumes that means it wasn't good, you're not entirely correct. This book was a good book. I enjoyed it. I wouldn't say that it was as interesting for me as the first book was or that it got the same rating in the review above, but it was still a good book overall. It's tremendous, though. I kept getting deterred because of it's size overall, and I found that once I looked and how little progress I made, I wasn't as interested. That being said, the audiobook I used for the first half was very well narrated and the use of different voice actors was perfect for me. I also enjoyed the change of setting. Getting to see Dustfinger at home where he was his most confident made me feel such gratitude to the author. Less so in the end of the book. I presume that this also leads to the huge character development we witness throughout the second instalment.
Characters:
Dustfinger: One of the best characters I've ever read. He is troubled but still manages to find joy in his use of fire. He finds part of his family upon his arrival back into his world, but unfortunately, so much time has passed there that things have changed with those he remembers. I found his growing relationship with Farid to be a staple in the story and with the ending we see that Dustfinger very much thought that Farid was family to him. I do hope that they find a way to bring him back, but I'm doubtful overall.
Farid: This boy's love is so strong to his master and to know that Dustfinger let himself go in order for Farid to live is a horrible idea. I do wish that Farid hadn't had the bright idea to call Orpheus into the story because that will only lead to trouble, I'm sure of it. But at the very least Farid is able to live his life, although he will now be a slave to Orpheus.
Basta: Is he really dead? I don't know if I believe it. He was one of the best villains I've read and I enjoyed his interesting quirks. For our main characters, I'm glad to see him go, but as a reader, he truly struck fear in me.
Mortola: Her son treated her like garbage, and yet she still aims to have revenge. The idea is confusing to me.
Mo: Or should I call him the Bluejay. If Fenoglio hadn't chosen to base him off a real person, we might have avoided so much trouble, but it would appear that Mo is slowly becoming the Bluejay every time we read about him. Protecting his family with a sword was something I would have never guessed that Mo would do. I wonder what he did to the Adderhead's book as well.
Meggie: At the beginning of the book I found her to be rather annoying. She wanted what she wanted with no regard for others around her. Especially her parents. It was a childish decision, but now she has seen so much death and hate in those around her she is starting to grow. I notice that her interest in Farid is growing, but that might end abruptly with Dustfinger's death.
Resa: Oh to have a voice back after so much time without it must just be a blessing. A shame that it seemed to come at such a cost.
Roxanne: She seems like she was made for Dustfinger, it's a shame that she wasn't able to stay with him longer. I was not impressed when she blamed Farid for his death, but I can see how that would be the case, after all, a loved one she barely had the time to be reacquainted with returned only to be ripped from her world again.
The Adderhead: What a nasty and vicious man.
Fenoglio: He is stupid and full of crazy notions. I'm glad he saw that massacre with Cosimo. He needed to realise that he was no more God to this story than he was of his own. I was not impressed with him throughout this book and I hope that he turns over a new leaf in the next one.
Orpheus: This is going to cause more trouble than I think we all realise.
Moments To Remember:
Final Line: "'This story will have a happy ending. I swear!'"
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So it's the time of year where I can have all the warm drinks without people questioning me so it's time for....
The Coffee Book Tag!
I'm not sure who created this tag but are you ready for me to answer strange questions?
Let's do this!
Black: A series that's tough to get into but has hardcore fans.
For this book, I will have to go with TheInheritancee Cycle by Christopher Paolini. I always hear either people didn't finish this series or they loved it. I fell into the first category.
Peppermint Mocha: A book that gets more popular during the winter or a festive time of year.
Around Christmas I often see many people reading How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. I work in a childcare centre so this is a pretty popular winter book around the daycare.
Hot Chocolate: A favourite children's book
Am I the only one who loved The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak. If you have not read this children's book you need to. Now! It's hilarious.
Double Shot of Espresso: A book that kept you on the edge of your seat from start to finish
I recently, sort of, read A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas and I couldn't put it down. Anytime I could I had that lovely book in my hands and now I need the next one. Anytime!
Starbucks: A book you see absolutely everywhere
I watch a lot of booktube and while I'm not a huge contemporary fan everyone is talking about The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. While I have no plan to read this book at this time I could be persuaded.
The Hipster Coffee Shop: A book by an indie author (a shout out)
I think that the Florence Waverly series deserves a shout out. Ciye Cho offered me the chance to read this series and so far I have loved it. Although it has had it's ups and downs I look forward to reading more by this author.
Oops! I Accidently Got Decaf: A book that you were expecting more from
With Malice by Eileen Cook. I just didn't think it would have such an unsatisfying ending, it was extremely frustrating.
The Perfect Blend: A book or series that was both bitter and sweet, but ultimately satisfying.
I think that Between by Jessica Warman was a perfect mix of thriller and supernatural for me as an earlier reading. I really enjoyed the book overall and still recommend it to friends.
Chai Tea: A book or series that makes you dream of far off places
When I read The Wrath and The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh this summer I was dreaming of the world. it was so well described and interesting that it was hard not to picture it throughout the day.
Earl Grey: Name your favourite classic
I really enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee when I read it in high school and I think it proves an interesting point about society as a whole during the time it was written. I hope to read more classics at some point although my tbr is pretty intimidating at the moment.
Green Tea: A book or series that is quietly beautiful
The first 3 books of the Selection series as it deal with so much more than girls in pretty dresses. Thank you, Kiera Cass for such an amazing series overall.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: The Bad Beginning
Author: Lemony Snicket
Series/Stand Alone: A Series of Unfortunate Events (Book #1)
Genre: Fiction, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Pages: 162
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Year Published: 1999
First Line: "If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book."
"Dear Reader,
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket."
My Rating: 4.5/5
Let me start this off by saying this is a reread because I finally saw the Netflix trailer for the new show and had to reread the series before it comes out. I forgot how incredible Lemony Snicket's writing style is. I really enjoyed the story although it is not my favorite in the series and I found that it was too short to really earn the 5/5 although I love the series as a whole. I can't wait to continue this reread although my tbr is slowly taking over my room. I look forward to learning more about the siblings and remember where this series goes.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So as I mentioned above, this is a reread for me and I thought that it would help with the slump I've started to slip into. I really enjoyed slipping back into Lemony Snicket's writing. I think that his writing is so interesting as he slips part of his own life into every book he writes. I can't wait for the longer books.
Characters:
Violet: I think that she is my favourite of the siblings. I thought that she was both resourceful and relatable as an older sibling. I think that the way she thinks about things is amazing.
Klaus: I forgot how much I love Klaus's reading and how he absorbs information so easily.
Sunny: Even she is so incredibly smart.
Mr. Poe: Always so dumb.. Somethings I forgot about... this was not one of those things.
Count Olaf: No one is quite as evil as this man. To threaten a girl who is 14 years old wouldn't it just be smarter to wait and be kind and then steal the money. It's only 4 years. Come one.
Justice Strauss: I think that she would have been an excellent guardian but unfortunately she is not related... damn it.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
Title: The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo
Author: Amy Schumer
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir
Pages: 323
Publisher: Gallery Books
Year Published: 2016
First Line: "Hey, it's me, Amy."
"The Emmy Award- winning comedian, actress, writer, and star of Inside Amy Schumer and the acclaimed film Trainwreck has taken the entertainment world by storm with her winning blend of smart, satirical humor. Now, Amy Schumer has written a refreshingly candid uproariously funny collection of (extremely) personal and observational essay.
In The Girl wit the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy mines her past for stories about her teenage years, her family, relationships, and sex, and shares the experiences that have shaped who she is- a woman with the courage to bare her soul and stand up for what she believes in, all while making us laugh.
Ranging from the raucous to the romantic, the heartfelt to the harrowing, this highly entertaining and universally appealing collection is the literary equivalent of a night out with your best friend- equivalent of a night out with your best friend- an unforgettable and fun adventure you wish could last forever. Whether she's experiencing lust at first sight while in the airport security line, sharing her own views on love and marriage, admitting to being an introvert, or discovering her boot camp instructor's secret bad habit, Amy Schumer proves to be a bighearted, brave, and thoughtful storyteller who will leave you nodding your head in recognition, laughing out loud, and sobbing uncontrollably- but only because it's over."
My Rating: 5/5
To start: Please note there will not be a spoiler for this book as it is nonfiction!
For those who don't know me personally, I'm a sucker for comedy. Not just comedy movies, but also specials. Really anything that can make me cackle, I'm in. I've watched a few of Amy's appearances and watched Trainwreck as soon as it came out. I really enjoyed both of this interactions mostly because of her crude and witty comedy style. I enjoyed cruder comedy growing up, but noticed that when women did it they caught a lot of flack. And while this can be said for Amy Schumer as well. I think that she's hysterical, talented and overall an amazing role model. This book really gave an insight to her life, her mistakes, her triumphs and her career. I thought that it showed a completely different side of her and the collection of shorter stories were easier to read and pieced together quite nicely. I would certainly read another book of hers and hope that she plans to write more in the future. Until then I will binge watch any comedy specials that will keep me giggling like the immature fool that I am.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
