Book Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Title: The 5th Wave

Author: Rick Yancey

Series/Standalone: The 5th Wave Series

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

Pages: 457

Publisher: GP Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2013

Format: Audiobook (Own Paperback Copy)

"After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother- or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I put this book off for so long because I heard from multiple booktubers that the series goes downhill, but now that it's been out for almost 10 years, so I picked this up for nostalgia purposes mainly. It is such a throwback to the 2010s dystopian stories. This one was good. I think that if I had picked it up when it came out I would have been impatiently waiting for the next one, but because I waited for the hype to die down (and then some) I will just be binge-reading these for fun.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

Title: Miracle Creek

Author: Angie Kim

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 355

Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"How far will you go to protect your family? Will you keep their secrets? Ignore their lies?

In a small town in Virginia, a group of people know each other because they're part of a special treatment center, a hyperbaric chamber that may cure a range of conditions from infertility to autism. But then the chamber explodes, two people die, and it's clear the explosion wasn't an accident.

A showdown unfolds as the story moves across characters who are all maybe keeping secrets, hiding betrayals. Was it the careless mother of a patient? Was it the owner, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? could it have been a protester, trying to prove the treatment isn't safe?"

My Rating: 4/5

I want to start by saying I can understand the backlash towards this book. There are aspects that are problematic. And I think that you have to keep in mind that the author isn't out here believing that autism can be cured. She is writing about things that she has researched and has turned aspects of people's lives into a mystery. Again this is fiction. She is writing about a mystery/thriller surrounding a fictional tragedy and how society's expectations play into a courtroom drama.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Title: Crazy Stupid Bromance

Author: Lyssa Kay Adams

Series/Standalone: Bromance Book Club (Book #3)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult

Pages: 345

Publisher: Berkley

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Alexis Carlisle and cat cafe, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef's sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they're sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts- her best friend, Noah Logan.

Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah's got a secret: He's madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush.

Noah's pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved "manuals" to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he's ever had.

A hacktivist and a cat cafe owner decode the friend zone in this romantic comedy from the author of Undercover Bromance."

My Rating: 4/5

This is one of my favourite tropes. I love friends to lovers, I love best friend crush vibes where you know both of them are into each other before they make the first moves towards being together. I think that this was an exciting pairing between a cafe owner and an ex-hactivist is so fun to me. Also watching friends pine for each other reminds me of my husband and me. So it's a fun throwback. I recommend this series to anyone wanting favourite tropes with great characters and fantastic tie-ins.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Heartstopper: Volume 4

Title: Heartstopper: Volume 4

Author: Alice Oseman

Artist(s): Alice Oseman

Series/Standalone: Heartstopper (Volume 4)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, LGBT

Pages: 384

Publisher: Graphix

Year Published: 2021

Format: Paperback Copy (Library)

"Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love and everything that happens in between: this is the fourth volume of HEARTSTOPPER, for fans of The Art of Being Normal, Holly Bourne and Love, Simon.

Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Charlie's beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you.

Nick's been feeling the same, but he's got a lot of his mind- not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.

As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means.

Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger which speaks to all of us."

My Rating: 5/5

This review is coming quite a bit later than when I finished reading this volume because I got married this past week! Super exciting stuff and it was so busy that imagine this, a review slipped my mind. But not to worry I'm back at it. This was a great instalment of the series. It is both a sweet and heartfelt story, alongside tackling more serious topics for a young audience. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more. Would recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in picking it up!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: The Hawthorne Legacy

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Series/Standalone: The Inheritance Games (Book #2)

Genre: Mystery, Young Adult

Pages: 380

Publisher: Penguin

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"Intrigue, riches and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Inheritance Games perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all her questions- including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than his own daughters or grandsons.

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she's not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnet Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions and there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture- by any means necessary.

With nonstop action, aspirational jet-setting, family intrigue swoonworthy romance, and billions of dollars hanging in the balance, The Hawthorne Legacy will thrill Jennifer Lynn Barnes fans and new readers alike."

My Rating: 3.75/5

I think this second installment was fun. We picked up right after we left off in the first book which I was grateful for. I liked the growth in our characters and how the author upped the stakes in this second volume. I will finish the series, but it's hard to get ahold of the audiobooks, so it will be a while before I can continue on. I love audiobooks and would strongly recommend them. Overall, a fun read, just not my new favourite like I had hoped.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Title: The Ballerinas

Author: Rachel Kapelke-Dale

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Adult Fiction, Thriller

Pages: 304

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"Dare Me meets Black Swan and Luckiest Girl Alive in a captivating voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School.

Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg-- taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now 36 years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career-- and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed wile she's been away... and some secrets can't stay buried forever.

Moving between the trio's adolescent years and the present day, The Ballerinas explores the complexities of female friendship, the dark drive towards physical perfection in the name of artistic expression, the double-edged sword of ambition and passion, and the sublimated rage that so many women hold inside-- all culminating in a twist you won't see coming, with magnetic characters you won't soon forget."

My Rating: 3/5

I did end up reading this in two different times and when reading the first half, I really enjoyed it. The way it didn't shy away from what society deems appropriate for ballerinas/dancers but overall for women. I was intrigued by the thrilling elements and enjoyed the commentary. When picking it back up to finish the second half I just found it ok. I wanted more of the thrilling components and more of twist but I felt that the twist was drug out too long and I lost interest. Overall this was just ok for me, I would be interested in reading more that the author puts out, this just wasn't my favorite thriller.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Talking To Canadians by Rick Mercer

Title: Talking to Canadians

Author: Rick Mercer

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Adult, Memoir

Pages: 312

Publisher: Doubleday Canada

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"Canada's beloved comic genius tells his own story for the first time.

What is Rick Mercer going to do now? That was the question when the beloved comedian retired his hugely successful TV show after 15 seasons- and at the peak of its popularity. The answer came not long after, when he roared back in a new role as stand-up-comedian, playing to sold-out houses wherever he appeared.

And then Covid-19 struck. And his legions of fans began asking again: What is Rick Mercer going to do now? Well, for one thing, he's been writing a comic masterpiece. For the first time, this most private of public figures has turned the spotlight on himself, in a memoir that's as revealing as it is hilarious. In riveting anecdotal style, Rick charts his rise from highly unpromising schoolboy (in his reports 'the word 'disappointment' appeared a fair bit') to the height of TV fame. Along the way came an amazing break when, not long out of his teens, his one-man show Show Me the Button, I'll Push It Or, Charles Lynch Must Die, became an overnight sensation- thanks in part to a bizarre ambush by its target, Charles Lynch himself. That's one story you won't soon forget, and this book is full of them.

There's a tale of how little Rick helped himself to a tree from the neighbours' garden that's set to become a new Christmas classic. There's Rick the aspiring actor, braving 'the scariest thing I have ever done in my life' by performing with the Newfoundland Shakespeare Company; unforgettable scenes with politicians of every variety, from Jean Chretien to George W. Bush to Stockwell Day; and a wealth behind-the-scenes revelations about the origins and making of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made in Canada and Talking to Americans. All leading of course to the greenlighting of the mega-hit, Rick Mercer Report...

It's a life so packed with incident (did we mention Bosnia and Kabul?) and laughter we can only hope that a future answer to 'What is Rick Mercer going to do now?' is 'Write volume two.'"

My Rating: 5/5

In my family, there weren't many shows we watched religiously, but the Rick Mercer Report was always playing on Mondays. It's a show me and my dad laughed at for years together (even if I might have been too young to understand the jokes). Rick Mercer is really a Canadian legend and was one of the first gay men I saw on TV growing up. I enjoyed this memoir seeing how he got his start and got to where he is today. I listened to the audiobook and loved that the author narrates it himself. Would recommend it to any fans, or people who want a fun memoir.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Teenage Haunts

Title: Teenage Haunts

Author: Dan Watters

Artist(s): Caspar Wijngaard

Series/Standalone: Home Sick Pilots (Vol. 1)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror, Young Adult

Pages: 152

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"In the summer of 1994, a haunted house walks across California. Inside is Ami, lead-singer of a high school punk band- who's been missing for weeks. How did she get there? What do these ghosts want? And does this mean the band have to break up?

Expect three chord songs and big bloody action as Power Rangers meets The Shining (yes really), and as writer Dan Watters (Lucifer/Coffin Bound) and artist Caspr Wijngaard (Star Wars/Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt) delve into the horrors of misspent youth."

My Rating: 2.5/5

I think this was a decent start for a new series, but to me, it felt a little on the long side. I liked the idea of the plot kids in a punk band in the 90s seems perfect mixed with the horror/ghosty aspect. I liked that. I'm curious to see where it goes, but just an ok first volume for me overall.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: My Low-G Life

Title: My Low-G Life

Author: Joe Henderson

Artist(s): Lee Garbett, Antonio Fabela

Series/Standalone: Skyward (Vol. 1)

Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction

Pages: 136

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2018

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"One day, gravity on Earth suddenly became a fraction of what it is now. Twenty years later, humanity has adapted to its new low gravity reality. And to Willa Fowler, a woman born just after G-day, it's well, it's pretty awesome, actually. You can fly through the air! I mean, sure, you can also die if you jump too high. So you don't jump too high. And maybe don't get mixed up in your Dad's secret plan to bring gravity back that could get you killed..."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I really love this concept, it's terrifying but so fascinating. We all know that I love a dystopian universe and to see it done in a graphic novel was fantastic. I love the art style, and I think that this was a great opening volume. I can't wait to see where this series goes. I'm sure it will be an intriguing ride.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Crush by Tracy Wolff

Title: Crush

Author: Tracy Wolff

Series/Standalone: Crave Series (Book #2)

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Pages: 704

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"Everything feels off- especially me. I've returned to Katmere Academy, but I'm haunted by fragments of days I have no recollection of living and struggling to understand who, or what, I really am.

Just when I start to feel safe again, Hudson is back with a vengeance. He insists there are secrets I don't know about, threatening to drive a wedge between Jaxon and me forever. But far worse enemies are at our doorstep.

The Circle is caught in a power play and the Vampire Court is trying to drag me out of my world and into theirs. The only thing Hudson and Jaxon agree on is that leaving Katemere would mean my certain death.

And not only am I fighting for my life, but now everyone else's is at stake- unless we can defeat an unspeakable evil. All I know is that saving the people love is going to require sacrifice.

Maybe more than I'm able to give."

My Rating: 3/5

This was so fun, I think that with this installment I can see what Tracy Wolff is doing she's offering a campy, trendy vampire school that gives 2010s vibes but in a more current setting. Its fun. It's enjoyable. I like the characters the concept of this school is entertaining and I look forward to continuing the series via audio. I would recommend if you want something new to somehow give you nostalgia. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny