Lia, Human of Utah, by Greg Ramsey |ARC Book Review

Hello friends! Welcome back to Adele Is Reading.

Today I have my ARC book review of Lia, Human of Utah, by Greg Ramsey.

A huge Thank You to Netgalley, for allowing me to read Lia, Human of Utah in exchange for an honest review.
This in no way has impacted my review. 

Trigger Warning: Murder, Fighting, Blood, Terrorist Attack mention, Loss of a Child mention, Grief.

In the year 2342, Lia wakes up to a nightmarish world where the remnants of mankind have mutated into ravaging monsters. Alone and hunted, she struggles to remember who she is and what happened to civilization.

She cannot run forever. But when she turns on her hunters, the mutation takes her over violently. Now she must fight to maintain her humanity and uncover the terrible truth behind the apocalyptic infection—before the beast within her takes over and seals her fate forever.

Who is she? What is she? The fate of Earth hinges on the answers. And even all her courage may not be enough when the moment of truth arrives.

Release date: September 1, 2017.

Let me start things off with saying that I hyped up this book way more than I should have. There were so many things that completely fell flat from my expectations.

City In Embers, by Stacey Marie Brown | {ARC} Book Review #383

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of City In Embers by Stacey Marie Brown from Mark My Words Book Publicity, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my review.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Trigger Warning: Sexual Abuse Mention, Child Abuse Mention, Rape Mention, Blood

Zoey Daniels has been tossed from foster home to foster home, where she grows up fast and tough. When she is placed in her “last-chance” home, she finds a reason to stay and turn her life around: her foster sister, Lexie, who is paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. Zoey will do anything to keep her safe.

After high school, Zoey is hired by a special government agency, the Department of Molecular Genetics (DMG), where she meets the other reason to remain: Daniel, her co-worker. The man she loves.

But there is something unique about Zoey. She can see fae. Because of this, the DMG hires her to work as a Collector: catching, researching, testing, and using the fae to save human lives. The work never registers on her sympathy radar. She was raised to think of fae as beasts that feed on humans and want to destroy them.

When devastation hits Seattle, Zoey’s whole world is turned upside down. The electric storm connects her to a ruthless fae, a Wanderer named Ryker, whose dealings expose them to even more trouble and danger. They embark on a journey, running and hiding from both the government and fae, both of which threaten their lives and those they love.

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Publication Date: February 04, 2015.

What initially drew me to City In Embers was the fact that this book is a New Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Now I don’t know about you, but it is difficult for me to find a New Adult Fantasy novel. So I decided to give this book a try.

I’m not going to lie to you: I had incredibly high hopes for City In Embers.

(DNF) Has to Be Love, by Jolene Perry | {ARC} Book Review #376

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of Has to Be Love by Jolene Perry from Albert Whitman & Company, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my review.

Years ago, Clara survived a vicious bear attack. She’s used to getting sympathetic looks around town, but meeting strangers is a different story. Yet her dreams go far beyond Knik, Alaska, and now she’s got a secret that’s both thrilling and terrifying—an acceptance letter from Columbia University. But it turns out her scars aren’t as fixable as she hoped, and when her boyfriend begins to press for a forever commitment, she has second thoughts about New York. Then Rhodes, a student teacher in her English class, forces her to acknowledge her writing talent, and everything becomes even more confusing—especially with the feelings she’s starting to have about him. Now all Clara wants to do is hide from the tough choices she has to make. When her world comes crashing down around her, Clara has to confront her problems and find her way to a decision. Will she choose the life of her dreams or the life that someone she loves has chosen? Which choice is scarier?

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Publication Date: September 25, 2015.

Please note that I marked Has to Be Love as Did Not Finish (DNF) at 23%. 

Initially I had high hopes for Has to Be Love. I really wanted to know what happened to Clara and if she came to terms with her scars, or if she got her scars fixed. yet quickly into reading Has to Be Love, I realized that this book just wasn’t for me. Which is disappointing, because I genuinely did want to end up liking this book.

What I didn’t like about this novel was that I did not like the attraction that Clara had towards her new student-teacher that is still, technically, a student himself. That’s what drew me away from finishing the rest of this novel.

I give Has to Be Love, 1 star.

Happy Reading!
— Adele

(DNF) The Witch of Painted Sorrows, by M.J. Rose | {ARC} Book Review #370

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of The Witch of Painted Sorrows by M.J. Rose, from Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my review.

Possession. Power. Passion. New York Times bestselling novelist M. J. Rose creates her most provocative and magical spellbinder yet in this gothic novel set against the lavish spectacle of 1890s Belle Époque Paris.

Sandrine Salome flees New York for her grandmother’s Paris mansion to escape her dangerous husband, but what she finds there is even more menacing. The house, famous for its lavish art collection and elegant salons, is mysteriously closed up. Although her grandmother insists it’s dangerous for Sandrine to visit, she defies her and meets Julien Duplessi, a mesmerizing young architect. Together they explore the hidden night world of Paris, the forbidden occult underground and Sandrine’s deepest desires.

Among the bohemians and the demi-monde, Sandrine discovers her erotic nature as a lover and painter. Then darker influences threaten—her cold and cruel husband is tracking her down and something sinister is taking hold, changing Sandrine, altering her. She’s become possessed by La Lune: A witch, a legend, and a sixteenth-century courtesan, who opens up her life to a darkness that may become a gift or a curse.

This is Sandrine’s “wild night of the soul,” her odyssey in the magnificent city of Paris, of art, love, and witchery.

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Publication Date: March 17, 2015.

What I was looking forward to most in The Witch of Painted Sorrows, was the Gothic, Witches, Fantasy and Romance aspects of this novel. What I wasn’t looking forward to was the Historical Fiction. I don’t normally read Historical Fiction unless there’s quite a bit of fantasy to overlap it, and I was sincerely hoping that in The Witch of Painted Sorrows, the Fantasy aspects of this novel would overtake the fact that this book takes place in the year 1894.

The writing feels is akin to something that comes out of an age-old fairy tale.

Drawn in by the alluring synopsis, i pictured that The Witch of Painted Sorrows would be a quick read. While the story was entertaining, it is not one that I could have enjoyed to the fullest.

I didn’t like that The Witch of Painted Sorrows was slow on the uptake.

What I liked about The Witch of Painted Sorrows is that I could very easily be drawn into the story. With the slow build up of the story however, I knew that I was *reading* a story, rather than living the story alongside the character.

I marked The Witch of Painted Sorrows as Did Not Finish (DNF) at 23%.

I give (what I read of) The Witch of Painted Sorrows, 2 stars.

Happy Reading!
— Adele

The Traitor God, by Cameron Johnston | {ARC} Book Review #360

Thank you Angry Robot Books, via Netgalley for allowing me to read The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston in exchange for an honest review.

A city threatened by unimaginable horrors must trust their most hated outcast, or lose everything, in this crushing epic fantasy debut.

After ten years on the run, dodging daemons and debt, reviled magician Edrin Walker returns home to avenge the brutal murder of his friend. Lynas had uncovered a terrible secret, something that threatened to devour the entire city. He tried to warn the Arcanum, the sorcerers who rule the city. He failed. Lynas was skinned alive and Walker felt every cut. Now nothing will stop him from finding the murderer. Magi, mortals, daemons, and even the gods – Walker will burn them all if he has to. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s killed a god…

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Publication Date: June 05, 2018.

What drew me towards The Traitor Gods was initially the cover; I mean, it’s beautifully illustrated, and it’s so interesting. There’s so much to look at! The second thing that drew me towards this novel was the title: The Traitor God.  The title alone sparks my imagination.

(DNF) Endangered, by Dani Hoots | {ARC} Book Review #359

Thank you to Victory Editing, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read Endangered (Daughter of Hades Book 1) by Dani Hoots, in exchange for an honest review. 

Chrys has been in the Underworld for thousands of years, hidden away by her father, Hades, from all the other gods. He’s afraid that if someone finds out about her, that they will destroy her because of the dichotomous power that she holds, the power of life and death. So she has remained in the Palace of Hades all her life, making very little friends and always bored out of her mind.

Huntley would have never guessed that after he died that he would wake up with a beautiful girl standing over him. And that she would be the Dark Lord of the Underworld’s daughter. Yet, for some reason, she keeps him around as her tutor, as if he knows anything about the world. But Huntley knows that all she really wants is a friend; being trapped in the Underworld can get pretty lonely.

That is, until Chrys decides that she wants to run away to the human world after a big fight with her mother Persephone. Chrys claims that her father is over reacting and that nothing bad will come of it. There’s no way that the gods will notice she’s there for only a couple of days, right?

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Publication Date: May 13, 2016.
DNF’d at 59%

Immediately, when I knew that this book was part of the mythology genre, I was slightly interested in reading this book. When I found out that Endangered is from the point of view of Hades’ daughter, my interest was piqued and then I requested the novel.

I was very excited about Endangered, and I was truly looking forward to it.

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Volume 01 + 02, by Fujita | {ARC} Manga Review #29

Thank You to Kodansha Comics via Netgalley, for allowing me to read Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku Volume 01, by Fujita, in exchange for an honest review. 

 

The awkward, romantic comedy manga about geeks in love that inspired the new anime! Can a professional man who’s secretly a hardcore gamer and a woman who’s secretly a fujoshi date without their hobbies getting in the way, or revealing each other’s secrets?

Extra-long book includes 2 Japanese volumes!

GAMES OVER ROMANCE

Narumi Momose has had it rough: Every boyfriend she’s had dumped her once they found out she was an otaku, so she’s gone to great lengths to hide it. When a chance meeting at her new job with childhood friend, fellow otaku, and now coworker Hirotaka Nifuji almost gets her secret outed at work, she comes up with a plan to make sure he never speaks up. But he comes up with a counter-proposal: Why doesn’t she just date him instead?

In love, there are no save points.

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I was pretty excited to read the first volume since the synopsis sounded SO GOOD. I’m really interested in the older-aged manga and anime characters. I’ve only read two older-aged-character manga’s as of late, but I love them both. That said, I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started reading Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku. What I recieved though was pure gold. 

Stay Sweet, by Siobhan Vivian | {ARC} Book Review #345

A huge Thank You to Simon & Schuster Canada, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian in exchange for an honest review. 

A summer read about first love, feminism, and ice cream.

Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…

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Publication Date: April 24, 2018.

My thoughts on Stay Sweet prior to sitting down and reading the book are that even though the premise for Stay Sweet is interesting, I wanted to keep my expectations low. I thought that Stay Sweet would be a story overflowing with fluff. Kind of like a dreamy summer read. Instead, Stay Sweet was more down-to-earth, more realistic. Amelia has graduated high school, and this summer, she’ll be working at the Meade Creamery before she’s off to college.

Molly Meade dying was something that I don’t think ever crossed Amelia’s mind. However, when Molly is found dead, Amelia’s world seems to come down around her. From then on, the book has it’s high’s and lows.

State of the Arc #2 | March ’18

STATE OF THE ARC MEME

State of the ARC is a monthly meme at Avalinah’s Books meant to motivate you to finish up all your long overdue ARCs (Advanced or Early Reader Copies). You can track your reading progress and link up with your own post. Most commonly it comes out on the 30th of every month.

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February was an exceptionally good reading month for me. I was hoping that march would be a similar month for me ARC wise. Yet March proved to be the exact opposite of what I hoped it’d be. Which I am laughing about now since I wanted to have another good reading month. I guess it wasn’t in the pages for me! (See what I did there?)

Emergency Contact, by Mary H.K Choi | {ARC} Book Review #331

A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada; via Netgalley for allowing me to read Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi in exchange for an honest review. 

Trigger Warning:

• Alcoholic Parent
• Rape/Sexual Assault
• Panic Attacks

For Penny Lee high school was a total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she somehow managed to land a boyfriend, he doesn’t actually know anything about her. When Penny heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.

Sam’s stuck. Literally, figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.

When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable, sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating weirdness of having to see each other.

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This review contains spoilers. 

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi is a book that has two points of view. The first point of view is from Penny, who is just starting her college life. The second point of view that we read from is from Sam, who is struggling to get himself through school.

I didn’t have any problem’s with this book at all. In fact, Emergency Contact is now one of my favourite books. And the cover is absolutely gorgeous.