The Becoming of Noah Shaw (The Shaw Confessions #1) by Michelle Hodkin

The Becoming of Noah Shaw (The Shaw Confessions #1) 

by Michelle Hodkin   

Source: eARC provided for review, thank you!

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads/ Amazon/ TBD

Summary:

In the first book of the Shaw Confessions, the companion series to the New York Times bestselling Mara Dyer novels, old skeletons are laid bare and new promises prove deadly. This is what happens after happily ever after.

Everyone thinks seventeen-year-old Noah Shaw has the world on a string.

They’re wrong.

Mara Dyer is the only one he trusts with his secrets and his future.

He shouldn’t.
And both are scared that uncovering the truth about themselves will force them apart.They’re right.

****

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to write a full, long review of this book because it’d be full of spoilers. So, just let me tell you this: The Becoming of Noah Shaw will NOT disappoint you.

If you enjoyed the Mara Dyer trilogy, then you’ll definitely enjoy this one, too. It has all the things that made The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer unforgettable: nerdy conversations, gore, mystery, darkness and that passionate and all consuming love between Mara and Noah.

Please be aware, the first thing I noticed when I started reading it were the trigger warnings. I don’t even remember all of them, but if the first page (on my kindle) was full of trigger warnings, then you know this is going to be fucked up. 

The plot was just as intriguing and puzzling as the previous trilogy, and even though there are answers to questions from Mara’s books, the mystery never ends.

Michelle Hodkin brings back her old characters and puts them in way more complicated situations, testing them, and testing us. 

While there isn’t a love triangle at sight (thank you!) the ending is still heartbreaking and full of angst. I am actually dying to read the next book, but I wasn’t expecting less. 

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Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu

Warcross (Warcross #1)

by Marie Lu

Source: eARC provided for review. Thank you!

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads/ Amazon/ TBD

Summary:

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

*****

Warcross, by Marie Lu is one of the best books I’ve read this year so far. I’m not a gamer, and I loved it, I guess that means if you’re a gamer, you will enjoy it even more.

There are so many good things to say about this book that I don’t even know where to start.

Marie Lu is such a wonderful storyteller and every world she creates is one where one wants to live.

From New York to Tokyo and the virtual reality of Warcross, each description is vivid and atmospheric; it’ll make you be a part of it.

And if a brilliant world-building wasn’t enough, the cast of tough and diverse characters will win you over.

I loved every one of these characters, even Zero, the antihero.

Emika and Hideo are (were?) my favorite and I loved the dynamics between the two of them.

One of the things I liked the most about Warcross is that even though this book is an action packed roller-coaster, it also has some very emotional moments, and  some of them almost made me cry.

In a world where virtual reality is their reality, these characters gave us precious moments of humanity.

To be honest, I was a bit worried about the romance when I realized who the love interest was. But their relationship was slow burn and sweet… but this is Marie Lu we’re talking about, so of course, there’s more to that.

And the ending was EPIC. There were some unexpected twists and turns, and even though one of them wasn’t that surprising, it makes the wait for the next book feel longer.

Once again, Marie Lu delivers a story full of action, friendship, betrayals and the promise of something better to come.

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Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Words in Deep Blue

by Cath Crowley

Source: eARC provided for review. Thank you!

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads/ Amazon/ TBD

Summary:

Years ago, Rachel had a crush on Henry Jones. The day before she moved away, she tucked a love letter into his favorite book in his family’s bookshop. She waited. But Henry never came. 

Now Rachel has returned to the city—and to the bookshop—to work alongside the boy she’d rather not see, if at all possible, for the rest of her life. But Rachel needs the distraction, and the escape. Her brother drowned months ago, and she can’t feel anything anymore. She can’t see her future.

Henry’s future isn’t looking too promising, either. His girlfriend dumped him. The bookstore is slipping away. And his family is breaking apart.

As Henry and Rachel work side by side—surrounded by books, watching love stories unfold, exchanging letters between the pages—they find hope in each other. Because life may be uncontrollable, even unbearable sometimes. But it’s possible that words, and love, and second chances are enough.

*****

I read Words in Deep Blue a few weeks ago, but I couldn’t write a review because I don’t know what to say about it.

Words in Deep Blue is such a deep and beautiful book. If you’ve read Graffiti Moon, then you already know how magical Cath Crowley’s writing is. Her words make you feel and you can’t help but falling in love with her characters.

Those characters, omg, they were so lovely and cute and interesting, and so much more. I loved the main characters, and I loved the secondary characters just the same. Henry’s sister and Rachel’s brother were such a sweethearts, my heart breaks just thinking about them.

This book is about loss and grief, but it’s so well done that I was able to see the magic and feel the joy of being alive even when my heart was broken seeing Rachel’s suffering.

There’s also a sort of love triangle because Henry is still in love with his ex girlfriend, but he’s so cute I didn’t care. It didn’t feel that way.

The book is told in Rachel and Henry’s POV, so it was really lovely to see them fall for each other, after everything they went through.

I loved all about this book, but one of the things I loved the most was the setting. This is a book about the power of books and words. The letter library is one of my fave things ever. The whole book was like a love letter or a love song.

You see, I don’t have anything bad to say about Words in Deep Blue because I fell in love with it, with the characters, the bookshop, the plot and the writing.

Cath Crowley stole my heart once more and I can’t recommend it enough. I’ll read everything she writes from now on. 

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Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

Ramona Blue 

by Julie Murphy

 Source: ARC provided for review.

Goodreads/ Amazon/ TBD

Summary:

Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.

****

Ramona Blue is one of the sweetest contemporary books I’ve ever read.

This one of those books that left me speechless, because it was really complex and deep and you know, I, (a Spanish speaker) don’t have enough words sometimes.

Ramona Blue is a beautiful book about sexuality, family, friendship, poverty and love for swimming.

I’ve been writing and re-writing my thoughts on this book, but I always end up just saying how much I loved it.

This book got close to my heart because Ramona’s family is so much like mine, and many of Ramona’s financial problems felt like mine, too. I understood her and I felt deeply sorry for her. And at the same time I admired her. Because these were her decisions and she was happy with her family. I loved how positive was their relationship even though there were some things wrong.

And then there’s the friendship. I adored Ramona’s friends and how loyal and honest they were.

Maybe this is why I loved Ramona’s relationship with Freddie, because they started as friends until their friendship evolved and became something more. It was so well done that I was rooting for them!

And just like I loved every character, I loved Julie’s writing. It was fast paced and addictive and beautiful, she made an “apparently” ugly town look beautiful and breathtaking.

I haven’t read Dumplin’ but I read Side Effects May Vary, and I didn’t exactly love that book, so if you’re unsure about reading this book, you really should give it a chance. It’s worth it. 

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