Moonrise by Sarah Crossan

Moonrise by Sarah Crossan

Release Date: September 7, 2017
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Rated: YA 14+
Format: ARC
Source: Pansing
Buy: Available at all good bookstores!
Goodreads ● Website

'They think I hurt someone. 
But I didn't. You hear?
Coz people are gonna be telling you
all kinds of lies.
I need you to know the truth.'

Joe hasn't seen his brother for ten years, and it's for the most brutal of reasons. Ed is on death row.

But now Ed's execution date has been set, and Joe is determined to spend those last weeks with him, no matter what other people think...

**This review was to be published in 2017**

I've been meaning to read Sarah Crossan's books for a while. I mean, all of her books are on my wishlist, so it's truly amazing how long it's actually taken me to get to her work. I jumped at the chance to review this one when the opportunity rose and I have no regrets. I didn't really know that Crossan writes (most of) her books in verse, so this was a delightful surprise. It's been absolute ages since I've read a book in verse––the last probably being an Ellen Hopkins novel––and this was also a first for me: I haven't read a book that primarily centers around the criminal justice system and capital punishment before.

Upon realising that this was a novel in verse, I knew that this book was going to be harrowing and emotional. Why don't we have any happy books in verse (cue recommendations for happy verse books please!!)?! Anyway, nothing hits me harder than a difficult topic written in a way that portrays characters emotions and the gravity of the situation in a few but still deeply impacting words. You would expect not be able to get a handle on the characters in this book, but you'd be surprised at how much you can relate to and understand our protagonist Joe. I enjoyed the flashbacks and present day scenes intertwined––it allowed me to truly appreciate the past and see his complicated (and sweet) relationship with Ed, as well as with the rest of the characters.

Quick, brutally raw, and filled with feeling, Moonrise moved me to my core. Sarah Crossan masterfully navigates a difficult topic through beautiful verse, and I'm desperate to read more from her.

▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Sasha at Pansing for sending me a copy for review! ▪ ▪ ▪

If you like this, try...

• Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield ● Goodreads
• Made You Up by Francesca Zappia ● Goodreads

Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick

Gorgeous by Paul Rudnick

Release Date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rated: YA
Format: Hardcover
Source: ALA 2013
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Inner beauty wants out.

When eighteen-year-old Becky Randle’s mother dies, she’s summoned from her Missouri trailer park to meet Tom Kelly, the world’s top designer. He makes her an impossible offer: He’ll create three dresses to transform Becky from a nothing special girl into the most beautiful woman who ever lived.

Becky thinks Tom is a lunatic, or that he’s producing a hidden camera show called World’s Most Gullible Poor People. But she accepts, and she’s remade as Rebecca. When Becky looks in the mirror, she sees herself – an awkward mess of split ends and cankles. But when anyone else looks at Becky, they see pure five-alarm hotness.

Soon Rebecca is on the cover of Vogue, the new Hollywood darling, and dating celebrities. Then Becky meets Prince Gregory, heir to the British throne, and everything starts to crumble. Because Rebecca aside, Becky loves him. But to love her back, Gregory would have to look past the blinding Rebecca to see the real girl inside. And Becky knows there’s not enough magic in the world.

I remember getting a signed copy of this one at ALA in 2013, and here we are now–after years of Gorgeous lying on my shelf, I finally caved and cracked it open. With praise by Meg Cabot and David Sedaris on the front and back cover topped with an interesting premise, I had high hopes despite not knowing what exactly was in store. Sadly, Paul Rudnick's YA debut wasn't a hit for me. There were funny moments, sure, and the ridiculously over-the-top situations that our protagonist finds herself in are oozing in originality, but it fell flat for me. I also wasn't sure whether it was supposed to be a major commentary on something, like it was playing the satirical YA novel that pokes fun at popular culture, because I was definitely getting that, but I wasn't sure if that was the point (other than the inner beauty always beats outer beauty message); even if so, there were a few problems for me here and there that overshadowed the more humorous moments.

The characters–were we supposed to not like them? Becky was alright, but even so I wasn't rooting for her character a lot of the time. Prince Gregory was...passable. Rocher thankfully provided a lot of the funny in this novel, but even then there were times when I abhorred her. However, she was one of the characters I could truly grasp because otherwise the novel just seemed to bounce from place to place without really landing anywhere or going too much in depth character-wise by going unnecessarily in depth with random other things.

And the plot...what was happening? I probably could just give you the bare bones of the story, and even now while I'm typing out this review I'm questioning what I just read. There's a major supernatural element to the story, but it felt out of place? I'm just a little more than confused with the three dresses, the conditions she gets to wear them under, the reason for concealing the major "plot-twist," which, by the way, was super easy to guess and left me wondering why that was left until the end. Speaking of which–the end? Um, what? I'm not talking about the epilogue, but all the stuff that happens before. I kind of wish that I had put down the book earlier in order to avoid disappointment (as I had been contemplating several times while I was reading Gorgeous).

A let down, Paul Rudnick's Gorgeous just wasn't quite there. A real shame, because I so desperately wanted to love the story at multiple points–the potential for humour was so close, but didn't make it in the end for me. With a supernatural plot that takes part in the fashion world that ends up becoming involved with the British Royal Family...there was both too much thrown in and too little with regards to the characters going on in this book. Sad that it didn't work out, but I'm hoping if I do read another one of Rudnick's YA books that I'll find them better than I did this one!

Guess Who’s Back (Back Again)!

School's over, it's the summer again...that means I'M BACK!

Hello, hello. 
It's been a while, friends.

Lotta life happened in the past close-to-a-year. I graduated! Yay! I'm heading to grad school in the fall! Yay! I'm not ready to fully adult! YAY!

Anyway, as I mentioned eons ago, I decided to only become a seasonal blogger because of time commitments and such, so since the sun's out (well, it's always out in Singapore but other than that) and the snow is gone (Boston winters are cold man), it's time to pick up books again and start up this blog again...it's been way too long.

Rabiah x

#TurtlesAlltheWayCountDown: Week 1 – The Unboxing

Hi everyone!

Penguin Random House is having a John Green read-along to promote the release of his latest novel, Turtles All the Way Down! Every week will feature a John Green book, right up until the big release.

Week 1: THE UNBOXING

Thank you so much to Julia at Penguin Random House International for the mail!

I'm super excited to get back into John Green's books–I haven't read one in AGES, and I've read almost all of them...except for Will Grayson, Will Grayson, so now's the perfect time to do so!

Tell me: 

which John Green book is your favourite?

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 194

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight upcoming releases that I'm DYING to get my hands on!

This week's WoW is:

This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis

Sasha Stone knows her place—first-chair clarinet, top of her class, and at the side of her oxford-wearing boyfriend. She’s worked her entire life to ensure that her path to Oberlin Conservatory as a star musician is perfectly paved.

But suddenly there’s a fork in the road, in the shape of Isaac Harver. Her body shifts toward him when he walks by, her skin misses his touch even though she’s never known it, and she relishes the smell of him—smoke, beer, and trouble—all the things she’s avoided to get where she is. Even worse, every time he’s near Sasha, her heart stops, literally. Why does he know her so well—too well—and she doesn’t know him at all?

Sasha discovers that her by-the-book life began by ending another’s: the twin sister she absorbed in the womb. But that doesn’t explain the gaps of missing time in her practice schedule or the memories she has of things she certainly never did with Isaac. As Sasha loses her much-cherished control, her life—and heart—become more entangled with Isaac. Armed with the knowledge that her heart might not be hers alone, Sasha must decide what she’s willing to do—and who she’s willing to hurt—to take it back.

October 10, 2017 ● Goodreads

I have ALL THE REASONS to read this one! Pychological thrillers are always a big YES in my book, and I'll read absolutely anything that Mindy McGinnis writes. Sounds like a winning combo, no? Reviews have been super positive for this one, so I can't wait to dig in...hopefully soon *fingers crossed*.

What are you waiting on?

I Hate Everyone But You Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin

Release Date: September 5, 2017

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Rated: YA 14+

Format: Hardcover

Source: Publisher

Buy: Amazon ● B&N ● Books-a-Million ● IndieBound ● Powells

Goodreads ● Website

Dear Best Friend,

I can already tell that I will hate everyone but you.

Sincerely,

Ava Helmer

(that brunette who won’t leave you alone)

We're still in the same room, you weirdo.

Stop crying.

G

So begins a series of texts and emails sent between two best friends, Ava and Gen, as they head off to their first semesters of college on opposite sides of the country. From first loves to weird roommates, heartbreak, self-discovery, coming out and mental health, the two best friends will document every moment to each other. But as each changes and grows into her new life, will their friendship be able to survive the distance?

I wanted to read this one for several reasons. The first was the cute cover. I'm a sucker for simple, adorable covers, so check! this one fit the bill. Second reason? The title. It definitely piqued my interest, so I had to check out what it was about, which leads to my third reason: the little excerpt in the blurb. I LOVE the epistolary format–primarily because it's super easy and quick to read, but also it's a nice break from the usual prose. So yeah, I knew that I couldn't be disappointed by this one. And I'm glad I wasn't! I also only found out that two of my fave (former) Buzzfeed peeps wrote this book when I got a hardcover in the mail and saw the author picture (cue my jaw dropping). I haven't actually watched their YouTube channel, but I'm sure it's as great as they were when they were on Buzzfeed's videos. 

I'm pretty sure that the two characters in this book are based off of the two authors because from what videos I have seen of the both of them, Ava and Gen's characters are parallels to real-life Gaby and Allison (also sneaky sneaky with having characters with the same letters!). I really appreciated how different the two girls were–one was definitely a lot more outgoing while the other struggled a little more to fit in. You could totally see how the collaboration between these two authors worked, and I was super into it. It was also a bit of an interesting situation, as both of these girls just finished high school and are off to college! Normally at this point the book would be labelled NA, because it borders on more mature topics at university-settings, but this had a very YA-feel to it, so I'm one happy reader at this point, because I got to read about girls dealing with the same stuff as I did without feeling like I was crossing over into New Adult territory, which I normally stay away from (nothing against the category...it just isn't for me!).

The format, as I mentioned before, was pretty easy to read, because it mirrors our way of communicating with others today. Even though I rarely use email to talk to my friends, I appreciated the variation in format within the emails–we got some "articles" from Gen and "scenes" from Ava–as well as the IMs. It was really cute and moving to see these two characters deal with their struggles while also trying to keep in touch when they're both on different sides of the country. What my only problem is that we didn't get much of **minor spoiler** the events that happens when Ava goes to Boston for Thanksgiving, which was a bit difficult to piece together in the aftermath.

I clearly need to try more books by YouTubers because I Hate Everyone But You was so charming! I loved Dunn and Raskin's voices in their debut novel, and I sure as hell hope they write another one together because I enjoyed this collaboration. Refreshing, funny and full of pop culture references, I devoured this book in one go and was left wanting more.

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GABY DUNN & ALLISON RASKIN

Allison Raskin & Gaby Dunn are two best friends who live in Los Angeles. They started the comedy YouTube channel Just Between Us in 2014 and have since then spent far too much time together. Gaby’s journalism has appeared in pretty much every major publication and Allison has written some really funny group texts with her family. They hope to die within one hour of each other so neither has to plan a funeral. I Hate Everyone But You is their debut novel.

Gaby Dunn: Twitter ● Instagram
Allison Raskin: Twitter ● Instagram

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EXCERPT

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Now it's time for

A GIVEAWAY!!

Enter to win...

a hardcover copy of I Hate Everyone But You!

Enter via the Rafflecopter below!

US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Thank you so much to Meghan at Wednesday Books // St. Martin's Press for having me on the blog tour, and to Brittani at St. Martin's Press for sending me a copy for review!

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Shatter Me, Book 3
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback
Source: Borrowed (thanks Richa!)
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Read my review of Shatter Me HERE.

Read my review of Destroy Me HERE.

Read my review of Unravel Me HERE.

Read my review of Fracture Me HERE.

The fate of Omega Point is unknown.

Everyone Juliette has ever cared about could be dead. Juliette may be the only one standing in The Reestablishment's way. But to take them down, Juliette will need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together to defeat their mutual enemy, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew–about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam–was wrong.

Oh my goodness–it has taken SEVERAL years but I'm finally at this point! I FINISHED THE SHATTER ME TRILOGY!! Never mind that there are three more books to come...I actually finished the original three after years of putting it off! My track record for actually finishing series is terrible and this is an accomplishment in my eyes, so I'm gonna pat myself on the back for this one. Anyway. It all comes down to this: Ignite Me. From first really loving this book a few years ago, to re-reading it recently and not enjoying it as much, to loving the novella from Warner's POV, to enjoying the second instalment, to kind of switching sides in Adam's POV, it all comes down to this. While I did appreciate some of the awesome changes that this book presented, there were a few things I didn't quite enjoy. It's kind of like the Mockingjay of the series–I was left wanting more because I wasn't completely satisfied (which kinda works out seeing how there are going to be more books).

First of all, I liked Juliette the best in this book. She FINALLY grew a backbone, became much more grounded, and actually kicked-ass. She quit her whining, guys! And I'm gonna tell you–it made reading this book sooooo much easier. And then of course, what good is Juliette with all the boy drama? Team Adam and Team Warner...it all plays out here. There's a pretty clear ending for this love triangle that has gone back and forth in the previous books in the series, but I'm gonna scream if book four reintroduces it. Also–Team Kenji ftw, because Kenji is still the best character, in my opinion.

Okay, what I didn't really enjoy about this one was that it was kind of convenient. Like it was convenient that things started to fall into place, and it was convenient that problems were solved pretty quickly. Obviously it isn't the end of the story, but the last third or quarter of the book was just super (one last time!) convenient. I wanted a little more push-back or more problems to arise, but instead of action all I got was drama revolving around the romance. I love romance, but in a dystopian book about taking down the new order you KNOW I want my fair share of battle and action alongside steamy scenes.

I can't be totally disappointed with this book because there's another one coming out! If Ignite Me had been the last book of the series I wouldn't have minded either because it does seem to tie up somewhat nicely, but oh well–looks like further problems will arise because all is not what is seems (apparently). Overall I've been pretty into this series and am curious to see where it goes. Ignite Me may have not been my favourite, but it was still pretty damn good.

If you like this try...

• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins ● Goodreads

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What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

Release Date: July 10, 2017
Publisher: Delacorte
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Sometimes a new perspective is all that is needed to make sense of the world.

KIT: I don’t know why I decide not to sit with Annie and Violet at lunch. It feels like no one here gets what I’m going through. How could they? I don’t even understand.

DAVID: In the 622 days I’ve attended Mapleview High, Kit Lowell is the first person to sit at my lunch table. I mean, I’ve never once sat with someone until now. “So your dad is dead,” I say to Kit, because this is a fact I’ve recently learned about her. 

When an unlikely friendship is sparked between relatively popular Kit Lowell and socially isolated David Drucker, everyone is surprised, most of all Kit and David. Kit appreciates David’s blunt honesty—in fact, she finds it bizarrely refreshing. David welcomes Kit’s attention and her inquisitive nature. When she asks for his help figuring out the how and why of her dad’s tragic car accident, David is all in. But neither of them can predict what they’ll find. Can their friendship survive the truth?

After I found out about the existence of What to Say Next I HAD to get my hands on it and read it. I absolutely adored Tell Me Three Things (read my review)–it was one of my favourite reads last year. Well, I can't believe it, but this one actually managed to top it! Julie Buxbaum is officially on my I-don't-care-what-it's-about-but-I'm-going-to-read-it-no-matter-what list. What to Say Next was BEAUTIFUL. While I don't think that there was much in terms of plot, as the actual storyline wasn't as eventful as her debut YA novel, this one was soooooo good.

You guys, there was so much diversity in this one! It's kind of sad that when books actually have diverse characters we end of celebrating the fact, because it isn't the norm. Anyway, I loved the fact that the author actually did an amazing job of nailing the facts down, too (Indian girl over here who has been disappointed by wrong facts in YA novels!). Kit was such an amazing character–you could really feel how real her grief was and how real her character was. David of course puts her on a pedestal, but the alternating perspectives allows us to see that there is a more vulnerable, imperfect side to her. Speaking of, I LOVED DAVID. Yay for representation of a character with a disability, but also, gosh darn it: I loved this kid. I'm a sucker for the popular-girl-notices-unpopular-boy trope, and I was (sorry for the use of this word but) shipping this the whole way through. He has no filter, and reading his thoughts and observations was fascinating–not to mention, he was also full of surprises. Miney was a great character as well, and I'd love to read a spin-off book of her life at college...or even her years at high school. Doesn't matter because she kicks ass and is the supportive, wonderful sister that everyone should have. So, hooray! for awesome families in general because David's family was the ultimate squad goals, and, while Kit's mom had flaws, she felt so real, too. I'm glad to say that I enjoyed Violet and Annie's characters. They may seem like the typical best friends to the popular girl that's found so often in YA, as in that even though Kit was super nice they were the super mean friends, but they actually backed her up most of the way through, and THAT'S what healthy friendship looks like, folks.

As for the actual events of the book, there were several hilarious moments and some sad ones sprinkled among them. When I said that there wasn't too much going on in terms of the book's storyline before, I meant that there wasn't really major twists or events like there were in Tell Me Three Things. Tell Me Three Things had the email exchange and the mystery of who sends them while the main character basically has two boys interested in her. This one was not as mystery-charged, but emotionally there is a lot that is explored. There's a twist close to the end, that has to do with the tragic event that took place before the book begins. While it was kind of a surprise, it wasn't a huge shock for a reveal, so that was nice.

While this book does deal with grief and sad topics, it had such a cute romance. I loved What to Say Next, and without a doubt it's one of my favourites this year. I was genuinely bummed to see it end because I wanted MORE. Julie Buxbaum is a captivating storyteller with her lovable characters, hilarious and witty dialogue, as well as more than a fair share of touching moments. Her books are now an automatic must-read, and I'm definitely looking forward to what's coming next.

▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Julia at Penguin Random House for sending me a copy for review! ▪ ▪ ▪

If you like this, try...

• Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff ● Goodreads
• Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland ● Goodreads

Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno

Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno

Release Date: July 25, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: Edelweiss
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

24 dares. 3 weeks. Take the leap.

Lottie Reaves is not a risk taker. She plays it safe and avoids all the ways she might get hurt. But when her beloved aunt Helen dies of cancer, Lottie’s fears about life and death start spiraling out of control.

Aunt Helen wasn’t a typical aunt. She was the author of the bestselling Alvin Hatter series, about siblings who discover the elixir of immortality. Her writing inspired a generation of readers. She knew how magical writing could be, and that words have the power to make you see things differently.

In her will, Aunt Helen leaves one writing project just for Lottie. It’s a series of letters, each containing mysterious instructions that are supposed to get Lottie to take a leap and—for once in her life—really live. But when the letters reveal an extraordinary secret about the inspiration for the Alvin Hatter series, Lottie finds herself faced with an impossible choice—one that will force her to confront her greatest fears once and for all.

Everything All at Once was a contemporary that I was desperate to read–it popped up everywhere on my book social media, and there was no escaping it. I mean, I love books where there's a list of things to do after someone's gone, because it allows for self-discovery, as well as secrets to surface. Finally I decided to just go ahead and read it (skipping a lot of my TBR pile to do so as well!), and I'm glad that I enjoyed it. I liked The Half Life of Molly Pierce (read my review), and while this one is a bit more lighthearted in comparison to Leno's debut, it still carried similarly serious undertones.

It's always interesting seeing books within books. Our protagonist Lottie's aunt is a famous author, and before every chapter we see little snippets of the Alvin Hatter series along with multiple references to the series and its characters. It kind of makes me want some spin-off series that consists of Alvin Hatter books just to know what everyone refers to during the book! Also side note: for some reason whenever I think of Alvin I think of Alvin and the Chipmunks, so both Alvin and Margo were chipmunks in my head... (yeah I don't know what's wrong with me either).

What I liked that this book explored was mental illness. I obviously don't know what some people go through on a daily basis, so books like this one are so important to that understanding. Lottie's anxieties about life and death after the death of her aunt get much worse, so delving into something this close and personal was a pretty eye-opening experience. I really enjoyed her character too–she felt fresh and real, well-rounded and fleshed-out. The other characters were also a delight: her parents, her brother, her friends...and then there's Sam.

Okay, so things are going to get a bit **SPOILERY**, so just a warning ahead of time. It's not a major spoiler I'm about to drop but it kind of hints to the big reveal so I would avoid reading this paragraph. You not looking? CAUSE I'M ABOUT TO DROP THIS NOW (highlight to read): I didn't enjoy the magical aspect of this book. I mean, it was set up so well for a contemporary, and then there comes magical realism to tie it all up, and while it could have worked if it was present from the start, I think putting it in pretty late in the game just didn't work for me.

Other than my feelings about a particular part of the book, Everything All at Once was a poignant and moving story about life, death, and everything in between. I thoroughly enjoy and devour Katrina Leno's stories, so this is one I would most definitely recommend, and I look forward to reading more.

If you like this, try...

• Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan ● Goodreads

Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: December 17, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Shatter Me, Book 2.5
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback (part of Unite Me)
Source: Borrowed
Buy: Amazon
Goodreads ● Website

Read my review of Shatter Me HERE.

Read my review of Destroy Me HERE.

Read my review of Unravel Me HERE.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam's newly discovered half brother, won't be that easy. The Reestablishment can't tolerate a rebellion, and they'll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Okay, so since Unravel Me I'm heading towards the direction of Team Warner, but I'm glad Fracture Me was written from Adam's perspective because it definitely allowed some Adam appreciation from me! I'm sad that this love triangle is changing a ton, because in Shatter Me is pretty obvious who Juliette should end up with, but the novella and book that came after complicates things–both for Juliette, and for me because DAMN...I don't know who to side with now!

A lot of the events that took place in Unravel Me appear in this book told from Adam's perspective. While it's all stuff that we know, it's kinda cool to see how his character perceived things, especially since he didn't know a lot of the info that Juliette was hiding from him in the second book in the series. **SPOILER** What we also get is the story of what happens after Juliette is captured, and how everyone seems to think she's dead, as well as what they plan to do next.

I know I had some mixed feelings about this series to begin with, but now? Now I'm so excited to see how it ends. I'm captivated by Mafi's debut series, and I need to know how it all ends. I can't wait to pick up Ignite Me!

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Release Date: August 24, 2017
Publisher: Piccadilly Press
Rated: MG 12+
Format: Paperback
Source: Pansing
Buy: Available at all good bookstores soon!
Goodreads ● Website

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is in fact a good witch who shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna's thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge - with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth's surface. And the woman with the Tiger's heart is on the prowl . . .

Before reading The Girl Who Drank the Moon, I'd heard a lot about it. I'd seen that it won the Newbery Medal a while back, so when the opportunity to read and review it arose, I took that chance. There's something about diving into classic-esque middle grade fantasy books. They really take me back to my childhood, because I absolutely adored the fantasy genre growing up and couldn't get enough of places like Narnia or Lyra's Oxford. Anyway, I knew that there was no way that this could disappoint, and I'm so glad that it didn't. The Girl Who Drank the Moon was a magical, multi-layered story that I couldn't get enough of.

I say multi-layered, because there are several stories going on at once, with jumps in time, setting and so if you're unaccustomed to stories that swing from place to place, this could get a little confusing. I was a little perplexed to begin with, with the interjecting characters of a one-sided conversation that doesn't really make any sense until the end, as well as with the random characters that eventually turn out to be not-so-random. Initially, even though they were pretty interesting, I was wondering what the point of including them in the story was. As it turns out, everything is connected and the level of detail that the author attributes to interweaving the various characters and their stories is stunning.

I loved the misconceptions and mishaps between the different character groups! Obviously the fact that the people of Protecotorate thought that there was a witch that demanded babies so that they'd have to turn over they're youngest children was horrifying, but the fact that Xan was actually a lovely, grandmotherly witch made this story so much more intriguing. Then we have a wonderful duo that comes with her–the poetic and philosophical Glerk, and the hilarious Fyrian. Fyrian is the small talkative dragon friend I wish I had! I truly enjoyed his random observations and singing moments–it was a lovely ice-breaker at times when the book got a little dark. Luna, our main character, of course sounded like a tiresome (but adorable) child when she was younger, but I loved her growth and discovery that came along with it. There are so many people in here that keeping track of everyone, as I mentioned before, will be a bit tricky, but trust me–it all comes together in the end.

The writing is absolutely GORGEOUS. I was sucked into this world almost immediately, and navigating the landscape through the perspective of various characters gave it that extra sparkle. There are creatures and various kinds of magic in here that I never could have imagined. Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon was wonderful–it's a beautiful tribute to the classics that have come before, as well as being a new and unique take on the fantasy genre that will without a doubt lead to it ranking among the frontrunners of the genre. 

▪ ▪ ▪ Thank you so much to Sasha at Pansing for sending me a copy for review! ▪ ▪ ▪

If you like this, try...

• The Secret Horses of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd ● Goodreads
• The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani ● Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 193

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's to spotlight upcoming releases that I'm DYING to get my hands on!

This week's WoW is:

Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed

Maya Aziz is torn between futures: the one her parents expect for their good Indian daughter (i.e.; staying nearby in Chicago and being matched with a "suitable" Muslim boy), and the one where she goes to film school in New York City--and maybe, just maybe, kisses a guy she's only known from afar. There's the also the fun stuff, like laughing with her best friend Violet, making on-the-spot documentaries, sneaking away for private swimming lessons at a secret pond in the woods. But her world is shattered when a suicide bomber strikes in the American heartland; by chance, he shares Maya's last name. What happens to the one Muslim family in town when their community is suddenly consumed with hatred and fear?

January 16, 2018 ● Goodreads

Thought that this title would be pretty relevant considering all that's been going on this week the past few months throughout history. As an Indian Muslim, even though I haven't grown up in the US, this is such an important book. A little personal input from me: I've never actually been afraid of being called out or hated on because of my race and religion until I went to the US for university. Seriously. It hasn't ever happened, thankfully, but I haven't been back to Trump Presidency-era America, so going back after being 9 months away due to study abroad and summer holidays is going to be a different experience...one that hopefully involves positive change (#resist). That being said, I can't wait to read this one, because now more than ever this is something we–the Muslim community, POC, etc.–need.

What are you waiting on?