Stacking the Shelves (38)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, sharing the books I've acquired this week (well, the past two weeks)!

Here are the books I got for review:

36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You by Vicki Grant (ARC)

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James (ARC)

Moonrise by Sarah Crossan (ARC)

The Wonderling by Mira Bartók (ARC)

I also got cool golden envelope with The Wonderling that contained a press release and a key with a lovely label!

I also snagged a couple of eGalleys because they were available to read now:

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

Invictus by Ryan Graudin

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Thank you so much to Sasha at Pansing and the publishers on NetGalley!

The Explorer by Katherine Rundell

The Explorer by Katherine Rundell

Release Date: August 10, 2017
Illustrated by: Hannah Horn
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Rated: MG 11+
Format: ARC
Source: Pansing
Buy: Will be available at all good bookstores soon!
Goodreads ● Website

Fred awoke to find that a snake was watching him and that there was an aeroplane in the trees. It was on fire. Being on fire was a quality it shared with much of the surrounding jungle.

After crashing hundreds of miles from civilisation in the Amazon rainforest, Fred, Con, Lila and Max are utterly alone and in grave danger. They have no food, no water and no chance of being rescued. But they are alive and they have hope. As they negotiate the wild jungle they begin to find signs that something - someone - has been there before them. Could there possibly be a way out after all?

I've always had Katherine Rundell's books on my to-read list, so when I got the chance to review her upcoming book, I jumped at the opportunity. I mean, it sounded like the sort of book I loved reading when I was younger, and it had some major Hatchet vibes to it (throwback to those primary school days!). However, what intrigued me most of all, other than the need to know how this group of kids will survive, was the setting. How often is it that we see a book that isn't a fantasy/sci-fi that takes place somewhere else other than the US or the UK or Europe? The answer, my dear friends, is that yes, there are books out there, but the numbers are very very small in comparison to the mainstream settings that a lot of middle grade and young adult stories take place in. This one though? THE AMAZON. THE FLIPPING AMAZON JUNGLE, YOU GUYS. Count me in for this adventure!

I loved the varying personalities of the children. Fred seemed to be the main character, the narration primarily focusing on his thoughts and feelings, but the other three characters also definitely got close to equal page time too. I loved Max, even though I'm sure he would annoy me endlessly if I was ever stuck in the jungle with him–or give me a heart attack for that matter with the amount of times he disobeys his sister or disappears–but he was still an adorable 5-year old with some hilarious lines. Lila was such a sweet character, I totally identified with her, also being the oldest sibling and constantly having to chastise and make sure that people stay in order. And despite the rather chilly beginning, Con's character really grew on me. I loved her sarcasm; it added to the humour in an otherwise serious situation. Fred's character, while he definitely had an interesting emotional backstory, did some pretty stupid reckless things. Still, though–it makes for an good story.

The only problem I had was this book had more to do with the ARC rather than the actual book. THERE WAS NO ARTWORK!!! I absolutely adore artwork in books, and what makes me really happy about middle grade books is the fact that many of them feature artwork that intertwines with the written narrative. However, much to my disdain, there wasn't any in the proof copy. If the cover is any indication though, I'm sure the illustrations in the final book are going to be gorgeous.

An enjoyable survival adventure with more than a few shiver-inducing twists, The Explorer fits in with the likes of notable children's classics. Katherine Rundell's storytelling abilities will captivate readers of all ages, hooking them in from start to finish. Don't miss out on this one–it's gripping, it's terrific, and it's magical.

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

If you like this try...

• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen ● Goodreads
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell ● Goodreads
• The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman ● Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday – Week 190

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:

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi

In the walled city of Kos, corrupt mages can magically call forth sin from a sinner in the form of sin-beasts – lethal creatures spawned from feelings of guilt. 

Taj is the most talented of the aki, young sin-eaters indentured by the mages to slay the sin-beasts. But Taj’s livelihood comes at a terrible cost. When he kills a sin-beast, a tattoo of the beast appears on his skin while the guilt of committing the sin appears on his mind. Most aki are driven mad by the process, but 17-year-old Taj is cocky and desperate to provide for his family. 

When Taj is called to eat a sin of a royal, he’s suddenly thrust into the center of a dark conspiracy to destroy Kos. Now Taj must fight to save the princess that he loves – and his own life.

October 31, 2017 ● Goodreads

Besides the fact that this one has a GORGEOUS cover and a super intriguing synopsis, Beasts Made of Night is a "Nigerian-influenced fantasy." Um, YES PLEASE?!?! I need this book now and October cannot come fast enough!

What are you waiting on?

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Release Date: June 27, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Rated: YA 14+
Format: eGalley
Source: Edelweiss
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

I first met Mackenzi when I was writing a profile for a class project, and I mean–as a book blogger, what better person is there profile than an author? Especially an author who had an awesome debut coming out later that year? After that initial meeting I've run into Mackenzi a few other times, so of course I was super excited to finally dig into The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue! I adored This Monstrous Thing (read my review), and I knew that this one was bound to be as good–or even better.

Oh.
My.
GOD.

I could not get enough of this book! Having just come back from a semester abroad in London and traveling around Europe, this was the PERFECT read. I fell in love with everything about this book, and seriously needed more when I got to the end.

Monty! Oh Monty, Monty, Monty. Definitely one of the most unabashedly hedonistic protagonists out there, but my goodness, did I love his voice throughout the book. Basically being the historical version of today's f***-boy, I loved seeing his transformation from beginning to end (thankfully, his humour and unabashed-ness stays in tact). Felicity was a total badass, and I can't wait for her spin-off novel, because if her character in this story was any indication, her story is going to be E-P-I-C. Percy was such a darling character, and I love how even though he was sort of the counter to Monty's character–in public, at least–they truly have a special friendship that turns into something more.

Speaking of which, the diversity in this book is WONDERFUL. Bisexual/gay main characters, people of colour, disabilities: I loved the representation in this book, despite of what we–meaning what we're forced to believe with a narrow-ass mindset–think of "typical" historical fiction. Screw that. Mackenzi had made a pretty important point when I interviewed her, which was that people with different sexual identities had always existed...it's just because it was condemned as illegal doesn't mean that they weren't there. So yes. HELLS YES to this book, because any sort of (positive) representation is important, regardless of the time period it's set in.

Narrow escapes, fantastic settings, and PIRATES to top it all off (looking at you Hamlet), The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue was an amazing read. A historical adventure across Europe with more-than-ordinary circumstances, Mackenzi Lee's latest novel is probably one of my favourite reads of this year. As I have mentioned earlier, I can't wait for the companion novel to this one–I need some more Felicity and that Montague charm!

If you like this, try...

• The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig ● Goodreads
• A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray ● Goodreads

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪