Books: 2017 Recap

I made a decision at the end of November 2016 that I needed to put down my phone and read more. This wasn't meant to say I wouldn't still play some casual phone games; but that the RPGs and intense 'all the time play' games needed to go. 

I am so happy to report I successfully committed to and achieved my goal of becoming a (unpaid) book reviewer. 😃

A couple of things that helped me read 101 books in 2017 (over the ~30 books in 2015). 

- put down the silly games on your phone or tablet  that suck up hours

- ebooks on your phone!! Read in line at the coffee shop, on the train platform, or pretty much anytime you have a minute and can see your phone

- When watching reruns on TV have a book open. You'll probably read more than you think

- Tell your partner this is something you want to do and have them heckle you when you are spending too much time on your phone (my husband loved this 😂)

- Just read!!! 😃❤️

These are books published in 2017 that I read and were my favourites: 

- Novella: Down Amoung the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire 

- Fantasy: Wings Unseen by Rebecca Gomez Farrell

- Middle Grade: The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero 

- Historical Fiction: The Floating Theatre by Martha Conway

- YA/Teen: The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

- Sci-Fi: Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel

- The most disappointing book of the year: Caraval 

- The most underrated or misunderstood book of the year: Mask of Shadows 

- Best book not written in 2017 but that I read in 2017: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2017 By the Numbers

- 15 print books

- 75 review books (!!!) 

- 11 library books (9 ebooks, 2 print) 

- 17 books DNF (not counted in total)

- 101 TOTAL completed books in 2017

Triple from 2016 and as many as I did in 4 yrs prior! 😳😃

So for 2018... I want to just keep it up so my goal is 101 books. If I can match it then I'll know it's a habit that just fits in my life now. 😊

Thanks to everyone who supports both my reading and stitching obsessions! You all truly give me even more motivation with your comments and visits here than I could ever give myself! 

Book Review: 13 Minutes

Title: 13 Minutes
Author: Sara Pinborough
Genre: Teen, Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

13 Minutes was not quite was I was expecting. 
The first 65% is about what I was anticipating. Which was a mysterious almost death by a teen which takes a criminal offense and puts it in the middle of high school drama. 
There are two main perspectives in this book with occasional glimpses into others minds. The two are of the gal who almost dies and those of her ex-best friend. I enjoyed the ex-best friend the best; and actually think it would have greatly improved this book to have the entire story be entirely from the ex-best friends perspective with the exception of the prologue and maybe a epilogue. 

Foreshadowing
In a mystery novel, obviously, foreshadowing is very important. I won't lie, mysteries are not my favourite books. I usually but I try to read a couple every year; and am always intrigued by young adult ones in particular.
In 13 minutes there is almost a bit too much foreshadowing at times and yet not enough at others. If Sarah Pinborough had stopped the book at the 65% mark with it's 'answer' to our mystery I could have happily walked away with a four star review and been content with the read. But instead there is another 35% of the book to go and a whole new premise/set of information comes to light. 
Yes I know, this a valid way to tell a story and can be the case in real life situations as well. But when I'm reading a book where clues are planted into the narrative it just annoys me to be completely unprepared for a twist. While this twist is plausible and possible (which is why this isn't a lower star rating; because I hate cheap twists), it still seems a bit out of nowhere. While some books are amazing at giving clues that, when you find out the 'whodunnit' you think, "wow, how did I not see that?" The best example I can think of that is a twist done perfectly is the reveal in the movie The Sixth Sense. The clues are all there right in front of us for it's twist; but almost all of us miss them the first time through. Second pass watching it and you'll realize you should have known. That is perfect mystery story telling. Sadly it's uncommon for it to be done so well. 
13 minutes is not a Sixth Sense situation. Were I to go back and re-read this book I don't think there are many, if any at all, foreshadows to the final outcome during the first 65% of the book. There is a spot at about 75% where I was fairly confident I knew the 'new outcome' but the rest of the book didn't seem to point out or remind me of why I should have already known based on facts from the first 65% of the story. (I hope I explained that right, lol)

High School Drama
This is definitely a contemporary teen book set at a high school (secondary school, or whatever you call it in your part of the world). It's got annoying text message conversations with text-speak, boyfriend drama that is outrageous yet just like real high school, and all the standard cliches of being a teenger (most of which are true). The characters (and their drama) all felt quite real and had enough depth to just keep me interested in most of them. One or two were a bit flat but as they are not significant characters I didn't really mind. And, as I said already, the ex-best friend character was easily the one I felt the most for and even though she reacts in a typical crazy teen fashion a few times I still totally understood her and even wanted to defend her freak-outs a few times.

Not Just Almost Death
THIS IS ONLY A WARNING THAT I'M GOING TO LIST THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE BOOK THAT SOME MAY FIND DISTURBING. IT DOES NOT SPOIL WHO IT HAPPENS TO OR GIVE AWAY ANY OF THE MYSTERY; but if you'd rather not know at all that's fair and you can scroll down to the "Overall" heading. I've left space before and after the possible spoiler mention so you can scroll past easily (I hope). 







I think it's only fair to let folks know that there is more than just the 'almost death' the title implies. There is also sexual engagements between a minor and an adult (not described in detail but it does happen), actual death & grief, drug use, and of course lying and cheating that is typical of a contemporary teenage setting. 









Overall
The writing by Pinborough is quite good and I will consider reading another of her books. But maybe not one that is a complex mystery. The plot points just didn't satisfy me at the end of the day.
To support how good the writing is I can tell you there is a lot of backstabbing and posturing in this book between a number of the high school girls. One of the situations reminded me so much of an ex-best friends attitude and way of manipulating me that, even 15+ years since (finally) telling her off, I felt like I was almost back in one of those teen moments where she treated me like crap and I put up with it because I was weak, desperate for friends and ignorant. 
That's really how compelling some of the writing is. So if you are intrigued by the premise, and enjoy mystery in a young adult format, this might be for you. It's not a bad read; just not one I would ever pick-up again or recommend to most people. 

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

Book Review: Long Way Down

Title: Long Way Down

Author: Jason Reynolds

Genre: Teen, Poetry, Poetic Prose, Gun Violence

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is not a traditional story or novel. It's more of a poetic prose that explores the thoughts of a fifteen year old boy and his struggle to follow the 'rules' of his ghetto life. The difficulty being that he has morales yet believes that gun violence is 'required' (because of the rules) and thus a circle of killing is destined to continue in his family and community. 

It's brilliantly set-up as an elevator ride from floor 7 down to the lobby. At each floor someone he knows or knows of is added to the elevator to comment (very poetically) on the situation that is influencing the teen to perpetuate the gun violence. 

I don't want to give much away because the real impact here is not knowing how it will end or who gets on the elevator. 

Without a doubt Long Way Down has the potential to become a required reading in schools; because of the style of writing, the topic of gun violence, and the commentary it makes on society and how/what we teach our children. 

I give this four stars if only because I have a very hard time with gun violence stories or commentaries. I live in Canada and so gun violence (while it happens here) is not as common as stabbing incidents. And so I struggle a lot with this idea that people teach children to shoot others and take retribution. The only thing to be gained from this is more death and violence. I'm slightly concerned that Long Way Down could be misinterpreted as condoning this violence and so I can't give it 5 stars. 

I actually hope that more adults read this than kids or teens. It clearly explains how teens are interpreting what they are told. That they take things literally and  as parents and/or influential adults that are around children we have a responsibility to stop the violence 

I believe we all (especially parents and influential adults to children) need to take some responsibility for our  of the acceptance of gun violence. Long Away Down illustrates this in a distinct, quick to read and obvious way. 

If nothing else I hope at least one or two kids or teens realize that shooting one another is not a solution and that violence only begets violence. 

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.