wednesday books – Book Dust Magic

Important story done in an unusual way: I am Margaret Moore by Hannah Capin #BookReview @WednesdayBooks #Mystery

I am Margaret Moore by Hannah Capin book cover US edition

GIFTED / Today I want to talk about the book that was promoted highly before it was released earlier this year. I was lucky enough to receive a copy before the book hit the shelves, but was also unfortunate in sense o that I didn’t have enough time to read it. Now when I finally have more free time on my hands, and am organized better I slowly but surely go through my Netgalley shelf and read/review all of those neglected stories I promised I will talk about here on my blog.
I am Margaret Moore was published on March 15th 2022 and it has 320 pages. I want to thank the publisher Wednesday Books for providing me an ARC.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Each summer the girls of Deck Five come back to Marshall Naval School. They sail on jewel-blue waters; they march on green drill-fields; they earn sunburns and honors. They push until they break apart and heal again, stronger.

Each summer Margaret and Rose and Flor and Nisreen come back to the place where they are girls, safe away from the world: sisters bound by something more than blood.

But this summer everything has changed. Girls are missing and a boy is dead. It’s because of Margaret Moore, the boys say. It’s because of what happened that night in the storm.

Margaret’s friends vanish one by one, swallowed up into the lies she has told about what happened between her and a boy with the world at his feet. Can she unravel the secrets of this summer and last, or will she be pulled under by the place she once called home?

Review:

I am Margaret Moore was different from everything that I have ever read.

The writing style is very poetic and often repetitive. Assuming that it was repetitive so the author would emphasize the blur in MC’s head and also take us on a journey where we would, slowly, but surely, connect the dots that would lead us to big revelation in the end, I appreciate it in whole honesty.

Still, if I am being true to myself (and you guys), the writing style didn’t do it for me.
If anything, it only disconnected me from the main character and although I recognize how important the story is, and that it would be emotionally wracking to some readers, I couldn’t get into it, no matter how hard I tried.

Reading this book was like being in the mist myself, somewhere hidden in an imaginary woods, levitating above the creek and not being able to really see, feel or live the story Hannah Capin made.
Because of that, I feel sorry.

And I feel sorry this novel didn’t win hearts of readers all over the world, because in general, I think it was a beautiful story, written in a way that makes it difficult for readers to connect with, and my opinion is that it would work better as a short story.

If you could call your loved ones: You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao #BookReview @WednesdayBooks

you've reached sam by Dustin Thao book cover

GIFTED / Today I am bringing you my review for a book I read several weeks ago. I was happy to see it was READ NOW on Netgalley.

You’ve reached Sam comes out tomorrow, on November 2nd and it has 304 pages. Thank you Wednesday Books for giving me an opportunity to read and review it.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.

Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.

And Sam picks up the phone.

In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.

Review:

When I picked You’ve Reached Sam I was ready to be emotionally wracked. Just reading the premise I expected to be at least touched with the story, if not literally crying (because I don’t do that often).
Instead, most of the time, this book made me feel… confused.

It had original part: the phone calls between late boyfriend and alive girlfriend, and I do appreciate it’s uniqueness, but if I am being completely honest, after a while I just didn’t see the point.
I blame the execution for that part. The idea was good.

I also blame the main character who seriously lacked manners and empathy.

I also didn’t understand how she, and people around her, acted as if everyone should move on so quickly. She getting rid of all of her stuff, her mother advising her and people in school in general. One would say it’s been 6 months since Sam’s accident, not a week.

The book was written in first person, following Julie’s POV.
The author’s voice was good and I believe with time it will improve with time.

In my opinion this was a solid ya book with magical elements that made it unique, and it was good for entertainment purpose.

So… This was boring: The Project by Courtney Summers #BookReview #Cults

The Project by Courtney Summers book cover US edition 2021

GIFTED / Hi guys, today I want to talk about a book I was excited about, but then I was left disappointed. It is unfortunately and I am not thrilled to post my negative review, but it is what it is: I didn’t like the book, and me being honest in my reviews, means I won’t always write the praising ones.

The Project came out on February 2nd 2021 and it has 352 pages. I want to thank St. Martin Press, Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read and review this book via Netgalley.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died in a tragic car accident, her sister Bea joined the elusive community called The Unity Project, leaving Lo to fend for herself. Desperate not to lose the only family she has left, Lo has spent the last six years trying to reconnect with Bea, only to be met with radio silence.

When Lo’s given the perfect opportunity to gain access to Bea’s reclusive life, she thinks they’re finally going to be reunited. But it’s difficult to find someone who doesn’t want to be found, and as Lo delves deeper into The Project and its charismatic leader, she begins to realize that there’s more at risk than just her relationship with Bea: her very life might be in danger.

As she uncovers more questions than answers at each turn, everything Lo thought she knew about herself, her sister, and the world is upended. One thing doesn’t change, though, and that’s what keeps her going: Bea needs her, and Lo will do anything to save her.

From Courtney Summers, the New York Times bestselling author of the 2019 Edgar Award Winner and breakout hit Sadie, comes her electrifying follow-up—a suspenseful, pulls-no-punches story about an aspiring young journalist determined to save her sister no matter the cost.

Review:

When I found out The Project was READ NOW on Netgalley, I was so happy and excited, as I’ve heard only good things about Courtney Summers’ work.
Her book Some Girls are is on my radar for some time now, and with Sadie being a huge hit last year, you can guess why I expected to be thrilled with her newest novel.

As time passed and life got in the way, unfortunately I picked up The Project after it’s release, with my expectations lower then before, as many negative reviews pop up on my feed and in the book community in general.

My first problem with the novel was that, although with the theme it followed it sounded promising, the execution was just boring.
In matter of fact, this is one of the most boring, if not THE most boring book that I have ever read.
I feel like in the whole story nothing actually happened, and often I felt like I was behind the doors of a cult, listening to their preaching.

I expected some action at least close to the end, but when “big thing” was revealed I don’t think anyone was shocked, as everyone and their mothers could have guessed it.
And if I am being honest, I didn’t even care at that point.

I don’t appreciate how this was marketed as horror, thriller, suspense, when in reality it is a drama about cult.

Publishers, please don’t wrap a dull drama story in shiny paper called horror, it is so misleading and not okay.

I also don’t understand why the author and publishers decided for The Project to be a ya book?
Was it because Sadie was that genre? Or maybe they thought it could potentially sell more copies?
Whatever the reason, I have strong opinion that if the book was aimed for adult audience, without restrictions it could have been better. Maybe not way better, but at least little better.

I feel like the story was inspired with Church of Wells. I could be wrong.
However, I just want to mention that I watched several videos about that cult, years ago, and I was more entertained and thrilled then I ever was while reading this novel.

The book is written in dual timelines, following two sisters, Bea and Lo.
Lo’s POV was written in first person, and Bea’s in third.
I also want to stress out that the prologue of the story has nothing to do with the story itself and it is misleading.

As for the characters… oh, Lo was so… unlikable, full of herself thinking her boss needs to promote her after she was there for a year, without right education in the first place, and she came off as the world owes her something.
It is still not clear to me who took care of her while she was left alone, while her selfish sister Bea ran off to cult while Lo was still in the hospital.
And where was the child service in this whole story??

Not to end this review on a negative note, I want to say I did enjoy some of the dialogues between characters.

After finishing The Project, I don’t think I will read Sadie. I lost the will.

Coming of age story I enjoyed this summer: Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler @StMartinPress #BookLovers #lqbtq

Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler book cover 2021

GIFTED / Today I am happy to bring you my review for a book I had such a fun reading, and I hope you will enjoy it too. It is coming of age story with love triangle in it. Maybe it sounds cheezy, but trust me, it is good!

Cool for the Summer came out on May 11th and it has 272 pages. I want to thank St. Martin Press, Wednesday Books, for providing me a copy via Netgalley.

About a book:

FROM GOODREADS / Lara’s had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He’s tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he’s talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe…flirting, even? No, wait, he’s definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of everything Lara’s wanted out of life.

Except she’s haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. A memory that becomes a confusing, disorienting present when Jasmine herself walks through the front doors of the school to see Lara and Chase chatting it up in front of the lockers.

Lara has everything she ever wanted: a tight-knit group of friends, a job that borders on cool, and Chase, the boy of her literal dreams. But if she’s finally got the guy, why can’t she stop thinking about the girl?

Cool for the Summer is a story of self-discovery and new love. It’s about the things we want and the things we need. And it’s about the people who will let us be who we are.

Review:

Cool for the Summer was maybe the best book I read this summer and definitely one of my favourite ya contemporaries I read this year.

It is coming of age story done well, with lead character discovering who she is and what she wants and doesn’t want in her life, and how dreams coming true don’t guarantee happiness.

With wild cast of lgbtq+ characters that are, from my point of view, ,represented right, Adler deserves to be a new voice of ya contemporaries.

The story was good and easy to read.
I read in other readers reviews how they didn’t like that the main character was naive and didn’t ask questions she should have had.
I do agree that there was miscommunication that could have easily been resolved with just talking, and the characters acted little immature when it comes to them, but if I’m being honest, I didn’t mind them, because I feel like without them there wouldn’t be a story.
At least not this one.

I also want to mention how I really liked Jasmine and if I was younger, she would probably be my book crush.
I 100% understand why everyone wanted to be near her, and the way Lara talked about her really described the love she had for her. The chemistry was also written well.

The book has two parts:
“THEN” that talk about summer (which were my favourite) and
“NOW” set during school year.
I wish we got more of THEN.

The novel is written in first person, following Lara’s POV.

Overall, really good coming of age novel with diverse cast.
I highly recommend it to ya contemporary lovers.

Book Review: White Stag by Kara Barbieri (Blog Tour) #BookReview #BlogTour #WhiteStag #Fantasy

I am so honoured to take part in this blog tour.

I really liked this book and I’d like to thank Maghan Harrington from St, Martin Press, for giving me this opportunity.

About the book:

The first book in a brutally stunning series where a young girl finds herself becoming more monster than human and must uncover dangerous truths about who she is and the place that has become her home.

As the last child in a family of daughters, seventeen-year-old Janneke was raised to be the male heir. While her sisters were becoming wives and mothers, she was taught to hunt, track, and fight. On the day her village was burned to the ground, Janneke—as the only survivor—was taken captive by the malicious Lydian and eventually sent to work for his nephew Soren.

Janneke’s survival in the court of merciless monsters has come at the cost of her connection to the human world. And when the Goblin King’s death ignites an ancient hunt for the next king, Soren senses an opportunity for her to finally fully accept the ways of the brutal Permafrost. But every action he takes to bring her deeper into his world only shows him that a little humanity isn’t bad—especially when it comes to those you care about.

Through every battle they survive, Janneke’s loyalty to Soren deepens. After dangerous truths are revealed, Janneke must choose between holding on or letting go of her last connections to a world she no longer belongs to. She must make the right choice to save the only thing keeping both worlds from crumbling.

Get your copy HERE.

My Review:

White Stag is young adult fantasy that made notice even before it was released, and now when I read it, I can see why.

This is the first fantasy about goblins that I have ever read, and I can tell you that I have enjoyed learning about these creatures that I knew so little about before (basically, my whole knowledge before this book came from Lord of the Rings movies).

The world was fascinating, and I wish we got to see more of it. Since this is only first book in the series, I hope we will learn more about it in next installments.
I would really want to explore it more, because some scenes (like the one when Janneke looked around her and thought how beautiful this world actually would be if she wasn’t in a position she was) captivated me, so I crave for more of it’s beauty.

I was always fascinated with faeries. They are my favorite creatures, and I loved reading about them even before they were popular in literature.
Goblins have some similarities with them (like, how they can’t lie or how manipulative they are), so it was natural that I was fond of them too.

White Stag is an action packed story. I loved it’s pace and it reads so fast.
There’s an action at the very beginning and it lasts until the end (with some slow parts in the middle).
I liked it, but I wish we got at least two chapters at the very beginning to learn about politics in this world.

What I liked the most in this novel is one phrase that stayed with me, and that is how everyone is a monster in some way (I’m paraphrasing it here so don’t quote me on literal words).
One particular scene when our main character realized that stuck with me the most. Ever since I finished this book, I feel like every day I think about that scene, and her words.

The writing style is solid. I really enjoyed reading Barbieri’s words and I can only imagine she will even get better at times.

Some scenes reminded me of Twilight Saga, but in a good way. I strictly talk here about dialogue.
Also, some sentences in the novel (and don’t take it like a bad thing because it is a 400+ pages long book) reminded me of ones I already read somewhere (like breath she was holding, you know that one!).
What I have concluded is that the author probably read many ya novels so they influenced her.

I like how atypical the ending was. It really stood out in my eyes, and welcomed it wholeheartedly.

I loved White Stag and I will gladly be continuing with the series.