I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

“I just feel like it’s unfair, that my whole life is unfair, like I was born into the wrong place and family. I never feel like I belong anywhere.”

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Julia Reyes loves to write, and she always dreams of moving out from her parents’ house, go to college and see the world. But that’s not how a ‘Perfect Mexican Daughter’ supposed to be. ‘Perfect Mexican Daughters’ do not go away to college and move out of their parents’ house. They’re never abandon their family, they dedicated their life for their family like Julia’s older sister – Olga. But her sister Olga is dead and Julia’s family has been shattered to pieces. Julia’s mother channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed, and compare her to Olga. No on in her family seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken by this tragedy too. But then Julia found out that Olga hides another life from her family, another personality that she never shows to any of her family member. Julia then determined to find out if there’s more to her sister story while dealing with not being a ‘Perfect Mexican Daughter.’

Warcross by Marie Lu (Warcross #1)

“I’ve never been good at following instructions. I’m a bounty hunter.

And if my bounty’s still out there somewhere, I need to finish this.”

I received a free digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All quoted lines have not been corrected and are subject to change.

Ever since her father died, Emika Chen spend her life trying to survive by becoming a bounty hunter. She dropped out of school and take risky jobs of catching criminals by hacking into a virtual reality game called Warcross. People all over the world play this game, and like most of things in the world, there are the dark side of Warcross’ world where some people doing their bad deeds for money. Warcross is created by a 21 years old tech prodigy, Hideo Tanaka when he was only a child.  Desperate to gain money to pay his debt, Emika gambles her life by hacking into an annual Warcross International Tournament to grab some rare items that she can sell to the black market. Unfortunately, her plan is ruin when her identity exposed. Confidence that she will be jailed, Emika is surprised to find that she is being offered to work as Hideo Tanaka’s personal hunter instead. Her job is to go undercover as a contestant to hunt and investigate a hacker who threatens Warcross International Tournament. As her investigation getting deeper, Emika uncovers a sinister plot which could affect more than just Warcross empire, but also the rest of the world.

To Look a Nazi in the Eye by Kathy Kacer with Jordana Lebowitz

“We bravely said ‘never again’ in 1945, but the world is full of hate.

This is why I speak to children — so that they will make a better world for themselves.”

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In 2015, 19 years old Jordana Lebowitz attended the trials of 94 years old ex-Nazi officer, Oskar Grӧning. The man accused of aiding and abetting in the murder of more than 300,000 Jews in the Auschwitz/Birkenau death camp. Jordana has some obsession about Holocaust. Her late grandfather was one of survivors of the death camp, so she definitely has her reasons for her enthusiasm. But it wasn’t the main reason that drives her passion over studying Holocaust, it was her visit to March of the Living back in 2012 to Poland where she met many Nazi’s death camp survivors. When she heard about this war criminal trial, she can’t help but feels like she has to attend this trial and witness with her own eyes how the judge will decide the fate of a member of Nazi that will affect the world’s view.

The Inevitable Collision of Birdie and Bash by Candace Ganger

“There are reasons—many reasons—some particles shouldn’t combine, no matter how curious you are about the outcome. Sometimes things explode; sometimes they dissipate, evaporate, disintegrate. And sometimes they collide and become something so much more than you ever thought they could.”

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sebastian ‘Bash’ Alvarez was only come to a party at a roller skate rink where he works to make sure that his sort-of-best-friend Wild Kyle didn’t do stupid things when he met Birdie Paxton, the ‘Couch Girl’ who shouldn’t be at that party at all. There’s a bit of traction and friction between the two of them, but they got separated before both of them can act on it. Their two worlds collide again when Wild Kyle’s car hit Birdie’s baby bother. Bash was on the passenger seat, Birdie doesn’t know that. Bash also didn’t know that the kid that Kyle hits is Birdie’s brother. The two getting closer when Birdie begin to work at same roller skate rink as Bash. When they begin to really fall for each other, the truth is slowly unfolding and could change their life in a way that both of them won’t be expecting.

Paintbrush by Hannah Bucchin

“We’re a mess, aren’t we?”

“All the best people are messy.”

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Paintbrush tells a story about Mitchell and Josie, two teenagers who live in a communal village along with a lot of other colorful people in the mountain of North Carolina called Indian Paintbrush. Mitchell and Josie used to be best friend, but now they are not as close as they used to be. Josie doesn’t really enjoy going to high school and wish she could spend all her life at Paintbrush, while Mitchell can’t wait to get out of Paintbrush to escape the bizarre noisy community and live a normal life. Luckily for both of them, they’re weeks away from graduating high school. But when Mitchell’s mother makes a scandalous announcement that might rock the peaceful Paintbrush community, and Josie’s younger sister keeps on making bad decisions, the two find themselves leaning on each other for support. Their childhood friendship change into something more as they deal with their families. But as graduation approaches, Josie and Mitchell forced to figure out what exactly their relationship is and which path they will choose in the future.

Caterpillars Can’t Swim by Liane Shaw

“A caterpillar is basically gross and ugly. But then it gets to hang out in a cocoon for a while and ends up changing into a gorgeous butterfly. No one cares if it’s a boy or a girl. It’s just a caterpillar that changed into a butterfly. And it’s okay and right and normal.”

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In Caterpillars Can’t Swim we meet Ryan, a wheelchair-bound 16 years old boy who is also a member of Swim Team in his school. One day he rescues Jack, one of his schoolmate from the water. Ryan keeps Jack’s secret about the water incident and even though both of them doesn’t really like it, their lives become connected. Ryan knows that Jack needs help, and Jack feels since Ryan knows and keep his secret, he can open up a bit to him. Then there’s also Cody, Ryan’s best friend and fellow swim team member who even though a nice kid, doesn’t understand why Ryan would want to hang out with Jack when everyone in their school gossip about Jack’s sexuality. Against Cody’s will and his better judgement, Ryan decides to invite Jack on a trip to Comic Con that he has planned with Cody for a long time. On this trip the three kids will each have the chance to be true to themselves and others, and show whether they are brave enough to go against the stereotypes.

The Cherry Pickers by Gregory C. Randall

“We never know what change does to us,

sometimes it helps and sometimes it hurts, we never know.

I do know this; change will come like spring follows winter.

It will come and we will deal with it.”

I received a free digital copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Cherry Pickers is a coming of age book about a boy named Howard Smith. Every Summer Howard and his family visit his grandparents house and farm in northern Michigan. Every summer they come just in time to pick cherries in their family orchards alongside the pickers. This summer, Howard and his family will face one eventful Summer like none others, which will shaped Howard and push him to understand better how life works and how much family worth.

City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson (ARC)

“People don’t look for revenge to make them happy.

They do it because they must.”

City of Saints and Thieves tells a story about a girl named Tina, who escaped from Congo with her mom years ago as refuges and begin their new safer life in Sangui City. Unfortunately for them, safe doesn’t last long. Her mother was murdered, shot dead in the middle of the night. Seeking for revenge, Tina spends her life on the street and training as a master thief with local gang, the Goondas. Four years went by, and now her job with the Goondas brings her back to a place where her mother was killed and open a path for Tina to avenged her mother’s death. But revenge is not an easy game to play as the faces from the past starting to haunt her and unravel some dark truths that Tina might not ready to face.

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

“Funny how people move through this world leaving little pieces of their story with the people they meet, for them to carry. Makes you wonder what’d happen if all those people put their puzzle pieces together.”

I win a signed ARC of Goodbye Days from OwlCrate Giveaway on Instagram. Thank you, OwlCrate! OwlCrate is one of the most awesome YA book subscription box, check them out on their website here.

Goodbye Days is the second YA novel by Jeff Zentner. It tells a story about Carver Briggs who lost three of his best friends when he sent a text to one of them right before they were killed in a car crash. Carver can’t stop blaming himself, and neither can one of his best friend’s twin sister and one of his best friend’s dad. Carver might even go to jail because his best friend’s dad is pressuring the district attorney to open a criminal investigation on Carver’s role in that horrible car accident. Fortunately, Carver found an unexpected allies in one of his best friend’s grandmother who asks him to spend a Goodbye Day with her and share their memories and say a proper goodbye. Soon his other best friends’ families are asking for a Goodbye Day with Carver. But their motives might be different than one of his best friends’ grandmother. This is a story about how we handle our grief when we lose someone or someones we love.

Frostblood by Elly Blake (Frostblood #1)

“Affairs between fire and frost rarely end well.”

First of all, I win a copy of this book from a giveaway that held by FairyLoot, so thank you so much! If you don’t know what FairyLoot is, it is one of the most awesome book box subscription for YA fantasy lovers and they delivered monthly and worldwide. You can check them out on their website here. Now let’s get to the book. Frostblood is a YA fantasy debut novel by Elly Blake. It is also the first book in the Frostblood saga. This book sets in Tempesia, a land governed by Frostblood, people who are gifted with the power of ice. They are ruled by a cruel Frost King who is determined to capture and kill every Fireblood, people who are gifted with the power of fire, their counterpart. Unfortunately for our main character, Ruby, she’s born with a gift of fire. One day the soldiers ransacked her village and then captured Ruby. She lost everything dear to her and she’s start losing hope as she is now imprisoned. But then come two Frostbloods, an old man named Brother Thistle and a mysterious hooded young man named Arcus who offer her a chance of freedom and revenge to the Frost King. Only, Ruby doesn’t know that her freedom and revenge will come with a price.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

“My mother and father held hands.

I wonder what that was like, to hold someone’s hand.

I bet you could sometimes find all of the mysteries in the universe

in someone’s hand.”

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe tells a story about Dante, an angry, loner teenage boy who meets Dante, another loner, but also a know-it-all teenage boy. When they first meet each other at a swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as they spend the whole summer together, they discover that they share a special kind of friendship—the kind of friendship that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And through their friendship, Ari and Dante will learn the truth and secrets about themselves, and about the kind of people they want to be.

The Elven Tales: The Company of the Rose by Fabi Ghittoni

I received a free e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

The Elven Tales: The Company of the Rose tells a story about a 17 years old girl named Prudence Clarke. With her mother died when she was little and never knowing the identity of her father, Prudence lives a seemingly normal life in Cambridge with her best friend’s family. But everything change when a series of kidnapping happened in her city. One day Prudence was brutally attacked, and saved by some strangers who brought her to a world that should not exist. A magical world of elves, faeries, giants and other magical being. Prudence now got tangled into a war where she has to play an important role to save the world. So now, she embarks a journey accompanied by The Company of the Rose, brave warriors that will fight by her side. As a chain of strange events happened on her adventure, Prudence is about to unravel some mysteries that will turn everything she believed about her existence upside down while trying to save the world.

Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid

“And maybe the only way to find what you’re looking for

is to get lost along the way”

Let’s Get Lost is a YA contemporary novel by Adi Alsaid. This book tells a story about Leila, a girl who went on a road trip to see the Northern Lights. Along the way, Leila will meet four strangers: Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia. The four of them find a friend in Leila, and for better or worse, their lives are forever changed when Leila left them. But it’s not just the four strangers lives that will change, Leila will also discover things that she’s looking for when she get lost and zigzagged her way to see the Northern Lights.

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1)

“Be glad of your human heart, Feyre. Pity those who don’t feel anything at all.”

A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) is a Young Adult romance fantasy book by Sarah J. Maas. This book is the first installment of a trilogy with the same title. ACOTAR is also a retelling of Beauty and the Beast—not the one made by Disney, but the original fairy tale written by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve—mixed with Tam Lin and East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Since I am a sucker for mythology, fairy tale, and folklore retelling, I was so excited to read this book.

Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2)

“She crossed over death to call me. I crossed through Hell to find her.”

What’s that? Did I made a pentagram for this book? Nah, it’s just a star, I promise. ( ͡º ͜ʖ ͡º) Girl of Nightmares is the second and final book of Anna duology by Kendare Blake. The story picks up months after the event in Anna Dressed in Blood. Cas couldn’t move on. He’s seeing Anna everywhere. He see her in his dreams, and sometime he sees him in waking nightmares. But Cas noticed that these aren’t just daydreams. He doesn’t know what happened to Anna, but he knows something is wrong. Now Cas is trying to look for an answer, and he will give everything to returns the favor and make sure that Anna is okay.

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1)

“But hey, at least we’ll have this strange story to tell, love and death and blood and daddy-issues. And holy crap, I’m a psychiatrist’s wet dream.”

It’s October, and that means it’s Halloween month, and that means I have to read at least one horror book. I just feel like I have to, because I like ghost stories. So when I saw that Retri from @darklingreads and a couple of other bookstagram made a bookclub and chose Anna Dressed in Blood as their October read, I decided to read it too.

Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5)

“You will find that one does not deal with Celaena Sardothien. One survives her.”

This is my non-spoiler review for Empire of Storms, if you want to know a more detailed review about this book you can go here. If you want to go one step further and discuss the theory and prediction for the next book in this series with me, you can go here. If you haven’t read other books from Throne of Glass series, you might want to avoid this post and read the series first. If you need a reason to start reading this series, you can read this post on why you should read Throne of Glass series.

Why You Should Read: Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas

First of all, I would like to thanks the amazing author who has finally make me read this book series, Rick Riordan. These books has been on my ebook reader for almost two years (except for the 4th and 5th book,) and I didn’t think it’s going to climbed up my TBR list if it was not for Rick Riordan’s review on Goodreads. So, for that, thank you so much Uncle Rick.

Now, unlike my other review, this won’t be a one book review, this will be a book series review and suggestion. I was originally planned to write a one book review for each books in this series, but then again adulthood sucks and I got no time to really do it. I REALLY REALLY wanted to though, because this series is THAT good and the story is getting more complex in each books. But, I will write a one book review for the latest book in this series, which is Empire of Storms (hopefully will be up next week.) And it will be at least two posts review and discussion (and a long one, because there are so much things to talk about!)

Dangerous Girls

“Wouldn’t we all look guilty, if someone searched hard enough?”

I’ve got to start this review with cussing, sorry, but HOLY FUCKING HELL!!!! This book, this damn book! I don’t understand why are there so few people talking about this beautiful book? AAARGGHH!!! Okay, I need to calm down and carry on with the review.

The Fault in Our Stars

“My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations.”

The Fault in Our Stars is my first John Green book, and boy how head-over-heel was I with this book. The story revolves around Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16 years old girl with lung cancer. Hazel believes that she knows what will happen to her by the end of her life. She believes that she’s chaotic, she’s a burden to her parents, she believes that she’s a grenade, that’s why she keep her distance from other people so they won’t get hurt when she dies. But, one day, the universe sent Augustus ‘Gus’ Waters to her. Gus is an ex-basketball player, osteosarcoma survivor, who has an attractive physique, beautiful blue eyes, unique personality (just like Hazel), and a big believer in metaphors.