Category: Lifestyle

Book Review | The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line (Veronica Mars #1) by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

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The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line (Veronica Mars #1) by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Published by Vintage Books

Genres: Adult, Mystery, Crime

Format: Paperback

Pages: 336

Source: Gift

Goodreads: ★★★★

From Rob Thomas, the creator of groundbreaking television series and movie Veronica Mars, comes the first book in a thrilling new mystery series.

Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She’s traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.

Now it’s spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is not a simple missing person’s case. The house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica’s past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined.

REVIEW

I discovered the Veronica Mars television show thanks to Amazon Prime a couple years ago, and I was really excited to hear that the show’s creator was releasing a book series as well. This first book in the series picks up where the movie left off, but there is a quick recap of the movie’s events for those who are fuzzy on the details or, like me, haven’t seen it yet. Veronica is living in her hometown of Neptune, California and is taking over the family private investigation firm while her father is recovering from an accident. She gets hired to find a teenage girl who mysteriously disappeared during spring break.

The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line reads just like an episode of the Veronica Mars television show, which is perfect for fans. I was surprised that the book is written in the third person, as I would have expected Veronica to be a first person narrator. Nonetheless, the writing is good, and has that somewhat cheesy flair that makes Veronica Mars so lovable even when crazy things are happening in the story.

In addition, I really liked the plot of this book. It kept my attention for the entirety of the story, and there were logical twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I also really loved the family drama in this book. I’m a sucker for a good family drama, and while that wasn’t the main focus of this novel, it certainly played a role.

My only critique of The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line besides the fact that Veronica isn’t the narrator is that many of my favorite side characters from the Veronica Mars world weren’t in the book as much as I would like. For example, because Keith is recovering from his accident, he isn’t as prevalent in this story as he typically is in an episode of the show. I’m hoping we get to see more from him, Wallace, Logan, and Mac in the next book!

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book and loved being back with Veronica. I highly recommend this book for fans of Veronica Mars. If you are unfamiliar with the show, you can still read this book, but you might be a bit confused with the characters and the past events that are sometimes mentioned. Nonetheless, this is a great mystery novel, and one that I think is perfect for newbies to the genre. It is very character driven, and not as scary as other mysteries. I think you should give it a try!

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When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

January 2016 Favorites | Skincare, Hobbies, & More!

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January Favorites | Skincare, Hobbies, & More!

Happy Tuesday! I can’t believe the first month of 2016 has already come to a close. January was a good month for me, and one that was completely outside of normal. I was traveling for a week during the month, and unfortunately came down with a bad cold for a couple weeks. You will be able to see how that really impacted my favorites this month, so let’s go ahead and jump right into the post!

SKINCARE

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy [HAUL] [BUY]

I recently purchased a travel kit from First Aid Beauty because I knew it would come in handy on my vacation. When I came down with a cold during the trip, this lip balm was my absolute savior! My lips were already dry in the Los Angeles climate, but with my cold I really needed the added moisture. I am beyond in love with this lip balm. It is truly hydrating, and very healing.

HAIR CARE

L'Oreal Blow Dry It Heat Protectant

L’Oreal Blow Dry It Quick Dry Primer Spray [BUY]

I ran out of heat protectant, so I picked up this one because it was super affordable at CVS and I had a coupon. I’m so glad I got it! My first impression was that it smelled great, and then I noticed how nice my hair looks and feels after using it. My thin and dull hair becomes shiny and smooth, but it’s not greasy or weighed down at all! Talk about a win-win!

TRAVEL NECESSITY

Kleenex Slim Pack

Kleenex Slim Pack [BUY]

This might be a random favorite, but I really appreciate these Slim Packs from Kleenex! I always keep tissues in my purse, and I really needed them this month. The Slim Packs are awesome because they don’t bulk up your purse and because the tissues inside are well protected. I never have to throw out any of the tissues because they got dirty! Plus, I refilled this several times to get more bang for my buck.

STATIONARY

Erin Condren Jot Your Thought JournalsErin Condren Jot Your Thought Journals [BUY]

You all know I love my Erin Condren Life Planner, and I recently fell for the brand’s journals as well. The Jot Your Thought Journals are cute, little notebooks. I use one as a book journal and one as a blog journal. The covers are really sturdy, the pages are thick and strong, and the designs are nice, too. I also think they are very affordable – you can get a trio for just $15! I gave some as Christmas gifts and bought some for myself.

FASHION

Madden Girl Ruxben Booties [BUY]

It was really hard for me to find boots this year, and I finally decided to just get some booties. I found these super cute booties at my local DSW. They are very warm and really comfortable. I love the little knit portion around the ankle, and the fold-over detail. If you’re a wide calf girl struggling to find boots, give these a try!

HOBBY

January Reading Wrap UpReading

Follow My Bookstagram HERE

I’ve been a bookworm since I started reading, but this past month I read seven books! There is something about winter that just makes me want to cozy up with a book. I read quite a wide array of books this month, too – adult, young adult, and new adult, fiction and nonfiction, science fiction, contemporary, romance, and mystery! Wow! Let me know if you’ve read any of the books pictured and your thoughts in the comments! Of course, I have (or will have) a full, non-spoiler review of each book on this blog in the Books section HERE.

LIFE

Adventures in Polishland Family Time

Family Time

Last but not least, I have to mention the special family time I enjoyed this month! My trip to LA was to visit family, and I got to see my nephew in person for the first time in over a year! Even though I speak with him on FaceTime regularly, there is something very special about hugging him and playing with him in person. The picture above shows us in the car – he loves to rest his little foot on my arm when I’m sitting with him in the back seat! Being an aunt is the best!

That brings us to the end of my January 2016 favorites! I hope you enjoyed reading about all my loves this month. As always, please feel free to share your favorites in the comments. I would love to know what products you’ve discovered, what hobbies you’re enjoying, or anything else going on in your life. You can also use the hashtag #PolishlandFaves on social media to share photos with me!

This post includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Upcoming Adventures | February Blog Chat

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Happy Sunday! Welcome to a brand new feature here at Adventures in Polishland called Upcoming Adventures! I usually don’t post on Sundays, but lately I’ve wanted to connect with all of you more. Thus, Upcoming Adventures is here to keep us in touch with one another. At the end of every month, I will write letting you know what you can expect for the month ahead. Today I’ll be chatting about what February will bring, and how I came to begin this new series.

Upcoming Adventures | February Blog Chat

I first got the idea for a monthly blog chat in the middle of January. I was reading a lot, and writing a lot of book reviews because of that. While Adventures in Polishland is still primarily a beauty blog, I’ve been sharing more of my other hobbies with you as well on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and sometimes Saturdays. I like to try out different hobbies all the time, so my blog reflects what’s going on in my own personal life at that moment in time. That’s why you got so many book reviews in January – I’ve been such a bookworm lately! Because of my constantly evolving tastes, my blog is going to look a bit different each month. I hope you’ll always stick around no matter what I’m discussing!

Nonetheless, Upcoming Adventures gives you a preview to the month ahead. In February you can expect more book reviews for the books I read in January. My book reviews are always non-spoiler, so don’t hesitate to read them! You can find all of my past book reviews HERE if you’re looking for your next read.

I also received a shipment of nail art supplies from Born Pretty Store, and have begun testing them out this week. You can expect to see some new nail polish reviews and nail art coming your way, too. I promised I would post about nail polish more often this year and get back to this blog’s roots, so I’m excited to jump right in with Born Pretty Store!

That wraps up my first Upcoming Adventures post! I hope you enjoyed getting a sneak peek at what’s to come at Adventures in Polishland in February. As always, thank you so much for your support. It means so much to me that I can share my life with all of you! Just as a reminder, you can submit requests using THIS form, so if there is a product you want me to review or a post you want to see, that’s where you can let me know. Here’s to a Happy February!

 

Book Review | Yes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You by Kunal Nayyar

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Yes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You by Kunal Nayyar

Published by Atria Books on September 15, 2015

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir, Essays

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 272

Source: Gift

Goodreads:  ★★★★

Of all the charming misfits on television, there’s no doubt Raj from The Big Bang Theory — the sincere yet incurably geeky Indian-American astrophysicist — ranks among the misfittingest. Now, we meet the actor who is every bit as loveable as the character he plays on TV. In this revealing collection of essays written in his irreverent, hilarious, and self-deprecating voice, Kunal Nayyar traces his journey from a little boy in New Delhi who mistakes an awkward first kiss for a sacred commitment, gets nosebleeds chugging Coca-Cola to impress other students, and excels in the sport of badminton, to the confident, successful actor on the set of TV’s most-watched sitcom since Friends.

Going behind the scenes of The Big Bang Theory and into his personal experiences, Kunal introduces readers to the people who helped him grow, such as his James Bond-loving, mustachioed father who taught him the most important lessons in life: Treat a beggar as you would a king. There are two sides to every story. A smile goes a long way. And, when in doubt, use a spreadsheet. Kunal also walks us through his college years in Portland, where he takes his first sips of alcohol and learns to let loose with his French, 6’8” gentle-giant roommate, works his first-ever job for the university’s housekeeping department cleaning toilets for minimum wage, and begins a series of romantic exploits that go just about as well as they would for Raj. (That is, until he meets and marries a former Miss India in an elaborate seven-day event that we get to experience in a chapter titled “My Big Fat Indian Wedding.”)

Full of heart, but never taking itself too seriously, this witty and often inspiring collection of underdog tales follows a young man as he traverses two continents in search of a dream, along the way transcending culture and language (and many, many embarrassing incidents) to somehow miraculously land the role of a lifetime.

REVIEW

As a huge fan of The Big Bang Theory, I knew I had to read Kunal Nayyar’s book and immediately added it to my wish list. I received it for Christmas this year, and read it straight away. Yes, My Accent is Real is a book of essays chronicling Nayyar’s life from childhood and through today. While it lives in the humor section of the bookstore, it includes so much more.

My initial reaction the book was not good. For the first forty or so pages, I was quite disappointed! The essays were okay, but I felt like they just grazed the surface, and I didn’t find them quite captivating. Luckily, once I got to the chapter entitled “Dinners with Dad,” I was hooked. In fact, I loved every essay that included Nayyar’s father! He seems to be such a kind, supportive, and wise man. I would very much like to meet him based on his presence in the book!

I really liked getting to know more about Nayyar’s life, especially his Indian culture. The book flows well and is written more or less in chronological order. That made the book easier to follow, and it also made the experimental aspects easier to swallow. For example, there are some small snippets in-between chapters that would have seemed out of place if not for the otherwise chronological nature.

Moreover, I really appreciated reading Yes, My Accent is Real at this point in my life. I am a recent graduate, and Nayyar understands how scary this time in life can be. He does a great job at offering advice that is not preachy, but still very helpful. This is true for the entire book. Nayyar weaves in advice with his personal stories, and I want to go back and explore some of his unique ideas more. I also want to mention that this book can be enjoyed by non-postgrads as well – my mom read it and loved it!

Of course, Yes, My Accent is Real includes a behind-the-scenes look at The Big Bang Theory, the television show in which Nayyar plays Raj Koothrapali. Fans get to learn more about their favorite show, but the book isn’t completely focused on it. I think there is a good balance between Nayyar’s life and the juice about The Big Bang Theory.

Finally, I will mention that there are a few editing issues in the book. I also didn’t enjoy the very short essays that were only 1-2 pages long. I found it difficult to really see any meaning in them, especially when compared to the longer chapters that were quite emotional.

That being said, I really enjoyed Yes, My Accent is Real once I got past the so-so beginning. I find Nayyar’s life both really interesting and relatable, and I loved learning more about him as a person. If you are a fan of The Big Bang Theory, I think this is a must read for you. If not, I’d give this a try if you enjoy memoirs or personal essay collections.

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When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Book Review | Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) by Tammara Webber

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Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) by Tammara Webber

Published by Penguin Berkley on May 25, 2012

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Format: Paperback

Pages: 321

Source: BookMooch

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex’s frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night – but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he’s hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

REVIEW

I’ve been interested in reading the New Adult genre for a while now, and I decided to begin with Easy by Tammara Webber after hearing so many good things about it. Easy follows college sophomore Jacqueline and begins with her getting assaulted while leaving a fraternity party. She is luckily saved by a mysterious guy named Lucas, who somehow knows her name. The book follows Jacqueline as she recovers from her assault, and as she learns more about who Lucas is.

Overall, I really liked Easy, and I think it was a good first step into New Adult. This is a genre between Young Adult and Adult, and includes more adult themes and some steamier romances. However, I really like that the romances aren’t too detailed or explicit. I also enjoyed Webber’s writing style, as it is well done and not cliché like some of the adult romances I’ve tried in the past.

In addition, I really liked the characters. Jacqueline is very likable and relateable, and Lucas is well-developed as well. The side characters in the book are also well written and add a lot to the story. I appreciated that Jacqueline had a strong best friend in her roommate Erin, a good role model in professor Dr. Heller, and a new buddy in classmate Benji. Webber knows how to write characters with great personalities for sure.

That being said, there were some things I didn’t enjoy about Easy. First and foremost, it was quite predictable at the beginning. While there is a bigger reveal at the end that I didn’t see coming, I did have a larger plot twist figured out from the start. Another writing issue is the setting. Webber does a great job embodying the college atmosphere, but there is no mention in the novel where Jacqueline’s college is situated in the country. There is a hint that this is a southern campus, but having a more specified geographic location would have helped me as a reader tremendously, as I kept wondering about the setting while reading.

My biggest critique with Easy, however, lies with the romance. While I won’t go into too much detail because of spoilers, I will say that at times I felt very uncomfortable with how Jacqueline and her love interest were interacting. Despite knowing that Jacqueline just got out of a three-year relationship with her ex-boyfriend and that she is recovering from a sexual assault, he pursues her full force and even ‘tricks’ her into his apartment. I would have liked for Webber to be a bit more attentive to the realities of Jacqueline’s situation when writing the romance.

All in all, I did really enjoy Easy, and I have already picked up the two other books in the series so I can continue on with the story. I’m glad I finally gave New Adult a chance, and will definitely be exploring other books in the genre as well. If you have any New Adult recommendations, please share them with me in the comments!

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When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Book Review | Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

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Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Published by St. Martin’s Griffin on September 10, 2013

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 433

Source: Gift

Goodreads: ★★★★

A coming-of-age tale of fanfiction, family and first love

CATH IS A SIMON SNOW FAN. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan… But for Cath, being a fan is her life–and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath that she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words…and she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

REVIEW

I was very excited to read Fangirl after hearing so many wonderful reviews of it. I’ve read Rainbow Rowell’s two adult novels, and really enjoyed them. I had a feeling Fangirl would be another great book. The story follows Cath, an introverted teenager who is starting her first year at college. Cath hoped she could experience her first year with her identical twin sister, Wren, but Wren wanted to do her own thing. This leaves Cath alone in her dorm room, afraid to even leave to find the cafeteria. Cath spends her time writing fanfiction for the beloved Simon Snow book series, which is comparable to Harry Potter.

I had some trouble getting into Fangirl at the beginning. I had flashbacks to my freshman year of college, which was a very difficult time in my life as well. I could relate to Cath even though she is a very extreme version of who I was in college. I was rooting for her from the start!

The characters in Fangirl are my absolute favorite part of the novel. There is family drama, love interests, surprising friendships, and more. I love that Rowell writes characters that struggle with real-life issues that are often not represented in young adult literature. For example, Cath’s father has bipolar disorder, a mental illness that takes a toll on his entire family. In addition, Cath’s identical twin Wren goes the ‘typical’ college student route, and begins non-stop partying. It is so refreshing to have such distinct and well-developed characters in this book.

That being said, I did have a few issues with Fangirl. First, I didn’t really get the whole Simon Snow thing. In between each chapter there is an excerpt from either a Simon Snow novel or Cath’s fanfiction based on Simon Snow. I really didn’t like those excerpts, mainly because I couldn’t connect them to what was going on in Fangirl, and there wasn’t enough for me to form a full picture of the Simon Snow world. While I thought it was great that Cath was so into fanfiction, I didn’t enjoy when she read portions of her work out loud for several pages.

Moreover, my biggest issue with Fangirl is with the ending (or lack thereof). I won’t spoil you in this review, but suffice it to say I was very frustrated with how this book came to a close. Cath’s first semester of college is drawn out and fully explored, and then her second is rushed. In addition, there are so many unanswered questions. Readers don’t get to find out if Cath finished her fanfiction in the timeframe she wanted, or what happens to a lot of the characters. It really bummed me out that the book ended this way, because there is so much about Fangirl that I really loved, but I had a sour taste in my mouth as I closed the book. It seems that Rowell loves to leave her readers unsatisfied.

All in all, I did enjoy the journey of reading Fangirl, and I can see why so many people love the book. I ended up giving this book a four star rating, even though it probably is more of a three because of the ending. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this book if you are the shy one. Cath’s story is very relatable, and I can see it comforting many who may feel alone whether at college or at any other stage in life. Of course, if you enjoy young adult contemporary and a good love story, this is a great option. I look forward to picking up Carry On, Cath’s fanfiction that is now its own fantasy novel, at some point very soon.

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When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Visualize Your Health Goals with a DIY Star Jar!

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Happy Tuesday! Today I’m excited to share with you one of the DIY projects I began at the beginning of this year. One of my New Year’s Resolutions is, of course, to be healthier. I talked all about my goal in THIS blog post, but today I’m sharing how I’m visualizing that goal. Growing up I absolutely loved origami, and last year I purchased some star paper at a Sanrio store in Los Angeles. I decided to finally put that star paper to use and track my health goals in 2016. Let me show you my jar, and tell you how I’m using it!

Visualize Your Health Goals with a DIY Star Jar!

I first got the idea for this star jar from the book community, which uses it to track the books they read throughout the year. I’ve adapted that for my health goals because that is what I personally need to visualize. This year I want to make sure that I am exercising on a regular basis, taking my daily vitamins, and losing some weight along the way. I often feel discouraged that I’m not exercising enough if I skip a day or two, so I’m hoping that when I see a jar filled with stars that represent all the working out I’ve already done, I’ll be more confident. I also want to focus more on non-scale goals, so even though I’ll be tracking my weight weekly, I’m putting more of an emphasis on my overall health.

Visualize Your Health Goals with a DIY Star Jar!Here is a look at my color coding for the star jar. I’ll put in a pink star every day that I work out, a purple star for every day that I take my doctor-recommended vitamins, and a yellow star for every pound I lose. I’m hoping to put in at least 100 pink stars and 200 purple stars by the time the year comes to a close. I’m not putting a goal on weight, just so I don’t dwell on it.

If you’re looking to create your own Health Star Jar, all you need is a jar and star paper. You can get the jar at the dollar store, Target, or upcycle an old food jar. I got mine at Target for $2.29. Star paper can either be purchased at specialty stores or on Amazon HERE. You can also make your own! This video tutorial on YouTube shows you how to make your own star paper and how to fold the paper into stars: LINK.

I hope you enjoyed learning about my Health Star Jar today! I’m always excited when I can put a star in the jar. It’s really helping to motivate me, and I can’t wait to see what it will look like at the end of the year. If you create a Health Star Jar, please tag me on social media so I can see it!

This post includes an Amazon Affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Book Review | Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu

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Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu

Published by Roaring Book Press on June 2, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Religion, Coming of Age

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 336

Source: Gift

Goodreads: ★★★★ 1/2

Rachel Walker is devoted to God.

She prays every day, attends Calvary Christian Church with her family, helps care for her five younger siblings, dresses modestly, and prepares herself to be a wife and mother who serves the Lord with joy.

But Rachel is curious about the world her family has turned away from, and increasingly finds that neither the church nor her homeschool education has the answers she craves. Rachel has always found solace in her beliefs, but now she can’t shake the feeling that her devotion might destroy her soul.

REVIEW

I’ve been wanting to read Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu ever since I had the opportunity to hear the author speak at BookCon in 2015. As soon as I heard the premise of the book, I knew I would love it. Devoted follows 17-year-old Rachel Walker, whose family is a part of the Quiverfull movement. This is a fundamentalist Christian sect in which children are seen as blessings and procreation is very much promoted. Rachel is one of ten children and her mother is pregnant with another. While Rachel loves her family dearly, she becomes curious about the world outside her own, and begins to explore how ‘worldly’ people live.

I really enjoyed Devoted, and I knew I would because I am fascinated with different religions and how people live their lives in a way that is different from my own. Rachel is a great first-person narrator because she is instantly likable and I was rooting for her from the start. Similarly, Mathieu has a great writing style. It is quite relaxed, and that made Devoted a really quick read.

My main critique of Devoted is that nothing big happens in the story. Perhaps I’ve just been reading more science fiction and fantasy lately, but I didn’t find any sort of climax in the story. Nonetheless, I do appreciate that Devoted focuses on a young woman growing up and making her own choices. The book is truly about her growth, and it’s refreshing to read a young adult novel that praises a young woman’s personal autonomy. While I would have liked a bit more excitement, or even some romance thrown in, looking back I can see how Rachel’s journey is an important one.

Moreover, I also would have liked to learn more about Rachel’s family. Maybe I’m just a bit obsessed with learning about people who practice fundamentalist religions (one of my all-time favorite television shows is Big Love, for example), but I needed more about Rachel’s parents, older sister, and even her older brothers. This is a small critique, but one I want to mention nonetheless.

Overall, I really enjoyed Devoted and am so glad I finally got the opportunity to read it. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who are interested in different religions. If you are looking for a young adult contemporary that isn’t all about romance, this is also a perfect choice. I can’t wait to read more of Mathieu’s work in the future!

BUY THE BOOK

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When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Book Review | Armada by Ernest Cline

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Armada by Ernest Cline

Published by Crown Publishing on July 14, 2015

Genres: Adult, Fiction, Science Fiction

Format: Hard Cover

Pages: 349

Source: Blogging for Books

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

Zack Lightman has spent his life dreaming. Dreaming that the real world could be a little more like the countless science-fiction books, movies, and videogames he’s spent his life consuming. Dreaming that one day, some fantastic, world-altering event will shatter the monotony of his humdrum existence and whisk him off on some grand space-faring adventure.

But hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little escapism, right? After all, Zack tells himself, he knows the difference between fantasy and reality. He knows that here in the real world, aimless teenage gamers with anger issues don’t get chosen to save the universe.

And then he sees the flying saucer.

Even stranger, the alien ship he’s staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.

No, Zack hasn’t lost his mind. As impossible as it seems, what he’s seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what’s about to befall it.

It’s Zack’s chance, at last, to play the hero. But even through the terror and exhilaration, he can’t help thinking back to all those science-fiction stories he grew up with, and wondering: Doesn’t something about this scenario seem a little…familiar?

At once gleefully embracing and brilliantly subverting science-fiction conventions as only Ernest Cline could, Armada is a rollicking, surprising thriller, a classic coming of age adventure, and an alien invasion tale like nothing you’ve ever read before—one whose every page is infused with the pop-culture savvy that has helped make Ready Player One a phenomenon.

BOOK REVIEW

I excitedly received a copy of Armada by Ernest Cline for review from the website Blogging for Books. I requested it after hearing so many amazing things about his famous work Ready Player One, and dove in without knowing anything about it whatsoever. Armada follows teenager Zack Lightman and begins when Zack sees a UFO outside his high school’s window while in math class one day. Seeing a UFO would be disturbing in and of itself, but this particular ship is from the video game he plays called Armada. Zack passes it off as a hallucination, and goes about his video-game filled life.

I was immediately drawn into Armada because of Cline’s relaxed writing style. Zack narrates the story in first-person, and his voice is easy to follow. I absolutely loved the beginning of this book. While I’m not into video games, I was really intrigued with the entire world of the gamer. I liked learning more about Armada and Terra Firma, the two games featured in the story, and it was cool to follow Zack and his friends while they played the games, too.

What truly drew me in, however, was the conspiracy theory! Zack’s father died when Zack was just a baby, and he left behind a lot of his possessions. One of those is a notebook in which he wonders if video games are created by the government in order to train an army without anyone knowing. I was hooked! I wanted this theory to be proven true, and had to keep reading to find out whether it would be.

Unfortunately, the story tapers off in the middle, and about one-third of the way through Armada I got very bored. I had to struggle to continue on despite really liking Zack and the other characters in the novel. However, I’m really glad I stuck through to the end, because the finale is excellent. I love the somewhat unsettling and open-ended conclusion. I also loved the discussion on humanity that Cline brings up to the readers.

Overall, I found Armada to be a fun read, and one that was unique to me as someone who doesn’t know a lot about video game culture. I did find the middle section of the book to drag a lot, and I didn’t like that Cline included too many layers of truths and falsities. In fact, to truly understand the intricately woven web of truths and lies, I would have to graph out the novel. Finally, Armada contains multiple typographical errors and other copyediting mistakes.

I recommend Armada if you are looking for a book centered on video games, aliens, or 1980s pop culture. If you are a big fan of Ready Player One, perhaps go into this book with low expectations. I look forward to reading Ready Player One for the first time, because I know it is so praised and can only top Armada.

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My Thoughts on the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series by Rick Riordan | Spolier Free

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I want to share my thoughts on the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. I usually post individual book reviews for each book I read, but I decided I would post a general, spoiler-free discussion for this series instead. I picked up Percy Jackson for the first time in 2015 after hearing how much people love it. While I don’t read a lot of middle-grade books, I thought it would be fun to read this fantasy series while I was studying for the bar. I knew it would be easy to get through, and also entertaining. I did read the first three books of this five-book series in May, but it wasn’t until December where I finally picked up the last two. Percy Jackson took me on an epic adventure, and I want to share it with all of you!

My Thoughts on Percy Jackson and the Olympians

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series follows 11-year-old Percy Jackson. Percy is a good kid, but he always seems to get into trouble. The series opens when Percy is on a field trip with his class, and all of a sudden his math teacher turns into a monster! It turns out Percy is a half-blood, which means his dad is a God. Percy goes to Camp Half-Blood, which just happens to be located in Long Island, New York. There he learns more about the mysterious world of the Greek Gods, and meets a wide array of characters.

The first book, entitled The Lightning Thief, was my least favorite of the series. While I really enjoyed Percy as a character and first-person narrator, the book is so derivative of my beloved Harry Potter that it actually made me angry! I spent the majority of the book grumbling about how everything in the novel parallels Harry Potter, and was quite frustrated as I reached the ending.

Nonetheless, I continued on with The Sea of Monsters, book two in the series. While it still had Harry Potter undertones, I really liked the new characters introduced to the reader. I also loved how author Rick Riordan wrote a middle-grade story that discusses the importance of accepting those who are different than ourselves. Thus, I picked up book three, The Titan’s Curse directly after finishing the second book. The Titan’s Curse was a turning point in the series for me. It broke away from the pack in terms of the Harry Potter similarities, and while I don’t remember too many details of the story, I knew for sure I would finish the series.

As I mentioned above, I took a few months off from Percy Jackson after completing the first three books, mainly because I was busy. That made it difficult for me to get back into the story when I picked up book four, The Battle of the Labyrinth. I ended up listening to the first third of the book as an audio book to help jump back into the world, which really helped. I was a bit disappointed with the fourth book, but the ending was excellent, and I had to find out how the series would conclude.

The last book, The Last Olympian, is by far my favorite. It is non-stop action, and I absolutely loved how all the loose ends got tied up in the end. Because The Last Olympian was so strong, it really gave me a favorable opinion on the series as a whole, and made me want to pick up Rick Riordan’s other books. I definitely look forward to starting The Heroes of Olympus series, which is a continuation of this one.

What I Loved:

  • The well-developed, likable, and relatable characters
  • The incorporation of Greek mythology
  • The adventures and quests
  • Percy’s sassy narration style

What I Didn’t Like:

  • How derivative it is of Harry Potter
  • The predictability (despite it being middle grade)

My Thoughts on Percy Jackson and the Olympians

STAR RATINGS:

The Lightning Thief: ★★★

The Sea of Monsters: ★★★★

The Titan’s Curse: ★★★★

The Battle of the Labyrinth: ★★★★

The Last Olympian: ★★★★ 1/2

Overall, I highly recommend the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, especially if you enjoy middle-grade fantasy books. If you go into it prepared for Harry Potter similarities at the beginning, then you will like it more that I did from the start. You can pick up a box set of the entire series on Bookshop.org HERE. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read this series, and what your thoughts are! Please use a spoiler disclaimer at the start of your comment if you are mentioning anything that could spoil another reader.

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