Books – Page 9 – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: Books

Library Book Sale Haul | Book Shopping on a Budget!

Posted on October 13, 2015September 21, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I am excited to share with you a mega awesome book haul! As you know, Adventures in Polishland is your guide to a fabulous and affordable life. I’ve often shared how to save on beauty products, but today we are changing gears to talk about books! I’ve been a reader my entire life, and as much as I love ebooks, I still prefer reading physical books. Books can be really expensive, though, so I’m always on the hunt for a good deal. I love to check out used book stores, but the best and most affordable shopping is a good old library book sale! My local library always has a sale going on, but once a year there is a huge book sale where you can fill a bag for just $1.00. I recently went to this sale and picked up seven books, and had to share them with you! Let me show you what I picked up, and give you some library book sale tips along the way.

I’ve gone to many library book sales in the past and often felt overwhelmed with the vast number of books. This is often because the books are not organized, and there is so much to look at, at once. Plus, these book sales can be swimming with lots of people all vying for the hot titles. This time I came prepared – I only bought books that I was looking to own. In other words, I didn’t pick up any books simply because they looked interesting. I bought books that were on my wish list. My main goal was to find books that completed series. I also brought my own reusable tote to the book sale. It allowed me to pick up more books because it was bigger than the grocery bags the library offered!

Here are the first four books I got at the sale. I was so excited to find these, because they helped to complete two series on my bookshelf! These books are all sequels that I’ve been wanting to read. Specials and Extras by Scott Westerfeld are the last two books in the Uglies series, and I already own the first two. Frostbite by Richelle Mead is the second book in the Vampire Academy series (I own the first one). Finally, Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells is the second book in the Ya-Yas trilogy. I own the first and third books already, but was missing this one. I seriously couldn’t believe my luck with these finds! I love to read all of the books in a series back-to-back, so now I can do that with the Uglies and Ya-Yas series!

I also picked up a couple Stephen King books. I’ve been wanting to read his books in publishing order for a while, so when I found this vintage copy of Carrie I decided to pick it up despite it’s disheveled state. I am super excited about this bind-up of The Bachman Books as well! It contains four novels that King wrote under a pseudonym at the beginning of his career, and is very difficult to find because one of the novels is not in print anymore. I’m ready for spooky Halloween reads for sure!

Last but not least, I found a copy of Deception Point by Dan Brown. I’ve read three of his Robert Langdon books, so I figured I would read more by him. I also own a copy of Angels & Demons in this same edition, which is from the UK! I couldn’t pass this up, especially for such a low price.

Those are all of the books I picked up at the library book sale for just $1.00 total! Besides the copy of Carrie, all of the books I got are in great quality and would sell for a few dollars each at used bookstores or online. Definitely make sure to check out your local library to see what books they have on sale. You never know what you’re going to find!

Do you shop at library book sales? Share your tips in the comments!

Buy a copy of one of these books using the Amazon widget below and I will earn a small commission. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Book Review | Soundless by Richelle Mead

Posted on October 8, 2015August 30, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Soundless by Richelle Mead

Published by Razorbill on November 10, 2015

Genres: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fantasy

Format: ARC

Pages: 272

Source: BEA

Goodreads: ★★★★

From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore.

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.

But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei’s jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever…

REVIEW

I’ve been hearing amazing things about Richelle Mead’s books for years now, but haven’t picked one up until receiving Soundless at Book Expo America (“BEA”) this past May. Soundless is a stand alone fantasy novel following Fei, a young artist who lives in a Chinese village in which everyone is deaf. No one is entirely sure why the people in Fei’s village lost their hearing several generations ago, but now members of her community are losing their vision as well. This poses a danger for them, because they are stuck at the top of a mountain, and their only chance at survival comes by way of a zipline connecting the village with the township at the bottom. So long as Fei’s village sends down the precious metals they mine, they receive food in return, but the more they lose their vision, the less food they receive. Things are looking bleak until one day Fei’s hearing suddenly returns. She decides to use this new ability to make the dangerous trek down the mountain with her childhood friend Li Wei in hopes of saving her community.

What follows is a short but incredibly well-written account of what Fei and Li Wei discover at the bottom of the mountain, and what, if anything, they can do to save their people. I found Soundless a very unique and refreshing story, and I really liked that I never knew what was going to happen next. I was especially fond of all the characters in Soundless, and felt a bond with them throughout the story. Fei, in particular, is an incredible heroine. She is brave, self-sufficient, and always does what is best for her community over what may fulfill her own selfish needs. Richelle Mead does an excellent job creating a heroine who is realistic, yet still surprisingly strong.

My only critique of Soundless is with the ending. In order to keep this review spoiler-free, I will generally explain my disappointments. The ending for me was a bit of a cop out, because it turned an otherwise contemporary-feeling read into a fantasy one. While I still enjoyed the ending overall, I do wish it flowed better from the rest of the novel. Similarly, I found that everything in Soundless wrapped up a bit too easily. I recognize that this is a middle grade novel, though, so that is understandable.

Overall, Soundless is a great read, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a unique and diverse story. I appreciate that Soundless is a stand-alone fantasy book, as I tend to avoid fantasy due to the long series that are often involved. That being said, I am definitely looking forward to picking up Richelle Mead’s other books now that I know I enjoy her writing.

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

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 | Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger

Posted on October 1, 2015September 19, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger

Published by Scholastic on April 28, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: eARC

Pages: 309

Source: Edelweiss

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

Revisit Hamilton High in this MUST READ for all fans of The DUFF – co-starring Bianca and Wesley.

Sonny Ardmore is an excellent liar. She lies about her dad being in prison. She lies about her mom kicking her out. And she lies about sneaking into her best friend’s house every night because she has nowhere else to go.

Amy Rush might be the only person Sonny shares everything with – secrets, clothes, even a nemesis named Ryder Cross.
Ryder’s the new kid at Hamilton High and everything Sonny and Amy can’t stand – a prep-school snob. But Ryder has a weakness: Amy. So when Ryder emails Amy asking her out, the friends see it as a prank opportunity not to be missed.

But without meaning to, Sonny ends up talking to Ryder all night online. And to her horror, she realizes that she might actually ‘like’ him. Only there’s one small catch: he thinks he’s been talking to Amy. So Sonny comes up with an elaborate scheme to help Ryder realize that she’s the girl he’s really wanted all along. Can Sonny lie her way to the truth, or will all her lies end up costing her both Ryder and Amy?

The DUFF is a New York Times Bestseller and a major motion picture starring Bella Thorne, Robbie Amell, Mae Whitman and Alison Janney.

REVIEW

I was very hesitant to pick up Lying Out Loud after reading The DUFF this past May, but because I had received a copy for review, I decided to go for it. Lying Out Loud is a companion novel to The DUFF, meaning that it can be read as a stand alone, but takes place at Hamilton High just as The DUFF did. In addition, Lying Out Loud allows readers to catch up with characters from The DUFF, especially Wesley and Bianca. That being said, if you enjoyed The DUFF, I think you’ll really love Lying Out Loud, but if you haven’t read it, I recommend skipping it.

Lying Out Loud follows Wesley’s little sister Amy and her best friend Sonny, who has just moved in with Amy after trouble with her mom. The two friends are inseparable until a new guy named Ryder moves to town. He has a huge crush on Amy, but Sonny soon falls for him. Lying Out Loud follows Sonny as she tries to get Ryder to like her after she catfishes him by taking on Amy’s persona online. Along the way readers learn more about Sonny, and why she has come to use lying as a coping mechanism in her life.

I enjoyed Lying Out Loud much more than The DUFF, primarily because a lot of the issues I had with The DUFF were not present in this book. I can tell Keplinger’s writing has matured a great deal, and I was happy with the limited swearing and sexual content. Lying Out Loud is much better suited to a young adult audience than The DUFF is. Similarly, while I don’t typically enjoy characters who lie in books, I was able to accept Sonny’s behavior because the book’s plot focuses on her lying problem and why she feels compelled to lie. Lying Out Loud has a good message for younger readers, especially those who may be going through difficult times like Sonny.

In the same way, I really liked the characters in Lying Out Loud. I was able to connect with them, and I felt like they were going through real issues that today’s teenagers face. Sonny and Ryder, in particular, face tough challenges and struggle with overcoming them in the book. I also really loved the side characters of Amy’s parents. They were so kind and loving, and unlike many parents in young adult literature.

My main critique of Lying Out Loud is that everything seems to wrap up nicely and easily for everyone. Of course, I won’t get into the details so as to avoid spoilers, but suffice it to say Lying Out Loud lives up to the ‘fluffy contemporary’ stereotype despite some of the hard-hitting issues discussed in the book. Because of that, I couldn’t give the book a higher rating despite enjoying the read overall.

Thus, I recommend Lying Out Loud for fans of The DUFF and for young adult contemporary lovers. It is a fun read that would be great for travel or for those who don’t have much time to read. I read this book over the course of three months and I didn’t have any issues remembering what was happening. This might be the perfect pick-up from the library on your next trip!

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle

Posted on September 29, 2015September 18, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley-Doyle

Published by Kathy Dawson Books on July 2, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Magical Realism

Format: ARC

Pages: 283

Source: BEA

Goodreads: ★★★★★

It’s the accident season, the same time every year. Bones break, skin tears, bruises bloom.

The accident season has been part of seventeen-year-old Cara’s life for as long as she can remember. Towards the end of October, foreshadowed by the deaths of many relatives before them, Cara’s family becomes inexplicably accident-prone. They banish knives to locked drawers, cover sharp table edges with padding, switch off electrical items – but injuries follow wherever they go, and the accident season becomes an ever-growing obsession and fear.

But why are they so cursed? And how can they break free?

REVIEW

Perhaps it’s because Halloween is coming up, but I’ve really been into creepy reads lately. The Accident Season definitely fits that description. This haunting young adult novel follows Cara and her family during the month of October, during which they experience the Accident Season. Every year they experience a series of accidents, sometimes small and sometimes tragic. This year Cara’s best friend Bea predicts that it’s going to be the worst season yet.

What follows is an incredibly written story full of emotion. It started slow, but the pace quickly picked up to the point where I couldn’t put the book down and finished the novel in two days. I loved the mystery of The Accident Season. It is written in a way so that it leads the reader in one direction, but logically builds up to a few exciting twists.

In the same way, I really loved the characters in The Accident Season. I cared deeply for each character and his or her personal struggles, and I also rooted for each character. I am amazed at how the emotions jumped off the page and into me. For example, during one particular scene, I felt frightened and like I was watching a scary movie take place. I’m amazed at how the author seamlessly used her words to create such a feeling in me as a reader.

As always, I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say that it was perfect for the magical realism genre. That being said, I feel like this book will not be for everyone because it does deal with some very serious issues that I won’t discuss due to spoilers. I recommend the book for those who enjoyed We Were Liars, as it has a similar vibe with a very different storyline. The Accident Season is also a great choice for book clubs, because it leaves a lot to be discussed and will mean different things to different readers.

In the end, I highly recommend The Accident Season. It’s very difficult to describe just how much I loved this book without giving away the mysterious plot. If you are looking for an eery yet extremely poignant book this fall, I highly recommend The Accident Season. I am really looking forward to the next books from debut author Moïra Fowley-Doyle, as this one is outstanding.

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

Posted on September 24, 2015September 15, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

Published by Crown Archetype on October 14, 2014

Genres: Nonfiction, Autobiography, Memoir, Humor

Format: Paperback

Pages: 291

Source: Blogging for Books

Goodreads: ★★★★

Tired of memoirs that only tell you what really happened?

Sick of deeply personal accounts written in the first person? Seeking an exciting, interactive read that puts the “u” back in “aUtobiography”? Then look no further than Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography! In this revolutionary, Joycean experiment in light celebrity narrative, actor/personality/carbon-based life-form Neil Patrick Harris lets you, the reader, live his life. You will be born in New Mexico. You will get your big break at an acting camp. You will get into a bizarre confrontation outside a nightclub with actor Scott Caan. Even better, at each critical juncture of your life, you will choose how to proceed. You will decide whether to try out for Doogie Howser, M.D. You will decide whether to spend years struggling with your sexuality. You will decide what kind of caviar you want to eat on board Elton John’s yacht.

Choose correctly and you’ll find fame, fortune, and true love. Choose incorrectly and you’ll find misery, heartbreak, and a hideous death by piranhas. All this, plus magic tricks, cocktail recipes, embarrassing pictures from your time as a child actor, and even a closing song. Yes, if you buy one book this year, congratulations on being above the American average, but make that book Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography!

REVIEW

I’ll admit it – I’m a sucker for the celebrity memoir. I even have a separate space on my bookshelves where I keep celebrity books because it makes me laugh to see my pop culture obsession physically stacked in one place. That being said, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t expect much out of the celebrity memoir in terms of quality writing. I’m excited to share my thoughts on Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography, as NPH proved that not all celebrity books are created equal.

Of course, Choose Your Own Autobiography is written in its classic style, allowing readers to control the story’s order by choosing to which pages they turn at the end of each chapter. This allows the book to be read in a variety of ways, making each reader’s experience different. I chose to read the book chronologically from cover to cover, and while that may be breaking the rules a bit, I found that my reading experience was still logical and enjoyable. Thus, no matter how you choose to live NPH’s life, the book is organized so that your adventure is always a great one.

Similarly, NPH’s writing voice is extremely well done (and I say that recognizing he’s not the only person credited as author). His writing is witty, and I was laughing at his cleverly inserted one-liners throughout the entirety of the book. He mixed fact with fiction so seamlessly that sometimes I couldn’t even differentiate between the two. At the same time, NPH shared a great deal about his life, including many intimate moments. Despite not following his career closely before, I feel like I know him personally after reading his book.

Moreover, I have a few minor critiques. While the experimental writing style works well for the majority of the book, there is one lone chapter that fell flat for me. Choose Your Own Autobiography is written in the second person, placing the reader into the role of NPH. However, one chapter is written in How I Met Your Mother style, with NPH speaking in the first person to his children Gideon and Harper. I can appreciate how he’s using the familiar trope in the book, but I felt like the switch in perspective was unnecessary and detracted from the otherwise uniform writing.

Finally, Choose Your Own Adventure needs more page numbers! The entire premise of this book is allowing the reader to flip to the pages of her choice to continue the story, but each new chapter of the book does not contain a page number. Many chapters are only a couple pages long, so there can be a few pages in a row without a page number. That makes flipping to the correct page number a bit annoying and time-consuming, and takes away from the enjoyment of reading when one has to stop and find the proper page before continuing. If this book is printed again, I highly recommend the publisher include a page number on each and every page.

Those small critiques aside, I truly enjoyed Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography. It is a fun and thoughtful read, and great whether you’re a huge NPH fan or simply looking to learn a bit more about him. Plus, the book includes recipes, magic tricks, and even a chunk of photos in the middle. It truly has something for everyone.

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | The Shrunken Head by Lauren Oliver & H.C. Chester (The Curiosity House #1)

Posted on September 15, 2015September 15, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

The Shrunken Head (The Curiosity House #1) by Lauren Oliver & H.C. Chester

Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books on September 29, 2015

Genres: Children’s, Middle Grade, Mystery, Urban Fantasy

Format: ARC

Pages: 368

Source: BEA

Goodreads: ★★★★

What you will find in this book:

– A rather attractive bearded lady
– Several scandalous murders
– A deliciously disgusting Amazonian shrunken head
– Four extraordinary children with equally extraordinary abilities
– A quite loquacious talking bird

Blessed with extraordinary abilities, orphans Philippa, Sam, and Thomas have grown up happily in Dumfrey’s Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. But when a fourth child, Max, a knife-
thrower, joins the group, it sets off an unforgettable chain of events. When the museum’s Amazonian shrunken head is stolen, the four are determined to get it back. But their search leads them to a series of murders and an explosive secret about their pasts.

This sensational new series combines the unparalleled storytelling gifts of Lauren Oliver with the rich
knowledge of the notorious relics collector H.C. Chester.

What you will NOT find in this book:

– An accountant named Seymour
– A never-ending line at the post office
– Brussel sprouts (shudder)
– A lecture on finishing all your homework on time
– A sweet, gooey story for nice little girls and boys.

REVIEW

I got in a line to meet Lauren Oliver at Book Expo America (“BEA”) this past May and came away with this book, of which I knew nothing. What I got in The Shrunken Head is a fun children’s story that takes place in New York City in the 1930s. The setting is Dumfrey’s Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders, which just got in a new and exciting oddity – a shrunken head. This head wows audiences and drives crowds to Dumfrey’s until it is stolen. The story follows four children who live and perform at Dumfrey’s as they run around New York trying to find the head and figure out why so many people have mysteriously died since the head’s disappearance.

The Shrunken Head is perfect for fans of Clue and Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, as it combines these genres in a new way. Our ‘freaks’ in the story are: Pippa, a mind reader; Thomas, a boy who can fit into any space no matter how small; Max, a knife-throwing girl; and Sam, a scrawny strongman. These four unite to save the museum they call home, and make a great cast of characters. Each child has a well-developed personality individually, but work together really well. In addition, The Shrunken Head has an extended character list that is easy to follow and keep in line.

Moreover, The Shrunken Head is very well written. I loved the funny lines thrown in, and how the mystery aspect of the story is well-crafted. There are just enough hints along the way that make the book fun for adults as well as children. That being said, I do think the storyline is a bit dark for its intended audience of 8-12-year-olds. The Shrunken Head is a murder mystery, so there is a bit of violence, and a discussion of murder and suicide. While there is nothing too graphic, if you are a parent of young children I would keep the subject-matter in mind.

One thing I do really love about the story, though, is the overall message. I think it’s great that The Shrunken Head discusses body image and being different, and how what makes a person good is not what he looks like on the outside. I definitely look forward to seeing the children in The Shrunken Head in another book soon, especially considering the ending of this one!

All in all, I really enjoyed The Shrunken Head. It is a cute and fun story, and can be enjoyed by a wide audience. I look forward to seeing the final version of the book upon its release on September 29, 2015, so I can see the beautiful artwork that is to be included (I only got sneak peeks in my advanced copy!). I definitely recommend The Shrunken Head if it sounds like something up your alley!

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Posted on September 8, 2015September 8, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Published by Broadway Books in June 2012

Genres: Adult, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Format: Mass Market Paperback (Movie Tie-In Edition)

Pages: 555

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★★

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media–as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents–the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter–but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

REVIEW

Wow. Gone Girl is my new obsession. Despite being late to the Gone Girl train, I managed to avoid spoilers and still find myself completely invested in this absolutely brilliant novel by Gillian Flynn. I’m sure you’ve all heard of this thrilling book in which Nick Dunne’s wife Amy suddenly goes missing on the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary by now, but I couldn’t resist sharing my thoughts with you nonetheless.

I typically avoid long books, and Gone Girl is a chunker at over 550 pages. The beginning was a bit slow at first, but once I hit around the 200 page mark, Gone Girl had completely taken over my life to the point where I couldn’t put the book down, and even carried it in my purse hoping to squeeze in a few pages whenever I got the chance. At the time of writing this review, it’s been two days since I completed the novel, yet I’m still thinking about it, and probably will be for a long time.

I’m amazed at how Flynn has created the two unlikeable characters of Nick and Amy, but still manages to make me feel sorry for them. Nick and Amy both had difficult childhoods that shaped their personalities in different ways, and while neither of their actions are excusable, I still find it hard to find them totally despicable, or even annoying. It’s rare for me to read a book in which I don’t like the characters, but still enjoy their personas.

Moreover, I am blown away by Flynn’s ability to craft a novel in the way she did. Without giving anything away in this spoiler-free review, suffice it to say that as the story developed, I was sitting there thinking “Brilliant!,” “Of course!,” and “Incredible!” at the amount of thought and detail put into the story. Flynn includes just the right amount of predictable to allow the reader to have an inkling of what’s going to happen, but still managing to stun and surprise at the same time. This is truly an impeccable piece of writing.

As for the ending, though quite unsettling and a bit off-character, I find it the perfect ending to Gone Girl. While the ultimate “winner” is not desirable, I can only imagine how things will go for these characters in the future. Flynn instills the proper feeling of fear and apprehension in the reader as her intense and unbelievable novel comes to a close.

If you were like me and waited to read Gone Girl, do yourself a favor and pick it up as soon as possible. I’ll be sure to read Flynn’s other works in the near future, and will certainly pick up anything else she releases going forward.

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble